Master A-0011

M y teeth were still embedded in Vicki’s cheek as my door flew open. I knew who it was, but I didn’t stop. My jaw flexed and I sunk into her muscle even more, biting down with all my might as I ripped my head back, taking another chunk of her face. The metallic tang of her blood washed over my tongue, but it wasn’t the taste or even the texture that had a rumbling sound leaving me. It was her fear as she screamed and fought against the restraints that bound her arms and legs. It was the muffled wails from Sissy and Quincy that kept me feverish to do more.

“God dammit, Ethan. You couldn’t answer your phone?”

I spit out the chunk.

“It never rang.”

“Yes it did. You didn’t hear it? This is becoming a fucking habit with you.”

“I never heard it ring.”

Even though I answered, I didn’t turn to the Main Master. I was memorizing the missing meat. I was following the indentions my teeth had left behind.

“I thought maybe you had already killed him.” He let out a sound, trying to catch his breath. “Remind me to work on more cardio and not just weights. Fuck .”

“I’m keeping Quincy for Pearl. Otherwise, he’d have been my first.” The Main Master moved in front of me as I panted through the demons that urged me to keep going. I didn’t like distractions or interruptions. “What are you doing here, Elec? You gave them to me. We had a deal. I’m not going to lie…you interrupting is pissing me off even more. It’s really not the time.”

“You’ll get over it. This can’t wait.”

“You’re not taking them back, are you? Sissy is Pearl’s new slave. And this bitch. She allowed this to happen to Pearl.”

“ Which led her to you ,” he exploded. “You got her the exact way you needed. Had Pearl not been scarred, she wouldn’t have been the Pearl you wanted. God dammit, Ethan. I’m not taking them. Just…” His hand sliced through the air, and he bent down, jerking the gag from Quincy’s mouth. His face was already battered and swollen from the beating I’d given him not hours ago. He was crying, wiggling back and forth on my living room floor in the restraints.

“You admitted to killing Claudia. Why? Why did you really do it? And don’t give me this bullshit excuse of an affair like you told Ethan. My father’s no saint, but I don’t believe Claudia would have given him the time of day, even if he had wanted her.”

At the sobs and lack of response, Elec jerked him up, dragging him to sit against the wall.

“ Answer me! Why did you kill Claudia.”

“I already s-said.”

Elec’s arm crossed over his body, and he swung, catching Quincy’s cheek with the back of his hand. The crack was so loud, it had Vicki and Sissy screaming louder in their gags.

“You have no idea what the fuck is happening here. You tell me right now.”

“I swear. I swe?—”

Whack!

Quincy’s head snapped to the side at the blow, and blood poured from his nose as he sobbed harder.

“A woman came to you. Red hair. I know three elite families with women having red hair. Who was it? Speak!”

Quincy’s head shook as mumbling left him, but Elec was already rearing back, striking him again.

“ Answer me! Red hair. Who was it? Who told you to kill Claudia?”

“I-I…I don’t know! I mean, no. She had an affair.”

Elec’s head was shaking back and forth. The look in the Main Master’s crazed eyes was one I hadn’t seen before. He was holding to the collar area of Quincy’s shirt, shaking the man.

“I’m going to take you further underground, into my special room. You think what you’ve gone through so far is bad? I’m about to show you the true definition of pain. You’ll have no skin or muscle remaining by the time I finish with you. I’m going to burn it off, Quincy. I’m going to pump you so full of electricity that you’ll be the light guiding the way to hell.”

“Wait a minute,” I snapped. “You just said—You’re going to take him? You gave him to me.”

“Ethan, not right now.”

“What the hell is going on, Elec?”

Red built in the Main Master’s face as he spun on me, roaring not inches from my face.

“ He knows about Vivia! He knows something.”

“Elec…. you killed Vivia. You did that. Everyone knows it. They found you covered in her blood. They found her right there with you.”

“It’s more than that!” He went back, jerking Quincy forward. “Confirm what I already know. Say it! Who’s the woman with the red hair? Pearl said…Pearl…the woman.” His head gave a hard jerk, only for it to happen again. Elec blinked rapidly, and the words that left him were not of our language. I’d heard it before, but never like this. It was a joining in sounds. Words slurring and almost…looping. His tone went dead to a level that made my hands fly up to my ears. It sounded…wrong. Terrifying. It went for a minute. Two. Longer and longer.

My eyes rolled as I pushed against my ears. It felt hard to breathe. Harder to focus. I began humming out loud, doing what I could to drown him out. It wasn’t until I managed to open my eyes that I realized the Main Master was standing.

“What color is the sky?”

“Blue.”

“What is your name?”

“Quincy Mallory.”

“You will tell me who this woman is with red hair.”

“Woman. Hair.”

Elec held his face, squeezing as he made Quincy meet his eyes.

“ A name. Quincy Mallory, you will tell me who this woman is with red hair.”

“Red. Claudia.”

“ Yes . She wanted you to kill Claudia.”

“Yes.”

I let my hands fall the rest of the way as I slowly walked closer to the men. Quincy was staring at Elec. He appeared to be in a daze, not crying anymore.

“Why did this woman want you to kill Claudia?”

“She…No. Didn’t say.”

Elec appeared to squeeze tighter.

“Did you kill Vivia too?”

“Viv…no.”

“Take me back to the day you heard she died. You were in your study?—”

“No.”

Elec crouched, getting inches from his face.

“What do you mean, no? You were in your study with Pearl when Carmela showed up hysterical.”

“No. I was on my boat.”

Elec’s head shook.

“That can’t be right. Tell me about the woman with red hair. I know who she is. Pearl said something about her voice. A voice like mine. That can only be one person. Why did she want you to kill Claudia?”

“Affair.”

“ No . That’s not true. Claudia was not having an affair with my father.”

“No. She was having one with me.”

For a moment Elec didn’t talk.

“Melissa was having an affair with you?”

“Not…Melissa. Not. Claudia. No.”

More silence from Elec. He let go and his hands ran down his face.

“ It has to be her. She’s the only one like me fitting that description. Did this woman have you kill Vivia?”

“No.”

“…Did I kill Vivia?”

Nothing.

“Quincy, who do you believe killed Vivia?”

“I don’t know.”

“Find out. Keep thinking .”

The Main Master let out a roar, turning to collapse to my sofa.

“Elec, are you okay?”

Blue eyes rose to mine.

“Nothing he says is reliable. Not even that he killed Claudia. Nothing. None of it. Both him and Pearl have been compromised at the deepest levels. Everything I need is gone.”

“Could you ask Pearl again?”

Elec shook his head. “She’s like him. If she knew something, it’s gone. What was left behind was a make-believe story and a fragment of a memory hidden behind the implants. She remembers red hair. Nothing else. It’s probably why she can’t remember the accident either. Her mind has already been tampered with. Her and Quincy saw something. They made sure him and Pearl didn’t remember what it was. Why they gave them two different stories though is beyond me. It makes no sense. None of this does. And not just with them. There’s been...inconsistencies.”

“With people?”

“ With me .”

“Elec.” I lowered to sit on the cushion at the far end. “Everything surrounding you has been done for you. Maybe they saw you kill her. Maybe?—"

“Ethan.”

The warning had my hand lifting. “You killed her, Elec. I know you don’t want to believe it. I know your mind has blocked it out, but she’s dead. You saw her?—”

“I saw something! I don’t know…” He took in a deep breath, calming himself. “I couldn’t tell if it was her.”

“Because you’re blocking it out. It was you. It couldn’t have been anyone else. You lost a child. She didn’t want to get married. You reacted in the worst way and your mind refuses to believe it. Elec.” I searched his eyes. “I’m sorry. You loved her, but you have to let her go.”

Slowly, he rose, glaring down at me.

“Easier said than done.”

“I know, and again, I’m sorry.” I glanced to Quincy, but turned back to Elec. “You said Melissa. You’re talking about Dr. Melissa LaRoe, aren’t you? You were arguing with her on auction night. You think she’s the one who had Quincy kill Claudia…and possibly Vivia?”

“She’s not who you think she is. She’s not who I thought she was.”

“But… why?” My head shook. “Jealousy? Anger? Quincy mentioned an affair. If she was having one with Quincy, it would give her motive.”

“But nothing came from the affair. Why would Melissa have Quincy kill Claudia if she gained nothing from it?”

“Elec.” My head shook. “Why do you use electricity? Why do I eat people?”

“We enjoy it. It’s personal. It gives us power and control.”

“Exactly. Some people don’t need a weapon, Main Master. Some people are the weapon. Their games are the torture.” I stood. “Take for instance the two different stories between Quincy and Pearl. If nothing matches, nothing can be proven. What exactly do you know about Melissa? You’re both shrinks. You both obviously have the same ability to mindfuck people. What else do you know about her?”

His mouth opened, immediately closing.

“Not as much as I thought.” He blinked, his gaze going to the floor. When his head finally came up, his hand lifted with it.

“ I have to go .”

Heavy footsteps stomped against the floor, but I flew forward.

“Elec, wait.”

He came back to me with a speed that almost had me crashing into him.

“I’m sorry about Pearl’s revenge, but I’m afraid I can’t risk Melissa finding what’s left of the Mallorys. Kill them all tonight.” His voice lowered even more. “There’s a lot going on right now that you don’t know, and Melissa is not stable. If she’s guilty of this, she’ll come to you. You’ll tell her nothing. Kill them before she knows I have them here. I’ll take care of her questions. I had the family before I delivered them to you. You know nothing.” The foreign words left him again and my eyes grew heavy as I stared into blue. “Everything I’ve told you tonight. Everything you’ve heard from Quincy is gone. You’re going to shut this door behind me, Ethan O’Brien , and then you’re going to cover this apartment in blood. These people hurt Pearl, and that’s the only reason you need to tear them apart. Make me proud.”