"Actually," the Author told him, "We wanted
to make the books seem more... grown up."
"What does that mean?" Amy asked. She seemed a little nervous.
"Well, we plan on including some stronger language. And we wanted to... heat up your relationship with Evan."
Dan giggled as Amy blushed angrily. "I am not going to swear. And seriously? My relationship with Evan is not... inappropriate in any way."
"I suppose we could include a triangle with Ian then..." Mr. Korman said, mostly speaking to himself.
This time, Dan glared at the camera. "Like she would ever fall for that jerk," he growled.
Calypso decided this would be a good time to intervene.
"Mr. Korman," she said loudly. "I think you should let Amy and Dan relax a little. They've been through a lot lately. I will help you with anything pertaining to the book." She shut off the video feed.
"How am I supposed to write a correct book if nobody will talk to me?" Gordon complained.
"I'll help you out," Calypso told him. They headed downstairs, talking about book plans.
Evan stood in the C.C.C., wondering what he was supposed to do. He heard someone coming and automatically slipped into a dark corner.
Sinead came into the room. She sat down at the computer, but instead of working, she set her head on the table and began to sob. Evan felt extremely uncomfortable watching another person's grief. He wondered if he should leave, but then another person stepped into the room.
"Hello, Sinead," a dark voice whispered. She whirled around, then recognized the speaker.
"Leave me alone!" she sniffled.
"Remember the plans we made this summer?" the mysterious person asked.
"I just lost my brother! Why can't we talk about this later? Besides, I already told you no."
"But this changes everything." the voice became a sneer. "Your brother will die if you don't join us!"
Sinead laid her head on the table again.
"We need your answer by tonight," he said, then left, slipping silently through the door.
In Italia, Leo heard all this from the device he had given Evan. He turned on the intercom on his desk.
"Carlo, I need you to come over here. Immediately. We have a serious problem."
"What does that mean?" Amy asked. She seemed a little nervous.
"Well, we plan on including some stronger language. And we wanted to... heat up your relationship with Evan."
Dan giggled as Amy blushed angrily. "I am not going to swear. And seriously? My relationship with Evan is not... inappropriate in any way."
"I suppose we could include a triangle with Ian then..." Mr. Korman said, mostly speaking to himself.
This time, Dan glared at the camera. "Like she would ever fall for that jerk," he growled.
Calypso decided this would be a good time to intervene.
"Mr. Korman," she said loudly. "I think you should let Amy and Dan relax a little. They've been through a lot lately. I will help you with anything pertaining to the book." She shut off the video feed.
"How am I supposed to write a correct book if nobody will talk to me?" Gordon complained.
"I'll help you out," Calypso told him. They headed downstairs, talking about book plans.
Evan stood in the C.C.C., wondering what he was supposed to do. He heard someone coming and automatically slipped into a dark corner.
Sinead came into the room. She sat down at the computer, but instead of working, she set her head on the table and began to sob. Evan felt extremely uncomfortable watching another person's grief. He wondered if he should leave, but then another person stepped into the room.
"Hello, Sinead," a dark voice whispered. She whirled around, then recognized the speaker.
"Leave me alone!" she sniffled.
"Remember the plans we made this summer?" the mysterious person asked.
"I just lost my brother! Why can't we talk about this later? Besides, I already told you no."
"But this changes everything." the voice became a sneer. "Your brother will die if you don't join us!"
Sinead laid her head on the table again.
"We need your answer by tonight," he said, then left, slipping silently through the door.
In Italia, Leo heard all this from the device he had given Evan. He turned on the intercom on his desk.
"Carlo, I need you to come over here. Immediately. We have a serious problem."
Madz and Joanna:
Meanwhile, Madz and
Joanna were facing problems of their own.
They had made it to the main Vesper base. Joanna had hoped she could find out just where they were, but she and Madz had been blindfolded hours before the plane had landed.
Madz identified herself to the guard, while a different guard checked Joanna for weapons with a magnetic wand. They were admitted into the base.
Now came the risky part of the operation.
Madz shouldn't have any trouble getting in, but Joanna wasn't a Vesper. To remedy that problem, Madz was to pretend that she had captured the dangerous Janus operative, and Joanna would head to the holding cells while Madz carried out her mission. Joanna could also try to find and liberate the hostages.
But first they had to convince the Vespers their story was true.
They were taken into a room. A polygraph was sitting there on a folding table. The only other furniture there was a chair for each of them and one for their interrogator.
Madz grimaced when she saw who was to question them.
It was Luna Amato - Vesper Four. Usually she was busy with more important things, but today must have been her day off.
"Hello, children," she said with a deceptively kind smile. "Let's see what has been going on with you."
She fastened a pulse monitor to Joanna's finger, then motioned for Madz to sit down also.
"Uh... I thought we were going to be checked in different rooms," Madz said, suddenly nervous.
"This is a new precaution," Luna told her.
Madz sat down across from Joanna. She wondered if the Janus could cheat a lie detector effectively. The last time she had seen the girl on a mission, she had been flighty and excitable. That had been two years ago, at the end of the Clue Hunt. How much could a person change in two years?
Madz got her answer when she looked into Joanna's eyes. They were hard and calm, seeming to say, 'I really hope you don't mess this up, because if we get caught, it will not be anything I do wrong.'
Madz relaxed a little. Then an even more horrible thought came to her.
I shouldn't care about her lying. My job was - is - to spy for the Vespers, not against them! But how can I say that in front of this person! She thinks I'm an Entertainer. Can I be one when I'm a true Vesper? Is it more important to be loyal, or to fight for peace? Her head was starting to hurt. This wasn't the time or place to be having a moral debate with herself!
Just then, Luna asked the first question.
"How did your spying mission go, Madz?"
Madz thoughts raced. Should she betray the Entertainers by telling the truth, or lie to the Vespers to save Joanna?
Luna's eyes darkened with suspicion. Madz knew she had to answer quickly.
"My mission went very well,'' Madz replied calmly. "I infiltrated the Entertainers and even brought you back this prisoner." She hesitated for an instant. "I don't think they are a real threat to us," she continued. "They are a pretty low-quality organization." That's true, isn't it? She asked herself. Yes. They hardly had any agents and their technology was weak.
She looked across the table at Joanna.
Joanna's first response had been shock when she heard that Madz was a spy, but that turned to anger when she heard the Entertainers described as 'low-quality'. But she kept silent as she was escorted out of the interrogation room.
Back at the Entertainer headquarters, Leo swore bitterly. How could that have gone wrong?
He knew from experience that Madz had helped the Cahills before. But her loyalties must be too strong for her to blatantly betray them. Leo called Carlo on his cell. The situation was too serious for him to leave and miss another word of Madz' conversation with Luna.
"What's wrong now?" Carlo answered.
"The Madz situation didn't work out like we'd hoped," Leo told him.
There was silence on the other end.
"Now we have a lone Entertainer out there in a Vesper prison," Leo said. "What do you propose we do?"
Carlo sighed. "Send one of your people," he told him. "This is really bad."
Leo hung up, then stared for a long time at a stain on his desk. He listened to Madz conversation with Luna, but he thought about what Carlo had said. He did not register any emotion when the bugs were found on Joanna and Madz and disabled. The room became quiet.
By 'one of your people' he had meant one of Leo's connections from the past. Carlo knew that he had some very dangerous contacts. Leo didn't really want to use them, since many were the kind of people he did not want involved with the Entertainers. But he knew one of them who was perfect for the job. An old friend of a friend who had seemed innocent enough last time Leo had seen him. A lot could change, but...
Leo forced himself to stop thinking and dialed a number on his phone.
The voice that picked up on the other end sounded much older and more care worn. "Hello?"
"Hello, Ben. This is Leo. Remember me? I was wondering if you could help me with a little job..."
They had made it to the main Vesper base. Joanna had hoped she could find out just where they were, but she and Madz had been blindfolded hours before the plane had landed.
Madz identified herself to the guard, while a different guard checked Joanna for weapons with a magnetic wand. They were admitted into the base.
Now came the risky part of the operation.
Madz shouldn't have any trouble getting in, but Joanna wasn't a Vesper. To remedy that problem, Madz was to pretend that she had captured the dangerous Janus operative, and Joanna would head to the holding cells while Madz carried out her mission. Joanna could also try to find and liberate the hostages.
But first they had to convince the Vespers their story was true.
They were taken into a room. A polygraph was sitting there on a folding table. The only other furniture there was a chair for each of them and one for their interrogator.
Madz grimaced when she saw who was to question them.
It was Luna Amato - Vesper Four. Usually she was busy with more important things, but today must have been her day off.
"Hello, children," she said with a deceptively kind smile. "Let's see what has been going on with you."
She fastened a pulse monitor to Joanna's finger, then motioned for Madz to sit down also.
"Uh... I thought we were going to be checked in different rooms," Madz said, suddenly nervous.
"This is a new precaution," Luna told her.
Madz sat down across from Joanna. She wondered if the Janus could cheat a lie detector effectively. The last time she had seen the girl on a mission, she had been flighty and excitable. That had been two years ago, at the end of the Clue Hunt. How much could a person change in two years?
Madz got her answer when she looked into Joanna's eyes. They were hard and calm, seeming to say, 'I really hope you don't mess this up, because if we get caught, it will not be anything I do wrong.'
Madz relaxed a little. Then an even more horrible thought came to her.
I shouldn't care about her lying. My job was - is - to spy for the Vespers, not against them! But how can I say that in front of this person! She thinks I'm an Entertainer. Can I be one when I'm a true Vesper? Is it more important to be loyal, or to fight for peace? Her head was starting to hurt. This wasn't the time or place to be having a moral debate with herself!
Just then, Luna asked the first question.
"How did your spying mission go, Madz?"
Madz thoughts raced. Should she betray the Entertainers by telling the truth, or lie to the Vespers to save Joanna?
Luna's eyes darkened with suspicion. Madz knew she had to answer quickly.
"My mission went very well,'' Madz replied calmly. "I infiltrated the Entertainers and even brought you back this prisoner." She hesitated for an instant. "I don't think they are a real threat to us," she continued. "They are a pretty low-quality organization." That's true, isn't it? She asked herself. Yes. They hardly had any agents and their technology was weak.
She looked across the table at Joanna.
Joanna's first response had been shock when she heard that Madz was a spy, but that turned to anger when she heard the Entertainers described as 'low-quality'. But she kept silent as she was escorted out of the interrogation room.
Back at the Entertainer headquarters, Leo swore bitterly. How could that have gone wrong?
He knew from experience that Madz had helped the Cahills before. But her loyalties must be too strong for her to blatantly betray them. Leo called Carlo on his cell. The situation was too serious for him to leave and miss another word of Madz' conversation with Luna.
"What's wrong now?" Carlo answered.
"The Madz situation didn't work out like we'd hoped," Leo told him.
There was silence on the other end.
"Now we have a lone Entertainer out there in a Vesper prison," Leo said. "What do you propose we do?"
Carlo sighed. "Send one of your people," he told him. "This is really bad."
Leo hung up, then stared for a long time at a stain on his desk. He listened to Madz conversation with Luna, but he thought about what Carlo had said. He did not register any emotion when the bugs were found on Joanna and Madz and disabled. The room became quiet.
By 'one of your people' he had meant one of Leo's connections from the past. Carlo knew that he had some very dangerous contacts. Leo didn't really want to use them, since many were the kind of people he did not want involved with the Entertainers. But he knew one of them who was perfect for the job. An old friend of a friend who had seemed innocent enough last time Leo had seen him. A lot could change, but...
Leo forced himself to stop thinking and dialed a number on his phone.
The voice that picked up on the other end sounded much older and more care worn. "Hello?"
"Hello, Ben. This is Leo. Remember me? I was wondering if you could help me with a little job..."
Ian,
Evan and Calypso:
Ian Kabra sat on the
couch in the Cahill mansion living room. He was trying to read a report about
Natalie's kidnapping, but that irritating author was talking loudly to the new
Ekat girl, Calypso.
Ian sighed dramatically, hoping they would take a hint and quiet down. They ignored him.
Thankfully, just then Evan rushed into the room, looking anxious. Calypso excused herself then followed him into the kitchen. Ian wondered what they were talking about, but he told himself that saving Natalie was much more important than satisfying his own curiosity.
He continued to read, but after a few moments he couldn't take it anymore. The report was dreadfully boring. Something about the fabrication of an ordinary Harrods changing room compared to the one Natalie was captured in. He set down the papers and snuck into the kitchen. Calypso and Evan were at the far side with their backs to him. He slipped into the pantry.
He could easily hear Calypso speaking.
"Sinead? How could she... I suppose we'll have to dispose of her somehow."
Evan's voice broke in. "DISPOSE? Like kill her? You're evil!"
"Well what else are we going to do? Sinead is a very smart Ekat. If she's helping them, they could very well get what they want." Calypso's voice was firm.
"They will know we are spies if we just go up and shoot her!" Evan protested.
"I didn't say we would shoot her! I said dispose, like catch her and tie-" Suddenly she stopped. "Was the pantry door open a little when we came in?"
Ian began to sweat. He hadn't closed the door all the way, worried it might click when it closed. He thought fast. Spies... already? They were obviously ruthless. He looked frantically around the pantry, hoping to find something to help him. Maybe...
Calypso flung open the door.
Inside, Evan saw Ian, holding a box of Easter Peeps with a guilty look on his face.
"What are you doing?" Calypso demanded.
Ian smiled. She hadn't directly accused him of listening to their conversation. Bad move, girl. "Well, I'm supposed to be watching my weight," he began, "but I really, really, REALLY like these things. I can't stop. They are amazing. Like when Amy and I were vacationing in Korea, we stopped by a gas station and the only normal thing they had was a box of these. So Amy bought them-"
Evan cut him off. "Why would she buy the food when you are seriously rich?"
"Don't interrupt. Amy is nice. Anyways, we ate Easter Peeps in the light of a full Korean moon. It was wonderful. It makes me sad just thinking about the way we are now, and-"
"Okay, we get it." Calypso still looked suspicious, while Evan just looked embarrassed. Ian smiled gratefully and left the kitchen. When he was gone, Evan turned to Calypso.
"Was he telling the truth?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. But we definitely need to watch Ian very carefully from now on."
Ian sighed dramatically, hoping they would take a hint and quiet down. They ignored him.
Thankfully, just then Evan rushed into the room, looking anxious. Calypso excused herself then followed him into the kitchen. Ian wondered what they were talking about, but he told himself that saving Natalie was much more important than satisfying his own curiosity.
He continued to read, but after a few moments he couldn't take it anymore. The report was dreadfully boring. Something about the fabrication of an ordinary Harrods changing room compared to the one Natalie was captured in. He set down the papers and snuck into the kitchen. Calypso and Evan were at the far side with their backs to him. He slipped into the pantry.
He could easily hear Calypso speaking.
"Sinead? How could she... I suppose we'll have to dispose of her somehow."
Evan's voice broke in. "DISPOSE? Like kill her? You're evil!"
"Well what else are we going to do? Sinead is a very smart Ekat. If she's helping them, they could very well get what they want." Calypso's voice was firm.
"They will know we are spies if we just go up and shoot her!" Evan protested.
"I didn't say we would shoot her! I said dispose, like catch her and tie-" Suddenly she stopped. "Was the pantry door open a little when we came in?"
Ian began to sweat. He hadn't closed the door all the way, worried it might click when it closed. He thought fast. Spies... already? They were obviously ruthless. He looked frantically around the pantry, hoping to find something to help him. Maybe...
Calypso flung open the door.
Inside, Evan saw Ian, holding a box of Easter Peeps with a guilty look on his face.
"What are you doing?" Calypso demanded.
Ian smiled. She hadn't directly accused him of listening to their conversation. Bad move, girl. "Well, I'm supposed to be watching my weight," he began, "but I really, really, REALLY like these things. I can't stop. They are amazing. Like when Amy and I were vacationing in Korea, we stopped by a gas station and the only normal thing they had was a box of these. So Amy bought them-"
Evan cut him off. "Why would she buy the food when you are seriously rich?"
"Don't interrupt. Amy is nice. Anyways, we ate Easter Peeps in the light of a full Korean moon. It was wonderful. It makes me sad just thinking about the way we are now, and-"
"Okay, we get it." Calypso still looked suspicious, while Evan just looked embarrassed. Ian smiled gratefully and left the kitchen. When he was gone, Evan turned to Calypso.
"Was he telling the truth?" he asked.
"I'm not sure. But we definitely need to watch Ian very carefully from now on."
Leo and Ben:
Leo gritted his teeth. There were stressed people
rushing around everywhere. Though he couldn't see them, he could hear their
scampering feet going to and fro outside his door. No wonder people call it the rat race,
he thought absently. He got up and went to the door, bracing himself for the
tide of humanity on the other side.
He opened it and stepped into the hallway. He shoved people to the sides and made his way to Carlo's office.
When Carlo saw him coming, he dismissed the other Entertainers in the room.
"What are we going to do?" he asked Leo. "We knew there would be some problems, but this is awful! How could you think you could trust that Vesper? And who knows how long it will be until that Janus spy turns on us?"
"I have things under control," Leo replied.
Carlo sighed and put his head in his hands. Leo watched him impassively. He knew this was going to be hard. His whole life had been hard, so why should this part be any different? But Carlo wasn't used to this constant pressure.
Suddenly Leo spoke. "Carlo, you need to take a day off. I'll work your office. You go home and relax a little."
Carlo put up a small fuss, but both of them knew he was exhausted. Soon he was headed home, and Leo was sitting at his desk. He answered the questions of other Entertainers who dropped by, and did the necessary paper work and research on both the Vespers and Cahills.
Sometime in the late afternoon, he got a visitor.
A thin, tall young man walked into the office. Leo recognized him and shut his laptop.
"Hello, Ben," he began. "I was hoping you would come."
"What do you want me for?" Ben asked. Leo hadn't remembered him being so defensive. Time can certainly change people, he thought.
"I'm not going to tell you much about my organization. All you need to know is, I need you to go to Attleboro and see what you can do about Sinead Starling. She is a mole for the Vespers there, and she can do a lot of damage."
"Does she need... disposal?" Ben asked calmly.
"No, at least not right now. I need you to make sure she does as little harm as possible. If she becomes suspicious, she will probably kill you."
Ben nodded. Leo handed him a folder with money and plane tickets, along with a cover story. Ben took it and left.
He took a taxi to the Florence International Airport, where he waited for his plane to come in. As he waited, Ben thought.
Several weeks ago, Vespers had come to his apartment asking questions about Irena. When they'd decided he knew nothing and left, he had hurried to her house and warned her to leave. She'd said a quick goodbye, then had fled the country, and perhaps even the continent. She had sent him post cards for a while, but they had stopped abruptly a few weeks ago. He had collapsed into depression. Then Leo had called with a job.
I know she would want me to do this, he thought. If she's also been taken hostage, I can help her. And if- his mind refused to think of it for a second - if she's dead, then I will be honoring her memory.
Just then his flight number was called, and he walked toward the plane that would take him to Attleboro - and hopefully, revenge.
He opened it and stepped into the hallway. He shoved people to the sides and made his way to Carlo's office.
When Carlo saw him coming, he dismissed the other Entertainers in the room.
"What are we going to do?" he asked Leo. "We knew there would be some problems, but this is awful! How could you think you could trust that Vesper? And who knows how long it will be until that Janus spy turns on us?"
"I have things under control," Leo replied.
Carlo sighed and put his head in his hands. Leo watched him impassively. He knew this was going to be hard. His whole life had been hard, so why should this part be any different? But Carlo wasn't used to this constant pressure.
Suddenly Leo spoke. "Carlo, you need to take a day off. I'll work your office. You go home and relax a little."
Carlo put up a small fuss, but both of them knew he was exhausted. Soon he was headed home, and Leo was sitting at his desk. He answered the questions of other Entertainers who dropped by, and did the necessary paper work and research on both the Vespers and Cahills.
Sometime in the late afternoon, he got a visitor.
A thin, tall young man walked into the office. Leo recognized him and shut his laptop.
"Hello, Ben," he began. "I was hoping you would come."
"What do you want me for?" Ben asked. Leo hadn't remembered him being so defensive. Time can certainly change people, he thought.
"I'm not going to tell you much about my organization. All you need to know is, I need you to go to Attleboro and see what you can do about Sinead Starling. She is a mole for the Vespers there, and she can do a lot of damage."
"Does she need... disposal?" Ben asked calmly.
"No, at least not right now. I need you to make sure she does as little harm as possible. If she becomes suspicious, she will probably kill you."
Ben nodded. Leo handed him a folder with money and plane tickets, along with a cover story. Ben took it and left.
He took a taxi to the Florence International Airport, where he waited for his plane to come in. As he waited, Ben thought.
Several weeks ago, Vespers had come to his apartment asking questions about Irena. When they'd decided he knew nothing and left, he had hurried to her house and warned her to leave. She'd said a quick goodbye, then had fled the country, and perhaps even the continent. She had sent him post cards for a while, but they had stopped abruptly a few weeks ago. He had collapsed into depression. Then Leo had called with a job.
I know she would want me to do this, he thought. If she's also been taken hostage, I can help her. And if- his mind refused to think of it for a second - if she's dead, then I will be honoring her memory.
Just then his flight number was called, and he walked toward the plane that would take him to Attleboro - and hopefully, revenge.
Joanna:
Joanna was having a
very difficult time in the Vesper base.
She had been taken past the normal cells, and had been thrown into the section marked ασήμαντος - unimportant.
The cells she had passed contained few people she recognized. Some of them had little plaques next to them, stating their name and 'offence'. She passed a nerdy looking blogger who must have gotten too nosy, a museum guard who had noticed a Vesper artifact, an innocent bystander who had witnessed a break-in... insignificant people. Joanna's blood started boiling. The Vespers had totally written the Entertainers off as the tiniest threat.
When they got to her cell, she didn't resist as she was tossed in. The guard locked her barred door, then left without a word. Joanna decided that since there was nothing else to do, she would rest. She curled up on the tiny bunk that was the only furniture in the room and went to sleep.
When she awoke several hours later, she saw a plate of boiled potatoes sitting inside her door. She ate the cold spuds, then looked around her cell for means of escape.
Minutes later, she began to realize the impossibility of her situation. The walls were very solid, with no seams or cracks. The welder who had made the the iron door must have been a professional in his trade. The bars were well made.
She breifly thought about escaping when she was given food, but then she noticed a thin space in the door where it must be slid in. They have to let me use the bathroom! She thought, then she saw the large round hole in the floor next to her bunk. It had a small plaque above it that said: 'Specially Provided for Your Personal Use'. Oh, that is totally disgusting! Joanna grimaced in revultion.
"You'll get used to it."
Joanna jumped. She turned around, then saw that across the hall from her cell, there was another prisoner.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"Just another 'unimportant' prisoner. They decided I knew too much." The other prisoner walked to the door of her cell so she could see Joanna better. "My name is Irena Spasky."
She had been taken past the normal cells, and had been thrown into the section marked ασήμαντος - unimportant.
The cells she had passed contained few people she recognized. Some of them had little plaques next to them, stating their name and 'offence'. She passed a nerdy looking blogger who must have gotten too nosy, a museum guard who had noticed a Vesper artifact, an innocent bystander who had witnessed a break-in... insignificant people. Joanna's blood started boiling. The Vespers had totally written the Entertainers off as the tiniest threat.
When they got to her cell, she didn't resist as she was tossed in. The guard locked her barred door, then left without a word. Joanna decided that since there was nothing else to do, she would rest. She curled up on the tiny bunk that was the only furniture in the room and went to sleep.
When she awoke several hours later, she saw a plate of boiled potatoes sitting inside her door. She ate the cold spuds, then looked around her cell for means of escape.
Minutes later, she began to realize the impossibility of her situation. The walls were very solid, with no seams or cracks. The welder who had made the the iron door must have been a professional in his trade. The bars were well made.
She breifly thought about escaping when she was given food, but then she noticed a thin space in the door where it must be slid in. They have to let me use the bathroom! She thought, then she saw the large round hole in the floor next to her bunk. It had a small plaque above it that said: 'Specially Provided for Your Personal Use'. Oh, that is totally disgusting! Joanna grimaced in revultion.
"You'll get used to it."
Joanna jumped. She turned around, then saw that across the hall from her cell, there was another prisoner.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"Just another 'unimportant' prisoner. They decided I knew too much." The other prisoner walked to the door of her cell so she could see Joanna better. "My name is Irena Spasky."
The Entertainers in Attleboro:
Ben didn't make much of a stir when he got to Attleboro. New guests were
coming rather frequently still, though a few had left.
When he arrived, he went directly to Evan's room and met with him and Calypso there. After a bit of small talk and checking for bugs (which they found two of) they got down to business.
"What is the problem?" Ben asked.
"There are actually two problems we have right now," Calypso told him. "Most importantly, the Sinead issue. The other one is, we think Ian might be spying on us." She gestured toward the smashed bugs.
Ben gave her a cold look. "I thought you were a professional. How did Ian get into this?"
"He's pretty good at espionage too," Evan said, slightly offended. "Remember? He's been trained almost since birth!"
Calypso answered more calmly. "He turned up in the pantry when we were discussing plans. I don't know how much, if any, he heard."
Ben snorted derisively. "While you guys are playing spy with Ian, I'll take care of Sinead." He looked at his old friends' stunned expressions. "I think I can take care of this a little more professionally." He got up and left the room.
Calypso and Evan sat quietly for a moment.
"That was... weird," Evan said finally.
"Yeah. I didn't know Ben for very long, but he seems different," Calypso agreed. "I know the leaders of the Entertainers chose him for this, but I think we should watch him a bit more carefully. Who knows what's wrong with him."
Calypso and Evan didn't know it, but two other people had been listening to their conversation.
In Florence, Leo was frowning over the footage from the listening devices in their pockets.
Evan and Calypso were very qualified for their post. Ben had no right to tell them otherwise. Also, he had asked him to work with the Entertainers, not against them. There was something in Ben's voice that had sounded very angry. And perhaps not even sane.
Leo asked himself the same question that Calypso had asked Evan. What is wrong with that guy?
When he arrived, he went directly to Evan's room and met with him and Calypso there. After a bit of small talk and checking for bugs (which they found two of) they got down to business.
"What is the problem?" Ben asked.
"There are actually two problems we have right now," Calypso told him. "Most importantly, the Sinead issue. The other one is, we think Ian might be spying on us." She gestured toward the smashed bugs.
Ben gave her a cold look. "I thought you were a professional. How did Ian get into this?"
"He's pretty good at espionage too," Evan said, slightly offended. "Remember? He's been trained almost since birth!"
Calypso answered more calmly. "He turned up in the pantry when we were discussing plans. I don't know how much, if any, he heard."
Ben snorted derisively. "While you guys are playing spy with Ian, I'll take care of Sinead." He looked at his old friends' stunned expressions. "I think I can take care of this a little more professionally." He got up and left the room.
Calypso and Evan sat quietly for a moment.
"That was... weird," Evan said finally.
"Yeah. I didn't know Ben for very long, but he seems different," Calypso agreed. "I know the leaders of the Entertainers chose him for this, but I think we should watch him a bit more carefully. Who knows what's wrong with him."
Calypso and Evan didn't know it, but two other people had been listening to their conversation.
In Florence, Leo was frowning over the footage from the listening devices in their pockets.
Evan and Calypso were very qualified for their post. Ben had no right to tell them otherwise. Also, he had asked him to work with the Entertainers, not against them. There was something in Ben's voice that had sounded very angry. And perhaps not even sane.
Leo asked himself the same question that Calypso had asked Evan. What is wrong with that guy?
But the other person
listening wasn't so worried about Ben's sanity. He was worried about these
three mysterious people who seemed to be out to get Sinead.
Ian sighed. The things he had heard hadn't really cleared up any of his questions.
He allowed himself a small smile. It may have not been a very helpful excursion, but he had had a chance to work on his Lucian skills. The spies had missed not one, but two of his hidden bugs. Even the 'Professional Bloke' as Ian had humorously labeled Ben, wasn't as good at stealth as him.
The questions remained. Why were they after Sinead? And who are these 'Entertainers'?
Ian sighed. The things he had heard hadn't really cleared up any of his questions.
He allowed himself a small smile. It may have not been a very helpful excursion, but he had had a chance to work on his Lucian skills. The spies had missed not one, but two of his hidden bugs. Even the 'Professional Bloke' as Ian had humorously labeled Ben, wasn't as good at stealth as him.
The questions remained. Why were they after Sinead? And who are these 'Entertainers'?
Joanna:
Joanna gasped in shock.
"You're Irena? That is so cool! Well, not that you're down here, but I mean that-"
"I understand," Irena said knowingly. "We will certainly have some time to catch up."
"Yep," responded another voice.
Irena and Joanna both looked toward the sound.
Madz was walking down the long corridor. She was still a guard, and this was her week's patrol. Madz was sure that a higher up Vesper had assigned it so she would be extra mean to Joanna. Some of the Vespers were despicable.
"Here are your guys' potatoes," she said calmly. Irena said nothing, and Joanna gave her a long glare.
"Don't look at me that way!" Madz reproached.
"How can I not?" Joanna asked, her low voice full of fury. "I thought you were my friend! And then you turned on me!"
"Actually, I probably saved you from a lot worse. The Entertainers thing was bound to collapse. It's just one teensy little organization, and they hardly have any funds. Plus, I doubt you'll be down here long. Probably just till' the Cahills help us build the Doomsday- I mean, ‘til things quiet down."
"Shut up!" Joanna screeched. Madz complied and gave them their food in silence.
Joanna gasped in shock.
"You're Irena? That is so cool! Well, not that you're down here, but I mean that-"
"I understand," Irena said knowingly. "We will certainly have some time to catch up."
"Yep," responded another voice.
Irena and Joanna both looked toward the sound.
Madz was walking down the long corridor. She was still a guard, and this was her week's patrol. Madz was sure that a higher up Vesper had assigned it so she would be extra mean to Joanna. Some of the Vespers were despicable.
"Here are your guys' potatoes," she said calmly. Irena said nothing, and Joanna gave her a long glare.
"Don't look at me that way!" Madz reproached.
"How can I not?" Joanna asked, her low voice full of fury. "I thought you were my friend! And then you turned on me!"
"Actually, I probably saved you from a lot worse. The Entertainers thing was bound to collapse. It's just one teensy little organization, and they hardly have any funds. Plus, I doubt you'll be down here long. Probably just till' the Cahills help us build the Doomsday- I mean, ‘til things quiet down."
"Shut up!" Joanna screeched. Madz complied and gave them their food in silence.
Leo:
If Leo had heard Madz, he might have agreed wholeheartedly.
The Entertainers were going into debt, and it had only been three days since the Cahill kidnappings.
Leo was walking down the hall to Carlo's office. He could hear one of those American songs Carlo listened to, to improve his English. It was shouting full blast from his laptop;
"Livin' on love, buyin' on time
without somebody nothin' ain't worth a dime.
It's like an old-fashioned story-tale rhyme,
livin' on love..."
Leo shut it off. "That stuff doesn't teach you anything about English," he told Carlo. " 'Aint' isn't even a real word!"
Carlo laughed. "It sounds nice though," he remarked. Then he grew serious. "What is the problem?"
"Well," Leo responded, "they may be able to 'live on love’, but according to our creditors, that's not the currency in this neighborhood. We're going broke, Carlo."
"I know it," Carlo replied. "But what are we going to do about it?"
"I was hoping you'd know."
The two friends sat there in silence, each of them knowing what would have to be done.
Carlo didn't speak. He knew he couldn't state the painful obvious to his friend.
"I suppose I will go back to my night job for a few days," Leo said finally.
The weak joke didn't throw Carlo off. This was a serious thing.
Leo had to become an assassin. Again.
If Leo had heard Madz, he might have agreed wholeheartedly.
The Entertainers were going into debt, and it had only been three days since the Cahill kidnappings.
Leo was walking down the hall to Carlo's office. He could hear one of those American songs Carlo listened to, to improve his English. It was shouting full blast from his laptop;
"Livin' on love, buyin' on time
without somebody nothin' ain't worth a dime.
It's like an old-fashioned story-tale rhyme,
livin' on love..."
Leo shut it off. "That stuff doesn't teach you anything about English," he told Carlo. " 'Aint' isn't even a real word!"
Carlo laughed. "It sounds nice though," he remarked. Then he grew serious. "What is the problem?"
"Well," Leo responded, "they may be able to 'live on love’, but according to our creditors, that's not the currency in this neighborhood. We're going broke, Carlo."
"I know it," Carlo replied. "But what are we going to do about it?"
"I was hoping you'd know."
The two friends sat there in silence, each of them knowing what would have to be done.
Carlo didn't speak. He knew he couldn't state the painful obvious to his friend.
"I suppose I will go back to my night job for a few days," Leo said finally.
The weak joke didn't throw Carlo off. This was a serious thing.
Leo had to become an assassin. Again.
The funds came in and the debt was paid off. Still Leo hunted every night, a breadwinner for his only family; the Entertainers.
While Leo was working in Firenze, Joanna was moldering away in the Vesper prison. Not much happened, beside the two meals of boiled cabbage and potatoes. She could feel herself getting weaker every day with the inadequate food and no exercise.
Sometimes she would talk to Irena. Her fellow prisoner would tell stories about her days with the KGB, but she would often begin to sniffle in the middle when she remembered the lives that had been lost, and others that were still living but shouldn't be.
Madz would come by to give them their food, but she didn't talk. Joanna wasn't sure if she was guilty or just didn't care about what she had done any more.
Considering all factors, on the fifth day in the cell, Joanna decided that this was probably the worst place to live on the entire earth.
Evan and Calypso had a slightly less uncomfortable situation, but not much.
They could eat better meals than Joanna, but they were always watched by the prying eyes of Ian and Ben.
Beside that, they had to watch Sinead. She was surprisingly good at covering up her tracks - unless you knew what to look for. Evan was amazed that none of the people she was working with could notice the signs: she was paranoid about them seeing her email, she wouldn't let anyone help her with some projects, and she insisted on 'helping' with others. Calypso told him they probably thought she was grieving for Ned.
Ben watched them, hoping to catch them doing something wrong so he could report them to HQ.
Ian had bugs all over the house to listen to them.
Had they got the chance, they probably would have switched places with Joanna in a heartbeat.
Things were spiraling down. People were collapsing into despair and stress. The Entertainers were quavering, more than they had when debt was the only problem.
Then something happened that changed everything - even the dull order of the Vesper prison.
Leo:
It started with Leo.
As usual, he went to a decrepit old bar, a known hangout for clients. He was well-known, and after a few minutes he was approached by a possible buyer. Leo looked him up and down critically.
He was pretty young to be paying to have someone killed. Also, though he was dressed in black leather and was wearing large, dark sunglasses, Leo noticed that he was quite short. He had wild, longish curly hair. Leo took all of this in the moment he started toward him.
"Are you Leo?" the stranger asked in a startlingly melodious voice.
"Yes. Do you have a job for me?"
"Of course. Why else would I be here?" he asked, looking around the dingy bar in disgust.
"Let's go outside then." Leo couldn't risk anyone overhearing.
When they'd gotten outside, Leo began to ask his normal questions; Who was he to kill, Where were they, and How much money would he be paid?
He was in for a surprise.
"I need you to dispose of Jonah Wizard."
"No way."
He could see his answer angered the would-be client excessively. His slim body tensed in fury, and the muscles in his neck began to bulge.
"Excuse me? You are a hitman. Plus, why wouldn't you want to kill him? Do you like his music?" he asked tauntingly.
"Why do you think I can't choose who I kill?" Leo asked calmly.
"Because you are a hitman! That means you do what I say, then I pay you. Is that too difficult?"
"I'm an assassin. It's different. Why do you want him dead?"
"I have a band and we are way better than him. But we keep getting ignored, because everyone is so into Jonah."
"I can't kill Jonah. He is too important."
"Well, I'm not going to want an ordinary person put down, am I!"
"No deal," Leo said simply, and walked away.
No comments:
Post a Comment