Jack and James were standing looking at each other across a table. The table mainly had snacks on it, but there were also two guns: One had a silencer attached and looked like Jack was holding it, the other was James; they pointed at each other.
"I'd hoped we could have avoided this, but it seems I was wrong," James said, "How did this happen? I saw you in the park."
"I don't really know how, my apartment is secure."
"Yes, but someone is listening in on us."
"Who?"
"A certain group, who are very interested in our little operation. They are planted in every major city, and apparently have had the technology to listen in for years.… Actually, they've always had the technology, but they know you're with us now."
"I'm not going to lie to you, James, that was me out in the park."
"How could you have done it? You're supposed to be undercover. I knew you were experimenting, but I thought it would only be for a while. I thought you were going to tell me."
"I wanted to, but … well, you need to know."
"Tell me. We're going to have to tell Major Andrews at the station. I need to know everything anyway."
"But Raymond and the others don't know yet?"
"No, they won't know either. We can't tell anyone else."
"I don't think I can do that, I have been keeping this to myself for too long."
"You don't have a choice, it doesn't matter anyway, James. The damage has already been done. If they found out you were using it, they might have already used it on her."
"No, there's no way! No one knows about me, no one. I know that for sure. Please, just tell me how it happened."
"In a surgical position, on the couch … well, it was closer to the couch than the table."
"I don't understand."
"They were listening in on Ray and I. They did it while we were still in bed."
"They did what!?"
"Yeah. It was amazing. They were listening in our conversations, they went through everything."
"No, please tell me they didn't speak to her!"
"They didn't, she had been tricked into sending a message, to you. They spoke to the man who had set the whole thing up. He asked her about her new best friend. I don't know how he did it, but he did."
"This is big, James! We need to get a hold of her right away, we need to find out if she's been attacked. If they're listening to everything, I'm sure they know about me too. There's no way they haven't used it on her. We need to get a hold of her."
"Hopefully, she's safe, maybe she was in her apartment..."
"Come on, James, you know that they know."
"But they didn't go through everything. She's been protected. Everything has been protected. I've heard them talk about it before. They find a way to protect her … and most of the people involved. It's been a few years ago, but the last time that happened, they told me that she ... well, there's always a fear it's going to come back on her."
"That's a relief. At least she's safe. If you'd told me this, I wouldn't have put the gun on you. At least this way, we won't have to tell anyone."
"Don't do that. No, I won't tell you. I should have told you."
"But it's too late now."
"No, no, you're wrong."
"You broke her heart, James. You've always been able to get the best out of her, but this time, you've lost her. She'll never look at you the same. You should have told me, you should have told everyone."
"No, I wouldn't do that, I mean, I can't. I'm sorry, I wish I could. I'm sorry."
"Well, you should be. This is what you wanted, wasn't it? You wanted me to be scared? I should be worried too, this is a big deal. This is really big. People could be in danger, people could be hurt. I could be hurt, or worse."
"That's what we have the guns for. We'll do this, then we'll have a talk. I'll need you to tell me what happened, everything. Then I'll know what happened. Can we do this?"
"Yes."
"James, I'm still in shock, I need to see her. You realise that?"
"No, I don't. I have no idea what just happened. I still want you to tell me why you did it."
"When I thought she was dead, I was relieved. Just so she wasn't suffering anymore. But then, now that I think I lost her, I'm so scared. I don't know what to do. We've been through so much. She was everything to me."
"I know."
"I still think ... If there is another way ... I ... James, I just don't know. I don't know what to do. I'm so scared now. I can't live without her, James."
"Royce, I'm sorry. I never wanted this. I never wanted to ruin her. I wouldn't have told you. I couldn't. I'm sorry."
"You're right we can still do this, I don't know how you thought of this, or how you knew though, but you've proved to me that you're right. This is best for everyone, I want you to know that, James.
