The Fear Between Us

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Repetition.

"The rule is simple." The voice rang in my head as water forcibly made its way into my piercingly cold lungs while the water punched at my bruised ribs staining my throat with a metallic taste, "Tell us what we want to know." Rang as my head was repeatedly hit against the metal table breaking my nose and leaving my vision to be blurred from tears despite the pain being so familiar that it no longer stings, "And we'll let you go..." Echoed the meaningless words while my focus bounced between dimensions not getting a grip on my assailant, "but if you refuse to help." It rang again while I dangled from my wrists, my feet barely touching the ground as they repeatedly beat my stomach with a baseball bat, and for fun, whipped my back. I guess that's the price I pay for being too proud, "Well, then I guess you'll find out." The words filled the room before my eyes gave up on me making my world black again.

Some Time Later

The pain-striking chill of the frozen water from a Russian winter river runs over my silhouette shocking me awake. This has been the routine for what I think to be a few weeks... Maybe even months... I've lost track of time, to be honest, I can't tell what's left or right anymore, I just merely let them drag me now. I'd rather die a hero than be scorned as a saint. The men-- to what I assume to be officials-- yanked me out of the seat placing me in the interrogation room. My sense of comprehension is barely viable, neither English nor Russian makes any sense to me anymore, "Are you ready to try this again?" The voice speaks again, at this point I'm convinced that it's all in my head, "What did you need at Rossijskij Gosudarstvennyj Gumanitarnyj Universitet?"

"The what?" I asked dazed still trying to ground myself into reality, "The Russian State University for Humanities." The voice replies quickly, too fast for my beaten-up mentality to handle, "Oh, you mean the library?" I say swinging my head trying to shake myself awake, "Yes, the library. What did you need at the library?" The voice inquiries trying a different approach at this interrogation, "Why don't ask Mikhail Volkov, he is the vulture after all, isn't he?" I say dazed as the voice says something else leading one of the men to bang my head making it swing back while he continues, "Are you sure because he confessed." Despite the dripping blood and intimidation, I still laugh, maybe it's the lack of comprehension? Maybe it's my wish to die? Whatever it may be, I still find myself laughing, "Big ol' Mikhail?" I snicker feeling the man's grip loosen, "Nah it was all his idea for the operatsiya but you already know that... Don't you?" I respond looking up at the voice and seeing the sweat dripping down as the heat rises, "No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?"

"I think you know it just fine." I swing my head as I stare forward, "What did you tell the American?" He inquiries again now getting impatient with me as usual, but I don't answer, only merely spit out the blood from my mouth, "We know you told them something, what did you say?"

"Nothing your delicate ears could handle."

Before I knew it the sudden peace had fallen while my body was thrust into a new chamber, I might be stupid, but I don't lack vigilance. His presence was one of suffocation even with him standing so far away, that it weighed heavy on the room. He barely had a speck of blood on him, so much for he was in interrogation too, "Hello katyónak, how are you doing?" He asks but I ignore him, "Katyónak, don't be like that just tell them what they want to know, and we'll be on our way, mm?"

He says trying to force me to face him as I resist. He pulls his face closer as I wait for the perfect moment before banging my head with all the force in my might against his nose breaking it slightly to resemble a piece of mine, "Now you know how it feels to have been me for a fraction of months you stervyatnik! You predatel! You traitor! He's a traitor!" I repeated the words over and over again while Mikhail cursed my name as officers pulled me away screaming in vain to my oppressor.