[MOREAU]
"It's your choice," Destin had said, and Moreau reached for Winston before he could explode.
She spoke to him in a whisper. "She has told us where she is going. She expects us to follow. If you let her go, and she is right, then we will get two criminals in one go — her and Berkshire. And if she is wrong ... she will not escape us a third time." Moreau gave him a pointed look and searched his face for any indication that he heard her.
He did. He turned back to the young woman. Rage still seemed to vibrate within him. "Get out. Now. Before I change my mind."
"I'll see you both in Qatar," Destin said on her way out.
"We're going," Winston said as he turned to Moreau. "Can you, uh ..." He cleared his throat as he began to calm down, and his hands ell to his hips. "Can you ask your director for a team to accompany us?"
Moreau nodded with a gracious smile. "But of course."
--
[MAX]
"How did that work? How did we actually walk out of there? Just like that?" Danny asked as we boarded the private jet.
I waited until I was in my seat and Alexei was prepping for take off to explain. "Reznor didn't turn off the cameras while we were in the interrogation room. Just the sound. He turned the sound off for the whole building, so their security was led to believe it was a glitch, not outside interference related to us.
"Then, near the end of our chat, he threw in a few bursts of white-out across the system. When I texted him he shut all of the cameras down completely. Now, if Winston had raised the alarm, we would have been in trouble, no two ways about it. But he didn't."
"Apparently we have his new partner to thank for that," Dylan observed as the engines roared to life.
"New partner?" Phoenix asked. She raised her brows and turned to me with a curious look.
"Miss Universe type," I nodded. "Beauty and brains."
"Interesting," Phoenix mused. "Thoughts?"
"Probably good for him," I shrugged. "Obviously good for us. For now."
We all went silent as the jet took off.
--
[SEBASTIAN]
Sebastian Berkshire played Tinsley de Loughrey with the same ease it took him to do his hair in the morning. He gave her a lazy smile as she chattered on about whatever latest art piece she was about to buy.
His gaze swept along the horizon as she chattered on; they had an excellent view of the ocean from the porch of her beachfront property. The wind that tousled their hair smelled of salt and sun. When his phone vibrated he pulled it out with a murmured, "One moment, darling."
ROUX: SHE TOOK THE BAIT.
He smiled like the cat that got the cream.
"Good news?" Tinsley asked.
When he looked up at her she was already staring at him. She watched him with well-disguised shrewdness. To any other person she may have seemed passively annoyed by his being distracted, but Sebastian knew better. He recognized the calculating glint in her eyes. "Indeed," Sebastian said as he tucked his phone back into his pocket.
Tinsley gave him an appraising look.
Sebastian didn't doubt Tinsley's intelligence. Her problem was not cleverness, but rather ambition. Her sights were set on money and materials, and she seemed to have no desire to aim higher. She was wily without a doubt, but she was no Max Destin.
She could outwit the FBI, but Sebastian was not so easily played. He gave her a look of wide-eyed innocence. "Evidently I'm polling higher than I was last week. It seems that charity ball we attended was helpful after all."
Tinsley rolled her eyes. "Of course it was. I know what I'm doing when it comes to public appearances." She flashed him one of her more dazzling smiles. "You're welcome."
"Yes, your brilliance never ceases to amaze," Sebastian said with a smile that implied teasing. He picked his glass up before he leaned back in his seat. "When is it that you leave for Doha?"
"This afternoon," Tinsley said as she fussed with her skirt. Once she seemed satisfied she settled and gave Sebastian her full focus. "You're sure you can't come?"
"I'm afraid not, darling," Sebastian said. He finished off his drink before he set his empty glass on the table and got to his feet. "I've got business of my own to attend to. Campaigning is practically a full time job, you know," he said as he brushed a stray blonde curl out of her face.
He tipped her chin up gently. Her eye makeup was done in some intricate, delicate pattern that brought out her baby blues. Her lips were painted a soft pink. She met his gaze with a pout. "But I'll miss you," she said.
Sebastian smiled slightly. On any lesser man, that might have worked. "You'll be fine." He let go of her chin and made a show of checking his watch. "I'll see you once you're done."
