The Guild, Secretive U.S. Intel Operatives
Chapter 11 - Mission 2.0
The extended book tour to Australia and New Zealand is afoot. The tour group arrives at Auckland in New Zealand for a week stay. While there the group once again takes in the sights. The downtown area of Auckland has numerous bookstores and a book signing is done at the Unity Book Store there. As they take in the scenery in New Zealand, they are once again using their watercraft. The craft being transported for the Australian - New Zealand tour courtesy of the CCP military. Col Kwan likewise is also using her boat. Under the guise of a combined business and pleasure trip for the Castle entourage, the intent is once again to use the boat for maritime surveillance as well as providing a floating command post for the Guild operatives via Kwan's boat.
They are on a satellite TV conference with Director Hunt, LtCol Kwan also linked with her boat for a three way conference.
"We have intel that Carter is not alone in this last ploy", Jackson Hunt begins his brief, "he has a partner in arms so to speak."
"Do we have an ID on this co-conspirator?", asks Rick Castle.
"We're working on it, nothing to date, but what we do have is intel that whoever that person is, he or she, gave $150M in support of Carter's failed plan. We are following the money trial but it is an intricate path of many branches some leading no where."
"Who ever it is, that person is smart and cunning. With that kind of money to burn, puts said person in an elite group of wealthy sponsors intent on Global Control.", Kate says.
"The list is longer than most people would think. There are numerous such people in all the major industrialized countries. Players wanting control of Global markets and politics", Kwan states.
"We are checking on each person on that list of elites, but the list is longer than we would have wanted. So it may take some time for a lead. However, we have good reason to believe that person will show up in your area to make a one on one with Carter. We need the team to be on alert for such a meeting."
"How hard should that be?", asks Espo, "I mean two wealthy oligarchs meeting together is bound to draw attention."
"May I remind you partner that they also have the kind of wealth to keep such a meeting secret should they choose to do so", Ryan reacts to Espo's question.
"Can I suggest that Kate and myself put on our undercover alias roles as reporters and go in search of a 'news worthy' event on Carter. Two journalists snooping after a story should not raise too much attention and it gives us a reason to snoop that is expected", Kwan volunteers.
"Well, looks like it's time to put on our alter egos and get out to do some field work", is Kate's come back to Kwan's proposal.
Finishing up in New Zealand and finding no significant leads, the team heads to Sydney, in Australia, on the next leg of the tour. Kate and Kwan take commercial air transportation to Sydney so as to appear as arriving separately from the Castle entourage. Both check into one of the top hotels in Sydney. The hotel will serve also as the venue for the Australian Book Tour of one Richard Castle.
Once in Sydney the effort to find Carter and collect evidence against him begins with a more determined effort. Kate starts with an on line search on the local networks to see if anything points to any future significant event connected to their mission. Kwan likewise has some local CI's on line that she consults. To date they have found nothing. Then Kate gets an idea. She uses classified software to hack secured sites on all incoming travel: sea, air, and even land. Still no hits. But as Kate scans local sites she comes upon an interesting piece of info.
Apparently the billionaire, Eric Vaughan, launching a new line of hybrid yachts, is coming to Sydney on a world cruise promoting his product He is using hull no.1 from his current line of production as a prototype to demonstrate the viability of hybrid yachts for deep blue ocean sailing. Vaughan apparently now championing the use of hybrids to enter first into that market, hoping to become the maritime Elon Musk of this arena. It is a niche market, but one that could mean large profits, catering to a very distinct class of clientele. The goal being eventually to come out with a model that appeals to the average enthusiasts and thus a larger market. Vaughan's yacht is anticipated to arrive in Sydney's harbor in the coming days. Vaughan coming to Sydney was a red flag for Kate, particularly since Vaughan was a billionaire who could fund an organization like The Front.
On the Trail
Playing a hunch days later, she managed to get an interview with Vaughan on the basis of his efforts to promote the use of hybrids for maritime enthusiasts. Vaughan's entry into to this market is news worthy and falls in line with Beckett's efforts to cover newsworthy items for the reading public. She has a late afternoon interview with Vaughan but will be doing this alone no other news agency present. She wanted it to appear as if she is striving for scoop for a first such interview on Vaughan's endeavor. LtCol Kwan was not in on this one interview as she continued her focus on Carter. Kate had not informed anyone on this interview as it might just be a bust.
When Beckett gets to Vaughan's yacht for the interview, she sees leaving the yacht, one Grant Pierce, Carter's Executive Assistant. Her analyst intuition comes into play. She needs to find the reason for Carter's main man to have been with Vaughan. Is this indication of a Vaughan-Carter coalition?
Kate is lead to a conference room on the yacht and introductions are made. Vaughan cannot help but be captivated with Beckett's beauty. He is drawn to her.
"Well, Ms. Beckett, I am pleased to have this interview with you. A gorgeous woman as your self is certainly pleasant company to spend time with, even if it is just an interview for your paper. I understand you are here to cover author Richard Castle's book tour, but by chance found out I was in Sydney for my promotion tour of the hybrid line of yachts I am marketing."
"Yes, yours is a target of opportunity and I wanted to be first to scoop it but I noticed Grant Pierce departing your boat as I came on board, did he also do an interview?"
"No, Ms. Beckett, he actually was here to schedule for an interview on my London Arrival in the UK, so you still have a scoop on my Australian port of call."
"Great, can we begin then?"
Beckett asks the typical 'who, what, when, why, and how' questions. Vaughan answered all her questions and was pleased with the results of the inquiries. The interview lasted about ninety minutes upon which Kate was preparing it to leave, when Vaughan asks her a question.
"Did you have plans for dinner, Ms. Beckett?"
"No, no plans, why may I ask?"
"Might I invite you for dinner then Ms. Beckett", he says in his delightful British accent.
Kate is surprised by the invite. She recalls a dinner with Carter and realizes she is now in a similar situation. She's got no backup, but doing the dinner could provide needed intel. Kate makes a decision to go for it. She knows fully well that she will once again be in danger of being a prey in this international game of espionage.
"Well, yes, I would be please to have dinner with you on two proviso's", feigning surprise and delight as she answers.
"Excellent, and what may I ask are your proviso's?"
"One, that you address me as 'Kate', and two, that I can provide an account of our dinner together as part of my article on you", she says with a coquettish tone as a come on.
"I agree to all the conditions Kate and I think you will find the dinner excellent and the service of my Galley Staff as impeccable. Also, since you have so graciously allowed me to address you in the familiar, please call me Eric."
"Well then Eric, I trust the dinner will be fine and will so be noted in my Article on you."
The Dinner
During the dinner, Vaughan's attraction with Kate is evident and he holds nothing back.
"Kate," he says,"is there a significant other in your life?"
Kate realizes he is making a play, but she will use this so she can extract some intel from him on his involvement with Jonathan Carter.
"Why Eric would you show interest in little old me?", she says in a flirtatious manner.
Vaughan is please with her question, frank and to the point, so he says, "An extraordinary woman such as yourself must have many men who are interested."
"To answer your question, yes, there is a significant one but has not gotten that serious, yet", she is playing coy.
"The man is clueless then. It does not require any exceptional skill to know what a woman such as yourself needs in her life!"
"And you saw that in me for just the short time I did an interview? My current situation is a little complicated at the moment", she replies and this discussion is de ja vu from her dinner with Carter.
These two men are so similar in their game of seduction. Had the two connected in the past participating in the 'hunt' for conquests, trying to out do the other. Had the two then bet with one another on who would be first to bed their intended object of attention. Kate needs to find out. She hears Vaughan reply to her comment.
"Well the man is a fool. I knew just from our introduction how an attractive woman such as yourself should be treated and it is not complicated to see that."
"I am flattered by your show of intent but I bet you say that to all the woman you invite for dinner."
"I see you have done some research on my reputation with the female company I keep. I assure you that it is all hype created by a paparazzi out to gain viewer numbers. I am simply a man who speaks his mind in the presence of an exceptional woman whom I find interesting and would like to know better."
"I think not! I am a journalist and need to keep it professional with people that I interview on."
"Pity, but should you change your mind, I will still be interested."
There is a bit of an awkward pause after their brief talk, and Beckett uses that opportunity to change the subject.
"Well I noticed Grant Pierce leaving as I came aboard your yacht, it lead me to wonder how Vaughan Enterprises and Carter Media are connected?"
"Are we back to interview mode? I had hoped to get more familiar Kate, but to respond, Jonathan Carter, who Pierce works for, has been partners with me on several projects."
"Any of those projects news worthy?"
"They all are, but shall we continue our dinner so that I may enjoy your company in a more private setting. An extraordinary woman such as yourself must be wined and dined so as to be showered with attention."
Kate sees how Vaughan gained his reputation as a women's man. His approach to a woman being just aggressive enough to seduce a woman to his bed, but not appear predatory. Still, Kate reminds herself she is on duty and will not succumb to Vaughan's charm. Again she marvels how Vaughan and Carter are so similar. Just aggressive enough to be charming and non threatening until they make a seductive move to sleep with their intended target.
"Eric, I apologize then for reverting to my journalist mode. Let's enjoy the dinner.
Just then the Galley staff arrives with their dinner plates. The wine glasses are filled and Vaughan takes his glass in hand and raises it for a toast.
"To Kate, for agreeing to dine with me and honor me with her company."
Vaughan's flattery offensive is wearing her down and she knows she could easily fall for it. However, Kate Beckett, the agent surfaces and her defenses are up.
"Thank you Eric, I do not ever get invited to dinner by one of my interviewees, in fact, this is the first such time."
"Well, I am glad to be your first", Eric responds, but there is a subtle message in how he responded to her.
Kate catches his innuendo and hopes she is not blushing.
"So, where did you go to college?", Eric asks trying for more personal info on her.
"I'm an NYU graduate, being a native of the city, but I started in Stanford. However, due to my father's declining health I transferred to NYU to be close for him", she responds, but does not disclose the circumstances of his poor health…or of his alcoholism caused by the untimely death of her mother during the 9/11 incident.
Kate continues, "I took pre-law at Stanford but switched to Mass Communication at NYU.
"I myself graduated from Oxford."
Kate plays a hunch.
" Did you meet Jonathan Carter there? Is that where you and Carter graduated? "
"Yes, we were classmates on several courses and hit it off right away."
"I see and did you size him up like you did me and knew instantly on his nature and motivations?"
"That I did, and the friendship continued after graduation and into our professional lives. JJ, like myself, is a good judge of character and that has worked to further his success. He like yourself studied to be a journalist and now owns one of the largest media companies in the world."
Bingo, there was the connection with Carter. What Kate did not know was that her thoughts on the two were correct. While at Oxford, both had pursued the local female student population for conquests. Each sharing intimate details of their conquests with the other. There had been a competition, as Kate had guessed, between them for the affections of their likely intended conquests. Bets were indeed placed to see who could be first to bed their targeted prey.
"Was it you who helped him gain entry to the Asian market?"
"Let me just say we have been partners in many such endeavors."
The dinner is pleasant and ends in mutual enjoyment by the two. Kate had gotten the intel on the connection of Vaughan with Carter. The dinner was indeed a success.
To her relief, Vaughan does not get more aggressive, quite the contrary, he is a perfect gentleman. As she leaves after the dinner, Vaughan plants an innocent but affectionate kiss to her hand as a sign of his gratitude for her dining with him.
"Thank you Kate for the pleasant dinner. Should we meet again, I hope to repeat this."
"It was truly enjoyable, Eric."
"Well then, I completed my goal to wine and dine you in a manner befitting your exceptionalism."
They part in mutual agreement of the evening's fine dining. Kate had established a presence with Vaughan that she would exploit in the future, but first she needed to let her team know of her finding. Vaughan is the silent partner to Jonathan Carter and his geo-political ambitions.