Page 119 of The Satyr's Guilt
“They don’t tell us shit like that.”
By this time, the older gaffer hadreturned.
“Let loose the beetles,” said Rein.
The gaffer opened the jar and dumped thecontents onto the prisoner’s chest. As they crawled on his body, hejumped and gyrated, rattling the chain. “No. I told you everythingI know.”
“Not enough.” Rein shook his head as if hereally gave a shit.
Denim turned to the side, drawing a deepbreath before she resumed watching the torture session.
Steven screamed as a beetle reached hisneck, heading toward his ear.
Ram kept a sharp eye on Denim. When sheclasped her throat, a shiver rocking her body, he looped an armover her shoulders. Giving her a fast squeeze, he stood. “Hey, deadguy. I think there’s a bug headed for your nose. Another behind himis beelining for your ear.”
“Get ’em off. Oh, God, please.”
“I’m not touching them. They’re nasty. Youshould sneeze about now.” Ram took over the interrogation, Reinstepping into the shadows.
“Please, man. I already said I’d talk.”
“Your lucky day, Steven. The one by yournose veered right and is headed for your eye.”
“What else do ya wanna know?”
“Let’s talk about the jack-up juice.” Ramdecided to go through one topic at a time.
“The what?”
“The stuff which turns you into asuperhuman?”
“Come on. I can feel something crawling onmy cheek.”
“What is the stuff?”
“Don’t know what’s in it. We get shots oncea week.” Steven squeezed his eyes tight as he shook his head todislodge the vermin.
“Why are you doing this to us?” Ram askedthe prisoner while brushing a bug off Steven’s cheek.
Even in pain, the sonofabitch lookedconfused by the question, his brows squeezing tight. “You’re nothuman. What else we gonna do? Get those fucking bugs off me.”
“We’ll see. Back to Mars. Who is hisboss?”
The prisoner screamed as he flopped hisbody. “Wait. Wait, you asshole. Help me.”
Ram cocked his neck to the side. “I’m alittle new at this game. Not sure of the rules. Pretty sure youshouldn’t be calling me names, though. Not when you’re hangingupside down with organ-feasting bugs crawling all over you. I thinkone headed into your jeans.”
Between sobs, Steven gulped words. “Dante.That’s a name I heard.”
Rein, Ram, and Galena exchanged looks.
“There’s a name we’ve heard,” said Ram.
The prisoner screamed. “It’s in my ear. Ican feel it moving. Get it out. Get it out.”
“Uh … sure. I’ll get it out.” The oldergaffer shrugged.
“Back to Dante. Is this guy an Aeternal?”asked Ram.
