Time: Modern Day
Location: Washington DC

Layla and Mal had a lot to talk about with PJ when they met.
The afternoon of the very day they had arranged for the Friday night dinner meeting at The Hamilton, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, ostensibly to halt the bloodbath in the Donbas. 

  The reaction across the globe was immediate as the scaremongers started with World War III and the nuclear armageddon rhetoric.

  Speculation was rampant that Putin had been planning this move ever since NATO had started talking about  Ukraine joining. The talk was he waited till after assessing the midterm elections in the USA and once it was clear that the Republican President was now a lame duck, with no influence over Congress, he made his move.

  Ed rang on Thursday evening.  He said the Board was thinking that they should cut their US trip short and head over to Ukraine to report on the escalating situation.

  It looked increasingly likely that the US was going to be embroiled in another overseas conflict, as if the seven, they were already involved in, weren't enough.

  Layla had resisted Ed's pressure reminding him of their agreement about editorial content and control and that their, hers, and Mal's, decisions should be final while ever the ratings were up. The ratings had skyrocketed since they took over. So Ed finally capitulated and they agreed to reassess the situation after the PJ interview. Ed couldn't help himself though, and said, "I hope you are going to ask this PJ fellow how he would handle Putin if he was President?"

  "Of course Ed, it's Layla you're talking to, not some intern."

  "Well Sooreee, pardon me for asking."

  "I should think so. So butt out, let us handle things here. You just concentrate on helping, not hindering Carrie, I'm watching you Ed."

  "Ooh, I'm so scared of the woman on the phone 10,000 miles away," Ed chuckled nervously.

  "Perhaps you should be, I have friends in high places too!"

  "But you don't have friends in low places, do you?" Ed grinned.

  "No, but I do know who you hang with . . .Tony for instance." Mal glared at Layla shaking his head.

  "Best watch your step young lady, ratings can only protect you so far. If that is all, I have work to do . . . important work."

  "Yeah, you go and report what I said to your mate, Tony, Ed.  Off you go. Bye." Layla hung up the phone and sighed.

  "Why do you have to stir him up all the time? "

  "Just a bit of fishing, Mal, is all . . . throwing out some bait and seeing if Tony bites."

  'How will we know?'

  "Got a feeling we'll know alright. Remember Syria?" Layla picked up her papers.

  "You don't really think Tony or Ed had anything to do with that attempt on our lives do you?" Mal asked, amazed that he even dared to ask.

  "Think Mal, who else in the world knew where we were? The Yanks wanted it kept top secret. Remember the joint ASIO and CIA briefing? They wanted to know what Yazzi was up to."

  "I always thought it could have been the CIA trying to take him out."

  "They would have succeeded if that was true. Remember, I was right next to him but the laser was on me! Not him!"

  "Shit . . . you're right again. If it wasn't for Carter we would both be dead right now. And I guess we'd be fighting over you!" Mal speculated.

  "When, and if, it ever happens I hope you win, darling. And, speaking of Carter. Where the hell is he? Not a word since Paris."

  "You don't think . . . No . . . he wasn't that bad . . . was he?" Mal asked.

  "No.  He's probably sunning himself in Barbados. So come, my hero that's going to fight for me. I'm yours, at the moment and not putting up much of a fight," Layla giggled. Mal threw her on the bed and forgot all about Carter. If they only knew!

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