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Riggler pushed open the door to the lavatory, turned on the faucet and ran lukewarm water over his face. He closed his eyes and held his face under the running water, trying to flush the thoughts from his mind, but he couldn't wash them away. He couldn't stop thinking about letting that Jericho guy loose so he could finish his job. There wasn't a single reason he could think of to not let it happen.
What if he won't do it?
"What?"
Riggler shut the faucet off and picked his head up from the sink. He saw his bloodshot eyes in his reflection. They looked as though he hadn't slept in days. He barely recognized himself in the glass.
You set the professional killer free, and he will turn on you. Don't trust him.
Riggler heard the whispers in his mind, but in the mirror he watched his own lips move out of sync with the words; like an old kung fu film where the dialogue didn't quite match the talking.
"What am I supposed to do?"
You know what to do.
Riggler looked down to the piece strapped under his arm. But there was no way he could do that; not up here.
Why not?
"Opening fire on a plane? We could all die."
But think of how many lives you can save. If Cassata gets out, more children will die. If Jericho goes free, who knows how many will perish.
Riggler turned the faucet back on and stuck his head under once more. Was he losing his mind? He breathed the water in, hoping some would find its way down his windpipe, then he'd silence The Whisper. Unfortunately, the stream from the airplane faucet wasn't nearly enough to drown him or the thoughts thundering in his head.
Riggler looked back into the mirror. His reflection had disappeared. Instead, he saw a boy, maybe five or six years old. It was Mark, he was sure of it. Not the way he looked today, but his precious baby face from ten years ago.
He's going to hurt me, Daddy.
"He can't hurt you."
But he will, Daddy. He's gonna hurt me.
His little boy's lips quivered. Mark didn't know Parker Cassata wasn't a threat. He was just a little boy. Wasn't it Daddy's job to make him feel better? Tears trickled out of his little blue eyes. Riggler hated to watch his baby boy cry.
"Shhh, shhh, shhh. It's okay."
Don't let him hurt me, Daddy.
"I won't let him hurt you, little buddy."
I miss you, Daddy.
"I miss you too."
Mark wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled.
You can't let him get me, Daddy.
"I would never let anyone hurt you.”
Are you coming to see me again?
"I'll be home soon."
You know what to do, don't you, Daddy?
Riggler looked back at his sidearm. He had no choice. He couldn't let Cassata hurt his baby, or anyone else's. Riggler needed to listen to his little boy's whisper.