Dangerous Liaisons

Twenty Questions

"So, I think it's time you earned your board and lodgings." Roper's voice was agreeable enough, his face a different story. He sneered at her, his eyes glinting and his lip curled back,  making her stomach churn. "Let's play a little game shall we? I ask you questions and if you answer me correctly, to my satisfaction, Frisky here won't hurt you.  Will you Frisky?"

Roper turned to the figure at his side and shrugged. Frisky didn't look at Roper, his eyes were fixed on the woman now bound to the chair, gagged and obviously frightened. He truly was a sadist.  Frisky looked her in the eye, trying to communicate with her on some basic level. He would do whatever he had to, in order to preserve his cover. He just wanted her to know he wouldn't enjoy it.

"So," Roper continued," I believe I have a mole in my little group of friends eh Katherine?" He stood next to her, running a finger down the side of her cheek and round to under her chin.  He tipped her head up to meet his gaze.  Bending forward, he whispered in her ear,  "now you have had time to think. Do go on, who is it?"

She sat silent. Her eyes were full of fear and yet fired with defiance. Roper stood back, "I'm waiting my dear." He crossed his arms and leaned back against a nearby table.

Glaring at him she muttered, "I don't know."

"You and I both know that's the wrong answer." He said coldly, "care to re-think?" He crossed the room and poured himself a drink from the decanter and sat on the sofa. "Frisky?"

Frisky walked around her, like a lion stalking his prey. She sat, motionless, just waiting.  Suddenly her head filled with stars and her cheek exploded with fire as he backhanded her sharply.  She let her head hang until the stars cleared. Then she looked up at Roper, her eyes filled with hate.

"I.Dont.Know."

There was no point in trying to 'out" Frisky, Roper had already covered that little scenario.  He smiled coldly. Nodding to his companion, Frisky repeated the action. This time she tasted blood as her teeth ripped into her lip with the force of the strike.  She spat the blood into Frisky's face. 

He winced and wiped it with a large hand, then cleaned his hand on her hair. Wrapping her hair around his fingers, he yanked it hard and held her face up to the light. It had begun to bruise and swell from his previous strikes.  Letting her go, he turned to Roper.  "It's no good. She'll no' talk. Ah can tell. Seen her type afore." He shrugged and let her hair go. She slumped forward, held up only by her restraints.

"Don't be so defeatist dear chap. We just have to ask the right questions.  Ok, Kate. How about this?  Do you want to survive?"

Before she could stop herself she nodded.

"Thought so. See? She does answer questions old chap." he looked smug and she wanted to slap the silly smile off his face.  "Second question, do you want Pine to survive?"

She nodded again.

"See Frisky? She can be reasonable. Now. If you tell me who the mole is, in return I'll let you live.  How about that?"

She paused and mumbled thickly. "It's Corky... Jonathan told me. The swelling making it difficult. "Now what about Jonathan?"

"Oh my dear Katherine, your loyalty does you proud." He smiled patronisingly "But I know it wasn't Corky. Yes. Was - past tense. Perhaps if you'd kept in touch you'd know. Jonathan killed him in Mallorca. Please don't think I'm as stupid as you seem to think I am." He stood now. "Stop wasting my time. Tell me the truth and I won't kill you."

"I don't know who the mole is. Really I don't. I'm sorry." She whispered again, her eyes now filling with tears. She'd tried to think of a way out but she'd run out of ideas. She'd had no idea Corky was dead. Damn you, Pine.

"Not as sorry as I am." He stood. Placing his glass on the table, he walked over to where she sat and looked down at her. "Pity. You were really quite beautiful. " he turned to Frisky.

"Break her, don't kill her. I need her as bait. If he arrives and she's dead he'll have nothing to stay for and I need him here long enough to make him suffer as he watches me finish her off" he walked to the door. Nodding curtly, he left the room.

Kate gave a little whimper of fear.  Frisky turned to her "sorry lass" he said then punched her hard in the ribs. She screamed. He did it again and she felt herself slipping towards oblivion.

"Please," she whispered "please don't. I didn't give you up." She gasped between waves of pain.

"Aye lassie I know. That's why I'm trying to be kind. Ah won't hurt ye too badly. I jist need it tae look convincing then ah can stop. But ah cannae risk all the work I put in. Ye understand don't ye,?" He almost looked genuinely sorry then let rip with another monster punch. Something inside burst and she screamed loudly, desperately, her eyes rolling back in her head.

With a curse, Frisky released her from the chair, and she collapsed on the floor. Blood poured from her mouth and her chest felt on fire. She wasn't entirely convinced she would live to see Jonathan kill Roper. Her heart felt it would give out at any second. She lay in a pool of blood, her body screaming, her breath becoming ragged.

Roper chose the moment she was lying on the ground to walk back in.
"I told you not to kill her you FUCKING idiot."  The last thing she heard was the sound of a gun being cocked.

Jonathan and Guillaume landed just over two hours after they'd left Santander. Lionel was as good as his word and got them there in one piece.  They taxied to the edge of the small grass airstrip and then the two men jumped out, each very glad indeed to be back on the ground.

"Do - do you need any help?" Lionel asked before they left. He desperately hoped they did. 

Jonathan looked at him steadily. "Well, I might need a pickup when all this is done  know when that will be though.   Could be a matter of hours but then it could be days." He shrugged. He really didn't know.

"Ok. Guillaume has my number. Text me if you get an idea. I will come for you here. Good Luck."  He turned back to the instrument panel and the small rescue party dodged away into the nearby woods.

The little plane taxied away and was airborne in minutes. Guillaume looked up and watched it get smaller and smaller. He had a sinking feeling that had been the last plane ride he'd ever be taking.

Turning to Jonathan, he hoisted his rucksack onto.his back. 

"C",mon. Lets get to the finca. Dint know about you. I need a drink"

They trudged off in silence, each wrapped up in their own thoughts about what was to come. Jonathan walked behind, watching the easy gait  of a man who was sure of himself, in his element. Guillaume had the makings of a great spy.  Sadly, he also had the vulnerability of anyone against bad guys with semi-automatic weapons. 

They would find that out all too soon.