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CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
HADES
I tighten my grip on the garrote that encircles the man’s throat. The man gasps and tries to pry the piano wire from around his neck. His stubby fingers are no help; the garrote is pressed too tightly into his skin just below his Adam’s apple.
The man looks at me, his tawny skin gleaming with sweat, the whites of his dark eyes bulging slightly. His cheeks are puffed out, gone past ruddy to a darker shade. I can see the red creep up his face until it reaches the skin around his eyes. Years of experience with getting information from people tells me that he will pass out in a few seconds.
After which I will have to decide if I want to wake him up with a splash of cold water to the face… or whether I wouldn’t rather just feel him die.
I tighten the piano wire just a little. The man slaps at my hands, which would honestly be pretty funny if he wasn’t withholding precious information from me.
I smile as he tries to speak. He can’t quite get enough breath to form words. When I eventually loosen my garrote, maybe he will be more interested in telling me where Persephone is.
I let him strangle for a few more seconds, pursing my lips.
“Are ye rethinking yer whole life yet?” I ask the man.
The sound of heavy boots on the metal stairs behind me doesn’t faze me.
“Hades…” Eros clears his throat. “Come upstairs. You’ve been at this for hours.”
My lips twitch. I loosen the piano wire around my captive’s neck. The man sucks in breaths, his grateful gaze landing on my brother.
Eros rolls his eyes. “Your friends are dead,” he explains in slow Arabic. “I didn’t save you. If we leave this room, you can bet you won’t be alive.”
“Unless he talks,” I chime in. “Seriously, don’t make me leave here empty handed. I am already not in a very good mood. I think you would rather help me than to make me angrier.”
I release my hold on the man, stepping back. He nods his head frantically as he staggers back to lean against the wall. His hands rest on his knees, his head droops.
I look at Eros, arching a brow. Switching to English, I interrogate him. “Do you have news?”
Eros gives a half shrug. “I’d rather not get into it with our friend here. It’s hard to tell which Algerians might speak English.”
I run a hand through my chin-length dark hair, pushing my cheek out with my tongue.
Eros is right. It’s time to wrap things up with this particular captive.
I stroll over to a little table, upon which I have placed a shiny chrome gun, a bloodied pair of brass knuckles, and a length of heavy chain. Picking up the gun, I check the ammo in a quick, practiced motion.
When I sweep it across the basement and point it at the stranger, he straightens up and swallows heavily.
“Well?” I demand, switching to Arabic. “What do you know? Where is the girl?”
“Please.” He holds his hands out, looking scared. “I only know where they are taking her. And I will tell you… but not in here.”
Without so much as a twitch, I move my gun just to the left of his head and fire off a shot. The bullet ricochets wildly for a second, causing the man to cover his head. Eros steps back with a frown, eying me.
“Don’t worry,” I say softly. “The next one is going right into his fucking brain.”
“He took her back to the States!” the man blurts out, ducking his head behind his hands. “Constantine kept talking about the beach and how it would be just like old times.” He shakes his head, not even trying to disguise the fact that he is crying. “He’s not right in the head, that Constantine. A crazy, violent man. Unstable.”
“You’re saying that to a basement full of men with guns pointed at your head.” I narrow my eyes at him and purse my lips. Then I shrug a shoulder at Eros.
“He was helpful, but only when he thought we were going to shoot him in the head. So have him dropped off in another country and left with nothing.” I fix him with my gaze. “You’ll keep nothing but your life.”
I turn around, my mind already at work on the problem at hand. As I climb the steep stairs, I try to remember if Persephone ever told me where exactly she and Constantine lived.
My foot hits the top step just in time for a shot to ring out below me. I pause, gripping my gun.
