Page 29 of The Silencer

They always deserve it though.

Seven’s eyes are wide and panicked. Hm, I take that back. His one eye. Seems the other has been scooped out. I bet it’s in a jar in Bane’s office. I bet he looks at it daily.

My lips twitch at the thought, and I run a hand across my jaw.

“Come on, man. Spit it out, as best you can. And maybe we’ll let you live,” Luca lies.

No one escapes the chambers.

The man starts to mutter, blood pooling from his lips, spittle trailing down his chin.

“This is really gross,” Luca says with a wince. “I mean, really.”

I ignore Luca’s grumbling.

“I can’t understand him, can you?” I ask, and Luca eyes me through the haze of smoke.

“Nope, and next time, listen to Bane. Save the tongue so they can talk.”

“Perhaps,” I say, knowing I won’t change my mind. I quite like the screams that come with them losing that part of them. Their means to communicate.

The way it makes the hope dull from their eyes.

Yes, I don’t think I want to give that up. I am The Silencer after all.

“Waaaaa,” the man moans, and Luca pulls another drag from his cigarette.

“Jesus. What do you think that means? Kind of sounds ghastly.”

“Waaaaa,” the man says again, and I sigh as Luca gives me a knowing smirk.

“Told you so. Tongues, man. Gotta keep ’em.”

“Shut up,” I say and then eye the man, trying to figure out a way to get him to tell us what we need to know. Problem is, Bane removed all his fingers.

“I swear to God, this is what I come home to,” Luca grunts. “Bane needs some self-control and so do you.”

I mean, perhaps he’s right, but I won’t admit it. I’m the boss. I make the final call.

“Oh, hey again! Seven’s talking about war,” Bane says, appearing randomly in the doorway, a severed leg in his arms. “Seems they’re coming for us. Big time.”

I stare at the man strung up and watch as he bobs his head in agreement.

“How informative. But I already knew that. The Fallen Aces have been after us for years.”

The man’s eye widens and he grunts again, trying to tell me something else, but there’s nothing left to say. And he can’t anyways.

I stole that from him.

“Bane, we’re done here. Get rid of the garbage,” I say as I walk out, Luca trailing behind me, quiet except for the way his lips wrap around that cigarette and pull.

“War, huh?” Luca asks, and I nod.

“The bar Tatum was at is owned by the Fallen Aces gang. They already want in on the cocaine trade, the designer drugs, and it seems us coming in and killing all those fuckers didn’t help matters.”

Luca whistles and takes another drag of nicotine. “Well, fuck. Seems your boy made the wrong choice in where he went to grab a drink.”

I turn to glower at him. “Seems so.”

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