The One Weakness (manXman)

12. Complications

I didn't plan for this, but I realized it was necessary. I felt like you didn't know Leo when Derek isn't near him, so here you go. Hopefully this will give you a more clear impression of who Leo is. 

I didn't really proof-read this because I should actually be writing a german assaignment rigth now... *groans* 

So I hope you'll enjoy this, because I don't plan on there being a lot of Leo POVs. 

Leo's POV: 

The early rays from the sun were starting to carefully crawl over the horizon, summoning their courage before bathing the land in their blinding clarity, when a knock sounded on the door into the office. Leo didn’t bother to look up from the papers that were spread out on the solid mahogany desk.

“Come in,” he ordered. The door clicked open and a man shuffled in, carrying a disk in his meaty, right hand. After closing the door again the man took a second to wipe the dribbles on his forehead and shiny scalp away, before going over and standing before Leo in silence, waiting for him to be acknowledged. The man didn’t stare while he waited. He didn’t dare. He kept his eyes focused on his feet and the soft, grey carpet they were standing on.

Leo finished reading a document and placed in the pile with the others. The man shuffled a bit, nervous, but when Leo’s piercing gaze fell on him he went stiff. It wasn’t the first time he had stood before the Don, but it didn’t get easier with time. The man was frightening. He wasn’t famous for his cold ruthlessness. He was legendary for it.

“What?” Leo curtly asked. The man quickly bowed his gleaming head in respect, before handing the disc to Don.

“This is the recording from the interrogation we conducted yesterday.” He tried keeping the stutter out of his voice, but it was difficult and he didn’t fully succeed. Leo took the disc and placed it in the computer, then turned to the man - John if he remembered correctly - who was shuffling with his feet, waiting anxiously for Leo to allow him to leave.

It didn’t take the top-notch computer long to load the contents of the disc. Leo clicked play, and watched the interrogation unfold.

A bulky man with tattoos covering his chest, arms, back, and neck was strapped spread-eagle on a specially designed table. John came into the view of the camera and stopped next to the head of the tattooed guy. The room they were in was bare cement - both floor and walls. No windows, peepholes, writing, or graffiti. Nothing, except the table.

“What is your name?” John asked calmly, not a trace of nervousness as he stared the tattooed man in the eye. The tattooed man grinned. “Go to hell,” he hissed, hatred and fear skinning in his eyes, making them almost seem like they were about to pop out of the sockets. John didn’t respond or react, simply turned around and walked out of the frame, just to return moments later with a grater-looking object.

John repeated his questing to the man, who again told him to go to hell. “Be smart, just talk and you won’t get hurt,” John said, his voice almost sounding sympathetic - like he really cared. The man on the table sneered. “Go. To. Hell,” he enunciated. John sighed like parent would when their kid told them they wanted to be a musician, a painter, an actor, or a writer. With a sudden movement he dragged the grater down the man’s abdomen, leaving multiple red grooves in its wake. The man produced a shrill scream, squeezing his eyes shut and fisting his hands.

John lifted the grater and looked down at the man with the patience of a monk. “Ready to tell me your name?” he asked and raised an eyebrow. The man on the table didn’t respond for several moments, but then finally growled, “Go to hell.” John frowned, like he was confused at the man’s stupidity. This time the grater was dragged slowly across the abdomen, making the man scream in anguish and blood started to drip down on the otherwise colourless floor.