Kovit blinked, hesitating a little. “I’ve never thought of it like that.” He considered. “I think . . . I think you’re right. I think she clings to the idea that she’s at least not as bad as me, that in this one thing she’s better, to avoid facing what kind of person she’s become over the years.”

Nita nodded. She could understand that. She had a lot of experience avoiding the truth of her own crimes. Facing her own guilt had been hard, but she didn’t regret it.

“Maybe this rejection will force her to face it,” Nita mused.

“Maybe,” Kovit whispered, but she could tell he was trying not to hope too hard.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

By the time they returned to the apartment, it was full-on morning, and Nita and Kovit were both exhausted from all the body dumping and carting crates around. Nita opened the door and was greeted with the buzz of the local news programming. Fabricio had managed to wiggle far enough to reach the television remote and was watching the news.

Nita scowled. “What are you doing?”

Fabricio gave her a steady look. “Watching INHUP defend putting Kovit on the list.”

Kovit darted forward so he could see the screen. “Wait, what?”

The announcer onscreen was speaking in Spanish, and Kovit made a frustrated sound. “What’s he saying?”

Nita closed the door behind her and listened closer. “They’ve moved past the INHUP stuff and are on to some sort of financial analysis.”

Kovit pulled out his phone and started googling, and Nita peered over his shoulder.

One of INHUP’s directors, a tall man in his forties, had made an official statement. Kovit clicked the video and turned up the volume.

“. . . While we acknowledge that the one-week mandatory verification period wasn’t respected, this was because we found it unnecessary due to overwhelming evidence against the zannie in question.” The man assessed the crowd as cameras flashed and the INHUP logo towered over him in the background. “We were unaware of any relationship with the agent in the photos, but have suspended her pending an investigation, the results of which we will make public after the inquiry.”

“What is this overwhelming evidence?” called a voice from the crowd of reporters. “Can we see it?”

“At this time it is classified.”

“Why?”

“The videos all involve graphic scenes of torture as performed by a minor. Our legal department is working on the legalities of releasing one or two to the public, and we hope that we can allay your suspicions shortly.”

The man waved at the reporters and then walked offstage, and the video ended.

“Can they release the videos?” He looked at Nita nervously.

“Probably,” Nita admitted. “But we can counter this.”

Fabricio interrupted them. “Can you counter the testimony of one of Kovit’s victims who’s come forward?”