Page 23 of A Touch of Treachery
“Because you never know when one might turn into the other,” I muttered, finishing his saying, which I’d heard more than once, along with similar pearls of pernicious wisdom.
The General had taught me a lot of things, most of which involved manipulating, hurting, and killing other people, whether it was emotionally, mentally, or physically.He’d been giving me a master class in deceit, treachery, and power mongering my entire life.I didn’t know whether to be grateful or hate him for it.The General’s lessons had saved me more than once, but they had also deeply scarred my soul, something I hadn’t even realized until I’d met Charlotte.
“Trevor’s dead, so he doesn’t matter anymore,” I lied, trying to ignore the anger and hurt pounding through my chest.“We were talking about Charlotte and her skills.In addition to ferreting out the moles, she also figured out that Henrika would attack the Christmas Eve party at Tannenbaum Castle to try to steal the Nutcracker Ruby.No other Section analyst made that connection—just Charlotte.”
My father arched his eyebrow again.“Listen to you sing her praises.I would almost think you genuinely admire her analytical skills.”
“But?”I challenged.
“But you’re sleeping with her.”A disgusted note crept into his voice.
Of course my father would boil it down to that.What I felt for Charlotte went far beyond the physical, but I wasn’t about to confess my feelings.He would just use my emotions against me, the way I’d seen him do to countless agents.The General never met a heartstring he wouldn’t tug, twist, or tear to get what he wanted.
I forced myself to give a nonchalant shrug.“So what if I am?Fraternizing isn’t against Section rules.Besides, it’s not like I meet a lot of people in our line of work.Just criminals, terrorists, and assassins.”
“Yes, but you should know better than to get involved with a bloodyLocke.”My father snarled the name like it was a vile curse.“All that family has ever done is cause problems.That’s their true legacy at Section 47.Out of all the women in this building, you just had to get involved withher.Sometimes I think you do these things to deliberately annoy me, Desmond.”
“You’ve never cared who I’m involved with as long as I got the job done on whatever mission you assigned—and Ialwaysget the job done,” I growled.
To my surprise, the General tipped his head, acknowledging my point.“You do have the second-highest kill rate in Section history.”
A subtle barb.To my father,second-highestwas the equivalent of sayingnot-the-best.
“Yes, well, we both know who has the highest kill rate in Section history: Jack Locke.”
The General flinched at the cleaner’s name, and petty satisfaction sparked in my chest at annoying him for a change.
“Exactly how much of your dislike of Charlotte has to do with her father?”I asked.“Because I rememberexactlyhow much you despised Jack Locke.”
Growing up, I’d overheard dozens of heated phone calls between the General and the Section cleaner, and my father had constantly complained to my mother and his friends about the other man.I’d never been able to figure out exactly why the General disliked Jack Locke so much, other than the fact that Locke was one of the few people brave—or foolish—enough to stand up to him.Then again, for General Jethro Percy, that was reason enough.If you weren’t an ally, then you were an enemy, and he would neutralize you—one way or another.
Anger flared in my father’s eyes, and his pale blue aura prickled with the hot emotion.“Jack Locke was an arrogant fool.He didn’t understand how the spy world works, how Section 47 truly works.”He waved his hand in a short, dismissive motion.“Jack Locke was always more concerned with upholding his preciousidealsthan anything else.”
“Funny how people with no ideals, rules, or limits see those things as failings in others,” I drawled again.
My father sighed and looked upward, as if asking some higher power for the strength and patience to deal with me.More petty satisfaction sparked in my chest.I took great pride in exasperating him as much as he exasperated me.It was the only battle I could ever win between us.
The General dropped his gaze back down to me, and his aura cooled and congealed into an icy ring around his heart that only my mother had ever been able to breach.“Do us both a favor, Desmond, and don’t try my patience any more than you already have.And stay away from Charlotte Locke.”
“Or what?”I asked, hearing the underlying threat loud and clear.
“Or I’ll fire her, and the only thing she’ll be analyzing is the menu at that low-rent diner where she moonlights.”
Dread flooded my veins like an ocean of ice.The General never made idle threats.Charlotte loved being an analyst, but my father would take that away from her in a second if he thought it would further his own agenda.
My hands clenched into fists.“You areimpossible.”
“And you are as impertinent, reckless, and emotional as ever,” my father snapped right back.“You might not realize it, but I’m doing this for your own good, Desmond.Go say your goodbyes to Charlotte tonight at that seedy diner, if you must.”
“But?”I challenged.
“But from this moment forward, you are not to shareanyinformation regarding Henrika Hyde with Charlotte Locke.Not the smallest scrap of intel, not the faintest whispered rumor, not the most tenuous lead.I willnotlet another Locke screw up my mission.The stakes are too high.”
My father shrugged.“But if you choose to defy me, as you so often do, then I’ll make sure Ms.Locke pays the price for your actions.Are we clear?”
It took me a moment to unlock my jaw.“Crystal.”
The General clearly heard the anger and disgust in my voice, but he waved his hand again, brushing aside my feelings and opinions the way he always did.“Dismissed.Get back to work.I want an update on where Henrika might be hiding by the end of the day.”
