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."Hughes!" Carhart's mouth sank downwards and the guards looked over at him withvarying degrees of relief.Hughes didn't even turn his head.He continued to hold Emilio against the van, his largefists white-knuckled as he gripped Emilio's black jacket.Hughes was gloweringferociously, his eyes bloodshot and his mouth set in an ugly grimace.He lookedfrightening to say the least but Emilio just stared down at him with irritation more thanfear, even as his boots dangled off the floor."Hughes, put him down," Carhart ordered as he came to a stop near them."He.Is.Done.Here." Hughes spoke through grit teeth, his voice rough.It was odd to see him so obviously emotional about the death of a field agent.Carhart stared at him with a frown and looked away for a moment.There had to havebeen something more between Hughes and Katarina.Or maybe Hughes had wantedthere to be."Put me the fuck down, General," Emilio drawled darkly, green eyes narrowing at Hughes.Sarcasm oozed from his tone in the typical way it did when he spoke to asuperior who hadn't been a superior before he'd disappeared so many years ago.Evennow, months after being reinstated, Emilio had trouble coming to terms with thechanges that had swept through the Agency in his absence."I'm recommending Level 10 Field Agent Emilio Vega for immediate termination,"Hughes said curtly, still not looking at Carhart.In the Company of ShadowsInterludesCarhart just sighed wearily."That's not going to happen, Ken.I've already reviewed themission."Hughes' head snapped over at he gave Carhart a glare so black that for a momentCarhart thought the other man was going to attack him.But then Hughes releasedEmilio abruptly, causing Emilio to land on his feet with a thud."So then you know he murdered Agent Jones," Hughes snarled."That bitch would have been terminated anyway, you idiot," Emilio snapped withobvious disgust.Hughes spun around and slammed one meaty fist into Emilio's jaw.Emilio didn't block,allowing himself to be hit, and slammed backwards against the van due to the force ofthe punch.Blood erupted from his mouth and he brought his arm up to it as his eyesfroze into chips of emerald ice.His eyes slid over to Carhart briefly before going back to Hughes and even though theguards rushed forward as if to stop an impending brawl that would land Emilio on theFourth for assaulting a commanding officer, Emilio did nothing.He wasn't stupid.He had a lot of pride but his sense of self-preservation was strongerthan his ego.In a lot of ways, he wasn't as reckless as his son who would have likelyhad Hughes on his back before the punch had landed."Pussy," Emilio commented instead of retaliating physically."All strung out over some sorry ass bitch who couldn't tell her comm unit from her clit.""Emilio, shut your fucking mouth before I send you to solitary confinement," Carhart growled at him impatiently.Emilio wiped the blood from his face, smearing it in the process, and said nothing.Hughes spun on Carhart, seething."It was not his place to execute her," he said in a cold, flat voice as he took a step closer."Put him on the list.""No." Carhart raised his eyebrows at Hughes, not backing away as the man tookanother step forward."I already told you, Kenneth.I reviewed the mission and I sent the Marshal the files.Agent Vega may receive disciplinary action for acting withoutinstruction regarding the issue of Agent Jones but he will not be terminated.HeIn the Company of ShadowsInterludescompleted the mission when the other three operatives failed.Agent Jones put all oftheir lives and the mission at risk, getting two solid operatives killed in the process."Hughes' face contorted dangerously, his thick lips curling back as he took another stepforward until he was well in Carhart's personal space."He will pay, Zachary.And youwill make sure of it.I don't care how well you knew him in the past.You will not let himget away with this."He said each word with a steely quality and behind each word emanated a threat.Anunspoken 'or else.'Anger swelled inside Carhart and his cerulean eyes narrowed."I made the decisionalready, General Hughes.The Marshal will support me.Your feelings have no effect onthat.Accept what occurred and move on, for your own sake.If Vega hadn't done it, shewould have been tortured and incinerated here regardless.Get over it."For such a large man, Hughes moved surprisingly quickly.In the space of a blink, his gun was out and trained on Carhart who didn't so much astwitch in response to the barrel pressing against his forehead.There was no fear in hiseyes as he looked directly into Hughes' brown glare.The guards surged forward in alarm but didn't come closer, not with Hughes' fingerresting on the trigger."You're being a fool, Kenneth," Carhart said evenly."Despite your insistence, she was a substandard operative who got two people killed.Accept it.And move on.""He had no right to make that decision and neither do you," Hughes returned darkly, his eyes glittering."You--""Put the fucking gun down before I blow your brains out like I did your little girlfriend's,"Emilio said flatly, slipping behind Hughes and pressing his own gun against the back ofHughes' head.Carhart's eyes flicked to Emilio with a hint of uncertainty and anger."Emi--"Hughes' hand twitched and his mouth tightened.In the Company of ShadowsInterludes"I'll give you a few seconds," Emilio continued conversationally, leaning forward to press his mouth against Hughes' ear.Hughes recoiled but his hand didn't waver."And youshould know by now, I won't fucking hesitate to kill you
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