It had been days since Jameson had been taken for the experiments and during that time four more men had gone. Morale among the captives was low. The coldness and damp was staring to affect them. It seeped through their clothes and stunk with the stench of a hundred unwashed bodies. Hollis had developed a chest racking cough along with some of the older men. It kept them all up and disturbed the silence. Basil tried the best he could but he had no medical equipment or food. It was just colds and flu now, but without any change in their situation, it could become much worse.

Basil had finished reading Frankenstein and had restarted it. But it was not the same. Men were depressed and bitter. The small amount of food and water each day kept them thin and weak. Several had given up. It was horrible to see.

"Do you sing sarge?" Basil asked out of the blue. Bucky blinked and looked at him in surprise, the question sudden.

"Not really", he said. He cracked a smile, the first one Basil had seen in days. "If you don't count drunk singing". Basil chuckled dryly.

"I used to sing in church", Darwin muttered. Basil blinked at the information, not expecting it from the grumpy man. Darwin promptly scowled at him. "What? Got a problem Parrish?"

"No", Basil grinned. "I used to do the same in school. What position were you?"

"Bass", Darwin grunted. "Guess you were a Tenor? I've heard your voice enough".

Basil nodded. "Still sing? Come on, give us a show". Darwin glared at him and muttered a curse under his breath. "You must have preformed Darwin. You can't be shy now", Basil weedled. He stood up and took a deep breath, clearing his chest. "Come on, I'll sing with you".

Darwin scowled so darkly that if looks could kill, Basil would be cremated. But he reluctantly stood up, crossing his arms. "Got a song then Parrish?"

"O holy night was always a favourite hymn of mine", Basil admitted. "Not much of Christian personally but that song is beautiful".

Darwin nodded in agreement. "You start Parrish".

Basil grinned and leaned back against the bars. "Fall on you knees", he sang softly, stretching out his vocal cords. "O hear the angel's voices".

Darwin nodded, seemingly pleased with Basil's voice. He opened his mouth and began. "O holy night, the stars are brightly shining. It is the night of our dear saviours birth". His voice was rich and resounding. Basil closed his eyes as he joined in. Memories of incense and bright light. His little brother at his side in the choir, voices echoing round the gorgeous stone work of old churches.

"Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appear'd and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."

They had no backing instruments and nothing but dry throats. Yet there was rising joy and hope as the Christmas hymn brought nostalgia and happy memories like a wave over the soldiers. As the choirs came, more men began standing up. Their voices forming a choir thought the concrete room. For once the stone's acoustics bringing peace other than screams.

"Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!" Basil felt his voice lift as others grew louder. Creevy was also standing. His voice high and shaky yet it was there. Another in this growing unity. Basil felt himself beam and his gaze fell on Bucky. The man was looking around at the unified men in awe and wonder. His eye's met Basil's and he smiled.

"O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine."

The metal doors clanged open and the song cut off as the scientist entered. Three soldiers following in his wake. Basil clamped his out shut as the man began clapping. "Well done", he announced in heavily accented english. It was the first time he had spoken the them. Basil detested the sick grin on his face. "I was wondering if you all had lost your fight. But no, you're still going strong. Very good. Very good". The scientist began walking up the room, eyeing the men with a glint in his eyes.

As he came past Basil's cage, he stopped. He eyed them for a minute before turning to the guard nearest and asking something in German. The soldier nodded and pointed. Basil felt his heart freeze over as the scientist turned back. "This cell is rather full. You all seem strong and uninjured young men". His accent was twisting and sickly over the smug words. The three soldiers behind hims stepped forwards as one unlocked the door.

At his right, Creevy gave a small scared squeak and straightened his back. The man was shaking. Not for the first time, Basil wondered how the hell Creevy had signed up for a war. The man was like a duckling.

The soliders reached in and grabbed Hollis. The older man was the nearest to the door. Basil felt his stomach lurch. Hollis' face was sweaty with the beginnings of a fever. "No!" He jolted forwards. "Take me. I'm younger and stronger than him. More likely for your experiments to work". Around him, yells of displeasure rose up at the statement. Somehow, probably due to his unshakable attitude, Basil had grown on many of the men.

"No!" Bucky grabbed him by the arm. "Parrish!"

The scientist hummed and gave Basil a once over. He waved a hand and the hydra soldiers changed target. One grabbed Basil by the arms and dragged him out of the cage while the other held the others back. Bucky was fighting fiercely, Darwin and Creevy at his side. All three were snarling as other men hurled curses from the other cages. The solider forced the door shut and locked it. Bucky punched one of the dark helmets through the bars. The solider stumbled back for a second. Bucky grinned viciously at the blow.

The scientist had been watching this with a sour face. Basil smirked from where he was being held by the other two guards. The scientist slapped him harshly across the face. Basil's head flew to the side with a crack. The impact bruising. The guards didn't wait for him to recover before dragging him away.

"See you later folks!" Basil called as he struggled. "Be back in a jiffy. Won't be long". He laughed loudly. Fear making him panic. The soldiers pulled his arms behind his back and bent his head forwards as he walked. Before him, he could see the approaching metal doors.

"We'll meet again", he sung loudly, a grin on his lips. His boots scrabbling for leverage on the stone as he leaned back in the hold. "In sunshine or in rain!" He was shouting as the doors opened. Kicking out and throwing his head back to grin at his fellow captives, green eyes wide. "Don't know where, Don't know when!"

They forced him through and the doors clanged with a fatal bang behind him. With that noise ringing in his head, Basil fell silent and went limp. The soldiers bustled him down concrete corridors and dimly life rooms. They moved him into a white surgical style room. White tiles stained and steel tables. They lifted him in and strapped him down as blazingly bright lights blinded him. Basil laughed, voice high with panic as the straps closed round his limbs. The scientist was there with a needle in hand. He barely had time to scream before it was going into his neck.

Fire lit in his veins and Basil passed out.