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I could picture her, that day on the tarmac You’re my kid Mine, Tess

"You’re that valuable to hihtly

Don’t, Ivy Myme alive is that important to his administration" Ivy’s voice never wavered "In my line of work, it pays to have an insurance policy I knohere the bodies are buried I know every skeleton in every closet If I didn’t have so that it was to my clients’ benefit that I stay alive, eventually someone would decide that the only way to make sure their secrets stayed buried was to buryI willed her to listen, willed her to stop before it was too late, but she didn’t She wouldn’t

"If I go off the grid, a progra I’ve learned, everything I know, everything I’ve buried--are released Online To the n," Kostas said "You’ve worked for hi he has secrets"

"I aive you what you want," Ivy supplied "If you have me"

I’d spent my whole life as an orphan I’d otten the chance to kno Ivy was here, doing this, and I couldn’t push down the voice insideto lose her, too

I felt nu on my back in a dark hole, and there was so aze sharp on Ivy’s "Contact the president"

"No," Ivy replied, her voice taut "I won’t Not unless you let Tess go"

That was the first time she’d said my name My stomach twisted sharply Don’t do this, Ivy You can’t--

"You do not make the rules here" Kostas reun ai at me "That’s the deal"

You’re my kid Mine, Tess

"Ivy," I rediscoveredagainst the bindings that held me in place "No"

"Yes," she said fiercely "Me for her," she told the Secret Service agent again "Otherwise, you ood-bye to that pardon, because withoutthis There was no talking her out of it, no going back She was doing this For me

Kostas removed the needle froainst ht knee "Coo"

He stared at her He pulled the trigger The bullet went into the ground, less than an inch from my foot

Oh God