Chapter 5

London was cold, wet and dreary; I guess we were having a typical day. When the car turned the corner then stopped at a walled and gated entrance Sam guessed they had arrived.

One thing that took some time getting used to was the Brits always driving on the wrong side of the road. Live and let live he always said and did not go on about it. There was one other thing that bothered him a little, that the plane that brought him here was the same one that he and Tara had been taken to Vegas on. He was very glad he had a driver that seemed to know his way around. It was like driving in New York or Boston, too many cars and an innumerable number of those damn traffic circles. He could never figure them out. He also hated the way Washington was laid out too, it seemed both the French and Brits had a unique way of setting up roads. He disliked both equally.

Bob Simon had been alerted every step of Sam’s trip, especially when the plane had arrived. Not only was he uncomfortable that he had made the correct choice for himself; Molly really had done that, but now he was going to hand off a new guy, in a new country to new handlers he had never met. There really was no choice’ he knew something had to be done and that things were never going to be the way things had been. That was one of the tidbits of information Sal had said to him.

Since Molly had left Mr. Black’s employ he had little if any direct contact with him anymore. Sal now seemed to take on that liaison role. Damn, he wished that he knew what was going on. Sal had indicated there were many changes coming and that for a while, the US operation would be centered in Vegas, DC and Miami. New York and Boston would go away for a bit. Miami would become a much larger operation and extend into the Caribbean, Central and South America. That there were new ‘partners’ and this expansion would make the previous things look like ‘dime-store’ antics.

He always had gotten the feeling that what he and Molly had done was only a small part of a much larger operation. Now that was more evident than just a feeling.

As Sam was being driven up to the house, Bob got another alert; the ‘other’ plane was landing. ‘They’ would arrive shortly. He too would meet Mr. Black’s new management team. He had been informed, informed mind you, not by his ‘Boss’ but some unknown voice; (Carla) that a new team would be in-charge at the interim HQ in London.

Carla thought it a strange name for something that should serve them at least four or five years. Yes them, she already considered herself as part of ‘Black Team’ as she wanted to call it. It was not just the money, well maybe that had a part in it, but the way she and her girls were treated both in Moscow and afterwards sealed the deal, so to speak.

In Russia it seemed like they ‘rolled out the red carpet for them’ (Pun on RED). For a girl who had to fight her way through life it was a pleasant surprise. That they asked them what type of foods they would want, what else they would like and if there was anything, which could be done for them was new. What all liked was every effort did not seem contrived but made with an honest intent to please them. Sure they were young, attractive women but these efforts went above and beyond what they had been exposed too. There might be something beyond a job for them here.

That thought was solidified more when they left. As if a visiting dignitary was leaving several thousand troops began to ‘pass in review’ while their ‘Honour Guard’ escorted them first to their own guards then stood as they boarded the plane. It would be something all of them would remember.

A few minutes after they left, another plane took off; it was the SU-30 MKK, a Flanker aircraft. This one would fly twice the speed of sound at altitude, it carried the man who was in plain clothes, (not just plane clothes) and was part of a formation of three other military jets, common name SU- 27; these we faster still, of shorter range but very heavily armed attack fighters.

When they landed much too early to be near London, their FA indicated to enter the second vehicle, the others were for their guards, not that they would need them here.

No customs, searches, screaming vendors or loud shouts were to be heard. This was Milan and they, all four, were to be so impressed by the stop that if they were military, they would ‘sign on’ for the duration’ without a doubt.

Their caravan stopped at a ‘Palatio’, not the one Caesar Augustus had, but one like it. The man that had been in Moscow was already there waiting for them.

After nodding to the four that were presented to him, he began his speech. “Allow me to say how pleased I am that you were part of those selected to aide us. I realize you may have many questions but I will answer none of them for you, you will do that yourself. I have always believed that actions speak louder than words. I also believe that a good employee is like ‘famiglia’, like family and are worth their weight in gold.”

Four girls came in and handed each an envelope.

“Open, it is for you.”

Inside each was a Swiss Bank statement for $5 million Marks.

We want you here as long as you are happy. This little gift is an incentive so that you know you have the funds necessary to start doing what you most desire and do not have to wait. Brie, Carla, Inga and Erica you may never see me again but I will know what you do. My son has selected you for his efforts today; tomorrow even, he does not know the things I have planned.

You have not yet met his sister and her husband, in-fact I may soon have some new family if my granddaughter gets her way, regardless they have selected another group to run other areas of the business. I hope in five or ten years there will be one global concern where you all work together but we will see.”

He motioned them all to sit.

“You have not had much time to yourself recently, alas that will not change anytime soon but we may lessen the impact of such sacrifice. Girls see to it our four new managers are properly attired then have them and their guards taken to the new plane and send them on their way to London.”

It was apparent that their proper sizes were already known. Several complete outfits for each were made ready when they were taken to another part of the palace. They were shown other selections for each season, climate and country and told the proper attire would be available to them as needed. They were told to select one now and change, several other sets would accompany them to their new house. It was then the announcement of a partner for them was confirmed; a man by the name of Samuel Jefferson Esq. would be joining them in London. Together they would oversee the new Interim Operations.

Not to say these four were not stunning before Milan, they were. However, dressed in the new clothes one might expect they would be having ‘High Tea’ at Buckingham Palace, they looked almost ‘Royal’ but no hats.

The IL-96 they formerly had was quite a nice plane. The Airbus, A-360 was even more luxurious and had extended fuel skins. It only was fitted with 50 seats but had more private cabins. It had a longer range and was deemed fit to land at Class 1 sites. (Which Heathrow was - Auto Land in almost Zero visibility. Remember the song, ‘In Foggy London Town’ or something like that.)

At the little old mansion outside London, Bob was greeting a somewhat uncomfortable Sam. They kept up a routine of “What’s going on!” and “I still don’t know exactly until...”

About the fourth or fifth exchange like this, the doors to the meeting room opened and in walked four well-dressed guards, two men and two women followed by the tallest women both men had ever seen. Two blonde-haired women and two with long white hair followed her.