Jan 12, 2013

Interrogation Techniques part 2 - 24 AU - All audiences

I was fiddling around with this idea while writing the first "version", so I decided to do this one too.

It's still an "Alternate Universe" to 24 and it starts out the same as the first one I wrote, so no, you're not suffering from déjà-vu, the Matrix has not been changed!!!

Just messing about with the characters out of their "reality" and having fun writing, so please don't shoot the messenger. Any comments will be greatly appreciated, as long as they are put in respectful ways.

Have fun!





Interrogation techniques – Part Deux.

He was getting tired of this.
They had been at it for hours and yet the suspect hadn’t uttered a word. Not even a sound, despite everything they had already done to him. Even Burke wasn’t getting anywhere.
The man just simply wouldn’t talk.
He was in agony, that much was certain.

Jack lost his temper suddenly and he lashed out, his fist colliding solidly with the man’s jaw.
More than once!
A split lip, a bloody nose and a cut brow later, Burke managed to pull him off with the help of two guards and they manhandled him out of the room to let him cool down. Burke went back in to keep an eye on the suspect while the guards ‘escorted’ Jack out of the building for some fresh air. When they finally let go of him, Jack turned, drew his gun and shot one of them in the leg for twisting his arm that hard. He turned the gun on the other, leveling it with his head.

“You,” he snarled, “are fired. Get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”

The guard swallowed hard but backed away without a word. He slipped back into the building, running into the doctor who went out, holding something hidden behind his back.

“Jack,” he said quietly, “let me help you.”

“What with?” Jack snarled, wondering if he should holster his weapon or not.

“To calm down. I have something that will help.”
He took a small step forward.
Carefully.
“Will you let me help you?”

“That depends.”

The doctor brought his arm forward, producing a can from behind his back.
“I think you could use this.”
For a long moment, Jack’s eyes remained glued to the can, but then the doctor drew his attention away from it.
“You can have it if you promise to be calm.”

“I promise.” Jack replied softly.

“Then put your gun away.”

He did and accepted the can.
It was cold.
Ice–cold.
He snapped it open and put it to his lips, taking a long swig from it.

“Not too greedy, Jack,” the doctor warned, “you know what happens when you get greedy.”

Jack emptied the can in long but slow gulps after what he handed the empty can back to the doctor for him to ‘dispose of the evidence’.

“This is our little secret, now isn’t it Jack?”
He nodded.
“Now, go back inside and be a little more civilized.”

Again he nodded.
The beer had already given him a pleasant buzz and he felt better.
Lighter.
He went back inside and went straight into the interrogation room.

“Burke, I wanna do this my way. Go get my kit.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Go!”
Burke stopped the IV and shut off his equipment, pushed up and left the room.
“You’re gonna wish you never met me.” Jack snarled to his suspect.
Moments later, Burke came back with a large suitcase which he put on the table in the corner.

“What do you want to start with?” Burke asked, opening the case.

“Sensory deprivation.” Jack stated, eyeing his suspect.

Burke opened the case and got out of the way as Jack pulled up a chair in front of the table.
He sat on it and rummaged through the case, locating the goggles and headphones he needed.
He selected the music and strobe-program he wanted to use and put the goggles on, flipping the lid open so he could still see something. Then he put the headphones on and reached for the switch.
He eyed his prisoner again.
The cold stare was met by one of panic.

“Jack.” Burke said softly.

“Hush.”

He flicked both switches to the on position and flipped the lid on the goggles down, letting the stroboscopic light do its devastating work. The music screamed through the headphones and he braced.
It hurt.
Badly.
He gripped the armrests tightly, thrashing about on the chair but unable to get away from the impulses he was subjected to. He gasped frequently but it wasn’t until the gasps were replaced by soft sobs and a whispered plea that the headphones and goggles came off. Eyes puffed and red, wet with tears, ears buzzing with the remnants of the loud music.

“Talk to me!” Jack yelled to the suspect.

He got a scared look back, but no answer.
He reached for a syringe and filled it, then walked over to the suspect and emptied the syringe into his arm.
Seconds later, the pain shot through his body and he gasped, clutched his fists and clenched his jaws, squeezing his eyes shut, breathing in rapid gusts.
When the pain faded, Jack got back in the man’s face.

“Talk to me you piece of shit.”

Still no reply.

He filled the syringe again and emptied it without hesitation.
Again the drug caused pain, practically unbearable pain but the suspect refused to talk to him.
He was breathing hard, barely able to suck enough oxygen into his lungs to stay conscious.
A third time, the drug was injected into the bloodstream.
A third time, the pain gripped him and nearly tore him apart from within.
Still no reply.

Jack couldn’t believe this guy.
He was panting and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He was in pain, that much was certain.
But yet he refused to cooperate.
How much more would he take?

He changed his approach and picked a stun gun next.
The upper arm always worked well.
The electric current shot through his body and he gasped in pain, throwing his head back and clenching his teeth to keep from crying out. When the current faded, he gasped for air, dropping his head to his chest, breathing hard.
He was sweating which only increased the effect of the stun gun, so Jack hit him again.
Once more, the muscles tensed and he threw his head back in agony.
Once more, he refused to cooperate.
Jack continued, changing the location, hitting his chest next.
He hit his chest four more times without result.

When he turned the stun gun to his neck, Burke moved away.
He quietly punched in a number on the phone by the wall and hoped to god it would be answered quickly.

“Buchanan.”

“It’s Burke, I need you in interrogation three.”

“I’m on my way.”

Burke went back to stand by Jack.
Jack hit his neck again.
The pain was impossible to bear and he gasped in pain, squeezing his eyes shut, feeling every muscle in his body scream for the abuse to stop. The abuse would only stop when he started answering the questions.

Just as he was about to hit him again, the intercom buzzed and Bill’s voice came over the speaker.

“Jack, can I speak with you?”

Jack put the stun gun down on the table, making sure the suspect couldn’t reach it and left the room.
He closed the door and looked up at Bill, a little ticked off because he was being interrupted in his interrogation.
It had better be important.

“Jack, what’s going on?”

“He’s not talking to me.”

“I gathered that much.”

“I’ve tried everything I could think of, he’s a tough one to break.”

“Jack,” Bill said quietly, “do you know why he’s not talking to you?”

“Well … he’s a bad guy and I’m a good guy and bad guys don’t talk to good guys.” Jack blabbered.

“No, Jack, that’s not why he’s not talking to you.” Bill sighed.

“But …”

“Jack, the reason he’s not talking to you …” Bill hung his head and shook it slowly, “… the torture …”

“What about it?” Jack asked, unsure of what Bill was trying to say.

“You’re supposed to do that to him, not to yourself.”

Jack was flabbergasted.
No wonder the guy wasn’t cooperating.

“Have you been drinking again?”
The accusation lay heavy on his voice.
Jack hardly dared to meet his eyes.
How come Bill always knew?
“Come on, let’s get you to the clinic,” Bill sighed, “you need to lie down.”


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