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The only way to trigger authentic emotion in Rhett.
To ignite Rhett’s desperate yearning to see his daughter in the flesh before he died.
So without even knowing he was doing it until it was done, Benson had armed that deadly weapon of human emotion.
Now it was up to Ice and Indy’s fate to pull the trigger.
And up to their destiny to make sure the weapon was pointed in the right direction.
47
Diego pointed his weapon in the direction of the approaching footsteps. He’d been under Benson’s car, fixing the C-4 plastic explosive to the underside, equidistant beneath the front seats to make sure both Benson and Kaiser got the brunt of the blast. But just as Diego armed the detonator and was about to roll out from beneath the car, he saw headlights flash past the end of the block, heard the row rumble of a Jeep’s engine in the not-so-far distance.
He’d frozen in place, held his breath, hoping to heaven and hell that the Jeep drove past and disappeared. But instead it parked a block away, and moments later two sets of footsteps approached along the deserted sidewalk.
Diego silently released the safety on his 9mm Beretta, knowing that if he was forced to fire, it was game over for everyone.
Most of all Mercy and Cari.
So he prayed in his mind, prayed not just to Saint Death but to the God of his childhood, that very same God who’d taken his wife and daughter and filled his heart with hate and anger.
He prayed for the chance to finish this mission as a savior.
He prayed for a second chance at getting into heaven.
A second chance that Diego knew was his last chance, his only chance.
Because he understood that if he lost this woman and child, it would break whatever was left in him that could still be broken.
The footsteps drew closer, slowing as they approached the Senator’s brownstone.
A man and a woman.
They stopped beside the silent car, so close Diego could have tied the laces of the man’s military-style boots.
Diego stopped breathing, very nearly stopped his heart from beating.
Those boots turned towards the car, like the man was looking in through the window.
And then those boots turned away.
The couple walked to the front door.
The man knocked twice, called out Benson’s name.
The door opened, then slammed shut.
The deadbolt slid across from the inside.
Diego exhaled.
The relief was followed by exhilaration.
God had heard him.
Some kind of God, anyway.
He rolled out from beneath the car, moving quickly across the street, disappearing into the shadows as he made his way back to the building from where he could watch the scene unfold, end the game his way.