In a darkened room in a quiet office building, a man sat in an impressively high-backed chair with hand-carved wooden legs with feet shaped like eagle’s talons in the front and lion’s paws in the back. He leaned slightly forward, towards the flying saucer-style conferencing phone in the middle of his desk.
“So, it is confirmed that your weapon has neutralized all the Dragons, Ms. Hardy?” he said.
“All of the ones who were active in the Harbor,” a slightly tinny-sounding British voice said. “There may be a few former disciples of Opal Song at large in the world, but I think it can be assumed that all the ones who could be enticed to come back into business for love of money or team spirit would have found our offer persuasive.”
“Or else they were warier of a trap than their former compatriots,” the man said.
“The key word there being ‘former’,” Ms. Hardy said. “Had they possessed any sort of esprit de corps, they would certainly have warned their brethren-in-arms instead of going to ground. No, my friend… I don’t think you have to be worried about any survivors coming after you for vengeance.”
“A little elective worry never hurts,” the man said. “It’s how I’ve been able to build a criminal empire in this town, under the noses of the Champion League and the Dock Shadow.”
“Yes, yes, blast him, that blasted Dock Shadow,” Hardy said. “He’s got to be, what, the fourth or fifth greatest detective in the world?”
“We can’t all attract nemeses of your caliber, Moira,” the man said. “Some of us are actually trying to avoid that. No costumes, no gimmicks, no codenames…”
“Then it isn’t true that they call you ‘Croesus’?”
“A nickname from my past,” he said. “It holds meaning for me. More than one, in fact.”
“Take it from one who knows, darling… that’s exactly the sort of thing that detectives love. Meaning from your past.”
“That is exactly why the Dock Shadow will never learn of it. I’d be surprised if any but you ferreted it out.”
“Then you ought to do yourself the service of a little more elective worrying and live in expectation of such a surprise,” Hardy said. “I do not flatter myself to think that what I learn with a little difficulty is beyond the grasp of others with lesser abilities and sufficient patience. Truth will out, Senator… just as surely as blood.”
“I find that spilling a judicious quantity of the latter is often a sufficient deterrent for the former.”
“For a time, perhaps, but not forever.”
“A time is sufficient. I don’t plan on living forever. What of the weapon?”
“I would say the weapon functioned perfectly,” Hardy said.
“And was disposed of, as we agreed?”
“Well… there’s a minor wrinkle there.”
“I don’t think I heard that right,” the senator said. “I paid you the additional fee on top of the agreed amount, Ms. Hardy, to compensate you for the loss of income you would incur.”
“I have so incurred,” Hardy said. “The weapon in question has gone missing. It is, as I said, a minor wrinkle. I intend to see that the ungrateful little wretch stays missing.”
“Please do. Should she fail to, a refund will not be the last thing I take from you.”
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