Agent provocateur, p.17
Agent Provocateur, page 17
“Nice day.” The old man cast his eyes skyward. “Think it’ll be our last?”
“Not if everyone carried out my orders.”
“What if that’s not enough?”
Bishop gazed up. “Then at least it’s a nice day.”
Argento nodded. He took a swig from the bottle, left it beside Bishop and stood. His bones creaked.
“Bishop?”
“Hmmm?”
“You look after my Tessa. There’s not a man alive I trust more than you to do that. You do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
“You know I will.”
“I do. But I had to say it all the same.”
Turning, Argento walked back to the stairwell. As he reached the door, he glanced over his shoulder. “And Charles… You left Nathan Vincent behind a long time ago.” A sad expression crossed his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever said it, but I’m honoured you’ve lived up to the name I gave you.”
Not waiting for a reply, Argento disappeared into the stairwell. Bishop stared at the void where he’d stood. Unable to stop it, a sob escaped the younger man.
Like many men of his generation, Argento had never been big on sharing his emotions. What he’d said would have been hard. And Bishop knew it came from the heart.
Surveying the barren surrounds of the abandoned city, Bishop became lost in thought, memories and emotions tumbling over one another. It was all too much. He controlled his breathing, tried to focus, and abruptly caught himself in a microsleep. He was running on fumes. He’d been moving virtually nonstop since landing in China.
The next few hours would determine if all their efforts amounted to anything. But the words of his old mentor resonated. Keep Tessa safe. Not because she was a feeble woman—far from it. Because you protected the ones you loved.
Behind him, Bishop heard quiet footfalls. “I was just thinking about you.”
Tessa sat beside him, cross-legged. “Should I be concerned?”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Bishop handed her the Chivas, “it was completely inappropriate.”
“Phew.” She took a swig. “You had me worried there for a second.”
“Speaking of, remember the Ambassador’s cloakroom and how they asked us to leave?”
Tessa choked on the Chivas, amused. “If I recall correctly, they told us to put our clothes on and said if we ever came back they’d have us up on indecency charges.”
“Fun times.” Bishop took the bottle back and drank.
“We were different people back then.”
“I’m glad you didn’t say innocent.”
Tessa smiled. “No, we definitely weren’t that.” She sighed and stroked his cheek. “But we’ve changed since then. You certainly have.”
“You say that with intent. Something on your mind?” Bishop offered her the bottle again.
She shook her head. “I shouldn’t. Need to stay focused.”
Bishop waited for her to go on, but received only silence. “You were going to say something.”
Tessa nodded. “I always tried to block it out, what you were doing when you were away. But it always snuck in. Especially when you came back with bruises and cuts, and always a distant expression, like a part of you was still back wherever you’d just been. Over time, less and less of you came back.” She inhaled deeply and looked to the sky. They were quiet for a moment.
“She’s pretty.”
It was Bishop’s turn to smile. “Zhao? Is that jealousy I hear?”
A shrug. “No, just an observation.”
“Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference.”
“And sometimes it isn’t.” Tessa gestured towards the stairs. “You didn’t baseline her.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Zhao. You didn’t baseline her like you did with Dad.”
“There really was no need. I’d already seen her lie. Extremely convincingly. It’s when her mouth moves.”
Tessa nodded. “So how can we believe anything she said during the interrogation?”
“We can’t.”
Her face fell. “But… but your whole plan is based on what she said.”
“Exactly. Welcome to espionage. Fun, isn’t it?”
“Fun isn’t the word I’d choose, Charles.”
He shrugged and scanned the empty horizon. “Your dad said something that got me thinking.”
“Oh, this can’t be good.”
“Would we have worked out, Tessa? If it wasn’t for ’6, I mean?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. Relationships are hard.”
“I know.”
“Do you? There’s more to a relationship than deciding who sleeps in the wet patch, you know.” Her words weren’t harsh, just weary.
Bishop nudged her. “I have a feeling you swerved the conversation somewhat. What did you really want to say, Tessa? Back before you skilfully sidestepped talking about Zhao.”
She grinned a paper-thin grin and shrugged, as if to say, you got me. “The way you interrogated her … even when you knew I was there… I never imagined… it’s like I knew you and didn’t know you at the same time.”
“I’m doing my job, Tessa.”
“I know. Believe me, I know. But it’s one thing to suspect something; it’s completely another to have it confirmed. There was a ruthlessness to what you did.” She held up a hand to halt his protest. “I’m not saying you took pleasure in it. But you’re the man I always feared you could be. A man I don’t know.”
“A man you don’t want to know?”
The wind washed over them. The air seemed chillier. A flock of birds took flight in the distance.
Tessa watched the birds. “We should get in position.”
Placing his hand gently on her arm, Bishop said, “I asked you a question, Tessa.”
She turned to face him. “I know. I can’t answer it. Not because I don’t want to, but because I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.”
Bishop nodded. “That’s fair. I appreciate your honesty.”
She stood and rubbed his shoulder. “Honesty was never our problem.”
As she walked away, a million thoughts swirled in his mind. He tried to stamp them down. There were other things he needed to concentrate on.
Picking up the binoculars, he scanned the horizon. He noticed the dust clouds first. Far off in the distance, but approaching at speed. The long column suggested at least five vehicles. They drove single file—pure arrogance. They expected minimal resistance. That was their first mistake. More would follow.
Bishop hit the button on his earpiece. “People, saddle up. We have company. Everyone in position.” He eyed the line of black SUVs hurtling down the rough service road. “Showtime.” Bishop ground his teeth. “Keep your heads, everyone. Stick to the plan. Take your time and shoot straight. And most importantly, drink plenty of water. I don’t want anyone getting dehydrated out there.”
The comms gear buzzed several times, as if someone was about to say something, then stopped. Li’s voice came through hesitantly. “It’s really hard to figure out if you’re serious or crazy sometimes.”
Smiling, Bishop hefted the sniper’s rifle and tucked it into his shoulder. “I think you’ll find, Li,” Bishop tracked the lead vehicle and aimed the scope ahead of the convoy, where he’d partially buried an anti‑tank guided missile by the side of the road, “that I’m most certainly both.” He let out a breath and steadied his aim. “Here comes the big bang.”
Tessa cut in. “Not the first time he’s said those words.”
Instead of replying, Bishop fired. The last SUV exploded. The rear of the vehicle rocketed upwards and a dirty orange fireball belched into the sky. Bishop hadn’t had time to rig a pressure sensor to take out a car. Firing on an active anti-tank missile was the next best thing. And just as effective.
The convoy skidded to a halt. Three men piled out of the second-last vehicle to search for survivors. They scrambled down the embankment and walked alongside the makeshift road. That was their second mistake.
The lead man held his rifle tucked into his shoulder, sweeping for further AT mines at eye level along the roadway. He was looking in the wrong direction. He stepped forward and, seconds later, exploded when the landmine detonated. The man beside him fell and didn’t move. The third limped back to his vehicle.
For the next minute, nothing happened.
“What are they doing?” Li’s question was a valid one.
Bishop didn’t take his eyes off the convoy. “Right now, they’re figuring out how trapped they are. They can’t go back—we just blew the only access road. They can’t drive around, because now they know we’ve put landmines circling their position. They only have one choice.”
Bishop detected movement. Four men exited the lead vehicle on the far side and stepped into the second.
Clutching the binoculars, Bishop grinned. “Chang’s in the second vehicle now. Repeat, Chang is in vehicle two.”
“Why’d he change cars?” Tessa asked.
“The first guy is what you call cannon fodder.” Argento’s tone was calm. “They probably think the road’s mined. If there are more landmines, he’ll be the first to find them.”
“But the last car was the one Charles took out. It wasn’t even a landmine.”
“The gent in the front car doesn’t know that. Jesus.” Li let out a sigh. “That dude better be getting hazard pay, he’d be sweating bullets right about now.”
They watched the first vehicle edge forward cautiously while the others held back and carefully followed its tyre marks. There was no need for Bishop to watch the procession. He wanted them to enter the city. In fact, his plan depended on it.
Leaving his post, he raced down the stairs. “You in position, Team Pink Bikini?”
“Affirmative, Team Tight Buns.” Tessa giggled.
There was a sigh, and Argento’s gruff voice cut in. “Can I once again object to these absurd team names?”
“No, you may not, Team Get Off My Lawn.”
“For the record, Team Sequins here is fine with his name.” Li’s tone grew serious. “The lead guy is about to head up the embankment, folks. Time to drop those panties, y’all.”
“Whatever happened to professional decorum?” There was no amusement in Argento’s words.
“You picked the wrong crowd for that, baby.”
“Evidently.” Argento grunted. “Did you just call me baby?”
“Yo, yo.” Li ignored the question and spoke excitedly. “First vehicle in. You’re up, Team Bikini.”
“Team Pink Bikini, thank you. On it.”
Tessa’s job was to count the assailants in the cars, and note their relative positions in the vehicles and how low each car was riding, indicating additional armaments or load. Everyone, Tessa included, knew it was the safest task. Bishop was keeping her away from harm.
Barely raising a sweat, Bishop reached the bottom of the stairs and ran into the city square, far from the view of the encroaching enemy. In the austere surrounds of the city’s unused offices, nothing stirred. His footfalls echoed around the silent brick walls, amplified by the lack of trees and daily life, which would normally absorb sound. That was exactly what Li was working on, but it should have happened by now.
Sprinting into the municipal building, Bishop found Li behind the main counter in front of an open IT cabinet. “Have you hooked into the public address system?”
Li jumped. “Fucking hell, dude, you almost scared me straight.”
“Why aren’t I hearing music, Li?”
He waved his mobile phone at Bishop. “I’m connected to the PA, no worries. It’s just… I can’t…”
“Can’t what?”
“I can’t choose what to play, man. I want something epic, yeah? Like, I could put on Paul van Dyk, the man’s a genius, but he’s a bit clinical, right? Armin van Buuren?” He clicked his fingers. “Oooh, maybe classic Tiësto, I don’t know. Or what about some Israeli dubstep, just to fuck with ’em?”
Bishop grabbed Li’s phone and typed. It took all of five seconds to pick something. He handed the phone back.
Li glanced at the screen and gawped, alarmed. “Are you fucking kidding me?”
Bishop pointed at the phone. “Put it on endless repeat, then get to your next position. You’re cutting it fine.”
As Bishop ran out of the reception area, Li shouted after him, “You’re one evil son-of-a-bitch!”
Smiling, Bishop hit the square and ran towards the southernmost building. “Sitrep, Team Pink Bikini?”
“Last SUV coming into view now. They’re maintaining tight formation. Driving west, sticking to route 3. Total assault team, eighteen. Six in the rear, four in the third, seven in the second, still one in the lead. All evenly loaded. They’re…”
Amplified music came over the loudspeakers. “I'll drive a million miles. To be with you tonight. So if you're feeling low. Turn up your radio…”
Tessa continued. “They’re travelling at… wait… is that Wang Chung? You’re playing Wang Chung?”
“What’s a Wang Chung?” Argento didn’t seem amused.
“I’m pretty sure that goes against the Geneva Convention, Team Tight Buns.”
“It’s a classic. Everyone loves a classic.” Bishop crossed the square and opened the door to the stairwell. “We could be easily discovered in the silence. This gives us cover.” He ran up the stairs. “Plus, it’s really annoying.”
“Everybody have fun tonight. Everybody have fun tonight. Everybody Wang Chung tonight.”
“For the first time I wholeheartedly agree with you, son.”
“You ready, Team Get Off My Lawn?”
“Look… yes, you little shit.”
“Team Pink Bikini, ETA of the convoy passing Team Get Off My Lawn?”
Argento sighed.
“Give it twenty seconds. Leaving my visual. Going to second position.”
“One of my favourites.” Bishop grinned as they reached the roof of the car park.
“That’s enough, you two.” Argento left his comms open. “I have them. They’re… they’re slowing down. Is anyone in the open?”
“Negative.”
“Negative.”
“Nope.”
“Well, something’s spooked—heads up. All the doors just opened. They’re all exiting the vehicles, sprinting for cover. They’re splitting up. Repeat, they’re splitting up. I can’t get a clean shot.”
“Acknowledged, Team Get Off My Lawn. How many left in the cars?”
“Just the drivers. Four. Plus two more standing guard.”
“Right.” Bishop inhaled deeply. “Time to go Cortés on their arses. Take out their escape, if you will, Team Get Off My Lawn.”
“With pleasure.”
From the top floor of the adjacent strip of shops, a streak of white smoke flew across the short distance to the first SUV. It exploded in flames, careening backwards into the car behind. Before the men on the ground could react, Argento fired the second rocket launcher and took out the third vehicle. The two guards tasked with protecting the convoy lay on the ground, motionless. Argento reloaded the first launcher, hefted it on his shoulder and took out the rear vehicle. The remaining driver, the one in the second vehicle, hadn’t extracted himself from the SUV. He may have been pinned in place by the impact of the first rocket, possibly already dead. Argento would make sure of it. As the final streak of white crossed the sky, a smattering of Chang’s men fired on Argento’s position. But it was too late. For one, Argento was already gone. And with the final vehicle gone, they had destroyed Chang’s only means of escape.
They’d also narrowed down the odds. The four now faced a dozen. They had prepared. They’d designed. They’d boobytrapped. They had a plan. It was now a game of odds. But Bishop’s team also confronted the unknown. The enemy would no longer be complacent.
Without waiting for anyone’s reaction, Bishop spoke unemotionally. “Everyone, enact protocol four. Go now.”
Over the comms, Bishop heard overlapping movement. Li, Argento and Tessa were all changing position. For the next two minutes, he sprinted. Now the real danger began. They had a dozen targets, instead of four large ones. Things had become more complicated. And deadly.
He knew where each member of his team would be. Tessa was furthest from the engagement, heading east, towards the large apartment complex. They’d found a penthouse with a panic room; she’d been told to hold out there. Li was heading south-east, to the top of an incomplete water park. He would be their eyes in the sky now that Chang’s men had entered the centre of the city. Argento would be traversing the roof between the shops and the nearby offices. He’d be converging on Bishop’s position any second now.
Running through the entrance of the mall, Bishop raised his pistol. There hadn’t been enough time for any of Chang’s men to have made it this far, but he wasn’t taking chances. The mall was unfinished. Barely any interior fixtures had been completed, there were just bare concrete walls and exposed wiring. It was a husk, waiting for customers who may never come.
Bishop slipped through a concealed doorway, behind a pile of plaster leaning against a wall. Careful to leave the drywall in place, Bishop slid through the entrance to an access tunnel and ran on.
The white painted cinder blocks of the hallway concealed him from Chang’s goons and allowed Bishop and Argento free movement between their designated positions. Sprinting, Bishop saw Argento ahead of him, doing his best to run but struggling. He didn’t move like he used to. The younger man slowed and jogged alongside him.
“Want a race, old man?”
Argento huffed and kept running. “What are you doing, son? Team Pink Bikini?” He shook his head and coughed. “Who instructed you to run an operation like that? What are you playing at?”
Bishop rounded on Argento and the two men halted. He stared his old mentor in the eye as the old man puffed. “I’m not playing at anything, Kevin. What I’m doing is adjusting the parameters of the operation to ensure success. Tessa and Li, they’re not operatives, they’re scared stiff. I’m providing them with a psychological shield. I’m giving them cute team names to try to keep their minds off the fact that before the day is out, they will kill people. Real people. They’re going to have to live with that. Until then, I’m doing my best to keep their minds off it. That’s what I’m playing at.” Bishop turned and walked on.
