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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 28, 2016 23:59:12 GMT -5
Diana was gone. Derek had picked up the torch and tried not to think about the beautiful brunette. It was too dangerous for her to remain and he was glad she didn't put up much of a fight about leaving, even if it did strike him as odd.
Christian calling him out of the blue was also odd. He hoped the man could be trusted on the case they were working on, but then again Christian had fooled him for three months.
In any case they had a common goal and that was getting to this final board member. Diana and Christian could sort things out once she was safe.
For now he was waiting in Eve's hotel room for the man, and hopefully they'd be able to form some sort of plan.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 0:11:01 GMT -5
In order to keep Burke out of his hair, Christian had to obliviate Derek's memories of the day Christian took Diana captive. This meant Derek wasn't aware that Christian was on to his little scheme about Christian working as a hit wizard hired by 'Eve' to take out some evil board member. Christian knew the board member was actually after Diana, and as Christian's life force was inexplicably bound to Diana, it was in Christian's best interest to take the board member out regardless. And it behooved Christian to extort the extra money out of Burke for doing so.
Christian knocked on Eve's hotel room door, prepared to maintain the charade.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 0:30:17 GMT -5
Eve checked with Derek before opening the door. She wore a bright smile as she saw Christian's handsome face, "Christian. Please, come in."
She stood out of the way so he could enter.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 0:52:29 GMT -5
Christian wished Eve hadn't been there. His last encounter with the woman had ended rather horribly as his apparent vow of fidelity to Diana had resulted in a rather embarrassing and rage inducing evening. And as he wasn't supposed to know anything about his vow, or his apparent marriage to Diana and possible baby on the way, Christian couldn't even use it as an excuse to save his manhood and his reputation with the ladies. Thinking on it now, he should have obliviated her.
"Eve," he greeted, avoiding eye contact for any longer than was necessary to not draw attention. "Burke," he said slightly colder as he turned toward the man.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 1:15:11 GMT -5
"I'll put some tea on." she said moving toward the kitchen.
Derek was in the living room, he barely glanced up, "Ward." he greeted just as coolly.
"Have a seat."
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 1:26:05 GMT -5
Christian sat in an arm chair across from Derek, leaning back and crossing his legs as he looked toward the kitchen and where Eve would be making tea. He looked to Burke incredulously.
"Is she really making tea? Wouldn't something a little stronger be more appropriate?"
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 1:47:28 GMT -5
Derek laughed at that. Eve was a sweetheart, but she was also clueless. Staying in the Avalon hotel gave her lofty expectations and ideas about proper deportment. Derek wasn't even certain if Eve liked tea, but she was trying.
"Help yourself." he said gesturing to the bar.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 1:55:30 GMT -5
He wasn't certain whether he would have caught it or not, had he not known the truth about Eve, but it stuck out to Christian now that if he had actually spent three months romancing Eve and working alongside her she would have known to bring him a scotch. Christian fetched the drink himself.
"Have your sources discovered anything?" Christian asked as he returned to his seat with a double scotch on the rocks.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 2:02:59 GMT -5
"Shell companies, bank accounts, but nothing concrete. Whoever it is, they're well hidden." Derek said with a sigh.
"And you? Anything your sources dug up?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 2:26:38 GMT -5
Christian's men had found much of the same. Whomever this person was, they clearly wanted to ensure no one found them. That was why it had been deemed pure dumb luck that Christian had anything to report to Derek now. Only, he couldn't risk telling Burke exactly how his men had stumbled upon this happy accident.
While Derek was looking into connections through Crawford Industries, Christian had changed tactics after discovering the truth about Diana's bounty. He had his men looking into who originally ordered the bounty. It was a long trail. The order came from a third party (or fourth, or fifth, who knew how many channels it had taken from the top). Christian's men were researching everyone connected to the middle man and doing surveillance on the man himself. An owl was intercepted which seemed promising.
He took a sip of his drink and rested the glass on his knee. "My boys came across a letter, not directly from the top, but through a series of middle men. There's going to be a meeting in two weeks at some place in High Gate. That gives us time to try to find more, but we've got a date and location at the least. If nothing else, recon and surveil all attending parties."
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 2:38:44 GMT -5
"One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you do that." Derek said, not frustrated, but a little awed by Christian's reach.
Eve returned with the tea.
"I'll just leave you two to business." she said moving toward the window to sit.
Eve might have looked like Diana, but she certainly wasn't the strategist or asset Diana was. Derek found himself missing the vixen.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 2:55:41 GMT -5
"It's called talent," Christian said arrogantly before taking another drink. While he was aware that the men were supposedly friends and teammates before he'd lost his memory, Christian didn't see what use Derek could be. No more than any other hired wand. Derek's performance in Death Eater "events" had earned him praise, but no more than most in Christian's opinion. Burke was rather run of the mill, he thought.
"Thanks, doll," he said to Eve as she brought the tea he had no intention of drinking. He watched her move to the window and couldn't help but notice how very different she looked from Diana. Originally he had seen a similarity, but now he wasn't sure.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 29, 2016 3:02:29 GMT -5
Christian didn't remember fighting alongside Derek, or that Derek had even saved Christian's hide during one of their hits. He wasn't used for his fighting talents so much as the connections he had made. There was a lot more to Derek than what met the eye, and when the man wanted to, he could be more than cunning in a lot of surprising ways, but it was easier to keep expectations low. If no one expected anything from him, he couldn't let them down.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 29, 2016 15:46:07 GMT -5
Christian pulled his eyes away from Eve and directed his attention back to Burke. He took another drink. "You'll have to fill me in on how we've been running these hits. You don't fight, do you?" he asked almost condescendingly.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 30, 2016 0:37:26 GMT -5
Derek's mouth twitched upward in a smile, "I hold my own." he replied enigmatically.
"Since your men have the intel it's your show to run. I'll follow your lead." he didn't have Christian's or Diana's ego which called for the driver's seat all the time. He could follow if it meant the mission would run smoother, and since Christian and Diana were both so stubborn and insistent on doing things their way he was often the support.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 30, 2016 0:46:42 GMT -5
"Good," Christian responded. Having not remembered anything about their other hits, Christian wasn't sure if he would have to fight Burke over taking lead. Christian preferred to be in control, other people didn't always make the right decisions and Christian had a flawless track record (minus the hiccup where he had his memories taken from him).
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 30, 2016 0:50:53 GMT -5
Derek nodded, "Well, if there's anything else, you know how to reach me."
Derek was mildly uncomfortable being around Christian, lying to the man about something so critical. He understood what was at stake and he was committed to the farce, but not only was Christian a dangerous man to lie to, he was a friend. Derek was comforted by the fact that he could restore the man's memories at a later date.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 30, 2016 0:56:26 GMT -5
"Kicking me out already? I haven't even finished my drink," he commented as he raised his glass. "And besides, Eve made all this tea and you haven't even had a cuppa. Rather rude, don't you think, doll?" Christian looked past Burke to the hired actress playing his supposed girlfriend.
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Post by Derek Burke on Dec 30, 2016 1:05:22 GMT -5
Derek's brows rose, "I didn't figure you one for chit chat, you never have before." even when their relationship had been friendly Christian mostly attended to business then attended to Diana, but without Diana who the hell knew?
"My apologies, of course finish your drinks."
Derek rose and went to the bar to fix his own drink. Then looked between Christian and Eve.
"Unless you'd rather I leave and let you two get reacquainted...?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 30, 2016 1:54:17 GMT -5
"I never had three months missing before," Christian replied. "I'd like to know who I'm working with. What was our first hit?"
"Hey doll," he called to Eve. "Come over here." He patted the cushion next to him. Christian wanted to see how good her acting chops were.
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