Fire on Fire

Epilogue

"Is this for real?" Alexander gasped, unable to retain himself. "Like, no last-minute changes, no downsides, no hidden clauses ... nothing?"

"You read it, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but I know you."

Nancy scoffed, crossing her arms. "Do you now?"

"Come on, Nance, fake or not, I cared about you." Because he could feel Emma's eyes on him, he immediately added: "As a friend."

Having noticed the quick exchange between them, Nancy laughed wryly. "She keeps you on a tight leash, huh." She glanced at her old friend. "Cute kid, by the way."

Emma's lips remained in a tight line. When Byron had called to say that Nancy had reached out to him and wanted to set up a meeting, Emma had thought he was insane. They'd been in hiding for almost 2 years, how could he possibly think that Nancy would abruptly decide to end it all?

And yet, even though Emma had paid attention to every single movement all the people involved in this meeting made, she had not seen anything suspicious. Nancy had presented them with some sort of contract meant to end their quarrels for good. They owed her nothing, she owed them nothing, everyone could go on and live their lives in peace.

Too easy, Emma was sure. There had to be something. A woman that had escaped FBI for so long wouldn't just give up out of the blue. "What's your angle?" She asked out loud, eyes trained on her old friend while she rocked baby Delilah gently seeing as she'd just fallen asleep.

Nancy grinned mellifluously. "I don't have an angle." She hinted at Byron, sitting next to them. "This is official business, your lawyer can confirm."

"You have a funny way of defining official business, Nancy." Emma clenched her jaw. "Using people at your own advantage, making their lives a nightmare. And now you come here claiming it's all done, we have nothing else to worry about, and there are no clauses, no hidden agenda. I'm sorry, but I don't buy it." She raised her voice at each sentence, causing her 15-months-old daughter to slightly stir in her sleep.

"Emma ..." Byron started, wanting to reassure her.

"No, you're right." Nancy smirked. "I've been a really naughty girl. Why should you believe me?" She licked her lips. "Tell you what, why don't you tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."

"I want nothing from you, Nancy." Emma spat, glaring. "But this has gone on even too long," she glanced at her toddler in her arms, "I want my daughter to have a good life, safe and happy. Especially from you. What tells me that by signing a contract with you, I don't get the opposite of that?"

"She's right." Alexander butted in, gently rubbing his daughter's head, so that she hummed in her sleep. "We both know what a talent for deceitful contracts you have." He eyed her intently, still disappointed in himself for having fallen into her trap.

Before Nancy could reply, Byron interjected: "There's one thing you guys aren't aware of," he mentioned, "she made a deal with the FBI." He nodded at their confused gazes. "I told her to lead with that ..." Byron rolled his eyes, "but as you know, she has a thing for drama."

"Oh, we know, we know ..." Alexander scoffed.

"Well, here's the thing, what she is offering you is not a contract per se," Byron went on, "it's just part of her deal with the FBI."

"I don't understand." Emma frowned.

"Honestly, I had to pull some strings," Byron mentioned, "and ..." he cleared his throat, "maybe you should send a thank you basket to Mrs. Patricia Wayne in New Haven, Connecticut."