RAVIEL (21)

I pushed open the damp, dark, and smelly torture chamber door. This place was as horrible as the name I had given it. The floor was stained with the blood of dozens of cursed humans who betrayed this organization. This room was filled with torture devices. No one had ever left this place alive. I always made sure of that.

“I apologize. It was my fault for not being thorough enough in monitoring each of our people. About three months ago, he sent a package to the Russian border. Hundreds of weapons that you produce exclusively for one of our clients.”

“Hmm… Was he tempted by an offer from one of our rivals?”

It was a cliché and happened all too often in this organization. That was why it was important for me to enforce strict discipline on everyone I worked with. There was no mercy for anyone who stole from me. Once they were caught, they were out of the picture for good.

“Tighten our information security. I don’t want those bastards stealing my best work without paying a dime.”

“It’s been done, sir. Logan and his team are looking for another Barnes in our organization.”

That bastard, Hans Barnes, stood with his feet slumped on the ground. Both of his hands were tied to a thick iron bar above his head. His face was battered, his clothes were torn, and there were many slash wounds on his body. I’m proud of my executioners. They were very reliable in making this damn bastard suffer before he met his darkest nightmare. Me.

“Barnes.”

“Huh, our beloved boss.”

He could barely open his swollen eyes to look at me, but he had a damn disgusting arrogance.

“Tell me who you’re working for right now?”

“I already told your beloved assistant,” he shot Seth a scornful look.

I growled and slapped him hard across the face. His body jerked to the side, and he spurted fresh blood from his mouth.

“I’m asking you, bastard,” I gripped his chin tightly. I made sure he felt every pang of anger bubbling up in my head.

“Arrggghhh… I don’t know who he is. He always wears a mask and an electrolarynx to disguise his voice.”

“He must have a name.”

I held out my hand to Seth, and he swiftly handed me a knife.

“Tell me. Now.”

I cut off his ear slowly, making the cut like I was eating an expensive steak at a five-star restaurant. Barnes’s howling screams filled every corner of the torture chamber. He kept begging for forgiveness while hurling curses at me.

“I don’t know his name. He’s Russian. Aaarrgghhhh…. You…. Arrgghhh.”

“Why did you betray the organization that fed you and your family for years? What did he offer you, huh?”

His right ear fell miserably to the floor, covered in his blood. I still had a lot of meat to cut. And I was so excited.

“Money,” he trembled. His teeth chattered from the pain of each of his wounds. But I wouldn’t stop until I was satisfied with the answer.

“Tch, money? You think I’m stupid, huh? He must have offered you something else.”

“I swear aarrgghhh….”

I grabbed his hair, and began carving abstract shapes into his neck. I did it as carefully as possible so as not to sever his blood vessels, but it still hurt like hell.

“You’re a fucking rat. Tell me, what did that guy offer you?”

Barnes panted. His face fell to the side as I jerked him roughly. He could barely lift his head to look at me.

“You.”

“What did you say? Say it out loud.”

“You.”

He quickly looked up and glared at me. His disgusting face was coated with a sickening arrogance.

“He will come for you. He will destroy you and all this shit.”

“No, he can’t.”

“He can.”

He laughed out loud before coughing loudly. Blood spurted out of his mouth and dripped onto the floor.

“He has the weapon to destroy you. And even though I will die tonight, I will die in peace because I know you will be destroyed. He has gotten what he wanted.”

I clenched my fist tightly before throwing the knife to the floor. This bastard guy had sent my mood to the depths of hell. No more playing around. He must be sent to hell quickly.

“Watch your back. You have many traitors without you ever knowing, asshole.”

“Shut your fucking mouth. You are just bluffing. No one can destroy me.”

“Oh, I am telling the truth. It is up to you whether you believe it or not.”

The muzzle of my gun was pressed against his temple. This Barnes guy was completely fearless, which made me even more disgusted with him.

“You have to take my word for it…” he panted. Every breath he took was agonizing torture for him.

“He’ll destroy the dynasty your uncle has built for years.”

“Bullshit. If anyone dares to do it, I will tear him apart with my own two hands. He will beg for his own death from me.

His mangled nose flared to take in his last breath. He should have made the last few seconds of his life count.

“Someone’s coming for you, Boss,” he finished with a smirk before I blew his head off without blinking.

“Call Jazz and Mike right now. Dissect this bastard’s body and find the chip hidden in every layer of his body.”

“They’re on their way here. What about the Russian? Should we send someone to investigate this person?”

“No.”

I wiped the muzzle of my gun that was stained with the bastard’s blood with a handkerchief.

“He’s lying. No Russian ever promised him any money.”

“What about our missing shipment?”

“You’ll find it in the government warehouse.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know. I have a feeling that he’s a government agent.”