by L.T. Ryan
14
Jack sat alone at an empty gate in the international terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, waiting for his flight to Paris. A man had been watching him for the past twenty five minutes. The man had even followed him to the bathroom. He didn’t go in with Jack, though. When Jack exited, the man followed him back to the gate, always staying fifty feet or so away. The man was a Fed. Maybe even a spook. The blue suit and conservative red tie with vertical blue stripes was a giveaway. Some might say he could just be a businessman. But a businessman wouldn’t wear those shoes with a twelve hundred dollar suit. Jack didn’t look at him long enough to be able to place him, but he knew him.
Jack feigned interest in a magazine, checking on his chaperone from time to time. He looked up and realized the man was gone. He looked around. The man was out of sight.
“Hello, Jack.”
Jack turned to face the man standing behind him. “Do I know you, friend?”
“Seriously, Jack? You don’t remember me?” He grinned.
Two incisors on the right side. Jack realized who it was. “Jesus, Frank. I thought I was going to have to kill you! You look different. Not in a good way, either.”
Frank laughed. “You don’t stand a chance against me, Jack.”
“Hey, how’s that top secret non-existent agency you work for doing?”
“Don’t have a clue what you are talking about, Jack. But if I did, I’d say great.” Frank winked.
The small talk continued for a few more minutes. Jack was well aware who Frank was. He hadn’t dealt with him in two years now, but routinely did jobs for his boss. They called Jack in when they needed dirty work done. The kind of jobs that they couldn’t just explain away to their superiors.
“Cut to the chase, Frank. What do you need me to do?”
“We became aware that you’re traveling to Paris this morning. We have some laundry that needs to be washed over there. Kind of thing that is right up your alley.”
Jack looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was paying attention to them. “Rate?”
“One hundred.”
Jack raised an eyebrow. “That is quite generous. But my reasons for traveling, you know, I’m going to be pretty tight for time. And once my business is resolved, I might be too weighed down to complete another job.”
“Two hundred,” Frank said.
“Deal,” Jack said. He held out his hand. “Details?”
Frank pulled out a manila folder and handed it to Jack. “It’s all in there. I don’t need to tell you that we never had this conversation, right Jack?”
Both men rose to their feet. Jack extended his hand. “What conversation?” He watched as Frank walked away and then peeked down at the manila folder and shook his head in amusement. All the technology available today and one of the most secret organizations in the country, hell in the world, just gave him an assignment in a manila folder.
“Now boarding First Class passengers for Air France flight 8985, non-stop to Charles de Gaulle airport, Paris,” the announcement said over the intercom.
Jack tucked the manila folder into his carry on and walked toward the gate. The flight attendant took his ticket and welcomed him to the flight. He strolled down the tube and settled into his first class seat. Ordered a drink and sat back in the oversized seat. He felt relaxed for the first time in weeks.
Jack thought about Mandy, reassured by the fact that she was with Bear. They had flown to Atlanta together and then the trio split up. Bear and Mandy were flying to San Diego to lay low for a few days. Jack was travelling to Paris to complete the deal with the old man and get Clarissa.
He thought about Clarissa and the oath he had made to her father as the man died in his arms. He had promised that nothing bad would ever happen to her. He sipped his whiskey and winced as he came to grips with his failure to uphold his oath to Roger. I’m gonna rescue her Rog, I promise you that.
He followed his first drink with two more. The alcohol did its job and he started to feel numb. He would arrive in Paris Monday afternoon. That would leave him plenty of time to take care of the job for the Feds while he scouted possible locations for the document exchange with the old man.
He figured that he better get acquainted with his new assignment and opened up the manila folder. He raised an eyebrow and his mouth hung open when he saw the photograph. “How about that, no wonder they need me.” He closed the folder and glanced around to make sure no one was watching him. He caught the eye of the pretty flight attendant walking down the aisle. “Stewardess, refill please.”
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Coming Soon
Noble Beginnings: A Jack Noble Novel – October 1st, 2012
Noble Intentions: Season Two – mid-October to early November
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A Note From the Author
Thank you for purchasing my story! If you enjoyed the story you just read I would greatly appreciate your spreading the word by telling your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and on your blog (if you have one). I would also appreciate if you could take a moment and return to the amazon page for this book and leave a short, honest review. I would love to hear your opinion.
-L.T Ryan
