Blood Ties
by Gail (gem225@hotmail.com)
JAG
no pairing
Rating: adult
Clark Palmer decides that it's time to test Clayton Webb.
Companion piece to Trade
Disclaimer: If they showed up at my door, I'd take them in and be nicer to them than DPB ever is. But they're still not mine; they belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. Cathy is mine, poor darling, but it's just a story.
Please do not archive this story without asking me first. It's more than likely that I'll agree, but I want to know where my stories are.
Warning: This is in Palmer's head, and he's evil. And sneaky. And a fucking son-of-a-bitch (yes, *I* said that). Don't read this if you're easily squicked; there's cutting, blood, knives, bondage, evilness, and horrible plans for Clayton Webb. Maybe even slash; I wouldn't put it past Palmer. He'll do anything to get what he wants or needs. But I still love him, god help me. Alexandra would understand, always did, one of the reasons I loved her so.
Spoilers for Imposter.
Weird note: I found out that I wrote Trade on the day Alexandra was killed in the car crash. How did I know? But I'm coping.
Page wanted a sequel (not that this is one *g*), Tinnean made some good suggestions and beta'd, and Mandy really wanted to know what was going on in Palmer's head. Thanks to all of them. Happy birthday (6/18/2003), Page!
*****
Cathy's there to answer the door almost as soon as I knock. Of course she is - I made sure she was thoroughly charmed when I made the date.
"Hi." She's got a nice smile. Pity she won't be using it that much longer.
"Hi, Cathy. Ready to go?" She looks pretty tonight in her black dress and not-so-sensible heels. I run over the schedule, but as hard as I look, there's no time to fuck her before we get to the evening's real business. That's how it goes.
She nods, and I put my hand under her elbow to walk her to my car. She thinks we're going to dinner, but we're not.
She's going to help me get into Clayton Webb's head, and she's going to die.
*****
She's still laughing at the joke I told as we got out of the car, but she stops when we get inside. "Where's this?" She looks around the empty room. "I thought we were going out."
"I thought we'd come here first."
"So what's here that's so much fun?" She's smiling at me, and I know what she's thinking. That I want to get her into bed so much that I lied about dinner. Too bad for her that she's wrong. I wanted to get her here, but there's no bed for pretty Cathy, and no sex. Just blood and pain.
"You'll see."
"When?"
She's so bright and happy, and really too innocent to be allowed to live. "Soon. Come here."
I give her one of my best smiles, and she comes right over. I've got the needle out of my pocket and ready at my side, so as soon as she's close enough I bring it up and slip it into her arm. She gasps and pulls away, but it's too late.
"Good girl. Just play along, and everything will be fine." I put the needle down. I'll dispose of it later, but right now Cathy needs me.
Her big brown eyes are staring into mine and getting cloudy. "Play along? I don't... understand."
I slip my arm around her and pull her body against me just as it goes limp. "That's right, baby. It'll all make sense later."
She probably didn't hear me, but that doesn't matter. She'll do what she'll do, and she's not going to be able to fuck up. Her part is simple: be the sweet, helpless, innocent girl who's in danger. That way Webb won't be able to justify her death. Webb needs to find out what it feels like to watch someone die. He's gotten people killed, made decisions that ended up in death, maybe even pulled the trigger once or twice, but I know he's never had to face the consequences when they were right there in front of him without some kind of justification. Never had to know that he could say one word and everything could be different, and know that he couldn't say that word. It should fuck with him nicely. He's too smart; he needs some doubt about himself. This could do it.
Of course, he's going to hate me, but that was inevitable. He's CIA, I'm DSD. We're supposed to hate each other. I'm just making it more fun for both of us. Webb's never gotten into a blood feud before; I've looked at his files. Time for him to find out how the real world works.
My lips are against Cathy's hair, and I kiss her. For a moment I wish I'd picked someone else, since I don't want to kill her, but she was convenient and easy. Death is a release, especially for someone like her. Someone little and unimportant, like most people. I'm really doing her a favor, but I know she won't see it that way. Doesn't matter. I'm doing what I need to do.
I lower her into the chair and fasten the bonds, then put the headphones over her head and start the classical music. The guy who's getting Webb for me should be in touch soon, and I'll need to meet him outside. No one comes in here but me and Cathy and Clayton.
*****
When Webb comes to, I'm waiting. All the players are here, and it's time to start.
"Comfortable, Webb? You'll be here a while."
Webb looks calm, but then I haven't given him enough to shake him up. Fear, but not much, and he's analyzing the situation as soon as his eyes open. I wonder if he'll try to lie to me about the Ikari project, not that it matters. That's the cover, not the real purpose, but he won't know that until it's too late.
"What's the game, Palmer?"
I knew he was smart.
"Game? I'm hurt, Clay. You been talking to Rabb again?" I keep talking as I go over to him and get into his personal space. Clayton Webb doesn't like having his personal space invaded, and definitely not by me. "I got Rabb like this, you know. Should have just killed him." The thought of that makes me smile. Rabb dead, what a good idea. "But you're too much fun to kill."
Now he thinks I've lost it, but he's still not scared. Good, since I don't want him scared. That would take all the fun out of the game. I want him trying his damnedest to keep himself under control, and since he does that all the time, I win.
"You have to want something. Tell me what it is."
The direct approach. That I wasn't expecting. He's too damned good, but I'm better.
"I do have a question for you, but you're right; there is a game, since I'm sure you won't answer without some incentive." We're going to play my game, Clay, not yours, so don't even try, is what I'm telling him, and I know he gets it. His eyes are fixed on my face, and it isn't because he likes my looks. He's looking for more clues. "Don't worry, Clay; you're not going to get hurt. Someone else will, and even she won't need to be hurt if you'll just play nice." That's a lie, and I'm sure he'll get some of that, but even Clayton Webb isn't going to be able to figure out the game quite yet. He'll get it soon enough, and I've got my first hook in him. He's worried. Who's going to get hurt? How personal am I going to make this? Well, I'll be nice to him. Sort of.
"Nobody you know, although it would have been fun to get a girlfriend of yours." Wouldn't have been that hard to do, either; Clay's been through a fair amount of women. Good taste in them, too. "They don't seem to stick around too long; pity about that, but then maybe none of them are good enough for you. I know it couldn't be because you're not good enough for them."
It's so much fun fucking with his head, even though I know it won't do much. He's Clayton Webb; if he were less, I wouldn't need to be here at all. He proves that with his next words.
"What do you want to know?"
More directness. I laugh, because it's so good to deal with someone who makes me work a little for a change. "Why, Clay, you sound eager to play. Nice to know you're less predictable than I thought." That one hits, I'm almost certain. Clayton Webb does not like to be thought predictable. "This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun. Just a minute, and we'll start. Then I'll tell you what I'm after."
My game, Clay, and don't forget it. Pretty soon he won't be able to. I'm tempted to draw this out, keep it between the two of us, but he'll fight me all day, and that will get boring after a while. Cathy here, he won't be able to fight her, not in the ways that matter. Information means nothing here, but honesty does, and Webb's going to be very honest. He won't be able to help it.
I go over and move the screen. Cathy looks right at me, and she's scared. She should be. I take off the headphones and shut off the music before I put them down on the tray.
I look at Webb, and I know what he's thinking, that pretty Cathy's here on my side, no matter how it looks. Sure thing, Clay. You just tell yourself that until you have to see she's a person. People matter to you. That's your weakness. Doesn't matter if they're little and unimportant or not. I don't know how the hell you got this far with that attitude, but I'll use it.
Time to introduce Cathy and Webb to each other. "Meet Clayton Webb, baby." Now she's wondering if I've brought her for some kind of crazy sex game. Ah, Cathy, if Clay were a different guy, you might have gotten that chance. But he's not. "He's the one who's going to decide what happens to you." His decision, Cathy. Remember that. He decides if you die easy or hard. "It's easy, Clay. Tell me what I want to know, and the game's over. I let you go, and I let her go, too." Will he believe me? Let's see.
"You'll let me go." No, he doesn't believe me at all.
"Yeah. Come on, Clay, killing you gets me nothing." It's time to show him what the game really is. I take off the cloth and pick up one of the knives. Nice and sharp and catching the light. The drug's still working on Cathy, making all this not so real to her. The pain that's coming next will make it real enough. But there won't be too much pain. I'm not a sadist. No need to be. "But she's dispensable. At least I think so. I'll bet you won't be so cold." I've got the knife against her skin, and she finally says something.
"Please."
I have to laugh at that. Clay has to think I'm bastard enough to do anything, and showing sympathy to her would fuck everything up. Plus, it's funny.
"Please, what, baby? As I recall, you were willing to do anything. Changed your mind?" I stroke her arm with the flat of the blade. Not for her benefit, for Webb's. His eyes don't leave it, don't leave her.
"I thought you were going to tell me what you wanted to know." Webb's so cool, even though I know this is getting to him. His eyes are showing me that. I'm doing him a favor, but he won't appreciate it any more than Cathy will.
Cathy needs a break from the knife; she's shaking, and it won't work to have her break now, not at all. I take the knife off her skin but keep it in my hand. Don't want either of them to think it's over. "Right, I was. Tell me about the Ikari project." Wonder how he'll try to play me? I know damned well he won't tell me the truth. Clayton Webb would never do that with this important a secret. That's all right; other people are much more easily bought.
I can see the wheels moving in his head. Webb's easier to read than I thought; that's useful. Although he might be showing me that to fuck with me, I remind myself. Yeah, that's probably it. His next words confirm that.
"The Ikari project," he says, as though he wants me to believe he knows about it when he really doesn't. Clay, I know you know. I did my homework like a good boy. "I don't know if I should do that."
No more of this game. It doesn't suit my purposes. "Ah, Clay, you're good, but I have proof you know about this one, so stop the little game." Have to shake him up, make him see he can't fool me. "Nice try. You do it better than anyone I've ever seen, if that helps." Shouldn't have given him that, dammit, what's with me? Got to get back on track. "But that's going to cost you. Sorry, not you, but little miss precious here."
Poor Cathy. But that's the breaks. She didn't have to go out with me, didn't have to smile back when I smiled. Things happen, Cathy. Like I happened to you.
I bring the knife down and make the first cut. She gasps, but it's only a small wound, nothing to worry about. I was careful. I wait a few heartbeats, then there it is. "See, Clay? Blood."
His face is tight, but he's still showing me only coolness. "Your point?"
Oh, Clay, you really don't know how to play this, do you? You're scared for her, but you won't give in. Well, at least she'll die with someone giving a damn. That's more than most people manage. Doubt anyone will give a damn when I go.
"Isn't blood a point in and of itself?" It can be, and it is here. Clayton Webb hasn't had to watch someone bleeding and know he can do nothing. The CIA doesn't teach them anything useful. I could watch anyone die, a colleague, a friend, a lover, and not show anything. But Clay won't be able to keep his control watching a stranger die, even though I'll bet he'll think he can. "Hey, baby, did that hurt?" I toss to Cathy.
"Yes." For god's sake, she's looking at me like I'm the one who can stop this. Come on, Cathy, I told you how it worked. Give Clay that pleading look. It might work on him. Don't fuck with me.
I make myself smile. "There's more where that came from, but that's up to Clay here. Going to tell me about the Ikari project now?" Will he? Doubt it. We haven't gotten to his breaking point yet, but I'll keep pushing. "I know some." That'll worry him. "We can trade information, Clay. That game would be fun, too."
When I look at his eyes, he's not thinking about me. He's thinking about the Ikari project and what I know and a little about pretty Cathy.
"No." Flat and certain, and I'm impressed. Not that it'll do him any good. He doesn't get out of this until the game is over.
"Then I guess we play my game." I bring down the knife again, and Cathy whimpers. Like that's really going to bother me. I put my hand on her hair. "Poor baby. Clay, look what you're doing to her."
I grin at him, and he glares back. Good thing he's cuffed securely. He'd love to beat the shit out of me now.
"What you're doing to her."
Yeah, he'd kill me without a second thought. Thought this would get to him. Now to keep up the pressure.
"All right, what I'm doing to her, since you won't play." His face tightens as I cut her again and this time, laugh. It's just a fucking game. If he can't see that, he's not as smart as I thought.
Time to leave them alone and see if she'll be as pitiful as I think she will and appeal to his better nature. Yeah, right. But if anyone has one, Webb does.
"Well, I'll leave you two alone together to let you get acquainted. If you decide to tell me anything, you just yell, Clay."
He glares even more. "You're going to leave her like that?"
Clayton, Clayton, Clayton. I can't believe you think that will get to me.
"She'll be fine, for now. Hope you like Clay, baby, because it looks like he's the last guy you're going to be alone with."
I turn away and leave, with another laugh, but when I shut the soundproof door, I stop and lean against the wall.
Why am I doing this again?
Because it might - no, *will* break him. Because you don't let an enemy run around thinking he's holier than thou. Because Clayton Webb is a fucking dangerous enemy who might figure out how to get to me, and keeping him pissed off will also keep him off balance.
And because Clayton Webb has everything I want without any effort at all, and I want him to suffer for that.
Yeah.
I grin, take a deep breath, and straighten.
I'll give them a little longer. It'll be good for Webb to see Cathy in pain without distraction.
*****
When I open the door, Cathy's crying, and Webb's leaning toward her as much as he can. She's not bleeding either. Got to fix that.
"Oh, baby, you've stopped bleeding. Not good." I pick up the knife while I decide where to cut, then do it in a nicely reckless motion that gets Webb to gasp. "And crying too, how pretty." I turn my head. "So, Clay, ready to talk?"
He won't be, but that's how the game is played.
"Don't tell him anything. Don't, Clay." So Cathy's already sticking up for him? Beautiful.
I smile at her and put the knife down, and she takes a shaky breath. "How very sweet." I rest my hand on her hair and, as Webb glares at me, caress it. "So you're ready to die, baby?" She's trembling. "If Clay doesn't tell me what I want to know, that's what's going to happen." It's what's going to happen anyway, but there's no need to tell her that. Let her have some hope, even though it's false. I'd like to see her beg Webb to tell me everything, and to hear him refuse.
That would be worth everything I'd done.
"You know the game now, don't you, Clay?" He doesn't like me calling him by his nickname. "Either you tell me what I want to know, or I keep cutting," his face hardens at that, "and sooner or later I'm bound to hit something vital," he's paler now, "or the blood loss over time should kill her."
I glance at Cathy to see if she'll react, but she says nothing. She's staring off into space. Fine, she doesn't want to hear this, so she's not. She doesn't matter. What matters is Webb.
"I know the game." Hardest voice I've heard out of Webb yet, and I like it.
"Good. Then we can enjoy the show together. It'll be fun watching her die, don't you think, Clay?" Sooner or later a jab will penetrate even the hide of Clayton Webb. Maybe this next one. "Have you ever stayed around long enough to watch someone you've killed die?"
I know the answer to this one.
"No."
Well, well, he answered. I didn't expect that. But maybe he thinks that if he doesn't, I'll hurt precious Cathy some more.
"Oh, it's fun. You'll like it. Of course, if you change your mind, you know how to stop it. But it's up to you." His eyes are full of anger and something that looks to me like despair. He does understand the game. Now to make it better. I move in front of Cathy's chair, grab the arms, and drag it closer to Webb. "Here. Now you can see everything."
When I cut her this time, he looks like he's going to lose it, and I laugh as I leave.
Yeah, Webb, how are you going to get out of this one?
Answer: you don't.
*****
Webb doesn't even look at me when I come back in. He's focused on Cathy and all those pretty tears running down her cheeks, his fingers straining to touch hers. Webb, you're even more sentimental than I thought. Time to put on the serious pressure.
I get Cathy bleeding nice and fast, and she obliges with some pitiful cries which make Webb tense up. Webb's got to learn to control himself better under stress. He gives too much away.
I tap her face with the flat of the knife to get her to look at me instead of Webb. "Beg him to tell me what I want to know, baby. You don't want to die, I know you don't. And you don't have to, if Clay will just answer the question."
She just cries, and I blow out a breath and look at Webb.
"How brave. Clay, how is it that you inspire such devotion?" His flush at my mockery makes me grin.
"She knows I'm a human being, unlike you."
Yeah, Webb, and she thinks that somehow you're going to save her, but you can figure that out yourself. "Are you? You could end this, and you don't." I get my face close to his. "You like it, Clay? Did I have you pegged all wrong? Should we be talking about how we can work together? If this is your thing, I can give it to you."
Let him think that's the point if he likes, that I'm trying to lure him into the DSD. Getting him misinformation about me could be as important as getting me information about him.
"Please stop."
I let Webb off the hook and turn to Cathy, who looks like she could faint any minute. "Good girl. See, Clay?"
"No. You. Please stop. Go away."
Cathy, I guess expecting you to get this game is too much, and luckily, it doesn't matter if you do or not. I lean over and kiss her cheek. "But baby, if I do, you'll die. You don't want to die, do you? I know you don't."
She blinks and keeps bleeding like a good girl, and I can hear Webb's harsh breathing. He's going to say something soon, an attempt to play me while making me believe that he's going to do what I want. It's the only move that he can make.
"What do you want to know about the Ikari project?"
I love being right.
"Start talking. When I hear enough, I'll take care of pretty Cathy here." I'll never hear enough from him to do that, of course.
I listen to him, and laugh to myself. He's telling me lies, with a little bit of truth, sure, but not enough to spread on a piece of toast. Does he think I'm stupid? Or is he too stressed to do a better job?
I don't stop him, though - let him think that he's fooling me. He'll learn the truth soon enough.
He stops to give me a news flash. "She's bleeding."
Webb, you're beginning to make me wonder if I overestimated you. "You're not telling me anything I don't know yet. Give me something good, and I'll take care of her."
He swallows and goes on with the lies. They get boring fast.
"Nice try, Clay. Even I know what the Ikari project's really about." Especially me, but there's no need to give him the whole truth. It's not like I'm on the witness stand, and not like I'd give a fuck if I were. "I'll leave you two alone together until it's over."
I check Cathy. Should I be merciful, or should I keep to the plan?
No contest.
I hold her by the hair and cut her throat, then let go and walk out.
If he could get loose now, I'd be dead. But he won't get loose.
*****
"You killed her."
I push the needle into his arm.
"No, Clay, we killed her."
I step back and watch the drug take effect, and he doesn't say another fucking word.
*****
I put away the mop and bucket and look over the room. No one could tell that I killed a woman here and tortured a man. I've got the tape to study later. Now I'm going to have a beer and relax, but not here. This is where I work, not where I live. It's important to keep the two separate, especially in the DSD, where they'll be happy to eat up all your time if you let them. I don't let them. This is an assignment, sure, but it's also what I want to do, and no one's going to find out anything that I don't want them to.
Webb should be awake by now, and I know he'll want that bloody rag I left him analyzed. It won't help him. It's soaked in his own blood.
He'll find out who Cathy was; probably already knows her name. It won't matter. He won't be able to pin it on me, and it's not like anyone other than him will care.
But now Clayton Webb and I are bound by blood; you don't get any closer than that. And blood calls to blood, and someday, he'll know what that means, whether he wants to or not.
The End
Posted 6/18/03
