Read Online Long Live the Queen by Ellen Emerson White - Free Book Online Page B

kneeling, so you can put it on the Internet and everything?” While he and the others presumably stood nearby in hoods and masks, brandishing their weapons.
    â€œWatch a lot of television?” he asked.
    â€œWell—yeah,” she said.
    He nodded. “Thought so.”
    â€œWell—” She frowned, forgetting how much it was going to hurt. “I wouldn’t do it, anyway.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “Oh, yeah?”
    â€œYeah,” she said, trying to sound defiant. Fearless, even.
    He took a quick step towards her, his right fist up, grinning when she flinched. He lowered the fist. “Okay. If you say so.”
    â€œYeah, well—I wouldn’t.” Actually, if they hurt her badly enough, she probably would . Which was a humiliating thought. “You, um, you must want some thing. I mean, otherwise, what’s the point?”
    â€œThought you said I wouldn’t get anything anyway ,” he said.
    â€œWell, yeah, but—” None of this was making much sense. She tilted her head to look up at him. “I mean, it seems like sort of a waste.”

    He shrugged. “Doesn’t affect me.”
    â€œI don’t—” How the hell could it not ? Unless—she thought for a second. “You mean, you’re working for someone?”
    He grinned, firing his hand at her as though it were a gun, the gesture frightening—and also mildly amusing.
    â€œYou were supposed to say ‘Bingo,’” she said.
    His grin broadened.
    â€œWell—who are you working for?” she asked.
    He didn’t answer, taking out a Swiss Army knife and cutting the light pull so that it would be out of her reach. He saw her watching and hefted the knife ominously, before grinning again, and putting it away.
    A knife. There were a lot of terrible things he could do to her with a knife . She forced herself not to gulp. “Do they know how totally stupid this is?”
    He shook his head, looking very amused.
    â€œWell—” Christ, he could, at least, talk —“who are they?” she asked.
    â€œRight,” he said.
    â€œAre we like, in their headquarters or something?” she asked, mentally crossing her fingers.
    â€œHmmm,” he said. “Now, where’s the first place you think they’d look?”
    That gave her some hope, but she was careful not to show it. “You mean, they’re letting people know who they are?”
    He shrugged affirmatively. “The only thing they can get out of this is publicity.”
    That meant that someone would find her. The FBI, the CIA, a counter-terrorism unit, someone , would find her. All they had to do—
    â€œBefore you get all excited, my”—he gave the word extra irony—“‘employers’ don’t know who, or where, I am.”
    Hell. Naturally. “Going to be tough to send you that W-2 form,” she said.

    He started to laugh, but stopped himself.
    â€œHow did they hire you, if they don’t know who you are?” she asked.
    He shrugged. “Word gets around.”
    Looking at him, she could believe it. She’d hire him, if she wanted a really difficult crime committed. “Did they pay you a lot?”
    He nodded.
    â€œHow much?” she asked.
    â€œRight,” he said, and shook his head.
    She studied him, wondering if money were the only motivation. Surely, it had to be more complicated than that. “It must be a hell of a lot of money. Or do you like, hate the government or something?”
    â€œHard to resist the challenge,” he said.
    And, clearly, he had risen to the occasion. What a waste of ability. “You know, if you were nice,” she said, “you could really accomplish a lot.”
    He laughed. “Oh, undoubtedly.”
    â€œYou could really help people,” she said.
    He nodded. “Unh-hunh.”
    Undoubtedly. He sure didn’t sound like a terrorist. At least, not her