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“Agent Richter?” I prompted.
While I listened, she apologized without any caveat, and Schön accepted it.
I turned to Rogue. “You know what you need to do here, yes?” I asked under my breath.
He nodded. “I will cover Schön, sir,” he added in a similar low tone of voice.
“Without exception.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ehren informed us she’d work on her disguise in the bedroom while Schön helped me with mine at the table in the common space.
After several minutes of silence on her part, I asked Rogue to give us a moment.
“You’re angry with me,” I said once he left the room.
“You’re the commander of the task force and of this op. I respect that.”
“But you’re angry,” I repeated.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Schön, please take a seat.”
Her struggle to follow my directive was apparent, but after just saying she respected my command, she could hardly ignore it.
“I had to address the things Ehren said. It was not something I could pretend I didn’t hear.”
“Last night, I asked if, in your experience, a male commander intervening with two female agents usually works. Your response was ‘never.’”
“This is different. Ehren also accused me.”
Her eyes filled with tears, and while her gaze remained on mine, it was as though she looked right through me. “I’ve dealt with this my whole life,” she whispered, then shook her head and covered her face. “I cannotbelieveI’m crying.”
“It’s clearly causing you distress.” My response sounded ridiculous, but I had no idea what else to say.
She removed her hands and squared her shoulders. “When I say my entire life, I mean it, Magnet. At least as far back as I can remember. I was an ‘early bloomer,’ as they say, and subsequently, the taunting began when I was quite young. I developed the appearance of a thick skin and learned to ignore it.”
“I’m sorry, Prisca.” I’d never used her given name, but it felt right to do so now.
“You’ve nothing to be sorry for. You are one of the few who’s ever defended me.”
I leaned forward. “Ehren has a specific issue with events leading to the death of an informant.”
She nodded. “I’m aware.”
Again, I found myself unsure how to respond. I couldn’t very well ask what had happened without sounding as though I suspected Schön of wrongdoing.
“Can we please discuss this later?” she asked, her eyes darting to the closed bedroom door.
“Of course. There is one thing I need to ask now, though. What are your thoughts regarding Agent Richter remaining on the op?”
“I knew her issue, as you put it, prior to the op being assigned.”
“Right. Of course. So in your opinion, nothing’s changed.”
“Precisely.”
