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“I’ll tell you,” he starts. “But I’m going to need something from you first.”
“What do you want?”
“Safety.” He shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant. I see it, though, the slight twitch in his eye, the fear he’s holding back. It’s brief, but I see it. “I want passports for me to return to Russia without interruption. I want a guarantee that I don’t go to prison.”
I scoff. “There’s no way that’s happening.” Even if I can get the FBI to agree, I can’t let him get away now, not after everything I’ve done to stop him.
“Show him.” He snaps his fingers at someone and they come forward. They hand me a phone and I keep my eyes on Anton before looking at the screen. It’s brief, but I see it, and it’s enough to haunt me for the rest of my life.
Margaret hangs from chains. It’s dark, but I can tell it’s her, her new hair is hung forward shielding her face. She looks dead, but why would he show me this if that were the case? I ask him just that.
“She’s not dead. In need of medical attention, surely, but not dead…yet.”
I look him in the eyes and glare. I’ve never felt an urge to beat a man to death like I do right now.
“Fine,” I snap, unable to handle thinking of her in such a state. “I’ll get you your freedom. Now where is she?” I growl at him.
“No, no. That’s not how this works. You get me my passports first, then I give you the girl. That’s the deal.”
I hesitate, because there’s no way I trust him. I don’t have much of a choice right now, though. There’s nothing I can do; I’m backed into a corner.
“Fine,” I repeat. We make plans to meet and I leave, being followed until I’m out the door. I head back to HQ, where James is no doubt pacing and wondering where I disappeared to.
I have to convince them to honor this deal. Margaret’s life depends on it, and so does mine.
