*Vincenzo's POV*
Pigs will eat anything.
The knowledge of the matter was one of the only memories I'm glad I retained from my childhood.
Contrary to popular preferences,I sort of liked them,they were actually easy to train,loyal to a fault and appropriately overlooked.
A lot of my associates hoarded illegal venomous animals–have a pig farm,or an experiment lab–whatever you choose to call it.
I stepped into the elevator and sent it to the ground floor,which was still by far my favourite entertainment center even after the other facilities I built.
There were three facilities.
Ice, Shadow and Mud.
Ice was a private cloud storage server firm that is actually just a team of hackers and spies fishing out secrets.
Shadow was the headquarter of my logistics warehouse and hub for people more interested in trading–Zane managed that.
And this one,mud–the processing yard for my arsenal and most importantly,my pigs.
The pigs have grown a perfectly curated appetite for flesh, I made sure they are trained enough to not want it as a first option when their regular feed was available.
I wanted to be docile,calm–until triggered.
The elevator came to a halt and sliced open to reveal an unusually corporate looking Arturo.
He had a clip board and all.
"He has been relocated."he greeted.
I stepped out,received the clipboard and headed to the pen
"When did he wake up?"
"Last night."
Shit,I missed it.
"And when was he relocated?"
"This morning…we gave him a shot of adrenaline as per your request."
I groaned in approval as I reviewed the reports on the clipboard.
The three men I had in my lab had succumbed to torture and unfortunately died in my absence.
Again,I missed that.
I keep letting more time fly by with Evangeline,I will miss out on everything fun in my life.
A long explorative line connected the thought of Evangeline to Luca and the thirst for blood scorched my throat dry.
It was so feral it felt I would die if I didn't quench it.
I handed the clipboard back to Arturo and headed to the pig pen.
Luca waking up to his surroundings would have been a sight to behold,but now that that event has long passed. I can focus on the other thrills in life.
Like watching him on all fours given the short the enclosed pen he was in was. He was still in his once-white dress shirt and his brown pants--his feet,hands and lining of his mouth all soiled with the same goo-like substance that covered the goo that was on the ground.
"Was he fed?"
"He ate with the pigs."Arturo replied,sounding unhappy about the matter.
Not unhappy as though he rather the man ate well,but unhappy he was eating instead of letting himself starve and become easy prey for when we trigger the pigs.
I glanced at his attentive face,the fascination in his eyes were so alive it was hard to believe he condemned this method just a couple of years ago.
With enough exposure,everyone makes room for their own darkness.
The pigs ignored Luca,for the most part.
There were automatic feeding tubes properly spaced out to reduce collision,and apart from the probable smell of decay and faeces the pen holds-this place was a perfect guesthouse.
And when they weren't hungry or triggered,they were the perfect roommates.
The rations reduced gradually till there was no other food but the guest-who usually by day three was weak enough from their self imposed starvation.
I'm intrigued Luca ate with them–not all mushy cause again–I missed it but it's nice knowing he'll do just about anything to survive.
I look forward to testing those limits during his stay here.
I pressed the intercom and spoke into it with the most cheerful voice I could muster.
"Good morning Luca."
He jerked up in surprise and his head hit the iron bar above him.
The pigs rattled at the sound.
"Welcome to your new home."I continued. One of the pigs tried to crouch under him but he slapped it away with disgust.
"The least you can do is be kind to my pigs,they let you eat with them and this is how you repay them?"
He started to scream dramatically at the speaker,the sound I couldn't even hear because of the sound proof glass-you'd think he'll be able to tell.
"You are still quite agile."I noticed. "Do you have any idea how much I would make if I displayed you in a zoo?"
He sighed and stared around him.
The glass could only be peered in from outside so that must be a really boring sight.
Arturo's phone buzzed and he excused himself to go make a call.
I nodded and returned my attention to the exhibition.
Out of mercy and the cross on Evangeline's neck,I decided to give him one privilege.
A full conversation.
I pressed the intercom hard.
"You know,I met Mr.Fornseca one time–he was very"I jogged my memory a bit. "Cowardly man."
Luca glared up at the speaker.
"I could tell the Forncesca's won't last with him as a don. Nevertheless their reign was interesting and I really wish I didn't have to end the bloodline this way."
I rather use a gun but that was hasty,too impersonal.
I liked to see the dehumanisation of my enemies crawling before me.The fear as they saw their last moments walking towards them,the shame I'm sure they'll feel in the afterlife when they realise the irony of being eaten by food.
A button allows three finger sized holes to appear on the glass,the sensory overload of the pigs are a nuisance at first but Luca's gargly voice through the noise is enough compensation.
"Just kill me already–"
He coughs up and makes a guttural sound that resembles a scream and a pig's oink.
"Just kill me already!"
"You don't want to die."
His face lights up for a moment when he realises I can hear him back.
"Evangeline is never going to forgive you if you kill me."
His first sentence when he realises he can negotiate for life is to use Evangeline as shield.
Martyr my ass.
"And here I was thinking forgiveness was one of the pillars of Christianity."
"She won't ever forget me you know–all this is pointless and you are sick and mad to think that you are somehow going to make your case better by killing me.
"You are in a box with pigs."I chuckled."How are you just realising I'm not sane-I take it back,I wouldn't hire you."
"I won't tell her,if you let me go–I promise I won't say anything…I'll even talk to her on your behalf."
I was literally startled.
"What did you say?"
"I'll talk to her", his voice getting hopeful thinking he's about to strike a deal. "I promise,I'll never see her again."
Did he just give her up?
My finger linger on the button trying to process the exact thoughts running through me. This so-called righteous piece of shit that loves Evangeline to death literally just gave her up.
That was the most pathetic thing I've seen in my life.
I've seen people put up more resistance in giving away family recipes.
I glared back at him in disgust. He now looked so fucking small and worthless-what the hell did she see in him? I would have never–
Arturo's footsteps approached.
"The spy tailing the Hidalgos just called,"Arturo said hastily. "Apparently Marlene and her son went to have an apology dinner with Cameron's family."
I hit the irrigation override. The sound of the high-pressure nozzles was like a scream, and the pigs reacted instantly. They didn't like the cold. They didn't like the noise. And they certainly didn't like the fact that their 'roommate' was taking up space in the corner they all wanted to huddle in.
It becomes an increasingly violent attack and despite his best efforts,he nearly gets trampled by a little over a hundred pigs.
He slips out of the corner and falls face first on the floor.
"What rations do they receive today?" I ask,increasing the intensity of the downpour.
"None,"Arturo replies. "By tomorrow Luca will be the breakfast."
"Hm."I wasn't quite satisfied yet. "Feed them tonight."
"What?"
"The brain is easily convinced." I flipped the switch off. "A very fragile and adaptable tool."
"Uh."Arturo follows my vision to the pen,where Luca is still hurled up in the corner,breathing heavily from the stampede.
"I want to know how much longer it'll take for our dear guest to start acting like one of them."
"I–"Arturo clears his throat. "Don't you think it's better if the swines just get rid of him and the evidence? Letting Cameron go was a big enough risk,we can't have that many people alive."
"Fine, get rid of Cameron but keep the detective alive."
Arturo grumbled something incoherent.
"You don't kill pigs unless they are ready for harvest. And that one..." Luca raises his head,making eye contact with me as I say the last sentence."Is far too thin."