Snippet #2820970

"But you see, that's where you're mistaken," Ilyssa said, almost apologetically. "You already have." She stood to go, taking her empty coffee cup and the accordion file with her. She needed to send this up the chain immediately. Terra was - as was more often the case than not - under threat.

Meanwhile, Nujood listened to Marlene's patronizing demands with the patience of a saint, mentally cataloguing everything the Aschen woman said. "Insulting my agents' capabilities is a hell of a way to 'play nice,'" Nujood replied icily. "I am more than confident in our capabilities to extract necessary intelligence from detainees of interest, as I am in your agency's ability to carry out its work, and I would expect that as a professional courtesy you would extend the same respect to us. Particularly when asking for a favor." Her tone softened slightly for what she had to say next, but remained businesslike and distant. "However, I'm of course willing to discuss a possible exchange of information. If - and only if - you can make a good faith proffer of verifiable information, then we may share what we have learned from any such detainee. Starting with the identity of the person you believe to be in our custody, and how you came to believe that this individual is in fact in our custody."