“Ma’am, the press is not allowed beyond that gate!” bellows one of the agents, his shiny aviator sunglasses reflecting my own passionate face as he storms up to me.
“This is public property! I am a tax-paying citizen who just wants to share information with other upstanding citizens about what’s going on here today!” Deciding it can’t hurt to lay it on thick, I continue, “Leon Volkov is a career criminal with no soul and I am here to make sure the world knows that our police are bringing him to justice!”
I can see some of the feds relaxing a bit, believing I’m just some ignorant media peon. At least they’re less likely to arrest me now, even if they’re still not willing to let me inside the building.
“Miss, I apologize, but you can’t go in there with us, as much as we’d like to let you in,” says another agent, removing his sunglasses to wink at me.
I bat my eyelashes and twirl a loose lock of hair around my finger, trying my best to look demure and innocuous. “It’s just that… I have a real passion for seeing bad guys nailed to the wall for their crimes and, well, it would really make my year to catch a scoop like this one.”
I can tell a couple of the feds want to let me in, but the first guy who approached me is still standing his ground, his mouth set in a hard line. He clearly doesn’t want a reporter finding out that one of the FBI’s own is really the big baddie behind the crime. I’m starting to see the flaws in my last-minute plan now.
Not looking away from me for a second, he orders, “All of you inside. I’ll deal with this.”
Reluctantly, the other agents file into the building and fear floods my veins as I’m left all alone with the big bad fed. He takes my arm and starts pulling me away, back toward the gate. “You’ve got to leave immediately, ma’am. I don’t know how you got in here or why you thought you have any right to just show up like this, but — ”
Just then, Genn leaps out of the bushes and cocks a gun I didn’t know he had, pointing it straight at Mr. Special Agent beside me. “Let go of the bitch!” he shouts, and I instantly realize that Genn is trying to create a distraction.
A very, very dangerous one.
He’s aiming a gun at a federal agent! Within two seconds, the fed releases me and pulls out his own gun to point it at Genn. “Drop the weapon!” commands the agent.
Before I can think twice, I’m bolting toward the county lockup.
“If you make one move toward her I will fire!” Genn is shouting behind me, and I know he’s got the agent stuck there.
My heart is pounding in my ears as I throw open the doors to the building and yell, “Rogue agent is about to shoot a civilian out there!”
A stampede of agents go thundering toward the door and I use the momentary mayhem to slip past the security stop and bolt down the hallway to what I hope to be the interrogation room. I only have a minute or so before anyone catches on and realizes what I’m doing back here, so I pick the very first door and swing it open.
I gasp and cover my mouth at the sight of Leon standing up in the middle of the room, his back facing me. The wooden table and rickety chairs have been flipped over and kicked aside and Leon is pointing a gun at the officer in the corner…
It’s Doyle!
Leon must have somehow grappled the gun away from the bastard during a scuffle. I can’t let Leon make the mistake of murdering a federal agent just when everything is finally about to be resolved.
“Stop!” I cry out, my voice shaking.
I hear voices and heavy footsteps pounding up the hallway toward this room, one of them possibly belonging to Genn. I wonder if he managed to convince the feds he’s on their side, after all. God, we should have just told them who we were!
Leon doesn’t look back at me, but he struggles to keep his voice even when he replies softly, “Cherry, you have to go. I won’t let you see this.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” I shout. “Don’t shoot him!”
“This bastard deserves everything he gets! He killed your dad, Cherry!” Leon yells, flicking the trigger.
Doyle flinches, but he says, “Listen to your girlfriend, Volkov. It’s all over. You’re going away for a very, very long time.”
“No, Charlie. You are,” says a deep voice behind me. The agent who grabbed me earlier pushes me aside, walking into the room with his own gun raised — at Leon. “Drop the gun, Volkov. You’re free to go.”
“Is this some kind of trick?” Leon demands, not daring to look away from Doyle.
“No, Leon! They’re here to arrest Doyle. I talked to the FBI and told them everything. I gave them evidence. I — I came here to tell you so you wouldn’t do anything stupid,” I ramble quickly, tears pulsing down my cheeks. I can’t stand to see Leon like this, pushed to the edge of desperation, thinking he would have to kill Doyle himself to get justice for all those poor people.