Her ears listened to the rapid chattering around her and she tried to move. Every inch of her body ached from the torture. She took a deep painful breath and opened her eyes. Three men stood over her and she just wanted to die. They all studied her and she knew it was only a matter of time before the torture returned.

A hand on her shoulder announced the time had arrived and she was lifted up to her feet. The men took her to the same tent as always and she tried to dig her feet into the ground, but it was hopeless. They reached the tent flaps and she was pulled inside. Her eyes searched for the person, but she was alone with just these three. When one shoved her into a chair, she held his gaze and a needled pierced her skin.

'Not again.'

___________________________________________________________

The camp was dead from the outside perception. One light shown dully and the night surrounded that tent with thickness no eye could penetrate. When the captain nodded, a group of four men made their way down into the camp. They moved like the wind and over took all but the bright tent. Each man examined their tents and then the sound of a wounded animal's cry reached each ear.

Each man left their tents and moved to the shadows just as a figure was thrown out of the tent. The impact was loud and a bone was heard snapping. A man stepped out of the tent and every man raised their weapons. They watched the man stand over the fallen and kicked the person a little to the side.

He chuckled and said, "You can expect this to happen every waking day for you until you give us the information that Mags has hidden inside of your mind."

The person moved slowly and growled, "I'd rather you just kill me."

The muffled voice was feminine and all the men looked at the new guy. His entire structure screamed death and they knew. Then the woman staggered up onto her feet and the man gripped her throat with a gloved hand.

He studied her for a minute and then said, "Take her back to her post. Make sure you secure her tightly. Don't want to lose this one."

The two other men gripped each arm and she winced as they drugged her back to her waiting place. She was thrown onto the ground and the last amount of oxygen left her lungs. When she felt them tie her arms to the post, she took a deep breath. One guy knelt in front of her and she kicked him in the gut. Her entire body shook from the impact and the second guy slapped her across the face.

Then he helped his partner up and said, "Another move like that and we won't be so nice on you again."

They walked away and she let out a growl as her hands started to work on ripping the bonding rope. When she felt the rope touch her raw wounds she stopped with a hiss. Then she heard movement and her eyes scanned the underbrush. Her eyes spotted shadows along the sides of a few trees and she felt some energy start to move. One person stepped into the camp and approached the boss's tent.

A hand wrapped around her mouth and someone hissed, "Speak and we can't get you out of here."

The voice was too familiar, but her mind was beyond working properly. She felt the ropes fall away from her arms and the person helped her up. At first she had to find her balance and the arms steadied her. Just the touch made her feel sick and she jerked away. When she saw the outline of the face looking at her, her eyes hardened and she examined her wounds.

Then an verbal explosion came from the tent and she looked back. The stranger ran into the underbrush and the three men were showered in bullets. When they returned to their tents, they returned fire. She looked around and figured now was the best time to go. Then she remembered the person in front of her.

He seemed to be watching the fire display and she slipped past him. Her mind worked on remembering her path out of here. When she found herself standing at the edge of the cliff with the waterfall next to her she stopped. Then she heard a twig snap and she whirled around.

She looked for the person and heard, "I wouldn't jump. It's no way to thank your rescuers."

Her eyes began cold and she said, "I work alone."

The person stepped out of the underbrush and she tried to capture his features, but the dark sky prevented it. When the clouds moved a moonbeam revealed half of the man's face. She felt her pulse jump and told herself that she had finally lost it. He walked up to her and she slid to the edge. His hands grabbed her arms to still her and she looked up at him.

He held her gaze and said, "We've been searching for three months now."

She felt some tension slip and she asked, "What happened to Mags and the agency?"

His eyes ran over her hidden body and he said, "They had given up when you didn't return. Showed them evidence of you being alive and said I'd get help elsewhere."

Her pulse slowed and she said, "You shouldn't have come. It's not something you've done before."

He smirked and said, "I had no choice."

She could feel herself finally easing out of predator mode and she allowed a smirk onto her face. He lifted her chin up and she waited. A bullet ripped through her shoulder and she stumbled. His arm wrapped around her waist and they looked to the underbrush. The boss slowly appeared and held the gun ready to go again.

She looked at him and asked, "Are you just going to stand there or finish what you started?"

PGS