Gods and Monsters

V

Jessica's apartment - Greenwich, London

Walking into her girlfriends apartment, Atlin could see that she needed to ask for a raise. With a view overlooking the Thames, the apartment was in a prime location on the south side of the river. Inside, large chandeliers hung from the ceiling while the charcoal walls were adorned with artwork that looked more expensive than everything Atlin owned combined.

"You wanted to see me?" Jessica said positively.

Atlin walked further into the apartment less optimistically, "Yeah, it's about the Purple Vice Exchange."

The pair sat down on an expensive red leather sofa as they spoke. "I don't know too much about the exchange," Jessica said, "I was still met to be surveilling you. I heard that Jack's pulled all operatives away from it though. He hasn't said why, but it sounds like relations between him and Koba aren't too strong.

Sighing, Atlin leant back in the sofa as she took in the view outside for a moment. "Deadbeat know about the exchange. They're planning to try and halt the exchange and I don't know what to do. If I show up, my cover could be compromised by Koba. If I don't, the team will lose all trust in me; I'm already walking on thin ice with some of them."

"Run away with me," Jessica said, her tone completely serious, "You and I can just pack up right now and head out to...I don't know, Croatia or someplace, just get away from here."

Atlin couldn't help but chuckle slightly, "I can't believe we've gone from almost killing each other to talking about running away in about a week."

"Sounds like all my relationships." The pair laughed heartily as they moved over to the kitchen, pouring a bottle of wine into crystal glasses.

Putting her glass down, Atlin looked at Jessica across the counter, "It's a person. Koba is 'acquiring' a posthuman in exchange for guns, money, drugs, I don't know exactly. I can't let this deal happen without that weighing on my conscience."

"I think you've solved your dilemma all by yourself there then, Atlin," Jessica said, "but seriously, once that is over, run away with me. Together we can start a new life away from QT, away from your team."

Atlin's phone began buzzing before she could give a proper answer, "I'll think about it, okay?" She gave a quick smile before dashing out of the apartment, leaving Jessica to finish off the bottle of wine herself.