Martin trembled. His right hand clenched and unclenched several times at his side, his agitation very plain to see. With an edge to his voice that I hadn’t heard before, he said, pointing to the bathroom door, “Ekatarina, you will not do that again.” It was neither a question nor a request.

“I won’t guarantee that, Martin. I will do what I need to do.”

He grabbed me by the neck, and squeezed hard enough to make his point clear. “No. You won’t. This you will not do again. Do I make myself clear?”

Suddenly, I could no longer sense any of the other minds around me, not Kseniya, nor the two guards in the corridor who must have resumed their positions, nor even the maelstrom of the Polkovnik. In their place, there was… nothing.

“What are you doing to me?”

“Giving you a demonstration of what I could have done to you at any time, and what I will do if you provoke me.”

Val?

I’m here, Kat. It’s like he’s walled us in. Peaceful, isn’t it?

After just a few seconds, the world outside flooded in again.