by J C Ryan
Simone also found the plans for Graziella’s three-story house on the City Council servers and downloaded them. None of them were surprised that the plans did not show any underground rooms.
Bill’s mind had been busy as well. “Maybe it would be best to take a team and a few Walabot devices and see how much we could learn about the chambers and map whatever we can.”
“Walabot?” Simone inquired.
Bill laughed. “Don’t ask me about the technology. I wouldn’t have a clue, but I do know it’s a 3D-imaging sensor, which you connect to a smartphone, and then you can look right through walls. It will show everything inside the walls like pipes, wiring, cavities, and it will show structural foundations, and even people in the room.”
“I always thought a window is the only way to look through a wall!” Simone giggled. “Anyway, that sounds a lot better than blowing the walls away. I take it we’ll be able to buy those at a mobile phone shop?”
“In America, you can. I am sure you’ll have it here as well.”
Simone also had a solution for Bill’s concerns about the French authorities asking questions about the Director of the CIA’s impromptu visit. She was going to phone her superior to let him know she had a surprise visitor and would like to take a few days off from work. She would leave enough hints during the conversation to make him curious enough to ask the obvious question, which would enable her to reveal who it was.
She assured Bill the news would travel fast from there and would probably have the desired results—they’d leave him in peace.
***
Shortly after nine a.m., with a little less than five hours to Zero Hour, Simone phoned her office and spoke to her manager. She explained in the sweetest tone she’d gotten the surprise of her life, a very pleasant one, in the early morning hours and would like to take two days off. This was enough to peak the curiosity of her manager who asked what the surprise was. With that, Simone had him in her pocket and elaborated. She dropped Bill’s name, managing to sound a bit self-conscious about the purpose of his visit—to spend a few days with her, before he was due to travel to an undisclosed location elsewhere in Europe.
The French were always excited by anything that sounded like romance, and her manager, no exception, was more than happy to let her take a few days off and told her to enjoy it.
“You’re a star, Simone. It feels just like the old days.” Bill chuckled when she put the phone down and stole a quick kiss before he contacted one of his team members with a cryptic text message to meet for coffee in fifteen minutes about two blocks away from Simone’s apartment.
Chapter 99 - Enter like civilized people
It was nine thirty a.m. when Bill and Simone met with Peter Cusack, the senior EA operator on the team, and gave him instructions. He had to get the message to the rest of the team and the MI6 agents.
Simone showed Peter a map of the relevant parts of the catacombs and the different entry points, which the team had to use to get to the rendezvous point. She handed him a copy of the maps on a flash drive, which he and other team members would transfer to their tablets.
Bill also told Peter to make sure they got a few Walabot devices and installed them on some of their smartphones.
Shortly after eleven a.m., they were all gathered in a cavernous room in the catacombs adjacent to the Nabatean underground facilities.
The MI6 team, as per request from Bill, brought weapons, explosives, and other tools of the trade with them and handed it out to the rest. No one asked how they managed to get their hands on it or smuggle it into France.
There were three hours left to Zero Hour when Bill and Simone gathered everyone around them and in whispered voices shared the plans with them. The first and preferable option, Plan A, was to try and find one or more entryways into the Nabatean facilities from somewhere in the catacombs. If they couldn’t find one in time, they had to resort to Plan B, which was to go in through the front door, and Plan C was the highly undesirable idea to blow holes through the walls.
The revelation that the facilities they wanted to enter were rigged with thermobaric explosives made most of the team gasp. One of the MI6 agents, an explosives specialist, summed up the general feeling, accentuating every word as he spoke. “No bloody way I’m fokkin around with that stoff. Apologies, ma’am.”
Bill grinned. “Yes lad, that’s why I prefer Plan A—find a door and enter like civilized people.”
The little interlude broke the tension for a short while and had them all smiling.
Simone’s maps showed there were at least five walls in the adjacent passages and rooms that could be shared walls.
A few of them kept a lookout for unwelcome visitors while the rest got busy with their Walabots, fine-combing the walls and mapping out what they could “see” on the other side.
However, it was slow and frustrating work. The Walabots were nowhere as powerful as they hoped they would be, and they were heavy on the phone batteries. Many of the images produced were unreadable.
The team was getting more and more frustrated and nervous as time passed. They had portable chargers with them to recharge the phone batteries but decided not to use that unless absolutely necessary. They needed their phones when the attack started. All their phones were configured with push-to-talk software, which would enable them to use the phones as walkie-talkies.
After an hour, they managed to cover about thirty percent of the walls but already used up half or more of the phone batteries.
Bill, Simone, and the computer experts were collating the images coming from the Walabots and started to get a vague idea of what it looked like on the other side of the walls. But it was nowhere near enough information to launch an attack without risking the lives of everyone involved.
Bill made the call. “One more hour, guys. If we haven’t found a door or weak spot, we’ll have to go through the front door, or take the chance and use the explosives to get in.”
“One hour is also the maximum the phone batteries will last,” Peter commented.
About forty minutes later, one of the scanning teams returned and reported the battery on their phone has been depleted. Over the next ten minutes, two more teams returned with the same news.
Bill told them to recharge their phones from their mobile chargers while they wait for the last team to arrive.
Just then, Peter, who was part of the remaining team, rushed into the room, sounding quite excited. “Looks like we’ve got it! Come and have a look.”
He explained they found a spot in the wall the images showed to be about the size of an arched double door. But it looked like it was sealed with concrete or similar material; the scanner showed it was enforced with steel.
They were all gathered at the spot, staring at the area pointed out by Peter in the beams of their flashlights. It was impossible to see the difference between the area Peter showed them and the surrounding limestone walls with the naked eye. But when they looked at the images on the phone, it was clear the natural-looking façade was hiding something else.
“Must have been an opening or door here in the past,” Bill said. “They sealed it, probably with concrete as you said, and skillfully hid it behind this fascia.”
“Peter, can you move the scanner to the area on the left side of the door, please?” Simone asked.
He did so, and slowly images started appearing on the mobile phone’s screen. There was clearly a cavity in the wall to the left—large enough to accommodate the “door”’ they looked at.
This got them all excited, but then the phone went dead—out of battery. They quickly plugged the phone into one of the mobile chargers and started it up.
Further scanning revealed there were what looked like rails at the top and bottom of the “door” and in the top and bottom of the cavity. No doubt there was a sliding door behind the façade. Their problem was they couldn’t find any way of opening it from their side.
They scanned the surrounding areas, looking for a concealed openi
ng mechanism but couldn’t find any. A little less than one hour before Zero Hour, Bill called a halt and had them gather around him, explaining the final plan.
He and Simone plus one of the EA operators, one IT expert, and one of the MI6 agents would go outside. He and Simone would go to the front door of Graziella’s house and try to take down the butler and see if they could get the layout of the underground facility from him. The three men accompanying them were to stay out of sight and be their backup in case things did not work out as they hoped.
The remaining twelve would stay down there and wait until that door was opened from the other side or they were called to come up to the house.
“Any comments?” Bill asked when he came to the end. He looked around the group to see if anyone had reservations.
Peter replied, “I can’t say I like the idea of you and Ms. Bouvier going up there, Sir. I’d prefer to be the one doing that.” Joe, the team leader of the MI6 contingent, agreed.
“Any other ideas?” Bill asked. When no one else responded, he looked at Peter and Joe and said, “I appreciate your concern, but Simone and I have to go. She speaks the language. She’s the one carrying the official badges and authority to get us into the house. And don’t tell me you’ll go with her. I’m the one who’s drawn her into this; I’m the one going with her. But I have no objection if you two come along with Shane as our backup instead.”
The fact that they would have to pull this off in broad daylight was worrying, but there was nothing they could do about it. It was absolutely critical they launched their attack in sync with every other operation across the globe.
They would have liked to have more information, more options, and more time—they had none.
Chapter 100 - We’re trained to handle this
At one forty-five p.m. in Paris, fifteen minutes before Zero Hour, Bill checked his satellite phone—no messages from DC. That meant the attacks would proceed as planned. He nodded to Simone. “Let’s go.”
Fortunately, Graziella’s mansion was located about thirty yards away from the street, and the space in between was covered by lush lawns, trees, shrubs, and garden features. This gave their three companions ample places to stay out of sight when Bill and Simone approached the front door.
It was one forty-seven p.m. when Simone pushed the button on the extravagant oak double door of Graziella’s mansion. They heard the bell chime inside, and twenty seconds later the door opened. They immediately recognized Jean Aubert, the seventy-six-year-old bachelor. He was a tiny man with thick glasses and snow-white hair.
He looked and sounded cranky when he said brusquely, “What do you want?”
Simone displayed the most beautiful and disarming smile when she greeted the old man and apologized for the intrusion.
She showed him her badge and explained she was investigating a case and required his help. She took a slight step closer to him in a non-intimidating way while she was talking. It had the desired effect. His mannerism changed when she spoke again, and he invited them in, a smile on his face.
Aubert held the door while he waved them in. Simone stepped out of Bill’s way as they entered, Aubert’s back was turned to them as he locked the door. Bill took one step, placed his right arm around Aubert’s neck and clasped his left hand over his mouth.
“Listen carefully. Do as I say, and you’ll not be hurt,” he whispered in perfect French. Bill felt sorry for the old man as he felt him starting to tremble. “Is there anyone else with you in the house?”
Aubert shook his head. Bill nodded to Simone, who unlocked the door and spoke into her mobile phone now acting as a walkie-talkie. “Come in.”
Peter, hiding among the plants close by the front door, took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching and strolled to the front door.
Joe and the IT expert, Shane, heard the message from Simone. They were hiding on either side of the house, waiting to get Peter’s message to enter once he had secured the house and opened the side doors for them.
Bill was apologetic when he zip-tied and gagged Aubert. He promised him he would be released when they were done and that no harm would come to him. Bill had him sit down on a chair in the living room while Peter and Simone quickly scanned the ground floor and called Joe and Shane in.
Bill was grateful they met with little resistance from Aubert, who was quiet but wide-eyed and shaking.
Bill started questioning him while the rest of them secured the remainder of the mansion. Simone’s map of the layout was very helpful. They had three goals; make sure there was no one else in the house, find and deactivate the communications system, and find the entry to the underground chambers.
At first Aubert refused to answer, just shaking his head to every question Bill asked. Bill quickly got more than a little irritated and told him what would happen if he didn’t quit his stupid behavior immediately. He took a few minutes and explained to Aubert they knew about the secret subterranean complex and the Nabateans.
It didn’t encourage Aubert to talk, but when Bill told him he was literally sitting on a bomb, a thermobaric one to be sure, which was going to blow his ass to kingdom come at any moment, Aubert’s eyes shot wide again, and he started sweating profusely.
Some pieces of the puzzle must have fallen into place for him. Although his voice was muffled by the cloth over his mouth, Bill was able to understand Aubert was asking what could be done to prevent the disaster.
In short order, he showed them what they asked for. First was the secret entry to the chambers below—a bookcase that concealed an elevator. They would come back to that soon. Next, he led them to Graziella’s communications control room, the entry cleverly hidden behind the full-length mirror in Graziella’s luxurious bathroom.
Shane let out a soft whistle. “Shit! This is the most sophisticated setup I’ve ever seen. I’m… wait… the power.” He looked around and found the power plugs but didn’t switch it off immediately. “There’ll be a UPS… uninterrupted power supply, somewhere here. I’m sure.” He looked at Aubert. “Where’re the backup batteries?”
Bill translated, and Aubert nodded his head to a wall closet.
Shane opened the door and stared at the shelves filled with rows and rows of what could be batteries, but he had never seen that kind. He shook his head. It didn’t matter what type it was. All he had to do was disconnect them from the equipment. He quickly retrieved a set of pliers and went to work. Within twenty seconds, it was done. He went to the power board on the wall and flipped the main switch. The next moment, the lights on all the equipment were out. He unplugged everything and looked at Bill.
“Done?” Bill inquired.
“Yes, boss. That would take care of anything in here. What we don’t know is if this was linked to what they have underground. If so, we’re okay, and this could have stopped the countdown for the antimatter bombs,” Shane replied.
“We better make sure about that,” Bill replied.
They sprinted down the stairs to the ground floor, dragging Aubert with them.
Aubert volunteered that there were only two armed guards down in the underground chambers. They were stationed outside the elevator on the second level. They’d be ready to fire when the elevator doors opened, he warned.
Bill wanted to go down, but Peter and Joe stopped him. “No way I’ll let you go down there first, old-timer,” Peter quipped. “We’re trained to handle this.” Peter had no doubt he would hear more about it after this was over. But he was definitely not going to let the Director of the CIA do his job for him.
Peter and Joe went down atop the elevator car with the access panel open. When the guards saw an empty elevator, they entered to investigate. Peter and Joe dropped on top of them and overpowered them before they could make a sound. Joe stayed behind to zip-tie and gag the unconscious guards while Peter went back up to get Bill.
Simone and Shane would stay with Aubert for now.
While Joe and Peter went down to take care of the guards, Bill had
Aubert draw a rough layout of the underground chambers and mark the spot where they would find the sliding door they had found while in the catacombs.
When Peter arrived, Bill grabbed the paper, asked Simone and Shane to keep on questioning Aubert and get him to draw a new detailed layout while he, Joe, and Peter went and opened that door for the rest of the team waiting in the catacombs.
Sullivan’s intel about the place had been woefully incomplete, as it soon became evident the floors covered an area much bigger than just the perimeters of Graziella’s mansion. By Bill’s approximation, the area must have covered below the properties on both sides and the back of hers.
“Which means those houses could be occupied by collaborators and could be providing more ways to enter this place.”
It turned out Aubert wasn’t lying, and his map was good enough to guide them down a hallway on the first level below ground, past the sleeping quarters, and down a limestone spiral staircase to the fourth level. The staircase ended right in front of the sliding door.
Joe found the button that would open the door and pushed it. But nothing happened for a few seconds. They were looking at each other—what now? The door started moving slowly after what felt like an eternity, and in chorus, they let out a breath.
Chapter 101 - Zero Hour
It was 1:58 p.m. when the twelve men, waiting in the catacombs, stepped through the door. Peter’s instructions were short as he ordered the men to split into four groups, one group for each floor to secure it and find those bombs. He also quickly explained Bill’s thought that there might be other entrances from houses adjacent to Graziella’s, told them to be on the lookout, and to secure it if found.
