The Agency

12 -Consequences

His statement was so close to the truth that Richard was speechless for a moment. What had Monique told them? He had been unable to contact her since being recalled and now a sinking feeling permeated his being as he imagined her either in the same leaking boat or having sold him straight down the proverbial river.

"Many plots of any type are dreamt in the embrace of a lovely woman. Witness history." He replied offhandedly. "Still, most are the stuff of fantasy."

"As in this case, my son?" Nathan asked.

"My fantasy is never having met you, Nathan. Life could have been so much more pleasurable and simple."

"Ah, but you did, my son and you can't deny you did take pleasure from what it afforded you. What we need to know now is just how much pleasure you did take." Nathan's eyes twinkled but with a dull light.

"Give me a break, Nathan." Richard said with derision.

"I'm curious about something else." Nathan began. "Why Toronto, Richard?"

"I'd never been."

Tweedle Dee and Dum suits stirred with annoyance, donning matching glares.

"Wasn't to meet the lovely Monique, eh?"

"For what purpose?"

Nathan smiled condescendingly. "She never went there you know, my son." He lit his hundredth cigarette.

"I wouldn't know, I wasn't there long enough to find out anything."

"You'll have to trust me on that one, Richard. Monique advised us of your flight."

Did she? He questioned the fact but then where was she he wondered, and since they were still looking for the money she must have kept that little tidbit to herself. They were looking at him with hard, unforgiving eyes. Even Nathan, his caring, protective handler, demonstrated a stony mien.

"Where is she now?"

"We're asking the questions, Carstairs." Suit two.

"No need to get shirty." Nathan dragged deeply on his smoke and blew it away savagely. "Richard, this waste of everyone's time is not productive. A clean slate is recommended. We have discussed how you made deliveries etcetera now tell us about your arrangement with Monique, about the money and the grand imagined escape."

"I made no deliveries other than those after Peter and before Monique. None. Get that through your thick head."

"The arrangement with Monique." Nathan ignored the insult.

"Tell me first where she is. What have you done with her? Has Murray exercised his talents on her as well?"

"I've had enough of this bullshit! He answers the questions now or Murray will exercise his talents . . . terminally." Suit two stood and marched around the group to the balcony window.

"You will sit down and keep quiet, please. If this interview is not progressing quickly enough for you perhaps you should return to the Agency and just wait for our report." Nathan jammed his cigarette into the ashtray violently, tipping the ashes all over the tabletop.

"This is ridiculous, Fischer. Coddling him along like he's something special and fragile. I say-"

"Murray. Show Mister Drake to his car." The order was barked with a thunderous snap and all the men in the room jerked involuntarily. Murray rose and took Mister Drake by the elbow, increasing the pressure when he resisted.

"Please, sir. No fuss. Let's find your transportation shall we."

The pained look gave credence to the strength of the grip Murray applied as they quietly left the room.