Heart Pangs

Chapter 56 - All The Answers

Benji is awakened by bright lights flooding his cell. He barely has a chance to register what's happening when his cell door bursts open.

"Rise and shine, little toy!" Cecil's voice booms. "We're going to have fun today!"

Benji groans internally, but he comes to attention when Cecil's footsteps draw near. He doesn't quite make it to full sitting before Cecil approaches and swings a foot at him. It collides with Benji's stomach. He doubles over in pain.

"Hope I didn't interrupt your beauty sleep," Cecil comments as he crouches down. "Looks like you really need it too."

Benji grits his teeth. This is not the wake up call he would have liked. Idly he contemplates telling Cecil to just get it over with, but he fears that will only make things worse in the long run. Instead he keeps his mouth shuts as Cecil steps over and pulls him up.

The two of them eye each other in silence for a long moment.

Cecil narrows his eyes. "The first time I ever heard of you was when Lux was disposing of your sister... or supposed to be disposing of her," he tells Benji. "I didn't think twice about him mentioning he'd already taken care of you. Back then, I already thought you were long gone. I never imagined we'd end up here. Together. In this room. I never thought I'd have you all to myself—"

Cecil reaches up and runs his fingers ever so gently over Benji's throat. Before Benji has a chance to react, the sound of the cell door opening distracts them both. Cecil twists around to see who's entering. Benji strains to see over Cecil's shoulder.

In the cell doorway stands another Facility worker. A woman. She peers down at the two of them with an impassive face. In her one hand, she holds what appears to be a bucket of water.

"What the fuck are you doing here, Kavek?" Cecil spits.

The woman closes the door and moves toward them. Benji squints as she draws near. There's something familiar about her that his hunger-addled, sleep-deprived brain can't quite place.

"I'm taking over this interrogation," she explains.

Cecil's grip tightens on Benji. "What?"

"I said that you're done here, Cecil. Leave us."

Cecil releases Benji and jumps to his feet. "You can't do that!" he snaps. "The Supervisor—"

"—already stated that this prey hasn't been assigned an official extractor," the woman finishes. "He gave you permission to do some work on them for information, but you've delivered absolutely nothing helpful. It's time to let someone else take over."

The two Facility workers share a painfully long and heated stare down. Benji stays as still as possible, hoping not to incur either of their wraths.

"Fine!" Cecil relents, throwing his arms up. "You do whatever you want, Kavek." He passes the other worker as he stalks toward the exit. "Just don't come crying to me when you don't get anything either. I'm pretty sure he doesn't actually know anything."

"Cecil, wait," the woman calls.

Cecil stops and turns to give her an almost hopeful look. "Yes?"

"Please grab a table and a chair for each of us and bring them back here." The woman indicates herself and Benji as she speaks.

Cecil's expression instantly drops. "No way. I'm not an errand boy for this place anymore. I've been working here for over a year now. You can't treat me like this."

"I'm still your senior, Cecil," the woman reminds him. "Besides, I know you have nothing better to do now that I've cut your interrogation time short."