Deadlock

pride in my work. I got you out in one piece, and I won't let them tear you apart.'

'I wouldn't let them do that.'

'We won't put it to the test.'

The helicopter landed a few minutes later, and Dardon came out of the cockpit. 'Safe and sound. The car should be here any minute.' He nodded slowly as he stared at Emily. 'Hi, I'm Jack Dardon. We weren't formally introduced, but I'm very glad to see you in such good shape.'

'And I was very glad to see that helicopter looming out of the snow.'

'I would have come with Garrett to get you, but he said it was safer for me to furnish the transport.' He tilted his head. 'You have better color than you did when Garrett brought you on board, but you're still a bit puny- looking.'

'I'm not puny. I'll be fine.'

'Well, don't let Ferguson run you ragged. He's a little too eager to prove to everyone that he can pull the magical rabbits out of the hat.'

'Go out and flag down the car when it gets here,' Garrett said.

Dardon smiled. 'Which translated means Garrett wants to get rid of me.' He headed for the door. 'I'd be pissed, but I'd rather not be included in Garrett's plans. I prefer to save myself to implement the final project.'

Emily watched him cross the field toward the road. The snow had stopped, but Dardon's boots were sinking into the deep slush and snow. 'Were you trying to get rid of him?'

He nodded. 'I had to talk to you before the car arrived.'

'Why?'

'The car is intended to take you to Kabul to Ferguson. Once you get there, all hell will break loose. He's going to try to make everyone forget he didn't act soon enough to save Levy by parading you before the media and every nation and organization that has been searching for you.'

Every muscle tensed in rejection. 'No!'

'And they'll start by asking you questions. About Levy. About Staunton. About those weeks in the mountains.'

Emily could feel the panic rising. 'I don't have to answer them. I-can't-do-that.'

'I think you can do anything you have to do. But not without a lot of pain and bleeding that will send you into a tailspin. You're not in any shape to take that bullshit right now.'

'Don't tell me what I can take,' she said fiercely. 'I took what Staunton did to me. There's nothing your Ferguson can do that could hurt me.'

He shrugged. 'Then I'm through talking. You've made your choice.'

'Choice? You haven't given me a choice. You've only told me that I'm going to end up a basket case because I survived instead of dying in those mountains.' She glared at him. 'So give me my choice, Garrett.'

He smiled. 'Okay. You can go to Ferguson and put up with his grandstanding in exchange for the possibility that he'll find Staunton for you. And the possibility that he'll kill him instead of using him for his own ends. He has contacts and power, and he might be able to give you what you want.'

'Or?'

'I made you a promise. You come with me and do what I tell you to do. I didn't tell Ferguson about Staunton because he'll get in my way. I find Staunton. I kill him. Your job is to lie low and stay away from Ferguson.'

'And how am I to do that?'

'We record a DVD of you in which you tell Ferguson that you can't face all the hullabaloo, and give it to the driver of the car. You tell the world you need time to go away and recover, and you'll be in touch later.'

'Will he believe it?'

'No, but everyone else will. And they'll be sympathetic.' He paused. 'Because you look like you've been through hell and back.'

She had been through hell, and it wasn't over yet. It might be only the beginning.

Garrett glanced out the window. 'There's the car. Make your choice.'

She didn't speak for a moment. 'You can find Staunton?'

'I'll find him. Is there anything you can tell me about him?'

'He has an Australian accent.' She moistened her lips. 'And if you get me one of those police artists, I can show you what he looks like. I know every line of his face, every expression.'

'That's something. Anything else?'

'There was a man who worked for him. Borg. He did everything Staunton told him to do. He… liked it.' Memories were rushing back to her, and her stomach was beginning to churn. Breathe deep. Don't throw up. 'That's all I can remember. I'll try to-'

'Hush.' He pulled her into his arms. 'That's enough. Don't worry about it.' His hand cradled the back of head and pressed her face into his shoulder. 'I just needed somewhere to start.'

'Maybe I'll be able to separate-Just not now.'

He muttered an oath beneath his breath. 'I said forget it. I'll work it out.' He was rocking her back and forth. 'And if you start to shake again, I'll-Just don't do it, okay?'

He was treating her as if she were a child in pain. Why not? She was acting as if she was the basket case of which she'd been so scorn¬ful. She pushed away from him. 'I'm okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-' She drew a deep breath. 'It won't happen again.'

He stood gazing at her. 'Does that mean you've made your choice?'

'Yes. You knew I'd choose you. I don't know this Ferguson.'

'It could be argued you don't know me.'

'I know enough.'

His lips twisted. 'That's right. You know John Garrett, the assas¬sin. That's all that's important to you, isn't it?'

'Yes.' Then she rushed on, 'No. I… trust you, Garrett.' 'You trust me to get you what you want.'

It was more than that, but she couldn't explain it to him any more than she could explain it to herself. It was better not even to try. 'How do we make this DVD to send to Ferguson?'

'I use my phone and burn it to a disc on my computer.'

'Very efficient.' She turned away from the window. 'Let's do it.'

'I'M GOING TO CUT THE BASTARD'S throat,' Ferguson said through his teeth, his gaze on Emily Hudson's face on the monitor. 'What the hell does he think he's doing? I need her.'

'It seems we're not going to get her.' Moore was studying Emily's face. 'Maybe it's the truth. Maybe she just needs to get away for a while. She doesn't look well and that-'

'I know how she looks. Let her get well here in Kabul, where I can control the situation. I need answers.'

'She told you the approximate location where she was held and Shafir Ali's name. We can start with that.'

'That's not enough. I need chapter and verse. I've been roasting over the coals for too long, and it's not going to be over until I can fur¬nish enough information to drown those flames.'

'So what are you going to do?'

'I'm going to find her and bring her back here.'

Moore nodded at the video. 'And this?'

'What do you think? I'm going to take it to the director and the U.N. and tell them that I was the one who went in and rescued her. And that I made the decision to shelter Emily Hudson from the glare of publicity. She'd suffered enough, and I couldn't stand the thought of her being exposed to any more trauma.'

'Good idea.'

'We can tell everyone Levy's dead and that Hudson is free and re¬covering nicely in a secured haven. With any luck, the media will for¬get about her in a week or two.'

'Very clever. And what about you?'

'Hell, no,' Ferguson said grimly. 'I told you, she's my number one priority. You can bet I won't forget Emily Hudson.'