Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 21:20:06 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Vengeance - Chapter 11 Message-ID: Chapter 11 Al closed his eyes, his heart wrung by the pained muffled scream coming from Sam's lips. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Genine lay Sam on his back. "You're lucky he didn't hang you by his wrists," Genine commented, making sure Sam was laying flat. "She's right," Al added. "I know it's not much comfort but what Burke did was comparatively humane." His eyes went to Genine in sympathy. "The bastard should be hung himself and not by the wrists." "How are you?" Genine asked Sam with concern. Sam was breathing heavily. "In severe pain," he said honestly. He gave a forced smile. "But better than before. Thank you." "You're welcome," Genine replied. "So, why did you help me?" Both Genine and Al looked at Sam in surprise. "Sam, don't press the subject," Al warned. Genine exhaled. "I though Burke's actions were too excessive for the crime. I don't know why but I believe you were telling the truth when you said you were trying to keep 'Lt. Dan' from going AWOL." She said the Lieutenant's nickname in the familiar "Forrest Gump" accent. It was Sam's turn to look at Genine in surprise. "What's the matter, Ensign?" Genine asked. "You didn't think 'His Majesty's Imperial Guard' had a sense of humor?" Al laughed slightly. "There's one I hadn't heard before. How many nicknames did you have, Genine?" Sam took a breath. "Well, it's kind of hard to imagine you with a sense of humor, Major." Genine shrugged. "I suppose it is. But being a bitch goes with the job." "And what job is that?" Sam asked. "Sam..." Al warned sternly. Genine didn't answer right away. "'His Majesty's Imperial Guard,' of course." She stood up. "I'm going to get you some water. You just stay still." With that, she left the room. Al looked at Sam firmly. "Are you crazy? I already warned you not to rock the boat and here you are trying to capsize it!" Sam glared at him. "If you don't mind, Al, I've just been released from a very painful position and am still in extreme pain. Not to mention, I have no idea at all why I'm here. I'm in no condition and in no mood to argue over what is the right thing to do concerning Major Taylor!" Al hesitated. He closed his eyes with an exhale. "Okay. I admit I was a little rough with you. I'm sorry." He paused. "But I don't want that bastard to find out about Genine. She is extremely important to this upcoming mission. Her involvement saved hundreds of lives. It was her idea to give the staff extra vacation time, thus causing the complex to be nearly empty when Burke attacked." Sam smiled slightly. "And you care about her," he surmised. Al took a breath. "And I care about her. She saved my life, Sam. I doubt I'd be talking to you now if it weren't for her." Sam winced in pain. "I think we can both say that." He looked at Al and frowned with concern. He didn't know why he didn't see it before but he thought it was probably the pain. "What happened to your shoulder?" he asked. "Bullet wound," Al said simply, as if it were an everyday event. "Bu..." Sam started. "You were shot?!" Al hesitated before he gave a nod. "No big deal. It'll be healed in a couple of days." "No big deal?!" Sam exclaimed. "Al!" Before he could say anymore, the door opened again. Genine exhaled in obvious relief. "Shit! You scared the hell out of me! Do you always talk to the General when you are alone? Or are you slightly schizophrenic?" Sam hesitated to answer. A wave of pain in his shoulders allowed him not to answer the question as he winced in reaction. Genine walked to Sam and knelt beside him, a cold, wet wash cloth in one hand, a glass of water in the other. "Here," she said, lifting him gently and allowing him to drink some of the water. When Sam had taken his drink, she laid him back down and put the wash cloth on his right shoulder. "We need to bring the swelling down before we even try to take you back to the barracks." Sam nodded at Genine's comment before looking at Al with firm eyes. It didn't take any time for Al to know what Sam wanted. Al exhaled. "Okay. Okay. I'll explain everything. But you've got to keep your lips buttoned on this." He took a breath. "Genine here is an agent working for Naval Intelligence. She was assigned to investigate Burke. So, by helping you now, she's not only risking Burke's anger but also the possibility of being discovered, which would mean her life." Sam looked at Genine with wonder. Genine noticed his gaze and gave him a quick smile while shifting the wash cloth to Sam's left shoulder. Sam looked at Al to continue. Al hesitated. "She's been in the group now for two weeks and, ever since Burke brought her on, he's been making passes at her. We're not sure when but, sometime in the next month, Burke forcefully kisses her. She falls head over heels for him and marries him." Sam looked at him questioningly. Al nodded. "Yeah. I know. It's tough for me to believe also but it's true. Not only did Genine tell me about it but also Ziggy found a marriage certificate for Albert Whitefeather Burke and Genine Taylor, dated December 24, 1999. Technically, the marriage isn't legal because Genine signed it with her alias." "There you are," Genine said, removing the wash cloth. "It isn't pretty but it'll do." She carefully helped Sam onto his feet. "Come on. Let's get you into a bed and hope that asshole doesn't decide to hurt you any worse." Sam looked at Al questioningly. Her words weren't those of someone who would, in a month, marry the very same asshole about whom she was speaking. Al exhaled knowingly. "She marries him, Sam. And, after Burke takes over the complex, she betrays him by helping us regain the complex. She told me that she didn't love him enough to betray her country for him." Al didn't tell him anymore until Genine had safely returned Sam to his bunk in his barracks. "I'm going to let Lt. Dan off the hook,' she told Sam as she laid him on his bunk. "Try to stay out of trouble. That is, unless you like push-ups." Both Sam and Al waited until Genine had left the barracks before either spoke. "Al," Sam said quietly, "how can a woman like that marry a man like Burke?" Al shook his head. "I don't know. I can tell you this, though. Whatever feelings she had for Burke are completely gone now." "Why do you say that?" Al sighed. "Because you can't love somebody who tries to kill you." Sam looked at him with realization. "She's the friend who's in the hospital, the friend who was beaten." Al nodded sadly. "And Burke did it?" Sam questioned. Al nodded again. "Al," Sam said firmly. "You told me Burke was dead." Al exhaled. "I thought he was. I was wrong." "Is he the one that shot you?" Sam asked with great concern. Al shook his head slightly. "No. But I'm pretty sure he hired the kid who did." He looked at Sam. "I'm lucky, though. If Burke had fired that shot, I'd be dead. He's an expert marksman." Sam exhaled. He winced slightly. The pain reminded him of something else -- something he was sure was a lie. "Al," he said quietly. "Did I ever teach martial arts?" Al frowned with slight confusion. "What brought this question up?" Sam took a breath. "Please, just tell me." "Yes," Al told him. "Once. Before we even met. You were working your way through MIT with it. Why?" Sam closed his eyes. "Did I teach Burke?" Al looked at Sam with surprise. "Did you ever teach...What the hell are you talking about, Sam?" Sam took a breath. "Just before Burke tied me up, he warned me to stay out of his way. He said he was taught by the best -- by me." Al was silent at Sam's words. He raised the handlink and started to press buttons, not even saying any derogatory remarks to the small object. When he had stopped pressing buttons, he looked at Sam with a mixture of pity and astonishment. "Sam, do you remember an Al White?" Sam thought for a moment before shaking his head. Al took a breath. "It was the name Burke went by when he was on leave from duty." He paused. "Burke was telling the truth. You did teach him martial arts. In fact, he was at the top of your class." Sam closed his eyes. "He said I taught him everything he knew." He looked at Al. "I didn't teach him how to kill, Al." Al shook his head. "No, you didn't. The military did and he adapted what he learned from you to what he learned from the Army." He paused. "Actually, it does explain a comment he made to me." "What comment?" Sam asked. Al didn't quite look at him. "He suggested I take some martial arts lessons from you." He paused. "Not everyone in the world knows that you know martial arts. Most people remember your brilliance in quantum physics." Sam didn't say anything. He winced at another wave of pain in his shoulders. Al noticed the action instantly. "You'd better get some rest," he told Sam with concern. "I'm going to go back and kick Ziggy into gear - try to get her to give us some information on what you're here to do." He lifted the handlink and punched in the exiting sequence. He looked at Sam carefully. "Take it easy and be careful." Sam nodded. "You too," Sam replied just before the Imaging Chamber door closed. She was finally asleep after a long day of fighting the pain in her body. She knew she should have probably told Al why she refused pain killers. However, she wasn't sure how he'd react. It had taken a lot to get her record clean of her problem and almost a year and a half for her to get up the courage to tell her former commanding officer, Admiral Thomas Beckett. She had been afraid that the truth would greatly affect his decision about her staying in Naval Intelligence. Fortunately, she had been wrong. She fidgeted slightly in her sleep, unable to roll over onto her side. Images raced through her mind -- images of Burke and all the evil that he had done to her. She could still hear the sound of her ribs breaking under Burke's knee. She could still feel the immense pleasure Burke had exhumed as he beat her and broke her body. She could still remember the silent prayer that had gone through her mind as she lay dying on her living room rug. "Genine," Burke's voice whispered in her ear. Genine's eyes snapped open in fright. She tried desperately to calm her shaky breath, to force the voice out of her mind. "Genine," the voice repeated. "Oh, gawd!" she whispered, realizing the voice wasn't a dream. "You got past the guard," she said more than asked. Burke slithered from a corner just left of the door. He wore an amused smile. "A child really. It wasn't difficult to take him out without his making a sound. I must admit, though, that he put up a valiant struggle." Genine glared at him as he stopped beside her bed. "What do you want, Burke?" she questioned with contempt. He laughed slightly. "Whatever happened to calling me Al?" She raised an eyebrow. "That was when I loved you." Burke struck her hard on the face. "You don't betray people you love! Every sweet kiss, every night of passion between us was a lie! You never loved me!" He paused, calming himself slightly. "But I love you, Genine. Despite everything, I still love you." "You don't torture people you love," Genine replied firmly. Burke stroked her hair gently. She closed her eyes, unable to physically prevent him from his actions. She was helpless. "Sometimes you have to torture them in order to save them," he told her gently. "Purification through pain?" Genine questioned with sarcasm. Burke nodded. "Yes." Genine looked at him with hateful eyes. "You're sick, Burke." "Perhaps," he answered, discontinuing in his stroking of her hair. He sat on the bed. "What do you want?" Genine demanded. "I've come to finish my business." Fear filled Genine's eyes and Burke could see it. He smiled malevolently. Genine didn't say a word for a moment. "You can't torture me, Burke. Not here. If you even try, you'll send alarms all through this hospital." Burke laughed slightly. "I never said I would do it here." As he spoke, he revealed a hypodermic syringe filled with a clear liquid. Genine looked at the needle with wide, apprehensive eyes. "What's in that?" she whispered. Burke's smile widened. "A very strong solution of opium." Genine shook her head. "No, Al! Please, no! You know I'm addicted to opium!" Burke nodded with pleasure. "I know. I remember you telling me how proud you are that you've been clean for ten years." He paused, looking at the needle. "You're about to have a very serious relapse, Genine." "No!" Genine screamed as loud as she could, hoping someone would hear her. Burke punched her hard, putting her in a daze. "Do not do that again," he told her as he put the needle to her neck, the only completely uncovered part of her body. Finding a vein, he injected the drug into Genine while covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming. She was unconscious with minutes.