Part 3: Laura Breaks
The hour was up much too quickly. They came to her cell and as before, took her
up in the elevator and to the interrogation room. They didn't bother with
handcuffs or wrist-restraints. Laura couldn't even stand up by herself, much
less try to escape.
Because she knew what was coming to her, Laura whimpered when they brought her
over to the table. She was strapped in quickly, and the metal rods and clips
attached. She lay there waiting for Snake. He took his time, purposely letting
the anticipation of the pain build up in Laura.
"Laura, I was going to start you at thirty today and bring you up well past
fifty. But I've changed my mind. We were at forty-two yesterday, so I'll
continue from there."
"No, please," she could only whisper. Snake ignored her. He brought a gag with
a bit to her and put it in her mouth, fastening it tightly. His hand hovered
over the control.
"Are you ready to start? Or will you save yourself some pain and talk now?"
Laura squeezed her eyes shut, and her body tensed for the pain. Snake pushed
the button and the searing pain from yesterday came back to a body much weakened
from lack of food and water, and from the torture she had been subjected to so
far.
He brought her up to fifty quickly, asking her occasionally if she was ready to
talk. Laura's eyes were rolling back in her head, and Snake had to keep the
ammonia vial close by to bring her back.
Laura couldn't take any more. When Snake said, "Laura, unless you tell me where
you hid the list, I'm bringing this up to sixty, and push this button at least
five times before I ask if you're ready to talk again. Will you tell me where
you hid the list?" Laura blinked her eyes quickly...she lost the game...she
couldn't take more pain.
She was sobbing in relief as the rods and clips were removed, and she was
unbound from the table. One of the men brought her over to a chair and sat her
down, giving her a blanket to put around her shoulders. Laura was shivering
uncontrollably...she was either in shock or close to it. Snake brought her some
water to drink. After a few sips, he took the glass away, and pushing up her
chin, told her to tell him where she hid the list.
Laura hesitated...she said she would talk while she was in the midst of pain,
but now that she was off the table, she was reluctant to tell him. But then he
would start over...she sobbed.
"Are you wasting my time, Laura?" Snake stood up impatiently. "Should I put
you back on the table right now?"
"No!" Laura cried out weakly. "I'll tell you...." She proceeded to go through
the steps she took to hide the information...but when it came to the most
crucial piece of information; Laura led him in the wrong direction. She wasn't
thinking clearly...she just knew that she couldn't take any more pain, and that
she also couldn't tell him where the list was hidden. She didn't think through
the consequences when he discovered she lied.
"Check it out," Snake told one of the thugs. "And get back to me right away."
To Laura, he said, "You'll be put back in your cell for now. Once I have
confirmation that the list has been found, I'll move you to more comfortable
quarters and get you some food."
Snake saw something he didn't like in Laura's expression. If she had lied to
him...he thought.
