Justice

Disclaimer: I don't own High Mountain Rangers or Jesse Hawkes, not making any money, just cheap thrills.

Warnings: Angst, Violence, GRAPHIC TORTURE SCENES

Italics indicate thoughts or a flashback

Rating: FRT

Justice
Chapter 3


Cody lay on his bed, his hands once again cuffed behind him, ropes draped over his body and drawn under the bed, tying him in place. He tried to sleep, knowing he would need his energy to face whatever Rassy had planned for the next day. The pain, the smell and the memories conspired to keep him awake.


Rassy had finally tired of licking the bleeding wounds on his body. Unfortunately, this meant he turned to other methods of tormenting him. Cody had thought the man couldn't do any worse to him. Of course he'd been proven wrong. Before he'd had the chance to catch his breath, so to speak, Rassy had begun with the next torture.

Cody shuddered as he remembered the look of pure pleasure on the older man's face as he inflicted him with the most excruciating pain he'd ever felt.

"I wonder how long you'll last before you pass out little girl," Rassy smirked.

"Leave me alone," Cody mumbled.

"Oh, I couldn't do that." Stepping over to where his bag lay, he reached inside, searching, for what Cody didn't know. It didn't take him long to find it, turning he walked back to where Cody hung, suspended helplessly from the ropes. In his hand he held a simple pair of pliers.

Scenes from a movie he'd scene at Jamie Logan's one night on the late show flashed through Cody's mind, bringing an involuntary shudder from him. "Whwhat are you dddoing with ththose?" he stuttered.

Rassy smiled at him. It was a cold smile, devoid of emotion. "These? Are you sure you want to know little girl?" He laughed when Cody began to tremble with fear, shaking his head in the negative. "I'm afraid you'll have to find out anyway," he told him with mock sympathy. Pulling a chair over, he climbed on it so he could easily reach Cody's bound hands. Without a word of warning, he latched onto a nail with the pliers and yanked. The removal of the boy's fingernail was accompanied by an earth shattering scream of pure agony.

His scream had barely ended when he felt the pliers latch onto a nail on his other hand. The feel of his nail being ripped from his finger seared through him, imprinting on his mind. It was something he knew he'd never forget, if he lived through this.

The screams attracted the attention of a street person; an older man named Gabe. He had been one of those Jesse and Cody had helped when they first came to San Francisco. Cody didn't know what he was doing in the area, he had probably been coming to see if he could spend the unseasonably chilly night in the warehouse. Somehow he had gotten into the building, Cody heard his outraged, horrified yell and looked up.

He stared in helpless terror as Rassy quickly defeated the old man. Dragging the elderly man over to where Cody hung, he forced Gabe to stand directly in front of him. The other man stood so close to Cody, he could smell the onions on the man's breath.

"It's your fault this is happening Cody," Rassy declared. "If you had been quiet this poor old man would never have come in here. I wouldn't have had to do this," he said as he dragged a knife across Gabe's throat. Blood sprayed from the cut, covering Cody's chest and face with splatter.

He could do nothing to avoid the blood. His eyes were wide in his pale face, the words Rassy said echoing in his mind as he watched an innocent man die before him. Sinking into shock, he didn't even respond when his tormentor reached for another nail. Not a whimper escaped as Rassy began to pull the nail from his finger.

Disgusted, Larry stopped before the nail was removed. "It isn't any fun kid if you're not going to react," he complained.

Rassy had gotten rid of Gabe's body, though Cody didn't know where he'd put it. He'd returned a little while later and taken Cody down from where he'd spent most of the day and moved him to his bed. The combination of shock and muscles that trembled as they tried to recover from being kept in one position for so long, kept Cody from struggling as he was moved.


It hadn't taken Jesse and Matt long to find Sullivan's trail. The man might have experience in the woods, but he was far from an expert, allowing the Hawkes' to easily track him. Unfortunately darkness approached before they caught up to him, forcing them to make camp.

Jesse grinned as his oldest grumbled under his breath about the necessity of making a cold camp. He knew Matt understood the reasons for it, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Truth was, Jesse didn't like it either, not that he was going to let his son know that.

As the night grew cooler, the two men huddled into their sleeping bags. They never knew if Sullivan didn't realize they were so close or if he didn't understand how far the light of a fire could be seen away from city lights. Whichever the case, the fugitive they sought had built a campfire, providing a beacon for any pursuers.

“Dad,” Matt hissed.

“What is it son?”

“Is that what I think it is?” Matt pointed in the direction of the fire.

Jesse stared, like his son he could hardly believe Sullivan was that stupid. He looked up, the light of the full moon should be enough to allow them to travel safely. It was difficult to be sure, the darkness distorting the ability to measure distance, but he didn't think the fire was more than a couple of miles away. “Get up son, we're breaking camp.”

It didn't take them long to gather everything up, neither man had brought more than absolutely necessary. Calling Ding, Jesse led the way through the woods. Moving slowly, due to the darkness, it took them forty-five minutes to travel a distance that would normally have only taken half that time.

Eric Sullivan rolled over in his sleeping bag. He stared into the barrel of a pistol, “I ain't got any money.”

“We're not interested in your money,” Jesse growled. “Get out of the sleeping bag, slowly,” he ordered.

“Who are you?” Sullivan asked as he obeyed the order.

“On your knees, hands locked behind your head.” He waited for Sullivan to comply; he nodded to his son.

Matt stepped forward, quickly cuffing the man's hands behind his back. Once Sullivan was secure, he searched him for weapons.

“We'll camp here for the night, take him back in the morning,” Jesse decided.

“I can make it worth your while to let me go,” Sullivan offered. Well aware of what happened to men like him in prison, he was desperate to remain free.

“There is nothing you can offer that would convince us to let you go,” Jesse coldly informed him.

“Everybody has a price.”

Jesse ignored him. He had seen the pictures and read the reports detailing the things done to Sullivan's victims. Even if he didn't have sons of his own, the youngest only a couple of years older than most of this monster's victims, he wouldn't have listened to the offer.

“What is it you want? Come on man, I can't go to prison. You know what'll happen to me in there?”

“I know exactly what will happen to you in prison. I'd have to say you deserve every bit of what you'll suffer.”

“Who made you judge and jury?”

“You've already been judged, we're just making sure justice is carried out.” Ignoring Sullivan's continued attempts to talk him into releasing him, Jesse settled down for some sleep. “Wake me in four hours Matt and I'll take watch.”

“Sure thing Dad.”



Morning came too soon for Cody. He had surprised himself by managing to sleep some, though it wasn't nearly enough. He woke with a gasp as ice cold water splashed over his back, reawakening the pain from the whipping he'd received the day before.

“Time to get up little girl,” Larry laughed.

He reddened with shame, the memories of his pathetic behavior washing over him. The small amount of sleep he had gotten had restored him somewhat, giving him the strength to fight back. “I'm not a little girl,” Cody snapped.

“That's not what you said last night,” Larry taunted. “I know you remember begging me to lick the blood from your body. Bet your father and brother would be ashamed of you.”

“Go to hell.”

Larry grabbed the boy's hair, jerking his head up from the mattress. “You better watch how you talk to me boy.”

“Or what? You'll torture me?”

“No, I'll torture your brother when he returns.”

“You leave him alone,” Cody yelled. He struggled uselessly against the ropes, fear for his brother making him desperate.

“What I do to your family is up to you,” Larry calmly responded.

“What do you mean?”

“You'll find out soon enough,” Larry smiled. “For now, it's time to get up and start the day.” Cutting the ropes, he jerked Cody from the bed and forced him downstairs to the main room. He kept a firm grip on the boy's arm as he dragged him towards the kitchen area. “On your knees boy,” a hard shove on Cody's shoulder insured his obedience. Grabbing up a piece of rope, he ran it under the cuffs on the boy's wrists and tied it to a support beam. “Wouldn't want you to wander off while I'm cooking,” he smirked.

Cody glared at the man. If his hands were free he'd wipe that smirk off his face. Who are you trying to kid? After everything he did yesterday, you couldn't whip a three day old kitten, he told himself. There has to be something I can do, he thought as he looked around the room. I have to find a way to get free, I can't let Dad and Matt walk into this.

Larry nearly laughed out loud as he watched the boy. The kid had no idea how easy he was to read. “You won't be escaping,” he calmly informed him. “There isn't anything you can do to protect yourself or your family.”

“I don't understand you.”

One eyebrow shot up, “Go on.”

“It was your brother who killed that man and it was him that decided to try to kill me and my dad, so how can you blame me for what happened to your family?”

“You didn't have to testify against me,” Larry growled. “If I hadn't been in prison, Janie wouldn't have been left alone to deal with everything by herself.”

“You tried to kill me and my dad, what did you expect?”

“There you go again, sitting in judgment. Jack was my brother, I had to protect him. What right do you have to decide that's wrong?”

“What right did you have to decide my father and I should die? What right did your brother have to decide that man should die?”

Enraged, Larry swung the metal spatula, hot with grease, against Cody's back. The gasp of pain was like music to his ears; he wanted to hear more.

Cody bit his lip as the blows rained down on his unprotected back. There was nothing he could do to stop the blows, but he was determined that he wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of crying out.

Spent of his rage, Rassy stopped the beating as quickly as he had begun it. Becoming aware, once again, of his surroundings, he realized the air was filled with smoke. “Damn,” he cursed over the burned eggs covering the bottom of the skillet. Picking up the pan he headed for the trash can. As he tipped the pan, a sudden thought occurred to him. Quickly righting the pan, he deposited the burnt eggs on a plate and using a fork, cut them into bite sized pieces. “Guess you get to eat after all boy,” he smirked.

Cody stared at the plate of food Rassy sat on the floor. He shook his head, no way he was eating that slop.

“You got two choices boy, you can eat it or I can force it down your throat.” He laughed at the glare Cody aimed his way.

“Can't eat with my hands cuffed behind me,” he sullenly pointed out.

“Sure ya can,” Larry grinned. “I cut it up for ya, you just bend over and eat it up like a dog...now!” He didn't wait to see if the order would be obeyed but turned back to the stove to cook his own breakfast. He meant what he said, if the boy didn't eat he'd force feed him. He was pretty sure it would only take a couple of bites fed to him that way to convince the kid to do as he was told.

Cody sighed, but he knew he didn't really have any choice in the matter. Having to eat like a dog was humiliating enough, being force fed by Rassy would be worse. With that in mind, he reluctantly bent forward and began to choke down the disgusting mess on his plate.

Larry turned off the stove and carried his plate to the table. “Guess you were right,” he commented as he sat down. “You're not a little girl, you're a dog.”

Cody held back the angry comment he wanted to throw at the man. Coward, a small voice accused. Ignoring the accusation his mind launched his way, he reminded himself that he would endure enough torture today, adding more to it wouldn't help him to escape, assuming he got the chance.

“After breakfast, your punishment will continue,” Larry calmly informed his prisoner.



Jesse and Matt arose an hour before dawn. After a quick breakfast they broke camp and by the time the sun rose over the horizon they were ready to head out. Just as they had the night before, the two men ignored the offers and pleas coming from Sullivan.

“I hope your brother is feeling better,” Jesse said as they hiked towards the road and the waiting truck.

“I'm sure he is Dad,” Matt assured him. “You know when I had it, I was over it in 48 hours,” he reminded Jesse.

“I know, and I know you think I'm being over protective...”

“Just a bit,” Matt smiled.

“Maybe I am, but I've got a feeling that we need to get back home as quickly as we can.”

Matt nodded, he was sure his dad's bad feeling was just a product of the recent bank heist in which Cody had been taken hostage. However, he had learned a long time ago not to argue with his father when he had one of his feelings.

Luckily it didn't take them long to reach the truck and by 9:00 they had dropped Sullivan off at the police station, filled out the paperwork and were on their way to the warehouse.

“I think we'll start with a repeat from yesterday,” Larry said as he hauled Cody to his feet. Forcing the boy to walk, he led him back to where the rope still hung across the overhead beam. “On your knees boy,” he ordered, shoving him to the floor. Pulling the rope downward, he again fashioned a hangman's noose. Putting the footstool under the noose, he jerked the boy to his feet and forced him onto the stool.

Cody struggled, but just like the day before, it did him no good. He soon found himself on the footstool, a noose around his neck and a ball gag in his mouth.

“Can't have your screams disturbing the neighbors, can we?” Larry taunted. “I wonder if you'll last as long today as you did yesterday,” he absently mused as he tightened the other end of the rope. Picking up his whip, he tucked it under his arm so he could release the cuffs.

Suddenly the footstool was gone and he was scrabbling for the rope, desperate to keep his air from being cut off. He tried not to scream; it was an exercise in futility. As the whip lashed across his back, drawing blood, Cody's screams sounded from behind the ball gag.

Larry drew back, prepared to lay another stripe over the boy's back. The sound of a deep growl froze his hand. “Well looks like we're about to get company boy.” He shoved the footstool back in place and quickly cuffed Cody's wrists behind him. Grabbing a knife, he waited.

“What is it Ding?” Jesse whispered, kneeling down next to the dog. Glancing around, he was trying to think what to do when he spotted a cat peaking out from a hole just below the door. Jesse chuckled at his own edginess. “Leave the cat alone Ding,” he ordered as he unlocked the door.

Jesse Hawkes was the first one through the door, Larry noticed. He was followed closely by his older son and the family dog. “Call the dog off Hawkes,” he ordered, pressing the knife he held into Cody's side in warning.

“Stand down Ding,” Jesse ordered. His eyes never left the terror filled eyes of his youngest. “Let him go Rassy,” he growled.

“You don't give the orders here Hawkes. You boy,” he motioned to Matt, “get on your knees.”

Matt glanced at his dad; a quick nod had him obeying the order. Staring in horror at his younger brother's battered body, he prayed his father had an idea of how they were going to get out of this. Silently he cursed the decision to put their guns in their packs.

“There's two pairs of cuffs in my bag there, get them out and cuff the boy's hands behind him.”

“What do you want Rassy?” Jesse asked. Though he obeyed the order, he kept his eyes focused on the man giving the orders, looking for any opening.

“Justice! Now, after you restrain the dog, use the other pair and cuff your hands behind your back.”

He hated to obey, but his only other option at this point was to rush the man holding his son hostage. It was a move that could only end with Cody's death; therefore it was a move he couldn't make. Reluctantly he did as he was told, kneeling next to Matt when Rassy indicated for him to.

“Lay down,” Larry order the older two Hawkes. He smiled when his order was carried out, he knew it would be impossible for them to try anything from that position. At least, it would be impossible for them to succeed, he corrected. “Now boy, back to your punishment,” the soft words were the only warning Cody got.

Cody stared as his father obeyed Rassy, making himself and Matt helpless to save him or themselves. He heard the words coming from beside him and then the footstool disappeared as his hands were freed.

“No! Stop it!” Jesse and Matt screamed as they watched helplessly. Each muffled scream was like a knife in their hearts. Horrified, they could only serve as witnesses to the cruel torture Rassy was inflicting on Cody.

“Damn boy, I think you might just make it,” Larry commented as he brought the whip down for the twenty-eighth time. “Then again, maybe not,” he smirked as Cody's sweat slicked hands lost their grip on the rope, leaving him dangling from the end of the rope, slowly suffocating. Twice more he brought the lash down before releasing the tension on the rope, dropping the boy to the floor. He wasted no time, quickly cuffing Cody's hands behind him once more and jerking him to his knees.

Cody swayed, barely conscious of what was going on around him. He could hear Rassy talking to his father and brother, but he wasn't able to make out the words.

“You bastard!” Jesse cursed him.

“That's not very wise Hawkes, cursing the man who holds your son's life in his hands.”

“Why are you doing this?” Matt asked.

“I'll give you whatever you want, just let my sons go.”

“No,” he calmly refused Jesse's offer. “The why is simple, because of your brother I lost my entire family.”

“It wasn't Cody's fault,” Matt argued. “If you want to blame somebody, blame your brother for murdering that man in cold blood. That was what destroyed your family, not Cody.”

“That's what he said, but he could have refused to press charges against me. Both of you could have,” he added, glaring at Jesse.

“It wouldn't have mattered Rassy, you were an accessory to murder after the fact. Even if Cody and I hadn't pressed attempted murder charges, the state would have gotten you for the accessory charges.”

“Not if you and your son had refused to testify.”

“I understand how hard it was to lose your family Rassy, but you're blaming the wrong people.”

“Shut up! It's time for justice to be carried out,” he snapped. Reaching down, he released the ball gag. “Choose boy,” he ordered.

Cody looked up at him, confusion written on his face. “Choose?”

“Who dies first, your father or brother?”

“I, you expect...I can't,” Cody stuttered, shaking his head.

Larry smiled coldly. “You make the choice and I'll slit their throats so they die fast. If I choose, I'll make sure they die slow.”

“No, please...I can't...please just kill me, not them, please don't kill them,” Cody plead through his tears.

“If that's the way you want it,” Rassy shrugged. Stepping over to the men, he began to chant. “Eeeney, meeney, miney, mo...”

“No! Please don't, I'll do anything you want just don't kill them.”

Larry stopped, shooting a glance over his shoulder at the boy as if he were considering his offer. “There's nothing you could offer.” Turning back to the two men lying on the floor, he again began to chant.

“I'll go with you, anywhere you want and you can punish me everyday for the rest of your life,” Cody desperately offered.

Larry stopped again, this time honestly considering the offer, especially as the other two men began to protest. “If I take you with me, I'll expect you to be my slave and accept any punishment I decide on.”

“I will,” Cody promised.

“You will obey any order I give or I'll return and kill your family.”

“I agree.”

“Interesting proposal boy.”

Cody waited nervously, silently praying the man would accept the offer. He hated the idea of going with him, of enduring a lifetime of pain and humiliation, but it was worth any amount of pain, if it would save his family.

“You will call me master, do you understand?”

Cody swallowed, “Yes master,” he whispered.

“You will never again look me or anybody else in the eye, a slave isn't worthy of looking at others as his equal, do you understand?”

Cody quickly dropped his eyes to the floor, “Yes master.”

“You will not speak unless I give you permission or ask you a direct question, do you understand?”

“Yes master,” he was barely able to get the words out.

“Very good dog, I accept your offer. I want you face down on the floor.”

Not daring to hesitate, Cody lay down as best as he could and waited.

“I'll be right back.” Quickly Larry climbed the stairs to find the boy a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

“Cody son, how badly hurt are you?” Jesse softly asked.

“It doesn't matter,” Cody replied just as softly.

“It matters Cody, I just wish there was something I could do for you.” Jesse glanced towards the steps before continuing. “I don't care what you promised him son, I want you to escape as soon as you can.”

Before Cody could respond, Larry came back down the steps. Reaching down, he jerked Cody to his feet and released the cuffs. “Put these on,” he ordered, tossing him the clothes. He smiled as the boy immediately obeyed him.

Moving as quickly as he could, which wasn't very, Cody pulled the clothes on. He ignored the discomfort the of the cloth on his wounds. Finished dressing, he stood passively, his eyes on the floor as he waited for the next command.

“Pack me some food dog,” Larry ordered as he began to gather his things together. It didn't take him long to pack his bag, allowing him to watch as the boy obediently loaded a duffel bag with food. “That's enough food dog, time to go.”

Keeping his head down, Cody picked up the bag and let Rassy lead him out the door. Though he'd promised to obey, his captor still kept a tight hold on his arm as they walked to the car Rassy had hidden in an alley.

“Put the bag in the back seat.” Larry opened the back door so the order could be carried out. He waited for the boy to set the bag down, pulling him towards the back of the car after he did. “Get in the trunk,” he ordered as he opened it. The moment the boy climbed into the trunk, he shut the lid and got in the car. Starting the motor, he drove around the block a couple of times before parking directly in front of the door of the warehouse. If this was going to work, the boy had to believe they were simply stopped at a red light. Carefully climbing out of the car, he made sure there was no noise to indicate to the boy that he was leaving.

With equal caution, he opened the warehouse and stepped back inside. “Miss me,” he taunted at the two men as they attempted to scoot towards the phone.

“You bastard, what have you done with my son?” Jesse yelled.

“Thank you for volunteering Hawkes,” Larry smirked. Stepping over to the man, he flipped him onto his back and without warning plunged the knife into his abdomen. “Can't have you coming after us.” It only took him a moment to give Matt the same treatment. Leaving the two men lying on the floor, slowly bleeding to death, he returned to his car and drove away.


TBC

I know, I know, another cliff hanger. I just can't help myself, I see cliff and I have to hang him. ;) Hope y'all liked it. Please feed the muse with reviews.