Free Blood of the Assassin (Assassin Series 5) by Russell Blake Page A

effect. That makes perfect sense.”
    “To you, maybe. He didn’t kill a bunch of your friends. And he didn’t murder your wife’s father...”
    “Believe me, I’ve fantasized about how much it would cost to get him to do so...,” Godoy joked, and then seeing the expression on Cruz’s face, cut it short. “ Capitan , this is very simple. The president wants you running this task force. You don’t get to say no to that. And CISEN insists on using El Rey , so you don’t get to decline that generous offer, either. This is an extremely delicate and important assignment, which is why we’re drawing on the very best we have. Between you and El Rey , we all believe this is our most promising chance at stopping Rauschenbach and saving the accord. So let me put this as plainly as possible. You will work with El Rey , or you won’t have a job with the Federales any longer. Your career will be over, and any expectations you might have of a pension will turn out to be sorely mistaken. Refusal to do this will result in your dismissal, without benefits, and I’ll be unable to offer any kind of positive reference for you.” Godoy’s voice had a tinge of steel in it, and then his expression softened. “Which would be a shame, because we really need you now more than ever before. And nobody wants to deny you what you’ve earned. But the stakes are too high to screw around. We need you on board, and we’ll use whatever we have to in order to ensure you are.”
    “So you’re blackmailing me, threatening to withhold a retirement I’ve already earned,” Cruz stated flatly.
    “I’m trying to convince you to play ball, Cruz. Trying to get you to see reason, and earn the new president’s undying gratitude. And offering you a chance to save your country. This accord is critical to Mexico’s prosperity moving forward. It cannot be allowed to be derailed. Too much is riding on it.”
    “You’re no better than an extortionist,” Cruz spat, furious at the turn the discussion had taken.
    “Welcome to the real world, Capitan . When you get to a certain point in government, you have to make decisions – hard decisions – that are distasteful, but required for the common good. Making plain what you have to gain – or lose – based on your response to this assignment is one of the unpleasant realities I have to grapple with today; and it gives me no pleasure, I assure you. But I do it because I have no choice. So understand that if you refuse, I’ll have no alternative other than to take the action I described. It’s not an idle threat. And it would be a shame to have a twenty-year career go down the tubes over one decision. Think this through. You work with this killer for a few days, and then you’re done. Like taking a dose of unpleasant medicine. Don’t throw an entire career away over one ugly episode. You’re bigger than that. And we wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t critical.”
    Cruz shook his head and gave him a venomous glare. “You aren’t asking. You’re holding a loaded gun to my head and dictating terms.”
    “Out of necessity. Believe me, I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t imperative that you cooperate.”
    “So the ends justify the means?”
    Godoy snorted. “Always. Are you really that naïve?”
    Cruz had to bite back an angry retort. It wouldn’t do any good to lose his cool. He was already too close to the edge. He wouldn’t give his arrogant superior the pleasure. And a part of him believed that Godoy would rather he not go for the deal than take it, for all his protestations to the contrary.
    “Yes. I guess I am. I thought we were the good guys. Good guys don’t blackmail each other to get their way. I suppose that’s a moral nicety that you never learned – obviously didn’t, by the tone of this conversation. Be that as it may, it sounds like you’ve got a real situation on your hands. I’ll think about this and get back to you later today with my decision. Is there anything