Raise The Price

by Mark Stanley

  "You're all flying out from the UK on the 20th and I'll be flying down to meet you in Barbados on the 22nd, as I'm staying in New York to try and tidy up something's just so that I don't get called back."

  Victoria looked at me, the look that said everything that she couldn't say in public with the children listening.

  "I'll be there, don't worry!"

  On Sunday, we took the children ten-pin bowling and afterwards we saw a movie and had a visit to a new Tex-Mex restaurant which was pretty good and thoroughly enjoyed by all. We try very hard to do normal things with the children as we both feel it’s really important, despite always being snapped. After the children had gone off to bed we sat down and perused the weekend’s papers, a rare treat but Victoria was preoccupied in ensuring that she laid the law down, again.

  "Don't you dare leave me in the lurch in the Caribbean? It's Christmas, the children need you there and so do I so don't disappoint Stanley, I mean it!"

  Before New York, there was much to be done. On Monday after the children had departed, we went across to Ascot Park, our developing home. I hadn't been here for a few weeks but every time I do, I'm struck by the size of the tent that engulfs the whole of the house, but I had to admit, it had been inspired thinking by Victoria, because through the wet autumn work had continued unimpeded and the progress was startling.

  "Morning Mark, Victoria, Victoria can I just say you look so well obviously pregnancy agrees with you."

  "Thank you Giles how are things here?"

  "I estimate that from the initial programme, with the installation of the covering, we've saved a little over fifteen weeks on the build. Remarkable as that is, it is insignificant when you factor in the inevitable delays which would be around the corner now that winter has arrived. Shall we?" He guided us through the entrance of the scaffolding to a different World. The activity was nothing less than incredible. We walked around the site, no small accomplishment for something as gigantic as Ascot Park and then stepped into the site office to look at the detailed programme with the various Project Managers and assistants.

  "We'll be watertight by the end of the week Lord Stanley, and then we can drop the scaffolding and expose the build to the elements."

  "Excellent news, are all the windows now in?"

  "No Lady Stanley. The guys have been installing them for almost a month now and the ground level ones are the biggest and most difficult so they're not finished but they will be by the end of this week and we've got almost seventy percent of the workforce coming in between Christmas and New Year and so the first fix of electrics and plumbing has already commenced."

  "How many are on site?"

  "Just over four hundred, which is a reduction as when the bricklayers were here as well then it was over five hundred."

  The discussions went on for some time as we wanted to have a firm handle on where the project was at and this took longer than anticipated.

  We, along with Giles were in the helicopter on our way to the office.

  "Pleased?"

  "Very much so Giles I think things are going splendidly, don't you Mark?"

  "Yes I do. I think, all things being equal we look as if we should be in by late summer next year Giles?"

  "I'd prefer to work to early autumn, there's always a buggeration factor on these big projects but you'll be in well before next Christmas."

  The smiles were still in place when we got to the office and went our separate ways.

  "Mark, how nice of you to drop in and find time for us away from saving the World." Was Felicity’s greeting.

  "I wish I could save myself from you and your humour. Come on let's get on with it."

  Although I had been away for a while, I was involved, everyday, in the activities of not only MSP but also Brompton Estates. At MSP, we had other, property streams but I was very conscious that Ludo would shortly be out, if not exactly on his ear and things may get more difficult. For the last few weeks we had been buying lots. I'd injected into MSP, a hundred and fifty million pounds from my Brompton dowry in the form of a loan to ensure that we had the capital to act and with Ludo's assistance we had been extremely busy. Of course, it helped immensely that the right kind of properties were coming onto the market. Giles was concerned that we were taking on too much and in normal circumstances I would have agreed, but this wasn't normal and once Ludo left and joined us we had to ensure that we had sufficient property and that we weren't being forced into taking on projects that were outside of our normal desirable areas and below our normal standards. Brompton's are a completely different kettle of fish. They didn't need to worry about finding property for it finds them. Since the purchase of Kensington Estates we had set about the re-designing of the two barracks. It shouldn't prove too problematical; Brompton's as usual wished to retain the freehold, only selling the property on a leasehold basis. These meant that things, such as, open spaces, had been encouraged in discussions with the architects and were likely to find favour with the Planning Officer. The shopping centres were actually a bit of a goldmine as not only do they produce the best part of a hundred million pounds in rents but there are possibilities to extend and enhance, all of which will be done. I had, unbeknown to Victoria, fielded a phone call only this morning where I was given the heads-up that Tulip Estates, are, very quietly, going about looking for a suitor and would Brompton's be interested? To which the response had been 'very much so', now I was looking at spreadsheets of cash-flow forecasts and ready assets which confirmed what I had suspected, Brompton's had the money, just.

  "Hello, can't you live without me for even an hour..."

  I told Victoria about the deal and that I wanted Brompton's to do it.

  "Can we afford too?"

  "You can't afford not to. They have two choice streets abutting a large chunk of your existing estate. Normally they wouldn't entertain a deal with Brompton's, but with Mark Stanley? Well let’s just say that it won't be a problem."

  "It'll be a major problem getting your ego onto an aeroplane!"

  But whilst the deal could and should be done, I needed to ensure that I wasn't risking the company; I'd do it with MSP but with Brompton Estates? Not a chance so I spoke with Brompton's CFO, Barry Douglas, who assured me the income stream was sufficiently robust to withstand this purchase so long as there wouldn't be another for the foreseeable future. Brompton's were already undertaking a vast development on South Audley Street and Victoria was working on another, on the site of the old offices on Park Lane, after all these deals and developments were done, Brompton Estates will be a fifteen billion pound company.

  "I'll see you next Tuesday in Barbados."

  "I want to come with you."

  "We've already discussed this. If you're taking a sabbatical starting in two days time, you need to make sure that everything is in order because when the new boss arrives...well I hear that he's a slave driver."

  The new plane is just great. When the job came up with the UN there was no question that I wouldn't get priority use of it. Victoria's parents don't use it very often and anyway they're already ensconced on the 'Melissa' for the next six months. It would be turned around at La Guardia in New York and be back at Farnborough in time for Victoria et al to fly out. On-board I had had one of the bedrooms converted into an office because for me, unfortunately the days of in-flight movies are in the past. I was met at the top of the stairs by the Captain, John Carmichael and his colleagues and we had a chat about the weekend’s football scores and what would maybe happen over Christmas fixtures. I'm a fervent Chelsea supporter and so their domination of the season, to date, allowed me show my smug side.

  I sat in my seat laptop already fired up as we began our taxi. I looked out of the window, it was a really horrible day, strong winds and low temperatures which would undoubtedly feel warm compared to New York, where the weather forecast was pretty dire. With the new job came a requirement for a PA, Felicity and Poppy are both struggling with their own workloads and we're already interviewing fo
r more help so utilising their skills, well it was never an option. Meet Caroline my UN appointed PA. Not only are her skills top-notch but she also knows the people at the UN and the workings of the organisation and so is a perfect choice. She had come over a week beforehand so that we could get up to speed for my eventual arrival back in New York. We had been steadily working through the mass of paperwork for three hours and I needed a break, I also needed a chat with the head of the CPO’s Tom Wilson.

  Tom was sitting with the other guys in their rather nice seating area, when I wandered down and sat beside him. The chatter died and all you could hear were the engines as every pair of ears and eyes became focused on me.

  "So Tom tell me a story?"

  He looked puzzled. "I'm sorry Lord Mark, a story, I'm afraid I don't understand?"

  "Tell me a story about why, since yesterday, we've had more guys on duty? Tell me a story about why, instead of the normal quota of guys that travel with me, there are now additional gentlemen, none incidentally that I know? Tell me a story about why my schedule for next year has been suspended? Tell me a story about why you're all so on edge? Tell me a story about why I need to ring Mister Coombes, urgently?"

  "I think you should speak with Mister Coombes first Lord Mark?"

  "But I don't like Mister Coombes, Tom, he's a spook and I don't trust spooks anymore as the last-time that I trusted a spook I got shot, so come on Tom, tell me a story."

  He didn't look as if he was going to tell me anything, but then. "Can we go to your office Lord Mark?"

  "Caroline, can you give us some space please?" I smiled as she left closing the door behind her Tom Wilson sat in the chair whilst I rested my buttocks on the desk.

  "So Tom, the story?"

  "You need to ring Mister Coombes and when you do the questions you ask now you must ask then because I've had a full briefing and I don't want to risk fouling up?"

  "Don't worry about Coombes I'll ensure that you're left out of the discussions."

  "As you know, since the attack, Saifallah Ben Hassaine has been back in Benghazi licking his wounds? We've been trying to get intelligence but we've had no luck. In the last few weeks he has been holed up in a high-density area along with lots of like-minded guys but also with innocent people, living in the same block and the surrounding area making an air-strike unacceptable due to the high level of collateral damage? None of these guys carry or use mobile phones or email and so all communications are word of mouth so we can't intercept what they don't transmit and the assets that we had…are no more."

  "Just stopped working for you?"

  "Yes in a way, they've been killed. We think that after the attack they looked at everyone and made some decisions, which was pretty bad luck for our guys."

  "So why do we have the extra guys now?"

  "Since your appointment to the UN and your 'Precipice' speech, your profile and that of Lady Victoria have both rocketed and we've been concerned about the quietness of Saifallah Ben Hassaine…”

  “But we can't get information because we have no assets I know you told me that, so your concern is...illogical."

  "We have no assets Lord Mark but the Americans do? It seems that The White House has been briefed and with your relationship with the current and in all likelihood the next President being so close, they have made the cousins divulge what they know?"

  "Cousins?"

  "Langley Lord Mark, the CIA. What we have learnt is that Saifallah Ben Hassaine is in the process of, or has already put together a new cell under the control of a man that's unknown to us and the cousins, who is only known by his nickname which is Eight."

  "Eight? What sort of nickname is Eight?"

  "We believe that the Eight refers to the number of fingers and thumbs he has, whether through an accident or birth defect we don't know. What we do know is that Eight has been highly successful before. It is believed that Saifallah Ben Hassaine trusts Eight like a son and it was Eight who recruited and ultimately controlled the gunman Seifeddine Rezgui when he slaughtered all of those people in the Tunisian beach resort of Sousse? This is the man that has been charged with and funded to set up the cell which they hope will kidnap you or if that is not deemed possible arrange to kill you."

  I turned and poured myself a glass of water, which I sipped.

  "Just me or Victoria and the children?"

  "You're the primary target, Lady Victoria would be seen as a fortunate addition but there's been no mention, at least the cousins are unaware of anybody else outside of you two but that's not to say that if the opportunity arose that they would spurn it, but you are the one that they really want."

  "And the extra security?"

  "Your personal threat level has been raised and is now critical, which means an attack is expected imminently Lord Stanley, hence the additional security and the suspension of your visits list. We can't be sure but we are assuming that someone within the UN will be feeding your visits to Saifallah Ben Hassaine, he in turn will be feeding the information to Eight."

  "But I can't go into hiding I've a job to do."

  "We appreciate that Lord Mark but so do we?"

  I stood and walked around to the other side of the desk and sat in my chair. Aware of a beating heart and a raised pulse.

  "So what do you suggest?"

  "With or without Lady Victoria's knowledge?"

  I didn't hesitate.

  "With."

  I couldn't hide this from Victoria, it wouldn't be fair or right after the last attack.

  Tom smiled the smile of relief and theatrically exhaled.

  "I thought you were going to say without which would have made life for everyone more difficult. What we want is for Lady Victoria to stay back in the UK as yours and her level of protection is much, much higher there and we can better handle situations as and if they arise."

  I thought about this for a while.

  "She's not going to travel much after Christmas anyway, so I think that should be relatively easy to get her agreement with."

  Tom looked far from convinced. In the last year he had witnessed firsthand how difficult it could be to convince Victoria of anything she didn't want to do.

  "Additionally, with the twins due in late March, she won't be allowed to travel beyond February. But I can't stop my travels Tom as it's important that I see firsthand what the issues are and I can't do that from New York. For instance, I must go to Nairobi in Kenya, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, to Yaounde in Cameroon, plus Kigali in Rwanda, Rabat in Morocco, Lusaka in Zambia and Niamey in Niger and those are just in January. I've got to deal them all bad news and that's not something that I'm looking forward to but neither is it something that I'll run away from and send an emissary or worse, an email."

  "But Lord Mark some of those countries are not safe for you." Tom looked extremely worried, a rare sight.

  "Then we'll have to work to try and make my transit through them safe. I don't know how that's going to be achieved Tom but you have to find a way. Anyway, why are they planning to kidnap me, extort money, publicity, what?"

  Tom just stared at me. It wasn't a question that he wished to answer and then the penny dropped.

  "Tom, I need to know that you have my back, you and your colleagues, wherever and whatever I'm doing?"

  "You don't have to ask that Lord Mark."

  "But Tom, I also need a promise that you will make and bind your colleagues too?"

  "Of course Lord Mark, what is it?"

  "If the shit is going down and there is no escape and I'm going to be captured I need you to promise Tom?"

  "Exactly what are you asking Lord Mark?"

  "That you won't let me be captured, because I don't want Victoria or the children to see me on national television news being beheaded."

  Chapter 14

  Of course, everyone knew it was coming and few of us took heed, including me.

  On the Sunday evening, I was to be found hosting a dinner at 'Jean-Georges' for seven of the more...difficult African delegate
s to the UN. I wasn't rude, that's not in my nature, but I wasn't about to be dissuaded from my task and I had a rough-time holding firm, to not only my ideals but also to the principles of the UN. The seven represented net beneficiaries of the UN fund that I'm President of and it was my job to try and negotiate a more level playing field. They hadn't liked it and at one stage I thought two of them were going to up and leave but they had stayed and we persevered with the meal and I with my strategy. At the end, they had wheedled out of me a couple of concessions but not everything that I had been prepared to offer to get the deal done. At the conclusion of the meal we had all departed, I hoped with a better understanding of what the others wanted and hopefully far more clarity going forward. 'Jean-Georges' is located on the West Side of Central Park, which is the opposite side to my hotel of residence, The Carlyle, and it was eerily quiet as we traversed across in the cavalcade. On arrival and as Victoria couldn't see me, I had gone into the bar and had a couple of drinks, just a couple, as I hadn't drank during the meal. There was a very adept trio playing some 'show tunes' and easy listening stuff which was really enjoyable to listen to and unwind after the day I'd had and I went to bed happy in the knowledge that I would be back with my family in the morrow, how wrong I was.

  The first I knew was when I got up to use the bathroom. Snow has a strange effect and I was very aware that the normal street noises were not audible. I went into the sitting room and looked out in absolute amazement. New York has a unique climate, being so far North and on the Eastern Seaboard. It's prone to wild extremes, in the summer; it regularly gets to in excess of a hundred degrees but not in winter and certainly not in the early hours of a December Monday morning, for it was a blizzard conditions.

  I decided, mainly because there were no other options but to work from the study in the room with the television on for company. The pictures that continued to be shown were of almost a complete white-out from the Carolinas, through New York State and on into Canada. New York State had and was continuing to receive the brunt of the storm with over three feet of snow and it was still falling. I had Skyped Victoria and the children showing them the scene from my room, but even then you couldn't see the street below, the snow was so heavy.