“Are all of these accurate?” Mrs. Jennings said to the man in the nondescript outfit, who had all the presence of a ghost or shadow. He nodded back to her solemnly. She looked over the reports again with a quick but trained eye.

Maximilian Theodore Arnold Saint-James the Third; the target of her investigation was involved in some spurious and and outright shady activities, to put it politely. Succinctly, all of it was illegal. Even his son had joined on the bandwagon his father was driving with something called “Project Neptune”. Aubrey Jennings had no idea how her daughter had found out about that, unless it had somehow been unwittingly leaked in her corner of the world. But of course it did involve illicit narcotics -- her daughter Sabrina, who was studying to become a nurse, had an eye on all sorts of medical-related stories. And, like her mother, she would notice if something was fishy about an official report or publication.

“This could drag that man down lower that a sewer rat. Even those creatures might pity him, if this were released.” she observed.

“Shall I deliver it, then?” the man asked her.

“Let me make copies of these for insurance. Then of course deliver it to the police, as we discussed earlier.” she said with an idle shrug as she went to the copier in the corner. “And maybe a journalist or two, just so they can't cover it all up.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Of course, ma'am.” he said deferentially.

Saint-James is a devil right enough, and no one would deny that -- but God help any person who gets on the wrong side of this woman here, he thought to himself with a grin.

“You will, of course, get your usual bonus when the full contract is complete.” Mrs. Jennings told him as the copier began to do its work.

“Much appreciated, of course.” he replied.

“I'm glad you work for me, Taggart, and not someone else.”

“No one else ever provided such... interesting targets, ma'am.” he said to her.

“Oh? Not even myself?” she returned, looking him in the eyes.

“If someone paid me to cross you, ma'am, I'd cross them right back for free.” Taggart then said.

“My my; such loyalty.” she said with a touch of admiration. “This is all done; you know what to do with it, don't you?” she then said to him, handing him the originals along with an envelope of currency.

“Of course.” he replied, and took his leave to do just that.

“Cross them back for free, is it?” Aubrey said to herself with the ghost of a smile as she sat down. She turned to look out of the nearby window, gazing over the city she called home. I wonder how that boy and his darling are doing; I should call Sabrina and ask her... tomorrow, she mused, making a note of it before returning to her work.