Invisible Armies

Chapter 21

No one is in the alley behind their building, or seems to be watching, as Angus and Laurent hustle Campbell out of the car, into the back stairs and up to the apartment. Even an insomniacal nosy neighbour would not see enough to provoke a phone call to the police. Or so Danielle hopes. She follows the men upstairs as Estelle parks the car. When she enters the apartment she feels a little bit better. They are safer now. Discovery is unlikely. They still have to get him out of here, when they are finished, but at least they can pick and choose their own time to do so.

They sit Campbell down at the kitchen table, his hands still trussed behind his back, a dark scarf still wound around his eyes, the ball gag purchased at a sex-toy shop still filling his mouth. He makes a low noise deep in his throat as Laurent expertly ties the chain of his handcuffs to the back of the chair and produces their victim's keychain, anchored by a small black lozenge with the SecurID logo and a liquid-crystal screen that displays six numbers. Laurent drops the lozenge in front of Keiran, who sits at the table's opposite corner, laptop before him, looking like he has eaten, and swallowed, something disgusting. After a moment Keiran types the SecurID number into his laptop.

"Listen," Angus says in a harsh whisper. "We're going to ask you some questions. If you answer them fully and truthfully, you will not be hurt. Understand?"

Campbell doesn't move.

"Understand?"

Campbell nods. Laurent unclips and removes the gag.

"What the fuck is this?" Campbell demands, his voice rising into a shout, his words slurred. Laurent quickly pinches his nostrils shut and reapplies the gag as Campbell breathes in.

"Marvellous," Keiran says. "Bloody excellent. Our subject is too drunk to think. Well done. Full marks."

"Sorry," Estelle says. "He was already half kettled by the time I walked in."

"I'll sober him up," Laurent says.

Keiran snorts. "I don't think black coffee is going to do the trick."

Laurent takes Campbell's nose firmly between his thumb and forefinger and gives it an abrupt, forceful twist. There is an audible snapping sound. The strangled remains of a scream escape Campbell's gagged mouth. He writhes so violently that Angus has to lean on his chair to prevent him from falling over, and blood begins to pour from his nose.

The other four people in the room stare aghast at Laurent.

"Bring a towel," he says to Danielle. "Move! We don't want his DNA everywhere."

Moving numbly, she obeys. He presses the towel to Campbell's face, keeping the blood from seeping onto the table.

"Wait for the blood to clot," Laurent says. "He'll be sober enough by then."

"Fucking hell," Angus says quietly. He seems a little shaken. Estelle, standing next to him, does not.

Laurent looks at him. "If you don't have the stomach for this we should stop now."

"No," Angus says. "No, I'm fine. That was...unexpected. That's all."

The next few minutes seem to stretch out for eons. No one has anything to say. The rasping sounds as Campbell breathes sound like those of a dying animal. Keiran looks like he wants to throw up. Danielle feels the same way. Interrogation, what they called it before it happened, was one thing. Torture is another. But they have come too far now, taken too big a risk already, to even suggest stopping.

"All right," Laurent decides. "We'll try this one more time. Are you going to be loud?" he says into Campbell's ear. "Bear in mind you have two hundred other bones in your body."