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Rapp eyed Gazich with suspicion. He wondered for a moment if it was possible that the attack in America and the Russians showing up in Cyprus were in fact unrelated. Once he started with the Russian he’d get to the bottom of it. The man would not be hard to break.

“The café owner?”

“Yes.”

“That’s interesting.”

“Why?” Gazich shut his eyes as he was hit with a wave of pain.

“The café owner says those Russians were looking for you.”

“He’s not all right in the head. He owed them money. They were threatening him, so I stepped in to help him out. We Greeks stick together.”

Rapp looked down at him, his patience quickly running out. He squatted down on his haunches and said, “I’m not a particularly patient man, so I’m going to get down to business. I know who you are. I know you’re not Greek, I know that those Russians were sent to Cyprus to kill you, and I know you were in Washington two and a half months ago.”

“I’m afraid you are confused.”

“Confused.” Rapp chewed on the word for a moment. “I’m a lot of things, but confused is not one of them. I’ll tell you what I am, though. I’m the last man on the planet that you want to piss off any further than you already have. I don’t enjoy this shit, but each time you jerk me off with one of your bullshit answers, I lose what little sympathy I have for you.”

“You don’t strike me as the caring type anyway.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Do you care about the truth? About justice? Are you open to the idea that maybe your cocksure American attitude has blinded your judgment? Do you think it’s possible that maybe I’m not the man you’re looking for?”

Rapp grinned and scratched the black stubble on his chin. “Oh…boy. You just don’t get it. You’re in way over your head.”

“I would like to speak to a lawyer.”

“Lawyer,” Rapp laughed. “That’s a good one. Did I forget to show you my badge?” Rapp patted his pockets. “Oh that’s right. I forgot. I don’t carry one.” He leaned in closer. “There aren’t going to be any lawyers. No judge. No jury. Just a really painful interrogation, a confession, and then your execution. Based on your attitude so far, I’d say there’s about a ninety-five percent chance that’s the way things will turn out.”

Gazich licked his lips and blinked his eyes. Rapp’s words were having very little effect on him due to the fact that he was more focused on the ever-increasing pain that seemed to be shooting from every inch of his body. “And the other five percent?”

“Compared to option A, I think it’s a pretty easy choice, but then again you haven’t shown yourself to be the most rational person so far.”

“What is it?”

“You tell me everything. Who hired you, how it was planned, where the money is. Everything.” Rapp could see Gazich weighing his options. “You and I both know,” Rapp added, “you’re going to tell me either way.”

“Then why not torture me? You seem like the type who would enjoy it.”

Rapp shook his head. “I’d prefer to do it the civilized way.”

“And when you’re done with me?”

“We’ll stick you in a prison for the rest of your life. Maybe you’ll be eligible for parole in thirty years, I don’t know.” Rapp was making it up as he went. He knew he had to give the man some hope. “Someone higher up than me will be making that decision.”

“Doesn’t sound like a very good deal.”

“Compared to months of torture and an execution, I think it’s a pretty great deal.”

“You’re not the one on the receiving end.”

“I’m not the one who set off a car bomb that killed the new president’s wife.” Rapp watched as Gazich blinked and then looked away. The words had hit home.

“How about a shot of morphine?” Gazich asked in a tight voice. “I’d like to think about your offer.”

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