"That's what happens when you're fucking your partner, Nadia," Koss said. "He's not a world-class hitman anymore. He's just a guy worried about his girlfriend."
The man holding a gun on Jack smiled. I looked at him. He was in his late thirties. Former military. The short dark hair didn't give that away--his bearing did, and the way he moved from the door as quickly as possible, getting his back from it.
"This is Henry," Koss said. "Henry, you've already met Jack. This is Dee, the hitwoman who's been the cause of my current dilemma."
Henry turned his cool gaze on me in a contemptuous once-over.
"Jack? Go stand by your girlfriend," Koss said. Then to Henry, "He's been disarmed, I presume?"
"Yes," Henry said. "I found two guns and a knife."
As Jack came over to me, I shifted, letting my jacket fall open. His gaze caught mine and he nodded, almost imperceptibly. I had a gun, but couldn't get to it, not without taking my hands off the table. He'd been disarmed, so they weren't paying attention to his hands. As he passed, though, he murmured, "Wait."
Jack took up position behind my chair. I glanced back at him, but he kept his gaze up, over my head, fixed on Koss.
I looked at Henry, standing beside Koss, hands behind his back, feet apart.
"So, Henry," I said. "You work for Contrapasso, too. It seems their screening process isn't quite up to snuff."
Henry's chin lifted, just a fraction, enough to know I'd surprised him with my guess . . . and enough to tell me I'd guessed right. Behind me, Jack grunted. Confirming it?
Damn it, I really needed more information here. Time for me to get chatty. If nothing else, it might distract them enough for Jack to do . . . whatever Jack planned to do, because I was certain he planned something.
"Your mistake was renting that car under their name," I said to Koss. "Oh, I'm sure you rent them all the time. The group wouldn't have thought twice when it came up on the monthly billing, and if someone else tried to trace it, it would lead to a dead end. Unless the person tracing it knows what the Contrapasso Fellowship is and has a way to get in touch with them."
"True, it was an oversight. But we weren't the only ones who didn't consider all the possibilities."
I nodded. "Like the one where you aren't the only scumbag hiding in Contrapasso."
Henry stiffened. Koss only smiled, bemused.
I continued. "Henry heard that you'd been made. That Contrapasso was coming for your ass. He tipped you off, so you were ready for them. And ready for me to make a hasty play to get to you before they did."
"Not bad for someone who barely got her high school diploma," Koss said.
He smiled at me, as if he'd repaid me for the scumbag comment with the worst insult he could imagine. And there I saw his weakness. Sebastian Koss was a twisted, sadistic son of a bitch. And he was damn pleased with himself for pulling off his double life--for having the intelligence to pull it off. That's what put him above mere thugs like me and Jack.
And Henry? Ah, poor Henry. He might consider himself an equal partner, but Koss had no equals. No partners.
"Do you think he's such a good idea?" I said, jerking my chin at Henry.
Koss lifted his eyebrows. I paused, waiting for some sign from Jack that this was not an avenue I should pursue. But he stayed motionless behind me.
"You said earlier that sleeping with my partner isn't a good idea," I continued. "But it does have its advantages. We'll fight for each other. Without that, well, it's every man for himself eventually. Now, in the military, you're taught to protect the guy beside you, to trust the guy leading you. Henry isn't in the military anymore. Those rules don't apply. He's on the other side of the law, where no one gives a shit about loyalty." I looked at Koss. "As you yourself just said about Duncan, it's a rare trait. And yet, apparently, you trust Henry."
"He's like a feral dog. Intensely loyal, as long as I keep feeding him. And I feed you very well, don't I, Henry?"
The man's eyes narrowed.
"It's true," Koss said, conversationally, as if he had no idea how much he was insulting his partner. Or he just didn't give a damn. "As you guessed, I joined Contrapasso for the same reason I made my living fighting for justice for women. It's not just a smoke screen but an unbelievably rich source of information and opportunity. Henry's more like you. He has ethics, damn it. And morals. Unfortunately, those ethics and morals don't play nicely with his compulsions and obsessions, do they, Henry?"
A faint tightening of Henry's lips. Still, he said nothing. Koss had something on him--a lot of things, I presume, making this partnership more like a hostage situation.
"So you feed those compulsions and obsessions," I said. "Poor Henry here goes to Contrapasso for redemption, and you drag him deeper into the pit with you."
Henry finally spoke. "I don't see how this is any--"
"Oh, relax," Koss said. "We're all just getting to know each other better. We can't expect Nadia and her friend to listen to our proposal if they don't know us."