"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME," Benito pleaded. "Try to see...."442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpF89J6ABi
"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!"442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI8UGdkbpK
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."442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpsrFcRWjQ
"We saw him go through, hombre," Godfredo said. "We need a word with him just now."442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZYWFVe0uh
The man shook his head. He was younger and stronger than both of them.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNIjCJT7ND
Godfredo gave Egor a fiery look. Egor had seen that look before. Godfredo was about to reach for his gun!442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMv58bvTwJ6
Egor shook his head. He reached for something different----money. A thousand euros, in fact. 442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJp8ihcAOz
The man looked at the cash offered. His expression softened.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuee0kg5Zyv
"Two thousand," he countered.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvb73VNhBr
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7IRUIEyDg
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWr1lg14VAE
They reached the end of the aisle, at the front of the theater, when she heard the thump of a door opening.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LQrku06AB
"No," she said.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwehQYFdOk7
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo5SWsEZhc
"I'll shoot him!" she warned, bracing herself.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZ0Pnd7kXl
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNppjnhoYGO
Godfredo raised a gun and aimed it at them.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYkVUJUFOc
* * *442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiY7NsZ3bgv
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.442Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9opRPJ2BnJ
