Go Out With A Bang! (13 page)

Chapter 40

Prime
Minister Sinclair Carlisle felt his phone vibrate and knew it was
his wife, texting him for the the third time in less than half an
hour.

'Paul. I
really have to go. Otherwise you'll be seeing me on the evening
news about my wife killing me for missing another anniversary. Is
everything okay?'

Paul
“Rosy” Rose, Chief of Internal Security, said, 'Yes. As much as
possible. We are on top of things.'

'Good.
We both know how much this meeting means. We'll be in the spotlight
with this conference. Do you need anymore resources?'

'I think
we are covered. But with just two weeks to go, I'll be flat
out.'

'Right.
I'm out of here. I'll see you at nine in the morning and I want
your full progress report.'

'Have a
good evening, Sir.'

* * *

Chrissie Carlisle said, 'Do we
really have to have
him
with us?'

Ignoring
the strange bearded man sitting alone at a table three places away,
Sinclair Carlisle said, 'It's just Rosy being paranoid. We talked
about this. It goes with the job. Besides, he's not doing any harm
over there. He's probably not even carrying a gun.'

'He's
carrying a gun?'

Carlisle said, 'No. Probably
not. No. How's the duck?'

'Dry.
You'd think a three star restaurant would get the duck
right.'

'Mrs
Carlisle,' said Raymondo. 'Is everything satisfactory?'

'Perfect, Raymondo. Falls off the bone.'

'And
Monsieur Prime Minister?'

'Absolutely delicious.
Compliments to the chef.'

'Merci
Monsieur. I will pass on your comments to Claude.'

As
Raymondo minced away Carlisle said, 'I thought you said it was
dry?'

'It is.
I just don't want the chef spitting in my dessert.'

'He'd
spit in our dessert?'

'He'd
probably flambé and season it first.'

'I did
offer to go to your mother's.'

'She
couldn't cook to save her life. This is just fine.'

* *
*

'Did you
have a good evening, Prime Minister?'

'Apart
from your agent staring at us all night, Rosy. Did you have to send
him? I specifically asked for no agent last night. You know my wife
hates that sort of thing.'

Rose
looked puzzled. 'I do. That's why I didn't assign one.'

'Well,
he was certainly there. Not very discreet. Is he new?'

'What
did he look like?'

'Look
like? Hmm. Like a young Ringo Starr. Beard. Shades. Who wears
shades at night in a restaurant?'

'Ringo
Starr?'

'Paul.
It wasn't Ringo Starr.'

'You
could have asked for his autograph. If he'd have signed it, you
would have known if it was Ringo Starr.'

'Paul.
Watch my lips. It was not Ringo Starr.'

'So who
was it then?'

'That's what I'm asking
you
.
You really have no idea?'

'I would
do had you let me assign you an agent. I've no idea who he
is.'

'Now I'm
worried,' said Carlisle.

Chapter 41

The
Chief called the meeting to order. 'Right. As you all know by now,
the international conference is just two weeks away. Ten world
leaders will be here for just over a week. The eyes of the world
will be on us. They are here to find a way to stimulate the global
economy and avoid a triple dip recession. All the leaders will be
bringing in their own security people, and our own Internal
Security Service will be coordinating between all of
them.

Our job
will be to support them in any way we are required to. All overtime
rosters have been drawn up and signed off. Extra officers have been
drafted in from other regions. Detective Inspector Dale Andersen
will be in charge of all suits; I'm personally taking control of
all uniforms. I don't have to tell you the significance of this
conference, so we need to be vigilant and professional at all
times. Work with your department heads for the duration. Questions?
No? Good. Dismissed.'

Everyone
filed out except for Andersen and the Chief.

'I'll be
glad when the damned conference is over and they've all gone home
to screw up their own countries,' said the Chief.

'Do I
detect a little cynicism?'

'Me?
Never. Just being realistic. At least all this takes my mind off
life at home.'

'It
can't be easy for you. How's Poppy holding up?'

'Trying
to hold it all together. Her being pregnant adds to her
anxiety.'

'She's
having a baby? Ferret's going to be a dad?'

'Yes.
That makes it all doubly hard. I have to tread on eggshells all the
time. I blame that sister of mine. If I ever see her again, she'll
be told in no uncertain terms she never drags Fred into any of her
adventures ever again.'

'Let's
hope they turn up soon.'

Chapter 42

'Thank
you. All of you,' said Sandra.

'We've
agreed to help in principle, Sandra,' said Steve, 'But some of us
have wives, children. We have to think of them.'

Sandra
and Ferret shared a look. They didn't let on, but they also had a
family to worry about.

Frank Telford said, 'Exactly
what are we up against? We need to know.' He tapped the notepad.
'For a start. Is
he
coming here?'

'No,' said Sandra.
'
He'd
have problems
getting through airport security. They have been coming here in
ones and twos all year. From five different countries. Businessmen,
teachers. Fertiliser salesmen. They have blended in, ready for the
big day.'

'How
many?' asked Titch.

Ferret
said, 'Between forty and fifty.'

'What?'
gasped Frank. 'Ten of us against that many? Do you even know who
and where they are?'

Ferret
shook his head. 'Not all of them.'

'How
many?' asked Steve.

'Two. We
think.'

'Two?
You think?'

'Definitely one. Maybe. Not really.'

Frank
said, 'Sandra. Ferret. With due respect. None of us are getting
involved in a badly thought out plan. If that's all you got, I'm
out of it.'

Ferret
said, 'We do have an ace. Our CIA contact came up with something
for us. They communicate via emails. They are using a language I
haven't seen before. I need to identify that first. They are savvy
enough to change their passwords a lot and they will undoubtedly
use a cryptic code. It would mean nothing at all without the code.
I must admit, I still haven't completely cracked it, but I have a
week or so and if I can follow it, then we'll have a good idea of
their plans. I've managed to hack into the main coordinator's
computer and install a a virus of my own making. It is linked to my
own computer and anything he's writing is continuously being
downloaded onto my computer.'

Nick
Fowler, a family cousin, was intrigued. 'I've a few skills on
computers myself. Not probably to your level, but I'd like to work
with you if you'll let me.'

'Thanks,' said Ferret. 'Two heads are better than one. I must
admit, this is where it could all fall down.'

Sandra
asked, 'If Ferret and Nick can give us the information we need, can
we rely on your support?'

Frank
said, 'I've three kids, including Gary here. The people we're
talking about, suicide missions are what they do. Not a concept I
buy into. I'm no coward, but I'd need to see most of the risk taken
out before I go diving in.'

'I
wouldn't ask any of you to put yourselves at risk.
Ferret?'

'I'm not
about to take unnecessary risks, either. We need to get
cracking.'

Steve
took charge. 'Right. Ferret. Where is your computer?'

'In our
vehicle. I just need to set it up in here.'

'Nick.
Can you take a few days off?'

'I feel
a terrible cold coming on.'

'Good.
You help Ferret. The rest go home. We meet back here next Friday
night. By then, we'll either be doing this thing, or we won't.
Agreed?'

They
agreed.

Chapter 43

It took
an hour to install Ferret's equipment. The mansion's library became
his centre of operations. It was a highly modified collection of
unorthodox hardware. Nick helped Ferret assemble everything and
then he stood back and stared in awe.

'You
built all this?'

'I hate
shop bought.' He took a few covers off. 'Take a look
inside.'

Nick
understood most of it, but some mystified him. 'That
works?'

'Very
well, actually. Not my best set, but it was all I could do in a
hurry.'

'I've
never seen anything like it.'

Ferret
replaced the covers. 'They'll all be like this in a few years.' He
checked a few connections and fired it all up.'Somethings
happening. Always a good sign. Pull up a chair and lets go
flying.'

* * *

Sandra
and Steve relaxed in the swimming pool. Sandra swam an easy twenty
lengths then sat on the steps at the shallow end with the
host.

'You
intrigue me,' said Steve. 'I'd love to know more about you, but I
suspect you wouldn't tell me much.'

Sandra
smiled. 'Nothing personal. I can't afford the luxury of
distractions, regardless of how attractive they are.'

'I'm
flattered you find me attractive. I think you know how I feel about
you.'

Sandra
couldn't look at him. 'Not now, Steve. Maybe once we have the job
done.'

'So I
have a chance?'

Sandra
got out the pool, towelled off and wrapped in a robe. 'I'm going to
see how the computer wizards are doing.'

He
watched her walk to the door. She opened it, paused and turned to
look at him. Steve tried to read her expression, translate what her
eyes were saying. There was nothing he could read. Perhaps
something in the way her full lips turned up at the corners. There
was a depth to her eyes that gave him hope.

Chapter 44

Gary
Telford, Frank's eldest son, had always been mechanically able. For
a young man a few months shy of his twentieth birthday, he had
acquired many useful skills. If there was a problem with a family
members vehicle, it was Gary they called first. Gary didn't mind
that, but working on his Uncle Steve's helicopter was what he liked
to do most. He was seriously considering a career working on
choppers and light aircraft. He had been helping Steve clean out
the boom spray jets.

'That's
the last one,' said Gary.

'Great.
Thanks for staying over to help with the chopper,' said Steve.
'I'll sort you some cash out later.'

Gary
shrugged. 'No need, Steve.'

'Hey.
You save me a small fortune. The least I can do is pay
you.'

'Fair
enough. I've met a new girl, so any spending money can't
hurt.'

'Another
girl?' said Steve with a grin. 'I can hardly keep up with your love
life.'

'Nothing
serious.

'Hey,
Gary. I've been thinking. If it looks like us not all being
millionaires now, I'll see if I can keep you on full time. If I can
help get you your pilots licence, we could build the business up
together. There's nothing cheap on these birds, so we could make a
good team.'

'Yeah? I
like the sound of that. Me. A pilot. You're on.'

'Something to think about.'

'Yeah.
That Sandra's nice.'

'Where
did that come from?' Steve wiped his hands on a rag. 'Can't say I
really noticed.'

'Yeah,
right. We all see how you look at her.'

'Is that
right? I think people are reading more into things than are really
there.'

'Are you
going to make a move?'

Steve
said, 'Excuse me, young man. Not something a gentleman talks about
when it comes to the ladies.'

'Well, I
reckon she likes you, too.'

Steve
gathered up the tools into the box. 'I'm not sure it would be a
good idea even thinking about a relationship with a woman who could
kill me with a flick of her wrist.'

'She's a
scary lady, that's for sure. laid me out before I knew it. Dad's
not sure about getting involved with her and Ferret.'

Steve
said,'If we can't come up with a plan, none of us will. Just don't
say anything to your mother.'

'No way.
She'd go ballistic if she'd known what we've been up to. And you'd
never have been doing anything risky if Aunt Camila was still
around.'