Page 21 of Six
“What, exactly, is he supposed to do?”
“Whatever you need him to,” Franklin answered. Well, that didn’t sound so bad. “Or whatever he thinks he needs to, to keep you safe.” All right, that sounded less good.
“This is the part I don’t understand, Franklin. Idon’t operatein the United States. Why is he here?”
“I heard about your little run-in the other night. Or should I say near-run-in.”
The point he was trying to make was clear, but still wasn’t strong. “Once in the twenty years I’ve lived in the US, I’ve had arun-in. That hardly lends itself to needing a babysitter.”
“And Jeremy Wheaton’s murder?”
It was her turn to sigh. “There was no way you could have predicted that when you sent Gavin here in January.”
“Not that, specifically.” He paused, and in that moment of silence, Six knew she was finally going to get to the heart of the matter. Or at least part of it. “You—all of you—have been in the game long enough to accumulate enemies. Yes, the work you do isn’t likely to lead back to you, but the longer you are in the game, the higher the odds become that something will come back on you. Believe me, Six, I know. I’m just taking precautions. With all of you.”
It was entirely possible Franklin was bullshitting her, but her gut told her he wasn’t. As a seasoned agent of nearly a half a century, his perspective wasn’t one she could, or should, discount. His comment also spoke of experience, and she wondered what had happened to him. He might be all up in her business, but that was not a two-way street.
She let out a long breath. “I don’t like that you keep springing thesebackupassets on us without talking to us first. I’ll be honest, Franklin, it feels like a test. It feels like you’re testing if we’ve lost our ability to judge a person’s character or intent. And, as you pointed out, we’ve been in the game long enough that that kind of a test starts to feel like you’re doubting our abilities in general.”
“What would you have said if I’d told you what I was doing?”
They both knew full well what she, or Cyn, would have said if he’d told them ahead of time, so she didn’t bother answering. “But your point is well taken. I’m still pissed as hell at you. But I’m also woman enough to recognize that you have decades more experience than I and you may know more about what the future might bring to our doorsteps.”
“Gracious as always, Six.”ThatBritish sarcasm wasn’t hard to miss.
“You’re lucky I didn’t curse you with saggy balls,” she shot back, then winced. Franklin was in his early seventies, maybe cursing him with saggy balls wasn’t as dramatic as it would be for someone like Gavin. But what did she know? She’d never seen a naked seventy-year-old.
“That would be the least of my worries, dear.”
“Gross. Stop. Please.”
He chuckled, then sobered. “He’s a good man, Six. He has a past. We all do. But he’s exceptional at what he does and has a lion’s heart.”
Franklin was only confirming what she’d already sensed, though hadn’t acknowledged. His warning had given her something to think about, and she owed it to him to do that. But she needed time, so she changed the subject. “You want to know what I think happened with Jeremy?”
“You already know why he was murdered?”
“Not for certain, but I have a lead,” she replied.
“Are you going to be able to follow it?” His question wasn’t second-guessing her ability, but a commentary on the limits of what she could do within the United States.
“So far, yes. If that changes, well, that’s why you sent us New Joe, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, it is,” he answered. “I don’t need to know the specifics, but you’ll let me know if you need anything? And you’ll be careful?”
“Yes and yes,” she said without hesitation.
“Then that’s all I need to know,” he said.
Silence fell over the line, then Six spoke. She might still be stewing over his tactics, but there was never a doubt that Franklin cared. And each time she went on assignment, if she happened to meet other agents, it was reinforced. He demanded excellence from her as an operative. But he also recognized and encouraged her to behuman.
“I’m not ready to thank you yet for sending Gavin, but I can say it for everything else,” she said. “I don’t know if any of us would have survived in this game as long as we have without you, our fairy godfather.” It was a sincere compliment, even though he hated that moniker Devil had given him years ago.
“Call me should you need anything,” he repeated.
“Pinkie promise,” she said, yet another Americanism she loved. It somehow managed to sound both playful and serious at the same time.
He made another indecipherable sound, then ended the call. Six set her phone down and stared at it for a moment—just a brief one. Then she leaned forward, flicked on her computer, and got down to business.
