Time Sensitive Target

Part 25 - Unquenchable Thirst

"I'll do it," Ant declared sombrely, his brilliant eyes glittering in the shimmer of flickering ceiling lights. 

"I had first dibs on that," Sonny drawled from the couch where he reclined, cap tipped forward concealing his dozy slumber so that only nostrils and the bearded lower half of his face could be seen. 

"He's British, it's only honourable," the soft lines of Ant's mouth curled into a smirk, the only moment of lightness he'd felt for a long time. Realising that in itself turfed Ant's mind into the familiar whirlpool of occupational hazards; how could this bring you joy? 

"As long as I get to watch," Jase scratched the back of his head sleepily, desperate for some decent rest other than the insufficient twenty minute cat naps he was having whenever he could. He hated to admit it to himself, but he was actually looking forward to the next task at hand. Yes, it took the focus off some of the more unpleasant jobs that came later, but mostly he was just excited to watch the life drain out of a fellow man. 

Ant had seen Rob and the rest of his team off only twenty minutes ago, the gravity of their departure and what it said about the precariousness of Paige's situation still very much raw. Still, at least a line of communication was now open with Jase. It made him feel slightly more at ease, but learning about the CIA's involvement caused him to wonder if there was any way out of this rabbit hole now they'd been thrust down it. 

"Let's get it done," Ant heaved his body upright from where he'd been leaning against the table. He felt heavy, wearied and exhausted. He had some energy reserves left for the next endeavour though, he was sure of that. 

The three men walked out into the settling dusk, across the courtyard and straight to the furthest door of the cell block. Jase rapped once on the door, waiting impatiently for Ryan, the youngest member of his team, to unbolt the entrance and let them in. Jase nodded in appreciation as the metal door swung open, and dismissed his comrade. 

With the door secured behind them, Ant assessed the surroundings, eyeing the now frail man perching his body weight on the upturned leg of a metal chair. He mentally gave the youngest of the Americans a nod of professional appreciation, the method of sleep deprivation was a nice touch. One wobbled movement after closing the eyes would result in a chair leg up the prisoner's rectum. 

"Strip him," Ant ordered. Though Jase, and therefore Sonny by default had superiority at the site now Ant had been issued the notice to stand down, in this room al-Raheem had to see Ant as the supreme authority. Sonny stripped al-Raheem of the filth covered clothes he was wearing, leaving him a quivering pile of naked flesh on the concrete. 

Al-Raheem made a rasping noise, as though he wanted to say something but he couldn't formulate the words. Jase couldn't escape the parallels between what he'd seen on the video link of Paige all that time ago. He'd been doing the same thing to another person; inflicting the same injuries, instilling the same fear. Did that make him as bad as someone like al-Raheem? 

"You know the Sukhanova Swallow position?" Ant lifted his chin to Sonny. The Southerner scoffed in delight. 

"You betcha." 

Sonny and Jase worked together to restrain Bazish al-Raheem in a long sheet, placing the centre point between his lips like a horse's bridle, forcing his mouth open. They wound it down his back, compelling him into a half-squat position, and tied the sheet underneath his feet. The front of his torso jutted out unnaturally, his knees forced into bending whilst his head was kept upright by tension of the fabric running between his jaw and down his spine. Al-Raheem gave a heavy muffled groan, trying hard in his suspended state to keep still. 

Ant paced towards al-Raheem, locking his eyes into his prisoner's. He looked a far cry from his appearance in the video calls so long ago, Ant noted. But then, so did Paige. Al-Raheem's pallid chestnut skin shone with sweat, the whites of his eyes were near yellow and framed by sockets purple with exhaustion. Ant crouched down before him so their faces were level, al-Raheem staring back with wild abandon.