Note: Sometimes all you need to melt even densest ice and turn a foe into an ally is a pureness of thoughts...

Part 36

POV – Gill

"Mark," I greet the DA upon entering his office. The man looks up from the laptop. A micro-expression I'm not able to catch runs across masculine face, before it is masked behind an insincere smile on his clean-shaven face.

"Gillian…" Mark acknowledges my presence after swallowing a fork full of food, "Sorry, didn't have a chance to grab a bite, hope you don't mind."

Polite tone doesn't hold any warmth, but I was not expecting one either. We have met more than on one occasion to discuss business, he even had accompanied Zoe to our office parties, but I can't say that we are on good terms. I believe it has something to do with Zoe's noticeable antipathy towards me. Normally I wouldn't care too much about it, but a sudden unpleasant thought crosses my mind. What if she has defamed me over a pillow talk? My word or honest intentions wouldn't mean a thing to Mark. Well, no point in backing out now. Will just have to wait and see.

"Feel free to finish," I offer watching as he clears his desk from the lunch box of what looks like Thai take-away.

"It has been a bit hectic around here," Mark's apology is as insincere as his smile.

"So I heard," the accusation leaves a biter after ling in the air.

The same flush crosses man's features. It is so brief, that I'm not sure whether it is guilt, anger or a mix of both.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" poorly masked irritation that tops well-tuned voice is nothing in comparison to his piercing stare. There is only one other person who has the power to make me feel naked under his scrutiny. Cal.

Without doubts, the question is rhetoric. Mark knows perfectly well why I'm here.

To shrug off the feeling, I take my time to close the doors and cross the room, before taking a visitor seat located in front of the desk. It is no coincidence that the chair I'm occupying is at least four inches lower than it would normally be. Makes me look up to see the man. Neat trick!

While I'm not under investigation (at least not officially), his enforced supremacy is agitating. Fighting the urge to flee, I open my mouth to speak, "Mark, thank you for agreeing to…", but the man stops me short, "Let's cut the pleasantries. If you are here on Cal's behalf…"

A pregnant full of implications pause lingers heavily in the air.

"With all due respect," I have a hard time to keep my tone levelled and at the same time expressively sincere, "I'm here on my own behalf."

Mark leans his head to one side. Tightening of jaws and darkened eyes speak louder than any words. He is not inclined to believe any word I say. Warning signs I heard in his tone earlier should have been a clue. I'm ranking unpleasantly high on his black list.

Shit!

Since we never had quarrels before, there is only one explanation for that. Thanks a lot, Zoe!

I take a deep steadying breath. The speech I had in my mind will not work. Not under these circumstances.

There is nothing much left to do, but to go with my gut, "If you don't mind, I will be frank."

The man nods.

"I understand you, I really do…", my opening clearly surprises the man, "But drowning the Lightman Group will not bring you the satisfaction you crave and most definitely will not help to win Zoe back."

Mark almost chokes from such bluntness and audacity.

"Innocent people will get hurt…"

"By championing Lightman you hardly qualify as 'innocent'," Mark's jaw goes up with furiosity of betrayal I dared to bring in the daylight.

I let him calm a bit, before admitting, "This is not about me, you, Cal or Zoe. There are people working for the Lightman Group, people I'm accountable for. It is my task is to ensure that they don't lose their daily income. I'm here on their behalf…", my emotions I tried so hard to supress are getting better of me, "Look, if you really believe that Cal is a crook, that I'm some kind of criminal mastermind in tax evasion - go for it! You have the law on your side! But please don't destroy our work, our science which required so much effort, time, energy and sleepless nights to revenge hurt feelings. I'm appealing to your sense of justice. Call off your dogs, before the situation goes out of hands."

"Your boys started the war," the accusation is sore, with slowly built certainty. Mark's fist jerks on the top of the smooth surface of the table.

While not entirely, the statement commands truth. If Cal and Jack had not winded a counterattack with a heavy artillery, we could have avoided a lot of headache, but I keep my thoughts to myself. There is no need to further antagonize the man, especially if I want to reach any sort of mutual understanding.

"And I'm asking you to be the better man and finish it," I keep my distance set out earlier, lifting my arms in a regretful surrender.

Mark eyes me for the longest of moments. The pencil he fidgets in his fingers breaks in half's under the muscular twitch of his palm, "Why would I want to do it?"

"Because it is the right thing to do," intentional void of emotions and low gentleness are designed to soften the demand, "I know first handily that betrayal is a bitch. It poisons your life, especially when you let it. At times it feels like you are choking in your own anger, but I made myself to move on and advice you to do the same."

A blunt lie, but I can be a very good liar if the situation calls for it. If only Mark knew how far I'm from being over anything… Luckily the man does not possess Cal's skills.

For a while we just sit in eerie silence. Mark's expression is unreadable and I start to think that my directness has made everything only worse, but his eyes gain sudden calmness, which was not present there before.

His admittance is almost soft, "Letting go is not easy…"

"I know," I slowly exhale breath I didn't know I was holding, "But if the earth stopped spinning for every broken heart, the universe would have ceased to exist long ago."

"Never thought you are a cynic, Gillian," Mark chuckles. His posture loses the sharpness of tension. A good sign!

"I'm not. Just a realist," I shrug, "Although sometimes not overly sure whether there is a fine line between the two."

The man casts a sombre smile.

"You know the saddest part?" Mark's words are loaded with bent up frustration. I would have thought him too proud to admit it, but the man surprises me, "Despite everything, I still love her… Mere thought… thought of them together drives me bunkers. Zoe, you know, she just grows on you..."

"So does fungus," I comment, momentarily regretting it. For a moment I have a sinking feeling that I just ruined any unspoken agreement we have come to, but sincere amusement on the man's face tells otherwise.

"Funny… not cute, but funny," Mark's gaze softens. His rugged exhale is more than honest with a shade of acceptance slowly creeping in, "Ok, let's say I heard you. I call off mine, as you so exquisitely put it, 'dogs', what do you offer in return?"

"What do you want?" I hardly believe I somehow managed to loosen the ice.

"A formal apology from the Lightman Group, for all the shit Cal publicly laid on my office."

"I will…"

"Not you. Him."

My heart drops, but I don't let it show.

"Do we have a deal?" Mark insists eying me closely.

"Yes!" I confirm with more conviction than I actually feel. All the years of working with Cal have taught me one thing. There is nothing more important for the man than his dignity and pride. I'm not sure he would crumble even at the gunpoint, but I can solve only one problem at a time. Mark's offer is as good as it gets. When I just entered, I wasn't sure I could manage to get even this far. Cal will have to make his choice and live up the consequences.

"Then we have an agreement," Mark rounds the table to shake my hand as if sealing a deal. His palm is strong and sure.

I'm already at the doors, when his voice brushes against me, "Foster!"

I freeze before slowly turning around, afraid that he has changed his mind. Genuine warmness shining in his usually stormy orbs is a true surprise, but his proposal throws me completely off the grid, "Let's have a coffee sometime?"

"To discuss exactly what?" I sigh suddenly feeling very tired, "Love life of our exes? No offence, but I'm not interested."

"Suite yourself," Mark shrugs, giving me a cocked wink, his eyes gild with regret, "but I do hope to see you around."

"Enjoy the rest of your meal!" I force a dazzling smile to soften the refusal.

As soon as the doors close behind me, I lean against the wall and take a deep, steadying breath, unable to believe that I actually pulled it.

Well, it is not like it is solely mine merit. I just lit the torch to highlight the path of a compromise. Mark is a masterful power in the game of thrones, or he wouldn't be the DA. Any public fight is a sort of a downfall for everyone involved and subsequent damage to the reputation might be beyond repair. He knows it better than I ever would.

My main concern now is Cal. If he refuses the deal, we are screwed.

tbc