We hope that you were satisfied with your special orders aboard the Shetland and that they met your expectations.

Besides reaching out as a courtesy, we are contacting you regarding the unexpected discovery that one of your operatives brought to light in Kansas. For the time being, please accept our thanks for listening to our requests of confidentiality.

Following internal discussions, and taking advantage of the invitation to Provence, we would like to meet with you and your operative Weatherly in person aboard the Monte Carlo. We aim to gain a clearer understanding of how the discovery took place and what was actually found. If possible, we would also appreciate it if you could accompany us to the site of the wreckage, allowing our technicians to inspect it.

We look forward to your kind reply and wish you a pleasant day.


Best regards
Director C. Cross and the OS&C Management

The thing is, gentlemen, captain Franklin and I had quite the adrenaline rush today. Your man of the hour, Weatherly, was there, and even a freelancer decided to join the action. You know whose face was notably absent? Yours. Too busy hiding it among the curves of the lovely bar ladies on Monte Carlo, I suppose? Not that I blame you, of course—though, let’s be honest, we’ve been tearing up the track while your laps seem more like a distant memory. So, what do you say? Take that racer of yours out for a spin; you didn’t pay all that money just to let it collect dust in the hangar, did you?

With the utmost respect and elegance, move your ass.
H. Balzac

Yes, we had the chance to review the results. Please do extend our congratulations to Weatherly on our behalf. In the spirit of friendly competition, we’ve offered all the runners the first round of drinks at the Promenade Bar on Monte Carlo. After all, as they say, it’s the taking part that counts. Oh, but perhaps you’re not familiar with that saying? That would explain why your name doesn’t even appear on the leaderboard.

Ah, Mr. Halpert, orchestrating from the shadows, letting your subordinates do the heavy lifting while you bask in their glory? How diabolical—quite the hallmark of our own management style. Are you sure you haven’t worked with us in the past? It would certainly explain the many “elective affinities” between us.

Tomorrow at lunch at the Promenade. Bring Weatherly along—we have matters to discuss.

H. Balzac