The one-eyed man closes the door behind her, then takes his place at the table across from Foletta. “I’m afraid so, Dr. Foletta. Ms.Vazquez has aided and abetted a dangerous felon.” He motions for her to sit. “You know who I am?”

“Pierre Borgia. I-I was told you were coming three days ago.”

“Yes, well, we had a little situation in Australia that took precedence.”

“Are you here to arrest me?”

“That depends entirely on you.”

“It’s not you we want, Dominique,” Foletta says, “it’s Mick. You know where he is, don’t you?”

“How would I know that? He escaped while I was still unconscious.”

“She’s a pretty one, isn’t she, Doctor?” Borgia’s glare causes sweat to break out along her upper lip. “It’s no wonder Mick took a fancy for you. Tell me, Ms.Vazquez, what motivated you to help him break out of the asylum?”

Foletta jumps in before she can answer. “She was confused, Mr.Secretary. You know how clever Gabriel can be. He used Dominique’s childhood trauma to coerce her into helping him escape.”

“That’s not entirely true,” she says, finding it difficult not to focus on Borgia’s permanent eye patch. “Mick knew something was in the Gulf. And he knew about that deep-space radio transmission—”

Foletta places a sweaty palm across her forearm. “Intern, you need to face reality. Mick Gabriel used you. He was planning his escape from the moment he met you.”

“No, I don’t believe that—”

“Maybe you just don’t want to believe it,” Borgia says. “The fact is, your father would still be alive today if Mick hadn’t coerced you into helping him.”

Dominique’s eyes cloud with tears.

Borgia removes a file from his brief, taking a moment to examine it. “Isadore Axler, a biologist residing in Sanibel Island. Certainly has a long list of credentials. He wasn’t your real father, was he?”

“He was the only father I ever knew.”

Borgia continues looking through the file. “Ah, here we are—Edith Axler. Did you know the two of us met? Fine woman.”

Dominique feels her skin crawl beneath the Navy-issue sweats. “You met Edie?”

“Just long enough to place her under arrest.”

The words send her springing to her feet. “Edie had no part in Mick’s escape! It was all me. I arranged everything—”

“I’m not interested in a confession, Ms.Vasquez. What I want is Michael Gabriel. If I can’t have him, I’ll simply lock you and your mother up for a very long time. Of course, in Edith’s case, that may not be too long a sentence. She’s getting up there in age, and her husband’s death has obviously taken its toll.”

Dominique’s heart races. “I told you, I don’t know where he is.”

“If you say so.” Borgia stands and heads tor the door.