Chapter 24

Genovese made some sort of gesture. Louie came into David's field of vision cracking his knuckles. Vito continued. "What is all this?"

As David started to speak hit him in the side of the head. David fell from the chair and collapsed onto the ground. Louie came over and drawing back his foot sent it forward into David's side. David groaned.

Louie stepped back. "Well done!" exclaimed Vito praising Louie.

Addressing David he spoke in quite a pleasant voice, "I thought it best to give you a demonstration of what will happen if you lie to me, before you say anything. Now what are all these photo's about?"

David slowly rolled over and brought his knees up under his body. The ringing in his head had begun to dissipate. He could taste blood, and his couldn't see out of his left eye. Holding onto the chair he lifted himself up. Again using the chair he stood, his balance was not good, and his chest felt as if it were pierced by several daggers. 'More broken ribs" he thought. "Those pictures you have are nothing, they don't mean anything. They're a private matter.

Vito did not seem to communicate anything, but David was hit in the small of the back - it felt as if he had been struck with a sledge hammer. He fell to his knees. "You disappoint me Colonel Ogilvy. You could at least have made up a more interesting story." He gestured to his goons. Benny and Tico picked David up, holding him under his armpits. David's knees could not take his weight.

Louie loomed into view cracking his knuckles once more. "Colonel," continued Vito, "I am a reasonable man, You tell me what I want to know, things will go less painfully. So let us start once again with these pictures."

David tried to speak, but all that came out was a groan. "Sit him down gentlemen, and give him a breather. We can wait a few minutes, for him to catch his breath."

All thought of escape plans and fighting his way out had disappeared. David focused all his attention on not blacking out. The pain in his chest and back and head were nearly unbearable. Three blows from Louie had reduced him to a near quivering wreck. David knew that there was no escape from this — he had no backup knife, no friends, and no future. He tried hard to steady himself.

His thoughts returned to Guam, and he remembered Staff Sergeant Anderville. He recalled those last moments before the final charge of the Japs, when the Sergeant had turned to him and said "Its been a honour serving with you sir" There had been tears in his eyes. That tough as nails, bastard of a staff Sergeant, had had tears in his eyes. They knew they were going to die. David had grasped his hand, tears in his own eyes. He had been going to tell the Sergeant something ... what was it?

He realised that he again had tears n his eyes, and the pain had not gone away. And he was most certainly going to die.

He turned his face to Vito Genovese. "You are a scum sucking bastard Genovese!" David spat, "You give a pile of shit a bad name. I haven't got anything to say to you. Fuck you and your all your pathetic looser, shit for brains thugs."