Chapter 224: Breaking Augustus.
Augustus smirked and looked the other way. His reaction did not stop Carson from telling the story.
"I guess you have not heard about him, judging by your reaction. The moron I was questioning thought the same thing and reacted in the same way. But he seemed to forget that the doctor was called "mad" and this was for a reason. The lunatic did not bother pulling teeth or slicing flesh like me. He just brought a single canister like this one." He raised the canister and placed it on the table.
Metal clashed against metal with a loud bang.
Carson ran his fingers over the nozzle. "This beauty taught him the meaning of fear, he regretted not talking earlier just like you are about to regret it."
"What the hell is Carson planning?" Hades leaned closer to the monitor.
Major Elio shuddered. "I am getting serial killer vibes."
Sunshine snorted.
Carson whistled a tune as he tapped the canister the way a doctor flicked an injection in preparation to jab into the flesh of a patient. Then, he reached for something else that he had dropped on the floor when he brought the canister.
It was a thick airless and waterproof bag. Its plastic sheen reflected the harsh light, he tied one end to the nozzle then, turned to a soldier. "Tie his hand inside."
Augustus visibly stiffened upon hearing Carson’s words. He struggled when the soldier grabbed his hand.
"You see..." Carson started with a sadistic smile. "The mad doctor is the champion of crazy science. I saw him use this method to freeze and shatter a man’s limbs, legs and hands. Of course, that did not kill the poor man. Science today is really amazing. You can keep a part of someone alive for years. Just the upper body.
I watched the mad doctor put what remained of this man in a drum and use him for scientific experiments. He was used to test whatever poisons the crazy man came up with." Carson leaned against the table and crossed his legs. "In an apocalypse, we will need heroes that sacrifice themselves for the sake of science."
"You crazy bastard!" Augustus shouted. "Just kill me...let us end it."
Carson leaned close his voice low and mocking. "Why should I kill you? We are just becoming friends, and I have a feeling that you and I are going to have some fun for the rest of your life...however long it will last." He paused and smiled dangerously "But just in case you change your mind about telling me about your friends, just say the word Alto. It is my safe word."
Sunshine’s mouth dropped open again. In what context was this safe word used?
A hiss filled the room as Carson opened the valve, frosted vapor clouded the plastic bag and soon, Augustus’s hand could not be seen anymore.
"Do you feel the pressure?" Carson asked in a soft voice that sounded almost kind. "That is your blood saying adios, soon you will feel extreme pain, just wait for it."
The plastic bag stiffened as the liquid nitrogen pooled, clinging around Augustus’s skin.
"Augustus howled, thrashing violently in the chair. His voice cracked and rose into a shriek. The bag was already frosty by now; Augustus’ hand was visible but only on the outlines.
"You see fire leaves scars, you seem to enjoy such pain, I noticed. But you see ice....ice shatters." A smile formed on Carson’s face
"Listen, you don’t not have to do this....I...I..." Augustus looked back at the soldiers as if requesting for help, but the men sneered in his face. They had not slept for days because he chose to keep his mouth shut!
They had also been berated because Craydon could not keep his damn mouth shut. All of them had been punished and had their privileges for the month deducted. They blamed Augustus for their misfortune.
Carson began to hum that eerie song again when as Augustus screamed in pain. His screams turned into sobs, his teeth chattering as his body convulsed.
"Oh, come on Augustus, just say the magic word and all the pain will go away." Carson said, his voice mocking.
"Please!" Augustus cried, his lips trembling, spit and blood dripping down his chin.
Carson inclined forward, touching his ear. "Huh? Did you say something?"
"Don’t do this.....just kill me. Augustus begged, voice trembling. "Just kill me, I know you are going to do so in the end anyway." Augustus begged.
Carson crouched to eye level, his face calm behind the mask. "Ah. So, your hands matter. Finally, something that you fear to lose. Next is one of your legs."
"Call the boss, I will make a deal." Augustus blurted out.
Carson tsked. "That is not the magic word Augie."
He shut the valve and detached the canister, leaving the hand sealed in the frozen bag. The frost had spread up to Augustus’ wrist, leaving the flesh pale and lifeless.
"Our president has a real cool hammer, so hammers have become a trend here on our base." Carson said as he raised a meat mallet, testing its weight with a casual swing. "This is no hammer, but I think it will do just fine."
"Wait..." Augustus tried to remove his hand but couldn’t. His lips quivered, for the first time in his life words failed him. His eyes darted, fear crawling its way through defiance.
Carson was waiting but he didn’t hear the man’s confession. He shrugged, lifted a large meat mallet high and brought it down.
Hades winced.
Elio sighed.
Sunshine’s brows only twitched as little, but she did not blink.
The sound was thunderous, the bag split, shards of frozen flesh scattered across the table like frozen glass.
"Augustus screamed, a sound ripped from the depths of his being. His cries dwindled into raw rasp.
"Save your voice, we still have four limbs to work on." Carson told him. "Maybe even your dick."
Elio winced. "Good Lord, that man is ruthless."
Hades agreed.
Sunshine’s eyes narrowed, waiting to see Augustus’ reaction. "He should have started with this."
Carson brought out another bag. "Take off his pants and then spread out the other hand."
The soldiers moved without hesitation, forcing Augustus to his feet. His breath came in ragged sobs, sweat and blood mingling with blood.
"No....no...Alto..Alto!" He said, his voice breaking.
Carson held up his hand and the soldiers stopped. "What did you say? Your screaming has bruised my ear drum."
"I said Alto you damn fucker!" Augustus said amidst rasp breaths. "I will tell you everything! I am doomed either way. With all the scars you have left on me, Scorpion will not believe that I did not break."
Carson arched a brow. "Scorpion? Is that his name?"
Nodding, Augustus sniveled. "You do see that if I bleed to death, you won’t have any answers, right?
Carson pulled out a pill bottle from his pocket and gave him one. It was pills formulated with his blood, created by the lab. They helped to slow bleeding and most importantly, no memories if his transferred to the receiver and they were not impactful enough to cause direct cell regeneration in others.
"There." He tossed a small towel towards Augustus; cover your arm it looks disgusting.
The soldiers were already taking notes, now they knew the superhuman’s identity. Not his real name but what he called himself.
"Scorpion, how original!" Sunshine scoffed.
Augustus began to say all he knew about scorpion, he was the son of the leader of their gang, and they had both been in prison when the meteors fell. After the prison lost power, they escaped with thirty others, and they had been looting and killing for survival since then while searching for the perfect and safest place to put down roots.
Sunshine clenched her jaw. "I don’t think they are going to give up on our base. It is the perfect and safest place to put down roots."