After breakfast we go back to the hotel and check Neva’s encrypted laptop for messages again. But nothing has come from Elbakitten and I’m beginning to wonder if this person is just stringing Neva along. Beyond telling her Annalise is in Toulouse, we have no other information, and this town has too many occupants to make it possible for us to come across her by accident.
Toulouse is a beautiful place though, and if we were here for romantic reasons there’d be much to do. As the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, Toulouse is near the Spanish border. There is an impressive river – the Garonne – that passes through the centre of the town. Locally the town is known as La Ville Rose (The Pink City) and Neva points out to me that it’s because of the beautiful terra-cotta bricks that most of the buildings are made from.
From our hotel room I look out on the Garonne and appreciate the charm of this place, while Neva searches the dark web again for any further signs of Elbakitten or Annalise.
‘I think Elbakitten has had to go to ground,’ Neva says now. ‘It’s not like her to be offline this long. She must have been compromised.’
‘We may have to begin our own searches,’ I say. ‘Are you sure there was nothing else she could give you?’
‘It wasn’t her that told me to come here,’ Neva admits. ‘She’s merely been trying to narrow the search.’
‘Who was it then?’ I ask.
‘Eldon Fracks,’ she says. ‘I caught up with him in Belgium. He told me Annalise had a château attached to a vineyard. But I wanted to be sure before I go in, guns blazing.’
‘A château? Maybe that won’t be too difficult to find after all,’ I say, though I wish she’d told me this sooner and I’d have begun to do my own searches of the area. I wonder why she would want to delay and then it occurs to me that Annalise is Neva’s birth mother. Maybe that is why she is hesitant: she’s afraid to meet her for the first time. Annalise and revenge are so close, what must Neva be going through right now?
For the first time I begin to consider that Neva’s shutting down has nothing whatsoever to do with me after all. It’s a defence mechanism: she’s preparing for this meeting. She’s defending herself against the certainty that she must kill her own mother.
Down below our window I see a stretch limousine pull up at the patisserie we’d just eaten in. The driver gets out, goes inside. I frown. There’s something about the uniform he’s wearing that scratches at my brain with sickening familiarity.
‘Neva. Come here,’ I say.
Understanding the urgency in my voice, she comes to the window and looks down.
‘The limo,’ I say.
At that moment the chauffeur comes out of the patisserie holding a large bag of pastries. He gets back in the driving seat and pulls away.
‘The Network are here. And I’m sure that means so is Annalise.’
I’m shocked to realize that the suited appearance of the driver was the Network’s standard uniform. But I don’t know what it is about the black suit that makes him belong to them.
‘How do you know it’s definitely one of theirs?’ I ask. ‘Any driver might wear a black suit.’
‘The tie,’ Neva says. ‘They always wear a red tie.’
I remember then, something that Beech had once said to me about the uniform of his minions. He could always recognize his own at a distance.
‘You’re right,’ I say.
‘We’re too late to follow, but let’s see if this is a standard trip for that driver. Maybe Annalise has a sweet tooth,’ she says. ‘And that patisserie is the best one in the area.’
Chapter Forty-Eight
Mia
Annalise shows Mia the estate with much pride. As well as the main château she discovers the training school building next door that has been purpose-built for Annalise’s students.
‘Over five hundred children have passed through this school,’ Annalise says, ‘and none of them have been a failure.’
Some of the students put on a display for Mia. She feels like she is watching a rehearsal for The Karate Kid and that this place is a dojo of the most exclusive order. It makes her somewhat uncomfortable to see the boys and girls hammering each other until one of them wins the battle, but it also brings back memories of her own training and induction into the Network. She and Michael had fought often together, and sometimes they’d also battled with other children in the house.
In her mind’s eye she remembers the blonde girl the most. She was tall, but waiflike. She and Michael were often exchanging looks. Was this the woman that Michael had later almost lost his career over? Something jogs in her mind, a painful bump that shoots a shard of lightning into her brain. When it subsides, Mia remembers Neva. She has a distinct vision of her and Michael standing side by side. She sees the slight touch of their fingers entwining, then pulling apart as Beech barks orders at them all. Only Mia had seen it, or maybe Beech had chosen to ignore it. Was Neva Michael’s first love? Was she the reason he’d never settled with the myriad of girlfriends that had passed through his life?
When the school demonstration is over, Annalise takes her to the nursery. Mia keeps her face blank as Annalise outlines her plan for future generations of operatives who will be procured and trained, a legacy that Annalise feels worthy of her time and effort.
‘These are my children,’ Annalise says. ‘I want the best for them, and they want the best for me.’
Mia doesn’t question her on this, but she sees the subtle brainwashing and radicalization in one of the classrooms in a group of 3-year-olds playing in a situational environment that is almost role play.
When Annalise enters, the children form a line and stand with their hands behind their backs like young soldiers. Then with one command, they ‘fall out’, and become like ordinary kids once more. After that the children surround Annalise and vie for her attention. Showing her their artwork, and scribbled writings, all of which are advanced for their age. What imprints itself most on Mia is how they all call her ‘Mother’.
They stay in the nursery a long time, and Mia watches the subtle manipulation Annalise uses with each of the children, as she rewards them with hugs and pats and kisses for their hard work. She is the single person in the room that gives them affection. The teachers remain cold and passive as though they too are conditioned to behave a certain way.
When she’s shown her everything, Annalise leads Mia from the nursery back to the château and outside onto a garden terrace.
A small mosaic table is set out with coffee and a plateful of the pastries under a gazebo.
‘Please, let us breakfast,’ Annalise says.
Feeling dazed and drained by all she’s seen, Mia sits at the table and allows Annalise’s butler to pour steaming-hot coffee into her cup. He places a napkin on her lap and then puts a plate down in front of her. He serves her one of the pastries from the plate in the middle.
‘I’ll serve myself,’ Annalise says and she dismisses him.
When he’s gone, and they are alone in the glorious gardens of the château, Mia sips the coffee and waits for Annalise to speak. So far, Annalise has not told her why she’s here, and even though Mia already suspects, she keeps her knowledge to herself. But Annalise is in no hurry to speak as she drinks her coffee, pulling one of the pastries apart with her fingers and eating each piece.
‘When I arrived,’ Mia says, ‘you told me you had a proposition for me.’
‘You must try the pastries,’ Annalise says.
‘I don’t wish to be rude, but I’d like to understand where we are right now. Am I, despite your reassurances, your prisoner?’
Annalise puts down the remains of her food and dabs her lips with the napkin.
‘My dear Mia, I wanted to show you what I’ve built here. And you most certainly aren’t a prisoner. You’re my guest. Haven’t you been free to roam these last few days?’
‘Yes. But I haven’t tried to leave. What will happen if I do?’
Annalise sips her coffee again.
‘You really should try the pastries. They are most delicious.’
Mia picks up the croissant from her plate and takes a small bite. The sweet-tasting pastry melts in her mouth and is every bit as good as Annalise has said but she doesn’t feel hungry: she feels impatient.
‘I do have a proposal,’ Annalise says now.
Mia nods. ‘Okay.’
‘I’m informed by Kritta that you should have your memory back now,’ Annalise says with a tight smile as though this is not the news she had hoped for, but is coming to terms with.
Mia doesn’t answer.
‘And for that reason,’ Annalise continues, ‘I am ready to talk to you.’
‘Go on,’ Mia says.
‘As you know, Beech is dead. I have been elected chair. We need a woman in charge. One who will see the vision I have for the future. A woman who is also a mother and understands what it is to give up their child for this cause. As I have done, and many before me did.’
‘Freya is not up for grabs,’ Mia says now, all thought of making an excuse gone with the possibility that Annalise wishes to use her. ‘No matter what my father tried to brainwash me to do.’
‘I don’t ask for her,’ Annalise says. ‘Initially it was what I wanted. But since we’ve spent time together, I’ve reconsidered my position. You see, I am mother to many children and many generations. I understand that bond more than most. What I ask… what I suggest… is that we form an alliance.’
Mia sighs. It’s as expected, but the terms will be the make or break on this deal. ‘In what way?’
‘I will rule the Network with you. But you will be, to all intents and purposes, the figurehead.’
‘You already have the Network at your command. Why do you need me?’ Mia asks.
‘So, we are playing that game?’ Annalise says. ‘All right. I’ll spell it out for you, since you wish to pretend you don’t know. It was brought to my attention that the Network can only be owned by a Beech. You’re that Beech, Mia. It was going to be your brother, but I soon realized how wrong that was. It has to be you. You will be Mr Beech and any division that is happening within the organization will end.’
Mia nibbles again at the pastry to give herself time to think. She remembers well her father’s instructions. Beech had told her Annalise wanted power, and he’d placed it beyond her reach.
‘What’s in it for me, if I am “Mr Beech” in name only?’ Mia says.
‘Safety,’ Annalise says. ‘No one would dare harm you for fear of their own undoing. Didn’t you ever wonder why the other committee members didn’t rise against Beech? They couldn’t, their conditioning wouldn’t allow it. Also, you will still be the most powerful woman in the world. You’ll have access to all of Beech’s wealth, naturally. Anything you want for you and your family.’
Mia glances back towards the training building. ‘But you are building a new army who don’t have that conditioning. So, what’s to stop you taking everything the Network has when you’re strong enough?’
‘My own organization, the Almunazama, is new and does not have the long history that the Network has. As you know, the Network has been around now for generations. Always ruled by one Mr Beech or another. I don’t want to destroy everything the Network has. I want… a future for my own child within it. When I step back, my biological daughter will partner with you. When both of you are done, then her child and yours will rule hand in hand. It will be the perfect pairing. The growing strength of the Almunazama along with the empire that is the Network. And my people will be taught ultimate loyalty to both as we combine our strengths.’
Mia is thoughtful. This is not what she expected. She remembers Beech’s warning to protect herself from Annalise, who he believed would betray him. If he could have foreseen an alliance of this magnitude though, would he have joined forces with her himself?
Mia thinks not, but her safety is still on the line and so she decides to give Annalise’s proposal serious consideration. After all, the Network is powerful, and power is freedom. Would it be so bad to join forces with this strong, determined and charismatic woman in order to guarantee Freya’s future? But Mia is a Beech and ultimately Annalise’s terms only offer her a name badge and not full control of her birthright. Even with her life on the line, she knows she has to broker this deal and twist it to her own advantage.
Mia sees herself as holding all the cards, while Annalise frantically does the leg work. And then, Freya would hold the same enviable position later on. It was what Beech had wanted ultimately, though his methods of raising his children were questionable. Mia knew she could change things there for the better too, just as Annalise had.
‘I agree that it’s time for a woman to take action now. I’ll give you an alliance but I won’t just be a figurehead. I run the Network, you run the Almunazama, but we work together to strengthen our grip on our territories,’ Mia says.
Annalise stops eating and studies her.
‘You really are Mr Beech,’ she says. ‘Will you work with me, Mia?’
‘The way I see it, this way we all win,’ Mia says.
‘What about your brother?’ Annalise asks. ‘What if he comes after you? He’s sworn loyalty to MI5 and his precious Archive.’
Now Mia feels the pull of everything Beech had secretly prepared her for: Beech had taught her well. Mia recalls every lesson, every battle and every detail that as a child she’d craved to know. Now she recognizes the Beech inside herself. All along, even as Mia Cusick, she’d craved it, yearned for it, and never understood what it was that she always felt so dissatisfied about with her life. She thinks now of Ben. Part of her, the Mia Beech part, had always known he worked for MI6. She’d reeled him in, nurturing the love he had for the woman he thought was Mia Kensington.
She sees and remembers all of her conditioning, but unlike Michael she doesn’t feel a need to fight it. Instead, she embraces who she is, preparing as she does to step into the role of Mr Beech. After all, this is her destiny.
‘If Michael gets in my way, I’ll take care of him,’ Mia says in answer to Annalise’s question.
‘And what about your daughter?’ Annalise asks.
‘She’ll be brought up knowing her birthright,’ Mia says. ‘Just as I did.’
Chapter Forty-Nine
Beth
It takes Beth a few days before she manages to separate Elliot from his phone. Putting a ban on it at the dinner table, she takes it from him and stows it in his coat pocket.
‘I’ve turned mine off,’ she tells him, ‘and I want no work talk tonight. I just want “us” time. Open that bottle of wine for me, will you? I’ll hang your coat up in the hall.’
Beth takes the coat out of the kitchen and then quickly removes the phone from Elliot’s pocket. She activates the hacking device and gives permission from Elliot’s phone to connect via Bluetooth, which allows her to copy the sim card and everything that’s on it. Then she puts the phone back in the coat pocket and returns to Elliot in the kitchen. The wine is open and he’s pouring it into their glasses.
Beth takes a casserole out of the oven and puts it on a heat-proof plate on the table.
‘It’s hot. Be careful,’ she says.
The device takes half an hour and Beth makes every effort not to appear jittery as it does its work. Serving up warm baguettes with the casserole and some lavish salty butter, Beth continues to top up Elliot’s glass until he’s so relaxed, she’s sure he isn’t thinking about his phone.
When the first bottle is downed, Beth gets up.
‘Let’s live a little,’ she says. ‘There’s another bottle in the wine rack, if you’ll take care of it. I just need the loo.’
Beth hurries out to the hallway again and takes Elliot’s phone from his pocket. The device shows green, which indicates that the copy is complete. She puts his phone back in the pocket and goes in the bathroom. She hides the hacking device in a bottle of aspirin. After flushing and washing her hands she comes into the hallway to find Elliot looking at his p
hone.
‘Hey you! I said no phones tonight!’
‘I’m just turning it off,’ he says. Then he grabs her to him. ‘How about we leave that wine to breathe for a while?’
She lets him take her upstairs.
They make love and afterwards, because of the wine and the food, not to mention a very intense orgasm, Elliot nods off.
Beth listens to his breathing level out before getting up. She pulls on her dressing gown and goes back downstairs. She takes the device from its hiding place and retrieves the other iPhone from her handbag. She activates the transfer into the new phone, it starts to overlay Elliot’s details onto the new sim card.
She places the phone and stick in her robe pocket, then starts tidying up the kitchen, putting a lid on the remains of the casserole and the cork back into the second bottle of wine. After she’s done this, she checks the phone. It’s not quite done and she doesn’t want to risk it being interrupted.
She pours herself another glass of wine while she waits.
The device takes longer to clone than it did to copy but when it’s finally done, Beth looks at Elliot’s apps. All of which are normal for any smart phone. She opens his text messages and sees a lot from his mother. She skips in and out of a few and there’s nothing abnormal about any of the communications. The only thing that’s odd is, Elliot has rarely mentioned her. It was weird considering how much Beth talked about her own mother to him, that he had never come back with any reference to his own. No, that wasn’t strictly true. He’d talked about her once, not long after they first met. It was a casual comment, about having to do something for her.
Satisfied for now. She turns the phone off, swigs down the last of the wine in her glass and goes back upstairs.
In the room she removes the robe, taking the phone with her as she approaches the bed.
Elliot is snoring loudly. Beth opens the drawer at the side of the bed and places the clone phone inside it. She gets in beside him. Then she lies back and stares up at the ceiling. It is peculiar that he doesn’t talk about his mum, but then Beth had never asked him about her or his father. From the texts she’s read, his mother is rather needy. But all of this isn’t a sign of any wrongdoing and so Beth closes her eyes.
Kill a Spy: The House of Killers Page 23