"Your boss is a pervert."
Riza raised an eyebrow as she pulled out her chair to join Rebecca at the small table. "He is?"
"Yes, he is," Rebecca said, scrunching her nose in disgust.
"Care to elaborate?" Riza asked dryly.
They were in Central, having accompanied their respective bosses to the annual defense conference for the week. Still dressed in full uniform, the two were meeting for a quick lunch at their favorite .
"I overheard your boss discussing his plans with a-" clearly uncomfortable, Rebecca cleared her throat, - "with a… um a lady of the night if you will."
Riza took a sip of the tea their server had just delivered as she analyzed Rebecca's expression. Deciding to remain neutral in tone, she inquired for more information. "How and why were you in a position to overhear something like that? General Grumman hasn't asked you to spy on the Colonel, has he?"
"What? God no!" Rebecca screeched, clearly offended by the accusation. "If you must know, I ran into him at a hostess bar last night."
"You went to a hostess bar? One with ladies of the night? Now you sound like the pervert."
Rebecca sighed. She knew there was no way to get out of this predicament without telling the truth and she refused to allow Riza to go a minute longer thinking that she sought the company of ladies of the night.
"If you must know, I was running an errand for the General."
Riza scrunched her nose in disgust. "Why does that sound so much worse? What could he possibly have asked you to do at a brothel, of all places."
"I guess Grumman is an old friend of the Madame. He couldn't get away last night and asked that I drop off an envelope of money, something about owing her a favor. As I was sitting at the bar, your sleazy boss decided to show up and all the girls just flocked to him like he was the hottest thing since sliced bread. It was disgusting, really."
Though Rebecca had never specified, Riza was certain she knew the exact establishment in question.
The Colonel was a man obsessed with reputation and fixated on impressions. The upper brass would think him lazy, unmotivated and sloppy, with an appetite for women and a habit of coasting through the workday. Only a select, handpicked few were privy to the cunning, caring and revolutionary genius that lay underneath his meticulously controlled reputation.
Even fewer knew of his true connection to Chris Mustang and her brilliantly crafted spy network. To a casual observer, Mustang's visit to the brothel would only further support his debauched, womanizing habits. To the privileged insider, Roy had gone to collect valuable information- perhaps the same information Grumman had sent Rebecca to unknowingly pay for.
For one reason or another, Grumman had decided against informing his assistant about the classified inner workings of the brothel, sending her on an errand for a "favor". Riza internally sighed. If Rebecca thought it was a mere hostess bar, then a bar it would be.
"Rebecca, I'm only paid to babysit him during work hours. I don't care what he does outside of that."
"I don't know how you're so devoted to a sleazeball," Rebecca said, making no intention to hide her disgust. "How do you work under him?"
"The same way you work under the General."
Rebecca chewed the inside of her lip, clearly bested. With a resounding shake of her head, she dropped the conversation, deciding to use the rest of lunch to press Riza for any developments in her stale personal life.
/-/-/
"Catalina!" Grumman said as he summoned her into his makeshift office. "I need you to bring this letter to the same Madame you visited yesterday."
Rebecca raised her eyebrow, but took the envelope. "Another favor, General?"
"Oh no. This is an invitation to dinner on Friday before we head back to East City. Sending this with a messenger is the best way to keep a low profile. I don't need the Central brass knowing everything about me. Please make sure you hand it directly to the Madame."
Later that evening, Rebecca found herself begrudgingly back at the same bar. The bar opened at nine, but to avoid suspicion, she arrived a bit after ten and took a seat at the counter.
"Anything to drink, dear?" The bartender asked.
"Vodka soda please," Rebecca answered. "Additionally, I need to see the Madame. I have something to give her from Betty."
Betty was Grumman's late wife and, apparently, the codename he and the madame established between them so no one would know he had friends in such salacious establishments.
"Of course," the bartender said with a wink. She disappeared to a back room before returning with Rebecca's drink. "The Madame is taking an important phone call, but will be out shortly. Can I get you anything else while you wait?"
Rebecca shook her head. "No, I'll be right here whenever she's done."
The bartender nodded and moved to serve the other customers that were now crowding the bar. Rebecca quietly sat in her chair, enjoying her drink, before a familiar voice rang out.
"Hi Caroline, how's business tonight?"
"So far so good, but it's still early," the bartender answered. "What will it be tonight Roy? The usual?"
"Yes, please."
Rebecca watched as Mustang took a sip of his drink, her mouth opened in disgust that he would spend two nights in a row at a brothel.
"Keep my tab open, please," he said to Caroline.
"Of course. Are you waiting for Elizabeth? Madame had Vanessa prepare your usual room."
"Yes, but I'm honestly surprised I beat her here. Have you seen her?"
"No, but I can check with the other girls if you like."
"No, not yet. I'll have a drink or two first. Give her time."
"Always the gentlemen," Caroline giggled as she began to polish a few glasses behind the bar. "You need to visit us more, you know. And not just when you're trying to spend some private time with Elizabeth."
Rebecca frowned into her drink, focused on keeping her head down. Luckily, Roy was so absorbed with his conversation that he had not noticed her a few spots down the bar from where he sat.
She now knew why he had come to the bar two nights in a row.
Apparently, Roy had a favorite escort, this woman named Elizabeth. Rebecca had overheard his inquiry of her the night before as well, before one of the girls had shown him out of the main bar area and out of sight. Rebecca frowned. Poor Riza and her blind, unwavering devotion to the Colonel. Her heart would break if she found out.
"Oh hush, Caroline. I visit enough," Roy said, breaking Rebecca from her thoughts.
"No you don't. Not without Elizabeth," she giggled. "But I get it. You're in love. Why spend time with me when you can kiss her and talk about having all these cute babies-"
"Caroline," Roy growled dangerously. "That's enough. I don't need you ruining my reputation with your crazy imagination."
Rebecca had to hold in a snort. Ruin his reputation? Being in love with a prostitute from Central only further solidified his ridiculous, over-sexed reputation.
"Whatever, Roy. You better buy her a ring before someone else does. That's all I'm saying."
Before Rebecca could hear Roy's reply, her name sounded out from the opposite end of the bar.
"Catalina."
Rebecca looked up to find the Madame standing in front of her. She moved to pull out the letter from her coat when the Madame reached across the countertop to stop her.
"How about you come with me so we can talk in private?"
Confused, Rebecca willingly obliged. She followed the Madame into a small office where she took a seat on a small leather couch.
"What does the old man have for me today?" the Madame asked as she lit a cigarette. She reached out and grabbed the offered letter, reading it quickly, before turning her attention back to Rebecca.
"Tell him Friday at 7:30 works just fine for me." The Madame then turned around and pulled out a small, white folder. "I'm guessing from your bewildered expression, Grumman hasn't told you much about this place?"
"Um, no?" Rebecca answered. What else was there to know about a brothel?
"Then I'll tell you the basics. He must trust you if he's sent you twice and there's no room for total ignorance in my house. I have a lot of friends and a lot of connections. Sometimes, the General calls in a favor." The Madam took a long drag of her cigarette as she handed Rebecca the folder. It was sealed shut. "This here is one of the favors. I need you to make sure to give it to him directly when he's alone. No handing it off to any clerical staff, no presenting this to him in public, understand?"
"Yes ma'am," Rebecca answered. Now it was beginning to make sense why Grumman was so insistent on Rebecca serving as a runner to eliminate any records or paper trails between the two.
"Good. I'm sure he will send you back tomorrow if he can't wait until our dinner, so let me get one of the girls to show you the back entrance. It will be easier for you to come in that way and save you from being labeled as a regular. One of my girls is always around back here. Just let her know Betty sent you, as usual, and they'll find me."
Rebecca nodded. "Thank you, Madame."
"Please, call me Christmas," Christmas said as she poked her head outside the office. "Vanessa!"
Moments later, a thin, curly-haired brunette walked in. "Yes, Madam?"
"Can you please show Ms. Catalina the back entrance. She's Grumman's new runner and I want her to know her way around."
"Of course!"
"It was nice chatting with you, Catalina," Christmas said as Rebecca followed Vanessa out the door.
"So this is the back way," Vanessa said as she led Rebecca down a hallway full of doors, suggestive sounds occasionally emitting from behind one.
"How long has the Madame been set up here?"
"Oh a long time. I've worked here ten years and it was established well before then." Vanessa stopped at one of the doors. "This one, the third door from the right if you're counting from the end of the hall, leads to the stairwell and the alley."
Vanessa opened the door only to find another person on the other side, arm outstretched for the doorknob.
Rebecca's eyes shot wide as she immediately recognized who was standing there dressed in full civilian clothes.
"Took you long enough!" Vanessa said before Rebecca had a chance to gather her thoughts. "He's been at the bar complaining to poor Caroline for an hour when he heard you were running late."
"Oh, yes, well," Riza said, visibly struggling to compose herself at the sight of her best friend.
For her part, Rebecca just stood there, lost to why Riza would possibly be sneaking through the back alley way of a brothel.
"You can just head to the usual room. I cleaned it up earlier. Let me show this lovely lady out and I'll let him know you're here, Elizabeth."
"Elizabeth?" At the sound of her cover name, everything clicked into place for Rebecca. There was no need for Vanessa or Riza to confirm who the man Riza was here to meet was. Rebecca Catalina already knew. "Elizabeth?"
"It's just a codename, Rebecca," Riza started softly, her words shaking as she attempted to create a cover up, unaware that any chance Riza had to talk her way out of this was long gone.
"Do you two know each other?" Vanessa asked, her turn to be confused.
"I'm her best friend," Rebecca replied. "At least I thought I was. There I was, sitting at the bar, listening to Colonel Dickhead being teased by the bartender about how much he loved this Elizabeth. I was getting so mad on your behalf that he was in love with a prostitute from Central instead of you, no offense" -she looked apologetically at Vanessa- "but lo and behold how wrong I was. Elizabeth."
A thick tension filled the air and Riza averted her eyes, clearly ashamed. Vanessa rocked side to side, fully knowing that somehow, somewhere, she had messed up, exposing her brother's long-kept secret.
"Please, Rebecca, dont," Riza finally said. "Not tonight. Not here."
"That asshole can't possibly be worth it. He has you sneaking in through the back door of a brothel."
"It's technically a hostess bar with a side business, but yes he is worth it." With each word Riza's voice grew stronger and more confident. She took a deep breath, deciding that a full, unapologetic summary would best appease Rebecca before her best friend decided to create a scene. "Look, Becca, I've known Roy since we were teenagers. I've loved him for almost as long. The dates, the flirting, it's all a cover. Most of the women he takes out are women from the brothel. He grew up here. Christmas is his aunt. That's why we meet here and why everyone lies to help protect us. It's one of the few places we can safely sneak away and have a moment to ourselves. I'm sorry you found out this way but no one outside these walls knows and I need you to promise me you'll keep it that way."
Rebecca was silent for a moment, processing the onslaught of information. "Does he at least treat you right?"
"Of course. I would have shot him if he didn't," Riza said with a playful smile. She then turned to Vanessa. "This wasn't your fault, Vanessa. You never named Roy. If it was anyone other than Rebecca, they would have never figured it out."
Vanessa nodded in understanding. "I'm happy to hear you're not mad at me. I hope Roy-boy won't be either."
"He won't because we aren't going to tell him," Riza said firmly. She gave Rebecca a desperate look. "Please?"
Rebecca sighed, relenting. "Fine. Just promise me that if he's ever a dick, you let me know so I can give him a piece of my mind."
"You already do."
"I'm still not happy with you for lying to me all these years. You could have saved yourself so many blind dates if you had just told me the truth. I mean, I get why you didn't say anything, but it's me, Riza. And you sure as hell have a ton of questions to answer. I'm not letting you get off so easily. But I guess we can wait until another time if your man is waiting for you." Rebecca's voice transitioned into a tease at the end. "Who knew straight laced Riza Hawkeye would be her commanding officer's dirty little secret."
"Rebecca!" Riza admonished, though her tone was only half serious. Internally, she was grateful that Rebecca was willing to shelve her interrogation for another time. Riza gave her a grateful hug before turning to move past Vanessa and Rebecca and down the hall. The two stood there watching her walk away for a moment before Rebecca called out.
"Go get him, Elizabeth!"
A/N: Thank you again to everyone who has taken the time out of their busy holiday schedule. If I don't upload again before, have a happy new year and here is to a better 2021!