It was the feeling of a hot blade being stabbed through his leg that jerked Taylorâ€™s mind back from the past. He hated to admit it but his eyes watered as Michael twisted the blade around before ripping it out of his flesh leaving a jagged hole in its wake. He couldnâ€™t remember when he had felt this much pain, not even when he was captured and tortured had he felt like this. Then again these assholes werenâ€™t looking for information from him; they were paying him back for taking Meko away from them.<br/><br/>An all too familiar scream sent his glossed over green eyes flying to the TV that had been placed in the room. Taylor jerked at the restraints and released a scream himself from the metal grinding deeper into his bone. His heart ached as he watched the scene that was playing out in some other room. â€œYou are a worthless pile of shit. I donâ€™t know why people have been scared of you for so long.â€ The taunting voice of Michael caused Taylor to look back at him.<br/><br/>â€œLet me out of here and Iâ€™ll show you.â€ His words cracked from the dryness of his throat but the sheer murder that was written in his eyes was enough to provoke Michael into trying to shove his fist through Taylorâ€™s mouth. â€œHit me again.â€ He yelled and his request was granted this time it was to the still open wound on his leg. â€œDo it again!â€ Taylor screamed as he wiggled his arms around behind him and again his request was granted this time the fist broke a few of his ribs.<br/><br/>Michael stared at this man that the Madam Director wanted broken and realized that no matter how much pain they put him through Taylor wouldnâ€™t break. â€œI see what it is, you want a distraction.â€ Michael grinned as if he had solved the worldâ€™s biggest mystery. â€œYou donâ€™t want to see Sam pry the information from your friend.â€ The laugh that was tagged on was dry and humorless.<br/><br/>Taylor watched Michael as he walked over to the TV and turned the volume up. Taylor ground his teeth together as another scream reached his ears. Meko was brave and stubborn but the boy wasnâ€™t cut out for things like these. His soul was far too pure and delicate. His head was snatched up and aimed so he was staring right at the TV. â€œYouâ€™re going to watch your lover boy break and you will too.â€ Michael said it right next to Taylorâ€™s ear and for the first time since he had been locked up in this room true fear crawled through his body. They wouldnâ€™t kill Meko, he knew that, but they would twist his body and mind until Meko wasnâ€™t Meko anymore.<br/><br/>-0-0-0-0<br/>The hulk of a man moved around the room as he wiped blood off his hands yet again, the formerly white cloth stained permanently with the blood of an innocent. Sam had once been a good man but Madam Director had fixed that.<br/><br/>â€œCome on kid; just tell me the code used to decipher the last few documents.â€ It was said as he tugged a bowie knife from his waist band and walked back over to the battered form of Meko. â€œIf you tell me all of this will end.â€ Sam prompted as he drug the flat of the blade across the tattoo on the side of the boys face. When he received silence in return Sam tipped the blade and applied just enough pressure to break the skin. â€œWeâ€™ll even let your little attack cat go.â€ It was a lie. Sure they would end Mekoâ€™s torture but Taylor would inevitably be disposed off.<br/><br/>Sam sighed as if dragging the blade the length of the tattoo was the hardest thing he had ever done. Immediately after Sam flipped the blade and slammed the hilt against Mekoâ€™s jaw. â€œSuit yourself kid.â€ With that he smashed his fist into the side of the boy and then retreated to the door.<br/><br/>-0-0-0-0-0-0-0<br/>â€œYou cannot go in there!â€ The wheezing voice of a political rat rung through the hall as Xander turned the corner. â€œMadam Director doesnâ€™t want any visitors!â€ There it was again, that annoying voice that sounded like a dying cat. Xander came to a complete stand still as he turned on the spot and grabbed the much smaller man by the throat and shoved him against the wall. â€œStop talking.â€ His body still ached with the pain of the battles he had been in that day. He had healed completely but that didnâ€™t take away the pain.<br/><br/>The sheer unhidden terror in the manâ€™s eyes made Xander feel a tad better. After a second of watching the manâ€™s face go from ghost white to blue and finally purple Xander released him. Xander didnâ€™t even spare a second glance at the gasping person who crumpled to the floor as he started down the hall again.<br/><br/>â€œJust the man I wanted to see.â€ He was angry enough that he didnâ€™t bother plastering on a sickly sweet grin. Frank looked up from the paper work on his desk and froze. â€œX-Xander.â€ Frank coughed out in shock as he quickly slammed a file shut but not fast enough that Xander didnâ€™t see a picture of himself and a red circle around his head. â€œWhat can I do for you?â€<br/><br/>â€œWhere are my money and my full pardon?â€ For the first time in a long time the sneaky feeling that he had been duped crawled slowly through his brain. â€œThose, ugh, right they are on the way.â€ Frank had always been a terrible liar; honestly Xander didnâ€™t know how he had managed to land a job on the covert side of this tyrannical government that had taken over.<br/><br/>It was only when he heard the rapid footsteps of heavily armored guards did it actually come crashing down on him. They had double crossed him. It was a smart move, remove all three of the biggest threats to their reign in one move but Xander didnâ€™t deal very well with being double crossed. â€œFuck.â€ The headache that had been throbbing dully in his head suddenly came back with twice the intensity. He had drawn a gun and put a bullet through Frankâ€™s head before anyone had time to blink.<br/><br/>Xander hoped behind the desk and waited as the guards came to the door. He shot from under the desk, using the small opening under the desk. He used two bullets per guard as they filed in the door, one in the knee and then one between the eyes as they fell. Call him old fashioned but he preferred the tried and true method of a lead bullet over the newer weapons they carried, it took too long to reload those.<br/><br/>He rose to his feet and glanced to his left at the dead body of one of his favorite puppets. Xander shoved the body off the chair and picked up the file Frank had tried to hide. He peered inside it and then closed his eyes as he read one simple line<span style="font-weight: bold">Tracker Installed.</span>