The Last Victim Chapter 20

Stephen was leaning on his desk flipping the pages of a large file. There were piles of papers and hundreds of pictures on the desk, Brandon was examining the pictures intently.
''Terrible, absolutely terrible.'' Brandon muttered.
The pictures showed young men in different bondage positions. All the signs if horror and pain were on their faces. The pictures included some pictures of Niko. Another group of pictures showed the same men's dead bodies dismembered and in various stages of decomposition.
''This is one sadistic monster we are dealing with.'' Brandon continued ''What the boy said didn't add anything to what we already know.''
''We are not done with him yet.''
''If we could interrogate him without his father around.'' Brandon said, leaning his back on the comfortable leather chair.
''Why, in your opinion he didn't kill Niko, in his confessions he said that he didn't keep them for more than a week.''
''Well, I have no specific answer at the moment.''
''Maybe he left a strong impact on him.''
''What kind of impact a victim can make on a predator who killed dozens with cold blood?'' Stephen asked.
''Maybe Niko consented or reciprocated.'' Brandon said slyly.
Stephen glanced daggers at him and grabbed some pictures of Niko and placed them in front of Brandon.
''Tell me, does this look like someone who is consented? Does this look like consensual fun?'' Stephen yelled in anger.
''Hey, take it easy.'' Brandon said raising his hands in the air as a parody of surrender.
''I hate your ways in dealing with rape offences, you like to place the blame on the victim some way or another.''
''I don't!''
''Anyways, we are not just dealing with rape here.''
His mobile phone rang relentlessly.
''Stephen Rowan, who's there?''
''Hi, Mr.Stephen, this is Niko.''
''Ah! Niko, how are you?''
Brandon sat straight and looked at Stephen's face intently as if he is going to read on his face what is being said on the other side.
''Can I see you?''
''Sure! When and where?''
''I am waiting outside the building in my car. A red BLS Cadillac.''
Five minutes later, Stephen was in the car with Niko. He was wearing large sunglasses with his long blonde hair tied back in a pony tail. He wore a yellow T-Shirt with Peace sign printed on the chest in black and dark blue jeans. They didn't exchange a word while he was driving. They stopped at a small coffee shop. Niko parked the car and they both stepped out and headed to the coffee shop that was not very busy at that time of the day. It seemed that Niko is known there as the middle aged waitress smiled at him and shouted ''Niko!''
She approached him and gave him a big hug ''Nice to see you again! Oh my God! You made my day!''
''Thank you Kim darling I missed you too very much.'' He said with an attractive smile.
''I know what you want, but what about your friend?''
''Coke please.''
She wrote the order in small notebook in her hands and disappeared and went somewhere that must have been the kitchen. Niko and Stephen sat on a table in the corner. Niko lit a cigarette and offered Stephen one.
Stephen shook his head and said ''I don't smoke.''
He watched Niko puffing the cigarette and wondering why a beautiful young man would like him would choose such a way to die.
''There are better ways other than lung cancer to die from.'' Stephen said.
''Don't start lecturing me!''
''Ok, let us talk about what we've come here for.'' He pulled a small notebook and a pen from his pocket while the waitress put the drinks on the table.
Niko took a deep breath and cleared his throat.
''That bloke is crazy.'' Niko said in a low voice.
''Sure he is.''
''I remember listening him talking loudly and clearly to people who were not there.''
''Who are those invisible people?''
''I can't recall names at the moment but he used to have conversations and it seemed he was some how following their orders.''
''Continue Niko, I'm all ears.''
''He used to say things like, yes sir, I've done what you wanted me to do. Are you satisfied master? I would do anything, sometimes he used to cry and trying to convince ''them'' to allow him to keep me alive some more time. Many times he grabbed a knife and was ready to pierce it in my chest and stops in the last moment saying ''Please please give me some more time I can't do it now.'' '' Niko's face twitched in pain.
''That must have been terrifying.'' Stephen said in sympathy.
''I died thousand times there.'' He said in a low voice.
''Why do you think he didn't kill you?''
''I don't know but used to tell me that I'm different and called me most of the times with endearment names.''
''Different in what way?''
''I don't know!''
Niko sipped his vanilla cappuccino with shaking hands.
''What else?''
Niko closed his eyes for a while. There are still a lot of things that need to be said, but he couldn't talk.
''We found in his house, ropes, leather straps, sex toys, whips and many other things. I assumed that he used them all on you?''
Niko nodded.
Stephen waited for him to say something. But the expression on his face showed that he can talk no more.
''Is there anything else you want to say?'' Stephen said softly.
''No.''
''That has been very useful information Niko.''
''I want him to be locked up as soon as possible.'' Niko pleaded.
''We'll do our best.''
Niko lit another cigarette, his hands were shaking noticeably.
''Have you started seeing a therapist?''
''No, no more doctors.''
''That would be really helpful.''
''I am not ready.''
''Are you on medication?''
''Dozens.'' Niko said with a wryly.
''Tranquillizers?''
''Tranquillizers, anti- depressants and vitamins. It's a long list.''
''But they do nothing, I suppose?''
''They do, they make me feel numb and want to throw up.''
They were silent for few minutes before Niko stands up and say ''Let me drive you to your destination and go home before Dad calls all the security agencies in the country.''
''It seems that your father is over-protective.''
''He is.''
''He must be devastated after what happened to you.'' Stephen said seriously.
''He can't stop blaming himself.''
''Overprotective parents blame themselves for everything bad happens to their children. They feel that it is their role in life to ensure safety for them and when they fail in doing this, it has all the negative effects on their psychological state.''
''He didn't fail, there was nothing he could do.'' Niko protested.
''In his mind, he failed.''