(Scars do not appear to be cause of death –shock ... - Bad Request

"What about the shadows?"
That did it. The blank stare paved the way for the pregnant silence between
us, as if it swelled with the question 'What does he know about the
shadows?' that both of us were wondering. A pink tongue flicked out to lick
at absent lips, and when Morte spoke again it was as casual as could be. I
was almost fooled.
"What? You gonna ask me about reflections next?"
My voice deepened into a low, dangerous growl, "Spill it, Morte. I know
you've been hiding more than you've let on."
"Ch-chief I seriously don't kn-"
My hand caught him in the air, clutching the curve of his temporal bone.
With one hard shove I mashed him against the wall with a crack, the
sickening, hollow sound of bone striking against rock.
"Chief-" his jaw worked and his eyes darted back and forth in terror.
A few of the Sensates looked up from their seats momentarily, but seemed
neither interested nor concerned.
"Annah died tonight because you hid something from me," I hissed,
"Because you had some hidden agenda. Now tell me! What do you have to
do with Baator?"
"All right! I'll tell you, just let me go!"
I released him and he shook a bit as he righted himself, grumbling. For a
moment I held myself ready in case he tried to bolt, but to my surprise the
words seemed to spill out of him, each one easier to come than the last.
"I was…in the hells for a while. Kind of a long while. The stench kind of grows
on you."
"You were in the hells? What were you DOING there?"
"See, well, there's this pillar on Avernus, the first layer of Baator; it's called
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