The freedom of other men, far from negating or limiting my freedom, is, on the contrary, its necessary premise and confirmation. – Mikhail Bakunin

I had broken too much to deserve partaking in what I had fixed. I decided that my food would be knowing that I had fixed it. – Jase

As soon as Jase's foot hit the tile floor, he fell upon Drew, determined to immobilize the larger man in as little time as possible. The more time Jase allowed, the more likely Nessa would come to more harm.

Jase did not let himself notice anything else going on in the room – he trusted Briel fully. Still, he kept Nessa in his peripheral vision even as he engaged Drew in fierce physical battle. Rather than hinder Jase's ability to fight, the sight of Nessa's prone form drove him into a ferocity of anger that served his desire to conquer.

Not only had Drew Pearson taken advantage of Nessa's merciful character, not only had he lied to her regarding his intentions, but he had taken the step beyond the deceptive and moved into the realm of the mercenary. Jase would have interfered on behalf of any victim, but to revile Nessa in such a way sent Jase on a mission of retribution.

Long gone was the cold, heartless op who had callously played both sides, unmoved by any higher morality. Jase had learned to see the world in black and white, and contrary to popular wisdom, Jase considered the reversion a step into greater understanding, not a reversion to child-like simplicity.

Drew's hand came flying across Jase's field of vision, and Jase quickly parried the blow with an upward block. Continuing the motion of his body, Jase landed an elbow in Drew's ribs. Though Drew gasped, he didn't stumble, and Jase felt a solid hit to the right side of his jaw. Jase barely noticed.

Taking a step back, Jase knocked Drew off balance with a roundhouse kick, and as his right foot landed, he brought his arm down on Drew's now-exposed back. Drew finally lost his footing for a moment.

Jase pounced, sweeping his left leg across both of Drew's in hopes that the lumbering man would fall all the way to the ground. To his credit, Drew jumped to avoid the kick, throwing his leg backwards and landing his heel firmly in Jase's midsection. As Jase stumbled backwards, he noted that Drew's eyes had left the battle for a moment. Jase would have used the distraction to his advantage, but Drew's eyes spoke of a recognition that Jase didn't like.

“Take her,” Jase heard Drew call out, and the words yanked Jase's concentration from the fight. When he turned, Jase saw a large guard heaving Nessa's limp body over his shoulder. Now unconcerned about Drew, Jase rushed toward the guard, but Drew predicted the response and gripped Jase by the back of the shirt.

“Briel,” Jase barked, and his eyes desperately sought his cohort. He could see Adam on the far end, two guards slumped on the ground and another fighting for his life.

Briel stood over Amélie, poised to land what looked like a knockout blow. When Briel heard Jase's call, she looked up, and Amélie took advantage of the distraction. Throwing her fist upward, Amélie punch Briel in the stomach and scrambled rapidly toward the door.

In the meantime, the guard had reached the doorway into the alley, and Drew had cornered Jase to such an extent that Jase held no hope of reaching Nessa before the guard had her out the door.

“Forget Amélie,” Jase commanded. “Save Nessa!”

“Adam!” Briel ordered, and the massive op hammered a blow to his opponent's head. “Come with me.”

To Jase's relief, the pair hauled after the retreating guard, and just before the door shut out Jase's view, he saw Adam catch the falling form of Nessa Santiago. Nessa would survive.

Time slowed as Jase assessed his situation. With Nessa, the urgency had left the room.

If he rushed Drew immediately, Jase felt sure that he could join Briel and Adam, and the three of them could easily usher Nessa safely through the rebels' tunnels. The plan presented a temporary escape, but Jase couldn't reconcile himself to the same long-term dilemma that had at first plagued him.

If Jase fled now, felt the comfort of Nessa's warmth in his arms, he would never again sleep well at night, constantly worried that Bill's shadow would appear to darken her future once again. Jase needed to end it. Though he had not removed his eyes from Drew, Jase suddenly grew aware of a fusillade of Burmese words emitting from the group to his left. The sound drew his attention for a moment, and though the lapse in concentration cost Jase a wallop to the head, his pain could not overshadow the joy that the view brought him

Gathered around Bill's chair, a generally panicked air about the group, stood the government official and the two disheveled guards. Bill's eyes stared, fixed and unmoving, at the doors where Jase and his friends had burst into the room.

The official barked commands at his underlings, and the men grabbed Bill and laid him out on the ground before them. Though they started CPR as soon as they had him flat, Jase recognized the pallor of death, perhaps even death by the stroke that Bill had once feigned.

Under normal circumstances, Jase would not have rejoiced at anyone's death, but few men had proven themselves more beyond redemption than Bill Henry. If anything, Jase could have regretted that Bill would now face the mercy of God rather than Jase's vengeance.

Then again, Jase mused, if his sentence is anything like mine, maybe God doles out punishment pretty well.

Jase turned back to face Drew. A grin lit Jase's face, and Drew faltered for an instant as he followed the direction of Jase's gaze. Though shock painted Drew's countenance, the expression morphed into raw fury once he took in the happenings in the room.

Something snapped behind Drew's eyes, and before Jase could react, the larger man had lowered a shoulder into Jase's gut. Jase found himself airborne, carried toward the main entrance by 230 pounds of muscle. For a moment, Jase's instinct directed him to demolish his adversary, but Jase's reason returned, and he subjugated his reactions to his reason.

This was it.

Because of Bill's demise, Jase could rest assured that the man's enterprise would not pursue Nessa. If Jack managed to salvage some aspects of the business, Jase doubted that the slimy businessman would meet with the same success as the sophisticated executive that had built the business from the ground up. Even if Jack succeeded, he would have neither resources nor reasons to come after Nessa.

As Jase pondered, he let Drew bear him out the door and toward the awaiting limo. Briel would no doubt secure Nessa in some safe location before returning to help Jase. Before she returned, Jase would have ridden miles away, seemingly captive to Drew.

A melancholy pleasure seeped through Jase's mind, opiate euphoria at his success.

Just before he and Drew burst out the exterior door, Drew called to one of the guards and motioned for the man to follow, something the man did without question. The soldier ran before Drew and opened the door to the waiting limo, allowing Drew to deposit Jase inside. As the air huffed from Jase's lungs, he allowed himself a smile.

Within seconds, he, Drew, and the guard sped out the gate of the compound and toward whatever future Jase decided to pursue. From then on, Jase felt utter confidence in his ability to determine his course.

“What's wrong with you?” Drew's voice broke into Jase's reverie. “You're acting like a zombie.”

When Jase peered up into Drew's face, fear emanated from the turncoat operative. Even when Drew hit Jase open-hand on the side of the face, Jase merely smiled.

“Answer me, idiot,” Drew commanded. “Don't just sit there.”

“It was you, wasn't it? Not Amélie.” Jase wondered in an unconnected vein. “You planted all of my stuff in her apartment.”

“Both of us,” Drew seemed angrier and more agitated as they drove further from the compound.

“So it was never Liam?”

“Liam couldn't tie his own shoes. He couldn't have managed all of that misdirection. Though he was right about you.”

“In what way?”

“I assumed that you were playing an angle, that you were trying to get some intel on Bill to get back in his good graces. Liam was convinced you had gone crazy. It’s why I met with him in New York, why the three of us set up the tests.”

“The stuff in our apartments…”

“And making sure you caught the videos in New York.”

“And you hacked my computer?” Jase dug further.

“Huh?” Drew seemed irritated at having to think. “No, that was Amélie. That's an amazing woman you lost. Though she’s more spy than hacker – she just set up a camera so she could steal your password. Once she had that and access to your apartment, everything was simple.”

Drew almost sounded dreamy when he talked about the French woman, and Jase rolled his eyes, used to the reaction from men who encountered Amélie. In this, at least, Drew proved as impotent as most men. “And then you stopped Liam from catching Nessa – that’s when I knew for sure that you had lost it.”

Though his anger roiled against Drew for letting Liam target Nessa, Jase found his own guilt rose even higher than his fury at his erstwhile friend. For once, Jase had pursued something good, and he had almost destroyed it. Whatever he did, he needed to make sure Nessa would never have to face his demons again – who knew what would come back to haunt him in the future?

“You knew why we were going to France because you were in communication with Liam – you had been supposed to keep us from going to help Briel in France; that was the phone call Liam got in Mont Saint Michel. I had thought Liam had fooled you, but you were conspiring with him. After he died, you set up watch on Nessa to see if she would call me –”

“To wait for you to go back to her – Amélie knew you would.”

“You got Nessa here by lying about a call from Thomas,”

“Yes, yes…you understand now. Very good.”

“I underestimated you; I admit it,” Jase hummed, leaning back and stretching out his legs.

“Be still,” Drew commanded. The larger man had actually jumped when Jase moved.

Pathetic, Jase smirked. Though he had intentionally stalled, he had waited long enough to extract himself from his incompetent captor. Rather than obey Drew, Jase turned to the guard that sat across from them on the limo seat.

“Do you speak Thai?” Jase queried in the tongue.

For a moment the man merely stared at Jase, then he nodded indifferently.

“You know this man has no money to pay you?” Jase prodded the guard in Thai, certain that Drew wouldn't understand. “The man who died controlled all of the money, and this man will give you nothing. I don't think the commandant will reward you for accompanying this man since the man will abandon you as soon as he kills me.”

The guard glanced under his lids at Drew's erect form, and Drew noticed the movement immediately.

“Shut up, Jase, or I'll shoot you here.”

“Do I look like I care?” Jase offered casually, and Drew's tension seemed to double at Jase's nonchalance.

“If you'll help me secure this man,” Jase continued to the guard, “I'll instruct the driver to take you back to your leader.”

Again the guard peered at Drew, a marked distrust beginning to show. Before Jase recognized the guard's motion, the guard had pulled a gun from his holster and now held it pressed against Drew's head. Drew reached up with his hand to grasp the gun, but Jase gripped Drew's arm in a restraining hold.

“I kill you both,” the guard threatened.

“But the driver has bulletproof glass. He'll drive you straight into Thailand and turn you over to authorities.”

The words brought a nervous twitch to the soldier's jaw.

“So, I kill him?” the man's tone suggested a question.

“No, you let me out, and you take him back to your commandant. This man's new boss will pay your country a ransom and maybe continue with your business transaction.”

“And you?” the man demanded.

“You let me out here and don't concern yourself with me. I promise not to bother you or your leader once I am freed.”

For a tense moment, the man merely stared down the barrel of the gun at Drew's forehead. Then, he gritted his teeth in some strong emotion.

“Tell your driver to stop,” the man commanded, and Jase complied.

“Driver?” Jase knocked on the glass, and the man cracked the window a few millimeters. “You left your boss back there, and Amélie. This guard wants you to drive him back, and you probably want to, considering who you left behind.”

“I know better than to trust you, Mr. Hamilton,” the man smirked into the rearview.

“That's right, Meyers,” Drew interjected. “This guy's trying to send you into a trap. Bill is dead, and do you think that the Burmese government will let you walk away?”

At the news of Bill's death, the driver stiffened, and shock ran over his expression.

“Yes, Bill is dead, but Amélie is not, and she happens to be Jack Buckley's favorite - Jack Buckley who will no doubt take over in Bill's place. Besides, this guard doesn't care about kidnapping you; he just wants to get back to his leader. He promises not to shoot you if you drive him back.”

The driver's eyes riveted to the gun barrel in the guard's hand.

“Don't listen to him, Meyers,” Drew sounded desperate. “I have money if you'll just help me get to the states.”

Meyers rolled the glass back into place, and Jase smiled when the car stopped.

“Wait,” Drew spluttered. “Where are you going? Tell him to put down the gun!”

“As if you're in a position to give orders,” Jase sneered, then turning to the guard, “May I?” and reached for the knife sheathed at Drew's belt. When the guard didn't protest, Jase felt around Drew's pockets and extracted a cell phone.

“You've been a great help, Drew,” Jase mocked. “See ya round.”

Jase waited until the limo drove completely out of sight and the proverbial dust settled before he pulled out the phone and punched in Briel's number. With no pressing appointments, he took his time for clarity's sake.

This is Jase, he typed. I have three requests for you. Do the first one immediately. There are at least three incarcerated children in the hallway at the far southwest of the compound. Free them and lead them south at 5 o'clock until you reach a brushy fishtail palm that stands among teak trees. On the left-hand side of the palm, you'll find an entrance to a tunnel. Send the children in first, as the men inside are expecting them.

Secondly, torch the compound. The officials regularly detain prisoners there, often women. If anyone has time or inclination, there is a more extensive detention facility to the north of the compound. Let the rebels know about its location. Tell them if they torch it now, we'll be blamed, and they'll be safe from suspicion.

Third and most importantly, take care of Nessa. I'm trusting you with my life.

Jase paused before closing out his communication. Tell her I love her. Take care of yourself and that nerd of yours.

When the return message came through, Jase laughed, though he did not respond.

Get your ass back here! came the typically harsh response. Don't do this again.

And Jase wanted to go back.

But he had made his decision, and for the first time in his life, he felt full confidence in the moral direction he now took.

The trek out of Myanmar took Jase a week without a vehicle, and he didn't dare try to acquire one until he reached Thailand. Once he reached the relative freedom of the Burmese neighbor, however, Jase headed straight to the nearest Thai bank.

After withdrawing as much cash as they would allow, he bought a motorcycle and began a somewhat scenic route through Thailand and back to Bangkok. He had trashed Drew's phone as soon as he reached a larger town in Thailand, since he didn't want Briel to follow his signal.

Besides, he thought tacitly, I don't have anyone I need to call.

In Bangkok, Jase took out another round of cash, determined to drain as much out of his accounts as he could before Briel and her annoyingly astute boyfriend thought to track Jase that way. He had to be out of Thailand and on a plane before that happened.

Still, he had a goal to accomplish before he left Thailand – a promise to keep. When he drove into the streets of Klong Toey, his mind raced as uncertainty gripped him. He had promised to return for Dao, and he had offered a veritable fortune to purchase her freedom. Would her owner hold true to his word? Would Jase find the little girl safe when he encountered her again?

Before he could answer these questions, he heard a squeaky cheer erupt from behind him. Jase had made it all the way onto the metal walkway that led to Dao's home. When he turned and saw the bobbing brown head, he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and squeeze her until she could hardly breathe. Instead, he held out his hand coldly.

“Mister, what's wrong?” the little girl asked, not hurt by his rejection, but curious. Before he bothered to answer, the medium-tone voice behind Jase spoke for him.

“So you came back?” the voice asked knowingly.

Jase turned to face the young, eely man with whom he had earlier negotiated for Dao's purchase.

“I am a fair man in business dealings, and I wanted to give you the opportunity to convince me that I should follow through on our deal,” Jase hedged carefully.

“Of course you should,” the man insisted.

“Well, see, I have a problem. I just returned from Myanmar, and the labor there is very cheap, – much cheaper than in Thailand – and the American dollar goes far.”

For a moment, the man stared suspiciously at Jase. “You have a way to purchase help from Myanmar?”

“Multiple ways,” Jase assured the man. “I fell in with some governmental officials while on my trip, and they have virtually unlimited access to the women and children of their country.” No need to mention that the government official had most likely died in a fire.

Again, the young man eyed Jase, but this time, Jase noted doubt behind the cocky facade. Feigning indifference, Jase took a step backward and cocked his head.

“I have now fulfilled my honor. You seem reluctant to part with her, and I have other options.” When Jase looked at Dao, disgust painted on his face, she gave him a look that was all grin in the eyes, but none on the face.

“Please, mister,” she begged, pouring the drama on a little thick. “You promised to take me. I want to go with you. Master, make him take me!” she pleaded with her owner as Jase peeled her hands from his shirt.

“I see that she is not as obedient as I hoped,” Jase offered contemptuously before pressing her toward the smaller man. “I don't think I'm interested anymore.”

With that, Jase turned his back on the pair, and felt a slight twinge at the harshness of the man's reprimand for Dao.

“You can have her for only $2,000 American more,” the man pressed, and Jase paused for a moment, turning back as if to consider. Dao now sat stoically at the younger man's feet.

Jase continued to walk away.

“$1,000 US just to cover my care of her while you were away,” the man pleaded, and Jase approved of the desperate tone.

Jase turned back, gazing appraisingly at the man and then down at Dao as if in consideration.

“If I take her, and she displeases me, I will find you again, and you will not like the outcome.”

With the threat, the man seemed shocked, but he nodded as soon as he recovered.

Snapping his fingers, Jase signaled Dao to his side, withdrew the $1,000 from his pocket, and snapped his fingers to direct her to return it to her now previous owner. Jase had to work to hide his elation.

Once out of sight of the slum, Jase turned to Dao, who now jumped freely into his arms. He seated himself on a nearby curb. “You are an amazing liar,” Jase accused affectionately, and Dao's smile swallowed half of her face. He knew his next words would dampen her excitement.

“You know I can't take you with me,” he informed her immediately. In truth, he had no desire to act the role of father right now, and even if he did want to, he had no stability in his near future.

Quieted, Dao nodded, gloom melting her smile into a frown.

“But I'm not going to leave you alone,” he assured her, to which she brightened slightly. “I found a school.” he spoke cheerfully, hoping to pass on some excitement by his mannerisms. “It is a school for orphans, and most of the students have American sponsors. I spoke to the woman who runs the school, and I have researched the history of the school. The girls who graduate go on to be doctors and businesswomen, or they marry doctors or businessmen.”

At this, Dao's eyes grew round. She definitely seemed intrigued.

“And I could come visit, though not too often at first.”

Something in his expression made Dao suspicious.

“What happened to you, mister? You're sad, like your hope has fallen in the river.”

Unable to smile, Jase pursed his lips at Dao in disapproval. “We're talking about you right now. So, I'll come see you and make sure that everyone treats you well. If someone tries to hurt you, I have a few methods to make sure they don't try again.”

Dao smirked. “I have seen the way you scared my master -”

“Not your master anymore,” Jase interrupted, and Dao's eyes softened.

“Yes, and your eyes did not lie to him. He should have been scared.”

Jase nodded. “He should have been scared. And so should anyone else who ever tries to hurt you. I expect you to be tough, but some battles are too big for you right now.”

Dao rested her head under Jase's chin, and he tried to fight off the melancholy that threatened to overtake him.

Not until she's gone, he commanded himself.

A few hours later, a hearty meal, and an American ice cream cone, Jase made another stop by a bank, withdrawing enough for a month's tuition. He accompanied Dao inside the walled facility, pleased with the external beauty of the place. A girl should grow up in a place like this, he thought.

When he left her, she did not cry, and the kind eyes of the woman who took Dao's hand gave Jase the most contented feeling he had felt since his own childhood ended with Meg's death. Baan unrak, he though silently. House of Joy. He prayed that it would be just that for Dao. Once before, when he saved Nessa, his prayers had worked. Now, he hoped they would again.

Regardless of the price he had paid, though he now stood alone in the world, Jase had taken care of the two things in the world that he loved, and by bringing down Bill, he had ensured that a measure of the world's injustice had toppled into oblivion.

Though he turned away from Dao in sadness, he had no regrets.