Chapter Sixteen

Mycroft arrived back at his house around four pm, he was absolutely shattered. After having received treatment in hospital immediately after their escape, within a few hours he was out again. He had a leak to find and loose ends to firmly tie up. Kate was left having treatment and surgery on her shoulder, the wound had been such a mess. After two days he had her moved over to his house where he could keep an eye on her, just until he had everything…taken care of. No doubt she would be full of questions for him, but as it turned out he had quite a few for her too.

As Mycroft entered his living room he found Kate asleep on one of the green leather sofa's opposite the arm chairs. She was lying full length on her back with a book still open on her chest. He walked over to the bar and poured himself a large measure of whisky before returning and standing over Kate. He looked her over. She looked peaceful and somewhat refreshed but the dark purple bruising and red cut on her face stood out as a painful reminder. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair and squeezed the back of his neck. Gently scooping up her bare feet, Mycroft sat down and placed them on his lap. He reached out and picked up the book that Kate had been reading, it was the Tolstoy one she had taken. He smiled, took a pull of whisky, and began leafing through the book.

Kate started to wake and stretched her body out, she felt something…someone, Argh! She jumped slightly as she realised Mycroft was right there next to her, with her feet on his lap no less. He looked pleasantly amused at this reaction.

"Good evening Miss Worthing." His voice sounded like silk.

He seemed so at ease it was almost unnerving, as he sipped his drink and turned another page of the book.

"How are you feeling?"

She made herself relax back, "Remarkably well, considering. And you?"

"The same," he half smiled, "although considerably more tired. I haven't had the luxury of rest."

"I would have thought a few days off were in order?" She wiggled her toes playfully.

"Unfortunately, in my…position, days off are a rare occurrence. But in this instance I have been, shall we say, tying up loose ends."

She looked at him thoughtfully, "And have they all been…tied?"

"Some."

"Meaning…"

"Meaning, not all."

"You're not going to give me any more than that?" She said, feeling slightly annoyed.

He sighed and turned to look at her, "The men involved all had a background in army intelligence and were brought together by a Simon Greening. Six months ago he obtained a source from within my team," Kate detected a slight bitter note to his voice, "who gathered the necessary information for him. Someone from your network sold information about you and your work, I have yet to establish who this was, but have a feeling that you will be able to help with that," He gave her a knowing look, "and of course the highest bidder for that information was Mr Greening."

"I think I need a drink." Kate said as she swung her feet off Mycroft's lap, she already had an inclining as to who sold her out, "Would you like another?"

"You read my mind." He said as Kate reached towards him for his glass.

She raised her eyebrows, "Hopefully not for the last time."

He smiled as he watched her walk over to the bar, thinking how well the suit he had had made for her fits. "I see Henry chose well then?"

Kate reached for the bottle of whisky, "Ah, Henry," she squeaked the top off, "What an attentive, kind gentleman."

Mycroft sounded proud, "He is very good. He's been with my family since I was a boy."

Kate was just finishing poring her gin, smiling to herself "I know." Mycroft felt a slight unease at the tone of her voice.

She picked up the glasses and began walking back over, "He's also quite the conversationalist, but it seems not very good at picking out ladies clothing." She handed a glass to Mycroft, "He gave me quite the tour of what could only be described as the eighth wonder of the world." Her amusement was clear upon her face.

Mycroft felt a twinge of embarrassment but couldn't help being amused at hearing his wardrobe described as such, "It would seem I have yet another leak." Kate sat down next to him and unconsciously went to stretch her feet out on to his lap. She stopped herself at the last minute embarrassed at her momentary lapse.

"I'm glad you like them."

"Like doesn't do them justice," she took a sip of her drink, "what puzzles me though, is why you had them made nearly two weeks ago?"

Mycroft froze, 'Damn Henry, why the hell did he have to tell her that! What else has he been saying?'

"I think dear old Henry must have his dates mixed up, that's all." Kate was looking at him smugly. He took a long pull of whisky, "So…" trying to change to topic, "What this Greening was after was the DoS code you wrote, which I must say I am suitably impressed by. A normal 'Denial Of Service' is quite unreliable, but you have created something which not only disables the programme's ability to detect overloading but simultaneously creates a 'backdoor' into the system, very elegant."

Shit, he's been busy. What else has he found out!

"From me they wanted sensitive information regarding the intelligence agency and the army branch, which I won't go into for obvious reasons, and with the two, would have been able to cause quite a large amount of…disruption. But around four weeks ago all their original plans changed. Once they realised they could catch two birds with one stone, so to speak, before this they were planning to take us separately. Kate shuddered at the thought.

"I have also discovered things, which were much harder to explain and resulted in rather a lot of research not to mention, interrogation."

Kate felt somewhat uneasy, "Oh yes?"

"How long exactly have you been friends with Anthea?"

Oh SHIT! How does he know this? There's no way he got into my laptop and Anthea wouldn't have said anything. Her heart was beating faster.

"And before you think that's all I know," he reached down to the side of the couch and pulled up out of a bag, Kate's laptop and handed it over to her, "you didn't log out."

She couldn't read a thing from his expression. A cold dread crept over her. That laptop was her life, her real life. Everything of herself she strived to keep…her own, private. Oh god! He would know just how long I've watched him for, all the research I did on him, Anthea's involvement, all my hacker user names, plus everything else! He'll have stripped it dry of information! She felt like the bottom of her world had just fallen out. How was he going to react?

"I told you I would find everything out."

He had, and deep down Kate knew that he would, but she just didn't think it would have been this soon.

"I see."

Kate heart pounding, got up and picking up her empty glass walked over to the bar. She calmly poured herself another gin and took a long pull before walking out from behind the bar and turning to face Mycroft, her back leaning against it, ""Well Mr Holmes. It would seem I have no cards left to play."

He looked at her, seemingly considering what she had said and took an agonisingly slow drink, "On the contrary Miss Worthing. I think you have a full deck."

What did that mean? Was that an invitation? Kate's skin tingled all over, adreline flooded through her and she could feel the warmth of the gin inside. Will he make the first move? Is this it? She regarded him, running her eyes over his well-fitting suit, my god he's hot, she'd wanted him so hard and for so long she didn't want to hide it anymore.

"A full deck worth paying for."

"Excuse me?" her voice raised.

Mycroft could see her confusion, "your skill set of course."

"My skill set what?"

"Well it far outweighs that of anyone on my team and is quite…unique. I've been very impressed with what I've seen."

"And…" she shot at him.

Mycroft shifted in his seat feeling uncomfortable. Kate didn't look happy.

"And…naturally I want this skill set within my team."

Kate threw her head back and let out a derivative snort, "So you're offering me a job?"

"Well yes. It would be very well paid with…"

Mycroft's phone rang. Tutting he answered it, "Go on." He stood up and paced the room. "Right, right, I understand." He turned to Kate who was now stood there with her laptop under her arm.

"Sorry about that…" Anthea knocked at the door and came in. "Sorry to interrupt but we need to go sir."

"Oh not at all, I was just leaving."

Mycroft looked surprised, "Leaving?"

"Well I'm declining the very kind offer of employment and taking my full deck elsewhere." She locked eyes with Mycroft as she walked past him and out the door.

Anthea turned to Mycroft disappointed, "Please tell me you didn't just offer her a job?"

Filled with indignation he replied, "And why not?

"I can think of a few reasons Sir." She sighed. It was going to be a long explanation.