CHAPTER 33
C HAPTER 33
R ae’s attitude toward the New Bern airport was complicated. All the soldiers in uniform, all the farewells and cheerful hellos, granted her a tiny glimpse into a different world. One where children wept with the intensity of answered prayers when their mother or father appeared in the arrivals hall. Where a goodbye tore strong people apart, and soldiers walked away with stonelike expressions, even when their hearts were shredded.
As usual, the arrivals terminal was crowded, noisy. Parents tried futilely to rein in children who ran about, shrieking to hear their echoes bounce off high ceilings. Laughter was a constant refrain. As were tears. Rae surveyed the balloons, the signs, the uniforms, the embraces. Under different circumstances, she would have considered it a nice introduction to the region she called home.
Not today.
Curtis stopped close to the exit and told Amiya, “You should greet him alone.” When she looked ready to argue, he added, “Don’t give Ajeet a reason to mar Kurien’s arrival. You ride back with your father.”
She nodded acceptance. “Not Ajeet as well. Please.”
“Ajeet goes wherever Ajeet wants under his own steam,” Curtis replied. “Once we’re all underway, we need to hook up by phone and plan. It may be our last chance.”
“Very well.” She pointed to the welcome desk. “I’ll just go see when Daddy’s flight is expected.”
Curtis asked Rae, “Could you text Dana, see if she can join us for that call?”
As Rae drew out her phone, a slender man in his thirties approached them and said, “Mr. Gage?”
“That’s me.”
“Holden Geller.” He offered his hand. “Ms. Bowen said you might need help taking out the trash.”
Curtis liked that enough to offer the day’s first smile. He pointed to Amiya and said, “The lady’s name is Amiya Morais. She’s on point. Her father is arriving from Delhi by way of Dulles, where an unwanted gentleman insisted on joining him. With security.”
Rae thought Holden Geller resembled many young officers she had known. John’s hyperfit crowd contained any number of such people, trim and intelligent and very aware. And handsome. Which Holden was. Very.
Holden glanced her way, offered an eyes-only smile, there and gone in an instant. He said, “Ms. Bowen mentioned the gentleman at the center of this task is Kurien Morais. Did I say that right?”
“Close enough.”
“How many in the uninvited guard detail?”
“The text I received said four.”
“Okay.” He turned to a woman Rae had not even noticed until then, a dark-haired Asian, so still she managed to vanish in plain sight. When she stepped up, Holden said, “This is Number Two. Her actual name is Elena, but nobody remembers that. If you can’t find me, ask for Two. Or just point in her general direction.”
“Only if you want to lose your finger,” Elena replied.
The pair managed to be stern and serious and cheerful, all at the same time. Clear-eyed, dressed in dark gray slacks and pearl-colored shirts and black lace-up boots. No weapons Rae could see, no radios, nothing to declare themselves as security. Or dangerous. Except for an air of tight readiness, strong as scent.
Holden asked Curtis, “What’s your role here?”
“If possible, I’m just part of the scenery.” Curtis gestured to Rae. “Ms. Alden serves as our regional attorney. She will also handle your billing and accounts.”
“Good enough. Ms. Bowen will be glad to hear you made it.” He pointed to the arrivals gate. “A private jet from Dulles landed . . .”
“Eight minutes ago,” Elena offered.
“The FBO terminal is still under construction, so . . . Hang on a second.”
A bulky gray-haired man in USMC fatigues, with colonel’s eagles on his lapels, walked over, surveyed the pair, and said, “So the rumors are true. You’ve gone for the big bucks.”
“We’re also on the clock, sir.”
“It’s Dwight to you now, marine.” He nodded to Elena. “Sorry to have lost you both to the dark side.”
Rae noticed a trio of other officers standing five paces back. They were all of a similar breed, same muscular builds, tight gazes, catlike ease.
The colonel said, “You need reinforcements, give us a shout.”
“Roger that, sir.” Holden waited until the officer and his crew moved away; then he asked Curtis, “What’s the name of your superior’s uninvited guest?”
“Ajeet Morais.” Curtis spelled the name. “He likes to dominate. Which is the real reason for his security detail. Ajeet is happiest when he’s playing the bully. And he despises me. Hates the ground I walk on.”
“Other than protecting Mr. Morais and your good selves, what’s our role here?”
“We need to separate Ajeet and his team from Kurien. If you can.”
“There is no ‘if,’ ” Elena replied. “Only do.”
“You heard the lady,” Holden said. “That takes care of the airport. And after?”
Amiya joined them and confirmed the flight’s arrival. Curtis made a swift round of introductions; then, “Mr. Morais was recently injured in an attack that killed Ajeet’s father. There’s a risk Ajeet intends to use Kurien’s weakness as an opportunity.”
“What exactly are we talking about?” Holden asked. “Another physical assault, business deal, what?”
Curtis replied, “We don’t know anything for certain.”
“We know enough,” Amiya said. “Ajeet will seek to dominate now, control later.”
“We can’t let that happen,” Curtis said.
Amiya said, “The very instant Ajeet appears, he needs to be separated from my father. Put in his place. Shown that he is not, and never will be, the one in control.”
Holden told his number two, “Give our team the sitrep.”
Curtis asked, “How many are you?”
Elena replied, “Many as you need.” She moved away.
Holden asked, “So we isolate Mr. Kurien Morais the instant he arrives. Anyone else to be included in our zone of protection?”
“Jiyan,” Curtis replied. “Kurien’s PA. Sort of. The reason you’re here is Jiyan managed to shoot off a text unseen.”
“Jiyan. Good guy. Noted.”
Amiya warned, “Ajeet won’t like your people separating him from my father.”
“What Ajeet and his team like or don’t like are not part of our equation,” Holden said. “Slick, smooth, fast. They enter, we take control, we leave. Your ride or ours?”
“What are you driving?”
“Two Land Rovers and an armored Navigator.”
“Your ride. Definitely.”
Amiya stepped away. “Here they come.”