Reed searches his gaze carefully, as if looking for a lie. Whatever it is that he sees in Ari’s face, guilt or resignment or fear, it seems to satisfy the man. He nods at Ari’s words, then says, “That wasn’t so difficult, now, was it?”
Ari stares at him and wishes he could, in this moment, grab the man by the collar and transmute him into fire and ash.
Reed leans his arms against the table. “I’ll handle her mother,” he says. “Once we have her brought to us, you tell Mozart that we have her. That if she wants her back, she needs to meet you in person. When you agree on a date and location, you’re going to let us know, so we have the proper crewmen in place. She’s not leaving that meeting alive.”
I have to warn her,Ari thinks desperately. But even as he thinks it, heknows Reed will have plenty of eyes watching him, knows it will be next to impossible.
“Should it all go well, Shakespeare,” Reed continues, “you can rest easy that your family will be set up for life. Lumines is yours, after all, when you inherit it. And should it go wrong, well, I will simply cut our losses from your family. Do you understand?”
Ari looks numbly on as the man returns the folder to him.
“Keep that,” Reed says quietly. “And remember this feeling, Ari. Remember who you truly love, and then ask yourself what you’re willing to sacrifice for the sake of a girl.”
Ari speaks as if he is no longer himself. The folder before him blurs. “Yes, sir,” he says.
Reed straightens, satisfied. His eyes are visible now, flat and gray. He sips his coffee. “Good boy.”
Letting:Let me repeat that. There is no correlation between the consumption of sand and the uptick in violent crime.
Reporter:Not even when there are often traces of sand discovered in offenders’ autopsies?
Letting:Traces of sulfur and mercury do not necessarily mean sand consumption. Antibiotics, disinfectants can have them… we don’t know what other kinds of drugs they’re taking.
Reporter:But isn’t it true, Senator, that sand also contains—
Letting:[sic] I’m sorry but I have to head out. Good evening to you all. Good evening.
Reporter to Senator Letting
after committee recess, Oct. 19, 2004
