Two days later, Germaine picked up her phone. It was eight in the morning and it was Leo calling. "Yes?" she asked.
For once Leo didn't know what to say. He had been prepared for a tirade from her on the earlier events. "We need you," he managed to get out.
"For what?" she asked.
"We have to get the vials tonight. They're ready to move them. We need your help getting in if we're going to do this quickly," he told her.
"Isn't that what you have Hoyt for? I've read his file; he's smart, he'll be fine," Germaine said enjoying being difficult.
"Listen, Germaine, I know you're upset with me, with Steve, with everyone. I get it. There's only so much Hoyt can do, there's only one of him and I think Govet would rather see you in a skirt than Bill, I know I would," he pleaded. "Please, we could really use your help. You know we must need you because how often do I say please?"
"I'll meet you at your hotel at four this afternoon and we go from there. And Leo, I may be angry but I wouldn't leave you hanging and throw everything on Hoyt. You know me better than that," Germaine told him. "I have an appointment to meet with Govet late this afternoon, so the three of you better be ready."
At 5:35 pm, Germaine walked into the bio-pharmaceutical building to meet Charles Govet. About ten minutes later, Govet emerged from his office to meet Dominique Seignet.
"Mademoiselle Seignet, good to see you again. Sorry to keep you waiting," Govet said, looking around. He found both the free-spirited heiress and her money very attractive. "I expected your tall friend to be with you, too."
"Markus got called back to Austria on an emergency. I have a few days alone," she replied with a charming smile and a shrug. "And it's Dominique."
"Come, Dominique" he said. "Let me show you our facilities." As Govet led Germaine around the offices, Hoyt tracked their movements and listened in to their conversation. Germaine knew everyone would be out of the office by 6 pm and aside from security she would be alone with Govet. If she could keep Govet occupied until at least 6:15 pm, Hoyt and Leo could start on what they had to do. When they finally reached Govet's very large office, Germaine looked around noticing the computer on his desk. He asked her to sit on the leather couch and offered a glass of wine. She accepted and he poured two glasses, handing her one. She took a sip as he began telling her about the latest developments at his company. As they spoke, she hoped to distract him long enough to slip something into his glass, then all she had to do was wait for it to take effect. During their conversation Germaine asked about the artwork hanging on the walls. When Govet's head was turned she spiked his wine and then charmingly offered him the glass. He took a long sip and soon his eyes were fluttering from the effects of the drug.
When Charles Govet slipped into unconsciousness Germaine said into her microphone, "Hoyt, we're good here."
"Got it, Germaine. Agent Bloom should reach you in about five minutes," Hoyt answered.
"That was quick, considering he hardly knew you," Steven said as he slipped through the office door and closed it behind him.
"Yes, well, this one was easy," she replied glancing up from behind Govet's desk as she quickly looked through his personal files on his laptop. "You could help Leo recover the vials, I'm okay here."
"And if someone comes in, then what?" he countered.
"First, I explain how Monsieur Govet could not handle the wine and I was just leaving. I can be very charming and persuasive when I want to. If that doesn't work, I'm armed," she told him. They had a similar conversation when she had met the American agents at their hotel. After a twenty-minute discussion, Germaine finally relented and agreed to Steven accompanying her instead of assisting Leo.
Steven looked her up and down, as he did when they met at the hotel hours earlier. "So, where's your gun? Nevermind, I don't want to know."
"I guess you have changed! You used to enjoy finding my firearms. Remember that time on Capri and you…" she said enjoying his reaction; what began as a smile as he remembered Capri changed into alarm when he realized that Hoyt was listening to everything she was saying.
"We don't have time to debate where you're keeping your gun. You need to get into that computer," he said cutting her off. He knew they had to be quick before someone noticed the security shut down in the lab and he didn't want Hoyt hearing the rest of the Capri story. "Where's your daughter tonight?"
"I'm already in the system and going through his files. She's with my parents, outside the city," she replied shortly, looking at him with exasperation. "Can we not have this conversation?"
"Germaine, I'm not about to apologize. You weren't acting like yourself and I was concerned," he told her. His mind had been replaying the scene outside the school since the afternoon it happened. It had brought up more questions for him than it answered. Leo wasn't surprised to see Germaine with the child, of that he was certain. Had they become more than friends since he left Paris? If Leo was the child's father, how could he risk both of them being involved in this mission? Steven wanted his unanswered questions resolved. "When this is done, we talk."
"Hoyt, how much time do I have? I haven't found his files yet. What did you find on the server?" she asked listening for the reply in her ear. "Fine. We talk when it's finished. No Hoyt, that was for Steven."
When she located the files they were looking for she copied them on a USB drive. Afterwards, she set about to deleting those files along with a few others for good measure while Hoyt corrupted the server files. Germaine also made note of some IP addresses so the IT geniuses at the intelligence offices could gain access later if they chose. Steven looked on as Germaine typed and clicked while staring at the screen. When they first met, computers had been her forte and she could break into almost any system tossed at her. She said she was presently an art restorer but she was obviously still good at hacking. Steven decided this must be the little of this or the little of that she mentioned. There was much more going on with her than she was saying, he knew that much. Germaine felt his eyes on her and looked up, "I guess I still got it."
Steven left the office as Hoyt brought the security system back online. Nash had recovered the vials of the bio-medical threat without incident and had already left the building. Germaine took her time and made sure Govet was coming around before she left. She walked down the block outside Govet's office building and stopped next to a black van as its side door slid open. "I was beginning to think I was going to have to come and save you," Leo said as she handed the thumb drive to Shaw who was seated in the passenger seat. "Get in, we'll drop you at home."
"No thanks, I'm going to walk," she told him grabbing her bag out of the back.
"You're going to walk home from here?" he asked knowing her apartment was a distance. "Are you crazy?"
"Leo, I'll catch the Metro. I do know the way," she answered. "Mr. Shaw, Hoyt, it's been a pleasure. Germaine then turned to Leo and Steven and said, "As for you two, it's oddly comforting to see you haven't changed."
"Mademoiselle D'Aubet, it was a refreshing breath of fresh air to work with you," Shaw told her. "If you change your mind, we could use you."
"Thank you but that won't be happening. Au revoir," she said and walked away.