Poking his head out Rob could see no lights, but the sound of a continuing gun battle was a constant reminder of their predicament. They crawled out from under the decking and waited in a crouch.
“Okay. Stay low and hold my hands. Let’s go!”
Rob led the way, dragging them by their hands as he started to run across the lawn towards the forest.
Halfway across, the ugly clatter of gunfire revealed that they were not alone, and bullets suddenly whined passed their heads. The boy slipped and fell, terrified at what was happening and nanny screeched involuntarily, concerned for Alvaro. Rob’s stomach churned with the realisation that this could be the end.
3
Laura, meanwhile, was sitting with her three girl friends under an awning waiting for lunch. She was in Cyprus, looking out over the Mediterranean and only partially listening to her friends’ chit chat. Her mind was on Rob.
“Laura,” one of them was saying. “Laura?”
“Huh, oh sorry. What was that?”
“I think you should check-in with your man. Have you looked at the TV over there?”
“No. Why?”
“Read the breaking news banner. There’s a gun battle going on in Mexico and photos of the location look like those your man sent you. If it’s the same place, I will retract my comments that you should have gone with him! I would not want you caught up in that!” Laura’s friends, as with her parents, had no idea what her job was, nor that she had frequently been in deadly peril.
One glance at the TV was enough. Laura immediately sent Rob a text before checking various news websites. All confirmed her worst fears – it was where Rob was staying. Tears started to flow and she dashed off to her room, followed rapidly by her closest friend.
Laura’s emotions were running wild. She cursed at not being with Rob. She cursed internally that she could not tell her friend why, more than ever, she wanted to be with Rob, nor why she desperately wanted to be alone to telephone her boss, Steven Gurning, a senior director and Inspector at MI5 who reported to the Director General, or DG.
She felt dreadful for doing it, but after sobbing for a short time, Laura curled up on her bed and pretended to sleep – a consequence of emotional exhaustion and general tiredness from late night girlie chats and drinking. Once her friend had crept quietly from the room, Laura was up and alert. Still no text from Rob. Oh Lord, if you exist, look after him, she prayed. Laura then flicked on the television to a 24-hour news service and within no time the report was coming through.
“… our reporter in Mexico City has sent this update…”
“Thank you, Andy. A gun battle apparently broke out shortly after midnight, local time, at this well-known luxury resort. There is very little detail at the moment. We expect to learn the full extent of the battle in the next few hours. Early reports suggest that there’s been a massacre of guests and staff. Some were gunned down as they slept, others as they fled towards the surrounding forest. Women and children are included among the dead. The total number of casualties is unknown, but it has been reported that at least one Briton was staying there at the time.
“This resort has been controversial for a number of years, known for its links to organised crime, quite possibly the drug cartels. However, nothing has ever been proven and, with its location, spectacular views and tight security, has become a magnet for the rich and famous. How the security was compromised will be one of the many questions to be answered. With that, back to the studio.”
Tears flowing, Laura clicked the off button. She had no desire to hear from whichever supposed security expert the channel had disturbed to pontificate on what had happened and why. She tried to compose herself to call Gurning, but knew that at the mention of Rob she would collapse into an emotional wreck. A text would have to suffice.
Steven. Have you seen the news from Mexico? I’ve been sending Rob loads of texts but haven’t had a response – I hope I can say ‘yet’. Can we do anything? Laura
Gurning was in the office and replied almost immediately, sending Laura’s heart leaping hoping that it was Rob. Gurning liked Rob and, like Laura, was very concerned for his safety. However, he, along with many colleagues, understood that Laura would feel differently. For a long time, many had been wondering why the two of them were not a couple.
Yes, I have seen the news. Horrific. I have already asked for enquiries to be made and will let you know as soon as I hear anything. Stay where you are with friends. You have a few more days and if you want to extend for whatever reason, I will understand. S
Laura rattled off another quick text to Rob, debating whether to use the ‘L’ word at the end, but decided against it. Now was not the time. She then settled back on the bed, lying on her side and quietly weeping at the uselessness that she felt in just having to wait, unable to do anything.
4
Meanwhile, another deep and concerned conversation was mid-flow. Burak Demir had been woken with the news from one of his many henchmen, Jim Siggerty, who had no idea who Rob Krane was. Instead he was concerned that Henrique Estes had been assassinated, which would massively and adversely impact his supply of drugs. Estes had opened up numerous supply routes into Britain for Siggerty, enabling him to control Liverpool and have influence across London and elsewhere. While Siggerty unloaded his concerns, Demir searched the web to read the news reports.
“So, Jim, what I don’t understand is why you think Henrique could be dead, let alone that he was there in the first place. Reading the reports, there is no mention of any names.”
“I was speaking to him only last night discussing the next shipments. He mentioned they were going there, mainly because he owns it – not directly of course.”
“Ah. So you think that the visit was known and that he was targeted?”
“Precisely.”
“Okay. Look, here’s what I will do. I will make enquiries to see who would take over, whether he is friendly and how we can maintain your business.”
“Thank you, Burak, Much appreciated.”
A few minutes later Demir was speaking to Gurning. Laura, supported by Gurning, had been involved with the extraction of Rob, Demir and Demir’s daughter, Anja, from Slovenia. One of Demir’s henchmen, Emilio Arroz, had murdered Demir’s lover in front of Demir and Anja and then kidnapped them. Rob’s intervention had saved their lives. Through that experience, Demir had come to respect and like Rob, agreeing to hand over his wealth and assist the authorities to dismantle his vast criminal empire. However, as recent experience had demonstrated, Demir wasn’t totally committed to being completely open and cooperative with MI5.
“Morning, Burak. Is this quick? I’m sorry, but an urgent matter has arisen.” Gurning had become guarded when talking to Demir as a result of the man’s recent escapades and didn’t want to mention his concerns for Rob.
“Err, possibly not, but you will want to know. I’ll give you the overview and we can then discuss when convenient.”
“Okay, sounds reasonable.”
“I’ve heard from Siggerty, you will recall he’s one of my men and a large supplier of drugs in the UK. He has genuine reason to believe that one of his primary suppliers, Henrique Estes, was gunned down last night at a hotel resort in Mexico that Estes owned. If that proves to be the case, drug violence could escalate on the streets where Siggerty operates. Much as I now abhor the drugs trade, as you know, I agreed to help out and reestablish some routes for him to prevent a turf war breaking out.”
“While I won’t be sad if Estes has been killed, how can your chap be so certain; no names have been released?”
“Ah, you’ve been following the news. Well, Jim spoke to Estes last night and was informed that he was taking his family to the resort.”
Gurning hesitated for a moment, “Does your chap have contacts there to find out more detail about the massacre? I’m trying to get an early and inside line.”
Demir shrugged in the small room within the secure compound at which he was now incarcerated – a far cry from the luxurious farm from which he had absconded a few months earlier. “Sadly not. Why?”
Gurning hesitated, unsure how much he should share. “Rob was on holiday there and we can’t get hold of him.”
