The Voting Machine

Empty Accounts

An hour after the conference ended, Stevens walked into my hospital room. Two of his agents stood in the hallway as he shut the door for privacy. He looked tired and sweaty, running on adrenaline.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. His facial muscles twitched and he rubbed the scar on his forehead as was his nervous habit.

"I am fine," I said.

"You were in bad shape when we brought you in here. Completely dehydrated." He pointed to the IV. "They had to pump you full of sodium chloride."

"Where is my wife?"

"She is in a separate recovery unit downstairs. She's in shock. They gave her sedatives and extra oxygen to raise her blood pressure. I think she's still asleep."

"I need to see her."

"She'll be awake in a couple hours, they tell me. They want her to rest now."

"You're not her doctor."

"I'll send her doctor here to give you a full report. First I want to speak with you about everything that's happened."

"I'll bet you do."

"We've removed your name from the watch list. You're no longer considered a suspect in any of the Las Vegas killings."

"Why didn't you say that at the press conference?"

"We had our reasons."

"I should be getting an official apology."

"In due time."

"Why should I believe anything you say? You told me I wasn't a suspect in Las Vegas. Next thing I know I am running for my life."

"You didn't have to run."

"You know I did. You have any idea what your agents did to me and Abdul? "

"They weren't my agents! You know that!"

"They were killing and torturing right under your nose!"

"I didn't know that."

"You should've known!"

"You're right! I should've known. I failed you. I failed Shahabi. Is that what you want to hear?"

"I want the whole world to hear," I shouted. I started choking hard and it took me a moment to recover and catch my breath. "I am not saying another word to you without a lawyer here in the room."

"Yes, you will. You'll talk to me right now. You'll waive your right to attorney."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because your daughter is still missing, Temo. And I am the only one who can help you get her back."

A nurse entered the room. She said she'd heard me coughing and wanted to make sure I was alright. I nodded. We waited silently while she took readings for blood pressure, oxygen and electrolytes.

"This can go two ways," he whispered after she'd left. "You can cooperate. Or, on the other hand, I might have to look into some other open questions in this case. My forensics team is still at the Castle estate gathering evidence by the diver's rock. Chet didn't jump in the ocean of his own volition, did he? There's evidence of some kind of struggle on the cliff, blood stains on the stone, Stains of two different bloody types. One of them is Chet's. I haven't taken DNA samples to match the other person who fought with Chet on the cliff, the person who must've killed him, the person who probably could be charged with second-degree murder. I wonder what I would find if I tested you for a DNA match, Temo."