Crouch was genuinely surprised. He had never heard Beauregard talk this way before. “In terms of?”
“In terms of craziness. I truly believe these rich fools want to blow up the world. Especially their leader. This Webb, if he can’t get what he wants he will go nuclear. And he has the means.”
“The Z-boxes?”
“Yes. And more.”
“Okay, I’ll find a way to pass the information on to Drake. We shall speak soon.”
The line disconnected. Crouch watched Alicia and the others, pretty confident they hadn’t heard any part of the conversation. Nevertheless, it had been imperative. Beauregard Alain was the world’s master assassin. In theory, he could take Kenzie and her entire crew out in one night. The only problem with Beauregard was his penchant for powerful women — the Frenchman just couldn’t help himself.
Crouch wondered if he should explain it all to Alicia. How Beauregard Alain had been a Ninth Division asset all along. How Crouch had recognized early the threat of the upcoming Pythian cabal and ordered him to go dark, to go rogue and get inside. Even Shelly Cohen — revealed later to be Coyote — had not known about Beauregard. Indeed it was she who had invited him to the Last Man Standing tournament and brought him to the attention of the Pythians. A masterstroke.
The rest was history.
Crouch sighed deeply and felt the stirring of an acidic stomach. Telling Alicia wouldn’t be easy. He’d let her sleep. Yeah, that would be best.
Let sleeping Amazonians, um… sleep.
TWENTY TWO
For Alicia, Paris lost much of its allure when she was forced to break into the Louvre. Nothing was ever the same after that, and she constantly wondered if her face remained on somebody’s watch list. That said, if the hunt brought them here then the risk was immaterial. The chase would go on.
After landing they took a taxi into the city, found a café with rows of outside seating and commandeered three of the small round tables. It was late afternoon, the sun sinking but still warm. Droves of people wandered the streets, passing by in constant waves as if herded together by some unseen force. The smells of the city surrounded them, petrol and diesel mixed with strong coffee and garlic. Alicia took one look at the crowds and eyed Crouch.
“I know exactly what you’re thinking and you’re right,” he said.
“Then what are we doing out here?”
Crouch paused as a waitress wearing a smart white shirt and black trousers squeezed by. “They know we’re in Paris. The plane at least would have to file a flight plan. Who knows how many other methods both Riley and Kenzie might employ, but they’re criminals at the top of their game. If they’re not in the city yet they soon will be. We should quickly make a plan, and then go dark.”
Alicia watched the waitress deliver a round of coffees. “Dark?”
“Split up,” Crouch said easily. “It will make us harder to find, easier to hide. I suggest we meet again in two days.”
Alicia took a moment to ponder, staring at the chalkboard menu without really seeing it. Crouch had a point. The trail that led them here was reliable but also relatively thin. Crouch and Caitlyn would have some deep investigations to implement if they were going to uncover more clues. And besides, she’d had her fill of staring at old churches and monuments.
“Sounds good,” she said. “I could do with some alone time.”
Crouch nodded quickly. “We’ll meet up in two days at the Arc du Carrousel. Midday. Don’t be late.”
Alicia finished her drink and walked away before Russo or Healey could suggest anything. The sun was sinking rapidly now, throwing shadows across the city, and though the last thing she wanted to do was wander the darkening romantic haunts they did at least offer anonymity. Her mind flashed on Claire Collins — the FBI agent she’d recently worked with who looked after the Disavowed guys — that girl worked hard and partied harder and, if caught in this city, would already be stoking up the dance floor. Alicia felt she might be approaching a turning point in her life, and needed time to compute and choose which of many options she might take.
Many options?
Sure, that was perhaps putting it a bit ambitiously. But her future did have opportunity, even if she couldn’t quite see it yet. She took a narrow alley, enjoying the closeness of the walls and the phony darkness. Randomly, Laid Back Lex came to mind, she hadn’t heard from him since Vegas. Her biker days had ended with the departure of Lex. She would never go back. Perhaps he had sensed that even then.
Unable to help herself she rang an old friend.
“Ay up.”
“Drakey,” she said softly. “How’s it going?”
The Yorkshireman sighed softly. “Komodo’s funeral was not easy. We miss you, Myles. Karin is taking it so hard.”
“I’m sorry.” This was not what she needed. “And the Sprite?”
“I dunno. Gone to Japan. I haven’t heard from her.”
“Do you really expect to?”
A sigh. “Nah. Not for a while.”
“Did you catch another case?”
“Yeah. The Pythians are up to their new but old tricks.”
“So,” Alicia saw a way to liven the conversation up, “you’re all missing me then?”
“Oh yeah. Every time someone doesn’t take the piss it’s like — where the hell’s Alicia?”
“I like it.”
“So why are you calling, Alicia?”
The question took her by surprise. She’d been trying to find her flow, her mojo, trying to turn a dark day and a dark outlook into a gossamer veil of silver. Drake’s question brought it all back into focus.
“No reason. Just catching up.” And wondering who’s willing to help me through the darkness that’s coming.
“I’ll see you soon then.”
“See you soon.”
Alicia pocketed the phone, realizing now that she was staring along the River Seine and the city built around it. The rich golden glow of many lights filled the surrounding buildings, their deep radiance reflected in the waters that flowed below. The lighted balls of street lamps marched away as if marking the course she must take. Without waiting another moment she threaded her way back into the city and stopped at the first hotel she came across.
Using cash she paid for a room for two nights and made her way upstairs. Not used to and not happy about sleeping alone she crashed onto the bed and lay with her clothes on, studying the ceiling, listening to the noise of traffic and revelers outside, the bangs and clangs of the hotel and its returning guests, the sound of distant sirens.
Cities like this, they could never be still.
They possessed a soul that could never be quieted, a spirt that could never be quelled, an essence that demanded they move forward, and a heart that constantly craved for more.
As did she.
Crouch didn’t comprehend the passage of time. After paying for a quiet room with high-speed Internet in one of Paris’s classiest hotels he took advantage of the fact that the hotel staff clearly mistook the reason he wanted to whisk Caitlyn up to his room and made sure they would be granted privacy.
Once they were alone Caitlyn looked a little embarrassed. “Did you see the looks on their faces?”
“Sorry, no.” Crouch was distracted as he powered on the laptop and arranged his notes.
“One of them even winked at me. Made me feel kinda filthy.”
“Don’t worry about it. In reality, I’m a major catch. A most eligible bachelor.”
“That’s not exactly what I was hoping to hear.”
Crouch paused and laughed. “Yeah, sorry, I was a little side-tracked. The truth is — this couldn’t be better. Now we’re sealed off. We can work in peace, Caitlyn.”