Anna shuddered at the sound of the metal door sliding back, the chorus of jeers and cries from the inmates raining down on them as she and Bates walked the hallway to the interrogation room. Someone from a cell spit at them and Bates dodged it. The hecklers continued, shouting their profanities and curses at the guards guiding them and the uniform Bates wore. One of the women even lifted her shirt to flash them before a guard went over to subdue her. Anna repressed a grimace and kept her focus on the door ahead.

The room smelled of mold as the flickering bulb whined above them. Anna glanced up at it before frowning at the cracked table with mismatched chairs provided for them. Bates turned to her and Anna shrugged before taking a seat. Bates paced the room, hands clasped tight behind his back. Anna watched his gait as he moved around like a cage animal taking stock of its new habitat. His fingers interlocked, separated, twiddled, and clenched as he measured the length of their temporary room with his echoing footsteps.

Almost a prison inside a prison, Anna thought.

She went to say something when the door creaked open. Anna turned her head toward the door, catching sight of Bates doing the same from the corner of her eye, and two guards entered with a woman between the. She wore a hood that looked like burlap but somehow still matched the gray dress with her prison number emblazoned on the left side of her chest. The guards forced her into the chair across from Anna but kept the hood on as they unlocked her cuffs from the chains keeping her wrists in line with her ankles.

The metal on metal screech as the line of the cuffs fed through the loop on the table set Anna's teeth on edge. The guards took no care about buffeting the woman, one even giving her an extra blow across the shoulder when she moved. Both guards stood and looked at Bates- still in the corner of the room- and Anna before scoffing. They removed the hood and left the room, pulling the door shut with a reverberating crash followed by the locking mechanism that had Anna's heart beating a little faster.

Then she finally looked at Vera Bates.

If an iceberg had a face, a name, and a personality it could never be as cold as Vera Bates. Though they had similar eye color, Anna felt a chill run up her spine just staring at the woman. More than that, Anna could see the intelligence there. Even with the months of solitary confinement here the woman lost no edge. She was sharp in her quick evaluation of the room and her two visitors, unexpected though they were.

She eyed Anna, narrowing her icy orbs slightly before raising her eyebrows. "I assume you've got something to say."

"We do." Bates cut in, finally taking his seat next to Anna but moving no closer. "We're here to talk about your work as a spy."

"Are you now?" Vera immediately studied the two of them and her lip curled upward, "Didn't take you long to replace me did it Johnny?"

"Excuse me?" The muscle in Bates's jaw twitched slightly and Anna wanted to put a hand on his shoulder but she stopped herself. This woman needed no ammunition Anna maintained their distance, telling herself it was for the best. "Are you really going to try and accuse me of moving on when you didn't even wait for my side of the bed to get cold before you took someone there?"

"Please, I never took anyone to our bed." Vera sneered, "Why would I bring them back to our shite bed in that shabby little flat we kept on your pitiful salary? Why sleep in that when I could have luxury elsewhere?"

"You-"

"I think we're getting a little distracted." Anna cut in, shooting a look at Bates. He huffed and sat back in the chair, running his palms over his thighs as if the repetitive motions could ease his breathing. "We're here to offer you a deal, Mrs. Bates."

"Former Mrs. Bates." Vera ran her tongue over her upper teeth, "Johnny here couldn't wait to get his name off me when they threw me in here and tossed away the key."

"What if I told you we're willing to offer you the key?" Anna waited, keeping her face blank as Vera chuckled.

"You think I'd believe a little tart like you could offer me anything?"

"That depends on what you think a tart like me does for a day job." Anna reached into her bag and withdrew the sealed envelope, passing it over the table.

Vera reached for it but her bindings restricted her movements. She laughed a little, "It seems I'll be needing your help to open something. Just know, I'm not talking about opening your legs."

Anna took the envelope back, tearing the top and removing the paper inside. Sliding it over the table she stopped when she was sure Vera could read it and sat back. The way Vera's breathing hitched a moment put Anna on alert and when Vera cackled Anna restrained herself from putting a hand on Bates to stop him seething at his ex-wife.

"The King wants me to work for him and in exchange he'll grant me clemency?" Vera practically shook with the force of her guffaws, "Like I'd help that bugger with his war. Let King George and all his little men die horribly and may they roast in hell."

"Then I guess we've nothing more to discuss." Anna took the paper back, tucking it in the envelope and stood, "You enjoy the remainder of your stay here Mrs. Bates. I do believe it's meant to be a long time."

Anna walked to the door, Bates right behind her, and raised her fist to knock when Vera called back to them. "If I help you then I want full immunity. Release back to Ireland."

"The deal is non-negotiable." Pulling the paper back out Anna read aloud, " 'An offer for partial pardon. On the conditions of exemplary cooperation with the office of Naval Intelligence I, Vera Bates, will receive release from Lancaster prison with remand to the custody of the authorities in Northern Ireland. There I will serve out the remainder of my days on parole, subject to routine examinations and investigations to ensure that I no more have contact with the enemy state of Germany.' It's very clear."

"I want what I want or no deal."

Anna lowered the page, "It's a one-time offer, Mrs. Bates. Either you sign this here and now or you stay here until your bones rot away in your cell… or someone decides to release your miserable corpse before death claims you. That's the only choice you have at this moment."

Vera ground her teeth, eyes meeting Anna's. They stared one another down. The woman with an Irish accent, dark hair, and a nasty temper against the petite blonde willing to go down fighting. Anna stiffened her spine, keeping her gaze steady on the woman acting proud despite the abysmal circumstances. No matter what else happened, if Anna backed down now this woman would win.

But she did not.

Vera broke first and held up a hand. "I can't sign it without a pen."

Anna walked the paper back to Vera, pulling a pen from her pocket. Just as Anna went to hand her the pen Vera clawed for it. She grabbed it away and tried to stab at Anna but the cuffs stopped her motions. Anna dodged out of the way, grabbed her wrist, and banged it on the table. The jerk reaction let the pen clatter to the tabletop, rolling to the edge before dropping onto the floor.

"That wasn't very nice." Anna bent for the pen, holding it in a tight grip as Vera tried to survey the damage to her hand. "You'll bruise but you'll heal."

"Glad to get a lick in?" Vera looked over Anna's shoulder to holler at Bates, standing by the door. "She fight like this in bed Johnny?"

"Are you going to sign or not?" Anna held the pen just out of Vera's reach. "Time is of the essence in this."

"Who're you trying to find?"

"What makes you think we're trying to find anyone?"

Vera shook her head, smiling at Anna the same way a wolf smiles at sheep, "You wouldn't be here to offer me a pardon, partial or otherwise, unless you had a reason. You need to find someone from my old network and the only way to do that is to get me to help you."

"Then who're we trying to find?"

"My guess?" Vera pursed her lips a moment before shrugging, "Probably Carlisle. That little twat always had a tendency to slip through the tiniest cracks."

"Learned that from personal experience did you Vera?" Bates finally moved from the door, "Is he small then?"

"A woman never kisses and tells Johnny." Vera leaned over the table at him, "Not that this little trollop doesn't already know but if there's one thing I regret about not being with you anymore it's that you never failed to fill."

"So glad I satisfied you in one area since the rest of our marriage was a complete shambles." Bates snorted, "If I was so satisfactory then why leave?"

"You weren't always there and I had needs."

"Did Carlisle fill those?" Anna closed her eyes, still holding the pen, as the anger rose in Bates's voice. "Was he who ruined us?"

"You give other people too much credit for our destruction Johnny." Vera sniffed, "I was bored and I found something to keep me occupied. A woman needs a hobby. It was that simple."

"Betraying your country?"

"I'm Irish Johnny. This isn't my country."

"Be that as it may," Anna held up a hand to stop Bates, "You have the chance to return to your country and perhaps repair some of the damage you did to this one before you do."

"Give up my solitary cell here to be followed through the streets for the rest of my life?"

"At least you'd get to see streets, Mrs. Bates." Anna extended the pen, "It's your choice and the offer's about to expire."

Vera stared between pen and paper before taking the pen again. She hurriedly scribbled her name on the page before signing the bottom. With a huff she tossed the pen on top of it and held up her hands, "I'm ready to be released."

"Not yet." Anna gathered the paper. "We send this back to our office tonight and they finalize all the details. Tomorrow morning there'll be a prison transfer for you down to London. Before you reach your next destination your convoy will encounter some problems. They'll pull to the side of the road. A team of our agents will then extract you and bring you to the rendezvous. The news of your escape will get the attention of your network and they'll be less surprised when you show up on their doorstep. Then you'll be taken to the launching point where you will meet Mr. Bernhard and I before we go to France to draw out your friend, Carlisle. Do you understand what I've just told you?"

Vera turned to John, her face breaking into a terrible grin. "Bernhard? They call you Mr. Bernhard now?"

Bates straightened as Vera spluttered, trying to speak through her terrible joy, "How's it feel to be a part of my world Johnny?"

Bates walked to the door, banging on it before stepping back. The door opened and he walked out, leaving Anna. She held up a hand to the guard and faced Vera.

"Let me make one thing explicitly clear to you, Mrs. Bates. The deal states your 'exemplary' assistance to our cause. Anything less than that and you come right back here."

"You'd go back on your word?"

"Only if you do first." Anna went to leave but stopped, "And another thing."

She walked right up to Vera, lowering her voice, "If you, in any way, make this mission difficult I'll kill you. There won't be a report and I won't even need a gun to do it. Cause us any trouble, betray us, or in any way attempt to make things harder for Mr. Bernhard than they already are and I'll slit your throat and leave you to bleed out in a ditch." Anna bent down so she and Vera were on the same level, "Understand?"

"Perfectly." Vera nodded toward the door, "Be careful with Johnny. He breaks easily."

"I doubt that." Anna grabbed her things and left the room.

Bates was sure his hands were numb considering the whites of his knuckles were visible in the dark and had been for the last fifteen minutes. Anna's voice, muffled with the distance and the wall between them, sounded in the other room as she finished a coded report over the telephone. Bates turned his head to see Lancaster castle in the distance. Somewhere in its walls Vera sat in her solitary cell, gloating over her victory.

He hissed as his hands dug into the balcony railing further. He lost all control with her and abandoned Anna. Even in the aftermath she was the one who reported their success and now gave her debrief over the line to Mary and Admiral Crawley on the other end.

Taking a deep breath he hung his head. A noise from the doorway drew his attention and he saw Anna standing there, leaned against the frame. He tried to smile at her but his mouth just would not work that way.

"Something on your mind Mr. Bernhard?"

"Could you not call me that tonight?" He spoke to the street below, not daring to look at her. "I don't think I can be him right now."

"Alright," She walked closer to him, resting her arms on the railing. "Something on your mind, Mr. Bates?"

"I'm sorry I left you in there."

"We all meet things we don't know how to deal with."

"It's unacceptable."

"If I'd a problem with it I would've said something." Anna put a hand on his, prying it from the railing. "Just going into the room was exceedingly brave John."

"I-" He shook his head, "She knows just how to wind me up. That things she said about you-"

"Weren't true and so I didn't listen." Anna put her hand on Bates's cheek, "I don't give her power over me and you can't either."

"She's in my head Anna."

"Then let me put something else there." Anna pulled his other hand from the railing, "We're not giving her power over us any longer."

"Not sure how we do that."

Anna grinned at him and Bates felt his blood change course at the look in her eyes. "I know a way."

She pulled Bates into the bedroom and pointed to the bed. "Strip yourself and lay there."

"Are you giving me a massage?"

"Something like that." Anna bent over their cases, digging inside his to find a few things. When she noticed he had not moved she stopped, "Move now Mr. Bates or you ruin the exercise."

Bates pulled his tie loose, removing his coat and draping it over a chair in the room. He undid the buttons on his cuffs and shirt as Anna approached him. He grinned at her when she undid his belt but she pulled it from the loops of his trousers without a word. Bates bent to kiss her but she dodged it, collecting his tie from the chair.

"Anna?"

"Naked and on the bed, now." She ordered and Bates pulled his shirt off, raising an eyebrow at the two belts and ties in her grip now.

His trousers and pants joined the rest of his clothes on the chair. The bed sank slightly as he climbed onto it, waiting. Anna walked over to the bed and pulled his left arm above his head, using one of the ties to secure it to the bedpost.

"Test it." She waited and he did not move, "Test the bind John. I don't want to cut off any of your circulation."

He pulled at it, "It's fine."

"Can you move?"

"If I wanted to."

"Good." She pulled his legs to the end of the bed and used the two belts to keep him secure there. Walking around to the other side of the bed she finished with the last tie on his right arm.

"Anna, what is this?"

"Do you remember?" Anna unzipped her dress, working it off her shoulders as Bates watched, "When I tied you to the chair in your kitchen?"

Bates felt his mouth go dry and struggled to respond. "Yes."

Anna looked up, smiling when she caught sight of his erection standing taller. "Good. Then you remember how I also told you I was going to tie you to the bed and take what I wanted from you?"

Bates could only nod, the memory of her tying him to his kitchen chair filing his mind. His eyes refocused when Anna touched his face. She smiled down at him, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"I'm going to teach you that we're our most free when we give our control to someone else." She stepped back to finish disrobing, "That's what you taught me. I think you need to remember who controls you."

"Who's that?" He croaked as Anna climbed onto the bed, sitting between his spread legs.

"Not Vera, that's for sure." Anna leaned over him, her hair still held up and out of the way. Bates reached for it but the ties kept his hands from reaching her. He whined and Anna grinned at him, "Who controls you John?"

"You."

"Good answer." Anna kissed near his ear and started toward his neck, "Because I'm going to spend the night reminding you of that."

She worked her way down him, kissing where she wanted and ignoring all the protests from Bates when he tried to hold her. Anna wrapped to his other ear, stroking her hands over his spread arms to clasp his fingers with hers. "Just remember, if you feel it's too much, say 'Friday'."

"Why 'Friday'?"

"Because if you're truly uncomfortable you'll think about her." Anna winked, bringing her fingers back down Bates's arms to cup his cheeks, "And I don't want you feeling uncomfortable."

Her lips moved over his face. Bates closed his eyes, to lose himself in the nerves she sparked as she worked over his face to leave no bit of skin unloved. The care to his neck reflected her attention to detail while her hands slid over her his arms again.

His breathing hitched when her body moved down his, gliding to rest right above where he was already ready for her. But Anna took her time. She raked her nails down his sides, kneading and molding with her fingers as she caressed his scars with her lips. Nerves tingled, even those slightly deadened by the scarred skin, while Anna worked herself down.

Her wet center eased over him, slowing her pace as she met his eyes. He sobbed to himself when he watched her moved her hands to his base. But she only used it for leverage while kissing over the scar on his leg. Muscles twitched under her, Bates admitting to himself he no longer controlled his own body.

She eventually worked her mouth back up to his arousal. Damp kisses worked over his hips and fingers grazed his sack. Trembling, Bates tried to speak but found his mouth too dry to do more than choke. He cleared it, Anna stopping her exploration of the skin buzzing around her attentions, and spoke.

"Please Anna."

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No," He shook his head so quickly his cheeks touched the pillows on either side of his head, "I want you to just finish me."

"With pleasure." Anna arranged herself between his legs, "And, I warn you, I won't stop until you come."

His eyes rolled back into his head when she took him into her mouth. Her cheeks hollowed to suck him as far as she could before rising back to his tip. Her tongue rasped around him, pulling like someone trying to gather all the remains of an ice cream, and she dove back down. He bucked toward her, trying to move but finding the ties on his hands and feet exceedingly efficient. All the movement was restricted to his hips and core.

She ran her tongue in his slit and Bates cried out, fists clenching. Her fingers glided over him, easing around his hips before grasping his base or fondling his sack. Sweat gathered on his forehead as his hips worked to thrust into the depths of her mouth.

As he came, crying out her name loud enough for the occupants of Lancaster castle to hear him, Bates met Anna's eyes. The glint there had Bates rutting even faster. She drank him down, holding tight to him until his body stopped moving.

Rising up Anna smiled at him, licking her lips before reaching over him. She untied his hands before putting her knees on either side of his chest. "How are you feeling now John?"

Bates ran his hands up her legs, caressing her hips before fingering her. Anna sighed with it but grabbed his hands. "Not yet John."

"Not yet?"

"Not quite, anyway." She positioned herself over his face, holding the headboard, "Now it's my turn."

Bates met her eyes, grinning himself as he dug his fingers into her legs, "My pleasure."

"I think it's mine." Anna maintained eye contact with him as she knelt closer to his mouth.

His tongue immediately went to work, sucking and drinking from her like a man dying of thirst in a desert. His fingers held her steady and then worked in tandem with his mouth, pulling at her. His eyes never left her, watching as Anna's fingers clenched at the headboard, holding it to keep herself steady as she ground down on him.

The plunges of his fingers operated in tandem with his tongue as he kissed, laved, relished, and lapped her to the point where Anna panted without really filling her lungs. Bates heard the gasps of her voice, watching her breasts bobbing above him, and smiled before diving deeper. His fingers worked inside her while he moved his teeth to the top of her sex, biting down as her muscles gripped his fingers.

When she broke, calling out his name and shaking, he slipped his arms up to grab her waist. She slid down his body before rolling to the side. Bates, still strapped to the end of the bed, sat up to undo the belts before leaning over to kiss Anna for the first time that evening.

Whatever energy she had left she gave to the kiss as they took their taste from one another. Bates ran his hand up to her hair, pulling it loose as he sucked her tongue, and broke away only to set the pins and the hair tie on the bedside table. He moved back to her and smiled to match the way she beamed at him.

"You never used the safe word."

"I felt safe with you," Bates ran his thumb over her cheekbone, "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Anna nestled into his side, "I only did what someone who loves you would do."

"I guess I've never had someone who loves me like you do."

"Then," Anna kissed his nose, "Get used to this being what love feels like."

"I can do that." He held her closer, "I can do that."

Anna knocked on the door, waiting for him to call to her, before pushing it open. She waited a moment, watching the labored rise and fall of his shoulders as he leaned on the sink. His hair was damp, the air in the bathroom swirling with a touch of steam from his wash, and only a towel hung around his hips.

He looked over at her, "They sent us the details then?"

"They'll be there in three hours. The boat leaves the minute they've got her on board. They want the midnight tide, figure the cover of darkness'll help us get past anything the Germans have going to stop us. That means we need to be there in two hours for final checks."

"Right." Bates stared at himself in the mirror and Anna leaned on the doorknob.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm- I'm fine."

Anna walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. He turned ever so slightly as she folded her arms over her chest. "You're not fine."

"We're about to sneak into enemy territory with my ex-wife who, at any moment, might turn on us." Bates gripped the edge of the sink and Anna watched the contraption wobble a little from the wall. "No, I'm not fine."

"If you want I can request Thursday to come instead."

"No," Bates shook his head, "Thursday'd be outclassed by her in a second. Besides, we've already been briefed and we have our covers. They'll never buy him as her husband. It'll be too much for him."

"Is it too much for you?"

"I know what to expect from her."

"Somehow I think she knows what to expect from you too." Anna leaned against the wall next to the mirror, eyes taking in the man almost vibrating with rage and tension in front of her. "She'll wind you up."

"I'm not afraid for me." Bates pushed away from the sink, running a hand through his wet hair before putting his hands on his towel-covered hips, "I'm afraid for you."

"Me?" Anna gave a short laugh, "There's nothing that woman can do to me."

"She could kill you."

"She'd have to get up much earlier in the morning to try that." Anna looked down at the sink and grabbed Bates's razor. "Take this."

"What?"

"Take it." She held it out to him and Bates took it from her hand.

He held it loosely, shrugging at her. "What do I do with this? I already shaved."

"Attack me." Anna motioned him forward with her hands and Bates raised his eyebrows.

"Excuse me?"

"Attack me with it."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"No," Anna walked toward Bates, snapping the towel from around his waist and rolling it in her hands, "I've got a point to prove."

Bates came at her and Anna wrapped his wrist in the towel. She spun his arm behind his back and pressed on the tendon in his wrist. He released the razor and she caught it, bringing it to his neck as she twisted his arm up his back. He winced and tried to break her grip but could not.

Anna released Bates, dropping the towel and giving him the razor. "Again."

Bates cut low and Anna dodged back. He swiped high and she ducked under his arm. She wrapped her arms over his shoulders and lifted herself off the ground to wrap her legs around his neck. Holding his arm in hers she twisted with her body to have Bates stumbling to the floor. With a pull on his arm he released the razor and she grabbed it, flipping around to hold it to his neck again.

They were both breathing hard as Anna stood, setting the razor on the sink again, "As you can see, I'll be fine."

Bates got off the floor and grabbed Anna as she went to leave the bathroom. She spun in his grip and he kissed her. They broke apart a moment and she saw the dilation in his eyes, felt the speed of his chest against hers, and relished the pressure rising near her stomach. She grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down to her again.

In a moment he broke the kiss, spinning her around so her hands hit the sink. She gripped there as he kissed her neck, one of his hands working under her shirt to massage her breasts, and the other worked her skirt up. His fingers fumbled with her underwear, pushing it to the side as his fingers glided into her.

Her moans filled the bathroom as he worked her to the edge. Anna met his gaze in the bathroom mirror as he nudged her collar aside enough to bite lightly where her neck met her shoulder. She cried out and felt him shift behind her, holding her skirt to her waist as he plunged into her.

They held still a moment, as if savoring the sensations, before he moved again. He slipped almost all the way out of her before driving back with enough force to lift her to her tiptoes. The cradle of his hips held her steady and the sound of him hitting her as deeply as he could filled her ears. She groaned, hanging her head, as he rutted into her with all his strength.

When he paused she turned around, almost frantic and on edge. He grinned at her and looked down. Anna saw it then, the sight of her impaled on him, and keened. Bates leaned over to kiss her, his hand at her breast squeezing while his hand at her hip moved forward to stroke her.

Anna lost herself in the feel of him filing her completely and vaguely noted the sink shifting in her hold. But when she came crying his name, and he finished a moment later, all Anna could focus on was not falling to the floor. His arm wrapped around her from behind and he kissed her neck as he withdrew.

"I'm sorry I worried."

"Don't be," She moved to kiss his lips, "If you're like this every time we have to travel with your ex-wife then we need her around more often."

Anna laughed as Bates held up a finger, shaking it at her, "That's not funny."

Anna tried to get ahold of herself, holding up two fingers slightly apart from one another. "Little funny?"

Bates smiled and kissed her cheek, "Maybe a little."

"Good," Anna moved away, smoothing down her skirt, "Because I should probably wash myself again. Don't want her to smell you on me."

"Maybe that was the point."

"John," Anna ran a finger down his jawline, "If you wanted to prove yourself to me, you're too late. And if you wanted to prove yourself to her then we can find a better way."

Bates kissed her again, taking his time to stroke into her mouth as she held him to her with a hand to his cheek. He pulled away, rubbing a hand on her neck, "I'm lucky I have you."

"Yes you are." Anna kissed him, "Now let's clean ourselves or we'll miss our boat Mr. Bernhard."

"Yes Ms. Monday."