His finger reached the tip of the dagger, and gently pricked it, until a single drop of blood ran down the blade.
‘However, I have always found all this energy invested into the subject to be not really necessary. Above all others, there is one single method which is guaranteed to break any man. Attacking both his body, his mind, and, much more important, his hope for the future, it is the single most effective method for dealing with stubborn prisoners. Whether spy, soldier, or simple criminal, not a single man has fallen into my clutches who has not succumbed to it sooner or later.’
Lowering the knife, he slid it down over the front of my tailcoat, down over my belt and between my thighs, until he reached a point, where, for realism’s sake, I had stuffed a pair of my uncle Bufford’s old socks.
‘Try to guess of what I speak,’ he hissed with deliberate menace.
‘Good God! You don’t mean…?’
‘Yes!’
I tried to think of something appropriate to say.
‘Um…you blaggard!’ I tried tentatively. ‘Have you no mercy?’
‘Tell me who you really are! Tell me what you are doing here, and I shall spare you! Otherwise…!’
He pressed the tip of the knife down.
‘Argh, no, please don’t,’ I said with as much gusto as I could manage. It was rather hard when I had to focus all my energy on not bursting out laughing.
‘Will you tell me what I want to know?’
I bit my lip, considering. ‘Hm…let me think…no!’
‘Very well.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘You are a brave man, Mr Linton.’
‘Not really.’
‘You leave me no choice! Fidel!’
‘Yes, Sir?’ The torturer snapped to attention.
‘I have other business to take care of. You are in charge of interrogating the prisoner. You know what to do?’
‘Yes, Sir!’
‘Do not damage any other part of him as yet, Fidel. I want him to be able to talk and walk. As for his ability to father children…that I am not interested in. Do we understand each other?’
‘Perfectly, Sir!’
‘Very good.’ Hilt first, Silveira handed the knife back to his henchman. Giving me a sharp, glittering smile, he turned on his heels and marched out of the room. ‘Until later, Mr Linton. I look forward to hearing all you have to tell us.’
The door closed behind him with an ominous click. Fidel the fabulous torturer smiled a gap-filled smile at me, and stepped closer.
‘Well, well, little man,’ he growled, sliding the dagger along my ribcage.
‘Can you please not do that? That tickles.’
‘I’ll do a damn sight more than tickle you soon!’ The blade of the dagger came to a halt on a certain padded area. ‘Speak! Speak now, or suffer the consequences!’
For a moment, I chewed on my lip, thoughtfully. ‘Hm…I think I’d rather suffer the consequences.’
‘Very well! You have been warned! You shall suffer like no man in this dungeon before you!’
He drew back the knife with a snarl and stabbed it down.