Hitman: Enemy Within

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Portela airport had been opened in October of 1942 at the height of World War II. Because it was used by both the Germans and the British, the airfield had been the nexus of all sorts of espionage. And as Agent 47 entered the large, rather institutional terminal building, it was as if some of that history still lingered in the air.

A large group of tourists had just come off a British Airways flight from London. Many were cranky, having just learned that their luggage was back in Heathrow, and wouldn’t arrive until the following day. The newly created paparazzo Tazio Scaparelli had no such difficulties, however, as the photographer went to retrieve his cheap vinyl suitcase, and hauled the bag out toward the front of the terminal. Thanks to the fact that he was traveling from one member of the European union to another, he wasn’t required to show a passport. A change for the better, insofar as lawbreakers such as himself were concerned.

As the operative walked, his Nikon D2x digital camera had a tendency to bounce off his potbelly. Rather than walk around with a new camera, which might give him away, 47 had been careful to buy one that had already seen plenty of hard use, and showed it. Consistent with the Scaparelli persona, the Nikon was hanging at the ready, should some unsuspecting starlet cross his path. A little thing, it was true, but important, especially to the knowledgeable eye.

As the assassin made his way through the terminal, he could feel dozens of eyes slide across him as a multitude of policemen, con artists, spies, drug dealers, thieves, gun runners, and other players compared his countenance to the ones they were looking for, then moved on. If any of the onlookers were employed by the Puissance Treize, none took notice of the fat man.

The terminal building had been remodeled more than once over the years, and the current iteration consisted of a gently curved façade made out of glass, flanked by two rectangular columns. A row of tall, spindly evergreens stood guard between the main building and the parking lot. There were plenty of taxis, and having flagged one of them down, 47 was careful to negotiate the fee in advance. Just as he fancied Scaparelli would do.

The town of Sintra was located eighteen miles northwest of Lisbon. The first part of the drive took the cab through Lisbon’s not very distinguished suburbs, but once clear of the urban blight 47 found himself in one of the most beautiful places in Portugal, if not the world. An area known for its cool summer air and lush vegetation, it was so pleasant that Portuguese kings and aristocrats once spent their summers there.

Later, as word of Sintra’s beauty continued to spread, a steady stream of travelers visited the area. And they were still coming. Agent 47 knew that many tourists use Sintra as a base from which to explore the coast, while others take in local attractions like the Palacio Nacional de Sintra[7], the Regional Museum, and the Moorish Castle.

But for people like Aristotle Thorakis, who could afford a three-hundred-year-old home situated on a half acre of very valuable real estate, the town was a quiet retreat. A place to escape the media that prowled the streets of London, Paris, and Rome. Or that’s what the glitterati were hoping for, although it was becoming increasingly difficult to escape the long lenses of men like Tazio Scaparelli.

For his own quarters, Agent 47 had chosen the Hotel Central, which had been the place to stay back in the early 1900s, but had long since been overtaken by generations of newer establishments. Yet as the operative paid his fare, and towed his shabby bag into the dated lobby, some of the hotel’s original charm could still be seen in the richly polished wood, Portuguese tiles, and sturdy furniture that surrounded him.

All of which served to confirm that the Central was the sort of slightly seedy hostelry where a man on a limited expense account would choose to stay. Not to mention the fact that it was located across from the Sintra Palace, which put the hotel right at the center of all the tourist activity, and not far from the sort of restaurants that a man like Thorakis was likely to frequent.

As it turned out, Agent 47’s small, somewhat threadbare room was on the second floor, facing a rather noisy square. But that was okay with the assassin, since he didn’t plan to spend much time in it, and rarely had trouble falling asleep regardless of the din.

Consistent with the part he was playing, Agent 47 made no attempt to secure his belongings. With the exception of the seemingly innocuous fiber-wire garrote, and what appeared to be an insulin kit, all of the assassin’s weapons were back in Rome. The whole idea was to let people search his luggage if they chose-knowing full well that everything they found would support his cover rather than blow it.

Even the password-protected laptop and the satellite phone were consistent with the requirements of Scaparelli’s profession.

Pleased with the way things had gone so far, and with plenty of daylight left, the operative took the Nikon and went down into the street. As he followed a gently curving street toward the area where most of the mansions were located, he noticed that the houses along the way had red-tiled roofs, all manner of wrought iron balconies, and generally looked sturdy rather than graceful. Peaked roofs were common, as were lots of evenly spaced windows and narrow passageways that ran between the buildings.

But as the street took him down into what felt like a canyon, the architecture became increasingly diverse, and in many cases more elegant. A significant number of the homes built in this area over the last hundred years had been inspired by the architecture their owners were already familiar with or the rampant romanticism of the late eighteenth century. And the house Thorakis had chosen for his mistress fell into the latter category. It was three stories tall, and capped by all manner of interlocking pitched roofs. The walls were made of well-fitted gray stone, pierced here and there by windows that seemed too small for a building of that size, and were adorned with sculptural panels clearly imported from Germany or Bavaria.

Consistent with both its size and importance, the house was set well back from the street, surrounded by deciduous trees that were hundreds of years old, and separated from its neighbors by a largely ornamental stone wall. Some rather obvious surveillance cameras could be seen here and there, which when combined with at least two uniformed security guards, would be sufficient to keep the Scaparellis of the world out.

Conscious of the need to both establish his cover, and capture photographs of the mansion, 47 was careful to remove the lens cap before he brought the Nikon up and began to snap pictures. The long lens couldn’t reach through the curtained windows into the rooms beyond, but the assassin was able to obtain valuable close-ups of what appeared to be a card reader mounted next to the front door, both of the security guards, and the German shepherd that followed the men around.

The operative had captured thirty-four exposures by the time a stranger appeared at his elbow. The newcomer was American, judging from his accent, and no more than five foot six. His clothes were black, as if that might make him look slimmer, and the soles of his shoes were at least an inch-and-a-half thick. He was armed with two cameras, one for long shots and the other for close-ups. Bright inquisitive eyes peered out from under thick eyebrows—and a two-day growth of black stubble covered his cheeks.

“The Greek ain’t home,” the little man said laconically. “He went to Lisbon. He’ll probably be back for dinner, though. But you never know when Miss Desta will make an appearance.”

“Thanks,” 47 said cautiously, as he lowered the camera. This was the situation he feared most. A one-on-one conversation with a genuine member of the paparazzi, in which he might give himself away. “I’m Tazio Scaparelli. I just flew in from Rome.”

“My name’s Tony Fazio,” the other photographer said. “My family’s from Italy-but that was a long time ago. I grew up in New Jersey. Who are you shooting for?”

Agent 47 had been waiting for that question, and had his answer ready. “I’m a freelancer. How ’bout you?”

“Star Track sent me,” Fazio replied. “They want pictures of Thorakis humping his mistress. Shot from three feet away, if possible.”

Agent 47 laughed. “Only three feet? You get the easy assignments.”

The conversation lasted for another five minutes or so—and the operative had some valuable nuggets by the time he turned away. First, the master bedroom was best photographed from the hillside behind the house, the upper slopes of which were on public property. Second, the Greek’s Ethiopian mistress had once been a model, and was far from camera shy. Third, the couple ate out at least three times a week, often at the same French restaurant.

It wasn’t clear which, if any, of those pieces of information would prove to be important, but 47 was more than satisfied with the results of his preliminary outing as he made his way back to the hotel. The next couple of hours were spent transferring the pictures he had taken to the laptop, going over them one by one, and learning as much as he could about the Greek’s security precautions.

And it was during that process that 47 began to entertain new doubts. Not about his ability to penetrate the security cordon, and get close enough to kill Thorakis, but about the wisdom of doing so without more proof. The penalty for mistakenly assassinating a board member would be severe indeed.

So, what to do? The answer—or so it seemed to Agent 47—was to make all the necessary preparations, but stop just short of killing Thorakis. Then, at the very last moment, he would call Nu and tell him to leak a lie, and wait to see what occurred.

If the shipping magnate was the mole, he would immediately contact the Puissance Treize and ask for help. Thereby signaling his guilt.

The plan was somewhat convoluted, but necessarily so, given the situation. More reconnaissance would be necessary, but thanks to the information he had gleaned earlier in the day, he felt reasonably sure that he would eventually find a way to enter the mansion.

The killing itself-should it become necessary-couldn’t be done overtly. A homicide investigation might lead back to his employers. And it might alert the Puissance Treize that The Agency was onto them. Something best left until the reprisals were over, and the enemy was burying its dead.

That suggested an “accident” of some sort. The kind everyone would accept. But how?

That was a problem the assassin would have to work out on his own.

The Bon Appétit was everything 47 expected it to be, which was to say a Portuguese imitation of a French restaurant, complete with Eiffel Tower wallpaper, candlelit tables, and an imperious staff. According to the information provided by Fazio, Thorakis and his mistress typically ate dinner at 8:00, so Agent 47 arrived at 7:30. The Nikon was concealed in a shopping bag.

Having been scrutinized by the maître d’, and clearly been found wanting, the man with the bald pate and protruding paunch was shown to a tiny table located right next to the kitchen. Which, ironically enough, was the sort of spot Agent 47 often chose for himself so he could escape out the back should the necessity arise.

Indeed, it was a terrible table, since the heavily laden waiters had a tendency to brush it as they came and went, not to mention all the noise that emanated from the kitchen itself. However, 47 could hear snatches of conversation every once in a while, some of which were quite entertaining. The maître d’ was known as o porco[8], somebody named Joao was HIV-positive, and a person referred to as “the goddamned dishwasher” had quit without warning.

Meanwhile, in between bits of culinary gossip, Agent 47 was served a hot hors d’oeuvre, yellow pepper soup, and a hearty boeuf Bourguignon, which left the assassin too full for dessert.

At neighboring tables tourists from all over the world talked to one another about the castles they’d seen, what they were planning to do during their visit, and a variety of personal matters, all of which seemed to center around money, sex, and power. What 47 thought of as the “unholy trinity,” since those issues were at the heart of every murder he was hired to carry out.

But while such contemplations were interesting, his true reason for eating at the Bon Appétit was nowhere to be seen. So 47 paid the bill, took his camera, and left the establishment.

Once outside, the assassin retraced his steps from earlier in the day, except that this time he went uphill when the street split, rather than follow it down as he had before. It was dark by now, but the soft night air, the spill of light from the old-fashioned street lamps, and the buttery glow that emanated from the surrounding windows combined to create a surreal sense of peace and quiet.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at a point directly above and behind the stone house. Others were out and about as well, so it was necessary for him to bend over awkwardly, and retie a shoelace while a German couple walked past. Then, once the tourists were a good fifty feet down the street, it was time to swing a leg up over the iron railing and lower himself into the inky blackness beyond.

The hillside was steep, and 47 very nearly lost his balance as his street shoes sent a small avalanche of dirt and gravel down the slope, but he was able to prevent what could have been a disastrous fall by grabbing on to a sturdy branch.

Most of the mansion’s lights were on, but there was a good deal of foliage in the way, so the agent knew it would be necessary to work his way farther downhill before there would be any possibility of seeing in. And that was unfortunate, because while it had been merely annoying up on the street, the potbelly was a real encumbrance on the hillside, and made it difficult for him to move.

Nevertheless, he got a better grip on the shopping bag, chose his footholds with care, and gradually worked his way down until he was standing on top of an ancient retaining wall. It was some fifteen feet higher than the stone wall that surrounded the property, and but a single glance was sufficient to confirm that he could see into at least some of the windows, including what appeared to be a well-lit master bedroom.

He lowered the shopping bag to the ground, fumbled for the Nikon, and was in the process of removing the lens cap when the German shepherd began to bark. The assassin froze as a security guard passed through the pool of illumination generated by a spotlight mounted under the eaves. The man said something unintelligible to the animal, which came over to collect a pat on the head before following the human around a corner.

The agent waited a full ten seconds before bringing the camera up and turning it on. He could see that there was someone in the bedroom, and once he brought the image into focus, everything came clear. A beautiful black woman was seated in front of a mirror, brushing her hair, and staring at her own reflection. The Nikon made its characteristic click-whir as Agent 47 began to take pictures. Not so much of her as of the room-reconnaissance that could be of value later on.

And he was still at it when he heard a rock rattle down the slope, and went for a Silverballer.

Except that his pistols were back in Rome.

That meant that his best defense would be to react the way Scaparelli would, which was with an aggressive attitude, and a certain amount of bluster.

“Who’s there?” he demanded with a hiss. “I have mace!”

“Save it for someone else,” Fazio said sotto voce, as he skidded into the shadow 47 currently occupied. “I never should have told you about the back-shot. So, is she naked?”

“No,” 47 said lightly. “But one can hope!”

“One sure can,” the American replied, as he brought a camera up to his eye. “Wait a minute. Who do we have here? Thorakis, that’s who! Okay, boys and girls, give me the money shot.”

Satisfied that he wasn’t about to be attacked by a counterassassin, Agent 47 turned back toward the house, and discovered that the paparazzo was correct. Thorakis had entered the bedroom, and judging from the towel that was wrapped around his waist, he was fresh from a shower. His broad shoulders were thick with curly black hair. The woman said something as the shipping magnate bent over to kiss her.

“Here we go!” Fazio enthused, as his camera clicked away. “Screw the bitch! Take her standing up!”

But as newsworthy as such an act might have been, it wasn’t going to happen. The window was open to let the night air enter the room, which meant both men could hear the phone ring. Fazio swore as Thorakis went to answer it, and his mistress left the room a few moments later.

The two lurkers waited, hoping for something more, but other than a few brief sightings, nothing particularly exciting happened. And once the upstairs lights went out, it was obviously time to adjourn.

“Looks like it’s time for a nightcap,” Fazio said glumly. “Want to join me?”

Agent 47 had absolutely no desire for a drink, but knew Scaparelli would accept the offer, which meant he had to as well. So the assassin followed the American through the trees, up the steep hillside, and onto the street above. From there it was a short walk to a bar where Fazio was greeted by his first name.

After a round of beers and a game of darts, 47 was able to excuse himself and return to the hotel. Once in his room he pushed the dresser in front of the door, made a place for himself on the floor, and promptly fell asleep.

There were dreams, however. Strange dreams that centered around a house that contained many rooms, a very elusive woman, and a clock that continued to tick even after the assassin fired six bullets into it.

Even though the back door was propped open, and a floor-mounted fan was positioned just inside, the kitchen’s interior was hot and steamy. Conditions Agent 47 was still in the process of getting used to, even though he’d been the Bon Appétit’s dishwasher for more than six hours by then. A job he had obtained by the simple expedient of showing up and asking for it. Not as Scaparelli, foam belly and all, but as a British drifter looking for a day’s pay on his way to the French Riviera.

Originally the ploy had seemed like a good idea, since it would put him inside the restaurant where Thorakis preferred to eat, but now he wasn’t so sure. What if the Greek failed to show? He would be trapped in this disgusting place, all those hours of hard work would be wasted, the better part of another day would have passed, and he would be no closer to his objective.

It seemed foolish to quit at that point, however, since the dinner crowd was filtering in, and the pace had started to quicken. The waiters shouted orders, the chefs swore at each other, and the fan roared as snatches of music came over the greasy boom box that rested on a shelf. Taken together, the noise, heat, and cooking odors made for a hellish environment.

Thankfully part of his job involved leaving the chaos of the kitchen for the relative calm of the dining room, where it was his job to retrieve plastic bins filled with dirty dishes. And even though it seemed as if time had slowed to a crawl, the room continued to fill.

And the moment the assassin had been hoping for finally arrived.

He had just left the kitchen to pick up the latest load of dishes when there was a commotion near the front entrance, and 47 turned to watch Thorakis and his entourage enter the restaurant. They were followed by a series of bright flashes as Fazio and a second member of the paparazzi tried to follow the party in, and the maître d’ forced them back. There was a sudden buzz of conversation as everyone turned to watch the newly arrived guests make their way back to the tables that had been reserved for them.

Most of those who were present had no idea who the couple were, but a few recognized them, and word began to spread. There was a rumble of approval as Thorakis held a chair for his mistress-followed by more conversation as the businessman’s two bodyguards were shown to an adjoining table. They looked tough, and judging from the way they handled themselves, they knew what they were doing.

Still another reason to come at Thorakis sideways, rather than head-on.

But there was a fifth member of the entourage, a sleek man with slicked-back hair, who was making his way back toward the kitchen door. That struck 47 as interesting, so he carried his bin full of dishes back into the kitchen, and placed them next to the sink. It was easy to listen in because the sleek man had already entered into a shouting match with the senior chef.

“Mr. Thorakis eats here all the time!” the cook proclaimed indignantly. “So I am well aware of his allergy—and I can assure you that nothing harmful will be served to him. Perhaps you should get a real job, assuming you are qualified to cook a meal, which I doubt.”

“Are you insane?” the sleek man demanded, as he waved a piece of paper under the other man’s nose. “Look at this menu! What’s the third special from the top? Monga, which is a recipe from French Guinea. And what is the primary ingredient of Monga? Two pounds of roasted peanut butter, plus two tablespoons of peanut oil, which is enough to kill Mr. Thorakis a thousand times over!”

“But only if we were to serve it to him,” the chef countered angrily, “which we won’t!”

“Not intentionally, no,” the sleek man agreed. “But who knows how many of your cooking implements and surfaces have been contaminated? The choice is simple. You can prepare my client’s food under my supervision, or the entire party will leave, and never come back.”

That was a potent threat, since Thorakis was known as a big spender, and a draw for other customers, as well. So the chef knew how the restaurant’s owner would respond—and was forced to back off.

Agent 47 was ordered to clean a work area under the sleek man’s supervision-even as the necessary cooking utensils were scrubbed and dipped in boiling water. Then—and only then—was the restaurant’s head chef allowed to prepare the chicken breasts stuffed with goat cheese that Thorakis doted on.

Three additional hours passed before Agent 47 washed the last dish, collected his pay, and departed the restaurant. It had been a long, hard day, but a profitable one. One part of the puzzle had been filled in. Thorakis had a weakness, a potentially fatal weakness, and all 47 needed to do was find a way to take advantage of it.

It was late afternoon, and the air was still warm as the domestic made her way down the street and stopped at the corner. There wasn’t all that much traffic, but Maria was careful to look both ways before she crossed to the other side. She was tired, very tired, as were all the staff whenever Mr. Thorakis was in residence.

Miss Desta could be trying, especially when she spent too much time looking at herself in the mirror, but the Ethiopian model had been born into poverty, and knew what it was like to serve others. That made her more understanding.

Not Mr. Thorakis, though…

The Greek was often irritable, especially when his business was doing poorly, which seemed to be all of the time these days. That was when he threw things, like the Gucci loafer that had hit her earlier that day, and the magazine the day before. Such acts were almost always followed by a twenty-euro bill a few hours later. But like most of the staff members, Maria would have preferred an apology.

She could quit, of course, but to do what? Lacking the sort of good looks that would attract a man, or the skills that businesses were looking for, Maria knew her only other choice would be to work in one of Sintra’s hotels. The sort of job that would not only pay less, but force her to endure a year-round grind as an endless procession of tourists came and went. Even though things were difficult at the moment, Thorakis typically spent most of his time elsewhere, which made for relatively easy days when he was gone.

Such were the maid’s thoughts as a man carrying a complicated-looking camera stepped out to bar the way.

“Hello!” he said cheerfully. “May I speak to you for a moment?”

Maria had heard about men who did horrible things to young women, but this man, with his big potbelly, looked harmless enough, and there were plenty of tourists in the vicinity, so she paused.

“You want to speak with me?” she responded. “Why?”

“Because you’re an important member of the Thorakis household, that’s why,” the man responded. “And I work for Le Monde. It’s a newspaper. We’re doing a profile on Mr. Thorakis, and would like to learn more about his home life.”

Maria was intrigued. No one ever asked her opinion on anything—not even her parents—and here was a man who thought she was “important.”

“What would you like to know?” she inquired cautiously. “Will it get me in trouble?”

“Trivial things for the most part,” the fat man said reassuringly. “Quality of life things. Like what time does Mr. Thorakis go to bed? When does he eat? That sort of stuff. And don’t worry-I won’t use your name. Plus, if you join me for a cup of coffee at that café over there, I’ll pay you one hundred euros for your time.”

Maria glanced at the establishment in question and back at the man again. Coffee was safe, the café was safe, and a hundred euros was a lot of money. Plus, what was there to go home to? Her mother’s nagging? And her father’s endless demands?

“Okay,” she said slyly, “but I want fifty euros up front.”

The man smiled. “You’re a very smart young woman. Let’s adjourn to the café, where I can give you the first half of the payment without anyone taking notice.”

Maria liked that idea, because Sintra was a small town, and she didn’t want to be seen accepting cash from a foreigner, especially not out here on a main street. Even a whisper of scandal would cause Maria’s father to whip her with his belt. Because in his view, his daughter’s virginity was the only asset she had.

So the two of them went to the café, where the man slipped fifty euros to the maid under the table, and ordered coffee for both of them. The conversation lasted for more than an hour, because the reporter from Le Monde was not only fascinated by the most mundane details of Maria’s job, but by the people she worked with, as well as their interpersonal relationships.

Therefore she was exhausted by the time the interview finally came to a close—and the fellow passed another fifty-euro note under the table.

“Thank you, Maria,” he said sincerely. “You’ve been very helpful. Now remember, I won’t mention your name in the article—and you must remain silent, as well. Otherwise you could lose your job.”

Maria nodded, came to her feet, and glanced at her watch. It was dinnertime! And Maria wasn’t there to help. Her mother would be furious.

Still, the interview had been worth it, and the maid felt happy as she hurried away.

Having determined the internal layout of the house, along with the habits of those who lived there, 47 was that much closer to being ready. But one problem remained, and that was how to enter the mansion, and do so at the correct time. Which, based on information provided by Maria, would be during the day. The most difficult time of all.

The assassin drained the last of his coffee, left the café, and waddled up the street.

The assassin was worried—and had good reason to be, he knew—as the minutes and hours continued to tick away. More than half the time allotted to him by Mr. Nu had already come off the clock, and there was still a lot of work left to do. Finding a way to enter the mansion during the day was proving to be difficult. No, impossible, since none of the schemes he had considered proved feasible.

Take the “magazine” man, for example. His name was Pedro, and based on the research that the assassin had carried out, he was a retired carpenter who pulled in a few euros a day by driving his beat-up sedan into Lisbon at four in the morning, buying newspapers and magazines that wouldn’t arrive in Sintra until late that afternoon, then delivering them to the mansion so Thorakis could scan them while he ate his breakfast. That raised the possibility that 47 could bribe the man, pose as his son, and come along for the ride. Then, once the guards were used to seeing the new face, the rest would be easy. Except that Pedro never spent more than five minutes in the house, which meant his fake son wouldn’t be allowed to either, which left the assassin back at the starting point.

A couple of other possibilities were eliminated in the same fashion. That left the operative with growing frustration, and he was beginning to wonder if his whole plan was going down the drain.

Finally, he decided that the simple approach would be the best. Once most of Sintra’s citizens were asleep, he would enter the mansion during the hours of darkness, hide until daylight, and carry out the assassination. Then, rather than flee, he would return to his hiding place and remain there until the ensuing ruckus was over.

Assuming the plan was successful, the Greek’s death would look like an accident, which meant no one would come looking for him. Once nightfall returned, Agent 47 would sneak out of the house again, and slip over the wall.

From what the assassin had observed, Thorakis’s security had been allowed to lapse somewhat. Perhaps due to the cost and the business setbacks Maria had mentioned. According to her, the number of guards was one-third what it had once been, and the Greek had stopped monitoring the cameras twenty-four-seven. Perhaps he hoped their very presence would fool an intruder into thinking the place was secure.

He needed to find a way to neutralize the damned dog, though. Not kill it, because that would put the security guards on high alert, but incapacitate the animal for a while-long enough for him to get in and out.

The answer was the sedative that 47 had stolen from a local veterinarian’s office along with a variety of things meant to cover what the assassin really wanted. And, because the vet doubled as the local animal control officer, the assassin had been able to steal a dart gun as well.

Thus equipped, it was time for a dry run. This was one of the most important assignments of his career, and he wasn’t about to leave anything to chance.

Having left the Scaparelli outfit back at the hotel, Agent 47 eased his way down the hillside behind the house and bellied up to the stone wall. It was late, so most of the lights were off, and with the exception of the dog and two security guards, the entire household was clearly in bed.

The German shepherd was allowed to roam free, so it wasn’t long before the dog rounded a corner and paused to sample the night air. Agent 47 heard the animal growl deep in its throat, knew a bark would follow, and took careful aim. The air pistol could fire only one hypodermic dart at a time-which meant that the first shot would have to be dead-on. It was a lot to ask at night, especially since he was using an unfamiliar weapon.

The bark was already starting to form itself in the German shepherd’s throat when 47 squeezed the trigger. There was a soft phut as the dart flew straight and true, followed by a startled yelp as the needle entered flesh and delivered a 5:1 combination of ketamine and xylazine into the dog’s circulatory system. The animal took three staggering steps, wobbled as it tried to remain upright, and collapsed. Which was perfect.

But had anyone heard?

Agent 47 hesitated for a moment, blood pounding in his ears, before vaulting over the wall. The guards would find the dog-that was a given-but how soon? The challenge was to recover the dart and enter the house before the animal was discovered.

One of many things the operative had learned from Maria was that the security cameras went unmonitored during the day, on the theory that there was no need for electronic surveillance as long as the guards were patrolling the grounds. Was the same true at night? Agent 47 would find out soon enough as he raced across the yard to the point where the semiconscious dog lay, plucked the yellow-feather dart out of the animal’s side, and slipped it into a pocket. This small detail was crucial. With nothing else to go on, the guards would conclude that the animal was sick, and hopefully focus on him rather than search for an intruder.

Moments later a male voice was heard calling for the German shepherd and it became steadily louder. The assassin felt something heavy land in the pit of his stomach as he made for the back door. Would there be sufficient time to pick the lock? No, 47 was pretty sure that there wouldn’t be, as he put his hand on the doorknob and twisted.

The knob turned, the door opened, and he was inside!

What about the alarm? Surely Thorakis would have one. But no, the house was as quiet as a tomb, with only the ticking of a grandfather clock to break the otherwise perfect silence. This suggested that the person who was in charge of security was entirely too reliant on the human factor.

Worried lest he make noise, or track telltale dirt through what Maria claimed was a spotlessly clean house, 47 removed his shoes, tied the shoelaces together so he could hang them around his neck, and ghosted from room to room.

After a short time, confident that he knew the layout by heart, he followed the dimly lit back stairs all the way up to the unfinished attic, where-according to Maria-the senior housekeeper had occasional trysts with the shipping magnate’s chef, who was something of a ladies’ man.

Having attained his goal, Agent 47 shrugged his way out of the day pack, reloaded the air pistol, and zipped the weapon away. Maybe, if he had gauged the dosage correctly, he would be able to escape without having to sedate the dog again. Especially if the guards took the animal to a vet and left it there overnight. In the meantime there was plenty of food and water in the pack along with an MP3 player to see him through the boring hours ahead.

Moving with extreme caution, he made his way over to a jumble of boxes, and crawled behind several of them. The floor was hard, but he was used to that, and found a spot that was both comfortable and defensible.

Meanwhile, one floor below, the man Agent 47 was planning to kill was wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

Even though things were going well for him, and he had every reason to be happy, it felt as if ice-cold fingers were clutching his intestines.

Why?

There was no way to know—and the hours seemed to crawl by.

Sunlight sparkled on the surface of the bay, and a powerful speedboat carved a long white line through the blue water as it towed a bikini-clad teenager past the Jean Danjou’s lofty stern. The young woman waved, and although Mr. Nu waved back, Diana didn’t.

Which wasn’t too surprising, given the controller’s official status as a prisoner, and the chrome bracelet that encircled one of her shapely ankles. The leg iron was connected to a stanchion by a six-foot length of stainless steel chain intended to keep the woman from diving off the ship and swimming ashore. A long pull, but a feat that Diana thought she was probably capable of.

However, the bracelet and chain were really a kindness, a way to let Diana up on the deck, rather than keep her confined in the brig below. More than that, a sign that Mr. Nu was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt, even if many of The Agency’s board members were already convinced of her guilt and eager to see her punished.

But Diana found it difficult to sit at the linen-covered table and soak up the Mediterranean sun knowing that the last days of her life might be ticking away. Even though Agent 47 claimed to have knowledge of who the real turncoat was, the assassin was in Sintra, Portugal, and hadn’t been heard from since his meeting with Nu.

Was that because he had followed the wrong lead?

Because he was dead?

There was no way to know. So as Diana surveyed the harbor and took a sip of chilled wine, death was very much on her mind. The controller wanted to live, but knew that she, like every other member of the human race, was one day going to die.

The only question was: When?

A uniformed crew member approached the table. He was dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt, matching shorts, and deck shoes. As with all of the other crew members he was careful to ignore the ankle bracelet and chain.

“There’s a phone call for you, sir,” the crew member said respectfully. “Should we put it through?”

Everyone was aware that Nu coveted the hour between five and six. It was when he liked to sit on the stern and enjoy an uninterrupted cocktail. So, given the fact that the people in the control room had seen fit to send a messenger, the call was probably important. Mr. Nu sighed. “Who is it?”

“Agent 47, sir,” the crewman answered.

Diana felt her heart leap, and saw her companion’s eyebrows rise.

“Patch him through,” Nu instructed. “I’ll take the call.”

“They already have,” the messenger said expressionlessly. “He’s on line two.”

The phone was already on the table. All the executive had to do was to push the appropriate button. Diana was grateful he put the call on speaker.

“Agent 47?” Nu inquired. “I must say, it’s about time.”

The assassin kept his voice low, which led Diana to believe that he was in a position that could be compromised.

“Sorry, sir, but I’ve been busy.”

Nu glanced at Diana.

“Don’t keep me in suspense, 47. What, if anything, have you been able to learn?”

“I still believe Thorakis is the man that we’re looking for…but I haven’t been able to find proof. That’s where you come in.”

Nu frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“Here’s what I want you to do,” 47 explained. “Tell all of the board members-including Thorakis-that I know who the traitor is, and that I’m on my way to kill that individual. But don’t identify anyone by name. And find an opportunity to let the name ‘Hotel Central’ slip out. It’s an establishment that Thorakis is bound to recognize.

“If our man is innocent, he won’t do anything at all. But I’m betting that he’ll phone his contact within the Puissance Treize and beg for help. When that help comes, I’ll be waiting. And that will constitute the proof we need.”

“And then?” Mr. Nu wanted to know.

“And then Mr. Thorakis is going to have an accident,” the assassin responded flatly.

The sun was on the edge of the horizon by then, and Diana felt a sudden chill. She lacked a sweater, so she wrapped her arms around her torso instead.

“I like it,” the executive replied coldly. “I like it very much. But be careful. Assuming things go the way you expect them to, the people the Puissance Treize send will be very, very good. Do you need help?”

“Thanks,” 47 replied. “But no thanks.”

“All right then,” Nu said. “Keep me informed.”

“I will,” the assassin assured him. “And I have a message for Diana…”

The executive looked from the phone to the controller and back again.

“Yes? What is it?”

“Tell her she owes me.”

Diana was about to reply when she heard a click, followed by a dial tone.

She deserved to die for some of things she had done. By most people’s standards anyway. But maybe, just maybe, a guardian angel was about to save her.

If so, he would be a dark angel, sent from a place other than heaven.