Chapter Two

"Well? Did I get your size right?"

Princess Zara Al-Salim poured herself a cup of tea as she sat down at the circular glass table in her spacious hotel room. She took a sip before calling out, "If nothing fits, the hotel has a tailor downstairs."

The double doors to the guest bedroom opened, and Ben exited, sliding into a dark blue blazer over matching trousers, and a crisp, button down shirt. "Everything fits perfectly. How did you know?"

The princess smiled. "I have several brothers. They sometimes like to shop as well. You remember Bashir? Once upon a time, he bought a suit for every day of the month of his birthday. You two are about the same size."

She gestured to a seat at the table. "Now, I think it's time that we have that conversation you promised me."

Ben nodded, moving over to pull the chair out to sit down. "I'll answer any question that you have, Your Highness."

"Zara. For the sake of time, call me Zara. I believe we're past formalities at this point. I did help smuggle you into town."

"Of course."

The princess's tone grew serious. "When I arrived in the city, you and your accomplices had already set your plan in motion to deceive me. Correct?"

Ben was hesitant at first. He sighed and locked eyes with her. "I initially wasn't involved at first. I was suppose to fly out of LAX earlier that day, but a FBI agent who has been looking for me for years was in town tracking my movements, so I was forced to stay."

Princess Zara nodded. "Okay. How did you do it?"

Ben gestured to the tea kettle. She nodded and he poured himself a cup. "Would you believe that you actually weren't the mark?"

"Really? Who?"

"The plan was to con your guardian, Qasim. He was the head of your father's business empire, so it made perfect sense."

The princess held up a hand. "Two questions: the evidence procured showing Qasim's embezzlement crimes. Was that fabricated?"

Ben shook his head. "No. He truly was taking your family for several million dollars every time a deal was made."

The princess leaned close. "And where is he? He never made it to Kuroq. My brothers are still searching for him to answer for the crimes he committed."

Ben looked away, unsure of how to answer the question. The princess noted his silence and closed her eyes. "Please tell me you didn't kill him."

"No." Ben shook his head again, this time more adamantly. "Zara, I swear to you that I didn't kill him. He was trying to kill me."

She opened her eyes. "But he's dead."

Ben nodded solemnly.

The princess sat back in her seat, drumming her fingers on the table. Ben said, "If you are beginning to have any doubts about me so far, I will leave right now and you'll never have to see me again."

"Doubts? No." Princess Zara smiled. "I was just thinking that for us to continue this conversation, we need something stronger than tea."

#

Danny pulled several documents he had printed from the tray. While he made his way back to his desk, he received a text message on his phone in his back pocket.

He pulled it and reviewed the text while setting the papers on his desk. The words on the screen were simplistic and common.

The sender was not.

#

Alice sat at her desk, typing up an email on her laptop when Valerie entered. "We have visitors," she said, pulling the curtain open.

Alice looked past Val at the reception area. A muscular, bald African-American wearing a tailored suit and tie stood next to a young, fit Caucasian wearing the uniform of a deliveryman. "I know him," she breathed, reaching into her purse. "He worked with Ben."

Her hand gripped a pistol. "And Rhys."

"Woah. Calm down, Annie Oakley." Valerie held up her hands. "Mr. Olympia said Ben sent them to help."

"Really?" Alice lowered the pistol but did not put it back in her purse. "Is Ben here in town?"

"They don't know. The last thing Ben told him was to find that kid standing beside him."

Alice nodded slowly and put her weapon back in her purse, and then reached for her desk phone. "Okay. We'll talk to them, but not alone."

"Who are you calling?"

Alice smiled. "Shawn? Could you send the Hammer to the conference room, please?"

#

"When Ben called me asking for my help, I couldn't say no." Reggie Lennox leaned back in his chair at the conference room table. "I felt bad turning on him in favor of Margot and Sybil."

Alice glared angrily across the table at him. "You should. Sybil was planning to kill him no matter what he did."

"I know! I wouldn't have let it get that far, but that family is sick. All of them!" Reggie glanced nervously over his shoulder. "But Ben still trusts me. I think I can help out quite a bit, so could you rein in your pitbull, please?"

Alice continued to stare at him in silence. Valerie leaned forward and looked up behind Reggie. "It's okay. I think Mr. Lennox will behave himself."

The Hammer slowly lowered his pistol which was aimed at Reggie. He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded his thanks to Valerie. "I appreciate that. I owe you one."

"Oh, you owe me two," said Val. "Alice here wanted to shoot you even before you stepped foot in the conference room."

Reggie's eyes diverted over to Alice, who returned an icy look. "In the interest of getting my fiancé freed and putting Rhys where he belongs, I can let bygones be bygones.

"But make no mistake. You slip up and turn on him again, and there isn't a place on Earth where you can hide from me. Understood?"

Reggie nodded. Alice stared at him for several seconds more until finally turning to the young man sitting beside him. "So. You're the human hard drive I heard so much about."

The young man nodded. "My name is Troy, Miss Vaughn. It's nice to meet you."

Alice smiled. "Has Ben told either one of you when he's coming into town?"

"Only that he's using contacts that Rhys wouldn't have any knowledge of." Reggie shrugged. "That could also mean old marks he and Margot staked out when we were all working alone."

Alice considered this. "We'll give him some time to make contact. I just don't want him to make any moves without us."

"Wait. Hold on." Reggie sat up in his chair quickly. "What do you mean us?"

Alice rose to her feet. "It means exactly that. Rhys jeopardized a lot by doing what he did. He let greed and power destroy Ben's FBI deal when Ben was trying to get out of a life of crime. He jeopardized my future with Ben.

"So we are going to make sure that Rhys answers for everything. Help us, and you walk scot free."

Reggie sat back and whistled.

"Now I know why ol' Ben loves you, Little Miss Red."

Alice smiled.

#

Tessa Riley opened the door slightly to peer into the room. "It seems that we managed to have quite an impressive turnout for our meeting today."

Margot Bishop nodded, checking her pistol one last time before placing it in her purse. "Indeed, darling. It took a of money to find out all the people Rhys has managed to piss off in the past two months. These are the people I trust who won't tell him we're back in town."

Tessa closed the door and made her way over to a worn leather couch. "And how did you come by these offices? This is a step up from the slumming that we had to go through."

Margot looked over the office, a wry, reminiscent smile forming. "This office was basically where everything started between your father and stepmother-to-be. When he was Christopher Hall."

She looked over her shoulder at the six menacing bodyguards standing behind to the side lining the windows. "Is everything in order, Wallace?"

The tallest of the men, a stocky Brit with his silver hair pulled into a small bun on top of his head, nodded. "The perimeter is secure. We're a go."

Margot smiled. "Excellent. Please make sure you do not leave my daughter's side."

"Mum! I can take care of myself!"

Margot's eyes locked on with Wallace's. "Stay with her."

She walked past Tessa and opened the door. Seven men sitting at a makeshift table in the center turned their heads as one at her entrance. A few other stood off to the side at another table drinking coffee. She smiled and approached the head of the table, careful to record each face so as to gather a record for any action, or reaction.

"Good morning, gentlemen," she said, placing her purse carefully on the table. "I thank you for meeting with me today."

The eldest of the men, a light-skinned man garner in an impressive tailor suit, laughed. "Margot, you have a lot of nerve calling the leaders of some of the biggest crime families in the city here. If it wasn't for the fact that we all have a mutual beef with your brother, this day would not end well."

Margot nodded, recalling Aldrick Shive indeed has a legitimate beef with the Kensington Firm for the death of his brother, Mickey, and the apprehension of Emeric, his father.

"Your participation here today is one I would need the most, Aldrick. I assure you that we all stand to gain something if we bring Rhys down, but it will only work if we cooperate with each other."

A balding man with considerable girth leaned forward in his chair. "And what do we get in return for our help?"

Margot placed the palms of her hands on the table.

"You will all get a piece of stock in the Kensington Firm."

#

Princess Zara finished the last of her bourbon and set her empty glass on the table. "Well, I have to say that I am impressed. You ran a year-long con against a woman who fell in love with your facade, you get engaged, she finds you out, chases you down, falls in love with you again, except this time the real you, and now you two are engaged. Again."

Ben nodded. "The story isn't all glamour. Alice and I had our issues. But she believes in me."

"And you came back, risking capture to take down the man who betrayed you, all so that you can be with her?"

Ben rose from his seat and walked over to the window to look out over the city. "Rhys did a lot of damage. He hurt me. He destroyed my deal with the FBI. He almost got my daughter killed."

He turned around to look back at the princess. "I owe him."

Princess Zara smiled and slapped the table with her hand. "It's settled then. I will help you."

"Your Highness, I can't ask you to help me any more than you have already."

"Oh, but you didn't ask. I am volunteering. And you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because even after everything you've done, you were the only one who ever treated me with respect. You and your cohorts had this elaborate plan to do wrong, and yet you showed me that there is more to this world than just being a princess. You taught me to seize my independence. That's why I decided to come back to take classes at UCLA."

Ben silently applauded. "How did Bashir take that news?"

"Oh, he wasn't happy about it at first. Remember, I told you that he's old-fashioned. Set in the old ways. But he relented."

Ben smiled. "Well, I'm glad some good came out of this."

The princess reached into her purse on the table and pulled out a phone. "Here. Call your Alice. Tell her you're here. I'll be in my bedroom."

Ben walked over and accepted the device. He looked down at it and then back at her.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

She laughed. "What did I tell you earlier? It's Zara." She squeezed his hand. "Call Alice."

She turned and headed for her bedroom. Ben waited until the doors closed before dialing Alice's number. He kept himself occupied for a minute after announcing himself to Robin, AVI's receptionist by admiring the uniquely shaped building across the street.

The phone clicked on the other end. "It's about time. I was getting worried."

"Well, I had to keep a promise to a friend."

"A friend? You still have those?"

"I like to think so." He paused. "I miss you."

"I miss you, too. Where are you?"

He looked outside again.

"Closer than you think."

#

Princess Zara stood beside Ben outside across the street from her hotel. She looked at the building before her and frowned.

"I had a feeling there was a reason why you chose this hotel instead of the Weatherby. You do love to live dangerously."

Ben smiled, taking in the sight of the AVI building. He started to say something when he saw the front doors and Alice stepped outside. She anxiously looked around until she finally saw him standing at the bottom of the steps. She gave him a wave as she began her descent.

The princess leaned in close. "I'm still upset that I had already met her and didn't even know it," she said, pushing him in the small of his back. "Get going."

Ben obeyed, quickly making his way up the steps, meeting Alice halfway. They stood looking at each for several seconds before falling into each other's arms.

#

Ben stood at the end of the table in the conference room. Almost every chair was filled with the exception of the Hammer's. He stood behind his chair with arms crossed, eyeing each occupant with an unerring stare.

Ben looked over the table: Danny and Sophie sat next to Valerie at his right. The smile Val gave him was genuine, but Sophie stared down at her hands steepled in front of her on the table, not acknowledging his presence. He made a mental note to ask Alice about her later.

Across from Danny sat Reggie and Troy, the former who glanced over at the Hammer almost every minute. Princess Zara occupied the chair next to Alice. She smiled up at Ben and gave him a small nod.

"Before we start, I would like to introduce to you Her Royal Highness of the nation of Kuroq, Princess Zara Al-Salim. Her Highness was kind enough to assist in getting me into the city unnoticed."

"Wasn't she a mark?" asked Sophie. Alice shot her an admonishing look.

"The princess and I have resolved any differences we might have had before coming here. She's with us."

Ben reached for the tablet on the table and keyed in a command. "Alice and Valerie normally would be leading the brief on a client or suspect, but because I know him best, they were kind enough to oblige me."

He stepped out of the way and looked behind him at the image of Rhys displayed on the monitor. He felt a flash of anger within as he stared at the picture of a person he once called friend.

A brother.

He took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "The target is Rhys Spencer Griffiths. He is the younger brother of Margot Bishop, and … uncle to my daughter, Tessa. He and I have worked together for more than fifteen years, most of which as a part of the Kensington Firm, and a few months working undercover as criminal informants for the FBI … until he betrayed me by using information collected during cases that we closed together, and somehow obtaining those resources for his own gains. His efforts led to him taking over the firm."

He set the tablet down. "We all have had some sort of interaction with Rhys one way or another, with the exception of Her Highness, who was part of a con that Margot, Reggie, and I were a part of before Rhys arrived in the country. And he is infatuated with Troy."

All heads turned to Troy. He simply shrugged.

"Rhys can be ruthless if pushed," said Alice. "He will not hesitate to kill if the situation calls for it. He is very intelligent. He cannot be underestimated."

"To take down someone like Rhys without him knowing will require ingenuity, finesse, and ruthlessness. It may take you to a dark place." Ben sat down at the table and eyed each one of its occupants in turn one by one. "That's why I prefer that everyone goes into this willingly. But if anyone of you feel you cannot do this, or have doubts of any kind, if you want to step away, I will understand."

Princess Zara smiled. "Well, I've already volunteered my help. I'm not backing away now."

Ben returned the smile briefly before turning to Alice and Valerie. "You know how I feel about asking any of you to help."

Alice looked over at Val, Sophie, and Danny. "I trust you three with my life. I don't have any right to ask you to help with this. But I … we can't do this without you."

Danny nodded enthusiastically, while Valerie simply smiled and squeezed her hand. Sophie continued to look down at her hands in front of her.

"Soph?"

Sophie slowly looked up and over to Alice.

"You already know how I feel."

Alice nodded back and turned back to Ben. "We're in."

Ben smiled and looked down at Reggie and Troy. "Troy, you're vital to this, but I'll understand if you want to back out."

Troy shook his head. "No, sir. I'm disappointed Rhys turned like that."

"And you and I already talked, so I'm in," added Reggie.

Ben regarded the Hammer, who stood silent throughout the entire proceedings. "I'm going to assume you're with us as well."

The Hammer smirked.

Danny raised a hand. "Is Margot going to be involved in this?"

Alice covered her eyes with her hand. "It's a … valid question," he whispered.

"Margot is working on something totally separate to distract Rhys," said Ben. "It's best that she stays completely out of this, in part because Agent Diaz has no immunity deal set up for her. But yes, she will be involved."

Danny's face lit up.

Ben leaned forward in his chair. "This will be the mother of all cons. Let's get to work."

We'll take all the information that Tommy, Alice's younger brother, turned over to Agent Diaz. Everything he gave up, we'll turn over to Troy. Troy already has information on Argosy, the gunrunning organization formerly headed by her husband. He'll identify the likely spots Rhys will have set up shop. We'll assume the Weatherby is out. It's still a front for the firm, but he won't be staying out in the open like that.

While Troy is absorbing all of this information, AVI will backstop a new ID for the princess. New social, web presence, back history. We need to turn her into a brand-new person. Someone that will attract a person of Rhys' taste and interest.

Reggie, on the other hand, will remain who he is. A former member of the Kensington Firm, down on his luck, pulling small scale jobs, but large enough to catch Rhys' eye as well.

While we're setting up on our end, Margot should have rallied the heads of the major crime families in town. The Shives, the Spectors, the Gundersons, and a few others. Their job is to cause as many problems as they can for Rhys, so that by the time he sees us coming, it will be too late.

#

"You didn't give me a task."

Ben looked up from his tablet at Alice standing in the office door. "I did. AVI is setting up a new ID for the princess."

"Oh, you gave AVI a job, meaning Danny, Val, and Soph." Alice stepped inside and slid down into the couch beside Ben. "I was talking about me."

Ben pursed his lips. "I want you as far from this as possible … but I might as well be talking to water."

"About time you realized that."

Ben placed the tablet on the couch beside him. "All right. When the time is right, this is what I want you to do."

#