Page 79 of The Viper

I remain quiet for a moment, letting the silence fuck with his head. “What a shame.” I turn to look at the cabinet in the corner, then lift my eyes to find Marco. He walks over and opens the cabinet. His hand lands on one of the knives. I shake my head once. He lowers his hand to touch one of the guns, again I shake my head. Marco smiles as he lifts the rope. I shake my head.

The Fallen road captain can’t see what I’m shaking my head at from where he is, though he tries to remain calm while craning his neck to see.

“This?” Marco holds a two-foot metal pipe. My smile is all the confirmation he needs. He walks over and hands it to me.

The road captain’s face blanches as he takes his hands out of his pockets. “Like I said, such a shame.” Marco unlocks the cell and holds the door open. I don’t move, and the road captain assesses his chances of being able to get out of here alive. “You’re free to go.”

The road captain’s beady eyes dart around the room as he scrubs his hand over his scruffy beard. “You’re letting me go?”

“You told me you don’t know anything.” I smack the pipe once in my hand.

He moves toward the open door of the cell. “Just like that?”

“Sure,” I say with a smirk. “Why not.”

He takes a step out of the cell and without moving his locked eyes off mine, he side steps toward the stairs that lead up and out of the dungeon. He carefully moves one more step toward the door, overly cautious. “Do you think this is a scare tactic? Standing there with a metal pipe?”

With snake speed I turn and smash the pipe across his gut, winding him and causing him to double over in pain. “You can go,” I say in a steady voice.

“I don’t know anything!” he screams as he holds his stomach.

“No? Then leave.” He staggers as he attempts to stand, I smash the pipe across his back and he falls to the ground. “Why aren’t you leaving?”

His heavy groans and cries are like music to my ears. “I don’t know anything,” he says between gasps.

“Then leave. Why are you still here?”

He tries to combat-crawl toward the stairs. I swing the pipe and bring it down across the back of his knees. The cracking of the bones makes me smile. “Stop!”

“Who’s the rat?”

“I don’t know.”

“Next one is on your skull.” He’s still trying to get away from me, but there’s no chance he’s leaving with a heartbeat. “A quick bullet, or I keep smashing your bones.” He extends his hand to grip the bottom step. I swing the pipe and break his hand.

“Wait, wait, wait.” His breathing is heavy as a line of spit falls from the corner of his mouth. “All I know is someone is trying to wipe out your boss.”

“My boss?” That could be either Adrian, or Ruben.

“That’s all I know.”

“Why?” His breathing is rough as he tries to continue moving. I step backward and smash the pipe across his calves.

“Fuck, man.” He bursts into tears, and I snort at the pathetic tremble in his voice.

“Why are they trying to get rid of my boss?”

He lowers his head, and takes several deep breaths. I look to Marco who lights up a smoke and shakes his head. “All I know is if they can’t get rid of the boss, then they’ll make them hurt.”

“How?” I swing the pipe again and smash it over his hamstrings. He screams out in pain and I hear Marco chuckle.

“Cutting drugs, money, whore houses, even the woman. He doesn’t care.”

My back straightens as I crack my neck and look down at the fucker. “What woman?”

“All I know is he asked us to go after the woman.”

My Rosa.

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