“Well then,” I say, picking up the bolt cutters. “This is going to be a long fucking day for you, isn’t it?”
I nod to Oksana. She grabs his hand and pulls it flat against the table bolted to his chair.
“Who is backing Dato?”
“I don’t know!”
“Wrong fucking answer.”
Oksana positions the cutters around his index finger. “Last chance, you Georgian piece of shit. Who is helping Dato?”
“I don’t know his name! I swear! Dato never told me!”
“Then I guess we’re doing this the hard way. Oksana, take it.”
She cuts. The finger comes off clean and blood spurts everywhere, painting the table and Oksana’s boots. Tornike screams, the sound bouncing off the concrete walls.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I say. “We haven’t even gotten to the good part yet, and you’re already screaming like a little bitch.”
Davit doesn’t make a sound. He just sits there in his corner with his knees to his chest, watching the blood. Oksana picks up the severed finger. “What should I do with this, Pakhan?”
“Blend that fucker. Let’s see if the wife’s thirsty.”
She drops it in the blender, adds water, and turns it on. The grinding sound fills the room.
“You’re insane! You’re fucking insane!” Tornike screams.
“Yeah, no shit,” I say. “What gave it away? Was it the torture chamber or the blender?”
When the finger is liquefied, Oksana pours the pink slurry into a glass and brings it to Salome. “Drink up, sweetheart. Drink, or we take another fucking finger from your husband.”
“No!” Salome thrashes. “No! I won’t!”
“Wrong answer. Oksana, number two.”
She goes back to Tornike and positions the cutters around his middle finger.
“Wait!” Salome screams. “Wait! Please!”
“Drink.”
She shakes her head, sobbing. “I can’t... please, I can’t do it!”
“Your call.” I shrug. “Oksana, chop that shit off.”
The second finger comes off. Tornike’s screams get louder and more desperate.
“Jesus Christ,” I say. “You’d think he’s never lost a finger before. So fucking dramatic.”
The second finger goes into the blender, followed by another glass of pink liquid that Oksana brings to Salome while Nadia grabs her head, forcing her mouth open and tilting it back. Salome fights, but Nadia is stronger, holding her while Oksana pours the mixture down her throat until she’s gagging and choking on the slurry. The moment Nadia lets go, Salome lurches forward and vomits onto the concrete.
“There we go,” I say. “Much better. Nothing like a good protein shake, right?”
Salome is dry heaving, her whole body shaking. “Please... please, no more. Tornike, just tell them!”
“I don’t know!” Tornike’s voice is weak now, his face turning grey. “I swear to God, I don’t know who’s backing Dato!”
“Oh, you swear to God? Well, shit, why didn’t you say so earlier? That changes everything.” I look at Oksana. “Pack it up. He swears to God. We’re done here.”