RECRUITED: A Mike Humber Novella (Demon Series Book One) Read Online Free Page B

distance between them. One is red faced, sweating and visibly grimacing which is a worry as it also means he’ll be very pissed off. The other just looks pissed off that I kneed his mate in the bollocks and made them both look like twats in front of the woman.
    ‘What’s your name?’ I call past them to the receptionist who is clearly not just a receptionist.
    ‘Elizabeth,’ she replies, ‘ not Lizzie or Liz…’ she adds pointedly.
    We stare off for a few more seconds, both the guards itching to get stuck into me but knowing they can’t unless I make the first move.
    ‘I have three questions,’ I speak quietly and let the acoustic resonance carry my voice, ‘first, is she okay? Second, did you pay her for the information and third, is she somewhere safe?’
    Elizabeth inclines her head slightly and thinks before answering, ‘she was okay,’ she says slowly, ‘not great but okay.’ At least she’s being honest. ‘Second yes we did pay her and yes, she is somewhere safe.’
    Conflict within me. First that Tessa sold me out for money, but also that at least I know she is okay and she has some cash.
    ‘Okay,’ I nod and start back towards watching as the guards stiffen in anticipation of some nice violence, ‘but I’m only coming back for the coffee and an apple.’
    ‘Thank you,’ she speaks calmly but I can see the relief on her face.
    ‘Sorry about your bollocks,’ I shrug at the man mountain as I walk past, ‘but you left yourself wide open, and you,’ I turn to the other one and have to look up several inches at his glowering face, ‘you’re just massive.’
    Back in the room with the armchairs I stare straight at the camera while Elizabeth disappears to either get more coffee or stick a finger up at the monitor on the other side. My knee hurts a bit from hitting him so hard but pain is my friend these days and I deny myself the relief of rubbing it.
    She comes back in carrying only one mug this time which she places down on the table before taking a seat.
    ‘My name is Elizabeth Bouvier.’
    ‘Awesome.’ I lift the mug and wonder if it would be really that bad if I smoked in here.
    ‘I represent The Carlisle Group and undertake assessments of candidates to ensure suitability for roles.’
    ‘Wow,’ I can’t see an ashtray anywhere, I could use the plate if I tipped all the brioche rolls off.
    ‘The Carlisle Group are a specialist organisation that service the needs that were previously supplied by government agencies.’
    ‘Do you smoke?’
    ‘No I don’t smoke, the fiscal cut backs forced certain agencies to streamline their services and reduce their capabilities. However, the world still demands some of those services. Hence we formed to bridge that gap.’
    ‘Hmmm,’ I can’t see any smoke detectors on the ceiling. I shuffle position to drag my battered pouch of duty free tobacco out and set about rolling one up.
    ‘You can’t smoke in here.’
    ‘Let me out then.’ I lick the paper and seal the tube before rooting around again to find my lighter.
    She watches me archly with a clear expression of distaste as I find my lighter, thumb the little wheel and magically make flame which I hold to the end of the badly rolled and slightly bent cigarette. Inhaling I look around for somewhere to flick the ash and spot the mugs we used for the last round of coffees. ‘You were saying?’ I prompt her after getting comfortable with two mugs, one for drinking and one for flicking ash.
    ‘We provide security forces for certain Middle East operations, including diplomatic protection, asset management and safe transportation. We do the jobs the military were doing but we do it better.’
    ‘Better than the army?’ I ask with disbelief. ‘Sure you do.’
    We are better financed, better equipped and we train our personnel to a higher standard.’
    ‘But they’re still the army,’ I counter, ‘they’ve got tanks and shit.’
    ‘We have tanks,’ she shrugs an almost imperceptible