“You can’t have it,” I said, tripping over the words in my eagerness. “Not unless you give us something in return.”
“Ah. I see youarefamiliar withquid pro quo.”
“I want his exoneration. Theo gave me a document promising him immunity, but I want you to sign it as well.”
Lucas’s incredulous stare burned across my face, but I ignored him in favor of Williams.
Her interest piqued. “Exoneration is a big ask for a Hunter with such bloody hands.”
“He’s on our side. He’s one of us. He gave you information that turned things around for us. Why do you still want to kill him?”
“None of this is a matter of desire, Miss Reeves,” she snapped. “A live execution of one of his infamous Colonels will send a message to Haynes that we are not weak. It shows our soldiers that we are making strides. It proves to the world that we will not tolerate the NAO’s evil. That is a valuable display of power. If he can offer me something more than mere safe passage through Virginia…”
I wanted to strangle her. “What more do you want?”
Her expression, her body, her words… Everything sharpened. “What I want is an end to this war, Miss Reeves. I want my country back. If he gets me Haynes’s head on a spike,thenwe can talk about a full pardon.”
I jerked back from her ire, but didn’t miss the hunger in her words. “Are you serious?”
“He will lead the mission to assassinate Richard Haynes.”
Lucas’s face scrunched into an incredulous mask.
Williams sliced her gaze his way. “You are an excellent strategist and a skilled killer. Don’t you want to end the man who killed your father?”
Lucas merely stared, blank-faced.
“That’s a suicide mission!” I said. “Absolutely not!”
Williams relaxed into her chair and addressed me. “I’m afraid it’s non-negotiable. If he wants to live, he’ll complete this mission.”
“Assassinate the Commander,” Lucas said, tone lifeless.
“You kill him, and not a single person would question your pardon.”
He released a soft, embittered laugh, his gaze on his lap.
“You can pick your team from our most talented soldiers,” Williams said. “You succeed, exoneration is yours.”
He rolled his eyes. “That’s all? Just a little murder before breakfast, and I’m free?”
Her smile twisted. “Well, there’s one more thing, actually.”
Chills slithered over my skin.
“I recently met with a Canadian reporter,” she said.
My gaze darted to Theo, who grimaced.
“He’s developing a story on the atrocities of the NAO, and he wants an exclusive,” she continued, peering into my eyes, into my soul.
My mind whirred, trying to figure out what that had to do with me. “Okay?”
“You’ll tell him your story.”
“My…story?”
“Do you remember what I said aboutRomeo and Juliet, Miss Reeves? Everyone roots for the star-crossed lovers.”
