“Just last night, going through the Panama Canal but although the dimensions are identical it can’t be her.”
“Why not?” demanded Lela.
“She couldn’t possibly have covered the distance since she left Egypt four weeks ago.”
“What are you talking about? Through the Med and across the Atlantic no problem. She’d do that in about a week,” said Tom, quickly working out the calculation.
“Yes but she was travelling east not west,” said Daniel. “We’ve checked, the boat was sighted off the coast of Chile a few days earlier. It’s not possible, the ship would have had to sail down the east coast of Africa, around the Cape and across the Atlantic before rounding the other cape and travelling up the west coast of South America. That is a massive journey of over 15,000 nautical miles. For this boat to be yours, it would have had to average over 40 knots non-stop in four weeks, it’s just not possible.”
Tom and Lela just looked at Daniel and at the same time asked the same question.
“What was the name of the boat?”
“The Beautiful Lady. Why?”
Both just stared at him.
“What?” he asked as they both just stared.
Tom looked at him and answered,
“There’s only one boat in the world that could have done that trip in that time and it’s the Tylanni. She has a top speed of over 50 knots and can easily average mid 40s.”
“Where is she now?” asked Lela.
“She could be anywhere in the Caribbean,” replied Daniel.
Tom began to wonder but it couldn’t be possible.
“Daniel, could you ask your guys to have a look at something for me?” asked Tom.
“Of course what is it?” asked Daniel.
Tom gave him something and then led Lela back to her room. They had to consider what to do about The Tylanni.
Chapter 67
Tom returned to his room to find a voicemail from Jason who asked him to contact him immediately no matter what the time. He had spoken to the Alba directors earlier in the afternoon, things were going OK, not great because of the assassinations but there had been no major issues. As he dialled Jason’s mobile, he wondered what could be wrong.
“Oh hi Tom,” answered Jason recognising his number.
“Hi Jason, what’s up?”
“We’ve had another offer for the company, it’s much better but it’s obviously your call.”
“How much and who?”
“Twenty percent up on the previous one and still anonymous.”
“Damn! We can find out who they are but only if we sell them Alba, that’s nuts.”
“There is one other thing, they’re becoming increasingly adamant that this offer runs out in less than 48 hours. The lawyer who made the offer couldn’t emphasise that enough.”
This was the third increase they had received that day and each one ran out at exactly the same time, 10.00 p.m. on the Sunday. They had rejected each one so far.
“What do you think?” asked Tom.
“I’m not sure, he also said that it was their final offer and that we will just have to live with the consequences if we reject it…”
“Wait a minute, are those your words or his?” asked Tom. He really didn’t like the undertone of what had been said.
“His and it annoyed me just as much.”
Tom thought for a second,
“Tell them to piss off. It’s not for sale at any price and let’s see what consequences they have for us.”
He was really wound up, these guys were now getting to him. They ended the call. Jason would pass on a slightly more professional rejection and they agreed to speak in the morning.
Tom checked his watch, it was after midnight and he was wide awake, there was no way he was going to sleep. He got up and went back to the conference room. He would start working through the backgrounds of the assassinated heads of government and their successors. He could not get the thought of the Tylanni, renamed The Beautiful Lady, out of his head. That’s how his parents always had described Tylanni, Lela’s mother. Whenever her name was mentioned, they would always comment on what a beautiful lady she had been.
Chapter 68
Beaumont was neither surprised nor unhappy at the news that their final offer was rejected. In fact, the possibility of some payback to the kids for the hassle they had caused him was exactly what he wanted. Within five seconds of receiving the news, he gave Jones the go-ahead to launch the operation against the girl.
Jones and his team were stationed just outside the exclusion zone which surrounded The Academy’s island. On receipt of the Go command, they fired up the engines and began to move towards their target. Their small cruise boat had been built as part of the US navy’s new DDX programme and encompassed the latest stealth technology, even at 40 knots, she was completely invisible to radar. Within 30 minutes, they were in position and launched the small rubber raiders which would take the eight man team the school’s beach.
From the time Tom had rejected the Alba bid, to the first man landing on The Academy, less than an hour had passed. They secured their small boats and checked their position, a small GPS device indicated that they were less than half a mile from the girl’s room. Two men would remain at the boats while Jones and another five men formed the grab-team. Jones had initially planned a four-man team but then doubled it, he didn’t want anything to go wrong.
Jones had received the full security schematics for The Academy and had planned the mission accordingly. Each man was dressed in a stealth suit to minimise their radiant body heat and counteract The Academy’s thermal cameras and the Special Forces’ night vision goggles. They also carried no metal. Detectors along the shore picked up the tiniest amount of metal. Everything they carried or wore was made of cloth, plastic or a ceramic composite, including zips, watches and tooth fillings. There were 200 Special Forces soldiers at The Academy and Jones had no intention of getting into a fire fight with them. Their only weapon was a ceramic knife.
He checked his team were ready and led them off into the darkness towards the accommodation blocks lit up in the distance.
Lela had no problem sleeping. She crashed out the moment they had got back from the meeting. Papa had been training her hard, having taken over her father’s role as master. She soon realised that her father had not exaggerated when he had said that her training was easy compared to his. Papa was enjoying his new student and had her awake at five o’clock every morning to train for at least two hours before breakfast and she had to do the same again before dinner. Kisho and Kano had come along to the first session and later found any excuse not to go.
“Where’s Tom?” asked Papa, startling Lela who was fast asleep. He was standing next to her bed. How he had got in without disturbing her, she didn’t know.
“What, what’s wrong?” she realised that it wasn’t the fact that Papa had sneaked into her room that should worry her but why.
“Where is he?” he asked again more firmly.
“In his room, no?” she answered. “Why what’s wrong?”
“We can’t find him and there are some men on the island who shouldn’t be here.”
Jones’ schematic did not identify the islanders nor their incredible capabilities. One of the islanders had spotted the eight men on the beach.
“Just sound the alarm,” urged Lela.
“No. The confusion may play in their favour, we’ll deal with it.”
“Find him!” Papa ordered Kisho and Kano who had just entered the room. He was very annoyed with them, they should always know where Tom was and they had failed.
“Have you tried his phone?” asked Lela. Papa looked at Kano and Kisho who looked at each other.
“Imbeciles,” he said under his breath.
Lela immediately phoned Tom. Papa told her not to alert him to the security issue. She was to say that she had woken up and noticed he wasn’t in his room. She put the phone down.
“He’s in Conference Room On
e.”
Tom put the phone down, thinking nothing of it. He returned to the information in front of him, he was beginning to get somewhere. Suddenly the door opened and two of Papa’s Penarajans joined him, closing the door behind them. They explained the situation and informed him that he was to stay there with them. Papa was dealing with it and would give them the all clear soon.
Jones and his men found the accommodation block and slowly moved into position. Two would watch the entrance while four would grab the girl. The four-man team made their way silently up the stairs and along the corridor towards her door. They stopped at the door and Jones withdrew a small plastic canister with a rubber tube. He slipped the rubber tube under the door and released the valve on the container. He counted to ten. Anybody in the room would be knocked unconscious for at least an hour. He couldn’t afford even the slightest scream from the girl and this was the only way to ensure they did not startle her. He closed the valve and removed the tube.
He checked his watch. In 90 seconds, they could enter the room by which time the gas would have dispersed. They listened through the door to detect any disturbance but heard nothing. Perfect.
Papa received confirmation that Tom was safe and two islanders would remain with him until they were given the all clear. Papa wanted these guys alive, he wanted to get them talking but first he wanted to know who or what they were after. The islander who had initially followed the men was ordered to get as close to the boats as possible. He was to await Papa’s order to take the men out but in the meantime, to try to understand what or who they were after.
Kano was given a similar order and sent to watch the team as they approached. He saw two men watch the front door while the four-man team went inside. He, like the other islander, was within hearing distance of the men’s whispers and soon picked up enough to relay back to Papa. Meanwhile, as the tube appeared under Lela’s door, Kisho, Papa and Lela made their way silently onto the balcony.
Kano contacted Papa and updated him on what they had heard. This was a kidnap not an assassination. Lela was definitely their target, Tom was not even mentioned. Papa quickly relayed the information to Kisho and Lela. A furious whispered row broke out but what was being said made sense. Papa was about to do something he knew Saki would have vehemently disapproved of.
87…88…89, the seconds ticked down. On reaching 90, Jones signalled to his team. They silently picked the lock and made their way into the room, Lela was sound asleep. This was going to be easy, they quickly made their way across to the bed and checked her pulse. There was always the chance she had reacted to the gas but she was fine so they picked her up. Two minutes later, they were out of the block and making their way silently back to their boats.
Chapter 69
“What did you say?” screamed Tom at Papa and the rest of them.
“Lela has been kidnapped,” repeated Papa.
“But you let them do it!! How could you?” Tom screamed again. He had not taken the news well, his sister was in mortal danger and those idiots had let it happen.
“Was she in danger? Was it more dangerous to stop them? Is that what happened?” asked Tom, trying to make sense of what they had done.
“No. We let them go, Lela insisted that we let her go.”
“She’s 15!!! You’re her grandfather!!! That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said!!!”
Lela, having heard that the impostors were not trying to kill her or Tom, had argued that if she went with them, she might find who was behind everything. She could more than handle a bunch of soldiers, especially as they thought she was just an average 15 year old girl. Papa had understood her logic but would not agree, Kisho even less so. Lela had pleaded and told them that they knew it made sense, which they did. Papa was also aware of just how well Lela could look after herself. He had been training her for three weeks and had resorted to pure physical training as he had nothing left to teach her other than a few wily old tricks and even those were exhausted after a week. She was, without doubt, the most talented natural fighter in generations of Penarajans.
Alternatively, they could capture the soldiers but it could take days before they discovered anything, if they had anything to give them. He now wondered how she had managed to convince him to let her go. How could he have let his only granddaughter be kidnapped? He looked at Kisho who he could see was having the same conversation with himself. How had Lela managed to talk them into this madness? But she had and he had issued a stand down order.
“I’m sorry. It seemed like the right thing to do, she was very persuasive,” replied a very subdued Papa.
Tom was too angry to talk to them. At least he had made them realise they were wrong. Kano was completely on Tom’s wavelength. He had been apoplectic at the thought of these animals having his little cousin and had already made his feelings known to Papa.
Chapter 70
“It went perfectly. The girl is lying down, sound asleep, next to me,” said a very pleased Jones.
“Excellent, I’ll make a few calls,” said Beaumont.
“Do you think we’ll get to be involved in Operations Sandy and David?” asked Jones who was disappointed at missing out on some real action. Kidnapping teenage girls was not his idea of soldiering.
“I don’t know. But you never know, if we pull this off, we just might manage to get you in on the action for Operation David but I think Operation Sandy is a definite no.”
“By the way, the girl is harmless to us. She doesn’t even know she’s not in her bed. If he concedes shall we just put her back?” Jones didn’t mind killing her but only if it was necessary.
“Nah, too risky, when I give you the call, just dump her overboard.”
“Ok, seems a waste though. She’s going to grow into a real beauty,” replied Jones.
“C’est la vie. I’ll call you as soon as I know. We may have to prove she’s alive in the meantime. So keep your phone on,” said Beaumont before hanging up.
Lela had heard to the whole exchange. To anybody watching her, she looked asleep. However, she was fully alert and had merely slowed down her breathing and heart rate and relaxed her muscles. She had complete control of her body, having been trained from birth in understanding how her body worked and how to control every muscle and nerve.
It had been less than an hour since Tom had been informed of Lela’s kidnap when his phone rang.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Tom Kennedy?” a digitised voice asked him.
“Yes, what do you want?” responded Tom.
“I want you to reconsider our original offer for Alba.”
“What? You’ve kidnapped my sister to force me to sell you Alba?”
How could they think they would get away with it? The minute he sold them Alba, he would know who they were, it just didn’t make sense.
“But if I sell you Alba, I’ll know who you are. You’ll have to kill us,” said Tom answering his own question before the digital voice could.
“Don’t worry, nobody will ever know who owns it,” came the reply.
Tom was not going to do anything foolish. He had to play it cool and cleverly. Thanks to Papa, his sister’s life depended on it.
“I’m sorry but I don’t understand. You’re going to buy the world’s largest company and remain anonymous?” asked Tom mystified.
“Yes. That, however, is not your concern. You should be more concerned about your sister and the ten men currently holding her,” said the digitised voice. Papa, listening in on the call, was relieved to hear that there were only ten men.
“How do I know she won’t be harmed? I won’t sell you Alba until I see her back safely,” Tom said firmly.
“I’m sorry but that is non-negotiable. You’ll only see her again AFTER you’ve sold Alba. I’ll call you back in two hours.” The digitised voice hung up.
Beaumont looked down at the phone with satisfaction. He had almost certainly secured the purchase of Alba International. He was tempted to call The Chairma
n to let him know but thought he should wait until it was a done deal.
Lela listened as the men chatted to each other. There were too many accents to pin them down to one country. She was trying desperately to take in as much information as she could while the men were relaxed.
“What are we doing after here?” asked one of the men.
“Probably going to Operation David, but I don’t know. Depending on how quickly this is over, we might make Operation Sandy first,” replied the man who was obviously the leader.
“What about her?” asked the man. Lela could feel the man motioning towards her.
“As soon as we get the OK,” the leader responded. Again, Lela sensed another movement but this time it was a horizontal motion, she assumed across the man’s neck.
“Fair enough. Any news yet on that useless twat Perez?” the man asked.
“Nope nothing. Last I heard he was sitting on the side of Machu Picchu with a clear shot of the boy. The next thing I hear is that the boy is back and we’ve never heard a peep from Perez. He’s just disappeared,” replied the leader.
“Maybe the boy saw him and paid him off. Jesus he’s got more money than the rest of the world put together, no?”
“Impossible. Perez was a klick away, in full camouflage, with a sniper rifle.”
The significance of the conversation hit Lela hard. They had tried to kill Tom. Before she could think about it any more, the leader’s phone rang. Oh God, thought Lela, knowing the call could be the signal to kill her.
“Hello?” answered the leader.
Lela listened carefully.
“Yes, OK.”
Nothing more was said. Lela had no option but to move.
Chapter 71
Tom looked at his watch. It was almost time. The clock had dragged for two hours. They had moved back to Tom’s room. Papa, Kano and Kisho were wearing his carpet thin from pacing up and down. At exactly two hours to the second, Tom’s phone rang.
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