Chapter 3

“The real reason is...The FBI Art Theft can’t get anything.”

“And why would they think someone from the CIA would?”

It sounded ridiculous. Surprising, too, as everyone knew what they did. That’s when he felt his boss’ heartbeat go slightly off rhythm. Which meant this wasn’t everything. To confirm his thoughts, Benjamin said

“Michael, we gave a reason to suspect they trade with d****, and Richard is the head of one of the biggest international d*** and t********** empires in the world.”

“The…” Michael began and paused. “Right.”

It all kind of came together, Michael thought, amused. After all, you’d need a dog to catch the trace.

Okay, this was a bigger game than he’d initially thought. Perhaps the case wasn’t going to be that boring after all.

“What else?”

“There’s already an agent, who’s been infiltrated- you’ll meet him once you’re in and he’s going to get you in the group. So the agent- his name’s Flynn, will try to get you closer to at least Richard’s inner circle. They trust Flynn, so that isn’t impossible. Otherwise, it could take years for you to just be in a room with the guy. Richard doesn’t believe in recommendations, you see.”

“Of course.”

“Richard is surrounded by men who’d rather die, than sing to the police. You’ll be in his circle. However, it’s up to you to prove yourself worthy, even Flynn doesn’t know everything and he’s been there for over a year.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Michael said. He could feel he was slightly getting more and more interested in the task.

It was always like this- the more dangerous everything seemed, the more attracted he felt to the idea of digging deeper into the case.

“Money laundering, art thefts, blackmail of politicians.” Benjamin went on, “Those people don’t play around. They’re not some street hooligans, Michael.”

“But why haven’t they been caught yet? I mean, even with that little evidence and the agent there, there must be...?”

“Because they have cops working with them.”

“Shit.” Michael clenched his hand around the paper. He looked through the rest of the files and saw the last one didn’t have a picture accompanying the information.

There was only a name on the top of the sheet.

“Killian O’Dwyer.”

He read and snorted, “Is that an actor’s name or something?”

Mike glanced at his superiors, but the man didn’t share the joke.

“Apologies, he just sounds like…”

“They say he’s Richard’s…” you could see him struggling and trying to push the words out.

“He is?…”

“Killian is Richard’s protege.”

Michael sensed the man getting uncomfortable for some reason, so he asked.

“Protege, as in...?”

“As in, he is not only his mentor. You know...”

The man made a sweeping gesture and Michael almost choked. The fact he was bisexual never had anything to do with his work, and absolutely no one from his surroundings, even his few close friends, didn’t know about his tastes. But hearing Benjamin say something like this, and above all - the way he’d said it, made Michael pause. He cleared his throat and said, trying to sound casual.

“I guess this is a good way to climb the ladder.”

His superior made a disgusted sound and waved a dismissive hand.

“Anyway. They say he’s much smarter than he looks. Killian is also said to be most likely Richard’s successor. And from when we know the guy wouldn’t hesitate to kill whoever stood in his way.”

Michael paused with the sheet of paper in his hand. If earlier his head was beginning to pound, all his brain cells were now jumping from one side of his skull to the other in mighty bounces.

“He’s a monster, Michael. All of them are. I want you to go there with that thought in your head.”

Benjamin said.

“Yeah. Yeah, he is. Everyone who does what they do is.”

“Despite the glamour, I’m sure you’ll notice they are criminals, don’t get confused.”

They exchanged a look, and his superior said

“There’s something else I’ve been meaning to tell you, especially now that I see how well you’ve been doing.”

Benjamin didn’t give Michael time to react to the change of mood in the room and continued, “I know you are very close to your family, and your father would have been very proud to see you here, following his steps.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate your words.”

“I hold very deep respect for him and his service and everyone in the Bureau misses him a lot. I am aware you lost a father, but his colleagues here lost a brother.”

“Yeah” Michael shifted uncomfortably, “Thank you, Sir.”

“I am sure you’ll continue his mission to change things and put the criminals where they belong.”

“You can count on me.”

Michael tried for a smile, but when that failed, he just put the sheet back he was holding into the folder and closed it. He was going to have enough time to get familiar with the contents before the FBI, CIA, or whoever he was going to work with came knocking on his door to pick him up and send him god knows where.

Michael was ready to bet on a god-forsaken Albakerky or New Mexico. It was probably where this Richard was conducting most of his deals, anyway. He was ready to head for the door when Benjamin said.

“Just do not lose your head, the way you never do. “

The remark felt kind of out of place, so Michael frowned.

“Sir?”

“I’m just saying. Those are not the typical criminals you are used to. Meaning- don’t expect Jimmy Cheng and his buddies that launder money from small casinos here in Chinatown, or Don Hose, who grew up in the Mexican slums and got in the gang when he was seventeen, all right? These men are educated. They speak at least three languages and dine with politicians or date their daughters. They’ve graduated from Eton, not the Brooklyn middle-grade school, Michael,” Benjamin said, “Do you understand that? “

He did. Very much so. Okay, maybe not New Mexico, he was guessing they were going to use him as a bodyguard somewhere in San Jose. But he only said,

“Yes, Sir.”

‘Good. Now Ellie will give you the details about the flight and everything.”

“Flight?”

“Yes, oh, did I forget to mention?”

Benjamin came closer and put a hand on Michael’s shoulder.

“The agency we’re working on this case is MI6.”

“The MI6?”

Yeah, you bet you forgot to mention it, Michael thought.

“You’re flying to London first thing on Monday.”

“On Monday? This Monday?”

“That’s right.”

“But today’s Friday.”

The compassionate smile was back on Benjamin’s face, but this time Michael knew it was fake.

“You’ll be fine.”

His superior patted him lightly and led him out of his study. Michael followed blindly.

“Good luck, son. And don’t get yourself killed.”

“Yeah,” he said, still thinking of what he’d just agreed to, “I’ll try not to.”

***

One month later

“Try not to break anyone’s limbs, or at least don’t get in an argument with the guys, all right?”

Flynn was saying, his voice hushed as they were walking towards the heavy wooden door in the manor.

“Yeah, I know the rules, Flynn. No talking unless asked to.”

“And no fighting.”

“What was I supposed to do?” Michael protested, “The guy was just asking for it.”

Flynn shook his head.

“You were supposed to scare him off a bit, not send him to the doctor’s.”

“He’ll be okay, I didn’t inflict any permanent damage.”

Flynn clicked his tongue.

“I have to say you’ve been adapting much faster here than I ever thought. Half of the guys here are already scared of you.”

“Must be the size.”

Flynn glanced back at him to see if Michael was following and said,

“Yeah, it must be that.”

Michael had arrived last April exactly as planned, and just as discussed, Flynn had been the one to introduce him to the group. There was just one very serious detail no one had mentioned to him.

Flynn hadn’t been here for a year.

It had been two and a half and he still had very little on them.

And in that time Michael had spent here, he hadn’t seen Richard even once. It wasn’t that the leader of the group was constantly surrounded by bodyguards or anything. The guy was simply a ghost. Others rarely dared talk about him and Michael was beginning to think of the guy as more of an imaginary figure rather than a real man. But it had been exactly as Flynn had said. Michael had adapted much faster than expected. He’d just been with other mafia members before- he knew what these men were looking for.

To be more specific- they needed someone who wouldn’t hesitate to beat the shit out of anyone if that helped the business or got the job done.

And if Michael was good for one thing- that would be beating guys senseless. His military training was always a plus. His wolf added up to that twice, even though no one knew what he was except for his superiors back in the US.

“He said he wanted to meet you. That’s a one-in-a-million-times chance, you know?”