(no subject)

[baals]

Hiding on Earth turned out to be quite the productive endeavor for Ba'al. He fit in absurdly easily in the world of business. While expanding into the business world he likewise expanded into the criminal world.

In the business world he's known as Hannibal Hadad. His holdings, which started in an areo-space company, expanded into real-estate, construction and string of electronics retailers.

In the criminal world he's known as simply The Boss. His criminal network, stretches into the usual suspects of guns, drugs and smuggling.

Spread across both the business and the criminal side are oddities. On their own, they just seem strange. Together, something big is being built. Something high tech. It could be anything from missiles to fighter jets. Whatever it is he's taking great pains that the government and the larger criminal underworld don't know what he's doing.

Seeing as he's making an effort to hid it. He shouldn't let the recently hired undercover FBI agent anywhere near himself or anything important. He could just feed him false leads down the chain. But... quite frankly, he's bored.

After a couple months, he calls him to his office. Enough time passed to not be suspicious and give Mike time to make a reasonable impression.

Ba'al's office is a modern minimalist style. All clean lines and simple shapes. No unnecessary furniture. As for himself, he's always wearing some designer suit or another. He's standing and looking over some papers on his desk when Mike enters. The papers are Mike's personnel file.

"Ah, yes. It's good to finally meet you. Michael, is it? Or Mike?" He holds out a hand to shake, which he won't last too long or too briefly. "You've been doing excellent work under Johnathan."

Comments

[baals]

Ba'al does nothing to stop him. As far as he's concerned, this is working out rather well.

Mike will find the door unlocked but everything after that will get more complicated. Many corridors look identical, while it's not quite a maze but it's not easy to navigate either. There's no sign of guards until he nears where Briggs' cell is. In the time it takes for Mike to find it, Briggs has managed to silently take down one guard and take his gun.

[501s]

As he crept down the corridors, as quiet as he could while moving quickly, Mike kept an eye out for any guards. Someone to sneak up on. Take his weapons. His clothes. But he found none. That alone was suspicious. What kid of game was his captor playing? He was relieved, at least, that the sarcophagus was in fact not the source of his earlier problems. He couldn't imagine how Briggs was coping with it.

Seeing Briggs, Mike slows down. Even if he could be revived, he didn't want to be shot. As he emerged into the corridor ahead of Briggs, he made sure his hands were up, assuming he wouldn't be looking for familiar faces.

"We need to find a way out," Mike said, needing to get to the details as fast as possible. "He knows who you are. Who you really are."

[buddhistbeatdown]

It takes a few seconds for Briggs to register that it's Mike. He's not quite on top of his game as far as concentration goes. Relief washes over him and he lowers the gun. "Mike. What the f--" He cuts off that train of thought. This is worse than he thought.

He scrubs a hand over his face. "Okay. Yeah." He's trying to focus but whatever was done to him is making it difficult. Everything is too sensitive, his own damn clothes are a distraction. He just tries to ignore the fact he has an impossible hard-on. Escaping is more important.

Focus. "What do you know about this place?"

[501s]

"Not much," Mike admits, putting his hands down. "But he's sick and twisted. What he did--what he gave you--" Mike gestures vaguely at Briggs' general lap area. "That's where he started with me. And it's gonna get worse."

Not wanting to delve into details, he jerks his head down the corridor. "Let's keep moving. I'll try to keep us from getting back to his..." he hesitated, failing to come up with a better word. "...lair."

[buddhistbeatdown]

With the difficulty Briggs' is having keeping focus, he hands the gun over to Mike when he gets close. "You're a better shot anyway, right?" he's trying to come off lightly, like they aren't in a deadly situation that could destroy the house and everyone in it.

Once they get moving Briggs asks, "So, we got a sick bastard with too much money and time on his hands?" Again, trying to come off light. It's more for his on sanity, it's easier to take.

There's suspiciously too few guards in the direction they first head. Originally, Briggs thought Mike was responsible for the his cell unlocking but now... "Please tell me you're the one who opened my cell." It comes out through grit teeth. Moving is making everything he's feeling worse. He pauses against a wall, taking a second to convince his nerve endings to calm down. He forces his jaw to relax and his breathing to slow(not by much). "I gotta tell you, I'm starting to feel like a rat in a maze."

[501s]

Taking the gun, Mike gave it a quick check. He wouldn't put it past their captor to have his guards armed with some sort of high tech thing that blew up in the hands of someone else. He glanced up to give Briggs an uneasy look. He knew that he was supposed to feel like he had a hand in "freeing" Briggs, but it was all part of a larger game that he couldn't quite see but he still knew the basic rules.

Just because they weren't supposed to make it out didn't mean he wouldn't try.

"It's worse than you know."

He led them through the corridors. He kept his feet quiet, and carefully checked every corner. Pausing when he saw a guard further along, ducking behind the wall and planting a hand on Briggs' chest to force him back as well.

"He's got this thing that brings people back to life. So even if we die in here, we're not getting out."

[buddhistbeatdown]

"Oh. Good. Worse. Y'know, for a moment there I thought we were in trouble." Briggs mutters in return.

Along the way, Briggs looks for anything he could use as a weapon. Another gun would be nice, though he doesn't exactly trust his aim right now. Aside from that, he's carefully trying to ignore the sensations his body is screaming at him. And then Mike puts his hand on his chest. He draws in a sharp breath through his teeth. A strong shiver runs through him. He should push Mike's hand away. He should but he's not.

It takes him a couple seconds to compose himself enough to talk. "That... That explains a few things." He thought his mind was playing tricks on him. That it manufactured the idea of being shot.

[501s]

Once the coast is clear, Mike drops his hand. Knowing too well what Briggs was probably feeling, he feels somewhat guilty. It was best to not address it at the moment.

"Yeah. You were dead. Probably for a while." Make started down the hall again, taking a few turns, keeping alert for anyone approaching. "But the rest of it...that's from something else. I don't--"

He heard footsteps. Too close for comfort, but with the way the corridors intersected, he couldn't tell which direction they came from. Trying the handle of a nearby door, he found it unlocked. He dove inside and once Briggs followed, he pushed the door nearly closed, leaving just a sliver to watch through.

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs slips in behind him. He positions himself on the other side of the door so if someone tries to come in he can slam his full weight into it. His listening for footsteps and watching Mike's face for cues.

The footsteps get closer and pause at the intersection. There's a voice speaking a one-sided conversation of 'yes, sirs.' The footsteps start up again, this time down their corridor. The one-sided conversation has stopped. The guard begins checking doors.

This prompts Briggs to take a quick glance around the room for cameras. And there one sits in the corner of the room. Briggs mouths 'fuck' before darting over there to disable it. It's a heavy model so he settles on obscuring the lens with his shirt. ...which felt incredibly good coming off and he's trying not to think about that.

Should Mike close the door, he'll find it magnetically locked.

[501s]

Mike only nodded as Briggs moved to take care of the camera, his attention focused on the hall. He was trying to make out what they were saying, if their captor was making a move. He holds out until he can see his door is coming up. He has two choices. Barricade or attack. Either one would give away his position. But the latter would cause a lot more noise and draw immediate attention.

When it seems his door his next, Mike very carefully closes it the rest of the way as softly as possible. He doesn't know it's self-locking just yet. He leans against it, expecting the guard outside to try and get in. He started taking in the room, getting his bearings on where they were.

"I shouldn't have let him call you," Mike admitted. "Honestly, the number I gave him, I didn't expect you'd even call him back."

[buddhistbeatdown]

At first glance, the room is unassuming. It looks like a typical bed and sitting area you'd find in a suite. On closer inspection, the all furniture have anchor points or straps to tie someone. There are wooden beams the appear decorative until you look closer and find metal rings. It's pretty easy to guess what's kept in the closet and storage chests along the back wall.

Briggs is still obviously under the effects of the drug, but it seems to be handling it better with his shirt off. "Why wouldn't I? If you drop a name like Odin Rossi, it had to be serious. And--" he gestures broadly to indicate their situation. "--it is."

"I came to get you out." And did a really shitty job of it. "And, hey, this isn't your fault."

[501s]

At first, Mike just thought the suite set up was suspect. This wasn't the sort of room he'd expected to encounter in a facility like this. But when he started to see the sheer amount of intentional anchor points, he felt his stomach turn to ice. Just a week before and he would have question their use. But after his time with his captor, there was only one reason those would be there.

Losing what Briggs was saying, he tried to think of a way out of this. They had to get out. That's all there was to it. Not seeing another exit but what he assumed to be a closet, he turned to the door behind him. And found it locked.

He yanked at the handle as hard as he could, as if he could overcome the lock by sheer force. But that only culminated in him kicking the door out of frustration.

"We're screwed," he said, taking a step back from the door. "We're completely and utterly screwed, and it is my fault. I followed him. I didn't call for backup or leave any sign of where I was going. I was an idiot and now because of me, the whole house is burned."

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs doesn't expect a different outcome with the door but he tries it anyway. He ends up resting his forehead against the door. "Shit. Okay. Yes, this is bad."

He needs to think. He's not willing to believe the house is burned, not until he sees it for himself. If he starts thinking about that he won't stop. So he won't think about it. There still must be a way out of this. It would be easier to work this out if he didn't have every nerve in his body on over drive and a dick that stopped listening to him hours ago.

"We'll find a way out," he says finally. "You have to get out."

[501s]

Mike shook his head as he turned to search the room in full. He'd move every piece of furniture that would budge, anything to find a trap door or even a vent big enough to crawl through. He won't let Briggs become a victim of this madman.

"No, I'm already screwed no matter what." He said as he searched. "You just...try to wait out what he did to you. And hope he doesn't gave you the other stuff." As long as Briggs doesn't have to endure that or the rope treatment, it will all be worth it.

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs goes quiet for a while. He's still standing by the door with his forehead against. He's trying to work things out but he just doesn't have enough information. He lightly thumps his fist against the door. "I'm not leaving without you, Mikey," he sounds tired when he says it.

As for the search of the room, the vents are a touch too small but could be chiseled wider. With enough time and patience. Because of the real purpose of this room, there's no shortage of items that could be used as weapons or tools. Just avoid thinking about what their original purpose might be.

[501s]

Mike certainly considers trying to widen one of the vents, but they just don't have the time. He does eventually check the closet, and deeply regrets doing so. He even takes in some of the items around the room. He'd much rather use the gun tucked into the waistband of his pants, but bullets run out. A backup is good to keep in mind.

"You have to," Mike said, staring at one of the vents. "I made a deal to get you out." He looked up, knowing all too well how much Briggs would fight for him. "One man is not more important than the rest of the house. I've already taken one for the team, so you gotta make that worth it. Someone's gotta be on the outside to protect everyone else, and there's no way he's letting me walk out of here."

[buddhistbeatdown]

"A deal?" Briggs pushes off from the door to face him. "What kind of a deal? You know this guy isn't going to keep his word about anything." As for the rest, he's just not addressing that Mike is right. At the moment, he's more alarmed that Mike made some kind of a deal.

Now, he notices the details about the room he hadn't seen before. It doesn't take much guess work to understand what their captor wants. And what kind of deal Mike is talking about making. "No. This is--no. We're both getting out of here. The house stands a better chance with both of us."

[501s]

Hands on his hips, Mike fixed Briggs with a firm look. He wasn't backing down from this. He'd made his choice.

"It's the kind of deal that gives you a chance. If you get out, I do what he wants. If he moves against you, I make his life hell. Giving him what he wants is the only way because he's so far ahead of us on everything, we can't even see where he is. He probably knew I was FBI before I even started the mission. I've got no chance of getting away from him even if I get out of this place. But he only cares about you cause I roped you in. Please, Briggs. Just...make sure no one else gets dragged in."

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs could continue to argue the point but given the high chance they're being listened to he relents. He does not look happy about it. "Alright. Fine." and there's something about his expression that says he's going to try getting him out anyway.

"Wait... why does he want you? Is it just for..." he gestures vaguely toward his crotch area. Briggs really, really doesn't like the idea but all signs point to some sort of sex slave human trafficking. "He wanted me to fuck you," Briggs recalls, more pieces falling into place. Hadad, or whatever his real name is, is trying to make that happen. Whatever is going on with his body, the door unlocking, Mike showing up, the lack of guards and now this room.

[501s]

Mike could only give Briggs a sympathetic look. It was like they always said: it wasn't about the sex, it was about power. If he were being kept just for sex, it wouldn't be so bad. He knew if he told Briggs that it was really for some sort of perverse, kinky torture, he'd never agree to let Mike stay behind.

"Probably. And if he didn't already give you something to..." even as he started to say it, his gaze drifted to the vent. Then around the room for any other means of delivery. "...make it inevitable, he'll try something else." He yanked the shirt off the camera and moved to try and stuff it in the vent. "Look for any way a gas or something could get into the room!"

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs reaches the same conclusion when Mike starts looking around. Gas. Who knows what kind or what affect it could have. He rips the the comforter off the bed and starts stuffing it around the other vent.

If what Mike said about reviving the dead is true, deadly gas is on the table. "This is about control, right?" Oh, boy does he have a stupid idea. "What happens when he gets what he wants?" His attention shifts back to the camera then starts looking for others. There's an angle they could fake it in. Assuming he can control the urge to actually fuck him. The thought has crossed his mind more than once but this is the worst possible place to pursue it.

[501s]

"He'll find something else he wants." He stepped back after securing the shirt over the vent. "Or punish you for not giving it to him sooner." He searched the room, seeing no other obvious vents.

"He really doesn't like when people lie to him." Mike climbed onto the bed, and started running his fingers along the corner where the wall met the ceiling. And over every crevice he could reach. Looking for even the smallest opening. "He killed you because I didn't admit to being a fed soon enough."

[buddhistbeatdown]

With new information slotted into place, Briggs goes quiet again. He's leverage. You don't just let leverage walk out the door. He stops his own searching for possible vents or holes.

"He's not going to let me go, Mike." Briggs' tone is grim.

"If he did, it means the house is already burned and he's got someone else to use as leverage." Paige, he means Paige. "Even if it wasn't, I can't go back to the house." He ends up sitting down and putting his head in hands. This is worse than a nightmare scenario. If he has enough time to think it through maybe he can work this to their advantage.

[501s]

"We can't just sit here." Mike sounded like he was only half paying attention as he dug his fingers at what he thought was a crack. Nothing. "And he doesn't work like other criminals. He's...something different." Even after feeling the man's real strength, he was still having trouble convincing himself he was something not human.

Hopping off the bed, Mike turned to the floor. Getting on his knees and searching along the baseboards. "Staying here isn't an option. Either he lets you go and the house is burned, or he keeps watching you to use against me at a later time." Sitting up on his knees, he finally looked at Briggs. "He knows more than any man in his position should. There's no way to come out of this clean. But I'm not going down without a fight."

[buddhistbeatdown]

Briggs' mood has more to do with the increasingly uncomfortable feeling the drugs are causing. It's shifted painful at the slightest touch. He groans into his hands then finally looks up.

"I hear you, brother. Might as well make his life hell while we got the chance, right?" Inwardly, he still has no intention of leaving without Mike if they make it that far.

Mike's thought about gas will turn out to be correct. The effects come slower because of the clogging of the vents. But it still comes. A faint chemical smell is the only tell that something is getting in. It's the same as what was used on Mike before and what is currently nearly immobilizing Briggs. The added dose is slowly making Briggs' condition worse.