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After the storm had flattened Washington, D.C., she and Ajax would come back to Italy. They’d find the Ark. And then what? Then, they would own the world.
She was humming when she went to her room to pack. She buzzed Harry on her cell as she walked down the back stairs, through the storage area, to the basement. The lights were back on, thankfully.
Harry met her at the basement door. “This way,” he said. She kicked off her stilettos and stepped into a pair of Wellies.
They went into a small tunnel off the main cavern. Only the workers’ foreman, Giovanni, was waiting for her.
“She’s in there.” He pointed toward his office. “She’s not going anywhere. You want me to put her with the other one again?”
“Not yet. I want to talk to her first.”
“At last we have lights again, but the computers are not functional, signorina.”
“Yes, I know, and what are you doing about it?”
Giovanni shrugged. The witch was in a temper, something he was used to. Occasionally he wanted to break her neck, but not with Harry standing right there. “We have new routers and new computers being driven in from Perugia, but it will be another forty minutes or so before we can get them in place and online. We don’t know what happened to them. It is like someone hooked them up to an electrical charge and they all shorted at once.”
“I know what happened. Now leave me. I need to talk to the prisoner alone.”
Harry and Giovanni left. Both knew she was going to kill the woman.
Kitsune was tied to a set of metal lockers in the corner of the office. Her face was bruised, her nose and jaw bloodied. Her eyes were shut.
Cassandra kicked her hip. “Stop faking, wake up.”
The pain from the kick was nothing compared to the pain in Kitsune’s head. She managed to stay silent.
“Come on, you bitch, open your eyes and talk to me, or I’ll have your precious husband killed while you watch, then you, and we’ll bury you along with Lilith. What a loss that one was.”
Kitsune stared up at Cassandra Kohath. She’d seen photos of her, so beautiful, perfect, really, except for her eyes. Her eyes were as mad as a hatter’s. “Those Wellies look pretty stupid against that Dior dress you’re wearing.”
Cassandra kicked her again.
Kitsune didn’t make a sound.
“Now you will tell me what the FBI plans to do next. I mean Drummond and Caine, of course.”
Kitsune studied her face. She said very precisely. “I’ll be glad to tell you. They will come back very soon and blast your palazzo into small bits of stone and bury you beneath it.”
Kitsune watched Cassandra’s face as she spoke. She didn’t see any fear, but she did see rage, and it was building. Would she kill her right now? She closed her eyes.
Cassandra came down on her knees beside her. “Drummond doesn’t have proof of anything. Besides, soon it won’t matter what he believes or what he knows and can prove. Won’t matter at all.” And she snapped her fingers. “All gone.”
What did she mean, all gone? Kitsune opened her eyes again. Cassandra’s face was close to hers. She whispered, “Be afraid, Cassandra, be very afraid. Drummond will snap your neck like a chicken’s. Even if you and your mad twin run, he’ll find you. And Agent Caine? That one never gives up, she’ll keep coming and coming until she puts a bullet in your brain.”
Cassandra slapped Kitsune. Another hit of pain, enough to make her eyes water. She wanted to kill this insane woman herself.
“Drummond and Caine? They left, defeated because they know they have nothing at all. They’re like toothless hounds, all rules and regulations. Our friends in the Carabinieri will protect us.”
“You mean like that incompetent idiot, Major Russo? I doubt he was in one of the cars he sent after us, but he was listening, wasn’t he? Do you think he’s coming to help you now? I doubt it, Cassandra. I’ll bet he’s already on a plane out of Italy.”
“You have a cat’s nine lives, don’t you? But soon, you’ll have none left.” Cassandra rose, dusted off her skirt. “I suggest you tell me what they’re planning now or I will have Harry and Giovanni drag your husband in here and let you watch them torture him.”
Kitsune whispered, “I’ll tell you, but not until you release Grant.”
Cassandra sneered down at her. “You want to negotiate with me? You can’t. Tell me or he’s a dead man.”
Kitsune closed her eyes, leaned her head back.
