394 Identity 7

"Have you called someone for ransom yet? Who did you call?" Katherine was running out of dumb talk ideas to say. What else could a person not related to Shadow say when kidnapped? It didn't help that her stomach had been complaining since forever. "You could at least give me candy or something." God. Gus was such a terrible kidnapper.

"I will, after you tell me your name," he responded.

"How about you tell me what you want to hear instead? You asked for my name and I already gave it to you but you still continue to ask. Did you perhaps mistook me for someone else?"

Lightning and thunder cast the sky and she flinched at the sudden sound before sighing. She had lost the energy to stand still so she spread her feet wide and leaned against the pole that she was tied to. The concrete floor was cold but there was nothing she could do since she was barefooted. She tried to wiggle her wrists again and thought that since a while ago, the duct tape on her had only moved a tiny bit.

"Since you're not accepting my answers, how about you tell me your name instead. What's your name?" When Gus didn't answer her question, she continued, "Let me guess. You're probably a Martin… no… Bruno? Ah… Loki…"

"You think this is a game?" Gus's cold tone rang in the room and Katherine almost wanted to smile.

"Mister, you should tell me what you want from me because I have no idea why I'm being held up here. I have already pleaded for you to let me go. Answered your one question yet you aren't satisfied with my answer. So please… enlighten me. What do you want from me? Do you want me to cry?" she bit out under gritted teeth. 

Earlier, Gus had wanted to catch her in her lies, even recording her so he could turn it over to Parker just like he asked. But now, the more that he observed her, the more he got curious as to what's beyond this—whatever she was hiding.

While he mentioned traits about her earlier—'someone he used to know'—he had left out the part about her being such a good liar. It wasn't something surprising knowing that agents in Shadow were taught how to lie. It was just part of their skillset—as having different identities every mission required them to live their lies.

Katherine aka Queen was one of those who could lie smoothly that you couldn't suspect a thing. It was admirable and frustrating at the same time. It was probably why her missions were mostly being a seductress. She looked and could act the part. And with her fighting skills, she's one deadly woman.

So what exactly was the truth?

Hearing her complaints, Gus thought he should switch it up a bit. "Very well, how about this. I tell you a story and you tell me whether I'm lying or not."

"You'll see. Let's start with an easy one. Eight years ago, there was a bomb threat at Times Square, New York." Gus crossed his arms in front of his chest as he watched her carefully, his biceps bulging at the pose.

Katherine's ears perked at his statement. He was referring to an incident that happened eight years ago while she was still in Shadow. She and Gus would sometimes go on missions together and this incident was one of them. It wasn't a bomb threat at all—it was an assassination mission disguised as a bomb threat.

Realizing what he was doing, she quickly came up with a response, "There was a bomb threat at times square? I wouldn't know that. I had been in an accident five years ago and I couldn't remember anything before that."

Gus's face remained stoic and he spoke again. "Airbus Z940 was hijacked on its way to Russia."

"Why are you talking about bombings and hijackings? Are you a terrorist?" Her pitch went higher, masking her annoyance that Gus was doing this on purpose. He was trying to get her to correct the intentional mistakes in his statements.

"You're one tough cookie, Queen," he mumbled in a low voice but enough for Katherine to hear.

She felt slightly nostalgic at the way he said the words as it wasn't the first time that Gus told her that.

Just then, several beeps sounded from a few feet away and she sensed him walking away from her. "Looks like your knight in shining armor is here to rescue you. Too bad we didn't have more time."

"What?" she whispered and her ears tried to pick up sounds from here and there but the rain outside was too loud for her to notice anything else. She tried to straighten up but her legs have turned into jelly and she could barely stand. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the room spinning.

Very faintly, Katherine felt Gus's presence come near her and before she could open her mouth to speak, she heard him say, "I really wish you'd forgotten the past. Good for you."

And with that, he fled the place, leaving Katherine still tied up to the pole. She could sense that she was already alone in the room. So with all of her might, she tried to wriggle her wrists while ignoring the tension in her head. "Come on, Katherine," she panted.

She was breathless yet she didn't stop. The binding started to loosen up just as she heard a voice calling out her name. "Katherine!"

Her head snapped up to the direction of the sound, her heart racing frantically at the familiar voice. "I'm over here!"

Hearing her voice, Damien's eyes sharpened and he quickly sprinted towards the only room at the east side of the construction site. His men were following him behind while strategically and carefully surveying the surroundings. With a gun in his hand pointing at the ground, he carefully raised it forward as soon as he entered the room only to find Katherine alone and tied up. 

"Katherine!" He tucked his gun at the back of his waistband and hurried over to her, holding her up and taking off her blindfold immediately. "Oh thank god." 

"Damien…" was the last word she mumbled just before she fainted.