Chapter XII

The Interrogation

The morning after Dmitri brought back Patrick came as Alan walks through the halls when Dmitri stops him, a small grin on his face.

“Good news I take it?” Alan said, he had not seen Dmitri this happy in a long time, which could only mean thing, that they had finally succeeded in capturing an agent of the secret organisation, a feat that they had been trying to accomplish for a long time now. Or that Manor Osmund had died a brutal and horrible death, either scenario would cause great joy for Dmitri, but it turned out that it was the former of the two.

“Yes. We've got a survivor.” Dmitri said, he hadn’t thought it would have been possible to get one, considering all the times when he had managed to track a member of the illusive organisation down, said person would always take their own life rather than be captured. At this however Alan looks at Dmitri, obviously thinking the same thing.

“How? When?” Alan asked, he was pleased, but also curious as to how this was managed, as all other attempts had failed in stupendous fashion.

“Caught him last night, over by the old quarry.” Dmitri said, he remembered his promise to Dave, and he hoped that Alan would not ask why he was out the previous night, so that he would not have to break that promise.

“How did you get him alive?” Alan asked. From what he had heard from Dmitri’s reports on the matter, these people had a special solution made so that they would never be taken alive by anyone, in order to preserve the secrecy of the organisation. Which either meant that one of the group was more afraid of dying than the rest of their comrades, or that Dmitri had taken rash action to prevent the suicide, and regretfully he thought that he knew the answer to that question already.

“Ripped his capsule out of his mouth.” Dmitri said simply confirming Alan’s worst fears on the matter. It had been a close-run thing and he had not been sure that he had got the capsule until he had pulled metal object out of the captive’s mouth.

As Dmitri was debriefing Alan on the success of the previous night. He turned around in time to see Dave and his elder brother Jack walk by and stop to try and overhear the conversation. With Jack looking genially curious about what had transpired, and Dave looking sheepishly at Dmitri wondering whether or not he would keep his promise. As he was not yet ready to inform his dad about what had been happening these past few months.

“What were you doing out, I don't remember you going on a mission.” Alan said, looking curiously at the Dmitri who glances over and smiles at Dave, but tries not to give anything else away with Alan so close.

“I fancied some air last night, blind luck that I stumbled onto them.” Dmitri said, coming up with the lie on the spot and hoping that it would pass the likes of both Alan and the old butler, who seemed to have a knack for guessing when someone was being dishonest. 

At this, Alan raises his eyebrows and also looks over to see his two eldest sons observing the conversation. At this Dave looks at the ground, trying to avoid eye contact. Which all but confirmed Alan’s suspicions about there being more to this latest escapade, and he smiles to himself. ‘So, Dmitri is covering something up.’ Alan thought but decided at this moment not to press the subject. 

“Lucky indeed, where is this man now?” Alan asked, turning back to Dmitri and shelving the conversation that he would have to have with Dave about his obvious part in this cover up.

“Down in the holding cell, Charlie's seeing to him about his mouth.” Dmitri said, not entirely sure if Alan knew that something had happened or not. He knew that he was not a good liar, and that the man would find out eventually. He just hoped that Dave would confess in time, so that he could extract the information that he needed from their prisoner, with the methods that he planned on using not being Alan’s thing. And the only thing that would change the righteous fool would be if Dave confessed about almost being kidnapped by the man downstairs.

“Well then, let us go down and meet this new guest.” Alan said as he and Dmitri walk of down the hall closely shadowed by Dave, leaving Jack alone in the entrance hall, as the only one who knew about what had happened the previous night, and why his little brother had been acting so suspicious.

It had been odd the previous night to hear his door opening at about three-o’clock in the morning, what had been even odder was the fact that it was Dave who was standing in the doorway to his room, looking more terrified than Jack had ever seen him since they had buried their mother. And Dave looked as white now as he did back then.

Although Jack had known about his little brother’s night time excursions for the past two months, he had assumed that he was smart enough to not go to far outside the manor’s walls, as he knew the kinds of people that inhabited the lands between the manor and city. And whilst they wouldn’t attack in the day. At night and alone was a different matter, especially considering how young Dave was. But his younger brother had not listened to his warning apparently and had gone way further out than he should have, and had apparently run into one of these dangerous men, only being saved when Dmitri had followed him and stopped whatever it was that was going on, Jack hadn’t managed to get that particular information out of Dave.

All he did know was that it was something terrifying enough that it had caused the usually belligerently independent Dave to ask if he could sleep in his room, something that had not happened in close to half a decade. And refusing to leave his older brother’s room until he was given that permission to remain. After reluctantly agreeing to this, Jack had then been kept awake by Dave’s mumblings and moaning’s as he restlessly slept on the floor, as Jack had absolutely refused to share his bed with his younger brother, even if something terrible had happened.

Inside the still dimly lit cave Alan and Dmitri arrive at the cell, which had been constructed many months ago by Dmitri in anticipation of the potential guests that he intended to bring in his quest against The Answer, but so far it had stood empty, a constant reminder of how difficult this mission was going to be. As the pair walked towards the door, they witness Charlie exiting, wiping blood of her hands with an even bloodier cloth.

“Well, you did a number on him, you ripped out four lower teeth getting that fucking capsule out.” Charlie said, she had been as curious as Alan when Dmitri had reported that they had a living captive to interrogate, but she too was curious as to how he had managed it. Her curiosity had been out-shadowed however, when she caught a look at the man that Dmitri had brought in. And whilst she had done her best to fix the poor sod up, she knew that he would be unlikely to be alive for much longer.

“At least he's alive we have some questions for him, is he able to answer them right now.” Alan asked, Dmitri lurking behind him, looking like an eager puppy. Ready to begin whether the prisoner was ready or not.

“Yes, but...” Charlie said, but this was all Dmitri need to hear and he interrupts Charlie mid-sentence.

“That's good enough for me.” Dmitri said as he strides past her and into the prison cell. It was a simple room, with the only objects inside being a table, a set of chairs and a one-way mirror that the observation deck, although it was still under construction. And slap bang in the middle of the cell, Patrick is sitting, handcuffed to a table, looking almost bored as if he is displeased that the interrogation was taking this long to get started. As Dmitri strides into the small room, looking like all of his wishes had come true at once, he takes a moment to savour the moment as both Alan and Charlie come in behind him, curious looks on their faces, as if they fear what was about to happen next.

“I trust you know that I’m not going to talk.” Patrick said with a smirk on his face, thinking that he had just won the interrogation before it had even started. However, Dmitri had other ideas about how this was going to go. And with the thoughts of what had happened in his childhood coming to the forefront of his mind. He simply walks over to the table, grabs his knife from his belt and stabs Patrick through the hand. As Patrick yells in agony, Dmitri pushed on and begins to twist the knife around a bit, a sadistic smile on his face. As this happened, Alan looked at Dmitri in mild horror.

“Dmitri, that's enough.” Alan said, but Dmitri continues to twist the blade around, with the same grin on his face, seemingly not listening to what he was saying.

“Oh, we've not even got started yet.” Dmitri said not looking at Alan, his full attention was on the man in front of him, and ready to start his long awaited revenge against this man and those that he represented. But at this Alan did lose his temper, and raised his voice to its full and impressive volume.

“I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!!” Alan bellowed as he grabs Dmitri, ripping the knife out of Patrick hand with an unusual cracking sound, and walks him outside along with Charlie, who had thought that something like this would happen. Once in the cave, Alan rounds on Dmitri, who was still looking towards the cell. “What the hell was that back there?” Alan asked, managing to rain in his voice if not his anger over what he had seen in the prison cell.

“Consider it the beginning of my revenge.” Dmitri said, still focused on the cell door and wondering what Alan’s deal was. He had served his interested back when he risked his life to go to Boris’ Fortress, and broken into The Mayor’s office. And now he was being denied the simple pleasure of the embodiment of his ruined childhood suffer as much as he had done.

“We're not torturing him, Dmitri.” Alan said, he absolutely refused to be a part of this, and as this was still his house, just turning a blind eye to the problem would not be enough. But this simple request was seemingly not to his colleagues taste, as Dmitri looks at him in utter amassment of what he was hearing, wondering why he didn’t understand what he was doing here.

“The high road is very pretty Alan, but you'll have a hard time marching an army down it.” Dmitri said coolly, as far as he was concerned the man inside that cell had absolutely no rights whatsoever. And he was absolutely ready to break his promise to Dave right here and now if it meant getting even with that man. 

“We'll be doing this the right way.” Alan said, standing firm, although he didn’t feel it. He knew that he was ultimately powerless to stop Dmitri from torturing the man inside that cell if he wanted to, as the former captain was a lot stronger than him, and also had the physical will to see his personal mission through to the bitter end. Dmitri scowls at Alan before realising he's getting nowhere; he stops and tries a new tact.

“Can I have three minutes alone with him, I promise I won't torture him.” Dmitri said, how well he would keep this promise, he didn’t know. But he knew that he had to have the last word against Patrick, or the scum would think he had gotten out on top. At this Alan stops to think, wondering what Dmitri was planning and what the anterior motives could be to this potential arrangement, as he seriously doubted that his friend’s desire for bloody revenge had been halted that easily.

“Two minutes. Not a second more.” Alan said, choosing to agree and observe the next few moves, although he knew that he would not be able to witness what would happen inside the cell, he would at least be able to watch the moves after that. 

But upon winning this battle, and before Alan could object anymore, Dmitri nods and re-enters the cell and closes the door, as Alan and Charlie wait outside, until the observation deck was completed, they would have no hope of knowing what was done or said inside.

“Ah, back again so soon. My other hand is free should you want to maim it.” Patrick said a slight gleam in his eyes. It was as Dmitri had feared, this piece of human scum was under the impression that he had won the first battle. Dmitri stand there still as a statue, weighing his next move. As Patrick continues “I mean it must be hard, not being in control when all you want to do is hurt me.” Dmitri proceeds to lunge at him but stops when he is within a few inches of his face to the point that he could smell the man’s rancid breath on his own face, but he didn’t care. All that mattered now was coming out on top of this first bout.

“Listen here, the only reason you are not being tortured to insanity right now is because I allow it.” Dmitri said, spitting venom at the Patrick and hitting the rat face with impunity, but the prisoner simply smiles back at him.

“I hardly think so, the other one, Mr Wolfrick is it, seems to be the one in charge of this whole operation that you have going here.” Patrick said sitting back in his chair as far as he could go in an attempt to keep the conversation under his control. Dmitri however grabs his ragged shirt and brings him so far forward that they are once again within an inch of each other.

“Listen, I'm in charge, because the second I tell him that you tried to kidnap his son. He'll allow me to do whatever the fuck I want to you without a second thought.” Dmitri said, before turning on his heel and walking out smiling having done what he set out to do and leaving Patrick alone to think on those words.

By the time that Dmitri walks out of the doors to the holding cell, both Alan and Charlie had vacated the area, however he was not alone as he sees Dave standing right in front of him looking towards the ground as he had done both during the walk back to the manor, and when he had seen his dad talking with Dmitri, although the way the boy’s head had darted downwards indicated that he too had been looking at the cell door.

“What are you doing down here kid?” Dmitri asked, although he already knew the answer to that question.

“I want to see him.” Dave said, still looking at the ground but his voice remained firm and demanding as he spoke, as if he had been thinking and rehearsing exactly what to say since arriving down here. Thanking the gods that the kid was at least honest enough to give the real reason first time, unlike his older brother as it would make his response so much easier. Dmitri put his hand under Dave's chin and lifts it up so he can see his face which bore all the scrunched up stubbornness and defiance that an eleven-year-old could muster.

“You can see him once you tell your father and Vernon how exactly he was caught. Until then, no can do little man.” Dmitri said. The response had been what he had expected and as Dave looks like he is about to argue back on the matter. Dmitri puts his hand in his pocket, taking out a small knife, which was still bloodied from Patrick’s hand, he had thought about it all of the previous night, and had come to the conclusion that he could not stop the kid from going out on his reckless missions of exploration. But he would be dammed if Dave would be doing this unarmed. “In the meantime, I want you to take this. Should keep you safe if you go out again.” Dmitri said holding the knife blade first to Dave who takes it and begins to examine the knife.

“Really?” Dave asked as he looked at the blade as if the weapon was the coolest object he had ever seen. He had never been allowed any where near any of the weapons that the manor held, heck he wasn’t even allowed near the cutlery draw in the kitchen, as Vernon seemed to think that he was ‘too irresponsible’ and ‘as dangerous as a arsonist in a fireworks shop’. Whatever the in the gods name that meant.

“First rule of using a melee weapon.” Dmitri said looking down at Dave. “Aim for the heart.” Dmitri finished, as he let Dave take the small blade and watched him as he shoved it into his belt, wondering who was going to get into the most trouble when Alan or even worse, Vernon found out about this.

“I know where to aim.” Dave said as he rolled his eyes, but smiled all the same at the fact that someone in this place was willing to trust him.

“Good. Now head back upstairs.” Dmitri said as he rustled Dave’s unkempt hair and watched as he walked away from the holding cell. At which, Dmitri takes a look back at the cell himself wanting to continue his interrogation so much, but decides against it and follows the eleven-year-old out of the cave.