Chapter IX

Questions for the Wolf

Martin was awoken from his stupor by the sound of his cell door bashing open against the wall, Martin looks up to find a guard standing in the doorway, electro stick in hand. His initial thought was that he was still dreaming, but that all ended when the guard came closer and began bellowing orders at him.

“Inmate 346 please vacate your cell.” The guard said looking stern. Martin’s heart skipped a beat, as he began to slightly panicked thinking that the guards knew about his plan to escape. He left the cell only to have his nerves slightly put at rest, as he saw that all the other inmates’ cells were being searched. 

His fear however returned as he realised that the cells were not due to be searched for another two days. There was no time to think about this though as both Olly and Jeanie came within eye shot and stared at him. Martin shook his head slowly, trying to tell them not to do anything revealing. Thing then started to go from bad to worse as Layton came out of his cell holding the small lock pick in his hand, the pick he had used to open the cell door the previous evening. The sociopath looked around at the onlookers with his usual grin coming across his face.

“Inmate 346, step forward.” Layton said looking like all his birthdays had come early. Martin gulped, he didn’t want to, but he knew that if he didn’t this sociopath would drag him forwards anyway, or perhaps even start railing against the innocent onlookers. He gulped once more as he stepped forward seeing Russel join Jeanie and Olly before looking at the ground knowing what was about to happen. 

As soon as Martin was in reach Layton took out his electro stick, looked around at the assembled crowd, and then proceeded to use the stick, which he had turned to full blast, on Martin causing the boy to keel over onto the ground, twitching madly from the electricity that was surging through him. Layton stands over Martin and drives the stick home again, repeated electrocuting the boy until he begins to violently twitch on the ground.

“Stop it! You’re killing him!” Jeanie yelled, this achieved nothing other than causing Franklin to hit Jeanie so hard over the head with his own stick that she collapsed, knocked out cold, a small trickle of blood coming from the wound. 

After a few more jabs with the electro stick. Martin having lost consciousness a few moments prior, Layton turns to two of the guards who were standing there looking slightly nauseous themselves.

“You two, take inmate 346 to room ninety-nine.” Layton said whilst mopping sweat off his forehead, straitening up and composing himself. The two guards look at each other, then pick up the unconscious Martin and drag him out of the cell block, as Layton turns to the rest of the inmates, holding the small pick that Martin had used to unlock his cell the previous night in his hand and address’ the room at large. “Inmate 346 has been found in possession of contraband. Now get back into your cells.” Layton finished and then turned on his heel and walked out followed by the rest of the guards, with the inmates returning to their cells as ordered. Only leaving Olly, Russel and the unconscious Jeanie who laid spread eagled on the ground. Olly got down to examine Jeanie, before looking up as Russel.

“Someone betrayed us.” Olly said venom spitting out of his mouth as he spoke.

“Unless the cells are monitored more than Sparky thought.” Russel said, he had had his doubts on that theory, but had been willing to go along with the idea as Martin had been here for much longer. Olly thought it through whilst he continued to examine Jeanie. To him at least it was just too coincidental that the guards would search their cells mere hours after their meeting last night.

“Let’s get her back.” Olly said hauling Jeanie onto his shoulders. “Then we can find out what they’re doing to Sparky.” Olly finished, Russel nods and opens the door to Martin’s cell so Olly can carry the unconscious girl through and deposit her onto the now vacant bed.

About half an hour later Martin regains consciousness finding himself lying down on a metal table, he tries to move his hand to massage his throbbing head, but realises he can’t. Looking to his left he sees that his hand has been strapped down to the table. A quick look around shows that his other hand, both his legs and his chest are in the same situation. As Dr Larry comes into his field of vision smiling his cruel smile, holding a cloth in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.

“Well then inmate 346, finally awake I see.” Dr Larry said placing the bucket next to Martin, the seven-year-old had no idea what was about to happen, but he guessed it wasn’t going to be good, which was then confirmed when the doctor continued. “Today we’ll be extracting a very sincere confession from you.”  Dr Larry continues but the smile remains, and Martin says nothing. 

As the doctor sees the boy’s stubbornness, he lays the cloth over Martin’s face, picks up the water bucket and slowly begins to tip the water onto the cloth, effectively waterboarding Martin. 

After thirty seconds of this, Dr Larry removes the cloth of Martin face causing him to splutter. From across the room a giggle could be heard, Layton stands by the door on guard, watching the show with nothing short of delight on his face. The other guard in comparison looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.

“Tell me, what were you planning last night, and who were you planning with?” Dr Larry said looking down at Martin who remains silent, determined not to give his friends. Dr Larry sighs before reapplying the cloth and starting the torture over again. After a minute this time Dr Larry takes off the cloth. “Tell me, what were you planning last night, and who were you planning with?” Dr Larry asks again, but once more Martin remains silent, at least on the outside, inside he was screaming, and so it begins again. Each time the questions would be asked, and the Doctor would get no response. On the fifth cycle, the doctor once more removes the cloth and asks the question again, but this time after Martin had finished spluttering finally responds.

“You really think I’m going to tell you anything, you lunatic.” Martin yells smiling like a maniac himself, after all, what more did he have to lose now, he was almost certainly a dead kid, so he may as well have some fun. 

This outburst causes Layton to stop laughing and Dr Larry to slap Martin across the face, a trickle of blood comes out of the boy’s nose and a red mark was left on the right cheek. But the doctor wasn’t done as he grabs the water bucket and proceeds to tip the remainder of its contents all over Martin. With that done, the doctor grabs Layton’s electro stick, cranks it up to full power and uses it on the sopping Martin.

Outside the room Olly and Russel hide alongside the wall listening in and can hear Martin screaming as well as the crackles coming from inside. Both boys wince slightly at the screams, although none could see what exactly was happening, neither doubted that their friend was in real trouble.

Both however had very different reactions, Olly makes to get up and head towards the room in order to try and stage a rescue. Russel on the other hand, grabs hold of Olly’s clothes and forces him back down, a difficult task as the northman far outweighed Russel.

“Why are you trying to stop me. They’ve got Sparky in there.” Olly said looking at his friend indignantly.

“Yeah, and it will be about five against one Olly. Cause I’m going to be of no use, and Jeanie is still out cold.” Russel said as he tried his utmost to stop Olly from doing anything rash.

Back inside the room, Dr Larry comes up again and reapplies the electro stick causing Martin to shriek in pain, and just like when Hector had applied the stick, Martin thrashed around like a drowning fish on the table, only stopped from falling off by the thick straps that bound him in place. After a few seconds of this, which was more than enough in Martin’s opinion, the doctor removes the stick and turns to Layton.

“You know, I think inmate 346 needs some help drying off.” Dr Larry said as he takes out a small lighter. Seeing this, Layton nods and undoes the strap on Martin’s hand before forcefully extending out the seven-year-old’s hand and opening it up, at which point the doctor brings the lighter between Martin’s fingers, resting just away from webbing between his fingers. Martin realises what was about to happen, and attempted to struggle, but it was no good, Layton had his hand in a vice like grip that prevented any form of escape. But before Dr Larry could apply the lighter, he suddenly stops, a frown creasing his face. “But maybe we don’t have to do this. Maybe the inmate has learned his lesson.” Dr Larry said looking at Martin, a weird grin on his face.

“Yeah, sure I hav…” Martin said quickly, seeing that the flame was inches away from his hand, before realisation came to him, and he looked up and noticed Dr Larry and his returned smile, before continuing. “You’re screwing with me, aren’t you?” Martin said dejected, Dr Larry only smiles and nods before continuing the interrogation.

“Tell me, what were you planning last night, and who were you planning with?” Dr Larry said returning to his line of questioning as calm as could be. After receiving nothing but silence, Dr Larry applied the lighter between Martin’s fingers, causing the skin to slowly cook. 

After applying the lighter to each one of Martin’s skin webbing on both hands without getting any information from the boy. He reattaches the straps to Martin’s wrists and looks down at the boy. “You know inmate 346, I almost admire your resilience. But I need you to confess.” Dr Larry said, waiting patiently for a response, but after once more receiving none he continues. “You are giving be no choice inmate. Layton.” Layton walked up looking like an eager puppy.

Outside the cell Olly and Russel looked at each other, the crackling had stopped, but the screams had continued, although their friend was not begging just yet, like Olly had heard so many times before whenever the other poor sods that lived here were taken into that room.

“Why has it gone all quite?” Russel said. He didn’t like it, as this scared him far more than the screams ever had done, at least with those they had an idea of what was going on inside the room. But now, the silence made it sound like their friend was already dead.

“I don’t know but we should do something.” Olly replied as he made to move towards the door, before stopping and looking around. “Is it me or is it colder than usual.” Olly continued and looked at Russel. The pair could both feel it, it seemed like the temperature had plummeted by about twenty degrees, before nodding and the two boys retreated to safety and they hoped, a good hiding place as a tall dark figure glides around the corner.

Back inside the room, and completely oblivious as to the drop in temperature, Dr Larry sighed deeply as if he was reluctant to issue the next order. But orders it, nonetheless.

“Layton. Please remove the inmate’s trousers, let’s see if he holds out when his testicles start to cook.” Dr Larry said with no look of enjoyment now. Layton however, eagerly nods and moves towards Martin but at that exact moment a voice comes from the doorway, a light airy voice that no less carried across the room.

“Stop… Right there Dr Larry, if you please.” The voice of Eugene said, causing both Dr Larry and Layton turned around, with Martin looking up and seeing the one person who was worse than either of the two jackals in front of him. 

The hooded figure of Eugene stands in the open doorway, looking more like whatever death looked like than any normal person. The mortals in the room pause as Eugene begins to gliding over towards Martin, who now has a real look of terror in his blue eyes, he begins to fruitlessly struggle against the restraints holding him down to the table, hoping for one last chance to make a break for it, but to no avail. He knew that if Eugene had troubled himself to come down here, he was in serious trouble, as he had been counting on the fact that he may have been able to hold out against the doctor, but the man in front of him now, was an unknown matter. Assuming of course that he still was a man, and Martin did not no how long he would be able to hold out against someone who had been brought back from the dead. 

Eugene glides over and stands above Martin, before putting a pale, bony hand on the boy’s still reddened cheek stroking it gently. His cold dead eyes looking down at the terrified Martin.

“Now then, Mr Wolfrick. You are going to tell me everything that I need to know. So make this easy on yourself if you would, and be a good lad.” Eugene said, and Martin knew there was nothing he could do to stop him. As what remained of Eugene’s lips curled upwards into a smile more terrifying than he could have been angry. As he looks down at Martin he continues. “You are going to tell me everything.” Eugene continues on.

“You really think I’m going to talk.” Martin said mustering what little courage he had left. “I ain’t telling you anything.” Martin finishes, although not believing a word that had just come out of his mouth. However, it has the desired effect of making Eugene visibly angry. Too his side, Martin could here the sound of Dr Larry deep breaths, and the wince from the other guard in the room. As for Layton, he continued to grin his sadistic smile at the boy’s defiance. It took no time at all however, for Eugene to regain his composure.

“I’m afraid it is not up to you, Mr Wolfrick.” Eugene said with a hint of anger coming through in his voice. “Your mind will speak… Or it will break.” Eugene said as his lip curling back up again, as he regained control of the conversation.

As Eugene stands above Martin, he moves his palm so that it now resting on the boy’s forehead, with the same cold smile on his face. Layton and the other guard stand by the door and Dr Larry stands to one side as well.

“Tell me Mr Wolfrick. What are the resistance planning? And where are they now?” Eugene asked, looking down his lips curling upwards into a leer. This sudden change in the questioning took Martin of balance for a moment, but he tried his best to continue his own albeit wavering resistance. 

The problem with that was however, was that when Eugene had begun to speak, it was as if there was another presence in his mind, trying to force itself inside his head, reaching for his most deeply held information. And as the interrogation continued, the presence did not dissipate, on the contrary, it became larger and larger, forcing itself inside right to the back of his mind.

“How should I know, I’ve been locked up here for eight months haven’t I, now get out of my head.” Martin said with what was left of his courage but there was desperation in his voice now and he wanted nothing more than for this line of questioning to end. But as Eugene shakes his head slowly the smile still on his face, as if he could tell that he was being lied to and Martin knew that this was not going to end well.

“You’re still hiding something from me Mr Wolfrick, pray tell, what are you trying to conceal from me?” Eugene asked and as he was speaking Martin could feel pressure beginning to rise in his head, it was like there was some dark force attacking his mind as Eugene continued to speak both using his lipless mouth and his mind.

“I said, get out of my head.” Martin said but his previous defiance was now gone, and he was now pleading for the questioning to end. The pain was excruciating, it was like his head was ripped apart from both the outside and the inside. As it continued, he heard Eugene’s voice, although the physical man didn’t speak. Instead it was a telepathic communication, which was if anything even worse, as the presence in his mind was now the one demanding that he answer the questions.

“Just let me in and the pain will stop.” Eugene’s voice said, in its usual calm airy tone, at which point Martin’s memories begin to start playing in his head, without him calling any of them forward. It was like the strange presence had flicked on a film, and was fast forwarding to the most interesting parts. But even that did not satisfy it, as Eugene continued to speak. “Again, what are you hiding from me? I see you, your faithful man servant, the two soldiers, the two scientists, the beast in human skin, as well as two strangers that I do not know, but only two of your brothers. Where is the third? Is he rallying resistance cells to join the rebellion? You will tell me Mr Wolfrick. You will tell me everything.” Eugene said, and as he speaks, Martin begins to scream at the top of his lungs, as the pressure inside his head continues to rapidly increase to point that it was becoming to painful to bear, he begged inside his head for the waterboarding to return, or the burning, as anything else that would be less painful that whatever this was. But there was no such luck.“Tell me and the pain shall end.” Eugene’s voice said in response to these pleas for mercy.

Outside both Olly and Russel could hear the screams even though they are no longer by the doors to room ninety-nine. The screams were so loud, both boys were certain that the entire prison would be able to hear them.

Back inside Eugene continues to press for information regarding the resistance. “I see a town at the base of the mountains. This is the place where the third brother is, is it not?” Eugene said his eyes glowing scarlet at this question looking down at Martin.

“Please. I’ll tell you anything, just get out of my mind.” Martin said, tears flowed down his cheeks as he spoke, wanting for this latest painful torture to just end. But Eugene continued probing with little concern for the boy’s mental state, until eventually he obviously found what he was looking for. And the corpse like face almost lights up in a horrible glee. As the image of Bergskort is brought forward from Martin’s memories.

“Yes, I can see it clearly now.” Eugene finishes and exhales slightly as he removes his hand from Martin’s forehead as the boy continued to sob uncontrollably, he couldn’t have stopped even if he wanted to. This however, seemed to be of little concern to Eugene who, with the interrogation now done turns to a cautious Dr Larry.

“What the fuck was that?” Dr Larry said, but Eugene ignored the question and continued on.

“That will be all now. Give Mr Wolfrick his final drug. Fifty times strength.” Eugene said and the doctor goes to get the drug as Martin looks up, his tear-streaked eyes wide with horror. Before Eugene turns back to him, no longer smiling. “It is a pity that you did not see the light, Mr Wolfrick. I had… Such high hopes for you.” Eugene continues. He didn’t even sound angry, just mildly disappointed. Before addressing the guards. “Once the drug is administered take young Mr Wolfrick below would you.” Eugene finishes and begins to leave the room.

“What about the plans he was making last night. I need to know who else was in on them?” Dr Larry said, he was not happy that this creature seemed so unconcerned about this fact.

“I care little for escape plans doctor, they have never succeeded and this one will be no different. And the odds are that every inmate here is formulating some escape attempt.” Eugene said as he glided back over towards Dr Larry and got right up in his face. “Now. Do as I say, or you will share this boy’s fate.” Eugene finishes, before turning around and gliding out of the room, taking the cold with him as he glided.

“It would be my pleasure.” Layton replies, not that Eugene heard him. As Dr Larry grabs a syringe and before Martin can offer up any resistance he is injected with the drug and was knocked out on the spot.

Now back in the cell block Olly and Russel talk about what they had overheard back outside of room ninety-nine, when Jeanie wakes up. The girl looks distortedly around the stone room, she wondered what she was doing here, then her memories return thick and fast.

“What happened, where’s Martin?” Jeanie asks looking around, the last thing she remembered was seeing them lay into Martin with the electro rods. But before either boy can reply, they hear a door open in the distance and witness an unconscious Martin being dragged across the corridor floor like a rag doll towards the elevator that every inmate knows. The dead drop. It was called, as those who went down, never came back up. As Olly, Russel and Jeanie along with a few others in separate cells watch as the two guards open the doors with the cards on their belts, before entering the elevator and heading down.