Page 117 of Nothing to Fear

Standing in the observation room with Maddox and Daniel behind the one-way glass was the only thing forcing Willow to hold herself together.

“I’m sorry.” Amanda’s voice cracked on a sob. “I never wanted to put anyone else in the position that I was in. I’m so sorry.”

“Whose name did you give?” Sanborn pounded a fist on the table, rattling the glass of water.

Amanda raised her head slowly as though it weighed a hundred pounds. “Alistair Allen.”

Sanborn’s face contorted into a look of rage, and he hurled the water against the wall, shattering the glass. It sounded like a soul detonating.

The true nature of Alistair’s circumstances was close-held. Everyone thought he’d been cast into exile from MI6, but in truth, British Intelligence presumed he was dead. The only reason Willow knew was because Sanborn had asked her to help clean up Alistair’s digital footprint and discreetly move some of his assets. Any news that he was alive and well leaking out would spell big trouble in their little world of politics, espionage, and death.

“Amanda would’ve sold out any of us,” Daniel said. “God, I can’t believe she tried to kill you, Willow.” He paced, shaking his head. “I’m sorry I gave you a hard time about your Pandora program. Amanda said if I pitched in, wrote an assessment, she’d give me additional responsibilities. She even encouraged me to follow my gut, to keep digging into your financials after Sanborn told me not to. Congratulated me on finding the deed to that villa in France. I’m such an idiot for letting her use me like that.”

“It’s not your fault,” Willow said. “She used all of us.”

Amanda was a ruthless manipulator who’d pulled everyone’s strings.

“I hope Sanborn sends her to the Hole,” Daniel said. “She deserves to be in a supermax and never see the light of day again.”

The Hole was a classified supermax prison. Hell on earth in a cement box. The worst threats to national security went in and didn’t come out.

“Everything Amanda did was to save Jackson,” Maddox said in a low voice. “An innocent little boy.”

“How can you defend her after what she did to you?” Daniel asked. “To Willow? To all of us?”

Sanborn shook his head in the other room, stark disappointment clear on his face. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“I didn’t want to do any of it,” Amanda said, her eyes swollen from crying, her voice brittle. “When I needed to leave the DEA to get a fresh start, you gave that to me. When Todd left me to have a baby by myself, all of you took me in and became my family. I care about every single person here. I’m so grateful for everything that you’ve done for me. And I love all of you. But I love my son more.”

She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

“Willow?” Amanda stared at the glass, her entire body shaking as she sobbed. “I’m sorry for taking advantage of you and for sabotaging your car.”

Willow turned her back to the one-way glass, swallowing past the tightness in her throat. She wanted to believe Amanda, but this could all be an act.

“Maddox,” Amanda said. “I understand if you hate me, but you’re still Jaxi’s godmother. Don’t punish him for what I did wrong. Please. Let my parents know I’m in trouble. Give Jaxi a hug for me.”

“Unbelievable!” Daniel threw his hands in the air. “She’s still trying to manipulate you.”

“We know about the next-generation locators you planted on Willow. Did you bring any other surveillance equipment inside the facility?” Sanborn asked.

“No,” Amanda said.

Nonetheless, they’d have to research countermeasures for the stealth technology. No tech was unbeatable.

“You fool.” Two low words from Sanborn leveled the room. “A person always has a choice. When Daedalus first approached you, if you’d come to me, I would’ve helped you. Instead, you spied on us. Committed murder. Sold out your country. Stabbed me in the back.” His voice chilled Willow’s heart. “You’re going to rot in the Hole. I’m going to make sure you have a long, long life there.”

“Yes!” Daniel cheered and clapped. “Justice.”

“That’s not justice,” Maddox said.

Amanda crumbled into convulsive tears, hiding her face in her hands. Sanborn looked ready to spit fire and incinerate her, but a quick death was too good for her.

Sanborn stormed out of the room. Maddox threw open the door and darted into the hall after him. Willow stood on the threshold.

“If they bring Daedalus in alive,” Maddox said, stopping Sanborn, “you’ll need someone who can testify against him and turn state’s evidence. And if they kill him, then Amanda might be the only one who could lead you to the other traitors in the government who worked for Daedalus. What she did was horrible. Unforgivable. But cut her a deal where she won’t go to the Hole. That way, she can still see her son.”

“You want to show her mercy after what she’s done?”