Charon jumped down off the apron, grabbed a towel and slung it round her neck before leading Richard out into the hallway and through into the large kitchen. She pointed at the coffee maker, then looked at him asking him a silent question. Richard shrugged, Charon ignored him and turned the coffee maker on anyway while she poured herself a large glass of iced water. She then switched the kettle on and began the process of making a mug of coffee for Richard and a large mug of tea for herself. She leaned with her back against the counter top and eyed Richard up and down.

"First of all, I don't think Alex sent you, I think you're here because you don't trust me and you think Alex shouldn't either. Secondly, my health is just fine as you saw. As for Jones and the staff, I'll be honest it isn't really any of your business except....."

The coffee maker interrupted with a whooshing sound signalling it was finished spewing hot coffee into the mug, she turned quickly, added milk and pushed a bowl of sugar over towards Richard while she waited for the kettle to boil. She watched him stir the contents as though he thought she may have poisoned it, she grinned.

"I can get the butler in to taste that for you if you're not sure?!"

Richard was still ill at ease and wasn't sure how to respond, he was going to nod but then fought against his initial instinct and shook his head in the negative, however, he was trying to figure out whether he should drink the hot liquid or not. Charon turned away again to pour hot water from the kettle onto the tea bag in her own mug and smiled as she saw Richard sniff at the cup in the reflection of the window. Once she was finished she led him into the office and sat down at her desk, Richard had no choice but to take the seat across from her, a position he wasn't used to being in as a general rule. Charon put her mug of tea on the desk and slid a coaster over to him as she leaned back in the chair.

"If I told you I have a deep seated mistrust of the so called Reverend Jones would that help you to trust me a little more?"

Richard nearly spat the coffee all over the desk in surprise.

"You have got to be kidding right? You damn well shot me, you're sick and twisted and you don't care a shit for the people who get in the way of your little crusades and you think a few words will help me trust you....are you really THAT crazy?!"

Charon wasnt amused, she was deadly serious and Richard realised that when he looked at her. Her jaw was working overtime and she was now glaring at him.

"You and Alex have made a huge error in judgement, not in hiring me, but in choosing to align yourselves with Mortismere and Jones."

She let the words sink in as Richards face went through several contortions, he thought about denying it but what would be the point, Charon was a bloody nuisance, she seemed to be able to find out things she shouldn't have any business knowing and yet here she was, telling him what they'd been up to.

"Right. So say you Mrs Freaky Psychopath, all hail Miss high and mighty look at me I'm so fricking brilliant!"

Charon sighed and took a deep breath, she let it out slowly and patiently.

"Honestly, you and your brother have no idea what you've managed to get yourselves into the middle of. Mortismere serves no one but himself and he's had control of Jones right from the beginning. Essentially, you've had a spy in your midst right from the start, that's why the two of them have always been one step ahead of us. The staff can help break Mortis' control and give us the edge we need right now."

Strictly speaking, what she'd said was sort of true, what she didn't want to do was tip her whole hand to Richard, she wanted him to feel clever, as though he had the upper hand over her because this was the only way to get what she needed from him and making him think she'd got some of her information wrong was a good start. She watched him carefully and waited for his response.