Chapter 21 - Harlow

         “It doesn’t make any difference to me. Once he dies, we have two others we can bring in here, and you can kill. Then you really will be fucked won’t you. What would happen if you did kill three people from your pack? Would they welcome you back with open arms?” I let that sit with him as I was getting low on water. “I need more water, a car battery, and some jumper cables,” I asked in Russian.

         “What’s the plan?” Malachi asked after a moment.

         “What happens if I electrocute them? Can they withstand it?” I asked in Russian.

         “They would recover,” Malachi answered.

         “Good,” I said in English.

         “Also, you lose.” Joe laughed on the other end. I lost the bet, and he wanted to make sure I knew it.

         “Fuck you.” I laughed. “Go get me the stuff I need.”

         “What are you getting?” Brent asked.

         “Do you think you should be asking questions when your friend is essentially drowning right now?” I looked at Dave, who was now unmoving on the table. “It looks like you only have a few seconds before he’s dead.” I scrunched up my nose at him.

         Brent whimpered. “We are scouting.” He yelled as he closed his eyes.

         I pulled the cloth off Dave’s face. “Good. In a moment, I’ll ask another.” I looked down at Dave, and he was taking shallow breaths. “And if I can make a suggestion, answer faster because it doesn’t look like he has much more time.”

         I set the cloth down next to Dave’s head and walked out the door. I wanted to give Brent time with Dave. Maybe he will say something while I’m gone.

         I walked into the control room, where Malachi and Joe were sitting at the desk watching.

         “It looks like you lost your touch,” Joe said, watching the two men with a smirk on his face.

         “I am just drawing it out. I haven’t had the opportunity to do this in a while, and I like it.” I took a seat next to Malachi.

         “You really do like this, don’t you?” Malachi looked at me.

         I shrugged. “If I didn’t have to do it, that’s fine. But I’m good at it. Always figure out who the weaker person is and put everyone’s lives in their hands. They can’t do it. They always talk.”

         Malachi placed a hand on my knee and squeezed. I put my hand on top of his. It felt right. I was never this touchy feely, but when he touched me it was like fire. And I wanted to jump into it and be engulfed for the rest of my life.

         Through the mirror, Brent started to talk. “Dave, are you okay?”

         Dave wheezed on the table. “Don’t fucking say anything else.” He breathed heavily again. “Or else I’ll fucking kill you.”

         “She was going to kill you, man. What was I supposed to do?”

         “Let me die. You dumb fuck.” Dave wheezed again.

         I looked at Malachi, “I guess I’m back up.” I squeezed his hand and stood. I walked to the guard who had another two pitchers of water, and the other guard had a battery with jumper cables. “Follow me boys.”

         They followed me into the room, and I motioned for them to set the supplies on the table. Brent watched each and every move we made, eyes wide.

         “How was the break? Do you feel refreshed?” I asked Dave.

         “Fuck you.”

         “So glad to see you got your breath back. But that may change here in a moment.” I took the cloth and put it over his face, and started to pour. “Why are you scouting?”

         Brent pursed his lips and looked down at the ground.

         “Not going to talk?” I waited for a beat. “Fine by me.” I continued to pour. I knew this was going to kill Dave. But this is what torture was. This is how it went down ninety percent of the time. And the ten percent when someone did talk was glorious.

         I stared at Brent as I continued to pour, waiting for some sort of change in him, but nothing happened. He only stared down at the floor.

         I looked down at Dave, he wasn’t moving, and the red that normally circled the cloth had gone a waxy white. I breathed through my teeth, and Brent looked up. “Looks like you killed your friend.” I put my fingers against his throat, looking for a pulse. I didn’t find one. “Yep.”

         Brent bit down on his lip. I could see guilt racking through his eyes.

         “Can I switch this one out for a fresh one?” I said in English. I wanted Brent to understand that he was going to get questioned again. But it was going to be someone different.

         “On it,” Joe said.

         Within a few seconds, the two guards came in and unbuckled Dave from the table and carried him out of the room. Brent watched as his pack member was being taken away to be disposed of. A minute later, the two guards and Joe came in with a flailing prisoner. This time, I didn’t know who it was.

         Brent gasped as they latched him onto the table so he couldn’t move, like Dave.

         “Welcome to the party,” I said, smiling down at the new victim.

         “What the fuck is happening?” The New Table said, trying to look over at Brent, who was still biting his lips closed.

         “We are playing a game. But I’m going to change it up a little. Waterboarding is getting a little boring.” I looked over at Brent, who was looking down at the floor. “Wouldn’t you say?” He glanced up quickly and then back down. “We are going a different route, this time around. Dave held out for a while, but that’s not what I really wanted. I want answers, and I’m giving you both the opportunity to answer.”

         The new guy looked at me, then at Brent.

         I picked up the jumper cables and hooked one end to the battery. “Have either of you been electrocuted before?”

         The New Table’s eyes widened. Brent only shook his head.

         “Well, you’re in for a treat…it sucks. It’s painful. And you can feel it throughout your entire fucking body.” I put the other two ends together to create a spark. “When I ask the question, the person who answers first doesn’t get electrocuted. The person who isn’t fast enough or doesn’t answer gets a lovely jump start.” I touched the ends together again. “And if neither of you answers, you both will get a shock.”

         Brent whimpered behind me.

         “Any questions before we begin?” I looked at both of them, they shook their heads. “Great. What is his name?” I pointed to the new guy at the table.

         “Jason.” They both said.

         “Oooo, good job. It’s a tie. You both get a pass.”

         Brent let out a breath.

         “Next question, what are you scouting for?”

         Silence filled the air before Jason answered. “We are looking to see how strong the Mountain Creek pack is before our Alpha attacks.”

         “New guy is on the board!” I yelled. “Brent, you know what this means, right?”

         “No, please.” Brent started to squirm in his seat, trying to get away. I latched one clamp on one of his hands, and as soon as I touched the other to his other hand, he started to shake uncontrollably. I let him shake for about five seconds before removing the clamps.

         “Good job, Jason.” I looked over at him, and his eyes were wider than before. Brent’s head lolled for a moment but then lifted. “How did that feel? Do you feel energized?” I smirked at my own joke.

         “That was an awful joke, Harlow,” Joe said over the headset.

         “Oh, come on, that was funny,” I said in English. “Ready for the next question?” I looked at them both, and they nodded. “Great. What specifically are you looking for before your Alpha attacks?”

         Brent slurred his words, but started talking before Jason could. “He’sh wanting to shee how many fighters you have, and he wantsh to build his army to beat yoursh.”

         “Good job, Brent, I didn’t think you had it in you…literally.” I walked over to Jason, who lay there, trying to be brave, but I could see the fear in his eyes. “This will only hurt a little.” I laughed.

         I attached the clamps at the same time, and his back arched. The room started to smell like burnt hair. But I continued. I hoped I was getting enough information for Malachi. It was now my job to torture, and I wasn’t sure what he needed.