Free Facing Fear by Gennita Low Page A

were still buried in her pockets. It intrigued him, this combination of fear and courage. She might have the strength to take him on after all.
    “As soon as I set the rules,” he said, waiting for her to bristle at his words.
    He should have known better by now. The woman didn’t even glare or challenge him. “Of course,” she agreed, as if that seemed fair, not knowing that she had handed him the keys to take her where he wanted her.
    Rick frowned. Too easy. “And how will you benefit?”
    “I need you to answer my questions in an interview format,” she said simply. “You will also help my research because you can give me access. Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. My first request is to be inserted into the recruitment classes.”
    He cocked his head. “And that will help you to decide whether I’m safe?” He made a mental note to look for personnel inspection reviews. Maybe Internal Investigations had more than him in mind.
    “My interview and research start from the general tospecifics. The peripheral stuff is usually the weakest and the most dangerous. It tells a lot about the center and the one in charge.”
    “I’m not in charge of recruitment,” Rick said. “I.I. hasn’t been filling you in very well.”
    “I told you, the way I do things is different. With your help, I can finish my assignment a lot faster.”
    She was sounding more confident now, more like the kind of operative I.I. sent out. Rick felt disappointed. And angry. He didn’t understand the clashing emotions, but then he didn’t understand what was driving him on with this game either. It was suicide, and he knew it. She was going to troll for information for her handlers, and he was going to help her.
    Out to hang him, as he had started the day thinking. He had thought they were going to hang him but it was clear now that was way too suspicious. No, he wasn’t going to be given the opportunity to be seen as a sacrificial lamb. Instead they were going to let him hang himself.
    He stared at the beautiful hair he still held in his hands. Hell, they had even supplied him with the rope. He released her and turned toward the open sliding door that led out to the balcony. He could feel her eyes following him as he headed for the exit.
    He gazed into the dark evening. “Rule number one,” he began. “When you interview me, you’ll always have your hair loose. You’ll not wear it in a braid.”
    “I…” He turned to face her when she paused. She clutched a thick strand of her hair against her bosom. “It’s very difficult to walk about outside with my hair untied.”
    Rick gave her the barest of smiles. “We won’t be outside. I’ll meet you here. Or you’ll come to me at my apartment. A personal interview should have personal space, don’t you agree? As a matter of balance?”
    How badly did she want to do her job? Her fear or her assignment?
    “All right,” she whispered.
    He nodded briskly. “Come to my office tomorrow and I’ll take you to the recruitment center.” He turned to go, then counted to a beat of three before pivoting around. “I should have rule number two by then.”

Chapter Six
    “R elease the frozen heart. It will burn you.” “Grandmother, what do you mean by that?”
    “Your life will be ruled by three centers, my child, and so three important prophecies to remember.”
    “But you said the first center will betray me. And how is a frozen heart a center?”
    “Prophecies don’t tell you what to do. They just show you your lessons. See, the first is a lesson in judgment. The center, the sacred place, isn’t where you think it is. As for the heart, that is the center of all living things, isn’t it? Those who are good-hearted, who are loyal and dedicated to a cause, who are on the side of God, we call chuung-sum— the heart that is centered. In the movies, the good guys are all chuung, no?”
    “So why would my chuung betray me? And why would my heart burn