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“All this time? You knew?”
“That you were conspiring with a federal agent? The one who was assigned to your witness protection? The one who… for some reason… is pursuing this case without radioing it in? Oh yes, Sia. I knew.”
Arnold and I exchange a horrified glance. He knows he’s out of his league in this moment. I see it on his face.
“Face it, fed. Your days of babysitting witness protected women have made you soft.” Leandro’s smile widens. “You haven’t been part of a chase in decades. You’re three years from collecting that fat pension, and that belly sure does need it.”
Silence fills the room like a rising water level, threatening to drown us all.
“Your children, William and Jessica Frick – they’re doing just fine, aren’t they?”
Arnold lifts the gun a little higher. “Don’t you dare utter the names of my kids.”
“Why not? You dare encroach on my property.”
“You’re holding hostages.”
“I don’t live by the laws you enforce, Arnold. I live by my own code.”
“Leandro…” my voice shakes.
“Sia,” he responds. “At first, I thought this fed was a sign of my death. A foreshadowing sent by you know who. But as time went on, I wondered why you didn’t leave that day. Surely you could have tried. You had no idea I had a rifle pointed at you. And deep down, you knew I wouldn’t kill you.”
Arnold’s brow furrows as he slowly turns to me.
“Why didn’t you let him take you in the hotel?” Leandro tilts his head at me.
I curl my toes with unease.
Arnold is waiting for an answer too.
“Because, I—”
“Why, Alessia?” Leandro eggs. “Nothing? Okay, I’ll go first then. I wondered whether you were playing me. Biding your time to get the others to safety in this agent’s arms.”
I scratch at the gunmetal, terrified at how on point he is.
“But there’s a connection between us, isn’t there? I couldn’t possibly be imagining it. It’s too raw, and natural. I think of you every day and every night, counting down the minutes until it’s our turn to bond again. I feel a need to protect you, Sia. And I’ve only felt that once before.” Leandro sniffs in hard. “I suspect that’s what this agent is also feeling. You’ve intoxicated us with your noxious scent.” He leans forward in the chair, cracking his knuckles. “Well for me, it’s turned into more than that.”
“Leandro…” My heart beats through my fingertips, my temples.
“I love you, Sia.” His voice vibrates through the wood. “Against all of the odds, my eternal vows, my pact for vengeance, it’s true. I fell again. One last time before the end.”
“That’s enough.” Arnold shakes his head. “I don’t know what the point of this is, but I’m placing you under arrest. You’re going to come quietly to my car, and you’re not going to harm the hostages.”
“Oh, I’m not going to come quietly, Mr. Frick.” The tonal shift in Leandro’s voice locks Arnold in place. Leandro shifts his gaze to me, and I’m terrified he’s going to do something stupid, like charge a man with a gun pointed at him.
“Leandro, please. Don’t do anything stupid.” I gulp. “I—love you too.”
“Lesi?” Arnold’s tense mouth frowns in horror.
Leandro’s eyes turn glassy at the mention. “So it wasn’t all a play. I can die happily knowing that.” He rises while holding his seat.
“Don’t fucking move!” Arnold stiffens again, but Leandro only turns the chair around so his back is facing us, relaxing into the chair again, and puts his hands behind his head.
“I’m letting the fates decide now, Sia.” Leandro nods. “It’s out of my hands what happens next. I’ve laid the groundwork. Now, let’s see who pulls the trigger.”
“No more!” Arnold takes a step forward. “Lesi. I don’t know if he’s stalling for back up, but I have to take him in, now. And you have to come with. Once he’s in cuffs, I’m calling it in.”
