Hi again. I'm actually writing this two weeks before this chapter is published, and I'm going to be incredibly vain, and say I'm glad you all like it. Even though I haven't published the first chapter yet. :) You know me.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except the things I own. The things I own are the things not owned by Colfer. Colfer owns everything except the things I own. The things Colfer owns are the things I do not own. :) Try that one, all you people who think you're the next Artemis Fowl.
"What?" For once, Rivers lost his composure, and yelled. The only other time he'd ever yelled at Valerie was before. Before she'd killed Trabar. That was the last time he'd yelled at her. He'd yelled at her to go kill Trabar, and he'd be her agent.
Valerie smiled, excitement welling up inside her, though the odds of her surviving were so small, and the idea so ridiculous, that she should have been feeling ill. "Yes. I'm going to get them to capture me, kill him, and get out. It's not such a bad idea, Rivers."
"That's impossible!"
"Not quite." Valerie stood, moving to the window, and opening it so she could look out. She liked the view, blocked as it was by other buildings. "Now how do I get the Mafia's attention?"
"Go to Russia," said Rivers glumly, realizing that he would be losing his best killer yet in this stupid scheme. Valerie could have gone so far, and instead, she was throwing herself away on an impossible break-in. But he knew her. She would not be dissuaded.
She was not that way.
"I know that!" said Valerie with impatience. "But how do I get their attention so that they take care of me immediately without killing me, and put me in The Fortress?"
"Pretend to know whatever it is that they got your target for knowing. It was obviously important enough to land him in The Fortress, and it'll get you there too."
Valerie pulled out a pen, and reached for a piece of paper. "Can I have my man's number?" It was never a good thing to ask for an employer's number, but in this case, if she didn't have it, then it seemed likely that she wouldn't be able to do anything.
Rivers sighed, and gave it to her. Let her do what she wanted then. It was useless arguing.
"Thank you." Valerie hung up, and then dialed the Russian's number. Hopefully she'd be able to do this right, get what she wanted, and not make a fool out of herself.
"Hello?"
"Sir. You hired me last night."
"Ah. Is it too much?" He sighed tiredly. "I understand. I never really thought anyone would be able to anyways. Not even the best. I'll just have to let it go."
"That is not why I called." Valerie fought to keep the smugness out of her voice.
"You— found a way in?" Disbelief and excitement mingled together hopefully.
"I have." She relished those words. I have. And she had. "All I will need to know, is the information that my target knew, and how he got himself captured. I'm flying to Russia tomorrow."
He drew in his breath sharply. "You're not seriously considering—"
"Yes. I think it will work. If I die, it is just a small fee from Rivers. An extra fifty thousand is all, I believe. You may be sure I will not reveal anything of consequence."
Silence.
"Shall we not discuss this over the phone?"
"I think not. Why don't you meet me— No, I'll have one of my men pick you up at Rivers' office around nine."
"Alright." Valerie hung up with a smile, and reached for her traveling bag. She would need to pack, and have Rivers get her plane tickets. And she'd also need to figure out how to get a weapon inside The Fortress without attracting any attention.
Her target's older brother picked her up. They drove in silence for a while, but finally he said: "You found a way in?"
"I did. The same way he got in. Because the Mafia wanted him in. It's really not that hard."
"In theory." He spun the wheel, and then held up his left hand. The back was badly scarred. "The Mafia isn't nice, you know. When I was younger I had a run-in with a group on the lower level. They set me on fire after breaking a few of my ribs. It wasn't pleasant."
Valerie flinched inwardly.
"The Fortress will be worse, if more sophisticated. They're torturing Zane, and they'll torture you, once you get in, if they think you know anything, which they will if you're in there. Probably more so, because you're more likely to break than he is."
"I am?"
He dropped his hand with a shrug. "You certainly look a lot more fragile than Zane. It'll be easier to break you physically at least. And if you don't mind me saying so— you don't look so bad, and they don't have many women in The Fortress."
Valerie pursed her lips, but said nothing. It was nothing personal. He was only warning her after all. And probably right, too.
They slowed to a stop, and he got out, motioning for her to follow him.
On the other side of the street, a black limo was waiting. He helped her in, shut the door, and the car pulled away immediately.
"Good evening."
Valerie turned quickly, nodding respectfully to her employer. "Thank you for seeing me."
"Thank you, for even remotely considering something so dangerous." He leaned back in his seat with a sigh. "I was… associated with the Mafia at one time. I am familiar with The Fortress actually. I doubt you will ever get out of The Fortress. I am sure you will die, and I am sure you will see more that your fair share of torture before you do. Please understand that I will not think less of you for refusing."
Valerie shook her head firmly. "Perhaps I overestimate myself, or perhaps you underestimate me, but I believe I can do it."
For a long moment, he studied her. Finally, he nodded. "Very well then. All you need to know, is that I have in my possession a blue diamond— Flame of the Gods, some call it— and they want it. It is still in Russia, and your target was on his way to get it when he was captured, because in a phone conversation with me, he mentioned the word: diamond. He was picked up within two hours of the time, four days ago."
"Where did this conversation take place?"
"In the airport at Moscow. They knew he was employed by me."
Valerie swallowed, trying to think. Tomorrow, she would be kidnapped, taken to The Fortress, and tortured. If she said yes. But she made herself nod. "Alright."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I am." Valerie shut her eyes. "Can you tell me anything about The Fortress?"
There was a rustling sound as he opened his briefcase, and took out some paper. "I have no map, and I can't draw one of much benefit, but if you'd like the general layout…"
"Wonderful!" Valerie opened her eyes quickly, leaning over.
"Around the border of the land they have guards stationed, probably about a quarter of a mile apart. They have dogs with them. There's one road that comes up from the south. Around the more immediate Fortress, there's a swampish area about half a mile wide. The road's the only safe way. Between the swamp and The Fortress, there's ten feet of safety for the guards. A patrol there, you understand. No way through."
Valerie studied the drawing, which was remarkably neat for a map made in a moving vehicle. "How far is it from the outer edge of this swamp to the border?"
"A mile. You're likely to run into nasty things along the way. Electric fences, mines, and so forth. The only safe route is the road, which they'll obviously guard closely." Quickly, he divided the actual Fortress into sections. "The prisoners are kept at the very center of the building, with five guards in the corridor, and five on every flight to the main floor, since it's three below ground. There's only one flight of stairs, and it comes out in the living quarters." He paused, making notes along the side.
"How many men are there?" Valerie studied the map carefully, starting to memorize it.
"About five hundred on an average, though they call in three times that if they feel nervous in about an hour's worth of time."
Valerie sighed. Great. She got out, and she'd have two thousand men looking for her in an hour.
"Anyway, you come out in the cafeteria. Past that are the rooms, all connected to a main hall way. There are five men in a room. At the end of that, is the office area in general, and then the main doors. The upper level is storage, as is the smaller building over here. It's connected by a hall, and runs into the office area. The lower floors are information, and the cells… and so on. The— the interrogation rooms."
Valerie waited for him to finish writing, and then met his eyes. "What kind of torture?"
He shut his eyes. "The head of this place has one of the sickest minds there has ever been. I'm sure whatever thinks up there will have been no way for you to prepare for it. I can guarantee it will be painful, and I can guarantee your thinking will change. He's very good with taking out all your mental stability. And um… there aren't any women in there. I'm sure—"
"I see." Valerie paused, and then took the map he held out. "Thank you. That will be all then."
"If there's anything you'll need help with, feel free to call. I can't promise, but I'll do my best, I assure you."
"Thank you." Valerie suddenly remembered something. "Is there any possible way for me to smuggle anything in? Anything? Something to kill my target with, and something to kill myself with, if I needed to?"
He leaned forward, rolling down the window, and telling the driver to head for Rivers' office. "No. I don't think so. You will be searched. Very thoroughly searched. Your clothes will go in with you, and nothing else, pretty much. You might try strangling him. He'll be weak, I assure you. And if you want yourself dead, just pick a fight with a guard. Someone will be sure to shoot you once you start fighting."
"I see." She paused, and then looked back at him. "Why is this diamond significant?"
"It's worth an unimaginable sum. And people are greedy. Including myself, I suppose."
Valerie nodded. Greed. That's where she'd gotten all of her jobs from. People were greedy for power, and someone else was a threat to the power they had, and had power they wanted. People were greedy for money, and someone else had the money they wanted. People were greedy for fame, and someone else had the fame they wanted. And on it went.
The car slowed.
"Good luck."
Valerie nodded, opening the door. "Thank you." She took a deep breath, and stepped out, quickly shutting the door behind her before the bodyguard in the front seat could protest at any small breaches of security.
So.
Tomorrow she was going to walk into her death willingly. By torture from the Mafia. All over a diamond. A stupid diamond. She found strangely amusing, that lives would be sacrificed and used to get a diamond. Nothing was every yours forever.
But greed— greed was a powerful thing. It did things to people. This diamond must be beautiful and huge. It must be worth an enormous sum, as he had said. It must be unique.
Why else would people die over a stone?
Valerie laughed, shaking her head, got on her bike, and rode rapidly towards her apartment. She would have to memorize a lot of things tonight, and contact a few old friends, in case she never came back. She'd have to start trying to find The Fortress's weakness. Work on finding a way out of there. There would be a way out. Giver her time.
She did not notice the car that followed close behind her. A lapse in her vigilance. She was becoming too confident, or too careless. The man in the car made a note of that.
This is neglected for a while— it'll come up later in the story. The man watching her is not from the Mafia… You'll see in a bit. He's a dangerous person, and he wants her dead… Heh. Don't forget him.
You who do not review: Your evils will condemn you on the day of judgment. :)
