Not Gonna Die // Mitch Rapp

07

As they drove, Stan showed them a file and said, "Hamdi Sharif, a real-estate mogul/arms dealer. He's like Santa Clause for terrorists."

"Scumbag," Mitch muttered.

"Spare me your junior-year-abroad moral opinion, would you, Rapp?"

"Not really an opinion, sir. Sharif's a piece of shit."

"This mission is practical. Don't make it..."

"Personal?"

"Exactly."

"Yes, sir."

Stan turned to the other trainee. "Victor, you're with me. Rapp, you, King, and Annika are eyes on."

"Sharif has a routine," Annika said.

"Let's see if anything breaks his pattern," Heidi finished.

"Got it?" Stan asked.

"Yes, sir," Mitch returned.

"All right, we got 48 hours. Quick, clean. No footprint. This town's ready to blow as it is."

Mitch pulled Heidi to the side, instantly embracing her as he said in a shaky voice, "I didn't think I'd see you again. How the hell did you make it out?"

Heidi glanced up. "My fight or flight kicked in and I got myself out. Mitch, I tried calling you, but the call didn't go through. You must have moved. I tried as hard as I could, but I couldn't find you. It was like you fell off the face of the earth. I thought you forgot about me."

He stroked her cheeks. "Heidz, I never forgot about you."

"Did you move on?"

"How could I move on? You were, are, the love of my life, Heidi. If I couldn't grow old with you, I didn't want to grow old with anyone."

Their fingers intertwined and Heidi kissed him gently. "They didn't take the ring for a reason unbeknownst to me."

Mitch tucked her hair back. "And it still looks as beautiful as ever." He kissed her again, then pulled away and hugged her once again. "I missed you so fucking much."

"I missed you too. I love you, Mitch."

"I love you too, baby."

They made their way to a cafe and sat across the street from a building.

Something going on across the street caught Mitch's eye. He got up and Annika asked, "Where the hell are you going?"

Mitch made his way towards the man, followed by Heidi, who took his hand. In Turkish, Mitch said, "Excuse me."

---

Back at the place they would be staying, Mitch was listening to voiceovers and Stan said, "I took the initiative, sir."

"He could've been made."

"He wasn't, thankfully," Heidi said, glancing at Mitch.

Mitch took her hand and squeezed it gently as he read the information. "Here we go. 11:00 a.m. tomorrow. A meeting at a restaurant on Akbiyik Street. That's right before Sharif goes to see his mistress."

"That breaks his pattern," Stan commented.

"I'll tell you what breaks his pattern." Victor stated cutting in. "When that fucking assistant tells his boss he lost his goddamn phone."

"He won't," Heidi replied. "Too scared."

"He's too afraid of Sharif to let him know he screwed up," Annika explained.

"All right. We go tomorrow," Stan told the trio.

"What's the mission, sir?" Mitch questioned.

"Eliminate the target. Eliminate the recipient. Obtain the package."

"And what's the package?"

Heidi shrugged, glancing at Mitch. "We're not sure. We'll know when we see it."

Stan turned to Victor. "You're lead." He looked at Mitch. "You're backup."

"We will watch from across the street," Annika said. "You and Heidi get to play lovers."

Mitch nodded. Playing lovers with the girl he loved would be his easiest task this mission.