"PLEASE DON'T KILL ME," Benito pleaded. "Try to see...."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRCgNuPMo8W
"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!"374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr84XQ6XeCE
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."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eSXB2YrdQ
"We saw him go through, hombre," Godfredo said. "We need a word with him just now."374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXcCBDM7N9D
The man shook his head. He was younger and stronger than both of them.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJVWTFpllY
Godfredo gave Egor a fiery look. Egor had seen that look before. Godfredo was about to reach for his gun!374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYfYfR569u
Egor shook his head. He reached for something different----money. A thousand euros, in fact. 374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwE0ojczOiW
The man looked at the cash offered. His expression softened.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡntJJ9FGSbG
"Two thousand," he countered.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGG0yQFURuD
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMj83geIMAi
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0OnNtY8oF
They reached the end of the aisle, at the front of the theater, when she heard the thump of a door opening.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOOrVN02Jr
"No," she said.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8Gkt4yeHZ
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDn3oWu9uL
"I'll shoot him!" she warned, bracing herself.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KkIcRFgNl
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzuWAC8Hqz
Godfredo raised a gun and aimed it at them.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89y2ju8xfx
* * *374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBHGC2ahA2
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.374Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ozezMBqXt
