Interception, p.17
Interception, page 17
The taxi driver dropped him in front of the Ritz Carlton about thirty minutes before his meeting time. Javin paid the driver and stood outside the hotel’s entrance. The light snow that had followed him from the airport had all but stopped. The air was now fresh and cool, and he unzipped his heavy black jacket halfway. He drew in a deep breath, feeling the air fill his lungs. He was reluctant to enter the lobby. He knew that after he talked to Mila, there was no going back. This was bound to happen sooner or later. Let’s get on with it.
He walked closer to the revolving door, then changed his mind as he noticed an older couple approaching the entrance. He held open one of the other doors for the couple, and both the woman and the man thanked him. Javin slipped very close behind them as he entered the lobby. His eyes took in the luxurious lounge. It had large comfortable red-and-brown armchairs, a magnificent chandelier, sculptures, and a smooth white-and-black marble floor. As expected, everything was exquisite, and nothing had changed since the last time he had been here.
A couple of dozen people, most of them men in business suits, were chatting in muted tones. Javin scanned their faces, wondering which one of them was working with Mila. Since the Ritz was a favorite meeting place for many foreign and local businessmen and politicians, the place was also crawling with journalists and intelligence operatives.
His eyes rested on one of the younger men in the lobby, who was maybe in his early twenties and was sitting alone. He had this out-of-place look in his face and a nervous flicker in his eyes. The gray pinstriped suit looked cheaper than the clothes worn by the other men. He was well-positioned to cover the entrance to the hotel, but seemed to have missed Javin, who was now standing close to the reception area. The man was not drinking anything, but his hands were fidgeting with a phone. Gray man is Mila’s man.
Javin nodded to himself and headed toward the elevators. He felt vulnerable and ineffective without his Sig Sauer P320 pistol, his trusted companion. This is only an intel-gathering op, Javin. Mila will not take shots at you. Not unless you force her hand…
He shrugged as he entered the elevator. No, I won’t provoke her.
His heart began to beat faster as soon as he stepped out of the elevator on the fifth floor. The adrenaline was shooting through his body, as it always did when he was readying for a mission. His senses became sharper, his eyes and ears seeing and hearing everything. The laughter of a young woman at the other end of the hall. The whisper of a man talking on his phone as he passed by Javin.
He stopped when he came to Room 517. He hesitated for just a moment, then knocked twice on the door.
A brief pause, then the door opened a crack.
Mila stood in front of him, with her body turned slightly to one side. She wore a V-neck black pencil dress that came to her knees. Her long strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a bun, her preferred style. Mila was holding a gun, her favorite weapon—a Makarov 9mm pistol equipped with a long sound suppressor—in her right hand next to her body. “You alone?” she asked in a low voice.
“Of course. And you?”
Mila nodded. “Come in.” She offered him a small smile and stepped back.
Javin entered in and dropped his rucksack by the door. He stopped next to Mila, who was standing near the middle of the room and across from the king-size bed.
“Welcome to Moscow.”
“Great to see you.”
She leaned in for a kiss, but then stopped. “Oh, Javin. When was the last time you showered?”
Javin blinked back his surprise. “Do I smell that bad?”
“Oh, maybe not bad, but not the freshest either… Why don’t you go clean yourself up, then we can continue?”
“If I have to…”
“You do. I’ll wait for you here.” Mila walked toward the desk by the large window overlooking Moscow’s skyline.
Javin removed his jacket and sweater and tossed them to the floor. Then he turned around and walked toward the bathroom. Its black-and-white marble-tiled floor was heated. Javin took a fifteen-minute-long shower, scrubbing dirt and grime from his body, enjoying the hot water flowing from the large rainforest showerhead.
When he returned to the room, he was dressed in a dark blue bathrobe. Mila was sitting behind the antique-looking reddish desk. She stood up and gave Javin a broad smile. She walked up to him and planted a deep passionate kiss on Javin’s lips. He wanted to ask her to stop or to push her away, but he didn’t. He knew it was wrong, but it didn’t feel wrong.
Mila brushed her body against his and pulled him tighter against her. She ran one of her hands over Javin’s chest, then kissed him again along the side of his neck. “Javin,” she whispered in his ear. “I need you.”
Her soft purr sent chills down Javin’s spine. He hesitated for a split second, but realized Mila wouldn’t stop unless he stopped her. He took a step back. “I … I can’t do this, Mila.”
“Of course you can, Javin.” Mila stepped closer to him, reaching again with her hand.
“No, sorry, stop. Please stop.” He put up his right hand and took a couple more steps away from her.
“No, you’re sure, Javin?” Her voice turned cold with a clear hint of disappointment and frustration.
“Yes, I … I can’t do this to Liberty. I wouldn’t do this to you—”
“But you did, Javin. And that’s why we’re in this situation.” Mila’s face twisted into a frown. “You led me to believe I was the only woman in your life. Remember what you told me in Luxembourg?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“You said you wanted to take things slowly. But, at the same time, you went behind my back and found another woman … Or perhaps you had already found her.”
Javin shrugged. “Mila, this is very complicated.”
Mila nodded. “Well, uncomplicate it for me. We have all the time we need.” She returned to her chair and pointed at the other one across the desk.
“Shouldn’t we talk about business first?”
“This is business.”
“Feels more like pleasure.”
“You made it clear that pleasure isn’t what you want, Javin.”
Javin sighed and sat on the chair. “Look, I started the relationship with Liberty at about the same time as you and I—”
“What does ‘about the same time’ mean? Before or after you lied to me?”
“I didn’t lie to you, Mila.”
“You didn’t? But you never mentioned this woman…”
“I didn’t think she was important to our conversation, so—”
“But is she important to you, Javin?”
He didn’t answer, but held Mila’s fiery eyes.
“Come on, Javin, a simple answer. Is Liberty important? More important than me?”
Javin didn’t want to answer the question. There was no way he could spin this positively without lying or denying his true feelings. But what were they?
“Javin?”
He shrugged. “Mila, I really don’t know…”
“You don’t?”
“Yes, I don’t. Look, I’m not choosing the coward’s way out of a tough question. But … I still need to figure things out.”
Mila shook her head. “There’s not much to figure out, Javin. It’s Liberty or me. You’ll have to make a choice.”
“And I will, but not at this time. Not when my hand is forced. You don’t want me to make the wrong choice, do you?”
Mila leaned closer to Javin. “Of course not, Javin. But what you need to do is obvious. You’ve got to pick, and I won’t wait for long.”
“That’s fair.”
“I think so. Now, about the millions you’ve sent to this other woman … ‘friend,’ let’s call her ‘friend’ … we both know where that money came from?”
Javin nodded. “Of course.”
“Once they find out, if they find out, they’ll want their money back.”
“It’s not theirs. It never became theirs.”
“Technicalities don’t matter in Russia, Javin. You know that.”
“Yes, but this is the truth. That was terrorist money, stolen from the Iraqi people. It went where it belonged.”
Mila snorted. “Sometimes I wonder how you can do this…”
“What is ‘this’?”
“This job. You have such a big, bleeding heart. I wonder if it will get you killed one day, along with the ones close to you, the ones you love the most.”
Javin nodded. “I wonder that myself too, Mila. Recently more than ever.”
Mila nodded. “The SVR doesn’t know yet. They don’t have to.”
The conspiratorial tone in her voice expressed clearly the words she didn’t say. If you make the wrong choice, they will most likely find out. Javin nodded again. “I truly appreciate that, Mila.”
She offered Javin a small smile.
Javin said, “How did you find out about the money?”
“Long story.”
“We have the time.”
“I’m not in the mood. Maybe I’ll tell you one day.” Her voice sounded anything but like a promise. “Not today.”
Javin shrugged and sat back. “Well, then maybe we can talk about our trip to France.”
Mila gave him a cockeyed glance. “France? I don’t want to go to France for work, and you don’t want any pleasure.”
“That might not be completely true…”
“What, you’ve changed your mind now?”
“No, no.” Javin raised his hand. “I still haven’t decided. But some time off will be good for both of us.”
Mila rolled her eyes. “I know you, Javin. You’re not going to France for the sun or to surf. You’re trying to calm me down and buy me off…”
Javin smiled. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yes. What have I told you? Never play poker. You have this look of self-satisfaction on your face, knowing you have a winning hand.” Mila shrugged and offered a small smile. “Plus, I’m Russian. I know when I’m being bribed.”
“This is a reward, Mila. To both of us. For what we’ve accomplished together.”
Mila’s smile remained on her face. “You don’t need to sell it anymore, Javin. I accept your bribe. Now, what do you want?”
Javin leaned closer to her. “Do you know about the wedding of a Russian oligarch’s daughter in Monaco in two days?”
“No, I don’t. With so many oligarchs in Russia, even the government has difficulties keeping track of them all.”
“Well, the daughter of Artyom Orlov is getting married at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco.”
“I’ve heard of Orlov. He made a fortune in the steel business, buying state factories for pennies.”
“Yes, well, one of the guests invited to the party is Liu Tang. Ever heard of him?”
Mila shook her head.
“Mr. Liu is a Chinese millionaire, and I have some unfinished business with him.”
“Really? What did he do to you?”
Javin was glad to notice a certain amount of concern in her voice. “His men have tried to kill me on a few occasions. But I don’t blame him. I’ve been working with the MSS to bring him down.”
He was careful in what he was revealing to Mila. This was usually the most difficult part when striking a deal. He needed to find the right balance: not disclosing sensitive intelligence about his operations, while sharing enough information with Mila to gain her interest and earn her favor.
“What did he do?” she asked.
Javin shrugged. “Does it matter?”
“Just tell me.”
“Financed terrorism, and he’s suspected of eliminating, or paying for the elimination, of two Chinese operatives.”
“So, you’ll hand him over to MSS, and they’ll have him hanged?”
“That’s the plan.”
Mila nodded. “It’s a good plan. So, what do you need me for?”
“Safe passage.”
“I don’t understand.”
Javin shifted in his chair. “Let me explain. Liu knows we’re coming for him. He has doubled, or tripled his security. Hitting him while in transit would be a mistake.”
“Yes, and an attack on his residence would also result in failure.”
“Correct. So the most vulnerable place is at the wedding. But, of course, there’s a problem.”
“A problem? I think the word you want is impossibility. You’ll never be able to go through the Russian security…”
Javin smiled. “And that’s why I need you.”
Mila shook her head. “No, Javin, you need a miracle—”
“I came to the right place, then…”
“Oh, I don’t know, Javin. This is not a simple operation. These are not people who work for the SVR or any of the government agencies. We’re talking about the private security of an oligarch…”
“Russian, nonetheless.”
“And that makes it easy, how…?”
“I don’t know, Mila, but I’m sure you can find a way…”
Mila offered a fake smile. “That’s so sweet of you, Javin, thinking so highly of me.”
Javin shrugged. “The least I can do. Look, all I need is for them to turn a blind eye—”
“Ignore you and your team?”
“Right. I want to make sure they know we’re not there to cause any trouble to their boss, or to interrupt the wedding. The last thing I want to do is get on the wrong side of a Russian heiress because I ruined her perfect day…”
The irony did not escape Mila. “Right. You’re already on the wrong side of at least one Russian woman, although she’s not an heiress.”
Javin smiled. “We’re going to keep this low-key. Get in, grab Liu, get out.”
“Nothing is ever that simple, Javin. You know that.”
“I want to believe it is. And this will make it easier for the security to agree to it.”
Mila shrugged and sat back on her seat. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t know, Javin. This is a huge favor to ask…”
“I know, but you’re the only one who can get it done.”
“Javin, stop it. You’re making me blush.”
“Will you at least think about it?”
Mila didn’t reply right away. Then she nodded slowly and leaned closer to Javin. “We all have hard choices to make.” She paused for a moment, then nodded and said, “I’ll let you know by tomorrow.”
Javin smiled. “Glad to hear that, Mila.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “Thank me after I’ve done something. Anything else?”
“No, if you can get that done for me, you’re a saint.”
“Miracle worker, saint… Have you been to church lately?”
“No, but I should go.”
“What’s the point? All the people we’ve killed … Can that ever be forgiven?”
“I’m not sure. All I can say is that it was for a good cause. I never killed someone who didn’t try to kill me, or who didn’t have it coming.”
Mila shrugged. “Well, since you’re not going to bed with me, will you be a gentleman and buy me dinner?”
“By all means. Downstairs?”
Mila stood up. “No, I know this place just around the corner. Authentic Russian food.”
“Give me a few minutes to get dressed.”
Mila began to undress him with her eyes, so Javin turned around and headed to the bathroom.
Five minutes later, they left the room. Javin wasn’t sure how things were going to unfold, but he was glad Mila hadn’t said “no” immediately. Without her help, this would have been almost impossible. Even with the Russians onboard, this is still going to be quite a challenge.
He smiled to himself. I love a good challenge.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Nice, France
Shortly after their arrival at the Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, Javin and Mila were met by a man who introduced himself as Jacque, a young man perhaps in his early twenties. He handed Mila the keys to a gray Peugeot sedan and a small briefcase carrying a compact Makarov 9mm pistol. It was SVR’s standard protocol: When operatives were outside Russia, the agency had to know their location at all times. The agents also needed to be armed, for any eventuality. On the other hand, Javin had left his Sig Sauer with Claudia in Beijing, when he had last seen her.
Javin and Mila spent most of the day at the beaches in Nice, strolling along the bustling Promenade des Anglais and all the way to Bains Militaires, near the Corsica ferry terminal in Old Town. It was a lovely autumn day, with the temperature in the high sixties. A gentle breeze toyed with Mila’s hair as they went for long walks along the beach, then swam in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Mila was wearing a skimpy two-piece bikini. He tried not to look, but it was difficult. Her curves drew the attention of gawkers, but whenever she caught them staring, Mila ended their ogling with her menacing frown. He was glad she was in a good mood, otherwise she would have pulled her pistol on them. Of course, flashing the gun at the crowded beach would have created more problems than it would have solved, but Mila didn’t mind problems.
After a late lunch, Mila gave Javin the good news he had been expecting all day. She had been able to secure the cooperation of Orlov’s security detail. The head of security was a former colleague of Mila’s, and he agreed to the favor. Javin would have a small window of ten minutes to locate Liu and leave the cathedral with him. It went without saying that the operation needed to be executed with the utmost discretion, so that none of the guests or Liu’s security would realize he was being taken.
It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. Javin thanked Mila, who once again in a non-subtle way reminded him he owed her a favor. She also brought up the matter of Javin’s making a decision about her and Liberty. Javin had given it some thought during the red-eye flight from Moscow. He was conflicted and on the fence about this choice. Angering Mila would come at a steep cost. Plus, Javin wasn’t sure if Liberty would accept him, after he came clean and told her everything about who he was and what he did. The CIS would also need to be involved and issue the necessary authorization for Javin to share sensitive intelligence with his girlfriend. He had decided to deal with the situation after this operation.
