Page 69 of The Captive Missing

When he wasn’t being run, they laid together in bed. In the background, they let the television play out all the old movies again. Charlie held her hand. Rubbing his thumb absently across her knuckles he kept the contact but did no more than that. If she was being honest with herself, even that steady touch now felt like a betrayal.

Shane began to make appearances. First, he demanded that Val eat. Then he demanded she persuade Charlie to have sex. On both counts, Val remained unmoved, even in the face of his fierce persistence and vague threats.

Early on, she realized something was holding him back. If he was running out Charlie, why not Val, too? Though Shane implied violence and often shoved her to her knees when they talked, he never followed through. In some way she seemed physically untouchable to him, like she had her own set of rules.

It didn’t really make much of a difference if they hurt her or not though. The things they did to Charlie were punishment enough. It destroyed Val to see how he suffered. If she wanted to end it, she could do so with relative ease. All she had to do was seduce Charlie. And he had already admitted he would cave to her.

The only thing holding her back now was her respect for him. She didn’t want to force him. Just like he hadn’t been willing to force her. But between her own increasing weakness and his, the reasons not to give in were becoming increasingly less important.

Soon survival would take over, and keeping Charlie alive would mean more than respecting his feelings. It would mean more than the look of hate she feared would take over his face if she violated his trust. Hate at her for seducing him, hate at himself for wanting it.

That evening, Shane entered their apartment and found them listless together on the bed. Instead of removing Charlie, he motioned for security to take Val. As she walked demurely behind them, she could hear Charlie protest. But that was the most he could manage. Already, he was too far gone to do more than sit up in bed.

Out in the living room, she heard his attempt to stand. It ended in a few stumbling steps and a hollow thud as his body hit the floor. She winced.

“How long are you going to let him take the heat for you?”

Shane folded his arms in front of his chest and watched as she swayed slightly on her feet. Val raised a hand to her head in an attempt to stop the throbbing. She made no answer.

“You have an appointment tomorrow. We need you to eat and undergo a full prep. Do we need to tube you?”

“If you tube feed me, then it still won’t help with the prep work.”

“We can force you to dress. Do we need to strap you down?”

“I don’t care what you do to me.”

Shane exhaled in frustration before studying her closely. Val blinked vacantly, her mind struggling to focus. She didn’t want to be tube fed. She didn’t want it at all. But she’d have them do it to Charlie if she could. Thoughts were slow in coming. It was hard to make connections.

“I want something and you want something.” Shane waited for Val to respond, then snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Seems we should be able to make some kind of a deal.”

Val’s brow furrowed. No words came to mind. Shane rolled his eyes.

“Val, what do you want?”

“I want you to feed Charlie.”

“We want you to eat and undergo prep.”

Her eyes brightened for a split second before narrowing up at him. Why would Shane agree to this? Tomorrow’s appointment must be pretty important if they were willing to negotiate.

“You will feed Charlie today?”

Shane nodded solemnly.

“And stop the running?”

“You must eat and submit to prep. Go to this appointment tomorrow and Charlie gets food and rest. But you need to understand one thing. Eventually we’ll get right back to this point.

When you return from your appointment, if you want to save him, then you need to convince him to have sex. Whatever war you two think you’re waging, you’re only hurting each other. I go home every night and I eat well.”

“Now?” Val asked. “You’ll bring us food right now?”

Shane nodded, then reached out a hand and ran it through the length of her dark hair. He rolled the soft strands between his fingers a moment before letting go. Spinning on his heel, he motioned towards the camera before leaving the apartment.

Within ten minutes two trays heaping with food were delivered straight to their bedroom. Val propped Charlie up with pillows and fed him bits of scrambled egg with a fork. He moaned and choked and sputtered in turn. Every other bite she gave him, she took one for herself.

For several minutes they soaked up the insane flood of energy that each bite gave. It was like a shot of adrenaline straight to the system. After days without food, their stomachs had shrunk and it didn’t take much to leave them feeling queasy. Nevertheless, Val swore she could feel her body rushing to put the calories to work.

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