I rolled my eyes when the vampire representatives had finished their story. They had not mentioned Finch at all. The poor guy might as well not have existed. Probably best for him that way.
“A pack of lies,” I said lightly. “You can speak with the Agency officers who Rodrigge called out to the property yesterday. There was no sword. They already looked for it. Rodrigge Ronin is a moron, and I’m sure his mother would tell you the same. I had a very pleasant interview with Audriett Ronin.” I fixed my eyes on the vampire representatives. “Tell me, did Audriett Ronin complain? Or was it just her moronic son?”
The vampire’s lackeys were seething. “Mr Ronin is a pillar of the vampire community here on Earth. You invaded his property without his authorization, and refused to leave
when he requested for you to do so!”
“Actually, he invited me in. You can ask the maid of his that opened the door. I would not have been admitted into the property without his say-so.”
We argued back and forth for a few minutes before one of the people from the Otherworld embassy, the woman of the pair, said sharply, “That’s quite enough.”
The vampire lackeys grudgingly shut up. I did too, not because of the icy look she had given us, but because of the one that had come from Storm.
The embassy woman addressed her next comments to the chief. “Your team made an unauthorized visit to the Ronin household investigating a case which was very painful to the vampire community and the Otherworld community as a whole. A case which had already been satisfactorily closed given that Steffane Ronin is currently in prison. As such, to ensure the continuation of the good relationship between this Agency and the Otherworld embassy, we insist that this entire team is terminated without further notice. We will not tolerate the harassment of our citizens in this city!”
Storm and Leo’s faces were expressionless, but Remi and Monroe both looked shocked. The subtle change in the quality of the psychic music rolling off of Storm in waves, which told me that he was taking this all very seriously. Surely these embassy people didn’t have the power to get Storm and the others fired? I was about to scoff in response when I realized that my attitude had not helped matters. This was serious.
“None of this is the team’s fault!” I protested. “Storm didn’t even know that I went to the Ronin house. I went there of my own accord and nobody else deserves to be punished but me!”
“Is that true?” said the chief calmly, addressing his question to Storm.
“No, sir,” said Storm, taking me by surprise. “I was aware of the case, and Diana’s actions fell within my authorization alone.”
“Storm —” I protested. But then I went silent at a single glower from him. He wanted me to shut up and say not another word, and if I didn’t want to make him mad, then I had better do so.
“In that case,” said the chief, “there is no question of Ms Bellona being terminated since she was acting on a senior agent’s behalf.”
The embassy woman did not miss a beat. “In that case, we insist that Agent Storm is terminated from the Agency with immediate effect.”
I was furious, and I stepped forward to let her know it. The chief interrupted swiftly, saying, “There is no question of that. You do not have the authority to terminate agent Storm’s employment. I will speak with this team and investigate the matter internally, and take any action that is required. I understand your concerns, and I thank you for bringing them to my attention.”
He walked over to the door of his office and opened it, clearly intending for the four heavies to leave. When they hesitated, he continued to hold it open with pleasant and expectant smile on his face. They took the hint. He shook their hands before they filed out. He closed the door firmly. When he turned to us, his smile was gone.
Storm immediately said, “Sir, I take full responsibility for—”
“Enough,” the chief interrupted calmly. “Think carefully Agent Storm before digging a grave for your very promising career.”
He looked at me and Storm, ignoring the rest of the team. “I am going to assume that what happened here was a big mistake and give you both the benefit of the doubt. However, let me make it extremely clear that the Agency’s relationship with the Otherworld embassy is far more important than any individual member of this team or even this entire team as a whole. The Ronin case is closed. I have no idea why you decided to dig it up, but this is the end of it. The case is closed. It will remain closed, and I want to hear nothing more of this. Is that clear?”
The rest of the team nodded, and I only did after receiving a taking a look at Storm’s face. The chief asked the rest of us to leave, and kept Storm behind for a few more serious words, which I did not envy him having to hear.
The rest of us went to wait for Storm in his office. I filled them in on the Ronin case and why I was determined to go ahead with it. I was still absolutely certain that Steffane Ronin knew the identity of the Devil Claw Killer, and I was not going to give up my chance to find him. Not now. Not ever.
“You nearly got us all fired,” said Monroe very seriously.
“Can you believe it?” I said. “The nerve of those people! You guys had nothing to do with it at all. I can’t believe they thought the chief would fire you.”
“He would have,” said Leo perfectly seriously. “I don’t think you understand the importance of the Ronin family in the Otherworld community. Their roots are deep. They are the oldest of the vampire broods to establish a branch on Earth and —”
“Oh please!” I scoffed. “They’re vampires. Humans might put up with the rest of otherkind on earth, but nobody likes vampires, not even otherkind. Why are you defending them?”
“It’s about money and magic and power,” said Leo. “And the Ronins have it.”
“The Ronins have secrets, is what they have.” I turned towards Remi, sure that she would be on my side, and found that she and Monroe had been exchanging a glance. One that irked me. Especially when she frowned at me.
“I think that if the boss told you to stay away from this case,” she said, “You should have stayed away. If he thought there was anything to it, he would have let you investigate. But it sounds like you’re on a wild goose chase. I can’t believe you went behind his back like that.”
I was astonished, and filled with a sudden flash of anger. “Of course you were going to take Monroe’s side,” I snapped. “Big surprise!”