The Devil's Handshake

13

Cote d’Azur

Fitz Ernst had captained The Libertine since it had been launched. It had been built at the famous Lurssen yard in Bremen at the start of the millennium. The yacht was 330 feet in length, had three decks, a helicopter pad plus four zero-speed stabilizers with modifications, and was driven by two 5,500 horse powered engines with a maximum speed of nineteen knots. It was considered one of the most luxurious pleasure crafts in the world. Costing over three hundred million U.S. dollars, to many she represented the ultimate statement of total self-indulgence, but to Fitz she was the goddess of the Ocean.

A throat cleared respectfully behind him.

“Captain?” a voice asked.

Fitz turned and found his Second Officer, Daniel Hartmann, standing at attention before him.

“Ja?” the captain asked quietly in German.

“Weather report is good, sir,” Daniel replied also in German but with a Swiss accent.

“Clear skies all the way. Sir Thomas will be arriving around eight tonight, and his guest will be on board at five.”

“Very good, Daniel, I will inform Miss Gunara.”

Leaving the deck, the experienced Captain made his way at a measured pace to the ready room at the back of the yacht, which had its own deck. Entering the room he found his employer, Nara, going through the menus for the weekend with the Chef.

When Mikhail initially introduced her to him she had taken his breath away. A sultry lightly tanned youthful creature just out of her teens, oozing femininity and sensuality from her every pore. He wasn’t surprised Sir Thomas had fallen for her. She was beautiful, and she knew it, and she acted as if she knew it!

“Fitz!” the lady stated warmly as she saw him approaching. He smiled back for her smile, had always dazzled and tormented him at the same time. Today was no different.

Over the years, he had seen her turn from an exotic sexy child-woman into one of the world’s most beautiful women and although he would never admit it to anybody else, especially his wife, he was half in love with Nara.

Yet for all of her charms she was not without her faults and could be a real bitch, often making everything all the more difficult if the yacht were not just so, never more so when Sir Thomas had business associates on board.

It was only when her family or Victoria was on board she was more relaxed as if changing persona in the process that he found her to be more approachable as she was now.

“Your Lady,” Fitz said inclining his head pleasantly knowing she always enjoyed the title even though technically she wasn’t.

“Isn’t it a beautiful day, Fitz?” Nara breathed as she rose up giving him sight of her exquisite breasts and her long jet-black hair draped over one of them as she did so. They had moved so seductively that he worried they would fall out of her top.

“It is my Lady,” Fitz replied as his eyes took in the sight of her.

“The weather report has just arrived,” he reported. “Clear skies and smooth waters ahead,” he stated before continuing with the arrival times of the guests and Thomas.

“Do you have information on who is accompanying the Minister yet?” she asked, referring to Wasir Osman Hassan.

“Yes, My Lady” he confirmed nervously.

“He will be traveling with the President’s Economic Advisor, his own protection team of four, plus two officers of the French Police and his companions,” he said pausing on the last word of his statement.

For all of his private lustful thoughts with regard to Nara, the Captain certainly didn’t like his yacht being used as a whorehouse.

“Thank you, Fitz,” Nara answered, ignoring his pause on companions but privately agreeing with him.