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Only a little one this time, but hope everyone likes.
Jarod closed his eyes, concentrating on the ropes. His body was slick with sweat and he started trying to work his way out of them, ignoring the pain as they chafed his skin. It was too hot and he knew he wouldn’t last very long staked out here.
"The only thing that will achieve Jarod," Gracie said, placing a hand over one of his wrists, "Is damaging your skin and giving yourself scars.” She said gently.
Jarod did not stop his efforts, ignoring her and trying to block out the feeling of his tender skin burning. His face, neck and hands were not yet fully healed and the rest of his body was not used to this kind of exposure either. He was literally going to fry if he stayed here too long. He didn’t care about scars on his wrists or ankles and wondered why it would concern her at all.
"You won’t get out of those ropes Jarod, and even if you do, where do you expect to go? Kill me and run off into the outback again? Its suicide for you.” She tried to reason with him. There was no point in trying to get free of ropes if there was no where to go.
"That would be better than this, dying, staked out like some kind of sacrifice. I know there must be a town here within walking distance, just in a different direction. I would rather die trying."
"You are not going to die staked out here like this Jarod. Not only would I not allow it, but neither would sir.” She gently wiped the sweat from Jarod's brow. "You will be back inside before you even loosen one of the ropes and then you have only hurt yourself more for no good reason." Grace said gently, trying to get Jarod to understand the uselessness of it.
He refused to acknowledge her any further and closed his eyes, letting his head rest on the ground, feeling like his back was literally being baked. This was the most inhospitable country he had ever seen and he wanted so badly to go home. To sit on the beach and look at the endless ocean, the waves crashing gently against the shore. He conjured the image up in his mind, trying to transport him out of his current reality.
"Jarod just say you did get away, run off and find a town. Which would be very hard in itself considering how far apart they are, what would you expect to do once you get to the town?” She asked out of curiosity.
Jarod tried to ignore her, wanting to stay in the fantasy he had constructed.
“Do not be so rude Jarod and answer me. There are plenty of things I could do to make this worse for you if you be so disrespectful." She warned, every intention of doing so if he pushed her.
He reluctantly opened his eyes, pulled back to his reality and laughed hollowly. "Really? I would be curious to know how." At the moment, his overactive imagination was failing to come up with any way this situation could degenerate any further. He was too far beyond anything to really care at the moment.
"Very well." Gracie said and got up, "If you so wish." She said in a disinterested voice.
"I didn’t mean a demonstration,” He said, but guessing it was too late to change her mind now. He didn’t know why he felt so compelled to push her like this.
Gracie ignored Jarod as she moved the short distance to the door that led down to Gandi and opened it, finding the two sweepers standing guard waiting. She asked one of them to go and get what she asked and to bring it out to her. Grace waited in the harsh heat and sun, watching Jarod while she stood there. When he came back and gave them to her, she moved over to Jarod.
Jarod looked up at her, not even trying to imagine what she might do next. He had given up trying to read her and it was just too damned hot to concentrate. He could feel his skin burning, especially the tender area around his inner thighs and genitals. He was stretched tightly, his muscles aching at the unnatural position, spread to their limit.
Gracie knelt down on the hot sand and forced Jarod's back to arch the small amount he could and slipped two ropes under him. She positioned one over his chest, one over his lower torso and clipped the end of each single rope together so Jarod could not get them off. She sat back, watching him, each rope had four round metal plates. They would soon heat up and as they did, burn his flesh. She tightened each of the two ropes a little, so if Jarod tried to thrash about, they would not move.
Jarod tried to squirm away from them, but only managed to do more damage to his mangled wrists and ankles. He swallowed his pride and after forcing his body to still itself, he opened his eyes again to look at her. "I am sorry Miss Gracie for my earlier rudeness." He hated himself for submitting so quickly, but it seemed ridiculous now to fight after he had already given in earlier and simmed.
"No you're not Jarod, but you will be soon.” She said as she leant back on her hands enjoying the sun, even thought it was extremely hot.
He refused to succumb to the urge to fight the ropes again. He was weak already and what little energy he had he had used in the original struggle, and the rest had been sucked out of him by the heat. He could feel something trickling down his arms and didn’t want to look to see if it was sweat or blood. The metal was heating up quickly and becoming increasingly more uncomfortable. The heat was bad enough without this intensifying it.
"As I have already said Jarod, I am sorry I got you into this much trouble for offering a way out, and I apologise once more. But this,” She touched the plates, already getting hot, "I will not apologise for. You need to learn not to be rude, you have proven to both yourself and I you can’t get away, you will now have to start learning your place." If he just could be good for them, he wouldn’t have a bad life here. He couldn’t escape, Grace was naïve to think he could in the first place.
"My place?” He asked her softly, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. It was too damned hot at the moment, and he was struggling to keep the contempt for this whole ‘keeping his place’ from his face and voice. He would never be able to accept his life here, or the life she had outlined for him.
"Yes. You are a project. You do as you are told, as I tell you. You will do what ever medical exam we wish, you will work regardless, you will not be rude and disrespectful." Gracie told him yet again.
He swallowed dryly, no moisture left in his mouth. Talking was still difficult from his last excursion outside. "I will not be rude and disrespectful,” He intoned for her. That much at least he could work on, it was only his pride after all. If he was to survive this, he needed to be smarter than he had been so far if there was to be any hope for him at all.
"I should hope not. But Jarod, you will work. I have no choice now. Before you left, I could have gotten away with you not wanting to work most of the time but I can’t now. Mr Marcus will get strict and demand results and I will have to give him what he wants.” She touched Jarod's chin, turning his head to face her, looking at him in misery, "I can’t apologise enough for getting you into this, I should never have told you how to get out.” It was a mistake to think anyone could ever leave here, no one ever had, and no one ever will.
“Don’t be sorry for me,” He told her. He was sick of hearing her apologies as she just did something further to hurt him. Right now it was all just too much for him and he seriously contemplated doing something to make her mad enough to just kill him right now.
“How long do you estimate you can be out here before you are damaged?” Gracie asked, watching as the plates seem to shimmer slightly red. She didn’t know if it was because they were getting really hot now, or just the reflection of the red soil around them. Maybe if she got Jarod thinking about something technical it would help him ease into it. He would have to run through all the knowledge in his head to answer her. It wasn’t a SIM, but she was getting him there.
He ran some calculations, but only half heartedly, finding it very hard to concentrate. "A few hours before serious burning, maybe as much as 6, given my current condition before dehydration causes serious problems.”
Gracie nodded. “This is more for show than discipline. I do believe nearly dying out here was a lesson learnt much more strongly then any punishment.”
"I think you have proved your point,” He ground out, his body starting to try and escape from the metal plates that were getting increasingly hot. They would start searing right through his skin soon if she didn’t remove them.
“I don’t think I have Jarod. You still won’t work, are still rude to everyone including your owner.” She reprimanded him. He would learn, sooner or later.
"I won’t work, but I will be polite from now on,” He promised her, deciding on a compromise he could live with.
“That is not good enough Jarod. I can’t afford for you not to work. Two SIM’s, each you had to be forced to do. One was to help, the other was simple maths. I can’t do this much longer. They are going to want real results from you. On simulations that will earn your keep.”
He shook his head. "You knew before you brought me back here I would refuse. You will have to kill me, but I won’t do it. I can be civil if that makes it easier for everyone, especially me, but I can’t kill for them, I won’t. My work will never again be used against innocents."
“Then that is settled. I am sorry for everything that is about to happen to you Jarod. Sir will not tolerate you not working.” Her voice warning him of how bad it will get.
"Why don’t you just kill me now?” He whispered to her.
“Because they would rather kill your family first and let you suffer,” She said in a miserable voice.
Jarod shrugged. "Even I don’t know where they are, that is an empty threat."
“We don’t view family the same way as you do apparently. To sir, Sydney would be apart of that family.” Grace told him, knowing how he would react. That was the whole point. They knew Sydney was Jarod’s ‘father’ and they had no problem using it against him.
"No,” He screamed hoarsely, renewing his struggles futilely. Pulling violently on the ropes at his wrists and ankles. "No, don’t you touch him."
“I have no choice now Jarod, you just told me you would rather die then work. And Mr Marcus will not allow you to die, or not work. So next best thing in his mind is to make you suffer and if that means torturing Sydney slowly to death for you to work, then that is what will be done.” Grace told him, making her voice cold and cruel. She needed Jarod to work no matter if he wanted to or not, and although she did not like having to use Sydney, if she had to she damn well was gonna.
Jarod shook his head miserably. "No, please, you can’t do that. Please don’t touch him.” He begged her, struggling against the ropes with the very last of his energy. His body finally gave up, panting against the heat and the burning on his chest and abdomen.
“Then work Jarod. It’s that simple. Work or it is Sydney that will suffer. I told you earlier today they would hurt someone else if you refused didn’t I?” She asked him, remembering back to a little while ago when he had refused to do his SIM and she had told him they would hurt someone else if he didn’t.
He listened to her, his heart filling with despair. "And if I still refuse? You can only kill him once." Jarod said, although he didn’t know if he could sacrifice Sydney so easily.
“Yes but there is no reason why they can’t bring him over and make you watch it.” Grace informed callously. “Each time you say no, something will be done to hurt him. And they know how to drag it out over weeks. Slowly and painfully.”
Jarod's chest was hitching up as his breathing become more and more laboured as he looked into the abyss that was his future. He seemed doomed every way he turned. There was no way out for him, no escape, no hope and he gave into the despair as it settled in on him. He had fought so hard for so long, and for it to end like this was almost too much for him to comprehend. Jarod had never suffered such a comprehensive defeat before.
“Will you work Jarod, or force me to get Sydney here?” She asked him gently. His sadness hit her hard as he let all of this finally get to him.
He could not stop the tears leaking from his eyes as he nodded in absolute defeat, finally admitting to himself that she had won.
Gracie softly wiped his teas from his cheeks. “Thank you Jarod. Now would you like to go back inside? It’s a bit hot out here.”
He didn’t bother answering her, just kept his eyes closed as his world crashed down around him. Even after his brother had died, he had not felt despair this deep. He had clung on to the hope that he would find his family and that even in death, Kyle lived on. His legacy in every beat of that young boy’s heart. But now there was no hope, they had taken it all.
Gracie got up and moved to the door, opening it to see the two sweepers, “Go get him, bring him in.” She ordered, watching as they moved over to undo Jarod, leaving the metal plates on him and hauling him to his feet, holding his arms tightly and brought him back inside. She felt extremely mean for having to do this to him, but Grace had her orders, had a task to complete and she had to do what she was told. Simple as that.
Jarod didn’t resist, just flopping in their arms. He honestly didn’t care anymore what they did to him.
She took them down to the medical wing and watched as nurse Jane and the doctor went about removing the plates and putting him into a cold bath to cool him down.
Jarod sunk gratefully into the cool water, shivering already from the sudden change from extreme heat to the air-conditioned halls of this place. The nurse clucked over his condition and his stupidity. Jarod paid her no attention as he kept his eyes closed, just letting the cool water soak into his body. He turned himself off, not paying any attention to anything said to him. He had given in and there was no fight left in him now. The days passed and Jarod remained morosely silent, answering questions when pushed, but not otherwise engaging in any conversation. He was here and he wasn’t going anywhere, but he wasn’t going to pretend he was happy about it. He didn’t even ask if they could remove the cuffs so he could move about, just spent the days and nights staring at the ceiling, barely sleeping and only eating when they pushed the issue. When it was time for them to take him back to his cell, he let them take him without comment or complaint.
Gracie stood up and walked out the cell that she was now in as her punishment as the door was opened. Jarod had been brought back to his room last night, after another three days in the medical wing, and she had not bothered to talk to him, giving him time to himself. Moving to the next door, she opened it to see Jarod curled into a ball under the camera. “Its time to work Jarod, come along.”
Grace knew you didn’t need to have any empath skills to tell what Jarod was feeling. He had barely spoken or eaten. When left alone he was curled into a ball, trying to isolate himself. He hadn’t slept much either, in his cell or the medical wing, bags under his eyes. His face was drawn and pale and he was deeply depressed.
Jarod looked at her, having barely said two words to anyone in the last few days. He had figured, the more time he spent in the infirmary, the less time he could SIM. He needed to find out what he could do to get himself back there as frequently as possible, but not often enough for her to make good on her threat to bring in Sydney. He stood up slowly, still not fully recovered, and moved towards the door.
She walked forward, Jarod following, two large man either side of him. Taking him back to the same testing lab she had the other times, she asked him to sit and took the file from Collins. Grace had gotten a hard SIM, knowing the chances of Jarod rebelling against it. There was no way it could be used for good, it had only evil purpose.
Jarod sat down silently, ignoring the two guards flanking him, waiting.
Collins moved back, it had been made clear to him that he was not to interfere. His job was to observe, learn as much as he could and help if it was asked of him.
She took her seat on the corner of the desk and pushed the folder in front of Jarod, “Let’s get to it please Jarod.” Grace said in an even voice. She would not be kind, plead with him to do it, would not swap it for a humanitarian SIM. She needed to see if Jarod would do them now or if she really did have to bring Sydney over.
He took the folder without comment and read through it slowly. His eyes were still sore and his headache was down to a dull throb only. He knew that he could not do this, that they had picked it deliberately to test him. The further he read, the more he knew that he couldn’t live with himself if he did it.
Gracie picked the pencil and held it up for Jarod. “Come on Jarod, do not make me do what we talked about the other day outside.” She said threatened in a quite voice.
He took it from her without looking at her eyes. "Thank you,” He intoned politely, but with no emotion in his voice. He had done a lot of thinking during his stay in the infirmary, once again cuffed to the bed. He had nothing to do but think and he had come to the horrifying conclusion that he was going to have to cooperate with them. The Centre would find him sooner or later and try to mount a rescue, and if they didn’t, he needed time to prepare, learn everything he could about this place and it's people. He had planned his escape from the Centre for months, and had only just gotten out. His attempt here had been foolhardy and if there was any hope for him, he was going to have to be patient, and play along.
“You are welcome Jarod.” She said softly, knowing what it had cost Jarod to agree to do this. She sat on the desk, watching silently as he worked. Grace knew no matter how hard she tried now, Jarod would no longer want to talk to her other then talking when she asked him a question. She had done too much emotional damage to him to ever want to be her friend and that hurt her deeply. But she wasn’t meant to have friends anyway, so it might just keep Jarod safer.
He ignored her and started working through the SIM, taking it slowly, working methodically. He did not like Collins and refused to talk to him. He was used to running his SIMs alone now, and he preferred that just fine. He would answer questions, but nothing else. He tried to pay no attention to the two of them and felt like telling her he would work much better if she wasn’t breathing down his neck. He ignored the moral and ethical ramifications of what he was doing and just lost himself in the problem.
Hours later she was glad when Jarod was finished, placing his pencil down obediently. “I assume this will work Jarod?”
"I assume so,” He agreed.
“Do I need to tell you what happens if it doesn’t?” She asked him hoping that she didn’t need to threaten him yet again.
"No,” He said dully, looking up at the camera.
“Good.” She picked up the folder and all the notes Jarod had done and held it out to Collins. “You know what to do.” She said, waiting for him to take it.
He got up, stretching and took the folder from her. Running these SIM’s was mind-numbingly boring for him, and he knew Jarod was never going to depend on him the way he did Sydney, and seemed to be doing just fine on his own. "I will take them up for analysis and then to Mr Marcus."
“Good.” She said not looking away from Jarod as he left. “How are you feeling Jarod?” She asked him gently. Even if he didn’t want to be her friend, Grace would be damned if she would let him get so bad he would never have a chance at being the man he was before again.
"Tired and sore,” He told her frankly. His head was pounding again and he wanted to lie down. He would prefer the infirmary, at least there was a bed there. He wondered briefly if he attacked his two watchdogs if they might land him back there.
Gracie brushed his hair back softly, “Let’s get you back to your room then.” She got up and nodded for the men to come and get him, watching as they grabbed him and led him back to his cell.
Jarod walked back as slowly as they would allow him, his head down, eyes on the ground. He hated himself for what he had just done and he guessed that there would be plenty more to expect. He wondered, but hadn’t bothered to ask her, not believing that she would tell him the truth, if he had told her to leave him in the desert that day to die, if she would have done so.
Gracie followed them and watched as Jarod was shoved into his room and the door slammed and locked shut. Moving next door, she walked in and shut the door to her cell. She hoped she would be allowed out soon, it was boring in here and she had gone over her control techniques serval times already. She sat in the same spot as Jarod was in his cell, hiding under the cameras. Sighing heavily, she touched the wall between the cells Jarod, how are you coping? She asked him silently.
Jarod tried to shut his mind off, not wanting to talk to her at all, and especially not having her violate his mind as well. It wasn’t enough that they had broken him so quickly, but now she wanted to own his very mind as well. He concentrated as much as his headache would allow, trying to block her.
Come on Jarod, it doesn’t work this way. I can feel you trying to ignore me and it will not work. now stop being so rude and answer the question please. Gracie ordered him softly.
I am not coping at all. He told her, hoping that she would be satisfied with that. There was an ache in his soul that made the aches in his body seem insignificant.
Grace sighed heavily. I am sorry to hear that Jarod, I really am. Is there anything I can do to help you?
Leave me be.
Gracie nodded sadly, For now, I will do as you ask Jarod, but things will get easier for you.
Which will make things easier for you and everybody else. He thought bitterly. He knew that given enough time, he would make the necessary adjustments, adapt and accept to a certain degree, but right now, he wanted to wallow in his misery.
"The only thing that will achieve Jarod," Gracie said, placing a hand over one of his wrists, "Is damaging your skin and giving yourself scars.” She said gently.
Jarod did not stop his efforts, ignoring her and trying to block out the feeling of his tender skin burning. His face, neck and hands were not yet fully healed and the rest of his body was not used to this kind of exposure either. He was literally going to fry if he stayed here too long. He didn’t care about scars on his wrists or ankles and wondered why it would concern her at all.
"You won’t get out of those ropes Jarod, and even if you do, where do you expect to go? Kill me and run off into the outback again? Its suicide for you.” She tried to reason with him. There was no point in trying to get free of ropes if there was no where to go.
"That would be better than this, dying, staked out like some kind of sacrifice. I know there must be a town here within walking distance, just in a different direction. I would rather die trying."
"You are not going to die staked out here like this Jarod. Not only would I not allow it, but neither would sir.” She gently wiped the sweat from Jarod's brow. "You will be back inside before you even loosen one of the ropes and then you have only hurt yourself more for no good reason." Grace said gently, trying to get Jarod to understand the uselessness of it.
He refused to acknowledge her any further and closed his eyes, letting his head rest on the ground, feeling like his back was literally being baked. This was the most inhospitable country he had ever seen and he wanted so badly to go home. To sit on the beach and look at the endless ocean, the waves crashing gently against the shore. He conjured the image up in his mind, trying to transport him out of his current reality.
"Jarod just say you did get away, run off and find a town. Which would be very hard in itself considering how far apart they are, what would you expect to do once you get to the town?” She asked out of curiosity.
Jarod tried to ignore her, wanting to stay in the fantasy he had constructed.
“Do not be so rude Jarod and answer me. There are plenty of things I could do to make this worse for you if you be so disrespectful." She warned, every intention of doing so if he pushed her.
He reluctantly opened his eyes, pulled back to his reality and laughed hollowly. "Really? I would be curious to know how." At the moment, his overactive imagination was failing to come up with any way this situation could degenerate any further. He was too far beyond anything to really care at the moment.
"Very well." Gracie said and got up, "If you so wish." She said in a disinterested voice.
"I didn’t mean a demonstration,” He said, but guessing it was too late to change her mind now. He didn’t know why he felt so compelled to push her like this.
Gracie ignored Jarod as she moved the short distance to the door that led down to Gandi and opened it, finding the two sweepers standing guard waiting. She asked one of them to go and get what she asked and to bring it out to her. Grace waited in the harsh heat and sun, watching Jarod while she stood there. When he came back and gave them to her, she moved over to Jarod.
Jarod looked up at her, not even trying to imagine what she might do next. He had given up trying to read her and it was just too damned hot to concentrate. He could feel his skin burning, especially the tender area around his inner thighs and genitals. He was stretched tightly, his muscles aching at the unnatural position, spread to their limit.
Gracie knelt down on the hot sand and forced Jarod's back to arch the small amount he could and slipped two ropes under him. She positioned one over his chest, one over his lower torso and clipped the end of each single rope together so Jarod could not get them off. She sat back, watching him, each rope had four round metal plates. They would soon heat up and as they did, burn his flesh. She tightened each of the two ropes a little, so if Jarod tried to thrash about, they would not move.
Jarod tried to squirm away from them, but only managed to do more damage to his mangled wrists and ankles. He swallowed his pride and after forcing his body to still itself, he opened his eyes again to look at her. "I am sorry Miss Gracie for my earlier rudeness." He hated himself for submitting so quickly, but it seemed ridiculous now to fight after he had already given in earlier and simmed.
"No you're not Jarod, but you will be soon.” She said as she leant back on her hands enjoying the sun, even thought it was extremely hot.
He refused to succumb to the urge to fight the ropes again. He was weak already and what little energy he had he had used in the original struggle, and the rest had been sucked out of him by the heat. He could feel something trickling down his arms and didn’t want to look to see if it was sweat or blood. The metal was heating up quickly and becoming increasingly more uncomfortable. The heat was bad enough without this intensifying it.
"As I have already said Jarod, I am sorry I got you into this much trouble for offering a way out, and I apologise once more. But this,” She touched the plates, already getting hot, "I will not apologise for. You need to learn not to be rude, you have proven to both yourself and I you can’t get away, you will now have to start learning your place." If he just could be good for them, he wouldn’t have a bad life here. He couldn’t escape, Grace was naïve to think he could in the first place.
"My place?” He asked her softly, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. It was too damned hot at the moment, and he was struggling to keep the contempt for this whole ‘keeping his place’ from his face and voice. He would never be able to accept his life here, or the life she had outlined for him.
"Yes. You are a project. You do as you are told, as I tell you. You will do what ever medical exam we wish, you will work regardless, you will not be rude and disrespectful." Gracie told him yet again.
He swallowed dryly, no moisture left in his mouth. Talking was still difficult from his last excursion outside. "I will not be rude and disrespectful,” He intoned for her. That much at least he could work on, it was only his pride after all. If he was to survive this, he needed to be smarter than he had been so far if there was to be any hope for him at all.
"I should hope not. But Jarod, you will work. I have no choice now. Before you left, I could have gotten away with you not wanting to work most of the time but I can’t now. Mr Marcus will get strict and demand results and I will have to give him what he wants.” She touched Jarod's chin, turning his head to face her, looking at him in misery, "I can’t apologise enough for getting you into this, I should never have told you how to get out.” It was a mistake to think anyone could ever leave here, no one ever had, and no one ever will.
“Don’t be sorry for me,” He told her. He was sick of hearing her apologies as she just did something further to hurt him. Right now it was all just too much for him and he seriously contemplated doing something to make her mad enough to just kill him right now.
“How long do you estimate you can be out here before you are damaged?” Gracie asked, watching as the plates seem to shimmer slightly red. She didn’t know if it was because they were getting really hot now, or just the reflection of the red soil around them. Maybe if she got Jarod thinking about something technical it would help him ease into it. He would have to run through all the knowledge in his head to answer her. It wasn’t a SIM, but she was getting him there.
He ran some calculations, but only half heartedly, finding it very hard to concentrate. "A few hours before serious burning, maybe as much as 6, given my current condition before dehydration causes serious problems.”
Gracie nodded. “This is more for show than discipline. I do believe nearly dying out here was a lesson learnt much more strongly then any punishment.”
"I think you have proved your point,” He ground out, his body starting to try and escape from the metal plates that were getting increasingly hot. They would start searing right through his skin soon if she didn’t remove them.
“I don’t think I have Jarod. You still won’t work, are still rude to everyone including your owner.” She reprimanded him. He would learn, sooner or later.
"I won’t work, but I will be polite from now on,” He promised her, deciding on a compromise he could live with.
“That is not good enough Jarod. I can’t afford for you not to work. Two SIM’s, each you had to be forced to do. One was to help, the other was simple maths. I can’t do this much longer. They are going to want real results from you. On simulations that will earn your keep.”
He shook his head. "You knew before you brought me back here I would refuse. You will have to kill me, but I won’t do it. I can be civil if that makes it easier for everyone, especially me, but I can’t kill for them, I won’t. My work will never again be used against innocents."
“Then that is settled. I am sorry for everything that is about to happen to you Jarod. Sir will not tolerate you not working.” Her voice warning him of how bad it will get.
"Why don’t you just kill me now?” He whispered to her.
“Because they would rather kill your family first and let you suffer,” She said in a miserable voice.
Jarod shrugged. "Even I don’t know where they are, that is an empty threat."
“We don’t view family the same way as you do apparently. To sir, Sydney would be apart of that family.” Grace told him, knowing how he would react. That was the whole point. They knew Sydney was Jarod’s ‘father’ and they had no problem using it against him.
"No,” He screamed hoarsely, renewing his struggles futilely. Pulling violently on the ropes at his wrists and ankles. "No, don’t you touch him."
“I have no choice now Jarod, you just told me you would rather die then work. And Mr Marcus will not allow you to die, or not work. So next best thing in his mind is to make you suffer and if that means torturing Sydney slowly to death for you to work, then that is what will be done.” Grace told him, making her voice cold and cruel. She needed Jarod to work no matter if he wanted to or not, and although she did not like having to use Sydney, if she had to she damn well was gonna.
Jarod shook his head miserably. "No, please, you can’t do that. Please don’t touch him.” He begged her, struggling against the ropes with the very last of his energy. His body finally gave up, panting against the heat and the burning on his chest and abdomen.
“Then work Jarod. It’s that simple. Work or it is Sydney that will suffer. I told you earlier today they would hurt someone else if you refused didn’t I?” She asked him, remembering back to a little while ago when he had refused to do his SIM and she had told him they would hurt someone else if he didn’t.
He listened to her, his heart filling with despair. "And if I still refuse? You can only kill him once." Jarod said, although he didn’t know if he could sacrifice Sydney so easily.
“Yes but there is no reason why they can’t bring him over and make you watch it.” Grace informed callously. “Each time you say no, something will be done to hurt him. And they know how to drag it out over weeks. Slowly and painfully.”
Jarod's chest was hitching up as his breathing become more and more laboured as he looked into the abyss that was his future. He seemed doomed every way he turned. There was no way out for him, no escape, no hope and he gave into the despair as it settled in on him. He had fought so hard for so long, and for it to end like this was almost too much for him to comprehend. Jarod had never suffered such a comprehensive defeat before.
“Will you work Jarod, or force me to get Sydney here?” She asked him gently. His sadness hit her hard as he let all of this finally get to him.
He could not stop the tears leaking from his eyes as he nodded in absolute defeat, finally admitting to himself that she had won.
Gracie softly wiped his teas from his cheeks. “Thank you Jarod. Now would you like to go back inside? It’s a bit hot out here.”
He didn’t bother answering her, just kept his eyes closed as his world crashed down around him. Even after his brother had died, he had not felt despair this deep. He had clung on to the hope that he would find his family and that even in death, Kyle lived on. His legacy in every beat of that young boy’s heart. But now there was no hope, they had taken it all.
Gracie got up and moved to the door, opening it to see the two sweepers, “Go get him, bring him in.” She ordered, watching as they moved over to undo Jarod, leaving the metal plates on him and hauling him to his feet, holding his arms tightly and brought him back inside. She felt extremely mean for having to do this to him, but Grace had her orders, had a task to complete and she had to do what she was told. Simple as that.
Jarod didn’t resist, just flopping in their arms. He honestly didn’t care anymore what they did to him.
She took them down to the medical wing and watched as nurse Jane and the doctor went about removing the plates and putting him into a cold bath to cool him down.
Jarod sunk gratefully into the cool water, shivering already from the sudden change from extreme heat to the air-conditioned halls of this place. The nurse clucked over his condition and his stupidity. Jarod paid her no attention as he kept his eyes closed, just letting the cool water soak into his body. He turned himself off, not paying any attention to anything said to him. He had given in and there was no fight left in him now. The days passed and Jarod remained morosely silent, answering questions when pushed, but not otherwise engaging in any conversation. He was here and he wasn’t going anywhere, but he wasn’t going to pretend he was happy about it. He didn’t even ask if they could remove the cuffs so he could move about, just spent the days and nights staring at the ceiling, barely sleeping and only eating when they pushed the issue. When it was time for them to take him back to his cell, he let them take him without comment or complaint.
Gracie stood up and walked out the cell that she was now in as her punishment as the door was opened. Jarod had been brought back to his room last night, after another three days in the medical wing, and she had not bothered to talk to him, giving him time to himself. Moving to the next door, she opened it to see Jarod curled into a ball under the camera. “Its time to work Jarod, come along.”
Grace knew you didn’t need to have any empath skills to tell what Jarod was feeling. He had barely spoken or eaten. When left alone he was curled into a ball, trying to isolate himself. He hadn’t slept much either, in his cell or the medical wing, bags under his eyes. His face was drawn and pale and he was deeply depressed.
Jarod looked at her, having barely said two words to anyone in the last few days. He had figured, the more time he spent in the infirmary, the less time he could SIM. He needed to find out what he could do to get himself back there as frequently as possible, but not often enough for her to make good on her threat to bring in Sydney. He stood up slowly, still not fully recovered, and moved towards the door.
She walked forward, Jarod following, two large man either side of him. Taking him back to the same testing lab she had the other times, she asked him to sit and took the file from Collins. Grace had gotten a hard SIM, knowing the chances of Jarod rebelling against it. There was no way it could be used for good, it had only evil purpose.
Jarod sat down silently, ignoring the two guards flanking him, waiting.
Collins moved back, it had been made clear to him that he was not to interfere. His job was to observe, learn as much as he could and help if it was asked of him.
She took her seat on the corner of the desk and pushed the folder in front of Jarod, “Let’s get to it please Jarod.” Grace said in an even voice. She would not be kind, plead with him to do it, would not swap it for a humanitarian SIM. She needed to see if Jarod would do them now or if she really did have to bring Sydney over.
He took the folder without comment and read through it slowly. His eyes were still sore and his headache was down to a dull throb only. He knew that he could not do this, that they had picked it deliberately to test him. The further he read, the more he knew that he couldn’t live with himself if he did it.
Gracie picked the pencil and held it up for Jarod. “Come on Jarod, do not make me do what we talked about the other day outside.” She said threatened in a quite voice.
He took it from her without looking at her eyes. "Thank you,” He intoned politely, but with no emotion in his voice. He had done a lot of thinking during his stay in the infirmary, once again cuffed to the bed. He had nothing to do but think and he had come to the horrifying conclusion that he was going to have to cooperate with them. The Centre would find him sooner or later and try to mount a rescue, and if they didn’t, he needed time to prepare, learn everything he could about this place and it's people. He had planned his escape from the Centre for months, and had only just gotten out. His attempt here had been foolhardy and if there was any hope for him, he was going to have to be patient, and play along.
“You are welcome Jarod.” She said softly, knowing what it had cost Jarod to agree to do this. She sat on the desk, watching silently as he worked. Grace knew no matter how hard she tried now, Jarod would no longer want to talk to her other then talking when she asked him a question. She had done too much emotional damage to him to ever want to be her friend and that hurt her deeply. But she wasn’t meant to have friends anyway, so it might just keep Jarod safer.
He ignored her and started working through the SIM, taking it slowly, working methodically. He did not like Collins and refused to talk to him. He was used to running his SIMs alone now, and he preferred that just fine. He would answer questions, but nothing else. He tried to pay no attention to the two of them and felt like telling her he would work much better if she wasn’t breathing down his neck. He ignored the moral and ethical ramifications of what he was doing and just lost himself in the problem.
Hours later she was glad when Jarod was finished, placing his pencil down obediently. “I assume this will work Jarod?”
"I assume so,” He agreed.
“Do I need to tell you what happens if it doesn’t?” She asked him hoping that she didn’t need to threaten him yet again.
"No,” He said dully, looking up at the camera.
“Good.” She picked up the folder and all the notes Jarod had done and held it out to Collins. “You know what to do.” She said, waiting for him to take it.
He got up, stretching and took the folder from her. Running these SIM’s was mind-numbingly boring for him, and he knew Jarod was never going to depend on him the way he did Sydney, and seemed to be doing just fine on his own. "I will take them up for analysis and then to Mr Marcus."
“Good.” She said not looking away from Jarod as he left. “How are you feeling Jarod?” She asked him gently. Even if he didn’t want to be her friend, Grace would be damned if she would let him get so bad he would never have a chance at being the man he was before again.
"Tired and sore,” He told her frankly. His head was pounding again and he wanted to lie down. He would prefer the infirmary, at least there was a bed there. He wondered briefly if he attacked his two watchdogs if they might land him back there.
Gracie brushed his hair back softly, “Let’s get you back to your room then.” She got up and nodded for the men to come and get him, watching as they grabbed him and led him back to his cell.
Jarod walked back as slowly as they would allow him, his head down, eyes on the ground. He hated himself for what he had just done and he guessed that there would be plenty more to expect. He wondered, but hadn’t bothered to ask her, not believing that she would tell him the truth, if he had told her to leave him in the desert that day to die, if she would have done so.
Gracie followed them and watched as Jarod was shoved into his room and the door slammed and locked shut. Moving next door, she walked in and shut the door to her cell. She hoped she would be allowed out soon, it was boring in here and she had gone over her control techniques serval times already. She sat in the same spot as Jarod was in his cell, hiding under the cameras. Sighing heavily, she touched the wall between the cells Jarod, how are you coping? She asked him silently.
Jarod tried to shut his mind off, not wanting to talk to her at all, and especially not having her violate his mind as well. It wasn’t enough that they had broken him so quickly, but now she wanted to own his very mind as well. He concentrated as much as his headache would allow, trying to block her.
Come on Jarod, it doesn’t work this way. I can feel you trying to ignore me and it will not work. now stop being so rude and answer the question please. Gracie ordered him softly.
I am not coping at all. He told her, hoping that she would be satisfied with that. There was an ache in his soul that made the aches in his body seem insignificant.
Grace sighed heavily. I am sorry to hear that Jarod, I really am. Is there anything I can do to help you?
Leave me be.
Gracie nodded sadly, For now, I will do as you ask Jarod, but things will get easier for you.
Which will make things easier for you and everybody else. He thought bitterly. He knew that given enough time, he would make the necessary adjustments, adapt and accept to a certain degree, but right now, he wanted to wallow in his misery.
