Page 52 of When You're Gone

But he couldn’t bring himself tosee her harmed.

Vilne moved in the darkness like alooming threat, a deranged grin splitting his face as he gestured grandly tothe cameras mounted overhead. "Welcome to the show, Detective. The wholeworld is watching," he proclaimed, his voice tinged with grotesqueenthusiasm.

Finn's eyes darted around, takingin the live feed, the cables snaking across the floor to the generator thatpulsed with life. "You're streaming this?" he asked, masking hishorror with an icy veneer of calm. “Tell me you didn't need help to set up asimple stream? I thought you were a genius. Is that why you were talking withEmily?”

Vilne looked angry for a moment.

"Of course, I didn't needhelp. I had some correspondence with Henry and Emily, mostly to find whispersof the Tempus Machine so that I could keep Chris Harlow under my thrall. Hebelieved me, the fool."

“You didn't have to kill thosepeople,” Finn said.

“You're right. I did it to give yousomething to do. You should be happy about that. Some of the victims assistedme, not knowing what I was working on. Others were more intimately involved,but it doesn't matter. They were all butchered for your entertainment.How love to watch you flounder, Finn! Now... Get this, when thisstream goes dark, so does the age of technology," Vilne declaredtriumphantly, his gaze locked onto Finn's with manic intensity. “Oh, I’m sureother computers will be built, perhaps some saved, but not before I’ve causedutter carnage around the world. Hospital computers, airlines, train terminals,military installations, oh, it’s going to be marvelous!”

“I don't buy this,” Finn said.“Technology that can delete the internet? Sounds like pie in the sky, but avirus... I believe there is one, but not for the reasons you've said. You liedto Chris Harlow didn't you?”

Vilne looked on, annoyance showingon his face.

“You used him like you used theothers,” Finn said. “You really are the master manipulator. Even this is ashow. If there wasn't a virus, you'd seem inept. You wouldn't have that. Hell,you tracked me down to the UK just to have revenge because I caught you once.No, your pride wouldn't accept the virus being fake, not when you are beingwatched by God knows how many people.”

Vilne smirked to himself.

“So, given what I know about yourpsychology,” Finn continued, “there has to be a virus. But I bet it doessomething else. What does it do, Max? Tell me, or do you want to win without meever knowing how clever you've been.”

“Well done,” Vilne said, calmly.“This virus will infect law enforcement servers across the US. FBI, Homeland,pathetic little Sheriff departments, everything. It will delete every singlefile, every single record of any crimes and criminals. There will be bedlam,and I will be able to sneak off into the blue. I just wanted to cause a littlepanic across the way. The entire criminal justice system will collapse with norecords of who did what. Mistakes will be expunged, with the added bonus thatwith no criminal record, I'll be able to use a fake passport and ID to make myway to anywhere in the world I please, and then continue my... Passions...”

Finn laughed. “My God, Vilne. Areyou really so pathetic that you need to wipe record of the fact I caught youfair and square.”

“There was nothing fair about it!”Vilne readied his hand with the knife. “Now you know the truth. It's been agame, but one where I set the rules. I win. As always. And the world will knowit.”

"Quite the spectacle you'veput together," Finn replied evenly, circling cautiously. He eyed Amelia,bound and resolute despite her predicament, then fixed his stare back on Vilne."But you see, Vilne, behind all this genius... there's one thing you'veoverlooked."

"And what would that be?"Vilne sneered, confidence unshaken as he toyed with the knife over Amelia’shead.

"Your pride," Finn statedplainly, his voice as sharp as the blades concealed on his person. "It'salways been your downfall."

A flicker of irritation crossedVilne's face before he masked it with a laugh, but Finn saw it—the chink in hisarmor. With every word, he was gauging, calculating, ready to pounce at theslightest opening. Because this was not just a game of chess; it was a dancewith death—and Finn was poised to make his move.

"Ah, but you see, I have noweaknesses, Finn," Vilne snarled, the knife in his hand glintingominously. “You and your like are too lacking in vision to know this.”

"Is that so?" Finn's eyesnarrowed. "It was your pride that got you here, wasn't it? Chasing meacross the ocean to make a point because I caught you back in the States."

"Respect is what I am due,Finn!" Vilne spat, his eyes wild and fervent. "You were lucky backthen. That fire at the hotel—nothing more than a fortunate distraction that letyou walk away with Nancy Miller and me, unconscious and in handcuffs."

"Was it luck, or was it yourego overestimating your abilities?" Finn countered with a steady tone,despite the rapid drumming of his pulse. He needed to keep Vilne talking, buytime, look for an opening.

"Luck saved you then,"Vilne sneered. "But luck won't save you tonight."

"I suppose I couldn’t persuadeyou to walk away?" Finn's voice reverberated through the empty halls,meeting only shadows.

“You and your jokes,” Max said. “Iwill say, I might miss this back and forth. But all good things must come to anend.” He looked at the computer screen. “It’s almost uploaded.”

“Almost isn’t enough,” Finnanswered.

“You don’t even have a gun,” Vilnesaid with venom. “You couldn’t best me in a fight a year ago, what makes youthink it will be any different tonight?”

“I didn’t say it would bedifferent,” Finn replied, honing in on his one moment. “But if we’re going todance. I’d rather get to it over all this talking.”

“You should be honored to speakwith someone with my intellect!” Vilne shouted, raising his hand and knifeabove Amelia, as if to strike.

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