The Power Trip

pieces of garbage who continually made up stories — especially about upstanding honest politicians who wanted nothing more than to make the world a better place.

Xuan took umbrage to everything Hammond said, and the two of them argued, while Bianca cosied up to Aleksandr and wished he would suggest it was time for bed.

Flynn managed to keep his cool, until eventually he could hold back no longer. ‘Honest politicians?’ he said sharply. ‘That’s a fuckin’ joke, isn’t it?’

Up until this point he and Hammond had ignored each other. But now the floodgates opened and it was all bets are off.

‘You can talk about jokes,’ Hammond said, rising from his seat. ‘Everyone knows that you’re nothing but a poor-ass loser, a nobody. What have you ever accomplished? Fuck all, as far as I can tell.’

‘Screw you,’ Flynn retaliated, also jumping up. ‘Jesus, Ham, you cheated your way through college, an’ I got a big hunch that’s exactly how you’re handling your so-called political career. Oh yeah, an’ here’s the real joke — one day you’re gonna try to make a run for the Presidency. My ass, they’ll see you for what you are way before that.’

‘Y’know something?’ Hammond slurred. ‘You open your mouth an’ out pours a shitload of crap.’

‘Hey,’ Flynn said, narrowing his eyes. ‘Talking of crap — do not think I don’t know what you did way back. But then I guess you couldn’t get her any other way, right? You had to cheat an’ lie. Fortunately you’re an expert at that, so no problem.’

‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’

‘Sure you do,’ Flynn taunted. ‘The photos, asshole. The fake fuckin’ photos you sent to both of us to break us up. Well, she knows all about it now, so you’re screwed.’

Hammond’s mouth tightened into a thin line, his face reddened. ‘Whatever I did was for her own protection,’ he said angrily. ‘And let me tell you this, you dumb bastard — the truth is that she never loved you, and goddamm it — she never will.’

Xuan leaped to her feet, all five feet two of her. ‘Enough!’ she shouted sternly. ‘Flynn, time for bed. Let’s go.’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ Hammond sneered. ‘Run away with your chinky piece of ass. I bet she sucks you off like a true professional.’

Before anyone could stop him, Flynn hauled his fist back and socked Hammond square in the face.

Hammond dropped like a dead weight.

Aleksandr was unamused. He abruptly stood up. ‘Come,’ he said to Bianca, as Kyril miraculously appeared, placing his considerable bulk between Flynn and Hammond. ‘It is time this evening ended.’

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Cruz’s gang of Somalian pirates were a wild and dirty-looking bunch, headed by their clan leader, Amiin — the only one of them who spoke English. Amiin took his orders from Cruz, and bossed the other men accordingly. They were a motley crew of misfits who, thanks to a successful pirating operation, had become richer than they’d ever imagined. Half of them were former fishermen who had embraced their chosen profession with zeal, expressing no fear when it came to boarding a vessel at sea, ripe for the plucking. The fruits of their labours were plentiful, allowing them many of the luxuries in life that they never thought they’d see. As long as they had their precious khat to chew on, and a formidable supply of weapons, they were ready to face anything.

Lately they’d been enjoying the good life while awaiting instructions from Amiin, who in turn waited for Cruz to bark his orders.

In Acapulco they’d been entertained by a few chosen hookers. Now, in the guesthouse of the rented villa, they were starting to get restless and most of them were ready to go home to their families.

There were eight of them including Amiin, ranging in age from the youngest at eighteen — Cashoo, Amiin’s nephew — to Basra, a tall skeletal man of indeterminate age with mahogany skin, sunken eyes, unkempt dreadlocks and very few teeth.

Basra was a man to beware of. He had no compunction about shooting to kill if anyone got in his way. He’d done so twice, even though Amiin had lectured him that it was to their advantage not to leave a trail of dead bodies.

Basra didn’t care. He was a lethal weapon — it was best to stay on his good side.

Cashoo had been working with Amiin since he was fourteen, and he’d exhibited a fearlessness that made him a useful member of the team. He was lanky, with light mocha skin, raggedy facial hair, high cheekbones and thin lips. Cashoo’s favourite pastime was sex. He already had several girlfriends back home, but Cashoo was never satisfied.

The moment Ina arrived at the villa, Cashoo’s libido raged out of control. Amiin saw the look of lust in his young nephew’s eyes and sternly warned him not to even glance in the woman’s direction since she belonged to the Big Boss, and as such was untouchable.

A warning didn’t stop Cashoo: he’d never seen a woman like Ina before and he was completely smitten.

The pirates were confined to the guesthouse on the property, although they were working on stocking their high-speed boats, loading supplies and weapons, preparing for the strike against The Bianca.

As soon as Ina arrived, she took up a position by the pool in a patterned orange bikini that barely covered any of her considerable assets — and they were quite considerable, considering the twenty pounds she’d gained since her reign as Miss Mexico.

Cashoo lusted from afar.

Ina threw him a flirtatious smile.

Cruz noticed what was going on and ordered Ina to get back inside the house pronto.

‘Since when’re you the boss of me?’ Ina enquired, a steely glint in her over-mascaraed eyes. ‘It’s not as if I’m your snivelly kid you can boss around.’

There was no love lost between Ina and Cruz’s daughter, Mercedes. Ina was jealous that Mercedes got to work with her poppa, while she, Cruz’s sister, had never been asked. Plus Mercedes was younger and prettier and Cruz paid her plenty of money for — as far as Ina was concerned — doing nothing.

‘You cause any trouble an’ I kick your fat ass,’ Cruz warned her.

‘What trouble?’ Ina asked innocently. ‘You’re the one that makes trouble.’

She knew that the men who worked for Cruz were watching her with lust in their hearts, and she revelled in the attention.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sergei was all business. For the last few days he’d been mulling over a decision, and now that the time to strike was almost upon him, he had to make up his mind. To hold The Bianca for ransom was move number one. However, was that punishment enough for the son of a bitch who’d murdered his brother? The money wouldn’t bring Boris back. Besides, what did money really mean to Aleksandr Kasianenko? The man was richer than God.

So Sergei had decided on a plan that would take the hijack one step further. They would certainly hold The Bianca for ransom, and once the money was paid and Cruz’s team relinquished the boat and its passengers, the authorities would find that one key passenger was no longer aboard.

Sergei had no doubt that kidnapping Aleksandr Kasianenko was the only true way of taking his revenge.

Chapter Fifty-Nine