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"Javier Ruiz has been eliminated," Victor says, as calmly and professionally as any other time I’ve heard him speak to Niklas

"Yes," he answers a question I can’t hear but I still dumbly push my head forward a little as if it’ll amplify the volume in some way "Police arrived at the scene before I hborhood It was not a clean kill" He listens to Niklas for a irl was alive when I arrived just before I took Javier out He had shot her, but she ed to tell me that she overheard Samantha on the phone with someone just after I left for Tucson Yes No, Saut that Safe House Twelve has been compromised A Cleaner should be sent there ilances at irl died of her wound I left her there"

My stomach twists into knots I crossthe professionalisland location as soon as you can We will get the payment squared away and then…I wish to tell you what happened in Budapest"

I tiltthose last words Everything else that Victor told Niklas, I understand it all for what it was: a lie, a ploy to get him here But the last part felt real, personal The fact that he said it in front ofto do with me, so ould he include it in this particular conversation? It’s in thismore to Victor than his liaison, more than someone he works with and that whatever happened in Budapest needs to be said because his conscience needs to be cleared

That’s what people do when they say their goodbyes

I don’t knohy, but despite Niklas trying to get me killed, I feel this pain and sadness inside Because I knohat Victor is going to do I know he’s going to kill hi that he wants

He sets his phone on the glass end table next to the chair and breaks apart the buttons of his vest

"I have nowhere else to go," I tell hiain "I know I’ve been a burden and I’, even your life to help ive you in return Other than h and add, "And I’m sorry about Samantha"

He tosses his vest and afterwards his tie over the back of the chair with his jacket

"It washis dress shirt "And Saood woether withinat me "She wanted to, but she was incapable"

My brorinkle in confusion

"Incapable of love?" I ask "No one’s incapable of that"

"You can’t fall in love with someone who isn’t there," he says matter-of-factly "I left before she had the chance"

"Did you love her?" I mentally hold my breath

"No I did not Love is an iet you killed"

Although his answer leaves a bitter taste in h I think about how Victor, or anyone for thatsomeone But then I realize that I’ve never loved anyone, either

"And I know you have no place to go," he adds, "but when this is over and I know you’re safe, you will have to be on your own I will help set you up, give you a decent start" He stops and looks aton mine as if to seize my undivided attention "But this ends soon You’ve been withalready as it is"

It feels like suddenly he’s angry withon between him and Niklas, I could never know, but since his phone call with Niklas, Victor is different

And it fills h a marble archway that leads to another part of this massive house In a way it reminds me of the places Javier used to take h massive from what I’ve seen, is smaller than the others were And darker, with dark cherry hardwood floors so shiny I can see s of the deepest reds and browns and grays Tall rust-colored curtains dress the expansive s that cover the entirety of one wall fro the turbulent ocean below Even outside the beach isn’t a bright ocean-side paradise hite sands and blue skies Here it’s gray and glooainst the rocks

For the next several hours, Victor stays out of sight I don’t feel like he’s intentionally ignoring me, but I know that he wants to be alone

I think a lot about Samantha And Lydia And Izel And Javier I’ve seen sothat picks at my mind more is the fact that I’et it offback at un in his hand I still shake--I’er, when his eyes followed mine all the way down until his body hit the floor And I’ll never forget what he said to me just before he died:

"I knew you had it in you, Sarai"

And I hate myself for it, but I…well, I feel an out-of-place sense of sadness over Javier A void That part ofthe only life I had, whether I wanted hiuess because I was used to hi

"Sarai?" Victor’s voice snapsoverup, or noticed his tall for the couch, I was so absorbed