Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 21:18:12 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Vengeance - Chapter 9 Message-ID: Chapter 9 Al was in the Albuquerque hospital once again, this time as a patient, not a visitor. "You're very lucky, Admiral," the doctor was telling him as he finished bandaging Al's shoulder and placing Al's left arm in a sling. "A few inches lower and that bullet would have been in your heart." Al winced as the doctor finished his task. "Yeah, well, I've had enough bullets near my heart for one year. Thank you." The doctor smiled slightly. "So I noticed from your medical record." He paused. "I can't force you to stay but it would be better if you did for a couple of days." Al looked at the doctor. "Is the shoulder going to heal faster if I do?" "That depends on how hard you push yourself." Al gave him a sarcastic smile. "Let me rephrase the question. Am I going to die if I don't stay?" "No," the doctor replied. "Then, there's your answer," Al told him. "Where's Reed?" "Dr. Reed? He's in the ICU checking on one of his patients." "Strickler?" Al questioned. "Then, would you tell him that I would like to see her as soon as possible?" The doctor exhaled. "I'll give him your request." "Thank you," Al said as he stood up from the examination table and adjusted his sling so that it would be more comfortable. He then looked at the doctor. "Lead the way," he invited. The doctor took a breath. Without a word, he led Al to the ICU and instructed him to wait while he told Dr. Reed that Al was there. A moment later, Dr. Reed came up to Al, a very tired look in his eyes. "Twice in twenty-four hours, Admiral?" Reed questioned. "Do you military-types like being in hospitals?" Al raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Quite a greeting, Doctor." Reed exhaled. "Sorry, Admiral. Your JAG team has been buzzing around here, asking questions all day. I'm not exactly pleased to see more Navy personnel here." Al smiled slightly. "Legal eagles can be a pain in the butt sometimes. Don't worry. I have only two questions. How is she and may I see her?" Reed took a breath. "To answer your questions in order, very little has changed. She is awake now but that isn't necessarily good since she refuses to take any kind of pain killer other than ibuprofen. She's on the highest dose we can risk on her but she's still in a great deal of pain. As for the second question, the answer is yes so long as you don't excite her. Her condition is very delicate." Al nodded gently. "I understand." Reed stood aside. "You know where her room is." "Thank you," Al told him before walking to Genine's room and entering. Genine laid on the ICU bed, her eyes closed. However, it was obvious that she wasn't asleep. Every once in a while, a little moan would come from her lips, telling that Dr. Reed was correct about her being in pain. Al took a breath, wishing there was some way he could ease her pain but knowing there wasn't - not unless Genine agreed to it. He quietly walked to her bed. "Genine," he said gently. Genine's eyes popped open in shock. Seeing that it was Al who had spoken, she relaxed markedly. "Admiral," she said quietly. "You startled me." "I hope not too much," Al told her. "Dr. Reed told me you're refusing any strong pain killers." Genine smiled slightly. "It's a personal matter, sir." "We're both off duty, Genine," Al told her gently. "Call me Al." It wasn't the first time Al had made such a request. Each of the other times, Genine smiled graciously but didn't take up the offer. This time, the request seemed to frighten her almost to the point of screaming. She closed her eyes tightly, fighting back her emotions. "Genine?" Al asked with concern. He reached out to touch her hand. "Don't touch me!" she whispered firmly. "Please, Admiral. Please, don't call me Genine right now." Al withdrew his hand and exhaled quietly. "Commander, I think you'd better tell me what's going on. I can understand your reluctance to call me Al but I think your reaction this time is a bit ridiculous." "It isn't, sir," Genine told him, regaining herself. "Believe me, it isn't." "Then, you'd better explain yourself." Genine looked at Al with tired eyes. She didn't know why but it was only then when she saw that Al's arm was in a sling. "Your arm, sir," she commented. Al didn't move his eyes from Genine. "Bullet in the shoulder," he replied. "But this isn't about..." "He's trying to kill you too?" she questioned with frightened concern. Al looked at Genine carefully upon her words. He said nothing for a moment. "Who's trying to kill me?" he asked her firmly. Genine hesitated. "General Burke, sir." Al frowned. He didn't like that answer. "Burke's dead, Commander," he told her, not at all certain with his own statement. Genine shook her head slowly. "No, sir. He's alive." She paused. "He's the one who attacked me." Al took a breath and let it out slowly. "Why don't you start at the beginning, Commander? And I mean when you joined Burke's group. I think you know something important to Dr. Beckett's leap." Burke walked into the barren room slowly, his entrance causing Taylor and Sam to snap to attention. He came face to face with Sam and glared into his eyes. Sam didn't notice the fist coming until it had hit his stomach hard, twice. He collapsed onto his knees, holding his injured abdomen. "I could easily kill you, Harry, and no one would know about it," Burke said in a calm voice. "At least, no one who would talk about it." Sam slowly stood up as Burke spoke. "So," Burke continued, "why don't you just admit you were going AWOL." Sam looked at him angrily. "If that's what you want to hear, General. But it doesn't change the truth." Burke began to deliver another punch. However, Sam wasn't caught off guard this time. He knocked the punch away and delivered his own blow to Burke's stomach. The action hardly phased Burke, who immediately grabbed Sam's wrist and twisted it. Before Sam knew it, Burke was behind him, holding Sam's right arm against his back. Burke quickly wrapped his own left arm around Sam's neck, cutting off some of Sam's oxygen and thus forcing Sam to fight to breathe. "Maybe you do want to die today, Stark," Burke told him with a growl. "What do you prefer: a broken neck or suffocation?" "General," a voice broke in. "This isn't the time. Stark is an excellent soldier, sir. We need him for this mission." Burke released Sam in an instant, allowing him to breathe freely. "Major Taylor is right," he finally said. "I can't kill you. Yet." He walked around Sam to face him again. "It wouldn't be good for my image," he said with a malevolent smile. "But just remember, Stark. I was taught by the best. Ever heard of Samuel Beckett, the physicist?" Sam looked at Burke with a frown. "I'm familiar with him." "Then you probably know he's a sensei in seven martial arts." He gave a slight smile. "He taught me everything I know." Sam's frown increased. *It can't be!* he thought to himself. *I could never teach someone how to kill!* "Major, tie his hands behind his back," Burke ordered. Taylor hesitated. She knew what he was planning. "Al, you can't do this to him," she said firmly. Burke glared at her. "If he were one of my enlisted men, I would agree with you." He looked at Sam. "But Stark is an officer. He's indebted to me. He's not going to talk about it and risk his life." Taylor took a step towards Burke but remained behind Sam. "I'm an officer too, General, and I'm not indebted to you." Burke smiled. "I'm keeping you alive, Major. You're indebted for that." He took a step towards her. "Genine, don't make me hurt you as well." The knot in Sam's gut had grown considerably as he listened to the conversation. He quickly assessed his situation. Burke was in front of him, Taylor was behind him, and both could easily overtake him if he did anything to try to fight or escape. Taylor exhaled, grabbing a rope that was lying on the floor. "I'm sure I'm going to regret this," she muttered as she tied Sam's hands while Burke watched him closely to make sure he didn't make any sudden moves. "Thank you, Major," Burke said when Taylor had finished tying Sam's hands. "You may leave now." "General..." Taylor started. "I said, you may leave now," Burke told him firmly. Taylor hesitated a moment before obeying him. She left the room slowly, looking once at Sam with regretful eyes. Burke waited for a moment, glaring at Sam before punching him in the stomach. Sam doubled over in pain but was prevented from falling by Burke's firm hand. "You were too young to serve in Vietnam, Stark. So, you don't know the kind of punishments that were used. But I do," Burke told him. "My commanding officer picked up a little something from the VC. He used to use it against them as a way of getting back at them for what he knew they were doing to our boys in captivity." He was behind Sam now. He grabbed Sam by his hair and forced him onto his knees. "I don't care if you are telling the truth or not anymore, Stark," he told him. "It's your attitude that offends me. And I'm going to make sure you pay for it." Sam closed his eyes. Where the hell was Al when he needed him? "I apologize for offending you, sir," Sam said as calmly as he could. "I promise that it won't happen again." Burke smiled sadistically. "I know it won't." Sam screamed as he felt his shoulders being dislocated when his elbows were forcibly tied together. "I could hang you by your wrists but I'm not that cruel. I might, though, if you break your promise." He tied Sam's elbows to his legs and neck, forcing Sam to lay on his side for any semblance of comfort. Burke looked at him firmly while standing a few feet from him. "Don't struggle or fall asleep," he warned. "You might choke yourself that way." With those words, he left the room, shutting off the lights as he left. Sam looked into the darkness with apprehension. "Al," he whispered with a wince of pain. "Where the hell are you?"