Divide & Conquer (35 page)

Little was known of the doctor other than what had been gleaned from the transcript. What was uncovered after exhaustive investigations was little other than confirmation that a Boris Surkov had in fact studied under Joseph Mengele. Surkov was listed as a young hospital assistant at Auschwitz and thereafter popped up in a number of facilities linked with Mengele. He had then effectively disappeared from the face of the earth until he delivered his speech to the KGB hierarchy. This fact alone was concerning, the list of attendees at the speech meant that Surkov was connected at the highest level and his work was classified as extremely important. The fact that the CIA had no knowledge of such an important project, nor could they subsequently find any, caused even greater concern. The CIA knew everything, or so they had thought.

The uncovering from his investigations that Dr Boris Surkov was due to be the guest speaker at the upcoming State banquet meant only one thing. He had instigated the project which he had promised would deliver Russia back to her former glory and beyond. As far as Mike was concerned, the Sean situation proved his work had been successful and the subsequent determination to eliminate him, proof that something had gone wrong. President Alexey Gagarin, son of one of Russia’s greatest ever heroes, was quite frankly the single best vehicle Surkov could have picked with which to launch the new Russia.

As far as Mike Ritter was concerned, it was their only hope to stop something before it started. Quite frankly, it was the first time in fifty years they even knew where to find him.

The inclusion of Sean in the Governor’s party was a Godsend and his lightning fast VISA approval, yet another sign that pointed back to Dr Boris Surkov’s original plan.

As Mike was about to continue, Jane raised her hand to interrupt.

“There’s one little problem with that plan,” she offered cautiously.

“What?” asked Mike looking at the diagrams and names he had detailed on the board. He had spent every waking hour over the last day working through his conclusions.

“The Governor’s wife!”

“Yes?” he asked impatiently.

“She died this morning. I’m not sure he’ll be going anywhere!”

Mike looked at his ramblings on the whiteboard. “How did she die?” he asked.

“A freak accident I believe, slipped in the shower, or something like that, I just caught it on the late news. I can’t believe we missed it!”

“Neither can I!” said Mike. His level of agitation had just increased as he grabbed his laptop and typed away furiously.

“What?” asked Vincent.

Mike waved his hand to stop anyone speaking. He was working through a theory. As Jane, Sean and Vincent waited, Mike tapped wildly and scribbled notes like a man possessed, none of them dare speak.

Finally, after twenty minutes, he dropped his pen and looked at them in horror.

“Oh my God, its brilliant!” he exclaimed.

“What’s brilliant?” asked Sean.

“Surkov, I mean his plan. Oh my God, why didn’t I see it before!”

“See what before?” asked Sean frustrated at Mike’s rambling.

“It’s because I came at it from the wrong agenda!” he chastised himself.

“Jesus, Mike, will you try and explain what you’re thinking,” said Vincent, breathlessly.

Mike did and watched the color drain from each and every one of their faces.

Chapter 69

Sean woke up as the CIA jet touched down in Austin. It had been a long night planning exactly what they needed to do. Unfortunately, 'they’ had very quickly become Sean. He was the only one who would have access to the banquet and as such, the ability to stop Surkov. Of course, all of that was on the basis that he managed to convince the Governor to still attend despite his wife’s death and without divulging what they believed. While in Russia, if he did pull off the miracle of getting the governor to go, he was not to allow the governor out of sight while ensuring that he dealt with Surkov. How he was going to succeed with that part of the mission was beyond him, unless of course he just pulled out a gun and in front of the Governor and shot Surkov. But then the Governor was to be kept blissfully unaware of Sean’s real mission at all times. So even that didn’t work.

This was, of course, all for a country who had four law enforcement agencies who wanted him to spend at least the next few decades of his life in prison. Vincent had promised, as a reward for saving the world from Surkov and his plan for world domination, he’d make sure the other agencies backed off. However, the lack of conviction and belief in what he was promising had Sean more worried than anything else they had discussed that night.

Sean checked his watch and adjusted the time zone again, it was nearing lunchtime and he wondered how Katie and James had fared last night. He had Katie’s number but it wasn’t for social calls. Katie and James needed to move on with their lives. Sean was a reminder of a huge void in their lives that would cause them nothing but upset. He retrieved his new CIA smartphone from his pocket and called the number the US Marshall had given him the night before.

“Hi Tom,” said Sean as the Marshall answered. “Just wondered how the guys were doing?” he asked as casually as he could, just in case Katie was to overhear.

“Hi Sean, actually I’ve just left them.”

“They’re on their own?” queried Sean instantly concerned.

“All set up in a new apartment, she didn’t waste any time, 7 am this morning she was pounding the phone.”

“Fantastic, nice place?”

“Not bad, nothing like the place she left, mind you.” Tom had picked up a few of Katie and Sean’s personal items before leaving Laredo. Sean had made it clear she was not to go anywhere near the old house, too many dead bodies and memories for her and James.

“I’m sure they’ll be just fine,” concluded Sean, surprised at how quickly they had moved on. Austin had been chosen as Katie had lived there before Laredo and knew the hospital where she had worked previously were always hiring.

“You’re not kidding, she’s some lady, even got herself a job by 10 o’clock!”

“Thanks for helping them out Tom, much appreciated,” said Sean as he ended the call.

As he waited for a cab to take him to the Governor’s mansion, he couldn’t help smile at the thought that he had given James back to Katie. Fuck the consequences he thought. What will be, will be.

***

Katherine had been up and about for hours, she had a busy day ahead and some minor miracles to achieve. Top of the list was convincing the governor of the national, no, international importance, of his Moscow trip. Statesmen had to put country before personal. She had been trying lines all night and nothing worked. It all sounded clichéd. She had the rest of the day to think of something. The flight was scheduled to leave early the next morning.

As she made her way into her office, the secretary caught her attention. “I have a call for you Katherine,”

“Who is it?” she asked.

“Sean Fox,” was the reply that inwardly floored her. Katherine’s face remained unchanged, a wonderful ability her mother had taught her. Katherine rarely showed emotion and even then never spontaneously.

“Thank you, just put him through, please,” she asked politely.

She closed the door to her office and took the seat at her desk. She composed herself as the light flashed highlighting Sean was holding.

“Mr Fox, how can I help you?” asked Katherine as she took the call.

“Sorry I thought I was holding for Governor Brown?” replied Sean.

“As you can imagine the Governor is taking some time to mourn,” she replied sincerely.

“I’m scheduled to be joining the Governor on his trip to Moscow, he hasn’t cancelled, has he?” asked Sean a little too desperately, showing his hand a little more than he would have wished to.

Katherine liked the sound of what Sean wanted. It was exactly what she wanted, the Governor on the plane to Moscow.

“I’ll see if I can get…”

“Actually, it’s OK, I’m just pulling up outside as we speak, I’d rather see him face-to-face, thanks,” interrupted Sean, handing twenty bucks to the cab driver.

“Of course, that’s fine,” she replied calmly, while her mind raced.

She walked through to the entrance hallway and watched as Sean grabbed a bag from the trunk of the cab and walked into the mansion. Katherine watched Sean carefully as he first opened the door and walked into the hallway. Her mother had shown her every little detail to be aware of. To date, she had never been wrong. Katherine could identify exactly how to work a man from his physical actions and facial expressions within the first few seconds of meeting him.

Katherine walked over and offered Sean her hand. “Katherine, I’m the governor’s Chief of Staff,” she offered.

“Sean,” replied Sean, looking around the mansion’s stunning hallway in an attempt not to stare at what had to be one of the most beautiful women he had ever met. “Lovely,” he said. “A stunning room,” clarifying he meant the room and not Katherine.

“Thank you,” she said, knowing exactly what he meant. She watched Sean as his eyes had devoured every inch of detail in the hallway. It had taken him the briefest of sweeps but his eyes had moved far quicker than required, checking and double-checking before evaluating the next obstacle or exit. To the untrained eye, he was any other guy entering a hallway. To Katherine he was a finely tuned killing machine, who was aware of his abilities but not over confident. Tall and powerful, but walked like a man half his weight, lightly and easily. Minimizing the sound of every step he took.

Katherine dropped her pen and Sean’s hand reached out and caught it easily. His actions were so smooth, they belied their speed. The fluidity of the motion proved just how in tune Sean was with his body. His reaction time was exceptional, hand to eye coordination must have been off the charts. Katherine made an executive decision. There was no way her assassin could deal with Sean. He was going to have to be dealt with in Moscow. It also ensured she had an ally in helping secure the Governor’s agreement to visit Moscow, never mind the chance for her to bed what she concluded was quite an exceptional specimen. A tingle of excitement, one that she had not felt for many years, brought an unexpected smile to her face.

Sean smiled in return, a cheeky smile that suggested he was reading her just as she him.

“I’ll just see if the governor can see you now, if you wouldn’t mind taking a seat,” offered Katherine.

As Sean took the seat, he watched Katherine as she walked back to her office. Her body was toned to perfection. He knew because her shirt and blouse hugged every part of her tightly leaving nothing to the imagination. As Katherine had given him credit for, he had identified every risk and safe point within the hallway. If a gunman were to run through the door, Sean knew exactly where and what he would do. But when it came to Katherine, the only thing that had crossed his mind was what she would be like naked and exactly what he would do to her. After all he had been in Afghanistan for over a year and available women were not exactly falling out of the trees, not that there were many trees and that was the point. A year, first Katie and now Katherine, two beautiful woman and a year’s worth of pent up frustration. He spotted the water fountain and poured himself a drink. He needed to refocus his mind.

***

Katherine closed the office door and rushed to her telephone device. She dialed Surkov’s number. She didn’t have time to wait for a text reply.

“Katherine, my dear,” answered Surkov.

“We have a problem,” she was in a rush. “Sean Fox has arrived and I’m not sure I can deal with him before the trip.”

Surkov remained silent. Katherine continued, realizing he would hear her out.

“I don’t think the man I have locally is capable of dealing with Sean and, more importantly, it seems that Sean is going to help me convince the Governor to come to Moscow. If he does and then he subsequently dies, I can guarantee the Governor will be going nowhere. You can arrange for him to be dealt with in Moscow, no?”

Surkov digested every word and kept coming back to the same ones 'going to help me convince.’ Why on earth would he want to do that, thought Surkov. The question of which Sean Fox still survived suddenly became more intriguing. If he were his Sean, there was no way he would encourage the Governor to travel to Moscow and if he weren’t his, why would he care? Surkov loved it! “Fine, let him come, we’ll deal with him here! Just hold on a second.”

Surkov had realized there was one other potential wrench in the works. He called Borodin.

“Dr Surkov,” answered Borodin cheerily, still walking on air from his upcoming promotion.

“Call your man off Sean Fox,” ordered Surkov.

Borodin did not answer.

“What’s wrong?” asked Surkov.

“You may be too late!” replied Borodin cautiously. It seemed when it came to Sean Fox, he never got it right.

Surkov slammed down the phone and returned to Katherine’s call.

“It seems Borodin’s man may be an issue!” offered Surkov.

“Fox is here just now, it’s fine, just get Borodin to call off his man. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katherine ended the call and replaced the device in the hidden compartment of her handbag. She checked her make up in the mirror on the wall and opened her door to see Sean Fox tearing out of the main entrance.

***

When Sean’s phone began to ring, he dug it out of his pocket and fully expected Vincent’s dulcet tones. When he saw the caller id said Katie, a smile instantly filled his face.

“Hi Katie!”

“Hi Sean,” she replied nervously, a wobble in her voice that instantly had Sean on edge. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Austin, what’s wrong?” he said, standing and looking out the window, irrationally hoping to see something.

“How would you like to pay us a visit?” she asked, trying her best to remain calm. Sean could almost see the vision of James being held while Katie tried desperately to sound normal.

“Of course, when should I come?”

“Now would be good!”

“I’m on my way!”

Katie gave him the address. “Oh and Sean,” she added. “Please don’t bring anyone else!” she pleaded.