For a long moment, he could only stare at her in shock. Then, grabbing her roughly by the arm, he forcibly dragged her into a nearby alleyway. Releasing her with a shove that sent her stumbling against the wall, he demanded, "How long, Mercedes? How long have you known about this and not told me?"
She winced. "Since I first inspected the remains, after determining the identity," she whispered, refusing to look at him. "I... If we're going to confront Tikhomirov like we've planned, you needed to know. He may mention it-- try to throw us off."
"So that's the only reason you told me," he shot back coldly. "Otherwise, you would have kept quiet-- said nothing and lied to me. Goddammit, Mercedes!! I deserve to know the truth, he's my FATHER!!!"
"And what good would it do?" She railed back, recovering her wits. "Give you one more item to beat yourself up with? Give you and your Mom one more terrifying thought to haunt you? One more demon to plague your thoughts?"
"That's bullshit and you know it."
"The hell it is! I know you, Harm. You take responsibility for things beyond your control; you always have, just because you have to make everything right. But there's nothing you can do here. He's dead, Harm. He died almost twenty years ago." He voice softened. "Let it go, cousin. Save your energy for Mac and Webb; we can still help them. Anything else is a waste."
"What about Tikhomirov? For what he's done..."
"He'll get his reward in the end. Men like him always do," she insisted coldly, then stepped over to where he was standing, placing a hand on his arm. "Revenge isn't you, Harm. Don't taint your hands with it."
He looked down at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Let's go get Mac and Webb, and get the hell out of here."
But even as they walked out of the alley, silently leaning on each other, Mercedes acknowledged one simple truth: revenge may not be her cousin's style, but it very well could be hers.
TBC.....
She winced. "Since I first inspected the remains, after determining the identity," she whispered, refusing to look at him. "I... If we're going to confront Tikhomirov like we've planned, you needed to know. He may mention it-- try to throw us off."
"So that's the only reason you told me," he shot back coldly. "Otherwise, you would have kept quiet-- said nothing and lied to me. Goddammit, Mercedes!! I deserve to know the truth, he's my FATHER!!!"
"And what good would it do?" She railed back, recovering her wits. "Give you one more item to beat yourself up with? Give you and your Mom one more terrifying thought to haunt you? One more demon to plague your thoughts?"
"That's bullshit and you know it."
"The hell it is! I know you, Harm. You take responsibility for things beyond your control; you always have, just because you have to make everything right. But there's nothing you can do here. He's dead, Harm. He died almost twenty years ago." He voice softened. "Let it go, cousin. Save your energy for Mac and Webb; we can still help them. Anything else is a waste."
"What about Tikhomirov? For what he's done..."
"He'll get his reward in the end. Men like him always do," she insisted coldly, then stepped over to where he was standing, placing a hand on his arm. "Revenge isn't you, Harm. Don't taint your hands with it."
He looked down at her for a long moment, then nodded. "Let's go get Mac and Webb, and get the hell out of here."
But even as they walked out of the alley, silently leaning on each other, Mercedes acknowledged one simple truth: revenge may not be her cousin's style, but it very well could be hers.
TBC.....