Number Two settled himself at a table and Six joined him. They were like great old friends relaxing in this idyllic setting. The people around them were colorful and empty, without interest in the man hunt that disrupted the quiet. The waiter came and went and the two men studied each other without seeming to. Around the edges of this peaceful scene Six sensed tension. There were watchers. Not the dead eyes of technology. Living eyes. The eyes of men turned predator. Whatever freedom he felt was illusory indeed.
Two appeared at ease, leaning back in his chair. Waiting for Six to betray himself. A thing he might easily do as Rover's mechanical cry threatened to compel his attention. He could not allow himself the luxury of fretting after the girl's peril. Number Two must be his only concern. He had to tread carefully if he hoped to alert him without rousing his suspicions.
The waiter returned with tea and coffee and then they were alone with this absurd game.
Two stirred sugar into his tea, selling the pleasant mood. "You never did tell me what you and Number Seven talked about." he said.
"And I never will."
"No matter." Two sipped his tea. "We will get our answers from the girl."
"You have to catch her first."
Almost a smile. "I'm a patient man."
"How true."
"But that patience will not endure for ever."
That was meant as a warning. He answered it by allowing his attention to drift to the sounds of the search. The girl had suffered the elements for two nights without sustenance. Time was against her. She would not have the stamina to test Two's patience long.
"She is causing you a bit of trouble." Six said watching Two's face. "And embarrassment, I should think."
Just the slightest twitch of the lip. "Such displays of childish rebellion are easily dealt with."
"Risky business, sneaking about smashing cameras for a mere temper tantrum."
"You are very good at playing innocent, Number Six. I might almost be convinced this isn't a plot between that girl and yourself." Two said casually. "But it's of no consequence. In the end the Village will win. We always do."
"You have yet to convince me of that." He liked the flicker of anger that spoiled Two's casual facade. "I should wonder how you managed to lose track of her. Security must be getting lax."
"Some trouble with the surveillance equipment." Two said. "It will be sorted soon enough."
Such a confession. The Village was blind, or at least partially so. It gave Casey an edge. And each act of sabotage only increased it. Such an opportunity was impossible to ignore.
Two guessed the thought even as it formed. "No need to worry, Six," he said, "you are quite secure."
That accounted for the invisible entourage. They were taking no chance he might slip his leash.
"I feel as safe as a babe in its mothers arms." He lifted his cup in a mock toast. "Your masters aught to commend you."
Composure failed him. Two snarled. "They lack insight."
Now that was telling. Perhaps Number Two's schemes were not to his betters liking. No doubt it was causing him some discomfort. That could prove useful.
"Trouble with the home office?" Six asked.
"The situation is well in hand." Two replied. "You are well in hand." He slipped neatly back into his role as the patient man, allowing Six time to consider his position.
Six tasted his coffee. It was as bitter his thoughts. He was forced to protect the life of Number Two because of the Draconian reprisal the Village would bring to bear should the man be killed. If by some chance that foolish girl found the means, he could not in good conscience allow her to carry out her assassination plan. Six looked round at the people in the cafe. The suffering of innocents was the leverage they used to control him.
"She has not gone through all this trouble just to give you heartburn." Six said, tossing the idea out lightly.
"Are you speaking from intuition or direct knowledge?"
"Intuition."
"Well then, do enlighten me, Number Six."
"She's hunting," he watched Number Two take it.
He took it with little interest. "Hunting for what, exactly, Number Six?"
Six had some more of his coffee. He still didn't care for it. "Not what," He said, "who."
"Me?" Two laughed taking his meaning. "How absolutely absurd."
"Quite."
"You over estimate Number Seven's abilities." Two said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Whatever ideas of vengeance she may have, those aspirations will come to nothing."
"She is a trained assassin."
"Her training was never completed." Two said. "She's young and inexperienced. Apart from throwing rocks at cameras I don't expect she'll cause much damage."
"She's used violence." Six countered.
"Yes,of course. She wounded her handlers getting away. Not the act of killer, just a frightened girl." Two scoffed gently. " I fear that great intuition of yours has lead you astray."
The Village in its infinite knowledge had not guessed at Casey's true past. If he pressed too hard, he risked making Number Two privy to new information. It would do the girl no favors to have her secrets revealed. As considerable as the danger already was, the daughter of a former spy had more to fear from the Village than an uncooperative assassin.
"My intuition is seldom wrong."
"I do appreciated your concern, Six." Two said. "But the girl will have a time laying her hands on a weapon here. I'm quite safe."
Six said. "David slew Goliath with a stone."
Two's hand flew to his forehead. The mark had long since faded but the memory never would. She had reached him once. She could do it again.
Smoke curled up into the clear blue sky. Six watched it. A thing truly out of place here. It came, he noted from the direction of the Green Dome. Yet another alarm joined the cacophony. It roused Two's attention and he turned to follow Six's gaze. His face froze in horror. His enemy had struck home.
The speaker blared to life. "Attention, Attention. Fire and emergency needed at the Green Dome. I repeat, Fire and Emergency needed at the Green Dome!"
It seemed Casey's mischief had taken a more serious turn.
Two was out of his chair, tipping it over in his haste. He wheeled on Six. "You. Come with me."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
A crowd was flocking in the direction of the Green Dome, making trouble for the emergency vehicles. Sirens wailed, moving them out of the way as much as was possible on the narrow road. Two forced his way through. In the throng he was no one. Just another body jostling against them. A few diverted their attention off the raising smoke long enough to recognize him. But it did little to speed up their progress. As Six followed Two, he noted the faces. The blank stares were replaced with something new. Interest. Burn the seat of power and even the sleepers will awaken.
The street below the Dome was blocked with people and emergency vehicles of every description. A tiny fire truck was parked at the head of the foot path and men in white were dragging a heavy fire hose towards the house. Guards were stationed, trying to keep the curious mob back. Two with Six in tow shoved past them.
Black Smoke poured out of the broken lower half of the long, narrow window at the corner of the portico. Even from the outside it was apparent this wasn't a fire. Something inside was making a lot of smoke, but no flame. The butler was standing at the bottom of the steps, looking inconvenienced at best. This was only a distraction. And quite a clever one. The over reaction was extreme, born of fear of a dictator's wrath, rather then reason. Casey had played them all for the fool.
Some of the more ambitious Villagers had made it past the guards and were adding to the chaos in the limited space around the Dome. Whatever Casey was after, this stunt would buy her enough time to accomplish it. Six scanned the surroundings. The heavy foliage had provided cover, both for attack and escape. He noted the location that would have afforded her the best angle to the window. Men were searching the area now.
The men with the hose were having a time of it. The crowd was pressing in closer, not enough man power to hold them back. Good thing for them there wasn't a fire. The place would burn to the ground and take half the Village with it.
Six considered the normally dull faces alive now with excitement, perhaps for the first time since they arrived in this dreadful place. So little happened here. Nothing stirred the quiet of their lives. Not as a whole. The individual lived, suffered and died. But the Village went on day by tired day in its endless grind. Lulling the inhabitants into a complacent stupor. And yet for a moment that spell had been broken. The Village's hold over the human mind was not infallible.
The spectacle enraged Number Two. No magician can suffer the lose of control. "Call a curfew." He shouted. "Get these people off out of here."
An intrepid soul hurried off to carry out Number Two's orders. He would be a long time getting to a phone.
A man in a respirator kicked a smoking ball of rags out of the front door and came down the steps to wave at the men just now aiming the hose at the window. At least Number Two could be spared the indignity of water damage.
"What's it all about?" Two demanded.
The man in the respirator pulled his mask down. "Crude smoke bomb, rags soaked in oil." He said. "By the look of it, the window was broken with a couple of rocks so it could be tossed inside. No real harm done."
Two's face contorted. "No harm done?" He nearly yelled. "The Village has been paralyzed over some broken glass and clump of old rags. Someone will pay for this."
The man looked positively terrified only infuriating Two farther. "Get out of my sight."
He did so gladly. Number Two, his rage unabated, turned on Six.
"Tell me, Number Six," He waved a hand at the still smoldering bomb. "How would a young girl know how to do such a thing?"
"Spying is your business." Six said coldly. "I'm retired."
The call for curfew came without their notice.
"Don't play dumb, Number Six." Two said, his tone had become dangerous. "She's trained. An agent."
"Take it up with your Masters." Six snarled, Two's rage fueling his own.
Reason abandoned him. Two grabbed Six by the collar, trying to shake him. "What are you plotting!?"
Six broke the hold angrily, "No plot."
"I know you are conspiring against me, Six." Number Two seethed. "This outrage is your doing. I will get it out of you if I have to kill you."
Six took a step closer, daring him. "Your Masters wouldn't approve."
Someone who wasn't meant to be seen broke cover, giving Six just a glimpse before a look from Two sent him scurrying back into hiding. Six unclenched his hands. He wouldn't touch Number Two without some very unpleasant consequence.
"Someday, Number Six," Two said. "You will push me too far."
"You best be careful of that temper of yours." Six warned softly. "It's going to get you in trouble."
Number Two's enraged response was interrupted by the arrival of a messenger. A bearer of bad news by the man's expression. He drew Number Two aside and spoke softly. Two's eyes were on Number Six like a pair of daggers.