Lethal Promise

by Paul Stretton-Stephens

  “Okay, now listen carefully, Javi. I’m going on my gut instinct here.” Jago continued, “What if you could receive proper training in countermeasures and other technical stuff you like and are good at? How would that change your life?”

  Fi looked on. Nothing surprised her with Jago. She thought, Here we are pursuing his girlfriend’s murderers, and here’s Jago offering to set this guy up in business for a better life.

  Javi looked Jago in the eye. “It is my dream. But I don’t have the means to achieve this dream. And now my brother has gone, I’m afraid that I will have to stay with the boss longer to repay his debt. I will do anything to get out of this mess.”

  “Then, Javi, I have a proposition for you. But first turn around so I can cut you free.”

  Javi turned around in a daze, not fully understanding what was going on.

  “I don’t understand, sir. What are you telling me?”

  “I’m saying that you could help us out and as a result be free from your boss and have your own real business. When I say help us out, I mean nothing too dangerous – mainly help with the technical stuff and access.”

  “But how would that happen?” asked Javi. “I have no money.”

  “Javi, you help us out and I will pay for your training and set you up with the equipment. The rest is up to you.”

  “Is this some kind of trick?” Javi looked at Fi for an answer.

  “Javi, he’s my boss. If he says he’ll get you training and set you up, that’s what he’ll do.”

  “But I can’t just accept all of that.”

  “Javi, you’d be helping us out enormously,” said Jago, “and if it makes you feel better, I’ll take one per cent of your profits forever.”

  “Only one per cent?”

  “Look, if you make it big, one per cent is also big. Oh, and I forgot to say, your brother can join you too, if you want?”

  The news stunned Javi. “You mean he’s alive? But, where is he?”

  Jago nodded in the direction of the car. “Open the boot. He might need some fresh air, and you may need to discuss my offer with him. I’m not sure he would have heard everything from in there.”

  Javi opened the boot to find his brother motionless. “Is he dead?”

  Fi looked into the boot and checked the man’s pulse. “No, he’s not dead, he’s sleeping.”

  “Typical,” said Javi. “He can sleep anywhere, anytime. Whereas I have trouble sleeping in my own bed.” He prodded his brother. “Come on, Vikram, wakey wakey. It’s time to get up.”

  As Vikram stirred, Fi cut his bindings loose, and Javi helped him out. He was stiff and could hardly move and needed help to stand and walk. He gradually felt some sensation return in his arms and legs. And the pain from his earlier altercation with Fi kicked in.

  “Vikram, brother, I need to speak with you in private,” said Javi, and he pulled his brother to one side, but still in view of Jago and Fi.

  Vikram listened intently to what Javi had to say.

  “But I’m not going into business with them. She cut me! She nearly amputated my toe.”

  “Vikram, do you want us both to work for Mr Marne forever or do you want our lives back? It’s a simple question. I know what I want, and opportunities like this don’t appear every day. You think on it.”

  Javi walked away and Vikram took stock of his situation. He was the youngest of five children and Javi was the middle brother. They had always been close, and Javi had put his life on hold to help Vikram out of a difficult situation. Vikram had a choice: either repay the debt or look over his shoulder, waiting for a gunman’s bullet. He chose to repay the debt, but his brother brokered a deal to cut the amount of time from five years to three – but only if they both worked. Vikram acknowledged that Javi had sacrificed everything for him. Javi had his eye on a girl in the next village, but couldn’t approach her or her family while in his current employment. They would not permit the match.

  Vikram thought hard and called his brother to his side. “I’m in, I’m with you. I’ll do whatever you say to get out of this mess I got us into, and then we can have proper lives.”

  The brothers hugged and walked over to face Jago.

  “We’ve discussed your offer and we agree to your terms. What do you need us to do?” asked Javi.

  Chapter 34

  Jago wandered along the road, a little way from the car and called Abi. “Abi, we have some interesting developments this end. Can you see what there is on the grapevine regarding arms shipments being smuggled through Mauritius? It looks as though we’ve learned of an illegal arms storage depot in an old, disused factory. They built the factory against the rock face of a mountain where there is a cave entrance. We can’t go to the authorities here, because we don’t know who’s been paid off by Marne. So Fi and I will take a look.”

  “Right, Boss. And I have to tell you, I made an executive decision and Dom is on his way out to you. He should arrive in about eight hours. I hope that’s all right?” asked Abi with her fingers crossed.

  “Yes, that’s good, Abi; we look forward to seeing him. We could do with the extra pair of hands. How’s it going with the asset tracing?”

  “The asset tracing for Mr and Mrs Marne is going well. We’ve frozen and diverted about three hundred million US dollars so far. Someone won’t be happy, but I guess that’s the idea. Our friends here tell us it almost seems too easy, and that makes them suspicious, so they’re digging much deeper than they usually would.”

  “Can we also extend the asset tracing to his mother, Agnes?” proposed Jago.

  “We can. That might take a little longer. Do you want us to concentrate on the couple first and then work on the mother, or do you want us to work on them all simultaneously?”

  Jago paused before replying, “I know it will cost us, Abi, but I don’t care. The quicker we get to them, the better for everyone. Task as many people as you need on this. Freeze or redistribute any of their assets and bleed them dry.”

  “Bernie had the idea of transferring large sums of money to charitable organisations. How does that sit with you, Boss?”

  “I don’t care where it goes, as long as its loss hurts them and they keep on feeling the hurt,” said Jago.

  Abi listened to his words and noted his unusual tone. “Are you okay, Boss?”

  “Yes, I’m good. I want to get stuck into this and get it over with as soon as possible. I don’t want them packing up and leaving this island. I want to end it now. But I also know there is a larger game at play here, which is why I’m holding on. Do we know if we have any undercover agents in the organisation we weren’t previously aware of? I don’t want to go shooting the wrong people.”

  “We have no reports of any agency having infiltrated the organisation. What I can’t tell you is whether anyone has infiltrated the group smuggling the arms. If there is anyone, they’re likely to come from either the Anti-Drug Smuggling Unit or the Special Mobile Force, both of which come under the police commissioner. It’ll be difficult to find out without alerting them,” said Abi.

  “I understand. See what you can do and let me know the outcome.”

  “Will do, Boss. You take care and say hi to Fi from us.”

  “Okay, I’m off now,” said Jago as he walked back to the car.

  ***

  Abi turned to Bernie who was engrossed in his computer screen. “Bernie, I’m worried about the boss. He’s definitely not his usual self. I totally get that, given the circumstances, but I’m not sure he’s wearing his rational head at the moment. I’ll be glad when Dom gets out there to support them.”

  “Abi, he’s bound to be on edge, especially as he’s so close to finding those responsible. He’ll be chomping at the bit, and nobody will stop him, not even Dom when he gets there. Where is Boss at the moment?” asked Bernie.

  “He and Fi are going to recce a disused factory that’s likely being used as a smugglers’ arms depot. It will be well guarded and I have a feeling that they’ll be doing more
than a recce.”

  Bernie tried to pacify Abi. “I wouldn’t worry too much. The boss is fully versed in these things, and while he may be on edge, he knows exactly what he’s doing. Woe betide anybody who stands in his way.”

  ***

  The sky became more golden as night turned to dusk.

  “Javi, can you show us where the factory is?” asked Jago.

  “Okay. What time shall we meet you?”

  “I meant now.”

  “Really, do you never sleep?” Javi looked at Fi. “Does he never sleep? I need sleep.”

  Fi replied, “To be honest, I could do with some sleep too, but it can wait.”

  “Javi, how far is the factory? How long will it take to get there?” asked Jago as he checked his weapons.

  “From Port Louis it takes twenty-five minutes. Add another ten from where we are. It’s over there, and there’s no other road around it.” Javi pointed to the dark spectre of a mountain that lay before the increasingly golden sky.

  “If it will take that long, we’d better get moving,” said Fi.

  Javi drove with Jago by his side, while in the back Fi tried to strike up a conversation with Vikram.

  “Vikram, we’re in this together and it would help if you could speak to me,” urged Fi. “I’ve apologised. I can’t say any more.”

  Vikram didn’t respond, preferring to stare out of the window in his own solitude.

  “Have it your own way, but don’t say I didn’t try.”

  The rest of the journey passed in silence, until Javi announced, “There, over there to the right is the factory. You can just make out a dim light. That’s the make-do living area. It’s just a few bunks with a kitchen area, and they monitor the cameras from there.”

  “How many cameras?” asked Jago.

  “They have cameras on the entrance to the factory, some in the factory and a couple at the entrance to the cave.”

  Jago leaned over to Fi. “We must take out the living area first.”

  “My guess is that they have two guards wandering the factory and two in the cave,” offered Javi.

  “Let’s assume that they rotate the guards, that should leave four in the living quarters. Right, Javi, find somewhere to pull over where it will leave us with a ten-minute walk to the factory.”

  “Are we not just going to drive up there?”

  “Not if you want to live we’re not. No, just park up, and Fi and I will go in. You guys stay in the car. If we’re not back within an hour, leave and get on with your lives.”

  ***

  Stealthily, Jago and Fi approached the small outbuilding situated about thirty metres across from the factory. They knelt side by side, assessing the situation. Most of the windows in the building were broken or missing and had been replaced by sheet board. Light emanated from the only two windows that remained intact. They could see one man making drinks in the kitchen area. He was talking to somebody else who was out of sight. Jago and Fi scanned the area and saw no sign of any guards on the exterior. Neither could they see any form of physical barrier or security alarm. Jago noticed a generator in one corner of the building’s exterior.

  “They must have blackouts periodically, hence the generator. Shall we give them another blackout and entice at least one out?” encouraged Jago.

  “Sounds good,” said Fi. “Let’s launch our MPDs, I’ll cover the front and you locate the power source.”

  They both inserted their lenses and tested the view from the MPDs.

  “Mine are working fine. What about yours?” asked Jago.

  “Yes, they’re good. Shall we begin?”

  Jago moved swiftly to the far end of the outbuilding and found the housing for the power supply. He flipped the switch and dislodged a fuse. Sure enough, moments later a man exited the building and confidently walked around to Jago’s location. Fi watched the man through her weapon sights until he disappeared from her view. Seconds later, she saw the arm of the man, who must have been flat on his back. She then glimpsed Jago trussing up his catch. Jago then dragged the body to the other side of the building.

  They waited a few minutes and then Jago turned the power back on. After a few more minutes had passed, another man exited the building and called to his friend in a low voice. He walked around the building towards the power supply, where Jago lay in wait. In next to no time Jago emerged, having captured and trussed up two of the four resting guards.

  Jago met Fi at the door to the outbuilding. Their approach was slick and well-rehearsed: simultaneously they entered, Fi going in low and covering the left, while Jago covered high and right. They met with no opposition. They had entered the living area that contained two sofas, a table and four chairs and a computer on a desk. From this led a corridor, off which there were three doors, one either side of the passageway and one at the far end. The farthest door was slightly ajar. It was a bathroom.

  Jago took the lead as they moved slowly and quietly down the passageway. He stopped and listened outside the wafer-thin door on the left-hand side. He could hear someone sleeping but couldn’t make out whether there was one person inside or more. He sidestepped and listened outside the other door. There was no sound from within. He motioned to Fi that they would go into the room on the left. With his left hand on the doorknob and his right on his trigger, Jago nodded the count of three to Fi, and they silently entered the room.

  It was in darkness, and they utilised their NVGs to make a headcount. They only found two people in the room and they hadn’t stirred. Jago covered the mouth of one man and pointed his pistol at his forehead. The man’s eyes opened wide, and he froze. Meanwhile, Fi covered the sleeping man with her silenced pistol.

  Jago whispered to the man, “Turn over with your hands behind your back and don’t make a sound.”

  The man turned compliantly and Jago applied PlastiCuffs to his wrists. He removed the pillowcase and stuffed it into the man’s mouth. He then cuffed the man’s ankles to the foot of the bed.

  Fi and Jago then repeated the process with the other man.

  Jago grabbed another pillowcase and placed into it the pistols, mobiles and wallets belonging to the men. He added the same effects from the first two men he’d captured. He started for a moment as he caught sight of movement in his lens that displayed footage from his MPDs. Someone was approaching the building. Jago looked at Fi.

  “I’ll see to them,” said Fi in a whisper.

  As Fi and Jago made their way down the passageway towards the living area, a figure appeared on the left beside a computer monitor and Fi raised her weapon.

  “No, no, don’t shoot! It’s me, Javi.”

  “I thought I told you to stay in the car,” said Jago in a whisper. “And no using names.”

  “Err, okay. I thought you might need my help – you know, with the video camera system. It broadcasts a live stream, and anyone with access can monitor it remotely, including Mr Marne. If he were to see that something broke the stream, he’d probably send up people to investigate.”

  “And you have a solution?” asked Fi in a whisper.

  “Yes. I can make a recording and loop it continuously to make it look like the cameras are still working. The only possible problem is the date and time stamp on the footage; that would also continuously loop. But most people don’t look at the stamp, they look at the picture.”

  “How long would it take you to set it up?” asked Jago.

  “Give me five minutes, ten at the most,” said Javi.

  “Okay, you’ve got five,” replied Jago. “We’ve got to make a move soon before it’s fully daylight. Okay, five minutes and counting. Fi, let’s check the other two rooms.”

  Jago and Fi approached the room on the right of the passageway and found it clear. They then proceeded to the bathroom. This was also clear.

  As Javi worked away expertly on the computer, Jago and Fi watched the entrance to the factory building from the windows. There was no movement and no light from within.

  “There, done. A
nd in only four minutes. What do you think of that?”

  “Well done, Javi, you’re a star. Now stay put while Fi and I enter the factory. The men in there are going to be more alert than these were, and they might put up a fight.”

  Jago offered Javi a pistol out of the pillowcase. “Do you know how to use one of these?”

  “Yes, I know how to use one if I have to.”

  Jago checked the magazine and handed Javi the Beretta. “If any of these men get loose, they will try to kill you. Shoot and make it count. There are two tied up behind the building. Leave them where they are, but if they come for you, shoot them and then leave.”

  “But if I leave, how will you get back?”

  “Don’t worry about us, we’re resourceful. Leave a message at our hotel letting us know how we can contact you.”

  “Okay, Mr Jago. Good luck. And you too, Miss Fi,” said Javi as they disappeared from sight.

  Chapter 35

  Jago and Fi left the building and rapidly covered the ground to the factory. Their MPDs showed no sign of a threat as they swept down the side of a long external wall with broken windows and graffiti. They cautiously peered through the windows at various intervals and then they spotted a man inside the factory. He was reading a magazine and wearing a pair of earphones while a camera ten feet above his head on the wall scanned the area. He sat next to a table, upon which was a bottle of water and a single monitor that showed a multiplex view of the looped footage from the camera system. The man’s AK-47 hung over the back of the chair.

  Fi kept watch on the man while Jago moved on to survey the rest of the factory. He observed a second guard inside who was close to a barred gate, which appeared to be at the entrance to the cave. The guard was casual and inattentive, choosing to check his mobile rather than be vigilant.

  They must have had it so easy up here. Maybe the police have been paid off and they won’t bother visiting. Presumably, nobody else knows about the place, and they think they won’t get any surprises.