Rage Of The Assassin by Russell Blake Page B

ingrate.”
    “If I didn’t know how good the flan was for me, I’d feel worse.” He grew serious. “I’m probably going to have to stay late tonight. I have to deal with my own workload as well as the Aranas thing. Briones can’t handle it all himself, at least not at this stage.”
    “How late?”
    “I wouldn’t wait up.”
    She shook her head and exhaled in frustration. “You promised no more of these, Cruz.”
    “I know. But how could I have foreseen the Aranas thing?”
    “Let Briones handle your other stuff. Mexico can do without you saving it for one night.”
    “I wish it was that easy.” He told her about the child prostitution ring. When he finished, she closed her eyes resignedly.
    “Okay. I understand. But I don’t like it.”
    “I know. I swear once we do the raid, that will be it. He can deal with the rest. I’m sorry, Dinah. I really am.”
    She opened her eyes and reached for his plate, her face unreadable. But her shoulders were tight, her body language conveying her disappointment. When she responded, her voice was fatigued.
    “So am I, Cruz. So am I.”
     

Chapter 11
    El Rey pushed through the familiar bulletproof glass doors that served as CISEN’s anonymous entrance, past a pair of burly security men in black suits, and strode to the reception desk, where an attractive young woman in an immaculate white silk blouse greeted him with a neutral smile.
    “Yes?” she asked.
    “I need to see Rodriguez.”
    Her brow lifted slightly. “The director? Do you have an appointment?”
    His tone didn’t change. “Tell him he has a visitor who’s been calling his cell phone for a week, with no reply.”
    She looked over to the guards. “Sir, I’m afraid if you don’t have an appointment–”
    El Rey stepped closer. “Look, you seem like you’re nice, so I’ll spare you the unpleasantness. Just make the call. I’ve been in his office more than a few times – the director knows me well. So do as you’re told, and it will go better for you.” The cold menace in the assassin’s voice must have gotten through to her, because rather than sounding the alarm, she pressed some buttons and whispered into her headset. El Rey moved to a beige leather couch and took a seat, clenching and unclenching his hands, which thankfully had stopped shaking earlier.
    Ten minutes later, three men rounded the corner from the bowels of the building. El Rey recognized the one in the center as the new director of CISEN – the former assistant director, Rodriguez, who’d moved up the ladder since the assassin’s last visit. El Rey stood as Rodriguez approached.
    “Come into the conference room,” Rodriguez said, and led him through a security area to one of the myriad rooms on the ground floor, followed by the pair of flunkies.
    When everyone was seated, El Rey got to the point. “I’ve been calling. You haven’t returned any of them. I need my final shot, so I thought I’d make my demand in person.”
    Rodriguez nodded. “I have to apologize. We’ve been under a lot of pressure, working double shifts. Bit of an emergency situation.” He waved as though clearing the air. “But what counts is that you’re here now.”
    “Right. So where’s the antidote?”
    “We anticipated your need. One of my assistants is retrieving it. If you’ll wait for a few minutes, we’ll have it right out.”
    El Rey studied Rodriguez, trying to decide whether he was lying or not. He was polished, seemed relaxed, and there were no obvious tells. Then again, you didn’t get to the top of the intelligence heap by being an easy read.
    Rodriguez returned his stare. “So, what will you do now that your service to your country is over?”
    “I’m thinking of opening a strip club.”
    One of Rodriguez’s bookend assistants coughed to cover his laugh.
    Rodriguez nodded. “Dangerous work. I understand the ladies can take things personally.”
    “Probably worse than the cartels,” El Rey agreed, glancing at his