by Finian Blake
“Hans, what can you do for me?”
“I will have to see what can be done. You caught me by surprise.” Hans thought he was going to be refused. He did not expect Noah to work the deal for four times the weapons that had been requested.
“Have you contacted General Smirnov?”
“Who I contacted, for what purpose and where I’ve contacted them is my business. If you can provide what I have asked for we have a deal. If you cannot deliver, I will be on my way.”
“What about the payment from Afghanistan.”
“I will deliver it to you and you can do what you want with it.”
“They want to pay in opium.” Hans said flatly.
Noah shook his head. “They need to cook it down to heroin. You can get an import license and buy opium for twenty eight dollars a kilo, load it on a ship and sell it to a drug company. You are talking about one hundred fifty thousand pounds of opium. For heroin, you can do the same thing for about eight or ten thousand pounds, but then it will not be legal and that much heroin may drive the wholesale price down. It is similar to growing too much corn and dumping it all on the market at the same time.”
“You did the deal for Buck and Creed.”
“Yeah, and they screwed things up every step of the way. They had the Nicaraguan bag lady assassinated holding nine million. You told me that they were caught with a little under two million in their personal possession. I spent six months recovering and they died.”
“We cannot do anything tonight.” Hans needed to do some research.
“I will see if I can find a wholesaler. You will check on my requirements. We will get back together in thirty-six hours and we will continue this discussion. Enjoy the graduation ceremony.”
“What if I cannot do anything in thirty-six hours?”
“In that case, it was nice doing business with you. I will go my way and you can tell Mercury that I tried.” Adam could see the indecision on Hans’s face.
“You better get going. DC traffic is a bear at rush hour. Enjoy the graduation then you can check everything out tomorrow. We can talk about it the day after tomorrow in the early morning.” Hans left quickly. He would have something to occupy his mind on the drive home.
Adam went down to the desk paying at the desk for three more days. He took the metro to Alexandria and took a taxi to the Holliday Inn by Dulles Airport. Noah called Everywhere Air to see who would be working in the morning. As luck would have it Eli would be working. Noah needed to get a secure line to make his call to Brit Worldwide. Next he called the number for Tony in Chicago, leaving a quick message for a call back in an hour. Tony called back in exactly one hour.
“Noah it has been a long time, what can I do for you?”
“I am shopping for another wholesale deal for produce.”
“What kind of product are we talking about?”
“H…,” Noah said
“Buy or sell?”
“Sell.”
Tony needed more detail, “How much are we talking about?”
“We are looking at eight to ten thousand pounds.”
“You don’t mess around,” Tony exclaimed.
“It is not all together yet. I need an idea of what I can get.”
“The most recent price depending on quality is eight to twenty a gram depending on purity.”
“I am guessing that it has never been stepped on and with no steps, I am guessing you can count on around fifteen.” Noah offered.
“When...,” Was Tony’s one-word question?
“I can deliver plus or minus in thirty days, but I will firm that up later.”
“I will look forward to hearing from you.” Tony broke the connection. He was thrilled to hear from Noah. Tony heard that Noah was in trouble with the government and he did not want to lose Noah. The last deal put him several million up. Noah was always accurate and Tony could depend on the descriptions that he received. With the multi-million dollar deal he was able to get the council to drop the contract in hopes that he would deliver another large deal.
Noah’s next call would be to Francesca, in a few hours since she would not be landing for an hour. If Francesca was not interested, Noah thought that he would try Ralph. He decided to gamble and leave a message with her company for a call back. Noah ordered room service and settled in waiting for time to pass. The evening news just finished when the phone rang.
“Hello is Noah there.” It was Francesca’s voice.
“It is good to hear your voice again. Thanks for calling so quickly.”
“When Adam calls, he may have to wait. When Noah calls it is an emergency. What may I do for you?”
“Things are moving quickly. I am going to need a pilot.”
“As long as it is normal business, I can help you out.” Francesca was sounding a little timid.
“I am going to need someone that can hang around for a month. Have you heard from Ralph lately?”
Francesca was relieved that Adam was not going to press her personally, “I talked to him a few months ago. He was bored out of his skull doing cargo runs for Everywhere Air. He says that it is like driving a truck. I have his number in my office. I will call my assistant and have her give you the number over the phone.”
“That would be great. Could I prevail on you to do me one more favor? Call Terri at this number and have her give me a call here. I have a special number for you to call her at.”
“I will have my assistant give her a ring when she gets Ralph’s phone number for you.” Francesca thought a few seconds. “Thank you for not asking me for something that I cannot do.”
“Nor would I ask you for something like that. You are a true friend and I would not put you on the spot. I really do look forward to seeing you again, so let’s not make it so long between visits.”
“I will see you in the near future,” Francesca said affectionately.
Adam only had to wait fifteen minutes for the call from Francesca’s assistant. She gave him Ralph’s phone number and promised to call Terri as soon as she hung up. Noah explained that she would probably need to leave a message telling her to add the word ‘Popeye’ to the message. Terri called back in ten minutes.
“I was wondering if you were going to call. Thank you, for adding the all clear code.” Noah and Terri agreed to use the word Popeye, if things were alright. “So did you sleep with Anna again?”
“We slept in our own beds and in our own rooms. We did screw though.” He was not about to lie to Terri.
“Thank you,” the comment did not sound sarcastic.
“She made a bet with me that you would tell me a lie about sleeping with her. I told her that I had your heart and your mind.”
“You are number one in my heart.” Terri sounded decidedly un-happy. “How are you doing?”
“The doctor is pissed off at me for doing so much flying. He grounded me. The contractor broke ground on the pub since he had three crews idle, so as soon as we have materials we are going to do the pub, build a second stable for Martin’s work, build a formal kennel for Lynn and make improvements to the picnic area. Muriel has asked for half of the first basement. Tom has claimed the entire lower basement for a gun shop and firing range. He is out shopping for the equipment now. Frank wants a separate building behind the garage for a regular gym and a training area with a total foot print of twenty thousand square feet. We have five unused acres behind the garage we can allow him two acres without noticing the difference that would give him eighty thousand square feet to work with. I think that the council to go for that. We will not take up any agricultural land and with the trees back there we will not even see it from the house or from anywhere off of the property. Do you have any news?”
“I need one more day out of town. I have been stalled on a few answers. The putz, they gave me to work with is not sure about anything. I am about ready to tell him to shove the whole mess.”
“That would be the best news that I have heard so far.” Terri paused a few seconds.
“Before I go, don’t you want to ask me what the bet was?”
“If you wanted me to know, you would have told me.” It was not a lack of interest that kept Adam from asking. It was a matter of trust, since Terri would have told him if she wanted him to know.
“Thank you,” It was a sincere answer. Terri bet Anna that he would not ask what the bet was.
“I will see you in a few days. I love you.” Terri broke the connection before he could say I love you.
Noah picked up the phone calling Ralph.
“This is Noah, how are you handling all of the excitement?”
“I am bored out of my skull. How are you doing Noah?”
“I have all the excitement that I can stand how about you.”
“I would like a little.” Ralph’s blood pressure jumped a few points at the offer. “Who do I have to kill?”
“Nobody, all you have to do is fly your ass off. How about thirty days of flying in ‘Merry Ole England’.”
“Who is the pay master?” Ralph was only looking for one answer.
“I am.”
“What am I flying?”
“A Caribou,” Ralph knew that meant fun flying. The De Havilland Caribou was built for smuggling. After his days at Air America, the rest of it was like driving truck.
“We will put you up at the same place that you stayed at the last time. Call Francesca for a ride. She might be flying out that way soon. If she isn’t flying out, call Terri for an airline ticket.” Noah broke the connection returning the key to Eli.
Noah returned to the desk at the Holiday Inn slipping down to talk to the manager of the hotel passing him two hundred dollars. At his request the manager tore up the guest card and provided Noah with a personal ride to the metro for his return to the Watergate Hotel. Noah played tourist for the first time in Washington DC. He went down to the Lincoln Memorial and walked down the full length of the Mall. He had been to Washington several times, but never did any of the tourist things. The following day he strolled through the many buildings of the Smithsonian Museum. As the day ended, he walked over to the Halls of Congress and the Rotunda. He ate at the hotel and turned in early. Noah stopped down in the bar and had a few drinks before bed. In the morning Noah showered and packed. Shortly after ten AM Hans called the room. Noah invited Hans in and they settled down to business.
“How was the graduation,” Noah asked
“I was actually early,” Hans sounded relaxed. “Everything went smooth as silk.”
“Good, what news do you have for me?”
“We can get cooperation from Turkey and Pakistan. The front money in Krugerrands will be arranged. There is a problem with the payment. It has been requested that you wholesale the payment.” Noah was impressed by the way that Hans covered the main topics so quickly.
“We need to know how you are going to handle the transport.”
“There is a developed runway in Trabzon, Turkey that is a key and we will deliver no farther than Karachi Pakistan. When we have a firm deal I will make arrangements for the front money. I will make arrangements for the payment and the cash will come within thirty days after delivery. We still need to work out the exact amount of weapons, but it will be above the three hundred thousand pounds as promised. We might be able to do better how much fire power would you like?”
Hans was surprised. “We will take every bullet that you can deliver. How much do you think the payment will bring?”
“I will return the front money plus a million if you preform as promised everything else is my business.”
“Noah, you are claiming a big profit.”
“I am taking a big risk. We are fighting for capitalism, so a profit is required. If I can turn a profit on this for you, why do you object to me making a profit?”
“The price of heroin is up on the street.”
“Hans, I am going to wholesale the payment, not stand on the corner selling a gram at a time. If things go well, you get your money back plus a profit. This occupation is not without risks, a bullet here or an explosion there. Unhappy buyers take a toll too. When the payment is in drugs we need to run extra risks. We had Buck and Creed for contacts the last time and that damn near killed everybody.” Noah took Hans by the back of the arm. “I will only be dealing with you. If you disappear the whole deal vanishes. There will be absolutely no substitutes.”
“When can you deliver,” Hans asked.
“If things go well, everything will be done in thirty days. The schedule is up to me that part is my security, but right now I need to talk to the one that is paying. We need to work out a price. As soon as you give me the contact we can get started.” Hans handed Noah a slip of paper.
“This is the contact information for Abdul-Rahman. He has an import-export office in Karachi and will make your arrangements in Pakistan including the payment. We have no contact in Trabzon. There is a developed airport there, but it is not for civilian use. It is an eight thousand foot runway and can accommodate large aircraft. The military will let us use it, but we have to guarantee that nothing will be left behind since it is an unstable area for Turkey. The area bounced back and forth between Russia and Turkey several times over the past hundred years.”
“Give me what you have, and I will work something out.” Hans gave Noah the contact in Istanbul. “Start making arrangements for the gold and I will start on the rest. Let’s call it here and I will be in touch. It is check out time.”
“How will I get in touch with you?”
“I have your number. I will call from Karachi.” Noah never thought to check if it was a secure line or not. “I need a secure line that has a twenty four hour a day monitor.”
Hans wanted more information. “The number, I gave you will work. What if I have questions?”
“Just replay the tape on the wire that you are wearing.”
Han’s looked sheepish. “How did you know?”
“It is all part of the service. Instead of your boys following me, have them give me a ride to Dulles Airport. That way they will not get lost along the way,” Noah laughed.
Noah went down to the front desk and checked out. Hans was standing on the curb next to a new Ford Galaxy with government license plates.
“This is Tim and his partner Bruce. They are your tail. I believe that you said you were going to the airport?”
“Yes, I am going to Dulles International. Do you gentlemen follow me to Europe or pass me off?”
“We report your departure and pass you off.”
“How about escorting me to the ticket counter and we can have a drink in the bar. I don’t have time for cat and mouse games. I have a lot to do.” Tim and Bruce drove Noah to the airport and stood next to him while he bought his ticket. They felt ridiculous driving him to the airport, but they lost him the last time in the DC metro and caught hell for it. Noah invited them in the bar and bought the drinks. “Do not take it personally. You are good at what you do, but I have a talent for this. I was once able to shake a tail that boarded the flight with me.”
Noah showed them the ticket. I am in the Shakespeare seat, two B and the flight goes to Amsterdam.”
“That does not make the reaming we got feel any better.” Tim was extremely good and did not like to fail. He also did not like Noah’s smartass attitude. Bruce and Tim put Noah on the plane watching as it pulled away from the gate. The one thing that they did find out was he was not carrying a gun.
The flight landed in Amsterdam at seven in the morning. Noah cleared customs walking directly to the train station. He took the train to the station in Amsterdam walking down to the diamond district. It was just eight thirty. Everybody was making a mad dash to work. He walked halfway across an intersection doubling back with a large push of commuters. He walked through the side door of a building and back out the front door. He crossed the street and walked back to the train station taking the train to Brussels. From Brussels he took a flight to Manchester. Adam took a shuttle to a hotel calling Frank for a ride to the
Inn. When he arrived at the Inn, it was almost three PM and he was exhausted.
“Things are shaping up very well for the new venture,” Frank was in the mood to talk on the ride home. Terri approved of Tom using the entire low basement level for his armory and gunsmith operation with the lathes and other equipment are being installed as we speak. Terri is improving the ventilation system for the firing range. They are building an outdoor firing range too. Terri agreed to design the new gym, twenty room housing and a training court. She allowed four acres instead of the original two behind the garage for us. The trees around the Knoll will screen the view of the training area from the outside and the garage will screen it from the rest of the Knoll. She said that she was investing in her dad.” Frank hesitated as if there was something else. “She also allowed me a million pounds for construction and start-up expenses.”
Adam decided to keep his comment simple reaching over the seat patting Frank on the shoulder. “You are father of the bride and we are investing in family. Did you have any luck with the sheik?”
Frank visibly puffed up with Adam’s comment, “Yes, I did, but his brother had a bad day when he turned Ismail over to him. His branch of the family was removed to a remote compound in central Saudi Arabia. I don’t think that Ismail will want his birthright. That little corner of Saudi Arabia makes Afghanistan look like the Garden of Eden. We have a contract to train Sheik Husayn’s security force if we refuse to do his brothers guard, and I am working on two more contracts in Oman on the Saudi peninsula”
Adam surprised Frank, “Could you use an aircraft?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The De Havilland Caribou is the largest thing that we can land out there on the road. We have twice the length necessary and we are just at the right width. We have our CAA approval I was thinking of getting Ralph out here for a pilot. It can carry eight thousand pounds for twelve hundred miles, and with its rear loading ramp, we can even carry small vehicles or do parachute drops.”