Abhijat drove like a man possessed.

He prayed he’d made the right decision in taking the shortcut to the airport. If Ivanovna’s spies had spotted Rinisa at the Central Bank, he figured it was already too late to try and intercept her there. She’d have left long before they got there.

But to make a stop at the bank, Rinisa would’ve had to take the long way around to the airport. If they made good time, they could get there before her.

The car screeched to a halt a few blocks away from the international terminal. Abhijat leapt out of the vehicle. He instructed the guards accompanying him to spread out around the premises and keep an eye on the entrance.

“Contact me immediately if you see her.”

His heart thundered as he strode towards the building. This was it. The last opportunity he’d ever have, to right some of the wrongs he had committed.

If Rinisa got away tonight, she’d be out of his reach forever.

After everything she’d done – to him, to his family, to Naijan and Fasih and to all those children they’d found drugged out of their minds at the La Fantome, she would get away with it all, never having to answer for any of her crimes.

His blood boiled in his veins, just thinking about it.

He found a large, well-lit display and stood under it, allowing the prismatic lights of the digital billboard to cast shadows on his face. It hid him from the eyes of the casual observer, without making it look like he was trying to hide.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and flicked open a video game, keeping an eye on the entryway without looking as though he were keeping watch.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Soon, a cab pulled up in front of the terminal and a diminutive, slender woman stepped out.

The lower half of her face was obscured by a scarf, tied at the back of her head in a style that was common during the summers, when women tried to protect themselves from the dust and heat by covering their faces.

She carried a small leather briefcase, very much like the one Abhijat had seen at that nightmarish warehouse.

Blood roaring in his ears, Abhijat snapped a few words into his communicator and broke into a run.

Within seconds, he was facing Rinisa.

Her eyes widened, the blood draining from her face. She turned around and ran – or at least tried to – even as three uniformed guards closed in on her from all directions.

“By order of the prime minister,” Abhijat said, stepping into her space. “I can’t allow you to leave this country at the moment.”

He reached for the briefcase she was holding. She jerked away, wild-eyed.

He smirked. “You can give it to me. Or I can take it from you. Personally, I’d prefer the latter. I’ve been itching for an excuse to shoot you all day.”

For a moment, Rinisa looked like she was about to cry.

Then, her features smoothed out, all emotion draining from her face. She reached behind her to undo the knot of the scarf covering her face, and her lips quirked into an inviting smile.

“You could do that,” she murmured, taking a small but deliberate step towards Abhijat, until their faces were inches apart. “Or, we could think of something more…interesting for us to do. Somewhere far away from this godforsaken city.”

“Mmmm…” Abhijat closed his eyes, breathing in her sweet, floral perfume. He took her free hand gently between both of his own. “We could do that. Or,” With a flick of his wrist, he spun her around, twisting her arm behind her back until she hissed in pain.

“Or I could arrest you for being in possession of regulated substances in a foreign country and drag you back home, where you’ll be charged with smuggling and treason, if you’re lucky. Trafficking and murder too, if I have anything to say about it–”

“Abhijat, please,” she whimpered, struggling against his vice-like grip.

“Please,” he repeated, relieving her of the briefcase. “Don’t make a scene. Unless, of course, you want to give your darling Grigiori a reason to have you murdered before we can get you out of his country.”

She shivered.

Escorting her over to the waiting car, Abhijat grinned. “All the same to me. Just so long as I get to put you on a pyre and light the goddamn match.”