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Q: Did you have concrete evidence that you might be killed?

A: Nobody on my team thought it would be the likeliest outcome, but it would have been irresponsible not to consider the possibility. Perhaps I come from a different perspective after working at the CIA for years, but do you really think it’s be the first time they’ve killed someone for having the wrong politics?

Q: How were you able to trust total strangers in that situation? Were you in shock?

A: No matter how much you prepared yourself, taking a decision like that is frightening for sure. But it’s also liberating. Think about it: when you walk into a fight you’re almost certain you’re going to lose, you realize incredible risks work in your favour, not to the adversary’s. Suddenly, instead of fixating on your overwhelming odds of failure, you start evaluating tiny chances for success. For me, it was trusting strangers who knew what it meant to be hunted.

Q: What was it like?

A: They had a hundred chances to betray me while I was amongst them, and no one could have blamed them, given their precarious situations. But they never did. Despite not even having enough space for themselves, they never complained. Instead they smiled. The children would watch me crack neighbourhood wireless access points with a special antenna so I could communicate with journalists without drawing the police to where I was. I still remember the feeling in my stomach as I’d hear sirens screaming toward the building. I’d pray like hell that they were for something else as I raced to disable any equipment that might be transmitting, getting ready to move. Fortunately, it was always something else.