"Ramon. Hector. What is going on? Why would you be putting Jack through this? He does everything for you two. Didn't you have enough fun with him last week? What was that for then – that ridiculous scalding exercise? What information is he supposed to have now? Go over there and stop this now.'
Hector looked at her curiously. 'What's so special about Jack that he shouldn't have to take what we think he deserves?"
'You aren't God, Hector. You just think you are. Why does he deserve this?
She watched as one of the men used his knife to slice apart the front of Jack's shirt, leaving behind a bloody trail down his chest and stomach.
'Claudia.' Ramon said, watching the screen carefully, 'We're testing him. It's simple enough. I have already explained this to you. Be assured, if he comes through this test, I'll reward him highly.'
'Testing him? This is crazy. You tested him when you made him fix in front of you. You tested him when you took him with you to kill those men and he did that for you. You tested him by punishing him – worse than you would punish others for the same crime – just to see if he would take it. You tested him when you took him out as your bodyguard – and he saved your life. And then you do this to him? You're crazy'
'And you are out of line, Claudia', Ramon said calmly. 'This is no business for a woman. Of course you can't understand it. But it is necessary for Jack to earn my trust and this is the only way he can do it. Now you can be quiet and watch. Or you can leave.'
'Sit down Claudia' Hector indicated a space next to him on the sofa, 'And shut up about Jack – or maybe you think there is something special about Jack eh?'
Claudia decided then that she had to stay quiet. Hector's jealousy had led to a beating before. And she hadn't even touched Jack at that stage.
She stared at the screen as Carlos put the point of his knife just below Jack's rib cage and then slowly pushed it in deeper. Then he looked up at Jack's face with a cruel smile and turned the blade a quarter turn.
Jack couldn't hold Carlos' gaze. As the knife turned, he moved his head to the side, perhaps trying to muffle his own screams or perhaps unwilling to let his torturer see the pain etched on his face. Claudia swallowed and looked down at the floor. She couldn't watch this. Why did Jack stay here? She didn't really know. But she knew there was cruelty in him too, that a part of him understood the sadistic games they played. Sometimes, she hoped he stayed in Mexico for her. She knew only too well that his calm exterior hid an extraordinary passion but it also made her wonder how much else about Jack remained hidden.
'So how long is this test? Ramon,' she asked, speaking carefully so that her voice seemed calm and even. She wanted to sound simply inquisitive. 'Surely, if you let them go too far, Jack will be of no use to you for weeks.'
'Don't worry, Claudia. I will know when to stop it' Ramon said. But he looked at his watch anyway. It looked as if Carlos was becoming impatient with his lack of results and he was moving quicker now. Apparently unsatisfied with Jack's reaction to the knife wound, he had nodded to one of the men behind him. Answering the call, the man walked slowly up to Jack and brought down the butt of his gun across Jack's injured and manacled hand. This time there was an instantaneous reaction. Jack appeared to cry out in pain and then his head dropped forward slightly.
'Has he passed out? Hector asked his brother
But, unfortunately for Jack, he hadn't. Carlos pulled Jack's head up and looked into his eyes. He asked him another question and received a brief shake of the head in response. Carlos drove his fist angrily into the knife wound and Ramon stood up. He was starting to think that he had seen enough.