The reporter ejects the cassette; I’m rendered speechless by it.
“What do you want?” I ask, eventually. “Money? I don’t have much…”
“You accept it that easily?” he asks, surprised. “No attempted denial? I know he betrayed you, but the Senator must be worse than I’d thought.”
“I know there’s no point in denial,” I say.
“You know the impact this will have,” he says with a smirk. “What I want is to see your reaction. Do you destroy the cassette and protect your friend, or do you publish it and get back at him?”
He hands me the cassette.