Without You I Have Nothing Ch. 31

Beginning a singsong chant, he stared into Jennifer's eyes. They did not falter before his gaze. The chant went on and on, gathering in volume and intensity until suddenly, he stopped.

No one moved.

In the deathly silence that followed, Jennifer could feel the chant hammering into her brain.

Then, softly he spoke breaking the silence. His cultured Oxford English accent stunned Jennifer's family as much as it had shocked her back in the jungle. Her parents were dumbfounded especially as his appearance belied his education.

"Jennifer, the gods are pleased. You have paid them in full and you never once forgot your love for Peter. I promised you that your trial would finish when I learned to fly.

"Well," with a triumphant smile he added, "I learned to fly and your trial is now over, never to be repeated."

"What a fairy story." Pretty Boy spoke up. "Come here bitch and kneel and do what you've been taught to do. Then release us and if you're quick, the punishment will be speedy and not prolonged. Your husband couldn't do for you what I did, so get busy and pleasure me in front of your family," and the cruel demeaning words tumbled from his lips.

The family rose as one. The hatred in Jennifer's eyes boded ill for Pretty Boy as she leapt to her feet. The RSM stepped between them.

"Don't dirty your hands with this filth. He and his friends are ours." His grim smile and the tone of his voice sent shivers up everyone's spine except for Pretty Boy who opened his mouth to continue.

No one saw the RSM unsheathe his khukuri but everyone heard the sharp loud crack as the butt of the handle smashed into Pretty Boy's jaw. He wiped the blade of the khukuri across Pretty Boy's bloody lips.

Pretty Boy's jaw had been broken and he spat teeth onto the floor.

"Don't ever speak to our little Mem that way again!" The RSM advised him. "She's a lady and not for scum like you."

Elizabeth's hands flew to her mouth and she gulped. Eric and Andrew reeled back at the speed of the RSM's reaction and the punishment. Jennifer's joy at the retribution handed out to Pretty Boy immediately drew their attention.

"Is that the type of pleasure you were talking about?" For the first time in months she was actually laughing. "You were always keen to hand out pain, are you so keen now to accept it?"

A soft voice of authority calmed the mayhem, "Jennifer, I have something for you. Remember in the jungle I gave you..." and in his right hand the old man held out his section of her incomplete serpent bracelet. "I told you when you needed me I would give you this." He held out his left hand and Jennifer removed her half of the bracelet and put it in his outstretched palm.

After closely studying both halves, he again ignored the heat of the fire, leaning across and handing her both sections of the bracelet. "Put them together Jennifer, wear the bracelet forever and your trial is over." Closing his eyes, the old man resumed his chanting.

She studied them as if trying to remember the past events of her day in the jungle. Slowly, she intertwined one bracelet to the other. An inner calm and strength seemed to flow through her body, as she slid the completed bracelet onto her wrist. She looked at the old man with tears of relief in her eyes.

A cackle from the direction of the fire took her attention. "You were saying Peter is dead? Is he now? What, this scum kill Peter? I really don't think so. Jennifer, come around here and kneel beside me." He waited for her to settle beside him before continuing. "Now stare into the fire and concentrate on your husband. He's been patiently waiting for this moment for a long, long time." The old man again threw a handful of powder onto the fire and sweet perfumed smoke filled the shearing shed.

On her knees and staring silently into the fire, Jennifer waited patiently for the old man to speak again. Then slowly she became aware of the warmth of a presence beside her and looked up. Shocked, yet overjoyed, she staggered to her feet as she recognized Peter in his Major's uniform flanked by Ghurkhas standing beside him.

Screaming, "Peter!" She flung herself into his arms.

Pretty Boy tore his arms loose from his guards then gurgled through his broken jaw, "You're so brave with your toy soldiers. Are you brave enough to face me without their assistance?"

Peter barked an order and the guards fell back against the wall dragging Dingo with them.

Andrew shivered as he heard Peter's words to the family. "Everyone stay still. This fool is mine." Horrified by the vehemence of the words the family remained silent.

Gently Peter passed Jennifer to the RSM.

Believing that Peter would be no match for his street brawling tactics Pretty Boy, lunged. Peter did not seem to move. In fact, all he did was laugh as he seized Pretty Boy's fist. With a quick wrench, he bent the wrist back with one hand, then chopped at the wrist with the other.

A shriek of pain met the sound of the sudden smack and Pretty Boy, unbelieving, looked down at his right hand dangling uselessly from the end of his arm. Peter had smashed his wrist.

Peter said nothing but reached for Pretty Boy's left arm and repeated the treatment.

Pretty Boy was ashen and his eyes were rolling in torment but Peter still had more punishment for this criminal who had used Jennifer so cruelly.

In agony, Pretty Boy sank to the floor.

Not content with the damage he had inflicted Peter delivered a second series of chops. He crushed both ankles and Pretty Boy passed out from the pain.

Loud whimpers from Elizabeth showed her horror at the apparent cruelty.

Eric enfolded her in his arms. "This sadistic bastard was the main cause of Jennifer's horrendous problems. Nothing is cruel when dealing with him," he quietly reminded her.

Unaware of the night's forthcoming events Andrew could only wish, he was handing out the punishment. His anger at seeing Jennifer's tormentors at such close quarters was almost too much to bear.

Still being constrained by the RSM, Jennifer struggled to assist Peter to destroy this man who had ruled her life in the past weeks.

At a nod from Peter, one of the guards threw a bucket of cold water over Pretty Boy who lay staring into the hatred in Peter's eyes. "Not so brave now eh, stupid? I thought you wanted to fight me. On the other hand, is inflicting pain on women more your style? No matter!" Peter taunted Pretty Boy as he stood over him.

"What did I say to you the night you drugged Jennifer at the party then danced with her at the edge of the pool? I threw you in the pool and warned you that anyone who touched Jennifer was a dead man. I told you what would happen and you didn't listen. Well, tonight I hope you and your friends are ready to enjoy your sojourn in hell."

A loud gasp from Jennifer at these revelations reminded Peter that she was unaware of all the events of that evening in Hunters Hill.

Peter grunted an order.

The RSM returned Jennifer to Peter's arms before assuming command of the proceedings. "Dingo and Pretty Boy, you are both guilty by virtue of the crimes committed by your underlings. We have hours of DVDs, which prove your guilt. Have you anything to say?"

Pretty Boy could only groan in agony and arrogantly Dingo spat, "Who are you to say I'm guilty?"

"Take them away. We've heard enough!" The RSM had lost his patience.

Ignoring the moans of Pretty Boy the Ghurkhas under the command of the RSM dragged the two prisoners from the room. The last to leave was Dingo whose foul diatribe died away when he felt a naked blade touch his throat and heard a whisper of "Silence".

Holding Jennifer tightly against him Peter turned to her family. "I don't believe any of you should witness the rest of the night unless you have a stomach for death. I consider your place is with Jennifer and with my dear friend here. I'll return in an hour or so, and I'm ensuring her wishes are carried out."

Carefully he transferred his special love to the arm of her father, lightly kissing her and promising to return quickly. "Perhaps when I return to the house tonight The Little One will rest in peace forever."

"One moment!" Andrew's voice was shaking with emotion, halting Peter's progress. "Dad, you go with Mum, Jennifer and this wonderful friend of Peter's. Me? I demand I go with you Peter. It's my sister this scum tried to destroy."

Seeing the look of denial on Peter's face he shouted, "No! No argument! I want these people dead as much as you do."