Staying in a motel was dangerous, but spending the night on the street and being caught by a patrol was an idea. In addition, almost two days spent in information isolation made it impossible to assess all the risks. There was no doubt that they were still being looked for throughout the country, but what if their faces not only flickered on screens, but were also hung around the city? Chris looked at Laura - they were sitting near the bus stop, and the light of the street lamp fell on her face from above, deepening the shadows under her eyes, mercilessly showing how the nose and cheekbones had sharpened. It was hard for her, scared and probably bad, but she brave, stubbornly hiding her condition, and at the sight of her, his heart literally bleed. A good defender came out of him: he himself is alive and well, and she fights with her last strength with fatigue, sometimes secretly touching her shoulder.
— There's a bar nearby, ”Chris began, looking around. - More precisely, it was, I don't know if it stayed. We can try to find out about the room there at night.
— It seems to me that I am now ready to fall even on a straw mattress on the bare floor, just to lie down, ”Laura sighed, stretching her legs. The antibiotic was over, it was high time to take the second pill, but I didn't want to attract Chris's attention. Therefore, Laura gritted her teeth, hoping they would not knock, although the sweat that appeared on her forehead and temples probably betrayed her head. The shoulder shot with sharp and continuous pain, as if somebody tugged per wound, seeking turn out muscle out. Chris no way did not comment on her condition, although he probably saw. And for this Laura was grateful to him - now a surge of exaggerated attention would only be harmful. He believed in her - that she knew when to start to panic, and if she was silent for now, then the situation was under control. She believed in him - that he would find a place to sleep, contact a friend, and solve their problems. Let it stay that way - that was the only thing Laura thought about. She completely trusted him, not even thinking about where they were going, why they entered a noisy bar, why he sat her down at a table, and went to the counter himself. The temperature rose rapidly, there was a noise in my ears, and the picture before my eyes periodically blurred, blurring into a bright spot. Laura with difficulty took a bottle of water from her bag and leaned against it, taking small, greedy sips.
— You understand, I will not take away, so someone else will cling, - Chris said meanwhile, trying not to look too alarming in the glances he cast at Laura. - Come into my position, friend, think, you probably have acquaintances who rent rooms without documents. If my wife disappears, I am lost. And she’s my lawyer, she’ll leave me without pants.
— Why are you going to the left with such a wife? - grinned the bartender, filling a tall glass with beer.
— How to resist when such beauties are around? - Chris spread his hands and sighed, turning to Laura. She was just drinking and looked extremely exhausted, but who cares about what he will do with a girl who looks like the one who went too far with alcohol and, for sure, threw herself on something forbidden. The bartender, casting an indifferent glance at Laura, looked at Chris.
— I'll give you the address, tell you you came from Steve. Not an apartment for sure, but there is a bed. And you can take a shower.
— I don't think she cares about the quality of the sheets, ”Chris smirked meaningfully, and the bartender politely pulled his lips back into a smile. What does it matter to him to these perverts from the center? They're filming drug addicts somewhere, and then they are picked up by the social security service, beaten and sometimes mutilated. One more, one less - the main thing is that the money drips. The twenty, folded in half, drifted from Chris's hands into his pocket, and a piece of paper appeared on the counter with a hastily scrawled address. Chris nodded and returned to Laura, raised his elbow and looked into her eyes. She nodded silently and hung on his arm, sighing heavily.
— It's not far here, ”Chris said quietly. - Can you make it?
Laura nodded again, straightened her shoulders and headed for the exit. The apartment really turned out to be far from ideal. Rather, it was a tiny room behind a flimsy door leading into a corridor with a dozen of the same, shabby and peeling. Somewhere, a child was sobbing loudly and hysterically, a woman was screaming screaming, a TV rumbled behind the wall. Inside it smelled of mold and rot, in the refrigerator, which had not been washed for a long time, pizza was living out its last days. A shattered sofa with cigarette burns, a worn carpet, an antediluvian TV with a picture tube and a bed covered with a bedspread clearly not the first freshness - after the suite in Vegas, the contrast was impressive. But neither Laura nor Chris were interested in convenience - if everything works out, tomorrow they will return to normal life. Or at least her appearance.
Chris put the bags on the couch, a couple of bags from the nearest fast food restaurant next to him, and Laura, grabbing her backpack, went to the bathroom. I wanted to wash off the sweat, dust and fatigue, but at one glance at the rusty surface of the bath, the desire was instantly gone. Her fingers twitched slightly when Laura opened her cosmetic bag and took out the ampoule of medicine, filled the syringe and adjusted herself in front of the mirror to give the injection.
When Chris returned from the bathroom, she was already asleep, perched on the edge of the bed and wrapped in his jacket. He walked over, sat down beside him, carefully smoothed out the folds on his shoulder, touched his hair, removing a strand of hair that had fallen on his face. Her eyelids twitched, wrinkles lay on her forehead and between her eyebrows. He remembered Laura different - confident, with an icy look and unbreakable self-confidence, in an expensive suit and perfect, adjusted makeup. But never she not seemed him so beautiful as now. Beautiful and defenseless. Chris quietly sighed - everything inside was turning over, filling his chest with weakness, gasping for breath. If it was love, then it could not be compared with anything experienced before. It was an unfamiliar, frightening feeling, and Chris was not sure if he liked it - never in his life was he so vulnerable and so helpless.
Trying not to inadvertently disturb, Chris lay down next to him and carefully hugged Laura, noting with alarm that she was all on fire. I would send her to the hospital under the supervision of doctors ... Anger pierced her sharply, sharply, forcing her to grit her teeth. Anger at Senator Smith, who defended his ass to the last, at Bradford and Kelly, at those who pulled the trigger, but above all at himself. For what he was supposed to protect, but could not. This thought was spinning in my head again and again for the last three days, but right now the feeling of guilt became intolerable, squeezed my heart in a vice. Chris closed his eyes tightly and buried his nose in the back of Laura's head. She certainly didn't think he was guilty, but could he ever
forgive yourself?
By the morning Laura got worse - she was shivering, a wet T-shirt covered her body, her eyes shone feverishly. She tried to get up, but mechanically leaned on her wounded arm, getting up, and with a groan fell back - the pain was so sharp that it darkened before her eyes. When Laura opened her eyes, Chris was already sitting next to her, staring at her with concern.
— There, in a cosmetic bag, an ampoule, ”Laura said with difficulty, licking her dry lips. - Pick up the syringe and give me an injection.
— What is it? - Chris was already digging in a small purse, getting everything he needed.
— Ciprofloxacin. Puncture the course, and I'll be as good as new.
— You need to go to the hospital. - Clicking on the syringe, Chris sat next to him.
— It is necessary. - Laura exhaled noisily,when the needle entered the muscle. - Will succeed. First, let's do what I caught this bullet for.
She lay with her face buried in the pillow and breathed heavily, so she could not see how long, unreadable look Chris was looking at her, making another difficult decision. Finally he sighed and said firmly:
— I'll go myself. Don't argue, please. You will do more harm than good now.
Let me solve this problem, and then I will take you to the hospital.
&nb
sp; Laura mumbled something inaudibly, rolled onto her side and looked at Chris. She deserved to be there. This case primarily concerned her, concerned much more than the accidentally involved Chris. But in his words there was a reason - what kind of fighter for justice is she now, when even getting up and walking to the toilet seems like an impossible task?
— Okay, ”Laura finally said reluctantly. - Just try not to linger and get stuck in anything.
— Try to sleep. Chris smiled faintly. - When you wake up, everything will be over.
— For this you need to fall asleep as soon as possible. Laura smiled back and grimaced as pain shot through her shoulder again.
Slowly down the street, the taxi stood out like a bright yellow thorn among the green and white splendor of the Washington suburb. A flag fluttered proudly on almost every porch, perfectly trimmed lawns were full of all shades of green and glistened with moisture - the watering had recently been turned off, the morning had just begun. Chris stared at the house, pensively tapping his lips, involuntarily plunging into the past.
She and David were once considered best friends. It all started at the Academy: they had a lot in common. David, like Chris, was from a very wealthy family, but he tried not to talk about it again. I also wanted to serve after graduation, and not sit in my pants at the Pentagon under my father's wing. But after graduation, after serving a year, David went to the FBI - the urgent requests of his family overpowered. After that, they almost never saw each other: Chris constantly disappeared in hot spots, David - in the office or at the next investigation. But every time they got the opportunity, they would meet and enjoy their time. It was on one of these evenings that Chris met Jennifer, and David was best man at their wedding. And then…
— You have to understand. - Then they saw each other for the last time, and David shyly hid his eyes, looking anywhere, but not at his former friend, who was sitting in an orange jumpsuit
perbulletproofglass.-Havemeraisinglooms, there So biography will be checked, that even a bottle of whiskey drunk at fifteen will be unearthed in his father's garage.
—I understand. - Chris looked calmly, straight, although the offense corroded the soul, accumulated bitterness in his mouth.
— I want you to know - I am not giving up our friendship! - David was uncomfortable with this calmness. And from the fact that he agreed with his father and came here with this conversation. That he could not defend their friendship and now just turned away and betrayed her.
— It's hard to be friends when one of your friends is sitting. Chris twitched the corner of his mouth. - I really understand.
— Then, - David smiled awkwardly and looked up at Chris, - should I say: "See you soon?"
— You wanted to say goodbye, ”Chris replied coldly, letting resentment burst out for a short moment.
— No, - David shook his head resolutely. - I will be glad to see you in my house.
Is always.
Chris didn't answer then, and what could he say? That fifteen years from now, a successful FBI investigator won't care about a former convict? That over the years they will both change so much that there is hardly one common topic of conversation? And now fate turned so that David was the only one who can help. If he wants and if he believes.
The phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. Chris involuntarily glanced at his watch and thought that Laura must have slept and should be feeling much better now.
— I hope you're ready to go to the hospital, ”he said instead of greeting.
— Our doctors will do better, don't worry, ”a strange voice answered mockingly. The earth disappeared from under his feet, his insides contracted, as if he was not sitting, but flying into an abyss without a bottom. Chris looked up, exhaled softly, and spoke:
— Where is Laura? What with her?
— While she's alive, she's not quite well, though, so you'd better hurry up if you really want to take her to the hospital.
— Give her the pipe.
— Chris. Laura's voice trembled. - I hope you bought the pills.
— Heard? - said the stranger again. “We’ll be waiting at Columbia Heights, 23rd Street, 5. I don’t think it’s worth specifying that you have to come alone?”
— I will be in hour.
— Do not be late.
Chris closed his eyes, took a few slow, deep breaths and exhales, soothing the crazy pounding of his heart. Strange, but it cost what they feared all the way to happen, and it became somehow easier. It was much more difficult to live in constant tension, at any moment expecting a threat, but now everything was lined up clearly, evenly: to get Laura out, to kill those who kidnapped her. All. No reflections, no doubts. Even the fear for her life faded into the background, drowned out by the adrenaline, which rapidly spread through the veins, forcing her fingers to tremble. Having dictated the address, Chris pulled out a pistol, glancing sideways at the driver, but he was busy on the road and did not pay attention to the passenger in the back seat. A full clip, thirty-three rounds, should be enough. Sorry there is no time
assess the situation and find out how many people actually settled in the house. Of course, Kelly is not there - such things are assigned to the fighters. It is unlikely that there will be more than five of them, which means that the chances are almost equal - Chris has not yet forgotten how to kill.
Laura felt sick. The acid rolled up to my throat, and I had to hold on with all my strength so as not to snatch at my feet. Her head was spinning from pain, her thoughts were confused, Laura could hardly keep herself from lying on the floor, pulling her legs up to her stomach. Crouching on the chair to which she was tied, she went over the events of the last hours, just not to think that very soon she would be gone. They arrived an hour after Chris left, when she was sound asleep. The crash of the broken door made me open my eyes, and in the next moment a sharp jerk forced me to sit down, my fingers dug hard into my aching shoulder, pulling out an involuntary groan. Laura gazed in dismay at the man looming over her, two figures looming behind him. Quickly looking around the apartment, they began to methodically shake clothes from the bags on the sofa, and the first, continuing to squeeze his hand, shook Laura,
— Where is the flash drive? He said in a quiet, calm voice.
— I ... - Laura hesitated - her tongue stuck to her larynx, her throat was dry, her eyes quickly filled with tears from pain. “She’s not here,” she finally said, swallowing a bitter lump. My heart was pounding like a zapolosh, fear in half with doom flooded my consciousness, and only one thought beat in my head: "Now they will kill me." Perhaps it was right that Chris is not here now. The fact that he has time to transmit information and be able to extricate himself, save life and freedom. And she will stay here, in a dirty apartment in a remote area.
— You better tell the truth. - The man who was holding her lifted her chin with his free hand, and Laura involuntarily recoiled, jerking her head. His face was completely ordinary, this is not how cruel killers are imagined: no terrible scars, a predatory grin, an evil squint. But as soon as she looked into her eyes, sticky sweat streamed down her spine: the eyes that looked at her were icy and completely empty - not a single emotion. As if he didn't care what she said and what she did.
— She's not here, ”Laura repeated, hoping she was speaking calmly. I wanted to scream, fear rolled in waves, pumping oxygen from my lungs. But Laura has always been a realist: what can she do, one against three men, who, with one hundred percent probability, are also armed. Even to her screams, no one will come - here, no one cares what is happening behind the wall.
— Where is Labert? The man asked, just as evenly, indifferently. This calmness made it even worse - Laura even thought that fatigue and boredom sounded in his voice. It’s like he’s just been torn from breakfast, and he can’t wait to return to it.
— What are you pulling with her, Mike? Knock out the info and get out, ”said the one who had just thrown aside Chris’s empty bag.
Mike turned around and said coldly:
/> — Do you wantshow me how to work? Can you give a couple of tips?
Just a couple of questions, spoken in an ordinary, everyday tone, but his skin
Laura was covered with goose bumps. It seems that the indignant was also penetrated: he averted his eyes and muttered something like an apology inaudible.
— I would like to reassure you, - Mike spoke again, turning to Laura, - that everything will be fine when you return the flash drive. But you know that it is not so, I know that it is not so, why delay the inevitable? Just tell me where Laberte went, and I promise you won't be tormented.
— He went to the pharmacy, - Laura said quietly, ignoring the tears streaming down her cheeks. She would be glad to look anywhere but at him, but her eyes attracted, hypnotized, as if they were trying to draw out the whole truth, turning her soul inside out. - For pills for me.
— Long?
— Ten minutes ago. But I do not know when he will return - these antibiotics are not available in every pharmacy.
— So we will wait for him. Not here. Mike finally let go of her and took a step back. - Get up. Let's take a ride.
— What for? Snapped before Laura could think. - Why do you need me?
— Decided to play martyr? Mike's thin lips stretched into a knowing smile. “Do you think that after Labertus finds your corpse, he’ll want to give us the flash drive?” So I think not. Therefore, now we will go to one amazing place. However, I do not promise comfort.
— How did you find us? Laura didn’t expect him to answer, and Mike didn’t say anything, watching carefully as she carefully rises, holding her sore hand with the other, and looks for shoes.
— The pharmacist in the pharmacy turned out to be a conscientious citizen, - willingly explained the one who offered to kill her. “The recipe written by Eleanor Smith, whom the whole country is looking for, helped us a lot. You made us run, but it was even interesting.
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