Time: Modern Day
Location: Sydney, Australia

They pulled up outside C.I.B. headquarters in Phillip Street.

"After we dispense with these meetings how about we go to the Rocks and get an early dinner. Maybe watch the sunset over Circular Quay."

Mal rembered how he and Carter would go fishing either, off the pier at Circular Quay, or off the wall at Rushcutter's Bay when they were teenagers. It brought a flood of memories and a steely resolve to find the culprits who took his friend's life.

After he parked the car Mal joined Layla out the front of the building. They flashed their Media Passes at the Security guard and entered a lift.

"Is he expecting us?" Mal asked rather belatedly.
"No. I wanted to surprise him . . . catch him off guard so to speak," Layla smiled

"You don't like Tony, do you?"

"Is it that obvious? I'll have to keep myself more in check then."

"What if he isn't here?"

"Then we'll just have to rat around in his office then." She laughed.

But Tony was in his office. He emerged to greet them at the door, blocking their entry.

"Hi, you two . . . the world travellers return eh? Hope it's not too boring around here now for you guys," Tony laughed an ingenuous laugh.

"What can I do for you?"

"Can we talk in private please. , , ," Layla countered glancing around at the office workers going to and fro.

"Yeah . . . er. . . sure . . . tell you what let me shout you a coffee in honour of your safe return. There's a little place I use around the corner," Tony said grabbing Layla by the elbow and wheeling her around to face the lifts.

"That would be fine but doesn't sound too private to me though," Mal chipped in.

An annoying look came over Tony's face as he explained, "Oh it's private alright. I have a booth down the back and an arrangement with the owner. I use it for meetings with CIs. Confidential Informants that is . . . the owner will leave us alone, and anything that happens will stay secret. So . . . shall we go?"

"Okay, I'd kill for a good coffee right now," Mal said.

"Let's hope it won't come to that . . . shall we?" Tony retorted with a little too much innuendo.

Once settled with their coffees in the rear booth Tony began, "So what is it you are after from me?"

Mal went to start when he got a kick under the table that stopped him in his tracks. Layla then said, "You know we are trying to find out what happened to Carter don't you?"

"Yes, you two were a hot item I seem to recall," Tony peered at Mal.

"Do you have any more info on who this Ken was, he was meeting at the restaurant? And, more importantly, what it was they were discussing?" Layla continued.

"Not much more than your own Ed was able to furnish us with. Ken seems to have been a concerned citizen who said he had information on corruption and would only talk to Carter. Something about a land deal or something," Tony said dismissively.

"We've been looking at some strange common factors that seem to be involved in all the unfortunate incidents happening to the Cheval family."

Mal finally saw his chance, and gingerly started to speak half expecting another kick. It didn't come, "Did you ever track down the priest that was seen by the paramedic at the scene?"

"No luck there I'm afraid. If it was a priest, he seems to have vanished into thin air," Tony said with a self-satisfied grin.

"Did you ask Father Dan? Surely he should know most of the priests around here?'

"We would have but Dan got recalled to the Vatican on some emergency . . . so no priests I'm afraid," Tony said, again with a gotcha look.

"Don't you think that a priest leaving the scene when there were so many people crying out for help is a bit odd?" Layla said.

"When you've been at this caper as long as I have nothing human beings do to each other surprises you," Tony said philosophically.

"What about the bikie who died at the scene. He was from the Sons of Chaos, wasn't he?" Mal asked.

"Well that was interesting. We thought it was a gang war gone wrong but it appears our bikie friend was a C I, Confidential Informant that is, for the drug squad. Dumb fucker probably blew his cover and his own gang took him out. Of course I can't prove anything . . . bikies aren't known for their cooperation now are they? Now if there is nothing else I gotta get back to work."

"Did you ever get a photo from the Paris police showing Amelia on the night she died?" Layla asked.

"Yeah, come to mention it there was a photo . . . at some disco in Paris. Poor little Amelia . . . she'd be alive today if it wasn't for that little Itai prick, Peter! And look at him now, a big wig at the Vatican. Matter of fact it was him that nearly died in that terror attack. Too bad the terrorist didn't shoot him instead of stabbing him. Prick!"

"What about the ring?" Layla chipped in.

"What ring?" Tony quizzed.

"The skull ring the guy called Andre was wearing . . . the same ring apparently the priest had on when Carter was killed. The same ring the priest had on who stopped to help Monique, after her accident, but then disappeared. You don't think there are too many priests and skull rings to be a coincidence?" Layla pressured him now.

"Look, I have to fly. Anyway those rings are a dime a dozen. Just about every bikie has one. The coffee will go on my tab, just leave when you're ready. Good seeing you again Layla. You look after her, Mal . . . I'm sure Carter is overjoyed up there," Tony winked at Layla as he hurriedly left the cafe.

Tony slammed the door to his office shut so hard the window panels shook. He reached into his bottom drawer and retrieved the burner phone. He hit speed dial.

A voice answered "SPECTRE"

"We have a problem,," Tony began.

As soon as he got off the call to SPECTRE Tony rang Ed.

"I thought we had an understanding, you were going to drop the Carter investigation?" Tony yelled down the phone.

"And Good Morning to you too," Ed said sarcastically

"Don't try that bullshit with me Ed. I just had coffee with Layla and Mal. They haven't dropped it at all, have they, Ed?"

"Okay. Okay, calm down Tony. I thought cutting off their expenses would be enough, perhaps I was wrong. I'll fix it!"

"You better Ed, you fucken well better," Tony slammed down the office phone.

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