“About you saving him.”
“Lela, I’ve got absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,” he replied.
“In Peru, somebody was about to shoot him but didn’t, maybe it was Kisho then?”
“Definitely not. We weren’t there. Remember, we weren’t allowed to go? You had 20 Special Forces soldiers with you instead.”
“I know that, but who stopped the guy then? When I heard the men say that their sniper had just disappeared, I just assumed you guys followed us as usual. I thought you didn’t tell Tom so as not to freak him out.”
“Will you stop blabbering for one minute and explain to me from the start what on earth you’re talking about,” said Kano holding his hand up to slow her down.
Lela then explained exactly what had happened in the cruiser’s cabin, what she had heard and what she had assumed must have happened. Kano was now as puzzled as she was as to what had happened to the sniper. Both agreed, however, that what Tom didn’t know couldn’t worry him but that they would keep an extra close eye on him.
Chapter 76
With just under an hour’s flight and fuel to go, Tom’s phone rang. It was Daniel reporting that the group at The Academy had pulled an all-nighter and had some updates. It had proved quite a successful session.
“It looks like you’re right on the G20 countries. With only a couple of exceptions, those who have been assassinated have been replaced by a relatively unknown contender. And, of all the G20 countries, only the UK, France, Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, the US, Australia and the Commissioner of the EU have not been replaced due to assassination in the last year. It was so bloody obvious, we didn’t see it.”
“Which ones have the most prominent new candidates waiting in the wings?”
“All of them bar the US. It’s different there, because there’s a Vice President already in place to immediately replace the President. Tom, looking at the positioning, it’s all going to happen very soon.”
“OK. we know the timetable for the UK and Australia, what about the others?”
“We haven’t got them yet, it appears that even being the grand-daughter of the Chinese ruler doesn’t have access to his diary. As for Sofie, her mum isn’t in the office until Monday and she left her diary there. She can’t remember but thinks she might be going to America this week.”
“You’re joking!” said Tom.
“’Fraid not, it’s for real, she’s Dutch and a European MP, what can I say!” Daniel shrugged his shoulders, it mystified him also.
“Track down any students related to any of the other leaders. We need to find out what the hell operation David is and quick.”
“OK. But two more things. We tracked down the number on that business card and are sifting through the phone calls made. There are a few to the law firm which made the offer to buy Alba, they’ve obviously been involved for some time. I’ve managed to call in a few favours, I have an operation to raid their offices tonight. I’ll let you know what we find.”
“Excellent and the other thing?” asked Tom.
“That thing you gave me. My guys almost missed it, it was so obvious, it reads ‘ We’ll be back’. ” Tom almost dropped the phone as he heard the words, it couldn’t be, it wasn’t possible.
The tower at Grantley Adams International Airport interrupted his chain of thought as he began entering the final approach. He looked at his fuel, it was going to be very close, he knew he should have flown a little slower. He could not believe it when they gave him the longest approach run, landing in an easterly direction. He would have to swing out and come back on himself before landing.
“This is going to be very close,” whispered Kisho. Warning bells had started to ring ten minutes earlier. The intermittent beeping had now become a continuous tone as the plane pleaded to land.
“Just made it,” said Tom as the wheels touched down in Barbados. “Don’t know what the panic was,” he said just before they lost all power.
They tried to use as much of their landing speed as possible to get them to the terminal but they fell just short. All momentum was lost on the taxiway and with no engines, they had the indignity of having to wait for a small truck, more commonly used for pushing large jets, to come and rescue them.
“Hmm, I think next time we’ll have a refuelling stop,” suggested Tom as they sat stranded, it had been just a little too close for comfort.
Once they reached the terminal, it took them 5 minutes to clear customs. It was 2.00 a.m. local time and the airport was deserted.
“What now?” asked Lela, looking for a taxi or anything which would get them to a bed.
Tom smiled as he watched the stretch limo approach.
“Tacky but perfect. People, your chariot awaits,” announced Tom to the group showing them to the limo.
“Where are we going?” asked Tristan.
“Zach, I thought I told you to explain things to him,” said Tom, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
“He did, I understand perfectly what’s happening.” Tristan did not find it funny.
“Well you know where we’re going then,” replied Tom.
“You can’t have, they are no rooms available, they’re fully booked,” said Zach.
“Not a room per se, the villa at Sandy Lane, 7,500 sq ft of unadulterated luxury.”
“How did you manage that?” asked Lela.
“Money, we need to be where the action is so I just offered more and more until they couldn’t refuse. They had to kick out some rock star, I think, to get us in.”
Thirty minutes later, they checked into their luxury villa.
Chapter 77
The Chairman checked his bedside clock. It was 3.00 a.m., who the hell was ringing him at that time? He answered and waited to hear who it was. If it were that idiot Beaumont, he would just hang up.
“Sir, it’s Williams. We have a problem, well actually we have two problems.”
“Go ahead,” said The Chairman who had been very impressed with Williams since his promotion.
“The first is a problem with the General Powers mission. It appears that our men got in, put three bullets in him but that he pulled a gun from under his pillow and shot our men dead.”
“Is he still alive?”
“Yes, he’s in hospital and unconscious but stable and will make it.”
“Jesus, he really is a tough old bastard. Sleeps with a gun under his pillow, probably had his boots on as well!” joked The Chairman. “That’s not too disastrous, he’s out of the way for a few days, we’ll deal with him after David, at least he won’t be around to interfere with that.”
“True, he’ll be in hospital for at least a couple of weeks. The next problem is confusing me somewhat.”
“What is it? Just spit it out,” said The Chairman.
“One of my guys just radioed me to tell me that Tom Kennedy and entourage just checked into the hotel.”
“The Sandy Lane?” The Chairman sat bolt upright in his bed.
“Yes.”
“Who’s in the entourage?”
“His sister, a couple of other boys and some sort of Asian looking guys,” replied Williams.
The Chairman took one second to make his decision.
“Go!! Now!! Hit the Prime Ministers, the Kennedys and their entourage right now! Hit them with everything
