The Financial Terrorist

by John Gubert

  And all the deals quickly completed. Funds flowed. Wires buzzed. Bank after bank eagerly grabbed its commission as the money winged round the world and then back again. It changed its name. It was split into a variety of different payments. They were regrouped. They transited every tax haven in the world. They caressed the shores of countries, that had strong banking secrecy laws. They washed here and there and lost themselves in the maze of payments that are made each day around the world. And all that happened within a day. Some banks rashly made payments away before they had received the funds in. Others waited. The e-world buzzed as the funds, like a helter-skelter swooped around the globe that day. And they did so the next day and the one after. Sometimes they were invested in the morning, only to be sold off later that day. Other times, they were used in complex stock market operations that were unwound in another centre. In yet more cases, they were united with payments waiting for their arrival. By the time it all ended, they had been washed, not just clean but whitewashed to perfection. No Maddy Brown would be able to trace one of the biggest and best money laundering acts in banking history. Charles felt proud of himself. They were the masters of the disappearing cash act.

  They sold shares in IBE. Jacqui was expecting the baby any day but she had to come in especially to handle the forging of the share register. She had taken charge of that area; a tedious occupation that nobody else wanted but which was a rich pasture for fraudsters such as them. That was Jacqui’s last role at this stage, as she manipulated the share register and hid the true source of the sales.

  They had sold shares at twenty five dollars and raised about two billion. And the sale took place without anyone in the market smelling a rat. Even Jack Ryder was amazed at his own audacity. The shares in time risked being almost worthless. But they were in line for another couple of billion. The money making machine was on fast forward. The till was open and the cash was pouring in.

  At the same time, Jack Ryder was also handling a series of transactions for their personal funds. They started to deal to anticipate the market slump that would automatically follow the announcement of losses, and, eventually the collapse, of the bank.

  They placed around a hundred million on deposit into IBE. It helped increase the illusion they were innocent.

  By the end of the week, they had called in around five hundred million of trades from the bank. Still, Charles had not been told anything. As he had given the control of that area to Sir Brian and Lord Dunkillin, he let things ride. He planned a few days off the next week as Jacqui was due to give birth on the Sunday.

  They had a quiet dinner together that Saturday night. Juliet was asleep upstairs. Maria had long since returned home. They had arranged security for her and she felt safe. Indeed, they all did. Bathing in that security, they ate and waited for the baby. Then the phone rang. It was Maddy Brown.

  Maddy announced her news, “Di Maglio has been attacked. It was the Russian Mafia. And they’ve delivered us an ultimatum. Hand over the Empire to them for payment of two billion dollars in the next forty-eight hours or you, Jacqui, Juliet and the new baby die. I’ll also be a target. I think they mean business. They say they’ve already got the hit in place and they mentioned the Portland Hospital.”

  Charles froze. That was where Jacqui was to have the baby, but Maddy’s next words hit home more, “They’ve also got Carrie’s address and say she’ll be blown away with all around her.” Carrie had agreed to look after Juliet while Jacqui was in hospital. They had thought she would be happier with other children to distract her rather than be alone with nanny.

  “How bad is Di Maglio?”

  “He should pull through. Hit in the chest and the stomach but it doesn’t look too complicated. Two bodyguards were killed. It all came out of the blue.”

  “Let me sort things out here and I’ll come back to you. We need to act. And act fast.”

  Jacqui had been listening on the other extension so there was no need to tell her anything. Charles thought for a while. Then he looked at her. Her face was serious. She understood. This was the crunch. They had to move forward quickly. Charles thoughts turned to the bank. His father could sort out the open trading issues. The loans were done and dusted. The issue was off the ground. The news of Di Maglio would be known. It would surprise nobody if Charles were out of town.

  Jacqui looked at him. She read his mind, “You’ll have to be here for number three. It looks as if number two is going to be born without you there. You haven’t a choice.”

  “What about security?”

  “Delaney,” she said. “You need Maria.”

  Charles didn’t answer but picked up the phone and called Delaney. He listened carefully. “I’ll step up security. We’ll sweep the Portland anyway but we’ll move Jacqui elsewhere. I’ll be over in half an hour. Wait for me. I’ll see to Carrie’s place as well.”

  “Is it wise for you to come over? You could be recognised. I’m likely to be under surveillance. “

  “Don’t worry. That’s why I need the time. They won’t recognise me. I doubt you will either.”

  Charles called Maria, “Get ready. There’s a change of plan. I’ll pick you up in around forty-five minutes. We’re going abroad.”

  She didn’t ask anything. She would know that he wouldn’t leave Jacqui just before the baby was born unless it was vital. He could brief her in the car.

  Jacqui was watching him. She was pale but calm. Her dark hair fell over her shoulders. Her eyes were bright but reflective. They seemed to mirror thoughts of the birth to come, the older man lying wounded and the dangers ahead. They could handle most things, but this could be gang warfare on a scale that they had never known before.

  The last time she had been by his side. Memories of past dangers in France, California, Mexico City, Paris and Monte Carlo came to mind. She smiled at him, once again with that smile of sadness mixed with love. It was also a smile of hope mixed with trepidation. Charles would now be like the conductor of an orchestra, guiding the music to its finale and final silence. Alone on the rostrum, everything would depend on him. Di Maglio had him where he wanted him to be. He wanted him at the head of his Empire. And now he would have to be there, for that was the only way to triumph.

  Delaney arrived. Or, at least, a vagrant shuffled down the street. Nobody would have guessed his identity. Moments later, four or five extra men appeared. They took up their positions silently as one of their number started to check the house. One of the duty guards was handed the lead to a dog that sniffed through the house in search of explosives.

  Charles waited till the house and grounds had been searched, “That looks OK. Now, it’s time for me to go.”

  Jacqui looked strained. She bit her lip. “Come back,” she whispered. “I’ll be waiting. So will Juliet and the baby. We’ll be on the island. I’ll see that the deals go through. I’ll work with your father.”

  He kissed her quickly. There was no point in long goodbyes. He turned and, without looking back, headed to the car that was already waiting. Douglas asked no questions. He drove the mile or so to Maria’s. They didn’t go in. They waited, engine running, outside in the street. A minute later, Maria appeared and got into the car. She carried a small bag. That was all. They didn’t need clothes. Those could always be bought.

  “Where are we heading?”

  “New York will be the second stop. But, first, it’s Geneva. We need to pick up Maddy Brown. Di Maglio was hit. He may have lied about the Russians last year. But his concerns weren’t totally ill founded. They want the Empire. It’s the usual stuff. They’ll kill us all or buy it for two billion. In reality, they most likely would double cross us whatever we did. But we’ll sort it out. We need to talk strategies on the plane. I need to consider them now. Then we discuss them with Maddy. I want the US to be the battleground. It’s our home territory for this type of activity and so easier for us than for the enemy.”

  She listened. She said nothing. She left him alone. The twen
ty minutes or so to the airport would give him opportunity for thought. He needed to work out both how to destroy the Russians and the Empire. In the end, the Russians had to be so weak that they posed no danger. And the Empire had to be destroyed so totally that it was impotent. The destruction of the Empire had to look accidental. Otherwise they would be faced with revenge killings and worse.

  Charles needed everyone to think “poor guy”. He lost his bank. He lost his Empire. He knew they would realise he was worth a few billion irrespective. But the untold riches that he could have expected would have slipped his grasp. He had to be seen as the one who could have been the most powerful businessman in the world.

  They got on the plane. Alone in the lounge area of the private jet, Charles discussed his strategy with Maria.

  “We need to run this as a threesome. It will be you, Maddy and me. There’s nobody else we can trust with the whole deal. There’ll be a fifty million dollar bonus for you if we succeed.”

  He looked at her and noted her look of surprise. “That’s generous,” she remarked.

  He knew now he could depend on her one hundred percent. He was happy to trust her in the bank. But this was different. This was about the Empire. And previously she worked there. Previously, she had different loyalties.

  “It’ll be dangerous. You’ll earn it,” was his careful reply. There were thoughts one did not share. Especially as, if she double crossed him, he would have to kill her. But he didn’t think that would happen.

  “The plan will be simple. We’ll destroy the Empire. It can only cause us problems. We’ll bring it down with stealth. It will be worthless. At the same time we will destroy the Russians. We’ll hit them like we did in Uzes those years back. But we won’t do it in quite the same way. We’ll set them up and allow the police to do the rest. The three of us can’t fight battles like we did in the past. We no longer have the people for that sort of thing any more. Or, at least, people we can trust.”

  “How will you set them all up?”

  “Maddy will become a double agent. She will negotiate with them. She’ll persuade them that they need to weaken me. She’ll pretend my heart isn’t in the business and one big failure will push me into their arms. They’ll be told to try to take us out on a big drug shipment. We’ll organise one. And they’ll be drawn into making a heist. Except that the FBI will have the whole plans leaked to them. That’s the outline. We need to work the detail.”

  Maria thought through the plan, “How much will you need to use as bait?”

  “It has to be big. I thought around a billion in street value. We’ll get the Russians to believe we have protection and are bringing in six months’ supply in two shipments. We can suggest that we are doing it because of uncertainty. One shipment should be into one of the private New Jersey airports we use. The other will be somewhere more remote, perhaps in Alabama where they have the secret drugs depot. There’ll be no problem finding an airfield there but the communication lines are tough. That’ll mean they’ll need two full attack forces. That’ll stretch them.”

  “Charles, Alabama is awful. The communication lines to us would be poor as well. You need to use somewhere in California.”

  She was right. And it would add to the story’s credibility. It would appear they were warehousing for the New York area and also the San Francisco and Los Angeles strip. That counted for around sixty per cent of the entire US demand and about ninety per cent of their franchise.

  Lake Geneva came into view and the plane landed at the main airport. Their two bags were put in the waiting car. Douglas replaced the driver and they headed to the compound. Three men on motorbikes surrounded them. Each had a pillion passenger. And as they drew out of the gates of the airport a four-wheel drive pulled in front and one slipped behind them.

  “Maddy sees you as very important,” remarked Maria. “I’m impressed. I’ve never met her. But the word is that she’s tough. You kept your links to her very quiet.”

  He looked at her. “On the grounds of only telling people what they need to know, wouldn’t you? She was useful, especially in the early days. I needed to ensure we didn’t blow her cover.”

  The car made the compound without incident. They headed up the stairs to the house. The door opened and Maddy was there. Charles watched the two women closely. Maddy would know that his relationship with Maria was not always platonic. Maria would wonder whether it was not the same with Maddy. The cool leggy blonde with the ice blue eyes looked at the sultry brunette whose combat clothes hid the voluptuousness of her body and made her look surprisingly androgynous. The atmosphere between them was immediately cool, but not hostile.

  They entered the study. It was just the three of them. Charles walked to the drinks cabinet and poured himself a beer. Maria took a malt whisky on the rocks. Maddy took nothing. Charles explained the plan to Maddy. She didn’t question it. Her only comment was that she would need to organise a driver and guns in New York.

  “No, Douglas will drive us. He’s useful for a back up. But get me a bodyguard that you can trust. The important thing is when can you organise the drug shipment?”

  “I take a large delivery, around six hundred million bucks on Thursday in Columbia. I could up it to the billion without problem. They’ll deliver more for a premium.”

  “Stick to a billion. You have the funds?”

  “No problem. We’ll borrow from your banks in the US.”

  “Good,” he said and laughed inwardly. It would be the final irony if they lost money on this deal. “Now, you two stop sizing each other up. No antagonism. Work together. If there’s a problem, tell me.”

  Charles had noticed how the two women eyed each other up. There was competition there and he needed to ensure that it didn’t get in the way.” Maddy, you’re on the same bonus as Maria. Fifty million if we succeed.”

  She looked as surprised as Maria had. Charles wondered if she’d claim the funds or if they’d go to her expense account at MI5. He didn’t ask. If she’d grabbed them, that would give him useful future leverage, so he rather hoped she would. Charles dialled Delaney’s number. He answered. It had gone midnight in London.

  “How are things?” asked Charles

  “There are no signs of explosives here at all. We can’t identify a watch on the house. The Portland’s OK. Carrie’s place is OK as well. But we continue our watch. Jacqui went to sleep half an hour ago. She’s fine. Is everything all right with you?”

  “Yes. We have our plans sorted. We’re off to the US tomorrow. Can you get me someone trustworthy to contact me? Use the usual codes for identification. I need two major hit squads. And I need a guarantee of a shoot to kill policy. One’s likely to be in California and one’s going to be in New York. We’ll give the details to the contact. I prefer him to be one of yours. He should be the linkman. And I want a guarantee of immunity from prosecution in the US for anything we do. And I want it from the President.”

  “That may be tough to arrange.”

  “Then arrange it. I need it for Monday morning. The hit could be Friday. And I need it for Maria, Maddy and me. Oh, and you better get it for Douglas in case he has to break the law. “

  “How do you want it worded?”

  “I want a full indemnity and total anonymity. On anything we do in the US between now and end August. That should be enough time.”

  Delaney muttered that he would see what he could do. Charles felt sure he would deliver. And the indemnity could be useful as further immunity for the scam, should he need to do anything in the intervening period.

  It looked as if the banks would collapse during July or early August. It was difficult to gauge the exact timing. And, still, the great and the good had not told him anything about the trading losses. They must be hoping against hope to drag themselves out of their mess. That was crazy; it just appeared to compound their guilt and reinforce the notion that he had been duped. Charles hoped this was all the start of a month or so of good luck. He sens
ed that they would need it.

  Maddy had, meanwhile, been on the phone. She had booked three first class seats on Swissair from Geneva for the next day. She had also arranged guns and transport in New York. She was now phoning the hospital where Di Maglio was being kept. She listened to the report from one of her men.

  “He’s rough,” she advised him. “We thought it was simple but it appears there are complications. The next forty eight hours are critical.”

  “Can you arrange for his early demise?”

  “Not with my boys. They’ll retain their old loyalties.”

  Charles shrugged his shoulders. “It’s an option, it would simplify things. But forget it.”

  He saw Maria’s shocked look. She still felt loyalty in that direction. He had to remember that. Even though Di Maglio had threatened her and killed her best friend, she couldn’t be relied on to kill him. It was worth knowing. Charles, surprised by this unexpected loyalty, only hoped she felt the same way about him.

  They had nothing else to arrange and so all went to their separate rooms. Next morning they headed off to the airport and then onto New York. They landed in the early afternoon and drove into the city centre. The car was waiting, accompanied by the necessary outriders and escorts. This was not a time to take too many risks.

  They travelled down the road where Claire had been killed. Charles could remember the exact spot and felt a strange urge to order the car to stop. He wanted to sit and reflect on the gentleness of Claire. To say a last goodbye to the girl who was and the child who didn’t make it.

  He thought back over the years and remembered the loss of Jacqui’s first baby at Rastinov’s hands. His torture had killed the unborn child. Now Rastinov was dead. He thought of Di Maglio and his hand in Claire’s death. Now Di Maglio was critically wounded in a hospital here in New York. He thought of the children who had died as a result of the Empire’s drug and crime riddled hell. The final stage of that game was coming to its conclusion.