“He doesn’t tell me anything,” she cries. “I was collateral. I only killed people because Elliot made me do it.”
“Not an answer,” I press. “Try again.”
I press down on the plank near her shoulders with my hand, forcing it to flex. Her body lowers another inch. The heat hits her fully then. She flinches and tries to arch away. The position makes her wrists scream and her hogtied limbs strain, but there is nowhere for that pain to go.
Seth’s voice comes from behind her again.
“She texted someone four days ago. She told them they would join Grant at a VossTech gala. She mentioned big donors, big launches, in two weeks.”
I lean closer to Sophie’s face.
“Let’s play a game. You tell me what you know and you get to die watching less of what happens to Elliot. You lie and you cook slower.”
Her eyes fill, more with rage than regret.
“I don’t know the location!” she shouts. “I swear to God I don't know. Grant said Victor was hosting a gala. Grant is going to be there. That is all I heard.”
“Where is the gala?”
“I'm not sure,” she says. “He only said VossTech. He said donors. He said security. He didn't say which building.”
In the cage, Elliot slams his hand against the bars.
“Shut the fuck up!” he shouts. “Don’t tell them anything. Keep your fucking mouth shut.”
Sophie flinches at his voice.
Her body trembles on the two remaining planks. The steam licks at her face and arms. Her muscles lock, trying to hold her torso up, trying to keep her mouth out of the water. Her shoulders shake violently. Her injured wrists spasm against the rope.
“You heard him,” I tell her. “He never cared whether you lived through this. You were always disposable.”
Her eyes fill fully then, tears mixing with sweat.
“They’ll kill you,” she whispers. “Grant will hunt you until you are dead.”
“He already tried,” I sigh. “Last chance. Give me everything.”
She breaks.
“Grant is going to be at Victor Voss’ gala,” she says, words spilling fast. “They're planning something big. I don’t know the venue. I don’t know the address. I only know he said that is where he takes the board and the donors, and that is where he wants to make his point.”
Seth scrolls again, checking for anything she might be hiding.
“She’s telling the truth now,” he says finally. “Nothing in here has the location. Just the name, the timing, and Victor.”
Sophie sucks in a breath like that information might save her.
It will not.
The heat licking at her skin has already started to bite. Her cheeks redden. The steam burns her eyes. Her muscles shake from effort. The angle forces her spine to arch, her ribs grinding into the planks that cross her chest. Every second upright costs her something.
“Here is the part you didn’t understand when you tortured innocent people,” I lean in close. “There is no version where you walk away clean. In fact, you won't walk away at all.”
Her arms tremble so violently that the planks rattle. A raw sound tears out of her throat. She is caught between the strain on her joints and the heat rising against her face.
Eventually, one of them wins.
She tips forward.
