Chapter Four
7:35pm
When Gabriel heard that Val was entertaining someone in Morgead's private dining room at MingNa's, he alerted Mandy promptly. They both decided they ought to have some agents get there before their traitor and his guest, and bug the room. There was no trusting that Valentino. They wouldn't touch that "Satanist" with a ten foot pole.
True to her word, Chakira arrived at MingNa's at 8:00 with M'Lila in tow. The maitre'd guided them through the main room, down a hallway and into a lavish dining room. Once the women were seated, the maitre'd left, promising to summon Val, who was at the bar having cocktails.
Finally, Val came in from the bar, and tea was brought, along with Kimchee. M'Lila winced at the spice of the Kimchee, but Val and Chakira did not hesitate. They were well versed in the foods of the different cultures of the world, and it did not bother them. When the hot and sour soup was brought, along with some stiff bread, they began to talk.
"What is it that you want to tell me?"
"First of all, I work with Gabriel, Mandy and Morgead."
At those names, M'Lila stopped eating her soup and looked up. Chakira looked at her partner, then back at Val. This was not setting well. He better cover this up fast. Otherwise, they'd screw dinner and leave now. There was no reason to hang around with one of Morgead's men, unless they had a good reason to stay around.
"What do you want with us?" Chakira asked crisply.
"I don't know how Morgead got me into this, but I'm actually a Witch. Goddess knows I am being honest. I want to be a spy for your coven. I want to pay Morgead back for luring me into this."
Chakira and M'Lila looked at each other again. Morgead could be behind this offer and M'Lila would be the one to see it. The two women needed to talk alone. They could not risk being caught in a trap. Not now, not ever.
"Tell them to hold the main course, please. M'Lila and I need to have a talk in private."
Val inclined his head. "As you wish, ladies."
The two women rose, and departed the room. They went back down the hall to the ladies' room and locked the door behind themselves, when they were sure that they were alone. Chakira sat down on a couch, while M'Lila leaned against the wall. They were quiet for a few moments, lost in their thoughts. Niether of them wanted to say anything. Finally, Chakira spoke.
"Well?" she asked, looking at her partner.
"At least he's honest." M'Lila replied with a shrug.
"Is he, now?"
"Yup. Morgead must have done something powerful to Valentino. He wants out, and he wants out now!"
"Should we take him up on his offer, then?" Chakira asked, leaning back on the couch.
"Why not? He could have good information. Val is, after all, an agent of Morgead's."
By the time the Witches returned, the main course was on the table. The two women did not offer Val any words, but merely sat down to the feast in front of them. In fact, no one said anything, until the food had been cleared from the table. They acted casual through the whole meal, as if they had never left to discuss anything in private. When they were done, he spoke.
"Well, what have you decided?" Val asked, leaning back in his chair.
Chakira and M'Lila looked at each other. "We'll take you up on your offer."
He sat forward. "Wonderful! I feel I owe a debt to the Goddess and God after being lured into Satanism by Morgead. This would be a good way to repay it."
"So...What is it that you can do for us?" M'Lila questioned.
Val paused for a moment. "I can get you access to a spy tool that you'll find very useful. It can spy on anyone, anywhere. Do you wish to use it?"
"It would be useful..." Chakira paused. "When can we use it?"
"I'll have to pull a few strings, but I'll let you know when you can use it." He replied, sipping form a cup of tea that had been set before him.
The women stood up after a few sips of tea, shook hands with Val and departed. When the Witches were gone, Val stayed a little longer, sipping tea. Wonder what Morgead would think? He'd probably hate Val for it. But that what it was all about. Revenge. Revenge and nothing else.
Chakira looked at M'Lila as they headed for the car. "Sure he's honest?"
"Positive."
They got in the car and drove away. Both were unaware that they were being watched. Nevertheless, Morgead knew. Morgead always knew. He, Mandy and Gabriel had heard everything, and they weren't too pleased. So Val felt that he owed a debt to the Goddess and God, did he? Well, he also now owed Morgead a debt, as well.
7:35pm
When Gabriel heard that Val was entertaining someone in Morgead's private dining room at MingNa's, he alerted Mandy promptly. They both decided they ought to have some agents get there before their traitor and his guest, and bug the room. There was no trusting that Valentino. They wouldn't touch that "Satanist" with a ten foot pole.
True to her word, Chakira arrived at MingNa's at 8:00 with M'Lila in tow. The maitre'd guided them through the main room, down a hallway and into a lavish dining room. Once the women were seated, the maitre'd left, promising to summon Val, who was at the bar having cocktails.
Finally, Val came in from the bar, and tea was brought, along with Kimchee. M'Lila winced at the spice of the Kimchee, but Val and Chakira did not hesitate. They were well versed in the foods of the different cultures of the world, and it did not bother them. When the hot and sour soup was brought, along with some stiff bread, they began to talk.
"What is it that you want to tell me?"
"First of all, I work with Gabriel, Mandy and Morgead."
At those names, M'Lila stopped eating her soup and looked up. Chakira looked at her partner, then back at Val. This was not setting well. He better cover this up fast. Otherwise, they'd screw dinner and leave now. There was no reason to hang around with one of Morgead's men, unless they had a good reason to stay around.
"What do you want with us?" Chakira asked crisply.
"I don't know how Morgead got me into this, but I'm actually a Witch. Goddess knows I am being honest. I want to be a spy for your coven. I want to pay Morgead back for luring me into this."
Chakira and M'Lila looked at each other again. Morgead could be behind this offer and M'Lila would be the one to see it. The two women needed to talk alone. They could not risk being caught in a trap. Not now, not ever.
"Tell them to hold the main course, please. M'Lila and I need to have a talk in private."
Val inclined his head. "As you wish, ladies."
The two women rose, and departed the room. They went back down the hall to the ladies' room and locked the door behind themselves, when they were sure that they were alone. Chakira sat down on a couch, while M'Lila leaned against the wall. They were quiet for a few moments, lost in their thoughts. Niether of them wanted to say anything. Finally, Chakira spoke.
"Well?" she asked, looking at her partner.
"At least he's honest." M'Lila replied with a shrug.
"Is he, now?"
"Yup. Morgead must have done something powerful to Valentino. He wants out, and he wants out now!"
"Should we take him up on his offer, then?" Chakira asked, leaning back on the couch.
"Why not? He could have good information. Val is, after all, an agent of Morgead's."
By the time the Witches returned, the main course was on the table. The two women did not offer Val any words, but merely sat down to the feast in front of them. In fact, no one said anything, until the food had been cleared from the table. They acted casual through the whole meal, as if they had never left to discuss anything in private. When they were done, he spoke.
"Well, what have you decided?" Val asked, leaning back in his chair.
Chakira and M'Lila looked at each other. "We'll take you up on your offer."
He sat forward. "Wonderful! I feel I owe a debt to the Goddess and God after being lured into Satanism by Morgead. This would be a good way to repay it."
"So...What is it that you can do for us?" M'Lila questioned.
Val paused for a moment. "I can get you access to a spy tool that you'll find very useful. It can spy on anyone, anywhere. Do you wish to use it?"
"It would be useful..." Chakira paused. "When can we use it?"
"I'll have to pull a few strings, but I'll let you know when you can use it." He replied, sipping form a cup of tea that had been set before him.
The women stood up after a few sips of tea, shook hands with Val and departed. When the Witches were gone, Val stayed a little longer, sipping tea. Wonder what Morgead would think? He'd probably hate Val for it. But that what it was all about. Revenge. Revenge and nothing else.
Chakira looked at M'Lila as they headed for the car. "Sure he's honest?"
"Positive."
They got in the car and drove away. Both were unaware that they were being watched. Nevertheless, Morgead knew. Morgead always knew. He, Mandy and Gabriel had heard everything, and they weren't too pleased. So Val felt that he owed a debt to the Goddess and God, did he? Well, he also now owed Morgead a debt, as well.