Brutal opened the double locks on the cell； and gave John a gentle push inside。 〃Go on； now； big boy。 Rest awhile。 You earned it。 We'll just settle Percy's hash〃
〃He's a bad man；〃 John said in a low； mechanical voice。
〃That's right； no doubt； wicked as a warlock；〃 Brutal agreed in his most soothing voice； 〃but don't you worry a smidge about him； we're not going to let him near you。 You just ease down on that bunk of yours and I'll have that cup of coffee to you in no time。 Hot and strong。 You'll feel like a new man。〃
John sat heavily on his bunk。 I thought he'd fall back on it and roll to the wall as he usually did； but he just sat there for the time being； hands clasped loosely between his knees； head lowered； breathing hard through his mouth。 The St。 Christopher's medal Melinda had given him had fallen out of the top of his shirt and swung back and forth in the air。 He'll keep you safe； that's what she'd told him； but John Coffey didn't look a bit safe。 He looked like he had taken Melinda's place on the lip of that grave Harry had spoken of。
But I couldn't think about John Coffey just then I turned around to the others。 〃Dean； get Percy's pistol and hickory stick。〃
〃Okay。〃 He went back up to the desk； unlocked the drawer with the gun and the stick in it； and brought them back。
〃Ready？〃 I asked them。 My men … good men； and was never prouder of them than I was that night； nodded。 Harry and Dean both looked nervous； Brutal as stolid as ever。 〃Okay。 I'm going to do the talking。 The less the rest of you open your mouths； the better it'll probably be and the quicker it'll probably wrap up 。。。 for better or worse。 Okay？〃
They nodded again。 I took a deep breath and walked down to the Green Mile restraint room。
Percy looked up； squinting； when the light fell on him。 He was sitting on the floor and licking at the tape I had slapped across his mouth。 The part I'd wound around to the back of his head had e free （probably the sweat and brilliantine in his hair had loosened it）； and he'd gotten a ways toward getting the rest off； as well。 Another hour and he would've been bawling for help at the top of his lungs。
He used his feet to shove himself a little way backward when we came in； then stopped； no doubt realizing that there was nowhere to go except for the southeast corner of the room。
I took his gun and stick from Dean and held them out in Percy's direction。 〃Want these back？〃 I asked。
He looked at me warily； then nodded his head。
〃Brutal；〃 I said。 〃Harry。 Get him on his feet。〃
They bent； hooked him under the canvas arms of the straitjacket； and up he came。 I moved toward him until we were almost nose to nose。 I could smell the sour sweat in which he'd been basting。 Some of it probably came from his efforts to get free of the quiet…down coat； or to administer the occasional kicks to the door Dean had heard； but I thought most of his sweat had e as a result of plain old fear： fear of what we might do to him when we came back。
I'll be okay； they ain't killers； Percy would think。。。 and then； maybe； he'd think of Old Sparky and it would cross his mind that yes； in a way we were killers。 I'd done seventy…seven myself； more than any of the men I'd ever put the chest…strap on； more than Sergeant York himself got credit for in World War I。 Killing Percy wouldn't be logical； but we'd already behaved illogically； he would have told himself as he sat there with his arms behind him； working with his tongue to get the tape off his mouth。 And besides； logic most likely doesn't have much power over a person's thoughts when that person is sitting on the floor of a room with soft walls； wrapped up as neat and tight as any spider ever wrapped a fly。
Which is to say； if I didn't have him where I wanted now； I never would。
〃I'll take the tape off your mouth if you promise not to start yowling；〃 I said。 〃I want to have a talk with you； not a shouting match。 So what do you say？ Will you be quiet？〃
I saw relief e up in his eyes as he realized that； if I wanted to talk； he really did stand a good chance of getting out of this with a whole skin。 He nodded his head。
〃If you start noising off； the tape goes back on；〃 I said。 〃Do you understand that； too？〃
Another nod； rather impatient this time。
I reached up； grabbed the end of the runner he'd worked loose； and gave it a hard yank。 It made a loud peeling sound。 Brutal winced。 Percy yipped with pain and began rubbing his lips。 He tried to speak； realized he couldn't do it with a hand over his mouth； and lowered it。
〃Get me out of this nut…coat； you lugoon；〃 he spat。
〃In a minute；〃 I said。
〃Now！ Now！ Right n…〃
I slapped his face。 It was done before I'd even known I was going to do it 。。。 but of course I'd known it might e to that。 Even back during the first talk about Percy that I'd had with Warden Moores； the one where Hal advised me to put Percy out for the Delacroix execution； I'd known it might e to that。 A man's hand is like an animal that's only half…tame； mostly it's good； but sometimes it escapes and bites the first thing it sees。
The sound was a sharp snap； like a breaking branch。 Dean gasped。 Percy stared at me in utter shock； his eyes so wide they looked as if they must fall out of their sockets。 His mouth opened and closed； opened and closed； like the mouth of a fish in an aquarium tank。
〃Shut up and listen to me；〃 I said。 〃You deserved to be punished for what you did to Del； and we gave you what you deserved。 This was the only way we could do it。 We all agreed； except for Dean； and he'll go along with us； because we'll make him sorry if he doesn't。 Isn't that so； Dean？〃
〃Yes；〃 Dean whispered。 He was milk…pale。 〃Guess it is。〃
〃And we'll make you sorry you were ever born；〃
I went on。 〃We'll see that people know about how you sabotaged the Delacroix execution … 〃
〃Sabotaged…！〃
〃how you almost got Dean killed。 We'll blab enough to keep you out of almost any job your uncle can get you。〃
Percy was shaking his head furiously。 He didn't believe that； perhaps couldn't believe that。 My handprint stood out on his pale cheek like a fortune…teller's sign。
〃And no matter what； we'd see you beaten within an inch of your life。 We wouldn't have to do it ourselves。 We know people； too； Percy； are you so foolish you don't realize that？ They aren't up in the state capital； but they still know how to legislate certain matters。 These are people who have friends in here； people who have brothers in here； people who have fathers in here。 They'd be happy to amputate the nose or the penis of a shitheels like you。 They'd do it just so someone they care for could get an extra three hours in the exercise yard each week。〃
Percy had stopped shaking his head。 Now he was only staring。 Tears stood in his eyes； but didn't fall。 I think they were tears of rage and frustration。 Or maybe I just hoped they were。
〃Okay … now look on the sunny side； Percy。 Your lips sting a little from having the tape pulled off them； I imagine； but otherwise there's nothing hurt but your pride 。。。 and nobody needs to know about that but the people in this room right now。 And we'll never tell； will we； boys？〃
They shook their heads。 〃Course not；〃 Brutal said。 〃Green Mile business stays on the Green Mile。 Always has。〃
〃You're going on to Briar Ridge and we're going to leave you alone until you go；〃 I said。 〃Do you want to leave it at that； Percy； or do you want to play hardball with us？〃
There was a long； long silence as he considered。
I could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he tried out and rejected possible counters。 And at last； I think a more basic truth must have overwhelmed the rest of his calculations： the tape was off his mouth； but he was still wearing the straitjacket and probably he had to piss like a racehorse。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃We'll consider the matter closed。 Now get me out of this coat。 It feels like my shoulders are … 〃
Brutal stepped forward； shouldering me aside； and grabbed Percy's face with one big hand … fingers denting in Percy's right cheek； thumb making a deep dimple in his left。
〃In a few seconds；〃 he said。 〃First； you listen to me。 Paul here is the big boss； and so he has to talk elegant sometimes。〃
I tried to remember anything elegant I might've said to Percy and couldn't e up with much。 Still； I thought it might be best to keep my mouth shut； Percy looked suitably terrorized； and I didn't want to spoil the effect。
〃People don't always understand that being elegant isn't the same as being soft； and that's where I e in。 I don't worry about being elegant。 I just say things straight out。 So here it is； straight out： if you go back on your promise； we'll most likely take an ass…fucking。 But then we'll find you … if we have to go all the way to Russia； we'll find you … and we will fuck you； not just up the ass but in every hole you own。 We'll fuck you until you'll wish you were dead； and then we'll rub vinegar in the parts that are bleeding。 Do you understand me？〃
He nodded。 With Brutal's hand digging into the soft sides of his face the way it was； Percy looked eerily like Old Toot…Toot。
Brutal let go of him and stepped back。 I nodded to Harry； who went behind Percy and started unsnapping and