| Subject: Hope (Untitled) - Chapter 5 |
Author:
Athena4
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Date Posted: 18:28:04 07/20/03 Sun
In reply to:
Athena4
's message, "Hope (Untitled)" on 18:20:25 07/20/03 Sun
They were waiting for George when he arrived. A blast of wind followed him into the bar, disturbing the patrons sitting closest to the door. They glared and swore, rough voices rising above the others before quelled by the equally uncouth bartender.
Madeline smiled wryly at Egran across their booth in the corner. The venue had been chosen, at least partially, to make George uncomfortable – and it seemed to be working. He looked nervously about the smoke-filled room, one hand in the pocket of his coat, probably gripping a weapon, the other clenched at his side.
Egran slid gingerly out of the booth, favouring his injured leg. With a quick nod towards Ben and Natasha, seated at the far side of the room, he approached George, gesturing towards the table were Madeline was sitting.
One final quick glance about the room, and he followed, unzippering his coat, but leaving his one hand clenched in his pocket. Madeline sipped her beer as he approached, recoiling slightly at its pungent taste. It hadn’t been her first choice – or even her fiftieth, but, lacking a decent bottle of Merlot, it was all this dive had to set the mood she wanted; relaxed, casual, and non-threatening.
George stopped beside the table, and she smiled, gesturing him to slide onto the bench across from her. He hesitated, eyeing Egran warily, but did as she indicated, sitting awkwardly. “We’re unarmed,” she began, gesturing towards his hand, still in his pocket. She placed both of hers on the table before her and Egran did the same, having brought a chair up to the side of the booth.
With a small smile, George did the same, then shrugged out of his parka. “Charming establishment, Madeline,” he smirked, pouring himself a mug of beer out of the pitcher in the centre of the table. “Your tastes have changed.”
“Mere necessity,” she replied, surveying the room. “It’s unlikely we’ll be disturbed. Or overheard.” She paused, catching his gaze across the table. “Besides, there aren’t a lot of other options this far north – unless you have a fondness for wildlife.”
For a split second, she caught a hint of discomfort in his expression, then it was gone. “And what was important enough to drag me out here? “
“The attack on Five.”
“Is not my concern.”
“We believe it is.” Egran leaned forward in his chair, rolling his glass between his hands. George looked back and forth between them, his expression unreadable.
“If you have some evidence regarding the attack, Centre will look into it. You’re wasting my time. “
“I think it’s better for all concerned if Centre never sees this,” Madeline said, pulling up an knapsack from the bench next to her and placing it on the table before George. “Leave us, Egran?”
Egran nodded, taking a seat at the bar – within view, but outside hearing. He knew her suspicions about One, but she hadn’t been willing to reveal what, exactly, she held over George’s head. Certain secrets, certain weaknesses were more powerful in her hands than anybody else’s.
“Open it,” she said. He hesitated only a moment, then unzipped it, looking inside. “I would leave that in there; they don’t take kindly to weapons in this place.”
“Where did you get this?” he said breathlessly.
“That’s one of at least twelve. We found them after the attack, on the hostiles.”
“But this is - ”
“Section One issue? I know.”
“You think Adrian was behind the attack on your Substation?”
“Or a coalition of Sections.; but I’m fairly certain she spearheaded it. I’m just not sure why,” she paused, leaning forward, meeting his gaze levelly. “That’s where you come in.”
“What do you want?”
“If it is Adrian, she’ll try again. I want to know if its personal, and I want my people dispersed; out of this hellhole, somewhere where they have a chance.”
“That’s impossible. They were all abeyance - ”
“I don’t care,” she said harshly. “Have the charges dropped. Get them out of here.”
“Why should I help you?” he asked, voice level. Carefully, he pulled the knapsack off the table and down onto the seat next to him.
“Because Centre is going to start asking questions – they already have. If I go to them with this evidence, Adrian won’t survive the inquiry.” She paused, giving him a moment to think about her words, then made sure to meet his gaze before continuing. “And, I don’t think you want to lose her.”
“But, if you help me, I can push this evidence under the rug, make it vanish – and present irrefutable evidence of Soviet involvement – KGB involvement - in the attack on Five.”
“Adrian is on her own in this,” he said carefully. His voice quavered a bit, and Madeline hid a smile. “She dug her own grave.”
“I thought you might say that.”
“You did.”
“Yes.”
“There’s something else you ought to consider.”
“And that would be?”
“Why I’m here, at Five.” He looked up at her, clearly perplexed, so she continued. “It was more than Adrian’s vendetta. I was a scapegoat.”
“For?”
“Your pet project. The Twins.”
George looked quickly towards where Egran sat at the bar, then back towards her, brow furrowed. “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” he said, but his expression showed that he understood perfectly.
“I did a little research before I left One. Turns out you didn’t have authorization to assign a team to us. They weren’t properly trained – and their use has yet to be condoned by Agency. You went behind their back, through Adrian, and we lost Ryker because of it.”
She paused, giving her words time to sink in. “And so, I’m here, and Francis, the muscle behind Ryker’s interrogation, has been cancelled. All evidence that your team was there, erased. All evidence except what I gathered before I left.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“Am I?” Madeline chuckled. “Are you sure?”
George swallowed and paled, looking once more in Egran’s direction. Egran smirked, giving him a wink. “And,” she continued, smiling conspiratorially at Egran, before turning back to her victim. “If you think all this evidence will simply vanish in another attack on Five. You’re mistaken.
“I can make it all go away, George. I’m willing to remain the scapegoat. I’m willing to let Adrian off scot-free. All I want is assurances; all I want is a chance for my people. After all they’ve been through, they deserve it.”
As Madeline moved to rise, Egran joined her, helping her stand. Her ribs screamed in pain, and she bit back a groan, forcing her mouth into a smile for George’s benefit. “We’ll be waiting to hear from you.”
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