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“Good Lord, Typhon. Is he not aware of the thin line he already walks?”
I nodded. “What troubles me more is his second threat. He added, ‘If you don’t stay away from my cousin, your life will not be the only one in danger.’ When he stalked away, I realized Kima was standing a few paces behind me.”
“There’s surveillance on the entire estate. This will all be in the footage.”
“I have it.”
Z’s eyes scrunched. “What do you mean?”
“Reaper isolated the incident, edited what was there, and gave me the footage.”
“Typhon, you cannot go above the head of the coalition commander.”
“It’s already done, Z.”
He leveled a gaze at me. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“His degree of anger makes no sense. Something has to have triggered the attack.”
“He doesn’t want you involved with his cousin.”
I nodded. “I can accept that. I can also understand him threatening to kill me. But Kima? Even if he wasn’t referring to her specifically, he said my life wouldn’t be the only one in danger.”
“I see your point.”
“There was one other thing. He said he believed Eliza to be above manipulation but that I’d managed to do it, meaning I was no better than her parents.”
Z’s expression turned to disgust. “Nigel Fox should no longer hold the office of foreign secretary. It was as a favor to Saint that he still does. I agreed to bury the man’s misdeeds, ultimately for Eliza’s sake. To be honest, I’d bury it all again except I’d insist on the bastard’s resignation.” He steepled his fingers. “Knowing what went on today, I wouldn’t feel right about formally reinstating Saint at MI6, nor can I recommend Nemesis add him to the coalition’s UK task force.”
“Can you hold off on your decision?”
He thought it over. “Until he acts again?”
“I’m prepared if he approaches me. Kima is on her way to Malta with Poseidon. Before you ask, I briefed him on what happened. He’s aware of a potential threat against her and is acting accordingly.”
“Who else knows about this?”
“Hornet and Reaper. I went to Shere to let Oleander and Nemesis know the former was needed for a Unit 23 mission, but I have decided I want him to stick around the command center for now.”
Z smirked. “Now I understand how you managed to get the footage. Neither Nem nor Ares would be pleased if they found out Reaper was reporting to you over them.”
“I’d gladly take him off their hands.”
He chuckled, then sobered. “What about Eliza?”
“Saint is trying to protect her from me. Or at least, that’s what he’s saying. I don’t believe he’d hurt her.”
“Understood.” He shook his head. “I wish I knew what was in that bloody report. What’s continued to bother me is, if Saint was responsible for the deaths of the operatives and assets, he would’ve faced disciplinary action far beyond removal from MI6.”
“Agreed. Like me, you’ve had eleven years to think about it. You must’ve theorized about what it said.”
“Whoever the mole was, internal affairs didn’t want it getting out,” said Z.
“Which means you don’t believe the deaths were due to Saint’s negligence.”
Z studied me. “What about you?”
“Ask yourself this—why does Saint want to return to SIS, even if it is under the auspice of joining the coalition?”