Right Girl for the Job

Chapter 39

"Rules are rules." He said. With a sigh of resignation, Javi dropped the guns and then allowed the man to guide her to the chair.

"And now?" She asked, standing in front of it.

"Now-tie her up." Marco said.

When Javi moved as if she would resist, the sharp pain of cold metal on her face made the room go black.

-----

Jack could hear as they tried to rouse her. He wasn't sure what had happened, only that they'd hit her hard enough to knock her out.

He was furious, he was angry, livid, anxious and he couldn't stop it. He needed to wait. So far she'd done well-but none of that mattered anymore. Now he needed to hear her refuse to betray them- he needed to hear it.

Matteo liked to do things in the nearly biblical sense and so he'd come up with Peter's rule of three. Javi would have to refuse to talk, she would have to deny any knowledge of Matteo at least three times under duress before Jack was allowed to rescue her.

Jack looked at his watch- it was getting late. He had thought for a brief moment that what Andre had told him would be enough to abort the mission and get her out but that was not going to save Javi from having to go through this again. Matteo would make sure she was tested eventually and next time... next time Jack might not be there to save her.

Jack listened, again mumbling to himself, not even aware of what he was saying- instinctively.

"Come on, baby- wake up."

----

Javi awoke to a sharp, cold, prickling pain all over and she jumped up, only to fall over on her side.

There was laughter as she came too and then she looked around, the room an absolute blur.

Water- they'd poured water on her... water that was practically freezing. The pain had come from shock in the temperature and the its and pieces of ice that had hit her. When her eyes came into focus, she realized there was still ice all around her.

She tried to move but she was weighed down and her arms and legs clung to the chair tightly.

"What..." She began to mutter, trying to come up with a coherent sentence but Victor leaned forward grabbing her and pulling her back up.

She felt a soreness in her jaw and had a fleeting image of the gun across her face. She knew her face would be swollen and covered in blood.

"Rise and Shine pretty lady." Marco said, staring at her with a grin. Javi's breathing was coming in erratically. Shit- she'd gotten herself tied up.

"Marco- what's going on?" She said, still trying to feign innocence.

"Don't start. I'm not going to fall for a dew eyed school girl routine." Marco said. "So, we're going to make this as easy as possible. You're going to tell me who you are and who you work for."

Javi didn't blink, she didn't look away and she didn't say a word.

Marco stared at her for a second, waiting for her to react for a few seconds but Javi didn't move an inch.

"Fine, Victor- explain to her why it's in her best interest to help us." Marco said calmly, moving towards another man who refilled his drink.

Javi's eyes didn't come off of Marco- she didn't flinch. She could hear Victor moving about, picking something up off the nearby table but she was resolute.

They could do whatever they wanted to her but she would not give in.

Besides, she knew- she knew deep inside that Jack would come. The moment he figured out she was in trouble- the moment he heard it on the audio, he would come to her. She just hoped he didn't take too long to turn on the pin.

Seconds later, as she waited, she felt the sharp pain against her stomach as Victor hit her as hard as he could against her stomach. whatever he'd hit her with- the force was strong enough not just to knock the wind out of her, but to bring blood along with it.

----

Jack's fists were curled- he couldn't stand it. This was too much.

He stood for a second, talking himself down and telling himself he would wait and then he heard the speaking.

"Now- who do you work for?" He heard Marco say.

There was coughing and sputtering.

"No one." The voice was low and just barely a whisper.

There was laughing.

"Who do you work for?" Marco asked as the sound of something crashing down came across the room.

Jack couldn't do it. He couldn't. He didn't even wait to see what she replied.

"No." He muttered, moving quickly across the lawn and into the casino. Matteo could go to hell- He wasn't going to let them hurt her.

Max was sitting near the exit to the main room when he saw Miguel glide across. His eyes widened for a second, in shock. Was it really over so soon?

Then Max's lips twisted into a grin as he paid his tab.

No, Jack was going in for her- he was deviating. Max almost laughed as he left the building. Oh Miguel- you really did it this time, didn't you? It was exciting, to see one of the most unapproachable men he'd ever met suddenly bursting passionately into action- against orders for a woman...

Well, he thought as he handed his tag to the valet- time for the getaway car.

----

Javi lay on the floor- one eye almost completely swollen shut and one arm broken. Victor had taken advantage of every permitted stroke to provoke the maximum amount of damage.

Still Javi didn't say a word but she wasn't sure how much longer she could last. She was afraid, for the first real time. Afraid they might kill her- afraid she might never see Jack again and afraid that she would betray them and get them both killed.

This was probably the real reason she said nothing- she'd been seen arriving with Jack and they'd certainly go after him.

"hurry Jack." She repeated over and over in her mind. "please hurry."

"pick her up." Marco said, and she felt the sharp pain as the chair was straightened back up.

"How many times are we going to do this?" Marco asked. "It's a shame to beat such a beautiful woman."

If Jack had stayed in place any longer, he would have realized that Javi had more than satisfied the minimum. She hadn't said a word- they asked her nearly 8 times now and still, she'd been a grave.

"Fine- then this will be the only way." Marco said, this time picking up his gun and walking over decisively towards Javi- holding it towards her knee.

"If I shoot you- do you think you will ever be able to move as swiftly as you did?" Marco asked. Javi stared down at the gun, the barrel pressed against her knee cap. Marco chuckled and the brought it towards her other knee.

"In fact, if I do this just right, you might find yourself with out this pretty little leg." Marco said, using the barrel of the gun to strong the side of her calf.

Javi inhaled- this was it. Everything they'd done before had only been child's play. Now they would hit her where it really hurt. She braced herself, reminding herself that if she said anything, it could be Jack that's killed.

"Suit yourself." Marco said as he gave his gun a quick kiss in a sick gesture before pointing to shoot and for the first time since this started, Javi shut her eyes as tight as she could.