Page 65 of Licence To Howl
‘Hello Mr Webb,’ Sarah Greensmith said, with far too much uncharacteristic cheer. She stuck her hand out towards Scarlett. ‘Miss Cook. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Sarah.’
Scarlett threw Devereau an alarmed look before shaking Greensmith’s hand. ‘Hi.’
The MI5 agent was unable to stop herself from smirking. ‘You both look surprised to see me. You didn’t really think that we wouldn’t know you’d left Rome and were heading here? That because you managed to run away from one minor embassy staff member, we wouldn’t be able to find you?’
Jurgen Meyer looked vaguely apologetic. ‘She insisted she came along here and did not give us much choice in the matter.’
‘Choice?’ Greensmith scoffed. ‘We’re all in this together.’ Her amusement was replaced by a steely edge. ‘We are all under threat.’
Konig muttered something in German under her breath. ‘Some of us,’ she said in English, ‘have to deal with more of an immediate threat than others.’
Sarah Greensmith waved an airy hand. ‘And that’s why it’s good that we’re all working together even if I remain disappointed that my German counterpart is not also here.’
‘The humans are somewhat preoccupied right now,’ Konig returned icily. ‘And our government trusts its supes more than yours does.’
Greensmith didn’t so much as blink. ‘I doubt that very much.’ She sniffed with the sort of imperious air only an English woman could manage before turning her attention to Devereau and Scarlett. ‘Don’t get your hackles up, Mr Webb. I’m only here to deliver a message. This would be easier if your phone wasn’t turned off or if you actually checked the damned emails.’
‘I’ve been somewhat busy,’ he said shortly, wariness bristling through him along with a healthy dose of guilt, ‘and my phone is broken. So tell me now. What’s the message?’
Greensmith sighed with vague exasperation. ‘As you seem so determined to go it alone, we have decided to play along. For now anyway. It took some persuading to get my own superiors to see the light but it helps that you have had some modicum of success with your mission, despite what happened to the Pantheon.’ She gestured towards the German supes. ‘And you have connections and access to abilities that we are unable to match. You can continue down your current path to locate the terrorists behind all this. The rest of MI5 is working with Interpol and other European security services to do the same. Locate these bastards, stop the attacks, and we will treat you both like heroes. You will have carte blanche going forward.’ She paused. ‘We’ll probably find them before you do but,’ she shrugged, ‘have at it. What’s the worst that could happen?’
The worst? That would be hundreds of dead European citizens and the destruction of several historical monuments. They were all aware of that.
‘And if none of us find them? If none of us can stop them?’ Scarlett asked.
Greensmith gave her a steady look. ‘I’m glad you asked that question,’ she said softly. ‘In these sorts of circumstances, we usually require a scapegoat. Someone has to take the fall for our mistakes. Unfortunately, on this occasion, we will blame you for the failure.’
Great. Although if they failed and more people died, Devereau would have no problem with blaming himself. He raised his eyes heavenward while every single German supe looked on stony-faced. ‘I thought you said we were all in this together?’
‘You’re the one who decided to ignore your orders and piss off around Europe,’ she said with a shrug. Her eyes shifted away from him and Devereau had the sudden sense that she felt far more discomfort than she was letting on. ‘That is on you. Don’t take it personally though, Mr Webb. After all, I’m not taking your decision to abscond personally, either.’ She gave him a mock curtsey. ‘Miss Cook, as you are not officially part of MI5, if you choose to come back to London now, we will forget you were ever involved. We will not make this offer again, however. It’s a one time deal. Stay with Mr Webb and his successes become your successes. Unfortunately, the same will go for his failures.’ She raised her eyebrows at Devereau. ‘This wouldn’t have happened if you’d only done what you were told. And don’t think of it as a punishment. It’s only politics.’
Yeah, yeah. Devereau didn’t know why he would have ever expected anything less.
Scarlett moved closer to him and put an arm around his waist. Startled, he glanced at her, the warmth of her touch already lifting his spirits. ‘I’m no Bond girl,’ she sneered, matching Greensmith’s attitude with her own. ‘But I’m with him.’
From deep underneath his skin, Devereau’s wolf yipped in delight.
Greensmith didn’t look surprised. ‘Very well.’ She reached into her pocket and everyone stiffened. It was only a business card that she pulled out, however. ‘I gather you still possess a phone?’ she said to Scarlett, who nodded. ‘Take my personal phone number then. You might need it in an emergency. You will also need to keep me updated with any new information you uncover.’ For the briefest moment, her face softened and Devereau had the sudden thought that she was on his side and wishing him the best, regardless of what machinations might be going on behind the scenes in London. ‘Good luck to you both.’ She hesitated. ‘Good luck to us all.’ She turned on her heel and clicked away.
They all watched her go. Scarlett frowned. ‘I feel like I should despise her for that little chat. But instead I think I admire her honesty. At least we don’t have to run away any more from any British embassy idiots.’
‘Thank heavens for small mercies,’ Devereau muttered.
‘Sometimes,’ Jurgen Meyer said, ‘you English can be very strange.’
The other supes, including Mila Konig, bobbed their heads in agreement. ‘Shall we get started?’ she inquired. ‘These fuckers could be anywhere in Berlin. We’ve had supes searching everywhere for this Avanopoulos and the Bonnet woman.’ She gestured towards Rosafarben. ‘You had a lead, didn’t you?’
The pixie raised his chin. ‘Yes. I have passed the information onto the German police. Regardless of that horrible English woman just now, we are all trying to achieve the same thing. The only competition should be between us and the terrorists.’
Devereau wasn’t going to argue with that. Not at all. ‘What is it? What have you discovered?’
Rosenfarben cleared his throat. ‘A group of young pixies are certain that very early this morning they saw a man matching the description of Stefan Avanopoulos at Venusbassin in Tiergarten. He approached them and asked for the time. They remember him because he was quite obviously wearing a watch.’
Devereau frowned. That seemed odd - unless Avanopoulos had wanted his presence to be noted. Devereau had the uneasy feeling that they were being played. But right now there was nowhere else to go.
‘The Tiergarten is within walking distance,’ Mila Konig said. ‘It’s the public park we use during the full moon. The police haven’t closed it off. It’s a big green space. There’s a zoo but I doubt it would be the terrorists’ target. There’s very little there to blow up’
Devereau straightened his shoulders. It was hard not to notice that Scarlett’s arm was still round his waist. He flicked a look at her and she jerked in sudden self-awareness. She stepped away and he felt a moment of loss. ‘The park might not be the actual target but it’s the only intelligence we’ve got right now.’ He gestured to the small group of supes. ‘Lead the way.’
