Hypocrite Family

The family awoke in a dusty, dark room with a damp smell, their heads heavy. Each of them was bound to a wooden chair nailed to the floor, their mouths gagged with cloth. The last memories of dinner at home were gone, now only a chilling silence broken by the sounds of breathing and pounding hearts remained, adding to the fear in the stuffy, silent room.

In the leftmost chair sat Tanaka, a middle-aged man with a bulging belly who now looked pale and frightened. Next to him, his wife, a woman who always appeared glamorous with heavy makeup and flashy jewelry, now looked ashen, her elegant appearance disheveled. Their two sons, one appearing mature with neatly combed hair, and the other younger, perhaps still in high school, also sat bound, their eyes wide with horror, staring around this strange and intimidating room.

The room resembled an old, abandoned warehouse. The walls were covered in irregular graffiti, the paint peeling off here and there. Thick dust covered the floor and minimal furniture. The only light came from a dim light bulb hanging from the ceiling, casting long shadows that danced on the walls, adding to the gloomy and frightening atmosphere.

Suddenly, the room's chilling silence was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps. Tap… tap… tap… The footsteps sounded heavy and steady, getting closer and closer, making the hearts of the four captives pound even harder. Panic began to spread through them. Their eyes darted wildly, searching for an escape route, but it was all in vain.

The sound of a door creaking open tore through the tension already hanging in the air. The four bound people became even more panicked. Their eyes widened further, their bodies squirmed restlessly, trying to break free from the bonds that gripped them, but it was all useless. The chairs seemed fused to the floor, the rope ties were too strong, and their mouths were silenced by rough cloth.

Five tall, sturdy figures entered the room, one by one. Their clothes were all black, from head to toe. Black pants, black leather jackets, black gloves, and even black masks covered their faces, leaving only small slits for eyes. The different hair colors were the only distinguishing feature among the dark figures.

The five masked men stood in silence, observing the terrified reactions of their four hostages. They seemed to relish the panic that was clearly visible in the eyes of the bound people.

After savoring the victims' fear in a chilling silence, one of the masked men standing at the front, who appeared to be the leader of the group, suddenly spoke. His tone was cold and firm, breaking the silence.

"Bring me the goods!" the masked leader commanded, his voice echoing in the silent room.

"Yes, BOSS!" replied one of the other masked men promptly. The man moved quickly towards a dark corner of the room, picked up a medium-sized black briefcase, and placed it on a rickety wooden table located between the hostages' chairs and the masked leader.

With a dramatic gesture, the masked leader opened the briefcase, right in front of the eyes of the four captives. Click! The sound of the briefcase lock opening broke the tension. The contents of the briefcase were clearly displayed, making the four hostages even paler. The briefcase was full of terrifying torture tools: rusty pliers, serrated knives, large scissors, screwdrivers, a hand drill, and various other metal tools that looked menacing under the dim light.

Tanaka and his family's eyes widened in horror at the contents of the briefcase. They became even more panicked, their bodies moving even more wildly, trying to break free from the bonds that felt increasingly suffocating. Muffled screams escaped from behind the cloth gagging their mouths, mixed with suppressed sobs.

The masked leader seemed increasingly pleased to see the extraordinary fear response from the hostages. A cynical smile was hidden behind his mask. He gave a small hand gesture to one of his subordinates standing beside Tanaka.

"Remove the gag from the old man's mouth!" the masked leader ordered in a commanding tone.

The masked man pointed to nodded obediently. He stepped closer to Tanaka, grabbed the cloth gagging the middle-aged man's mouth, and pulled it off roughly. Rip! Tanaka winced in pain as the rough cloth was forcibly pulled from his mouth, leaving red marks around his lips.

After the gag was removed, Tanaka took a deep breath, trying to regulate his panting breath. However, instead of showing fear or resignation, Tanaka actually showed an inappropriate arrogance. As if forgetting the terrible situation he was in, Tanaka hurled threats in a loud voice.

"Who are you?!" Tanaka shouted in a hoarse voice, his eyes narrowed, staring at the five masked men. "Release us quickly! You don't know who you're dealing with!" His tone was full of arrogance and condescension, as if he was still in power and in control of this situation.

Hearing Tanaka's arrogant threat, the masked leader couldn't help but laugh. He roared with laughter, his laughter echoing in the silent room. The other masked men chuckled, mocking Tanaka's foolishness.

"Tanaka-san, Tanaka-san," said the masked leader amusedly, but his tone remained cold and piercing. "It seems there's something wrong with your head. Or maybe you've been tied to this chair for too long that you've lost your mind." He approached Tanaka, standing right in front of him, looking down at him with a condescending gaze. "You are not in control here, Tanaka-san. Realize that."

The masked leader moved his face even closer to Tanaka's face, whispering in a threatening tone. "Now, we are in control. So, listen carefully. I'm going to ask you some questions, and your job is just to answer. Understand?" He emphasized his words by lifting the pliers from the briefcase, showing the torture tool right in front of Tanaka's eyes.

Seeing the rusty pliers, Tanaka's previously arrogant face instantly turned ashen. He truly realized how dangerous the situation he was facing was. Threats and promises would be useless to deal with these people. Fear began to grip his heart.

"Okay… okay," Tanaka replied in a trembling voice, his arrogance vanishing instantly. "I will answer your questions. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. Money? Women? Anything! Just say it, I'll give it to you! As long as you release us…" Tanaka again offered bribes and empty promises, hoping to escape this terrible situation.

"SILENCE!" the masked leader snapped at Tanaka in a booming voice, making the middle-aged man flinch in shock and immediately fall silent. The masked leader pulled a rickety wooden chair closer to Tanaka, sitting right in front of him, looking at him with cold and piercing eyes.

"Now, listen to my question carefully, Tanaka-san," said the masked leader in a flat tone, completely unaffected by Tanaka's offers and flattery. "I'm only going to ask once. Answer honestly, and maybe… just maybe… I will consider making you a little more comfortable." He swung the rusty pliers in his hand, making Tanaka swallow hard.

Tanaka looked into the masked leader's eyes, realizing that this was no longer the time to lie or evade. He had to answer this question honestly if he wanted to survive. "A-alright," Tanaka replied resignedly, his voice barely a whisper.

"Are you the mastermind behind the restaurant attack in Kuri City a few months ago?" asked the masked leader, the question hurled in a flat but heart-piercing tone.

Tanaka was silent for a moment, his eyes darting restlessly, trying to find a loophole to lie. However, the masked leader's sharp gaze made him shrink. He knew that lying now would only worsen his situation. "I-it wasn't me!" Tanaka finally answered, trying to be convincing, but his voice still trembled with fear. "I swear, it wasn't me! I have nothing to do with that incident at all!"

The masked leader stared at Tanaka with a judging gaze, as if reading the lies in his eyes. "Is that so," said the leader in a flat tone, expressionless. "In that case… thankfully." He shifted his gaze to one of his subordinates, making meaningful eye contact.

The masked man who was stared at understood his boss's signal. With a swift movement, he stepped forward towards Tanaka, grabbed the middle-aged man's left hand, and held Tanaka's index finger firmly, ensuring it couldn't move even slightly.

The masked leader raised the rusty pliers he had been holding. He pointed the pliers at Tanaka's index finger that was being held tightly by his subordinate. Tanaka realized what was about to happen. His eyes widened in horror, a muffled scream escaping from his again-gaping mouth.

The gruesome scene unfolded in seconds. Crack! The sound of bone cracking and a nail detaching from flesh echoed clearly in the silent room. The rusty pliers forcibly ripped off Tanaka's index fingernail. Fresh blood spurted out, soaking the concrete floor beneath Tanaka's chair.

"AAAAAAARGHHHHHH!!!" Tanaka's hysterical scream deafened ears, breaking the room's silence. The excruciating pain spread throughout his body, making his brain feel like it was on fire. He writhed in his chair, his body trembling violently, tears wetting his pale face.

The other three hostages who witnessed the gruesome scene looked horrified. The glamorous woman turned her face away, unable to watch the terrible torture inflicted on her husband. Tanaka's two sons closed their eyes tightly, trying to shut their ears from their father's terrifying screams. However, Tanaka's screams were too loud, fear and horror had already permeated their souls.

The masked men seemed completely unaffected by Tanaka's hysterical screams. They remained calm and cold, as if this gruesome torture was just an ordinary thing for them. The masked leader gestured to one of his subordinates to gag Tanaka's mouth again with rough cloth.

The pointed masked man moved quickly, gagging Tanaka's mouth again with cloth, silencing the middle-aged man's terrifying screams. Tanaka's screams subsided into heartbreaking groans of pain.

After Tanaka was gagged again, the masked leader shifted his attention to the next hostage. He looked at the glamorous middle-aged woman with a cold and intimidating gaze. The masked man standing behind the woman understood his boss's signal. He immediately moved forward, grabbed the cloth gagging the woman's mouth, and pulled it off roughly.

The middle-aged woman showed no expression of relief or happiness when the cloth in her mouth finally disappeared. On the contrary, her face became even paler, her eyes widened with fear. She had just witnessed for herself how terrifying these masked people were. Her husband, who had been so arrogant and condescending, was now silenced in pain, his index finger bleeding, his nail gone.

The glamorous middle-aged woman gasped, her face paling further at the sight of her husband who had just been tortured. Although the cloth had returned to gag Tanaka's mouth, the man's groans of pain were still clearly audible, adding to the horror of the atmosphere in the room. The woman knew, now it was her turn to face interrogation from these masked men.

The masked leader shifted his gaze completely to the woman, his gaze cold and piercing, as if able to penetrate the thick layer of makeup covering her face. "Now it's your turn, Mrs. Tanaka," said the masked leader in a flat tone, his voice showing no emotion whatsoever, which was precisely what made it sound even more frightening.

The woman swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt cold sweat soaking her back, even though the warehouse room felt cold and damp. She tried to control her fear, trying to find a loophole to get out of this terrible situation.

"W-what… what do you want?" asked the woman in a trembling voice, trying to sound as calm as possible, although her fearful tone could not be hidden. "Just tell me… what do you want? Money? Jewelry? House? Car? We will give you everything you ask, as long as you release us… please…" The woman again offered bribes and empty promises, hoping to melt the hearts of her kidnappers.

The masked leader snorted cynically at the woman's offer. "Money, jewelry, house, car…" repeated the masked leader in a mocking tone. "Do you think we kidnapped you just for petty cash like that, Mrs. Tanaka? You underestimate us."

The woman became even more panicked hearing the masked leader's condescending tone. She realized, material offers would not work on these people. Then, what exactly did they want? "Th-then… what do you want?" asked the woman again, her tone increasingly desperate. "Tell me… we will do anything…"

The masked leader smiled thinly behind his mask, a smile that did not reach his eyes, a smile that felt even more menacing. "Good question, Mrs. Tanaka," said the masked leader, his tone softening slightly, but still cold and piercing. "Actually, what we want from you… is very simple."

The woman looked at the masked leader with hopeful eyes, anxiously awaiting the answer that would determine her family's fate. "What is it?" she asked in a faint voice.

The masked leader moved his face closer to the woman's face, whispering in a low but ear-piercing tone. "We just want… the truth."

"The truth?" the woman repeated confused, frowning. "The truth about what?"

"Don't play dumb, Mrs. Tanaka," replied the masked leader sharply. "You must know what we mean. The truth about the restaurant attack in Kuri City a few months ago."

The woman's eyes widened hearing the masked leader's question. She was shocked, not expecting that question to arise. Restaurant attack? What did it have to do with them? "Re-restaurant? Attack?" asked the woman pretending not to understand, trying to evade the question that made her even more frightened. "I… I don't know what you're talking about. We have nothing to do with any restaurant attacks…"

"LIES!" the masked leader snapped at the woman in a booming voice, making the woman flinch in shock and her body tremble violently. The masked leader stood up from his chair, pacing back and forth in front of the woman, showing his anger that was beginning to flare up.

"Don't lie to me, Mrs. Tanaka," said the masked leader in a threatening tone, his hands clenching tightly. "We know everything. We know who the mastermind behind the attack is. And we know… it's your husband, Tanaka Kenji!" The masked leader pointed at Tanaka who was tied to the chair with a gaze full of rage.

The woman froze, her face becoming even paler. She could no longer deny it. Her husband's secret had been exposed. She knew that denying the truth now would only make the situation worse.

Tears began to fall from the glamorous woman's eyes, ruining her previously perfect makeup. Her lips trembled, she knew there was no point in denying it anymore. They already knew everything. Her husband, Tanaka Kenji, was indeed the mastermind behind the restaurant attack in Kuri City a few months ago.

"I-it's… it's true," said the woman finally, her voice barely a whisper, filled with despair and fear. "My husband… Tanaka… he was the one who ordered them to carry out that attack." The woman bowed her head, not daring to meet the masked leader's eyes that were staring sharply at her.

The masked leader grinned in satisfaction hearing the woman's confession. "Finally you admit it," said the masked leader in a cold but slightly calmer tone. "You should have been honest from the start, Mrs. Tanaka. You could have avoided many unpleasant things." He glanced at Tanaka who was still bound and gagged, giving a clear signal of what he meant by 'unpleasant things'.

The woman shuddered at the thought of her husband's fate. She did not want to experience the same thing. She had to cooperate with these masked people, whatever they asked. "I… I will tell you everything," said the woman quickly, trying to convince the masked leader. "I will tell you everything I know about my husband's plan. As long as… as long as you promise not to hurt us."

The masked leader laughed cynically at the woman's plea. "Promise not to hurt you?" repeated the masked leader in a mocking tone. "Do you think we are a charity organization, Mrs. Tanaka? We don't make promises like that. But… if you really cooperate and tell everything honestly, maybe… your fate won't be too bad." The masked leader made an ambiguous promise, not guaranteeing their safety, but giving a glimmer of hope so that the woman would talk.

The woman swallowed again, her heart still filled with fear, but she had no other choice. She had to tell everything. "Alright… alright, I will tell you everything," said the woman resignedly. "But… please, release my children. They don't know anything about this matter. They are innocent." The woman pleaded with tears streaming down her face, hoping her children could be saved from this terrible situation.

The masked leader was silent for a moment, seeming to think. He glanced at Tanaka's two sons who sat bound in chairs, their faces pale, their eyes full of fear. The masked leader sighed softly, apparently considering the woman's plea.

"Your children…," said the masked leader finally, his tone softening slightly. "They are indeed innocent. Alright, I can consider your request. But… it all depends on how honest and complete the story you will provide later." The masked leader gave a clear condition. The safety of Tanaka's children depended on their mother's honesty and cooperation.

The woman nodded quickly, tears streaming down her cheeks even more profusely. "I promise! I will tell you everything! I will tell you everything I know!" said the woman earnestly.

The masked leader nodded in satisfaction. "Good. That's what I wanted to hear," said the masked leader, a thin smile returning to his lips behind the mask. "Now, let's begin the 'story', Mrs. Tanaka. Tell me… why was your husband so foolish as to dare to carry out that attack?"