Joe growled, low.  "Behave, and let me do the talking."

Emiko shrugged.  "Whatever.  The only reason I'm putting up with this is the hope of a second chance at life."

"How you find time to hope on the streets, anyway?"

"Hopes and dreams are sometimes the only thing that can keep you going.  Jerk."

Joe's eyes narrowed.  Before things got messy, a security guard at the desk outside the door spoke up.

"Miss, will you please put the two switchblades, four knives, seven lockpicks, three tension tools, and-"

"-a partridge in a pear tree," she growled, emptying her pockets.  The guard looked at her, then did one heck of a double-take.

"She looks like-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I ran into her on the street.  Let me handle this."  The Condor gave the guard a half-strength glare (more than enough to make him think of wetting his pants.)

"Um...OK, sir, G-2."  The guard saluted.

The look Joe gave him should have turned him and the wall behind him into plasma.  Slamming the guy into the wall, he growled, low:  "You f ****** son-of-a-b***!  NEVER address us by our agent codes in front of anyone who doesn't have the clearance!"

"But-"

"And you make sure that everyone present HAS clearance before you start mouthing off!"

"Y-yes, sir!"

"I will report this to your supervisor."

"Yes, sir."

"Although I'd like better to thrash you into the #@$ ground."

Joe let him him go.  Turning to Emiko, he said, "We'll have to stop by the security chief's office before we go upstairs.  And don't you go spilling your guts about what he said."

Emiko nodded.  "$#@*& twerp deserves it."  She paused.  "Even if I didn't hear anything."

He shot her a puzzled look.  Emiko grinned and winked.  Joe got it and smiled.

When they were out of earshot of the guard, she commented, "Do you have any idea how many places have been robbed because of loose-lipped security personnel?"

"You mean, how many you've robbed because of security flapping their gums?"

Her lips quirked.  "Something like that."

Joe snorted.  "By the way, I will need your full name to give to the supervisor.  Red tape and all that."

Emiko moaned.  "But I don't have to like it -or red tape!"

Joe grinned.  "I know just how you feel.  I can’t stand beauracracy.  You know what I'd like to do?"

"What?"

Joe grinned.  "Solve the ‘problems of beauracracy’ with a proper application of missles and high explosives."

Emiko barked a laugh.