As Decker winds-up for another shot to Harry's solarplexus, he stops for a second and thinks about what the battered agent has said. Harry hears him drag over what probably is chair.

Decker's voice is now behind him.

"You have my attention..at least for the next 60 seconds. Say what you know and you may just live to see tomorrow."

Meanwhile...on the way to the airport.

As the airport's tower comes into view behind the stormy backdrop of Stockholm's sky, Anja's phone rings.

"Yes, I see. What are there alternatives? Understood. (looking at her watch) We can be there in about 45 minutes. Ok then."

Anja looks at the team then at Jakob.

"Turn around and head for the navy yards. We've had a slight change in plans."

Stockholm Navy Yards, 4:31am

As the SUV approaches the gate, Anja turns to look at the team.

"You are probably wondering why you are not on a plane right now. The fact is that all flights into St. Petersburg are cancelled due to bad weather. As the only alternative, you are going to catch a ride with the Swedish Navy. Your liason should be waiting for us."

Sure enough, as Jakob pulls up to gate and the guards file out of their station, another person clad in a military trenchcoat exits behind them and walks over to Anja's side of the SUV. It is a female, about 5'8", blonde hair/blue eyes...typical Swede. She motions for Anja to
rolls down her window.

(in Swedish)

"Sorry about the weather...but you know, that's Sweden in the summer. I'm Lieutenant Forsberg, Swedish Navy and at your service. (looking inside) Your associates can follow me, K31 leaves in 20 minutes, with or without us."

Anja looks back at the team.

"Well, this looks like goodbye for now. K31 is on sea trials and will be making a stop in St. Petersburg for a goodwill tour and all that. You best be going if you want to catch your ride."

We join our latest excerpt of Crooner-beatdown where we left off last time

Decker seems mildly interested, if not just amused by the free-flowing stories coming out of Harry.

"You've had quite a dubious life. You should write a book and go on tour. At least you wouldn't be in your current predicament, right?"

(jabbing what feels like a nightstick into Harry's ribs)

"So what if all you tell me is even half true? What good what it do me and why do think it changes anything?"

"Well, call me stupid, but interrogating me for Agency information implies that you have someone to sell it to, most likely a member of some sort of crime syndicate.
"Crime syndicates make business out of breaking the law. Last time I heard, blackmail made good business. Hell, it's what got me half the opprotunities I had on the Hill."

St.Petersburg hideout...hours later

Harry's blindfold has been removed and his wrist chains are placed in front of him. When his eyesight returns, he sees the rather large man whom last saw in Stockholm...whacking him in the head with a baseball bat.

"I see no point in making you suffer, you're far more talkative when I don't put a fist in your gut."

Harry finally gets a view of his surroundings. Just as he though, a dank basement with little decor other than a very small, barred window in the far corner. He is bound with some heavy gauge chain that appears to bolted into the stone floor beneath him. He's still wearing his clothes, minus his hat and coat. It is apparently raining outside since the walls of the cellar are leaking. There is only one entrance/exit, a large steel door with no windows and no obvious doorknob.

Minutes later, the door opens revealing the ever-enchanting woman that Harry fell for in Stockholm. She's wearing your standard merc-wear, carrying a tray with some food and bearing a large pistol as a sidearm. Mr. Decker is clad in a wife-beater t-shirt, grey combat fatigues and combat boots. When he turns around to open the door, Harry notices a pistol tucked into his waistband.

A small table, about 10 feet from Harry supports a variety of torture devices and blunt weapons. Most noticable is a something he vaguely remembers from his counter-torture class. The viper, a grotesque device used to rip out a full set of teeth in one swift motion. Next to the viper is a collection of stainless steel implements (yeah, like the one's used by the guy in True Lies)

Hanna puts down the tray of food on the table then walks over to Harry.

"I hope Michael has been treating you with some remorse. I hate to see his captives in pain. Would you like some water, tea, perhaps a muffin or a sausage?"

Somewhere in the Baltic Sea, 7:14am local time

The K31 is both a small, yet very imposing ship of the Swedish Navy.

Lieutenant Forsberg gives you the nickel tour of the ship then (upon hearing you've been up all night) shows you to your respective quarters. The gents will be sleeping in the same room and Jessica will be staying with the Lieutenant.

She also tells you, with favorable seas, K31 should be docking in St.Petersburg late in the evening.

(Edited by Dieter at 9:12 am on July 17, 2002)

"Let's see Wallace try to find me out here," I mutter to noone, and collapse into bed.

The day remarkably (at least for the team) goes uneventful. About 3pm, the gents are awakened by the knock on their door. Artis wakes up and instinctively goes for his weapon, but then realizes he's miles away from the nearest ninja...or so he thought.

JUST KIDDING! I would have payed anything to hear ADS's remark to that last sentence.

Anyhoo...Petty Officer Sigmund opens the door and shows them to the bathroom facilities then instructs the team to meet Lt. Forsberg in the mess hall.

The meal is surprisingly good, that is, if you like seafood.

The weather is not so cordial. With 20ft. seas and a terrible headwind, Lt. Forsberg informs the team that K31 should be arriving in St. Petersburg very late tonight. She received a coded message from the Agency indicating that the team's contact knows of their current situation and will be waiting for them at the appropriate time.

"Tea would be fine, thanks. Muffins would be good, too. And where's my hat?"

Hanna serves the crooner up a cup of tea and a poppy seed muffin while her husband leaves the room for a moment.

"Your hat is...well, in worse condition than yourself right now. It landed in a gutter while Michael was throwing you into the trunk. If things go well, I'll try and see that you get a new one."

Decker enters the door, hearing the last bit of conversation.

"You should be so lucky. I tell you, I really don't understand her. She knows that no one ever gets out alive and I'm sorry if she gave you a false sense of security."

Decker punches Harry in the face, aggrevating his split lip while shooting out bits of muffin.

"Hanna, go and check up on the information he gave us. I want to know if I get to kill him now or will our friends be taking over the investigation."

Harry nearly bit through his tongue.

"This is really no way to treat a *kaff* guest. Interrupting a meal, losing a hat, I mean really. I'd really hate it if I died at the hands of a slob."

Decker Hideout, 7:04pm local time

Hanna comes over to Harry, checking him over. Decker finished up the sandwich he had been gnawing on as he was walking in.

-My dear, you have grown too soft lately.
-What are you going to do...spank me?

With that, the couple proceeds to engage in what could only be described as a Klingon-esque mating ritual. As they go to leave, Decker backhands Hanna across the room, then proceeds to make sure Harry is still secure. As Decker sures up the last of the chains, Hanna replies to Decker's hand with a reverse heel-kick to his face. The door is closed as the foreplay is clearly heard continuing up a flight of stairs.

Meanwhile...St. Petersburg Harbor, 10:38pm local time

K31 docks at a secure facility reserved for visiting military vessals. The crew begins the mooring process along with the standard security procedures for a foreign port of call. This would be a fine evening if it weren't for the gale force winds rocking the ship to and fro.

The team and Lt. Forsberg get out on deck for some fresh air.

"Looks like the rain has stopped for now. The ship's navigator says that there is another front moving in for tomorrow, so I've taken the liberty of grabbing some wet-weather gear for you. We should be secured to the dock in about 5 minutes then the chief of the boat will allow you to disembark."

St. Petersburg Harbor, 11:02pm

The team disembarks from K31, with Lt. Forsberg telling them that the ship will be in port until tomorrow evening...just in case the crap hits the fan and they need a safe haven.

Getting outside of the guarded military perimeter is a small cafe with numerous patron drinking and chatting away the long northern summer. Sitting at a table is a man matching Jack Wade description. He's playing chess with what looks like a local. He eyes Jessica, obviously remembering her photo best from all of the other team's dossieres. Jack says something and his opponent gets up from the game and leaves.

Gavin immediately begins scanning the environs for possible threats.

Jessica steps forward, eyes the table and begins to smile, after which she begins to talk in Russian.

"Suppose that you have a Tower threatened by two Peasants, and only your Knights near enough to prevent a loss and take the Peasants. How would you go about it ?"

Waiting for a look, she then adds:

"Strasdviutje, Gaspadin Wade." (OOC: Hello, Mr. Wade.)

Jack gives a puzzled look to Jessica, then stands up from the table.

"You must be Jessica. Hell...there's no one looking half as good as you around here. And I'm guessing these are your friends."

Jack gets up and shakes Jess's hand, then gives hearty handshakes to Artis and Gavin.

"How the hell you boys doin'? You trip must have been quite a bitch the weather being the way it is. Looks like more rain, let's get the hell out of here. I have a car over yonder."

"The trip was rather uneventful, and I'd prefer if our stay here turned out similarly. I'm tired of waking up with headaches and a deafening ringing in my ears from too much gunfire buzzing around me."

(While walking to Jack's car)

"Darlin', I think you picked the wrong line of work...at least the part of wanting to be a field agent. Hell, I feel strange if I don't have at least a slight ringing in the ears! Anyway, your chariot awaits you."

Jack points to the black Volga sitting in the parking lot.

"Well, it isn't Hertz Rent-a-Car, but it's the best I could get on short notice. I got it off a retired KGB friend of mine. He'd like it back when you're done, but the Agency will compensate him if unavoidably lost or damaged beyond repair. Who's gonna be driving this heap?"

Jessica does her best to suppress the urge to hurt Wade for the "Darlin'" comment, then points to Art behind her.

"That's me. What's she got under the hood?"

(Adam realizes that he wasn't at home last week and didn't finish the car gadgets... um... see OOC)