Still… I shot a Secret Service agent who was supposed to protect Alexander, so traitors do indeed exist.
Regardless, Carnes is single, lives with four cats, and doesn’t appear to have much of a social life. He’s skinny, pale, and doesn’t appear overly confident, but he’ll use his brain to try to outsmart us. My guess is if he’s working against Barrett, it’s at someone’s behest. If so, I’d rather know that information sooner rather than later.
Carnes’ eyes go to the president first, then to me, and finally to Kynan, where he gives us a polite nod. He holds an iPad with a digital pen poised. “Yes, sir. What can I do for you?”
I don’t have time for polite conversation, nor do I think it would be effective. Instead, I choose brute force.
Stalking up to Carnes, I slap the iPad out of his hand. The tablet crashes to the floor. While it doesn’t break into a million pieces because Apple makes structurally sound products, I’m quite sure it’s broken.
There’s a moment of stunned silence where I take the opportunity to grab Carnes by the lapels of his suit and swing him around. Shoving him backward toward the wall, I slam his body into it. His head snaps backward, and the painting on the wall shudders. He grunts from the force of the impact against his kidneys.
In surprised annoyance, Kynan barks, “For fuck’s sake,” while lunging at me.
President Alexander shouts, “Cruce!”
And two different doors leading into the Oval Office fly open, Secret Service agents pouring in with weapons drawn.
I don’t move a muscle, merely hold Carnes in place with my face right in his, glaring harshly.
“It’s okay,” the president exclaims, presumably to the agents. “It’s fine. I want everyone out of here right now.”
I can hear footsteps receding and doors closing. Kynan stands at my back, not saying a word. The fact Alexander just chased everyone out of his office implied I had permission to move forward with intimidation tactics.
At least that’s the way I’m taking it.
“Now,” I murmur, as if I’m having a nice, private conversation with Carnes. “Tell me who you work for and why you want Barrett Alexander.”
“I-I-I-don’t know what you mean,” he stutters in response, but all I hear is lies.
I’m all for efficiency. I need him to clearly understand I’m not going to take my time working up to the point where I’m tired of asking questions.
I haul my right hand back, then cock it at my hip. With a hard twist of my hips, I deliver a vicious upper cut to his stomach. I catch him just below the breastbone, driving upward.
Carnes doubles over, gasping for breath and moaning. I grab him by the hair, forcing his head back. He looks at me with tears leaking out of his eyes. “I am not going to stop hitting you. Not until you break and tell me what I need to know. I’m going to get the truth from you, and no one in this office is going to stop me or save you. And once my knuckles get sore, I’m going to start cutting you. And if you make me work hard for it, the president is going to make sure you get absolutely no leniency from the federal prosecutors. It means you’re facing decades, if not life, behind bars for whatever your involvement is. But if you make this easy on us, because we’re all very worried about Barrett, then we will let the prosecutors know you cooperated. If your cooperation helps us get Barrett back unharmed, I’m sure the president will be incredibly grateful.”
Carnes wheezes, his eyes wide and bulging as they cut over to Alexander and then back to me.
“Now,” I say very calmly. “Those are your choices. What’s it going to be?”
“It’s Clarence Scavino,” he blurts out.
I jerk in surprise, honestly figuring it would have taken a few more punches to get him softened enough to spill his guts. Maybe something is finally fucking going right.
I glance over my shoulder at the president. He appears perplexed. “He’s the deputy director of the National Economic Council.”
I whip around to Carnes, giving him a tiny shake by the lapels. “What’s his interest in Barrett?”
Carnes doesn’t hesitate in his reply now that he’s given up who he takes orders from. “Everyone knows it’s the president’s agenda to share free energy breakthroughs with other countries.”
“So?” Kynan replies, stepping up beside me. Carnes’ attention shifts to him.
“So,” Carnes drawls, tone implying we’re stupid. “It’s not in our country’s best interests to alleviate the dependency of other countries upon us. Making others stronger weakens our power.”
“That’s ridiculous,” the president sputters.
“Is it?” Carnes asks, focusing on Alexander. “We are the most powerful country in the world because we own everything, including the allegiance of others since they depend on us.”
“I don’t buy it.” Alexander sneers, marching up to Carnes. He studies the traitor, who is still held in my clutches, then shakes his head at Kynan. “Scavino doesn’t have the money to pull something like this off.”