Page 30 of Unleash Hades (Ungoverned Spaces #5)

Hugo

I answered the teleconference, Philippa’s face dominated my screen. Of all the females that could have appeared, she was probably the one I cared for the least at that moment.

“How was your little rendezvous ?” she said, with a smirk.

“Of course, you know. I don’t think Chloe would tell on me. I am certain Cali didn’t.” Who did she have reporting to her? “You have other spies. Did you bribe the staff at the Laurent Manor?”

“Why do you assume everything is bribery?” Pippa chuckled.

“Can we get to work?” The sooner I could turn on Cali’s cameras, the better I would feel tonight.

“So impatient,” she chided, with a tsk. “You will not be fighting the She-Bear, as you know, so you may feel free to win the fight if you wish.”

“When will I have to make contact with the target?”

“We could not confirm that on our end. All we know is that she will be fighting there, but we don’t know what rooms she’ll be staying in, or where her handlers will keep her.”

“That’s less than useful.”

“I’m sorry, would you like me to come down there, and scope out the place myself?”

“That would be preferable.”

“And then maybe I could fight Guile, too.”

“I’d appreciate that.” I knew she was going down her road of sarcasm.

“And then I can scope and find the asset myself, and convert her, since you seem incapable of understanding basic tradecraft.”

“Obviously, that’s why I’m a bodyguard.”

“And then, at the end, I can take credit for bringing down Richard Davenport, and I’ll be the one to ride off with Calissandra into the sunset?”

“Touché,” I said, trying to hide a smile.

“Touché indeed,” she said with a tilt of her head, and a wry smile. “ Bon chance, Hugo. I hope it all ends well.”

Me too.