Part Eight:
Brothers in Arms
1
Seth Raines dressed in a pair of Khaki Dockers and a black shirt. He was watching TV when his mobile phone rang. He recognised the number as being the passenger that he had taken up to the compound.
‘Everything is checked out at my end,’ the man on the other end of the line said. ‘Now it’s up to you. When do you want to exchange?’
‘I need to speak to my team.’
‘I appreciate that there’s a lot to prepare.’ The man paused. ‘Do you have any security concerns?’
Raines wondered if the man was also having him followed and knew about his FBI shadows. Whatever. Honesty was how he liked to do business.
‘The FBI are following me.’
‘That’s unfortunate.’
‘They don’t have anything on me. It’s harassment.’
‘Why?’
‘In the past I’ve had occasion to put some things in writing that may have upset some people. Given them a false impression of who I am and what I might do.’
‘False impression?’
‘Yes. Plus, we think that one of them was trying to infiltrate our team.’
That brought a long silence. Raines said nothing for the duration.
‘This is the first I have heard of this.’
‘It’s sorted now. And, anyway, he never got close enough to know what we were planning.’
‘But they suspect something?’
‘They don’t have a clue what this is about.’
‘In my experience, they are not lateral thinkers.’
‘I agree. We’re safe.’
‘Do you have a contingency for dealing with the current FBI interest in you?’
‘Yes.’
They both knew what he meant.
‘Good. You’ll be in touch when the final timing is set?’
‘Yes.’
The man ended the call without saying anything else.
Raines knew that he needed to make at least one final trip up to the mountain compound before he finalised the arrangements with the man. That would prove awkward with the FBI tail. He wondered if it might be possible to go part of the way by bus or train and get one of the team to pick him up at the other end. That might be enough to get them off his tail.
He dialled Matt Horn’s number.
‘How’s your head after last night, Seth?’
‘I’m fine. I didn’t have much anyway.’
‘Can’t say the same. What’s up?’
‘I got a call from the guy this morning.’
‘And?’
‘He’s looking to finalise things. You’re okay with that now?’
‘Yes. But it doesn’t mean I have to sing and dance about it.’
‘No one’s asking you to. Listen, I need to go to the mountain to wrap things up. You have to be there as well.’
‘I know. When?’
‘Tomorrow.’
‘What about your friends at the FBI?’
‘I’m still thinking about how to deal with them. Leave it with me.’