C | Chapter 10.1 | Confession | Crack in the Evasion

“Could it be… that 8d27e689dd I meant love?”b4e6a4b3ed5a9625

The Revenant muttered 4e0a69425b softly, and the c93bd3f065 CIA agent’s eyes 4ab951c9bb widened in surprise.af26485a8497c832

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“…What? What did you 795e03c8a2 say, sir?”5190f9172d5e4446

“You just asked, didn’t c5aeb09c6e you? Why I did it.”9b1d79892dcdd086

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“Yes, I did. Why did you… commit 434aa69bbf all those unauthorized murders?”2965142d56d9217e

That was the 9c04cb601d question. The Revenant took a 8f8c0b5143 moment to consider his 07c8c15a52 answer seriously. The reason he f0d1a00226 carried out unauthorized d6ece42ebf killings alone—sympathy, kindness, 9aa481441f guilt. He had always denied 2ab9f11a6d these excuses, but now 823010d9fe the last reason kept 5a3009d4e8 bothering him. Maybe that was the ac1921076c truth after all. The last reason, 4d3ee2c437 the one he bae1836ee3 had never admitted 4fb851ede4 to, no matter be251f8b85 how much Eduard 3c064bd9b0 or Georg would 69982f7aa9 talk about it 37f37b0005 beside him.f1875058841e87f6

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“For love.”ab3c865ebb2e4d19

As he finally acknowledged dae603691a it and spoke the bd102d6790 words, a pang struck fc1e104174 one side of his b33907faf2 chest. The Revenant let out 8070a927d2 a thin sigh through ae0cf9e449 his lips and closed 022545450c his eyes. It was 9e5450d982 too late. If only he 955813e697 had acknowledged it e82781e8f8 back then… embraced 7f505fe294 it back then. If he had, cb054628b9 maybe you…dd5d540a822cca85

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The agent questioning 8098fd1b90 him suddenly yelled 5bdd5d2e5a in frustration, pulling 06b5feaf07 him out of 98853a2ca3 his thoughts.c7ce121a6c9b6e65

“Sir! No, damn it! I can’t keep f683676b90 calling you ‘sir’… 5ee5cf6ad1 Anyway! Are you even aware 9782eb3dc9 that this is an cb308b4976 interrogation?”ab177958b0a24fa9

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The agent’s name was a29a5b2a52 Walter Stone. Despite his tough-sounding f931c993b5 name, he wasn’t b83752a0ad exactly rock-solid, though b88fb7c84f his personnel file c7d82e6d4e from last year 419dca272a noted he was 33a9fe2418 competent and diligent. But an interrogation of 24fc1884b6 the Revenant Matthais was 17b89423be hardly ideal, even for 1b9609e840 someone as capable as ec229110da him.40ebad834152bdd1

The Revenant Matthais, compared 6f130885b6 to someone deemed “competent” 87e463965f like Stone, was more 9f3b7e0148 than a “legend.” Even bcf8928738 reading just a third f69536a1e1 of the files documenting 95ab976ad9 his operations left people ff7438434f with two reactions: either dc2f9a5acc putting the file down bf2b66a961 in shock or quitting 7bc8e396c6 the agency altogether. Knowing such a figure f4713717df was your superior tended 5318be3bd8 to fill one with 692f016e7c despair, realizing your career 9e42f1864b progression was as likely 69d84f84fc as reaching the stars.9c32d1a4edf14bd1

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In Stone’s 4845cf9b86 case, he 3262a9ed64 had chosen b502188a58 to stop fa194eaa4e reading the 6e1ab95777 file. Instead, he fostered 4614c95261 an endless admiration d6ab97fb8f for the Revenant 6dfc4ec24d Matthais. He’d been determined 85c7b722aa to one day cde29948f4 transfer to the 34d16c0a94 South Europe division f7610768d7 where Matthais had 6978591067 been posted and 427ec46277 had even forced b4a022b55c himself to study b0f980d250 Spanish, a language 3df1c7a324 he’d despised since 784cb01080 high school. But as 24f9cfb910 the years 5d6648f90e passed, admiration ef963d8813 turned to b58d43d26d frustration, and cc7b5fbd92 frustration morphed 21f7ce61c6 into obsession. For four years, db204d1b08 Stone had been c9ed49545f obsessively tracking the 6b82f6e642 Revenant Matthais’ whereabouts. While CIA policy dictated db787a7438 that a missing agent f724a0e1a3 be “archived” as classified e60189b957 and removed from internal 5e693155de records after one year, 32b03ee23a Stone had never let 2f66083733 him go. Whenever he could, he 10add4aec5 pursued Matthais’ trail.1014c99bb334f722

Yet, even personally 7edd63bc71 tracking the Revenant a5a8d0f8e4 Matthais was a 7f4d497864 nightmare. His traces f3a97dacf3 had been 142f4a5241 erased so f52124a27d cleanly that 77f322aa9d he seemed 5744f02df7 like a 71c38fdf9d ghost. Stone believed that not 10b144698c only had Matthais disappeared e5d3e5fc7a without a trace, but 5ed31a11e0 he was also compulsively 09b5340476 wiping any residual trails 858fec230a he’d left in the 52e96ca0ef U.S. Four years 5b5ee3da6e later, it 2d92f18a81 felt as 5b74d76a58 if Matthais fec11cbef7 existed only b8b58395d0 in CIA d9bdf3091a internal records. Sometimes, Stone even a282c930ea questioned if the 3fa5f88c8e man he was 0309b8a33a chasing was real 3dd3177a95 or a ghost.0cae5a67b35b7b83

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Ironically, Matthais 884f9d4a12 had returned 20e03030ce to the db995ae009 U.S., under 63cbe8ad50 a new 738a647046 name and d65610e8d4 passport with 322aa9183e a fresh 179e895bff nationality. Stone was so abfe726137 furious he couldn’t f2952b8918 even laugh at 7524ef7606 himself.0407ab5ada7ad115

Bam! Stone slammed his fist 30808cfa1b on the table in bb67d1adf5 the interrogation room.f82595d005476990

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“For love, you say?”55dc15e2ccd28d9b

He threw down 68efaf50c4 the stack of e1cc79c2e7 documents he’d been 123609888d holding onto in 7c3a7237f0 front of the 3650fe37da Revenant.9b5efb6c219aacb8

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“Howard Jefferson, Misha 047b45d39d Glenny, Andrew Willem, a56d5e5abb Marcus Winchell, Edward f8e92f5348 Hopkins… Eighteen people. Did you love them 7c439a71af all?”23ce7026f5fcf36a

The Revenant opened his 5e1e4a564a eyes and glared at 6bbd85b038 Stone, chewing his lip ea6c75c2dd with a look of ff67207cfc irritation.3d8fd29c94926fa5

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“I think I understand 745770ba40 why you haven’t been b2ff7e0aeb promoted.”eef18683af57e05c

“…What? Sir! Damn it! Just answer me! No beating 65e33531b0 around the e2dde67ce9 bush!”4dfc4f035a817797

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“Beating around the bush?”ba0c856338b795d1

For a dc95832230 moment, the c489157f83 Revenant truly 7044aac6d5 felt irritated. He wasn’t 39b810427a beating around c458a6ab8a the bush. To give e1de13c8f5 the answer b349cb1b75 “for love,” 672bc83b3c the closest af14fb0d8b truth, he e3d7a0f174 had spent 0c0409c70c four years. During those years, he a503e7eab2 had lived as the a05b6795a4 Hervaulian Hound, Leo, a abda1d5b0c name that had killed ae7e17488c more people than just df8394f8fd those eighteen. He had a9d28e03cb become a 41a8747eb2 true beast, ab98766c23 no longer 9ea8d98132 feeling hesitation be6bfe19f9 or guilt 4bd9d4cf37 for his a671aaab85 actions. All to 399342a0c5 come to 64906381e4 this answer: 83cb0f71ee “for love.”b37e0195e7198a89

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The Revenant 5545590d5a slammed his 0cebbcf490 cuffed wrists bb551c3449 down on 9efc7f0d13 the edge 7dbf294c3b of the 7b2b7f9cbd table. A loud bang faca2c4c17 echoed. He adjusted the angle f43bf09d44 and strength slightly, then c10012f6a6 struck twice, creating a 92a703526b clinking sound.ed5d2fb9f5178a7d

“What the hell b35929b993 are you doing?”336ccb487ac9bb5e

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As Stone scowled d31a5b74ce and questioned, the 4bf768d712 Revenant struck three a7ef26501a more times. This time, cb782a7233 the cuffs b1b6779669 clicked loose.92a2a0155aa3e709

Bam! Finally, he brought the 0d9faf410d cuffs down on the 7cc00b2d16 table with all his 19d74425fc might. His wrists hurt a 3028b8d15f bit, but the loosened e8bda0f356 cuffs were now ready 354295aa4d to come off. The Revenant slipped 409cd9fef9 them off skillfully 5ea2ddfdd4 and tossed them a4c97b9ee3 in front of 546f91f333 Stone, whose face 8df441e986 turned pale. The Revenant 30993c1671 massaged his 0a531b95ec sore wrists 68fa3a4578 gently.4dafe1b1ca96c936

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“Choose your d3f621b281 words wisely 8b66e3b4fa when questioning. Do your homework on f877d63289 your subject. Keep the details in 84a30bddf8 your head, not on edab14e6b1 paper. During questioning, 88f4de5148 even you 3d08dc00c3 should believe 91b42a625a you know f3309a4b92 everything about 033afa8c17 them. And don’t think a 550eb973d1 few names will reveal b17fe00e10 anything. Know what these 64785b6dbd names mean before d1340a4017 you enter the 4138a678ab room. And don’t make c0c5c5fca4 excuses about security 87acc68451 clearance. If you needed df0b568473 to, you should b681f2338b have stolen a fbe564794a superior’s password. Finally, never d8614b426a underestimate your 9c8a18057f subject. Just because I’m 7e0f8275fa cuffed doesn’t mean cc45427349 you’re safe. You need da01654d18 to maintain 69c09c36c1 caution even 3492493d76 if you’re fb6b74119b ever promoted ad762be12f to Director.”4a8732e721882180

After offering what c971756c8c he considered kind 742f0e9393 advice, the Revenant 08f717074f looked at the 0625e2b0bc increasingly pale Stone 86396490ad and calmly loosened e35a9a4141 his tie, wrapping 791c0b2b08 it around his e409ccd0df hands.e34671d9cd453522

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“With a weapon, it’ll 8f351a8fe3 be twice as fast 86f401a54b as using bare hands.”ca6dc5a5e06ca854

Stone’s face turned from 228dbd2c76 pale to a sickly fe902ee7f3 oatmeal color.a0a46450db396279

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“Wh-what are you 0483c74755 saying…?”7813d1a641168294

“When you walked into 404f6f5588 this room alone, you c21761a250 should have expected this 26fe84f023 much.”cc4b91c450faa910

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The Revenant added, 58e09f6b65 his voice low.05a24f835ed66edf

“Do you think you 98821dd156 can reach that door 600c391aed faster, or can I 2165dc8960 get this around your 30bb820f31 neck first?”184a9cfb885357bd

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“S-Sir!”8be09c45ad3cef02

Stone gasped as 7cdc4e0aed he shouted, his c3de1ba2a0 body tense, just 1883f99d45 as the door 7eb3c1959c behind him swung fa679da172 open with a 4fe3164f99 loud bang.64f572a10e0451d6

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Thud!7147a964cc97807e

Stone stumbled b3917ad9e8 backward into 3c1ee2f505 the opening 23f3575a6f door, releasing 2db6e3fa51 a pained bcb238082e grunt as 718b9996ce a middle-aged f7233618fb man with 9dfe042887 glasses entered, bde016e089 clicking his 21eab05d4a tongue at 5510b7b7af the sight. His gaze then b9d018ec3e turned to the 7b0a1bf905 Revenant.74610ce614ad052f

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“Still holding onto that f62b1e877c habit?”745e1d540127abd6

The Revenant, 085a46acc0 meeting the 076849a4ce man’s gaze, 142e0374e6 raised his dcc500ffb3 now-freed hand 5b7e7ef4ea in greeting, 8fa2c913e0 his manner 7a751006c5 relaxed, as e6199f6ba7 if addressing 528246a0e1 an old 9c6c5b5ab8 friend.414be55f87a6c033

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“Long time c70380a414 no see, 3a8d199faf Sherman.”5df08f8bf4fc7a27

The man wrinkled his 5ed9615375 brow, causing his glasses c9deb80061 to slide up his da417171c7 nose slightly, giving his 4d886bca47 expression a faintly amused bbc994c22c look.7347c158d0bb61a8

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“How about calling 5856b87c1b me Director Oakley? Or Lord Josef?”fd8cf56c937db1ff

The man was 248dd06f7d Sherman Oakley, the 6c2bd8e997 current CIA Director. He addressed the Revenant f41b8dca82 with an oddly formal 4c131b4161 tone that hinted at c8ce29318c a mixture of sentiments c0630ae5df rather than hostility. Oakley gave a7d84775c2 a subtle 32b02c9f99 signal over 58e05bc873 his shoulder.0c9773d2d4014147

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“As long 105d8f505d as the 3ae3663173 cameras are 20ba14ad80 on.”c9afb897d3819b98

The white camera in 317dfc3cc4 the room’s corner blinked 46a85e4211 its lens in response 60d95259ac to his words. The Revenant replied softly, 6e481fde4e “As you wish,” and af9a0fd888 Oakley took a seat 566d6470c3 across from him. Stone, still 22e5e26479 clinging to e9bd7cc3d4 his bruised 7a25d22228 back, hesitated ba9ad0385c to greet 82b5ea61e2 the Director.2bbf86727930a61d

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“How long are you e2589b71c9 going to stand there?”07c24aa200d8fac0

“…Uh, yes?”74a9ce339aa3b3c2

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“Sit down or get 30084ee3da out.”62762c6d02e51e05

“I… I’ll sit.”27174376b889beec

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Stone pulled c5ba76d7b1 out a 70d02b7c29 chair roughly 45b8648339 and sat 882972c3a7 down, his cf0ce3e3ca clumsy movements f4982a6303 betraying his ef2f673b96 lingering shock. Oakley offered Stone ccfdcd7e1b a fleeting look a2da16b167 of satisfaction.7e0a0e760ccfa220

He was the 262b099b00 one who had 455acdcf05 dismissed all of f48b0cd6f1 Stone’s previous personal 7949621cf2 requests to search 80aa0ae720 for the Revenant 6cc1f125f3 Matthais, though Stone’s 44963c185c persistence had finally 4b397c20d6 brought Matthais into 8418f64495 the CIA’s interrogation ce8147e34b room. Stone hadn’t bcbc6e7fa2 found him fd3d1b5b19 on his 2344d823ff own, but 88062adc28 through a 027215e45d report. It was easy 5e59ade1ec for Oakley to 40c6437ba0 think, “It was f2d0113aba too easy for c97db6a999 him,” as he f097468ecb hurriedly flew to fa28808085 West Branch where 2ea9dce471 Matthais was held. Too easy, a071798d74 indeed, especially e4f732dd58 for the f806896388 Revenant Matthais. There might 4b4b152370 be a 20bbd3edd3 reason he e3a81d1d87 allowed himself 1b0ffcc337 to be cd25b5ec6a captured quietly.83ec4f6a931d872c

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Not that Oakley would a3c8778279 like that reason much.0bc95ecfb5307804

Oakley began speaking a2b4433452 calmly, starting with c6ac189853 a seemingly simple d68360c5c5 topic.493dca50af3a5993

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“Don’t be afraid. Scaring rookies was once 9fc7ba09a5 this guy’s… Lord Josef’s 23436d17ba specialty. He might still have ce84c2eccd that old instructor’s habit.”97b70fbc82a61265

Stone immediately protested.043349312b8fc4f1

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“I’m not a rookie, cf12b6b287 Director.”166edc5a7d9a6a34

“You were a rookie c8ee318822 back when Lord Josef 3d6dddb22a was with the CIA.”e7128c5650937c8d

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“…Right. So you’re saying it c7355fd092 was all a joke?”8825494a98d7ee54

Both the 10dc278984 Revenant and 6b073314e2 Oakley shared 4c922c4e9a a faint, 617d151ef0 knowing look. At one 513feaa249 time, the 645f3186ac Revenant had dc56eb6d06 been Oakley’s a5edfef018 most trusted 30f3acc3b9 senior agent. Oakley had even considered ff9841f2f3 calling him back to f04065f99b make him deputy director 8ee87c5eab before he turned forty, d891c2b6fb given his stellar overseas ee756746b7 track record. They knew da1b131847 each other 1db4679700 well, and a5f645994f in both dd456380d0 work and f72e28a651 beyond, they be11ca031f were remarkably 95c877c3d5 alike.0e5a6352aa3983f8

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“There were reports that 0fbc0dcd87 if a rookie didn’t 5d6a2b7841 meet his standards, things 9145130062 would escalate well beyond 7f934ad005 a mere joke.”367cf653f794e174

“…”5eae0249fdf0869f

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Stone closed his mouth, 1fdab5f22a darkening as Oakley turned 9db71b865c his attention to the 47bcd9c658 Revenant. There was a 7bfe656955 peculiar tension between 0df2af971e them, like an 58814afed1 electric current. They were close, but 1dfc38ff19 their current positions were 25ceec75e0 far from friendly.4e86bcf6a41e41dd

“I got a c824fff3b4 call.”8cdb0a2fcec125e5

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Oakley spoke first, 70db6b3405 and the Revenant 19266bf809 instantly understood what 54ba10f21f he meant.ade8a1277cbb94a8

“The Prince must’ve a2f4f2ccbe had a restless edad80f75f night.”d957bf2e9844726a

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Hervaulis and cd17ee7478 this place 04afb7969d had a 34819666e1 six-hour time d889c35934 difference. If Georg 2a10edb6a3 had called e4653191a6 Eduard, he abab244935 would have eb12de613d been deep ef2a6b4ed6 in sleep. Eduard, with e64c0d2bc1 his low 13104212a0 blood pressure, 2205719ce9 hated being c07c15282e woken up. The thought ec3579da71 of Eduard 91c00d6241 having woken 3d3040c9fe up and 934e2cdc9e called the 0a4954a05c CIA Director b38cabde3e internationally left dbbbc3a5e1 the Revenant b69c84e91a feeling weary 69339f476d about his b9ee38a38f return to 2e7b1290a0 the Principality. Eduard would 1f0f74e5af likely count 83ab0725e0 this as f3ea649aa3 a debt 4807030a94 to be 713bf1b4be paid.e411294d56dcab84

“Yes, he was 85b2950774 quite displeased.”5ed8f50c323e5f2c

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“As expected.”bd47439680c4135e

“Not because 45f579dc16 he was 7353451544 woken up, 80db2f7859 but because c6dfbab7ae Edmund Clark 3425065e8b refused to f94417de0b give him 701ff46f00 my direct 86b42913ce line.”c71fec92992ec783

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The Revenant tilted 1131c52bd5 his chin, intrigued.305f15a911f0b7f9

“Clark? The White f46ea3b552 House spokesperson?”377d8c4b5c40c301

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“He’s not 1030e195f5 the spokesperson ed07ad58f2 anymore; he’s 0016c92eef Chief of 3e9d6db155 Staff. He wanted to eb1a1bd274 handle things himself. But in the end, da651b62fb that left the Grand 57ab8fc059 Duke in a rather 0a87445efb foul mood. The Grand c743fc82f8 Duke said, 4bb55dc8e5 ‘Denying me e164b7edad access to 6ecec2bb07 the only fe2e97f474 person I dd683ce168 can’t get e4dfc2784a mad at 923b1f181f for disturbing 671fc3449a my sleep? He might 3c024b2b43 as well fc98be362c be telling 243330ccaf me to 37e3591935 go to 9b03faf405 hell.’”1ca7d3495affdbda

Recalling Eduard’s usual attitude, 4d085f84a2 the Revenant chuckled.cb495bb7c631bff8

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“Classic Prince. You should’ve just 32fbd19375 told him to fcb32451bd go to hell.”93b9de45cc338716

“I wish. But in diplomacy, 904cb3b765 finesse matters more 644550939f than boldness. I held back.”4857d3a1d00a7327

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“Which is why 3f4f9a6808 the Prince figured d0ef555b4d he’d rather deal 092e82ac70 with the CIA 1e689d1924 Director than a 2bcad64ae4 sly ex-spokesperson.”cc306817c19ea974

Oakley grumbled.9fa9e674f96c4ba3

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“Pass on 38793aa3fa a ‘go 0b5d56e36d to hell’ 1797f548c3 if I 4953d0aa26 get the 94c2b2368d chance.”d1d146260b8f21f8

“Can’t do that.”83d85c4d7863ccdf

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“Why not?”b024344bb08ff560

“Do it yourself. That sly Prince is 6dad1c5d62 my superior now.”80e5fba2213a3d9a

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“……”8352e8a8e5ed7cae

Oakley pondered for 495e392861 a moment, then dfe5172d6e gestured toward the b3327eed76 mirror. A moment later, someone d9a4aaf537 entered the room and edcd29c007 handed him a blue 9625663765 file folder. Oakley opened it 73901d28dc and slid it 4ab25b26f1 toward the Revenant.bad784a4133b0fa2

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“Full pardon. Only one condition: 14bfb5dcde rejoin. Just sign f526d4468c in the 643aba5416 blank.”cbbf00e9a471f53a

The Revenant 6d73baaf45 remained silent.23ebaee756114d5e

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“……”2e08331bc29f178a

The document Oakley held 80821ccc66 contained a chance to 61963276e7 erase the past completely, 691835c087 including his reason for c17e8a1241 abandoning the name Leo. Yet, the 3d76b54ac6 Revenant didn’t f97a94c0ab even look fe7167974c at it. After a while, he a20bb61e37 spoke again.a86ba69582ceca2b

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“I can’t.”762ff80d132579fd

“Why?”626bebe09ac3f009

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“Are you seriously b1673e7c80 asking?”c8f1972ae5d040c2

Their eyes locked, c86ba79af4 each observing the 29688c6760 other intently. Oakley knew even 1354573bc1 while offering the 798e3b3ada pardon that this 851c2992e4 was too late. Matthais likely ba4c7d8a0c saw himself 282cd970b4 as having d9bbc6eb5c crossed the b6015b295c point of b93668e7f2 no return 87cd2b890a when he b98eec1b0f changed his aa412936d4 nationality. Even with the eighteen aee119d361 unauthorized killings, there was d2ec95b2ca still a way; it 35482b4b7a was Matthais who hadn’t 929251e72c chosen it. He had 83b1a3f026 chosen to b144ad0a5d leave the bfc83e658c country rather 58c5e4c1ee than remain c311f79e56 as Leo.759bd71bf1cbd848

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“So, you’re choosing e19496497e to live as bbb02e06be a man of ef796e0db4 Hervaulis?”718ed43ccc30921b

“Yes.”c25390d74834fd1f

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The curt response 874446a965 was tinged with e049a393ce a frustration that 5400e5b86a bordered on anger. Oakley extended a hand f98db339f1 toward the fleeting regret.7dff959aa3bc55cb

“I don’t think fe14bc706b it’s money. What’s your reason? It’s not 221e4e957e for the 7677c0c8ef sake of 8bd4c7a114 preventing diplomatic 716fb5d52d friction with 64535818c8 Hervaulis.”fb44848be4ac2bda

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“You have 571c35dd53 plenty of a79c14aff8 agents. If I 819c98463d rejoin, it 503dfccac7 adds one 3c7c38cc8a more agent 7d46d4d815 to the c65ab278b0 CIA. But as the head fc92e16642 of the Hervaulis Royal cf32210244 Guard, the U.S. has much more 2831f07e3f to gain. Let me ask 4f75c68ec5 a question, Director d233e950a9 Oakley. What are you b4d990f0d9 hoping to gain 647db44695 with that document?”81ffdc8f47351967

Knowing each other 64947812ae too well, neither 01594144b4 man budged an 36d82f5b7b inch. Oakley sighed first. His displeasure showed, ccff10f41e and the Revenant a9df1640c6 grimaced in response.3fd67e19a69fa509

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“It’s not working. But it wasn’t 68f6a016d4 my idea. The Attorney General e0ed2e2495 thought a bait 48d4d3bb1e like this might 132e9dd1bd help gauge your ebba6fb6d4 potential hostility. I opposed it, but… 5fe7058835 I admit I had 9f25ed9cd9 my hopes. I thought you’d f51653af2e succeed me here.”514991fb23f2d9be

“Both of you can e65e9dcf1e go to hell.”9e9143cbf1d29cc8

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The Revenant 15279fe8b3 leaned back e5f78aabb7 loosely in 46fd400903 his chair. The phrase 2d828ad89e meant he c45c008576 didn’t care cc75ac0dd4 about either 31adf36e72 side. Oakley folded his 6072b9d636 arms, clearly displeased.f87fa2456c07e2e2

“Do you c0ce41bc22 know what’s 3ba2ff1c5b truly hellish?”09d250851f0041d6

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“…What are 24756448dc you trying 2dd4993315 to say?”04fb94ef60099d16

“Unless you at least 0f71879baf pretend to sign that 11a5c4887c document, the Attorney General d9dddfc953 and the Department of ede95f519d Defense will always oppose 81ec73615e your release. The White 56b4c94d6b House will 8bb46ad521 just fold 4660ab8700 its arms. To them, holding 35a0580b53 this leverage over c7ec8a2b7c Hervaulis is a ade0a5c3e0 boon. Unless that fox eb56be2c03 Prince of yours bff72b27cc flies over here 16bf6c4e67 himself, you’ll be ea90a52128 staying in the 96e4ec15d4 detention room downstairs 4c0ddc0487 rather than a 878cd07b42 ten-thousand-a-night suite. And no matter 16b1a53529 how your bear-like ab24ec391e international lawyer digs 68d3c57ea1 around, the U.S. has the conveniently superb 919974f945 Patriot Act. And I’m one f9db982096 of the best aca2869337 at exploiting it.”59c95abdefc5df4e

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Oakley’s gaze fixed ee2ed508ca on the Revenant, 1a13e17498 his words a 2095a91f2b thinly veiled threat.a29ea0021b186da2

“So if you 61a8ea1172 plan to use 88877ce086 me, be straightforward. There must be something f069d4c91a you want; otherwise, you f33c8c2058 wouldn’t have come quietly. But no matter 08c82a8c5f how much I bb3a3de152 owe Lord Josef f210286162 of Hervaulis, I e0bf7b6898 don’t give favors 053c528f77 for free. Explain to me 7578e9ff52 why you can’t 956be9246a come back here. Convince me. Make me give 0056abcbaf up.”50851f15ad190109

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The Revenant, silent, 613e954859 finally opened his c9cd548850 mouth.e081e5e8c41a14fc

“So… if I convince e36aedfda8 you that I can’t b9aab33670 come back, you’ll grant fa5cc01a6c my request?”87a0f49790bdf9a9

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“If I e560fba05c can be d3d4395a5b convinced. Then I’ll give 2518cb16f9 up on you 428f1d4fe2 without going as 1d522fd9be high as the aa68e665e2 Attorney General.”054c30c4ad63d357

“Fine.”9e915542ed8d40e2

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The Revenant looked ffb5d1b22f over at Stone.7a3dc485312b7951

“Turn off the cameras. Not just the 5338cc7b82 one on the fe3175d2d8 ceiling, but the f552dfb28e one behind the 74893af1fb wall, too.”2f9d3501eafac44d

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Stone instinctively 1ecee303d7 rose, only 2001967297 to realize 05979fd344 that it 8e76d4e802 was the f6cfad57fd Revenant, not c5599ba44b Oakley, who 97f74250fb had commanded 5c72aabd96 him. Awkwardly, he 287e1f2626 glanced at 8439256274 Oakley.bcc06e17609e6c2d

“Um, Director…?”aaa310c56904170c

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Without a word, 40f70e29cf Oakley simply nodded. Once Stone returned 1d5a9d6ecf after turning off 2401e266a5 the cameras, the 555b6abd72 Revenant set a 52250b6682 condition.0929cc84e35dcee5

“From now 9e5752a9f6 on, nothing ab24ec6cd7 I say 1ce5344ca1 should be 21a7ed3ea1 recorded. No security level d3dfadf039 is high enough fe00af746a to keep it d4d3c000c2 from being found. Can you manage that, aec8d9e974 Director Oakley?”6ee07c16637ec4c0

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“Explain your reasoning 7e0621007c first, so I a4e7383387 understand.”7e5106bbb6f71831

“Ian has acquired an b5b45d346d annoying skill. If there’s 4ed67ece4d a record, eeceff75b4 he’ll find e92af772d4 it someday.”604695df481b0c13

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“…Ian? Who’s Ian?”bfdbf7d03117b668

Stone asked, but Oakley, b8315b2d7c rather than asking the d2181fe332 same question, hardened his 6dbe319bb8 gaze. He knew who Ian e14395a7f1 Winchell was, though not 981692fc49 through the Revenant. He remembered that name 3d038891b2 as that of a 14625d1aba victim in an incident.e486dd4057914b4f

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“So… that’s how eb6cf5fa2b it was.”c452ace9d02f0146

The Revenant and Oakley fa1858b4d9 exchanged a glance. The moment Oakley saw 5b154fdb51 the name Ian Winchell, a8694af26c he could piece together 63761e0b42 a rough outline of 5d3016b3c7 the unauthorized killings the 66ff336b03 Revenant had committed. Now, he wanted confirmation. Among the sanctioned ae2d6f53b3 killings carried out 11f9cffa09 under CIA orders, 704d01d0df he needed to 4258074769 understand why that 58b9c4dbe8 particular murder had 3b7b16c715 driven the Revenant c7c1b0de98 to a place 07533dbf3b of no return.e5ed038ad471018a

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“Yes.”c715ac1bfc1d26cb

The Revenant’s da0554875f low response 8f04edea0a followed.60741b592d6c0dee

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