“ We know nothing I promise” the man choked through the pressure from the boot on his throat. “We were told to guard and cough kill anyone who made it down” he coughed again. “Good money for no questions asked”. Some bloody spittle ran from the corner of his mouth and Mary could only feel disgust. The worst, she believed them. Why would anyone trust these useless mercs who would tattle on their own gran for a wad of cash? Removing her foot, the grunt sighed in relief. Fool, she interned as her fist gave him the gift of sweet oblivion, like her da had taught her. She swung agiley as a noise distracted her. It was Joe, looking slightly less skeletal.

She smiled at him. He had held his own fairly well, for a mere babe of the woods. ‘Although his strength…’ she trailed off as she gazed over his relatively scrawny arms and chest. He scratched his head awkwardly, attempting and failing to avert his gaze from her chest. ‘Good’ she thought. “I think it's time we asked grease pot some questions, no?”. A glimmer of something sinister crossed the man's eyes and she shivered. ‘I think this one might actually have potential’ she nodded to herself as she walked over to where the leader was tied.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

She washed the blood of her hands in the frothing pool below, taking time to thoroughly cleanse beneath her nails. That had not been an easy interrogation, and despite the tricks of the trade that had been instilled in her since her birth, the grease ball had been remarkably closed mouth. She begrudgingly felt respect for the man who had been her once murderer and reflected upon what they had learned, however little. It was big. Much bigger than even she had anticipated. Thousands of sites under hundreds of different companies. The man, Luke, had been running security on several of them across the year, bouncing from one site to another every month. And then finally, site F, he had become a permanent fixture for the last few years. He had smiled then, through his bloody teeth and lacerated eye sockets, he had smiled. “I am known for my discretion for dealing with unwanted problems” he had said. She grabbed at her shoulder as she remembered the scene. Argh she had wanted to kill him right there and then. Joe on the other hand has remained emotionless. Slightly chilling, she had to admit.

She then had asked about the missing or dead workers and Luke had merely shrugged. “Like I said, if there's a problem, I deal with it.” Joe left at that point without a word. As Mary watched him walk away she once again was forced to reevaluate this mysterious man. Unbidden, a memory of bloody sand and raucous noise floated in her mind. ‘Maybe’ she thought, ‘maybe’.