"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME," Benito pleaded. "Try to see...."371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTXMCQRNct
"Shut the fuck up!"
While Benito lay on his side, like a small child, beaten and fearful, She did a two-step maneuver and climbed over the seat so that she was next to him. He didn't move in the process. He watched her with wide eyes as she gripped his shirt.
"You're going to do one more thing for me," she said, "and if you do it right, I promise not to kill you."
"What...What....."
"You're going to repeat what you just now told me," Mischa said, "to a thousand of your closest friends next door. Get the hell up, leading man!"371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSP4Wijq1LZ
The man standing guard by the door through which Benito McLaughlin had exited crossed his arms and shook his head. "I'm sorry, gentlemen," he said in heavily-accented English. "Nobody passes through."371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvrxQO73fF
"We saw him go through, hombre," Godfredo said. "We need a word with him just now."371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmAN9FnQqY
The man shook his head. He was younger and stronger than both of them.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0DQjrFjNi
Godfredo gave Egor a fiery look. Egor had seen that look before. Godfredo was about to reach for his gun!371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aZsQnAC1s
Egor shook his head. He reached for something different----money. A thousand euros, in fact. 371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevgZBsOtgx
The man looked at the cash offered. His expression softened.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJZ2bCF1B0
"Two thousand," he countered.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmu4llqw3yG
As Mischa pushed Benito forward, she felt her legs gain strength. Could this really work? She never gave herself much of a chance at succeeding. Now, for the first time, she thought she might pull this off. She felt her head clear, her heartbeat decelerate.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eFIe2FowG
Benito wasn't having a good evening. He was blubbering like a baby, his head hanging low, his postured slumped and defeated, as she gripped the back of his tuxedo and pressed her gun between her shoulder blades.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzHxSYQfG5
They reached the end of the aisle, at the front of the theater, when she heard the thump of a door opening.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQo73ACiBwD
"No," she said.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEX5ikXwPV
Godfredo and Egor, in tuxedos, likewise jumped at the sight of her. Godfredo reached into his jacket. She didn't have to think very hard about what he was reaching for.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmvbNRHuj6
"I'll shoot him!" she warned, bracing herself.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbTnU7ahDd
But as soon as the words came out, she realized how empty they were. Killing Benito McLaughlin would be perfectly fine with Godfredo and Egor. He was her last hope to prove her innocence and their guilt. He was their last outstanding liability. She'd be doing them the biggest favor in the world.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ791BVCxOqh
Godfredo raised a gun and aimed it at them.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnrnXsZ23c
* * *371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoEltk8xYm
During the standoff between Mischa and Godfredo, and with a fight scene from Rocky IV playing in the theater, nobody heard or saw the man take the stairs down from the balcony and walk onto the soft carpet of the aisle. Back in the day, this kind of silent movement had been part of Drake's U.S. Army Special Forces training, and he'd been sure to wear soft-soled shoes tonight. He dropped to a crouch, his feet in a wide stance. Drake raised his weapon, the suppressor attached, and started moving.371Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMf9kaSLfXt
