— “I’ll take the one on the left. Gus, you take the right. Andy and Lee, you go after Derek.”
The plan was simple but risky. They waited thirty minutes. The guards had relaxed; one went into a nearby convenience store, the other stayed by the car, looking at his phone. Gray moved first, approaching the one by the car. Gus followed the other into the store. Andrew and Lee headed for the lobby.
A minute later, there was a muffled thud. Gray had neutralized the guard by the car. Gus emerged from the store, supporting the second guard as if he were a drunk friend—the man was unconscious. They dragged them behind the building, zip-tied them, and gagged them. It was fast, quiet, and professional.
Andrew and Lee took the stairs to the fifth floor. Apartment 42. The door was old wood. Lee listened at the door—music was playing, voices inside. Andrew nodded. Lee took a breath, stepped back, and kicked the door right at the lock. It flew open. Inside was a small one-bedroom; Derek and a girl were on the sofa, drinks on the table.
Derek jumped up, his face drained of color.
— “What the—”
Andrew stepped in and closed the door. Derek recognized him and backed away.
— “You… no, wait!”
The girl started to scream. Lee grabbed her, covering her mouth:
— “Quiet. Stay still and you won’t get hurt.”
Andrew walked up to Derek. The kid tried to reach for his phone on the table, but Andrew was faster. A punch to the gut sent Derek to his knees, gasping.
— “Your security is asleep. No one is coming.”
Derek wheezed, looking up with pure terror in his eyes.
— “Look, I know what you did to Kyle. I didn’t want to do it. It was his idea. I was just there. I’ll pay you, whatever you want.”
Andrew leaned down, grabbed him by the hair, and forced his head up:
— “You kicked my mother while she was down. You filmed it and laughed. Remember?”
Derek choked out:
— “I’m sorry, I was drunk, I wasn’t thinking.”
Andrew hit him across the face, a sharp crack as his nose broke. Derek wailed.
Lee zip-tied the girl and sat her in a chair.
— “Stay quiet. This will be over soon.”
The girl nodded, crying silently. Andrew and Lee hauled Derek up. They led him out of the apartment and down the back stairs. Gray had the van waiting at the curb. They tossed Derek inside, gagged him, and bound his hands.
— “Let’s go.”
Back to the industrial shop. The same darkness, the same cold. They chained Derek to the chair and ripped the gag off. He immediately started screaming:
— “Let me go! My father will find you! He’ll kill you all!”
Andrew silently pulled out his phone and started recording. Derek went quiet, his eyes wide.
— “No, please. Not this.”
Andrew nodded to Gus:
— “Begin.”
Gus stepped up to Derek. The kid thrashed in the chains, trying to break free.
— “It’s no use.”
Andrew stood in front of him, camera rolling.
— “Derek Owens. Trust fund baby. Thought you were untouchable.” Andrew’s voice was flat and icy.
Derek was hyperventilating:
— “Look, man, let’s be reasonable. I know I was wrong. I’ll apologize to your mom, as many times as you want. I’ll give you money, a car, I’ll buy her a house.”
Andrew said nothing. Gus grabbed Derek’s right hand and straightened his fingers. Derek realized what was happening and shrieked:
— “No! Stop! Please!”
Gus methodically broke his index finger. A sickening snap. Derek’s scream echoed through the shop. Gus didn’t stop; he took the middle finger. Another snap. Derek was sobbing, spit running down his chin, his voice reduced to a rasp.
— “Stop! I beg you!”
Andrew filmed it all: Derek’s face twisted in agony, the broken fingers… Gus moved to the left hand. Ring finger, snap. Pinky, snap. Derek wasn’t even screaming anymore, just wheezing, drifting toward unconsciousness.
Gray splashed a bottle of water in his face. Derek sputtered and coughed, coming back to. Andrew lowered the phone, crouched down, and looked Derek in the eye:
— “Four fingers. One for every time you mocked my mother. Physically and mentally.”
Derek sobbed, his head lolling.
— “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, I swear.”
Andrew stood up and nodded to Lee. Lee pulled Derek’s phone from his pocket—they’d taken it at the apartment.
— “Unlock it.”
Derek shook his head:
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