Page 71 of Wild Sentinel

I knew the drill.

With the black bag over my face, I added to the blood and saliva as somebody repeatedly pummeled my face with their fist. The tinny metallic taste filled my mouth. I just swallowed it. No sense spitting it into the bag.

This was standard procedure. Soften me up, put the fear of God in me, and get me to talk.

Eventually, the bag came off. Blinding work lights squinted my eyes. It kept the other figures in the room in silhouette, even though it was the middle of the day. The shades were drawn tight.

"Want to tell me what you're doing?" a voice asked.

"Seems like I'm getting the shit kicked out of me, but you tell me."

A slight chuckle escaped his mouth, mildly amused. The figure stepped between the two work lights and drew near. I still didn't get a good look at his face as he lorded over me. "I have to admire a man who can find humor in the face of adversity. How about you tell me why you're sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?”

"How about you tell me why you keep killing and abducting people?"

"I've killed no one," he said innocently.

"That's right, you hired someone else to do it.”

"Why do something yourself when you can pay someone to do it for you," he replied.

“Who did you hire to kill Jonathan Edwards? My money’s on this guy here,” I said, nodding to Horseshoe.

He ignored my question. "Where is Adam?"

"Who?”

"Don't play dumb with me. You've come this far. You found Brooke. I'm sure she's told you everything.”

"I don't know where Adam is,” I said. “We didn't get that far, Scott,” I said, making an educated guess.

"I see she really has told you everything. Don't worry, I'll get the information out of her, one way or another.”

"Are you just killing off your entire team for the hell of it?"

"I'm securing the project. Eliminating vulnerabilities.”

"And what happens when Sentinel breaks, and you need someone to repair it?”

"The system will be autonomous and self-healing. I already have everything we need. Their work is done. This is a national security matter. It's for the good of all mankind."

"It's good for your pocketbook. With a system like this, you could have complete global control.”

"Oh, I'm not in control of anything. I'm merely a patriot."

I didn't buy it.

“Who are you working for?”

"I'm going to ask again, nicely. Where is Adam? If you don't tell me, I'm going to walk into the next room and do unspeakable things to Brooke until she talks. Maybe you'd like to watch? I bet you’ll tell me everything you know before I hurt her too badly. Am I right? I mean, I can sit here with you until my knuckles bleed. But you're not going to say anything, are you?”

I said nothing.

Scott squinted at me as he drew closer. "I can see it in your eyes. You're the type. The type that doesn't break. It could take days or weeks. Maybe months. Everyone breaks eventually, but you’re problematic.”

"I'm telling you, I don't know where Adam is.”

"Adam has something I want. And I will get it. I always get what I want.”