“I asked the aide if he’d give me the congressman’s mobile number, but he wouldn’t,” Murray said. “Said he’d be happy to pass along any message.”
“Did you tell him it was an emergency?” Quinn asked.
“Of course I did.”
They reached the car and got in quickly.
“He’s not here,” Quinn told Nate.
Nate gave him a single nod, then pulled the car away from the curb and headed down the street. There was no need for Quinn to tell him where to go next.
But Murray was a different story. “You need to go to the Maxwell Food Centre,” Quinn said.
“What? Why?”
“You need to be there. You’re a representative of the U.S. government. I need you to cover my ass, and make sure that the right story gets out.”
“What do you mean ‘the right story gets out’?”
“The one you’re going to have to take on faith. But I promise you’re going to come out of this smelling good.”
“Like last time?” Murray asked.
“I’d say it worked out pretty well for you.”
“Fine,” Murray said.
Quinn disconnected the call.
“So what are we doing now?” Jenny asked.
Quinn looked back at her. “Now we try to keep your boss from getting killed.”
CHAPTER
HAWKER CENTERS WERE BORN FROM THE DESIRE TO
clean up Singapore. At one time, food carts were everywhere, lining the streets and roads of the city. Then someone got the idea to move them into centralized locations where there would be community seating and a clean water source.
Maxwell Food Centre was just one of many, but more popular than most because of its location near Chinatown. Tiny walk-up food stands made of cinder blocks were jammed together side-by-side-by-side under a giant corrugated tin roof. The restaurants were aligned in rows back-to-back, creating wide aisles full of tables for the hungry to enjoy their meals with a few hundred of their closest friends. And while the roof covered the entire complex, there were no walls on the outside of the center, just support columns and open air.
Quinn directed Nate to park the Mercedes a block away.
“Everyone radio up,” Quinn said. “Orlando and Nate, I want you to take up positions inside. Look for anything unusual. I’ll hang out near the street and try to stop Guerrero from getting out of his car.” Quinn looked at Jenny. “We’ll give you a radio, but you’ll stay here. If we need you, I’ll let you know.”
She looked like she wanted to protest, but didn’t, her damaged shoulder no doubt reminding her what happened when she got directly involved.
Orlando passed out the communications gear. Once they were all outfitted, she gave Quinn and Nate each a 9mm SIG Sauer P226 and matching suppressors. For her own use, she pulled out a Glock.
“Here.” Orlando handed both of them a miniature version of the messenger bag Ne Win had given Quinn a couple of days before. Then, for Nate’s benefit, she said, “Keep your gun in the bag unless you absolutely have to pull it out.”
Quinn checked the chamber to make sure a round was already loaded, then popped out the magazine to confirm that it was maxed. After he’d attached the suppressor, he put the gun in his bag in a way that would make it easy to reach in, aim, and fire without ever pulling the pistol out.
“What about Jenny?” Orlando asked.
Quinn looked at Markoff ’s girlfriend. He still couldn’t get used to her short hair or the lack of a smile on her face. But most of all, he couldn’t get used to the sense of controlled anger she exuded.
“Do you know how to use a gun?” Quinn asked her.
She nodded, hesitantly. “Markoff showed me.”
“Leave the big bag where she can get to it,” Quinn said to Orlando. To Jenny, he said, “There are a couple guns inside, and some other things you won’t need. But don’t pull anything out unless it’s an absolute emergency.”
Jenny nodded.
Nate and Orlando left first. Once they crossed the street, they separated and entered the food center from different directions.
While Quinn waited for a moment, he said to Jenny, “Why didn’t you get help? Isn’t that what your friend wanted you to do?”
She took a second before answering. “There wasn’t time. When he was killed, it scared the shit out of me, you know? I didn’t want any of this, but I couldn’t ignore it. I tried to call Steven, but he was out of town and didn’t pick
