Chapter 129: Eye For An Eye

The smoke from the revolver cleared slowly, hanging heavy in the damp basement air.

​Ricky didn’t move. His head was turned slightly, his breath steady, staring at the black hole blasted into the brick mortar less than two inches from his left ear.

​Frank lowered the smoking barrel, a slow, ugly grin spreading across his face. "Of course I can’t kill you down here, kid," Frank murmured, his voice dripping with malice. "Where’s the fun in that? What’s better than putting a bullet in you myself is watching you strap into that oak chair up at Sing Sing, twitching and spasming while hundreds of folks in the gallery watch you cook."

​Heavy footsteps thundered down the stone stairs, and Officer Higgins burst into the narrow corridor with his service weapon drawn, his face pale and slick with sweat.

​"Jesus Christ, Knox!" Higgins shouted, glaring at the revolver in Frank’s hand. "Discharging a firearm inside the precinct station house is a direct ticket to a cell! Even Captain Thompson won’t be able to cover your ass if the desk sergeant upstairs reports this!"

​Frank calmly slipped the revolver back into his shoulder holster beneath his tailored coat. "Relax, officer. I gave my word I won’t use it again."

​Higgins let out a shaky breath, wiping his forehead with the back of his sleeve, though the tension in his shoulders remained.

​Frank turned back toward Ricky, shaking out his sore knuckles. "Beating on you is getting tedious anyway. You don’t break like ordinary men. But I know just the thing to wake you up."

​Ricky spat a mouthful of dark blood onto the stone floor, scoffing through his teeth. "What’s next, Frank? Pulling out my fingernails? Waterboarding?"

​Frank’s eyes lit up with a cruel smirk. "No... but you just gave me a grand idea." He turned toward the door. "Red, go grab that bastard we picked up near the tenement block earlier. Help the officer here haul him down."

​Higgins frowned, looking at Frank uneasily. "Who is it this time, Knox? Captain said no civilians—"

​"Don’t worry your pretty head, officer," Frank interrupted smoothly. "He ain’t no innocent bystander. I can give you my solemn word on that."

​Higgins hesitated, then gestured for Red to follow him back up the stone steps.

​Frank turned to Sullivan, nodding toward Ricky. "Rough him up a bit more while we wait. He might get the foolish notion I’m done with him."

​Sullivan stepped up, driving heavy, methodical punches straight into Ricky’s ribs and midsection. But with his upgraded Vitality stats, Ricky barely felt the impact. The tissue beneath his skin repaired itself almost as quickly as Sullivan’s fists landed.

​After three solid minutes, Sullivan pulled back, panting heavily, his arms shaking from exertion. Ricky coughed up a small spray of red, but his breathing remained steady, his internal injuries completely healed.

​Frank sat back against an empty wooden bench, watching Sullivan struggle. "Even you’re getting winded, Sully?"

​"Guy’s built like an iron stove, boss," Sullivan grunted, rubbing his bruised knuckles.

​"Yeah?" Frank glanced toward the stairwell doorway. "Let’s see how tough he stays now."

​Heavy footfalls echoed down the corridor as Red and Higgins dragged a battered man into the basement light.

​Ricky’s eyes widened in sudden, sharp recognition.

​It was Danny. His shirt was torn, his mouth swollen and bloody, but he was still fighting, thrashing against Red’s grip.

​Frank’s grin widened as he took in Ricky’s expression. "So you two do know each other. I could tell by the look on your face. This boy’s a stubborn one too. Even when I put the boots to his boys right in front of him back at the block, he kept his mouth shut tight, swearing he never heard your name."

​Danny spotted Ricky chained to the wall and his eyes flared with wild rage. He wrenched his arm free, screaming, "I’ll kill you, you bastard! I swear to God I’ll gut you alive, Knox!"

​Red slammed a heavy fist directly into Danny’s solar plexus. Danny doubled over with a strangled gasp, groaning as Red hauled him back upright.

​"Easy there, big boy," Frank said dismissively. He pointed across the narrow hallway. "Put him in the cell right opposite Stevenson. Shackles over his head, just like his boss, so they can have a proper eye-to-eye chat."

​Red and Higgins dragged Danny into the opposite cage, pulling his hands up and snapping heavy iron cuffs around his wrists.

​Ricky kept his mouth shut, but his jaw clamped so tight his facial muscles twitched, his glare locked onto Frank with cold, burning fury.

​Frank sauntered over to Ricky’s bars, chuckling softly. "Now that’s a much better look on you, Stevenson. I can see that fire in your eyes. You’re sitting right there, looking at your boy... so close, yet too far to do a damn thing about it. Must be terrible."

​Frank turned on his heel and walked into Danny’s cell. "Don’t you worry, kid. You get a front-row seat for this." He looked out at his men. "Red, go out to the wagon and fetch me that set of iron pliers from the tool kit. And officer, kindly fetch a bucket of fresh water and a rag."

​Danny spat blood onto Frank’s boots, his voice raspy. "You can pull me apart piece by piece, Knox... you won’t get a single word out of me."

​Frank chuckled, patting Danny’s cheek. "Oh, I ain’t looking for answers, boy. I already know everything I need. We’re doing this purely for the show. By breaking you, I get to break your boss over there. He thinks he’s made of steel, but let’s see how much steel he’s got when his friends start screaming."

​A few minutes later, Red returned with the heavy iron pliers, and Higgins set a bucket of water and a rag on the bench outside.

​Frank took the pliers, testing the grip. "Sullivan, hold his legs still."

​Danny thrashing violently, trying to kick, but Sullivan drove a heavy knee into Danny’s gut, knocking the wind out of him, and pinned both of his ankles firmly against the floorboards.

​Frank knelt down, looking across the corridor at Ricky. "You’re gonna feel every second of this, Stevenson. Too bad you only get to watch."

​Frank clamped the iron pliers onto the nail of Danny’s big toe and yanked back with all his strength.

​An agonizing scream tore from Danny’s throat, echoing violently off the damp stone walls.

​Ricky’s eyes flared. Every muscle in his body surged with rage. He grabbed the iron chain links above his head and pulled with immense, superhuman force, straining against the wall anchors.

​CREAK. CRACK.

​The brick mortar surrounding the wall bolts began to crumble, puffing fine grey dust into the air.

​Frank looked over his shoulder, throwing his head back in laughter. "Look at him! Mad as a dog! This is grand—it means it’s working. Let’s keep going!"

​One by one, Frank worked his way across Danny’s feet, tearing out nail after nail while Danny shrieked in agony, his head thrashing against the wall.

​Ricky roared with fury, pulling on the overhead chains with such violent intensity that the iron rings loosened further, brick chips raining down onto his shoulders.

​Frank noticed the iron ring pulling free from the masonry and pointed at Higgins. "Officer, lock his cell door tight! The lad might actually tear those bolts out—he’s a wild beast!"

​Higgins rushed over in a panic, slamming Ricky’s heavy cell door shut and turning the brass key with trembling hands as Ricky pulled against the chains with terrifying force.

​"Jesus Almighty..." Higgins muttered, backing away from the iron bars.

​"Don’t fret, officer, he’s just an angry pup in a cage," Frank said, tossing the bloody pliers onto the floor. "Now for the main event."

​Frank grabbed the rag, dipping it into the bucket. "Sullivan, tilt his head back and keep his mouth open."

​Danny tried to bite Sullivan’s fingers as the goon grabbed his hair, but Red landed a brutal blow to Danny’s ribs, forcing him to gasp for air. Sullivan yanked Danny’s head back, pinning it firmly.

​Frank slapped the wet cloth directly over Danny’s nose and mouth. "Officer, fetch another bucket of water—we might need extra."

​Higgins backed toward the steps, his face pale. "Frank... try not to kill the lad inside the station house, please."

​"Don’t worry your head, officer," Frank said smoothly, picking up the water jug.

​As Higgins hurried up the stairs, Frank began pouring water steadily over the cloth.

​Danny instantly gagged, his body convulsing violently as water rushed down his airway, choking his lungs. He gurgled, thrashing his head from side to side in pure, panic-driven instinct.

​"LET HIM GO, YOU BASTARD!" Ricky screamed, his voice echoing like thunder through the basement.

​Frank looked up, smirking through the mist of water. "Feel the despair, Stevenson... feel it deep."

​With a guttural roar, Ricky put every ounce of his massive strength into a final, violent pull.

​BOOM!

​The mortar shattered completely. The heavy iron bolts ripped clean out of the brick wall, raining dust and masonry onto the floor.

​Ricky stumbled forward, freedom in his hands, and charged straight at the outer cell bars, slamming his body against the iron door with a deafening CRASH.

​Frank, Red, and Sullivan jumped back, startled, their eyes wide.

​Ricky gripped the iron bars, his face smeared with blood and brick dust, his eyes burning with absolute, terrifying vengeance. "I will remember every single one of your faces!" Ricky hissed, his voice lethal and cold. "When I get out of here, I will hunt each of you down and torture you ten times over!"

​Frank recovered his composure, forcing a dry chuckle despite the faint tremor in his hand. "Ho-ho... terrifying words from a caged dog."

​Higgins came sprinting back down the stairs, but he didn’t have a bucket of water. His face was white as a sheet.

​"Frank! You’ve got to get out of here right now!" Higgins gasped.

​Frank frowned, annoyed. "Why? What’s happened?"

​"Someone went straight to the Police Commissioner!" Higgins yelled. "And that gunshot earlier alerted officers on the ground floor! The Captain managed to stall ’em with an excuse, but the Commissioner himself is on his way!"

​Frank’s eyes widened. "Who?! Who tipped off that fat bastard?!"

​"I don’t know!" Higgins stammered. "The Captain said three wealthy uptown families called the Commissioner directly about Stevenson’s arrest—said if anything happens to him while in police custody, the entire city government will answer for it! Captain Thompson says you need to leave through the back alley immediately!"

​"Fuck!" Frank spat, stomping his boot against the floor. "Fuck! Fuck!"

​He turned back toward Ricky, glaring through the bars. "Don’t you celebrate yet, tough guy. I’ll make sure the District Attorney fast-tracks your trial straight to Sing Sing. You’ll ride the lightning, and none of your rich friends will be able to stop it!"

​Ricky didn’t blink. "I don’t care about the DA. When I break free, I’m killing every friend you have... starting with your handlers at Tammany Hall."

​Frank’s jaw tightened, a flash of genuine fear passing through his eyes before he masked it with a sneer. "Let’s see you get past those bars first, kid. The state’s got witnesses and evidence lined up. You’re done."

​Frank paused, a wicked, vengeful smile returning to his mouth. "But before I go... I’ve got a little parting gift for you. Consider it interest on my brother’s debt."

​Frank pulled a small glass vial from his waistcoat pocket.

​Ricky’s blood ran cold. "What are you doing...?"

​Sullivan grabbed Danny’s chin, wrenching his jaw wide open. Danny thrashed, but he was too weak, his body exhausted from the waterboarding.

​"Stop!" Ricky screamed, slamming his hands against the iron door. "STOP! FRANK, STOP!"

​Frank uncorked the vial with his teeth and poured the thick, clear liquid directly down Danny’s throat.

​"NO! STOOOOOP!" Ricky roared, his knuckles bleeding as he beat them raw against the cell bars.

​Higgins looked away, his jaw tight with stress, horrified that a murder had taken place on his watch.

​Frank stepped back, wiping his hands on a handkerchief. "See you at Sing Sing, Stevenson."

​Frank, Red, and Sullivan turned and hurried up the stairs, Higgins slamming and locking the heavy iron hallway door behind them.

​Silence fell over the basement corridor.

​Ricky stood at his cell door, staring across the narrow space.

​Danny’s eyes were wide, locked directly onto Ricky’s. Within seconds, Danny began to gasp, his back arching off the floor as violent spasms racked his frame. White foam bubbled from his lips, his chest heaving uselessly as the poison shut down his nervous system.

​"Danny..." Ricky whispered, his voice trembling. "Danny, hold on..."

​Danny gave one final, violent twitch. His head slumped sideways, his glassy, lifeless eyes staring straight ahead into the dim lantern light.

​Ricky pressed his forehead against the cold iron bars. Tears of pure, unadulterated rage welled up in his eyes, spilling down his blood-stained cheeks.

​He raised his right fist and slammed it into the iron door with a deafening THUD, the sound ringing out through the empty, silent tomb of the precinct basement.