Quisvis

Note: Sorry it took so long with this chapter.. i really don't know why it did. It has been sitting on my hard drive for months. Not a whole lot of action in this chapter but important details that need to be hammered out now. I'm writing again, which is good but now i have a few more stories to write on so i don't know when the next update will be. Sorry. Thanks for reading and please review. Oh by the way please please excuse the shoddy writing. My beta reader just got back and will probably be taking a look at this soon. I just wanted to go ahead and get it up. Thanks Again. Aewnaur


Warning: Mentions Cutting: Shouldn't trigger but might. Be aware.

Chapter Six: Setting Out


The occupants of the car were silent as they pulled through the security check point for TRU Headquarters. They were each lost in their own thoughts about the mission. Admiral Noyce had been on the phone several times dealing with the blank guardianship papers that had been sent to Wolenczak. As well as clearing his schedule for the next two days. The team went through some odd post-mission ritual that involved code words and strange hand signals.

Lucas watched it all through detached eyes. He wondered what would happen to him now. From the conversation he had over heard he knew that his father had given up custody of him but that no guardian had been assigned. Absently he wondered if one could be found. Once everyone had seen the tapes he doubted that anyone would want him. He knew that he was broken, damaged goods. He had, after all been told often enough. What use was he now? He didn’t know how to be a normal kid. He rubbed absently at his shoulder several times he had to stop himself from coming on to the Admiral. The man was tense and Lucas knew that a few minutes on his knee’s in front of the older man would relax him. That was what he had been trained for after all. Then it would hit him, what he had been about to offer. Freely. He was disgusted with himself and really had the urge to throw up. He settled for rubbing at the cut on his arm. The self inflicted pain kept him focused on what was going on around him.

When they reached the small unassuming building Lucas again put himself on auto pilot and trusted Aristotle to guide him.

^

Barbara Nelson was officially worried. All through the plane ride she had been keeping an eye on Lucas. The kid was showing signs of shock and along with the obvious bruises he kept rubbing his upper arm. As they cleared upper security and headed for the elevator’s that would take them down into the sub-levels of headquarters where the real offices were, she pulled Robin aside.

“Commander, I think Lucas should go to medical while the rest of us debrief.”

Robin stopped and turned to Barbara, motioning to the rest of the team to continue on.

“Why do you say that?” she asked, keeping her voice low.

“Other than the obvious bruising? He’s rubbing at his arm, It might have been pulled out of socket. Also it will keep his mind off the debrief until it’s his turn,” Barbara explained.

“Okay, the only problem I see is that I want you to do the physical,” Robin sighed. She was hoping to be as involved as possible with Lucas’s case. She knew that the UEO would eventually take him away from the team and place him somewhere. She just wasn’t looking forward to it. Not to mention how Matthew would take it, he had become very attached to the kid in the short time they had known him.

“That shouldn’t be a problem. Any observations that I had would be listed in Lucas’s medical file. I’ll just write it up then and sign off on the mission.”

“Alright let’s go catch up with the other’s. I’ll suggest it to Admiral Dean. I have a feeling that this case is going under a microscope from now on. Dean is going to get final say on every thing until the UEO takes over, “Robin growled at the thought. She had left the navy and joined TRU because of a difference of opinion with her commanding officer.

When the UEO had first taken over the oceans her commander had seen it as a good thing for the world . Robin however thought that one super power controlling the majority of the world, even if it was the ocean , was just asking for trouble. She was right. Most world governments had fallen into the UEO trap. All of the worlds shipping was now firmly in the hands of the UEO and that meant that the UEO controlled the majority of all international commerce. Oh sure, the Secretary-General licensed all companies that had asked but to Robin it was a short step from were they were to world domination. If she hadn’t been approached by the Company that ran TRU she might have ended up moving over to the NAP just to prove a point to herself but at that point in her life it had been more about principle than any thing else. Her musings took her down three levels to the debriefing rooms.

Her team sat on one side of the large rectangular table with Lucas in the middle. It was really no surprise to see Aristotle and Admiral Noyce flanking the small boy. He really did look small sitting there between the two men. She stood watching from the door way for a few minutes, hoping to catch Admiral Dean before the meeting. In the florescent lighting the rusis on Lucas’s face stood out and she noticed him rubbing his arm almost constantly. Still she might have passed off the movement as a child’s need fore self comfort it Barbara had not pointed it out to her. He seemed to be unconsciously rubbing his upper arm near the shoulder, she didn’t think even he knew he was doing it.

She turned and left the room as the elevator opened down the hall.

They snapped off a salute almost simultaneously then fell into step together.

“Commander, tell me that this isn’t as bad as your report yesterday makes it look,” Dean demanded softly.

“I can’t do that. It’s as bad, if not worse.”

“Damn, I was afraid you were going to say that,” Dean sighed as he rubbed his forehead. The head ache he had been staving off with pills turned into the beginnings of a nasty migraine.

“So what did you need to tell me so badly that you were hanging out in the hallways, instead of being with your team?”

“Lt. Nelson feels that the boy should be in medical right away and I concur,”

“Your report didn’t say anything about an injury,” he stated, the question in his tone was obvious.

“He was with his father all night. There really is no telling what happened. At this point my opinion of Wolenczak couldn’t go any lower. He has bruises on his face that were not ther yesterday and Barbara is concerned about his arm.”

“Very well. I assume you want your medic to perform the physical?”

“If possible, yes. He knows her which would ease the stress and my team has become… attached to the kid. Especially Matthew,” she tried to sound detached, like it was the rest of the team that was attached but she could see the smirk in the Admiral’s eyes. She never could fool him.

“Right,” he stretched out eh word in obvious sarcasm. Then shook his head and sighed. It was a bad situation all around. “Fine, after the introductions I will dismiss Lt. Nelson and the Wolenczak kid,”

“Lucas,” she interjected.

He looked up sharply, the rules might be relaxed but he was still her commanding officer and not used to being interrupted.

“The Wolenczak kid,” he stated again. Familiarity bred attachments after all. “got the video’s he spoke about?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good, he hands those over then he is off to medical. I’ll clear the room and Admiral Noyce and I will see what’s on them.”

“Yes Sir.”

They entered the quiet room together. Robin headed for her spot beside Admiral Noyce but didn’t sit. As soon as Admiral Dean rounded the table the rest of the military personnel stood. The TRU team saluted, Admiral Noyce inclined his head. Lucas didn’t move or seem to notice the others movements.

“Admiral Noyce. It’s good to meet you. I’ve heard good things about the Under Sea Division since you took over. Captain Stark needs to be reigned in a bit but other wize, good things. I am Admiral Jonathan Dean, Head of the TRU division here at the ’Company’ and directly responsible for all Elite teams,” he inclined his head to the team surrounding Noyce. He took a deep breath and turned his attention to the young man still sitting and staring down at the table. Dean chewed his bottom lip for a second, gathering his thoughts on how best to proceed. How do you ask a child to hand over video’s that show them being beaten and raped.

“Mr. Wolenczak,” Dean finally sat and motioned for the others to also.

“Lucas,” he began again, finally getting the boy’s attention. “Do you understand everything that has gone on so far?” he waited as Lucas nodded. “And do you have any questions or concerns that you would like to voice right now?” Again the boy didn’t speak, just shook his head.

“Alright then. I know this is hard, but I’m going to need for you to hand over the vid’s. We need the proof as a bargaining piece and we will need it to build your case,” he winced at the fear that jumped into the kid’s eyes. “The case will not go public unless there is not other option. But you must understand the need to get every thing in order in the off chance that it is needed.”

“Lucas you know he’s right. I promise, you can trust Admiral Dean,” Aristotle whispered softly when he noticed the fine tremors wracking the body next to him.

Lucas clutched his duffel bag closer to his chest and swallowed. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them he just didn’t want anyone, at all, to watch what was on the vid’s. He looked back up to the Admiral wanting to ask but afraid to know.

“No one will see them who doesn’t absolutely need to,” Dean answered the unasked question.

With shaking hands Lucas unzipped the bag. He barely had the presence of mind to keep the team from seeing inside the bag. The rest of the vid’s where his. No one needed to see those lessons or know that they had been recorded.

He laid the newly copied vid’s on the table then clutched the bag to his chest as if it would shield him for the horrors that the small bits of foil and plastic represented.

“Thank You,” Admiral Dean said quietly. He could tell how much courage the young man sitting across from him had by that one action. It really was no wonder his second Elite team had taken to him the way they had.

“Now, I believe the next thing would be a physical,” the Admiral said, still addressing the youth. “Before we can sign off on any mission all parties must clear a health check. And as I believe that you, young Mr. Wolenczak, are the only injured party, we need to get you over to medical,” he paused waiting for a protest and was mildly surprised when none came. Then he realized that Lucas was still staring at the vid cases. ’Poor kid,’ he thought. He glanced up to Barbara.

“Lt. Nelson, if you would escort Mr. Wolenczak down.”

“Of course sir,” Barbara stood and walked to Lucas’s side. He flinched violently when she laid her hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay Lucas. You need to come with me while they debrief.” She said kindly.

Lucas looked to Aristotle first, who gave a little nod, the Admiral noted. Then slowly he stood, still clutching the bag in front of him. As the two left the room the occupants let out a collective sigh.

“ All right, that could have gone worse,” Dean sighed as he reached for the offending vid’s. He slid them to the side and looked at the group.

“Now I’ll hear your reports on the record.” He motioned for Robin to start the recorder in front of her.

^

Several hours later the Admiral sat back and motioned for the recorder to be turned off. It seemed that the majority of the last few months had been a waste. It hadn’t been until Mc Graff had clued in about Lucas that the mission had become more than speculation.

He looked at Admiral Noyce, who had been allowed to stay for the meeting more out of courtesy than a need for his presence.

“Off the record Bill, what are we going to do with the boy?”

“We won’t really know what to do until we see how bad those vid’s are. I hate to say it that way but… we can’t place him in a normal foster care situation if it is as bad as I think it is. Also we have to consider that Lucas is a genius. Which means that along with the UEO several other think-tanks and tech companies are going to be attempting to recruit him. I do have an idea but it isn’t workable at this time,” Noyce trailed off.

“We all agree,” Robin spoke up. “A regular foster care home just won’t work here. He is going to need more than a foster family is equipped to handle.”

A soft knock at the door drew their attention before it opened. A very pale and slightly shaken Barbara Nelson entered the room.

“I’m going to need some major gym time if anyone wants to spar,” she said, clearing her throat several times and sitting in Lucas’s chair.

“Understood Lt. Should we turn the recorder back on?” Dean asked.

“I don’t think I’m ready to talk about this on the record yet.”

Okay, for now. Do you want to share with the rest of us though?”

“I did a full physical, x-rays, cat scan; the works,” she shook her head in dismay and looked around. “This kid has had so much major trauma to every part of his body it’s really a miracle that he is as well adjusted and functioning as he is.”

“How’s his arm?” asked Robin.

“His arm is fine, there was a shallow cut but in my opinion… and not, I did not ask… but I believe it to be self-inflicted.”

“Self-inflicted?” Gene asked.

“Yes, it’s actually fairly common in situations like this. It serves as several different things. One, it’s a pain that he can control, when he can’t control anything else in his life he can control when and where he feels pain. Two, it can help you focus,” she looked around at her team. “We’ve all done it at one time or another. Keep your mind cleared of most thoughts and focus on the pain,” she sighed. “And the third reason the one I like the least, and the hardest to get rid of, shame. On some level, probably many levels, he is deeply ashamed of what was done to him and of what he was made to do. He probably feels like he deserves the pain. As I said though, this is speculation. I didn’t ask him about it.”

Admiral Dean groaned, the kid was going to be a lot of trouble. Finding him a safe palace and dealing with all of his issues. Unless of course he could pawn him off on the UEO. They were after all the more official organization. He would have to make plans to discuss it with Noyce later.

“Let’s table this for now. You all are dismissed. Get some sleep and meet back here tomorrow at, O nine hundred.”

^

By sixteen hundred that evening Lucas was already sick of the room they had stuck him in. After the physical, Barbara had brought him there and left. The room had a small bed and night side table in one area and a chair and television in another. It mostly reminded Lucas of a hospital room. He hated it. He sighed as he flipped channels on the television. There was never anything good on when he had the time to sit down and watch.

^

Admiral Dean poured another snifter of scotch and drank it quickly, barely feeling the lovely burn of the old liquor. A small part of his brain questioned why he was bothering with the glass when he knew he would be drinking the entire bottle this night while the other part was admonishing him in a voiced that sounded very much like his grandfather nagged him about appearances.

“Yeah,” he called out at the knock on his door. When no one came in he cursed, “Well come in damn it.”

“Um sir?” Barbara stuck her head in around the door before opening it all the way and stepping inside.

“What?” he grouched.

“You called me,” she stated questioningly.

“Oh yeah right,” he was getting too old for this, he thought morosely.

“Admiral Noyce and I have just sat through some of the worst filth I’ve ever seen in my life. Unfortunately we both feel that you should share the experience.”

“Why’s that sir?”

“We think we have a temporary solution until Noyce gets something straightened out for a more permenant one. But first I want you watching the vid’s. As the kids’ medic for the foreseeable future you need to know what is on them.

“So… we’re keeping the him? Here?” she questioned slowly. Not happy about having to watch Lucas get tortured.

“Keeping? Yes. But not here. We agred that he should remain in TRU custody until his father has been brought to heel. And since it seems he has formed an attachment to Elite 2 mor specifically, Mc Graff we feel moving him into a foster care situation would be harmful to him as well as the fact that as stated earlier most foster families are just not capable with dealing with the type of abuse he has sustained. Leaving him here would be tantamount to a death sentence. If what you described earlier is in fact what is going on. His best chance at becoming a normal kid is to go to Pearl with your team. Mc Graff will have temporary guardianship as will Parker.” Dean took two long swallows of the liquid fire. “Any more questions before you watch the vid’s?”

“No sir,” though she wished that she had. Barbara wasn’t looking forward to them at all.

Admiral Dean reached down in to his bottom drawer and pulled out the twenty vid cases and another bottle of scotch, then slid them across the desk. When the Lt. Looked like she was going to protest he silenced her with a look.

“You’ll need it. And if you don’t You’re fired. I wouldn’t want you on my teams.”

‘Oh, sweet Jesus, they must be worse than she imagined.

“Yes sir, I understand sir,” she whispered softly as she grabbed the bottle. She eyed the vid’s with distaste for a moment before she picked them up also.

“Dismissed Lt.”

“Yes Sir.”