The Liberation Paradox

A Tux to Die In

Mr. Daniau

19:11

The rest of Sid Stone's or Danny Jake's or whomever's life would be short and painful. Eddie would see to that. What really pissed Eddie off wasn't that Stone had stolen his data. It wasn't that he'd sneaked back in through security during a lock down (though Eddie would be sure to get the details of how Stone had done that before he allowed the conman the release of death). It definitely wasn't that he'd beaten Mika and left her tied in a closet. What really irked Eddie about this man was that he had the utter nerve to sit there across the table in Eddie's killing room, looking smug and wearing Eddie's own Emiliano Piazza tuxedo. This fool probably had no idea how much that tux was worth. And now that he'd worn it, Eddie would never be able to bring himself to wear it again.

No, Mr. Stone, if you like that tux so much, you can die in it.

Stone smirked at Eddie from across the table. Even with his hair mussed and his hands cuffed, he managed to look handsome and debonaire as he sat slightly reclined in the uncomfortable polymeric metal chair. The soon-to-be-dead conman sat with his legs casually crossed, as though he had not a care in the world. "I'll make you a deal, Mr. Mushroom," Stone said.

Eddie knew that Stone was just trying to get under his skin, of course. "Oh yeah? What could you possibly have to offer me that I'm not going to just take from you before this evening is out?"

"The password for the data we both know is on that phone. You give me my money you stole from me last night and a ride to the spaceport and I'll give you the password to that data. You need never see me again."

Eddie would get the password out of this man over the next several hours and it wouldn't cost him a cent. Stone would give him that password bloody and screaming. In answer to the conman's offer, Eddie said, "Do you know why they call me 'The Mushroom,' Mr. Stone?"

"I've heard a few things..."

"After our little chat last night, I should think you'd have a pretty good idea. By the end of the night, by the time you draw your last breath, you will find out for sure. But I'll save that for the coup de grâce. There's so much more ground to cover before then."

The arrogant conman didn't even flinch. "There is indeed."

Eddie's phone chimed. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw that it was the server room again. He assumed it was that annoying nerd, Marcio again. Ever since he'd let the server room reactivate their office phone, Marcio had been calling him incessantly giving him meaningless updates. Eddie loathed a suck up. He ignored the message and put the phone back in his pocket. Here, as he did so, he saw something in the conman's expression change only momentarily. He tried to hide it, but Eddie saw that Stone was interested in his phone.

"That was the server room giving me an update. You see, Mr. Stone, my nerds are already working at this very moment to unlock the data." For emphasis, Eddie tapped Mika's cell phone where it lay on the table between them. "They're remote decrypting it as we speak. Even without the password, we'll get into the data. But I'm going to squeeze that password out of you anyway. Just because I can. Just because I don't like you. Just because I want the satisfaction of hearing you scream the password as you beg for death."

Across the table Stone remained unflinchingly calm. "You're going to wish you'd taken my offer, Mr. Mushroom."

"Is that so?"

"That's so."

The two men stared at one another for several long moments across the table. Eddie's phone chimed again, but he ignored it.

Stone smirked. "Sure you don't want to check that?"

"What I want to do is get started taking you apart piece-by-piece." Eddie began rolling his sleeves up. One of Eddie's enforcers rolled in a cart which looked sort of like a room service cart, but this one had a locking lid and the words "Toy Chest" stenciled on it. Eddie touched his thumb to the electronic lock on the top of the box and the lock opened. The "Toy Chest" was made to open at the top and the front, revealing its contents to the victim. Normally Eddie loved the look of fear on his victims' faces when they saw the array of implements he intended to use on them. But this time, he was disappointed. The array of glinting knives and surgical equipment didn't seem to disturb Sid Stone in the least. Okay, fine. Eddie selected a simple straight razor. The first thing he would do is shave that lovely, long, black hair from this arrogant fool's head.

"You really should check your phone, Mr. Mushroom." Stone was grinning widely now. What was he on about?

Annoyed, Eddie checked his phone and saw that the latest notification was a routine notification from his office safe letting him know that User: Eddie Daniau had accessed his safe. He got those notifications all the time from the safe and he always just deleted it. But how could he be accessing the safe at this very minute? He was down here in Room 8.

"Problem?" Stone asked. "I'm guessing by the slightly confused look on your face, you've just gotten something very confusing on your phone. I'll bet I can guess what it is"

"What have you done?"

"Me? I've been here the whole time. My accomplice, on the other hand, is cleaning out your safe."

Eddie didn't hesitate. "Guard the prisoner," he said to one of his enforcers, a man called Tin Snips. To Miles and the other two men in the room, "You guys. With me."

And with that, he was out the door running for the front stairs. He was going to catch this little bastard in the act.