by Tomson Cobb
‘Conference go well?’
A small frown appeared temporarily on Kruger’s face.
‘The IISD forum,’ Jago added with a smile that could have been interpreted as either complacent or enigmatic.
‘Great. I decided not to stick around for the cultural shit. I’ve had enough corporate entertainment for a lifetime, so I needed a break.’
‘Why didn’t Debbie join you on this trip, Wade?’
‘My wife hates the sea. She loves charity work though, so she decided she could put her time to better use at a dinner in LA to raise money for the homeless.’ He looked around the empty restaurant. ‘Look Jago, I have second thoughts about a meal here. Let’s go have a drink instead. There’s a quiet bar around the corner at the end of the harbour. It’s out of the sun. They might have some simple food we can eat as well.’
‘Probably for the best,’ Jago agreed. He could see no sign of Tony outside the restaurant.
The bar was indeed in the shade. It was also as quiet as the restaurant. In fact, quieter. It also had no echo for their conversation as it opened to the elements on one side. They took two of the corner bar stools while Kruger’s pair of minders took seats under one of the crop of parasols that sprouted from the sand outside, across from the wooden walkway that led back to the harbour. From the corner of his eye Jago watched Shapiro appear from around the corner dressed in a fawn Panama hat, slacks and dark shades. He ambled up to take a stool to the left of Jago. He didn’t acknowledge either him or Kruger, just looked straight ahead as he ordered a large beer in passable Greek from the girl at the other end of the long wooden bar.
‘Wade, this is a friend of mine. His name doesn’t matter but you need to hear what he has to tell you. Please don’t call your boys over. That might lead to violence. You don’t want that, do you?’
Kruger was stunned. He just looked across the bar at Shapiro, who took a gulp from his glass of beer. Tony didn’t waste any time. He started to outline his offer without even a glance at Kruger. From a distance, it would look to the two minders as if all three were just exchanging pleasantries as fellow tourists.
The one-way conversation went on for some time. It included detailed dates, names and numbers. Jago was impressed with Tony’s ability to deliver his evidence without a script or notes. He himself remained silent as he watched Wade’s face. He wasn’t sure whether the sweat that had started to drip from his brow was because of the heat or the ultimatum he had just received.
‘This has gotta be some kind of crazy joke, right? You expect me to give up my campaign because of some shit about a phony drugs bust?’
Shapiro continued to focus on the beer glass in front of him.
‘You won’t give it up – yet. You’ll work for us till we tell you to pull out of the race. Between now and then, you’ll tell us everything that goes on in the Organisation.’
‘Go fuck yourselves,’ Kruger said. He started to step off his stool only to be discouraged by Jago, who held his arm down on the bar with a firmness that surprised Kruger, but at the same time didn’t attract the attention of his guards.
‘Mind your language, Wade. Mixed company.’ Jago nodded towards the bored girl at the far end of the bar who had plugged headphones into her iPhone.
Shapiro continued.
‘It’s also much more than the drugs charge, although even that would send you down for twenty to thirty in a nice warm high-category place in the desert we have ready for you. You’ll meet lots of new friends there that just love new meat. We’ll also tell them about your relationship with Matt, or Petra as he’s now called. Once that news is out, your ass will be open season for every lowlife in the penitentiary.’
‘He’s right, Wade. There’s no gender equality rules in that place,’ Jago said before Shapiro continued.
‘There’s also a small matter of your connection with the Al Sinai Front.’
‘Who the hell are they? I never heard of ’em.’
Shapiro glanced at Jago. It was clear from his tone that this was one piece of information that hadn’t been given to the presidential prospect.
‘It’s a terrorist organisation that Petra has got herself involved in. That will mean the death penalty for you and her both. Once we release that information, your campaign will be finished. So will your home life, your businesses, plus the Organisation will have no further use for you. You’ll be a dead man walking whichever way you decide to play it.’
‘This is all crap. You have no evidence of that, you bastards.’ Both could see that Kruger was now worried, though at the same time unsure whether the information he’d been given had convinced him their threats were any more than that. ‘You don’t know who you’re dealing with. These people will tear me to pieces if they find out.’ Jago noticed the admission and qualifier in the last four words. They had him.
‘In contrast, the inmates of that prison won’t let you die at all. They’ll want you alive for as long as they want to play with you,’ Shapiro said to emphasise the point again. Jago decided to add his own five cents.
‘Look, Wade. We’re not here to offer tea and sympathy. We’re here to offer you a deal you can’t refuse. You work with us, you stay alive. You even get to keep your business for a while, as long as you do as my friend tells you. He’ll also protect you from your present friends. What’s there not to like?’
The old good cop, bad cop technique. Always worked, thought Jago.
‘You’re bluffing me. There’s no way you’d stop my campaign now.’
‘Listen, you piece of crud,’ said Shapiro with his best angry voice, his attention still fixed on the beer glass in front of him. ‘With my offer, you get to keep your freedom, your money and your health. Without that deal, there’ll be no need to go through a long court procedure. You’ll then be worth jack shit to the CIA as well. Do I make myself clear, or do you want me to spell it out?’
He put his glass down on the bar without as much as a glance towards Kruger. Jago saw that Wade’s left hand had started to shake. He glanced backwards to check on the two guards, who he was pleased to see were still in relaxed mode outside the bar.
‘You got thirty seconds to consider, then my friend and me are out of here. You’re then dead meat, one way or another.’ Shapiro concluded his prosecution to wait for a plea from the defendant. He didn’t get one, nor did he need the thirty.
‘Okay. Okay. I’ll do it. What do you want to know?’
The next half an hour was productive.
‘So, Wade. You know what you have to do now,’ Shapiro said finally.
‘I get it okay. What choice do I have anyway?’
‘None. You can go now Wade. My friend will be in touch soon,’ Jago said. ‘But don’t even think to mention our conversation to Petra, or any of your friends in the Organisation. It wouldn’t do you any good at all. In fact, quite the opposite. They don’t like to leave any loose ends if they believe someone is a liability, like Volkov for example. You’ll remember how he ended up,’ Jago added for effect.
Kruger stepped down from the high stool, his hand movements still outside his control. As he did, their attention was drawn to the arrival of six noisy young men on scooters. They parked them on their stands then, with lots of laughter and shouts to each other in a language that wasn’t Greek, two of them made their way to the far end of the bar while the other four headed towards the outside tables.
Jago watched the four outside. While one asked for a light, the two that led the group stepped behind the seated bodyguards. Each took one of the Americans in a neck lock. As they struggled, the other two produced metal knuckledusters from their jackets and hit the two bodyguards hard with a blow to the abdomen followed by several to the face, leaving both bleeding and semi-conscious. It was fast and efficient. The four then turned and started to approach the three tourists seated at the bar.
Jago pushed Kruger behind him into the space between bar and wall. The last two attackers produced knives from under their shirts, waved the gi
rl behind the bar away to the kitchen, then walked towards them, wide smiles across their arrogant little faces.
‘Just like old times, Jago. You have the guy on the right, I’ll take his pal.’
Jago didn’t have time to question Shapiro’s ability for self-defence. The first thug was almost in his face. He let him come onto him, his blade held low, the face confident with a wide grin that showed two missing teeth. As he raised his arm Jago stepped inside his reach, took his arm and then twisted it back. As the attacker fell backwards with a scream, Jago kicked his right leg away from under him, then hit him with a short hard blow to the throat. One down.
He could hear Tony behind him having more trouble with his own attacker, but Jago couldn’t help him as he had his own health to consider. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kruger cowered in the back corner of the bar, ignored by the gang. Their pride had been hurt, it seemed. What faced Jago now meant he had to concentrate on the other four. They had obviously expected easier prey, but after his dismissal of their leader the approach of the rest was much more wary.
Jago smiled. This was the situation he loved best. Personal danger just made him calm. He never knew why this was, it just happened. It gave him extra time to respond in a way other operatives found difficult. His Systema training also proved useful at these times of course, although it wasn’t the only reason for his heightened Zen when confronted by physical threats.
Jago kicked over one of the bar stools so he commanded the narrow space. It ensured that no more than one at a time could reach him. It would still be difficult though, as one of the gang had climbed onto the bar and was now shouting at the others to coordinate their attack. In that moment Thanos and his son appeared from nowhere. Thanos took out one of the gang with a kick to the groin, while Nico’s right fist made short work of the nose of one of the others. The rest didn’t hesitate, they just ran to their scooters, fired them up and screamed off. It had all ended too soon for Jago. He’d looked forward to a useful workout.
Shapiro’s opponent saw that the odds had switched, so instead of grappling like two long-retired Turkish wrestlers, he pushed the American over a table, sprinted around the other side of the bar, then disappeared through the back door.
‘Hey my friend. Why you not tell us you look for action? We would have got here sooner.’ Thanos laughed as he kicked another of the gang in the backside. He staggered away to his scooter.
Nico held the last attacker down with his boot on the guy’s testicles while he talked to him in a language Jago couldn’t recognise. He ended the conversation with a dismissive wave to the bleeding youth, who limped off to his own vehicle.
‘What brought you here, Captain?’ Jago said as he helped Tony up off the floor.
‘Nico see one of these arsewipes from bridge. He took interest in you as you got off the boat. We follow. He go behind the front line of restaurants, then we see him talk to his friends. So we decide to join the fun.’
‘I’m glad you did, Thanos.’
‘Who are they?’ asked Tony.
‘Albanians. There’s many of them here on mainland look for tourist to rob.’
‘I see. Let us just finish our meeting, then I’ll buy you both a beer,’ Jago said.
He nodded at Tony. Shapiro moved to the back of the bar, took Kruger’s elbow, and propelled him towards the two bloodied bodyguards with a few quiet words in his ear. Jago had already decided that they wouldn’t be working for Wade much longer. They all watched as the three staggered away in the direction of their launch in the harbour.
‘Well, Captain. That was fun wasn’t it? Now, let me introduce you to a friend of mine. We all need some beers I think.’
On the hill above, Belette put down the small pair of opera glasses she’d brought with her and climbed back into the hire car.
‘Well, my Jago. It seems you can look after yourself,’ she said to herself before she made the call.
‘Hale met Kruger as planned. Then another guy arrived. He sat near them both,’ Belette said.
‘Was the other one involved in the conversation?’ The distorted voice sounded worried, she thought.
‘Not sure. I couldn’t see his face from my vantage point. I’m too far away. Then some kids on scooters decided to rob them. Hale took one out. It looked like he might have had difficulties with the rest, but then a couple of the crew from the excursion boat came round the corner to join in the action. They made short work of the gang. The four of them are now drinking at the bar.’
‘Can you get a photo of the other man?’ The voice was impatient.
‘No. I don’t have my camera with the long lens. Do you want me to go down there? Try to get a shot on my phone?’
‘No. It’s too dangerous. Hale will make you, he’s no fool. Stay well away from them. Go back to Corfu Town. Stay out of their sight until I call you again.’ The call was disconnected.
She was always scrupulous in her neutrality when she worked for a principal. However, on this occasion she had been sorely tempted to offer an opinion. Why she should be employed to act as an observer when her unique skills lay elsewhere she didn’t know, but even though her substantial fee had not been based on any one particular outcome, her professional pride and international reputation were also at stake.
She began to consider whether her agreement to work for this particular customer might prove to be a mistake she would live to regret.
Chapter 41
‘Well, I don’t know about you Tony, but I’m quite pleased with today. Apart from the headache, that is. Too many beers in the sun never agrees with me. I should have refused Thanos’s offer of the raki on the boat trip back here as well.’
‘Me too. The good captain and his son came along at just the right time, otherwise I would have had to come save your ass on my own. Good job I’m still in shape.’ Shapiro smiled.
Jago tried to keep a straight face.
‘Of course you are, Tony. At least DC can breathe easy. You can report to Coburn that Wade’s campaign is over and that he’ll work for us from now on. What are your plans for Petra?’
‘I’ll leave her where she is for now. We need to know more about her terrorist connections, so I’ll put one of my team on her so we can find out where she’s been lately and with whom. Wade will be scared shitless after yesterday I’m sure, so he won’t breathe a word to anyone. That includes her. He’ll do what we say from now on.’
‘What about his campaign?’
‘We’ll let him continue for as long as we think safe. Then we’ll engineer a small health problem. He’ll announce that he won’t be able to continue his campaign due to unforeseen circumstances.’
‘That might be more prescient than you meant. If Greenstreet suspects he’s been turned, Madame Octopus will be brought into play once more.’
‘I realise that. We’ll have to play him with care. That doesn’t mean we can’t screw the bastard. He’s about to have some regular fireside chats with my team when he gets back to the States, so we can find out as much as we can about Chetwynd.’
‘The time he spent in Mexico might be of particular interest,’ Jago said.
‘That’ll be top of the agenda. What do you want to do about Herman, now he’s your new best buddy?’
‘Yeah. I want to think about that. I’m sure Strang Bank is a key part of all this, though I don’t know why yet. He’s not our Mr Greenstreet, though, so I need to get my own team to research what he’s been involved with until now. I also want to find out who gave the order to La Polpo to waste Hordiyenko.’
‘I wondered myself why they would take him out,’ Shapiro said as he took a swig of his second black coffee. They were in a small café that overlooked the strange anachronism of the Corfu cricket ground, which took all the central space of an open area near the gate to the Venetian Fortress.
‘I think there’s a war inside Chetwynd,’ Jago said after a few moments of reflection. His attention was divided between his colleague and the horde of tourists t
hat had now flooded the area, camera phones in hands, panama hats on heads. His own professional paranoia, he knew. ‘Volkov, Chomsky, now Hordiyenko. I reckon they all had fingers in the Chetwynd pie, so the capo di tutti decided he had to clean out the Augean stables,’ he continued.
‘Greenstreet can’t have many people he can trust right now. Hell, my guts are in a bad way after that raki. I gotta find the john in here,’ Shapiro said. He jumped up to fight his way through the crowd of customers in a rapid attempt to reach the rear of the restaurant before the inevitable disaster that would follow any delay.
Jago looked across the square of grass in front of him in deep thought. As often in this sort of situation, his instincts told him all was not as it looked.
Chapter 42
‘What happened? Tell me the exact details from when you arrived at the restaurant with your two guards.’
The distorted question was delivered in a calm manner, yet the monotone voice still managed to broadcast its usual threat of menace to Wade. The call had come unexpectedly as he was about to eat dinner on the yacht back at the harbour. His mind was already in a chaotic state, his own view of the future compromised without this extra pressure. He wondered how they knew he’d taken two bodyguards. In fact, as he hadn’t told anyone within the Organisation, it was also disarming to realise that they knew where he’d met the journalist.
‘We met at the place I’d told Hale to go to. It was empty, so I thought it best to go somewhere else.’
‘Why?’ asked the disembodied voice.
‘Too conspicuous. The whole town was empty. The restaurant was on the harbour, so we could be seen by anyone on one of the boats that used it. It was also too quiet. I didn’t think Hale would be the type of guy who talked soft, so I didn’t want the staff or my guys to overhear us. I decided we’d be better off in a bar which opened to the square alongside…’
‘You decided? You’re sure of that?’ Wade had started to feel the sweat appear on his face again despite the air conditioning in the main saloon.