Counterpoint

by John Day

  Being young, she still wanted to play it cool, she knew Max was right though; men are always interested in one thing, sex, even if they genuinely love the girl. Still, it would be nice to meet a man who did not think that way, and then be taken back to his room for a good, passionate, no holds barred all-nighter!

  To keep her meeting for lunch light and informal, she borrowed Carla’s denim outfit. The younger, wealthy set that ate there would be dressed in a similar fashion, so she would look the part

  She was not disappointed, and neither was Geoff. In his rulebook, there was no reason not to enjoy his work and this girl had more class than he first thought. The lunch went well, both of them were relaxed, and the conversation flowed easily.

  Geoff constantly led the conversation back to where she was staying, and where she was going. Amy had not lost her head, and revealed nothing.

  For her part, she pried into his life and got more than Geoff had intended. Geoff knew she was no bimbo and getting her into his bed with declarations of undying love, would not impress her. He had to get to her, emotionally. He had no idea what had been revealed to her earlier that day, so he was a bit taken aback at her emotional breakdown in his room, after dinner. From what he had overheard on the yacht, it had to be her newly discovered relationship with Carla. Under different circumstances, Amy would have shared her feelings with Carla; however, the timing was wrong, so it all came out, with him.

  She told him, she had just met her twin, having never known of her existence, and then discovered a woman she met briefly was actually her mother, who had been murdered by her father. She had come face-to-face with a terrible man she had never met before, and he threatened to kill her if she did not hand over the gold and diamond encrusted figure, Carla possessed. It turns out this terrible man was her father.

  The facts fitted perfectly in Geoff’s mind; it was music to his ears. On the other hand, she was special; she was different from any other girl he knew. Stunningly attractive, very intelligent, he accepted nothing less. Above all, her feisty personality contrasted with deep, loving warmth that often shone from her, otherwise, bright sapphire blue eyes.

  “Damn, ” he thought to himself “I hadn’t planned on having feelings for this girl; it could get far too complicated. How could he dupe her into giving information about where the statuette would be, steal it from her twin sister, perhaps even have to kill the sister for it, then pack in this murky occupation of murder and intrigue to set up home with her?”

  Her sobbing abated as her clinging grip around his neck relaxed as he comforted her. She eased back slightly to look at his face and deep into his eyes. Liking what she saw she wiped her eyes and nose with her hand, and kissed him for all she was worth. He felt her emotion turn to passion, and he was not about to stop her. She pressed her body, hard against his, pulling frantically, but ineffectually at his clothes. Without interrupting the urgent kissing and fondling, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. They pulled off each other’s clothes without coming up for air, and made love. She was beyond foreplay. She was wet, hot, and desperate. In a delirious world of her own, she moved her body selfishly, to whatever position or speed she needed for maximum pleasure. For the first time in her active sexual life, she experienced what seemed to be an endless series of orgasms. Her cries of ecstasy changed to sobs of relief as the exquisite sensations swept through her lithe body. Amy interpreted Geoff’s quiet caressing as his way of expressing his love for her, gentle and caring, just what she had always looked for in a man.

  He wrestled with his conscience and tried to plan his next move. He had always succeeded with the tasks his employers asked of him, his reputation was based on it. How could he walk away from this straightforward task and go into retirement?

  No! He had to go on with it and sort out the pieces later.

  “Why do you have to go with your sister?” Asked Geoff.

  “Because I am too scared to stay on my own,” she murmured. “Anyway, I must make sure my sister goes through with the return of this statuette.”

  “Why?” Asked Geoff, “Is it so valuable?”

  “Yes, I believe it is, but that’s not the point.”

  “Max, her fella, brought it back from the jungle for her. It is his present, his token of love for her, which is what makes it so valuable to Carla. She loves the old thing to bits, I can’t think why.”

  “What the old man?”

  “No silly, the old statuette!” They both chuckled at the joke.

  Her conscience pricked for an instant, when she remembered how she had envied Carla, and contemplated luring Max into her own clutches.

  “It will hurt her more than words can say, to give his gift away.”

  “She sounds quite a girl,” said Geoff.

  “Well, we are identical twins, so, yes, she must be!” Amy chuckled.

  “So where are you going exactly?” Pressed Geoff.

  “I shouldn’t say really, but I know I can trust you; Cairo!” Amy also mentioned the hotel they booked.

  “Can I come too?” Asked Geoff.

  Amy thought for a minute and said, “Well! It is a free country, you can go where you like. Whilst they are on their own business, I can be with you, they need never know.”

  “Okay then, ” agreed Geoff, “Give me all the details and I will sort out a booking. When you know more about handing over of the statuette, I will look after you.”

  She felt better knowing Geoff would be around, even though he would not get to meet Max and Carla there.

  Whilst Amy was away with Geoff, a phone call from Max to Philippe set up a meeting in Cairo. Max decided it was best for him to speak, bearing in mind Carla’s feelings towards the man.

  The conversation was frank and business-like. Max made it clear they were only prepared to give him the statuette if he agreed to leave him and the girls alone. He agreed, provided Carla returned his briefcase and all its contents, as well. Max was not aware of the briefcase and told Philippe that, but said he would speak to Carla about it.

  Carla was listening to the conversation, nodding to Max, her agreement to return it.

  Philippe wanted to know why he had to go to Cairo for it and why they needed to be there.

  Max simply replied. “That is where the statuette is, and we want to make sure there are no mistakes, in the handover.”

  Philippe accepted the answer and mentally analysed the potential traps they were going to set for him. He knew from bitter experience, Carla was no fool; she hated him for shooting the Duke. Philippe was still convinced the Duke was actually dead even though he had, apparently, spoken to him since. He also believed she knew he was her father, and that he had probably murdered her mother, Lana.

  She had many of his qualities and his blood flowed in her veins. No one else had ever thwarted him; she had done so, many times, and was still a threat. She had killed three of his experience men in the Mercedes single-handed and initially unarmed at that, so she was not to be underestimated.

  Max had his own axe to grind. Being shot in the face does tend to make enemies, and the old fool did kill some of his men, and caused his helicopter to crash, in the jungle. Max also found the statuette when everyone else had no clue where it was; perhaps he should not underestimate him either.

  Philippe started making his plans to counter any trap they might devise.

  Chapter - Arrival at Kempinski Hotel.

  Max, Carla, and Amy arrived at the Kempinski Hotel in Cairo.

  Max and Carla went down to the hotel bar, without Amy, and discussed possible scenarios that might play out at the handover. Max reckoned Philippe had always intended to keep the statuette for himself, and was not acquiring it for someone. Philippe was not in that type of business. In that case, he would take it straight back to Southern Italy, where he lived. The last flights from Cairo to Italy were in the late afternoon. If Philippe had planned to trick them somehow, the longer he stayed in Egypt, the better chance they had of catching up with him.
They decided to make the handover about the time of the last flight of the day.

  Max also decided to replace the tracker battery in the statuette box, and if necessary, keep track of where it might end up.

  The handover needed to be in a public place, so there was less chance of being attacked, or ambushed. Philippe probably had a team of men out looking for Max and Carla, so they probably knew where they were staying, already. They might as well use their own hotel.

  Max reasoned, Philippe would take the statuette and brief case, obviously, but what reason, apart from absolute hatred, would he have to kill them once he had those. If they were safe in the hotel, Philippe would have to set up an attack another time. Max and Carla both thought Philippe would just take what he came for, and go, as soon as he could.

  Carla suggested they should look at the problem from Philippe’s point of view. What would he do to prevent them double crossing, and killing him?

  He would check the statuette and briefcase on handover. He would assume he would be followed, and killed, in some dark alley. To prevent that, he would use his men to thwart any attempt to follow him. Staying in the hotel was still their safest bet.

  Max went out to do a bit of shopping to buy a receiver for a wireless microphone working on the 864MHz band and a new mobile phone battery.

  Carla went to see Amy and explained she must stay in the hotel until after 3pm that afternoon, while she handed over the statuette to Philippe, downstairs in the lobby. Carla did not want Amy ending up as some sort of pawn in the game. She also told Amy that she believed Philippe would stick to the agreement. Amy, on the other hand, wanted to see Geoff, who had booked in at a nearby hotel.

  Amy waited for Carla to leave the room, and called Geoff to say she was on her way over to him. He wanted to know what the arrangements were for handing over the statuette so he could look after her, and keep an eye on things. She told him all she knew.

  Amy was really getting to Geoff now, and he was wondering how he could make this conflict of interest work.

  Chapter - Setting the trap.

  Carla phoned Philippe and told him to meet her there, in the hotel lobby at 3pm. She didn’t want trouble, but if he made any, she bluffed, her people would deal with him.

  He readily accepted the venue and lied when he told her, he would be there alone.

  Philippe organised his men to watch the place to see if any traps were being set up and to look out for the delivery of the statuette. Soon after, he received a phone call to say Carla or her sister had just come out of the hotel. He told them to grab the girl and bring her to him at a disused warehouse, where he planned to kill Max and Carla after the handover.

  Geoff Collins left his hotel to check Amy was not being followed. He was not the sort to take any unnecessary chances. He was on the other side of the road looking out of a doorway when he saw Amy in the distance. She was moving quickly along the crowded street. Two men were closing up behind her, just as a large white Mercedes saloon pulled up alongside. The men bundled her in the car and drove off. Collins recognised the men from an earlier incident when they tried to attack Amy, on David’s yacht, in Malé.

  There was nothing he could do about it, so he made a phone call to some men he had met the previous night, they were more vital to his plan than he previously intended. He explained they were to wait outside the Kempinski Hotel, and when his target came out at about 3pm, follow him wherever he went, but not to reveal themselves under any circumstances. They had taken a girl prisoner, she was important to him. Collins would describe Philippe, the target, to them when he came out of the hotel.

  Chapter - Philippe plays his hand.

  Max and Carla sat at a large table, near the edge of the hotel lobby. Carla watched the people coming and going from the entrance and Max watched people inside. They were prepared for a surprise attack; forced out at gunpoint into a waiting car.

  Just before 3pm, Philippe walked in and sat down between them. He reached for the wooden box containing the statuette and pulled it towards him, raised the lid and peered intently at the glittering figure. Satisfied it was genuine; he grabbed his briefcase and examined the outside and then the lock settings. Carla had not opened it, and he was satisfied it had not been tampered with. He unlocked it and rummaged about checking the contents. He counted the bundle of DVDs and then sifted through various documents. He closed the lid and locked it.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small electronic device, then adjusted some controls. The red light on the front flashed dimly and intermittently as a meter needle barely kicked, in sympathy with any signal. He was checking for radio transmissions from a bug or tracker, but detected only random static.

  Max counted to twenty in his head as the light flashed at its brightest, it glimmered again but no needle movement. Philippe replaced the device in his pocket and spoke for the first time.

  You appear to have kept your part of the deal, so far, and to make sure it stays that way; my men have your sister somewhere secure. I will call you later, on the hotel phone, and tell you where you can find her.

  Max and Carla stiffened; they had not anticipated that, how had Philippe snatched her? Carla immediately called Amy on her mobile number, but got no reply.

  “Satisfied we have her, are you?” Philippe sneered.

  “Don’t attempt to follow me, or try and kill me, or she will die,” he added as he got up from the table. He beckoned at the hotel entrance, to one of his men to carry the box, and walked out with what he came for. Philippe intended to phone as promised, but would then kill them all, when they came to get Amy. Moments later, a white Mercedes pulled up to him, and they drove off.

  Geoff Collins pointed Philippe out to his waiting men and they followed on motorbikes, blending in with thousands of similar riders in Cairo.

  The slow traffic in the city allowed Collins men to get ahead as well as follow the white car, constantly swapping places in the convoy. Philippe saw no evidence of being followed, so he went straight back to his hotel.

  Max watched the white car disappear in the distant traffic and then went back to his room to get the receiver. He then went to a public area at the top of the hotel so he could listen for the blip every 20 seconds. Knowing the general direction of travel, Max soon found the signal and noticed it was not deviating from the current bearing, perhaps the box was no longer moving.

  Philippe would be staying in a hotel of quality, they both were certain of that; the possibility was remote that he had friends to stay with in this region. Max looked at the map on the hotel computer and identified several possible locations, based on the bearing of the signal and likely travel time until it became fixed.

  Carla called a taxi, then they set off to sniff out a cross bearing.

  There were two possible choices, so they paid the taxi man to take the aerial back to the hotel. The large curved mesh contraption was not something you could walk down a crowded street with. Even the taxi man was curious about it.

  Max adjusted the sensitivity of the receiver to its lowest setting and as he approached one hotel the blip got stronger and the other, it was weaker. Now they knew which building Philippe was in.

  Geoff Collins had also caught up with Philippe and his four men. As they went up by lift, he raced up the stairs, to watch each floor. They came out on the sixth floor and made their way to room 620.

  Was Amy there, or somewhere else, he now had to find out, so he waited patiently for half an hour, listening outside the door.

  Max and Carla were sure they had the right building. Their plan to draw Philippe, his men, and Amy out was utterly audacious. Carla went up a floor where it was quiet and free of guests, leaving Max outside the entrance. She set the fire alarm ringing at the break-glass point. She knew the security cameras would record her, but by the time the hotel security team reviewed them, she would be long gone.

  Geoff Collins was about to set off an alarm himself, but now he held back and watched everyone on the floor, leave
their rooms. Philippe and his four men carrying the briefcase and wooden box were the only occupants of room 620 to leave. Collins forced the door when the area was clear and found no one inside. Where was Amy? Collins immediately left the building.

  “Get the car,” snapped Philippe to one of the men, when they reached the street. “We will use another hotel”

  Max followed the man, and as he pulled open the car door to get in, Max grabbed his neck and smashed his head against the edge of the car roof, then bundled the unconscious body into the car. He reclined the driver’s seat, laid the body flat and opened a newspaper over the bloodied face, as though the man was sleeping under it. Max frisked the body and found a small handgun, so he pocketed it, closed the door and went back to the hotel up a parallel street.

  Philippe was in a rage because the car had not arrived, so he sent two other men after it. The remaining man held the wooden box, and Philippe held his brief case.

  By now, the hotel management had determined the alarm was false and invited guests to return inside.

  Collins had spotted Max and Carla and kept out of sight. He guessed they had started the alarm. He quickly phoned his own men and told them to deal with Philippe’s two men who were going back to their white Mercedes; the driver should be there, as well.

  Collins sneaked in up the stairs and went back to room 620; Philippe and his man went slowly by lift as returning guests got out on each floor.

  As Philippe approached the room, he saw the forced door and he kicked it open. He told his man to go in first. Philippe pulled out a gun and followed the man in. Philippe checked the room and was satisfied no one was hiding in it, so put his gun away. The man put the box down on a table and went out on the balcony, whilst Philippe called room service about the door.