Stereotypical (BBC Sherlock)

Chapter 13 - Negotiations

The next morning, Mycroft called me into his office. "Kazu isn't cooperating. He's not afraid of our threats and won't take payment to keep silent."

"So carry out the threats."

"I have. It's done nothing."

I nodded and sat down in front of his desk. "I have an idea." He gestured for me to go ahead and I told him what I had told Sherlock last night. Mycroft nodded thoughtfully and then pulled out the files. He signed something and then handed me the papers.

"It's your problem now. You've been doing well, I think can trust you to handle this on your own."

I smiled and took the files. "I'll do my best."

"I don't doubt it."

Heading back to my office, I grabbed my things and rang Alvin.

"Where to, Miss?"

"Kazu Matsui's hotel, please."

....................

"Mr. Holmes must be at his wit's end. Is he too ashamed that he cannot get me to cooperate? He can't even speak to me?" Kazu smiled mockingly at me.

"Mr. Holmes has transferred the case to me as he has more pressing matters at hand and I specialize in persuasion." I sat down, hoping I looked more confident than I felt. I was still in training. I had done well in college but when I got my job in the government the first time, I had to get a mentor. Politics is a whole different battlefield. Now, Mycroft was my mentor and he'd put me in the field. I didn't want to disappoint.

"Do you?" Kazu raised a brow and smiled. "What kind of persuasion?"

"What style do you prefer? We can talk or I can be rough with you."

He grinned as I stood and walked towards him. "I don't mind it rough."

I smirked. "No?" I held a hand out and he took it, standing. He started to put his hands on my waist but I twisted his hand, turning him and wrenching his arm high behind his back. I pulled my gun from inside my blazer and cocked it, pointing towards his guard.

"Now, we're going to talk. You're going to cooperate or I'll show you my other specialty. It just happens to be psychological torture. Which do you prefer?" The only "torture" I could do was isolation, which in itself is pretty brutal if I'm given full clearance.

He jerked, trying to free himself. "We'll talk." He grunted. I released him and put my gun away. Sitting down, I opened my bag. Kazu straightened his clothes and sat with a huff, glaring at me. "What do you want?"

"It's not what I want, Mr. Matsui. It's what you want. I have information on Mr. Takagi that could do just as much damage as the information you have. What I want, is all your evidence. I'll tell you what I know and you can bring Takagi down while I can keep people safe. You'll sign a contract. If the information you now have gets out, I have full rights to your safety. Meaning you won't be safe until you're dead. Understand?"

Kazu nodded tensely and motioned to his guard. "Get the files."

We exchanged papers and I paid him a couple thousand to keep to the deal. I smiled as kindly as I could. "It was nice doing business with you." I called Mycroft as I left. "Kazu is handled for now. I'll be taking Takagi's case to keep his business afloat in the coming press wars. I have the evidence."

"Wonderful, thank you." He hung up and I headed to Takagi's hotel. His daughter let me in. I smiled and bowed to her. "Mariko."

"Hello. Is Mr. Holmes coming?"

I shook my head. "It's my case now. Is that alright?" She nodded, saying that if Mycroft trusted me she was willing to work with me. I sat. "I regret to say that we could not get Kazu Matsui to cooperate. I bought the information from him but at the price of more information about your father's business. Little does he know, it's all false. However, he will use it. It is now my job to help you handle the press. How does that sound?"