"Do you normally make-out with the people you're hired to kill? It doesn't strike me as very professional."
"Put the gun down," Gabriel panted, not answering her.
"Why on earth would I do that?"
"Because you're not going to shoot me," Gabriel rep...
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After Carter and Agent Mehta left, Ash almost immediately fell into a dreamless sleep. When she finally woke up again, the agent was back without Carter.
"Good afternoon, Ashlyn," she said, greeting her politely.
"How long have I been sleeping?" Ash asked, disoriented.
"You've been in and out of consciousness for about a day. It's normal given your injuries and the surgery - nothing to worry about."
Ash studied the woman carefully. She had the same lint and wrinkle-free fitted suit, the same immaculate bun, and the same serious demeanor. But something was different.
Her eyes, Ash realized. Her normally cold gaze was tinged with pity.
"Carter talked to you," Ash stated flatly. "He told you about our childhood."
"Not exactly," Agent Mehta corrected. "He gave me access to his therapy notes. I know what your father did to you, Ashlyn. Well, I know starting from Carter's earliest memories. I'm sure that's not all of it."
Ash felt herself grow warmer. She tried to keep calm, knowing that Agent Mehta could easily see her vitals, could easily hear the increase in pace of the blips on her heart rate monitor. But it was hard to control her anger.
"You turned my own brother against me," she accused.
"Ashlyn, your brother was protecting you," Agent Mehta responded. "I was fully ready to ignore your demands and just prosecute you. Your brother is the only thing that made me change my mind."
"Well, this changes nothing for me," Ash snapped back. "You think that now that you know my deep dark secrets you can coerce me into talking? I guarantee you that my father was a better manipulator. If I survived him, I can survive you."
A pained expression crossed Agent Mehta's face. "Ashlyn I'm not here to manipulate you. I'm so sorry for everything you've been through. I really don't want to cause you any more pain."
Ash laughed. "And you expect me to believe that?"
"I would imagine trust is very difficult for you," she acknowledged. "But I can prove to you that I really do want to help."
"How?"
"I got you everything that you asked for."
Ash paused. "Everything?"
Agent Mehta smiled. "Everything," she replied, clearly proud of herself.
"How?"
"Turns out the President was in a very forgiving mood after avoiding this catastrophe. I may have also pointed out that nothing right now is stopping any of you from going to the press, which would be a disaster for him politically. I'm sure the American public would be less than thrilled to know how close they came to near annihilation under his watch."
