“But is that what we want?”Caroline demanded, releasing my leg as she glanced around at the judges.“It just seems as though we’re plowing all of our energy into getting Adam there, and there’s no talk about what happens then, let alone how to extract him.”
“Extraction should be easy,” Laurent countered.“Once the French military has control of the vessel, Mr.Harper will be brought back to European soil.”
“To freedom,” I added, reiterating the terms of the deal.“If I get him into your custody, then I’m free to go.Right?”I glanced around at the judges.
“Yes,” Akari confirmed.
“And do we actually have that in writing?”Caroline asked.“You mentioned it before, but does Adam have it in black and white?”
“I will have it for him,” Akari vowed.“Before he leaves.”
I smiled in Caroline’s direction, hoping my eyes revealed my gratitude.After years working alone at Fortorus, it was good to have somebody on my side, watching my back.I just never would have believed that somebody would have been one of my prisoners.
“When will you suggest this meeting take place?”My attention rose to Akari.“I’ll need time to get back to the Netherlands, and then we’ll want the weather to be as calm as possible.”
“We will accompany you to the Netherlands,” Meyer replied without actually answering my question.“We can fly there, but if need be, tell Jackson that you’re traveling by road to avoid the air traffic control strike.”
“I’m coming along, too.”Caroline straightened at my side, her breaths coming faster than before.
“The Dutch part of this plan does not concern you, Miss Craness,” Akari started.“We hope you understand.”
“I do not understand!”Her gaze seared into Akari.“What happens to Adam absolutely concerns me.I am the reason he’s here in the first place, and I believe, at least in part, the reason he’s trying to do the right thing.”
“She’s right.”Pride reverberated from me as I glanced her way.
Caroline’s sassy interjection had assuaged some of the uneasy waves rising in my chest, reminding me who I was fighting for.It had been a while since I’d seen the feisty and impudent side of my little girl, but watching her spring to life, first in my defense, and then for herself, was a revelation.After months of subjugation, I was more used to seeing her suppressed and obedient, but that only highlighted the contrast, ensuring her defiance was nothing short of exhilarating.
“Caroline should come along with us to the Netherlands,” I added.“She should have somewhere safe to stay while I go on with the officials from there.”
Akari glanced left and right at her colleagues.“This approach is most unorthodox.Miss Craness is applying for asylum in Switzerland, not the Netherlands.”
Caroline snorted.“I think we could all use a little anarchy right now.We are, after all, trying to overthrow a despot dictator.”
“It is not the ICC’s intention to overthrow governments.”Akari’s attention flitted between Caroline and me.“Especially those that were democratically elected.”
“The election was a long time ago,” I reminded her.“And Ian has ripped up just about every norm and convention in British history since then, including committing the war crimes you would like to see him held accountable for.”
“It is your last point that counts,” Akari replied.“We would like to see Mr.Jackson at The Hague to answer for his crimes.”
“Yes, but thus destabilizing the British government,” I concluded, unsure why it was so difficult for the legal experts to say that part aloud.
I accepted that bringing down the British government might not have been their core objective, but I didn’t need to be a genius to realize it would be a likely ultimate consequence of removing the country’s autocratic leadership.At the very least, there would be a power vacuum waiting to be filled, and knowing the morons left orbiting Ian, none of them would be up to the job.
“We can only hope,” Caroline mumbled.“So, we all travel to The Hague together, yes?”She scanned the line of legal experts, as though daring any of them to defy her.“I’ll stay wherever you put me while I wait for Adam.”
She turned to meet my no doubt wry expression.The idea that she’d finally do as she was told without making a nuisance of herself was far from lost on me, but in that moment, I’d rarely been prouder of the woman I loved.Showing her teeth on occasion only made her choice to submit to me all the more powerful.
“It can be arranged,” Meyer finally said.“But first, we have to organize the other, more important logistics for Mr.Harper’s voyage.”
“And to my question,” I guided them back to the matter of timing.“When are we aiming for this to take place?”
Caroline held her breath as she waited for a response, gripping my hand when Meyer spoke again.
“We will reply to Jackson today, and, with Officer Kaspar’s approval, we’ll leave for the Netherlands tomorrow.The rest will be negotiated for as soon as possible.”
Stroking Caroline’s hand, I watched as she exhaled, unclear if that was the answer she sought, or even if she knew which reply would have made her happier.The next chapter of our lives was about to unfold, and even if everything went according to plan—which it so rarely did—there was still the small matter of Ian Jackson standing between us and our happily ever after.
