Evans put the little stove on the counter top and started it. Once he got a suitable flame going, he drew the bayonet Lieutenant Kestel had given him and balanced it on the stove. Next, he turned around and moved the heavy chair to the middle of the room. He dragged a table to it’s feet and started placing the tools: A sharpened piece of rebar, some copper wire, a lighter, a lot of rope, a gag, some cotton swatches, and the bucket of water.

He looked at his watch. Just in time. He walked over and opened the door. Lance Corporal Tiscornia and Private Head were dragging the bruised Sergeant Knowles along. They sat him down in the chair and secured him. Tiscornia waved and left the room.

Evans quickly secured the gag before Lieutenant Kestel walked in. She slowly walked around the chair while staring at the Sergeant. She pointed at Evans, “Wake him up.”

Nodding, Evans picked up the bucket and tossed the water in Sergeant Knowles’ face, startling him into consciousness.

Lieutenant Kestel smiled at him, “Sergeant, we know about you. We talked to Boswell. We read Claybrooks’ journal. The other sergeants. We know everything. You are going to die. Slowly.” She picked up the piece of rebar and slowly poked it into the Sergeant’s shoulder. The Lieutenant then looked to Evans, “See, that’s just boring. Sure he’s in pain, but it’s expected.” She then took the lighter and copper wire, “This way is more fun.” She stuck one end of the wire underneath the Sergeant’s fingernail and put the lighter underneath the other end.

Evans watched the Sergeant’s eyes, which were weeping. They slowly got wider as the pain set in. After thirty seconds, the Lieutenant dropped the lighter, “Still boring. But.” She pointed to Sergeant Knowles’ groin, “Evans, undo his pants and take it out.”

Evans stared at her for a moment, “Ma’am? Do I get gloves?”

“Just do it Evans.”

Cringing, Evans slowly undid the Sergeant’s pants and fished around until he found it. Evans delicately pulled it out and draped it outside of the Sergeant’s pants.

“So now,” The Lieutenant turned around with the knife from the stove. She paused and put the knife back down. She crouched and stared, “That’s it?” She pulled out a pen and poked it, “I thought they were bigger, and less, floppy? How would that even fit?”

“Excuse me?” Evans stared at the Lieutenant, “Do you know how sex works?”

The Lieutenant straightened up, “Of course I do. My mother told me.”

“What did she tell you?”

“That some day, when I was married, my husband would use his staff on my flowered garden to create life, just like in the beginning.”

“Wow,” Evans looked at his feet, “Your wedding night will be full of surprises… Ma’am.”

“Well what makes you the expert Evans?” Her tone got defensive.

“I’m married Ma’am. And my wife is currently pregnant. Ma’am. Which is evidence that… I have experience in the matter,” Evans laughed slightly and gestured at Knowles, “See, that is what a penis normally looks like. When guys are turned on, then it grows bigger and um… more rigid?” Evans bent over laughing.

The Lieutenant blushed, “Why are you laughing? It is not funny. Now, tell me how to make his… staff bigger.”

“It’s a little funny Ma’am. And… As I said he… needs to be turned on. So um… you would need to either play with it or take off some clothes.”

“OK… Evans, can you… touch his staff and make it bigger?”

“Two things Ma’am. One, it only works if a woman does it. Any two, I find it hilarious that you won’t say penis or vagina. Just ‘Staff’ and ‘Flowered Garden’. I’ve seen you kill people and you are acting like an awkward ten year old.”

The Lieutenant covered her face and walked into the corner, “Those words just are not Ladylike OK?” She picked up the heated knife, “Let’s just do this already.”

Evans grabbed and the Lieutenant started sawing through, “How old are you even Lieutenant?”

When the Lieutenant finished cutting through, she held the heated end to the stump to cauterize the wound. She looked at Evans, “I was born on the First of December 1306. So I’m almost twenty.”

“No shit Ma’am!” Evans laughed as he grabbed some of the cotton, “Me to. We’re twins Lieutenant.” He then held up the severed penis between his fingers, “So what do I do with this Ma’am?”

She blushed, “I am not exactly sure.” She shrugged, “Make him eat it or something?” The Lieutenant then slowly undid the gag.

The Sergeant’s teeth were gritted together and sweat was pouring down his face. The Lieutenant needled the rebar around until the Sergeant screamed. She pointed at Evans, who tossed it into his open mouth. The Lieutenant then put all her weight into forcing his mouth closed. Evans quickly put the gag back in place.

The Lieutenant stared at Evans, “I am not really sure what to do now.” She shrugged, picked up the heated knife, and thrust it into the Sergeant’s neck, leaving it there as he slowly gargled and bled out.

“What are we going to tell the Lieutenant Colonel Ma’am?”

“It is my duty to make sure the soldiers under my command are safe, and he was a threat to my soldiers. He had to die.”

“I’m talking about the obvious torture Ma’am.”

“We’ll bury it in the courtyard, with the Vledscans.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Evans then looked at the Lieutenant’s uniform, “You may want to clean up a little Ma’am. Quite a bit of blood.”

She looked down, “I believe you may want to clean up a little. When we get back behind the lines, you will need to clean off my uniform.”

“You would make my life much easier if you never ever took part in anything violent or dangerous Ma’am.”

“Well then I wouldn’t be doing my job,” She played with one of the buttons on her jacket, “Also, this button is falling off. You need to fix it Evans.”