The deed is everything, the glory naught. - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"I thought you agreed this was a good idea."
"I did, before. I've changed my mind. Now, well, she can still get her bylines. We'll just fill her in when we're done."
"We made a deal, Face."
"Hannibal, you saw what happened back there. She has no idea what she's really getting into. Hell, those people at the farm were as much use as she was. We let her tag along and we'll be watching out for her instead of doing our jobs. It's a bad idea, Hannibal!"
"But that wasn't our deal. I don't want that damn book written - and neither do you."
"So what can she write about if we cut her off? Old stories other people already wrote. And, if I may remind you, she stiffed us, big time. Her balance alone justifies a couple years free research. At least."
"Okay, okay. We agreed to let her come along and we won't go back on our word - but we can make sure she's kept away from the action as much as possible, if that will make you feel better."
"It's not a matter of making me 'feel better', Hannibal. It's a matter of not getting us all killed!"
Hannibal smiled as Face stalked away, remembering, quite clearly, that it had been Face who reached back for Amy on their run from Reverend James. His smile faded as he also remembered that talk in the cabin.
He'd have to keep an eye on their newest... addition.
"You are not printing that story. Period."
The voice was calm, but the flash in his eyes was not.
"C'mon, Face - it's a great story! Really shows how much you guys care about your clients and justice and - "
"No. You leave the Parkers alone."
"How am I supposed to write it if I don't talk to them?"
"You're not writing it, that's how."
Amy glared at him, knowing it would have no effect. Especially when he was staying so damn calm about it. She turned to her only other hope.
"Hannibal, are you going along with this?"
"The family doesn't want any publicity, and honestly, if I'd known that earlier, we wouldn't even have mentioned the job. It's just one story, Amy."
She controlled her temper with effort. "This isn't the first time, Hannibal. You didn't tell me about that thing with Sam's restaurant and I wasn't allowed to write about that, either."
"You know how much trouble he could get into having us as silent partners? Besides, that wasn't a client - that was team business."
"I thought I was part of the team."
"Not that part, Amy." Face was starting to lose his calm. Amy, as usual, thought she could worm her way around any controls Hannibal put on her.
Hannibal stepped in before Amy could respond. "Look, Amy, we agreed to let you write about the jobs we do - but we are not going to violate any client's privacy so you can get a by-line, and we're not going to give the military more avenues to tracking us down."
"So how many other jobs have you gone on and not let me know?"
Hannibal shifted uncomfortably. "There have been a few, but, well, they were just too dangerous. And sometimes you're not available. Like you yourself have told us, you have to make sure you keep your job."
Obviously, Amy was still not happy, and it dawned on him that maybe all these exclusives had become her 'jazz'. Maybe he should've kept a closer eye on her.
"Amy, you have to remember one thing - we don't pick jobs based on whether or not they'll get you a story. We'd been in business a long time before you arrived on the scene, and we did a lot of jobs anonymously. Sometimes it was our idea, sometimes it was the client's. The point was doing something that needed to be done, not to get our names in print. I thought after all this time, you understood that. If you don't, well, maybe it's time to rethink our agreement."
"Hey, Hannibal, aren't you going to call Amy? She'd be perfect for this one."
"No, Murdock. Amy was offered an assignment as a foreign correspondent. Jakarta, I think it was."