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Life's Illusions The Next Generation - Chapter 25
In Torremolinas, at the Headquarters of Guardian Security, two words, picked up in conversational monitoring, set red lights flashing.
Within minutes, Josef and Juan received identical texts which sent an immediate chill through them.
'Code Red, 'Thorn family', mentioned in chatter'.
It had sparked an immediate security update to every Thorn associated address which read.
'Credible terrorist information, 'Thorn Family', go to immediate, Code Red'.
Every Thorn family property and business went to their highest level of security, except one, the one no one knew about, Daniels new studio, he'd only completed the lease on it a few months before, and he'd never updated Guardian's records, never had it inspected/rated for security purposes, Guardian were unaware of the property.
In Paris Daniel was preparing for another exhibition, there was nothing left to do.
All of the finished canvasses had been shipped from his studio to the gallery yesterday, today would see a small army of workers hanging them according to his plans, he would follow his usual routine, spending the day relaxing in his studio, not arriving at the gallery until an hour before the planned exhibition time.
He hoped Petre would drop by, they'd both been too busy to meet up for several days, but he hadn't been prepared for Petre bursting bodily, out of breath, through the door, nor the shock of being dragged roughly, bodily, out of the studio, and then, as he was venting his irritation, the terrifying aftermath, the explosion, the devastation, the fires, and Petre's words.
"I have to get you away, somewhere safe, I'll explain everything, just not now".
Earlier that morning, daydreaming, Daniel had been remembering the day they'd met, some eight months earlier.
He'd been sketching a scene in the park, looking across rolling lawns, colourful flower beds, toward an ornamental bandstand, with happy smiling families relaxing on the lawns, enjoying the warm afternoon sun, children playing.
The bandstand held court to several youths on skateboards, despite the distance, he could see a well built, handsome young man, sitting on the steps, lazily smoking a cigarette.
He'd been engrossed for some time in his work, when a voice made him jump.
"I've seen your work before, perhaps I should be charging you for using me".
Daniel was confused.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand".
A strong finger extended toward the sketch, pointing out the young man with his cigarette.
"I'm immortalised, caught in time, destined never to grow old, I can now add, 'Model to Daniel Thorn", to my CV, but I still think you owe me".
He was smiling, a broad happy smile, on an incredibly handsome face.
Daniel smiled back, saying.
"You have me at a disadvantage, you seem to know much about me, whilst I know nothing of you, but I agree, you should receive something, name your price".
The stranger extended his hand, saying.
"Petre Alonse, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, and I will accept coffee as my fee".
Daniel reached out, gripping the hand, smiling broadly at the handsome face, not missing the obvious muscles stretching the tight Tshirt.
"Hello Petre, I'm pleased to meet you too, if you have time now, I'll pack up my things and buy you coffee before you decide to request a more expensive fee".
They'd sat in the afternoon sunshine, at a small street cafe, sipping coffee, eating cake, chatting easily, with Daniel quickly sketching Petre as he smoked another cigarette, saying.
"I think I might possibly owe you another fee, something more substantial for a life drawing, what would satisfy you this time".
Petre's reply surprised, but didn't shock Daniel, however, it did send a shiver right through him, and cause his cock to stiffen rapidly.
"You, naked beneath me".
Daniel couldn't understand how the words came out, he'd never had casual relations, in fact, he'd only ever had two relationships, one for nearly a year, with a girl in college, the second with an older man who he'd later learned was married, so short it could hardly be described as a relationship, that had been the killer fact for Daniel, it had lasted two weeks, Daniel ended it immediately he found out about the guys marital status, but here, now, his mouth said".
"My studio is only a short distance from here".
Petre had stood, holding out his hand, Daniel took it.
Within a few moments of closing the studio door, Petre had claimed his fee, Daniel was beneath him, completely naked, on his back, legs wide and pushed up, almost nine inches of hard cock buried deep inside his tight hole.
They'd fucked, rutted, hungry for each other, for nearly an hour, with Petre finally unable to hold back any longer, depositing his ample load deep inside Daniel, who had then surprised him by flipping them over and returning the favour, Daniels cock was no where near the almost nine inches Petre was sporting, but it was enough at nearly seven inches to cause Petre to moan in ecstasy, Daniel pounded his way to another mind blowing orgasm for them both.
It had been eight months of sheer bliss, Petre stayed overnight on average three nights each week, they'd made love on every one of those days or nights, they were never able to stay where Petre lived because he shared an apartment with three other men, it was only two bedrooms, they slept two to a room.
Petre had told Daniel he was a security officer, he'd explained, there was little more he could divulge, his work was sensitive, it explained the random phone calls and texts, causing him to leave immediately.
Looking back later, Daniel would admit, he didn't ask, didn't want to know, he was simply happy and content to have Petre in his life.
They'd never traveled outside France, never crossed a border, whenever they'd planned a trip abroad, Petre's work had always been a problem, so, after the second month, Daniel stopped trying, content to be together in Paris.
They'd visited Montclair several times, with Petre giving the same vague description of his employment, which washed easily with everyone, except one, Pierre couldn't let it go.
Pierre couldn't get it out of his head, it kept coming back to him, something wasn't right, but he didn't know what.
It was because of Pierre, Guardian personnel were monitoring a particular stream of chatter, and in turn picked up the mention of 'Thorn Family'.
Many months earlier, Pierre had sat with Josef and Juan, trying to make sense of what had been going around in his head, failing miserably to give them any concrete evidence, as he'd put it.
"It's a hunch, but it's so strong I'm really worried, I think there's something I'm missing, I just don't know what it is, I need you to trust me on this".
Josef had replied, surprising them all.
"Pierre, it's not always about having all of the facts, sometimes a gut feeling, a hunch, is all you have to go on, this is something deep within the family, if you feel so strongly about this, I'm willing to allocate the resources to it, I'll give you twelve months, then we'll revisit and re evaluate, in the meantime, you pass anything, however trivial it might seem, to Juan or me".
And so, all chatter, all movements and meetings, anything involving Petre was monitored.
Guardian's monitoring unit heard it first, in chatter, several attacks in Paris, an Exclusive Restaurant, a Department Store, and the Studio of Daniel Thorn.
When the alert came it caused genuine sorrow and grief for Josef and Juan, but they both knew the news would be catastrophic for Pierre.
In Montclair, Pierre was staring at his phone, not believing what he was seeing.
Juan had flown to Torremolinas that morning, right now he was cursing that decision, he knew how this news would impact Pierre, he had to think fast.
Josef saw him texting.
"What are you doing?".
Juan replied as he continued texting.
"Sending in the troops to help Pierre, don't question me, get my plane ready, I'm out of here, I need to be with him, he'll be the most devastated of all of us, he knew there was something, he just couldn't pin it down, you know Pierre as well as I do, he'll blame himself for this, I have to get back to him".
Juan's text to Junior, Gabby and Berto read.
'Poppa Pierre has just received some really hurtful, heartbreaking news, I know he'll be crying right now, get to him quickly, keep him safe, I'm in the air, on my way, I'm relying on you guys'.
His next text to Aly, Bo and Piers said much the same as he left Guardian's offices in Torremolinas heading for Malaga and his plane.
Junior, Gabby and Berto were together when the text came through, Gabby and Junior were chatting with their friends, Berto read the text and started crying.
"We have to go, Poppa Pierre's hurting".
Gabby and Junior were confused, but they looked at the message from Poppa Juan, and without explaining to their friends, grabbed Berto, dragging him towards Juniors car.
Junior drove like a maniac, arriving home just as they saw Pierre's car leaving the driveway, Junior didn't hesitate, he followed his Poppa.
As they approached Montclair and turned in, the gate staff stopped Pierre's car, checked him through, then did the same with Juniors car, it seemed to take forever, but they didn't know about the heightened level of security.
By the time they parked in front of the Chateau Pierre had already gone inside.
Pierre had known, as soon as that first message had arrived, through the tears he'd shed, it was down to him, he had to be the one to tell them.
It was the worst news, how, he couldn't figure out how, if someone had brought the news he had to deliver, he thought he might possibly want to hurt them, no, he knew he would want to hurt them.
But here he was, entering Montclair, about to destroy the lives of a family he loved dearly.
As soon as he entered the Chateau Woody greeted him.
"Pierre, thank goodness, something's happening, we have some sort of a media blackout, we can't contact Daniel, can you help?".
Pierre didn't need to explain, his tears said it all, but his voice, croaky said.
"I'm so sorry, Daniels studio was bombed, it's completely destroyed, we're fairly certain he was inside".
Woody was aghast, his response, as Jacqueline joined him, gripping tightly to him, came in a torrent of really vile hateful words.
"You think tears will help you, I want so badly to strike you, you're here to tell me my baby boy is dead, you couldn't protect him, you're useless, you failed him, failed us, his death is on your head, his blood on your hands, you might as well have killed him yourself, now get out of my house, get off my property, don't you ever come here again, you murdered my boy with your incompetence".
Pierre was, by now, a complete mess, but at that point Gabby, Junior and Berto had followed him into the Chateau, they heard Woody's abusive tirade.
Gabby and Junior moved to support their heartbroken Poppa, leading him sobbing from the Chateau.
When they got to the car, Berto asked them to wait as he went back into the Chateau.
Berto found Woody and Jacqueline in the rose garden, hugging, sobbing, he knew they were hurting, but his focus was only on his Poppa.
"What you did was wrong, it's not my Poppas fault, you hurt him, he didn't deserve that, Daniel is my friend, I know he wouldn't like what you just did to my Poppa, my Poppa is a good man".
Berto couldn't have known who had turned up moments after he left the others, but now he did, he heard his Grandfather Aly's voice and felt the arms envelope him.
"Berto's right Woody, I sympathise with your loss, I'm hurting with you believe me, but laying blame at my sons door is a really stupid reaction, you need to put that right, if for no other reason than our lifelong friendship, I can't let this ride, I won't have you hurting my boy when it's just you lashing out".
In his deep, darkest hell, Woody was not capable of rational thought, and his reply echoed that state of mind.
"Your son and his company let us down, I blame them, my son is gone, they didn't protect him, now interpret that as you will, leave us to grieve, my baby boy is dead, I stand by everything I said".
Aly steered Berto away, but he didn't waste the opportunity as they left to throw a last barb".
"I always bowed to your opinion, from as far back as I can remember, and I'm still convinced, you were always right, but not this time, you're wrong, and I'm prepared to fight you on it, that's how sure I am, think on Woody, you are seriously wrong today, make it right or you and I don't exist".
Aly's parting shot registered deeply with Woody, when he held up his hand, pointing to the blood brother scar they both shared, saying.
"Today, you are the liar".
When the attacks had come, Petre forcibly abducted Daniel, spiriting him away from Paris as fast as humanly possible.
By some miracle, there had been several serious injuries, but only Daniel was registered as a fatality.
At the restaurant a waiter had picked up a backpack he thought a customer had forgotten, locking it into a store room, containing the blast considerably.
At the Department Store, security personnel had noticed suspicious activity, spotted someone deliberately placing a bag down then walking away, fortunately it was on the top floor, an immediate evacuation meant most of the customers had cleared down to the lower floors when the explosion came.
Petre and Daniel had taken the Eurostar train to England, Petre knew from from past experience, there were no border checks, and from their conversations, the Thorn Family's Kensington house was uninhabited, it's residents away long term in Japan.
He'd chosen that house for a good reason, it had a safe room, if it became necessary they could secure themselves inside, it was impenetrable, the provisions within would serve them for up to a month.
Daniels studio had been completely obliterated, the explosion so fierce, nothing remained of it, nor of the several buildings on either side, again fate intervened, it was a weekend, the other units were all empty.
There was no sign of Daniel, the terrorists used this as propaganda to gloat about how another Western capitalist had been wiped out.
The whole wider family were in shock, at Montclair they were completely distraught, they didn't even have a body to bury, he was just gone, ripped away so suddenly.
Almost one week later Guardian's Headquarters picked up a coded message, it read.
'CJ, DB, OK, TRNTs, CB L G 91 U O M 5, CPTV, E, K, SR.
They were all trying to understand what it meant until Josef read it, his words chilled Juan and Pierre.
I think I can decipher it, but I need to speak to Carry.
On a conference video link from Guardian's boardroom to Josef's office in The Nest, atop Thorn Plaza, Josef asked Cary to be prepared for a real shock.
"We received a coded message today, I believe a section of it refers to you, but I can't be sure, I think it's meant to prove who sent it, I want you to see if you can shed any light on what it actually says".
When he showed Cary a section of the message, she gasped and started to cry.
"It's from Daniel, I'm the only person who calls him Danny Boy, and he's the only person who calls me Cary Babe, he's talking about one of his paintings, a landscape, he called it Lavender, because of the number of lavender bushes in the foreground, we had a debate, more of a good natured argument, and we made a bet, I thought it would only fetch around fifty thousand euro's, he'd said ninety thousand plus, I bet him five thousand euro's he was wrong, oh my god, he's alive, no one else would know about that".
Then Josef could decipher it.
'Cousin Joe, Danny Boy, Okay, Tell Rents, Cary Babe, Lavender got 91 you owe me 5, Captive, England, Kensington, Safe Room'.
Josef was euphoric, it was a coded message from Daniel, he was alive, he was in the family's Kensington house, it made sense, Raul and Reya were in Japan for twelve months, the house had been mothballed.
They would need to figure out how Daniel had managed to communicate, they didn't want to alert whoever was keeping them captive, couldn't let them know that a message had gotten out.
Another big worry was what Juan now needed Pierre to do, someone had to go to Montclair, tell them Daniel was almost certainly alive, it had to be done face to face, but no one could disclose any details, he still needed to be rescued.
Pierre drove up to the gates of Montclair, he hadn't relished the thought of doing this, lately he'd just wanted to sleep, today he felt really tired, completely exhausted, but he shrugged it off, just as he'd expected, the gates didn't open, instead a single guard came out to his car.
"I'm sorry sir, I have strict instructions, you are to be denied access to the property".
Pierre asked the guard to wait a moment, reaching for his cell phone he sent a text to both Roslyn and Paul.
Urgent, I have good news for your parents, I'm stuck at the gates, they won't let me in, I must speak with them, it has to be face to face, trust me, please guys help me if you can.
Within only minutes both Roslyn and Paul came running up, shouting at the security guards to open the gates, then both jumped in beside Pierre.
They parked in front of the Chateau, watching as Woody stormed out of the house, followed by Jacqueline, obviously alerted by the gatehouse guards, he didn't give Pierre a chance to speak.
"I told you never to come onto my property again now go before I have the local police arrest you for trespassing, whatever you have to say I don't want to hear it"
By now they were out of the car, Pierre ignored Woody and Jacqueline, instead he turned to Roslyn and Paul.
"Thank you both for helping me, I don't deserve how your parents are treating me, but right now I don't have the strength to argue, I'm not well, I accepted I would probably have to suffer further humiliation, but I have some important news for you all, we have received credible information proving Daniel is alive, he's safe for the moment but in a captive situation, there must be no open conversation about this until we free him, do you understand?, this information cannot go out on any electronic device, not even a landline telephone, whoever has him captive, must not know we are on to them".
They'd been staring open mouthed, now Roslyn screamed, launching herself at Pierre, smothering his face with kisses, Paul just hugged him crying and thanking him.
"We love you Pierre, thank you, and I'm sorry for our parents behaviour, when you get anything text either of us a single x, and we'll come to you for news, you don't have to suffer this treatment you've received".
Woody and Jacqueline had heard every word, but said nothing, they were just staring, in shock.
Pierre now turned to Woody and Jacqueline.
"I don't apologise for disobeying your orders, I came here out of a sense of love for family, but I see now, there is no love in return, don't worry, I will never come here again, but before I go, I'd like to clear something up, Guardian were never informed of Daniels new studio address, I believe you bought the property Uncle Woody".
Pierre paused.
Effectively protecting someone requires that particular someone to play their part, you didn't, had he truly been killed, it would be on your head not ours".
Pierre then, with noticeable difficulty, got back into his car as Woody called out to him, he would have listened, but right then he felt incredibly sick, giddy and tired.
"Pierre wait".
He didn't wait, he simply drove off toward the gates, the tears visible, rolling down his cheeks.
Roslyn watched his car leave Montclair, then turning to her father, she slapped him, really hard across the face, shocking both her parents.
"It broke his heart to bring us bad news, but he did it, he endured your malicious, vile insults, and then he endured further humiliation by not being allowed entry when he's trying to bring us good news, but being Pierre, he still doesn't give up, he actually manages to deliver the good news, and his reward, you break his heart some more, Berto and Aly told you last time, Pierre didn't deserve to be treated that way, now I'm telling you, because for the very first time in my life, I'm actually disgusted by both of you, ashamed to witness your behaviour, and I would rather not admit you are my parents".
Roslyn walked away, leaving her parents hugging and sobbing.
Paul echoed her words, adding for his fathers benefit.
"This picture I'm seeing doesn't fit with how you brought us up, the values you instilled in us, the same values my grandparents instilled in you, it's time for you both to take stock, this situation needs sorting, and soon, because I promise you, I won't live somewhere a large section of my family are bared entry from".
Paul didn't expect, or wait for, an answer, he walked away into the Chateau.
It only took a few hours for Guardian's techies to trace the origin of the message, it was Daniels cell, no other activity was located from it, so it was safe to assume it was still in Daniels possession, and somehow he'd figured out a way to gain a signal.
There started a series of tentative exchanges.
Guardian - U alone? Daniel - No Petre here Guardian - Petre Alonse? Daniel - Yes, he's my boyfriend, he saved me, dragged me out quite literally before the blast Guardian - Has he explained anything? Daniel - Don't understand Guardian - Ask him
There was a long delay before any further dialogue from either side.
In the safe room, they'd both been reading the messages, now Daniel looked at Petre.
"In Paris, you said you'd explain, what did you mean?, what do they want me to ask you about?".
Petre turned away from Daniel as he started talking.
"I'll tell you everything, but I can't look at you, I don't want to see how it hurts you, that would be too much".
Over the next hour he'd explained everything, how he'd been recruited into the cell which carried out the bombings, how he'd been instructed to befriend Daniel as a target, how he'd been the one to plant the bomb.
He'd expected Daniel to be at the gallery, well away from the studio explosion, it was only an hour before the timed explosion, when one of the other's let slip Daniels routine of remaining in his studio until an hour before the gallery was due to open.
He'd been frantic, dashed across Paris to the studio, terrified all the way he wouldn't make it in time, now he thanked god that he had.
Daniel had showed no emotion as Petre explained, simply asking several questions.
"So you were instructed to befriend me?, it's all been a lie then has it?, why didn't you let me die in the explosion?, why are we here now?".
Petre answered him.
"Yes I was instructed to befriend you, and it was supposed to stop at that, but it didn't, it took me all of thirty minutes to fall hopelessly in love with you, my love for you is not a lie, it's a fact, it's the most wonderful thing I have ever experienced in my whole life, that will never change, how can you ask why I didn't leave you to die, because that would kill me, I love you, more than anything else, I would give my life to protect yours, I could never wish you harm, and finally, we are here because I know you have powerful, skilful family members, they will rescue you, it's why I chose here, somewhere I know you'll be safe, we just have to wait it out".
Daniel asked quietly, already knowing the answer.
"What about you, if they release us, they'll arrest you, you'll be charged with terrorism offences, it's a life sentence?".
Petre could hear the love in his voice.
"Don't worry about me Danny Boy, let's concentrate on keeping you safe, that will be my reward for all eternity".
Daniel knew then, Petre had no intention of being incarcerated for his lifetime, he was planning on dying.
The texts resumed, with Petre expressing shock at Daniels first message.
Daniel - Okay, that was a surprise, but I'm okay, took a lot of balls to admit everything, I love him, that hasn't changed, protect him at all cost, please for me, I desperately need him to stay alive. Guardian - Need to know if you are really in the loop, explain Daniel - He was a terrorist, he befriended me for a purpose, he planted the bomb in my studio, and he saved my life, he spirited me away, kept us safe here, his cell buddies tracked us down but they can't get to us. Guardian - Okay, we're working on entry, shouldn't be long now, sit tight, you can talk through the doors intercom, when we have an all clear the first password from outside is 'Montclair', your response is 'The Chateau or The Inn', next response from outside, 'No,The Winery', you now ask a question, 'What would CB Say', there is no set answer to that question, you have to judge if what you hear is right, don't open up that door until you have complete confidence, if it's them, it doesn't matter stay safe, if it's us, don't worry, we'll find a way to convince you. Guardian - P.S I'm coming for you Cus, CJ2, I understood.
Petre asked what that last text meant.
Daniel smiled as he answered.
"It means those shitty cell mates of yours won't know what hit em, my cousin Juan is coming, there have been a few family dramas over the years, Juan is always lead on family and high profile, he is, well, I don't know, probably, your worst nightmare times ten, he's a machine in the field, but a total pussycat at home, I wish things were simple, I'm guessing Pierre is a big part of how they sussed you, he's the thinker, I love him, he lives a few miles from me, I'll have to suffer a grilling from him about why I still love you, why I'm prepared to wait for you, but he'll understand, I have faith, he'll come to see you if you're in prison, he'll want to know you're not just stringing me along".
Petre was laughing when he replied.
"Why couldn't I have met you earlier, we could have had a wonderful life, I would have loved and adored you from close by, instead of from afar, but I do love you, and you have to promise me something, and be assured I'll tell Pierre this, if I die by not my own hand, by an unavoidable cause for me, you must carry on, please, I beg you, give me just this to work with".
Daniel thought about it for some time before he answered.
"If it's not caused by you, I agree, but try hard, stay safe, even if we're in our eighties, just to lie with you again, I'll dream of that until it comes true".
Daniel and Petre now hunkered down to wait, and to talk some more.
Petre confessed his surprise at Daniel still loving him.
Daniel in turn threw back a question.
"Why the surprise, did you actually think me so fickle I could turn off my feelings just like that?, do I approve of what you've been involved in, besides loving me?, no I don't, but I can't do anything about that, other than to encourage you to never do it again, will I intercede, try to save you from prosecution?, no, I can't, it would be going against everything I believe, what you did was terribly wrong, you have to pay for it, but understand this, if you go to prison, I'll visit as often as possible, and I'll wait, for as long as it takes, I don't care if we're both old, old men before you're free, I'll be waiting for you, safe in the knowledge you are alive, and one day we'll be together again, don't disappoint me, stay safe, and remember, if you were not alive, there would be no reason for me to go on".
Petre knew immediately, Daniel had worked out his plan, once he knew Daniel was safe, he'd intended to provoke a situation where there would be no other option for the security forces but to shoot him, it would all be over, now Daniel was effectively telling him by doing that he would be causing Daniel's death, he knew right then he had to endure prison.
It would be less than twelve hours before they heard Juan on the intercom.
Infrared images showed there to be two heat sources in the safe room, a further five heat sources showed up around the rest of the house, by midnight, four of those heat sources were horizontal, obviously asleep, the fifth was in the kitchen, quite likely eating, this was the point where three operatives entered through a basement entrance beside the Mews door.
One stayed in the basement, connecting cylinders to the air conditioning intake, the other two made their way up to the kitchen.
The fifth member of the cell was mid bite of his sandwich when a tranquilliser dart hit him in the neck, the powerful cocktail causing him to slump immediately to the floor.
It was Juan leading the assault, he'd fired the tranquilliser dart, now he was speaking in a hushed tone into his helmet mic.
"Number five is neutralised and restrained in the kitchen, release the gas, watch those infrared images, I need to know if there is any sign of movement from the other four, going upstairs now".
Moving slowly and carefully, they crept up to the first floor, checking the main salon, then moving on up to the second floor.
The first bedroom was a master suite with a king size bed, there was one cell member sleeping on it, Juan crept across the room, plunging a hypodermic needle into his neck, emptying the contents as the bleary eyed recipient tried desperately to struggle, but it was futile, in moments the restraints were going on, he was in la la land.
"Another one down and restrained in the master suite, second floor".
A voice into their earpieces alerted them to movement.
"Movement, two doors along from you, coming your way, appears unsteady, must be the effects of the gas".
Juan used gestures to direct his companion to stand behind the open door, and with a separate gesture indicated his companion would administer the injection, he took up position just inside the door and whispered.
"Count me in".
They both heard.
"At fifteen, ten, five, zero".
At zero, a groggy stumbling cell member lurched through the door, totally shocked when he saw Juan, whose hand shot out, flat palming him in the throat, cutting off any ability to make noise.
Simultaneously the second operative slid out from behind the door, jabbing the needle into his neck, giving him his ticket for la la land to join his friends, they carried him to the bed and restrained him.
"Number three down and restrained in the master suite".
By now the effects of the gas had obviously rendered the two remaining cell members unconscious, but still applying caution they entered the remaining rooms, administered the sedative to both and restrained them.
"Five down and restrained, last two are in bedrooms three and four on the right from the start of the landing heading inbound, we're going to the safe room, kill the gas, turn up the clean air".
At the end of the corridor, there was a section of wall approximately five foot wide which appeared to be a feature panel, with a large painting hung in the middle.
It was easy to see there had been numerous attempts to chip away at the panel, futile attempts, because an inch below the plaster surface was solid steel, ten inches of it, this was the door to the safe room.
Juan pressed down on what appeared to be a normal light switch, speaking as he held the switch down.
"Daniel, we are a go, password is Montclair".
The reply came back.
"The Chateau or The Inn".
Juan replied.
"No, The Winery".
The reply came back.
"What would CB say".
Juan replied.
"Cary Babe told me expressly to tell you, you're a twat Danny Boy, and she's got your 5 ready for after she's finished bloody hugging you".
The reply came back.
"Stand back Cus, this door packs a punch".
Juan was already clear, he knew, the door was designed to deliver a deliberate surprise to any unfamiliar party, it opened curtesy of compressed air, flattening anything, or anyone, in it's way.
A hiss of air and there they were, Daniel should have been shocked to see Juan with a rifle aimed at them, but he wasn't, he was relieved, Juan really had understood his message.
No sooner had the door swung open than Juan took aim and fired.
Petre sank like a stone, the dart rendering him comatose for the time being.
Daniel threw his arms around Juan.
"Thank you Cus, I know what he was planning, he would have made you shoot him, I can't live if he's dead, he's a stupid misguided soul, but I fell in love with him, so that's something I'll deal with for however long it takes".
TBC
ARB Allan
Comments are welcome to cfgw2000@aol.com.
Thank you for giving me your time, enjoy.