THE BROTHERHOOD (14 page)

Bill hadn’t taken two steps into the room when a sudden sharp pain exploded in the back of his head. The force flung him across the room and he smashed into a wall mirror, shattering it into millions of pieces.

Chapter 14

Bill came to feeling like his head had been bashed with a cricket bat and fighting a nauseating headache. Looking down at his shirt he noticed he’d thrown up all over himself. He was sitting in a chair, hands bound behind him and legs tied at the ankles. A mixture of blood and sweat soaked his neck and back but he was pleased to be alive.

Aazim, who was tied up in a chair next to him, at first looked terrified but his face registered slight relief when he saw Bill open his eyes.

‘Wake up, darling.’ A hard kick to the chair gave Bill a rude shock.

‘Barry?’ He looked at the man’s face in surprise and his ex-boss laughed in response.

Barry turned towards the two cross-armed agents in dark suits standing behind him, the same agents Janelle had called for an update. ‘Leave us.’ Like disciplined soldiers they walked out, closing the door behind them. ‘I’ve been waiting to crack your head open for a long time,’ he said to Bill. ‘God, that felt good.’

The big man stood over him, holding the account printouts Bill had given Janelle. He took out a gun from his shoulder holster and laid it on a desk next to his hat. Bill registered the silencer attached to it.

‘So you’re the informer. But why?’ Bill realised the naivety of his question as soon as the words came out of his mouth.

‘Why? You always were an arsehole,’
Barry said, turning to his notes and added ‘Because I have access to something no one else does
.’

‘You sold out to make a buck,’ Bill croaked as strength slowly returned to his body.

‘Come on, Bill, you know what government salaries are like. Can you really blame me?’ Barry paced the room, flicking through the pages in his hands. ‘I should’ve been the director, but instead it’s that prick Blunt in the chair and I’m left to hang like a wet rag on a clothesline.’

‘The Jakarta assignment. I fouled up your plans, didn’t I?’

‘You shit!’ Barry gave him a solid backhander across the face, splitting his lip open.

‘All this pent-up aggression isn’t good for you,’ Bill said, spitting out the blood in his mouth. The extra pain on top of his headache didn’t help.

‘Keep it up, smartarse.’

‘You told Sam to hire me? So much for being mutual friends, Barry. I’d hate to be your enemy.’

‘Well, as you know, a few rumours have been going around at Aust Global Fund. You know how rumours work, Bill.’ Barry walked to the bathroom and came back with a hand towel, wiping Bill’s blood off his hands with an expression of disgust. ‘They can spread like a festering disease. You’ve got to be quick and catch them early otherwise they can do a lot of damage. You were a disease in ASIO and you’re a disease now.’

‘I’m flattered you were thinking of me all this time, but I doubt pinning it on me will be swallowed that easily, you fat fuck.’

‘Shut your mouth!’ Another firm backhander followed. ‘You know what the funny thing is, Bill? I’ll probably get a commendation for this.’ Barry drew back his sleeve and looked at his watch.

Aazim was mumbling behind the gag, his eyes darting down the chair and back towards Bill. Bill understood the signals. Looking down discreetly, he noticed the stun gun protruding slightly from Aazim’s pocket. They’d assumed the computer geek was unarmed and hadn’t bothered to search him. Bill hoped they were sitting close enough to each other for his hands to reach it.

‘You killed Janelle. How does it make you feel to take out one of your own?’ Bill spat. ‘I suppose you changed sides a long time ago, didn’t you, Barry? You’re in the hip pocket of a terrorist, aren’t you?’

‘She wanted action and she got it. And let’s not forget who got her into this.’ Barry had no time for women holding positions of responsibility. As far as he was concerned they were emotional creatures incapable of making a man’s decision. ‘She handed you over like a breadstick, just as I expected.’ Bill watched in disgust as he laughed and snorted, his thick flabby neck wobbling like an elephant seal performing a mating ritual.

‘You handpicked her men,’ Bill said. Things were beginning to make sense.

‘Not the two tech agents. Janelle insisted on bringing them along and I had to let her think she had some control.’ Barry hovered over Bill and observed him as though he were a stain on the carpet. ‘It’ll be a pleasure blowing your brains out,’ he sneered. ‘Short-sighted arseholes like you place our work and country in jeopardy.’

‘The feds have the perimeter surrounded, Barry.’ Bill said, buying time. He struggled with the tape, his fingertips touching the end of the stun gun as he reached for Aazim’s back pocket. Aazim leaned as close as he could without Barry noticing.

‘They’re not here for me,’ Barry sniggered, ‘I’m the one giving the orders.’ He took out another weapon from his trench coat and placed it on the table. ‘They’ll come if and when I say so. This is my operation and I’m running it.’

‘What’s that? Planting the murder weapon? That’s crude even for you.’

‘You’re close. This gun will shut the case of the missing employees from Aust Global Fund. Their bodies will turn up and ballistics will match the bullets to it. Guess whose fingerprints they’ll find.’

‘And how will you account for Aazim? He’s a model citizen with no criminal record.’

While Barry was looking into Aazim’s laptop, Bill managed to grip the end of the slippery handle with two fingers, slowly pulling it out of Aazim’s pocket. They only had one shot at it; the slightest fumble and the stun gun would end up on the floor. If his hand cramped up they were finished.

Barry looked at Aazim. ‘Aazim is your accomplice and this is his gun.’ He pointed to Aazim and gave him a crooked smile.

Bill knew Barry could pull off his threats: he held the evidence and his word counted. A report would detail the theft of highly valuable information used as blackmail to extort money from a wealthy financial company. Barry could claim he placed his agents to track Aazim down. It all came to a stakeout and the surveillance tapes could be manipulated to his liking. He and Aazim would be shot as two dangerous criminals and blamed for Janelle’s death. A bitter ex-ASIO agent acting out in revenge for the loss of his job, and a young IT technician disillusioned with his place in society and depressed at the loss of his mother. No one questioned a report filed by a deputy director of ASIO.

Aazim shrieked under his gag, his wide eyes focused on Barry as the big man stepped between them.

Faking a solemn face, Barry turned to Bill. ‘Janelle died in the line of duty and I’ll have her nominated for a bravery award,’ he said, then snorted with laughter.

‘Where’s your million dollars? Without the money you have no evidence of extortion,’ Bill challenged. He had managed to stretch out four fingers on the stun gun. He couldn’t feel the trigger yet. The tight pocket made it hard to pull the gun out and he had to squeeze firmly to get a grip on the smooth handle.

There was a knock on the door.

‘What is it?’ Barry yelled out.

An agent opened the door. ‘Sir, your contact’s here.’

‘About time, let him in.’

A dark figure walked in wearing a long expensive-looking overcoat, leather gloves and a scarf curled around his neck. Two bearded men followed close behind. Barry waited for the agent to close the door.

‘Why are they still here?’ Sam asked coldly, observing the two bound men as though they were mere objects placed on display.

Aazim’s heartbeat accelerated at the sight of his nemesis.

‘I thought you might want Aazim for yourself. I’ll deal with this other shithead in a minute,’ Barry replied.

‘No, I don’t. Here’s the money.’ Sam didn’t hide his annoyance as he slammed a briefcase on the table. He opened it up to reveal twenty thousand dollars in fifty-dollar notes.

Bill felt the urgency of the situation and picked up the pace, trying to get a better grip on the handle. He could feel the trigger button now.

Barry’s eyes lit up at the sight of money and he greedily ran his hand through the notes. ‘Good. With the other twenty grand we get from Bill’s office it’ll be enough evidence to make it stick without a doubt. No need to waste any more on these two shits.’

‘Have you got the data?’ Sam asked.

Barry handed over the printouts Janelle had given him. ‘Aazim’s laptop is on the table there too.’

Sam walked over to the laptop and turned it on. He didn’t plan on staying any longer than was necessary. As soon as the data contents were confirmed there was no reason to expose himself further.

‘Hi, Sam, is that my money? If you just untie me I’ll be on my way.’

‘Very funny, Mr McKane.’

‘I’m surprised a member of The Brotherhood is collaborating with corrupt ASIO agents. Do they know what you’re up to?’

‘I have nothing to say to you, Mr McKane,’ Sam said and continued to search through the databases.

‘Who are the partners, Sam? Do they know about your partner Barry here?’

‘Shut your face, Bill.’ Barry was about to give him another whack but held back.

‘Or what? You’ll kill us? Let me have some fun, will you.’

‘I’m done.’ Sam got up, packed up the laptop and turned to Barry with a question on his face.

‘I’ll take care of these two, don’t worry,’ Barry said.

‘Leaving us so soon, Sam? Stick around, we’re just getting to know each other,’ Bill said, finally getting a good grip on the handle, his finger on the trigger.

‘It’s regrettable it had to come to this, Mr McKane,’ Sam responded, then he turned towards Aazim. ‘If only you could open your eyes and understand what the future holds. You could have been a part of something great.’ He turned and walked out, his men following close behind.

‘I’ll see you later, Sam,’ Bill yelled but received no response.

Barry picked up his gun, cocked the hammer and aimed it at Bill’s forehead. ‘You won’t be seeing anyone.’

‘Blow us away and you won’t get the other copy.’

‘What are you talking about? We’ve got all your copies.’

‘Not the one Aazim stashed. I didn’t tell Janelle about it in case I never saw her again.’

Aazim gave Bill a questioning look, unnoticed by Barry.

‘You’re wasting my time.’ Barry re-aimed.

‘Aazim’s original disk is in a safe place. You shoot us and it gets handed over to the police. It’s the usual procedure when the owner doesn’t claim the contents after a certain time.’ Bill wasn’t sure if that was the case but he hoped Barry wouldn’t know either.

‘Are you making up stories, Bill?’

‘Maybe I am, but can you afford to take that chance? We come to a deal and the key is yours.’ He knew there was no way Barry would come good on a deal, not in this situation. He just needed to get him thinking for a moment.

‘Where’s the key?’

‘Give me your word we’ll walk out of here unharmed and it’s yours. You’ll have access to data that will make you an ASIO god and a rich man. Sam won’t know a thing.’

Barry lowered his weapon and gave the impression he was thinking it over. ‘I’ll consider it.’

‘That’s not enough.’

‘You’re in no position to negotiate. That’s as good as you’ll get.’

‘Reach into my back pocket and you’ll find a key to the motel safe. The number’s written on it.’ Bill slid the stun gun into his sleeve and concealed it from view.

Barry shifted his large frame behind Bill, inspecting the tape to make sure his captive was tightly secured. With his gun in one hand, he lowered himself with some effort and reached into Bill’s pocket with the other, rummaging through the first one but finding it empty. He shoved his fat hand into the other pocket and felt a small metal object. As he pulled out the key Bill twisted his wrist and jabbed the stun gun rods into Barry’s knuckles. Barry yelped and his hand tightened, but he managed to pull back in a jolt, his body awkwardly twisting off balance. The stun gun was low on power and didn’t deliver enough voltage to render him disabled. Instead he stumbled and lost his footing, firing the gun as he fell. The bullet flew past Aazim’s ear and lodged in the ceiling. Barry’s head hit the edge of the drawer desk, knocking him out. None of the agents heard the gunshot because the silencer muffled the sound, and the heavy rain drowned out Barry’s fall.

‘Aazim, quickly! Take out my car keys, they’re in the front pocket.’

Aazim jumped and twisted around with the chair in an effort to reach into Bill’s pocket. He pulled out the keys.

‘Good, now use the jagged edge of the largest key to cut through the tape. It should do the job.’

Aazim did as he was told and frantically sawed through the tape that bound Bill’s wrists. It was like cutting cardboard with a blunt knife. His back was turned, which made it difficult to see over his shoulder, and he had to feel around to find the tape’s thinnest edge. Cutting through the tough tape seemed impossible. He used all his strength and only managed a small incision, but as the cut deepened Bill wriggled his wrists and finally loosened the tight hold. He clenched his teeth and gave it all he had, and suddenly the tape tore enough for his hands to come undone. He grabbed the keys from Aazim and cut through the tape that bound his ankles to the chair. He got up and retrieved his jacket from the floor.

Barry started groaning; he was coming round. Aazim jumped around desperately in his chair.

‘Don’t worry, buddy, I’m not leaving you.’ Bill pulled out his tool kit and took out a small Stanley knife, using it to slice through Aazim’s tape. Aazim ripped off the gag and coughed loudly.

A crackling sound came from a receiver in Barry’s jacket. ‘It’s time, sir,’ a voice said. ‘What are your instructions?’

Barry opened his eyes and as they met Bill’s, both men momentarily froze. Barry saw his gun and went to reach for it, but as he turned to aim his face collided with Bill’s heel, which sent him sprawling against the desk, the gun slipping from his fingers and skidding under the bed.

‘Get the key!’ Aazim yelled.