Shakedown Part 7

Intimidation has never been my strong suit. I originally sacrificed almost everything on this path to inspire hope and ease. Yet, ever since I started this new creed, I've been able to adapt to that opposing aura almost seamlessly. After all, intimidation is just turning your fear into there's, and I had a lot of fear.

Pushing through my now aching body, I switched up a final time, bulking up into strength mode and opting for my voice modulator to give off a terrifying appearance. When that was through, I surveyed the pale, olive-skinned, pot-bellied middle-aged man and hovered my finger towards his chest, giving only one single casual flick! However, even with my current strength, that flick might as well have been a punch from a top-tier heavy-weight boxer!

The blow alone was more than enough to have his whole body reverberate, shaking the bed and forcing spit to erupt from his maw! That was more enough of a wake-up call to get the blood boiling as adrenaline had his synapses fire faster than a machine gun. Observantly I saw his mouth expand, trying to force out an almost thunderous scream that was bound to send every guard in the building after me!

However, I wouldn't let him get off nearly that easily as I properly reacted by clamping my hulking hands over his mouth! From that, Blake's terrified scream quickly fell to a barely audible whisper as I explained my overpowering ultimatum.

"Here's what's going to happen. I need to answer questions, and you have bones that I assume you want unbroken. Play nice, and you keep breathing. Scream or resist in any way, and I'll break every bone in your body and make sure you live to tell the tale. Understand?" I said with barely restrained fury.

Blakk, in response, nodded slowly and methodically, scared out of his mind but not stupid. With that, I let him go for him to let it all out.

"Look, if it's money you want, then I'll be happy to-."

At that moment, I tightened my grip like an anaconda as I made myself more apparent.

"I don't want money; all I want is information, specifically where is the Villain Expo and who the hell is hosting it," I said with increasing intensity.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

At that moment, I snapped, losing all of my patience and going even further and lifting him like he weighed as little as a feather. Then, I snapped one of his fingers like an old toothpick with the other hand. Muffled screams radiated throughout the small room, yet instead of concerning compassion, I was just left with numbing apathy as I kept it up.

"One down, two hundred and five to go," I said coldly.

"Please, I'll give you whatever you want, just not that, they'll kill me!" he said with

At that point, I pressed on, snapping his middle finger and muffling his violent screams again. From there, I felt utterly unbounded, letting my words flow with venomous, instinctive truth.

"I. DON'T. CARE. Don't expect to be sorry about your account, especially when you haven't cared about anyone but your well-being in years. Now tell me because if you don't, then I'll be more than happy to repeat the process with your daughter," I said as I decided to push the interrogation to its extremes.

With that, I saw the look that started me on this path, which I defined my entire life to fight against. That was the look of panic, the gaze of vulnerability, the sight of the abject terror that comes from the unfairness this world breeds. A glimpse that was practically begging me to reach out and help him. And maybe I would've in another life or another time.

However, I couldn't even muster up single care to give, leaving me utterly hollow with this husk you would call a man. From there, Blakk squealed like the pig he always was.