“I’ll send you what I have.” We ended the call without another word. We both knew it was best to stop talking. Like Voldemort or some shit, speaking of Seven was best done quietly and quickly.
The ringing had ended, signaling he’d picked up my call almost five minutes ago. He hadn’t said hello, he hadn’t said anything, but I’d said my peace, so he knew. The hush of dead air, a bit of a crackle, and unease followed. I waited for him to hang up, or demand blood, not sure what to expect. I was prepared to throw all my cards on the table before we’d even started playing poker.
I’d only worked with Seven once before, and then I’d watched him behind a scope. I’d heard him miles away on a radio. It was all with some degree of separation, not like this, with only the crackle of the connection between us.
Crackle.
Hush.
ROAR.
“I’m sorry, did I miss some fucking memo? Is there somebody out there lighting my name up in the sky like fucking Batman? First Charlie, now you. Why the fuck is everyone calling me for help now?”
“I don’t need help, just your contacts.”
“That sounds like help to me. Actually, that sounds exactly like help.”
“What do you want? Name it. I’ll do it.”
Laugh.
Crackle.
Hush.
“I want people to stop bothering me on my nights off. I was about to sit down and watch that new TV show, you know, the one with the chicks. Everyone is talking about it; they say it’s really fucking good. They say it’s genre bending. I was gonna see what the fucking hype is about. Now I have Vic fucking Wall on my ass wanting a favor. My popcorn is getting cold.”
“I just need to know where GEM has their nodes at in Santa Barbara.”
“That’s some high class intel you want.” Pause. “I’ll make some big en
emies giving you that shit.”
“I know.”
“You prepared to pay for that?”
“Whatever it takes.”
Laugh.
Crackle.
Hush.
“I’m like the Lannisters, you know, except I always collect my debts.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Are you going to give me the information or not?”
“Wait.” Pause. “Are you fucking with me right now?”
“Are you fucking with me right now?”
“You’ve never watched Game of Thrones? One of the biggest crossover hits of our time?”
“This is time sensitive!”
Rustle.