Shaw pulled his cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one. Lawrence did the same and raised his glass to James who also raised his glass. They both stood up and walked over to the swimming pool and looked across the top of the city, La Giralda the cathedral bell tower was visible in the distance. Looking straight ahead Lawrence said to James.
‘When you think about it, why are we here? The RAF could simply destroy those rigs that are being built and we would defeat Argentina in full combat. So why send us here to stop this Ramos deal happening, even though they want Powell to get the money as he apparently always pays his tax.'
James also kept looking ahead and replied.
'Strange isn't it, our people think that these rigs are going to be used for an invasion of the Falklands and a group of con men currently have the drilling permits for the area where the rigs are, these men also pay tax on the money they con out of people, you couldn't make this up, even Hollywood would turn that down. Let's forget all that. we will strategize tomorrow, tonight lets drink, smoke and have fun.'
Lawrence smiled in agreement.
Earlier when James Shaw was dropping off the hire car at Santa Justa station; Lawrence Sharif made a phone call to his counterpart in Direction Generale de la Securite Exterieure or DGSE (The French equivalent of MI6) for assistance if it was required. Peter Bernard the director and Lawrence are old friends and he agreed to help when required. When walking back to the hostel, James called his brother John Shaw, a Major in the Royal Marines. James asked him if he could fly over and base himself in Triana on the other side of the river to Seville, he said that he would and that he would arrive the day after tomorrow. Shaw and Sharif let the other know what they had done and they both agreed that they may well need all the help they could get, as they did not know how many people they were up against or if would just be Javier Ramos and a handful of goons.
After having a few more beers on the rooftop terrace, James and Lawrence headed along the river and settled on a bar that was just starting to get busy as the hot Andalusian sun began to set. The bar was a mix of locals and tourists, who all seemed to be enjoying the ambience of the bar and city in general. Shaw and Sharif were drinking bottles of local beer and chatting, when a group of females caught their eyes a few feet away. They appeared to be in their early twenties and were either American or Canadian, both had had too many beers to be able to tell the difference. Shaw suggested that they go over but Sharif said.
'Come on Jim, they will think we are a couple of old sad cases.'
Shaw laughed and replied 'Don't be stupid, come on let's go say hello and stop calling me Jim, I have told you how many times.'
They walked over and introduced themselves to the five girls, who said they were from various parts of the USA. Shaw struck up conversation with one who had introduced herself as Delinda Saint Germain.
‘James Shaw. Delinda, I have not heard that name before it is a lovely name. Did you say Saint Germain?’
‘I sure did’
‘Is that like Paris?’ James replied but the joke fell on deaf ears.
Delinda was tall with light brown hair that reached halfway down her back, blue eyes, not dissimilar to James's eye colour, she had tanned skin and was wearing a pink lipstick, dressed in a black top with a jean jacket and jean shorts.
‘What is your accent? Where are you from?’ Delinda asked.
‘Liverpudlian, more commonly referred to as scouse. I am from Liverpool. I detect southern United States from you, is that right?’
‘Yeah, Nashville, Tennessee. Liverpool that is so cool. Can I ask how old you are?’
‘Thirty-Six’ James did not ask Delinda, he was always told never to ask a woman's age, she told him anyway.
‘I am twenty-six.’
James nodded and took his cigarettes out of his pocket, he offered one to Delinda, which she accepted.
Delinda and her friends were on a backpacking trip around Europe after graduating from Harvard University. Seville was their last stop, before heading back to the USA from Malaga airport in a weeks’ time.
‘Are you and your friend here on vacation or are you travelling?’
‘No, just a City-Break to get away from the daily grind. How about yourself?’
‘We have been to Italy, France, Germany and now Spain. How long have you been here, you have a very nice tan?’ Delinda asked.
Shaw could see no benefit in lying to Delinda so he told her a half-truth instead.
‘I have been working in Cyprus for the last few years for the High Commission. What is it you do back home?’
‘I have just finished a law degree at Harvard University, I am hoping to go in to commercial or financial law when I get back stateside. What do you do for work in Cyprus? I am not sure where that is?’
‘It is an island in the Mediterranean, I work for the High Commission, which is what commonwealth countries have instead of embassies. I work as a trade advisor.’
Delinda laughed and asked. ‘Is that like a spy or something?’
'If only it was that exciting.’
James Shaw looked over at Lawrence Sharif who looked to be enjoying himself talking to one of Delinda’s friends Ally Simmonds from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
‘My friend Lawrence seems to be getting along well with your friend.’
‘They sure look like they are having fun’
‘Where are you going after here?’
‘Do you mean tonight or for travels?’
‘Both’ James answered.
‘I am kinda enjoying myself here with you and Malaga before our flight home next week.’ Delinda replied in her strong southern US accent.
James reached out and held her free hand and began to kiss Delinda slowly, she put both her arms around his waist and slowly worked her tongue around his they held the embrace for a few minutes.
'I like it here too' James answered smiling at Delinda she returned the smile and kept hold of his hand.
‘Would you like a drink?’
‘Sure, a Jack Daniels and Coke please.’
‘OK, I will be right back.’
James left Delinda and motioned for Lawrence to join him at the bar. James ordered the drinks and turned to Lawrence.
‘How is it going with Ally?’
‘Yes, cannot complain, she seems like a nice girl. What about you?’
‘Yeah, good, I am going to ask her for lunch tomorrow.’
‘Just remember to keep your head in the game Jim.’
‘Have I ever let you down?’ And enough of the Jim.’
‘I won’t answer that.’
Shaw and Sharif jostled their way through the crowded bar with the drinks back to where the girls were standing waiting for them.
Delinda, Ally and the other three girls were staying in an apartment that they had rented on Air BnB a short walk away from the bar in the Santa Cruz area of the city. Backpacking certainly had changed since Shaw had done it years ago, for him back then it was all about hostels and sandwiches for dinner to save money for drinking, now it was Air BnB and three course meals, well for some people anyway.
Shaw and Delinda shared another kiss, this time without the awkwardness of the first time.
They held each other and looked deep in to each other’s eyes.
‘Would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?’ James asked nervously. This was the first time that he could recall being nervous around a member of the opposite sex.
‘I would love too, thank you.’
They exchanged phone numbers and agreed to text each other the next day. The one thing Shaw had noticed when he first started talking to the girls was that they all had a copy of Rick Steves’ Spain guidebook poking out of the top of their handbags. Shaw knew of Rick Steves, he is Americas premier travel writer and his guidebooks are famous.
'Do you mind if I borrow your guidebook until lunch tomorrow, it may help me pick a good place for us to eat?'
Delinda replied 'Sure, no problem’ and handed it over
to James.
One of Delinda's friends asked James and Lawrence if they would like to go back to their apartment for a nightcap.
James quickly replied.
'No thank you, I don't wear them' the women started laughing and Lawrence smiled.
‘Thank you for the offer but we have to be up early, we have booked a time slot for some sights I am afraid.’ Lawrence said.
‘No problem, I am looking forward to lunch.’ Delinda said smiling at James. Lawrence had asked Ally for a lunch date and she accepted.
Lawrence offered to take a picture of James and Delinda with his phone. He motioned them in to position. The first picture he took completely missed them, instead taking a photo of the other side of the road along with the river bank.
'Sorry about that, let me try again' he said and took a picture of the two of them smiling with their arms around each other, he then invited the others on and took a selfie of the seven of them.
Javier Ramos was now at home, his wife had left before he returned from the hotel, maybe she had finally walked away from being a human punch bag every time he lost his temper. Ramos was just about to retire for the evening when his phone rang, he answered it on speakerphone.
'Hello sir, there are two British men here, one of them works for the Royal Air Force, the other we are not sure about, they flagged up when they checked into a backpacker's hostel after their passport details had been entered into the police database.’
Ramos sighed then asked 'What are their intentions? Are they here about our deal or are they on holiday?'
The man replied 'We are not sure yet but we will tail them tomorrow and see what they are up to, most likely nothing but thought you would like to know.’
Ramos thanked the man for letting him know and asked to be kept updated, he then ended the call.
'Brits, I hate them they better not interfere with this deal or it is game over for them' he said to himself out loud.
James Shaw and Lawrence Sharif hailed two taxis, one to take Delinda, Ally and their friends back to the apartment they were staying in and the other to take them back to the hostel. James and Delinda kissed again. James then bid Delinda good night and said he will arrange lunch for them tomorrow, he climbed in to the back seat of the taxi alongside Lawrence and both vehicles pulled away from the kerb.
'Nice girls, good idea to go out Jim.'
James looked at Lawrence and said 'They are indeed, I look forward to lunch tomorrow, are you doing anything with Ally?'
'Yes, we are going to Museo de Bellas Artes de Sevilla then we will grab a spot of lunch Jim.' James let out a small chuckle and replied.
'Living on the edge as always and what have I told you about calling me Jim.'
'Sorry Jim, her idea not mine, I am just going to look interested in some paintings and then go for lunch. After which we have work to do.’
'I am warning you, OK but first of all let's go for a walk around the old town before we meet our dates. I would like for you to see the Real Alcázar.’
The taxi pulled up outside the hostel, both men went inside and got into their beds. They quickly fell asleep.
NINE
In his Liverpool apartment Lyndon Powell was fast asleep, that was until his phone vibrated on the bedside table and woke him up.
Who the devil is this he said to himself as he reached over to look at his phone, it was a text from Mike Williams which read Call me ASAP.
Lyndon dialled Mikes number and before Mike could say anything he said.
'This better be important, do you know what time it is?’
Mike apologised and said 'Just had a call from our friend Javier Ramos, asking if we have sent two people over to Seville early, obviously we haven't so I told him no we are arriving Sunday.'
Lyndon more alert now said 'Why would he ask that, he is paranoid, I thought you told him we would be arriving on the Tuesday, oh what does it matter anyway see you tomorrow, goodnight.'
He ended the call and fell back to sleep after ten minutes of trying to make sense of what Mike had said about people being in Seville ahead of them.
He must be getting nervous as the deal gets closer, just paranoid. The sooner this was all over the better Lyndon said to himself.
TEN
'Right get up' Shaw said as he was shaking Lawrence who had just started to stir.
'What is the meaning of this, what time is it?' Lawrence asked groggily.
Shaw was already showered and dressed in a white Ralph Lauren polo shirt, white chinos with a brown belt and his Clarks Desert boots with his sunglasses on his head ready to go out. Lawrence got up and headed for the shower.
‘Hurry up’ Shaw shouted after him.
Sharif replied by sticking two fingers up as he walked down the corridor.
He came back from the shower which was down the hall, dressed in a red Ralph Lauren polo shirt, grey chinos and grey Clarks Desert boots. The pair of them set off down the stairs and out of the front door and turned left heading towards the cathedral, which was at the centre of the city and the main reference point for navigation. Sharif's phone made a beeping noise, it was a text message from Peter Bernard at DGSE in Paris, Sharif told Shaw.
'Our friends in Paris inform me that the man I took a picture of last night is part of Argentina’s special forces.'
'What picture and what man, why would an Argentine soldier be here?'
'The one I retook of you and Delinda, I noticed this man earlier on and he hadn't moved all night, it was concerning me so I took a photo of him and sent it to Peter to find out who he is.’
Shaw smiled and said 'You don’t miss a trick do you, can we assume he is a friend of Javier Ramos and that he won't be the only one out here?'
'Yes, we must assume he isn't alone and that he is working for or with Ramos, this could create a problem, not so much for us but for Lyndon Powell and his people when they arrive. We have to seriously work this out before Sunday.’
James Shaw had the guidebook he had borrowed from Delinda open as he walked.
'Yes, instead of observing, then taking Ramos out we may have to protect Powell and his crew from these Argentinian soldiers, assuming there is more than just one.’ he said ‘First let's check out the Real Alcazar, a Royal Palace still in use by the Royal Family and its fabulous gardens, then we will meet our dates for lunch and art galleries.'
Sharif laughed 'Good job you have got that guidebook, otherwise what would we be doing now?'
'Well if it was up to you, we would still be in bed hungover, I got it for the maps, they are better than using my phone because they are zoomed in on the old town and the streets are named.’
They carried on walking and entered Avenida de la Constitution, the main thoroughfare through the city, it runs alongside the cathedral, which was lined with shops, cafes and bars.
‘Let us get a selfie together with the street behind us.’ Sharif said.
He took the photo and looked at his phone for about twenty seconds and asked Shaw.
'Can you find somewhere quiet?'
'Yes, turn left here and up to the top of this street, I spotted him in Plaza Nueva we will go past the cathedral, pick up the pace, then wait for him to pass us.’
Javier Ramos answered his phone 'Si.'
'Sir, I think they are tourists; I have just followed them, they have a guidebook open and were stopping to take photos of themselves, maybe they are a couple, I don't know but they look like tourists to me.' The man on the other end of the phone call said.
'OK thank you, keep a trail on them for another hour then if nothing happens that suggests otherwise, we must assume they are just tourists, keep me posted, I have to go my wife has just returned.'
He ended the call and launched in to a tirade against his wife, saying how dare you walk out on me. She apologised and said she will try to be a good wife from now on like she had on many occasions.
Shaw and Sharif were almost running they were walking so fast. They quickly stepped into a sho
p, selling tourist souvenir items such as magnets, post cards and a host of other tourist knick-knacks opposite the La Giralda bell tower. They were looking at stuff in the shop whilst keeping a watchful eye on the street for the man that had been following them. They purchased some postcards from the cashier. James turned to Lawrence and said.
'Watch this.'
He stepped out of the shop in front of the Argentinian special forces soldier, startling him. 'Hello do you speak English?'
'Yes' the man replied.
'Good, I think I am lost. My friend and I are looking for the Real Alcázar I think we took a wrong turn; can you help?' Shaw asked.
'Yes, walk past La Giralda, follow the cathedral wall and the Alcázar entrance is straight ahead' the man answered.
'Gracias, thank you' Shaw said.
He and Sharif headed off in the direction the man had explained to them.
'Turista’s' the Argentinian said to himself as he walked off before calling Javier Ramos.
Shaw and Sharif queued up for tickets to enter the Real Alcázar when Sharif's phone began to chirp.
'OK, I see thank you for letting me know, not yet, we should be OK I will let you know if things change, thank you again good bye.' he said to Peter Bernard in Paris.
'Now I know why we are on our own for this one' Sharif said.
'Why, what are the French saying?' Shaw asked.
'The man who has been following us is not alone, there are twenty in total, all assigned to Javier Ramos personally as of two months ago, they all arrived with diplomatic bags so we must assume that they are armed.' Replied Sharif.
Shaw stood in silence for thirty seconds deep in thought.
'MI6 and whoever else knew this too, that is why they sent us alone. So that Argentina and Britain did not play out a battle on the streets of Spain, I am going to give Will Ramsey a call and see if he can help us out, we both know him and can trust him, he can bring a car too, right fuck this, back to the hostel now, we need to work this out.’
Sharif agreed and they both jumped into a taxi back to the hostel to save time.
One Last Time Page 7