“Your name still appears on my list. I’d like to remove it, soon.”

Part of his Plan B called for three stops. The first being to visit with Brian Lucietta, to both make Brian aware of the happenings at the lodge and also to instruct him to deny knowledge of Alexander Black. The second was to a grocery store, where, using cash, Straus bought a month’s worth of food, water, and supplies. The final stop he made was to his home on Long Island. There, Straus collected boxes of files, his Smith and Wesson .380, two boxes of tactical bullets, and several changes of clothes. He needed nothing else and felt confident that, if after his food and supplies ran out, he would be able to sneak out to gather more if the situation with Alexander Black had not been resolved.

Straus had thought of nearly everything to include into his Plan B to ensure his safety and protection. The one thing Straus had not planned for was the battery of his iPad running low. He kept a car charger adapter in his BMW that was concealed in one bay of the loading docks two floors below him. If the iPad’s battery died, Straus decided a trip to the loading dock might also give him the opportunity to drive to a nearby hotel, for a shower and to “borrow” a pillow, another missing item from his plan.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

“I have no idea how you got into my office, but I do suggest that you leave immediately.” Brian Lucietta was certainly startled when he walked into his office, turned on the overhead lights, and felt the hard shove that sent him sprawling onto the floor. But Brian didn’t believe in staying startled long. He quickly found his footing, and when he realized that he had no clean path to get out of his office, he stood to confront his unwelcomed guest.

“I will give you five seconds to turn around and walk out of my office before I take action.”

“And what action are you prepared to take?” his guest asked.

“Three, two...”

Brian’s countdown, though short, was made even shorted when he felt the probes dig into his body. He had only enough time to look up in terror before those two small, shiny barbs released an eruption of pain.

The electricity seized his muscles together in a tight, contracted, and painful way. His brain was scrambled with electrical impulses.  As he fell to the floor, Brian felt his jaw tightening, clenching, and grinding his teeth together. Had he expected his jaw to clamp shut so tightly, he would have been certain to move his tongue back and away from the crushing power of his teeth. But he had no warning.

The contractions lasted only three seconds, and when they stopped, his pain evaporated. But not the pain of his severed tongue. He felt blood pouring from his tongue, into his mouth, and flowing down his throat. He coughed to move the blood from his airway and out of his mouth. Along with a disturbing amount of blood, his cough also caused a two-inch long strip of his tongue to launch from its home. Brian watched it land inches from the boots standing a few feet from his prone position.

“This is a remarkably effective tool,” his guest said. “I was pleasantly surprised to find it in your top desk drawer. Remarkably effective. And in case you were worried, I had the foresight to wear rubber gloves, in case the electricity travels through the handle.”

As Brian tried to stand, he heard the popping of the current again. He didn’t understand why he hadn’t noticed the popping when the first jolt of electricity was delivered and hoped that he would never have to hear it again.

Three seconds of searing, contracting, exhausting pain, then, nothing. Complete absence of pain. He felt his body soaked with sweat and could feel the blood still pouring from within his mouth. He raised his head and locked eyes with his attacker.

“Peeez, wha u wan?” he mumbled; his tongue screaming for no movement.

“I am sorry, Doctor Lucietta, but it seems that you are very poor at speaking with a shortened tongue. Please, try it again. I will listen more closely.”

“Wha u ewe wan rom e?”

“Sounds like you are asking about my intentions? Nod if I heard you correctly.”

Brian nodded his head as more blood was sprayed into the air by a painful cough.

“Fair question,” his attacker said. “All I want to know is where I will find William Straus?”

Brian raised his hand and pointed to a picture hanging on the far wall of his office.

“Here?” his attacker asked. “I will find him here?”

Brian nodded then heard the popping sound again.

When the current stopped, Brian’s body was convulsing. His legs and arms were uncomfortable, but the pain in his chest was what Brian was most concerned with.

“I’ve never used one of these Tasers.  I had no idea that a cartridge was needed in order to deliver the voltage,” Brian’s attacker said. “I must commend you for your forward thinking. Having a cache of additional cartridges hidden in your bottom drawer: Brilliant.”

His attacker popped in another cartridge, squeezed the Taser’s trigger, and sent another round of shock treatment into the body of Doctor Lucietta. Without pause, he slammed in another cartridge, squeezed the trigger again but heard no report of the popping noises that signaled a passing current.

“Three successive doses,” the attacker said. “Your Taser is good for three doses. Not that you will need to know that information, but it is a good bit to have.”

Brian was unable to move. Though the only pain he was feeling was his severed tongue and the fading discomfort in his chest, his muscles were spent. He saw that his attacker had moved across the office and was carefully inspecting the photograph that contained the location that William Straus would be found. He knew this was his chance. He knew he had to reach the door and the safety that the hallway just beyond his office door would provide.

Brian summoned every last bit of his energy and forced himself onto all fours. His arms screamed and shook violently as he demanded that they pull him towards the door. His legs offered no assistance to his arms and were nothing but dead weight needing to be dragged across the office floor. His eyesight was spinning and his thoughts, muddled. But he felt himself moving. Moving towards the door and to safety. His closed one eye to better keep to his course.

His senses were muted except for his smell. As he struggled to reach safety, Brian’s stomach turned at the foul smell that was filling his nostrils.