A while later they were still at a dead end. Jack knew from Wilson's file that he had no family that he could use against him and that he suffered from a heart condition since his heart had stopped for a few minutes the previous year, after Renee's interrogation. Therefore, he needed to be careful about torturing him or they may have lost him before getting what they wanted from him. On the other side, Tony looked every minute more impatient to have his revenge accomplished.
"As I told you before – Jack said while holding a large knife previously heated on the burner – we want the names of your associates in the conspiracy that led to the terrorist attacks of last year. If you tell us, I can spare you a series of pointless excruciating pains."
"As I told the FBI last year, I have no idea what names or conspiracy you're talking about", Wilson replied smugly.
"All right."
Jack placed the hot blade on his chest, right next to another burning mark he had left him before.
Wilson screamed in pain as sweat was dropping throughout his body.
"The thing that you have to keep in mind is that we're not at the FBI here – Jack continued while Wilson was still recovering from the burning – There are no rules here and no one is going to save you like the last time if things turned out badly. We've got all night to have the answers we need, so drop your façade of bullshits and start thinking of a way to collaborate with us, because everybody breaks sooner or later, it depends just on how much they wanna suffer."
"I'm not stupid – Wilson resumed talking, still with a labored breathing – Almeida said that you wanted me dead and you both removed your masks, so I know that you're gonna kill me eventually, whether I tell you what you want or not."
"If you're really not stupid, you understand that there is no point in denying in front of us, after that Tony has been working for you for over a year, knowing exactly what you were involved in. It's over, Wilson, the names of the others who had planned everything with you are the only thing that could grant you a quick and painless exit."
Wilson paused for moment, reconsidering his options.
"I don't know any of their names – he admitted – it was rule number one to keep maximum secrecy to prevent that, in situations like this, someone could break and expose the group."
Jack shook his head.
"I don't believe you – he whispered with confidence – It's absolute nonsense that someone would get involved in such dangerous and delicate matters without knowing anything of the people who would work with him. In order to build trust, you need some basic information or someone you trust who can vouch for the other person, that's why you MUST know at least some of them."
"I don't care what you believe."
Jack felt anger taking control on him and punched Wilson again, breaking his nose.
Wilson winced in pain, experiencing growing difficult to breath as blood covered his face.
"Jack, as much as I may enjoy this, we're wasting our time here – complained Tony – He won't tell us anything useful, let's get it over with!"
"Not yet", insisted Jack, sure that he could still find a way to make him talk.
Tony snorted, visibly upset. He was starting to regret having allowed Jack to follow him. Unlike him, Tony didn't give a damn about the other conspirators, he just wanted Wilson's death and he was getting worried that police could burst in any minute and stop them or that his time ran out before he could see the end of it.
"I've noted a laptop in the study. Maybe we should take a look at it and see if you remember something that would connect you with the people you used to work with", Jack told to Wilson with a mocking tone. Then, he glanced at Tony to go and take it. Maybe a little walk would have helped him to calm down.
"A'ight, I get it", Tony grumbled before exiting the room.
Left alone with Wilson, Jack tried a different approach.
"You know, last year when we busted you at the lab and arrested you, you had dozens of henchmen to protect you and that wasn't even your headquarters. Today, we broke in here almost without any resistance. It doesn't take a genius to realize that you've been disowned by the people you're still trying to defend."
Jack paused to find confirmation in Wilson's look.
"Those people, whom you've helped to gain everything they have during these years, have now turned against you and abandoned you like an old shoe. Do you really think it's worth going through all this sufferance for someone who thinks nothing of you anymore? I've been in similar situations before and I can guarantee you that it's not. Maybe last year, when you were at the FBI, you still thought that, denying everything, you could get out easily and save yourself, but now, you've got nothing left to lose, so let those bastards pay as much as you."
Wilson stood in silence, trying to think despite the pain.
In that moment, Tony came back to the kitchen and placed the laptop on the table, close to where Jack was standing.
"Thanks", Jack whispered.
Suddenly, a drop of blood fell on the laptop surface. Immediately, he raised his eyes at Tony with a worried look. By instinct, Tony touched his nose and glanced at his bloody hand, before looking back at Jack with the same concern. Then, he reached out to take some kitchen paper and use it to stop the bleeding.
"I'll come back in a minute – he whispered to Jack – Make him talk now or we move on to the next phase."
Jack nodded and Tony left the room again.
"What the hell is wrong with him?", Wilson asked finding odd Tony's behavior.
"None of your business", Jack cut him off.
Opening the laptop, he then found out that, as imagined, it was password protected.
"How do I unlock it?", he asked to Wilson.
"You won't find anything in it."
"Let me decide that."
Wilson remained quiet.
"Look, you can either tell me the password or I can make you scream again and then call my friend and hack in it anyway. If really there's nothing on it, it shouldn't be difficult for you to make the right call."
"Password is 162589", Wilson gave in.
Jack unlocked the pc and started looking into it. Nothing really seemed to matter there. Sighing, he raised his eyes and his attention was caught by the cabinet Tony opened before. Jack made a few steps and came closer to it. It was filled with any kind of medicines, almost a whole personal pharmacy. Jack thought back at Wilson's file, but nothing could justify such a drug arsenal, neither his heart condition. Unless he was hypochondriac. Maybe it wasn't the pain itself that could make him break, but the fear of what may cause it, especially if it was some terrible or unknown disease. Looking down at the glass Tony had used before, he came up with an idea.
"You wanted to know what is happening to Tony, I'll tell you – Jack began to explain – A few hours ago, we managed to stop a biological attack involving a more aggressive variant of the ebola virus that has shorter incubation and leads to death in 95% of cases in a few hours. Symptoms include fever, vomit, breathing difficulty, until the body starts covering in blisters and ulcers, which quickly become infected causing terrible pains. Then, massive internal bleeding begins and every organ start to fail and fill up in blood, including lungs, until the victim chokes to death in their own blood."
Jack looked at Wilson to check if any of this had any effect on him. Yeah, he was absolutely disgusted. "The only good thing about this virus – continued Jack – is that it doesn't spread through air, but only through body fluids, so it's a little easier to contain. Anyway, unfortunately, Tony has been exposed, that's why you have seen him getting sick before."
"And you're telling me because you want me to feel sorry for this? Yeah, I'm absolutely sorry", Wilson mocked.
"No – Jack replied with a similar taunting attitude – I'm telling you this because I wanna be sure that you know what to expect when you'll end up taking it."
Wilson gazed at him both worried and confused. Jack, while still wearing gloves, took the glass Tony used before and placed it on the table right in front of him.
"You've got three seconds to tell me everything you know about your old group or I'm gonna make you drink from that glass and you'll die an excruciating death without even having to touch you."
Wilson looked at him completely frightened.
"You're insane", he barely managed to say.
"ONE!", Jack pushed his head back and closed his nose with one hand while taking the glass with the other. Wilson screamed again both for fear and pain for his damaged nose.
"TWO!", Jack moved the glass closer to his lips, keeping Wilson's head steady.
"I TOLD YOU I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THE NAMES, I SWEAR!", Wilson yelled in desperation, trying to move his blocked head.
"THREE!", Jack moved the glass even closer, almost touching Wilson's lips.
"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! OK, WAIT, I'LL TELL YOU ALL I KNOW!", Wilson broke, completely terrified.
Jack released his head and put the glass back on the table.
"Tell me NOW."
"I don't know the names, BUT there is a way to expose and locate a selected member through an emergency procedure. It was established for security reasons, in order to be able to identify and expel problematic participants. Only the three original members knew about this and can launch it and, since the other two are dead now, I am the only one who can still do it."
"How."
"On the computer, search for the SVI Music Player. It's a fake interface for the program that can start a scam virtual meeting that sends a virus to a selected member in the encoded list of participants and breaches the encryption layer, exposing their IP. Once you have the IP, it won't be difficult to locate the person behind it. In order to access it, I have to insert my fingerprint. You can find a fingerprint reader on my desk in the study. After that, you'll be able to start the fake call and when they answer, they'll be screwed."
Jack found the software suggested by Wilson and, clicking on it, it was clear that it wasn't a music player and that a fingerprint was requested to access. Jack glanced at the door to see if Tony was coming back, but he was still away.
"If this is a set-up, I swear–
"It's not", Wilson assured, still overwhelmed by fear.
"Ok."
Jack picked up the laptop and moved it away from table, so that Wilson couldn't be able to reach it or damage it and then headed for the door.
