"I don't understand."
"What do you mean, you don't need criminal operations or underground contacts anymore?" Catherine asked.
"I plan to systematically dismantle the network."
"How?" Catherine asked.
"Most operatives will simply stop receiving assignments and drift away," James explained. "They were hired for specific tasks, those tasks will be complete, and they'll move on to other opportunities. The few who know too much about the coordination and planning will be dealt with more permanently."
"Like Vera Santos?" Catherine asked quietly.
"Vera made the mistake of questioning orders and expressing doubts about the operation," James said coldly. "She became a liability. The network will eliminate that liability."
Catherine felt the familiar chill that came with James's casual discussion of having people killed, but she'd accepted years ago that this was part of who he was and what he was capable of doing.
