James, who was dragged along on Gregor's back felt nothing but despair.
How could it go this wrong? Didn't I have a nice life?
No not only am I not gonna escape, but even Victoria is doomed.
He didn't think she could escape, how could she?
Not to mention that these guys are three… but their strength is monstrous.
"She's so slippery, like an eel, she keeps changing her direction every time we get close." Viktor cursed.
Cessian looked thoughtful.
"Could she have some type of gift?"
Viktor frowned.
"It's possible… but what would it be?"
"Clairvoyance?" Gregor chimed in.
Cessian and Viktor shook their heads.
"No…"
Viktor licked his lips in concentration.
"What about precognition?"
Cessian waved his hand.
"Too rare."
Just then Gregor's eyes widened.
"Hey, why guess about it… when we have someone who can tell us?"
Cessian and Viktor who were looking at him changed their target and looked at James.
Yes! He should know.
James who heard their conversation felt a tingling sensation run down his spine.
Fear… he was scared.
"No! Don't touch me!" James resisted as he was dragged down from Gregor's shoulder.
"Hey! Let go of me! I don't swing that way!" Gregor said as James kept running his hands all over him.
Finally they got him down, and threw him on the ground.
He landed on his ass and started to crawl backwards as they closed in.
"No… no… "
Viktor smiled.
"Tell us about Victoria's gift… and we won't hurt you."
James hesitated for a second then steeled himself.
"No! I won't!"
It wasn't that he did it for her, no, it was all about his own survival.
You can't just think about now… you need to think further.
And he has!
He will help Victoria escape, and then she can regroup and save him.
All this plays out on how much she likes him.
And he knows… she likes him a lot.
He will suffer now so that he can live the rest of his life as a champion.
Viktor was surprised, he thought James would fold immediately.
"Cessian… we might need to get our hands dirty." Viktor said, not letting his eyes off James.
"Hehe, I will valiantly sacrifice myself." Cessian said teasingly as he closed in on James.
He grabbed a branch and then ripped off the sleeve to his shirt.
Then wrapped it around the stick.
He then spat some venom on the fabric at the top of the stick, and then brought the lighter beneath it.
It easily caught fire.
He then looked at Gregor and Viktor.
"Grab his hands and make him extend them straight."
James looked confused, but he got scared nonetheless as Gregor and Viktor grabbed his arms.
They held the palms of his hands downwards.
Cessian looked into James' eyes then smiled.
"Do you know what part of the body has the most amount of sensory nerves?"
James looked horrified.
"Nh… no"
Cessian nodded.
"It's the eyes… but it's not the best place to torture someone."
Cessian moved the torch under James's hand.
"The hand's though… they have three main nerves: the median nerve, the ulnar nerve and the radial nerve, which all branch off into a lot of smaller branches."
He moved the torch closer.
"Your hand roughly contains seventeen thousand tactile nerves, they are the ones responsible for touch."
"This also means they have a lot of nociceptors… which are responsible for pain."
James struggled as the torch got closer.
"The fingertips in particular are very sensitive."
James screamed as the torch burned under his hands.
He struggled wildly, but Viktor and Gregor didn't let go.
His hands made a scorching sound as black smoke pooled under them.
After a few minutes of this the fire on the stick was dwindling.
But James still hadn't said a thing.
Gregor and Viktor let go of his hands, James then fell limply to the ground.
"What do we do now? He still hasn't revealed anything." Gregor asked.
Cessian was equally stumped.
If he had more time, they could starve him and then put blood outside of his reach, etc.
But they had no time.
Viktor rubbed his chin.
"There was this one method the master spoke of a few weeks ago."
"Do you remember it?"
Cessian and Gregor put on a thoughtful expression.
"You mean when those Volturi scouts attacked?"
Viktor nodded.
Cessian frowned.
"It was something about hummus…"
Viktor hummed in agreement.
"Indeed, and I think the plan was to send it… you know, to the sunless kingdom."
Gregor looked uncomfortable.
"I'm not doing that." He said quickly.
Just afterwards Cessian said.
"Me neither."
Viktor stood there stunned, then he put on a ferocious expression.
"Fine, I'll do it."
"Gregor, go and buy some hummus… do the extra spicy one."
James on the ground was horrified.
He didn't want a grown man sticking hummus anywhere… and extra spicy one?
No! He couldn't do it.
Sure. Endure the pain now, and live as a champion later… but if the pain becomes too much.
Then he'll live as a champion now.
"Wait! Wait!"
Gregor, who was just about to leave, stopped.
"Please, I'll tell you everything."
Viktor looked at him, then smiled evilly.
"No."
"Gregor, go and buy the hummus, James is getting it no matter what."
Gregor was confused but nodded.
"Sure."
James on the ground widened his eyes.
No, man, this isn't how it's supposed to go.
You're now supposed to ask me questions and I answer…
You sadist!
"Please!"
He crawled forward, on his knees, but Viktro ignored him.
A few minutes later Gregor returned.
"I got the hummus, I also bought some plastic gloves for you."
Viktor smiled.
"Thank's."
He reached out and grabbed the gloves and started to put them on.
James looked at him in utter disbelief.
No… he's serious, he's really gonna do it.
Can… can I endure that?
He watched as Viktor pulled the glove to see its elasticity, and the dam broke.
"No! No!"
"Please, I'll do anything!"
"I'll give you information on Victoria, I'll even lure her here for you."
Seeing Viktor unresponsive he thought it wasn't enough.
"I'll… I'll be your dog, I'll even bark."
"Arf~ arf~"
"Please don't do this."
He knelt in front of Viktor crying with his hands together.
"I'll even suck your…"
"Stop!" Viktor raised his hand.
"Enough! Just give us the information we want."
A bright smile appeared on Jame's face, which looked weird with the tears still on his cheeks.
"Yes… yes, I'll talk."
"Victoria has a gift to enhance her self preservation."
"She can feel danger, and which choices have the highest chance of leading to survival."
Cessian who heard this nodded.
It doesn't seem like an impressive ability at first… but it's quite strong.
"Then we can't catch her?" Gregor asked in confusion.
If she always knows the way to survival, then how can they catch her?
James shook his head.
"No, it's not impossible."
"You just need to limit her escape routes so there are no safe choices available."
Viktor nodded.
"Surrounding her should work… but how?"
Cessian turned and walked in one direction.
"Have you two also smelled that one scent?"
Gregor narrowed his eyes.
"The wet dog smell you mean?"
"Yes…" He said in a drawn out manner.
"We don't need to surround her… we just need to pinch her between them and us."
Viktor widened his eyes.
"That's smart!"
Cessian smiled.
"I try."
...
Enjoy. Mwah~
P.S. If you know where I got the inspiration for the begging scene, you know ball.
CHAPTER END.