Nish returned from the complimentary bar in the Turkish Airlines’ business class lounge with two glasses of lager and sat down at the table. ‘So what did Mikhail say in the rose garden? I assume you weren’t discussing horticultural matters.’
‘Something big is going down.’
‘No shit.’
‘No, I mean big-big. Even Mikhail doesn’t know.’
‘So it wasn’t Radic?’
‘He’s involved. They want him back so he’s got his grubby little Serb mittens in the pot somewhere, but it seems Zara’s involvement is their principal concern. We’ve been warned off.’
‘Have we now? And are we warned off?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I think you do. Otherwise you wouldn’t be booking an aquatic adventure at the home of the Black Sea Fleet.’
‘Maybe I want to go fishing.’
‘Must be a big fish.’
‘We’ve been given a choice. To make things right.’
‘Which involves...?’
‘Getting Radic back. Leaving Zara to sleep in the bed she’s made.’
‘The first isn’t happening. You know how long I spent pursuing him. I’m certainly not about to get him off the hook having put him on it.’
‘Which makes the choice somewhat academic.’ Nish smiled to himself and shook his head. ‘Something amusing?’
‘I give you all that shit about not going after Zara for the greater good, and now it seems you’ve got me over the same barrel. I don’t know how you do it you Machiavellian bastard.’
‘I didn’t deal the cards, I just play them.’
‘So who has the nut flush?’
Alex shrugged. ‘Right now I think everyone is mostly winging it on off-suit flyers. So if we’re not letting Radic go...’
‘Then we’re pot committed. All-in on getting Zara back. Maybe she’s got a ace or two up her sleeve.’
‘I wouldn’t doubt it. But I don’t like getting into a situation with no exit clause without knowing exactly how deep the rabbit hole goes.’
‘Sometimes you just have to go on instinct Alex. What does your instinct tell you?’
‘That we’re out of our depth. We’re about to get royally fucked from several directions at once. By the time we find out then it’ll be too late.’
‘We’ll do what we do, think on our feet. More pressing matters, how we are going to deal with Uncle Fruitcake?’
‘How we always deal with him. Flatter his ego, mind you; all those fucking conspiracy theories might actually have some substance. Maybe we should pay some attention to him this time and not just nod for effect. He might have some useful intel. But as you say, more pressing matters. You going to support this expedition on The Company vote?’
‘We’re not letting Radic out. If we’re getting hung for that, we might as well have a fucking party while we’re at it. Aye, I’ll support the vote.’