No. 18: "I tend to deflect when I'm feeling threatened." | Tortured For Information | "Hit them harder."
Nikolai struggled to keep his feet as he was pushed across the floor with a sack over his head. A moment later he was spun around and pushed into a chair where his wrists were swiftly tied to the armrests. Then the sack was removed, and he blinked as the sudden influx of light, however small from the low lamps, pierced his eyes. He was in an office surrounded by men in suits, and one Mr. Turner. Business in Ketterdam was going well as per usual.
Nikolai leaned back in the chair with an air of apathy. "I'm disappointed, Mr. Sullivan," he tutted at the man in the back.
"Sully knows where his loyalties lie," Turner interrupted. "Unlike a pirate."
"Privateer," Nikolai corrected with an eye roll.
"Yes, one who's recently done business with Henderson. I want to know the details of that arrangement."
"Ah, well, that falls under client confidentiality."
Tuner nodded to his muscle man, a brawny guy who stepped forward and delivered a punch to Nikolai's face.
"I can be very persuasive," Turner added.
"Persuasiveness requires a compelling argument or temptation. So far you're doing it wrong," Nikolai replied.
He received another punch for that, one that knocked his teeth against the inside of his cheek, and a splash of blood coated his tongue. He leaned over to spit the glob out on the nice rug.
"You had access to Henderson's contracts," Turner continued, unfazed. "I want that information."
"We all want things in life. Personally, I'm holding out for a flying ship."
Turner's composure slipped in growing frustration, and he nodded to another of his goons. This one turned to grab something out of Nikolai's line of sight and came back with a tray of sharp implements.
Nikolai arched a brow at them. "Again, I don't think the word 'persuasion' means what you think it means."
Turner seethed at that and personally lunged forward to grab Nikolai by the collar. "Do you think you're brave, or are you just stupid?" he growled, giving Nikolai a rough shake.
Nikolai shrugged one shoulder blithely. "I tend to deflect when I'm feeling threatened."
Turner sneered and released him. "Good. Then tell me what I want to know."
Nikolai warily glanced at the tray and swallowed his mounting fear. "Sorry, still no."
Turner's expression hardened. "Take it up a notch."
The second goon picked up a pair of pliers while the first grabbed Nikolai's left hand and forced his fingers to splay wide. Nikolai attempted to struggle, albeit futilely. He looked away as the pliers pinched around his pinky finger and then squeezed, and he screamed as bone broke.
"Tell me what I want to know," Turner demanded.
Nikolai sucked in a ragged breath against the pain and glowered back at the man. "The answer is still no."
He screamed when they broke his ring finger, then his middle one. When Nikolai still didn't speak, they moved on to his other hand. But even once all his fingers had been mutilated, Nikolai still hadn't given up the information.
Turner was fuming now and stepped in to punch Nikolai in the stomach so hard that it triggered a fit of dry heaving.
"If you- want to- find a dictionary- for 'persuasion,'" Nikolai gasped. "I'll wait."
"Cut off his thumb."
Nikolai's heart lurched, but he refused to give in to Turner, if only out of stubbornness.
Thankfully, before the man's goons could bring out a knife, the door burst open and there were Tolya and Tamar. With a few swift hand movements to channel their heartrending, every man was down and out.
"Took you long enough," Nikolai said raggedly.
The twins looked him over worriedly as they untied his wrists, then supported his weight as he got to his feet. They slipped out of the building and into the dark streets of Ketterdam, weaving their way through alleys and side streets until they reached the docks and the safety of the Volkvolny. There, the twins attempted to heal his broken fingers. They weren't trained as Healers, but the injuries were fresh enough that they could easily realign the bones. Fusing the fractures completely was a tad more iffy, and so they splinted his fingers just to be safe.
Tamar pursed her mouth at him. "I'll help you eat," she said.
Nikolai grimaced at the mortifying offer. "No, thank you."
"You need to eat," Tolya put in. "Healing takes fuel."
"We got some of those fruit pastries you like from that bakery," Tamar added. "They might still be warm."
Nikolai let out a sigh with put-upon lamentation but said, "Now that's the proper use of the word 'persuasion.'"
The twins exchanged quirked looks, but Tolya retrieved the freshly baked pastries and Tamar took a seat next to Nikolai. At least in their care he had nothing to be ashamed of.