A rancid smell fills the air.
“Did you just shit yourself? Really? Disgusting. You disgust me.”
I press on the middle of his chest as I use the scalpel to slice into his nipple. It doesn’t come off as easily as I hoped. He screams out in pain, tears easily falling from his eyes. Once I finally get the nipple off, I let him go. Blood pours from the wound.
“No worries. I’ll stop the bleeding. Can’t have you bleeding out and dying on me, can we?”
I go to the knife I used earlier. I turn on the blow torch before heating the blade in the flame. I turn it off then head over to him.
“This will only hurt a little bit.”
As I press the hot knife to the wound, he screams and begs for mercy. The amount of joy I feel from his pain should worry me, but this is what I live for. Ever since I was a child, I was bred for this.
Leo makes a gagging sound, and I jump back right before he throws up all over the floor. Once he empties his stomach, he continues to dry heave.
“It’s okay, Leo. You can end all of this pain. Tell me what I want to know.”
“Can’t. Family,” he pants out.
“I wonder if your brother would cry as much as you. He’s what? Fifteen now? Is he in the business too? Do you think he would squeal like a pig if I cut his nipple off? We could always find out.”
He was already pale, but his face turns even more ashen at my words.
“In the beginning, I was an errand boy. Lately, he has been having me follow these women. I don’t know who they are; I just know they are important. One, I can’t get close to. The other two are easy though. Not as heavily guarded.”
My eyes burn with rage. He’s talking about Sofia, Isabella, and my Mia.
“Why does he want you following them?”
“I honestly don’t know. He didn’t tell me. I just have to report back all their movements. I’m not the only one. There are five others all tasked with the same thing. We trade off. Take turns. This way we can remain unseen.”
Not anymore.
I think to myself. We will need to double, no triple, the protection on the girls.
“Where is Fillipo hiding?”
“Hiding? What do you mean?”
The boy is barely awake at this point, his body limp. I grab his head and slap his face.
“Stay with me, Leo. Where does he live?”
“Queens. Out on Douglas Road. Big house with some property. On Little Neck Bay.”
“Anything else useful you know?”
He starts nodding off.
“Hey! Is there anything else I should know?”
“He sent his wife off. He’s preparing for war. That’s all I know.”
“Good job, kid.” I tap his shoulder. If I was a better person, I would feel bad for what I have to do. Instead, I take joy in it.
“Before you kill me,” he coughs out. “Can you protect my family? They know nothing. They have nothing to do with this.”
I chuckle. “If you’re right, they will be protected. We don’t harm innocents. Especially women and children. Sorry it has to be this way.”
