“To get to you, a warning, there was a note saying that we must return the money, at least half of it, by transferring the funds into a numbered bank account or that she would be next and that all of our loved ones would be next.”
“But I thought you had Lisa under surveillance, Amos?”
“I did, Mike! But they followed her, not the parents. Now though I’ve placed everyone’s family’s under protection. I have everyone covered, only Zulu’s relatives in Ermelo are currently unguarded but he’s on his way there now.”
“And you’re sure it was Mann?”
“Absolutely certain, it seems he has a gambling problem and is in heavy debt. It seems he and some of his men have been banking on the Gadaffi stash for some time.”
“Will Lisa make it?”
“I honestly don’t know, Mike, they don’t know. I’m on my way to Cape Town at the moment, I have Kalahari with me. My assistant is arranging the next available flight out to Cape Town for you, should be this afternoon, just get to Heathrow and stand by.”
“No, Amos. I’m staying here and I’m finishing this once and for all. Enough is enough. Hold on…” He turned to Le Roux. “What time tomorrow, Freddie?”
“What time what?”
“What time do we make our move, when does that monster get on the Sunborn?”
“Ah, lunch, he takes lunch there, has her and then snoozes, that’s when we must move… so between three and four in the afternoon..”
“Amos, get me on a flight to Cape Town tomorrow evening, and I will have finished this.”
“Mike, you don’t have to do this, I even know that you never wanted to do this, I have other resources there…”
“No, General, I must do this. Tell Lisa to hold on, I’m coming.”
Night ended the call got to his feet and stalked over to Le Roux.
“Now, old colleague, tell me the best way for me to kill this… Mann.”
Chapter Thirty One
Ibis Hotel overlooking the Sunborn super yacht hotel, Royal Victoria Docks, London.
“Well what did you expect, Michael? Mission impossible? Abseiling in while masked and dodging laser beams? No my friend, while that would be glamorous the real world is a lot more boring and practical. Although I’m sure you would agree our current attire is anything but boring?”
Night readjusted his eyes so that he could see his reflection in the window looking out at the water and super-yacht and what he saw impressed and stupefied him in equal measure.
“The Dark Night, Eh!?”
Night turned and looked at Freddie Le Roux.
“Get it, The Dark Night, with an N…”
“No need to explain your jibe, Penguin, I got it the first three times you said it. And I’m starting to think you have misunderstood your character, you’re not the Joker, you know?”
Le Roux pulled out a chair from a window-facing table and made a considered effort in trying to wedge his body into it, the costume making his already large body even more ungainly. Night took a seat next to the ‘intelligence professional’ as he insisted on being referred to.
“Fortunate that this Comic Con is happening at this Excel Exhibition Centre, isn’t it, Freddie?”
“All part of the plan, Mike, or should I call you Batman! Well not really but hey when life gives you cover…”
“Does it happen often then?”
“Twice a year. And what about the costumes, bloody brilliant eh!?”
Night observed Le Roux once again, astounded by how professional the Penguin costume looked.
“You actually look like you’re straight out of the movie, like the original.”
“Ja, boet, it’s amazing what one can get off the internet these days hey! And Mamadoo’s girlfriend is handy with the make-up isn’t she! But I’m hardly an original, I’ve already seen one other Penguin here this morning. And about half a dozen Batmans. I ordered these about a week ago, I just put in our measurements and bingo I had it sent to a local pick-up point a few days later. Cost a fortune though, which the General told me you would reimburse me...”
Night raised a hand to stop Le Roux.
“Yes, I spoke to Amos this morning. Here…”
Night discreetly handed Le Roux a stack of pound notes.
“That’s almost everything I have left, I’ve kept just enough to get me to the airport tonight and something to eat.”
Freddie quickly snatched up the cash and even through the costume’s mask Night could see the man’s face light up in delight.
“Ah, this calls for a celebratory drink!”
“Is money and booze the only thing you care about, Penguin?”
“Well, yes, and women of course, Batman!”
Night simply shrugged his shoulders as Le Roux called over a waitress and ordered two pints.
“Not for me thanks, Freddie. The next drink I have will be on African soil once I know my Lisa is out of the woods.”
Just mentioning her name made Night feel instantly guilty for not immediately jumping on a plane to be by her side.
“Suit yourself, I’ll have them both then, better not waste. How is she by the way?”
“Same as yesterday, she’s in a coma and it’s touch and go. Seems she took a lot of pills. Just like my Lisa, never does anything by halves. Some of those ‘medicines’ her mother took are very poisonous in higher doses it seems… poor woman, at least she’s at peace now.”
Le Roux’s eyes took on an even shiftier expression than usual and the man looked around him suspiciously, making sure that no one was in ear shot or watching them. He then produced a small box from a man-bag he carried and handed it to Night.
“Talking of deadly medicines, here it is…”
Night took the box and held it in his lap below the table and opened it. Inside he found a syringe half full of liquid.
“Botulinum.”
“Is this enough?”
Night closed the box and placed it in a moon bag on his waist at his side, covered by his costume’s cape.
“Is that enough? Do you not remember a word of what I told you yesterday?”
“No, not really, actually Le Roux. Yesterday I was in shock and drunk. Now remind me and do remember that I’m now hung-over and in an even shittier mood because of having to wear this ridiculous outfit. Not to mention that I’m about to kill a man!”
Le Roux almost fell off his chair at Night’s unusual outburst and public show of emotion.
“Jeez, Mike, relax boet and keep your voice down, it’s all much easier than you think. Besides you’ve killed before, many if my reports on you are correct.”
Anger flashed in Night’s eyes and he was about to stand but held his place as a waitress approached the table and placed a pint in front of each of them before making her way to new customers at the far side of the bar.
“They were different, Freddie. They were in the line of duty and in the defence of my life or the lives of others. I’m not an…”
“An assassin. Yes, yes, I’ve heard it all before, for fuck’s sakes man. Remember you’re the one who insisted on doing this, the General, and your mate by the sound of it, gave you a clear way out, you could have been back in Africa by this evening. But you said you wanted to do this, remember that, Mike, and remember why!”
Night took a moment to respond and Le Roux could see an internal battle raging within the combat-hardened cop and former army commando before seeing the man tense his shoulders and seemingly come to a decision. His eyes hard with resolve.
“You’re right and believe me when I say I’ll take this bastard’s life without a hint of remorse after what he’s done. I just have never done anything like this before, that is all. Now, please, remind me of what exactly this is.”
Le Roux raised his pint and nodded his head at Night before downing half of the glass’s contents in one long swig.
“Botulinum, Mike. Otherwise more commonly known as Botox. Simply put it’s the most acutely poisonous natural substance known t
o mankind.”
“Ja, now I remember.”
Now Le Roux leaned forward and pointed to where Night had stored the syringe and its contents on his belt.
“And to your question about whether that is enough, well, put it like this: One gram of that stuff, equivalent to about one raisin, is enough to kill five and a half MILLION 70KG men! Ja, boet, you heard that right, 5.5 million men.”
Night whistled through his teeth and shook his head.
“Fok me! And to think people voluntarily inject that shit into their face!”
“Some people are fucking mad, Mike. Not right, in the head… or face!”
“With this amount of poison won’t it look like a murder though?”
Le Roux drained the rest of his beer before continuing.
“That’s the beauty of the stuff, it looks like food poisoning. The poor bastard will first have a dry mouth, then difficulty swallowing and speaking and facial weakness, drooping eyelids and double vision and facial weakness before finally succumbing to paralysis. That’s if he wakes up of course. But if we time this just right and you get to him while he’s sleeping, after lunch and just after that lovely escort has left his bed then he’ll die in his sleep and it’ll look like food poisoning.”
“Then shouldn’t I give her a small dose as well?”
“No need, she doesn’t touch food, actually I’ve never seen her eat, a price for her figure I suppose. So if questioned on why she didn’t get sick she will truthfully just tell them that she didn’t eat anything.”
“And what about everyone else that eats at the Sunborn restaurant today?”
Le Roux tapped the side of his nose.
“Now, that’s what I’m here for, or should I say, that’s what The Penguin is here for, I’ll make sure a good number of people have ‘food’ related problems from eating in the Sunborn restaurant this weekend. It’ll be the perfect murder.”
“And you’re sure about the bodyguards, one with the vehicle and one will escort the… well escort to the vehicle before returning to Mann’s room?”
“Exactly, one operative stays with the car at all times, as I am sure you know from your own training, that is a Standard Operating Procedure – and they park the vehicle outside the Ibis.”
“At Canary Wharf though, both guards were with him?”
“West India Quay, you mean. And yes, that’s because when Mann is in the square mile it makes more sense to use cabs and hotel drivers than to have one of his guards drive one of his vehicles.”
“Makes sense I suppose. And you’re 100% sure that the other bodyguard stays outside Mann’s room and will only leave it to escort, what’s her bloody name?”
“Alexis.”
“Alexis, to the vehicle, waiting outside the Ibis, to be driven home while he sleeps?”
“Correct. And he doesn’t do it to protect her, he does it to make sure she leaves once he has had enough of her. Careful on his part really, about getting rid of her, but stupid as it leaves him vulnerable for about eight minutes while the guard walks to and from the car.”
“Eight minutes, doesn’t give me long now does it?”
“More than enough time to get in and poke the man in the bum with your wet syringe” said Le Roux with a smile and a nasty wink.
“You’re disgusting, Le Roux.”
“I know! But seriously, not in the bum. Mann has a dirty habit with a needle that you’ll see evidence of on his arms, just find a used spot and use it again, hold him down while you inject the stuff and it will paralyze him almost instantly, just be sure not to leave a mark, obviously. Easy as, really.”
Night sighed and looked at the menu but truthfully food was the last thing on his mind.
“Much more common way of removing people than you may think, Mike. It’s very effective, I’ve used it before.”
‘If he’s a user then why not just spike his stash, so much easier I would imagine.”
“Couldn’t get to his dealer. Good point though…. and actually I did get to his old supplier but he had inexplicably just cut the man out, missed his last purchase by a day, could have been that new escort of his. Prostitutes often bring in new dealers and vice versa, but that’s probably a good thing, eh, else you wouldn’t have been needed at all, we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to pop your cherry.”
Night looked up from his menu and regarded Le Roux with a level gaze and despite his few qualities Night decided then and there that if he never laid eyes on the man again it would be for the better.
“I need to eat something. Will you be joining me or should I ask the waitress to go downstairs and get you a packet of biscuits to accompany your beer?
Some time later and Night stood under some trees about 50 metres away from the entrance to the Sunborn hotel. The Batman and Penguin had proven to be a huge hit at the Comic Con and Night and Le Roux had posed for dozens of photographs and selfies with excited comic book enthusiasts and even other Batmen and their sidekicks or nemesis. The fair had grown in attendance from a few dozen fans in the early morning until now, just after lunch, where there were thousands of people in attendance with a large portion also taking part in the cosplay aspect of the conference.
“I need a seat, Mike, my tiny feet are killing me!”
The two men found a small bench and Le Roux gratefully slumped into the sitting position.
“You stink, Freddie!”
“Well, I’m supposed to aren’t I! I’m the bloody Penguin!”
Le Roux pulled on a bottle of water and offered Night some.
“No thanks, though I wish I could take this bloody costume off.”
“Don’t even think about it, Mike. By this evening there will be dozens, if not hundreds of videos of this bloody dress up party on YouTube and just one of you with your mask off and if anyone wanted to they could trace your movements back to the hotel.”
“I understand that though we should have taken some time out earlier at the hotel.”
“Bloody shark! This is the game and this the way it works, you think this was hard, huh! You should be so bloody lucky it’s so cold in this country, imagine doing this in 30 degree heat! So bloody soft.”
Night nudged Le Roux and discreetly indicated where Alexis was being escorted out of the Sunborn Hotel, led by a bodyguard standing easily over six foot six and holding the escort far too low down at the back than was necessary.
“See, and the game is now in its final phase. Remember, Mike, you have about eight minutes from now. I’ll wait here until I see you come out or until that bloody huge bastard comes back while you’re still inside and I’ll delay him whatever way I can, perhaps for a photograph, eh?”
Night got to his feet and prepared to enter the floating hotel but before he could depart Le Roux caught him by the cape.
“Jeesus, man! Don’t forget this!”
Night looked down at the keycard in Le Roux’s hand, took it and realised just how nervous he was. He felt his heartbeat surge and mentally told himself to calm down and took a deep breath.
“Remember the room number?”
Night turned and looked at Le Roux.
“Yes, and I remember the route to it as though it was imprinted on my mind.”
“Ok, Batman. Then go get em, tiger.”
“Fuck you, Le Roux.”
As Freddie laughed Night had the realisation that his former police colleague was in fact well suited to being The Penguin. Le Roux was still laughing as Night turned and made his way towards the hotel entrance. Night felt his adrenalin kick in and tunnel vision began to take hold as his hearing vanished and he became virtually deaf to everything around him. Only the persistent tugging on his costume sleeve snapped him out of his adrenalin trance and he turned to find three young Batman fans at his side.
“Can we take a photo with you please, Batman?”
Night looked over the young girl dressed as a Pokémon character, batting her eyelids at him enthusiastically, to see Le Roux nodding at him as Night remembered
The Penguin’s words to him earlier ‘A lot of people will want to take photos of you, batman, so be nice, if you don’t you’ll look very suspicious.’
Night stopped just long enough for the Pokémon to get their snaps and in truth was grateful for the opportunity to shake off the effects of the adrenalin building in his bloodstream, something he had managed to do while in a shootout through a technique, he both developed and perfected, called re-focusing.
Calmer, more determined, Night continued his walk to the Sunborn and within moments he was on board and as observed earlier, security was totally non-existent as Le Roux had said it would be.
“No security, at all?”
“None boet, nothing, not on board and at none of the hotels around the docks, just doormen for when people get too drunk and that’s only in the evenings.”
The hotel was extremely busy with masses of Comic Con visitors taking the opportunity to visit the yacht and other cos-players using it as the perfect photographic venue for their James Bond attires.
Night quickly found the golden staircase of the reception hall, that he had seen only hours earlier on their first recce of the hotel and then the first corridor and then the final right turn until he walked to the end of the passageway and found the room number he was looking for. Night felt that something was drastically wrong. Internally he was faltering.
I am not a murderer.
And then.
I have to do this, for Lisa, for her parents.
Night took another deep breath and steeled himself putting vengeance and anger at the forefront of his mind and remembering the most important rule any operator ever need remember – Violence and conviction in action.
He pulled out the keycard, which was a clone of the master key and was about to place it into the reader when he noticed that the door was slightly ajar and already open. Night put his ear to the door and heard nothing then as quietly as he could pushed the door open with his foot and entered the dark room.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw the prone figure of Mann in the large room’s bed, the duvet covers pulled low to just above his knees. His neck riding high on a number of pillows stacked one atop another and immediately noticed the paleness of the man’s skin. The former army Major and now mercenary businessman was painfully thin with the exception of his stomach which was oversized and looked bloated from a bad diet and too much drink. His arms were covered in tattoos and Night almost felt sorry for the man as he saw him lying there defenceless in his underpants.
Night In London (Night Series Book 2) Page 31