Gus hesitated asking the next question that popped into his head, but did so anyway. “How did you get out of the Company? I heard it is nearly impossible to retire from that outfit.”
“Badly. I took some back alley rides into Washington D.C. and settled accounts with the two guys responsible for my extended time in the sand. Carol put two and two together, made things right with the Company, and reached out to me. We had a message drop near the Washington Monument. She knew those assholes’ deaths weren’t an accident. Carol also knew I’d hang around waiting for the Company’s reaction to my adjustment. She made sure I got paid and separated without prejudice. I went private sector after that.”
“So, this will be to explain what happened?”
“Nope. It’s to find out if I need to kill Carol.”
Chapter Two
All’s Well That Ends Well
Gus and Nick got out of their taxi near a small clothing shop entrance. Nick led the way past the counter, where an old man there barely glanced up. Through a partition in the back, the two men entered a large room with banks of computers. A nearly silent generator supplied power to mask a disproportionate power usage from a simple clothing store. The people in the darkened room paid no attention to their visitors. Nick led the way to a closed door on their right. He tapped on it lightly.
“Come in, Nick.”
“Here we are, Gus. Hold onto your perception of reality.” Nick opened the door to a small office with no windows. A thin woman in her late fifties with gray hair tied in a bun at the back stood to greet them. She hugged Nick. “Hi Carol. This is my partner, Gus Nason. Gus, this is Carol Allison.”
Gus shook hands with her, wondering if she’d still be alive tomorrow. “I’m glad to meet you Carol.”
“How in hell did you get assigned to a hellhole like this, Carol? You can’t drive. You can’t drink. You can’t be seen in public alone. You have to wear a full length black robe, and you have to kiss men’s asses all day. Who’d you piss off?”
Carol had begun chuckling halfway through Nick’s recital. “It was Derek Munsun. I undercut him on an op he screwed the pooch on. He’s like you, Nick. Munsun held a grudge, and he lives by the feud. Sit down you two.”
When the three were seated with Carol behind her desk, and her guests in front, she pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey from her desk with a shot glass holder. “Drink?”
“I’m tellin’,” Nick said. “I could get you stoned for this forbidden sin.”
“Yeah, you could.” Carol poured three shots, placing one in front of each man. “Salute.”
Nick and Gus toasted their host, but Nick gave a hand signal to Gus, delaying his partaking of the liquor. They waited until Carol drank hers down before drinking their own.
“Still a mistrusting bastard as usual, huh Nick?” Carol refilled their shot glasses.
“Can you blame me?”
Carol leaned back, taking a small sip of her shot. “Nope. Not after all we’ve done to you. How can we make this right without you shooting me in the head?”
“You owe me an extra hundred grand in bribes,” Nick replied. “Pay up, and I call it even for old time’s sake… no penalty.”
“Done deal.” Carol leaned forward. “Did you really think you could get out of here alive after acing me?”
The Terminator made his appearance with blank, dead-eyed, emotionless stare. “Want to find out? I’m game if you are.”
“I see you brought your laptop. Dial me in and let me pay for my employee’s error.”
Gus produced the laptop opened to their account addition. Carol completed it in moments, turning the screen for their viewing. “All done. You brought grenades, didn’t you?”
Nick opened the light jacket he wore. Five grenades were harnessed into the inside lining. “I never come to a party without the right party favors.”
Gus tipped his chair over backwards as Carol went for her Glock 9mm, but only achieved a half draw before Nick’s Colt .45 was pressed against her forehead.
Carol pounded the table. “Damn it, Nick! I’m the fastest there is. I thought the shot would slow you.”
“Not hardly.” Nick made the Colt disappear, and sat back down while Gus righted his chair. Nick sipped some more of his shot. “I think we’re done here, Carol. Gil was on his own. I can see that.”
“Did you have to kill him?”
“Are you stupid?”
Carol grinned. “Thanks for making it acceptable. I never liked that pudgy little prick. Would you be open to any future endeavors if I were your only contact?”
“Sure. Gus and I have concluded we can’t retire completely for mental health issues. One warning only though, Carol – anyone comes after me or mine in the future, and I burn your house down. When I finish or get aced, the casualty count will be so far beyond acceptable the Company would be in front of Congress for months.”
“Understood.” Carol held out her hand. Nick grasped it. “Damn… it’s good to see you.”
Nick shook her hand, holding on to it. “Kill this Munsun guy that put you here… or pay me to do it.”
Nick and Gus left with Carol still laughing.