Journey Series: Ellick

Full Cognitive Function

Torres had been on the verge of something for a while. For a time it felt like he wasn't even fully there anymore. Three full months of daily mental and physical degradation was taking its toll. He was still being as stubborn as hell. He wouldn't give in. He wouldn't give up. He would not go out like this and he knew the team would find him. If they couldn't get to him in time, at least they would have the cartel and his information.

Then a miracle happened. They were once again they were escorting him to his daily movie showing. Somewhere in his not-so-lucid thoughts floated one that was along the lines of, Do they have anything in their selection other than horror movies? He was re-steeling himself for the showing when an angel descended. By angel, he meant Ellie, and by descended he meant more like just ran up out of nowhere. When she called him Diego, his mind immediately clicked with the angle she was playing. All he had to do was stand and stare though. His breath caught in his throat when she said, Sophia. He'd never told anyone... but besides that point, she was fricken badass. Not to mention hot. It was over one hundred degrees but that of course was not what he meant. Although it could have been the dehydration talking. She told that ass-hole Rico, who he thought had enjoyed hitting him a little too much, what for. Before a whole of ten minutes had passed, she was guiding him away from them. From all of that. Like it was no big deal. This is a damn big deal, his mind yelled.

After that, he could only remember in flashes. Gibbs and McGee materialized. Then they were gently guiding him up a narrow poorly-lighted stairwell. He was sat on something incredibly soft, a bed maybe. Then his shirt, or what was left of it was torn away. He heard a small gasp, along with some low grumbles. Probably at the sight of his back which looked like the remains of something after it had been attacked by cookie-cutter sharks with teeth of hot metal. Suddenly there was something cold pressed to his head and back. The relief was sweet and welcome. Then it began to sting horribly. He fought desperately for composure. "I'm so sorry," was Ellie's faint whisper just before he passed out.