chap -3 scene 1 LIGHT

Light had been casing Collins & Whitiker for the past month. Most places, the imposing

white building lined with windows on every floor would command the attention of all who passed

it, but here, in the middle of London, next to the Shard of all things, it barely seemed worthy of

note. Light supposed that was why MI6 had bought it. No one would think to look for a secret

base of military operations in a small tier three law firm dwarfed by the surrounding buildings.

Luckily for Light, Collins & Whitiker was a functional front. The CIA had sent in "his"

resume and Collins, whoever the poor man was, had liked it enough to fly him in for an

interview. Light had already been in London when the call came last week, studying floor plans

from the safehouse and tracking movement in and out of the firm from the coffee shop across

the street, but he'd met Collins's assistant at the airport yesterday and allowed himself to be

taken to a nearby hotel. Light was waiting in the lobby of this very hotel now. It was a Conradfar nicer than most places he stayed, but he supposed that made sense. After all, Collin's

lawyers would need to be willing to turn a blind eye to Whitiker's… unique business structure.

For a price, naturally.

The whole thing was quite clever. Collins & Whitiker was a joint firm, but each partner

had their own specialty. Collin was an insurance fraud investigator. Whitiker was a public

defender, but he hadn't had any clients for the better part of the past ten years. Nor had any

lawyers been hired. This had caught the CIA's attention. A little digging- sanctioned by Light, of

course- had found a steady stream of income supporting the law firm. An income far greater

than any third tier law firm had a right to be making. And so the hunt began.

A contact in the National Archives had delivered the building's floor plan. A close

inspection had revealed two maintenance floors in addition to the top half of the building, which

belonged to Whitiker and his "associates." It would take time to discern just where the most

precious files were, but in the meantime Light would scan as much as he could. After all, intel

was intel.

A man in a suit entered the hotel, stopping before the concierge desk. Middle aged with

graying hair, the man could have been one of any number of the businessmen who frequented

this hotel. But he wasn't. This associate had been sent to retrieve Light and observe his

behavior before and after the interview. The man took a seat at one of the black club chairs near

the desk. Taking that as a cue, Light stood up and made his way across the lobby.

"Mr. Betle," he said by way of greeting. Mr. Betle stood.

"Mr. Lux." Light followed Betle outside where a car was waiting. Light clenched his jaw

but showed no other signs of displeasure. It would take longer to arrive by car than it would

have if they'd walked. But perhaps this too was a test.

"Is the hotel to your liking?" Betle asked. Light smiled. Small talk. Trivial, but necessary.

Fortunately, Light excelled in talking about nothing.

"Oh most certainly. A little R&R is exactly what I needed after that flight."

"Glad to hear it. Was your flight alright?

"Oh, it was fine but it's hard to be cooped up for so long. Six hours, you know."

The man nodded, "Yes well hopefully you don't have to make it too often."

A threat? Or something more welcoming? Light decided it was best not to risk it. Ignoring

the statement entirely, he asked, "How long have you been working for Collins?"

"Oh a few years," Betle answered, "It's a good job." Naturally. It wouldn't do to tell a

potential hire that the job was terrible.

"Family?"

"Yes," Betle smiled, "My wife and I have been married for ten years now."

"Congratulations! Kids?"

"My son's in college. UCL."

"A good school."

"Yes we thought so too."

"And what's he studying?"

Betle laughed, "Wish I knew. He's changed his major at least five times in the past year. I

can't keep track anymore."

Light chuckled along goodnaturedly, "Kids will be kids, right?" Betle laughed even harder.

Shaking his head, he said, "You're too young to be saying that." Light mocked a look of

confusion and they both laughed some more. Light would get a good review from this man. Not

that he'd need it, if everything went well, but it was always good to have another person on his

side. They talked some more about nothing in particular. Eventually, they arrived. Light checked

his watch. The drive, a distance he could have walked in five minutes, had taken twenty. Light

sighed. He'd have to get used to London traffic somehow. More likely, though, he'd buy a bike.

That would be faster.

Betle led Light through the lobby and to the elevators. There were six. An elevator

arrived in short order.

"This whole building- all of it belongs to Collins & Whitiker?" Light asked as Betle

pressed the button for the fifth floor. There were twelve stories in all.

"Sort of," Betle replied, "Most of the floors belong to independent contractors but

everything's under Collins & Whitiker for simplicity." Light nodded. It was common practice for

companies to rent out space in office buildings to help with additional revenue sources. He'd

have to find out which floors belonged to Whitiker in practice instead of just in name.

Betle led Light down the hall. They stopped in front of what Light presumed was Collins's

office. Betle knocked.

"Come in,"

Betle opened the door, ushering Light in. A heavyset man, but one of keen intellect,

Collins appraised Light with an assessing gaze.

"Please, sit," Collins said with a wave of his hand. There were two chairs in front of

Collins's desk. Light took the left one as the right one was partially blocked from view by

Collins's monitor. The door shut quietly as Betle left. No doubt Collins would check back in with

him after the interview. Collins's desk, though covered in paper, was neatly organized. Collins

moved a stack of paper to the side, clasping his hands together palm down and propping his

chin against them.

"Derik Lux." It wasn't a question, but Light answered it anyway.

"Yes."

"You want to work for me?"

"Yes, sir." Best to be respectful.

"Why?"

"I became a lawyer because I believe laws need to be upheld. I've followed your career

since college. I've watched you take cases no one else was willing to touch and win. Your firm understands and knows how to use the laws everyone else ignores. I want to work for you

because I believe you will help me understand the law to a degree no one else can."

Collins raised an eyebrow, "You think I buy that?"

Light shrugged, "Either you do or you don't but the fact is you're one of the best lawyers

in the world."

Collins laughed, "Son, I don't need to hear all that. You and I both know I'm not a

worldclass lawyer so why don't you tell me why you're really here."

Well, flattery hadn't worked. It was time to try another tactic.

"You want honesty?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't mean it."

"Well, to be frank, I'm here because none of the big firms would accept me. As you

know, I just graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law," Light began, recounting the

words his handler had helped him memorize, "I had some difficulty in my earlier years. I wasn't

as focused as I am now and I just didn't have the grades for Yale or Harvard. And right now, if

you didn't go to one of the Ivys the big corporate law firms won't take you. They only want the

best of the best and I didn't make the cut. I'm not saying I'm no good- I'm confident I could take

on any of them and win- but it's not the talent that matters to them, it's the prestige. It looks good

for them to say, 'oh all our lawyers are Prinston graduates." For people like me who are

passionate about law but didn't get a chance to go to those fancy schools, firms like yours are

our only option."

Collins nodded, "That's more like it. So, what's your plan? Work your way up and transfer

to a bigger firm?"

Light shrugged, "Maybe, maybe not. It depends on the environment here. I don't need to

be famous. I just want to practice law- in whatever form I can."

"In whatever form?" Collins's eyes were practically glimmering. That was what he had

needed to hear. This whole interview was a sham. It didn't matter how qualified Light was. All

that mattered was whether or not he'd be grateful enough for the job to ignore certain…

inconsistencies.

Light shrugged again, "I don't care what cases I have to take so long as it's me up there

arguing."

"Good to know. Thank you for coming all this way, Derik, We'll let you know the results

shortly." Collins and Light stood up.

"Thank you," Light said, inclining his head as they shook hands.

"My pleasure. Mr. Betle will see you out." Collins opened the door and waved Betle, who

had been standing in the hall, forward.

"Please take Mr. Lux back to his hotel."

"Of course," Betle said, "Follow me."

Betle led Light out of the hotel and into a waiting car. It could have been politeness, but

for some reason Light suspected they didn't want to let a stranger walk around their building

unaccompanied.

"How do you think you did?" Betle asked as they drove back to the hotel.

"I'm not sure. I might have been too honest."

"Well that's a good problem to have."

"Not in this field."

Betle laughed goodnaturedly, "True, true."

An hour later, Light's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is Mr. Lux available?"

"Speaking."

"Wonderful. I'm calling to inform you that a contract has been drawn up. As soon as you

sign, you will be a junior associate at Collins & Whitiker. The company has agreed to cover all

moving costs and will provide you with a realtor to assist with housing."

Over the next two weeks, Light acquired an apartment and furnished it with "his"

possessions. He assisted with the firm's day to day operations and never once mentioned

Whitiker (or, rather, the man's absence). They were starting to trust him. Betle no longer

"guided" him from place to place. Filing cabinets were no longer kept locked at all times. Nisha

and Ilmar, two of the other junior associates, had even invited him out for drinks after work. He'd

accepted, of course. Best to ingratiate himself with his coworkers.

It was after work, at a local bar the young associates frequented, that Light first brought

up the mystery of Whitiker.

"So the firm is called Collins & Whitiker," Light mused, taking a sip of (what would Light

drink?), "But it seems to me Collins is the one doing everything. What's the deal with this

Whitiker guy?"

The associates exchanged glances, as if wondering whether or not to tell him. Nisha

rolled her eyes.

"He's a wannabe lawyer. No schooling, no training. But," Ilmar said, holding up his index

finger, "He's rich." Ilmar leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as Nisha continued.

"Whitiker funds everything. He bought the building and rented out some of the floors.

He's the one who signs our paychecks. That's all, really. Collins and the rest of us do all the

actual lawyer stuff. Whitiker gets to brag about it and get written up in the papers every time we

win a case." Nisha shrugged, crunching on leftover ice from her drink, "It's a bit odd, but as long

as I get paid I don't really care."

Light muttered an agreement, wheels turning in his head. Average employees didn't

know the truth about Whitiker. Collins almost certainly did- he'd have to- but as for everyone

else, perhaps not.

After months of working at the firm, Light was finally given an all-access key card.

"I got it!" Light exclaimed as he entered the safe house. His excitement was met with

silence.

"Were you followed?" Castle asked. A standard question, but one Light was getting tired

of hearing.

"No, Castle. I wasn't followed."

"Good. Key card?"

Light unpinned the key card and handed it to Castle, who gave it to Matrix.

"I want an identical card that can't be traced back to Light," Castle called to Matrix, who

was already retreating to the tech room.

Castle signed, "Sometimes I wonder what's going on in that kid's head." Light just

shrugged, waiting. Castle sat, gesturing to a chair across from him. Light sat down.

"Updates?" Castle asked, picking up a clipboard.

"I've continued going out with Ilmar and Nisha-"

"The other junior associates?"

"Yes."

Castle made a note, "Learned anything else from them?"

"Other than oddly personal details I never wanted to know?"

Castle rolled her eyes, "Anything important, Light."

"I still haven't seen Whitiker."

"So?"

"I don't think Whitiker exists."

"Tell me more."

"I've been asking around- subtly- and I haven't found anyone who's actually seen

Whitiker."

"And the top six floors?"

"Storage, maybe? There's definitely something going on, but I'm not sure if it's what we

thought."

Castle paused for a moment, thinking. "Matrix!" she yelled, twisting in her chair. No

answer. Castle shook her head, standing and knocking on the door of the tech room.

"Matrix! Open up!" The door opened. "Pull the cameras up."

"I- I'm in the middle of-"

"Does it look like I care? Show me the cameras." Matrix scurried to the monitors as

Castle barged in, dominating the space.

"Light!" Castle called. Light hurriedly joined Castle in the tech room.

"Pull up the elevator camera." Castle turned to Light, "Last briefing you said Collins

disappeared around noon, right?"

"Yeah, his lunch break."

"Did anyone see him leaving the building?"

"Well no, but that doesn't mean-" Castle held up a hand, cutting Light off.

"Pull up Tuesday of last week. Noon." Matrix's fingers flew across the keyboard. Castle

leaned over Matrix, watching the grainy recording with the eyes of a hawk.

"There it is! Stop. Rewind," Castle directed, "Stop. Play back at normal speed." Light

watched as Collins entered the elevator and pressed a button.

"Stop!" Matrix stopped the recording, "Look at that!"

Matrix and Light exchanged a glance.

"What?"

"Don't you see? Zoom in! He's going to the sixth floor! You can't read the number but

look, there are five buttons beneath. You said the numbers go from one through twelve right?"

Light nodded, shocked. How had he missed that?

Castle smiled, "You're too used to lower levels and ground floors."

"I suppose," Light conceded. Realization struck him, "Wait, does this mean Collins is

Whitiker?"

Castle nodded, "I think we found our secret agent."

"If that's- if that's all," Matrix said tentatively, "Um, can- can I get back to my work?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry." Castle apologized, retreating to the sitting room with Light. Half an

hour later, Matrix emerged with the new key card.

"Remember, this is only for the op. For everything else, use the card you were given."

Castle reminded Light as he left.

Winter came and with it dreadful cold. Soon the office was filled with coats and sniffles.

However, all of this was good news for Light because it meant the office's annual new years

party was rapidly approaching. Everyone would be in the lobby all night. A better opportunity

couldn't have presented itself.

An hour before the party, Light visited the safehouse for the last time.

"Try not to brush up against anyone. Handshakes are fine but no hugs. The top button is

a signal jammer. Our coms will still work but the cameras will go down." Castle explained as she

tightened Light's tie. She stepped back.

"Honestly, after all these years you really should know how to tie these things."

Light shrugged. It had never seemed important enough to warrant learning.

"Matrix!" Castle yelled into the tech room, "We need the wire now!" Matrix scrambled out

of the tech room, holding a mess of wires.

"I- uh, they got tangled."

Castle rolled her eyes. "Give them here." Matrix handed over the wires.

"You ready to get out of here?" Light asked Matrix as Castle went over to the coffee table

and started untangling the wires.

Matrix bobbed his head, "I miss blue skies."

"Isn't that the truth." Light leaned back against the peeling wallpaper. He'd be glad to be

back home. It had been too long since he'd spared, gone to the shooting range, done anything

he actually enjoyed. But this job was about to get far more exciting.

Castle stepped forward, holding a long wire attached to a red button

"This," She explained, folding up the wire into Light's inside jacket pocket, "Is the second

reason you shouldn't hug anyone."

"Explosive?" Light asked.

"No, just a red button with a wire connecting it to ANFO."

"Ah."

"It won't bring the building down, but it will do some damage, so make sure you're far

enough away from the end of the wire."

"How far is far enough?" Light asked.

Castle smiled, "That's a very good question. Matrix?"

"Um, well, if you're at the other end of the fuse you- you should be fine."

"Should be?" Light demanded. Matrix shrugged.

"I'm not using this." Light told Castle.

"I don't expect you to. It's just for emergencies." Castle left for a moment, rummaging in

her desk before returning. "Here's your earpiece. Don't put it in until you leave the party."

"I'm not an idiot." Light retorted.

"We'll be with you the whole time," Castle told Light, ignoring the comment, "Now get

going. You're going to be late."

Light checked his watch. She was right, he had a ways to go before seven.

"Bye!" Light waved as he left.

The streets were crowded, more so than usual. Traffic wasn't moving at all and the

sidewalks were full of people rushing to parties and reservations. Light slowly made his way

through the crowds, winding through people until he made it to Collins & Whitiker.

The party was already in full swing when he arrived. Streamers were hung around the

lobby and there was a giant "Happy New Year!" banner above the front desk. Some people were

dancing, others talking. A disco ball hung above a dance floor to the left. Nish waved from

behind the DJ table. She yelled something Light couldn't hear. To the right was a bar staffed by

Betle and a table filled with food. Light realized belatedly that he probably should have brought

something. Oh well. Light went up to the bar and got a glass of champagne, but didn't drink it.

He walked around the room, saying hi to people and inquiring after their plans for the new year.

Being seen. It was boring, but Light knew it was important to be seen.

Slowly, the hours passed. Seven became eight, which became nine, and then ten. At

eleven, the music was turned up and everywhere became a dance floor. Light took that as his

cue to leave. He activated the jammer to block the cameras and slipped off to the elevators

under the pretense of "wanting some peace and quiet."

Inside the elevator, Light pressed the button for the sixth floor and put on the earpiece.

"I'm in the elevator."

"Good." Castle's voice crackled slightly over the com. Interference from the jammer,

probably, but he could hear her well enough.

The elevator dung softly as the doors opened.

"Exiting the elevator now. I'm on the sixth floor." Light spoke softly.

"Keep me updated."

Unlike other floors which were divided into rooms, the sixth floor was one massive room

filled with filing cabinets.

"This might take longer than we thought. This floor is full of files.

"Only one way to find out."

Hurriedly, Light returned to the elevator. He went to the seventh floor, then the eighth.

They were identical.

"I think it's the same all the way up," Light told Castle as he walked through the rows of

filing cabinets on the eighth floor.

"Well what's in them?" Castle asked.

"Let me see." Light opened up a cabinet at random and picked out a file and opened it.

There was a picture of a man in the upper right hand corner. "Lamb- Isaac Stelios" was written

in bold on the left side.

"Castle. I think they're agents."

"What?"

"The files- they're on agents."

"English agents?"

Light scanned the file. Shit.

"No, this guy's Greek. Issac Stelios. Heard of him?"

Castle cursed.

"Put it back. Are they alphabetical?"

Light pulled another file. "Lamed" stared back at him.

"Yeah, they're alphabetical"

"Are you there?" Castle asked. Her voice was higher pitched than normal.

Oh. He hadn't thought of that. Light went through the files as fast as he could. Eight

drawers down, he found it.

Light's face stared up at him from a sheet of white paper.

"They've got a file on me." He told Castle.

"Get out of there right now! I'm sending Matrix with a car." Light heard muffled shouts

and curses as Castle updated Matrix. Less than a minute later, Castle was back. "He's on his

way."

"Okay, I'm in the elevator right now. The party was in full swing when I left so I should be

able to sneak out unnoticed." Light watched anxiously as the number on the elevator counted

down to one- and then kept going.

"Something's wrong. The elevator didn't stop."

"What? They must be onto you. Do you have a weapon?"

"Who brings a weapon to a party?"

"Who doesn't bring a weapon to an op?"

"Ah, good point."

The doors opened. Light felt stupid just standing there as men flooded in. But there were

more of them and they had guns. Light's hands were wrenched behind his back. He felt the cold

kiss of metal as the cuffs clicked shut. Stupid. He criticized himself. So stupid.

"Light! What's going on?" Light knew if he answered they'd notice the earpiece and take

it away so he stayed silent.

"Light?"

The elevator was moving again. Up this time. Light watched as the numbers increased.

1, 2, 3, 4…. The elevator stopped moving at the 12th floor. The doors opened. There were no

filing cabinets. It looked like a regular office floor. This must be Whitiker's base of operations,

Light realized. Though how Whitiker had kept the fact that there were dozens of trained soldiers

in the basement secret was a mystery. The men dragged Light forward. He went willingly. Better

to meet Whitiker standing than on his knees. Besides, he still had the bomb. The men hadn't

searched him, which made him feel slightly better. Perhaps they were idiots too.

Castle was still yelling over the coms, but Light did his best to tune her out as he walked

down the hall and to the left. One of the men opened the door and Light was dragged in.

There was a long glass table inside. A man was sitting with his back to the door. He

didn't turn. It was a power move. To show the man was in control and didn't need to fear

potential threats. And why would he? No one knew he was here. No one, that is, except Light,

but that probably wouldn't last for much longer. Light eyed the guns in the men's hands as he

was shoved into a seat across from the man, his back to a wall of glass.

Light looked at the man across from him.

"Betle?" Light was shocked. He'd been expecting Collins, as Castle had predicted.

Betle's face betrayed no emotion.

"Unchain him. I'd like to have a little talk with the agent."

The handcuffs were unlocked, but that didn't mean he was safe. A second. That was all

he needed. One second and he could take the explosive out of his jacket and kill Whitiker. Of

course, he'd probably die too, but that was a sacrifice he'd make to protect his team.

"Where are you from, Light?" Betle- no, Whitiker asked.

"I think you already know that," Light replied through clenched teeth. Castle had gone

silent but Light had no doubt she was listening to everything he said.

Whitiker clucked his tongue.

"I don't think you understand the situation you're in."

"Oh I understand perfectly. You've captured me. Now I'm at your mercy." That was

mostly for Castle's benefit but it still rankled Light to say it.

Whitiker smiled, "So you do understand. Good. That'll make this much easier." Whitiker

turned to one of the men.

"Go get Whitiker." Wait, what? Light did his best to hide his confusion as the man left. If

Betle wasn't Whitiker, who was? Had Castle been right all along? Or was Whitiker someone

else. Someone like the men who didn't even work at the firm.

"Let's start again. Where are you from?"

"America."

"And who sent you here?"

"(insert American agency)."

"And why did they send you?"

"To retrieve files." Light didn't know why they'd bothered with the questions. They knew

all of this, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

"How many are on your team?" That one they didn't know, otherwise Castle and Matrix

would be in here with him.

"I work alone."

"Oh but you don't, do you?" Betle waved and one of the men handed him a file. Betle

opened it and tossed the file to Light. Photos slid out of the file as it traveled across the glass

tabletop. Light picked one up. It was a picture of him entering the safe house.

"That has nothing to do with this job."

"Oh? Then why do you visit every month?"

"It's the family of the first man I killed," Light said, deadpan. It took a second for Betle

and the men to process what Light had said, but by the time they had it was too late.

Reaching into his pocket, Light grabbed the explosive and threw it as far away from him

as he could. It clanged on the floor behind Betle. As Betle turned to look, Light leapt out of his

chair and pressed the red button.

An explosion rocked through the room. Light felt himself bring propelled outwards and

smashed against the wall of windows for a brief second. Then the wall broke and there were

shards of glass everywhere as Light fell.

For a brief moment. Light was weightless. Then gravity caught up to him and he hurtled

towards the cement below. Light closed his eyes. If this was to be his death, he would meet it

calmly. Light braced for impact, but it didn't come. Hesitantly, he opened his eyes.

A man stared back at him. He was all harsh lines and his voice, when he spoke, was

gravely.

"You died here, but your soul lives on. You are now property of SCREAM."

The man clapped twice and a portal opened. The two of them stepped through.

A few months later…

Light was sitting at the bar when his phone rang. His second phone, because of course he

couldn't just have one phone. Not with his job.

"Yeah?"

"I need you for a job." Light shivered. He'd forgotten how unsettling it was to hear Terror's voice

on the other end of a call. But a life-debt was a life-debt.

"Where?"

"London. There are tickets waiting in your hotel room."

"Right." Light was used to his movements being tracked, but his old employers had never been

so obvious about it.

"We'll meet you at the airport tomorrow."

"Wait, who's we?"

The call ended.

Light closed his eyes, massaging his forehead. It was going to be one of those jobs.

"Can I get another one of these?" Light asked the bartender, raising his glass.