Today's Reading
The woman did not dare move. She remained steadfast in her chair, fearful and leaning forward, eager to comply.
Waterman then angled his head over his shoulder and called out loudly. "Get in here, kid."
A cursory look of confusion passed over the woman's face, and she glanced at the open door. Briefly noting where a large chunk of wood had been ripped away surrounding the now dangling deadbolt. Her eyes widened when Henry Yamada's face appeared from the darkness.
CHAPTER THREE
Yamada walked across the small room, stopping next to Waterman.
"Hey, Nora. Long time no see."
The woman's mouth dropped open. Her eyes moved back and forth between the two men. She was utterly shocked. "What the—"
"Shut up," interrupted Waterman.
Yamada watched Lagner for several moments, surprised to feel his nervousness gradually morph into anger. "It took a long time to find you," he said. "So, I guess you already know about your friend Duchik."
Lagner silently nodded.
"I wish I could say I was sorry," said Yamada, "but I'm not. Some people deserve what they get."
At that, the look of confusion in Lagner's large green eyes immediately turned to fear. God, they were going to kill her.
She watched as Waterman sat on the square coffee table in front of her, resting his gun on his knee but still pointing it at her, his right index finger still on the trigger. "Expecting anyone else tonight?"
"N-no."
Waterman glanced briefly over his shoulder. "Good. Because if someone comes in, guess who I'm shooting first." He didn't wait for an answer. "Now, do you know who I am?"
Nora Lagner nodded.
"Because?"
She hesitated. "Because I read your file."
"Then you have to know I'm not the bluffing type."
No answer.
"So...you're going to tell us everything," he said, "or this will be your last night on good ole planet Earth. Comprende?"
"Yes."
"Let's start with why you're still searching for us."
She swallowed and answered softly. "It's not my doing."
"Then whose is it?"
"People who were working with Duchik."
"Why, what do they want with us?"
"They don't want you," she said, "they want Reiff."
"What for?"
Her tone became almost matter-of-fact. "For verification."
Yamada stepped in. "Verification of what? You already have everything. All the files and his DNA. What else could you want?"
"There's a difference," she said, "between a DNA profile and the actual person, scientifically speaking."
Waterman and Yamada looked at each other before the older man frowned. "Who is this group? How big?"
"There were ten in total before he died. Now there are nine."
"Including you?"
Another nod.
"And they want what exactly?"
"Verification," Lagner repeated.
...
