will become unbearable in a short while.”
She dropped the newspaper and pulled the gun out, flicking the safety off in less than a second. It was so fast that Fedora Man stepped back.
“You want to threaten me? Threats only anger me. Is that your goal? To anger me? Don’t make me angry Mr. Howley, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
He slowly raised both hands, keeping his eyes on the weapon.
“Sarah, you will have no choice soon. I’m a recruiter. It’s what I do. I’m here to recruit you with or without your consent. I thought we could be civil about it.”
Her peripheral vision told her the lobby just filled up. She took a step to the right and angled herself to be able to see the front desk without taking her eyes off him.
Seven men, all dressed in suits had emerged from numerous parts of the lobby of the Best Western. They looked the same like cops in uniforms except these men all wore suits, stood with their arms crossed in front of them and they all had slicked back hair.
“What the fuck is this? A Brylcreem convention or are you all just fuck buddies?”
Everything made sense now. These men were the reason no one had entered the lobby. Mr. Rod Howley had come with backup.
Without waiting for a response, Sarah stepped toward Rod.
“I should shoot you in the foot to see how well you follow me after that.”
“Do it and more like me will come. Eventually you will have to come with us. You can’t continue this way. It’s too dangerous.”
She got close enough to place the tip of the weapon under his chin.
“Tell that to the people I’ve saved over the years. Tell them it’s too dangerous that I’m out there helping people. Bullshit. Who are you to tell me I’m too dangerous?”
“Examine your current behavior.”
She dropped the weapon and leaned in with her elbow all in one easy motion. Her elbow slammed into his left ear with enough power to double him over. As she righted her arm, she brought the weapon up to aim in the general direction of all the men standing twenty feet away near the main desk of the lobby.
“Please, someone pull out a weapon. Do it! Let’s all show Mr. Howley here how dangerous people can be when they’re cornered. When the odds are overwhelmingly against them and they’re told that they must succumb to the wishes of a complete stranger who happens to know too much about them.” Her teeth were clenched and she felt spittle shoot through them.
All seven men stood statue still. Anyone could see how angry she was and no one felt sure enough to challenge her.
Rod was standing straight again, holding his ear. “Okay Sarah, you win. Today you get a free pass.”
She edged around him and started for the front. As she neared the men, they moved away from her, their backs to the elevator hallway. When she got to the front exit door she scanned the outside. Another man in a suit stood with his arms crossed holding back six people with luggage.
These men had successfully cordoned off the entire lobby of the Best Western hotel, downtown Budapest, so that Rod could talk to her. How powerful were these men? Better yet, who were they?
She looked back at Rod and lowered her weapon to ease it into the back of her pants.
“This doesn’t end here,” she said. “I will find out who you are and what you’re up to. I’m not the hunted, I’m the hunter.”
“You’re wrong Sarah.”
She touched the door handle and cracked the door a little.
“How’s that?” she asked.
“We are coming for you. You cannot hide from us. I was supposed to try to convince you to come willingly but now I can see that that will never happen. Our next directive was to take you by force. But not now. We’ll wait. We’ll watch. And when you’re not expecting it, we’ll be there. And we will take you Sarah Roberts. There is nothing you can do about it. You are now property
She dropped the newspaper and pulled the gun out, flicking the safety off in less than a second. It was so fast that Fedora Man stepped back.
“You want to threaten me? Threats only anger me. Is that your goal? To anger me? Don’t make me angry Mr. Howley, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
He slowly raised both hands, keeping his eyes on the weapon.
“Sarah, you will have no choice soon. I’m a recruiter. It’s what I do. I’m here to recruit you with or without your consent. I thought we could be civil about it.”
Her peripheral vision told her the lobby just filled up. She took a step to the right and angled herself to be able to see the front desk without taking her eyes off him.
Seven men, all dressed in suits had emerged from numerous parts of the lobby of the Best Western. They looked the same like cops in uniforms except these men all wore suits, stood with their arms crossed in front of them and they all had slicked back hair.
“What the fuck is this? A Brylcreem convention or are you all just fuck buddies?”
Everything made sense now. These men were the reason no one had entered the lobby. Mr. Rod Howley had come with backup.
Without waiting for a response, Sarah stepped toward Rod.
“I should shoot you in the foot to see how well you follow me after that.”
“Do it and more like me will come. Eventually you will have to come with us. You can’t continue this way. It’s too dangerous.”
She got close enough to place the tip of the weapon under his chin.
“Tell that to the people I’ve saved over the years. Tell them it’s too dangerous that I’m out there helping people. Bullshit. Who are you to tell me I’m too dangerous?”
“Examine your current behavior.”
She dropped the weapon and leaned in with her elbow all in one easy motion. Her elbow slammed into his left ear with enough power to double him over. As she righted her arm, she brought the weapon up to aim in the general direction of all the men standing twenty feet away near the main desk of the lobby.
“Please, someone pull out a weapon. Do it! Let’s all show Mr. Howley here how dangerous people can be when they’re cornered. When the odds are overwhelmingly against them and they’re told that they must succumb to the wishes of a complete stranger who happens to know too much about them.” Her teeth were clenched and she felt spittle shoot through them.
All seven men stood statue still. Anyone could see how angry she was and no one felt sure enough to challenge her.
Rod was standing straight again, holding his ear. “Okay Sarah, you win. Today you get a free pass.”
She edged around him and started for the front. As she neared the men, they moved away from her, their backs to the elevator hallway. When she got to the front exit door she scanned the outside. Another man in a suit stood with his arms crossed holding back six people with luggage.
These men had successfully cordoned off the entire lobby of the Best Western hotel, downtown Budapest, so that Rod could talk to her. How powerful were these men? Better yet, who were they?
She looked back at Rod and lowered her weapon to ease it into the back of her pants.
“This doesn’t end here,” she said. “I will find out who you are and what you’re up to. I’m not the hunted, I’m the hunter.”
“You’re wrong Sarah.”
She touched the door handle and cracked the door a little.
“How’s that?” she asked.
“We are coming for you. You cannot hide from us. I was supposed to try to convince you to come willingly but now I can see that that will never happen. Our next directive was to take you by force. But not now. We’ll wait. We’ll watch. And when you’re not expecting it, we’ll be there. And we will take you Sarah Roberts. There is nothing you can do about it. You are now property
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