A RUMOR OF PEACE

          "Are the two of you completely out of your minds?!" came the angry growl from behind them, making them whirl to confront the speaker, lasers in hand.  "Put those away!?" he snarled sharply, stepping out of the shadows so they could see him.

          Sharp, sudden, deep intakes of breath.  "What are you DOING here?  You're not supposed to be in contact with us un--" 

          "I am quite well aware of what my orders are, thank you very much, Rabastan Lestrange."  The snap in his tone was still very harsh.  "As for why I am here--" his head cocked a bit, eyes narrowing on them, the warning clear in his look. 

          "From what I have been observing...what I've been HEARING, you two," he raised his hand pointing a finger at them, "are taking far too many risks.  I understand that you're attracted to the boys...that they are just as attracted to you, but if you continue on this course, you both run a very real chance of blowing this entire operation!" 

          His dark eyes went, if it were possible, even darker as he looked from one to the other.  "THAT, as you are well aware, cannot be allowed to happen.  This entire venture has been in the works for far too long.  Don't make me pull either of you out."

          "We aren't going to allow that to happen," Rodolphus told him

           Rabastan took a step closer to the man.  "Look, we've been here too long, seen and DONE far too much to see it blown apart now.  We have to see this through,  WILL see it through."

          A sigh.  "Yes, I suppose you do,  at that, and just as sure that you will." 

          "Do you have any idea how he managed to get his hands on such tightly controlled, highly classified information?"  Rodolphus asked him.

          He shook his head.  "He went to a  source we never expected him to, clever man that he was.  Our problem now is finding the disk that he made on the two of you.  I think I have a couple of ideas on where he may have hidden it,  I'll check them out as soon as I get done with the two of you."

          He broke off again, looking at two of them, clearly concerned about the both of them.  It can't have been easy on them, this last yahren {year}  and a half, working so closely with a man they all hated.  "You ARE NOT to put yourselves at risk for the boys. Once this case is over and done, and Riddle is behind bars where he belongs, THEN you may search them out on Caprica, and..." his gaze shifted toward the entrance of the alley they were currently in, lips turning up into a smile.

          "Oh, oh," came his voice as he melted back into the shadows.    "They are not happy with either of you.  Not happy at all."