Luane turned slowly in front of her mirror examining the results of the preliminary surgery on her leg. The doctor did a good job and charged her big time. She still had a couple of sessions to complete the restructuring and for those she would need a lot more money. The fee from Gravestone would have gone a long way to looking after that but now she'd be lucky to get a dime.

Taking out Gretta would improve that chance then old Bishop would have a clear field to go after his precious pen. She slipped her skirt and blouse back on and gave her hair a quick brush. She needed to be sure the bastard would pay up if she did the job, pen or no pen.

Bishop took her call with a cool greeting and listened to her proposition silently. When she was finished he told her that he had already pursued another avenue for the pen but if she did indeed remove Gretta Lawrence from his life he would honour the amount agreed upon and terminate their contract for the pen.

"I want to get this right, Bishop, so don't expect a quick result. The job will be done but my way. You don't need the same deadline anyway so as long as that's agreeable we have a deal."

"Like I said, Luane, your fifty thousand will be deposited but you don't get the access code until the job is done." He cut the connection and Luane made a hissing sound as she hung up on her end. The bastard is discounting my service because I didn't get the pen. She pushed a knuckle against her lips. So old Bishop is pursuing another avenue is he. Luane thought about the possibilities and decided that the only avenue left would be Clarke Ames, the guy that first approached Arny for information and thanks to Bishop she had the background of his relationship with the murdered Allen Lockhart and some office bimbo named Sonjia.

Plenty of different options there, she mused. Maybe she could still get her hands on the pen and do Gretta at the same time; it would be fun dueling with Bishop again only this time she would finish him as well.

Bishop bordered on homicidal over the latest debacle by his hirelings; it seemed there was no one on the planet capable of doing anything he wanted done. With some choice words and extreme threats he reissued his instructions and closed his phone so hard it cracked the case.

"Maybe he'd like to do it himself." The short man banged a hand on the dashboard of the car and glared out the window.

"Let's just give it another shot and if we miss we'll head for the hills; this town is the pitts anyway. We can pick up that contract in Ireland, it'll be a nice change."

"Anything's better than workin' for that asshole, Gravestone. Christ, I heard he's lost more contractors than any dozen guys together, and big names too."

"I heard it was actually some broad; Lawrence something that's his nemesis."

"Yeah? Well he shoulda made up and hired her if she's so hot."

"One more shot and then we'll blow."

The short man shrugged agreement.

Gretta bit into the carrot stick and chewed thoughtfully as Arny related Shirley's comment about knowing everything that went on at Cutter & Glimb.

"So she took charge of their office fling and put the kybosh on it?"

"With Sonjia anyway. I don't know if she said anything to Clarke... or even if she has to."

"So what was that about him being kidnapped?"

"He wasn't. He said someone tried – at gunpoint."

"You think it was about the pen?" Arny shifted uncomfortably and opted to open the fridge door before answering. He could feel Gretta inching toward interfering and he swore at himself for mentioning anything.

"Who knows."

"You said he mentioned Allen."

"Gretta," he slammed the fridge door. "Don't bother prying into Clarke's problems, okay? I already told him to clean up his own act or he'd be sorry."

"Oooh, the iron fist of management."

"Better than the unsolicited aid of CONGA."

"Now that was a shot." Gretta finished her carrot and moved on Arny, throwing her arms about his neck. "Lover, when will you let go of your anger about CONGA? We wouldn't be where we are without them; your job, our relationship. Don't you remember how it all began?"

He stared into her eyes and felt the familiar pull of the grayish yellow pools. He remembered very well how he himself had been kidnapped by she and Chester Stilton to Mexico for one of the most hair-raising, exhilarating experiences of his life, and on his birthday too. He also remembered how many more of those similar events he had experienced since.

"I remember very well thank you."

"You really going to say you don't enjoy those memories?" Her body felt warm against his and a fresh, clean breath dusted his nostrils when she spoke. Those eyes... those cursed eyes.

"They're certainly indelible." She moved against him and Arny laughed at himself inside. You weak bastard you, he thought. The kiss was long and warm and long...

***

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Gretta? I could put it into the bank vault and just leave it there." Jeffery said after learning that Gretta had the pen at her place.

"If you can trust me to take care of it for you I would like to use it to lure Gravestone out of his lair. I know what sounds like but I have been battling this man for years and he is a very bad, dangerous man. He has extensive contacts with equally bad people all over the world, witness our confrontation with Azziz Bemal, and he never hesitates to throw them into whatever situation where he has an interest. I want to end his activities once and for all."

"Shouldn't you be bringing the police into this? I mean this has already cost several lives and assaults and attempted thefts, what else can you possibly need to alert the authorities?"

"Mr. Glimb, I don't have any evidence other than my word that Gravestone has anything to do with this. Nobody will give him up because he has information on all of them and it's better to just deny, deny, deny."

"What about that code of ethics you used at the bank?"

"Gravestone isn't an assassin himself, he's a client and clients have no loyalty; I would think that might be something you learned in your own business. Look, I know this man and I want more than anyone to see him put away but it has to be by his rules because he doesn't follow anyone else's. You just make certain the Aurora pen is kept in a very safe place."

"It couldn't be safer." The statement was cold and flat.

"May I say, I never would have imagined you–"

"Miss Lawrence. That information is highly confidential and the fact that you and Arnold and whomever else knows is quite unsettling and very awkward for me personally."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't prying... well, I guess I was. Sorry."

"Gretta, several people made a critical investment many years ago. Long before C&G became the success it is today. Money was tight but the group banded together to form a bond by pooling their money and purchasing an Aurora pen. The idea being a kind of insurance policy. You see we were all competitors and this was a means of keeping the ethical rules of our business secure.

Being the selected purchaser was, shall we say, the only unethical thing we did together. The funds leveraged over the years from that purchase made a few of our businesses very successful. Those that didn't achieve the same degree were always able to use the accumulated monies interest free if and when needed."

Jeffery paused and Gretta heard him clear his throat. There are only four of the original group left and the last remaining member gets what's left, a kind of Tontine. If it's existence is known publicly outside the group, the person responsible is banished without a share. The sum is considerable, Gretta, far more than the pen was ever going to be worth. Peter and I made a private pact that if either of us were last, we would see the monies went to those employees of all the companies involved. You can not breath a word of this to anyone and I must ask you to swear that to me."

"You have my word, Jeffery. It is completely safe with me."

"Good."

"Don't worry, Mr. Glimb things will work out satisfactorily."

"I hope so for all our sakes." Jeffery hung up and Gretta sighed and closed her eyes. Who would believe it anyway?