“You never used to be this touchy/feely, man from nowhere.”
“I grew in stature while you were shrinking, Dead Boy.”
Nick had to stop on his way to the entry vehicle while enjoying Clint’s reply along with the rest of the network in his ear. “Okay then… here we go.”
John Harding waited for Nick. Jafar waited at his side. Jafar volunteered to drive the three in, pointing out how it would look to the guards and Al-Kadi if they didn’t have a driver. He also mentioned the captives would have to be watched closely on approach. The fact Jafar would not be searched because he would stay with the car was the deciding factor. An MP5, hidden under the driver’s seat, would be Jafar’s go to weapon although he also packed a Walther 9mm handgun. Jafar said he would drop Nick and his companions at the door. Afterward, he would drive the BMW used in the approach to the side where he would await the outcome and action calmly near the car. He was dressed in a black suit with tie and Kevlar vest underneath the clothing.
“You’re certain you want to do this, Achmed,” Nick asked as Jafar held the door for him.
“Absolutely,” Jafar answered with a grin as John put away the .45 caliber Colt he watched Fernando and Senta with until Nick joined them.
“It’s a solid plan,” John said. “I transfer custody, Muerto.”
“I have them, Cheese. I’ll see you on the other side. If anything goofy happens, I will take care of Achmed.”
“I know you will. Do not be a target, little brother,” John said to Jafar.
“I will be good, John. Lucas would never let anything happen to me. He’d never be able to turn his laptop on again.”
“Why you little… turd,” Lucas muttered to much amusement. “You are dead to me.”
“Am not,” Jafar stated with confidence while getting behind the steering wheel. “Here we go. I will pray Ahab’s sight doesn’t fail him before the mission is completed.”
Nick listened to the outrage from Lucas and amusement from their comrades with deep appreciation. He had been so long on his own, Nick hearkened back to his days with Delta Force when his brothers in arms meant everything to him. After the ‘Starlight of the Seas’ mission, Nick thought of Harding’s ‘Monster Squad’ as family. He glared over at his traveling companions with distrust as Jafar drove away. Senta worried him as she did Lynn – not in a fragile sense, but in a methodology of how to kill her once he was betrayed. If he could stay close to her until gaining an audience with Al-Kadi, Nick felt everything would be fine. With his writer’s imagination, he could contemplate all possible actions with clinical perception. Nick felt after a few moments rehashing the coming action in his mind that he had anticipated every conceivable happening.
“Take deep breaths,” Nick instructed Lynn’s helpers. “We’ll act our parts as rehearsed. When it comes time, get on the floor face down and cover. Stay there until I tell you it’s okay to get up. Any questions?”
Fernando and Senta kept their heads down while shaking them in the negative. Senta glanced at Nick after a moment. “Why are you doing this? You are the foremost assassin in the world. Even Claude Chardin acknowledges that. I heard you tell him you killed Fenric Ballesteros. We knew from Al-Kadi you had killed Felix Moreau. You could have anything you want. Why participate in this stupid spy game?”
“Shit! She’s going to fuck you, Muerto,” Lynn muttered through what Nick thought was probably fist clenched rage as she listened. “Abort this.”
“Easy.” Nick addressed Senta, while also answering Lynn, without giving away the fact he was in constant contact with his friends. “We’re going through with the mission, Senta. Calm yourself and play the part given to you. Don’t volunteer anything other than answer as you have been instructed. I will handle the rest. Why I do what I do means nothing in your mind, so why talk about it. Focus on your job.”
“It’s your funeral, but she’s been acting the whole time,” Lynn said. “I can’t believe the little tool fooled me.”
“She didn’t,” Nick whispered.
Jafar entered the open gateway. It closed behind them. “That wasn’t nice.”
“It won’t matter, Achmed,” Nick said. “Proceed with ceremony, my friend. Remember, we’re the guests of honor.”
Jafar slowly rounded the ornate circular driveway. He stopped in front of the lavish front entrance where four armed guards approached to greet the BMW occupants. Jafar leaped out with professional quickness to open the rear door for Nick, Fernando, and Senta.
“Put on your game faces, kiddies,” Nick whispered. “You stay close to me, Senta as we rehearsed.