Call it Mutually Untenable

A heavy hand took a painful grip on my left shoulder. "No need to be rude now," the thug attached to it grumbled in a voice like an earthquake.

I glared at him. "Do you really want to start a ruckus, with all the world down on the street? It would only lend credence to any accusation that was made about interference in my trial."

He blinked, and glanced at the prosecutor, who gestured that I should be let go.

I turned my attention back to the speaking tube. "Well? You started this."

"It seems we are at an impasse."

Call it Mutually Untenable

A heavy hand took a painful grip on my left shoulder. "No need to be rude now," the thug attached to it grumbled in a voice like an earthquake.

I glared at him. "Do you really want to start a ruckus, with all the world down on the street? It would only lend credence to any accusation that was made about interference in my trial."

He blinked, and glanced at the prosecutor, who gestured that I should be let go.

I turned my attention back to the speaking tube. "Well? You started this."

"It seems we are at an impasse."

Call for a Compromise

"Not necessarily." I thought I saw a narrow chance for a resolution, and I was determined to take it. "But it depends entirely upon whether or not Merridew has been acting under your orders."

"He has not," the answer came straight away. "Not today, and not when he involved you a week ago."

"I promised John Douglas I'd tell his story 'someday', and as he's dead it doesn't matter if it's now or twenty years after you're dead too. After all, what's the point of being the best at what you do if no one has ever heard of you?"

Call for a Compromise

"Not necessarily." I thought I saw a narrow chance for a resolution, and I was determined to take it. "But it depends entirely upon whether or not Merridew has been acting under your orders."

"He has not," the answer came straight away. "Not today, and not when he involved you a week ago."

"I promised John Douglas I'd tell his story 'someday', and as he's dead it doesn't matter if it's now or twenty years after you're dead too. After all, what's the point of being the best at what you do if no one has ever heard of you?"