Once Upon A Prostitute

CHAPTER 30 - A FREE MAN

Adam's POV

We took Mina back in Melissa's car. Since the cabin was somewhere between Twinhills and Merton, I decided to pick up my car on the way back. Mellisa drove while I sat in the passenger seat. Mina was in the trunk - Mellisa's idea, in case we ran into local cops. It would prevent the situation from getting messy. That's if they don't ask to see the trunk.

Sorry Mina. Thank fully the ride was not long so I doubt she felt too cramped by the time we dropped her off in front of the caravans. I watched her scamper into the caravans as Mellisa drove off without so much as a backward glance. The sky was graying with the breaking of dawn, but it was still too dark to make out anything but silhouettes.

We headed back to the cabin so I could pick up my car. It was quiet between us and Mellisa looked pissed. I was disappointed too but I couldn't really blame the girl. She was scared and was given no assurances, no encouragement, little comfort. That was not Mellisa's style. She thrived on fear and manipulation. I'm pretty sure Ziglar would have handled it better.

''What will you tell Ziglar?'' I asked. Ziglar was the head of the team.

''The truth. She chickened out.'' she said disdainfully.

''you mean the half-truth. Cos I'm pretty sure you're going to leave the abduction out of it''. I remarked snidely.

''if I had gotten results, the truth wouldn't matter.'' she stated matter-of-factly.

Silence.

"It had to be done" she added.

''No it didn't." I countered. "If I had known you were going to do all this, I would have tried speaking to her myself''

She scoffed. ''like she would have told you anything. You're scary enough all by yourself''

''At least I'm not the wolf in sheep's clothing'' I gritted out.

''A wolf in wolf's clothing is no better, just uglier'' she retorted sassily.

I shook my head and looked out the window. Melissa believed the end justified the means, and the means she employed were often questionable. But she did get results 9 out of 10 times. It seems her past successes emboldened her to cut more corners.

It was silent for a while, then I asked. ''Why did you ditch me?'' I wanted to know.

''I didn't ditch you...'' she began.

''we had a plan. You were supposed to pull me out before the raid, but you never showed at the meet. Why?'' I turned to look at her.

She sighed. ''pulling you out before the raid would have been suspicious. They would have been unto us. I was trying to protect the mission''

''Except the raid never happened because a mole in your bureau leaked your plans to the ring and they fled. By then, they were already unto me. You left me out there to hang.'' I spat angrily.

"I didn't. I was going to get you out after the raid'' she defended.

"which never happened''

"due to circumstances beyond my control"

I shook my head and stared out the window at the shadowy darkness as the memories came flooding back in.