"Lose the cuffs."

"But master-"

​​

"Talos, he has no intention of running. And even if he did, do you think he'd make it out of my domain?" Arnold dismissed Talos' unwarranted concerns, "C'mon T, your processor is getting slow or what?"

"You're the one who made the processor, master." Talos replied in his emotionless voice before entering the cell to do what he was told.

Both Nina and Natasha couldn't hold back their laugh. Talos rarely used backhanded sarcasm, but now it looked like he had been learning quite a few things from his master.

A moment later, Talos freed Devon from his shackles. Devon rubbed his wrists to ease the blood flow in his arms but otherwise remained quiet. Initially, he didn't seem interested in Arnold, not even a bit. But when he glanced at him once, he burst into cold and hysterical laughter. All the while he was pointing at Arnold's missing arm.

Before activating the nuclear strike, Devon had commented on taking a couple of Arnold's limbs with him to hell. Even though he failed to die like he was supposed to, he ended up taking an arm from his enemy. An enemy who was either respected or feared by the general populous of America.

Not even the dragon was able to cause any permanent damage to Arnold, yet he did it. He, a man without any powers, did it...

Seeing Devon laugh at his master made Natasha angry. But she wasn't the only one, Talos too was thinking about putting the useless human in his place. Both of them simultaneously took a step in Devon's direction but Arnold stopped them.

"Let the man have his moment." He told them.

But Devon didn't stop. He laughed and laughed like there was no tomorrow. Even Nina thought his laugh was getting unbearable but Arnold on the other hand kept smiling.

"Haha... How does it feel to lose an arm, oh great warrior?" Devon said between his hysterical laughter, "From America's strongest to having an amputated arm, what a journey! Do you even have enough strength to kill someone? Haha..."

"96... 97..." Arnold mumbled something. He had started this practice to keep his temper in check. He would generally count till 100, if his enemy stopped during his period, all was forgiven. But if they didn't... Well, then that's another story altogether.

"Did you said anything?" Nina asked him.

But Arnold didn't reply to Devon or her.

"98... 99... 100!"

Without a warning, Arnold launched himself towards Devon. Kneeing his chest. The laughing genius was sent flying back with a loud thud. He was no warrior. Just a kick with one-tenth of Arnold's strength was enough to send him flying across the cell. After landing heavily on the floor, not only did Devon throw up whatever was in his stomach but also quite some quantity of blood along with it.

Everyone was shocked. Arnold's mood swings were way too unpredictable and extreme. One moment he had been smiling like a doting parent, the next moment he was the devil incarnate.

No one noticed, Devon wasn't laughing anymore. He was on the floor, squirming like a worm. Arnold kicked him over before placing his foot on Devon's palm, crushing it without a moment's hesitation. The bones in Devon's palm got bent out of shape. Some even managed to penetrate through his skin. Arnold proceeded and did the same to his other hands. Devon's laugh was now replaced with his desperate cries.

Talos and Natasha who had already witnessed Arnold's cold demeanour before were unphased. However, Nina couldn't help but wonder, when did Arnold become so cold-hearted. At times she felt she didn't know him. There were times she stared at him with fear, and in her eyes, he was no different from a demon. Then there were times when he was the same weird and loving partner she had loved for quite some time.

Seeing his summons do the dirty work for him was a different matter, but seeing him torturing someone and enjoying it was different. She couldn't take it anymore and left the basement. She couldn't see this side of Arnold anymore.

"Master-"

"Leave her be." Arnold cut Talos off, "Nat, heal him up."

"As you wish, master." She bowed and proceeded to heal Devon's crushed arm.

Arnold then forced Devon up to his feet and looked him in the eyes. Just his look was enough to break Devon in sweat.

"I know what you were trying to do back then." Arnold smiled, "Believe me Devon, no matter how hard you try to piss me off, I won't kill you. Your trick might've worked on my summons, my soldiers, but I can see right through your petty tricks."

Arnold grabbed Devon by his neck and lifted him off the ground, slowly tightening his grip around his neck, "As for answering your question, I'm still enough to kill you, don't you think so?"

Arnold didn't even intend to kill the man, but as he tightened his grip around his neck, he started to blackout. Arnold immediately let go of him and Devon started coughing and wheezing.

"Why are you so weak?" Arnold sniggered, "Let cut to the chase, shall we? I want you to work for me. Starting today."

"What if I don't? You'll kill me?" Devon smiled at him before spitting out some phlegm. 'What is he even thinking, asking for his enemy to work for him? Is he really out of his mind?"

"No, no. I'll never kill you. You're way too precious for me." Arnold smiled, "However, I can't say the same for him."

Arnold nodded and Talos projected a video from his eyes for them to see. Arnold didn't turn around to see the video, he was just noticing the change in Devon's expression. How it changed from shock to anger to sadness to defeat. It was a video showing Alex, Gary and his caretaker being taken prisoners by Arnold's summons. There was no doubt. Arnold was using Gary as a bargaining chip to ensure Devon's services.

"You seriously thought none of us would notice a helicopter flying over our heads? Well, it doesn't matter what you thought." Arnold let out a sadistic smile, "Now let me ask you again, will you work for me or not?"

"... I will," Devon mumbled like an obedient dog. If his son was in danger he had no choice but to do as Arnold wanted him to.

"Good boy. I'll see you again real soon, Mr Devon. Talos chain him up."

After saying that, Arnold turned around and left.