Kirk McGarvey - 14 - The Cabal by David Hagberg

Author:David Hagberg
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780765320209
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2010-09-15T23:21:31+00:00

Remington finished his coffee, got dressed, and left his house, cabbing over to the Mall, getting there a full twenty minutes early. His tradecraft was a little rusty; it had been years since he’d taken part in a field operation, but old habits died hard, and there were some survival skills you never forgot.

The day was bright and warm, and a lot of tourists were in town, which was why he had picked this place. Depending on what happened in Baghdad, Kangas and Mustapha might attract the wrong sort of attention. Meeting anonymously like this the same day they left the country would provide some deniability later if questions were to be raised.

He walked down from the foot of 23rd Street where the cab had dropped him, and around the circle toward the Reflecting Pool, intending to wait there to see what developed when Kangas and Mustapha arrived, but they were already there.

Vexed, he walked down to them. “I said forty-five minutes.”

“Insurance,” Kangas said insolently. “You can never tell what’ll happen, so you cover your bases.” He glanced down toward the Vietnam Memorial, the black wall filled with the fifty thousand plus names of war dead. “Don’t want to end up like those poor bastards.”

“We all die sooner or later.”

“I meant wasted,” Kangas said. “What’s our assignment?”

Gina had texted him with the flight information on the way over. “McGarvey’s in Baghdad. I want him taken down.”

“There’ll have to be a bonus,” Mustapha said.

“Another one million dollars.”

“Another two million dollars,” Kangas said. “Each.”

Remington was momentarily taken aback, but he managed to smile. “Of course. The first half will be in your accounts by the time you touch down.” It wouldn’t matter, because recovery of Admin’s funds from dead men’s accounts was SOP. There were no next of kin benefits in this business, and everyone understood it. The idea tended to sharpen up the average contractor.

“Baghdad’s a dangerous place, we’ll need some gear, and some intel. How long has he been in country?”

“Our intel says he’s not there yet. We think he’s going through Kuwait and then presumably by ground transportation the rest of the way. We’re sending you through Frankfurt and from there direct, so you’ll be in place at least six, maybe twelve hours before him.”

“Equipment?”

“You’ll be met at Dulles with your instructions, including the name of your contact in country, and any updates we have on Mr. McGarvey’s itinerary. You’re flying United 8826, leaves at quarter to six.”

“What about ground support?”

“You’re on your own after you’ve met your quartermaster,” Remington said. “Which means you are to have no contact whatsoever with anyone working for us or any other contractor service. If you do, the deal is off, you’ll forfeit your bonuses and you will be terminated. Can you handle it, or should I send someone else?”

“We can handle it,” Kangas said, his eyes narrowed.

“Don’t miss this time.”

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