Chapter Eight

Cards On The Table

Being up front in telling someone what one thinks or is planning to do.

o

It took a few minutes before the video link with A was finally established. Klaus listened as the update, or lack there of, was given on the team's progress in his original mission.

"Nothing yet from the black market sources," A was saying, "but they promise to have something within the next few days."

Klaus gave a derisive snort. "They've been saying that for weeks now, bloody Arabs. It's always tomorrow with them. Why is it the only ones with any ambition are the terrorists?"

A small smile played across A's face but he did not reply. He had heard this several times over the past few weeks, not that he didn't agree.

"Anything else?" Klaus asked.

"D and E managed to contact someone who may be able to bypass the black market altogether. The man claims to have a source, but wants front money before he'll give any further information."

"How much?"

"One million U.S. dollars."

Bonham gave a low whistle when he heard this.

Klaus's only reaction was raised eyebrows. He stood thoughtfully a moment and then nodded. "Fine. We'll be in touch using the next designated channel."

The link was cut and Klaus turned to look at Eroica's men. "How does one go about getting something to eat in this art museum?" he asked calmly.

oOoOoOo

Eroica watched as Agent G shut down the computer and moved it out of the way. "I meant what I said, G," he said in as forceful a tone as he could manage.

G turned, a puzzled look on his face. "When?"

"Just now, to the Major. I won't betray any of you." Eroica closed his eyes. "I considered you friends once. I…hope to again."

G's eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure everyone will agree after what you did to the Major."

Eroica's eyes snapped open. "I did not go out of my way to hurt the man!" he said defensively. "Why doesn't anyone believe that?"

The agent folded his arms, cocking his head to one side. "Probably because of the evidence."

"What evidence? You mean the obvious evidence that Major Klaus Heinz von dem Homophobic Straight Arrow was as queer as a three dollar bill?" Eroica asked sharply. He received a scowl in reply. "Look. Surely as an agent, you can understand that I had a mission to complete and orders to follow. Information was leaking out of NATO. The most and least likely candidate was Iron Klaus."

"Most and least?"

"Most because he had access to more sensitive information than the average agent. Least because…well, he's Iron Klaus."

G could not help smiling at this. It made perfect sense when laid out this way.

"I was supposed to get close to him. I tried to impress on my superiors that the Major did not fit the profile in Eroica's bio of his preferred type. But would they listen?"

"Eroica has a bio?"

The Earl actually laughed. "Of course. Did you think I made it up as I went along? The combination of Lord Gloria and Eroica were my cover. Eroica's official preference is younger men. Naïve blonds, like Z was the first time I met him." He gave a small smile. "As a narcissist, I was supposed to be attracted to men who look like me. Not older, dark-haired, über-alpha males like Iron Klaus. I'm sure I teased him more than I should have, but…it was just so easy getting a rise out of him." He paused briefly, his eyes fixed in the distance. "I wanted to tell him the truth so many times. That's why I said 'I love you.' I couldn't say I admired him as a fellow agent, but as Eroica, I could say that. After a while, it…didn't even seem like flirting."

"You're the only one who ever had the balls to goad him like that."

Eroica sighed heavily. "I always hoped to one day call him my friend. I never dreamed that...when the mission was over, he'd hate my guts more than ever."

G had to fight not to laugh. "He doesn't hate you."

"Yes, he does. And I don't blame him."

This time G did laugh. "The Major is right, you are an idiot."

Eroica gave him a stunned look. "What?"

"You're just as blind as he is—was," G said, shaking his head. "He doesn't hate you, he loves you."

"You mean he loves the man he thought I was?"

"And none of it was you, is that what you're saying?" G frowned at the puzzled look this remark produced. Then his eyes widened as a sudden thought struck him. "Please tell me you weren't a straight man playing gay all this time."

A tired smile flashed over Eroica's features. "No. Like the real Earl, I'm as queer as a three dollar bill, too. Another of the reasons I was chosen, I reckon."

"So what is John Marshall's preferred type?"

Eroica opened his mouth, only to close it again, the puzzled look returning. "I don't know. James used to drill me for hours when this all started. Don't break character. Don't deviate from the bio. Don't ask about the real Earl, you are the Earl now." He closed his eyes and sighed. "I wonder if the little twit really is an accountant."

"You don't know?" came the surprised reply.

"I don't even know what agency he works for," Eroica admitted. "He's so damned organized. Kept track of all the money so that—" He caught his breath as an extraordinary thought struck him. "Good Lord, what if he's a Treasury agent?"

G's eyes narrowed. He stored this bit of information away to pass on to the Major later. "You should try to get some sleep now that that cough medicine seems to've started working," he said at last. "You'll be able to think better once you've gotten some sleep."

Eroica nodded, turning on his side and closing his eyes. "I'll try."

oOoOoOo

Bonham went about ordering some food while John Paul pulled up a seat beside Agent K, who had already started a search of James' database. Klaus told him to look for everything on Project: Eroica. Finding the files turned out to be relatively simple. Opening them was not, as they were encrypted. The men at the computer, expert hackers both, had no doubt that the encryption codes were somewhere in James' PDA. If not, they would just break in somehow.

After several minutes of searching other files, K sat back, giving a low whistle. "Sir, I think we've found the stingy bug's inventory listing," he announced.

Klaus's eyebrows went up. "Inventory? Of what?"

"Everything." K gave John Paul a sideways glance.

John Paul was in the process of scrolling down the list. "If this means what I think it does…" He looked up. "It looks like James was embezzling from the Earl."

"WHAT?" everyone in the room chorused.

"Let me see that!" Bonham demanded, charging across the room. Agent K looked up, receiving a nod from Klaus. He rolled his chair sideways to allow the man to see the screen. "That little son-of-a-bitch!"

The meal arrived at that moment, but was ignored as John Paul took the lead to finish hacking into James' computer. Within a short time, he had broken into several files, finding details of black market transactions, large cash transfers, and some sizeable bank accounts in Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

"Something tells me none of this was a part of the operation," Klaus remarked aridly. By this time, he had pulled off the disguise and was seated in a large easy chair, watching as Eroica's men did the work for him.

Bonham had to fight not to snap at him in anger, the smug bastard. He was right and was happily reveling in it. "Major, I have a request."

Klaus's eyebrows went up. "Which is?"

"To accompany you back to Bali so I can strangle James."

This actually made the Major laugh. He got to his feet, crossing to the food that was quickly growing cold. "Give me access to those accounts and I'll give you first crack at him."

"Done."

"What?" John Paul gasped. "Bonham, you don't even know what he wants it for."

The Major's eyes flickered. "Has it ever occurred to any of you to just ask?"

oOoOoOo

Several hours later, John Paul had pulled a vast amount of information from James' private computer network. In one section, he found the information on every job Eroica had ever pulled, including a complete inventory of what was stolen, if it had been sold, or where it was currently stored.

Klaus soon realized that this was only the tip of the iceberg. It would take days, probably weeks to go through everything thoroughly. Weeks that he could not afford to spend in a NATO country. "We'll have to take everything with us," he concluded. He looked at the bulky equipment and scowled. "Now, how do we transport that lot?" he said to no one in particular. "I was hoping to use the Earl's jet, but that won't be ready for another day. We can't exactly check this in at the airport. And I don't want to trust it to a freight company."

Bonham's could not hide the smile that came to his face. "Major, the Earl has more than just the jet."

Klaus looked up sharply. "If you're gonna suggest that Zeppelin, forget it. It's too slow."

"And the submarine?"

Klaus blinked. Then his eyes lit up. "Where?"

oOoOoOo

Eroica's submarine Aqua Zep was housed on an off-shore island along with his Zeppelin and several other large pieces of equipment. It was also where the overflow of artwork was housed, and Klaus wondered what else might be hidden there.

Before going to retrieve the sub, Klaus decided to address the Eroica gang; to lay out exactly what was going on, the true nature of affairs, and the true identity of the Earl. He surprised everyone by announcing that he planned to do so as himself.

"Major, I really don't think this is a good idea," Bonham said as everyone in the house assembled in the next room. There was still time for the officer to get back into his disguise. "They'll do anything for the Earl…"

"I know." Klaus gave him a piercing look. "And I'm not the Earl. I'm the one who scares the hell out of them." He received a hesitant nod in reply. He drew himself to his full, imposing height and turned toward the door. "I'm not gonna lie to them. They deserve to know the truth and they deserve to know who's telling it to them." So saying, he strode into the next room followed by his men, the reluctant Bonham trailing behind.

There was a collective gasp followed by an awed silence as the officer moved at the front of the room. He turned and surveyed the astonished faces a few seconds. Then he drew a deep breath and did something that no one expected. He asked the Eroica gang for help.

By the time the Major finished addressing the group, everyone's heads were spinning. The Earl CIA? The others killed? Bonham and John Paul spies? James…well, they could believe anything of him.

"Eroica said the decision is up to you lot. I won't force anyone to get involved in this. Talk it over and let me know what you decide. I'll be in the garden." With that, Klaus strode from the room. The moment he closed the door, the room erupted into conversation.

For the first time in weeks, Klaus found himself wishing he had a cigarette as he strode out into the rose garden to await the verdict. He looked at the hundreds of roses in full bloom and was reminded sharply of Dorian. This thought brought him up short. Dorian. Not Eroica or Lord Gloria. Not even Agent Marshall. Yes, this garden belonged to the real Earl of Gloria. The man named Dorian, whose current whereabouts were unknown.

Klaus turned to take in the full splendor of the magnificent and well kept garden. Where are you, Lord Gloria? Why did you give all this up? Or did you? Did you leave all this willingly?

oOoOoOo

NEXT: Chapter Nine - Ante Up