'Perhaps later, after we've concluded out business.'
He stopped with the glass still raised. 'Business? What business? You've caught us dead to rights. We're finished. After this breaks, Mercury Security is over. You've ruined my company and me, you heartless bitch.'
'No, that you did all by yourself. However, I have a solution for you. Let's say that I'm not representing MI-6 or the British government right now.'
Terrence's sweating brow frowned in annoyance. 'I don't understand…'
'That's fine, but just go with it. I'm not here to arrest you or to dismantle your company, Terrence. In fact, I'm here to offer the opposite. I can make this all go away, for you, and for Mercury. No one outside of you, me and a small, select group of people ever need know that it happened at all.'
'Why would you do that?' he asked.
'Because your company is worth more to us intact than torn apart. Mercury Security has its fingers in some very nasty pies, and the people I work with want to know what's happening in those kitchens, to extend the metaphor.'
'You want me to be a double agent — spy on my own people?'
Samantha picked up her glass and sipped the chardonnay, then set it down again. 'Again, an excellent recommendation. It's either that or you stand trial for treason, of which you will most assuredly be found guilty. Your choice, of course.'
Terrence visibly deflated, any semblance of the polished, refined gentleman disappearing as he hunched over in his seat.
There was a long silence before he mumbled the words that Kate wanted to hear: 'I accept your terms.'
'Excellent.' Samantha rose from the table. 'So glad to have reached such an amicable solution, Terrence. My people will set up the details. Oh, and it was
Kate hit a button on her phone.
Samantha's voice answered. 'Yes?'
'That was marvelously done,' she said.
'I must admit it gave me a small amount of pleasure. However, I would have given it all up if our team had survived instead.'
'You and I both. Still, a masterful job. I have a feeling that this is going to pay off huge in time.'
'Yes, I do, as well. Who knows — we may even subcontract with them for some of our messier jobs.'
'I'm not sure I'd go that far. Take the rest of the night off,' Kate said.
'I'll be drawing a bath and rewarding myself with a good, long soak. What about you?'
'Believe me, there's a bed calling my name this very minute. Thanks again, Samantha.'
'No problem at all, Kate. Get some rest yourself — and that's an order.'
'Message received. Goodnight.'
Kate set her phone down, turned it off and took out her earpiece. She'd need at least six hours of rest, then the whole thing would start over again.
As she undressed and walked into the tiled bathroom, she pondered Samantha's words. While she also would have given up the chance to turn Terrence in exchange for her Midnight Team's survival, those decisions always had to be made sooner or later, or else very bad things would happen. And Kate knew that, no matter what the consequences, the responsibility for those decisions rested squarely on her shoulders.
And I would make them again if I had to, if it meant accomplishing what we have tonight, she thought as she stepped into the shower. I would make the same one every single time. But even though she made the water as hot as she could stand it, Kate never truly felt warm, not then, nor under the thick blankets on the bed. Her sleep, however, was relatively untroubled and in the end, that was all she ever could ask for.
