Chapter 10

Shepard’s show and tell started off as crap and went downhill as far as I was concerned. She introduced me to the UN’s assistant to the Chief Prosecutor for War Crimes. Somehow a Russian got the job. I code named the man, talking down to me, Boris. He tried to go into a long winded explanation of why the Boogieman was so bad.

“Excuse me sir,” I interrupted Boris. “That’s all fine and good, but it isn’t pertinent to why we are here. I have a lot to do, so would you mind if we just get started?”

He made the noises of a self important political animal, but he finally said, “Of course.”

“The first thing you all need to understand is why the Boogieman wants a deal now. As best I can figure he has a bounty on his head that even the Mafia can’t prevent. He will be safer in an American super max prison than on the streets of Prague. He also has a family being threatened. He wants to be tried in the USA and sent to prison in the USA. I understand that the Mafia has some influence inside the American prisons. He also wants his family in the U.S. witness protection program. If you agree to give him those things in front of his lawyer, and sign an iron clad deal, he will negotiate everything else.

If you are not willing to consider those things, then we can all go home now and save ourselves the headache. There is a plane leaving for my hometown in three hours, so let me know,” I demanded. “I’ll be at the coffee cart.”

I stood and walked out leaving them to caucus without me hearing. Frankly I didn’t give a crap what they decided. I was having a cup of coffee and admiring he Barista’s cleavage when the first of them came out. It was Shepard’s assistant.

“We need some time to talk this over. We wont be able to come to an agreement,” he explained.

“Tell it to the next negotiator. I’m going to write a plan or I’m going home tonight. You guys need to decide what you are willing to do. How bad does your president wants this Boogieman to face trial during his time in office,” I commented.

He made a disgusted sound, then walked away. I gave him the single finger salute as he turned back for one last show of disgust. I ordered another cup of coffee from the busty redhead. She looked disgusted as well. I guessed that ordering the truck stop coffee wasn’t up to the coffee cart’s standards. I sat down on the fake wooden bench, and looked out over the city, while I drank my coffee.

“You know you could have worn a suit and tie,” Junior Martin demanded.

“Seems to me you said pack light and get here today. I left my suit in the warehouse,” I said. He may or may not have understood that I no longer had a suit.

“Well, I didn’t think you would wear shorts and a tee shirt,” he commented heatedly.

“Please do us both a favor and fire me,” I said my voice going up in pitch and volume.

“You know I can’t fire you, and they won’t demand it. They know without an agreement, the Boogieman wont turn himself in. They need the meeting and nobody else can arrange it to satisfy all concerned,” the Lt stated.

“Then cut me some slack on the dress code,” I demanded. “Besides I’m sure you get paid whether we have a meeting or not.”

“Yes, but you won’t,” he laughed.

“I’ll take my chances. Boris’s boss wants this to happen on his watch. So does the President. They just aren’t used to a guy in fatigues calling their bluff.” It was a gamble, but I didn’t think it was a large one.

The Lt was still sitting with me when the tight ass assistant to Shepard came walking up. “Our side wants some things, since we are offering to negotiate even with those preconditions. We want the boogieman to admit to all the things he did. Then he must agree to give up the names of those who ordered the killings of women and children,” the officious little prick demanded in a whisper.

“You set up a conference call with the Boogieman’s lawyer, and you can listen to his answer,” I agreed.

When Mr tight ass walked away, the Lt said, “I didn’t think you could do it.”

“I haven’t done it yet,” I said.

I looked at the red head’s boobs as I spoke next. “I am not going to find time to look for a hotel. Can you get your girl to find me a small quiet hotel. One without the crap that goes along with hotels in this town. Find me one where an electrician might stay. If this runs past five, make sure we have a driver for the van. My bike is in there.”

“Sure I can get one of the girls to take care of that,” the Lt explained.

“I want a place of my own, not in the same building with anyone else, and no one is to know who I am. Absolutely no fanfare.

‘You got it. That or a plane ticket back to Podunk USA,” was his reply.

Then Lt’s cell phone rang. “Well you are on,” He informed me.

“I understand you are the attorney for the General,” I explained.

“That is correct,” He acknowledged. Then went on, “I hope we are not going to waste each others time.”

“That depends on you. The US dept of state, and the UN prosecutors have agreed in principle to start negotiations with the understanding that your client will be tried in the US. If found guilty he will be sentenced to a term at the judges discretion. I will be served in a US super max prison. His family will go into the American Witness Protection Program.

Now for your part you must give your assurances that general will testify honestly about his actions during the war. He must also give up the name of those who gave the orders for his actions. Not only that, he must testify against them. These demands are non negotiable.”

“And you are going to set up a safe place for the negotiation to take place,” the lawyer asked. “We of course want the agreement in writing.”

“I am getting you together, what you agree to is up to you. Both sides will negotiate in good faith. I promise to keep you safe. I assure you that both sides will be treated exactly the same,” I assured him.

“Your Ms Shepard has agreed to these terms?” he asked.

“She has,” I acknowledged.

“Give me one hour to confer with the general,” the lawyer said.

“Let me assure you that after sixty one minutes I am going home. If I leave you can work out you deal without me,” I said. “That would probably no be in anyone’s best interest.”

“Are you threatening us?” he asked.

“Of course not,” I said. “Just stating the obvious.”

I didn’t get to go outside, since everyone was staring at me. Shepard was the one who had the largest balls in the room. That is probably why she asked, “What do you think.”

“I think I need a cup of coffee, black with no sugar,” I answered her.

Every one was horrified when she broke into laughter. “You heard the man,” she said to her tight ass assistant.

“Get it from the redhead with the big breasts,” I explained.

“You know that isn’t politically correct,” Shepard said.

“Yeah,” I commented with a huge smile. “But it is true, and the truth seldom is politically correct.”

“Will he call,” Shepard asked as the deadline loomed.

“At fifty nine minutes into the allotted time,” I said. It was thirty eight at the time she asked.

“So, do I set up the meet?” I asked, when he called back.

“We will agree as long as the meeting place is satisfactory,” he agreed.

“Satisfactory maybe not, safe for all parties it will be. There will be no American or any other police or military personnel present at any time. You will not be subject to any country’s laws.” I explained.

“Very well then, just tell us what to do,” he said.

“I need a couple of days to arrange it, but it will be done,” I said.

Everyone was congratulating themselves, when I slipped from the room. I walked to the Lt’s girl Wednesday. “So Wednesday, do I have a place to lay my head?”

“I’m not sure you will approve, but yes you have a place. It’s called the Marshall Guest House. It is used mostly by out of town workers. It’s only six stories and was once an old soldier’s home.”

“Sounds great, can you call me a driver,” I asked.

“Yes Ameer volunteered to wait for you to finish your calls,” Wednesday informed me.

I walked back inside the room and spoke to the Lt and Shepard alone. We are going to need a boat. A small cruise ship would be nice. Lt I think you can at least find us something suitable for a week’s cruise. We need to get a captain and crew. No seals, just our regular teams will be fine. You know the drill blackout of our location. A few small rockets for helicopters, and swift boats. Some heavy weapons for pirate protection.

I’m sure the two of you know what we need better than I do. Please keep the mission on the down low. We don’t want anyone knowing about it, or about the preparations for it. Make the boat as small and inconspicuous as possible and still do the job,” was my demand.

“We will find something. Give us a week,” Shepard said.

“No, you have till Monday. That gives you four days to find and procure it,” I addressed Shepard as she would be the one to talk to obviously.

“We need it located somewhere in Great Briton if possible. No GPS trackers or listening devices. If either of you know of anything to make this ship more stealthy, without it screaming CIA, I want to know about it. You two should be better at this than me.”

We talked about plans for the mission until 8PM. When I walked out of the Lt’s private office everyone had gone except Girl Wednesday, and Ameer, my driver. I was glad that both had agreed to keep the location of my lodging hush, hush.

Ameer had to know, but no on else did. As I left the office headed for the garage and van, the Lt handed me a box. Since I knew what was in it, I didn’t open it. When I got out in the alley behind the Marshall Guest House, the back pack was no longer small. It was packed with the dirty laundry, the new clothes, and the Lt’s gift. I wore the back pack as I pushed the bike around to the front door of the guest house and then entered.

The evening Desk man was about sixty years old. I instantly liked him, because he was obviously older than me.

“Hi,” I said. “I think I have a reservation?” Then I gave him my phony company name. He looked at me then checked his laptop computer.

“Room four twenty one,” he said shoving the key to me.

“Could we change that for a room on the top floor.” I asked.

“Okay, how about six oh one?” he asked.

“Perfect,” I agreed, then gave him the company credit card. It would be a small deception, which might not even work, but it was all I had. “Can I take the bike up, or do I leave it in the lobby?”

“Take it up, if you can fit it in the elevator, otherwise you may have to drag it up five flights of stairs,”

“I’ll make it work and thanks,” I said.

The elevator was small, but I managed to lift the bike and to balance on a single wheel. Fortunately no one else wanted a ride up, while I was in the elevator.

After I dropped the backpack and bike I rode rode the elevator back to the lobby. I asked the old man behind the desk, “Which way should I go to find the closest take out?”

“What kind you want?” he answered my question with one of his own.

“Don’t really care,” I said. “Oh no chicken.”

“There is a Deli pretty close. Turn left when you leave the front door. Go down two blocks. It’s on the same side of the street as us. You can’t miss it.” he informed me.

“Cool,” I replied then walked down the street. “A Ruben sandwich was ten bucks, but it was going on the expense account, so I splurged and bought a cream soda as well. I ordered and picked up the food at the counter, then walked into their dining area. I sat in one of the ten or so booths to eat. I shouldn’t have been surprised that it had cafeteria style service. Labor cost in DC must be awful, I thought.

After the late dinner, which I ate in a room filled with couples, I walked alone back to the hotel. I thought I should probably call Tonya, but I didn’t have anything to tell her. I could say I just wanted to hear your voice, but I didn’t really. It would just be a distraction. I had too many plans to make to be distracted for even a minute.

As had been my habit for years, I had turned my phone off before I left the hotel for dinner. Another of my no distractions policies, so I had to turn it on when I reached my room. The screen showed five messages. One was from Lucy2.

Lucy: “The Lt is trying to reach you. He thought we might be having dinner together or something. So why the hell aren’t we.”

I didn’t even try to explain my no distraction policy to her. The next one was from Dominic.

Dominic: “I understand you are not planning to take me along. If there is a job you need me.”

The next one was from Shepard.

Shepard: “Come have a drink with us.” It was a demand. I decided to ignore her.

The next one I skipped it was the Lt. I moved right to Tonya.

Tonya: “So I guess you are in the hotel. Is this a super secret, or can you call and tell me you are okay.”

Lt: “We need to discuss buses first thing in the morning. Let’s meet for breakfast at Mac’s near you at seven.”

I was going to assume he mean the closest McDonald’s to the Guest House. I found it on my smart phone and got the directions to it. I went to bed at 10PM without even turning the computer on. I did watch a few minutes of TV, just to see it we were at war with any new enemies. We weren’t so I slept fine.

I called Tonya, but had to leave a message for her. She had her phone off, as she often did. Usually it was because she was having dinner with her parents. They despised cell phones as they should. She always turned the phone off at work, it was a rule at most workplaces by that time. Sometimes she even did it at home, while she and Sarah were spending some quality time together. At 10:30 PM, odds were good she was already asleep. That was where I planned to be in a matter of minutes.