Checkmate

by Brian Cain

CHAPTER SIX

  Although Rose disliked pompous drudgery, Greywolf Manor operated as always, the staff prepared for an influx of public tourists eager to survey the past and present. The staff viewed Rose as a refreshing and courteous, and an air of change hung over the stately rooms and corridors once dominated by aristocracy. What was going to happen no one really knew, but a definite feel of delight was apparent.

  The truth was, there were more people below Greywolf Manor than above, the elite once banished from their Essex Island lair of Foulness had been carefully hidden, nurtured, and refocused. Science and a mass of sophisticated surveillance collected data of interest in the protection of public interest, they awaited facial recognition of visitors for reasons of gathering further information amid expected espionage. The counter intelligence group was overseen by Bruce Hurst still operating within MI6, but Hurst knew little of Greywolf. The head of counter espionage was Brannigan. Every move the girls made, every conversation they had would be closely monitored, the only rooms without visual security was their bedrooms. Since the instigation of the underground lair over some years, surveillance had picked up the smallest snippets of information that often led to the preservation of life, or the purge of it, depending on what side of the line it affected. During its instigation, no one had expected the emergence of Greywolf.

  Rose was attempting to play billiards in the game room, Bella chuckled under her breath as Rose struggled with underwear, concealing long dresses and expected etiquette, but she was having fun.

  A familiar smell that Bella had not experienced for some time suddenly bit at her senses, standing with her back to the wall a couple of paces clear of the oak wood panels, she turned and looked Stanton in the face, he had not come in the door. She looked at him with a scowl, she lent on her billiard cue with her head to one side, her jet black hair hid most of the cue, she whispered. "You smell like the caverns of Foulness lair."

  Stanton held face. "Mmm, interesting observation, you look dashing in your prude dress."

  "Stimulate your imagination does it."

  "I could get to like it."

  "Where is our son?"

  "He's busy."

  Rose yelled across the billiard table to Bella. "Bell, come on pay attention it's your shot. Oh, John, I didn't see you come in."

  "Focusing on your new found interest," replied Stanton.

  "This is fun, you going to join us."

  "Maybe later."

  Bella took her shot narrowly missing sinking a red ball, she returned to Stanton whom had purposely gone to the bar to pour himself a drink, the bar being out of earshot. She threw her graceful black locks behind her, they settled below her buttocks in a perfect shiny black wave. "Explain."

  "How are things going here Bell?"

  "Don't patronise me John, answer the question."

  "He's busy, safe, happy, focused, can I pour you a drink."

  "You sound like a politician, reminds me of why I killed a few."

  Stanton sipped bourbon. "I suppose I have a responsibility to inform you."

  "Hallelujah."

  "Go to your room and Ill see you there."

  "You want to peel this dress from my body and ravish me."

  "Of course I do."

  Louise had been busy tutoring Rose in the rules and techniques of billiards, she watched Bella and Stanton from the corner of her eye, she read Stanton's lips, the only one of them she could see. She shouted across the table. "You should tell Bella where John junior is, where is your son, what is he doing. I know what its like to have a member of your family missing, not knowing, waiting."

  Stanton held face in his usual manor. "Drink, cognac perhaps."

  Louise became enraged and her French accent dominated. "No John! We should retire to discuss this in the bedroom."

  Stanton tried to work out the angle, did they want sex, did they really want to find out about John junior, they were under surveillance, he had no choice to find out. "Agreed."

  Rose threw the pool cue on the table and put her hands on her hips. "Have I missed something?"

  "You can come too Rose."

  "Come, thank god I'm busting."

  Bella turned on her. "Rose! This is serious shit and..."

  Stanton interrupted. "To Roses room all of you."

  Bella snapped at him. "Why Roses room?"

  Stanton remained calm and smiled at Bella. "Because I asked you Bell." She stormed off up the corridor, Louise calmly followed her.

  Rose looked at Stanton with raised eyebrows and a wide smile. "Wow are you gonna cop it from Bell, she's fuming."

  Stanton gestured toward the door. "I'll follow you Rose." Rose picked up the bottom of her flowing gown and trotted out the door toward the stairs.

  The passed Rose's new maid, now renamed 'ham sandwich connoisseur' by Rose. "Will you be using the games room again," she asked.

  "Not sure, could you clear the top floor, only Hurst to be permitted through to Roses room."

  "Yes sir."

  Stanton chuckled before answering. "Rose will correct you should you call me sir again, so will I."

  "Of course, getting used to it," they moved on.

  Bella had her back to the wall opposite the door waiting for Stanton, she wore a scowl, arms folded tapping one foot on the carpet. Central furnishing in the bedroom was a four poster bed, ornately carved in oak with black and gold drapes. Hanging beside the bed on the wood panelling, were new pictures of horses and boats in the harbour of Portsmouth. The ancient paintings of previous family members had been removed. An adjoining bathroom was equally as pretentious, as was the crystal chandelier in the middle of the bedroom and the massive gold mirror dominating the dressing table. Rose hated it but it was tinged with a new scent, refreshing new clothes and modern perfumes. Stanton closed the oak monument that was the door, he lent against the door and smiled at Bella across the other side of the room. "This is one of the only rooms in the manor without surveillance."

  Bella was unmoved. "Someone going to appear from the wall while Rose is bonking god knows who."

  Stanton put his palms on the door behind him, arms hanging beside his body. "What Rose does in here is her business as with your own room."

  "Where is my son?"

  "He's below your feet."

  "So, just as I thought, the place is a hidden fortress, having fun with your new toy are we. Now who is Greywolf?"

  "No one knows."

  "Don't you lie to me John Stanton."

  "You are free to search every file and scrap of information we have on Greywolf Some say he's white and bald, some say he's black and tall, some say he has glasses, best thing is he remain anonymous."

  "Is that a suggestion?"

  "Yes it is Bell."

  "If it's my son then I have a right to know."

  "John junior will see you shortly, right here."

  "Will he come through the door?"

  "Of course not."

  Bella walked to the bed and sat down, she looked small in relevance to the furnishing, Rose sat next to her. Louise sat on a red velour Victorian lounge beside the dressing table facing the bed, Stanton joined her. "So he does work with you."

  "I've never left him Bell, for god sake he's my son as well. He has been forced to do nothing he didn't want to do, I have merely supported him."

  "You would have groomed him John you bastard, you promised me you'd look after him."

  Rose put her arm around Bella. "Come on Bell, if he's a mix of you and John anything could happen, not Johns fault or responsibility to try and bend the inevitable."

  "I just want to see him Rose."

  Stanton got up and walked to the bed. "And see him you shall."

  "Here."

  "Yes here."

  "How do you know?"

  "You won't stop him, he would love to see you."

  "He knows I'm here?"

  "Yes of course."

  "I'm confused John, why are we here."

  "We are back to the Fou
lness lair level, just a bit better accommodation."

  "We are sitting ducks for god's sake."

  "Hopefully the adversaries will think the same."

  Rose beaming with enthusiasm made comment. "I don't like the place or this room to any great extent, but it's better than Foulness."

  "Smell Johns clothes Rose."

  "Mmm, I can a bit from here, does smell like the lair."

  "It's beneath us Rose."

  "What underneath this place."

  "Been there since it was built and had extensive modifications over the last few years no doubt."

  "I was involved," said Louise.

  Rose and Bella looked at her their faces etched with question. "When was that exactly?"

  Stanton interrupted. "Louise was the obvious one to familiarise with the operation, working from Paris it took the heat off both of you."

  "She's been here before, and in the grounds below."

  "Should there be a problem Louise knows her way around."

  Bella and Rose stood up, Bella spoke. "Well thanks for letting everyone know what's going on, have fun did we, showing her around, been in this room before have we?"

  "Settle down Bell, only now do you need to know."

  Rose sniggered. "Told you she was pissed off."

  There was a knock on the door, Stanton walked over and opened up. It was Hurst. "You better take this John, its Lola your daughter."

  Stanton grabbed the satellite phone. "Thanks." He closed the door and stood with his back to it phone to his ear. "Lola."

  "Dad, its mum, she's come round after the surgery."

  "Is she okay?"

  "You must come back, I'm having a hell of a time with her."

  "Can she remember anything?"

  "She remembers some of the young men, she's devastated. The surgery was successful, took the pressure off the area caused by the growth, it was benign. She needs you dad, she thinks you'll never come back because of what she did."

  "Is she up and around?"

  "She should come out of hospital in a couple of days, she keeps bursting into tears. I rang because we need you, I think she's depressed and suicidal. She wrote a story on herself over what happened."

  "Well, she is journalist, she can't help herself."

  "I read it; she called herself a skanky bitch."

  Stanton rubbed his forehead. "Oh god, she'll probably never come to terms with it."

  "Well that's just dandy dad now can you come home immediately."

  "I'll be there tomorrow."

  "Thank god, Cadiche visited her she just kept crying, he left without her saying a word."

  "Shit," Stanton shook his head. "I'll be there, hang in there."

  "Thanks dad, I have to go."

  "Okay poppet, see you soon." Stanton hung up, opened the door and handed the phone back to Hurst. "Get a plane into Heathrow, destination Australia."

  "Ones on the ground at Foulness, can be here by the time you go to the airport."

  "Get a chopper on the lawn, give them something to think about, if I openly leave may encourage them to nose around and you can nail a few."

  "Agreed, there's a chopper on the lawn, came in ten minutes ago."

  "Crank it up I'm on my way."

  Hurst sprinted away and Stanton closed the door without shutting it. "I must go, Jodi has come round after her surgery."

  Bella grimaced. "Is she ok..."

  "She's better than expected but I have to go."

  Bella stamped her foot in rage. "John! Just like that, you run to her."

  Stanton opened the door and stood in the doorway. "You better focus Bell, when I leave, this place will be crawling with god knows who, concentrate, or some hotshot adversary is gonna to flame your arse."

  He walked over and kissed them all on the forehead, then walked toward the door. Bella stopped him. "John." He turned back. "I'm concerned, nearly scared."

  Stanton wore a reassuring grin. "Below these walls is a wolf, a grey and mysterious wolf. They aint seen nothing yet, they come near you they wont know if they're Arthur or Martha." He walked briskly away down the hall toward the stairs.

  Rose looked puzzled. "Arthur or Martha, I don't know those people."

  "Its Australian slang Rose, same as they wont know if they're coming or going."

  "Oh coming and going, he he, yeah I know that."

  Bella wore a half pout and shook her head. "Come on, we better get ready, I don't want my arse flamed."