Chapter 37: Chapter 37
"Well, this is a bloody twist And I reckon you can see exactly where this mess is headed." Eric said, seated on the table, gazing seriously at the battered Brygo.
A wide, unsettling smile crossed Brygo’s scarred face as he looked up at the ceiling and began to laugh, his voice so loud and unrestrained it echoed through the room.
The volume grew maniacally louder by the second, filling the space with disturbing sound. Then, just as abruptly, he snapped out of it, slowly bringing his sight back to Eric, a look of grim resolve replacing the hysteria.
"If my life will do you good, then take it... because that is an option I’d choose instead," Brygo said, his voice cold. He locked eyes with Eric, his single glowing eye an unnerving, intimidating beacon in the dim light.
"We’re not monsters, mate. That’s your department. We don’t butcher innocents to get our way." Eric stated, his voice calm, a slight motion of his head matching his words.
"So, would you consider me as... innocent?" Brygo replied, his head tilted slightly, eyebrows lifted, the words coming out cold and slow.
His reply silenced Eric. He looked at Brygo with a conflicted expression. A person who had murdered countless individuals and was about to murder them, whose grand plan was the eradication of all life across the universe, could hardly be considered innocent. Eric was silent and thoughtful for a brief moment, staring at Brygo, the seriousness of the man’s past actions conflicting with Eric’s own moral code.
"Now that you’ve completely understood the foolishness of your mercy, will death finally be my reward?" Brygo said, tied rigidly to the chair, breaking the silence as he watched the look on Eric’s face intensify.
"Yes, right after you tell us where the Nebulux is being kept," Yelena’s voice echoed cold and sharp from behind.
Now able to stand properly, she was approaching their presence, walking calmly, her expression a nonchalant mask. Brygo’s face dulled at the sound of her voice, the serious look on his face was now accompanied by a soft frown as he watched her approach.
Moments later, she was face to face with Brygo, standing tall and looking down on him, her eyes narrowed.
"You will tell me what I need to know. Starting from the Nebulux," Yelena said coldly, her gaze boring down on him with intimidating authority.
"Seems I didn’t make myself clear. You aren’t getting anything from me... Not today... Not ever," Brygo replied, his voice calm and confident, utterly devoid of fear as he slowly raised his head to face Yelena.
Hearing his words, she stood silently still for a beat, looking down on him, her eyes cold. Then, she moved away, walking directly toward Jimmy.
"The blade," Yelena said to Jimmy, her voice cold with no single expression as she stretched her hand out to him.
Hearing her, Jimmy stood still for a second before looking around for the katana she had given him earlier. He found it lying by the corner where he had dropped it, retrieved it, and brought it straight to Yelena, placing the hilt carefully in her outstretched hand.
"Here," Jimmy said calmly as he released the blade from his grip, his mind buzzing with curiosity about what she intended to do with it.
Receiving the blade, Yelena turned and proceeded back toward Brygo. Brygo’s face held a deeply disturbed expression as Yelena approached slowly, the unmistakable shiiing of the blade being unsheathed cutting through the tension.
"Yelena, I’ve got this. No need for you to—" Eric began, a worried look and tone in his voice as he watched Yelena pass by him, holding the gleaming katana.
"Just a scratch. Nothing more," Yelena replied, without giving Eric her attention, silencing his words before he could finish as she approached Brygo.
A few seconds later, she was once again face to face with Brygo. Her gaze looked down upon him while Brygo kept his face upwards, meeting her eyes, a slight, deeply disturbed expression hardening on his features.
"Where is the Nebulux Core?" Yelena said, her voice cold, laced with silent bloodlust.
Looking up at her, Brygo held a silent stare for a few seconds. And then he spat, the warm liquid landing directly on Yelena’s face. She stood silent, without flinching even slightly.
**SLICE!!!**
It was an attack faster than the eye could see. A swift, clean cut that instantly separated Brygo’s lower right leg from his body. Blood gushed from the wound, splattering the wall behind him.
"Ahhhhhh!" Brygo screamed in pain at the very top of his lungs, moving aggressively on the chair, unable to reach his wounded leg as excruciating pain enveloped his body. His violent movements caused the chair he was tied to to fall onto its side, sending Brygo crashing to the ground.
Her action completely shocked Jimmy and Eric. They looked on, their eyes wide open in utter disbelief.
"Have you lost your damned mind, What the bloody hell’s wrong with you!" Eric shouted, scrambling to his feet and running toward Yelena, positioning himself to block the path between her and the wounded, heavily bleeding Brygo.
Yelena’s gaze was cold and focused as Eric appeared in front of her.
"I told you I had it bloody covered so why the hell did you-?" Eric said loudly, standing between her and Brygo, scolding her, annoyed by her outrageous and excessive action. But his words were abruptly cut short as Yelena swiftly swung the blade for his neck, the razor edge stopping mere inches from touching his skin.
The cold breeze from the swing flowed around his throat as he watched her silently, complete shock freezing his eyes.
Jimmy stood farther away, also completely shocked by Yelena’s sudden, deadly hostility. He wanted to go stop her, but in that moment, he instantly felt the aura radiating from her was too dangerous for him to approach. Going up to her felt like a sheep approaching a lion, suicide.
"Yel... Yelena," Eric stuttered in shock, standing completely still as he faced her.
Her eyes were without remorse as she stared at him coldly, a silent, fierce look in her eyes.
"Move," Yelena spoke softly but coldly, her voice echoing with commanding authority.
Hearing her command and seeing the terrifying, determined look on her face, Eric quietly walked away from her presence, creating an open path between her and Brygo.
With no obstacle in her path, she walked slowly toward Brygo, who was still screaming and bleeding in pain, violently moving his body within his bondage.
Walking backward and swiftly approaching Jimmy, Eric quietly watched as Yelena walked up to Brygo.
"Something’s off, what the hell’s gotten into her all of a sudden?" Eric said to Jimmy as he approached, heavily surprised by her act and the fact that she almost killed him while wondering what she might do next.
Jimmy, unable to answer, fell silent and watched the unfolding event with a mixture of fear and awe.
Getting to Brygo, Yelena stood still for a bit, watching him scream and bleed before picking him up and setting the chair upright, facing her.
Brygo’s screams lowered, replaced by heavy, ragged breathing as Yelena stood the chair upright.
"If death is what you want, then I beg you. don’t answer my question," Yelena said coldly, standing tall and looking down at Brygo, her eyes narrowed.
"Where’s the Nebulux?" Yelena added.
Brygo stayed silent, continuing to breathe heavily as he watched Yelena. After a few agonizing moments, his heavy breathing pattern morphed into a continuous, rattling giggle. The giggles then became full blown laughter as he raised his head toward the ceiling once more.
**SLICE!!!**
A swift blur of motion separated his other lower leg from Brygo’s body. The severed limb flew away as more blood splattered onto the wall.
Brygo’s scream was louder than the former, a primal shriek as pain flowed through his body without any suppression. Both his legs were bleeding profusely, filling the floor with a dark, flowing pool of blood.
"Jesus," Eric said softly, unable to fully comprehend the gruesome event unfolding in front of him.
This was the very first time Jimmy and Eric had ever seen this side of her. It was a terrifying revelation, and they watched in awe, silently pondering.
For a long time, they had been toying with someone so dangerous, so capable of gruesome violence, treating her like a manageable soldier. They never knew they were traveling and carrying fire with them all along.
"Should we... uhm," Jimmy said calmly, turning his head to Eric, unsure of what action was even possible.
"No, now’s really not the time. Trust me," Eric replied, maintaining a worried, tight lipped frown as he watched the scene.
Standing by for a bit and letting Brygo scream, Yelena suddenly pulled Brygo close by the hair and pierced the katana deep into his lap, driving it right through the wooden chair in the process.
A very loud, excruciating scream erupted from Brygo. His eyes were now watering with tears from the relentless pain and screaming.
"How does it feel to be in the shoes of your victims?" Yelena said, pulling his head close as she spoke into his ear before shoving his head away.
She then walked to a corner and grabbed a different seat, placing it right in front of Brygo. She finally sat down, her fists folded as she rested her arms on her laps, leaning forward.
"Your arms are next," she said coldly as she leaned forward toward Brygo, who was now silent and breathing heavily once again, a pitiful, heartbreaking look of defeat replacing his earlier bravado.
"I don’t mind cutting you completely into the sly snake that you are, so I’ll ask again."
"Where is the Nebulux?" she added, an expressionless look on her face, her voice radiating with a cold, sharp tone, completely devoid of remorse for her actions.