In my ear, a tiny hiss of static is followed by Ry’s voice. “If he touches you, he’ll die screaming.”
As pleasant as I find that mental image at the moment, there’s nothing I won’t do to get to Trevor. “Wh-what do I need to do to stay…here?”
“Cooperate. Luis Rojas has given up many secrets during his time here. But not all. There are pockets of the Democrática Resistencia that still hide from us. Rojas knows how to find them, but he will not tell me, no matter how many times I send him to Sublevel Five. With his daughter in danger, however, the daughter he risked everything to smuggle out of this country, I believe he would give me the information I need.”
“You want to hurt me to get him to talk.” I scoot away as the general approaches, but before I’ve managed to move more than a foot, my back hits a chair.
“Not seriously, you understand.” He holds out his hand, then nods at me to take it. I don’t have much choice, so I let him pull me to my feet, then steady me as I wobble, still a little dizzy. “You would heal.” He reaches out to skim my cheekbone.
What the hell is he doing?
“You are a beautiful woman, señorita.” I hold my breath as he drags a finger from my neck to the first button on my shirt, then flicks it open and traces a line just above the cup of my bra. “A small amount of pain is worth your freedom, no?”
“And after? After he tells you what you need to know?” I don’t have to fake the tremble in my voice now. Having him this close to me makes me want to vomit, and I’m scared I’ll never see Trevor again, even with Ryker in my ear.
“Well, there is another matter. The CIA spy you say is so important to you? I need information from him as well. The names of all the other CIA assets in Venezuela. He will not break so easily. Unless you were to beg him.”
Austin growls, “He’d die before he’d give up a single goddamned name,” and Ryker tells him to shut up. If I could respond to them, I’d tell Austin the same thing. This isn’t helping. I should have waited to put the earwig in, except now, they can hear—and record—everything the general’s saying. It was always part of our plan. One of the contingencies Ryker built in.
“If I can get the names…get him to…to talk. Then what?”
“Then you will all be free to go. You, Rojas, and even the CIA spy. I will have no use for him after that.” The general leads me over to the sideboard where he pours a second glass of water and hands it to me. “I am a reasonable man, Señorita Monroe. Or…Daniella. May I call you Daniella?”
“Y-yes. Daniella is fine.” It’s not. The only person I ever want to call me Daniella ever again is Trevor. While we’re in bed. Safe. Away from this monster and everything he’s built here. “I just want to see Luis—my father—and Trevor. Please. I’ll help you. Hurt me if you need to. Just let me live.” My words come faster and faster now. “I’ll even send an email to my editor at the Post and tell him not to publish the story. I’ll tell him anything you want me to.” I set the water down and reach for the general’s uniform jacket, holding on tight. “Please. General Ochoa, I’m a reporter. Getting people to talk? To believe me? It’s what I do.”
The general’s lips curve into a smile, and this time, I think it’s actually genuine. He believes he’s broken me. Hell, I think I’d believe it if I were watching. Austin always said I could have been an actress.
“Then let us begin, Daniella.” He stares down at my hands, still clutching his jacket, and I let go, sliding one of his medals free from his lapel and hiding it inside my clenched fist. If he notices, this could all go sideways in a hurry. But if not, it’s one more weapon. And I have a feeling I’m going to need it.
General Ochoa pours a generous shot of rum into a rocks glass and offers it to me. “To strengthen you for what is coming. There will be pain, Daniella. That cannot be avoided.”
“What the hell?” Ryker says in my ear. “Alpha Team, prepare to infil on my mark. We’re not waiting for shift change.”
“I’m fine,” I say and hope Ryker understands I’m talking to him as much—if not more—than the general. “I can handle pain. It’s nothing Lois Lane wouldn’t do for Superman.”
The general gives me a look that might be respect while Ryker swears. But he also tells the team to stand down.
“Very well.” Pressing a button on his desk, Ochoa calls for the guards, and they march in, then clasp their hands behind their backs, awaiting his next order. Alvarado and Guerrero are in front, and my stomach does a somersault as I flash back to the moment I thought they were going to assault me before I squeeze my eyes shut and force myself to return to the present.
“Take her to Sublevel Three.”
* * *
Alvarado and Guerrerodon’t let go of my arms until they force me down into a chair inside a small room. Another chair sits facing me, empty, and they tie my wrists and ankles down, then step aside.
I managed to slip the general’s pin into my pocket when I was in his office, but in this position, there’s no way I can reach it.
Long minutes pass, and my insides are doing jumping jacks as my nerves ratchet higher and higher. When the door behind me opens, my entire body jerks.
“Dios mio.”
I crane my neck to see Luis being dragged into the room by two of the general’s men with Ochoa following closely. He’s no longer clean-shaven, or even clean. His face has aged a decade in the few days since the interview.
When he’s tied to the chair facing me, I hold his gaze, hoping with everything in me that he won’t give the general what he wants.
“Luis.Lo siento,”I whisper.I’m sorry.
He shakes his head, his eyes glistening. “General Ochoa, what is the meaning of this? She is innocent of any crime.”
