Page 33 of War Within
The doors opened and I stepped in. I placed my thumb on the biometric sensor before pressing the basement level. As I descended into darkness, I closed my eyes, clearing my mind and conscience before whatever I was about to march in to.
The moment the doors open, my eyes flickered at the sight before me. Luca and Nick stood in front of a man who was bound to a chair, gagged and blindfolded. Luca held his favorite weapon of choice, a bat. He spun it before tucking it under his arm. Nick was sitting on a stool, arms crossed, a crowbar hanging from his grip.
They nodded as I entered. Taking my jacket off, I tossed it on a workbench. One by one, I unbuttoned my cuffs, rolling my sleeves to my elbows. Each step I took, my formal shoes clicked on the cement foundation of the building. The prisoner twisted his head around, trying to identify the new movement in the room.
“Hmph, hmph!” He thrashed, trying to free his body.
Nick marched to his side, removing the cloth from his eyes and binding from his mouth. The man jumped back when he saw me standing before him, arms folded over my chest. He struggled harder.
“You’re only wearing yourself out.” I grinned. “You’re going to want to save that energy for later when you’re fighting for your life.”
“Fuck you!” He was nervous but he did not want us to dare know he was terrified.
Nick held the crowbar out. “Your move.”
Lifting my hand, I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“I have nothing to say to any of you!”
I sighed, burying my face in my palm. “That’s not what I heard.” Squatting, I propped my elbows on my knees. “It came to my attention you know something about the shit my brother is going through.” Cocking my head, I attempted to force eye contact with him.
“You guys are fucking with the wrong guy! People talk.”
“So do you know, apparently.” Standing, I backed away. “Luca.” I held out my hand.
Luca placed a pair of black, leather gloves in my palm. I slid them on one at a time then reached toward Nick who slapped the crowbar into my grasp rapidly. Shutting my eyes, I inhaled deeply, grinning. This was the part of the job I loved. Furrowing my brow, I stood before the prisoner, arms to my side, gripping the crowbar tightly.
“Who’s after my brother?” My agitated, low tone should have been enough warning for him to cooperate.
“People in yours lives are not who they seem.” His voice was wobbly, he gulped. “I was hired by someone. I have no idea who’s in charge though.”
“That does me no good.” I glanced at Luca and Nick. “What were you able to get out of him?”
Nick shrugged. “He refused to say much more than that, but we think he definitely knows.”
Turning back to the man, I presented a devilish smile. “If you don’t want to talk, I guess I’ll have to make you scream.” Without another word, I hooked the curved end of the crowbar behind his neck.
“Wha—”
Yanking his head forward, my other fist collided into his face. I took a step back, seeing blood seeping from his nose. Grabbing his hair, I tilted his head back. “Tell me who the fuck hired you!”
“Fuck off!” He shook his head, laughing, blood now visible on his teeth.
Roughly, I released his head. A loud clanking rang out as I dropped the weapon the floor. Nick bent over, picking it up then took a step back.
Lifting my foot, I side kicked him in the middle of the chest, causing his chair to tumble back. His skull smacked against the floor with a loud crack. Dazed, he rolled his head back and forth, struggling to focus.
Kneeling, I tapped his cheek three times, summoning his attention. “You have one more chance to tell me what I want to know.” Glancing over my shoulder I nodded my head once. “You see my brother over there?”
Luca waved sarcastically with a grin. “Ciao.”
Rolling my eyes, I returning my gaze to the helpless man. “He likes to play with his victims, so you either talk, or you will be suffering at the hands of his slow, endless torture.” Pressing my knee into his chest, I lowered my head, growling. “Tell. Me. Now!”
He shook his head. “It’s a-always w-who you lea…st expec..t.”
“Tell. Me. Or. DIE.”
He rolled his head back and forth once again, coughing. “I-if I tellyou…he’ll killme…t-too”
