Chapter Seven

Raise, Call, Or Fold?

A decision a player must make after an initial bet to increase an additional amount, put in an equal amount, or drop out of the game entirely.

*

As the car pulled away from the airport, Bonham threw the false Earl a sideways glance before addressing the driver. "I expected Jones to be picking us up, not you, JP," he said mildly. "I thought all the government issued thieves got recalled."

John Paul threw a quick look into the rearview mirror, a puzzled look passing behind his eyes before he said, "They did. Probably forgot about me, I expect. Didn't think you'd come back. I had a feeling you might, though."

That's because they thought I'd've killed the bugger by now, the disguised Klaus thought darkly. He gave a small snort to signify his disgust in general before leaning back in his seat. "Has anything new come through since we left?" he asked mildly. "I'm getting tired of chasing shadows."

"Just the sudden activity from the Bali compound," John Paul replied. "Bonham said that's where you've come from, so it's not all that surprising. Especially since that's where you've left James."

Klaus did not reply, his reaction masked by the enormous sunglasses.

"I told JP that James was sulking," Bonham volunteered.

A small smile twitched at the edges of Klaus's mouth. "I supposed you could call it that."

John Paul threw another glance into the rearview mirror. "You both look knackered. Why don't you get some sleep? I'll wake you when we get to the Downs."

"Good idea," Bonham agreed quickly. "You get some sleep, m'lord."

Klaus turned to him but did not reply. He leaned further back in the seat, giving the appearance of dozing, but remaining alert the whole way to the Downs.

* * *

Klaus was rather amazed at the reception the "Earl" got when they arrived at Castle Gloria. The thieves that were left swarmed around him, issuing happy greetings, and arguing over who would carry in the luggage. He let Bonham sort everyone out as he followed John Paul inside. There was a further flurry of activity in the entryway before the three were left on their own again.

"Would you like to lie down for a while, m'lord?" John Paul asked mildly, glancing at Bonham and then to the main staircase.

Klaus gave him a steady look. "No," he said calmly, dropping all pretense at the same time. He saw John Paul throw a bewildered sideways glance in Bonham's direction. "You needn't pretend anymore, either," he said in his own voice.

This caused John Paul to jump, a startled look coming to his face. That wasn't the Earl's voice. It was very familiar, though. In fact, it sounded like...

"Oh, shit!"

A small smile curled the edges of Klaus's mouth. He surprised the men further by pulling a gun from beneath the voluminous outfit. "I've been in and out of this art gallery I don't know how many times over the past twenty-five years," he said calmly, "and never once have I heard you called ‘JP.' CIA?"

"SIS...sort of."

"Sort of. Because you were forgotten?"

"I suppose..." John Paul said evasively.

Klaus frowned but did not pursue the matter, turning his gaze back to Bonham.

"How the hell did you get that cannon past security?" Bonham demanded, finding his voice at last.

Klaus's amusement was clearly evident even behind the enormous sunglasses. "I didn't." Before he could go on, there was a knock at the front door. Bonham and John Paul exchanged a nervous look that turned to surprise when they were ordered to answer it, finding four men in business suits on the other side.

"Come in," Klaus called, going on to introduce Agents J, K, L, and M. "You didn't really think I would travel without backup, did you?" he said coldly.

Realization dawned. "When you stopped at the Gents in the airport..." Bonham gasped. "They were there already. That's when you got the gun."

"The new security measures only allow specific persons to carry firearms on planes," J informed calmly, "but that doesn't mean you can't check them through in your luggage. Especially with valid military ID."

John Paul looked at Agent K and caught his breath, recognizing him as the porter who had put the luggage into the car. K gave him a small smile before he turned to Klaus. "The database, sir?"

"James' office." Klaus finally removed the sunglasses as he turned to Eroica's men. "Take us to it," he then ordered.

* * *

A low whistle escaped Agent K when he took a seat before James' computer. "This is first class," he said in awe as he looked over the hardware.

John Paul and Bonham exchanged a nervous look. They were seating against the far wall under the watchful eyes--and guns--of the other Alphabets.

Klaus gave a non-committal grunt in reply. "Patch into the satellite uplink. I want to see what progress has been made in the last day."

"Yes, sir."

John Paul gave a small smile, thinking this would be impossible. Then K pulled out James' PDA and linked it into the computer. The device contained all of the passwords needed to get into any of the numerous systems. K still had some difficulty, and finally looked over at the captives.

Klaus followed his gaze. "Do you know how to get the link working?" he asked.

"Yes," John Paul replied. He folded his arms and sat back. "And before you ask, no, I'm not showing you how."

"He has the Earl and James hostage," Bonham informed nervously.

John Paul gave him a horrified look before turning to Klaus. The man had not removed his disguise, which he found very disconcerting. The Earl never had so intense a look in his eyes. "What are you gonna do to them if we don't cooperate?" he asked fearfully.

"Nothing," Klaus replied coldly. "Eroica is far too ill to--"

"Ill?" John Paul gasped, sitting bolt upright. "What did you do to him?"

"He has the flu," Klaus shot back angrily. "Christ, why is everyone so sure I'm gonna start using biological weapons?" He threw his hands in the air in disgust.

John Paul continued to eye him suspiciously. After a long pause, he said slowly, "I'll set up the link, but only if you let me talk to the Earl first. I want to hear he's okay from him."

Klaus scowled, his eyes narrowing. "Fine." He had K send an encrypted email to the others, utilizing a prearranged system. After several minutes, a reply came back acknowledging the order and stating that another message would be forthcoming when all was ready.

* * *

Within half an hour, a video link was established and Agent G was in front of the camera, his expression grave. "We've told Eroica that you want to speak with him, but I should warn you, he's very weak."

Despite himself, Klaus felt his heart turn over. Damn the man for making him care. "Why? What's happened?" he demanded before John Paul could even open his mouth. John Paul looked up at the man standing behind him and was stunned to see worry etched into his usually unreadable features.

A guilty look came to G's face. "Nothing," he said quickly. "We moved him to his own room in the main house yesterday, that's all. He's been awake all night coughing, so we called the doctor this morning. He's concerned about the results of the blood work."

"Shit, don't tell me the idiot really does have Malaria," Klaus moaned.

"No, sir." G had to fight to keep a straight face. "But the doctor's insisting that the Earl be hospitalized if there's no improvement in the next forty-eight hours."

There was a long pause as Klaus thought this over. There would be no way of controlling the Earl if he were hospitalized. He could expose everything the moment he was left alone. Conversely, if he were not given proper medical treatment, it could endanger the man's health, possibly fatally.

"What are your orders?" G asked finally.

"Do as the doctor instructs," Klaus replied. "If Eroica says anything to jeopardize your position, use the cover story--"

"No, sir!"

"Yes, dammit, you'll do as I say. You tell them that you and the others were unaware that this was not a sanctioned mission. I won't have you following me into a court-martial and trial for treason."

"Sir, we knew what we were getting into--"

"I don't have a wife and family waiting for me to come home to like some of the others, G. And I'll be hanged if I do the CIA's dirty work and allow Eroica to die from something as simple as influenza!" Klaus said adamantly. "Is that clear?"

Before G could respond, Eroica said, "Let me talk to him, G." The agent turned and then moved out of the way so the Earl was on camera. He looked drawn, haggard and...well, ill.

"You really do care, don't you, Major?" Eroica said in mild surprise. He saw several things flash across the German's face, the pained expression being one of them. Then he realized how his words might be taken as a taunt and quickly said, "I won't betray your Alphabet. I care about them, too. Whatever quarrel we may have, I hold nothing against them. Your men are very loyal."

Klaus glanced down at John Paul. "As are yours. My compliments."

A short coughing fit prevented the Earl from replying. He struggled to focus on the split screen showing himself and the Major. Then he really looked at it, squinted a moment before his eyes opened wide. "Good God, Major! Are you actually dressed as me? I thought I was seeing double."

Klaus shifted uncomfortably on his feet. He had yet to remove his disguise and quickly pulled off the curly blond wig. "After all the times you've impersonated me, it's about time I did it to you."

Eroica leaned back on his pillows and gave a small laugh. "Oh, John Paul, you must get a picture of this for me. It's a Kodak moment if ever I saw one."

John Paul could not prevent the smile from coming to his face at the loud harrumph this remark produced from the Major. "M'lord, I wanted to make sure that you and James were unharmed," he said quickly.

"I haven't seen James since Jakarta," Eroica replied. "The Alphabet tell me he's still safe and unharmed. Bonham was with him until the doctor was called. I'm sure he can tell you better than I can."

"And yourself, sir?"

The Earl gave him a wry smile. "I'm in a beautiful, exotic, dare I say, romantic location that's surrounded by bohemians, artists, and..." he said with as much of his old flamboyance as he could muster before he sighed heavily. "And I feel like death warmed over." As if to punctuate this, he had another small coughing fit. "Bugger, I wish I could stop coughing," he muttered. Then in a serious tone, he said, "I'm otherwise unharmed. It's your decision, of course, but I think it might be in everyone's best interest to cooperate. Things aren't anything like we were led to believe."

This last remark surprised even Klaus, who had to struggle to keep his face neutral. "What of your band of thieves?"

"That's up to them," Eroica replied. He gave the officer an admiring look. "You know, I really didn't think you'd go to England to get James' database, Major. And I certainly wouldn't've thought you'd do it dressed as me. You continue to amaze me."

"Good. If I'm still unpredictable to you, then no one will be able to guess my movements."

Klaus's eyes narrowed when the Earl leaned back and closed his eyes. The man looked and sounded horrible. "Don't you dare die before I get back, you CIA son-of-a-bitch. I've made a promise to kill you with my bare hands. No flu bug is gonna steal that privilege from me."

Eroica could not help smiling. "And here I thought it was because you cared about me, too," he sighed in mock disappointment.

"Don't push it, Eroica."

"Is that an order, Major?"

"Damn right!" Klaus suddenly realized he had allowed his amusement to creep into his voice as well as show in his usually stern features. He was instantly serious again. "G!" he thundered.

G's face appeared before the camera. "Sir!"

"Have A get ready with his report. We'll reestablish the video link with him in the operations room."

"Yes, sir." From behind him, G heard, "Major...?" and moved aside.

"What now?" Klaus asked impatiently, although his tone wasn't nearly as sharp as it had been in the past.

Eroica gave a small smile. "Good luck."

"You idiot," Klaus snorted, cutting the link.

Bonham had been watching the Major intently during this entire conversation. As John Paul got up to allow K to take his place, he noticed that the worried look on the officer's face actually seemed to deepen. "Strewth! It's true."

Klaus came out of his daze and turned to Bonham in some bewilderment. "What's true?"

"You...and the Earl," came the amazed reply. "He said it finally happened. I--we--didn't believe it. You're in love with him. That's what he meant about you really caring. It wasn't about your men, it was about him."

Klaus stiffened visibly. He could feel all the eyes in the room on him. His own men were privy to the truth, although he knew even they were in shock. "What difference does it make now?" he replied sharply. "The man who professed his undying love and devotion was a lie. An illusion."

"He's still the same person physically. And don't forget, Major, I saw you when the doctor gave his diagnosis," Bonham pointed out. "You had that same look on your face just now."

"That proves nothing," Klaus snapped defensively.

"Doesn't it? You're concerned enough about his health to endanger your freedom to see he gets proper medical attention. If that's not love, I don't know what is."

Klaus felt his face burning, his heart suddenly in his mouth. Dammit, this is why I never wanted to get involved. Now my judgment's gone straight to hell. It was Bonham's next words that really stopped his heart. "Help him with the database, John Paul."

"What?" John Paul was obviously horrified by this. "Are you mad? You don't know what's been going on here."

Bonham drew a deep breath. "And you don't know how the Company planned to end the project."

John Paul's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Tell him," Klaus ordered. "He'll never believe me."

John Paul looked from one to another. "Tell me what?"

Bonham drew a deep breath, telling the horrified John Paul exactly what had been planned to end Project: Eroica. Upon hearing this, the other man's knees practically gave way. The Major was nearest and caught him as he fell, helping him to sit down, and then ordering someone to bring a glass of water. He had expected a strong reaction, but hardly expected the man to nearly pass out.

"Disavowed..." John Paul muttered. "That's what happened. I wasn't forgotten. I was disavowed."

Klaus scowled and looked over at Bonham. "What's he babbling about?" He received a don't-look-at-me shrug in reply.

All Bonham could think of was the American television program Mission: Impossible. "The Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions." Surely, he can't be meaning that.

John Paul looked up, his eyes glassy, automatically taking the glass of water as it was handed to him. "The others...who were recalled," he said quietly. "They never made it back."

"What?" This was Bonham, who now stood before the shaken John Paul. "Make sense, man!"

"They were ordered to take the Earl's jet back to Langley."

"But the jet's still in Jakarta," Bonham replied. Then he turned to the equally bewildered Klaus. "Isn't it?"

"Still undergoing repairs," Klaus verified.

John Paul looked Bonham in the eye. "The others. They never made it. The plane went down over the Channel. Engine trouble supposedly." He gave the Major an apologetic look. "We thought you'd done something, Major. That you thought the Earl was onboard."

The horrified Bonham gave a small strangled noise, seeing an equally horrified expression flash across the Major's face.

"How many onboard?" Klaus asked.

"Three, plus the pilot."

"Bloody hell!" Bonham exclaimed. "They're gonna pick us off one at a time!"

Klaus exchanged a knowing look with his men. "That should've been obvious when they ordered you to kill the Earl," he said bluntly.

John Paul made a visible effort to get hold of himself before saying, "I'm with you, Major."

Klaus gave him a steady look. "Just because you think your superiors are out to kill you doesn't mean I'm gonna trust you."

John Paul nodded. He expected no less. "A truce, then?"

Klaus considered and then nodded. That he could live with. "Yes, a truce." Because I'd really like to know who is so keen on eliminating some of the most talented agents I've ever encountered.

* * *