Dangerous Liaisons

Twisted

"Angela?  What is it?" he murmured groggily into the phone, did this woman NEVER sleep?  The phone had rung at 5am the following morning, they had docked during the night and both Guillaume and Pierre were asleep.  Fortunately, Jonathan slept with his phone under his pillow on vibrate to act as a silent alarm, so when it rang, he was disturbed but no-one else.

He stumbled on deck in the morning haze and sat stretching and absentmindedly scratching his head as he spoke.  The marina, although not the main port - that was far too big for a boat their size - was still busy even at this time.  As he waited for her reply, his eye was caught by a large yacht moored a couple of berths away.  The crew were washing her down and one of them looked over and saw him.  They waved in a friendly fashion and inwardly Jonathan swore.  So much for unobtrusive.  Nevertheless he waved back and moved round the wheelhouse out of sight and leaned sleepily against the rail watching the sunrise.

"Good morning to you two Mr Pine!" she said sarcastically and Jonathan smiled to himself.

"Sorry, morning,  What it is?"  there was a slight pause and he could imagine Angela rolling her eyes and continuing.

"Bad news I'm afraid" she said, in her usual cut to the chase style.  Dear God, was there any other kind these days he wondered? "Roper is out"

"What the hell?" Jonathan was suddenly wide awake and standing straight, all his senses on alert. "I thought he was in bloody Belmarsh.. you said..." he hissed loudly, trying to control the sudden anger welling up.

"I KNOW what I said" she replied testily, "It's not MY fault he's got lawyers good enough to get Judas Iscariot a bloody pardon." she paused then went on, less defensively, "He got out pending an appeal.  Supposedly surrendered his passport and all that shite but you and I both know that's just a technicality to him.  He's probably in Spain as we speak.  Oh and another thing..."

"Oh Jesus Angela, you don't do things by half do you? What now?" he covered his eyes with his hand, squeezing the beginnings of a headache out his temples as he held his breath,

"Price is dead."

"Don't tell me, he was out too." the words and the breath rushed out in an exasperated sigh.

"Yup."

"Fucking hell, can you lot not keep ANYONE in jail?" he was more afraid than he wanted to let on.  Roper out and Price dead meant only one thing.  He needed to get to Kate before she joined the list of "oh dear how sad never mind" in Roper's world. 

"Listen Jonathan, don't get arsy with me, I'm doing my best to keep you out the shit as it is.  You were supposed to be in Budapest tomorrow, as you well know, God knows that will go to hell in a handcart without you.  Those two women agents are so busy fighting each other... anyway enough of that... " her tone was defensive and warning at the same time. "Just be bloody careful ok?  Let me know when you land in Mallorca.  I'll update you then unless I hear anything urgent in the meantime. Find her Jonathan, find her and get her out.  Forget what I told you about justice.  It doesn't bloody exist.  Do what you have to in order to get her out.  Whatever you have to.  Do I make myself clear?" she paused and he smiled as he looked out to sea.

"Crystal." he said, then before hanging up he added "thanks.  For everything.  You know.." he hung up before she could say anything else.

Turning back to go below deck, he came face to face with Guillaume.  The taller man smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "So, I am coming to Spain with you then yes?  You seem to be having a little trouble with the bad guys.  Perhaps it's time we talked properly you and I."

Jonathan nodded and sighed "Yes. I don't suppose I can persuade you to go home to Jeanne and the little one and just milk the cows can I?" he smiled and looked at him through one eye, the other scrunched in a kind of "oops" wince.

"Not a chance.  Now let's walk."  The two men got off the boat and walked through the marina to a small cafe at the far end.  It was open early, mainly for crew breakfasts, but the two men ordered coffee and croissants and sat watching the day begin around them.

"So, where do I begin?" Pine looked at his friend.  "How much do you WANT to know? The more you do, the greater the risk, you know that?" 

"Everything" was the terse reply "Everything."

An hour and three coffees later they were on the same page.  At least, Jonathan hoped so. Guillaume hadn't spoken for about fifteen minutes, just toyed with the last dregs of his coffee, swirling the tiny grounds in the white china.

"It's suicide, you know that mon ami?" eventually he spoke, looking at Jonathan with a pained expression.  "Roper is going to do everything in his power to make you pay.  You'll be lucky if she's alive five minutes after he knows you're there." he put the cup down. "But..." he paused and Jonathan looked at him.

"But?"

"If I know you Jonathan, you're a cat - you have nine lives.  You'll get out.  If she's alive you'll get her out too. Me though?  I'm not such a man." he shrugged. "But a debt is a debt" he shrugged in true Gallic fashion.  "We all go sometime!  Hell, the old man in the next village died falling into his own slurry pit.  Now THAT my friend, is a SHIT way to go!" 

For a second they looked at each other, then exploded into laughter. 

"Guillaume, you are like no-one else I know.  I trust you with my life, but I cannot take yours my friend.  I could never justify to Jeanne why you didn't come home to her and..." 

"My son?" Guillaume added with a wink. "she thinks I don't know but I do.  No Jonathan, you couldn't but I already have.  She knew when I left I may not come back.  It was always this way.  She is a strong woman, and I will have a strong son.  Why else would I do this?  I need to protect him - and the world - from people like Roper." he swigged the coffee dregs, wincing at the bitter taste. "And anyway, it will be fun!  I haven't shot a bad guy in far too long." 

Guillaume stood and looked at Jonathan who stood and the two men hugged.

"Well, I'm not dead yet" he added, "who knows, maybe I'll stay alive long enough to snore you home too."

Jonathan laughed as they walked back to the boat "You snore like that again and I'll shoot you myself!"