“Note to self: get fitter. As I was saying before my body interrupted, I don’t think we’re going to find anything when the ships dock. At least we aren’t unless Juanita can help.”
Jemima looked worried and said,
“I’m not wrong. These are the ships and the cocaine is being transported inside the timber.”
William held up a placatory hand and said,
“Juanita, Ernest, Jonas we need you; now.”
The room remained empty, which was unusual. Ernest and Juanita had told William that if he needed them then they were only a call away.
He looked at Annabel, then Ben and then Jemima to see if they sensed the presence of the ghosts or if they could feel anything different in the room. They all shook their heads one after another. In irritation, he called again. This time his voice was demanding.
“Juanita, Ernest, Jonas we need you; now”
The three ghosts appeared to tumble into the room, arriving flustered and harassed. Juanita spoke before William had time to question them on their tardiness.
“We’ve lost them. Charles and Helena have vanished. Ernest and Jonas were tracking Charles I was tracking Helena. She went below to see Satan and I lost contact with her. Charles went to Felicity and left soon afterwards looking excited and elated. Moments later he disappeared. I can only assume that he is with Helena.”
William looked concerned, but it was Ben who spoke first.
“When you track your subjects, don’t you get close enough to know what they are doing and saying?”
Juanita replied,
“Sometimes yes. In this situation when Ernest is tracking he can’t get close enough to see or listen. He has to stay back out of range as he hasn’t the experience to get closer without being detected.”
William now seemed worried pacing the room and muttering to himself while Juanita talked with Ben.
“Juanita,” William said, “the illusion you created in the safe of the Home Secretary. Was that technically challenging for you?”
“For me no, but I have many hundreds of years of experience.”
William thought for a moment framing his next question.
“Is scale a problem? If the illusion you create is larger does that increase the complexity?” Juanita shook her head, letting William walk her through his thinking.
“Could Helena do it on a larger scale?”
Juanita looked at William and then nodded.
“When the customs personnel along with the police storm aboard these ships, I don’t think they will find anything. We can’t let that happen. We have worked hard to ensure the police, customs and additional security is at each of the locations the ships are docking at. Jemima and Ben have worked out how the drugs are being hidden and imported and on which ships they are arriving on. All of this work, organisation and determination can’t be for nothing.” William finished the sentence with such vehemence that Juanita was left speechless. She looked at the faces before her and each one of them was radiating the same determination and passion as William.
“We might be able to do something. This isn’t perfect. Helena, Charles and Satan will all be trying to stop us from blocking. It could get dangerous. You will all be targets. Jemima and Annabel you’ve experienced what they will stoop to. That was Felicity and Freddie. When the spirit world gets involved, it will get a lot nastier and more personal.”
Ernest interrupted Juanita saying,
“Helicopter will arrive in two minutes. It’s Pablo.” As Ernest enunciated his final syllable the door to the office burst open and one of the bodyguards rushed in and said,
“Mr Bacchus, a helicopter approaching, ETA two minutes.” Tiny came in followed by Jemima’s bodyguards. Looking at Jemima he said,
“Last chance to back out. Interested?”
Jemima grinned and said,
“Never.” Looking at her two bodyguards she asked,
“Eric, Ernie, are we ready?” They both nodded with tight smiles.
Tiny said,
“Wire in place?” she nodded
“Okay clear the building, everyone out back now. Let the show begin.”
***
Charles stared at Helena, relief washing over him.
“He agreed?”
“He agreed. Your powers have been upgraded until this mess is dealt with. You can influence minds, causing hallucinations and terrors, but only to individuals. You can control equipment, radio’s scanners, GPS for short periods, move animate objects and you can hurt people. The power he has given you excludes killing, but does include inflicting mental pain. Have fun.”
Charles moved around the space that had become their headquarters and savoured the prospect of using his new powers. Now he could help Felicity. She had to be protected at all costs, that was the dictate. As the carrier for Satan’s first human offspring, her importance was paramount. So was her reputation. She would be of little use to the dark lord holed up in a cave hiding from the world’s police. This could not touch her. So, another scapegoat was required. Pablo.
Charles stopped in front of Helena and with precision, so that there could be no confusion, said,
“He commanded protection for my granddaughter from this mess and no proven involvement. She must not meet with Pablo. She might want it he might want it. It must not happen. No association.”
Helena interrupted him, even though she was enjoying seeing Charles at his best.
“In that respect we have had a little luck.”
Charles cocked his head to one side, interested.
“How so?”
“Your other granddaughter is showing more character than we have given her credit for. She had the cripple hack Pablo’s mobile phone and then impressed him by calling and demanding a meeting. He is flying to meet her as we speak. However he is too stupid and too hung-over to realise it isn’t Felicity. We can monitor what they are discussing and adapt our offensive, as we need to. I think your cocaine cartel might need a new boss.”
Charles smiled with pleasure and asked,
“How do you know about Jemima meeting Pablo?”
“One of her bodyguards, the one she calls Ernie, his real name is Matt, thinks about me when he hears anything he thinks I’d want to hear. I can read his thoughts. His sister was someone I helped before I was assigned to you. Now, he’ll do anything to keep her pain free.”
Charles smiled and then began laughing. His laughter was cut off by a coughing fit. When he regained control, he said,
“Will he kill her if asked?”
“He’ll kill them all if he wants to keep his sister safe.”
“I think he might need to kill Freddie. If his association to Felicity is dragged through the courts, it will not enhance her reputation.”
Chapter 43
Ernie pushed Jemima to a large tarmac area in front of the CHC complex while Eric rode shotgun. Eric surveyed the area around and behind them as they watched the helicopter land and the rotors slow to a halt.
An attractive, dark Latin American man descended the steps from the helicopter, looked around and then satisfied motioned for the remainder of his party to emerge. Pablo was wearing a silk suit with expensive loafers and a huge gold medallion. He swaggered in the centre of a posse of bodyguards, six in total, appearing relaxed and confident.
Jemima motioned to Ernie to push her forward towards the party and Eric walked by her side and behind watching everything Pablo’s bodyguards did, braced for action.
“Buenos días Pablo.” Jemima said smiling at him and extending her hand.
“You’ll have to excuse me for not getting up but…” She indicated the leg in a plaster cast and the wheelchair.
“An irritating accident, but it’s been dealt with.” Her voice carried an edge to it, alluding to violence, but remained civil.
Pablo stepped forward and took the extended hand still smiling and said,
“I’m sorry to hear of your accident. I hope you will soon recover.” He nodded towar
ds the CHC warehouses and said,
“Shall we go inside and talk? I hope you won’t mind if I ask that your assistants remain outside. Some of the matters we need to discuss are private family matters that it would be inappropriate to bore others with.” Jemima smiled in agreement. Turning to Eric she said,
“Once you have ensured we are comfortable in my office could you show Pablo’s assistants where they can find refreshments while we have our private family discussions. He is of course quite correct; these matters are too boring to inflict on you all. I’m sure you can take care of them for me.” The look that she gave him as her wheelchair was turned away from Pablo and out of his view for a moment reinforced her instructions. She could see that Pablo wanted to argue about the loss of his bodyguards, but as he wanted to exclude her assistants, he accepted his would also have to wait outside. He smiled to himself, what could a woman with a broken leg do to harm him Pablo Estefan Corrales? Nothing of course.
They were escorted to the main office and provided with coffee, Colombian of course, and bottled water and then they were alone.
Pablo as a Colombian man and head of his family felt obligated to take the lead in the conversation and was about to begin when Jemima snarled at him almost leaping out of her chair as she said,
“Your security needs to improve you fucking imbecile. You’re not in a one horse South American backwater where the locals stare in rapt admiration when you press a light switch. Here the authorities can trace mobile phones, trace people, watch what you are doing, remotely track your every move. Did you enjoy the hookers at the Georges Cinq last night? The Chateau Petrus you had with dinner? The fruit bowl, juice and exquisite coffee this morning? Do I need to go on? If I can discover all of this in ten minutes with a laptop and the Internet, what do you think the authorities can get? Eh? Moron.”
Jemima shook her head in disbelief and reached for her coffee on the table beside here . Pablo sat stunned. Then he blustered, placed under extreme pressure and not enjoying it.
“My security is good and I always take the most careful precautions. Most careful. What is this shit about the Georges Cinq and hookers? Bullshit. Chateau Petrus is piss. I come here to pay you the respect you deserve as my new European partner and this is how you behave. I am outraged …”
Jemima pressed a button on the laptop in front of her and an image of his account from the previous night appeared. Chateau Petrus was highlighted. Under miscellaneous was a charge of twenty thousand euros also highlighted and next to it was the word special guests. Then she pressed another button and a grainy image of Pablo opening the door to his suite and letting in two attractive women.
Jemima looked at him and cocked her head a half smile playing across her lips. Still smiling she said to him,
“If you have compromised me in any way you will regret the fact that we have ever met. Okay?”
He nodded, his face a mask of venomous rage. Continuing without paying any attention to his evident anger she said,
“I hope the operation has been a little more professionally dealt with. Well?” She looked at him with contempt.
“Convince me.”
Seething with rage, he lurched out of his seat pacing around the room gesticulating as he roared at her.
“You know nothing, puta. It is as it always is. The drugs are inside the ships, six tonnes as agreed, disguised as is normal. The ships are not connected to us, as is normal. The ships will dock at different ports, as is normal. You know all of this. It is how it is and how it has been. We tweak, as we need, your latest innovation I grant you was inspired. Worthy of a Colombian.” He paused and looked at the outsized Rolex watch on his wrist.
“Forty minutes. The drugs will be collected and transported wherever you have chosen. No one can connect the ships to the Cortez family as was decreed by your grandfather. Job done.” He raised his hands face up in front of him indicating the description was complete.
“So finally you have acceded to common sense and your mediaeval prejudices have been overcome.” She clapped her hands in derision.
“So the timber has been shelved, excuse the pun.” She smiled at him waiting for a response. He looked at her confused and then grinned, recognising there had been a joke and tried to respond with his own heavy-handed humour.
“Now it is the pure water, no?”
Jemima’s iPhone that sat on the table beside her rang and she picked it up and answered it.
“Yes?” She listened for a moment and smiled.
“Yes. Whenever you would like, I’ll wait here for you.”
Pablo looked at her suspicion written across his face,
“What was that?”
Jemima smiled,
“Oh, nothing. Just my assistants on another matter. Please continue.”
Pablo stared at her, not trusting her, but unsure why. He hadn’t stayed alive for more than thirty years in the depths of Colombia by being naive and stupid.
“What the fuck is going on? Where are my men?” He reached to grab her, but was stopped by Eric crashing into him from behind, and landing on him. Pablo looked up and screamed,
“Felicity, you are a dead woman walking. My father will swat you like the insect you are. Puta.”
He tried to spit on her, but his head was snapped back by Eric and then smashed against the edge of the table. Eric pressed the transmit button on his throat mike and said,
“He’s all yours. Come and get him.” As the last word left his lips ten police hostage rescue officers raced in and handcuffed him before dragging him out.
***
Helena and Charles watched as Pablo was dragged out of the CHC warehouse and bundled into the back of an unmarked van. The van moved around the corner of the warehouse out of the line of site of the wharf.
“Pablo is now out of the game. Not a huge loss, he wasn’t his father.” Charles said. He watched as Ernie and Eric pushed Jemima out of the warehouse by her side.
“Two small issues that you are going to need to address. Pablo’s father will need to be managed, in a permanent way if Felicity is to assume control. He is still the head of the Cartel; Pablo was the titular head, but no more. And,” he nodded down at Ernie.
“He will have to kill Jemima and then you will have to kill him.”
Helena nodded in agreement.
“The father had better be first and quick before he hears of this happening to his eldest. I think we can make it appear that Pablo was making a power play and had paid for his father to be killed. Felicity then can be the stabilising hand sent to take the tiller in these trying times. Ernie can dispatch Freddie and then Jemima when the chaos we are about to cause is at its peak. We need to speak to Felicity and get her on a flight to Colombia via somewhere. Miami? She needs to be away from what will be happening here and be in Colombia in three days time.”
Helena held out her hand to Charles and said with mock formality,
“Shall we?”
Felicity stared at Charles as he relayed the events at the company warehouse in Southampton. She considered what he and Helena had suggested and nodded in approval. So her sister had emasculated Pablo, perhaps she had more promise than they had thought. Picking up her desk phone, she pressed a button and was connected to her assistant Jonathan.
“Jonathan, I will be flying to Cali via Miami tomorrow. Please book me a seat on a Virgin Atlantic flight to Miami. I will stay there for three days and then will need a connecting flight to Cali. Book me the Biscayne suite at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami for two nights. Thank you.”
Felicity stared out of the window and said,
“When I arrive will I need to deal with Pablo’s father or will that have been done?”
Helena smiled and answered,
“That will have been dealt with and the family will be looking forward to your arrival.”
Felicity nodded and said,
“Now Jemima. She knows too much and has chosen the wrong team. Such mistakes have consequences. Don’t they?”
/>
Helena nodded and said
“Jemima’s demise is in hand.”
***
Juanita, Ernest and Jonas, floated over the ships as they edged past Calshot Spit and entered Calshot Reach on their final approach to Fawley Terminal where the CHC wharf and warehousing were.
They could see the massed ranks of the police, National Deep Rummage Team and the security force that Tiny had brought to protect William and his family.
“It won’t be enough will it? William’s security force, the police and customs. They won’t be able to protect William and the others will they?” Ernest looked down at the timber on the boat, filled with cocaine that no one would find.
“Ernest, have faith. They have us and hundreds of years of experience and our passion. The other advantage they have, is that I have never been beaten. Not once. Well, not since I was tortured to death, I lost then.” Juanita smiled to reassure Ernest before she continued,
“We have two absolutes that we have to achieve. One; Team Bacchus remains safe and alive. Two; the cocaine is discovered, which will put Pablo in jail and stop Felicity using that method to export it again. Everything beyond that is a bonus. When we have finished; you will be free to continue your journey to your wife. I will accept a hefty promotion and continue guiding people from limbo to their ultimate destination.” Juanita scanned the channel that the cargo vessel was travelling up and estimated how long it would be before it arrived at CHC’s wharf. In the distance shadowing the cargo vessel was the container ship, stacked high with freight containers.
“The ship will dock in about ten minutes and then it begins.” Juanita tensed as she finished the sentence and scanned around them, searching for danger. After a moment she stared at the ship and frowned, then smiled.
“It’s begun. Helena has put the illusion in place that will block anyone seeing the cocaine.” A look of concern and then panic clouded her face as she studied the activity on the wharf.
“Ernest, look. What are the police officers doing? Why are they getting into their cars and leaving? No, no, no, we need to go, now. Helena is causing them to hallucinate.”
Bacchus and Sanderson (Deceased) Page 35
