"Gayer works in our legal department," explained Blanko, as he and Wilmore walked down a hallway. "Well, we don't really have a legal department, but she's a paralegal and assistant to our in-house lawyer, Howard P. Crustinator, another Brit like her. Anyway, she goes to law school at night."
"I never would have thought of Gayer as a lawyer," commented Wilmore.
"Yeah, she's full of surprises. Anyway, here we are."
They had arrived at the end of the corridor, where a wooden door stood. There was no plaque or name tag on the door, but that was hardly surprising, seeing how Mugthulhu had only rented the studio. Blanko knocked.
"Come in!" boomed a deep voice.
Blanko swung open the door, and he and Wilmore entered. Behind a desk covered with papers sat a stout old man with white hair and a mustache. He sprang to his feet and extended his hand immediately to his visitors.
"Mr. Blanko, what a delight to see you!" cried the man in a jovial British accent. "Who is your guest?"
"Michael Wilmore, Deputy Director of Space Operations, NASA," offered Wilmore, shaking the outstretched hand. "I take it you are -"
"Howard P. Crustinator, attorney-at-law." The man bowed low. He seemed quite friendly for a busy lawyer being interrupted from work.
"We're here to talk to Gayer, Crusty," said Blanko.
Crustinator's mouth opened in shock. "Gayer? But she isn't here!"
"What do you mean?" Wilmore asked.
"She didn't make the trip here at all! She's still back in Finland! Didn't I tell you?"
Blanko gave a contrived chuckle. "You must not have. Sorry about this, Mr. Wilmore. I suppose you should be in Finland if you want to talk to Gayer, not here."
Wilmore narrowed his eyes. "You must think I'm stupid."
"Excuse me?"
"You really expect me to believe that all this time Gayer was in Finland, and neither you nor King Mugsy knew about it? Give me a break. You're hiding her. Where is she?"
"Dear sir, I can assure you -" Crustinator began.
"Shut up!" snapped Wilmore. He turned back to Blanko. "No more bullshit. Where is she?"
"We have done everything you asked, Wilmore," Blanko calmly replied. "We made a good-faith effort to find Gayer for you. She isn't in the country, and the record confirms that. We also have several witnesses who can verify us going out of our way to cooperate with you, as well the security camera footage."
"The concert -" growled Wilmore.
"Whether or not the concert happens is not at your discretion, so you're just making empty threats now - "bluffing," I believe, is the American expression. If need be, we can request a ruling from a judge on the subject, as well as an injunction against the federal government to stop it from interfering. No tangible evidence suggests that the concert will be a threat to the public. Do you really think that a judge will side with you over us?"
Clenching his fists, Wilmore looked away in anger. This was a setup, he was certain of it. Mugthulhu must have contacted Crustinator while he and Blanko were heading to him, warning him to get Gayer out of the way, as well as participate in the cover-up. And the worst part was that Blanko was right. Nobody could legally be required to talk to government agents. Threatening the concert was a no-go as well.
No doubt this had all been done at Gayer's request. She hadn't left MAGIC while being on the best of terms with the other members, but Wilmore had hoped that she wouldn't carry a grudge and would want to help them with their crisis. Obviously, he had been wrong.
"All right," Wilmore finally said, struggling to contain his anger. "You want to play it this way, fine. But grant me one indulgence - the next time you talk to Gayer, tell her what I said about her being in danger, and ask her to contact me. She knows how to find me."
Wilmore turned on the spot and opened the office door. Two security guards stood behind it.
Blanko smiled. "These men will escort you from the studio, Mr. Wilmore. We don't want you getting lost, do we?"
**********
Tausami and Horatio had reached the legal office before Blanko and Wilmore, their plan being to burst in guns blazing while they were all together, kill them all, and leave the building quickly. But as they walked down the hallway, they were surprised to see the door open, Natasha Gayer step out and walk quickly down the hallway in the opposite direction. Tausami smiled at the attractive brunette as she passed them, but she paid them no heed and continued to hurry on.
"What's going on?" asked Horatio, looking down the hallway after her.
"Something's not right," muttered Tausami. "Quick, in here."
The two men stepped into an abandoned office. Keeping the lights off, they peeked surreptitiously through the window in the door, maintaining a view of the legal office's door.
"I hope we're not discovered here," Horatio said worriedly, wondering how they could possibly explain two men together in a darkened room with nobody else around.
"Be quiet. Look!"
The two guards watched as Blanko and Wilmore walked down the hallway, knocked on the door of Crustinator's office, and entered.
"Gayer must not want to chat," whispered Tausami. "Let's just wait for a while..."
After a few minutes, during which angry voices could be heard, the door to the office was opened again, and Wilmore stepped out, flanked by two other guards. They proceeded down the hallway, past the office, and out of eyeshot. A few moments later, Blanko and Crustinator exited the office and hurried down the same way.
The coast now clear, Tausami opened the door to their hiding spot, and the two men stepped out of the office and began heading back towards Mugthulhu's room.
"So much for the plan," Horatio muttered dejectedly.
"Actually, the plan just got a lot cleaner," answered Tausami, thinking quickly. "We now have the perfect opportunity to approach Wilmore, and we can get the job done in a private spot, instead of the studio with a hundred potential witnesses."
Horatio glanced at Tausami quizzically.
"In fact, I'll do it myself." Tausami looked at his watch. "It's one. As far as anyone knows, I'm on my lunch break. So cover for me on this end."
Horatio nodded, and his partner jogged off towards the exit.