Ultimatum

by Lynda Filler

  The team held their heads high. Love of country was the element that kept this team together. They would do whatever it took to get the job done.

  “I’m waiting for one last piece of intel. The question is what and how. I know the why: money, greed. But what exactly they are doing or how I hope to know before we land. Relax. Sleep. In a short time, I will let you in on my plan; dream of skyscrapers and a rooftop rendezvous. The rest will come together as I get more intel.”

  The team nodded, some asleep before their heads hit their seatbacks.

  57

  Singapore, Malaysia

  THE POWERFUL BOEING Business jet landed gently at the JetQuay luxury terminal in the golden rays of the early evening sunset. Tariq stretched, yawned and shook the kinks out of his well-toned body. He had changed into his Tom Ford suit thirty minutes from Singapore. The close shave, white crisp shirt, and Harvard tie would fool anyone into thinking Tariq must be a top CEO or perhaps a venture capitalist here to iron out a deal with an Asian startup. They might be surprised to learn that he had customized pockets for both his Sig Sauer and garrote.

  Landing fees for private planes in this airport ranged around $5,000 US dollars. Paying triple ensured a careful avoidance of customs and security checkpoints and allowed his transport to be ready to take off at a moment’s notice.

  His bodyguards cleaned up thoroughly and carried their own weapons. Billy had also employed a Singaporean security consultant from his team to make sure there were no glitches to Tariq’s arrival. A Bentley with a triad driver arranged in advance, waited for the party to disembark.

  “Everything you requested is in the boot, sir. Mr. Lam sends his regards.”

  He glanced at the high-rise towers and thought about the money and greed that prevailed in this city every mile of the drive towards Marina Sands. Money has no government, no loyalty, and no god. His mind wandered to the day he’d been approached while hanging with friends outside a mosque in London. They must have been watching him for a long time. They knew his patterns, his lack of faith, his vices, and his smarts. And they laid out a plan to him that would make him rich. Who were they? Tariq always played dumb. He would stay alive longer.

  But now he knew who they were. He’d used his sources, his enemies and his cunning to break through their walls. He knew every government had a shadow organization, but one that would kill its own military? For a higher cause, they said. Nah, Tariq didn’t buy into any of it. He searched for the bigger picture but didn’t look too closely. Footprints were avoided at all cost. He was sure he was safe. These men were vicious, greedy and determined to rule the USA and right now, they needed him.

  Tariq had his own ideas. He was ready. And today would mark the culmination of all his planning.

  58

  Twenty minutes to Paya Labar Air Base, Singapore

  “THIS IS MEI. She’s Billy’s companion. We’ve been able to get behind some well-built walls and discovered that she is the child of well-known parents, a mother who is, or should I say ‘was,’ a famous Chinese opera singer. Her mother died recently, but there was no news online or in the papers. I believe the Chinese have kept this from the public and from Mei deliberately to ensure that she goes along with monitoring the triad activity outside China.”

  “Luke.”

  “Yes, Luci?”

  “There is something familiar about her. I’m not sure. She reminds me of someone.”

  “If you watch the news, she is Miss Hong Kong. And we may have come across her picture on other ops. Her skills are lethal. She’s mastered all the martial arts including Krav Maga. Let’s consider her neutral at this point. I don’t believe she would interfere where Billy is involved. My understanding is she wants him dead.”

  “So, she’s up to something,” Zach murmured. “We don’t know what, so we watch our backs.”

  “Right. Now we all know Sying and Woo. Something is going on with Woo. We have been watching him since our fiasco when Sying exposed herself to the United States with her operation to steal info from the Office of Personnel Management. We may have underestimated Woo. He kept her empire together while she was in South America recovering from her wounds and getting facial reconstruction. We believe he holds the keys to the codes. We need him.”

  The group mumbled amongst themselves.

  “What is it?”

  “Woo is not a fighter. He will disappear at the first sign of blood. That’s what he did last time he met me,” Luci bragged. The team whistled.

  “Alright then. Billy’s reputation precedes him; a flamboyant victim of his own product, cocaine, and a sometime user of heroin. He’s cruel and misogynistic; our intel says he routinely leaves marks on Mei’s body. He’s become a top exporter of hard drugs to the US. The government wants him eliminated. He’s after the money. Power he already has. No one in the triads dares go against him. That means we cut off the head. It will take time to find a new leader. We destroy his network before that happens. I think after a few drinks, he should be relaxed enough to take down.”

  “Famous last words Luke,” RB added.

  “Maybe Mei will want her revenge. Let me watch Billy.” Maggie suggested. The bitterness of her past battles over her choice of sexuality tainted her desire to always get even with misogynistic men. Luke knew of her unprosecuted rape at the hands of a college football team. He tolerated her bias as long as it was on the side of right.

  “If so, we will let Mei at him. Maggie, you take him out if she doesn’t. But first issue an ultimatum for information.”

  “Here’s the latest on Tariq. David sent it to us from Raqaa. Kind of fuzzy, but you get the body type. Typical Arab terrorist; average looking, wouldn’t notice him in a crowd. No defining features. I have an old picture of him from London before he was recruited.”

  Nods all around as they studied his photo on tablets.

  “Now this one is hazardous. Tariq is the leader of ISIS; responsible for Paris and Brussels terror recently, and so many other frightening events. He’s got cells set up throughout the USA. My source wants him alive. He’s got intel on a group in America who are feeding him top-secret details and supporting his cause. There’s a catch.” Everyone eyed Luke.

  “The subversive group in the US is power brokers. We think we’ve got it narrowed down, but these men have pulled the strings in the White House for a long time. We need proof, and we believe Tariq can lead us to them! They’ve sold out their country for personal gain. We know they are behind Josh, although he had no idea. They’ve been using cartel money to support ISIS so likely someone in their group is high-level CIA. They’re responsible for the creation of ISIS.”

  The group remained silent; lots of head shaking and sighs.

  “This shit is scary deep.” Zach murmured.

  “So, we are dealing with much more than money. There are vital secrets here. With Tariq, we try for information, but he probably doesn’t have what we need. Zach, you have an intense interest in the Middle East. Use your judgment.” Then he looked at Luci.

  “Sying is yours, Luci.” Luci nodded; no response necessary.

  “And Billy Yee, once we get his computer information, let Mei look after him. If she needs help, Maggie, you’re in charge. I have a feeling that Mei will co-operate when we inform her what her government has done to her family.

  With Woo, we issue an ultimatum. Our Caltech boys have been onto him for a while. Give us what we need or suffer in a hell that will make Guantanamo Bay look like a Girl Scout meeting.”

  “I have a question, Luke.”

  All eyes turned to Luci.

  “Can we go over how they are all connected again?”

  All eyes and ears were on Raven.

  “As far as we can tell, Sying and Woo have the codes to the cartel bank accounts because of their human trafficking and drug deals in Mexico. Then with the wipeout of El Guapo and his top players, they had the banking information but needed a plan. Sying was already a known player in Mexico so she couldn’t move
the funds on her own. Sying enlisted Billy’s help to transfer and launder the money, but it’s not just one cartel’s money. And Woo has found the foreign accounts of the rogue CIA group run by the power brokers in Washington. They’ve got access to it all. She wants to steal it, billions. And make it untraceable to her. She plans on disappearing with her share of 50 billion dollars.

  Our ears in Singapore have been listening to her, and they intercepted a phone call from Tariq threatening Sying. If she didn’t cut him in on the deal after he lost millions on his business with her in Mexico, he would kill her. Basically, Tariq issued Sying an ultimatum.”

  “You don’t abduct my daughter and sell her to an ISIS pig! I have an ultimatum for her! She’s mine.” The rage in Luci’s voice silenced the group.

  Raven went over the plan one more time. The jet landed abruptly and proceeded to a private high-security hanger.

  “You all know what to do.”

  59

  Singapore, Malaysia

  MEI’S EARS POPPED. The pilot announced 20 minutes until landing in Singapore. She returned to the washroom to re-apply her lipstick and go over her plan once more.

  She opened her bag to retrieve her cosmetics, and she saw the tiny envelope that in her confusion and anger she had neglected to destroy. The Chinese government knew her mother was dead, but they kept it from the public and from her.

  She opened it once more.

  My dear Mei,

  I am writing to tell you I love you. And I am so sorry for being weak. So sorry for making you live a life you despise. Your mother and I chose our careers and the PRC, over our children. Their demands made it unsafe for us to keep you. For this, I will never forgive myself.

  Your mother has passed now. Her illness was painful, but more her heart was so sad for what she had done to her children. I could not protect my family, and for this reason, I am taking my own life.

  I know all of this will be a shock to you. But we made a deal with the devil for all three of you.

  From what I could find out, your sister is out. She now works for …

  Mei couldn’t read further for the blinding tears rolling down her cheeks.

  What did it all mean? How would she find the answers with both her parents dead?

  Mei seethed. She would take everything the State had taught her and use it against them! This was so much bigger than Billy and Mexican cartels, ISIS and the USA. Nothing would stop her from exacting revenge.

  She was declaring war on the Peoples Republic of China.

  60

  Singapore, Malaysia

  WOO CLOSED HIS tablet. Everything that was important to him was in his heart. Therefore, other than the thumb drives which he had already duplicated, mailed to a safe destination and uploaded to the cloud, he took nothing personal with him. He was confident this would be his last night in Singapore.

  He said a prayer before his altar for his family. He and Mei had a plan for their parents also. It would be very soon now when he would be reunited with them, and his life would continue with more money than he could ever imagine.

  He prayed his parents would be proud of their son. And more than anything he longed to be with his sister again. The money from these codes would make their dreams come true.

  He straightened up his room leaving no signs on his intent to leave the premises. Other than a false passport and his codes, his pockets carried nothing of value.

  Before Mme Sying and her partners realized they were in trouble he would have disappeared.

  As he prepared to leave his chambers, his tablet vibrated.

  Only one person could contact him.

  It could only be bad news.

  61

  Singapore, Malaysia

  THE SILVER ROLLS transitioned in and out of traffic elegantly. The driver was part of the triad family and could be trusted. Billy, unaware of the tension Mei felt as she went over her plans, again and again, joked with his security detail.

  Most triad bosses treated their men like scum. Not Billy. These boys were groomed by him, well-armed, knew his every move, every twitch of his eye and had saved him more than once from near death.

  The doorman at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel eyed Mei discreetly. Miss Hong Kong was known for her beauty and her impeccable grace. What was she doing with this thug, he wondered? He snapped his fingers at the bellhop, aware of the scowl he was receiving from the triad boss who had caught him glancing at his possession.

  “Do not move this vehicle. My meeting will be short, and I want it right here in front of the door, waiting.” The doorman had seen many a mobster in his time, but it was not often that he received ten crisp one hundred US dollar bills for keeping an eye on a man’s vehicle.

  “Yes sir,” he snapped to attention forgetting all about the beautiful woman who discreetly patted her thigh; her weapon well hidden from prying eyes.

  62

  Singapore, Malaysia

  THE S-97 WAITED faithfully in a secret hangar at Paya Labar, Singapore. After the success of several critical under-the-radar missions for the US Military, Luke Raven had made it a requirement that the Raider prototype be available when requested. The S-97 flew with speed and maneuverability, essential elements when working in tight quarters with zero room for error, like now.

  “Load up. We go in hot. Plans for the structure are on your tablets. Luci, team, this will be fast. We have eyes on the ground. Personnel replacements with our people are strictly for crowd control. Their photos are on your pads. Familiarize yourself. No action will be taken by anyone other than to protect us. There have been no leaks. We have no reason to believe our quarry will be expecting any interference whatsoever.”

  “Boss, what about civilians?”

  “Not a problem. We have a diversion planned that will scatter civilians. It will cause some panic, but the distraction will be all we’ll need to take what we came for and move out. Remember, we want Tariq. Get the codes RB. Take Woo. Intelligence tells me that Mei will likely not interfere.”

  “And Sying?” Luci asked. A fierce determination in her jade eyes left no doubt what Luci would do to Sying.

  Luke nodded and moved on.

  “Did we get the Wi-Fi hotspots set up to intercept?” RB had sent his instructions ahead to Raven. His job was to cover and provide solutions for every scenario that could crop up or interfere with their plan.

  “RB, two of my Caltech students now work for a security company I own in Asia. I sent our requests to them, and they are onsite configuring the system exactly how we need it. We will have the best security. But for a minute or two, we need to open the systems so the three thieves will be able to pass the info between them. We’re ready. The techs are waiting in our suite.”

  RB smiled.

  “This is going to be so cool!”

  Everyone cracked up. Only a nerd going into battle loaded with HK’s, Sigs and a multitude of hi and low-tech gadgets could call this operation ‘cool.’

  63

  Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore

  SYING AND WOO arrived at the base of Tower 3. The sun was setting, and the sky had turned to flaming gold. He was too nervous to appreciate the Moshe Safdie designed Hotel in Singapore. With so much on his mind and his heart pounding in his chest, he kept his head bowed and his mind alert.

  “Woo, you are certain that everything will work as planned?”

  “Yes, Sying. I have the device I need to capture their information.” Woo glanced towards the dramatic entrance. His mind wandered to the Casino. He could only imagine how much money was gambled day in and out in this Vegas-owned hotel and entertainment complex. He had never been to the Skypark Lounge. But he’d done his homework and knew the rooftop infinity pool alone stretched over the length of five Olympic pools. On any other occasion, he would be excited to spend time on the Observation Deck or enjoy the three towers connected across the roof by the worlds’ largest park in the Sky. But tonight was all business, dangerous business.

  The two body
guards were on high alert for any kind of trouble. One led the way, the other brought up the rear. They communicated with each other by Bluetooth devices. Hotel security nodded, well aware that each man carried concealed weapons. Wealthy patrons made their own rules.

  Woo, Sying and their security detail entered an elevator that rushed them to CÉ LA VI, the renowned rooftop restaurant that perched on the highest point of the hotel.

  The last thing on their minds was food.

  64

  Singapore, Malaysia

  “OH, ISN’T IT beautiful!” Luci sighed.

  “We’re on a mission of major importance to the world, and all you can think of is the beauty of the architecture of the Marina Sands Hotel,” Zach teased.

  “But look at how the windows turn to gold with the setting sun! It’s breathtaking!”

  “Sweet digs! You have some interesting friends.” RB admired as the Sikorsky landed on the helipad of a Boutique Hotel residence of Raven’s partner in his Far East security companies.

  Luci continued: “I read the Marina Bay Sands was designed to look like a deck of cards standing on end, finishing with that incredible Skypark.” Everyone laughed at Luci’s exuberance.

  “I’m going to swim in that pool! It’s the length of five Olympic pools you idiots!”

  “Well, if you don’t get the job done, you can make your very last swan dive into that pool.”

  Luci smacked Luke with a free hand; in the other hand, she grasped her HK submachine gun.