Act of Treason

“Remember, slow down,” Rapp said. “Let me out right here.” Rapp was ready to go. Before the car came to a complete stop he had the door opened and he was out. He slammed the door closed behind him and darted between two parked cars and up onto the sidewalk. Rapp was wearing a black leather jacket with the collar turned up, a pair of dark jeans, and heavy-soled black lace-up shoes. Turning left, he started down the sidewalk toward the front door of the club. Rapp watched Hacket drive off with the BMW right behind him. The patrons were now lined up against the building on his right. He was going to have to adjust his pace to time it perfectly. Hacket approached the intersection and turned right, stopping immediately.

The BMW pulled up to the valet and Speyer got out. He took the ticket and walked around the trunk just as Rapp expected. Rapp sped up. There was no way a guy like Speyer was going to wait in line with the others. Again Rapp was right. Speyer stepped onto the curb and was heading straight for the door. His attention was on his valet ticket, which he was trying to slide into his wallet.

Rapp met him midway between the curb and door. He reached out with his left hand, grabbing the banker by the right elbow. “Joseph,” Rapp said loud enough for the bouncers to hear. “It has been a long time.” Rapp kept moving, taking a startled Speyer with him. In a much quieter voice Rapp said, “You’re lucky my boss wants you alive, because I’d just as soon kill you right here, right now.”

Speyer looked at the strange man with shock in his eyes. He tried to pull away but the man’s grip was simply too tight. “What?” His words were cut short by a stabbing sensation in his side.

“Don’t put up a fight and don’t raise your voice. Look at my right hand.” Rapp held his knife out in front of him so the banker could see it. The tip of it was crimson with blood. “If you don’t do exactly as I say I’ll slit your throat and leave you to die right here. I know what you and Cy Green have been up to.” Rapp saw a flicker of worry in the man’s eyes. “That’s right, I’m an American. If you cooperate, you’ll make it through this fine, which is more than I can say for your friend Green. Let’s go.” Rapp started toward the waiting Mercedes.

“Who are you?”

Rapp kept walking. “I’m the guy who’s going to solve all your problems.”

They reached the Mercedes and Rapp opened the rear passenger door. Instead of getting in, Speyer ’s eyes darted back in the direction of the club. Rapp smiled and said, “Tell me you don’t regret getting into business with Green, and I’ll let you go. I’ll go kill the fucking piece of shit myself, and then I’ll tell President Alexander that you helped facilitate the murder of his wife and eighteen other Americans.” Rapp looked past the glasses, into the banker’s eyes. He could see the man ru

“What do I get out of it?”

Rapp smiled and said, “You get to live.”

53

Rapp sat sideways with his left leg up on the seat. He’d already frisked the banker. All he found was a wallet and phone. He took both and dropped them onto the front passenger seat. He’d switched the knife from his right hand to his left and pointed the tip at Speyer ’s face.

“Why should I believe a word that comes out of your mouth?”

The banker gave him an analytical look and said, “You shouldn’t.”

“That’s right.”

“But you were correct when you noted that my life would be much easier if Cy Green were out of it.”

Rapp had picked up on Speyer ’s tone during di

“So tell me again about the security.” Rapp turned and looked down the block at Green’s building.

“I already told you three times.”

“Tell me again.” Rapp wanted to make sure Speyer wasn’t leaving anything out.

“The lobby has bulletproof glass. The doorman is not on at this hour, so we call the penthouse, they buzz us in and send the elevator down.”

“And once we get to the fourth floor?”

“The door opens and one of the bodyguards is waiting for us. Sometimes two.”

“And they run a metal detector over you?”

“Yes.”

“What about the butler?”

“Sometimes he’s there. Sometimes he isn’t. It usually depends how late it is.”

Rapp didn’t like the idea of killing the butler. “I thought you said he lives there.”

“I mean there when you get off the elevator.”

“Even at midnight?”

“Working for Cy Green is a twenty-four-hour job.” Speyer pushed his glasses up on his nose.

Through Rapp’s earpiece he heard Coleman say, “They just dropped Garret off at his hotel and are en route.”

Rapp passed the information onto Speyer, who began wringing his hands nervously. “That’s not going to work.”

“What?”

“You getting all nervous. You need to stay calm.”

“How can you honestly expect me to stay calm?”

“Just relax and think about how nice your life is going to be without Green and this Belarusian pig in it.”

“Yes, but how do I know you won’t shoot me in the back?”

Rapp smiled and checked his watch. It was 11:56. At least these guys were punctual. Speyer had given them the name of Green’s favorite escort service. Rapp called the service and told them Mr. Green wanted to let them know he was ru

“Joseph, I know a good opportunity when I see one.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you go in there and do exactly as I say, I’m not going to shoot you. You’re going to get up in the morning and go to work. You’ll get to keep your house in the mountains and your flat in Paris. The only thing that’s going to change is that you’ll be rid of these two assholes.”

“I don’t get it. What are you going to get out of this?”

Rapp smiled. “You are going to start spying for the CIA.”

“I can’t!” The look on Speyer ’s face was one of shocked indignation.

“Yes, you can, and you will, or I’ll have that little talk with President Alexander about your role in the death of his wife and then the bank, the mountain house, the flat in Paris…they all go away. And then he’ll send me back over here to kill you.” Rapp shook his head. “Trust me. Take option A. The other way will be no fun at all.”

Speyer tilted his head back and took in a nervous breath. “I can do this.”

“You’re damn right you can,” Rapp said, happy that Speyer was finally seeing things his way. “All you have to do is stay calm and let me take care of the rest.”

The Hummer came rolling down the narrow street, towering over the smaller European-made cars. It stopped in front of Green’s building, and one sumo-sized bodyguard got out. Rapp smiled to himself. The big ones were great for show and good for deterrence, but they moved too slowly to be effective against a well-trained attacker. Green and Gordievsky got out next and then another of the giants stepped down from the truck. All four men continued into the building and the truck drove away to find a parking space, Rapp presumed. Coleman would follow the man and take him out when the time was right. Rapp looked down at his watch just as it struck midnight.

Looking at Speyer he said, “Let’s go.”

Both men got out of the car. Rapp slid his knife into the right outside pocket of his leather jacket and transferred his silenced Glock to the left pocket. He walked around the front of the car and joined Speyer as they crossed the street. They continued down the sidewalk to the front door of the building. Speyer adjusted his glasses and reached out for the buzzer.