Brandt pulled up to the front of Mani’s, gave his Porsche keys to the valet, and entered the restaurant, looking forward to having dinner with an attractive woman. A doctor from the CDC, who, with guarded conversation on his part, could provide interesting conversation for the evening. It was disturbing that the assistant didn’t accompany her to dinner. Maybe the CDC doctor was looking for a more extensive evening, or maybe the assistant had plans of her own, plans with their male driver. He would find out soon enough.
The maître d’ directed Brandt to Desiree’s window view table where Desiree was waiting. Brandt’s ingrained prejudices against brown-skinned persons caused him to shun those he felt were beneath him, but on a physical level a beautiful woman excited him regardless of race, and this was a superior olive-skinned woman, a doctor, and an officer for the CDC. He had lost Elyse too many years ago and felt longings when he wasn’t focused on his work. “I hope Jorge here has been taking good care of you. I apologize for my tardiness. I am later even than I told you I would be.” Brandt bowed slightly and took her warm hand. “Forgive me?”
“Of course. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to be the CEO of a large company.”
Brandt took his seat and the maître d’ started to hand him a menu. “I have the menu memorized, Jorge,” Brandt said, and brushed the menu away. He turned to Desiree and said, “I recommend the sampler plate as an appetizer, but first we must order drinks. I know you do not drink alcoholic beverages, but would you mind if I have a Caipirinha?”
“Be comfortable. I intend to be.”
Brandt, pleased at the possibilities in her reply, turned to the maître d’ and said, “A strawberry Caipirinha for me . . . and for the lady?”
“A ginger ale on ice, please.”
“Jorge, please bring a ginger ale on ice for the lady. Also, bring us a sampler of your tastiest appetizers, and make sure you include the quinoa balls with fig jelly, my favorite. For our first entrée, we will have the lamb with root vegetables, and so Chef Ismail Obrigado has plenty of time to prepare, we’ll have the sea bass for the second entrée. Do my choices meet with your approval Miss al-Rashid?”
“They sound like wonderful choices. I’m looking forward to trying them.”
Karl waved his hand in the air for emphasis. “You can have desserts here that cannot be found anywhere else, like asahi sorbet scooped onto o’bises of red guara and banana slices.”
The maître d’ started to depart and Brandt called out, “And give my regards to Chef Obrigada.”
“Yes sir. Very good, sir.”
Jacques followed Heinrich to Brandt’s house. He watched the henchman leave Brandt’s house and enter his car in the garage without the laptop. Heinrich must have Brandt’s full confidence to be so relaxed in Brandt’s home. What level of confidence could that be? Is he only a strong arm or more? Is he involved in Brandt’s evil involvement with ISIL and maybe worse? If interrogated appropriately, would he give Brandt up for the monster he is? The idea appealed to Jacques, but he wasn’t authorized to take a task like that on without group approval. Jacques waited for Serena to leave the house and asked, “Did you get the data?” he asked Serena.
“Of course. We have to analyze Brandt’s files, which might take a while. I’m going to send the encrypted files to Alicia. You keep track of Heinrich and especially Desiree. Don’t let anything happen to her.”
Jacques replied, “I won’t let her leave Mani’s with Brandt.”
“I’ll join Desiree and Brandt at Mani’s as soon as possible.” Serena drove off to their alternate rooms at the Mercure Sao Paulo Paulista.
Jacques watched the GPS tracker in his rental car for a few minutes and realized Heinrich was returning to the Comfort Inn, probably to watch for Serena to return to her room, so Heinrich would be out of the picture for a while. Jacques drove to Mani’s. He would watch over Desiree from a distance until Serena arrived. Jacques would never let anything bad happen to Desiree. He knew he was a little thick about many things, including romance, even though he was a Frenchman.
The four had been the best of friends for the past 913 years. They needed and counted on each other. He longed for Desiree but she longed for Ian, Ian longed for Serena, and Serena seemed to favor him. They could never do anything to hurt each other. Their personal relationships and loyalties had caused them all a measure of happiness, and unhappiness. Their frustrating quadrangle caused hurt feelings in the past, so each of them have tried to not inflict any more hurt on any of the others. This immortality thing was an even greater burden than Achmed had warned them it would be 913 years ago. He had learned to expect the unexpected in their daily lives, but the simplest act of telling Desiree that he was still in love with her frustrated him.
Serena went to her room in the Mercure, plugged Snoopy into her Sony Ultrabook, and downloaded all the files into the Ultrabook’s 2.0 terabyte memory. She dismissed most of the files out of hand; company contracts, letters, and emails, mostly unencrypted. The items that caught her interest were encrypted and stored in two folders named Select and Research. Brandt was so unimaginative in his data storage she wondered how he could have ever created such devilish viruses
She passed one of the larger Select folder files and one of the larger Research folder files to Alicia, the head of the NSA Analysis Branch, for decryption. She asked for the key, or keys, to be sent back to her, not the files. She would decrypt all the suspicious files herself. Brandt may be a biological virus expert, but he probably wasn’t savvy enough in encryption software to use more than one key. The NSA loved to crack encryption codes and was the world’s best at it. Once she had the key, or keys, she would have access to all his data.
Serena plopped down onto the old fashioned, but comfortable fabric-covered sofa chair, put her feet up on the hotel room couch and sipped one of the cold beers she had stored in the mini-bar for an occasion like this. She needed the down time. A half hour later her cell phone played her ringtone We Will Rock You by Queen. She answered before the ringtone played beyond the initial clapping and stomping, and said, “Yes.”
After a moment’s pause, allowing Alicia, to run her response through voice analysis, the voice on the phone said, “Your keys are on the doorstep,” and hung up.
Serena checked her laptop and found an email with an encrypted zip file. She downloaded the file, unzipped it, and decrypted it using her NSA supplied software. Once she had the key, she started another decryption operation on one of Brandt’s encrypted files from the Research folder using her NSA software and the downloaded key. It was a specification for what appeared to be a dispersal canister. Bingo! She tried another file. It was a Word file of instructions for the MANPADS crew on how to handle the Notting Hill virus. Bingo, again!
It would take time to examine all the fifty-two encrypted files Snoopy had gathered, but they now had proof positive Brandt was the biological terrorist she suspected him to be. Now we need to find his laboratory before he tries something else, she thought to herself. And Desiree . . . what if Brandt gets suspicious and does something evil to Desiree? Serena needed to not panic and get to Desiree and Jacques ASAP.
Serena called Jacques on her cell phone.
Since parking was scarce near the restaurant, Jacques had to position himself across the street and remain unnoticed. Heinrich’s car was parked nearby, but he didn’t see anyone sitting inside. Where could he be?
Suddenly, Jacques was attacked from behind. The attacker had his arms under Jacques armpits, his hands clasped behind Jacques’ neck, and his knee in Jacques’ back. Without thinking, Jacques squatted and flipped his assailant over his head, freeing himself from the hold. When the assailant hit the ground, Jacques pounced onto his chest and punched him in the head. Jacques recognized Heinrich and dragged him into the nearby alley. Gripping Heinrich’s shirt collar and using it to choke him, he asked, “Why did you attack me?”
With considerable difficulty, Heinrich managed to gasp, “I saw you driving two women today a
nd wondered why you were spying on one of them while she was having dinner with my boss, Karl Brandt.”
“You could have just tapped me on the shoulder and asked why I was waiting for my boss. I’m her chauffeur bodyguard. This is a foreign country, and I don’t want anything to happen to her, alone with a strange man.” Jacques released his grip on Heinrich, and since he had already demonstrated that he could overpower the man with ease, assisted him to his feet.
Heinrich spit a small wad of blood onto the ground and wiped his lips with a handkerchief drawn from his trouser pocket. He winced as he felt the side of his head. He straightened his expensive safari jacket and trousers and brushed his fingers through his hair, obviously a little narcissistic. “You can handle yourself pretty well.”
“I have black belts in several martial arts,” Jacques said in a matter-of-fact tone. Jacques decided the man was probably used to giving abuse, not receiving it. He could use Heinrich’s pride and penchant for sartorial style against him. “We got off to a bad start. What’s your name?” Jacques offered his hand for a handshake.
With obvious reticence Heinrich shook hands with Jacques. “Heinrich,” he responded, then pulled out a comb and ran it through his hair.
“Well, Heinrich, since we’re both concerned about our wards, why don’t we go inside, have a drink and keep an eye on both of them together?”
Heinrich, obviously nonplussed by the ferocity, then casualness of his adversary, stared at Jacques for a moment, shrugged, and then agreed.
The two of them entered Mani’s and Jacques told the hostess they were going to have drinks at the bar.
Desiree spotted them entering the restaurant and felt relieved that Jacques was watching her back. She would have preferred Ian, but Ian was off on a super-secret mission somewhere for the US Navy Seals and was supposed to arrive in Sao Paulo late that evening. She felt uncomfortable alone with Brandt. Her considered notion of him was of a monster using humans for inhumane experiments.
The appetizers were delicacies, the quinoa with fig sauce was sweet-and-sour and delicious, the lamb entrée was tender, tasted light and melted in her mouth, the root vegetables complemented the lamb in flavor and consistency. Any foodie would have thought they had died and gone to paradise. She looked forward to the second entrée of sea bass, with steamed vegetables in spite of the company. She had not eaten all day and even the food the other patrons were enjoying provided an aromatic atmosphere that whetted her appetite.
Brandt asked Desiree, “Is the food to your liking?”
“Very much so, thank you.”
“Your assistant is missing out by not joining us, and your male escort.”
Desiree, realizing that Jacques had entered Mani’s with Heinrich, replied, “Serena wanted to do some sightseeing this evening, so I gave her the night off. My bodyguard took her to your Museum of Art. She may show up later.”
“You have a chauffeur bodyguard?”
“Yes. I travel to many places where it is not wise for a woman, or even two women, to travel unescorted. It’s a precaution the CDC has taken in these terrorist times.”
“You are safe in my company,” Brandt replied, then took a bite of his sea bass second entrée.
At the bar, Jacques ordered two double shots of Jack Daniels and two draft beers. “Are you familiar with the American boilermaker?”
Heinrich said, “Of course, but let me order the beer. Bartender, two chopp’s leitinho.”
“Is that a brand? I’ve never heard of it.”
“It’s not a beer brand. It’s a style of pouring Brazilian draft beer. It is as much of an art for Brazil as Guinness-pouring is an art for the Irish. Actually, the Germans here have perfected the technique.”
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only been a bodyguard for a short while and this is my first out of the country assignment. Do you have any advice?”
“Obviously, you can handle yourself, and you seem dedicated to protecting your assignment. I would only advise you not to kill anyone out of enthusiasm,” Heinrich replied in a wry voice, while rubbing his chin.
“I’ll drink to that.” The bartender set two shot glasses of Jack Daniels and two mugs of foam in front of them. Jacques took one look at the beer mugs and shook his head. “This isn’t a beer. It’s a mug of foam. I can’t drop my shot glass in there.”
“Try it, you’ll like it.”
Jacques buried his nose in the foam and slurped it in. “Good. It’s so creamy; almost like a malt drink instead of a beer.”
“It grows on you.”
Wiping the foam flecks off his upper lip, Jacques asked, “Have you been a bodyguard for a long time?”
Heinrich appeared to relax slightly and replied, “Only about a year. Before that, I was a Sao Paulo policeman. I retired a year ago. Mr. Brandt was kind enough to give me a job. I have no family to speak of, one bad marriage with no children and needed employment to keep busy.”
“Mr. Brandt seems like an important man.”
“Yes, important, busy, and private. His wife passed away several years ago, so work is his solace and passion.”
Jacques, trying to loosen up his target, downed his two fingers of Jack Daniels in two gulps and nodded to Heinrich to follow suit.
“I try not to drink on the job.”
“Both our wards are together and seem quite safe, so relax.”
“Well, just this one.” Heinrich downed his drink in one swallow.
“Let me check on our bosses.” Heinrich stood and walked to the end of the bar, looked into the dining area and returned. “Looks like they’re on their second or third course.”
“Do you think he’ll try to take her home? Not the Comfort Inn home, but to his home?”
“He might ask. He’s been a lonely man since his wife died.”
“If he does, would you help me keep track of her, so she’s alright? Like where he lives or-- “
“He has a beautiful home in Sao Paulo. She would be perfectly safe there. I guarantee.”
“Does he have a home outside of the city? Most rich people do.”
“Oh, sure, but he wouldn’t take her there.”
“Why not?”
“He just wouldn’t. You don’t need to concern yourself.”
Jacques could see that Heinrich, if that was his real name, wasn’t going to let anything slip easily.
“What was your impression of the tour today?” Karl asked.
Desiree, about to take a bite, set down her fork full of perfectly prepared sea bass and answered, “I’m impressed with your facilities, and think it could well be included on our ‘go to’ list. Our first case to crack is the Notting Hill virus. It appeared so mysteriously and suddenly. The elderly and those already ill died at an alarming rate. Everyone infected by the virus seemed to suffer accelerated aging. Everyone over ninety died within days of their infection, and nearly all those over eighty, and about half over seventy died. It is as though everyone infected aged five to nine years while in a state of high fever all across the board. What do you make of this?”
Karl resisted smiling, even though he was thrilled to hear the effect of the Notting Hill virus straight from an official of the CDC. Trying to keep his delight to himself, he replied in his most thoughtful voice, “Viruses are the most perfect of all microorganisms. They are things of beauty. Don’t you agree?”
Desiree, seeing an opportunity to get Karl to open up, said, “From one point of view, I do, I’ve always been fascinated by their efficiency and adaptability. I could study them as my life’s work.”
Having nearly completed his sea bass, Brandt said, “I am hopeful we can work together developing cures for the world’s diseases. Together, we could be a team of great benefit to the world.”
“We could be of great benefit, Mr. Brandt. We at the CDC worry about the many pathogens that plague the world, especially viruses which seem to have minds of their own.”
“Ah, our fascinations with viruses seem to overlap. Some would sa
y that viruses are like cockroaches. When all other forms of life have deceased and the earth is prepared to turn into a cinder, we will still have viruses and cockroaches.”
“What a depressing view of the future.” Desiree thought, I hope Serena was able to obtain incriminating files from Brandt’s computer. The less time I have to spend in this man’s presence, the better.
“Not depressing, my dear; only realistic.” Karl waved his fork in the air and, changing the subject, said, “We can have dessert here or, if you would like to continue our discussion of strategies for the work ahead, we could retire to my home for coffee.”
“This has been an exhausting day for me. I wouldn’t be good company, and I see my bodyguard at the bar.” Desiree felt relieved that Jacques was watching over her, and hoped Serena was close by, so Brandt couldn’t do her any harm. She’d trained in hand-to-hand combat, and could defend herself, but she did not relish confrontation like her three teammates.
Serena walked into Mani’s and spotted Jacques at the bar with Heinrich. Not missing a beat, she scanned the dining area and spotted Desiree seated at a table with Karl Brandt. She strode up to the table and announced her arrival, “I see I missed dinner altogether.”
Desiree responded, “We’re glad you could make it,” with obvious relief.
“I wanted to do some sightseeing and the time got away from me.”
“We were about to leave,” Karl interjected, “but now that you’re here, maybe we should reconsider dessert. I’ll have Jorge pull up another chair. Take my chair. I’ll be right back.” Karl walked up to Heinrich and Jacques at the bar, and said, “Why not make this one grand party. Come and join us at my table.”
The Honorable Knight Page 33
