Chapter 8

He kneed in front of the little girl. She seemed to be stronger than the girl before, Miley. Kate did not seem to be frightened.

'Do you know who I am?', he asked. He smiled at her, trying to be friendly.

'Yassen Gregorovich', she said. No fear in her voice.

'That's right. Did Alex tell you about me?'

She nodded.

'Did he also tell you who he really is?'

'He worked for MI6.'

'That means he doesn't do that anymore.'

'Recently they came back.'

'Why?' Why did she tell him?

'New mission.'

'They haven't contacted him for over two years.'

'How long have you already been watching him?'

'From time to time.' He thought for a while.

She was good, she did not fear him. Maybe that was a mistake.

His hand reached out and wiped a strand of her hair away from her face. 'And you are Alex' girlfriend. What's your name?'

'First kidnapping, then asking?'

'You've got a British accent.'

'I'm Israeli.'

'Ever been to Britain?'

'Just holiday. My father had studied there.'

'Ah, and why are you in America now?'

'Does that matter?'

'You must know, Kate, I am the one with the gun.'

She said nothing, just looked at him.

'What is your full name?', he asked once more. He laughed. 'It would have been easier to ask that your friend Miley', he added.

'Katelyn Haswari.'

'How long have you and Alex been together now?'

'Half a year.'

'Do you love him?', Yassen asked.

'What do you really want from him and what do you want from me?'

'You're avoiding my question', he laughed.

'What do you want from him?'

'Are you trying to protect him with that or protect yourself?'

'What do you want from me?', she asked clearly and slowly.

'You're much more courageous than little Miley was. You grown up in Israel?'

'Lived there until three years ago.'

'Why did you move away?'

'Does that matter now?' Yassen laughed.

She really was a tough girl.

'You have no idea in what danger you are', he murmured.

'What do you wanna do with Alex?', she asked.

'Make him suffer.'

'How?'

'Make his closest friend suffer.'

'Why did you tell him you wouldn't kill children?'

'Did he tell you that? I lied.'

'Why?'

'I didn't want to kill him.'

'Why?'

'Are you my therapist?'

'Is it because he was just fourteen or because he was John Rider's father?'

'Alex could have never told you that much. Blunt would have killed him.' He looked down at the little girl. He could only see anger in her eyes. No fear, nothing else.

'I found out', she said shortly.

'Do you love him?' He pulled out a knife from his leather jacket.

'When you hurt me to hurt him, it would rather be of interest if he loves me.'

'You're trying to get around this answer. But he loves you, am I right?'

She nodded. He put the cold knife blade on her warm neck.

'You hurt me?'

'Send a photo to Alex and he'll hit the roof. He'll try to find me and he'll find me. Then I will take my revenge.'

'It's only about revenge?', she said softly. She ignored the knife at her neck.

'Yes. I was a good hatchet man. Now I have to run from country to country because I'm searched everywhere. It is his fault.'

'His father saved your life.'

Yassen blinked. 'Your researches were good, but I am tough. Hard and emotionless', he smiled at her.

'You have a softer side', she said.

That irritated him. She was allowing herself a lot. He wasn't careful enough in this moment of his thoughts. She jumped forward, grabbed the knife in his hand with one hand, pushed him down with the other and grabbed his gun of the holster of his jeans. She pushed him to the ground and climbed above him.

She held the knife at his neck and smiled at him.

'What are you going to do? Kill me?', he asked.

He remained calm, he was very self-disciplined. She smiled back, evilly.

'Killing is for grown-ups and you're still a child', he said and looked at the gun on her other hand.

She stopped smiling and sat down at the wall again. He sat up, too. She hold up knife and gun.

'Why do you give me that back? You could have got out of here easily now?', he asked confused taking back his weapons.

'I…don't know', she sighed. He looked into her eyes. Coldness.

'Do you love him?'

'No.'

Now Yassen was even more confused.

'Do you love at all?'

'I don't know.'

'Who are you?'

She laughed. 'Good luck with killing him.'

'Who are you really, Katelyn?', he asked.

But whatever he tried, she didn't answer anything anymore.

Meanwhile Alex was getting furious in his apartment. He had no idea where Yassen could hold Kate and Miley hasn't been a help either. He needed to think. What if he did anything to her? That would be something Alex could never forgive himself.

He was Yassen's target.

It was just between them. He hated his life as an agent and he didn't want anybody else dragged into this danger. And now his girlfriend who he loved over all, was held hostage by a man Alex couldn't assess. If he ever touched her, Alex would do everything to take revenge.

He was so deep in love that he couldn't see the danger he was in.

Little stupid Alex...after all he'd been through and he still didn't recognize a betrayer...