Egress Point

Chapter 14

It turned out that Jenny was a medical student. She was in the middle of her final exams, which is why she was stuck in London. But that didn't mean she couldn't be helpful. Arebecca explained that they needed somewhere to stay, and Jenny said she'd be able to book or pay for anything as long as you could do it online or over the phone. Last time she was in Paris, Arebecca had stayed at Le Bristol hotel, and said it was nice. But it wouldn't be cheap.

"That's not a problem," Jenny replied. "And I can book travel to Berlin too."

"We're using stolen passports, and probably shouldn't travel through an airport."

"Give me the names you're using and I'll think about how to get you to Berlin."

Arebecca read out the names and Jenny said that the booking at Le Bristol would be under Sara Martin -- Arebecca's alias. She gave them a mobile number they could call her on and finished by saying that she'd call them again in two hours at the hotel.

"What was Nick working on?" Arebecca asked. "Not just a security audit?"

"It was something big. Bancaire Nationale was a conduit of some valuable data which is going to be stolen by a group of Russian hackers."

"Re-cut Gruppa?"

"Yes. But that's not the bad part. They were stealing the data to give to another man called Vadik, a Russian gangster who is seriously bad. Nick was trying to make sure that he didn't get the data, and also seeing if we could find a way into some of the Vadik's other activities."

"And you're a medical student?"

"Yes, well, once I've got through these exams I'll be a proper doctor. Nick and Patey have spent a long time trying to catch Vadik. In fact Em knows him, or of him, he supplied the EMP weapons that we ran into last year. Anyway, he's bad news and should be avoided at all costs. I hope that Nick and Patey haven't run into him."

"Me too. Thanks for your help."

"No problem, I'll call you in a couple of hours."

Jenny hung up and Arebecca relayed the information to Em.

"Vadik?" Em said. "They never told me his name, but if Jenny says he's bad, then he's probably not very nice."

A few streets over from the Bancaire Nationale building there was a Metro station. They got off at the Franklin D Roosevelt stop on the Champs-Elysee. It was ten o'clock and still warm and busy with tourists.

"Which way is the Bristol?" Em asked.

"This way." Arebecca led them north along a tree-lined avenue. "It's not far."

Le Bristol Hotel was impressive and expensive in equal measure. Lots of polished dark wood and gold edging and marble. Two doormen welcomed them and offered to carry their rucksacks. They both declined, Em with a very British 'sorry', and Arebecca by just ignoring them and walking straight to check in.

"We stand out a little here," Em said. Most of the other guests were in smart suits and good-looking dresses.

"Don't worry about that. These places run on money. If Jenny has made the booking then we'll be fine."

A young female receptionist looked up. Arebecca strode forwards.

"I'm staying here tonight, with my friend. Our bags did not make it unfortunately. We are tired and would like to not be disturbed." She spoke in French. Arrogant, entitled, and perhaps a little sulky too.

"Your name please," the receptionist said.

Arebecca huffed. Another arrogant, sulky noise that was accompanied by a rolling of the eyes and a head thrown back. She pulled out the Spanish passport and threw it down on the desk.

The receptionist opened it and keyed the name into the system.

"Thank you, miss Martin. I see you're in the Panoramic Suite for the next three nights. A good choice. Can I take your credit card for security?"

This time Arebecca let out a long, loud sigh. She looked left and right with her hands in the air and out of the corner of her eye saw Em's cheeks turn red with embarrassment. She concentrated on the task at hand and tried to keep herself from smiling.

"Didn't you hear me?" she shouted at the woman. "I said I was tired and my bags were lost. Either you show me my room, or I'll have the manager book me one at the Oriental! This is the last time I let daddy choose my hotel!"

A door behind the receptionist opened quietly, and an old man drifted out.

"Excuse me," he said, not to Arebecca, but to the receptionist, who simply shrugged and stepped back. Then he turned to Arebecca and smiled. "I'm the duty manager. Can I help?"

"I'm trying to check in, and have been told I need my credit card. My bags were lost on the damn plane, and now I can't get to my room. This is preposterous. My father has paid for the booking, and either you check me in, or I'll call my father to cancel, and we'll stay elsewhere."

The man looked at the screen and back to Arebecca perhaps trying to weigh up whether a 3 night booking at over six thousand euro per night was worth losing.

"There's no need for a credit card. Please allow me to show you to your room, this way please." He picked up a key card and walked around the counter.

Arebecca followed with Em shuffling behind.

"Do you have a driver that will be able to fetch our bags from the airport when they arrive?" Arebecca asked in the lift.

"Certainly, if you give me the flight number and airline I'll see to the bags for you."

Arebecca softened. "Oh thank you. This whole journey has been awful. And I was so looking forward to dinner at Epicure. I shall have to wait until my clothes arrive. I'm in no fit state to eat anything now. I'll phone down with the flight details."

He showed them the door, and disappeared from sight as soon as they were inside. The room as a suite, and it looked like something out of an 18th century french palace. Arebecca strolled through to the living room area, threw her rucksack down on a sofa and stood at the french-windows admiring the view.

"Perhaps we should have stayed somewhere less ostentatious," Em said. "You are a scary customer. I can't believe you shouted at that poor woman."

"When in France!" Arebecca turned and smiled. "You notice she didn't mind at all. They're used to dealing with people like me."

"What if they'd called your bluff?"

"They wouldn't. Not here. Not with this booking. I've traveled a lot, and stayed for long periods in nice hotels. The more you are worth to them, the more you can get away with. Besides, I needed to explain our less-than-demure appearance. Anyone with the money to book a room here wouldn't check in with two small backpacks and no credit card. Let alone this suite."

Em nodded and perched on the edge of a chaise-longues that was probably an antique. Arebecca smiled again, and then jumped onto it with both feet and bounced.

"You need to stop worrying!" she said as she bumped down into a sitting position. "This stuff might look delicate, but this is a hotel. You think the Rolling Stones perched on the edge when they stayed here?"

"The Rolling Stones stayed here?" Em asked looking round.

"I've no idea!" Arebecca laughed. "They might have."

Em giggled and Arebecca snorted with laughter. They explored the suite and chose a bedroom each. Em set up her laptop on a huge polished walnut table and they thought about how to get to Berlin, and where to look for Nick.