Parers Island

I've got to dedicate this chapter to my two greatest friends, who always seem to find the holes in the storyline and share so much of their time and sound advice with me. Once Again I thank Todger65 for his editing work.

*****

I'm in a hole and I can't get out.

As a matter of fact I gave up trying three days ago, at least I'm fairly certain it has been three days now. My movement before then had been sketchy at best, every time they moved me I had a hood over my head, sometimes I was moved in the daytime other times it was so cold I just assumed I was moved at night.

The beatings started this morning, no questions no yelling anything just a damn good kicking. I assumed they stopped when I lost consciousness, when I woke I looked and for a moment thought about having a heart attack.

"You're dead."

She nodded, then smiled and nodded again before moving her legs outwards and resting her hands on her lap.

"And you're in a whole world of shit."

*******

Shelby placed the phone back on its cradle, her hand went to the buzzer and her secretary answered.

"Mary can you find out where Tessa Burnett is please."

"Yes ma'am."

Her hands went to her face and she rubbed the skin, small particles of makeup clung to her palms. Not that she noticed, even as her hands came away she just looked at the cabinet across the room her mind still going over the phone call she had received.

Mary came into her office her pad in her hands, "At the moment Tessa is in room seven giving a lecture."

Shelby nodded, "Can you buzz over to Donald and ask him to take her place, Tessa is to report here immediately."

Mary nodded and left. Shelby phoned her boss.

"We have a problem I need a meeting in ten minutes with the board."

"I've just heard myself, I will get everyone here oh and I've already got Bingham doubling up on the security of the other two assets out there. Fuck this is going to get messy."

"I owe it to Tessa to tell her, she can't hear this from anyone else it would tear her apart."

"I agree, send her home afterwards. I will send Lauren with her to make sure she gets there, this is going to make a heck of a lot of people nervous."

Twenty minutes later Mary knocked and then opened the door to Shelby's office, Tessa smiled and thanked her. Mary had no sooner sat down again than she heard a scream, fear gripped her and she flew out of her seat and quickly opened the door. Tessa was on her knees rocking back and forth as Shelby held onto her doing her best to comfort her.

*******

I was once again dragged out of my cell, they offered me a seat. It was pointless because the kicking into unconsciousness came seconds later. It was more difficult to keep up with time now, it was dark when I woke and then I rolled onto my back and wished that I hadn't.

"Oooh, now that has gotta hurt."

"Nah, had worse done to me in a game of touch football."

Carol giggled, "Now that's the spirit."

I coughed and tasted blood.

"No, that's what you are, remember."

Carol sat down next to me, "I've never really left you, you know. Even after all these years. The flowers are always beautiful by the way."

Again I heard her giggle. "You need to stop telling me your sorry, I've counted you know, seventy-two times up to today when you want to say it yet again."

It was my turn to giggle; it was short lived since my chest hurt too much to do so for too long. It was then the dark came back with a vengeance and sleep took me.

*******

At first Tessa refused to leave the Departments grounds, Lauren stayed with her for the evening and eventually both left in the early hours. To Tessa it was important that Em knew and like Shelby it was her choice to sit and tell her, Steven Chadwick phoned her as they were about to leave. Shelby had phoned him and gave him the news about Aiden, he told Tessa that his own people had made arrangements for them to return quickly to the island.

Both found Amelia at home, her hands around a cup of coffee tears in her eyes. Tessa rushed to Em, poor Amelia barely had a chance to get out of her seat as both clung to each other for any form of comfort and support.

*******

The board meeting yielded even more information; Shelby sat and listened as her boss read from a sheet of paper.

"It cost them dear folks, so far the count is forty - seven Afghans dead, all six members of Bingham securities, five Marines and seven security staff, all dead, the list of wounded is twenty-six so far. Two are critical so we're waiting on information of those."

"They knew Aiden was there?"

"Oh yes, the attack was centered on the north eastern side of the compound. They knew where to find him."

Every person sat at that table looked at each other, none said it but all knew they had a leak. The mood turned somber, Shelby stood and told those at the table that at the moment the satellite footage was being streamed onto one of the servers and that they could all look at it at the end of the meeting.

The satellite pictures confirmed that although the whole compound was under attack, most of it was simply a diversion and to keep more of the security team away from the main assault when it began. When the assault went in on the north east section it was both swift and brutal. The Afghans used a bulldozer to tear up the fence; they placed men on the dozer to protect the driver as the blade of the dozer pushed the anti-personnel mines out of the way and creating a path for those behind.

When one went down and fell off the bulldozer another simply took his place, the bulldozer rolling over the remains until it reached the fence and proceeded to tear a great hole in it. They flooded in after that overwhelming everything in their path, the solders in the compound regrouped and pressed home the air advantage when the Apache helicopters got there but Aiden was already in their hands by then.

The picture of his body slumped over the shoulder of a man that would not look out of place in any defensive line in the NFL was only shown to a select few, the arrow formation of the Afghans in front killing anything in their path as they made their escape was etched into the memories of everyone who watched the video stream.

Soon the board meeting broke up with all agreeing to stay local, should they be needed then they could return at a moments notice. Shelby returned to her office. It was way past Mary's leaving time yet she was still sat at her desk, hoping for any news. Shelby could give her none, although she did promise to phone her at home if there was any news. Finally relenting Mary went home.

Shelby heard the knock, when she looked up her boss stood in the doorway. Mitchell Carter formed the Department over twenty years ago; he had been its guiding light all those years and yet today he seemed to have aged. His confident step had left him, the dark circles under his eyes worried all those who sat and listened to him not an hour ago at the board meeting.

"I've just got off the phone with the President; he understands the ethos behind the asset program. If we fuck up and don't get Aiden back it will all collapse. He's given us full cooperation with all arms of the service and if we get any grief whatsoever then I give him a call regardless of the time."

Shelby nodded her head in agreement.

"I know I'm stepping slightly out of protocol on this but I need permission to tell his sisters."

Mitchell Carter sighed before nodding.

"Trouble seems to follow that family, it's been what? A year since that debacle on the Island."

Shelby nodded her head not wanting to point out that it was closer to eighteen months. As Mitchell stood he pointed out that she would be better off telling them in person. Shelby had to agree with him. He closed her office door behind him and she picked up the phone to sort out transport.

*******

The beatings took their toll, they had to carry me out of the cell now. This time they sat me down and stood back, minutes later a man came in and sat across from me, it took a moment before I could focus on the man. His English was accented.

"You're the decoder with the bounty on your head."

I quickly worked out the distance between as and figured 'what the fuck' I may just make it, so I spat on him, the spit dribbled down his face as his friends pounced on me and once again beating me unconscious.

It took me longer to wake this time. Carol was stood over me looking down; the concern on her face was real.

"Man that has gotta hurt."

"Only when I laugh."

"Well around here there ain't much of that going on."

*******

Matt was busy when he heard the intercom, he glared at it but still answered it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you Mr. Richardson but there is a woman here who insists on speaking to you. I have told her you are busy but she insists."

"Take her name and tell her I will call her when I can please Marci."

The pause was longer this time, Marci still had her finger on the intercom so he heard the woman give her name. Matt was out of his seat and opening the door before Marci had a chance to repeat the name over the intercom.

Matt nodded to Marci and stood to one side as Shelby walked into his office. Less than a minute later Matt came out of his office with the woman in tow.

"Marci please tell the partners I have a family emergency and will be gone the rest of the day."

He didn't wait for a reply as he held the door open for the woman. Matt phoned the house to make sure Abby was in and they both headed for the house. He looked towards Shelby.

"We have Hannah with us at the moment, she came to tell us she's engaged and we're in the process of sorting out dates for the engagement party."

All Shelby said was, "I know."

Matt insisted the nanny took their daughter out for a few hours for a walk or to one of the play centers, Abby wanted to know why but Matt was insistent, both sisters kept looking at Shelby and the way Matt was acting. Shelby watched as Hannah picked up her cell, she shook her head and Hannah put it back down again before sitting down. Instinctively Abby sat next to her.

No sooner had the door closed than all three looked at Shelby once again; she wanted to sit but knew it would be pointless.

"I'm sorry it's taken me this long to come and talk to you."

Shelby wrung her hands and once again looked directly at both sisters.

"There was an attack on one of the most heavily fortified compounds in Afghanistan. Their objective wasn't the compound itself but one man inside it."

Both sisters instantly understood, Abby held tight to her sister's hand as her head slowly turned to look directly at Hannah. Tears had already formed in Hannah's eyes her whole body shook with fear, Abby's words, although meant for her sister, carried over the whole room.

"He's not dead Hannah, I can't explain it but I can feel him."

Hannah sat frozen to her seat. It was then that Shelby decided to sit down. Over the next hour she answered their questions as best she could with the little information she could give and was allowed to give. When the nanny came back Abby had decided that she wanted to leave Houston and go to Parkers Island. Matt understood and left to make arrangements.

*******

I had been left alone for the day, they would check on me of course but other than that they left me alone. Carol would occasionally make a comment and I was still left to wonder why I was seeing her.

"Because you need me numb-nuts."

"What?"

"I'm in your head duffus you don't think I can read your thoughts."

"If that's right how many fingers am I holding up."

This time we both laughed, that brought a guard down to check on what was so funny. Two others joined him and they carried me out of my cell and back into the other room, the same two chairs sat in the middle as though this room hadn't been used since my last conversation was so quickly interrupted.

The same English speaking man came in and pulled his chair further back this time.

"Do you have a name? We can find out eventually but I must admit, 'Dead man walking' does suit you at the moment."

"Well I must admit I went by the name of Santa Clause once. Even had the red suit and everything."

He smiled while those around him wondered why.

"No I think dead man walking suits you just fine. Abdul says you talk to yourself in your cell, what do you talk about?"

"The weather mostly, Sunday dinner sometimes, pork roast with all the trimmings."

I smacked my lips and even run my tongue along them, I would have rubbed my belly as well but both my hands were behind my back. This time he hit me first before the rest joined in.

It was dark again when I woke in my cell.

"You have got to stop goading them, you're not going to last much longer otherwise."

"That's the plan."

"What? To die out here?"

"Didn't you hear them Carol, I'm dead man walking."

Even Carol faded out then as I lost the battle to stay conscious.

*******

Abby would walk across to see Amelia in the morning and not leave until the light started to fade. Senator Chadwick would phone and offer words of hope, they both knew he had little else to offer and that disappointed both of them but they knew that they needed even that small amount of contact.

When the phone rang Shelby was instantly awake, she reached across the bed and answered it.

"Get back here now, our cousins have found him."

The phone went dead long before she placed it back on the cradle. She grabbed clothes and didn't bother with fashion, Shelby was back at the Department within the hour Mitchell looked at her and then smiled.

"That's as casual as I've ever seen you."

"You said get back here now; my track suit was the only thing between my bed and the front door."

Mitchell walked with Shelby into the conference room, everyone was sat waiting.

"This morning MI6 was given the name of a man held captive by one of there deep undercover agents. When they typed the name into there own system the alarm bells were heard all over Whitehall. They contacted the C.I.A and then it all rolled down hill. The President has spoken to the Prime Minister and they have turned over all they have on this case."

Mitchell dropped a file on the table, in big bold letters read the words, 'Dead man walking'.

"He's alive folks, but barely and he knows it. He's antagonizing his captors so much they spend more time beating the shit out of him in the hope that one goes too far and kills him."

Some smiled; other knew the ramifications of what Mitchell was saying, the conversation went around for close to thirty minutes before Mitchell Carter put his hand up to stop any further discussion.

"We need to keep a lid on this; those within the Department that know have to be limited as to what's going on. Until Aiden is back on American soil then he's still MIA do I make myself very clear gentleman. I understand we will be damaging the trust some have in us over this, but we get him back first and mend fences later."

*******

Steven Chadwick knocked and waited, it felt like an eternity before Amelia opened the door, what he saw in front of him came close to breaking his heart. She rushed into his arms and held on tight, the dam had burst and it just felt like he was hanging on for the ride. It took some maneuvering to get her back inside and sat down once again, after looking around he pulled his cell out and dialed.

"Martha I need Tessa at Em's place."

He disconnected the call and placed his cell back into his coat pocket, Steven was still holding onto Amelia when Tessa burst through the door with Martha in hot pursuit. He waited until Tessa was looking directly at him before he nodded towards Aiden's office. She quickly understood and undid the code lock on the door. He lifted Amelia up and practically carried her inside with both Tessa and Martha close behind.

When he turned his head, Tessa was already closing the door. Once it clicked shut he sat Amelia down and knelt in front of her.

"He's alive, it has been confirmed less than two hours ago."

Amelia lunged across the distance between them and once again hugged him, the sobs a mixture of pain and relief as she held him tight. He waited her out, she clearly needed the release. Steven turned to Tessa.

"I've sent Lauren to the ferry, for now until told otherwise all assets are being double protected. If you have a problem with that, then tell me now and I will take you back to the Department with me when I leave."

Senator Chadwick left Tessa with very little room to maneuver; she smiled and nodded her head in agreement. With a quick nod he once again looked at Amelia and described the events of how he was found.

"We have two Seal teams on their way to get him. I have a General crawling up my ass almost every hour wanting to know if his Marines can help in any way."

Amelia smiled and hiccupped, everyone in the room giggled, that one moment felt like a pressure release valve.

"Fitzpatrick?"

Steven looked closer at his God Daughter.

"He's been a shadow behind Aiden since they talked when Carol died. I'm not supposed to know but they talk about once a month."

"He lost five Marines on the assault on the compound; the whole Corp is baying for blood over this. I'm on my way back to Washington in a few minutes but I needed to tell you all this in person. You deserved that much."

"Steven what are you not telling her?"

Senator Chadwick lowered his head for a moment. That damn woman could read him like a book. He still stayed kneeling in front of Amelia not wanting to stand and confront Martha because she was right. With a small sigh Steven held Amelia's hand once again.

"He's in a bad way Em. He's sustained multiple beatings and likely to sustain more before we can get to him."

Steven Chadwick heard movement behind him and watched as Martha practically forced Tessa up against the door lock, "Tessa open the door."

Even then she looked to Steven for confirmation, not sure why but trusting Martha's instincts implicitly he nodded and watched as Martha left and closed the door behind her. He was still talking to Amelia forty minutes later when their was a knock on the door, he tried hard not to show his annoyance but since he had come to the end of giving Amelia anymore information and once again seeing the light back in his God Daughters eyes he stood and nodded once again to Tessa.

Sarah Michelson stood waiting as the office door opened; Steven Chadwick took one look and said, "No."

"I can keep him alive. Just get me within arms reach of Aiden and I will keep him alive."

"You're no longer in the army."

Her frustration was clear for all to see.

"That's just a bunch of paperwork and we both know it. Put me in with the Seal team and I will operate on him on the helicopter on the way out if I have to."

Steven went to move; he hugged Amelia and headed towards the door before Sarah spoke again.

"With all due respect Senator, if you leave without me I will phone General Fitzpatrick and hitch a ride with the Marine team."

He stopped, took a breath and slowly let it out before turning to look at Sarah.

"You owe him nothing."

She shook her head, "You're wrong, I owe him everything. I live here now and I'm married to the most wonderful man and all because of him. I owe him everything Senator."

Martha Burnett was stood on the porch next to a man Steven Chadwick had never seen before, "Please Steven."

He looked towards the man, "You're her husband?" Hank nodded and Steven said, "Then talk some sense into her."

Even though Hank knew who the Senator was and what he was trying to do, Hank still felt he had slighted his wife and that, Hank couldn't stand back and let happen, not within ear shot of him anyway.

"If anything Senator I'd be talking sense to the wrong person. Something seems to be blocking your view and it's hard to figure out what. My wife has cut that boy open before, she's the best there is out there that's willing to go to the shooting end of this operation to save a man and your telling her no. that just ain't right senator."