IF THERE WAS one thing that Mischa had learned to do well during her fun-filled stay at JRF, it was to sleep very, very lightly.460Please respect copyright.PENANAZZXDc3yoSh
Drake was good, though. He'd figured out her misdirection with the sleeping bag before he'd even touched it. Another second, tops, and he would have spun around, and who knows what might've happened.
She trained the gun and the flashlight on him from a distance of about ten yards. She took one step toward him.
"Drop it," she said.
"I thought you said not to move."
"Oh, very funny, Drake." She threw down the flashlight. She could make him out well enough and she wanted two hands on her Glock. Her hands and forearms were trembling and her heart was pumping at full throttle. "Drop it."
"Think a moment, Mischa." He looked back at her again. "If I droop this gun from five feet, you've got good odds it goes off. Do you want a firearm discharging? Do you want to draw that kind of attention.
She tried to steady the gun. "Okay, Drake. Point made. I want you to slowly..."
In one fell swoop, Drake's right leg swept forward and he did a one-eighty, spinning around into a crouch, training his gun on Mischa. In the time it took her to get a handful of words out of her mouth, he'd made a move and turned the tables on her.
For one beat of her heart, Mischa thought she was a dead woman.
His gun aimed squarely at her, he slowly rose.
"Now be a good girl and put down the goddamn gun!"
Her pulse was pounding so violently her whole body shook. It was James Bond versus a terrified amateur.
"How----the hell----did you find me?" She asked through gritted teeth.
He grunted. "How many times did you go on about this vacation spot to Rihanna and me? All you knew of France and Paris and this place. I played the odds." He moved his gun over so slightly, like a nod of the head. "Now put the gun down, Mischa, before I get really mad."
"I'll die first," she said, meaning it.
He paused a beat, as if this very outcome were on the table. "I don't want you to die."
"No?" she asked. "You just stopped by to wish me well?"
He looked over the sight of the gun at her. "In a way, yes."
"With a gun on me."
"I knew you had one," he said. "I couldn't predict how you might react."
Her eyes were weak from lack of sleep. And sunlight was now streaking through the trees, playing tricks on her eyes. It was hard to focus. This wasn't a fair fight.460Please respect copyright.PENANAuXJ4zOe0j7
"Who did it, Drake?" she spat. "Which one of you? Or was it all of you?"460Please respect copyright.PENANAE3q7bH3omr
He didn't answer for a long moment. She wasn't doing herself any favors here. But her frustration and anger were starting to overcome her terror. 460Please respect copyright.PENANA1yf3F4seZO
Drake moved a step forward. "You don't know what you're doing, Mischa."460Please respect copyright.PENANARRLx4cBl3C
"I'm figuring out who killed the president," she said. "And framed us."460Please respect copyright.PENANAdcLIOCr0BE
Drake took another step in her direction. Three more strides and their guns would be touching, barrel to barrel.460Please respect copyright.PENANAkQhrglkSkz
"You're not going to shoot me," he said.460Please respect copyright.PENANALjvKsmqz0v
"Are you sure about that?"460Please respect copyright.PENANAkstAuHSIw7
Another step toward her. "Yes, I am."460Please respect copyright.PENANAQy5ehcHhH9
"Watch it, Drake. I'm a girl with nothing to lose." Her finger braced against the trigger. The gun felt heavy in her hands, in more ways than one. She'd never held a firearm in her life before yesterday. She'd never fired anything but a prop gun. She'd never killed a human being in real life.460Please respect copyright.PENANA97Qbl2rdaH
But there was a first time for everything. One step closer and she wouldn't have a choice. She'd either shoot him or lose her weapon.460Please respect copyright.PENANAVUZWdsKbzU
"I didn't come her to kill you," Drake said. 460Please respect copyright.PENANAUFUxGjZWQR
"Then why?"460Please respect copyright.PENANAytaoshva65
He watched her for a moment. "Put the gun down and find out," he said.460Please respect copyright.PENANA6UPcOmVPps