35. Virgil – Obey
"Do as you are told and no one gets hurt."
Virgil knows that isn't true. He knows it's a lie. Poison words from a liar's mouth. Because he could hear Scott screaming in the next room over. He can see the blood on the Hood's whip. He can already feel the lashes that are about to grace his back.
"I'll never talk," he says. "I'd rather die."
With a glint of teeth, the Hood brings the whip down on his back. The pain is white hot and stings like acid. Then it's followed by another and another and another and Christ, don't let Scott down.
That's all he can think about. Scott's screams. His defiance. Under torture, he was the living embodiment of everything their father taught them.
"Never give up at any cost."
So he won't. He'll never give up. He'll take every lash. He'll race the Hood to the gates of Hell and back again and he still won't give in.
There is one thing that's threatening to break him, though.
The lack of noise from the next room over.