Cat and Mouse

We do whatever we enjoy doing. Whether it happens to be judged good or evil is a matter for others to decide.

The words resonated his will as he closed the book he held in his hand.

James stared into the unordinary calm water of the lake and equally soft winds which made the loose palm leaves to leave its parent. Footsteps slowly became clear resonating with the tranquillity of the atmosphere, and he moved the book that was kept on the seat beside him.

‘It’s become chaotic in a sense.’ Senator Mark said as he sat down beside James.

‘All for America.’

‘What is your plan from now.’ Mark asked while James produced two beer bottles.

‘A favor perhaps.’ James said as he presented one bottle to Mark.

‘You think he didn’t give your name?’

‘I think he did. But the only one who knows the name is that reporter.’ James took a sip.

‘So, you think they are purposefully holding back your name?’

‘I’ve got information that she was outed from her company.’

Mark crossed his legs.

‘What is that got to do with this situation.’

‘The company outed her after she got into an altercation with that money headed fool.’

‘You think she did this to take revenge on him?’

‘No there was no need for revenge. The evidence against him was solid. The court proceeding would have been a cakewalk. But she was there at the meeting and she set up the decoy.’

‘She saved Oliver?!’ Mark asked.

‘Presumably, but for a cost.’

‘And that would be the list of the names.’ Mark iterated.

‘A woman with passion and nowhere to manifest would find a place to manifest that.’

‘But she couldn’t have taken another job. You would have known.’

‘Yes. That’s where this guy comes in.’ He handed a bunch of papers to Mark.

‘Ex-CIA’ he continued.

‘And extremely good at what he did. He was a special recruit and brought in for the extra edge he gave to the CIA.’

‘He single-handedly brought down the Ice Corporation and made sure that it never saw the light again.’

‘He was the reason almost half of the Senators were under watch and a few of them went down early May this year?!’

James nodded.

‘As a result, the stock market hit an all-time low and the outsourcing went up. The value of dollar fell by a significant amount.’

Mark bit his lip.

‘To think that I lost about 3 mils to this single guy is unbelievable.’

He sighed.

‘He was the guy with that reporter in the meeting.’

Mark tensed up a bit.

‘If this guy is on your tail, then you need to be really careful.’

‘Didn’t I tell you?’

‘This guy is Ex-CIA. But that operation was definitely ordered within the CIA. Its not possible for civilians to work with that level of clearance and setup.’

‘So, an internal investigation within the CIA should stop his reach to his ridiculous and risky moves altogether.’

‘And?’ Mark asked.

‘It will send him a clear message that I’m onto him.’

‘Coming to the present situation. I will be going discreet for a few days – specifically until my name gets out onto the news. Only then will I be leaving to meet him.’

Mark looked at him confused.

‘Don’t you think you should warn him?’

‘I should and I will but indirectly.’

‘You know he doesn’t like indirect visit right.’

‘I know. But me going there to meet him would be the exact thing they are waiting for. Why do you think they did not release my name yet?’

‘Who are they going to release it to? Most of the news channel are under our own watch.’

‘That is something the reported is aware of… Lily if I’m not wrong. She knows the industry inside out. A person who rebels knows more than the loyal lapdogs.’

‘They are not going to release it to any news channel that would be waste. Like I said she is a rebel, and they taste victory more than strength. I believe she is going to go release it independently.’

‘You mean like a whistleblower?’

‘That’s where you come in… I want you to find out exactly how do they plan to release the news.’

‘The favor.’ Mark smiled.

‘You owe me one.’ James put down his beer.

‘No. We owe America this much.’

‘I don’t know about you. But that person you are associating with is not exactly a fan of America.’

‘No but he feels passionately for one thing and one thing only. Money and I made sure to dangle it in front of him enough to make him drool. He will follow us like a hound.’

Mark seemed slightly wary as he got up.

‘So then. I will not see you for a while I guess.’

‘No. Things will go on the same. Because when my name comes out, I will be a hero.’

Mark was surprised. He had been his accomplice and friend since ages, but his true potential as a leader was visible.

No leader was the wrong word. To be precise he was a manipulator and an extremely good one at that.

I’m sure that Ethan guy is the same. The only people who can read people like these are the ones that are able to make the world a chess board.

Mark smiled as he walked back to his Lincoln.

This is going to get interesting.

***

Ethan stared at his computer screen while Lily finished her daily training routine.

Strange. Ethan thought as he took a sip of coffee and stared at the final transaction to American Air. A round trip ticket to New Jersey. Ethan was well aware that he went to meet Senator Mark but that was not what he was anticipating.

‘What is going on?’ Lily asked as she came back inside finishing her final run sweating profusely.

Ethan looked up and saw a Lily in her jogging outfit. A sweat drenched lavender sports top and a skin-tight legging.

Sweat. Ethan muttered under his breath, the frown never leaving his forehead. Lily picked that up and automatically took two steps back.

‘What are you some kind of pervert?’

A smile crossed Ethan’s mind.

‘Thank you, Lily.’ He said and a look of shock crossed her face.

He looked up and smiled, enjoying the misunderstanding.

‘I know why there is no second plane ticket or maybe a train ticket. He wants me to make the move. He wants me to be nervous. To be sweating, to falter.’

‘What?’ Lily asked not understanding a word he said.

‘You remember that I did not release his name at purpose for the media right?’

‘What would you have done if you were him?’

Lily thought for a moment.

‘I would think Oliver wants me to save him from jailtime, but I wouldn’t bother. His name list at the moment carries a weight. There is less credibility if it comes out later moreover it gives me time to get rid of evidence leading it to me. Rather I would see to my best interest to what I want to protect while making myself safe from accusations.’

Slowly she grasped onto the situation.

‘If there is no name. Then no one is looking into me. And the most important thing to me is that client. I would ask him to go discreet. Of course any conventional form of messaging would be out of question. I would personally meet him.’

‘Hence the flight tickets.’ Ethan said to her.

‘Why only flight tickets. There are other methods to reach him. A car ride perhaps.’

‘No, this client is not from the US and definitely not from around Washington to make it a car ride.’

‘How do you know that?’

Ethan was slightly reluctant to answer which she caught immediately and steeled her gaze at him.

He sighed.

‘This client is rich and has influence… and is interested in weird and highly illegal hobbies. But no matter how much he wouldn’t be doing these activities anywhere near he lived. That’s a lot of risk and tons of evidence to be caught. Which means losing money.’

‘Rich people hate two things the most. One is losing money and the second is to not attain what they can’t.’

Lily looked at him and instantly understood.

‘His client was unlikely to be near here. And likely to be from the Eastern part of Asia considering his ‘preferences’.’ She cringed.

‘And there has been a number of flight tickets in the past booked in James’ name to China.’

‘It further asserts the above speculations. Chinese government are notorious watchers. Even more so than the US government. They don’t let go unless they see a benefit.’ Lily said.

‘If he has been this cautious of his image there. Then either he is too cautious for his own good or…’ Ethan let it hang in the air.

Lily’s eyes widened.

‘There is some bad blood between him and the government. The government needs an excuse to put him away, and he doesn’t want to give one.’

‘But the scenario is not entirely confirmed, is it? It is all speculation.’

‘Yes, but it is a well thought out speculation.’ Ethan iterated.

‘So, what are you going to do?’

‘“We” are going to bluff.’ He said while he booked three tickets to Shanghai.

‘We’re going to China?’ Lily asked to which Ethan nodded.

‘Go pack. I need to get a word with Kawahara and Liam.’

***

Julia sat back at the posh bed while waiting for James to return. More than that she was curious.

There had been many instances where he had travelled under his own name and alone. But this was the first time he took her along with him and from her sources she knew that it was Senator Mark that he was meeting now.

She has never pried into James’ relationships but somewhere in the back of her mind she knew the situation was tense and the one thing she wanted now more than ever was to protect James.

There was a light knock on the door to which she jumped. It took a while for her to get herself ready and walk to the door as soon as she opened the door, a hand rushed out to her nose and pressed the soaking cloth to her nose.

The strong acetic smell slowly saturated into her mind before the consciousness slipped. All she had time was to clutch the muscular smooth arm that had been holding the cloth to her mouth.

It was about ten minutes later that James returned and saw her door ajar and realized she had been taken.

James felt the tension rising and the sweat slowly creeping up on his forehead.

The uncertainty of the situation was ‘who?’.

The certainty of the situation was ‘trouble’ and a deep one this time around.

He fumbled for his phone and dropped it thrice while his Tourette’s started acting up.

‘Hey Mark.’ He said with a shaky voice as the Senator answered.

‘Someone is looking for him.’ he gulped

‘That reporter?’ Mark asked.

‘I don’t think so.’

There was a long silence on the other side after which a crashing sound followed.

‘What happened?’

‘Julia was taken. She doesn’t know anything. It would have been fine if I was alone to handle this.’

‘That Ethan guy huh?’ the other end iterated.

‘Yes.’ He said breathless.

‘I’ll take care of him. You do what you do best.’ Mark assured as he hanged up the phone.

James didn’t go back to his room. Instead, he walked to the lobby and checked out both him and Julia. The clerk was puzzled as to why the Senator was in such a hurry.

‘Did the girl that came with me go out through here?’

‘No sir.’ The desk person said confused.

‘Is something wrong sir?’

‘No. Nothing.’ James said absently as he rushed to his car then changed his mind.

‘Can you call a cab for me please?’

‘Yes sir. But if you wish we can get the Hotel car arranged for you sir.’

‘No, a cab will do fine.’ He said as he walked to the waiting room and sat down with a thump and closed his eyes trying to think.

I can’t risk the hotel service or my car… They have too much information. Julia fine, but me being captured would turn eyes. I can’t afford it and they full well know it too.

The first thing I need to do…His phone beeped.

He took it out of his breast pocket and the first thing he saw confirmed his worst nightmare.

Julia tied to a chair and a gun at the temple of her head with only one message following the picture – ‘Proof 1 am Ronald Regan Washington Airport.’.

The only thing they wanted was the exact thing he swore never to keep.