Chapter 15
It wasn't long after dawn and the faint rays of the sun where just finding their way through the curtain of night. A ray of sunlight had just fallen onto the phone on the desk in front of the large window in Lazarski's apartment when it started ringing. The door on the far wall opened and Lazarski walked purposely across the hardwood floor tying his robe as he walked he looked at his watch before picking up the phone. "Lazarski"
"Lazarski, it's Holder, the shipment is on time and should be arriving in the next 3 days but we've got a little bit of a problem"
Lazarski walked round the desk and sat down in the deep-buttoned leather chair he wiped the sleep from his eyes "What problem?"
Holder took a deep breath he had seen first hand what happened to people who brought Lazarski news he didn't like, the pause and Holder's deep breath wasn't missed by Lazarski "Well I'm waiting"
"They want payment on delivery as soon as the ship docks" Holder held the phone away from his ear but the explosion didn't come. "That shouldn't be a problem Du Pont is in England right now dealing with that matter.you tell them they will have their money but I want you to make sure that it is all there I'm not paying for what hasn't been delivered.Is that clear"
"Very clear Mr. Lazarski you can count on me.you know that" Holder replied. Lazarski leant forward putting his elbows on the desk "and you know what will happen if you make a mistake.I'm sure I don't have to remind you of that now do I?"
"O.of course not I understand" Holder replied as he tried to shake the images of Charlton's death from his mind. Charlton had joined Lazarski's group the same time he had and most of the time they had worked together but one night Lazarski had ordered the death of a girl, she couldn't have been more than 16, 'she had out lived her usefulness' to use Lazarski's words, as he handed the task to Charlton. Lazarski had been running an underground ring of very young girls; it had been one venture that both Holder and Charlton hadn't agreed with. But neither of them could deny the large amounts of money being made from it nor would they voice their opinion openly.
Charlton had befriended the girl when they had taken her from client to client and couldn't bring himself to kill her, so he had let her go. It didn't take that woman of Criminal Intelligence long to find the girl and persuaded her to give up all the locations the ring worked out of. It also didn't take long for Lazarski to realise that his orders hadn't been carried out. His retribution had been swift Holder remembered the look in Charlton's eyes as they wished for death to come. Lazarski's anger knew no bounds not only had he lost the income from the ring but apparently the Criminal Intelligence woman had got her hands on something very important to Lazarski part of another money making scheme no doubt. The sound of the phone being put down brought Holder back from the grisly images of the past. He knew that the same fate would await him if this deal didn't go through.
Lazarski's hand still rested on the receiver as he looked at his watch; still a little too early to call Du Pont. So he decided to take a shower there was no point in returning to bed he wouldn't be able to sleep not knowing why Du Pont hadn't returned. He got up walking to the bathroom 'I'll get some answers soon' he thought as he closed the door behind him.
Duncan had been awake before dawn he had already gone through his Kata in the cold dawn air, he now sat on the raised deck of the barge watching the sun rise his thoughts clouded by images of Alex 'where the hell was she' he thought as he got to his feet, it was if she had vanish like the early morning mist. He was going to the café today it was his only link left and he was sure she would turn up there sooner or later, he picked up the towel that had been lying next to him as he did so he felt the faint presence of an Immortal, his eyes scanned the banks but there was no one there, then he noticed the figure on the bridge. Duncan went into the wheelhouse swapping his towel for his long black coat he then walked slowly down the gangplank his eyes fixed on the figure on the bridge but as Duncan got closer the figure broke away from where he had been standing and took off running. Duncan ran after him but the distance was too great and the figure had disappeared into the surrounding streets by the time Duncan reached the bridge.
Duncan waited on the bridge for a few moments until he was sure that the other Immortal wasn't coming back before he returned to the barge. Duncan wondered how long the Immortal was standing on the bridge before he had moved into range, the only reason Duncan could see for him being there was that he was watching him or the barge. Was he here for him or someone Duncan had recently had staying with him. Duncan took one last look around before disappearing into the barge.
The alarm clock rang out from the bedside table Alex groped for the off button without opening her eyes nearly upsetting the small vase of flowers. It had been late when she had managed to fall asleep, lots of things turning over and over in her mind, Duncan's face kept appearing no matter how hard she tried not to think about him. Alex sat up and looked at the clock it was just after 7, she knew that the café would be opening soon and she wanted to see everyone who came there, if Du Pont was going to show she wasn't going to miss him this time. She swung her legs out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.
It wasn't long before Alex had showered and dressed, she then picked up her bag before making her way out of the hotel towards the café on Rue du Javel. Alex found her spot to observe the café, it wasn't open yet but she could see the owner inside setting up the tables. So now all she had to do was wait.
Lazarski was sitting at his desk reading some papers that one of his men had brought to him the other night, he put the papers down and looked at his watch, it was time to get some answers, he picked up the phone and dialled Du Pont's mobile it took a few rings before it was answered.
"Du Pont what's going on you should've been back yesterday?" Lazarski asked as he flicked through the papers "Err.we have a little problem" Du Pont replied.
"What problem.haven't you located Trent?" Lazarski asked the tension in his voice evident to Du Pont. "No I've found him he's in the hospital.it took a little while to get near him as he has a police guard but I managed it".
"Then I don't see the problem.get the account details from him and get back here"
"The problem is who put him there.it was Alex Rogan and to save his skin Trent gave her the account discs.account number and release codes.without the codes we can't access the accounts" Du Pont replied, he was glad that he was giving these details from such a distance.
There was a silence that descended as Du Pont's words sank in "Damn that woman she is becoming a real thorn in my side.well Trent is no longer an employee of the company.I trust I can leave you to deal with his severance pay"
"Leave it to me Mr. Lazarski.but what will you do?" Du Pont asked he knew that the money from the accounts was to go towards an even bigger deal; to lose such an amount wouldn't make Lazarski very pleased. There was a moments silence while Lazarski thought then he smiled "I'll go back to basics.get back here as soon as you can there is much to do and very little time to do it" he then put the phone down before Du Pont could answer.
Lazarski thumped the desk as he got up "What happens now is all your own doing Alex Rogan".
It wasn't long after dawn and the faint rays of the sun where just finding their way through the curtain of night. A ray of sunlight had just fallen onto the phone on the desk in front of the large window in Lazarski's apartment when it started ringing. The door on the far wall opened and Lazarski walked purposely across the hardwood floor tying his robe as he walked he looked at his watch before picking up the phone. "Lazarski"
"Lazarski, it's Holder, the shipment is on time and should be arriving in the next 3 days but we've got a little bit of a problem"
Lazarski walked round the desk and sat down in the deep-buttoned leather chair he wiped the sleep from his eyes "What problem?"
Holder took a deep breath he had seen first hand what happened to people who brought Lazarski news he didn't like, the pause and Holder's deep breath wasn't missed by Lazarski "Well I'm waiting"
"They want payment on delivery as soon as the ship docks" Holder held the phone away from his ear but the explosion didn't come. "That shouldn't be a problem Du Pont is in England right now dealing with that matter.you tell them they will have their money but I want you to make sure that it is all there I'm not paying for what hasn't been delivered.Is that clear"
"Very clear Mr. Lazarski you can count on me.you know that" Holder replied. Lazarski leant forward putting his elbows on the desk "and you know what will happen if you make a mistake.I'm sure I don't have to remind you of that now do I?"
"O.of course not I understand" Holder replied as he tried to shake the images of Charlton's death from his mind. Charlton had joined Lazarski's group the same time he had and most of the time they had worked together but one night Lazarski had ordered the death of a girl, she couldn't have been more than 16, 'she had out lived her usefulness' to use Lazarski's words, as he handed the task to Charlton. Lazarski had been running an underground ring of very young girls; it had been one venture that both Holder and Charlton hadn't agreed with. But neither of them could deny the large amounts of money being made from it nor would they voice their opinion openly.
Charlton had befriended the girl when they had taken her from client to client and couldn't bring himself to kill her, so he had let her go. It didn't take that woman of Criminal Intelligence long to find the girl and persuaded her to give up all the locations the ring worked out of. It also didn't take long for Lazarski to realise that his orders hadn't been carried out. His retribution had been swift Holder remembered the look in Charlton's eyes as they wished for death to come. Lazarski's anger knew no bounds not only had he lost the income from the ring but apparently the Criminal Intelligence woman had got her hands on something very important to Lazarski part of another money making scheme no doubt. The sound of the phone being put down brought Holder back from the grisly images of the past. He knew that the same fate would await him if this deal didn't go through.
Lazarski's hand still rested on the receiver as he looked at his watch; still a little too early to call Du Pont. So he decided to take a shower there was no point in returning to bed he wouldn't be able to sleep not knowing why Du Pont hadn't returned. He got up walking to the bathroom 'I'll get some answers soon' he thought as he closed the door behind him.
Duncan had been awake before dawn he had already gone through his Kata in the cold dawn air, he now sat on the raised deck of the barge watching the sun rise his thoughts clouded by images of Alex 'where the hell was she' he thought as he got to his feet, it was if she had vanish like the early morning mist. He was going to the café today it was his only link left and he was sure she would turn up there sooner or later, he picked up the towel that had been lying next to him as he did so he felt the faint presence of an Immortal, his eyes scanned the banks but there was no one there, then he noticed the figure on the bridge. Duncan went into the wheelhouse swapping his towel for his long black coat he then walked slowly down the gangplank his eyes fixed on the figure on the bridge but as Duncan got closer the figure broke away from where he had been standing and took off running. Duncan ran after him but the distance was too great and the figure had disappeared into the surrounding streets by the time Duncan reached the bridge.
Duncan waited on the bridge for a few moments until he was sure that the other Immortal wasn't coming back before he returned to the barge. Duncan wondered how long the Immortal was standing on the bridge before he had moved into range, the only reason Duncan could see for him being there was that he was watching him or the barge. Was he here for him or someone Duncan had recently had staying with him. Duncan took one last look around before disappearing into the barge.
The alarm clock rang out from the bedside table Alex groped for the off button without opening her eyes nearly upsetting the small vase of flowers. It had been late when she had managed to fall asleep, lots of things turning over and over in her mind, Duncan's face kept appearing no matter how hard she tried not to think about him. Alex sat up and looked at the clock it was just after 7, she knew that the café would be opening soon and she wanted to see everyone who came there, if Du Pont was going to show she wasn't going to miss him this time. She swung her legs out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.
It wasn't long before Alex had showered and dressed, she then picked up her bag before making her way out of the hotel towards the café on Rue du Javel. Alex found her spot to observe the café, it wasn't open yet but she could see the owner inside setting up the tables. So now all she had to do was wait.
Lazarski was sitting at his desk reading some papers that one of his men had brought to him the other night, he put the papers down and looked at his watch, it was time to get some answers, he picked up the phone and dialled Du Pont's mobile it took a few rings before it was answered.
"Du Pont what's going on you should've been back yesterday?" Lazarski asked as he flicked through the papers "Err.we have a little problem" Du Pont replied.
"What problem.haven't you located Trent?" Lazarski asked the tension in his voice evident to Du Pont. "No I've found him he's in the hospital.it took a little while to get near him as he has a police guard but I managed it".
"Then I don't see the problem.get the account details from him and get back here"
"The problem is who put him there.it was Alex Rogan and to save his skin Trent gave her the account discs.account number and release codes.without the codes we can't access the accounts" Du Pont replied, he was glad that he was giving these details from such a distance.
There was a silence that descended as Du Pont's words sank in "Damn that woman she is becoming a real thorn in my side.well Trent is no longer an employee of the company.I trust I can leave you to deal with his severance pay"
"Leave it to me Mr. Lazarski.but what will you do?" Du Pont asked he knew that the money from the accounts was to go towards an even bigger deal; to lose such an amount wouldn't make Lazarski very pleased. There was a moments silence while Lazarski thought then he smiled "I'll go back to basics.get back here as soon as you can there is much to do and very little time to do it" he then put the phone down before Du Pont could answer.
Lazarski thumped the desk as he got up "What happens now is all your own doing Alex Rogan".