from Novem Soles
tried to kill me or grab me. I don’t work for you, August. I quit the Company. So you worry about your projects and let me
worry about mine.’
‘Let me talk to Mila, Sam. Please. We can help each other.’
‘I’m not going to repay any help I’ve gotten from her by handing her over to you for interrogation. If she wants to talk to
you, she will.’
The silence between us felt like one you’d find at a poker table when the cards still hold every possibility and the only
measure you take is in your opponent’s face. ‘I don’t want to play hardball with you.’
‘August, you don’t even know where the hardball court is located. Now. You’ve learned you can’t follow me, and you’ve had
your most excellent drinks.’ I stood. ‘I have to go tend to my business.’
‘I find it fascinating that you now own a bar. Where’d you get the money?’
‘Good night, August.’
‘Who are you working for, Sam? What have you gotten yourself into, hanging with a woman who has a million-dollar bounty on
her head? You and I both know that only happens when you get down and dirty with the very worst.’
‘I’m going to find my son. No matter what it takes. Remember that.’
He was silent, staring at his martini glass. I know he wanted to help me. He was my friend. But he couldn’t.
‘You said you wanted your life back. If that means working for Special Projects again, and it should, then have your lady
friend talk to me. Tell me who’s been helping you. Give us them and get what you had back.’
‘The Company showed me zero loyalty in my hour of need, August. Let me guess: you’ll run straight to them and tell them I
own this bar now. Although it’s none of their business, and I want them to leave me alone.’
He sat silent for ten long seconds. ‘I don’t need to tell them your business. You may not think it, Sam, but I’ve always been
your friend.’ He looked more angry than hurt, and I knew he wasn’t playing me. He stared at me. ‘In the crazy hours, right
after you were accused of killing everyone in London Special Projects, I thought – do I know him? Do I really know him, could
what they say be right? You could have fooled me, could have fooled everyone else. You could have been the worst murderer
and traitor in CIA history. But then I thought, no, if he killed them he wouldn’t have been so stupid about it to be there
when the bomb blew. He would have vanished. Because Sam is not stupid. Sam always does a calculatedly good job.’
I missed August. Hated to admit it, but I did. I wanted to trust him. But I couldn’t trust Special Projects, not after what
they’d done to me. ‘A compliment. Thanks. I can encourage Mila to talk to you. But I don’t know where to find her, and that’s
the truth.’
‘Getting your kid back, that’s huge to me. But I’m going to find Mila, Sam, with or without your help, and if you get in myway the friendship does not trump my duty.’ He folded his heavy arms. August played college football at Minnesota, and he’s
a lot bigger than me. More pure muscle. I am smaller and faster and a little less naïve.
The worst enemy is a one-time friend. I knew that.
‘I’m not your enemy, Sam, and I won’t be, unless you choose to be mine.’ His word choice made me feel like he’d read my mind.
He picked up the martini, finished it with a toss.
‘It’s too warm now, it’s no good.’
‘Things don’t stay good,’ he said, and I knew: something had happened. ‘I hope you get Daniel back, safe and sound. You know
I hope that more than anything else, Sam.’
‘I know.’
I used to fight with my brother Danny and the awkward, awful silence between us felt like the one now between me and August.
A bitterness that could be sweetened with a word, but neither of us was willing to add that ingredient. He turned and he walked
out, and I turned to go upstairs to pack for Las Vegas. The Round Table had a
tried to kill me or grab me. I don’t work for you, August. I quit the Company. So you worry about your projects and let me
worry about mine.’
‘Let me talk to Mila, Sam. Please. We can help each other.’
‘I’m not going to repay any help I’ve gotten from her by handing her over to you for interrogation. If she wants to talk to
you, she will.’
The silence between us felt like one you’d find at a poker table when the cards still hold every possibility and the only
measure you take is in your opponent’s face. ‘I don’t want to play hardball with you.’
‘August, you don’t even know where the hardball court is located. Now. You’ve learned you can’t follow me, and you’ve had
your most excellent drinks.’ I stood. ‘I have to go tend to my business.’
‘I find it fascinating that you now own a bar. Where’d you get the money?’
‘Good night, August.’
‘Who are you working for, Sam? What have you gotten yourself into, hanging with a woman who has a million-dollar bounty on
her head? You and I both know that only happens when you get down and dirty with the very worst.’
‘I’m going to find my son. No matter what it takes. Remember that.’
He was silent, staring at his martini glass. I know he wanted to help me. He was my friend. But he couldn’t.
‘You said you wanted your life back. If that means working for Special Projects again, and it should, then have your lady
friend talk to me. Tell me who’s been helping you. Give us them and get what you had back.’
‘The Company showed me zero loyalty in my hour of need, August. Let me guess: you’ll run straight to them and tell them I
own this bar now. Although it’s none of their business, and I want them to leave me alone.’
He sat silent for ten long seconds. ‘I don’t need to tell them your business. You may not think it, Sam, but I’ve always been
your friend.’ He looked more angry than hurt, and I knew he wasn’t playing me. He stared at me. ‘In the crazy hours, right
after you were accused of killing everyone in London Special Projects, I thought – do I know him? Do I really know him, could
what they say be right? You could have fooled me, could have fooled everyone else. You could have been the worst murderer
and traitor in CIA history. But then I thought, no, if he killed them he wouldn’t have been so stupid about it to be there
when the bomb blew. He would have vanished. Because Sam is not stupid. Sam always does a calculatedly good job.’
I missed August. Hated to admit it, but I did. I wanted to trust him. But I couldn’t trust Special Projects, not after what
they’d done to me. ‘A compliment. Thanks. I can encourage Mila to talk to you. But I don’t know where to find her, and that’s
the truth.’
‘Getting your kid back, that’s huge to me. But I’m going to find Mila, Sam, with or without your help, and if you get in myway the friendship does not trump my duty.’ He folded his heavy arms. August played college football at Minnesota, and he’s
a lot bigger than me. More pure muscle. I am smaller and faster and a little less naïve.
The worst enemy is a one-time friend. I knew that.
‘I’m not your enemy, Sam, and I won’t be, unless you choose to be mine.’ His word choice made me feel like he’d read my mind.
He picked up the martini, finished it with a toss.
‘It’s too warm now, it’s no good.’
‘Things don’t stay good,’ he said, and I knew: something had happened. ‘I hope you get Daniel back, safe and sound. You know
I hope that more than anything else, Sam.’
‘I know.’
I used to fight with my brother Danny and the awkward, awful silence between us felt like the one now between me and August.
A bitterness that could be sweetened with a word, but neither of us was willing to add that ingredient. He turned and he walked
out, and I turned to go upstairs to pack for Las Vegas. The Round Table had a
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