Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target, or any of its characters

EAVESDROPPING

It was a sunny morning in San Francisco; the fog had lifted early. Ilsa sat sipping a latte on the porch of a quaint, little cafe overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. She periodically glanced at her wristwatch and drummed her finger on the table, seeming impatient about an impending appointment.

"So why exactly are we here so early on a Sunday morning, snooping on Ilsa?" Winston asked Chance as he observed Ilsa through his binoculars. They were sitting in Winston's SUV parked inconspicuously on the street, by the cafe.

Chance shrugged, "Guerrero thinks something is going on with Ilsa, and asked me to meet him here."

"So where is he?" Winston asked, annoyed about being kept in the dark.

Just then there was a knock on their door and Guerrero grinned through the window of the vehicle, with coffee and scones for the gang.

"I went into the cafe through the back door and got us these," Guerrero explained with pride. As he sat down in the backseat and got ready to take a bite, Winston charged at him:

"Care to explain why you dragged us down here?"

Guerrero shook his head, put his scone down and explained: "I noticed that Ilsa bought a new disposable phone a couple of weeks ago, and has been getting a lot of phone calls on it. Out of respect for the boss I did not tap her calls, but she was in the alley talking, two days ago, and I heard her confirm this date to meet the caller here. Just wanted to be sure she wasn't getting into any kind of trouble."

Winston stared at Guerrero, "Yes of course, you would be really looking out for her; that's NO EXCUSE to be spying on her! What is the matter with you?"

Guerrero ignored his accusations and continued, "I didn't want to make a big deal about it so I just told Chance to meet me here, just to check it out."

"Where is Ames?" Winston wondered if Guerrero had excluded only him, or if Ames too had been kept in the dark.

"No, I haven't said anything to her."

Chance sighed, "Well, whoever she is planning to meet is late for sure!"

"Wonder what this matter is - for her to be so secretive. She didn't say anything to you, not a hint?" Winston looked at Chance.

Chance shrugged, "Nope! nothing. I am curious too - what kind of trouble could she be having that she wont confer with us?"

Guerrero had a strange look, "Unless it has something to do with us! Maybe she is going to find replacements for us, and then fire us."

"Don't be paranoid!" Winston scoffed. "Ilsa has supported us for two years now. I doubt she is going to leave us or get rid of us. If it involves us, the only possibility is that someone is threatening to harm Chance in some way, and blackmailing her."

"Nah, then she would have gone to Guerrero immediately," said Chance.

There was unanimous agreement to that.

"I wonder if there is something shady going on financially with the Pucci Foundation!" Guerrero ventured.

Winston shook his head: "Don't get carried away. She is extremely straight forward; remember how long it took her to accept some of our methods?"

Guerrero was relentless, "Sure dude, but now that she is used our methods maybe she isn't quite so straight. It doesn't take much to be nudged into the dark side - trust me I know."

Winston looked at Guerrero and lowered his voice, "What if she is involved with a man?"

Guerrero looked puzzled, "What, romantically? Why would she try to hide it?" When Winston pointed to Chance with his eyes, Guerrero got it. "Nah, too extreme for that."

Chance laughed, "Okay guys, these speculation are getting ridiculous. Why don't we wait and see what is going on. That's why we are here."

Ten minuted later Guerrero's phone rang. Guerrero pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked for the caller. Taken by surprise he looked at Winston, "It's boss lady! Should I answer it?"

Winston looked nervous, "What if an ambulance goes by and she hears it on the phone and outside; she will know you are nearby!"

Chance was getting tired of the whole thing, "JUST ANSWER the damn phone and put it on speaker!"

Guerrero complied.

" Ilsa!"

"Ah, Guerrero. I am getting a little bored here, looks like my date stood me up. Would you guys like to join me. They have an interesting brunch menu, and you guys must be getting hot in the car by now!"

The three men sat shocked and embarrassed for a few seconds. Chance was the first to recover and see the humor in the situation:

"Yes Ilsa, we will be there in a minute. Brunch sounds like a great idea."

Guerrero glared at Chance, but grudgingly followed the other two men out of the car.

As the men crossed the street to walk up to the cafe, Winston cleared his throat and whispered:

"Do you think she was playing him all along?"

Chance tried to keep a serious face and shook his head. "I doubt it. We will know soon enough."

Ilsa smiled cheekily when the men arrived. As Chance pulled the chair next to her to sit down she looked at him, pretending to disapprove: "Et tu, Brute?"

Chance grinned and put his hand around Ilsa's waist, "Hey, your safety is always my first concern."

Just then Ames walked in and took a seat. She threw a little brown bag at Guerrero. "You dropped a scone at the backdoor as you were leaving," she told him with a grin. Guerrero sat down pressing his lips and looked from Ilsa to Ames but said nothing.

"C'mon Guerrero." Ilsa smiled gently. "I have been working with you for two years now. Surely, I have learned something about you and something about your methods. As I was buying the disposable phone, the first thing that came to mind was what you would do when you found out - I knew it would ring an alarm. I was expecting you to bug my office, but you didn't do that, but I was always watchful. And then I got Ames to help me keep an eye on you."

Guerrero pushed his glasses in place, scowled and leaned back in his seat without uttering a word. Winston was grinning ear to ear. Chance tried to keep a straight face and peruse the menu.

A little while later as they waited for their meals to arrive Ilsa got serious:

"I guess I should tell you all what's going on. It is a personal matter - not about me - if it was something to do with me, I would have not hesitated to tell you. She looked at each of them seriously - this matter is highly confidential."

Everyone listened quietly.

"It's about Connie. She is having problems with her husband. He is either having some mental problems - bipolar or something - or maybe he has just lost it. They are fighting all the time, he monitors her phone calls, seems paranoid... driving her crazy. She is looking to divorce him, but it will take a little time since there is so much money involved. He doesn't like me calling her so I got a phone without an ID. I have been helping her consult a psychiatrist, as well as the lawyers - these things have to be done discreetly since he is a well known businessman. They are in San Francisco this week, so I was trying to meet up with her today. Obviously, something must have come up and she couldn't contact me." Ilsa sighed, "Anyway that's what all of this has been about."

The food arrived and everyone ate in silence.

Guerrero finished his meal and finally spoke:

"So," he said with a twinkle in his eye, "Connie is getting a divorce..."