Divide & Conquer

by McDonald, Murray

  Luis ripped the door open and sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him. As he neared the front door, the thunderous bang had him thinking it was too late. He tried to stop but his momentum was too great and as he careened towards the doorway, failed to notice the CIA Team Leader’s body, tripped and crashed headlong into the hallway of the house. As he skidded across the polished wooden floor, his finger pulled inadvertently on the trigger of the machine pistol as he tensed and braced for the impact of the far wall. The small gun deposited its thirty round magazine down the length of the hallway in less than a thirtieth of a second. No matter how good the Russians were, none had anticipated Luis’ freak maneuver.

  The two Russians guarding the hallway soaked up a third of the bullets and crashed to the floor. The other two already in the living room and about to end their mission, spun towards the most pressing danger, the hallway.

  ***

  Sean had a lifeline, a fraction of a second, to act. The Russians’ attentions were diverted but Sean couldn’t do it. His thoughts and actions were not in synch. He tried desperately to raise the pistol as the Russians quickly moved back towards the hallway, covering one another. Whatever had diverted their attention was about to be countered. Sam’s mind suddenly comprehended who that could have been, Katie. She was in the basement. She could have come at them from the basement door. If he didn’t act she would be as good as dead.

  He couldn’t, wouldn’t let that happen. He focused his mind like he had never before and raised the pistol. His actions were beginning to work in synch. He fired and caught the nearest Russian in the ankle. He crashed to the floor, dropping his weapon. The other instantly reacted and spun again to the most pressing threat. But Sean was back, the action of the recoil, pulling the trigger, whatever it was, his mind cleared, his reactions returned. He raised the pistol as the Russian desperately swung his rifle. The pistol was far easier to maneuver and with the range less than ten meters, just as accurate as the rifle. Sean pulled the trigger and shot him straight through the heart, killing him instantly. Despite losing most of his ankle, the other Russian desperately scrambled to retrieve his weapon. With the possibility of Katie in the hallway and in range, Sean didn’t hesitate as he put a second round straight through the Russian’s head.

  With his sense restored, he pulled himself to his feet and rushed to the hallway. Katie was nowhere to be seen. Luis was pulling himself up opposite the front door, the MAC 10 style machine gun at his feet. Luis had saved his life. That certainly was unexpected thought Sean.

  “Any others?” asked Sean looking at the two Luis had killed in the hallway.

  “There were four,” replied Luis nervously seeing the two dead in the hallway and realizing he had killed them.

  Sean indicated nonchalantly behind him. “The other two are in there.”

  Sean bent down and picked up one of the AS VAL rifles and tossed it to Luis.

  “Protect that door with your life,” he pointed to the basement door before slipping carefully out of the back door.

  Five minutes later he appeared back through the front door, pleased to see Luis standing in front of the basement door, his gun at the ready.

  “It’s fine we’re all clear,” he said, walking towards Luis and taking the rifle from his shaking hands. “Go sit down,” he ordered, indicating towards the kitchen.

  He knocked on the basement door and got no response. “Katie it’s me, Sean!” he said loudly and heard the click before the door burst open and Katie launched herself into his arms. “You’re OK?!!” she said tears streaming down her face.

  “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “Sean, Sean is that you?” Sean heard a muffled voice saying his name. “Sean?” it said it again. He noticed the phone in Katie’s hand and took it from her.

  “Hello?” he said.

  “Oh, Sean, thank God you’re OK!” Sean recognized Jane’s voice instantly.

  “I’m fine Jane, is V there? I need to speak to him urgently!”

  “Oh God Sean something terrible has happened!” she managed before she burst into tears.

  Chapter 50

  As Governor Brown returned to his official mansion, he looked down from the chopper to what looked like every TV news crew in Texas. The frenzy had started. Texans loved nothing better than a strong Republican President. When he was one of their own, the love affair became an obsession. He had discussed all of the options with his campaign manager, press secretary and major contributors on a two-hour conference call on the ride home. They were all agreed, the return from his Moscow trip after meeting the Russian President was going to be the time to announce. He would never look more presidential, particularly as he would be disembarking a private Boeing 747, very like Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base. A refueling stop that wasn’t actually necessary had been planned and that was where he would announce, before flying back to his home state to kick off his campaign.

  The invite from Moscow to visit had been arranged many months earlier and to say the timing was opportune would have been an understatement. Moscow had initially sent a half-hearted invite to The White House giving the date of a state banquet to be hosted by the Russian president. The guest list read like a who the hell is that of state leaders. Unsurprisingly, the US President declined. Governor Brown received his immediately after the president had declined and was advised within his team to accept. To say the list of attendees had transformed would have been an understatement. The question on every other leader in the free world’s lips was why had the US President declined to attend when everyone else it seemed had accepted. Only a British royal wedding could have outshone the event that the Russian President was hosting and the US attendee at the State banquet of the year was going to be Governor Rick Brown.

  As the chopper landed, the Governor was met by his Chief of Staff running towards the helicopter. The same Chief of Staff who had failed, very uncharacteristically, to dial in for the conference call. Rick expected a huge smile and hug of congratulations. They were nearly there, years in preparation were finally about to pay off. The look was anything but congratulatory. In fact, it was the most somber look he had ever seen on his Chief of Staff’s face. Rick instantly thought back to Laredo, the CIA had screwed him, it was all a play to destroy him and not in fact to help him. Jesus, he suddenly realized all the news crews could be there to destroy him, not anoint him and of course, it explained his Chief of Staff’s absence from the conference call.

  “Jesus what’s wrong?” asked Rick. “Have the CIA fucked us?”

  His Chief of Staff shook her head, her blond hair swooshing as perfectly as any TV model promoting the next best hair product. The sun caught her tanned and sallow skin and it shone with a luster that even cosmetic companies would die for. She was the single biggest weapon in Rick Brown’s campaign and over the years had destroyed every contender who stood in Rick Brown’s way. As smart as she was beautiful, few could compete with her intellect and even fewer with her beauty. TV loved her, voters loved her, even the politicians she had destroyed loved her. Fortunately, Rick Brown’s wife, Nicole, a former Miss Texas could match her on the beauty stakes and loved her also. Unbeknownst to all but the two women, a little too much. Initially threatened by his choice of Chief of Staff, it had not taken long for Nicole to be won over. Particularly as it appeared the Chief of Staff was more interested in her than Rick.

  A tear rolled down her cheek.

  “Jesus, Katherine, what then?” he shouted over the chopper’s noise.

  She took his arm and guided him away. This was not a message to be shouted.

  “There’s been a terrible accident, it’s Nicole.”

  Rick disengaged from Katherine and rushed towards the house, Katherine caught him and stopped him.

  “I’m sorry Rick, it’s too late, she’s dead.” Katherine watched the man crumble before her. She couldn’t help but think this was not a smart move. But Surkov’s message had been clear, the wife was to die and the governor must still travel
to Russia.

  The freak accident of the Governor’s wife slipping on the wet bathroom tiles after stepping out of the shower was a lesson to all. The sale of anti slip mats and anti slip tiling would explode in Texas. Of course, there had been no such accident. Katherine had secretly joined Nicole for a very private meeting, as she did whenever the Governor was not around. After a very enjoyable love making session the two had enjoyed a shower together, after which, Katherine, with an extremely heavy heart, had killed her lover. A trip backwards at exactly the right point and guiding the base of her skull towards the step ensured a quick and painless death. Staging the scene had been easy. Particularly as she would be the one who would find Nicole.

  Katherine took no pleasure in any of it. Nicole had been a very beautiful woman and exceptional lover. She would miss her dearly. But orders were orders. Her task now was to ensure the trip to Moscow went ahead. It wasn’t going to be easy but whatever Katherine wanted Katherine got.

  Chapter 51

  “What’s happened?” asked Sean, instantly thinking James had been killed. He looked at Luis, ready to pounce.

  “It’s Vincent, he’s had a heart attack,” she cried.

  Sean couldn’t believe that he actually felt some relief. She hadn’t said he was dead and just as importantly it wasn’t James.

  “How is he?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” her voice quivered. “They’ve just rushed him by helicopter to Bethesda.”

  “He’s a tough old goat, it’ll take more than a heart attack to kill him, Jane!” comforted Sean. He knew how much she cared for the old tyrant. The only person that didn’t was Vincent. Sean had tried to tell him in the past but Vincent had brushed it aside as nonsense.

  Jane sniffed loudly before she responded, regaining some composure. “The last thing he said before he was wheeled away and I had to promise before he would let them take him away is that I was to tell you he was sorry!”

  She started to cry again. “But he never said what for!”

  Sean knew exactly what for, not going to his funeral, or what he thought was his funeral.

  “Not going to the funeral,” he replied. “Seriously Jane, he’ll be fine. Vincent Black will not tolerate a heart attack being his cause of death!”

  Jane actually managed a laugh at the thought of Vincent saying exactly that and brightened slightly, until she realized what the next topic of conversation needed to be. “Katie said our team are all dead?”

  “I’m afraid so!” he confirmed.

  Jane, at that point couldn’t speak, the tears flowed, it had been her that sent them to Laredo, nobody else. Vincent hadn’t thought of it himself, another sign he had not been himself. She should have seen just how unwell the worry was making him; his level of agitation had been greater than she had ever seen before. If she had noticed earlier and tried to calm him, he may not have had the heart attack. If she hadn’t sent the team to Laredo, six lives in one morning would not have been extinguished and it was all her fault.

  “I sent them!” she blubbered.

  Sean just made out what she had said. “Well in that case, thank you. They saved Katie’s life and mine and as a result young James’s too.” He knew the latter was not a given but he’d do everything in his power to make sure it was.

  “Sean?” a voice replaced the blubbering Jane, a voice that Sean had never heard before.

  “Yes, who’s this?”

  “Mike Ritter, I was working with Vincent this morning,” he replied.

  “OK, anything I should know about?”

  “Lots!” replied Mike, very much surprising Sean. He had only been in the country for 24 hours and was no longer a member of CIA.

  “Sorry?” questioned Sean, wondering if he had heard Mike correctly.

  “I need you to get to Langley,” ordered Mike, adding firmly, “ASAP.”

  Sean looked at Katie. He had business to finish in Laredo. He wasn’t going anywhere until James was back safe in his mother’s arms.

  “You do know I’m no longer a CIA agent?” clarified Sean.

  “Yes,” replied Mike.

  “So why the hell would I come to Langley?”

  “Because, if I’m right, you may be our only hope in stopping the next world war!”

  Chapter 52

  “What the hell are you talking about?” replied Sean skeptically, comments like that weren’t exactly rare at Langley.

  “We don’t have time for this and this line is not secure. There’s a flight from Laredo at…” His voice became muffled. “Jane, what’s the first flight we can get Sean on?” Before returning to Sean. “Jane is just checking…”

  “Just slow down a little,” suggested Sean calmly. “I have unfinished business here!”

  “It will have to wait…” replied Mike, his voice becoming agitated.

  “No,” interrupted Sean angrily. “It won’t. Whatever little crisis you’re computer models have told you are on the horizon, will have to wait. I’ve got business to resolve here!”

  “We have very little time,” pleaded Mike.

  “And thousands of agents to help you solve your problem, remember I’m not even one of them!”

  Mike took a breath, he was getting nowhere.

  “Sean,” he said, his voice more relaxed. “I can’t emphasize how important this is, we really need your help.”

  “OK, let’s start this conversation again,” offered Sean reasonably. “Hi Mike, I’m Sean Fox, I’ve retired from the CIA.”

  Mike realized what Sean wanted. “Hi Sean I’m Mike Ritter, the former Head of Station in Moscow. I’m also retired from the CIA.”

  The realization that Mike was like Sean, not an active CIA staff member, only added to his credence as far as Sean was concerned and had Sean far more intrigued.

  “That was unexpected and I have to say, somewhat surprising.”

  “V called me last night and I came in. There are some very disturbing incidences occurring, obviously quite a few around yourself and if I’m right, this is massive!”

  “And what does V think?” asked Sean, far more receptive to the conversation.

  “I was on my way to bring him up to speed when he collapsed. He doesn’t know.”

  “So who does?”

  “Nobody but me and I don’t have the evidence to take it anywhere!” replied Mike exasperated.

  “I’m sorry Mike but I really do need to sort something out here first. A young boy’s life is hanging by a thread,” explained Mike to help him understand he was not being awkward.

  “Vincent had given me some background as to why you were there. How long will it take?”

  “Without Vincent, it could be a few days!”

  “Sean, if I’m right and I hope I’m wrong, we don’t have a few days!”

  “Seriously Mike, are you not being a little over dramatic?”

  “No!” replied Mike succinctly. “How was V going to help you?”

  Sean explained what he had asked Vincent to get him. Mike listened despairingly. There was absolutely nothing he could do to help. His entire working life had been spent overseas. He had few if any contacts and certainly nothing like the network Vincent Black had built up over the years.

  “You’re talking DEA and FBI, I’m sorry Sean I can’t help,” replied Mike dejected at the prospect of any hopes of stopping what was happening slipping through his hands. First Vincent collapsed and then Sean was stuck in Laredo.

  “I’ll be as quick…”

  “Sorry, Sean,” interrupted Mike. “Jane wants a word.”

  “Sean, it’s Jane,” she offered unnecessarily but one thing was clear she had regained her composure. “Whatever’s going on, it’s put Vincent in hospital. You tell me what you need and I promise I’ll move mountains to get it for you.”

  Sean explained half-heartedly that it needed Vincent. There was no way that without his clout they’d be able to get what he wanted.

  “OK,” she said noting down every detail. “Give me an
hour or so!” she said confidently.

  “An hour?” asked Sean bemused. Vincent was going to spend the day calling in favors across Washington to get what Sean needed.

  “Or less. Now, if I can get this in place by this afternoon. Can you do what you need to, this evening?”

  “I suppose!” offered Sean. If she could do that in a few hours how could Sean say no.

  “Good, I’ll have a company jet waiting at Laredo for you from midnight tonight,” confirmed Jane before hanging up. To be honest, keeping busy was about the only thing that would keep her going and Sean’s list of requirements certainly fitted the bill.

  Jane clicked open her contacts list. First up, the personal assistant to the Attorney General of the United States, responsible for both the FBI and DEA. Sean was about to discover where the real power lay in federal government.

  Chapter 53

  A shout of “Oh my God!” from Katie had Sean rushing into the kitchen, the small screen she was staring at had Breaking News flashing in the top corner of the screen. The story of the Governor’s wife dying had been made public.

  Sean could hardly believe it himself. He had just met the governor less than hours earlier and he had quite possibly been one of the happiest people he had ever met. The poor guy had no idea what that day would bring. Sean suddenly thought of Vincent. What if he wasn’t strong enough to pull through the heart attack? He shook his head. If Sean knew one thing, it really was that Vincent Black wasn’t going to let a heart attack get the better of him.

  “Looks like I may not be going to Moscow after all!” said Sean, more to himself than to Katie.

  “Sorry,” she asked.

  “The governor wanted me to go to Moscow with him,” explained Sean.