“I look terrible, I know. I never wanted you to see me like this. How are you, Joseph? What’s it like for you now?”
“I’d like to say it’s like nothing ever happened, but there’s been fallout, of course. Professional and personal.”
“You want to talk about it?” she asked.
He shook his head.
“I understand. But to the point of all this, Joseph,” she said, making a gesture with her hand that took in all twenty square feet of her cell. “I have to get out of here.”
“I know.”
“I’ve answered all their questions. I’ve been tortured, Joe. I’m not holding anything back. They’re not giving me anything off for my time and service in the Agency. They just keep hammering me with the same questions, and I’ve told them I don’t know anything more.”
“OK. Well, they’re not convinced, I guess.”
“But you can help me. You can speak for me. You know what I’ve done and what I’ve sacrificed.”
“I’m not considered a clean source on you, Ali.”
“Joe, please, please. I’ve got kids. I have more to give to the Agency. I’m a valuable person. You can save me, Joe. I know you can save me.”
“Is there anything you can tell me that I can pass on?”
“I’ve given up everything.”
“I was told we only had five minutes,” he said.
“Will you be back?”
“I don’t know.”
He patted her hands and left her.
CHAPTER 102
SECRET AGENT MAN was at the bars of her stone cage at what seemed to be his usual time. Alison noticed that he was dressed as was his style, in a khaki-colored jacket with a white shirt, a blue-striped tie, and a pair of dun-colored pants. His hair was neatly combed and he was clean-shaven. But he hadn’t brought her fresh paper jumpsuit and the boxed meal, her only food for the day.
He said, “Ms. Muller. My name is Anderson.”
“First or last?”
“Just Anderson,” he said. “We have to clean your cell. And I thought maybe you’d like a hot shower before we bring you back.”
“Are you kidding?”
The idea of standing under hot water was just tremendous. “Not at all. I have a Taser,” he said. “Need I say any more?”
“No. I’ll behave. Where would I go, anyway?”
“Exactly,” said Anderson.
Alison thought Joe had arranged this. At least he had done this much. Maybe this shower was incentive for her to be more cooperative. Maybe that would work.
Anderson opened the cell door and stepped away, out of Alison’s reach. He patted the waistband of his pants under his jacket so that she could see the bulge of the Taser gun.
&nbs
p; “Straight ahead, Ms. Muller. You’ll see an opening on your left at the end of the corridor. There’s a short flight of stairs, and the staff bathroom is up there. There’s soap and shampoo and a clean towel on a hook. Your dinner is being prepared now. Pork loin and boiled new potatoes. Chocolate brownies.”