"Talk! Who sent you?" Ethan Grant grabbed Nate Bullock by the collar, his voice sharp and commanding.
Nate's face, covered in blood and grime, twisted in agony. He gasped, stammering, "I— I swear, no one! If there was, I would've confessed already. Even if you beat me to death... I... I got nothing to say."
Seeing that no amount of interrogation would get him to admit anything, Ethan clenched his fists. If he pressed any harder, he might actually kill the guy. He turned to the local officers and ordered, "Check his phone records. Find out who he's met with recently."
The officers quickly responded, "Y-yes, sir, we'll get right on it."
Only after the words left their mouths did they realize—why were they taking orders from him? Ethan was a former member of an elite international security force, but that didn't give him authority here in Blue Ridge.
