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Rodney "the Brain" McKay leaned back in his leather chair and steepled his fingers under his chin. "I don't think you understand the situation here, Kolya. You don't get to choose whether to talk or not. You just get to choose when, and how much pain you'll be in when you do it."
Kolya lunged against the restraining grip of Bates and Stackhouse on each side. "I don't intend to reveal any Genii Gang secrets to you, you pompous ass!"
McKay sniffed disdainfully, turning his head to address the looming shadow behind his chair, Ronon "Knives" Dex. "I'm an incredibly busy and important man. I don't have time for this. Dex, bring in that new guy, whatshisname....starts with 'Z'..." McKay snapped his fingers impatiently.
"Doctor Zelenka, Boss?" Ronon raised an eyebrow. "The Breaker? Are you sure, Boss? He's awful nasty for small fry like Kolya."
"Hmm. You're right, I should just pay his incredibly expensive retainer for him to sit around and play chess all day!" That little vein in McKay's forehead had begun to throb again. "Yes, yes, of course I'm sure! Well, what are you waiting for, Atlantis to rise from the ocean depths? Go get him!"
Ronon rolled his eyes but tapped the edge of McKay's seatback with a knuckle. "Sure thing, Boss. Whatever you say. I'm just the muscle around here." He swaggered from the room.
McKay looked up from his contemplation of the way Dex...filled out...his suit to meet Kolya's scornful and contemptuous eyes. "He does a very good job," McKay said defensively. "He's the best there is."
"Oh, and I'm sure that's why you hired him as your right-hand man, you little Finook," smirked Kolya knowingly.
McKay sniffed, not deigning to reply.
His secretary, Sweet Katie Brown, sauntered in. "Your next appointment is here, Boss."
"Have them wait in the lounge. We're almost done here."
Katie frowned. "You sure, Boss? The SGC Commission is the Big Leagues. You don't wanna keep their people waiting..."
"Ah! Ah!" McKay raised the Finger of Doom at her. "What did I tell you about blabbing our business in front of strangers? Hmm?" He vigorously mimed the zipping of lips.
Katie blushed. "Sorry, Boss! It won't happen again. I'll get our guests settled with coffee and snacks."
"Hmm. Send some snacks in here, too. It might mollify me," McKay held up the Finger of Imperiousness.
"Sure, Boss. I'll send Miko in with the stuff." Katie trotted out of McKay's lair.
Everyone heard her aborted attempt at blocking the entrance. "Oh! No, I wouldn't go in there right now, Sir, he's very busy and..."
John Sheppard breezed into the room, smirking his trademark smirk, wild hair poking out in a crest beyond the front of his rakishly tilted fedora hat. "Don't worry, Katie, Rodney's always happy to see me!"
Sheppard caught sight of the prisoner and suddenly the smirk vanished, replaced by a blank, dangerous look. "Kolya." Sheppard spat the word as if he was ejecting filth from his mouth. He reached into the breast pocket of his very expensive suit jacket.
McKay stood up from his chair. "Now, Pinky, don't go messing with my plan."
Sheppard froze at McKay's uncharacteristic use of his pet name in public. He cocked an eyebrow at McKay. "You have a plan, Brain?"
McKay lifted his chin. "Don't I always have a plan, Pinky?"
Sheppard visibly relaxed and removed his hand from his jacket pocket. "Narf! Of course you do, Brain. What was I thinking?" He traded an affectionate glance with McKay, then sauntered over to McKay's chair, giving the wisely-silent Kolya a wide berth.
McKay settled down in his seat as Sheppard draped himself over the leather chair's broad arm and slouched against the back. Sheppard tossed his hat over onto McKay's paper-strewn desk and curved his arm over the top of the leather chair's back, playing with McKay's hair languidly while watching Kolya with a deadly green stare.
McKay sighed and took Sheppard's other hand, massaging the tension away gently as Sheppard leaned into his shoulder. "Well, Pinky, did you have a good day today? Did you get to go barnstorming or did you go to the carnival instead?" he asked conversationally.
"Sure, Brain," Sheppard responded easily, though his gaze never left the tense and perspiring Kolya. "Ford and Teyla an' me went to the carnival, like I was telling you about this morning. The weather's not that great for barnstorming today. But I got to ride the Ferris wheel a dozen times!"
"That's great! Great." McKay nodded, his mouth pulling down on one side. "But I sure hope somebody remembered to hit up the carnies for my cut of the business."
Aiden "the Hype" Ford bounded in on the tale-end of McKay's question, his trademark energy crackling around him. People said he used drugs, and the deformed eye and his general high energy level gave some credence to the rumor, but he was a good friend to Sheppard, so McKay withheld judgment. As long as it didn't affect the performance of his job, McKay was willing to let Ford's personal life stay his own business. "Hey, McKay!" Ford grinned widely, bouncing. Always a big smiler, that Ford.
Teyla "Sticks" Emmagen, Ford's moll, flanked Ford on the same side as his distorted eye. She nodded formally at McKay. "Greetings, Boss. Yes, we have collected your 'tax' of the carnival's proceedings. The proprietors were most forthcoming, especially after John explained that we would 'protect' them from Genii encroachment."
She arched her eyebrow at Kolya in an ironic fashion as he muttered curses at her under his breath. The Atlantis Gang had taken over the Athosian Gang just as they were about to with the Genii. But, unlike the Genii, the deal with the Athosians had been a friendly takeover, Teyla and her people grateful for McKay's protection from the predations of the Wraith Outfit. Halling "the Preacher" was the official leader of the Athosians, but McKay had been careful to keep Teyla, whom he judged was the real leader, close to him—especially since she had struck up an affectionate, but non-threatening, friendship with Sheppard.
Teyla and Ford came over, walking a prudent wide circle around Kolya, and flanked either side of McKay's chair. Ford was still grinning, but McKay knew he had come heavy with armament, and very likely with explosives as well—Ford always did. As for Teyla, McKay had seen what she was capable of with those sticks she casually held in her hand. And, of course, there was bound to be a "heater" tucked into the cute little handbag dangling from its flimsy little strap on her shoulder—and she certainly knew how to use it, as well.
McKay hummed a pleased hum. Sheppard's fingers scritched pleasantly at the back of his scalp, and McKay brought the knuckles of Sheppard's other hand to his lips for a brief kiss.
Sweet Katie poked her head in the door again. "Boss, Dex is back with The Breaker."
"Show them in," McKay rolled his hand at her in a "hurry up" gesture. "Sometime this year! We don't have all day, woman."
"Yes, Boss!" Katie squeaked.
The door swung open. Ronon's broad frame loomed over a slight figure in a conservative suit of European cut. The Breaker's hair was longish and floppy, and round specs reflected the light, hiding his eyes. The two men stepped into the room.
"McKay? You have summoned me," the startlingly deep voice held a decidedly Eastern European accent.
"Yes, I've got a little job for you to take care of for me, Zelenka." McKay gestured the man closer.
As Dex and Zelenka entered the room, little Miko "Ninja" Kusagi entered, pushing a small cart with a coffee service and snacks. Miko appeared small and meek, reinforced by her tendency to blush and giggle, but McKay appreciated the sharp mind behind the huge round specs, the ability to keep a thousand secrets firmly hidden away, and to recall mountains of details while assimilating and correlating raw data. Plus, she had a cute little crush on him. That was always ego-boosting.
As she passed him with the cart, Zelenka's nose twitched as he sniffed. "Mmm. Coffee."
"Yes, of course, help yourself," McKay nodded as Miko handed him his cup of coffee, prepared just as he liked it, and busied herself with preparing Sheppard's coffee next. McKay sneaked a peek at the snacks. Grapes for Dex, apples for John, assorted nuts and crackers for Teyla and Ford. Possibly those salty little dried fish were for Bates or Stackhouse—he certainly didn't intend to eat them. Ooh! Chocolate cupcakes. Mmm. With sprinkles!
McKay scowled as Zelenka casually picked up a chocolate cupcake for himself. "I need you to do a job," McKay growled, gesturing with his chin at Kolya. "How long to get everything he knows about the Genii Gang? I want Cowen's nuts on a platter!"
Zelenka walked a circle around Kolya, coldly studying him as he might a recalcitrant bit of machinery he planned to tinker with. Kolya twitched, obviously trying to get a look at the eyes behind those damned round spectacles. Zelenka nibbled on his cupcake and strolled back to McKay. "A day. Perhaps a day and a half." He picked up his coffee cup and sipped appreciatively.
McKay huffed. "I want the information in four hours. Six hours, tops."
Zelenka raised an eyebrow, and glanced over his shoulder at Kolya, frowning. "I cannot guarantee the completeness of information. With rush job, I might get...sloppy."
"I'm sure it will be fine," McKay waved off Zelenka's concerns. "Go on, what are you waiting for, chopchop, get started already. Bates, Stackhouse, whatever The Breaker wants, make it happen." McKay waved both hands in a shooing motion.
"Yes, Boss," came the twin acknowledgements from the Atlantis Gang soldiers. Bates' grin was especially shark-like. That man enjoyed his job way too much.
"Have fun, Doctor Z," Sheppard called cheerfully.
Kolya twisted in the guards' grip to snarl something undoubtedly unpleasant, but his word morphed to a howl of pain as Zelenka used the distraction to insert a seemingly-innocuous small device in his ear. Kolya's body went rigid, then limp, causing the soldiers to grunt as they dragged him from the room.
Zelenka fiddled with the knobs of a small transmitter device in his hands, and distractedly waved his fingers at Sheppard as he trailed his assignment, most of his attention already focused on the job at hand.
"I love a man who loves his work," Sheppard sighed happily, relaxing against McKay and kissing the top of his head.
"Hmph. Well, yes, don't get too friendly," McKay muttered darkly.
"Don't worry, Brain," Sheppard breathed into McKay's ear, tongue darting out in a tiny lick to his earlobe. "Nobody compares to you."
Ronon cleared his throat meaningfully. When McKay glanced up, blushing slightly, Dex popped another grape into his mouth before indicating the doorway with a jerk of his head. "Remember the SGC Commission reps are waiting out there, Boss. You don't want to keep them cooling their heels too long."
McKay straightened in his seat. "Yes, absolutely. Good reminder." The Atlantis Gang needed the SGC Commission's backing to go against the Wraith Outfit. The Wraith were a blot on all the mob families. They sucked the life out of every territory they claimed, and were always looking for new feeding grounds.
McKay looked up at Sheppard, noticing how the (very expensive) black silk shirt he was wearing did sinfully flattering things for him. "Pinky, could you and your buddies go find something else to do? I need to concentrate on these negotiations, and you're a bit...distracting." He smiled up at Sheppard.
His excuse had the virtue of being true, but it was also true that he didn't want Sheppard around when the SGC people were in the room for another reason altogether. He was fairly sure that the SGC would have sent their Capo, Stephen "the Dead-less" Caldwell, and his moll, Lizzie "the Diplomat" Weir, to these negotiations—perhaps with their enforcer, Evan "the Bullet" Lorne, to show a little muscle.
That would have been no problem, except that McKay knew that the one to watch at this little meeting would be Lizzie Weir. It was said that she had the ear of the SGC Administration—certainly Hank "the Bank" Landry, maybe Jack "Double Hockey-Sticks" O'Neill as well, possibly even the Boss of Bosses, George "Texas" Hammond himself.
And McKay didn't like the way Lizzie eyed his Pinky whenever they were both in a room together.
"Aw, Brain, can't we stick around? You won't know I'm even here," Sheppard whined.
McKay barked his laughter. "Yeah, right! As if you could be invisible." He indicated Sheppard's flashy, expensive suit, his diamond cufflinks, his rakishly upstanding hair. Sheppard pouted.
"Didn't you guys have something you wanted to blow up?" Dex injected diplomatically. There really was a good reason he was McKay's Consigliere.
"Yeah, hey!" Ford bounced with enthusiasm. "We had that bank job we wanted to plan."
"But," began Sheppard.
"Great! That's great!" McKay smiled. "Why don't you run along and blow up a bank vault? I'll let you know how things went here. It will be a very long and boring meeting, Pinky."
"The Hive bank is in Wraith territory," said Teyla, starch in her tone.
McKay's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. Ford, you've got to be kidding me, here."
"No, no, it will work! We've got a great plan, Boss! They'll never know it was us!" Ford waved his hands manically.
"See, that's what I was gonna tell you, Brain," Sheppard frowned at Ford. "It's a terrible plan!"
"Well," McKay began.
"No, really! I've got some guys together. Inside guys. I've got some Hive bank guard uniforms. It will work! It's a great plan, I tell you!" Ford was bouncing again.
McKay scowled. He pointed the Finger of Doom at Ford. "Okay, you take your plan to Grodin and let him poke holes in it."
Ford groaned. Peter "Computer" Grodin was impossibly thorough.
McKay smirked. "If Teyla and Sheppard are convinced that you've answered all of Grodin's objections, and if they think the plan has a snowball's chance in hell of success, then maybe I'll give the okay."
"Ah!" McKay raised the Finger of Imperiousness at Ford's about-to-be-objecting face. "Those are my terms, take 'em or leave 'em!"
"Okay, Boss." Deflated, Ford slumped out of the room, followed by Teyla, casually swinging her sticks.
"Go on," McKay reached up to deposit a peck of a kiss on the tip of Sheppard's nose. "Go keep an eye on your minions. I've got work to do, here."
Sheppard sighed, and ruffled McKay's hair before sliding off the arm of the chair and going to reclaim his hat. He turned to smirk at McKay. "Okay, Brain, but you're going flying with me tomorrow."
"What!" McKay squawked. "In that rattletrap you call the Jumper? No way! That's what we keep Ford around for, he's the risk taker around here. I'm upper management, in case you've forgotten."
"Come on, Rodney," Sheppard drawled, coming close to finger the lapels of McKay's pinstripe suit. "It'll be fun." He smiled and peered out from under his lashes. "I'll make it worth your while..."
McKay groaned theatrically. "Why, oh why do you have to be so incredibly hot? Why are you allowed to use your wiles on me?" He straightened and scowled as Miko giggled behind her hand.
Sheppard smiled brilliantly. "It's a date then!" He tipped his hat to Miko and winked at Ronon. "See you, guys!"
McKay watched the way Sheppard filled out his suit as he left the room. He looked up to meet Ronon's amused and knowing glance.
McKay rolled his eyes. "Katie!" he bellowed. "Show those Commission people in here. I'm a very busy man, I don't have all day!"
A mobster's work was never done....
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