The walk through the basement of the Palais de Justice brought back a flood of emotions and memories so violent, so overwhelming, that Mischa had to remind herself to breathe. She also had remind herself of her newfound status. You're free, Mischa Barton, and you're not dreaming. She would always equate France with her captivity, with her utter degradation, with a period of time when everything was stolen from her.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk8XL1LBaq
She would dream about this dungeon, about JRF, about her interrogation at DCRI----all of this----for the rest of her life. No matter how fiercely she scrubbed her teeth, she would always taste it. No matter how tightly she closed her eyes, she would always see it. No matter how low the temperature on the air-conditioning, she would always feel the rabid heat of cell 524.
The escort guard stopped at the cell. "Voulez-vous aller a l'interieur?" he asked Mischa.
She shook her head no. She would stay on this side of the cage.
Sebastian was sitting on a bench that was fixed to the wall, hunched over, his elbows on his knees. His hair was greasy, his face unshaven, his white shirt stained with sweat at the armpits.
The final act that Colonel Geordi LaForge peformed before he resigned his post was arresting Sebastian at the hotel where he was staying, near the U.S. Embassy. She was told that Sebastian took it bravely, that he handled himself well.
"We're leaving today," said Mischa.
He nodded. "Zoe and Hania didn't come with you?"
"Did you expect them to?"
Sebastian rubbed his hands together. He had to appreciate how terribly he betrayed his lover. "This might sound pathetic, Mischa, but none of this was my idea. It went along with it. Yes, I did. But I didn't come up with the idea, and I didn't plan or execute it. I went along for the ride. There's a difference."
"You're right," she said. "It does sound pathetic."
He didn't answer. He was totally and completely broken.
"You got your lawyer?" she asked.
He nodded. "He thinks we might be able to fight it. There's not----not a lot of direct proof."
That was probably true. Egor and Godfredo were dead, and Drake was still on the run. Egor and Godfredo had admitted to plenty on the tape that LaForge had recorded, but Sebastian hadn't admitted to anything. Clearly he knew about their involvement, but knowing they did something and being part of it were two different things. 349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tSVmZOOXo
Benito McLaughlin was under arrest for perjury. Thus far, at least as far as Mischa knew, he wasn't talking. But even if they could get him to talk, he'd already told her that he had no knowledge of Sebastian's involvement.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda05EqcCvt
Ironic, she thought. Sebastian's incompetence and cowardice might ultimately be his saving grace.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIP2EJBOLp
"You're going to deny that you were part of the lookout at the harbor?" she asked.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2LGlK3qXH
He shrugged his shoulder. "What do you think I should do?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAOUNysuAQ
"I don't know. What do you think you should do?"349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cOK6lZH9F
For a moment, Sebastian's face brightened. It was a line of hers, back when they were going steady, when they were madly in love and life was full of doors that were open, not closed.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRgQpEdPXc
"I still love you," he said. For the first time, he turned and looked at her. "I never stopped. I know what I did. The affair. But I didn't do that because I didn't love you. I did it because I was afraid you'd stop loving me."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK374RKQdmQ
She turned away. "I'm not going to do this, Sebastian. You made a decision and you betrayed me. And then you made another decision and you betrayed me again. You stole me away from my sisters! Don't expect me to ever forgive you for that."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotVnS9hqkG
A long silence hung between them. Maybe this is why Mischa came here, to say these words to him, just one long-overdue scolding before she went back to America and rebooted her life and acting career. Or maybe there was a small part of her that just wanted to see him get his just desserts.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7tBaEpt6t
"I know what you did," he said. "The phone call from the new French president? My lawyer told me. That was----thank you, Mischa."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCFjWp8WzM
She shrugged. "He asked me if there was anything he could do for me."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglmMXLvGZG
"And you asked him to show me mercy," he said. "I don't deserve that."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6tbE9OCNm
"No, you don't."349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXpg65HKkO
Mischa moved quickly back through the claustrophobic hallway and chose the stairs over the elevator. She ran up and out of the Palais de Justice and kept running until she was crossing the bridge over the beautiful Seine.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUMpf5yutL
She wanted things to get better. And the first step was going home.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRt3a41RXN
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THE END349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzUe4MUIWg
