Julia Rothman had it all figured out. She was a highly ranked, successful SCORPIA member and, in addition to that, she was not at fault for having been deceived by John's lulling words and rough voice. Especially not when so many others had held him in high regards as well.
A pair of hands grasped her wrist and she let herself get pulled into the helicopter. Julia sat down heavily and considered thunking her head on the glass before she realized it would seem like too much of a weakness.
She was well aware that there would be consequences for her inability to root out a traitor, especially when it was someone so close to her. Someone she lov-
Julia cut the thought off immediately. John Rider was a colleague and perhaps a friend. Anymore than that and she would be given no leeway, despite her status as an invaluable member of SCORPIA.
SCORPIA didn't tolerate weaknesses. And attachment was a weakness.
Julia looked up suddenly and smoothed down the bundle on her lap. Bunches of soft, expensive fabric uncreased easily under her ministrations, and she resolved to do a better job of hiding her nerves.
"Let's go." She ordered coldly in Italian.
The recruit across from her, clearly fresh from Malagosto, tapped the reinforced, bulletproof glass separating the helicopter's passengers from the pilot.
Julia idly calculated the amount of strength it would require to crack the glass. The weakest point would probably be near the latches. Welding metal and glass together incorrectly was a common mistake that she learned to capitalize on.
As she watched, the pilot flicked several levers and the helicopter began its smooth ascent upward. Her stomach clenched with every kilometer the helicopter rose. Julia had never been very fond of heights.
The edge of the ocean was just visible in the distance. As Julia watched as the slice of ocean grew in size. It seemed to overtake the skyscrapers and multi-level apartment buildings that were as common as London tourists. It was strange to imagine that she'd been in London herself, just a few hours previously.
She pet the head of the infant laid out sleepily in her lap and grimaced at the soft smacking sounds that came out of his mouth. If Julia had any luck, he would have inherited John's disposition.
The recruit across from her was eyeing the baby in her lap suspiciously. Julia raised one eyebrow and she went pink around the ears. Definitely new, then.
Julia was aware that SCORPIA would be unhappy with her most recent acquisition, as well as the personal risk she took to get it. But this was worth it. She'd show John exactly what she could do and what she was capable of. First, she'd have to deal with the board.
A quiet sign from Julia almost broke the heavy silence of the helicopter.
As long as she could guarantee her own survival, revenge could wait a few years. At least, until little Alex Rothman grew up.
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