Bell didn’t have Stone’s deep sense of sarcasm and condescension. “You think? I thought he might be trying to keep an eye on me.”
Stone didn’t respond. He went silent for a while, prompting Lauren’s heart to miss a beat. Was he approaching the door? If she left it too late she wouldn’t be able to make the couch in time…
Then he spoke again. “Whilst you were… occupied… I took a call from Mr. Webb. Things have moved along.”
Lauren heard footsteps. With a trusted instinct born of years of vetting clients she bounded back toward the couch, draping herself at the last second. The lounge door opened and Stone stuck his head out.
“Have everything you need, dear? Don’t you fall asleep on us, now.”
Lauren made a practice swing with her whip. “Just keeping it warm.”
Stone withdrew, closing the door once more. Lauren immediately took her life in her hands and sprang across the room, again placing her ear to the smooth surface.
“Can’t be too careful,” she heard Stone say. “Like I was saying — things have moved along.” Lauren now heard an entirely uncharacteristic and frankly bizarre tone of excitement enter his voice. “The factory,” he said. “It is finished.”
“Really?” Bell sounded shocked. “That was fast.”
Stone’s utter elation shone through in his raised voice. Lauren found the sound of it more than creepy.
“The factory is finished. Pandora can now be weaponized!”
“Shit.” Bell’s voice betrayed his fear.
“What? Does that scare you?”
“We don’t even have Pandora yet. It’s too early. There’s so much to do.”
“Keep your goddamn panties on, Bell. Unless that whore stuffed ‘em where the sun don’t shine. Huh? Huh?”
Lauren felt her hands clench into fists.
“No, Bill. I mean the factory is everything. The hub of our Pandora operation.”
“My operation,” Stone cut in.
“Yes, and the factory’s on the other side of the world. Beyond our control. Is Webb sure they got it right? For an operation that started off so slow it sure is gaining ground at warp speed.”
“If you were a military man you would know operations do that,” Stone said. “Slow to start, then a magnificent rush and you’re done. Every one fluid, ever-changing. You have to go with the flow, ride the treacherous waves. Christ, man, that’s the fun part.”
“If you think I see this particular operation as fun then you’re vastly more screwy than I first believed.”
“Well, Miranda’s up soon. Imagine what wonders that perverted bitch can conjure up. Between you and me, I’m looking forward to her offering.”
Again, Lauren stored the name away. Whatever these people were up to it clearly wasn’t a shopping trip to Macy’s and they appeared to have associates. Then she heard a comment that almost stopped her heart.
It was Stone’s callous voice. “If the governments don’t fall into line thousands will die. Hundreds of thousands. This Pandora plague… it will make us.”
Lauren didn’t hear what else was said for at least thirty seconds. That single word, despite its apparent absence in any standard worldwide form for centuries, still struck a hot white lance into most people’s hearts.
Plague.
The word conjured rotting bodies in the streets, horrible, agonizing pustule-based death, no chance of immunity and that dreaded waiting… waiting to see if you or your loved ones contracted it.
Lauren pushed the terror aside, forcing herself to concentrate on what was being said inside the lounge. Now more than ever the information she gleaned tonight was imperative.
“… time to find the three plague pits,” Stone was saying. “If we fail there we fail with the entire operation.”
Good to know, Lauren thought.
“And then Miranda?” Bell’s voice shivered.
“Maybe. I heard Clifford’s looking hard for this lost kingdom,” Stone said, unreserved in his glee. “But first — it’s my turn. The factory will start up in earnest as soon as we provide samples. So let’s get to it. Our network of soldiers is immense, and each regiment, even each cell, believes it is working for somebody else, and that that person works for the Pythians. Ingenious, yes?”
Again Lauren missed Bell’s response. Pythians? Was that why the secret group were interested in Stone and Bell? Because they were besmirching their notorious name?
Then Stone said, “Back to our pleasures.”
And Bell answered. “I’ll leave you to it. We are the Pythians.”
Stone’s answer was just as reverent. “We are the Pythians.”
As footsteps came toward the door, Lauren’s jaw hit the floor.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Excuse me, my dear, but I think we can double your money.” Stone exited the room whilst speaking, then locked eyes on to her position. “What are you doing?”
Lauren turned from the window, empty glass in hand. “Admiring the view, Mr. Stone. Would you like to do the same?”
She struck a pose with the lights of DC shining behind her, the handcuffs hanging from her belt and brushing her thigh, the jacket now fully unzipped.
Stone indicated the bag containing the tricks of her trade. “Want to do both of us at the same time? That’s five grand for you.”
It took all the years and every ounce of Lauren’s experience to affect a lascivious smile. “Nightshade would be pleased with that.”
Stone advanced, followed by Bell. Lauren noticed a wide smile replacing the sick look coating his face. “Round two?” he asked.
“The final round.” Lauren couldn’t help but return the smile.
Hours later, Lauren walked away as the two tired, sore men shrugged into luxurious dressing gowns. Seeing another opportunity she swigged from a champagne bottle, draining it dry so that they would think she’d consumed more than an entire bottle that night. The three sat and talked quietly, now breaking out the Bourbon, Stone with his typical conceited reserve, and Stone with his open charm. Lauren had to admit that together they made a very complex team. What did that mean for the rest of the Pythians?
Feigning exhaustion, she mentioned leaving and then sleep, taking a full double-shot of Bourbon and pretending to pass out right there on the couch. The ball was in their court. They would either make her comfortable, call her a cab, or take some kind of advantage. Lauren was covered in every way, she could always feign waking up. Not only that but she believed Bell would protect her honor.
A warning tone went off. Are you mad?
Probably. How else could I have survived this long?
In any case, the need for information now came before anything else, including her dignity and, above all, she abhorred the idea of ever seeing Stone again in private. Her debt to Jonathan was paid. The general was a monster, straight from his own mouth.
“The girl is passed-out drunk,” Stone said matter-of-factly. “So I guess she doesn’t get paid.”
Bell grunted. “Don’t be any more of an ass than you already are. A diversion like her for men like us? She’s gold. You should encourage her, not drive her away.”
“Perhaps. But in any case, we have a little more to discuss before retiring. Let her sleep it off awhile.”
Lauren heard movement, felt a pat on the rump from Stone’s heavy hand, and then footsteps crossed to the lounge. A door closed. Fear gripped Lauren’s soul as she opened her eyes and rose. She was standing so close to the edge she felt herself teetering. If Stone found her this time she could very well be dropped off the outside balcony.
Lauren wavered. It was only when the snippets of information she’d already uncovered flooded back that she felt galvanized to move. Pythians… factory… weaponized… plague!