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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDOEPgNmVn
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. 365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSrIvnsKi0
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPQMMT32Qh
Ironic, she thought. Sebastian's incompetence and cowardice might ultimately be his saving grace.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFuTH3Kv8i
"You're going to deny that you were part of the lookout at the harbor?" she asked.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUUNapLdyT
He shrugged his shoulder. "What do you think I should do?"365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjm6ve008z
"I don't know. What do you think you should do?"365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZJwoEtjpz
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBzQVosR4V
"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."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjNJ9eWL1N
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."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FUJtWr5gs
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKl1uDsYZ0l
"I know what you did," he said. "The phone call from the new French president? My lawyer told me. That was----thank you, Mischa."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BUWm9ZpbA
She shrugged. "He asked me if there was anything he could do for me."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypIYym9tmY
"And you asked him to show me mercy," he said. "I don't deserve that."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASnlFt0Kfo
"No, you don't."365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OZ7IYXDm8
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.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoH4Ob2Scz
She wanted things to get better. And the first step was going home.365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOhzGGuNFo
365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlTIRiU5PU
THE END365Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW57FeTdOtN
