The beginnings, one.
Attention passenger Taum Lee, white courtesy
telephone, Taum Lee white courtesy telephone.
“Hello Taum Lee”
“You’re a dead
man”
“Ahhhh…… Grigoriy how nice to hear from you; you’re calling early I thought
I ‘d be hearing from you in a few minutes my friend.”
“I have men covering the
entire airport, you will not get out alive.”
“I’ve seen a few of them, even
talked to a nice pair…… the big guy with the beard? Nikolay something if I’m not
mistaken?”
“Rodion Pavlinko, he will kill you very slowly.”
“Oh…… my memory of
names is so poor, anyway, it looks like time to start the count down; five,
four, three, two, one…. I hope you have your SAT phone; it should ring shortly.
The good ship Yegor Vsevolod seems to have sprung a leak.”
“The ship Yegor
Vsevolod is in international waters you can’t touch it.”
“Well, that’s kind of
what you said with the last shipment and we both know how that turned out. You
still blaming me for that load going over the side.”
“You threw a million
dollars’ worth of rifles and ammo over the side of the ship; you will pay with
your life.”
“You’re starting to repeat yourself and frankly I’ve got a plane to
catch. Yegor Vsevolod in international waters without a manifest or any
paperwork, not registered or insured. This is going to hurt, a loaded down
freighter with someone else’s illegal weapon cargo and a ship that’s going to
need to be paid for. Dang. I hear your phone ringing, good bye.”
Walking quickly
to catch up with Grigoriy’s two thugs.
“Rodion Pavlinko? телефон, Grigoriy
Rostislav для тебя. (Rodion Pavlinko? Telephone, Grigoriy Rostislav for you.)
Placing the cell phone in the killer’s hand I turned and walked away.
“Привет”
(Hello)
I pressed the detonator.
Four hours later.
Pressing the speaker button
next to the elevator. “Yes.”
“Taum Lee”
Silently the elevator doors slid opened.
Stepping in and allowing the doors to close. Pressing both the up, down arrows
and floor 5 the elevator lowered two full floors down, stopping with a faint
hiss of air.
“I.D. code please.”
“Taum Lee 4,5, Delta 0, 8,4 Lima Lima 6.”
“Thank you, Mr. Lee.”
Again sliding on silent rollers the doors slid open
revealing a long corridor brightly lit, white tile, white walls. Only
distinguishing feature was a fortified cubical about ten yards away taking most
of the right side of the corridor. Stepping out of the elevator I was greeted by
an armed guard.
“Mr. Lee, how good to see you again. Weapons?”
“Yes, the
normal.”
Handing me a large Folger Adams key. “Number four please.”
The gun
locker was huge; 18” square and over 40” long. I placed my little .45ACP in the
center of the locker and spun the heavy key to the left until it stopped with a
loud click.
“I’ll notify Mr. Spencer that you are here. Room 7.”
“Thank you,
Corporal?”
“Greer Sir.”
“Thank you, Corporal Greer, sorry, your day almost
done?”
“Pulling a double Sir, everyone seems to be sick.”
“Ouch, Room 7.”
“Room
7.”
Another 15 yards the corridor came to a “T” turning left the doors were odd
numbered. Stopping in front of door numbered 7 it clicked and hummed with a low
growl. I’ve never been down this side of the lower level before; I’ve always
been on the even side; I wondered if there was some meaning to now being on the
odd side. As my hand touched the knob the floor vibrated “I hope that’s just the
J line running.” I said to myself.
Heavy door, must be solid steel. I don’t
remember having that thought on the even side. A hiss of air as the door opened;
positive pressure.
Well, this was quite a surprise as I closed the door. The
room was large, 20’ by 25’ give or take with high ceilings, must be 10 foot.
Walls clad in medium dark wood, looks like Oak. Book selves along two walls,
floor to ceiling stuffed with old looking hard copy books. Large desk at the far
end, executive full height chair, two low backed chairs in front, paper strewed
across the large leather top.
There was a small door to the left of the desk,
standing open. “I’ll be right there, take a seat if you’d like.” From the open
door.
I read somewhere that you always choose the chair on the right if you have
the choice.
“Coffee?” again from the open door.
“Sure, black please.” A little
loud so it would carry.
Out comes a little old man must be in his late 70’s and
to fit with the room wearing tweed and not having the best of luck keeping the
two cups of coffee on their saucers. I took the one offered with both hands.
Taking his seat in the large executive chair he struggled to pull the chair
forward. “Damn thing must weight a hundred pounds.” As he hunched it to the edge
of the desk.
“I’m Theodore Spencer.”
“Yes, nice to meet you, I’m Taum Lee.”
“Yes, you are and one angry hornet nest we’ve created, haven’t we?”
“Well, yes
I’m sure the Airport was alarmed.”
“Alarmed? You blew the head off a chap in the
middle of a busy Airport, didn’t you?”
“Rodion Pavlinko is, was an assassin,
he’s killed a number of our agents over the years, I took the opportunity to end
his career.”
“And, you blew up and sank a Russian vessel in international
waters.”
“It was carrying a full load of weapons and explosives to a know
terrorist group. Seemed like the right thing to do.”
“The right thing to do?”
“Yes. Now Mr. Spencer, before we go any further, who exactly are you?”
“With
your permission I’d like to be your new employer.”
“I have an employer.”
“You
had. You’ve been fired.”
“Fired?”
“Yes yes, and they put up quite the fight to
keep you, but they finally saw it my way and agreed to terminate you for cause.”
“For cause?”
“Yes, the Airport.”
“We’ve tried for years to neutralize Rodion
Pavlinko, he was on the black list, if not on the top of the black list, meaning
in any fashion available. He’s now off the black list.”
“Yes, good show, very
well done. But I, we need you. The firing is just words, meaningless. I’m
offering you a new position where your skills can be put to more important work.
I’m going to make you a very special offer, I don’t think you’re going to want
to refuse it. So let me explain carefully what I have to offer.
From the
Ramblings
t
