Los Zetas crime boss,” confirmed Sean, adding up the positives.
“The only problem with that is that his replacement is far more worrying, I’d take El Jefe over Juan Torres every day of the week,” replied Jack, adding, “And let’s not forget, you’ve exposed every ongoing investigation into the East coast crime bosses and their families and given those same crime bosses direct access to the Los Zetas cartel. Which will increase their profits and ultimately their power.”
“You have set back our war on drugs by years!” argued Howard. “And somebody has to pay!” he added looking directly at Sean.
Sean was confident it was all bluster, just to put CIA back in their box. He really didn’t have time to listen to anymore.
“Charge me or release me!” he said with real conviction, confident of the latter.
Howard stood and shaking his head left the room. One minute later, he returned with two other officials, one from Homeland Security and the other from the US Marshall’s office.
Homeland got to go first and the list of charges was impressive. The US Marshall was next. Sean thought their exclusion from the initial meeting gave them both first dibs. Five minutes later and with the four law enforcement agencies wrapping up their list of charges, the door flew open. An unsteady and less than healthy Vincent Black stood in the doorway. There was a man that Sean had not seen so pissed off since Sean had totaled his car when he was eighteen.
Sean sat back. Vincent on a roll was a thing to behold and he was about to rip these guys some new assholes.
Vincent turned to the law officers. “Gentlemen, would you mind giving me a moment with Sean,” he asked very politely.
Sean also noted that he had said Sean, not his agent, not his man, Sean.
Vincent turned to Sean and let loose a torrent abuse that between the f’ing this and f’ing that he struggled to actually work out what was being said. One thing however was very clear. He was not on Sean’s side and in Vincent’s own words “he would be standing back while he was prosecuted to the full extent of the law!”
With that, he stormed from the room and all but removed the solid soundproofed door from its hinges, as he slammed it behind him.
Sean sat totally bemused by what had just happened and began to consider the distinct possibility that he may be spending the rest of his life in a federal penitentiary. He began to wish he had just gone to the… but stopped himself. He was happy he hadn’t. He had saved Katie and James’ lives. What would be, would be.
Vincent plucked up every ounce of strength as he walked from the room housing Sean to the room watching Sean. It was the who’s who of law enforcement bosses right up to the Attorney General. Jesus, he thought. Jane and Sean had really pulled something off. He could hardly get these guys in the same room after 9/11 and certainly not in universal agreement.
It took just over thirty minutes of begging and promising before Sean would be released into his custody. With the express guarantee that if Sean were not produced after his mission, Vincent himself would accept all of Sean’s charges and simply plead guilty. As utterly ridiculous as it sounded, it seemed they were deadly serious and were not budging unless Vincent accepted.
As he walked Sean out by the arm, still in his cuffs, Sean couldn’t help but notice how much Vincent was using Sean’s arm to stay upright. Mike joined them as they walked out and seeing Vincent struggle, took his other side and helped him into the waiting car.
Sean waited for another tongue-lashing but it never came.
“Sorry about that in there!” offered Vincent, catching his breath.
“Not at all, I knew you had to,” replied Sean and received a look from Vincent that reminded Sean who he was trying to bullshit.
No one in the world could read Sean as well as Vincent and no other man on earth could put the fear of God into him.
“OK. OK. I thought you were being legit,” accepted Sean, embarrassed.
“I knew I had you going, I haven’t seen you that worried since you crashed my car! I even thought your lip started to quiver!” teased Vincent. He was getting his strength back and the lighthearted banter was helping.
“It is going to be a problem though. They are seriously pissed off with you and have decided that you,” he looked at Sean, “are going to take the blame.”
“You can sort it out!” replied Sean confidently.
“To be completely honest, I’m not sure I can Sean. This is way beyond my pay grade!”
“So I manage to go to the top of both the government and the bad guys’ hit list on the same day, go figure?!” asked Sean in frustration.
With no traffic on the road it took less than ten minutes to pull into Langley. Jane was waiting nervously for them as they stopped in the executive car park. She had a wheel chair for Vincent, something he had initially refused but realized he needed. As they exited onto the top floor, a nurse and doctor were on station and a bed was in place, within Vincent’s office. She couldn’t keep him in hospital but she’d make sure he was still under their care. After a quick check of his condition, Vincent dismissed his carers and called the meeting to order.
“Mike, do you want to bring Sean up to speed, starting with Mengele’s protege, Dr Boris Surkov!”
“What I am about to play you is a translated transcript of a secret recording of Dr Boris Surkov, from a lecture he gave to the KGB before the fall of the wall!”
Mike pressed play and waited for the gasps.
Chapter 65
Katherine had spent the early evening re-arranging the governor’s schedule to take account of Nicole’s death and issuing thank-you letters for condolences received by the Governor. By the time she realized what time it was, it was almost midnight. The governor had long since retired to bed and left her to it. He was a little brighter but was going to take every ounce of Katherine’s wiles to ensure he was on the plane to Moscow. That, however, was tomorrow’s task. As she shut down the computer and gathered up her things, for the first time in hours, she noticed Surkov’s phone. More importantly she noted a new message awaited her. How had she missed it? It had to have been when she had received the parcel at the door she thought; that was the only time she had been out of earshot of the device.
She opened the message and quickly deciphered it. The name Sean Fox hit her like a freight train. She knew that name and thought back to the same parcel that had meant she missed the message. She was tempted to rush up and ask the Governor there and then who this Sean Fox was and why was he on his list but that would expose her. However, it was more than just Sean Fox. Surkov wanted Katie Fox dealt with as well. She checked the time, late but not too late.
She picked up the phone and dialed the Chief of Police in Laredo.
“Hi, my name is Katherine and I’m the Governor’s Chief of Staff. I was wondering if you could help?”
“Of course, terrible news today, please pass on my condolences,” offered the Chief. “Just saw the Governor this morning as well!”
“That’s why I’m phoning. Sean Fox?”
“Rings a bell, that name,” replied the Chief.
“Did the Governor not meet him this morning?” she prompted.
“I don’t know who he met, some secret agent type fella, big guy, knew how to hold himself.”
“That’s him,” assumed Katherine, nothing else made sense. “Anyway I’m trying to track him down or his wife?” she asked. “The governor needs to update his travel plans.”
“Not sure I’ve got any details, what was her name?” he asked.
“Katie, Katie Fox,” she replied.
“I’ll call you back,” he announced.
Katherine sat impatiently waiting for him to ring back. After five minutes, the phone rang.
“Well it’s a strange one alright. I recognized the name because a Sean Fox was murdered 3 months ago here
