“Wait.”Her palm rose.“Deemed appropriate by who?The president?”
“Primarily, yes.”The details sounded even worse when she said them out loud, but of course, they were dreadful.No one man, or even group of men, should ever have held that power over the rest of the population.I’d been crazy to think I could control Ian’s maniacal ways.“A group of us conceived the original framework for the regime, but Ian honed it to his will as time went on.By the time he was crowned the supreme leader, we’d effectively signed away all our rights to curtail whatever agenda he chose.”
My brows furrowed as I tried to make sense of the plan I’d agreed to.Once upon a time, it had all seemed rational, the next logical step on our way to take control, but I’d lost sight of what that meant.Government should have been about public service and giving back to the country that had given us so much.
As it turned out, though, it had only ever been about power.
Power over those we wanted to destroy.
Ian’spower.
“So, democracy is dead in Britain?”Her tone was as despondent as the way I felt on the subject.
“The President was democratically elected,” I confirmed.“But yes, he’s taken power for himself, and that makes him damn near impossible to stop.”
She cast me a look, half-bewildered and half-withering, and in that moment, I saw myself through her eyes, with her questions bounding through my weary head.
How could I have been so stupid as to have allowed a man like Jackson to take charge?How could the British people have fallen for his lies, and how had I ever lorded over Fortorus?
They were all good questions, and sitting there, I didn’t have a decent response for any of them.
I’d been younger, hungrier, and perhaps even a little naïve.I thought I had Ian in hand and could temper his bigoted rhetoric, but ultimately, I’d been wrong.
“What does the ICC hope to do with this information?”I watched as she scribbled a note beside one of my answers.“Does it want to indict Ian?”
“That’s not my decision.”Her reply was immediate.“I am only tasked with your arrest, and with your cooperation, discovering as much as we can about Mr.Jackson.”
“I understand.”I knew all too well about not digging above my pay grade.For years, I’d known deep down what Ian’s plans for the women discarded at Fortorus were, but I’d buried the reality in the hope that the bleak scheme would go away.
More fool me.
“I see you’ve listed the names of the other men involved in Jackson’s top ranks.”She pointed to the relevant list of names.
“Yes.”
Many of those clowns had once called themselves my friends, but the last time I was in London with Caroline, it had become clear that I had little time for any of the morons.
“There’s a lot of information here.”Her smile was satisfied.“Thank you, Commander General.You’ve been most helpful.”
“So, that’s it?”
I couldn’t believe the process was going to be so straightforward.Yes, I’d been there, going through question after question for bloody hours, but as far as I knew, it was still the same day of my arrest.The darkening sky outside my window neither confirmed nor denied my conclusion.
“Not quite.”Her lips jerked in what I assumed was an attempt to stifle her wry laughter.“My bosses will send this to their counterparts in The Hague.If they are satisfied, then you may not need to travel there after all.Until they are happy, though, you’ll remain in our custody.”
“But our deal?”Panic surged through me, elevating my heart rate as I shoved the paperwork I’d signed in her direction.
“Still stands,” she assured me.“This is just protocol.You understand?”
“How long?”The throbbing in my head was back with a vengeance.“How long will I have to be here?”
“I do not have an exact timeline for you, I’m afraid.”Clutching the wad of papers I’d completed against her chest, she rose to her feet.“But be assured, Commander General, your answers are most eagerly awaited in the Netherlands.”
I watched as she strode away, listening to the click of her heels when the carpet turned into hard flooring by the door.She was right by the exit before she turned and spoke again.
“In the meantime, and as a thank you for your collaborative approach, I have someone who wants to see you.”Kaspar pulled the door open, and I saw her signal to someone outside.
Time lengthened around me as I stared out into the doorway, my pulse spiking, and from out of the stark lighting strode the one woman I’d given it all up for.
