Chapter 86

It took us awhile in the limo to thread through the filth and litter of the area we were going through. I admit that with all the wealth in this country, I couldn't figure out why they let their people live in the squalor in front of my eyes. I saw small children playing in the filthy streets and even inside the limo I could smell the stench of sewage and decay. One of the twin's cell phones rang. I think it was Paul who answered it and handed it to me. It was Quanta and I immediately switched to French to speak to him. I laid out what had happened and the quick actions I needed him to take before we got settled into the hotel. I also told him to check his mail as I had sent ahead all our measurements so that we wouldn't need tailors to meet us at the hotel. We talked for a couple of minutes more before I switched back to English.

"Quanta, we will stay the night, but I want us on a jet out of here as early in the morning as you can arrange it. I have had a feeling all day that I need to get back to my family. We have been gone almost three months chasing this down and Kat will be almost six months pregnant by the time I get back. My friend, it is time for me to go home and be with my family. We will all have dinner tonight and then the first thing in the morning we are outta here."

I got dirty looks from Jubal and Farley, but I just knew I had to get back to Kat as soon as possible. I couldn't explain the feeling, no matter how much I thought about it. I didn't think she was in any danger or anything, but I felt I needed to get back. We were driving through a more affluent neighborhood and finally broke out into the business district. To my eyes it was still dirty looking and seemed to almost be a picture from the previous century. Everything just looked old and worn. When we came around a half circle, one of the twins pointed to a brand new hotel in front of us and told us that's where we were staying and that the penthouse had already been reserved. Looking up at how high it was, I didn't like that penthouse idea at all.

"One of you get on the phone and book us adjoining rooms on the second floor in the front. There is no way in hell I am staying that high in a penthouse with the enemies we have. We need a quick escape route as well as being able to scope out the lobby before we go to dinner. This is a chain hotel and they lay them all out the same, so there is a full length balcony around the second floor with two main sets of steps going down to the lobby and dining room."

Both of the twins just stared at me in wonder before speed dialing their cells and speaking to someone in their own language. We would probably be an unpleasant sight going in unless we went through the service entrance. We all had on t-shirts, bathing trunks and soft rubber soled bootee shoes. We were dirty, and I know we stunk of fish and diesel fuel 'cause I could smell it on myself. Saul or Paul spoke to the driver and he immediately changed direction, going around to the back of the hotel and into a loading bay. Saul or Paul climbed out telling us to stay put while he checked with security and cleared the way to the second floor. While he was inside, I was stared at the other twin, trying to figure out how to tell them apart. Then I finally saw it and smiled to myself. This was Saul in the limo with us and Paul had been the one to go check on security. I remembered their faces in my mind when they introduced themselves and remembered that Paul had a small scar right above his left eyebrow. Saul's face didn't have any marks or anything that stood out like the small white scar. I knew neither Jubal nor Farley had figured it out and I would use it against them later on. Hey, I knew it was petty, but I had put up with their little jokes this whole trip. Of course I learned more English slang than I ever wanted to from them, and all of it wasn't proper either. I also knew that I owned quite a chunk of this hotel, as my money per the bank's investment report had helped build it, so I figured I could stay where I wanted to. I had seen it listed on the tax papers Quanta had sent to me, along with investments in several other hotels built in other countries around us.