Agent Provocateur: A Charles Bishop Novel by Dave Sinclair

Author:Dave Sinclair [Sinclair, Dave]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-10-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

“How did you find me?” Bishop’s trigger finger twitched. The gun in his shoulder holster seemed heavy. He did hate being the only one without their gun out.

“Saw you in park. Suspected they’d send you to come and… have a chat with me. Didn’t know if you’d take the job, to be honest.” His voice was raspy, tired. Even in the half light, Bishop could see Argento’s sunken eyes and unruly beard. This wasn’t the sprightly man Bishop remembered. “Then there’s the thing at the dinosaur park, good lord.” He tutted and shook his head. “Car bombs, explosions. Not exactly stealthy, hmmm? I take it you’re the one who nailed the gentleman to a wall?”

Bishop rocked on his heels, suddenly feeling like he was in the principal’s office. “I didn’t nail anyone to a wall.”

“No?”

“No. Absolutely nothing of the sort.” Bishop shrugged. “It was a knife.”

“Ah, very different.” Argento nodded, feigning amusement. The gun in his hand didn’t move. “And here you are in the most expensive hotel in the city.” He shook his head and frowned. “Did you remember nothing I taught you? This isn’t stealth, son. You may as well be running around naked in the People’s Congress with fireworks up your arse. A spy’s role is to be invisible, not whatever the hell you’ve been doing. I know you’re not good at following orders, but I’m pretty damn sure MI6 didn’t order you to explode dinosaurs and close down fun parks.”

Bishop crossed his arms. “There were complications.”

“There always are with you.”

Bishop was keen to change the subject. “You’re in my room, you have a gun and you haven’t shot me yet. I take it you want something.”

“I want you to leave me the hell alone.”

Bishop nodded slowly. “Sure, but like you said, I’m not good at following orders.”

“Always the smartarse.”

“Learnt from the best.”

Argento sneered. “What’s with the bathrobe? You been getting a massage instead of doing spy work?”

“Got wet. I don’t have a change of clothes as my suitcase kind of blew up.”

Argento offered no reply. Bishop noticed the plastic-wrapped package hanging on the outside of the wardrobe: no doubt his clothes, having been cleaned and pressed. Now probably wasn’t the time to get changed.

The two men glowered at one another. Regardless of what he’d been through, despite his mission, Bishop was glad to see his old mentor alive. Now more than ever he was unsure he could pull the trigger when the moment came. And given how tired the old man appeared, it could be seconds away.

Staring at Argento, Bishop could see he was frazzled, tired and drained, but he didn’t appear unhinged. “You’re not drunk.”

“I am not.”

“You’re not a fuckup.” Bishop tilted his head.

“No, son, I’m not that either.” He paused and glanced at the ceiling for a second, then returned his gaze. “Oh, I was there for a while. I reinvented myself.” He studied Bishop for a reaction. “Something you’re adept at, as well.”

No doubt he was referring to the name his mentor had given him years ago.

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