The Devil's Handshake (22 page)

“
Yep, he’s a string puller,”
Navjot answered in agreement.

“
I bet you enjoyed your tour
of all them!” offered Ali deadpan, earning smirks from his team
around the table if not Navjot, before asking,
“Education?”

“
That’s the interesting bit
actually, as his father before the war was a manager at Italian Oil
Company; he was able to gain an education at the school provided by
them.”

“
So he speaks Italian, not
just English”

“
Although he has had no
formal university education he’s street smart and knows his way
around a bookkeeping ledger,” responded the behavioral science
expert.

“
If Reza is right then he’s
our man!” Ali stated, pleased with his young protégé. When he had
called him initially for a possible lead he had instantly said he
had just the man for him.

“
He’s turning into a real
asset that young man!” he thought to himself with pride as Navjot
for the third time agreed with Ali’s study.

19

Cote d’Azur

Climbing onboard the yacht, Thomas was met by
Nara who had dressed for dinner in a black Abaya finished with gold
trim and a silk one-off Hermes headscarf on her head because they
were hosting a Minister of a Muslim country. Fitz was dressed in
his Captain’s uniform, just in case he were required if Thomas was
delayed.

He quickly apologized to the both of them for
being late due to the missing of his slot out of Farnborough
following his unexpected not to mention very surprising afternoon
tea with Rebecca over the fact by way she had indicated to him just
how much an expert she was on the subjects of Oligarchs, but more
importantly, him.

Greetings out of the way, Thomas asked if
everybody were settled in.

“
Yes, darling everybody is
in the dining room,” Nara answered with a look of distaste on her
face something he quickly picked up on.

“
What’s wrong?” he asked
automatically.

“
The Minister seems to be
under the impression I am part of his entertainment!” Nara answered
with disgust at the way he had mentally undressed her on the
occasion she had greeted him initially onboard and for drinks
earlier.

“
Well, I will soon put him
right” he responded as he kissed her gently to put her ease. “Thank
you, by the way,” he said.

“
For what, Thomas?” she
replied confused.

“
For your respect towards
the position of our guest my darling despite his lack of manners,”
he answered as he kissed her again.

“
Always, my love,” she
replied after their quick kiss was over, pleased at his
acknowledgement at her form of dress.

Having decided not to change being so late,
he followed Nara through the yacht up into the dining room.

As they entered the room, the President’s
advisor Hussein Ali Yusuf greeted him warmly with a kiss on both
cheeks followed by a similar greeting from Wasir, except in his
case it was more of a formality and without warmth.

As Wasir wasn’t going to introduce his young
female companions who in direct contrast to Nara had dressed in a
manner that left little to the imagination, it was left to her to
do so politely. By their Slavic looks and accented English, Thomas
guessed they were Ukrainian. They were blonde, blue eyed, plus had
large enhanced breasts finished off with rounded bottoms. They were
typical of the type of girls that worked the Cote D’Azur servicing
the wealthy Arabs who tended to prefer the “curvy” look. It was a
look it appeared Wasir went for as well, he mused.

Introductions out of the way they quickly sat
down to dinner.

As the champagne arrived, knowing Hussein did
not drink the staff, having been briefed by Nara earlier offered
him a fresh watermelon juice. Wasir, having no such qualms waved
the juice away and instead said “champagne,” with no please nor
thank you. Hussein, being ever the diplomat, started the
conversation.

“
My friend, I must say your
Yacht is absolutely incredible! Madam Nara has made us most
welcome,” he said warmly with a nod of his head towards her, aware
of her standing in his friend’s life whilst Wasir lustfully eyed
her up just as Nara had said he had done earlier.

When his partner in his cargo business from
Turkmenistan had told him that Litchfield had one of the most
famous and beautiful women from his country as a concubine he had
incorrectly assumed she would be offered to him as part of his
hospitality. However it wasn’t until she greeted them formally with
a slight bow did he realize just how beautiful she was, so much so
he quickly had lost interest in the two blonde companions who had
accompanied him.

“
If her body were as
beautiful as her face then I am really going enjoy her!” he had
thought to himself at the time.

“
What a treasure!” He said
in Somali, eyes roaming all over her as Hussein introduced them
enjoying the sight of her as she nervously nodded her head in
respect towards them, an action he had automatically incorrectly
assumed was because of his power and status at the time. Only to
have his rising expectation ruined within an hour when having
joined her in the lounge area of Litchfield’s a great boat for
drinks while they waited for him to arrive.

Catching sight of a picture of her on the
table beside the sofa of her looking lovingly up at Litchfield in
his arms with a beautiful little girl who was obviously their
daughter in front of them, he picked it up. As he did so he
ruefully thought, “My friend is wrong!” in reference to his Turkmen
partner. “She isn’t his whore, she is his woman!” shaking his head
knowing his chance to take her would not be offered. He silently
murmured, “That will cost you, Litchfield! Tempting me with such a
vision!” he told himself as he put down the image in disgust
referring to the upcoming negotiation to be held later as one of
the yacht’s staff provided him with a Blue Label on the rocks.

Picking up his look of lust across the table,
a look Nara had seen before from many men over the years, she took
Thomas’s hand in comfort. She knew killers, and she felt this man
was one. It scared her.

“
Thank you Hussein, I am
indeed truly blessed,” Thomas replied in response to the advisor’s
toast as he lifted her hand to his mouth to signal towards the
peasant masquerading as a Minister at his side that she was indeed
his lady and not for his pleasure. Something Wasir resentfully
acknowledged also by the raising his glass if somewhat
reluctantly.

Toast over and determined to punish
Litchfield in their negotiations and the whores like dogs later, in
frustration he ordered another drink. With various courses coming
and going the conversation crossed many subjects from the history
of Adwalland to the politics of the region. With the dessert course
to arrive and been treated to the sight of Wasir getting drunker
with each course and now past the point of just mentally undressing
Nara with his blatantly leering looks and sensing she was becoming
more and more uncomfortable, Thomas gave her the signal that it
would be all right to escape. Picking up on it instantly, Nara’s
relieved eyes said thank you to him.

Then not wasting a further moment she
immediately suggested to his bored companions that they retire to
the ready room on the main deck and leave the men to their
business.

20

Borama

Sitting with the President a month ago,
sharing a sweet, bitter coffee, the staple drink of East Africa,
and pleasantries out of the way the conversation was nervously
opened by the worried man.

“
My friend, I have a problem
with Wasir!” Omar had said before launching into a diatribe about
the man and his constant undermining of his position. He is the
richest man in Adwalland! I have nothing!” he had continued
emotions boiling over, waving his hands in the process.

“
You have me, Omar,” Thomas
had countered evenly to his dramatics. “And the word of the
President of Russia,” he had continued in reference to the Russian
Government offering technical support to his Army and Police forces
which would be borne out of the Militia disbandment.

“
Yes I know, but as you know
he is using his money to gain loyalty within the new Army and
Police forces,” the President had countered. “And the support of
Russia still needs to be approved by the leaders!” he then had
added in reference to the tribal leaders of the land that he had to
adhere to.

Thomas had looked at him as he talked and
could tell the President was a man under pressure and reflected
that had having fought for so long for the birth of their nation he
now faced the added problem of having an ex-pirate erode away at
his power base with the tribes as an intended power grab.

“
What would you like me to
do, my friend?” Thomas had asked to help, knowing it was almost
certainly going to involve a payoff.

The man didn’t need to be asked twice.

“
Please, my friend, reach a
deal with him over the provision of security to your drilling
teams,” the President had said.

Thomas nodded his head. He had taken out one
of his Cuban Robustos from his cigar case and he offered one to the
President. He knew he needed to give the President time to deal
with the tribal elders while he waited for the first deployment of
support by Russia, something that he had understood would happen
over the next six months from the man who had also accompanied him
as part the investment delegation from Russia on the trip and would
eventually become the Ambassador to the country. As his African
friend had taken the cigar, Thomas gave him the answer he knew he
needed to hear.

“
I will ask Hussein to
organize that he comes to France as my guest in a
month.”

“
So long?” the President had
questioned.

“
There’s much I need to
cover up to make sure my partners are happy,” Thomas had replied,
something that was only a half-truth, but he wasn’t going to tell
his friend. He needed to make sure that TLH’s bases were covered
politically.

The worry written on the President’s face had
told Thomas he felt it was too long. He had moved to put him at
ease.

“
Don’t worry, Omar, we will
find a suitable solution,” he had said as he offered his gas
lighter to the President.

“
Thank you, my friend,” a
very relieved President had acknowledged.

21

Cote d’Azur

With the ladies departed, Hussein and Thomas,
who had both risen as a sign of respect towards the women, sat back
down with the drunk Wasir who hadn’t bothered to get up.

Nervously, the President’s Advisor moved the
discussion towards the reason for the weekend.

“
My friend,” Hussein said,
licking his lips nervously. “The Minister has a request that I have
been charged with to discuss with you in regard to the security
measures that need to be put into place for your drilling teams,”
he somewhat long-windedly offered on behalf of Wasir.

Thomas nodded his approval for Hussein to
continue. Drunk, frustrated, and without the patience for a
diplomatic approach, Wasir took over the meeting and went straight
to the point.

“
I need ten percent of all
the revenues from your wells, one million U.S. dollars for my
employees who will be selected to protect your interests and
another one million for my expenses!”

As he listened to his statement, Thomas saw
Hussein bulk at the figures. He agreed with him—two million U.S.
dollars was a huge sum for security personnel in anybody’s
language, but it was the ten percent added element, giving him at
least fifty million U.S. dollars per year out of the ground once it
was operational, that had made his statement outrageous.

“
Over fifty million a year
for security is rather steep,” Thomas responded coolly as he
actually thought, “Greedy bastard!”

“
You can afford it my
friend,” Wasir responded with a toothy smile waving his hands
around as a gesture toward his surroundings.

“
Normally a security
provider from the government receives a flat fee, not added
incentives, as that goes to the Natural Resources Ministry,” Thomas
countered ignoring the rude hand gestures as to his
wealth.

“
We are a poor country who
needs the support of our wealthy friends,” Wasir said dismissing
Thomas’s reply, determined not to budge.

“
Do you have a suitable
figure in mind Thomas?” Hussain asked respectfully to at least
start a negotiation he knew his President needed to
succeed.

“
I have no problem with the
two million just not the percentage of revenues,” Thomas said
firmly.

“
No percentage no deal!” the
pirate said as he took yet another sip of his Blue Label that had
been continually topped up through dinner.

“
You are not authorized to
speak on behalf of the President with that respect,” Thomas replied
with a piercing stare. It was a look that instantly made Hussein
shift in his chair nervously as the two men fixed on each
other.

“
Maybe it would better if we
finished our discussions tomorrow?” Hussain offered. With neither
man backing down nor was Wasir unlikely to be sensible due to his
alcohol fuelled state of mind, it would be a good time to call it
night. His statement brought an instant change in focus from the
Minister he ranted at his advisor in Somali.