“Yeah? Good for you, man. I’m outta here.”
JC made a move to rejoin his friends, but Kane reached out one large hand and grabbed him around the back of his neck, positioning his body so that from where JC’s little posse stood, it looked like JC was simply leaning casually against one of the larger oaks, with only a slight portion of his profile visible. To any watching – and they were watching – it appeared as if they were just talking.
“What the fu-“
“Language, boy,” Kane warned, squeezing the section of JC’s neck that effectively kept him from moving from the shoulders down, though he could still feel pain. “I could kill you and all your little friends and no one will ever find your remains, if there are any,” he said quietly, letting his eyes fill with the cold certainty that death awaited any who dared defy him. “Do you doubt me?”
“N-n-no,” JC managed to squeak out when Kane squeezed harder and JC felt like his eyeballs were about to explode.
“Now, see, someone stole money from the shelter. And that’s bad. But what’s worse? Someone hurt the nice lady who just happens to be a friend of mine in the process.”
JC’s eyes, now wild, flicked in the direction of his friends. “Pay attention, boy. Focus.”
JC made a gurgling sound; Kane ignored it. “You remember Rebecca, don’t you, JC? Someone roughed her up pretty badly. Pistol whipped her. Kicked her in the ribs. Cracked her ankle.”
“She tell you this?” JC wheezed.
“No,” Kane admitted. “She hasn’t said anything. And you know what that tells me? That she’s trying to protect someone. Someone who isn’t fucking good enough to lick the dirt from her shoes. Get me?”
JC no doubt felt the cold steel of the blade against his side, but was powerless to do anything about it. “Y-you’re fucking crazy,” he managed in a horse whisper.
“Close,” Kane said, the first notes of pleasure sounding in his voice. His smile didn’t do much for JC’s overall outlook, either. “I’m your worst fucking nightmare.” The tip of the shiv made a slight incision between two of JC’s ribs. The smell of urine reached Kane’s nostrils, making them flare in distaste.
“Pissing yourself isn’t going to help, kid. I already figured out you’re the one Rebecca is protecting. For some strange reason she seems to care about you. I, however, don’t.”
Kane withdrew the blade, reinserting it seamlessly between the next two ribs. Each incision was enough to hurt like hell, but not deep enough to do any real damage. JC whimpered.
“Did you know there are twelve pairs of ribs in the human body?” His voice was eerily calm. “Shall we count them together?”
“What do you want? You wanna kill me? D-D-Do it, man.”
Kane laughed softly, the low rumble sending shivers up and down JC’s spine. “Kill you? No, I’m not going to kill you, JC. At least not yet.” The blade withdrew again, found a third entry point. “Who was with you that night?”
“D-Don’t know w-what you’re talking about,” JC stuttered.
“Ah, I see. It’s going to be like that, is it?” Kane gave the blade a little sideways twist.
“Fuck!” the kid wheezed, barely able to make it audible. There was no chance of him screaming to his friends for a little help.
“Mmm, good, isn’t it? Now let’s see. Rebecca had injuries to a few ribs. I think we’ve covered that.” He removed the blade at a painful angle. “There were some injuries to her ankle as well.” Kane shifted his weight slightly, taking his heavy, booted foot and covering JC’s foot right above the ankle. With one swift, nearly imperceptible movement, he partially separated the joint at the ankle. JC tried to howl in pain, but Kane managed to silence him.
“Who was with you?”
“K-Kenny.”
“Good. That’s good, JC.” Kane released the pressure on his ankle and gave his foot a quick kick, pushing everything back in place. JC was as white as a sheet, a slick sheen of sweat covering his brow, looking as though he was going to be sick any moment. “Who tried to rape her?”
“N-N-Nobod - ”
Kane didn’t even wait for the denial. He sent JC’s face into the side of the oak. It wasn’t exactly the same as being pistol-whipped, but it was close enough to get his point across.
“Who?”
“Johnny,” JC moaned. “It was Johnny. But I stopped it...”
“Which is the only reason you still draw breath,” Kane hissed in his ear. “Listen to me, JC, and listen good, because I will only say this once. You will pay back every cent you stole from the shelter, with interest. If I ever hear of you or your little friend Kenny as much as scratching your balls in public again I will not be so forgiving, get me?”
“J-J-Johnny?”
Kane’s grip tightened for a moment, his expression the personification of death. “Who’s Johnny?” he whispered.