Chapter Six: Interrogated!
Outside the office, in the main body of the warehouse, the men carrying Pat dropped their load in front of the table. Others of Cartwright's gang, who had not been in the office, gathered around, while some of their fellows, still out due to the mercy bullets, lay on cots. The giant Pat had fought outside, and his companion, both glowered at her.
As Pat's chair was dropped, the sudden downward movement and stop caused her breasts to jiggle enticingly beneath her shirt. A few stray wisps of bronze hair fell over her face and down between the impressive hillocks. Assorted catcalls and wolf whistles were made by the captive's audience.
Cartwright stepped in front of the bronze beauty. "And now, my dear, why don't you tell us what we want to know?" he asked.
"Why don't you go to hell!" retorted Pat.
"I was afraid you were going to be like that. However, you WILL tell us everything we want to know." Cartwright nodded at one of his men. "Carlos," he said, motioning to Pat.
The individual Cartwright had addressed as Carlos smiled and stepped forward. As he approached Pat, he drew a Bowie knife from its sheath and began waving it in front of the bound woman. Though she would not give her captors the satisfaction of letting them see her afraid, Pat's eyes worriedly tracked the shining blade as floated closer and closer to her.
Suddenly Carlos' hand darted out. Pat involuntarily flinched back as much as she was able. The knife slashed down at Pat's chest, then down again, over and over, slashing at her chest and arms, licking out at lightening speed. Such was the skill of Carlos with his blade, however, that he didn't make a scratch on Pat.
Her shirt was a different story. Carlos' mastery of the knife had first reduced Pat's shirt to tatters, before a few final cuts had caused it to fall entirely off her.
Displayed topless before the entire gang, even the giant and his companion gazed slackjawed at the bronzed vista before them. Perfect twin globes, bronzed and glistening, lay before their eyes, peaked with crinkled coral tips that were hardened from the chill night air. Not a man among them was immune to the sight which met them, as Pat's jutting breasts were revealed.
The spell was broken as one man finally voiced their common thought. "What a pair of tits!" he exclaimed. At that, the men found their voice. Laughing, making coarse remarks, several hands reached out to fondle Pat's firm breasts.
"Not so fast!" Cartwright broke in. His men dropped back a few feet. "We'll all have some fun with Miss Savage a little later," he leered. "For now, however, I want some answers!" So saying, he stepped in front of Pat Savage and held something up in his hand.
Pat's eyes widened as she saw what Cartwright held...and realized that she would have no choice but to answer his questions. Reading the look on her face, Cartwright smiled. "I see you recognize this," he said. "I suppose I should thank you for supplying it."
In his hand, Cartwright held a hypodermic needle, a needle that Pat recognized as being from Doc's utility vest. The needle held a formulation of truth serum of the bronze man's invention, with a potency much higher than that used elsewhere. The drug removed its subject's inhibitions, making them pliant and willing to divulge anything asked of them. Injected with the serum, Pat would have no choice but to respond to her captor's questions. Grinning, Cartwright leaned forward and jabbed the needle into her arm, injecting the contents into her veins.
Futile though she knew it was, Pat struggled to retain her will. It was no use, however, as the world began to distort, as if she viewed the warehouse and everything in it from a great distance.
"What is your name?" Cartwright asked after a few moments.
"Pat Savage," she heard herself reply. Though part of her recognized she should not answer him, she was powerless to stop herself.
"Why did you come here?"
"I saw you kidnap Doctor Murray. I followed you."
"How did you follow us?"
Inside, part of Pat screamed at herself not to answer, but her voice betrayed her. "I followed by autogyro. I shot your cars with a special substance that left a trail I could follow."
"I see," said Cartwright. "And does Doc Savage know where you are and what you've done?"
"No," replied Pat.