Every Time You Close Your Eyes, S5 (Queen of the South)

Part 5 - Sand Slipping Through Your Fingers

Kostya had used a secret entrance to get inside because Oksana was certain that it had been only the driver at the front of the car in addition to the two gorillas accompanying her to the Consulate.

Her cousin smiled his slow cold smile and said: "Very disappointing, moja dorogaja" (my dear) What did I do wrong to deserve you siding with Mendoza, huh?"

"You didn't do anything!" Oksana knew her cousin had not betrayed her but had constantly breathed down her neck over the years and that had resulted in her desire to taste freedom.

But now she realized she had misread the situation because Kostya was a sociopath, who did not care if he had hurt her feelings or if he was threatening the life of her innocent daughter. The only feelings the man had were of his hurt ego and constant mistrust. So, the probability of him understanding her frustration with his constant control obsession was pretty low. Kostya valued the pecking order, and if one didn't know their place in it, too bad!

"Teresa called me and started making these overtures...I had no idea she would be offering me to betray you...I couldn't just say 'no' before I had found out more...You have to believe me, cousin!" Oksana really felt Teresa should have kept her mouth shut over the damn phone!

"So, if you really were caught by surprise, let's see if you can call your Mexican friend and have her join us!" Kostya checked his gun for no apparent reason but to show Oksana he was armed.

Then he went on: "Tell her the truth...that I have Samara...and that unless she shows and negotiates...your daughter will suffer!"

"Kostya please! Teresa has no real desire to harm you...You are her best customer...You have to believe me that she is being forced to do this!" Oksana's brain was churning.

Kostya mulled over this argument for a while: "Could be! In that case she'll have no problem joining us...and she'll know exactly how the person who wants me dead plans to attack!"

"What do you mean?" Oksana's face was as pale as a sheet of paper. How could he know about the consulate infiltration?

Kostya gave her a once over and added nonchalantly: "What did you think, moja dorogaja? That I don't monitor the servers? That my guys didn't see your tech provide blueprints of this building to a third undisclosed party?"

Oksana's heart fell in her stomach as she somehow found her voice: "I will need to have my hands free to make a call!"

"You do that!...Call this Teresa and then get ready to tell me exactly who is infiltrating the Consulate... So, that my niece has a chance to live!" Kostya snarled.

===

Teresa hung up with Oksana and texted James, but there was no immediate answer. Carajo! The car would be here in 15 minutes to take her to the Russian Consulate!

She could not afford Oksana and her daughter to be killed because of her! She refused to have more people die for her...and for Finch!

She just prayed to Malverde that James would see his text and would be able to help her!

===

The limousine slid to the lowest level of the parking garage and then stopped. Teresa was blindfolded and as she was trying to slow down her heartbeat, she kept remembering being led onto a boat in the jungle and off to El Santo's compound.

Her trusted supplier and now her best customer were all targets of the CIA, which made her the worst pawn by association!

===

Kostya removed her blindfold and pointed to the seat in front of her. He sat in the opposite chair and said in a slow deliberate voice: "Teresa Mendoza! We finally meet! Now, let's pretend for moment that I'm not ...ahh...How do I say?...ahh...Mentally dehydrated nut, okay?" His thick Russian accent contrasted his attempt to speak fluent street English.