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Chapter 22 — Dangerous Games
Mason’s choice of words affected a blast. Mark’s eyes became filled with blood, and he hardly restrained himself from rushing to Mason. It took Mark all his will power to suffice in muttering: "You do not understand whom you are dealing with."
"I do understand, too well."
Mason looked directly at him and continued.
"I am not a fool, McCormick. Did you think, I turn over these documents and wouldn’t understand WHAT it is? It doesn’t take a genius to understand that you are connected to the illegal suppliers of bodies for transplantation and these papers proof this."
"It proves nothing. It doesn’t have my name of it."
"But it has your signature. Don’t cheat, McCormick. You lost."
"What do you want? Money?"
"Of course I don’t," Mason shook his head. "I don’t need money and I sure won’t be taking any from you. Actually I demand only one thing — you must keep yourself away as further away from Mary as possible."
"You are a blackmailer! You don’t have the rights to demand this!"
"Don’t speak about rights, Mark!" Mason made a step to him and stayed close. As he start talking his eyes became to radiate with hate. "Mary has the right to a peaceful life, which means a decent distance from you."
"Damn you! They will kill me, if I won’t bring the papers today until 6 o'clock."
Mason looked at his watch.
"Well it’s already ten minutes to six, so you are late in any case. It is time, Mark."
Mark waited a few seconds, and then put his hands deep in his pockets and went to the exit of the building.
"Don’t," Mason stopped him. "Don’t go through these doors. Through those," he waved his hand in the direction of distant doors of the building.
Mark exhaled noisily and emphatically passed past Mason to other exit.
"Mark..." Mark stopped, but did not turn towards Mason. "Go away from Santa Barbara as far as you can--"
Mason could tell him only these words. He understood that these dealers do not joke and that Mark is in real danger. However McCormick has tightened the loop on his neck by himself, Mason could not take a responsibility for it. He should care about Mary and children...
* * *
Mary sat in Mason’s car and nervously waited for Mark to leave. In fact seeing Mark made her less afraid of him, but not completely. She was still afraid of this person.
At last the door opened, and Mason left the building. He hurried to the car, opened the door and climbed inside.
"It’s all over, Mary!" He turned and kissed her. "Everything is finished, and we can go back! Home."
He started the car and drove with high speed to the airport.
* * *
Kelly was nervous. Someone has called Mason’s phone for 4 times already and a menacing voice demanded some papers. In the first time she was late to reach the phone and the answering machine took the message. After that she was afraid to pick up the receiver. She decided to let these people to think that no one is at home. She already scolded herself for the 100-th time for the fact that she didn’t accept Mason’s request and didn’t took away the children right away.
The day has soon turned into evening, and she became even more and more nervous. Suddenly her cell phone rang.
"Kelly, it is Mason. Are you OK?"
"Yes, we are Ok! It’s just--"
"What? Is something wrong?" Mason alarmed.
"No, everything is Ok. It’s just... Chip does not like the spinach that I fed him," Kelly was surprised from the lie she told. In her mind she was thinking with fear "What am I doing! I need to tell him about these calls. "
"Have you eaten this spinach yourself?" Mason laughed. "Actually it tastes awful! Don’t worry, we will be back soon!"
"When?" Kelly held on to his words. "When will you return?"
"Tomorrow in the afternoon. There are no tickets on the next flights, so we will spend the night in a hotel. Take care of my children, Kelly!"
"And you'll be careful too!" Kelly has just finished saying this as she heard short hooters. "What have I done?" She said desperately.
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