The Cairo Saga, Book 2: The Solaris Irregulars
Part 40: Interrogation
Field Base Charley
Callisto V
Lyran Alliance
Carpenter was handcuffed to a chair in the basement of the abandoned Castles Brian. Next to her sat Precentor James Van-Peters, the Word of Blake MechWarrior who's Atlas had tried to assist her in killing Steven Cairo.
Cairo walked in and sat on a chair opposite them, "Well now, who wants to tell me what I want to know, and who wants pain?"
"You gave me your word that no harm would come to me if I surrendered!" Carpenter looked him hard in the eye.
"No, I said that no-one under my command would hurt you, I never said anything about hurting you myself." To prove his point, Cairo drew his pistol and slowly screwed a silencer onto the end. He pointed the gun at the floor and looked at his two prisoners, "Anything to say?"
"I would rather die than tell you anything!" Van-Peters spat at Cairo, hitting him on the arm.
"Anyone can be brave when facing certain death, but there are worse things than dying." Cairo smiled, wiping the spit from his sleeve, "Trust me, I know." He pointed the pistol at the Precentor's leg and fired.
The 9mm round shattered the man kneecap, making him cry out with agony.
"You're insane!" Carpenters eyes went wide.
"According to my last psych-evaluation, yes." Cairo smiled wildly as he pointed the gun at Carpenters knee, "You want to talk, or shall I tell the doc to get two plastic kneecaps ready?"
"I'll talk!" Carpenters eyes where wide with fear.
"Good." Cairo smiled, putting the gun back in its holster, then opened the door, allowing two medics to enter, "Of course, it's not me who'll be asking the questions. I'm sure that Loki has people back on Tharkad who know what to ask, and how to encourage you."
Carpenter was completely confused, "How do you intend to get us to Tharkad?"
Cairo smiled, "That's a surprise."
Cairo managed to get back to his quarters before he regurgitated his last two meals.
Sinead handed him a towel once he had finished, "You know, a few years back, this would not have phased you, but now it makes you physically sick."
Cairo nodded, washing his mouth out thoroughly, "Well, I'm not the same person I was back then." He took his wife in his arms, "At lest, not when I'm around you: I went a little crazy when you where in hospital back on Tukayyid. I didn't like what I became."
"That's because you're not like that anymore, and that's why I married you." Sinead smiled.
Cairo kissed her, "So it had nothing to do with you being pregnant at the time?"
To Be Continued…