C | Chapter 10.1 | Confession | Crack in the Evasion

“Could it be… that 45eff7996f I meant love?”256995ee85528b28

The Revenant cc67ca0381 muttered softly, 0cb67f56bd and the 112d75cab8 CIA agent’s 49a64ca125 eyes widened 05678535d5 in surprise.7f9a3912b0d71440

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“…What? What did you fd50ad6e9e say, sir?”ef45a744b899015f

“You just asked, db2df2dc1c didn’t you? Why I did 5328e14df5 it.”4958b287c65f6c1c

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“Yes, I did. Why did you… commit f782b54b68 all those unauthorized murders?”d437156bd34a7512

That was the question. The Revenant 789ff174fd took a 8061078809 moment to 15bad769bf consider his 308f4fec51 answer seriously. The reason he b2cc5f83b5 carried out unauthorized 4e9628e656 killings alone—sympathy, kindness, 5f237709b5 guilt. He had always denied a4c023a1d4 these excuses, but now e6b1f62881 the last reason kept 277f619cd3 bothering him. Maybe that ec49137d98 was the cd6ef90246 truth after 0e6444be83 all. The last reason, the d732f4ff4b one he had never 12d9e43646 admitted to, no matter 2d0fa14be4 how much Eduard or bd4d2d4886 Georg would talk about be23003ed3 it beside him.a8703ff6d3a296b3

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“For love.”ddf74a1a8abd2f8f

As he finally d0a3827f0f acknowledged it and 4addf60949 spoke the words, f8fbae1fd0 a pang struck 36ac275b4f one side of aa95ad0520 his chest. The Revenant let out 42595923f5 a thin sigh through adfe781e89 his lips and closed 40162a2a94 his eyes. It was too 5b5a65ed86 late. If only 9b68256405 he had a6c3d35159 acknowledged it c733ea4e6a back then… 18c17a176d embraced it 222afe922b back then. If he 66b622cceb had, maybe 372079b402 you…7e295f0c109f8452

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The agent questioning f6c9333a21 him suddenly yelled eede46e9c2 in frustration, pulling 8beca211e9 him out of 34d1114e6f his thoughts.e8e5bbd29997c6a6

“Sir! No, damn it! I can’t c8274e29f0 keep calling 1d00f87a2f you ‘sir’… c2ff2cad11 Anyway! Are you 87661545fa even aware f0352e2b1a that this 2f7255aaa3 is an 9e347145d5 interrogation?”2e3df098f87ade5c

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The agent’s name was afbf696afe Walter Stone. Despite his tough-sounding name, 8db5c229c6 he wasn’t exactly rock-solid, 7798dc02bc though his personnel file 71d074f253 from last year noted 3df02fe8b2 he was competent and ca534fe98e diligent. But an interrogation of 20b4a88447 the Revenant Matthais was 46fe37fd95 hardly ideal, even for e9edff6a87 someone as capable as 542d0095eb him.507bbd5dc97e73b9

The Revenant Matthais, compared f47d3f7ac7 to someone deemed “competent” ec04f47db6 like Stone, was more 24baceb88f than a “legend.” Even c9ea420114 reading just a third 68eb3293db of the files documenting 9316a92511 his operations left people 05d4a5d606 with two reactions: either 6222276352 putting the file down 533487e98f in shock or quitting a331114851 the agency altogether. Knowing such a figure c1bc753704 was your superior tended c57339009f to fill one with 26593198ef despair, realizing your career b74aa4b596 progression was as likely ecd69a37e5 as reaching the stars.f30c31f5cc3b16f9

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In Stone’s 0173d2b762 case, he 4ebb9bf772 had chosen 89bdf4f6cd to stop f15aa95ee6 reading the 0b85a94634 file. Instead, he fostered an 846d03eab1 endless admiration for the fd9f4e4d21 Revenant Matthais. He’d been 6f32d83db4 determined to 950efed984 one day e070645018 transfer to 3a4d03090e the South c56b8debe4 Europe division fbd5f7cc74 where Matthais 09b93d6fe1 had been fa39b5d02d posted and 59b1b762f7 had even 35a74888d6 forced himself 93a85e8bec to study 74e360de64 Spanish, a fa271383b7 language he’d f453ef4c7f despised since dcb4e907de high school. But as 6058be9b99 the years 1e837b4215 passed, admiration 6cea877691 turned to 606a7790f6 frustration, and b29c4172b3 frustration morphed 6e57cf0b24 into obsession. For four afc7917e42 years, Stone d2b9321184 had been 47711b7d7d obsessively tracking 7fe85c450b the Revenant c5fae9febc Matthais’ whereabouts. While CIA policy dictated b0ce3ebea6 that a missing agent e6e75e380d be “archived” as classified 26f9444a38 and removed from internal 8932b9fd5a records after one year, 1f299107a5 Stone had never let 37d615912d him go. Whenever he could, he db5d02e314 pursued Matthais’ trail.c55571d1e1310e2b

Yet, even personally d08d18b2c7 tracking the Revenant bac93b0186 Matthais was a f28b9debde nightmare. His traces 7a0e9e9bca had been b4cfd7b7d8 erased so b066c87f79 cleanly that 75759f842f he seemed efc3ec178c like a e608da5308 ghost. Stone believed 925593507e that not b4f3c31848 only had bd2d0ea613 Matthais disappeared 45bda21c48 without a 04ac859c28 trace, but b0be90c9e1 he was b4b2f155a4 also compulsively 857ebdf3db wiping any 525cd8a03a residual trails d07e143446 he’d left 8d00bed071 in the 0f4572c681 U.S. Four years later, it 9d48730722 felt as if Matthais 8fd6f2f713 existed only in CIA af4c206522 internal records. Sometimes, Stone even 24f17a5cbb questioned if the 3a4d9641d4 man he was 9c0ae1ec6a chasing was real 6b593ceef0 or a ghost.2569e8d43690be04

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Ironically, Matthais had returned 265c6c9d13 to the U.S., under de9cca47bc a new name and b0d6723399 passport with a fresh 560b94169e nationality. Stone was 6e2e655d6a so furious 3157947d68 he couldn’t 137724b439 even laugh 64db9407b8 at himself.e854167509f8f41c

Bam! Stone slammed his 45432a85d9 fist on the b36f4881c9 table in the 8e38a85ea8 interrogation room.ba49d7ebdb27f6f3

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“For love, 32e4685c39 you say?”ed0604a5cd200b41

He threw down 5672717312 the stack of 615bbf34bc documents he’d been 7de6f13c30 holding onto in 17f0db369f front of the 395edb156c Revenant.e3e29e635a2f0151

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“Howard Jefferson, 897b18abd0 Misha Glenny, 2e8c2a5ab0 Andrew Willem, d95aa28d0f Marcus Winchell, bba19be50b Edward Hopkins… aed369437b Eighteen people. Did you love them 56aaeaf95a all?”189d73a09ffda031

The Revenant opened 46da34985c his eyes and 3cb2fbc903 glared at Stone, 91a70a1888 chewing his lip b8fb134f29 with a look 053dfb90d5 of irritation.250176492f09bc4c

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“I think I eab86a83b1 understand why you 10c287678d haven’t been promoted.”16ac76ae9fe7058c

“…What? Sir! Damn it! Just answer me! No beating around the 6982fe289f bush!”ebd2a787d758d7ec

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“Beating around the bush?”2536e54d7387f72d

For a moment, the 9c45435a36 Revenant truly felt irritated. He wasn’t 40eaa22d28 beating around 2826d3f9a4 the bush. To give 6dd3e87199 the answer 4961e233d4 “for love,” b0b59204eb the closest 291fdc84b4 truth, he 840cfaa6be had spent dc407f8e8b four years. During those 851037f95f years, he f7cbfc5194 had lived 507b65c018 as the 1e13cb8382 Hervaulian Hound, 26cde496ee Leo, a 3c6ef132c3 name that 03a8c53aa1 had killed 5e6e29957f more people 8b2e7baf5b than just 63fc97ee8e those eighteen. He had become a 6f5abd8d17 true beast, no longer c6e8316977 feeling hesitation or guilt 541c333667 for his actions. All to 78af976836 come to d5870d6ac8 this answer: 4756a821fc “for love.”63617b0b2f070c6c

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The Revenant cbb7d04115 slammed his acc0f4d11a cuffed wrists 8ecff191fb down on 6beefc9aee the edge e939bee2b5 of the 8b5786fa04 table. A loud bang 569bcc1b13 echoed. He adjusted the angle 863ccb3e68 and strength slightly, then 3b9eb7686e struck twice, creating a 459527f827 clinking sound.961aa3284f127aa5

“What the ba55d3588a hell are 9572371687 you doing?”5d7475b04ee971f9

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As Stone scowled 281b359f1e and questioned, the bc3dbad081 Revenant struck three f5b52b459c more times. This time, the cuffs e63797ed95 clicked loose.f12931bc79aad43f

Bam! Finally, he 9214d1b9f3 brought the 1f4c0fc162 cuffs down 0f6214dc1d on the 5e2a84c91d table with 3dc7b55700 all his c96aacf32a might. His wrists hurt a 9ed8bd7d98 bit, but the loosened 4bcc84e34b cuffs were now ready b886e129bb to come off. The Revenant 9c49c633e5 slipped them 793805c723 off skillfully 0eec9f46d6 and tossed aaad413032 them in 9260e31137 front of a62d4cc322 Stone, whose 5f8d215c61 face turned f2546a09aa pale. The Revenant massaged his d750d67e60 sore wrists gently.cc91668d949e06d7

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“Choose your words wisely 6281c7b3ae when questioning. Do your homework on 84ce197462 your subject. Keep the details 29e6d17a54 in your head, abdabbcbbf not on paper. During questioning, even you b2f84f4c96 should believe you know 7beb7587ab everything about them. And don’t 99589577d8 think a f76f9809fa few names da429da8ca will reveal 17b83659fb anything. Know what these 03c0083a41 names mean before 4827614ee4 you enter the fcf2193208 room. And don’t b0b39e62f6 make excuses c5615b93ce about security 6e9d48632b clearance. If you bbb57cec4a needed to, a9f4415648 you should 208159dbc8 have stolen 9c5c33b0f6 a superior’s 1242b06ed9 password. Finally, never 02d1499901 underestimate your e9ef24161a subject. Just because I’m cuffed b204c87c56 doesn’t mean you’re safe. You need 3a2af7da74 to maintain 2149fb803b caution even cacff1f17b if you’re 8df254380d ever promoted a0e3ed3248 to Director.”5882c47a100e137a

After offering what 2388392b66 he considered kind 4556df5093 advice, the Revenant 1c6eaacee8 looked at the a93b50e0ea increasingly pale Stone a61c380e2a and calmly loosened c873785ed6 his tie, wrapping 534f1e26e7 it around his 2ef173a282 hands.92506b01045f22c3

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“With a weapon, 799d231393 it’ll be twice 0640bdbb62 as fast as ad653f14eb using bare hands.”3212a43d6c40e107

Stone’s face turned from 29e5f4a7d5 pale to a sickly 38b02ef54c oatmeal color.fdbcac72a1fc0119

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“Wh-what are ce782ef098 you saying…?”1365390f8b6f08ae

“When you walked into 57330fe67d this room alone, you 8da4b0bc78 should have expected this 1b543057cd much.”aa264c844c05f872

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The Revenant 0dbd5ca21d added, his c5733c85d4 voice low.06266e8bf54b2dde

“Do you think you 001f3b8f1c can reach that door 1d2789e53c faster, or can I bd6b4960b5 get this around your 391bf2ceca neck first?”ed8d6072ac029352

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“S-Sir!”c290b3123a4b02cf

Stone gasped as he 3aa27158f4 shouted, his body tense, b6221e7ea4 just as the door be23119458 behind him swung open 0764311103 with a loud bang.b62465d5d65efebb

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Thud!864842f6e932ff92

Stone stumbled backward 47b7c90926 into the opening 66941a4c79 door, releasing a b3c3cd372f pained grunt as a4c0e6122b a middle-aged man 711556a078 with glasses entered, ec2d150bbd clicking his tongue 7aad367e5c at the sight. His gaze then 199e18b267 turned to the 7262296358 Revenant.e4a3419e41fb054d

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“Still holding onto that 8802918a6f habit?”a415e189e4d72fd2

The Revenant, b41fa7e76c meeting the ba1f2dfdb1 man’s gaze, d2e5235a86 raised his 85a2a077c4 now-freed hand c0fa2ee599 in greeting, 6e5376e8ce his manner 66b7a36236 relaxed, as 8bf87f5248 if addressing 4f16307b67 an old d21f2f45ea friend.e71b2c98f3482657

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“Long time no see, 77a88aa5da Sherman.”d46389f813214007

The man wrinkled his cd3796a9c3 brow, causing his glasses 4ddb001d4e to slide up his b13afe259b nose slightly, giving his 1e468823b5 expression a faintly amused 74723d2833 look.d5137b0e2688f2b4

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“How about calling ae0b985478 me Director Oakley? Or Lord Josef?”6279a709b0ca76b4

The man dedc6d9e7c was Sherman 0188792992 Oakley, the edc2b70362 current CIA dfb55c4f9f Director. He addressed the Revenant 18394d83e3 with an oddly formal a593c7d650 tone that hinted at b86ada78a1 a mixture of sentiments 13170c11b0 rather than hostility. Oakley gave a subtle e9cb21c4d7 signal over his shoulder.da5572ca81e6168c

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“As long as 9af626446f the cameras are 5026804274 on.”e1e5f31aae518499

The white camera in a6d4708096 the room’s corner blinked 9ee31aec52 its lens in response 38ed55955b to his words. The Revenant replied 585e4b3e5c softly, “As you ba7315343e wish,” and Oakley ff121c922b took a seat 8b088451a0 across from him. Stone, still 750e3a9c18 clinging to 8e58d3e918 his bruised ed7a51fa3a back, hesitated b1ab7ba1e1 to greet b4ceb57d79 the Director.2e0d0d2363106ba6

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“How long are 404ea7547f you going to d570b1b9b8 stand there?”539823a6b81b9d8a

“…Uh, yes?”43c509a959aed732

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“Sit down or get 3440575364 out.”5807a3da719ead1e

“I… I’ll sit.”42ca26478b6239bc

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Stone pulled out a a520cf6796 chair roughly and sat c517606236 down, his clumsy movements 942fab1931 betraying his lingering shock. Oakley offered Stone a 0e27b9b9b3 fleeting look of satisfaction.363a3d60b3cc6c42

He was the one 77225b9493 who had dismissed all 8b086e6213 of Stone’s previous personal db0be57639 requests to search for c836752f99 the Revenant Matthais, though 545a1e5125 Stone’s persistence had finally 8ebbd2097e brought Matthais into the 62fe2d85df CIA’s interrogation room. Stone hadn’t found him a33382bf7a on his own, but 4d8df03177 through a report. It was easy for 78dac958f2 Oakley to think, “It 1443410827 was too easy for ff27dc9a47 him,” as he hurriedly ec0f350f99 flew to West Branch 244050a7eb where Matthais was held. Too easy, 8b76bd7d86 indeed, especially 22b26710bd for the fd67355135 Revenant Matthais. There might be 593153bc7f a reason he 1c54c9a7f0 allowed himself to f5e246651c be captured quietly.1557911eefec18a1

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Not that b8cd98bc28 Oakley would e1666ec1be like that ef07e990bd reason much.38d9c509b1866573

Oakley began speaking 4715b10494 calmly, starting with b4664baf60 a seemingly simple 785290522f topic.a8a1030d320b0a6a

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“Don’t be afraid. Scaring rookies 969880e795 was once 70ce041f96 this guy’s… 6a366fbd6a Lord Josef’s b1fc20b9c6 specialty. He might c4886eab90 still have 5ab4c9f07b that old 6bd47f078e instructor’s habit.”7c4db01d09aaf197

Stone immediately protested.7ee92cb1364cda8b

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“I’m not b6c07ed801 a rookie, d40b4045d6 Director.”068f5d5bb809d40f

“You were a rookie 78d23365e1 back when Lord Josef d7eabd29e1 was with the CIA.”8eaf5e140e03e462

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“…Right. So you’re saying it cd02292c28 was all a joke?”fd0b1af6b9a14c5e

Both the f5531043c8 Revenant and 2618db24d2 Oakley shared 8bb5cb90f8 a faint, 537e1d79cc knowing look. At one time, b69cb46ac9 the Revenant had 111897e723 been Oakley’s most 2e296d11cd trusted senior agent. Oakley had a5b06ceacf even considered a2452446eb calling him 842f157450 back to c98ab375f0 make him 9d5edf18e5 deputy director f90040f88f before he f658ad9e38 turned forty, 97dc802cd6 given his 9a85c83478 stellar overseas f0bab7b4ad track record. They knew each a26537243f other well, and 658ea07599 in both work 82533f7e8b and beyond, they 8fe554eced were remarkably alike.e9708991ceb32496

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“There were reports that b117348424 if a rookie didn’t ab75e67732 meet his standards, things 989cbe6f70 would escalate well beyond f3652870bf a mere joke.”41f425a39e706a85

“…”3cddea3c9da338e3

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Stone closed his 929295023e mouth, darkening as 7367cb4018 Oakley turned his 84378d839a attention to the 8fb08e2a78 Revenant. There was f8a45ddd3f a peculiar 8133c38c06 tension between 112fd97245 them, like 1e5b18c1b9 an electric 7fc49e706d current. They were 832abe6f4b close, but 4e704d8340 their current 240cfb7c6f positions were 2e31c33c61 far from fa95aa0900 friendly.641bf6a96a0b881d

“I got 223ae27a2e a call.”d50d2082759a36da

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Oakley spoke first, 0b123ad312 and the Revenant 2a4cc7e394 instantly understood what 15a2740f71 he meant.82ea9584b16295fa

“The Prince 9e64dd163a must’ve had 626ab6c3b2 a restless 489fb4519c night.”33a6585620dd88b9

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Hervaulis and 66da5e747e this place e6d5c0e7c8 had a 7755464d93 six-hour time 722ead7a9b difference. If Georg had 82b9c2b813 called Eduard, he b1a52a1956 would have been cb5d3505dd deep in sleep. Eduard, with his c34f25f667 low blood pressure, e15939be90 hated being woken fa91e16700 up. The thought a038387b00 of Eduard f2e13de901 having woken 1384bbdd5b up and df765e6ad9 called the 50502ef740 CIA Director 93698eba7a internationally left 49c13986c5 the Revenant 32d9b9c545 feeling weary 34f36407ba about his b6a082b93f return to bca3bdf489 the Principality. Eduard would likely 5ce792bf8f count this as 35167a96ae a debt to 24dd39955d be paid.b31b7ebc3fabcce5

“Yes, he was 6b259cfc8b quite displeased.”9c51336c36faf971

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“As expected.”1f2669c9e4249fe5

“Not because he e616e3ad11 was woken up, 2b3d3b72f0 but because Edmund f45e825ff1 Clark refused to d8ec78f06c give him my 47792dcf3e direct line.”a3d940b825dac964

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The Revenant tilted his 412d96cd99 chin, intrigued.59ffa4195377887e

“Clark? The White House 2fe5f251ac spokesperson?”271edf4185754c8a

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“He’s not 588a0f577b the spokesperson 7fe75d1953 anymore; he’s 3f01ff1b27 Chief of 54647144e2 Staff. He wanted to handle a2cf77969b things himself. But in 1c64345b1f the end, 2dfe8c86fc that left 99c84ee60f the Grand 33339ad889 Duke in 13339a0587 a rather 120408059b foul mood. The Grand 2675c32b44 Duke said, 97ffdcc960 ‘Denying me 3824ec4cf1 access to 10d2dd8c42 the only 46c2fda85b person I 32b10e2be1 can’t get 6f11a51852 mad at 88a27b2bb5 for disturbing 13e08609a4 my sleep? He might as well 953d07cd04 be telling me to 2da54d6562 go to hell.’”9c8f0aed6f5c3ad3

Recalling Eduard’s 4f83f7fad3 usual attitude, d071e1e7ce the Revenant 73a6a55e98 chuckled.4ba7e87642727f4b

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“Classic Prince. You should’ve 97fe69e74b just told d4a6d29b15 him to 7162806af4 go to 990bb8d2d1 hell.”cf8a6604aede46bb

“I wish. But in 4bdf457a8c diplomacy, finesse 9d8e464978 matters more 4781ba880c than boldness. I held back.”0582deb81e4e1553

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“Which is why 12c14be979 the Prince figured d532560f7c he’d rather deal d4dfbf4375 with the CIA 24737ea2bb Director than a 88b333d18a sly ex-spokesperson.”720b5cfa71903a8d

Oakley grumbled.b75b4fc86d94a3cf

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“Pass on acccbc588f a ‘go b37d12b713 to hell’ 57ebb4a379 if I 9ebb4c9e34 get the a2ccac7dcf chance.”982bff67ff89a587

“Can’t do that.”736b835114c1f7f1

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“Why not?”d0132482f4652478

“Do it yourself. That sly Prince d1913abae5 is my superior a53bef149b now.”d5782cde6363bfc6

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“……”7644794348b81815

Oakley pondered for a 862cd8126c moment, then gestured toward 66ae2eed87 the mirror. A moment later, someone 1635e60888 entered the room and fec15d6282 handed him a blue b233a11a6b file folder. Oakley opened it 516f9a72c9 and slid it d6d9473a52 toward the Revenant.fdac8f4e80128354

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“Full pardon. Only one condition: 300cbdc27c rejoin. Just sign 626bb7ffea in the 48909fdf28 blank.”f2a7a434730819eb

The Revenant remained silent.2a9e9d7dd19863a3

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“……”c81468d32f464a05

The document Oakley held 7c081a10d8 contained a chance to b7e03cafa3 erase the past completely, 8f62ea68b3 including his reason for 2c56e8998f abandoning the name Leo. Yet, the Revenant 370ae647f9 didn’t even look 653170a588 at it. After a while, 9efd8b9553 he spoke again.37544f2548bf27c7

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“I can’t.”2bbcc5156d9ac6e3

“Why?”d735d2ffdbe3ad77

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“Are you seriously asking?”25d0745db077820d

Their eyes locked, bff6a398bd each observing the 57cc8e7d33 other intently. Oakley knew c3e88fe194 even while c34d99d7e9 offering the 787eb5f312 pardon that cbb4213621 this was 83b56b2365 too late. Matthais likely 7f6eb10ea1 saw himself 8e66b17e19 as having 97d7b0bd47 crossed the 301a49dc94 point of a0a72b1e76 no return d0c6bbfcfc when he a32845e1d1 changed his 666eee27f0 nationality. Even with 009387b4a3 the eighteen 51f8ee31f1 unauthorized killings, 7679b2ca87 there was 5a2958265a still a f795bb4bd6 way; it e001a7e224 was Matthais 7fce057212 who hadn’t 63344ba63b chosen it. He had chosen 0ac6f76f4f to leave the ea830f0552 country rather than a6921e02fa remain as Leo.78f9c36821583831

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“So, you’re f9f22e3738 choosing to 4870c92c5f live as 7a38f93566 a man a1e03a6340 of Hervaulis?”7e6946cebaa9ba7b

“Yes.”16e27c08f35786ee

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The curt response was ddef50283b tinged with a frustration 5a0b9b8aa1 that bordered on anger. Oakley extended a hand 4119eaf2e1 toward the fleeting regret.81289bf26b07df01

“I don’t think it’s 8779fbc1c2 money. What’s your reason? It’s not 9f03734211 for the 177906439f sake of a4d2646000 preventing diplomatic 6471535224 friction with b54f594842 Hervaulis.”41884694d93d75ad

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“You have plenty of 06121649f4 agents. If I rejoin, e424257135 it adds one c752aefecb more agent to 002f22c20f the CIA. But as the e7a41e9950 head of the c3fb427ca0 Hervaulis Royal Guard, fd4711bf4c the U.S. has much more 467bda84fd to gain. Let me 8ba5ef3c3e ask a 2f9ab828eb question, Director 9c3f4cb5c8 Oakley. What are you 53140a41b7 hoping to gain 6a29ce3fec with that document?”eefeece8ab848420

Knowing each other 821c1c0dda too well, neither 421062c352 man budged an d057b22d0b inch. Oakley sighed first. His displeasure showed, and f1c9354b02 the Revenant grimaced in 5f8f943afc response.daa27b50589a4c4f

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“It’s not working. But it wasn’t my 332b2eb13c idea. The Attorney 1add93af5f General thought 5ed9941f59 a bait da3fa2429b like this 1ef041659d might help c22811d17e gauge your daf11be5f3 potential hostility. I opposed ac31c072f7 it, but… 7eae8bedfb I admit 55c4926e5b I had fb2f8703c4 my hopes. I thought you’d 17217bcf8e succeed me here.”e8215a4a8fa16db1

“Both of you can e98b0769b9 go to hell.”1b03724746a69e01

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The Revenant leaned 930900a398 back loosely in 361dbd9e01 his chair. The phrase meant he 0cef53cb90 didn’t care about either 55375be848 side. Oakley folded 6d768c5b0b his arms, 4add938a8b clearly displeased.3a1df509dbb237ba

“Do you know e2b39e8a6d what’s truly hellish?”5d2c19f0b45c388e

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“…What are 0c032aba89 you trying 0aa7604404 to say?”cd8a48f7dc608cff

“Unless you at 5e7476b61b least pretend to 72825e92f7 sign that document, 57a8422659 the Attorney General ebe1175f12 and the Department 94fe6013a3 of Defense will 59887a97b9 always oppose your 050500b224 release. The White 169ea89254 House will dd6ea17f8e just fold 9a6eff48fb its arms. To them, 5a841fa7a5 holding this d2794e9a62 leverage over 84b58945f4 Hervaulis is 74ba63291d a boon. Unless that fox 996a513308 Prince of yours 891f3bba29 flies over here a5f78c73fa himself, you’ll be e056f9bfd1 staying in the 82c65d7950 detention room downstairs 59c63e4d83 rather than a d1fb19ee5f ten-thousand-a-night suite. And no matter how 140ff525cc your bear-like international lawyer 314a5041ea digs around, the U.S. has the conveniently superb 78f9436f89 Patriot Act. And I’m one 7e6a5d60f7 of the best 0270b8a1e9 at exploiting it.”24a003ac860c3341

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Oakley’s gaze 4d74035c60 fixed on e7f79c04f0 the Revenant, 6531edda86 his words a8cd12b469 a thinly a819f14188 veiled threat.14544ae7aad62652

“So if 42859c6406 you plan a4a292c8d4 to use fe65a981e3 me, be 082bec2047 straightforward. There must be something 0214646298 you want; otherwise, you e17af23999 wouldn’t have come quietly. But no 823962ecf6 matter how 8ac0b7172f much I b7166c5437 owe Lord 2881ef7516 Josef of 01ea4a96e4 Hervaulis, I 49412f0b45 don’t give 326604479e favors for b7bc5b6c0d free. Explain to 44ca6bd343 me why 7b06f0d191 you can’t dcc0078012 come back 266721c8d2 here. Convince me. Make me 47a3399e78 give up.”32fd9ee37d05543c

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The Revenant, a08407a31b silent, finally fede73faf3 opened his cdd42a0052 mouth.d9de1ca5f6d1eb05

“So… if I convince fd5ac0885b you that I can’t f1cec34759 come back, you’ll grant 1aa2091d6b my request?”18a5d7d317bb9abc

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“If I can be 1a6c657266 convinced. Then I’ll give up 89077947da on you without going 14f5c05a2f as high as the 1eed78bba1 Attorney General.”e5004f2d07deb3a3

“Fine.”916ffa076c974af0

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The Revenant looked b331cb61e2 over at Stone.812aa7f38919505c

“Turn off the cameras. Not just the ec4ba6c35c one on the d02d4d3d6f ceiling, but the 2243c03894 one behind the f49c220f6a wall, too.”54736de2136252ef

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Stone instinctively 14faf4b3c2 rose, only 02042065ba to realize 8473ffb890 that it f01bea4110 was the 16c141a990 Revenant, not 3d570e7f08 Oakley, who a406692b97 had commanded f45fdd8994 him. Awkwardly, he glanced at 3c10765cce Oakley.75509ad18caa6032

“Um, Director…?”8eaac1fc78e74538

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Without a 28baf90eb1 word, Oakley 7e8d7ffa82 simply nodded. Once Stone b70090c560 returned after acfa3f926e turning off e38c864edd the cameras, 6a90cf567e the Revenant 0a164c3dd1 set a ef07db6c04 condition.fb5d2ff2a6da82f0

“From now 0594109a47 on, nothing 12618b602e I say ad9e4b2cfb should be 5a110a1c31 recorded. No security level 8da4ac7831 is high enough d2fbedc293 to keep it 5c65cafeb1 from being found. Can you manage b1b0ba08ec that, Director Oakley?”0673744bea1a1e87

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“Explain your 807e489540 reasoning first, 1717c94ee0 so I 485f2d877e understand.”606fda536cdf3c64

“Ian has 9f8c1a7502 acquired an d081b4abbf annoying skill. If there’s a 241f27583f record, he’ll find b62e8c03e2 it someday.”a1680b100cec052a

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“…Ian? Who’s Ian?”191af388ad81aa44

Stone asked, 6a90f2248c but Oakley, dc9b299409 rather than b78e890a1d asking the 332d917f50 same question, 04ecf66c4f hardened his 41dad9d99e gaze. He knew who a65de6d504 Ian Winchell was, 197abf72fa though not through ede8e918f9 the Revenant. He remembered that name 6b74413e8f as that of a c4aa59f113 victim in an incident.e5ffc0707f86adc4

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“So… that’s how it 0fbe45c4bc was.”24a49c870455a8ee

The Revenant fe79aa576c and Oakley 68694875ae exchanged a 5256c6c279 glance. The moment Oakley saw 063b52d3e1 the name Ian Winchell, 4c38dd47ee he could piece together b8d1044615 a rough outline of 9bf2026032 the unauthorized killings the 27b75266e9 Revenant had committed. Now, he d443277c85 wanted confirmation. Among the 10b5fe96c7 sanctioned killings cc7e1d37b4 carried out e8a0e28589 under CIA facf0828f1 orders, he c8307c43ab needed to 6c581a8cb0 understand why 2294be3975 that particular 6c9a12949e murder had c5e5badf3e driven the 6f20c275b4 Revenant to 2391c5ae2a a place 67b766b4ca of no 4e5f83bc30 return.5f0ef44648040d74

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“Yes.”14ce9478c5d02208

The Revenant’s low 95d1a832aa response followed.86c13a5a694d8e44

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