Divide & Conquer
Page 30
As the wheels touched down, Sean took up his position next to the Governor. A position he would remain for the next twenty-four hours.
“Sean!” said the Governor.
“Governor,” replied Sean.
“Would he really have done it?” he asked.
Sean didn’t know whether he was referring to the terrorist threat or the affair. “Definitely!” replied Sean. Vincent would have done both in a heartbeat.
“Jesus, he’s some guy,” replied the Governor, shaking his head.
“To have on your side!” defended Sean.
The Governor considered Sean’s point and smiled. He clapped Sean on the back. “Let’s do it!” he said exiting the plane to a sea of photographers.
Katherine breathed in the Moscow air as she exited at the back of the entourage. After all these years, her motherland. She wanted to bend down and kiss the tarmac but smiled warmly just in case any of the paparazzi caught her. She had an image to portray and as much as her heart leapt, she had to remain calm and lady like.
Sean had instructed the other bodyguards to fan out. He alone remained next to the Governor. If anything were to happen, he didn’t want anyone getting in his way; particularly guys he didn’t know. The drivers took a circuitous route to the Kremlin; obviously the impressive route, as each building outshone the previous before they finally reached the Kremlin.
Katherine sat and soaked in the images that her mother had described to her as she grew up. It was everything and more that she had promised. Katherine was home, her real home. Her part meant she would never get to know her home. Her sacrifice to her homeland was never knowing her homeland. As Katherine’s breath was caught by the beauty and splendor of the Kremlin, she almost asked herself if it was worth it.
“Have you been before?” asked Sean, as Katherine’s face lit up.
Katherine was too engrossed in the view and didn’t hear Sean.
The Governor, nudged her, “Sean’s asking if you’ve been before!” he repeated.
“No but…” she caught herself. “I’ve read about it, it’s beautiful.”
Sean thought he was getting the serious silent treatment when she hadn’t answered but the twinkle in her eye as she answered him, suggested she hadn’t heard him and more importantly there was still a chance, thought Sean.
“What about you, Governor?”
“Never, I’m really looking forward to meeting President Gagarin as well. I’m a bit of a techy and space geek.”
“I’d never have guessed,” replied Sean hiding his sarcasm. He’d just stepped off the ultimate gadget!
As the cars pulled into the Ritz Carlton’s entrance, the entourage and their baggage filled the entranceway.
“You staying for the month?” asked Sean looking at the number of items in Katherine’s bundle as he walked the Governor to his suite.
“One never knows what to wear!” she joked.
Sean checked the suite and allowed the Governor to enter; it was stunning and just a little smaller than the plane thought Sean, but not by much. Five minutes later, with her bags safely in her room, Katherine joined them to run through the final itinerary. Room Service delivered a lunch Katherine had ordered and the three sat blankly as the Russian-speaking waiter tried to explain what each course was.
“I had the same problem ordering,” laughed Katherine. “I’ve no idea what anything is!”
Whatever she had ordered went down very well and, as the three sat back for coffee, Katherine felt a slight vibration in her bag. She excused herself and headed back to her room where she removed the telecoms device and called Dr Surkov back.
“Katherine, my dear,” said Surkov, struggling to hide his excitement.
“Dr Surkov, I cannot believe I am finally here,” Katherine was just as excited. “I just wish my mother could have shared it with me.”
As much as Surkov loved Katherine’s mother, he was not a man who indulged in sentiment.
“You are scheduled to arrive at 6.30 and we’ve arranged a private meeting for the Governor at 6.45 with President Gagarin in the State Drawing room. Thereafter, both men will walk to the George Hall and make a grand entrance. If you can be by the Governor’s side, it will make for excellent photos for the press. My two girls Yolana and Katherine side by side with the two most powerful men in the world.”
“God, I hadn’t even thought, I will meet my sister tonight!” exclaimed Katherine, giggling.
“Anything else we may have overlooked?” asked Surkov. Giggling wasn’t his thing.
“Sean Fox,” replied Katherine sourly. She wouldn’t forgive the man for the previous evening.
“We’ll deal with him when it is convenient, before the banquet will cause problems, after is much easier.”
“He is stuck to the Governor’s side,” she warned.
“Not during the private one to one?” asked Surkov questioningly.
“Of course not,” she answered but was less than convinced. She wasn’t sure Sean would let the Governor go in a toilet cubicle on his own. That, however, was Katherine’s job. She just had to make sure the Governor was left to have the meeting in private.
“Good, and you brought the clothes?” asked Surkov.
“Yes, dropped off as requested.”
“Excellent, we will make history tonight, or should I say we will start history tonight!” said Surkov proudly and hung up.
Chapter 77
They pulled up outside the Grand Kremlin palace at 6.29pm and again were met by a sea of photographers. Governor Rick Brown, the future US President, was going to be the biggest news story of the year. His attendance, despite the loss of his wife, was going to have the press and pundits around the world debating appropriateness. However, one thing was agreed, it certainly proved without a shadow of a doubt that the man was strong enough to lead the free world.
Sean was the only one of the Governor’s armed bodyguards allowed within the palace walls and as such guided the Governor quickly through the mob.
As Katherine stepped into the light and allowed the Governor and Sean the first proper look at her in her gown, both gasped. “Wow, stunning!”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
Sean looked at the palace. “Oh sorry, I meant the palace, but you’re lookin OK!” he said looking at her more closely and laughing.
As they walked up the steps and into the palace itself, a line of security scanners were checking everybody that entered. Sean stepped up to one, withdrew his weapon and placed it in the small tray along with his cell and other metal items. He showed his permit and VISA and stepped through the scanner. On the other side he reached down and discovered his pistol had been removed. The Governor looked on from an adjacent scanner and shrugged.
“Sorry, I’ve got a permit for that!” said Sean pointing to his gun been taken to the security room.
“Not inside!” replied the guard, drawing a line at the door.
Sean nodded, realizing he wasn’t allowed the weapon inside the palace building. On looking at the décor, he could hardly argue; it was breathtaking and a bullet hole would probably costs millions to repair. He decided, if nobody else had one, he wouldn’t need one. If worst came to the worst, he’d find something. He caught up with the Governor and Katherine and checked the time, ten minutes before the Governor was due to meet the President. Katherine had her arm around the Governor.
“How are you feeling?” asked Sean, jovially joining the pair.
“Sad, Nicole would have loved this,” replied the Governor as a wave of grief hit him. He had just been sharing with Katherine how much Nicole had loved architecture and had been looking forward to the trip.
Katherine gave Sean a look that could kill and led the distraught Governor towards the restrooms.
Sean followed a few paces behind and considered explaining that he had actually been referring to the fact that the Governor was about to meet Yuri Gagarin’s son and President of Russia but thought better of it.
***
>
Yolana Gagarin was beside herself with excitement. It wasn’t just that she would be meeting her sister. She would get to know about her mother. A mother she had heard so much about but new nothing of. Katherine, although ripped from her motherland, was never taken from her mother. Yolana had the motherland but never a mother.
Surkov entered the state drawing room from the adjoining state bedroom. The two rooms were stunning in their grandeur and would have been the Czar’s personal rooms for any state occasion held within the Palace. He could not think of a more fitting venue as he checked every last detail. Alexey sat statesmen like in a large sofa by a roaring fire, while Yolana sat on the arm of the sofa by his side.
“When he comes in, Yolana you greet him and introduce him to Alexey and then take Katherine out to show her the palace. When you come back, we will be done and the four of you will walk majestically into the George hall and our lives will never be the same again!”
Receiving nods from them both, he walked back to the state bedroom and waited. Five minutes to go.
***
Sean waited as Katherine escorted the Governor into the restrooms to freshen him up before the meeting. Sean had pretty much caused a full-blown melt down with his insensitivity or whatever Katherine had accused him of.
It really was a stunning place, he thought, as he waited. The restrooms were at the corner of the building and Sean had a view down two long corridors, one back the way they had come and the other down towards another large hall from what Sean could make out.
It was only as he looked off down the corridor that he realized he hadn’t even secured the restroom before the Governor and Katherine had entered. He really had relaxed and far too much. As he turned to enter the restroom, he caught sight of a head appearing from a door further down the hallway. Sean checked back to the restrooms’ door. It couldn’t have been but it wasn’t that far; the restrooms must have another door. As he pushed to go in, a gruff voice stopped him.
“That’s for ladies and men with no pee pees!” laughed the large and overbearing soldier. Sean guessed he was a soldier because he was wearing a uniform with lots of medals on it and had a ceremonial sword swinging from his belt.
“Just going to check on someone,” said Sean.
“Ah American,” he said, offering Sean his hand. “General Yuri Borodin.”
“Sean Fox,” replied Sean taking the hand which had seemed to stop mid shake and remain awkwardly motionless.
Borodin’s smile dropped just for an instant but was back as he recovered his composure. Although the reaction was quickly covered up, Sean knew that Borodin was familiar with his name. Too familiar.
Before Sean could ask, the Governor reappeared, refreshed and once again looking presidential with Katherine at his side. He tapped his watch. It was time for the meeting.
“Oh General, do you know where the drawing room is?”
“Of course, second door down on the right,” replied Borodin, raising his eyebrow at the Governor and Katherine’s exit from the Ladies restroom. The door he had pointed to was the one beyond where Sean thought he had seen the Governor.
Sean led Katherine and the Governor down to the door as directed by the General and knocked. The door opened to reveal a stunning woman, blonde and perfect in every way. Sean bowed and stepped aside to allow Katherine who, Sean noted had a tear in her eye, to enter first. The Governor followed behind. Sean managed to see the room was otherwise empty.
“I’ll just wait down here,” said Sean, pointing to a row of chairs that lined the corridor a few yards further down.
“Of course,” replied the Governor.
Yolana Gagarin shut the door, Sean just hearing her explain how Alexey had just nipped to the restroom before the solid wood door drowned out any further conversation.
As Sean made his way to the chairs, a young waitress ran past as fast as she could, holding herself, and disappeared into the Ladies at the far end of the corridor. She reappeared, only a minute later, and walked gracefully back towards him, as though nothing had happened. She walked past the first door and then the second door.
Sean thought back to what he had seen earlier. The head coming out of the door nearer him. If that were the Ladies, the waitress would have taken the first door, it was a good 15 yards closer to her. Even if she hadn’t, she would have used it on her way out. Sean stood up and walked towards the first door and without knocking, turned the handle and pushed it open.
***
Alexey Gagarin rushed through the state bedroom, almost knocking Dr Surkov over as he ran desperately into the en-suite bathroom. He had been like this most of the day, public speaking had never been his thing and he was due to deliver one of his most important speeches, to the biggest audience he had ever addressed.
As he emerged from the bathroom, he noticed the bedroom door to the hallway open. He turned to see who would be coming through the door. He immediately turned to Dr Surkov, who was also staring at the door along with Rick.
“Oh my God, Sean, where have you been?” said Rick rushing towards Sean.
Alexey, seeing Rick’s reaction did the same and rushed past Surkov. “Jesus, Sean, how the hell are you?!”
“Alexey, Rick, stop!” commanded Surkov.
***
As the door opened, Sean recognized two of the three men in the room. The Governor was talking to an old man. While the president of Russia, a man he recognized from TV, was exiting the bathroom pulling up his zipper.
As they had heard him open the door, they had all turned to see who was coming in. Initially, silence filled the air before the Governor and the Russian president began rushing to him. There was one major problem, however, that required a significant amount of explanation.
They were all speaking to him in what sounded like Russian! And he had never met President Gagarin but he had just said Sean’s name and was rushing to him like a long lost brother.
As the old guy shouted something to Alexey and Rick, he pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Sean and motioned for him to take a seat.
Chapter 78
Vincent couldn’t get the thought of Sean and his imminent incarceration out of his mind. He had called just about every Senator and Congressman that had owed him a favor, which was not an insignificant number, but the message was the same every time. There was nothing they could do. The US Attorney was on the warpath and Sean was in his sights; all had been warned to stay well clear.
Vincent buried his head in his hands. He had reached the end of his call list. Sean, it seemed, was destined for prison and certain death. The $30 million bounty offered by the Los Zetas was going to ensure Sean did not last long, wherever he was incarcerated. That concern had also fallen on deaf ears. The government, once it got its guilty verdict, would not afford Sean any special dispensation.
“The Director’s secretary just called, they’re waiting for you,” buzzed Jane, interrupting Vincent’s thoughts.
Vincent stood up and despondently grabbed his jacket and headed to the daily briefing and no doubt another jibe at his being late from Charles, his boss, the Director of the CIA.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t the case. Vincent joined another heated discussion, which appeared to be a continuation from the previous day’s disaster. All hell had broken out with each agency blaming the other for the mess. From what Vincent could work out, it seemed that a terrorist cell had been identified by the CIA. The CIA had asked the NSA to track all calls and they had then passed back information, which ultimately led the CIA to uncovering a domestic terrorist base in Chicago. The CIA has passed the information to Homeland who had liaised with the FBI and local agencies. From there, everything had fallen apart with various agencies fighting for ownership and initiating surveillance, which ultimately spooked the terrorists and none had been seen for days. They had literally disappeared into the wind.
As the meeting was drawing to a close, a phone call was put through. An extremely pissed off President was put on speakerphone.
“Team of what?” asked the President sarcastically. He was not a happy man.
“Sorry, Sir?” asked Charles surprised.
“I’ve just had Homeland and the FBI in here telling me about the screw up in Chicago, six fucking terrorists escaped under our noses!”
Charles shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn’t expect his counterparts to sink so low as to try and blame him for their screw up.
“Mr President, we did everything we could, Sir. We passed on the intelligence as soon as it fell outside of our jurisdiction!”
“I don’t fucking care whose fault it was, Charles,” shouted the President. “You guys cost me billions, fucking countless billions and you can’t catch the guys with their fucking home addresses! We can catch Bin Laden in fucking darkest Pakistan but we can’t catch six guys in fucking Chicago??!!!”
“But we can’t operate on US soil!” argued Vincent, he was fed up with the injustice.
“That’s all I get! We can’t do this, we can’t do that! I’m fed up with it! FBI and Homeland will be contacting you. And don’t worry, I tore them new assholes as well. I want to start hearing what we can do, not what we fucking can’t do! This shit stops now!”
“Of course, Mr President!” replied Charles to a dead line. Charles turned to his team for ideas.
“He’ll be gone in 6 months!” offered the Head of the Intelligence Division. Everybody knew the President had no hope against Governor Brown at the upcoming election
“And so will all of us. He’s ruthless. When he tells you to figure it out, you figure it out or you’re gone!” replied Charles sternly.
“But we can’t operate on US soil, even if we wanted to!” said Vincent. “I’ve got the best operatives in the world, they piss all over what we have domestically but we’re restricted by statute!” argued Vincent, defending his team.
“I know, I know,” replied Charles. He knew there was nothing they had done wrong but unfortunately Homeland and the FBI would be finding anything they could to redirect the blame. “Anyway, to find a solution, we need to look at the process as a whole, so let’s go through exactly what happened,” suggested Charles, handing over to his Head of Intelligence Division