Out of the Shadows (Akira and Deane Thriller Series Book 1) (9 page)

‘You in tomorrow?’ Carter
asked, lifting his eyes from his laptop.

Olsen looked back as the doors
opened for him. ‘No. I’ll get myself organised and then head to the
airport.’ He gave an assured nod to his friend.

Carter smiled back. ‘Be
careful.’

‘You too, I’ll
see you when I get back.’ The upcoming operation still made him
feel uneasy but Olsen did his best to force it out of his mind as
he confidently walked out of the busy command area.

Akira saw the
classic white Mercedes on the street corner and got in the back.
Ahead of him were the Kiprich brothers, who had been watching the
busy movement of cars and people in the market place. With the
dazzling sun and array of people and treasures, the market place of
Muscat was one of the friendliest and most beautiful in the Middle
East but all of it was lost on the three men in the car.

For the Kiprich brothers, their
hearts and minds were consumed with the upcoming attack on the
British Royal visit that was now just days away.

‘Any trouble on
your travels?’ Asked younger brother Jozef, with just a hint of
sarcasm.

‘None.’

‘Before you ask, everything is
in place. The death of a British Royal Prince will certainly be
headline news.’

Akira ignored
the comment. The death of a British Prince was a bonus; in truth he
couldn’t care less if he was killed or not. All that mattered was
the death of Thomas Deane. It was vital he was killed early, before
the war started, as there was no doubt in his mind that Deane would
play a vital part in the resistance; it would be a massive boost to
have him out of the way sooner. ‘The antique shop on the corner at
the far end of the street, the owner is a contact of an MI6 agent
based here.’

Jozef, the more
outspoken of the brothers, looked back sharply, wondering how he
knew so much about Western security protocols. ‘What makes you
think so?’

Akira sensed
the hostility but merely stared at his ally. He made a mental note
to monitor the respect Jozef showed him as he opened the door to
get out. ‘I just know. Go to the back of the shop and wait for my
entrance.’

Raising the hood of his sand
coloured robe, Akira immediately blended in with the busy shoppers.
As he reached the end of the street, he confidently walked into the
antique shop and approached the owner. ‘How long have you had this
shop?’ he asked bluntly.

Saheed was a
tall man, with a thick black beard, who wore a light blue
dishdasha, a traditional Omani shirtdress. He looked up at the
visitor and gave a warm smile. ‘Many years. How can I help you?’ He
rose quickly from his seat when he saw the visitor lock the door.
‘Just what do you think you’re-’

Akira cut him
off and spoke in the calmest of tones. ‘You are a contact and
trusted friend of MI6 agent Thomas Deane and you’ve also worked for
the C.I.A. in the past. I know Deane will be visiting you in the
next few days. I want you to tell him that you have no information
for him. Nothing.’

Saheed had
indeed known Deane for many years, believed in his cause and had
great respect for the man. He did his best to play dumb. ‘I’m sorry
but I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. What is MI6?
Or C.I.A.?’ He raised his arms in mock confusion. ‘I have never met
anyone called Thomas Deane.’

Akira stood
tall with his hands crossed in front of him. His eyes never once
left the shop owner. ‘I see.’ He took several steps towards the
counter. ‘Your loyalty is admirable but misplaced.’ Tilting his
head slightly, he spoke in a questionable tone. ‘Tell me, how is
your young son?’

Saheed thought
about reaching for the knife he kept under the counter but quickly
moved to the back of the shop to find his young son. ‘NO!’ There,
ahead of him, was a chilling sight. Two other men had broken in,
with one man holding the boy at gunpoint. Tears were running down
the child’s face. Saheed looked back at the visitor and saw just a
blank face, showing no emotion.

Akira held the
gaze of Jozef, who was holding the child and then looked back at
the shopkeeper. His voice was filled with frustration as he
focussed on every word. ‘I grow tired of this resistance….you will
follow through with my request or you and your family will all burn
when this shop goes up in flames.’ Throughout the whole
confrontation, his warped mind was full of one voice, that of his
dead wife Madeline spurring him on, feeding him strength, fuelling
his belief.

Saheed wondered
whether his MI6 friend was even still alive and was completely
shocked at this turn of events. For years, he had worked alongside
Deane and had provided countless pieces of crucial information over
that time but they had been so cautious; how had anyone been able
to trace Deane to him? ‘I tell you I don’t know anyone of that
name, believe me. I’m just a shop keeper who-’

Akira raised his right hand and
spat out the words angrily. ‘Kill the boy.’

‘NO! WAIT!’
Saheed had reached his limit. He had spent many years helping the
cause he believed in and had put his own life on the line but he
would not sacrifice his family. He closed his eyes and spoke the
truth. ‘I do know Thomas Deane and yes he works for MI6. He hasn’t
been in touch of late but I do expect him to be.’ Saheed looked
into the eyes of the initial visitor. ‘I am begging you. Please let
my son go. I will do what you ask. Please.’

Akira ordered
Jozef to let the boy go. He smiled faintly at the shopkeeper but
there was no warmth there. ‘I knew I could count on you Saheed. I
will leave one of my followers here to help you. When Deane
arrives, you will inform him that you have no information. You have
not heard anything nor seen anyone that could be of use to him. Is
that understood?’

Saheed nodded weakly and
wondered what was waiting for him when this was over.

Akira informed
Jozef that he would be staying and left the shop via the back door
with Gyorgy. He wished he could be there when the MI6 agent came to
visit Saheed but comforted himself with the fact that another vital
cog of Western operations in Oman and the Middle East was about to
be permanently removed.

Madeline would be pleased.

Chapter 7

Saturday, March 3
^rd
09:00,

Draycott Avenue, South Kensington,
London.

Burton glared at the ceiling in a
fixated stare. The last few hours had not gone as well as he had
hoped. Despite his best efforts, four thousand had been lost from
the initial pay advance of five thousand pounds. Feelings of guilt
and panic had continued to consume him with every passing minute.
Sleep had been hard to come by; even looking his wife in the eye
was not something he was capable of anymore. To his left, Kate was
sleeping calmly, a large chunk of the bed between them. Since her
discovery of their financial problems, she hadn’t talked to him a
great deal, plans had been made to get back on track but little
else had been said.

Burton began to
think more clearly as sunlight flashed across him. He rose from the
bed, put on his dressing gown and walked into his son’s bedroom.
There, sleeping peacefully was little Oscar Burton. The
15-month-old boy, to his Dad, looked so beautiful as he lay there
in his cot. More than ever, feelings of failure took hold of
him.
How could I have stuffed up so badly?
My son. I have a son! Just see what I’ve done for
him
. He gently placed a hand on the boy’s
hair, desperately wanted to hold him but knew waking him would
upset his wife who was still asleep in the next room. He spoke very
quietly as the boy continued to sleep. ‘You know, son, I’ve not
been much of a father to you. I don’t mind admitting that. I’m a
lousy husband too; just don’t tell your Mum, it’ll be our little
secret. I just want you to know that I’ll make it up to you. From
now on I’ll get my act together and be there for you and your Mum.’
Burton tucked in his son’s blanket and got to his feet. ‘Sleep
tight, little guy.’ Standing in the doorway was his wife, who had
been watching. ‘Oh…morning, hon, I was just having a chat with
Oscar. Still sleeping though, told you he never listens to his old
man.’

Kate smiled faintly at her
husband as she closed her son’s door. ‘Aren’t you going to be late
for work?’

‘Nah, nobody
will notice me gone. A couple of things have come up anyway, need
to sort them before I go in. What are you up to today?’

Kate watched her husband get
dressed. ‘What couple of things? Work things?’ She studied her
husband’s face carefully.

‘Yeah, you
know, just a few odds and ends. I can’t tell you the details, you
understand don’t you?’ Hal gave his wife a kiss and brushed past
her as he rushed down the stairs. ‘Gotta go, I won’t be late, have
a good day!’

As he got in
his car and pulled out of the driveway, Burton dialled a number on
his mobile phone. He held the phone with one hand, the other
tucking in his dark yellow shirt. As the car sped along the road,
houses passed more frequently.’ He picked up the phone again and
dialled the same number. ‘Yeah, Harry! It’s Hal here. No, not good
mate; listen I need your help. Yeah, you heard right, I need your
help. I need to meet you right now.’ Burton scribbled down a time
and place on his car insurance details. ‘Cheers mate, see you in a
bit.’

Kate stood at
the window of the bedroom, watching the world go by. She couldn’t
push her feelings away any longer. No matter how hard she tried, it
was impossible to trust her husband anymore. There was no doubt in
her mind that he loved her and their son Oscar but Kate couldn’t
shake the feeling that the man she was supposed to spend the rest
of her life with had continued to gamble, despite what had happened
so recently. She still loved her husband, she always would but with
the trust gone, in her heart of hearts, she knew what she had to
do.

Kate snapped
out of her deep thought to realise the phone had been ringing for
some time. ‘Hello?’

‘Don’t tell me you’re still
with him?’ Said a voice quickly.

Kate recognised the voice of
her older sister, Jenny, who would be calling from her home in
Somerset. ‘I’ll be with him today. I don’t think I can stay for
much longer.’

‘What have you found out?’

‘The trust has
gone Jen. After everything that happened this week, it still feels
to me that he is gambling. Maybe not now but in the future he’ll go
back to it. He just seems to think that he can solve that addiction
in days, not months or years. What sort of a mother would I be if I
let that happen again?’

‘I always said he wasn’t good
enough for you. He’s weak Kate, I’d love to say he will change but
it won’t happen.’

Sadness tinged
her voice. ‘I know that now. You should have seen him this morning
though, with little Oscar, he loves that boy. I know he still loves
me as well.’

‘Kate, wait a second. This
loser is a chronic gambler. He always was and always will be. How
can he love his family if he’s willing to put them through hell
every time? Has he mentioned the financial stuff today?’

‘No, we aren’t
exactly talking. I know on paper he must seem like a monster but he
isn’t. Hal is a loving husband and a fantastic father but he just
has these problems. The trouble is, he never admits it’s a real
problem, just a little blip or something. I’ve done all I can, he
just won’t listen to me.’

‘So what are you going to
do?’

Kate pushed her black hair back
and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘I don’t want to leave him. I don’t
think he’d be able to handle it.’

‘You can’t
stay, Kate. Don’t do it again. I remember years ago I told you to
leave him then but you let him get to you. Now look at the
situation; he’s gone back to gambling but this time you’re in big
trouble. Oscar wasn’t around back then but he is now and that
didn’t stop him. Don’t you see, sis?’

‘I know, that’s what I just
can’t believe. How could he still do that when Oscar is here? I
don’t understand.’

‘Leave him
Kate. Do it today. Come and stay with us, we’ll help you and Oscar
get back on your feet.’

‘I know you
will. Thanks Jen. It’s ok; you don’t have to worry. I already have
one suitcase packed; he didn’t even notice. I’m going to finish
packing today, get a few things, and then go. Not straight away
though, I’m going to take my time, over the next few days I’ll do
it.’

‘Promise me you
won’t let him convince you again. You promise me, Kate. I know he’s
your husband but he won’t change. Right?’

She sighed heavily and bowed
her head. ‘I know that now. As much as it breaks my heart to say
it, I know he won’t change.’

‘Are you going
to tell him or just’

‘No, not face
to face. I’ll leave him a note with my wedding ring and that’ll be
it. I don’t think I’m strong enough to confront him about it right
now. I’ll take what money I can get, sell a few things here maybe
and come to you in Somerset. He’s bound to call you when he finds
out.’

‘Don’t worry;
I’ll make sure he never suspects you might be here. It’ll work out;
I know it will. You’re doing the right thing. Might not feel like
it for you but definitely for Oscar.’

‘I know. That’s
what I keep telling myself. I’ll talk to you soon, sis. Bye.’ She
replaced the phone on its handset and looked around the bedroom, as
if for the last time. Memories threatened to take over her but she
resisted and pulled out an empty suitcase from under the bed. Kate
began to pack her bags.