Page 82 of Retribution

‘The light. It hurts my eyes. Could you turn it off, or angle it away a little?’

‘Look, bitch, the light is gonna be the least of your worries if you don’t—Yes, sir. I understand.’

The light moves from my face, and I open my eyes, blinking in the semi darkness. There are three figures, and a blinking red light in one corner. Someone’s watching this little dungeon scene.

‘Were you three in the van that took me?’

One of them moves closer. ‘I’m asking the questions! And I’m getting some straight answers, one way or another.’

I hear the sound of electricity and a stick the man was holding at his side sparks ominously. I feel my heart begin to thud properly for the first time.

‘What’s that?’ I ask faintly.

‘Cattle prod. Know what it does?’

Stings.

‘It shocks,’ I force myself to say evenly.

‘That’s right. Answer my questions or I’m going to shock you with it. Understand?’

I errantly wonder why everyone’s preferred method of torture seems to be electricity. Surely there are otherstylesto choose from. Water? Knives? Pulling teeth?

‘Yes,’ I say, my voice devoid of tone, my face expressionless.

‘Did you blow up Wrath?’

‘No.’

‘Did you start the fire at the Novelle Center?’

‘No.’

Mr. In-charge touches his ear. He’s listening to someone. Whoever’s on the other side of the camera, I suppose.

‘Did you hire someone to do it for you?’

‘No.’

‘You have access to both places, Miss Novelle. You’re one of the only people who does. Are you really going to tell me you had nothing to do with it?’

‘I didn’t,’ I say.

He leans forward. ‘I don’t believe you.’

He strikes out with the prod, the two prongs at the end clicking and sparking as he touches it to my bare arm. I tense, with a whimper, expecting the worst.

But the convulsions and the agony don’t come. It’s oddly anticlimactic.

I stare down at my arm and then look up at him. He tries again, pulling up my sweatshirt and striking at ribs this time.

It’s nothing like the Stinger that’s around my leg. The voltage is so weak compared to it that I begin to laugh.

‘What the fuck? Is this thing not working?’

He turns and sticks one of his cohorts who screams and jumps away with a ‘What the fuck man?’

‘I’m sorry,’ I wheeze between breaths, trying to get myself under control. Tears rolls down my cheeks.