The Mind Virus

Chapter 8 - Part 1

"What exactly is it that you want from me, Mr. Howell?"

Terry eyed Mr. Bach with little love. "I want to know what you're going to do to me."

"What I'm going to do to you? My, what a sense of humor you have." Bach spat at the ground to his side.

"You know I have your phone. I've read it all. There is one specific message that stands out to me the most, though. It's the last text you sent, in fact."

Bach turned his eyes up to look at Terry through a sweat-laden brow.

"Something about yours truly ending up dead, I believe it was," Terry continued.

"I don't suppose I could convince you that you simply misunderstand the context of that message?"

"No, I don't think so, sir."

"I didn't think so either." Bach exhaled. "It really is a shame, Mr. Howell. You could have just taken the money and enjoyed it. It was no paltry sum."

"Yeah, and for how long? How long until one of your goons takes me out?"

A dark chuckle escaped Bach. "You think that's what's going to happen? An assassination? And why would we bother killing you?"

"That's exactly what I want to know. I read your text. I know everything."

"You know nothing, you simpleton. You do assume a hell of a lot, though."

"You're right. I don't know everything. I don't even know your first name."

"You don't even know my last name." The man's piercing gaze could cut through glass. A cruel smile accompanied it.

"Why don't you illuminate me then?"

"Hmm, no."

"No?"

"You don't find me in a very receptive mood, Mr Howell." The slick man who was once called Bach shifted in his chair.

"Perhaps I can help with that then." Terry wrapped a hand over the man's injured shoulder, squeezing hard.

The deceiver's neck tensed, but to his credit, he showed no sign of pain. "How droll, Terrence. Did you learn that from watching crime shows?"

"Neither of us are leaving this room until I get answers out of you."

"Ooh, I'm so scared," the man mocked. "What exactly are you going to do, Mr. Howell?"

"I can do anything it takes. You see, I've already passed the point of no return. If I let you go now, I'll end up in jail in any case."

The man stared at Terry, a darkness in his face. He squirmed against the ropes that bound his wrists to the chair.

"The way I see it, it's in for a penny, in for a pound," Terry continued. "In fact, I'll probably be better off if you were to end up dead. Fewer loose ends."

"You think killing me is going to save your life, you imbecile?" the man spat. "You're right. You have passed the point of no return, and not just with your jolly little foray into kidnapping. You've passed the point of no return as far as your death sentence is concerned too."

"My death sentence?"

"You are going to die in a few weeks regardless of what happens in this room. The die has been cast. You're already infected."

"Infected? Like with a virus or what?"

"You could call it a virus. Not like anything you've ever seen before, though. Not like anything that anyone's seen before, in fact. You should feel honored, Mr. Howell, for at one point, you held in your hand what is possibly the most powerful weapon ever created."