“Fuck you,” I bite out. “By now, people know I’m missing. My best friend is one of the best hackers in the country. She’s going to track me down and then you guys are so fucked.”
His hold on my chin tightens, but he doesn’t take my threat to heart. “When is the next shipment expected?” he repeats.
“Of what? Helix deals with hundreds of thousands of goods every day.”
“You know what kind of shipment I’m talking about. Women. Children. When is the next shipment arriving at the port?”
“You’re delusional. Helix isn’t involved in anything like that.”
He nods to someone behind me and they grip my hair at the scalp and pull, forcing my head back sharply so that I’m looking up at the ceiling. The next thing I know, they’re shoving a cloth over my face and I’m choking on water. I try to turn my head away but I’m held in place, unable to do anything but take it.
They rip the cloth off, releasing me, and I heave forward, choking, gasping down thin gulps of air that won’t ease the pain in my throat until I cough up the rest of the water still in my lungs.
“Are you…waterboarding me?” I ask between coughs once I’m able to breathe somewhat normally again.
“Where do the captives go once they reach the port?” is all he says.
Water droplets drip off the tip of my nose as I glare up at him. “I already told you,” I say between gritted teeth. “Helix doesn’t do illegal shit like that.”
He nods his head at his buddy, and they force my head back again. “No! Wait–”
It’s worse the second time. My body jerks as my lungs fill with water.
Again, they rip the cloth off and let me catch my breath. It takes longer this time to get my lungs breathing right, and I’m dizzy from the lack of oxygen. I’m completely soaked and shaking now.
This time Thing Two takes over the questioning. Since he’s the one who’s been drowning me, he grips my hair from behind, pulling back just far enough for me to meet his gaze. The heat of anger in those silver eyes nearly takes my breath away. “What drugs are they running in and out with your shipments?”
“I told you, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Even if there were drugs in the shipments, Helix isn’t involved. If what you’re saying is true, then you should look harder at Councilman Rogers.”
“Wrong answer,” he says and then he covers my face with the cloth again. This time the torture drags on and on, and it’s unbearably painful. I try to shout for them to stop, but the water clogs my throat, cutting off any sound. Just as my chest aches for oxygen and my fight wanes, the water cuts off. They tip my chair forward, once again letting me cough up the water still stuck in my lungs and find my bearings.
I’m still gulping down air when the one I tried to stab with a fork steps forward. He’s been quiet, I’ve noticed. Not as enthusiastic about participating as the other two. “We already know he’s the scapegoat. Who’s really in charge? Who gives the orders?”
“Is there an echo in here? For the last fucking time, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Thing Two wrenches my head back again, and I can’t help the whimper that sneaks up my throat. I’m not going to survive this shit much longer.
To my surprise, Dickbag lifts a hand, stopping him. “It looks like Fallon needs more time to think. Cut her loose.”
Thing Two shoves my head away from him while Thing One withdraws a knife from his pocket, making quick work of the zip ties. I fall to my hands and knees as soon as I’m free, scurrying across the concrete floor and as far away from them as I can get.
They grab the chair, cloth, and the water hose I’d somehow missed when they barged in, and leave without another word.
I’m fucking soaked and shaking, my thin bra and panties doing absolutely nothing to keep me warm. My mind keeps replaying the questions they just asked me. Ridiculous. Absolutely insane, all three of them.
Before this mess, I’d always sort of admired Cerberus for their dedication to sorting out the truth from the lies told to the public, so it's hard to marry the image I had of them to the true colors they’re showing me now. If there is someone within Helix operating illegally, why are they so focused on me? If they’d have found evidence backing up their accusations, I wouldn’t be in here, soaked and naked and nearly drowned, right?
I’m cold and shaking, and ten times more exhausted than I was before the torture. But the good news? It’s finally quiet enough for me to get some sleep. I curl into myself and let my eyes drift closed.
It’s a Small World After Allblares again. Well, there goes that
Chapter 8
Fallon
Silence and darkness surround me. Losing track of time is one of the worst parts of this; I may have been here for hours or days, but I can’t be sure. Exhaustion and fear seem to be my only companions. My eyes feel like sandpaper as I blink and try to adjust to the darkness.
I nearly jump out of my skin when the mirror on the wall lights up.What kind of fucking voodoo…I find myself looking through what is now a massive window into another cement room. An unconscious man is tied to a chair. Blood covers his face, which is misshapen with bruises and what can only be broken, disfigures bones. His hands are purple from the tight bindings.
