Stealing Asia (13 page)

It became easy
to predict her behaviour. She rarely deviated from the same routine and I
failed to see that my presence would be required for much longer. I knew it was
only a matter of time until I received the order to either let her go or bring
her home. Then one night everything changed.

Occasionally,
she would visit local bars, but always left early and alone. I would wait
outside in the car and make sure that she got back to her guest house safely.
Just as complacency was beginning to creep in on my part, the time finally came
when I noticed her being followed from the bar. Judging by the coy expression
on her face, I got the impression that she was aware of his presence and had
maybe even given him the come-on. He looked nervous and clearly had no idea how
to respond to the advances of a young woman so far out of his league. As far as
threats went, I had him ranked pretty low. The real danger was lurking a little
further down the street.

The thief
appeared to be after the necklace or worse still, the girl herself. He
forcefully dragged her into a dark side alley where she continued to struggle
against his grip. The nervous guy from the bar was closer than I and he was
quick to intervene. He put up a decent fight and was effective at fending off the
attacker. The thug was soon thrown out into the street and he should have given
up and run away. If the kid from the bar had been a little more experienced, he
would have known that they rarely run.

I have seen many
concealed firearms withdrawn in my time and as soon as the mugger reached into
the inside of his jacket, I knew what was coming next. I hammered the gas and
switched my headlights on full beam, before ramming into him at speed. The
chassis of the car buckled under the impact and rather than roll over the roof
the thug was caught between the bonnet and the shattered windshield. Once I got
to the end of the street, I broke hard in order to jettison my unwelcome
passenger, before speeding off to dump the car. I had paid for it in cash so
that it could never be traced back to me.

The accidental
hero who had helped the girl (to a point) was with her constantly for the rest
of her stay in Georgetown and it was not difficult to guess what they spent
most of their time doing. I was grateful that I had opted merely to plant
tracking bugs and not listening devices.

After two days,
Katherine, or Asia as she was now calling herself, left Malaysia on a flight
bound for Koh Samui with a short lay-over in Bangkok. I, of course, had booked
onto the very same flights.

She spent just
one night in the Thai capital, but it was a welcome change of scenery for me as
much as for her. The relaxed, anything goes, attitude of the Kao San Road
provided the perfect backdrop to a surveillance mission. The entire street was
one huge love-in and nobody was suspicious of anybody else. Blending in could
not have been easier. Touts selling everything from fake passports to press
passes mixed freely with purveyors of the more traditional souvenir fare.

The guesthouse
that she chose was little more than a windowless box, but my mission
necessitated that I got something a little more upmarket. She may not have
needed a view, but I did; especially since I had lost one of my tracking
devices. For reasons beyond my understanding she had left the locket behind in
Penang. Fitting a replacement would not be difficult, but it was unlikely that
I would have the opportunity until we got to the islands. For the time being, I
had to regress to the old fashioned method of espionage.

In a city as alive
as Bangkok, nobody wants to stay in their room. Despite the prospect of an
early flight, Asia spent the evening visiting a few of the many bars and
restaurants that the Kao San had to offer. The city was much more liberal than
its Malaysian counterparts and as such she received more male attention than
she had before. At times, I felt like the only ferrang not to try it on with
her (ferrang being a term that the Thais use to describe foreigners. The
meaning is derogatory, but with the mess made of this country by tourists, who
can argue against that?). She showed no interest in any of her admirers and I
suspected that she was still thinking of her man back in Penang.

We left Bangkok,
early the next morning and touched down in Samui shortly before lunchtime. By
late afternoon we were in Hat Rin on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, where the full
moon party was to be held.

The girl hired a
small hut in the centre of the beach and I acquired my own at the far end of
the resort, away from sight. It did not take her long to become friendly with
two couples in nearby huts. If anything, this offered her more security than if
she had remained alone. A greater concern for me was that I had picked up the
signal from the lost transmitter and it was heading our way.

I assumed it was
her rescuer from the mugging, and if so, it was likely that he intended to meet
up with her. It was then that I decided to completely break with my mission
protocol. I decided that I was going to meet my target.

Chapter 3

I called Manu as
soon as I made it out of the forest. He was my only trusted contact on the
island and the one person that I knew who would have access to what I needed.
The tracking device in Asia’s pendant was not only transmitting, but also
moving. The best chance I had of finding the boat was if I got airborne. I knew
that dive tours often used planes when searching for particular dive sites.
They use the birds-eye view to seek out whale sharks, as well as to scout for
possible danger such as the man eater we had earlier come across. I would use
it to find the pirates.

‘When can we
fly?’ I asked.

‘The nearest
airstrip is on Samui,’ Manu replied. ‘By the time we get there, a plane should
be loaded up and ready go.’

‘So what are we
waiting for – let’s go.’

We agreed that
the fastest option was to take his boat. It was small and could cut through the
ferry channels saving us valuable time. I also feared that the goons who had
taken Asia may be watching the ports and did not want to risk a public
confrontation. The mess I left behind on the beach resort probably had the
local police on high alert too. Whilst we sailed, I used the time to try and
gauge what experience, if any, Manu had. If we ran into trouble, I needed more
than a tour guide, I needed a soldier.

‘You’re really
serious about this spy shit, aren’t you?’ asked Manu.

I glanced up,
but did not reply. He was watching me check and prepare my kit.

‘Do you know who
put them onto the girl yet?’ he asked

‘It could be one
of any number of people,’ I replied. ‘The senator has many enemies. Hell, the
CIA may even be trying to take her out to stop her causing him any more
embarrassment.’

‘CIA, huh?’ he
seemed amused by the suggestion. ‘And you think that you can swoop in and
rescue this girl of yours singlehanded.’

‘That’s the
plan,’ I replied. ‘If you want out, I’ll understand, but any backup you can
give would be much appreciated.’

He used the time
it took for him to adjust a few of the controls to weigh up my offer. I would
have understood if he wanted no part in what I was about to do, but he had
earlier helped me retrieve the dive gear, which Barrett had tampered with and I
suspected that he was at least curious enough of who we were up against to want
to tag along.

‘Perhaps a
little excitement would be good for me,’ he said. ‘I’ve been taking tourists
out on fun dives for so long that I’ve almost forgotten what it is to fight for
a cause.’

‘You have
experience in this sort of thing?’

He recklessly
spun the wheel as he altered our heading to make full use of a strong southerly
wind.

‘I’ve seen my
fair share of naval conflicts,’ he replied.

‘You were in the
navy?’

‘Marine
Nationale,’ he corrected. ‘Ten years, but that isn’t where I saw most of the
action. After I got my discharge papers, I joined Greenpeace. I spent three
years based out of New Zealand running blockades against the Japanese whalers.
The bastards even managed to take me hostage a few times, but they could never
hold me for long.’

‘Well, I’ve
already had four people taken hostage from right under my nose, so I’ll make
sure that they do not add you to their collection.’

‘Glad to hear
it,’ he said. ‘Hopefully, it will not come to that.’

We docked at a
small pier serving one of the many tourist resorts along the coast. Our pilot
was waiting in a jeep ready to take us on to the airstrip. As well as the
standard fee for his services, I added a considerable cash bribe on top to keep
his silence. The expenses for this mission were beginning to add up and if I
did not report back to the senator soon he would start to get suspicious. I had
hoped to have Asia back before speaking to him, but that was now impossible.

The pirates had
a good few hours head start, but in the plane it did not take too long to make
up the ground. By the time that we were within viewing range the sun was
beginning to rise. I did not want to arouse suspicions, so I had to gather as
much intel as possible from a single fly-by. The target vessel was instantly
recognisable when I saw it. It had been moored a touch over three miles from
the beach the whole time we had been there. If I had followed my instincts more
and not gotten so sidetracked by those kids, I may have figured out what it was
sooner.

‘What do you
see?’ asked Manu.

‘Four guards on
deck; all armed. There will be even more below. If I can disable their engines
it should not be a problem, but we’ll need to get close. Will your boat be able
to catch them?’

‘It depends
where they are going. Is there anywhere specific they would take the girl?’

‘Not likely.
From the information I extracted out of Barrett, they do not even know who they
are working for. They were just told to nab the girl. It is my guess that they
will stick to familiar waters unless something spooks them.’

‘In that case,
we should set sail as soon as possible,’ he advised. ‘We can have them within
range by nightfall.’

The pilot took
us back to Samui where we transferred to Manu’s boat. As soon as we were
underway, I called the senator on his private line. It was time to let him know
that I had let his only daughter be snatched from right under my nose.

‘Hello?’ said
the voice on the other end of the line.

‘Mr Senator, it
is Señor Cruz,’ I said. ‘I call with grave news regarding your daughter.’

‘Mr Cruz?’ His
voice was suspicious and the line went quiet for a short while. When he spoke
again, he sounded more relaxed. ‘What has the little brat done now; you haven’t
been messing with her, have you? If she is pregnant, I will personally see to
it that you end up in jail.’

The coldness of
his tone surprised me. I wondered how much of a threat he actually envisioned
when he hired me to watch over his daughter. Clearly, his biggest worry had
been more for what trouble she could make for herself rather than of an outside
threat. Having spent the best part of a week with his offspring, I could see no
family resemblance. It was my opinion that his low expectation of her was based
more on his own failings as a father. Extra marital affairs had been well
documented throughout his career.

‘No, sir, sadly
this is an official call,’ I told him. ‘Your daughter has been kidnapped and is
being held aboard a boat a few miles off the coast of Thailand. A couple of
American goons working alongside a group of local pirates were hired to make
the abduction. I suspect the motive is political, but the gang seems pretty
clueless and they do not even know what the girl is worth. If we act quickly, I
am confident that I can get her back unharmed within twenty four hours, but I
will need back-up.’

‘You will do no
such thing,’ the senator snapped. ‘There will be no rescue or any other gung-ho
attempt at being a hero until all of what you say has been properly verified
and I have time to consult with the Director of the CIA.’

‘With all due
respect, sir, there is no time for that. We have to act now. My cover has
already been blown and the pirates know that I was hired to watch Asia.’

‘I have no idea
what you mean by being “hired to watch Asia”. What makes you think that you
have any right to call me on my personal line and start making these ludicrous
demands?’

Of course; the
senator was not aware of his daughter’s change in name. I was not thinking as
clearly as I should and it was causing me to make all manner of mistakes.

‘I apologise for
my rashness, sir. I accept full responsibility for your daughter’s abduction.
All that I ask is that you allow me to make amends for my mistake.’

The line went
silent for a few moments. I hoped he was patching the call directly to the CIA
headquarters at Langley. It was several minutes before he came back on the
line.

‘Can you tell me
what the exact outline of your brief was?’ he asked.

It was a strange
question to ask, but when a politician has a point to prove they will always
use the most condescending means to get that point across.

‘You hired me to
watch your daughter, sir. I was to anonymously follow her on her travels and
ensure that she did not come to any harm. So far, I have failed and for that I
offer my most sincere apologies.’

‘I did not hire
you directly, why did you not first call your assigned contact?’

‘With all due
respect, sir, a butler is not going to be of any use in a situation like this.
We have limited time and I need to make my move now if we are to get Katherine
back.’

‘You will get
your chance, soldier, but first I must ask you to stand down. These thugs will
not dare harm my daughter and I am sure that their demands will be known
shortly. I will consult with the Director of the CIA and then call you back.’

‘Yes, sir, as
you wish.’

I ended the
call. All that was left for me to do was wait. Manu said it would be at least
seven to eight hours before we would be in a position to ease off and shadow
the other vessel. Hopefully, the CIA would help the senator see sense. Whilst I
waited for further orders, I went to my cabin to catch up on some much needed
sleep.

***

A thick mist had
rolled over the boat. The haze penetrated into the bowels of the vessel itself,
even engulfing my cabin. I could hear muffled voices from up on the deck. I
grabbed my gun and went to investigate. When I got there, I could see the
senator waiting for me. He offered me his hand.

‘Well done,
Señor Cruz, I knew that you would not let me down.’

As I shook his
hand, I looked around to see both Ben and Manu kneeling on deck with their
hands placed on the tops of their heads.

‘What is going
on? I asked.

‘The mission was
a success,’ replied the senator. ‘All that is left is to dispose of the
traitors.’

I looked again
at my kneeling friends and this time I could see the fear in their eyes.

‘There has been
some sort of a mistake,’ I said. ‘These men helped me. They are not the enemy.’

‘Of course,’
replied the senator. ‘That is why they must die. You did well to bring them to
me.’

‘You don’t
understand,’ I told him. ‘These men are both innocent.’

‘Nobody is
innocent,’ said the senator.

I looked for my
handgun, but it was no longer in my hand. As if sensing my confusion, the
senator clapped his hands and a man walked onto the deck. It was the butler who
had recruited me for the mission. He was carrying a silver tray with a cloche
on top. Once he was alongside of me he removed the cover to reveal a golden
handgun underneath.

‘An appropriate
reward for a job well done,’ said the senator. ‘Now, if you use it, we can all
go home.’

I picked up the
weapon. It was heavy and seemed to be made of solid gold. There was nowhere to
insert a magazine or even a single bullet. The trigger was the only part of it
that felt real.

‘Where is the
girl?’ I asked.

‘Girl?’ replied
the senator. ‘There is no girl. Now do your job and execute these traitors.’

‘What do you
mean “there is no girl”? Where is your daughter? Is Katherine safe? That is
what you hired me to do; to protect your daughter.’

‘I did no such
thing,’ said the senator. ‘I pay you to kill and that is what you are going to
do. Now pull the trigger.’

I looked again
at Ben and Manu and I could not do it.

‘No,’ I said.
‘This is wrong. I was recruited to protect a girl. These men do not deserve to
die.’

I threw the
golden gun into the ocean. It made no sound and nor did I hear a splash, but it
was gone. The senator turned away from me. He left along with his butler and I
immediately ran over to help Manu and Ben.

‘It is too
late,’ said Ben.

I began to hear
a beeping sound. I looked down and saw the shark magnet was attached to my
belt. As it emitted its metronomic pulse, a small red LED blinked in time to
the sound. I looked back up again and was confronted by the jaws of a thirty
foot monster shark.

Then I was back
in my cabin. My head felt groggy and I realised that I must have slept longer
than I had planned. I picked up a bottle of water and took a sip. As I did so,
my phone began to ring. I answered it on the third chime.

‘Cruz speaking.’

‘Mr Cruz, it is
Senator Cole. I trust that you can bring me further news of my daughter.’

‘Yes, sir,’ I
quickly checked the readout for the tracker in the locket. We were now just a
few kilometres away. ‘We are almost within range. I can organize an insertion
within an hour.’

‘That will not
be necessary. The operation is under the jurisdiction of the American
Government now. I cannot place my daughter’s life in the hands of a civilian.
You are to cease pursuit immediately and return to shore.’

I could not
believe that he was pulling me off the mission. Although it had been my fault
that the girl was taken, I was also the person best placed to bring her back.

‘With all due
respect, sir, surely I can do more good in the field. I am ideally placed for a
rescue mission.’

‘The matter is
not open to debate. Now, I want to know everything that you know about the
kidnappers.’

I told him all
about Barrett and Clay and described what I had seen on the fly-by. I did not
mention Ben or the British girls. I merely stated that there were likely to be
more civilian hostages onboard.

‘That’s very
good,’ he replied. ‘What about their demands. Do you have any idea what they
are likely to ask for?’

‘If it was
solely the American pair we were dealing with, I would have said money.
Probably not more than one million dollars tops. Since they are merely hired
muscle, I would think that the real perpetrator behind this is likely to be
politically motivated. If we are lucky, the Americans may try to double cross
their employer and make a quick buck on their own.’