Jeffrey Siger - Assassins of Athens

Tassos shrugged. 'We needed privacy.'

Tassos was a real old-timer, with more connections than hair, as bushy and dyed brown as it might be. Whatever else Andreas thought of Tassos, he never underestimated his ability to get things done, no matter what the means. Some might say Tassos, not Andreas, was a truer example of the traditional Greek cop. An undoubted point of pride for both men.

'How did you know I was on this plane?'

'You haven't exactly been hiding.'

Andreas looked for a smile. There was none. 'Like I said, how did you know I was on this plane?'

'People saw you and told me you were here. I wanted to talk to you, so I checked with the airlines. They gave me your flight information, and I set this up.' He gestured toward the other seats.

Andreas said nothing, just kept looking for a smile.

'I also set up your wake-up call.' Big smile.

Andreas rubbed his eyes with his left thumb and index finger. He wondered what else Tassos might know about last night. No matter, Tassos would never turn against him on a personal level. Their differences were professional, and they'd still be friends but for that. 'Okay, asshole, why did you want to see me?'

'Ah, glad we're back on a first-name basis.' Tassos paused. 'It's about the Kostopoulos matter.'

Andreas shook his head. 'Let me guess, you're the one "looking into things" for Zanni Kostopoulos.'

Tassos nodded.

'Officially or unofficially?'

Tassos shrugged. 'It's a private retainer arrangement. I decided to catch up on some long overdue vacation time.'

Andreas snickered. 'Doesn't surprise me. So, like I said, what do you want from me?'

'Not sure anything at the moment. It's more what I can do for you.'

'Don't hustle me with your bullshit.' Andreas had trouble keeping his temper with Tassos. It was a trust issue.

Tassos shook his head. 'Don't worry, I'm not. But judge for yourself.'

Andreas shrugged. 'So tell me.'

'Kostopoulos came to me after he got that potsherd. And, yes, before you ask, I've helped him before.'

Again, Andreas wasn't surprised.

Tassos continued. 'I'd heard rumors, more like occasional gossip, of that sort of shit going on. Families being told to move or else, but it wasn't any of my business, so I never looked into it. But, after Zanni called, it didn't take long for me to find that the story was for real, involving seriously lethal people who followed through on their threats.' Tassos turned away from Andreas and rubbed his forehead with one hand. 'His son was a really great kid. I wish the son of a bitch had listened to me.' He didn't have to say he was talking about the father.

'I told him to take precautions, take the battle to them. He wouldn't listen. He's not the sort that does. He said no one would dare go after him. His wife pleaded with him, but he wouldn't listen to her either. Don't know if she'll ever speak to him again.'

'Do you know who the bad guys are?'

'I'm working on it.'

Andreas was not about to offer an exchange of information.

'What I do know, aside from what Marios told you, is-'

'You told Marios to speak to me?'

Tassos smiled. 'He owed me big time, he's the one who filled me in on the potsherd bit, too. I know how Marios comes across, but the bottom line is he's also worried about what's threatening our country. He just feared that getting involved might get him dead, and not just career-wise. I convinced him there were many ways to die. And not telling you would bring on one of the worst he could imagine.'

Andreas rolled his eyes.

'Despite what you think, I like you. Liked your father too. And I didn't want you wandering around in the dark, not knowing what might be out there waiting for you.' He waited for Andreas to respond.

'Go on.'

Tassos shrugged. 'You're welcome. Anyway, when Zanni said you told them about their son, I knew I had to let you know what you were dealing with, even though you won't talk to me. Zanni doesn't know about Marios talking to you, and certainly not about this little meeting, but screw him. Besides, you and I are on the same side in this.'

Andreas wasn't about to take his word on that.

'Here's what I have. I was a rookie cop working in a Junta prison for political prisoners…' Andreas knew that part of Tassos' story, and of how he took great care to befriend all the politicians in there as a hedge against Greece's return to democracy. 'That gives me an interesting perspective on our current situation. You see, I have friends some might call outright fascists and others who are definite to-the-core communists. "And never the twain shall meet," or at least you'd think so.'

Tassos liked his little riddles. Andreas hated them; they always led to lectures.

'What the hell are you talking about?'

'Since a year or so before the 2004 Olympics, things have been relatively calm as far as Athens goes. Demonstrations and strikes yes, but certainly not the sort of terrorist violence and assassinations of the prior thirty years. Many have prospered, a lot more haven't. The media sees corrupt ion everywhere, the people accept it as a way of life. Everyone argues over whether government is out of control and politicians out of touch. Most see both as inevitable consequences of power.'

Andreas was getting antsy. 'It's like that most everywhere, not just Greece.'

'True, but we're living here. And that's all I'm concerned about.'

Andreas gave a hurry-up wave.

'Are you going somewhere?' Tassos sounded a touch angry. 'There are people who still believe the best thing for Greece is a return to dictatorship. With them, of course, in charge. They have all the answers for Greece's problems, and there's no need to waste time listening to another point of view. Especially from the "wrong sorts" of people.' Tassos paused. 'Then we have the other fringe, the ones who want to return Greece to a time that never existed… except in a university coffee shop.'

Andreas thought Kouros and Tassos would get along nicely.

Tassos shook his head. 'I even heard an Athenian taxi driver complain the other day that "there's no one to keep the politicians in line since they broke up 17 November." Think about that: middle-class Athenians speaking openly to strangers of a twisted sort of admiration for the effect of terror on bettering their government?'

'Where the hell are you headed with this?' Andreas was happy the pilot announced they'd be landing shortly.

'I think there's more than one group involved in this. We've got different ideologies working together.'

'But why?'

'I don't know, but for as long as I can remember, each generation of Athenians has bitched about the nouveaux riches coming out of the next, and all the targeted families have one thing in common, new money. The left wouldn't be so selective. And this potsherd stuff… it's way too esoteric for revolutionaries. They go for symbolism tied directly to their cause.'

'Sounds to me like it's just your old fascist buddies at play.'

Tassos ignored him. 'But they don't, or rather didn't, have the horses they needed to get their crazy ideas moving. Something's happened. They have some real muscle behind them.'

'I still don't see why you think that means fascists are working with leftists.'

Tassos patted the arm between their seats. 'Because, associates of the guy trying to get money out of my principal used to blow up people for nuts on the left.'

The plane touched down on the runway.

'Kostopoulos said you didn't know the negotiator.'

Tassos grinned. 'You believed him? Let's put it this way: some of his playmates were on watch lists in the days of 17 November.'

'What's his name?'

'Not a chance, at least not until Zanni says it's okay.'

Andreas wasn't surprised. 'So, why are they working for the right?'