Spy Games Ch. 21

"Listen to me Agent Alpha. You are an adequate field operative, but you lack strategic thinking skills. The only way we will fully discover the extent of Russian involvement in what seems to be a Chinese led operation is to let the scenario play out. Arresting Popov will do nothing but raise their suspicions. You've done a good job of keeping a low profile so far. Don't fuck it up by going rogue on us."

Click.

The BBB terminated the connection, leaving me royally pissed. Mad at my supposed superior for treating me like a disobedient teenager but even more upset because she was right. The mission was much more important than the freedom of five Russian women.

But these were five women that I knew. Five women that Janis had befriended. And, more importantly, five women I told Janis I would do my best to save. There had to be a way.

Flanagan returned from the airport shortly after my frustrating conversation with the BBB. He listened patiently while I filled him in on the situation with the Russians and then shrugged.

"I hate to say it," he said. "But the BBB is right. Anything we do to try to stop Popov will eventually come back to bite us in the ass."

Having fully demoralized me, he grabbed a beer and went downstairs to play with Sixty-nine. Which was my cue to retire to the front porch where I couldn't hear whatever the two of them had planned for the afternoon.

Janis joined me soon after, bringing me a beer and a sandwich. She took the rocker next to mine and sipped on a glass of iced tea while I ate. Just having her by my side slowly dissipated my anger. By the time I'd finished lunch and started on my second beer, I realized that I was possibly overreacting to the news about the Russians.

It was one of those picture-perfect fall days. The willow oaks had just started dropping their leaves but the large tree in front of our house still provided sufficient shade to keep the house at a comfortable temperature. My mind slowly put the Russians on a shelf and drifted to more pleasant topics. Like the blonde who was quietly reading a book in the chair next to me. I smiled inwardly as I imagined being a stranger seeing the tranquil scene and thinking all was perfect in our lives.

We would appear to be husband and wife with no cares in the world. We were upstanding citizens in a peaceful, mid-American town whose biggest concern was whether the local high school football team would win their conference. People who sip beer and iced tea on their front porch don't worry about Russian gangsters or white slavery or Chinese terrorists. And they certainly don't suspect that their federal government is willing to sacrifice them for the sake of the greater good... or that even their local elected officials are plotting to sell them out.

No. Normal people don't worry about that stuff. Unfortunately, I wasn't a normal person and -- condemned by her relationship with me -- either was Janis.

"Excuse me sir, I hate to disturb you, but something has come up."

It took me a moment to regain my bearings. I was still on the porch, but Janis was no longer with me. I'd apparently dozed off. For how long, I couldn't tell, however the position of the sun hinted that it had been at least a couple of hours.

"Sir, I think you might want to see this."

Sixty-nine placed a tablet in my hand with the video app already cued up.

"This was recorded yesterday in Mayor Stuffit's office," she said and pushed the play prompt.

The mayor was sitting at his desk. Two Merryville police officers stood in front of him... one a tall thin man, the other -- a woman -- was only a couple of inches shorter but with a good bit more meat on her bones.

"I need another favor," the mayor was saying.

"Does this favor have a name?" the female cop asked.

"I think you know who I'm talking about."

Both cops nodded in assent.

"When do you want it done?" the woman asked.

"Soon. No later than Wednesday."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"No. But he has an office. It's a block off main street. Where that therapist used to hang out. You know where I'm talking about?"

"Yeah, I know it," the male cop nodded.

"You realize this is going to cost you," the female cop said. "This guy isn't like the others."

"Not a problem," the mayor said. "I'll double your usual fee."

The two cops looked at each other for a second.

"Triple," the woman said.

"With half up front," her partner added.

"Okay, but I'll need proof that he's dead before you get the other half."

"You want us to mount his head on your wall?"

"I'll think a picture will suffice. And make sure you put his body where nobody can find it."

"We always do."

By the time the video finished, both Flanagan and Janis had joined us.

"He doesn't specifically mention you by name," Janis said. "Do you think they may have somebody else in mind?"

"I guess it's possible," I said. "Assuming there is some other guy in town who has an office that used to be occupied by a therapist..."

"... and Stuffit wants dead," Flanagan added.

"So, what happens next?" Sixty-nine asked.

"We keep an eye out for the Russians and invite the cops over for dinner."

"Last supper would be more appropriate," Flanagan said.