"Like sharp blade upon a whetstone,

Avaricious babe tries to hone,

New skills of deceit and lying,

Even as bare flesh is frying,

Sauteed almost straight to the bone."

Chief operative Johan’s cryptic missive conveys both frustration and an increasing need to dehumanize his hostage. Politburo chiefs exchange uneasy glances. “If he ceases to regard her as valuable,” one states flatly. “Then we may lose all chance of obtaining the crucial information which this woman possesses.”

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