The Interview

The light stung my eyes as it burnt its way into my head. I tried blinking my vision clear. Nope, not possible, the light source was a million-watt light bulb inches from my face.

"WHERE IS IT?"

The words arrived muffled, but a weighted slap to my face brought them into stark clarity.

"TELL US WHERE IT IS!"

A fist crunched into my face that felt as if it could break my jaw. I spat blood. My tongue inspected the damage in my mouth, some teeth were definitely loosened. I had to question if they actually wanted me to answer their questions or if they were just an excuse to hit me. I tried to wipe my mouth, but my hands were tied to the chair I was sitting in. My legs were too, my ankles were tight against the chair legs. My toes were numb, I could only hope that all ten were still functional.

"Let's give him a chance to answer, shall we." A new voice announced.

" Thank you" I mumbled, words felt strange in my mouth.

"So, where is it?" The voice spoke again.

"No idea!" I replied.

The punch came from nowhere and rocked my head back on my shoulders. I thought stars were something only cartoon characters saw, but here they were, dancing around my head. I couldn't make out any faces, just shadows behind the searing lightbulb. I knew what they wanted, but there was no way in hell I would be telling them where it was. Telling them where IT was meant telling them where SHE was, and that just wasn't going to happen.

" Mate, honestly, I get it!" The voice said, "Loyalty is an admirable quality, it really is, but surely self-preservation comes first!"

I know the voice from somewhere, but I can't think, they really have done a number on me so far. It must have been at least two days that I've been strapped here, with no sleep, with no food, and barely any water. I can feel myself wearing down, but I can't, I won't let them break me.

"Might want to switch that light off for a while, the electric bill must be mental!" Stupid, I know.

The water hits me as the last word leaves my lips. I don't even want to think about where the water comes from, I have bigger problems, but it's freezing and leaves me gasping for breath. 

" Now is not the time to play silly beggars!" The voice snaps, " we aren't playing games!"

" You know where it is, WE know you know where it is, so just tell us where it is!" The voice is starting to sound a little whiny now. I can almost place it.... almost. I knew it was important when I took it, I knew that there would be people that would want it back, Need it back. As long as they don't have it, as long as they don't know where it is, she is safe. All that matters is that she is safe. They won't kill me, they need me, without me they don't stand a chance of finding it! 

The beating began anew.

The light was dimmer in my left eye, I could tell that it was swollen, felt the throb as it pulsated in time with my quickening heartbeat. These guys were professional, I had to give them that, they beat me, but never to the point where I passed out. If I passed out I couldn't answer their questions, not that I was answering them anyway, but it's the principle of it all. It was clear I was frustrating them, I could hear them bickering in the next room about the best way to get the answers out of me. They could bicker all they wanted, the only thing they would be getting out of me was a half-decent workout.

"Are you STUPID?" The first voice was back, the deeper voice, the voice that belonged to the fist that nearly broke my jaw.

"We know you took it, just tell us where it is, and we can let you go!" 

Yeah, because that's going to happen! As soon as I broke, I'd be dead, this isn't the kind of situation you get to come back from.

"Why didn't you say so before?" I feigned shock

"I could have been back home with my feet up by now!"

"So where is it?" The voice demanded.

"Where's what?"

.......

My cheekbone is definitely broken, my left eye is definitely swollen shut. I'm not sure how long I was out for, but it takes a few minutes for my head to stop ringing and the fog to lift. I had been knocked backwards in my chair and was now flat against the floor while the ceiling spun circles in front of me. A shadow appeared above me, backlit by the light, I could barely make them out. I realised a moment too late what it was they were holding, an entire drum of water was slowly poured over my face. I couldn't breathe, it felt like my lungs were on fire. They were toying with me, by now they knew that I wouldn't break, this was a last-ditch effort, a Hail Mary play to get me to crack. I may have coughed up an actual lung when the water finally ran out, and I was unceremoniously righted back onto the chairs four legs. 

"Last chance mate, tell us where it is!" The fists voice was cracking. I stared, with my one good eye, at where I assumed the shadows face would be. 

"I ASKED for sparkling water!"

The shadow dove forward but was quickly held back by his colleague, the voice I recognised.

"Leave it, we haven't the time for this! We'll find it ourselves!" I didn't have to recognise the voice anymore, they messed up. When they dove forward I caught their faces in the light, I knew who they were! 

I laughed as they stormed from the room, these guys were worse than useless! Knew their stuff when it came to casual violence, clearly, but other than that they couldn't find their noses with both hands!

Beside me, the million-watt light bulb flickered, popped, and went dark. 

In the dark, I smiled. 

It was safe, SHE was safe, they would never find her!