Mr. Pueterico had lost track of how many times he had puked out his own blood, how many times a dagger was slashed across his body. He was stripped down to only his underwear and was on his two hands and knees on the floor. They were tied up. Both his wrists and ankles.
Hugo was checking out his wine cabinet which was at one corner of his room. He had opened it and was going through the varieties of drinks that was stored according to their date of origin.
Adrian straddled a chair beside Mr. Pueterico when he was tired of torturing him. He looked at the old man who was panting heavily wishing he could just end it all. But he knew the old man had what he needed.
"Just kill me now" Mr. Pueterico said short of breath, panting heavily. "You won't get anything out of me"
Adrian cleaned his bloody blade on Mr. Pueterico's back and then stabbed the dagger in his bed to keep it there, standing ,with the blade half buried in his mattress.
Then he crossed his hand at the back of the chair he was straddling. He looked over to Hugo who was pouring himself a cup of liquor.
"You want some" Hugo asked.
"Yeah. Pour me a cup" Then he looked at Mr. Pueterico. "You want some Liquor, Old man?"
He didn't reply. Adrain just smiled to himself saying nothing. Hugo comes over and hands him a cup. They sip in silence.
" Let's just kill him" Hugo said.
"No we can't. Not yet anyway" Adrian said with a snarl. "He knows what we need from him but he's just so adamant to give in"
"And I don't think he's ready to tell you anything even till the point of dying" Hugo said " This is some good wine. I know we said we wouldn't rob them but I have to take some of these for myself" Hugo said sipping his wine. He was referring to the bottles of wine.
"Help yourself Hugo. It's not like the old man would be needing it anyway".
Suddenly there's a loud noise in the air vents above. Adrian looked up with Hugo. Then they looked at each other when they hear a voice.
"Ooooouch" The voice exclaimed painfully.
"Did you hear that" Adrian asked smiling a knowing smile
"Yeah I did" Hugo kept his glass of wine on the table. "I don't suppose you'd be thinking what I'm thinking now Adrian"
Adrian just calmly sipped his wine saying nothing.
Hugo bent down and dragging Mr. Pueterico, forcing his head up to look at the air vents and surely enough he could hear the unmistakable sound of someone crawling in the vents.
"You see that old man. Your daughters have come to save you"
Adrian stands up from his chair and pulled out his dagger. "That's good. Because if you won't tell us where the will is to save your life...maybe you'll tell us to save your daughters' life"
"No. Not my daughters. Don't....." But Hugo quickly put a piece of cloth in his mouth before he said any other thing. Mr. Pueterico's eyes widened as his words became muffled.
"Common" Adrian said to Hugo. " Let's give them the element of surprise".
Then they switched off the light.