Chimera

CHAPTER 24

In the Phuket Mariott coffee shop

Ged Bulatt and Pete Younger sat quietly at a small, isolated table at the rear of the coffee shop and watched as a broad-shouldered and tough-looking Caucasian man entered and walked straight to their table. Two similar-looking men followed, taking seats near the front door.

“I’m Agent Smith. May I join you, gentlemen?” the tough-looking man asked.

“Do we have a choice?”

“There are other options. This one is easier for everyone concerned.”

Bulatt gestured Smith to one of the empty chairs. For a long beat, the three men stared at each other.

“And who might these other ‘concerned’ people be?” Younger finally asked.

“People who are interested in the origins of that latent print.”

“Why would they care?” Bulatt asked.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Which actually tells us a lot,” Younger pointed out.

Smith shrugged as if to acknowledge the obvious.

“You’ve been monitoring us for a while, aware of our investigation into the Khlong shootings, waiting to see what we found,” Bulatt said matter-of-factly.

“Actually, we’ve been monitoring the two of you ever since you took down the Captain of the Muluku.”

Bulatt snorted derisively. “Are you suggesting that incompetent idiot was involved in the Khlong killings?”

“I can’t talk about that.”

Younger stared at Smith for a long moment, and then smiled.

“Of course, it’s the Russians, isn’t it?”

“What Russians?” Bulatt asked.

“We had intel that a Russian drug smuggler named Gregor was using the Muluku as a cut-out for some of his transactions,” Younger said, “but we never got a lead on the guy.”

“And you never will,” Smith said, “because he’s dead… along with his entire crew.”

“How did they die?” Bulatt asked.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Pure coincidence, of course,” Younger added, “that we’re looking for three former military-types who are quite good at killing people; one of whom carelessly left his fingerprint on a transmitter battery.”

“You want to find them, and we want to know who they are,” Bulatt pointed out, “so let’s work together, share what we know.”

“I can’t. Info can only go one way on this deal.”

Bulatt sighs, pulls a cellphone out of his pocket, punches a couple of buttons and handed it to Smith. “Here, I think a Major Prethat wants to talk with you. He’s been listening in on a ‘remote’ line.”

Smith stared at Bulatt, takes the phone, listens for a long moment, then slowly places the phone on the table.

“I’m sure you have some kind of diplomatic immunity,” Younger suggested helpfully, “but you should also be aware that the Major has a one-track mind where shooting of Colonel Kulawnit is concerned. He’s not likely to care about that immunity.”

“My guess is he rolls up your entire operation within the hour, then takes his sweet time in responding to your Embassy’s ‘query’” Bulatt added with a tight smile.

Smith stared at the two men coldly for a few moments, and then sighed.

“I can’t tell you much about them. They were in the Australian Special Air Service before they decided to free-lance their skills.”

“With your Agency?”

Smith ignored the question. “They excel at what they do, but not necessarily at staying on point.”

“The Russian drug smugglers — ?”

“Were apparently too tempting.”

“What did they take?” Bulatt asked.

“A yacht and a lot of cash.”

“The Avatar?” Younger asked.

Smith nodded silently.

“So why are you after them?” Bulatt asked. “You can’t possibly care about dead drug smugglers and their missing assets.”

“It doesn’t matter why, Agent Bulatt,” Smith said firmly. “You and your Interpol pals are getting in our way, and that's not going to be acceptable.”

Bulatt seemed to consider that idea for a few moments.

“You know,” he finally said, “I’d like to believe you really do intend to take these men down; and it’s really tempting to just step aside and let you do that.”

Smith stared at Bulatt, saying nothing.

“But if we did,” Bulatt went on, “you might decide to put them back to work, and that’s not going to be acceptable to us… or to Major Prethat.”

Bulatt looked up to see flashing red lights outside.

“And it looks like his internal affairs team has arrived for their heart-to-heart talk, so we’ll be leaving now.”

“Oh, and may I suggest that you try not to become an ‘inconvenience’ to the Major, Agent Smith,” Younger said as he and Bulatt got up from the table. “He’s not likely to find that very amusing.”

As Bulatt and Younger walked outside the Mariott hotel, they saw a tired-looking Achara Kulawnit in her Ranger Captain’s uniform, directing teams of SWAT-armed Rangers toward the front and back of the hotel lobby.

Bulatt walked up to her as Younger responded to his beeping Blackberry.

“I seriously doubt this was what the Major had in mind when he assigned you to our Interpol team,” he pointed out. “If nothing else, he probably expects you to get some sleep every now and then.”

Achara smiled cheerfully. “The Major also expects me to keep you and Peter safe while you are in Thailand, and that is precisely what I am doing — protecting the two of you from this very dangerous man.”

“And we thank you kindly for that,” Bulatt said seriously, trying to ignore the flashing gleam of amusement in Achara’s dark eyes. “Any chance you and Major Prethat can keep Agent Smith and his goons in protective custody for about twenty-four hours?”

“I’m certain that can be arranged,” Achara said with a dimpled smile.

“Good.” Bulatt turned to Younger. “And do you think you and Achara can watch out for each other, and stay out of trouble, if I make a quick trip to Oregon and Washington?”

Younger smiled brightly. “No worries, mate.”

“But why would you do that when so much is happening here?” Achara asked, looking puzzled.

“I’m going to go meet with some very smart people who just might be able to help us put the pieces of this puzzle together.”