Dogs of War

Chapter 9

My arms had stopped aching and turned numb, the lack of circulation spelling disaster if I stayed here for too much longer. My head hung low, pulling at my shoulder muscles even more, not that I could help it. Hair as long as it was, was plastered to my face and neck with a mix of sweat and blood. 

Makarov stood in front of me, knife glinting in the LED light they had overhead. The bright light shone brightly, illuminating every inch of the grimy cell they had me in. I knew infection would be setting in soon and I'd start to feel the affects of the torture ten times worse because of the accompanying fevers and aches. 

"So, Ghost, tell me about that dog of yours. She seems like a delight."

"Go fuck yerself," I growl, not for the first time.

"Aww, Ghost, you killed ten of my best men before we caught you again. Least you can do is tell me about her. Cerianis Kate Griffin, right?" He smiled knowingly. "Ten years in the Australian Defence Force before undergoing the hybrid program." He steps forward, the knife sliding into my thigh. The grunt that leaves my mouth is entirely involuntary. He leaves it there as he continues speaking. "She has quiet the protective streak, yes? I imagine her death must have been hard on you."

My thoughts light up. If he was telling the truth, his words indicate he has no idea she's alive. I keep my breathing even and calm, glaring at him. It didn't matter what he knew if he thought she was dead. Hopefully I could get out of here and keep him convinced that she never made it out of the railway system seven months ago except in a body bag.

"Tragically dead at thirty-two, saving your Sergeant MacTavish. I wonder how he feels that she put herself in the line of danger for him?" He grips the knife, pulling out slowly, my teeth gritting together so hard I fancy I hear one of them crack. A trickle of blood turns to a sheet as it coats my pants entirely turning the black material shiny. He eyes the work he's done across my body, my shirt hanging in tatters. New burn marks litter my skin alongside fresh knife marks. My pants had remained mostly whole, gaining some new holes from where ever Makarov had stuck his knife in me. The worst of it all was the strain on my shoulders. After I'd escaped the first time, the bastard had decided I needed to be hung higher up. Unable to touch the floor at all, I could no longer relieve the stress on my arms even slightly. 

He chuckles, the knife kissing against my skin as he trails it deceptively delicately across my stomach. He flicks the knife up my side, splitting open the skin, fresh blood coating old blood. "I wanted your bitch to experiment on. But I know you have another. Her brother. Not quiet the prize, but well, better than nothing." He points the knife up under my chin, my head being pushed up to look him in the eyes. The cold calculating grin he gives me would have made a lesser man shiver. His torture techniques were childs play compared to what I'd been through with Roba and General Shepherd. This was nothing.

The earpiece must come to life as his expression drops. He speaks back in Russion, and I suspect he's cursing the other person out. "You're playmates are here, Simon Riley. I think I'll be collecting my new toys now." His voice is heavily accented after speaking his native tongue so harshly. He gives me a once over, and seemingly satisfied with his work, he leaves. I close my eyes and prepare to gather my strength to leave. Short of Soap bombing the place, I knew I'd have to get myself out of here. In my escape, I'd come to realise the place was a massive industrial warehouse with mazes and labyrinths everywhere. I wasn't even sure if they'd be able to find me without Wolf on the team. Fuck. I really hoped they hadn't bought Wolf with them. She was right back in his grasp, and she didn't even know it.

Despite knowing otherwise, I continue to strain trying to reach the floor with a foot. Something to help me alleviate the pressure on my wrists so I could attempt to dislocate them again. All I succeeded in doing was swinging myself from side to side. I stare down at the floor, desperately trying to think of a way to get out of the manacles. I groan wishing I had a wall to bang my head against. Maybe that might have jogged something loose. 

Instead I wait. I wonder when Makarov will come back. No doubt he'd pull another Houdini and take me and escape again. Instead, when the door opened some time later, it wasn't Makarov who appeared. It was the last person I wanted to see on this god forsaken base.

"Wolf," I hiss hoarsely. She freezes in the doorway, a look of excruciating pain crossing her features as she looks me up and down. I want to tell her it looks worse than it is, but I know better than to lie to her. She steps forward into the room, searching me up and down with tears in her eyes. 

"Ghost?" Her voice is broken and cracked, the emotion overwhelming her. I stare open mouthed at her wondering if I was going insane. "Holy fuck, Ghost!" Her voice wobbles and I know for sure I've finally cracked it. I had head trauma. I watch as she stands up, her nose leading her to the levers to lower me to the ground. As I watch, I notice that she is surprisingly clean. Considering I've seen her in action before, seeing not a spot of blood on her was concerning.

"How?" I ask, confusion colouring my voice, the relief in my arms as I was able to have my legs take my weight confirmed for me I was still sane. I shake my arms out, even as my legs threaten to give out from the stab wounds.

She frowns, as if she's not sure what I'm asking, but answers anyway. "Laswell found you this morning. Something about unexpected heat signatures in an abandoned factory? I don't really know. Wasn't paying attention." She taps to her ear pieces and I wonder who was on the other end. 

"No," I choke out harshly as she rummages around trying to find a key for my manacled hands. "How are you human again?"

"Oh!" She looks surprised by the question and I wonder why. "Extreme emotions can flick me back and forwards."

"I know that, but I wasn't giving anything strong except pain. Did my pain trigger you back?" Her response was to look at me with a mix of concern and like I was an idiot. It was a strong enough look I wondered if maybe I was delusional after all.

"You're always so self-centred," she mutters under her breath, and the sound of her back talking me makes me smile. I had missed that more than I had realised. "It's not just your emotions that can flick the change, but mine too. Frankly, I have been very emotional lately." She stops in her motions and looks at me curiously, her eyes flicking to the tools and equipment that had been taken off of me but deemed safe enough to stay in the room. She moves over to the pile and rummages through it. She pulls out my lockpicking kit triumphantly and moves over to me. "Seeing you in this state forced enough emotion to overload my canine side and force the human to the forefront. I don't know if I'll be able to maintain it for long though. I feel shaky..." She quickly pulls my hands to her and pulls out the equipment she needs for the job. With her fingers moving deftly, ears flicking with the sounds she can hear so much clearer than I can, the manacles clack open. With my hands free the first thing I do is cup her face fiercely. "Wolf, darling, you shouldn't be here. Makarov wants you for himself."

"Like I'd leave you here. If Makarov wants me, then he can have me. He's not going to like it." Her voice is cold and hard and I know that she desperately wants to give chase and destroy the man who had tried to kill Soap, and then had the audacity to take me as prisoner and torture me. "I don't have a first aid kit, but we bought the medic. She's with Gaz and Shane."

"And who are you here with."

"Me." Prices voice comes from the door way. "She caught your scent as soon as we entered the building and came running straight for you. She's lucky I'm damn quick on my feet and quick reflexes with the gun."

"Helps that Gaz was in the cat walks." She adds rolling her eyes. "Between him you and Shane, I was perfectly safe. Besides, can't shoot something moving faster than you can keep up with."

"And yet you disobeyed direct orders from your commanding officer," Price growled. 

"No, I didn't because my CO is right here," she gestured towards me, and I wondered at the hostility in her voice. 'Speaking off, he needs a medic before he bleeds to death."

"I'm not going to bleed to death," I growl. 

"No, because you're going to the medic." She steps up underneath my arm intent on taking some of my weight to help me walk. I considered refusing it and shoving her away until I realised my legs would probably give out if I walked too far without assistance. So I let her stay.