nothing until something happens to force our hand.”
Collins stood. "I'm not going with your recommendation. I want the others terminated and I want everything collected like it should have been years ago."
"Are you ordering me to do this?" Nero asked.
"Yes."
"You don't quite have that power."
"I speak for those who do and you know who they are," Collins hissed.
“You also understand my mandate,” Nero said. “I am to do as ordered as long as it is in the best interests of the country.”
“We--” Collins thumped his chest-- “the politicians are elected to determine exactly that.”
“In most cases that is true,” Nero said, “which is why the Cellar takes action only infrequently. However, political squabbling between the parties might not be in the best interests of the country.”
“You went along with the initial mission,” Collins noted.
“The mission was recovery of damaging material,” Nero said.
“The recovery turned out to be a disaster,” Collins said.
“Everyone knows what happened in Mogadishu,” Nero said. “They even made a movie about it.”
“But people don’t know the real reason it happened.”
“The fake reason was real enough,” Nero said. “Or else I would not have allowed the mission. The failure had nothing to do with the fake or real mission. That was the vagaries of battle.”
“Damn you Nero.” Collins fought to get under control. “At the time the material recovered wasn’t that big of a deal,” Collins said. “Recent events have changed that. Regardless, you’re involved.”
Nero’s wand made a scratching noise that might have been laughter. “I am always involved.”
“Just do what I told you to,” Collins snapped.
Nero regarded the other man, dressed in his finely cut suit for several moments.
“If you don’t act, I’ll get the Agency involved,” the Senator threatened.
A gargling sound came out of the wand. It took the Senator a few moments before he realized it was indeed laughter. Nero inclined his head. "As you wish."
Collins stalked out of the office. It was only when he was in the elevator heading toward the surface that he realized Nero had never really answered him.
CHAPTER 6
It was a simple shot. Just a few feet to the hole, but Hannah watched as her putt veered to the left and threatened to leave the green. She turned and gave her partners a feeble grin. "I guess I'm not having a good day."
"No kidding," Sara muttered as she marked the scorecard, then selected her club and moved forward.
Rita and Amelia were with their own cart, about thirty feet away. It was a windy day and Hannah could catch snatches of their conversation.
"Michael said there's a lot of trouble at John's firm," Rita was saying. "He said everyone's in a tizzy. I also heard that there's another woman involved."
"Another woman?" Amelia asked, her voice rising, then just as quickly going down. "Who?"
"I don't know. Some secretary at one of those firms they contract with."
Amelia frowned. Hannah was watching her out of the corner of her eye. For all Hannah knew, there was another woman, but she was pretty sure that was just a juicy tidbit someone had added for interest's sake. Hannah had watched the gossip hotline for years, never participating. She couldn't claim ethical responsibility, rather it was a case of not giving a damn. She had never anticipated having the spotlight thrown on her.
"I talked to Celia Brumley," Amelia added her own inside scoop. "She didn't say anything about another woman, but she did say John took everything. There's some question of criminal acts."
"My God!" Sara exclaimed. She looked over at Hannah, who raised her eyes and met the gaze. Sara's face twisted in what must have been an attempt at a smile but looked more like a grimace.
Hannah wasn't surprised. She knew the story would make the rounds quickly. She wished she could gripe to John that their lawyer had a big mouth. She walked toward her cart, causing the women
Collins stood. "I'm not going with your recommendation. I want the others terminated and I want everything collected like it should have been years ago."
"Are you ordering me to do this?" Nero asked.
"Yes."
"You don't quite have that power."
"I speak for those who do and you know who they are," Collins hissed.
“You also understand my mandate,” Nero said. “I am to do as ordered as long as it is in the best interests of the country.”
“We--” Collins thumped his chest-- “the politicians are elected to determine exactly that.”
“In most cases that is true,” Nero said, “which is why the Cellar takes action only infrequently. However, political squabbling between the parties might not be in the best interests of the country.”
“You went along with the initial mission,” Collins noted.
“The mission was recovery of damaging material,” Nero said.
“The recovery turned out to be a disaster,” Collins said.
“Everyone knows what happened in Mogadishu,” Nero said. “They even made a movie about it.”
“But people don’t know the real reason it happened.”
“The fake reason was real enough,” Nero said. “Or else I would not have allowed the mission. The failure had nothing to do with the fake or real mission. That was the vagaries of battle.”
“Damn you Nero.” Collins fought to get under control. “At the time the material recovered wasn’t that big of a deal,” Collins said. “Recent events have changed that. Regardless, you’re involved.”
Nero’s wand made a scratching noise that might have been laughter. “I am always involved.”
“Just do what I told you to,” Collins snapped.
Nero regarded the other man, dressed in his finely cut suit for several moments.
“If you don’t act, I’ll get the Agency involved,” the Senator threatened.
A gargling sound came out of the wand. It took the Senator a few moments before he realized it was indeed laughter. Nero inclined his head. "As you wish."
Collins stalked out of the office. It was only when he was in the elevator heading toward the surface that he realized Nero had never really answered him.
CHAPTER 6
It was a simple shot. Just a few feet to the hole, but Hannah watched as her putt veered to the left and threatened to leave the green. She turned and gave her partners a feeble grin. "I guess I'm not having a good day."
"No kidding," Sara muttered as she marked the scorecard, then selected her club and moved forward.
Rita and Amelia were with their own cart, about thirty feet away. It was a windy day and Hannah could catch snatches of their conversation.
"Michael said there's a lot of trouble at John's firm," Rita was saying. "He said everyone's in a tizzy. I also heard that there's another woman involved."
"Another woman?" Amelia asked, her voice rising, then just as quickly going down. "Who?"
"I don't know. Some secretary at one of those firms they contract with."
Amelia frowned. Hannah was watching her out of the corner of her eye. For all Hannah knew, there was another woman, but she was pretty sure that was just a juicy tidbit someone had added for interest's sake. Hannah had watched the gossip hotline for years, never participating. She couldn't claim ethical responsibility, rather it was a case of not giving a damn. She had never anticipated having the spotlight thrown on her.
"I talked to Celia Brumley," Amelia added her own inside scoop. "She didn't say anything about another woman, but she did say John took everything. There's some question of criminal acts."
"My God!" Sara exclaimed. She looked over at Hannah, who raised her eyes and met the gaze. Sara's face twisted in what must have been an attempt at a smile but looked more like a grimace.
Hannah wasn't surprised. She knew the story would make the rounds quickly. She wished she could gripe to John that their lawyer had a big mouth. She walked toward her cart, causing the women
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