11Idlib Province, Syria
Thinking back to her first contact with Sarah, former FSB agent Illiya Pushkin imagined Sarah as a subdued wife of a deluded rebel leader. That perception left Illiya ill-prepared to deal with the woman who demanded information that would free her father in exchange for Illiya’s father’s life.
Illiya wondered if Sarah been playing her all along. She cursed herself for thinking Sarah needed rescuing.
Perhaps, Illiya considered with a tinge of guilt, it was karma .
She prided herself on being a self-made professional. She should have arrested her father and his mercenaries at the airport before their contract in Syria. That would have been prudent. She hadn’t because she wanted to experience a victory over her father. But really, she was searching for a way to
