Tick, Tick - three blind mice lexiromanov

[a_bit_player]

Inga had waited. She had given Alex enough time, in her eyes. Santiago was already taking steps. She needed to take hers. She knew better than to meet Alex at his beach house. It was his fortress. So instead, she drove to an area not far from it, parked the car then pulled out the cell phone. She punched in his number, "Connect me over to Alexander

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[lexiromanov]

Inga's call only made it through because it had been identified and allowed. That didn't mean Alex was happy to talk to her.

"I'm less than impressed with you, Fossa." Alex started right in the middle of the conversation. "Blackmail means you're supposed to threaten to expose me until I cave... giving the info to Callie and letting me deal with the fall-out now doesn't exactly strengthen your bargaining position."

[a_bit_player]

"And you fail to impress me, Alexander. You have forgotten how to play the game. That was just a taste. You can blame yourself for that, after all you told me to. And I know your petting and lies could sooth things over. You have always been good at that except with your sisters. They knew you better than that. Your little flower is blinded by you because she looks up to you as you partially block her sun but allowing just enough past you to hit her so she doesn't see. There is so much more I can give her about you. So much more." She pauses for a moment.

"Your clock is ticking, Alexander. Time is running out for both you and Michael. Already the hunt has begun. So which is more important to you, Alexander. Callie's love... or Michael's life?"

[lexiromanov]

"It doesn't work that way, Inga," Alex shook his head, not caring that she couldn't see. "I want both... and if you want Mike back in the game..." There's a long pause. "I'm going in with him... so is Callie. The three of us go in together. We will shut the game down. I know how now. That leaves the old man with no place to retreat to, which should make him think twice about fucking up the only world he has left... the real one."

A laugh huffs out. "You wanted it this way right from the start didn't you, Inga. You wanted me to go in with Mike so you could puppet master us both... but there are going to be rules. I want my own security on our bodies, my own pick of doctors. None of that warehouse crap. You're not going to ship me back to St Petersburg in a crate, put a pillow over Callie's face or stow Mike away in some private hospital... while we're lying there helpless."

[a_bit_player]

Inga can almost imagine the reactions Alex has. The shaking of his head. The furrow in his brow. The glare he gives to her when she presses the right buttons or that smirk when he thinks he knows what her cards are. As he speaks, she listened. "Alexander, do you really think shutting down the game will accomplish anything? Shutting down the game only postpones. And you seem to have forgotten some things." She paused. "Hobbes. You'll have to deal with him. And once inside who do you think Michael will side with? And do you really think Callie will allow you to kill all those people in the game? Especially her own double? And what will Michael say? When you tell him you are bringing Callie?"

She drew in a breath, "If that is what you want. But I am the one who has to provide you the way in. There is only one jump port available. One way in."