"Are you sure you want to do this, Maggie?" Ryder asked her again when they were standing just outside the interrogation cell. He still was against her meeting the monster on the other side of the door. Just thinking of her miserable days when she was undercover in Jared's gang was enough to irk him.
All he wanted was to put a bullet through Jared's head and seek revenge. But he knew he could not do so, not when Jared had the control here. His death would only add more to the chaos, especially when nobody but him knew about the location of his attacks. He had to be alive until they found out all the target locations.
Maggie took a deep breath before she nodded at Ryder. The moment she had made her decision, she had come prepared. It was now or never, and she knew only she could save the nation from Jared's madness.
Ryder unwillingly opened the door to the cell and entered in first with Preston following him. Maggie was the last one to enter.
Jared's eyes had immediately shifted towards the door when he had heard it open and watched the two men enter with a bored expression. But soon, his eyes gleamed the moment he saw Maggie right behind them. A smile broke out on his lips, and he could conceal his excitement anymore.
"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" He uttered, taking a good look at the girl who had escaped from under him brilliantly. "I was waiting for you all this while, Maggie. Now that you are here, let's get this game started."
His eyes were filled with a sinister mirth which Maggie was well accustomed to. Working under him for months together had rendered her capable of reading his mind, and she now knew she had made the right choice by coming here.
"Tell me what your target locations are." Maggie did not beat around the bush and cut to the chase immediately, her face completely devoid of any emotion.
"Your treatment towards me disheartens me, sweetheart. Did you forget the feelings I have for you?"
As soon as the words escaped his lips, Maggie glanced at Ryder, who had a stunned expression on his face.
"Did you forget my love for you, dear?" Maggie was unable to hear the man's confession for she only felt disgusted by it. It was as though ants were crawling on her body, making her extremely uneasy and annoyed.
But what bothered her more was Ryder's reaction. Other than his expression of shock, there was no other reaction from him whatsoever, and she was now worried about him.
"Did you forget how you meant the world to me?" Jared continued, reveling in the uneasiness of the girl in front of him. His lips broke out in a devilish smile. Everything was falling into place one by one. He was already having the upper hand in the situation, and all that remained was for him to leave the place, with Maggie of course.
Something snapped in Ryder as soon he heard Jared this time, and he took a step forward, ready to smash his head. His fury was at its peak, and it was anything like ever before.
Maggie stopped him the moment she saw him rush out, his face now livid.
"Let me go, Maggie." He stated calmly but Maggie knew otherwise. He was anything but calm. He was fuming from within, and all he wanted was to kill the man who had succeeded in infuriating him as well as her.
"Ryder, don't."
"Maggie," His furious gaze shifted to her but Maggie did not budge from her place as she stared back at him with equal vigor, only that hers held love and request.
Ryder's stance softened on seeing her pleading with him and he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth in anger.
"Should I say I am touched by the public display of affection here?" Jared scoffed and leaned back on his chair, a sarcastic smile taking over him.
He had not missed the way Maggie had held the man's hand, and immediately after, anger burst through him. And what irked him more was the raw emotions he saw in her eyes for the man beside her. Her eyes declared how much she loved him and just the thought of it was enough to send Jared crazy.
If not for the handcuffs that held Jared to the table, he was sure he would have rushed out to kill the man who held Maggie's affections. He was filled with jealousy and rage, and he clenched his fist tight until blood marks appeared on his palms.
Ryder's eyes snapped open at his words. But this time, he stayed composed, burying all his fury for the time being. It was not the time for him to let go of his emotions and show his anger at the man he despised the most.
"What are your target locations, Jared? Tell us so that we can get over with it quickly." When she was sure Ryder would not lose his control anymore, she turned to face the resentful man who was almost glaring at her.
"And why should I do so?" His smile returned on his face, one that Maggie so badly wanted to slap. "What will I get out of it, Maggie? Why should I reveal my plans to you when they are the ones who will save me from my punishment?"
"You know this will only add more to your punishment." She reasoned.
"Do you think I have any less right now? How does it make any difference?"
Maggie did not have any words to refute him this time. It was true that nothing he did could change what was destined for him. He was bound to receive capital punishment for what he had done and what he had planned to do.
Maggie narrowed his eyes at him, studying his face for a few seconds before her lips arched up. "Jared, I sure am impressed by your wicked plan this time. But you forgot to instruct your men well. Do you think I would not keep an eye on you? We have already secured one of the target locations."
Jared's smile vanished at her words and he turned serious at once as he waited for her to continue.
"You forgot that I still keep track of your men and there are devices at places that capture their faces if they need to enter it."
As soon as Jared heard, he could only think of one target location of his where people had to show their IDs and get their photos taken to enter.
"We have already secured the place now." Maggie continued, waiting for Jared to take the bait.
"So what if you have secured the club, there are still other places my men are prepared to attack."
"Club, is it? Deputy?" Maggie turned to one of the cameras and stared right at it. "We have got one of the target locations, Deputy."
It was only after he heard her speaking to one of the cameras that Jared realized Maggie had tricked him. His face turned dark in fury, yet there was an odd glint in his eyes which Ryder did not miss.
All of a sudden Ryder started to have an ominous feeling which he could not brush off even if he wanted to.