by Mark O'Neill
"And for that, he is willing to have a hit taken out on the German chancellor?" said Decker dubiously, "it seems like a rather big risk for very little reward. I mean, what’s to stop Meyer’s successor from continuing where Meyer left off?".
"There’s no guarantee obviously, but he’s angry and he wants to make a statement. Oh by the way, for all of his supposed caution, he talked to me on the phone the other night after he had shot my asset”.
“He talked to you?” said Decker, looking over the rim of her coffee cup, “That wasn’t very professional”.
“He all but taunted me to stop him from getting Meyer”.
"He knows we know? Well then maybe he will call it off now".
"Maybe, but until we know for sure, we have to assume he’s crazy enough to keep going".
"So what are we doing to stop it from happening?" asked Decker.
"We’re not"
"Come again?"
"We’re going to use the chancellor as bait and lure the Scorpion in" said Wagner, standing up and pacing around his office. "I’m just back from the Chancellery and she has reluctantly approved. She realises the longer the Scorpion is out there, the longer a target will be on her back. She wants this person put down now".
"That is incredibly risky" blurted Decker, "what if it goes wrong?”.
”But it won’t, Captain" said Wagner, "because you will be with the chancellor every step of the way."
"You want me to become a glorified babysitter?"
"No I want you to consider yourself an highly armed, highly dangerous babysitter" said Wagner, "ready to gun down an assassin if he makes a move on your chancellor".
"She doesn’t have to make herself bait" said Decker, "the last I checked, she has more than capable security protecting her around the clock".
"Ah" said Wagner, looking rather pained, "that’s where things start to get a little sticky".
"The last time you said that" said Decker leaning back and folding her arms, "a building blew up soon afterwards and I almost got killed".
"Yes well...the fact is that we have strong reason to believe that the Scorpion knows someone inside the Chancellery. Maybe a bodyguard. So the security detail is potentially compromised".
Decker was speechless. "Are they running a circus over there? I thought these people were strictly vetted? Who is it?"
"We don’t know, and yes I realise this is making me look incompetent. Believe me, it has been implied more than once by both the Director and the Chancellor. I offered to resign and they refused to take it - for the time being".
"OK, slow down. How do you know for sure there’s a traitor on the inside?"
"As I said, we’ve been tracking the Scorpion for years. It’s been extremely difficult to gather reliable background on him as he has pretty much obliterated all traces of his past. But one persistent rumour is that he was originally in the French Foreign Legion. It’s still totally unconfirmed but we deal in unconfirmed rumours every day. The rumour also goes that he had - and maybe still has - one friend from his Legion days. A German, who is just as much of a psychopath as he is".
"And how does this German psychopath get from the Legion to being one of the Chancellor’s bodyguards?"
"This is where things start to take a huge jump into the land of conjecture, where we’re pretty much taking educated guesses. We’re relying on the forced confession of another terrorist, which was obtained under torture. Therefore, inadmissible in court. But during interrogation on a completely unrelated investigation, this man starts shouting out everything he knows on every subject imaginable. Obviously he was hoping he would say something that would pique our interest".
"And it was duly piqued?"
"You could say that. He said he knew of a German assassin called the Scorpion. That got our instant attention. Gave us what scant information he had on him, which wasn’t really much extra to what we already knew. But he also told us that the Scorpion had a friend who, after leaving the Legion, had gone into the Federal Police. Then he steadily made his way up the hierarchy and was now working inside the Chancellery".
"Did you talk to the Foreign Legion?"
"We tried" said Wagner, "but like most queries from foreign governments, the Legion barely let us finish our request before telling us very uncivilly that they do not release information on former soldiers. Even if they later turn out to be assassins and sleeper agents".
"But surely you did inform the Chancellery and the Federal Police right away?"
"Of course, and we expected to be taken seriously. But instead they scoffed at the information, saying that the prisoner had obviously been lying to us to save his skin. They said what you said just now - that everyone working there was strictly vetted and it was not possible for a criminal to slip in undetected".
"How did this prisoner claim to know both the Scorpion and his buddy?"
"Before we could ask him that, the interrogators went a bit too far with their interrogation techniques, and the prisoner died of a heart attack".
"Shit" breathed Decker under her breath.
"Indeed" agreed Wagner, "I was furious at being so casually dismissed by the chancellor about this. Something tells me the prisoner was telling the truth, and I am not going to have the death of a chancellor on my conscience. So ever since, I’ve put someone on the inside, with the full knowledge of the Chancellery Chief of Staff, who was the only one to take me seriously. Our agent has been there ostensibly to watch the Chancellor and to report on anything suspicious. We don’t even know if the traitor is a bodyguard, a cook, or a bloody janitor".
"So I assume Meyer is not in the loop?"
“You assume correctly. She is a very intelligent woman, but she seems to think some men with guns protecting her makes her invincible. Unfortunately, while her bodyguards are indeed good at their jobs, they are just as fallible as you and I”
"So let me get this straight. You already have an agent on the inside. But you want me there too?"
"Oh yes. With the Scorpion being given a contract on the Chancellor’s life, and with him having a possible direct line inside the Chancellery, Meyer is in mortal danger now. I would feel more comfortable having two of my agents there. The other agent is a Lieutenant called Schmitz. He’s finagled his way, with our help, into the position of chief of the protection detail. Nevertheless, since you outrank him, he will follow your orders".
"I’ll need my credentials returned, as well as my gun. Which means revoking my suspension".
Wagner nodded, picked up the phone, and dialled an internal number.
"Richter? Wagner here. I heard you suspended Captain Decker? Yes...well, I’m overruling you. I quite frankly don’t care if you protest. On whose authority? I am the Deputy Director you idiot, and your superior. That’s more than enough authority right there. But if you like, I can get Chancellor Meyer to give you a call. Yes I thought that would shut you up. Decker will be along to your office momentarily to collect her credentials and weapon from you, so don’t go anywhere".
Wagner slammed the phone down and looked at the ceiling in frustration. Decker swung her legs off the chair, got up, and started to head for the door.
"Captain?" said Wagner, "there is zero room for error here. If the chancellor dies on your watch, I can’t save you. Protect Meyer with your life, and kill that son-of-a-bitch when he makes a move on her. Don’t worry about appearances. If you have to do it on live TV in front of hundreds of kids on a school trip, then do it. But Meyer survives this, OK? I’ll handle the fallout. But naturally, if you can do it discreetly, that would be appreciated".
“Discreetly, sir?”.
“Look it up when you get back to your office. Oh and I insist on daily reports. I mean it - daily - not when you feel like reporting in".
"Yes sir" said Decker, snapping off a brisk salute, "I’d better go. Don’t want to keep Richter on tenterhooks".
The Scorpion sat in the bland anonymous business hotel room, meditating and wondering how he was going
to pull off the assassination of the most powerful leader in Europe.
He was used to challenges, but this...this was something else entirely. Killing a criminal boss like Rostov was one thing - nobody would miss him and his security was dismal. But the German chancellor? As soon as Meyer was dead, the entire German state would be after him. They would not stop until they had caught him.
He would also have to retire permanently as he would be far too hot for anyone else to hire him. Where in the world would he hide, where he couldn’t be found? His first ten million Euros had come through that evening, but he was still wondering if he should have asked for more money.
He mentally ran through the possibilities in his head as to how he could get close to Meyer. The most obvious one was to find out her scheduled public appearances, and be at the right place at the right time. It had worked perfectly well for John Hinckley and Lee Harvey Oswald. Even though Oswald subsequently died and Hinckley spent over 30 years in prison. But still…
Going down that route would mean approaching his friend inside the Chancellery to get that list. He was reluctant to rush down that path as he had been slowly cultivating his former Legion friend for years. The last thing he wanted to do was to put him in harm’s way unnecessarily. He had not been lying when he had told Grey Suit that he had information sources of his own.
A second possibility was to breach the security. Either pose as a bodyguard or catering staff, and find a way into the Chancellery, where Meyer lived on the top floor. Again, he would require his friend’s help to get in. But this would have to be the extreme last resort, he thought. It was difficult to pull off successfully to the point of committing suicide. A new face would stand out immediately, and his identity would not hold up to scrutiny if he was checked. His friend would probably switch sides and help him shoot their way out afterwards, but the others in the protection detail obviously wouldn’t.
What’s the point of charging 20 million Euros if you were not alive to enjoy it?
He started to like the first option more. If he could find out where she would be at various times, he could shoot her with the rifle, or throw a bomb under her car. The bomb was a messy way to do it, but if all else failed, he would have to cross his fingers and make the best of it.
But the idea of relinquishing the rifle started to make his hands shake, and fill him with foreboding. The gun was his good luck talisman. Without it, he would be genuinely nervous about carrying out the task. He felt foolish feeling like this, and he would never have admitted it to anyone if they asked.
He did know one thing though. He would only get one chance at this. If he failed, he would not only have his client after him, but also the German security services.
So he had to make it count. He had to make sure she didn’t see him coming. He would have to involve his friend.
The Scorpion hoped he was still loyal and would help him. If not, the Scorpion had a major problem.
"Yes?"
"It’s the Scorpion. Are you willing to be activated?"
"Scorpion? My God, I thought I would never hear from you ever again. How are you my friend?"
"No time for idle chit-chat. Are you willing to be activated?"
"For what?"
"A job"
"I will need more detail than that".
"I need a copy of Aunt Claudia’s scheduled public appearances for the next three months".
A pause.
"I hope you’re not going to do what I think you’re going to do".
"In or out, Corporal. I need to know now".
Another pause. "two million Euros in cash. Non-sequential numbers. All upfront".
The Scorpion swore silently to himself. That would hurt. It would have to come out of his fee. He hadn’t expected a demand like this. He hoped his friend would do it out of loyalty. Obviously he had changed since they had seen one another last and had become a ruthless capitalist. But without the list, getting to Meyer would be considerably harder.
"Not cheap I see" said the Scorpion finally. "Fine, you’ll get your money. But the information has to be one hundred percent accurate. If Aunt Claudia has a bathroom break scheduled, it has to be on the list".
"It will be accurate". The tone was almost indignant.
"Good. I hope so - for your sake. This evening. Midnight. At the prearranged spot from all those years ago".
"I’ll be there".
Chapter Four
Decker reported to the Chancellery the next morning and was led into the office of Meyer’s Chief of Staff, Hans Unterwald.
Unterwald was a big man, both in height and girth. He liked his food, his beer, and his cigars. Being a large man with a deep voice, he instantly dominated whatever room he was in. He was also rapidly becoming bald, but he had long stopped caring about that. He was someone secure in his own skin, and not someone vain enough to think he needed cosmetic enhancements.
He was also a patriot, having served as a fighter pilot in the German air force as a young man, before retiring to join Meyer in politics. So he knew about protecting his country, serving it, and respecting the military.
People often made the mistake of underestimating him, which was usually the last mistake they ever made. The Chancellery staff had learned long ago that Unterwald saw and heard everything, even if he wasn’t physically present. Someone nervously joked one time that Unterwald probably had every room bugged. Nobody laughed back.
"Captain Decker" he said formally, standing up from behind his desk and putting out his hand, "a pleasure to meet you. Deputy Director Wagner speaks very highly of you."
"That’s good to know, since not many other people speak highly of me".
"Yes I have been reading your service record" said Unterwald, sitting down and pulling on a pair of glasses, "you seem to have quite the reputation. Please sit".
Decker felt like she was back at school, having her sins read back to her by the teacher. But by now, she was used to it.
"It looks as if you have a tendency to...how do they say in English? ‘Go off the reservation’?" said Unterwald, "Would that be a fair assessment?"
"Yes" conceded Decker, "if you mean being able to make spontaneous operational decisions in the field, and not being afraid to follow through on them".
"When you put it like that, it does start to paint you in a rather better light" said Unterwald, thoughtfully, "God knows we have enough ass-kissing career bureaucrats around here. I’m more concerned about how the protection detail will respond to you. Of course they’ll do what they’re told, but nevertheless you’ll have to deal with the resentment".
"The question sir should instead be how the protection detail will cope having to deal with me".
This brought a small smile to Unterwald’s lips. "Wagner told me you had attitude. Good. The protection detail are all men, so you will need that attitude. What has Wagner told you about the threat we’re facing?".
“That you are the only one who believes the threat. That the chancellor is being a bit too….shall we say, optimistic about her chances of survival?”
Unterwald looked at her. “It’s my job to believe these things” he said shrugging, “and the rest?”
Decker gave him a quick summary of the facts, which Unterwald made agreeing noises to throughout.
"That sounds about right” he said after thinking about it. “We still don’t have a motive yet for why Schäfer would want to take such an enormous move like this. I am not buying this whole EU crackdown and Swiss bank thing. Too simplistic, fits too neatly into the box. There has to be something more to it. I am debating whether or not to order his arrest. Doing so may tip off this Scorpion person that we are onto him".
"Not if you make it look like another criminal investigation altogether" said Decker, "this guy is into prostitution as a revenue source. So have him busted by vice police for living on illicit earnings. Once we have him in a room, we can ask him whatever we want. If the press asks, we give them the hookers story".
"That
might work" conceded Unterwald, "I would just be concerned about the timing, that’s all. Several days after he orders a hit on the chancellor, and an undercover Intelligence asset posing as his pimp is found shot dead, he is suddenly arrested on vice charges. Schäfer is not stupid, and neither is the Scorpion".
"It may be a chance we have to take" said Decker, "we are not going to get anywhere by playing it safe. We need to move fast as we have no idea what the Scorpion’s timetable is. He knows he is blown, so he will be looking to do this as quickly as possible, so he can flee the country".
Unterwald looked at her for a long moment, assessing the pros and cons.
"And another thing..." said Decker, "what’s all this about an inside man in the Chancellery?"
Unterwald let loose a string of expletives.
"Wagner told you" he growled.
"Yes, well, don’t you think under the circumstances that it’s relevant I know?"
"That bullshit was never proved” said Unterwald, forcefully, pointing a finger at Decker. “Wagner never gave us a name, the job this supposed traitor was doing, nothing. He was merely repeating what a prisoner under enhanced interrogation said to him. You know yourself how notoriously unreliable these interrogations are. They’ll say anything to stop the torture. I have long been on record as being against the practice".
"Quit the politician spiel. You’re not being interviewed by a journalist" said Decker irritably. "We can’t afford to disregard the possibility either, so trust my judgment on this. Let me do my job by picking up Schäfer".
"Fine. Go and get him" he said, throwing his glasses on the desk in a fit of pique. "Use the Berlin police to pick him up on that bogus vice charge. As they are driving him to police headquarters, I will arrange for the car to be ‘re-diverted’ to a safe house of your choosing”.