CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Jack
My gut feeling was that I didn’t want to be within a million miles of Oliver fucking Roux. He wasn't a man to be messed with and as I mulled over the possibilities of what could happen at our ‘brunch’ I became more and more stressed.
Nate and I took our breakfast plates to the smaller dining table in the lounge, as the taskforce members served themselves coffee and settled on the couches to discuss the threat assessment and options for our protection.
We were in the dark about how much each agency knew, and clueless about Roux’s preferred play.
Apart from Rivera, did Oliver Roux have spies elsewhere, feeding him Intel?
It was clear Roux’s hunt for the chips brought him to our door.
But his options were limited. He could have a safe cracker break in while he distracted us in his suite, or he could come up with some other way of forcing our hand.
I was mechanically eating my breakfast, not tasting or enjoy it at all.
I’d zoned out, lost in spiralling anxious thoughts, to be dragged back to reality when the intercom buzzed and everyone stilled.
Agent D sauntered into the hallway and we heard him say, “Hello, how can I help you?” The response was inaudible but Agent D called out, “It’s for you, Hadley.
” As he strode back in and retook his seat, we shared a look, his shrewd eyes flitting between Nate and me.
I got the feeling we were not going to like this interruption.
The raised voice of Special Agent Porter filtered in from the hall.
“What the fuck are you doing here Rivera?”
“Come on Porter, I want in the room!” Kirk Rivera whined.
“You’re not a part of my op. Jesus Christ Rivera! How are you still with the company? You’re a terrible fucking agent,” she said in exasperation.
“Who’s in there with you? SIS? Interpol?” he hedged.
“Stop!”
I watched the loaded glances and wincing facial expressions of the international team. This was embarrassing and a far cry from the professional, confident, slick FBI I’d seen TV shows. The reality was a chaotic mess.
“If I could spare an agent I’d have you detained here and now, then taken straight to the airport to be returned to Langley! You’re done, Rivera, go pack your bags, you screwed the pooch!”
I leaned to Nate and grimaced, “Yikes, awkward!” He returned a baleful glare. Right now, everything was so tense, and unthinkably, I was too stressed to finish my breakfast.
When the stony-faced Special Agent Porter returned, SI Delort from Interpol asked “This man you turned away, Rivera, who is he? Could he cause trouble?”
“Kirk Rivera is a CIA fuck-up gone rogue, he’s working for Oliver Roux,” I stated, not giving a tiny shit that I was embarrassing Special Agent Porter.
“Yeah, he could cause trouble,” Deveraux said mournfully. “He’s failed to deliver on his deal. He’s a desperate man. I suggest a BKA officer should keep tabs on him.”
DI Baumann retrieved his phone, “Agreed, I’ll let my team know,” he said as he swiftly typed a message and sent it.
“Rivera’s not a major threat, just an inconvenience, “ Porter insisted, trying to calm the situation. We knew she was just covering her arse.
“This security conference has all of my available agents protecting high value US delegates. I wish I had someone who could get him on a plane, but my hands are tied until the conference is done.” She admitted.
“I understand you guys have tactical training, yes? It was part of the training for your movie?” Baumann asked. Nate and I nodded.
“Good,” SI Delort said, “As we understand, Oliver Roux may be one of the wealthiest men in the world, but he is physically unfit, and has a substance abuse problem. He is very much a…how do the Brits say?”
“A loose cannon?” Deveraux suggested.
“Yes. He is known for having spectacular tantrums, and relies on his close protection officers to ensure his safety. As well as the guard outside the suite, there are three others resident in the suite with Roux. His right hand, a man named Xander Bishop, has been with him since his early twenties. There is also a second close protection officer, and his personal assistant,” SI Delort stated.
Lars Baumann then spoke again, “Gentlemen, would you be open to wearing a button camera? This will help us to protect you and also collect evidence of Roux’s involvement in this scheme to smuggle stolen Chinese technology through Germany.
The feed will be shared with all of the law enforcement parties here. ”
“I have no issue with that,” Nate said, and I nodded in agreement. Honestly, I wasn’t happy about any of this and if I spoke, I feared I’d say something regrettable.
The inter-agency team then began discussing the specifics among themselves.
We learned that they had the full cooperation from head of hotel security Frau Bruker, and the manager Herr Vogel, who permitted the BKA access to the hotel security feed.
They decided that Baumann would be monitoring from the hotel security room, Special Agent Porter and SI Delort would be in the van, and the GSG 9 tactical unit would be positioned in the emergency stairwell for the swiftest entry when they needed to move in.
Nate and I were pawns being pushed around on a chess board.
My rage built as I listened to these strangers making decisions about my life, Nate’s life.
My fight or flight response kicked in and finally I couldn’t take any more, I wanted to grab Nate’s hand, run, and keep on running.
“Stop it, that’s enough!” I said as I stood up, my voice rising to cut through the circle of plans. Everyone paused and looked at me.
“I’m not doing this, and I don’t think Nate should do it either.
You’re all trained professionals. Nate and I are literally members of the public, and you’re choosing to put us in harm’s way…
for what?” I trailed my hands through my hair in exasperation.
“For fucks sake, you want us to step into a room with one of the richest men in the world…a man who gets whatever he wants and makes people he doesn’t like disappear,” I pointed out.
“He may not have “killed” anyone personally, but he probably owns the shovel factory!” I said sarcastically.
“We’re not stupid…none of you are the good guys here!
Every one of the countries you represent has a play.
You all want to get your hands on the Téng hú because of they’ll be great leverage in your dealings with China! ”
“Oh, come on. Jack! That’s not fair,” Alexander Deveraux insisted.
“I’m on your side. I’ve been assisting you from the moment we met.
It’s in the best interest of the UK to ensure you get out of this unscathed.
Do you really think any of us would keep our jobs if two internationally famous actors were maimed while taking part in a top-secret op?
” Deveraux exclaimed. “I can’t speak for my colleagues here, but I’ve got your back.
I believe in you both. I wouldn’t want you to meet with Roux unless I thought you had the skills to get us the information we need to stop him.
You’ve got the training; and now you get the chance to use it in real life and pop the ego of a megalomaniac, y’know, for humanity! ”
I turned to Nate, to see him looking at me with pleading eyes.
Shit! I’d been presumptuous, speaking on his behalf without asking him what he wanted to do.
But it was clear to me now, with just a look of intimate communication that he wanted to face Oliver Roux.
Nate was determined to avenge his father.
This was bigger than me, and my fears. I’d made an arse of myself. I couldn’t leave Nate to go it alone.
****