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"So, consider yourself retired peacemaker, unless I tell you that your work is required, I'll get you in touch with our specialists, here are some inmates you can learn a lot from, and they can tell you something about the business Information that will help you here and out. "

Sam tensed inside and opened his mouth. "I ..."

Brutus cut her off. "In return, you take on a small assignment for me."

He looked Sam in the eyes. "Kill Lapuente."

For a second, that sentence floated between them. Sam did not trust her ears. "Lapuente?" She was completely of the character, she had not expected that at all. "Are you keen on his job?"

Brutus studied his big hands attentively. "My motivations do not interest you." he replied slowly.

He pulled his feet off the table and sat up in front of Sam. "Are we in business?"

Sam stared at the dark fabric of his uniform. Her mind was racing. What should all this be? What role did he play in this crazy theater?

"What will become of me if I killed Lapuente?" Sam looked suspiciously at Brutus.

He shrugged. "You are free."

Sam was thunderstruck. "FREE??!!?"

"Officially, you're not here, so ..."

Sam did not trust her ears. Slowly she repeated "... not here at all?"

Brutus grinned. "Well, no trial, no verdict, no notice of delivery."

She still did not trust him. "Sure, and you open the gate and let me walk out so easy?"

"Um, no, it will not be that easy, but you seem to have influential friends who can afford a nice chunk of money to get you out of here."

Sam was startled. Miguel and Anita. She frowned, had not both talked about bribing Lapuente? How the hell did Brutus come into play now?

Brutus watched her concentrated expression with amusement. He sighed. "I know Miguel from the time I was in training, I got along with him very well, and I used to barbecue for him a lot, and Anita was very pregnant with the first child. It makes the best chicken in all of Mexico. "

Sam dawned slowly.

"When Anita asked for a talk with Lapuente, I convinced her that I was the right person to negotiate with." He shrugged his shoulders. "Well, sometimes I can be very convincing."

Sam laughed bitterly. "Indeed, you can."

He stepped to her and cupped her face with his hands. "Oh, Sam ..." he sighed and spoke her name for the first time.

Sam resisted hearing sincere regret in his voice. The guy was crazy, like a shit-rat rat. She jerked back from him.

Brutus immediately raised both hands beside his head to show that he had no wrong intentions.

"Are we done here?" Sam wanted to know.

"At first, yes."

Sam stepped through the door. She grinned. Someone had pushed Sam back into the game.