The room was warm. Toasty -- not enough to really notice, but enough to make one feel that linger of sweat just running down their back, to make their eyes a little weary. Ah, eyes. Yes, there had been lights all around the room, and Yairhoff had been here for a good two hours, waiting. Laughing. He knew the tricks. He knew them all too well. And Agent Kveta Kauliya knew he knew. That made her job all the more difficult.
Finally, the lights shut off. The heat shut off. Yairhoff's face showed no emotion, but inside, he was laughing. He didn't even turn around when he heard the door open behind him, the normal lights illuminating the darkness. Footsteps, light, a woman's. He knew without even turning around. His blank eyes stared, void of any expression, at Kveta as she took her seat in the chair across from Yairhoff, glazing into his eyes. She was going to enjoy this.
She could see his sweat, smell the faint stench of his body, but she knew he wasn't the least bit nervous right now. She wouldn't be. And after all, he had taught her so much. How could she ever interrogate him? Lucky for her, she'd learned a lot since he'd left. After Amy Jacob and the oversight personnel from the Council were put into place, things stepped up at the Zarethian Hand. A lot. For her, that meant less torture, though -- and less answers.
"Yairhoff, Yairhoff, Yairhoff. How does it feel to be back in one of these?" Kveta started, a smug grin on her face.
"Too soon for my taste," Yairhoff replied, "I left the intelligence agency for a reason, rookie."
"Don't call me that."
"Old habits die hard," Yairhoff replied, laughing, "What can I do for the... Zarethian Hand today, Agent Kauliya?"
Kveta placed her file folder on the table between her and Yairhoff, opening it up to reveal pictures from the security footage of the man who had attempted the bombing at the tea shop. Sliding it over towards Yairhoff, she pointed at the man, her eyes locked on Yairhoff's, waiting to get a reaction. No reaction. Of course. Yairhoff's eyes studied the picture, absorbing detail, but nothing seemed to register.
"This man," Agent Kauliya explained, "Is a terrorist by the name of Ivan Navatril. Ever heard of him?"
"The name sounds familiar," Yairhoff replied, "I believe he worked closely with Eric Mann. Security, perhaps? You will excuse me, of course. It's been quite some time since I've done this. What has this... Navatril done?"
"I'm asking the questions here," Kauliya asserted, "When was the last time you communicated with Eric Mann?"
"Right before his death, of course," Yairhoff replied. Kauliya eyed him suspiciously. "Years ago."
"Right," Kauliya replied, "The explosion."
"Ah, yes. Tragic. I can't say he didn't have it coming, though. He was involved in some... Nasty business."
"And Navatril, too?"
"It's possible," Yairhoff replied, "Very possible. Mann probably had his family hostage or something like that. It can be tough when one person who you trust completely betrays you." A grin spread over Yairhoff's face. "But you know all about that, don't you, Kveta?"
Kveta's hands slammed onto the table as she stood up and shouted, "WE DON'T GET TO TALK ABOUT THAT! We... We don't get to talk about him."
She stopped for a minute to regain her composure.
"Come on, Yairhoff. I know you know more than you're telling me. It was your job to know these things -- and to remember them very well. What aren't you telling me?"
"I've told you all I know," Yairhoff replied.
"Yairhoff, please," Kveta rebutted, "Don't make us dig deeper."
"There is one more thing," Yairhoff replied, "I don't know anything about this man here, I really don't. However; I do know something about another man that might be of interest to you, if you're chasing old leads from Eric Mann. His name Vertunes Oyick. He's a smuggler. Got certain... things. Guns, heavy artillery that you don't normally find, on and off the planet for Eric. I wouldn't mention it, because Eric was his biggest client. After Eric died, he pretty much went out of business, but I hear lately he's been operating more than usual. That must mean there's a new client in town. I guarantee, if there's a terrorist in the city, he's getting his arms from Oyick. Find Oyick, you find the terrorist."
"Good," Kauliya replied, "I appreciate the cooperation."
She stood up to leave, but as she walked past, Yairhoff reached out to her. She went on alert at first, but calmed when she saw it was a gentle touch. Yairhoff's eyes looked serious as he stared at Kauliya and said, "Kveta, my dear. You must promise to be very careful. These men, these... Criminals that you are looking into. They are a lot more ruthless than the kind that you normally deal with. Promise me, you will be careful, please."
"You be careful too, Yairhoff," Kveta replied, a bit moved by his honesty, "Good luck on the Senate Race."
Yairhoff burst out laughing as Kveta stepped out into the hallway, moving to the observation deck to meet back up with Isoldr. She walked over to a chair in the observation deck, collapsing into it with a big sigh of relief. What had just happened? She'd gone in there, ready to be tough, and he'd managed to divert her, to make her weak, to make her feel emotion, even if only just slightly. How had he done that? Just mentioning him not even directly by name and made her lose her cool. With yet another deep, deep breath, she looked over at Isoldr, nodding at him.
"Do you think he's telling the truth?"
