McDonald Array - Divide and Conquer

“Thank you,” she said, knowing exactly what he meant. She watched Sean as his eyes had devoured every inch of detail in the hallway. It had taken him the briefest of sweeps but his eyes had moved far quicker than required, checking and double-checking before evaluating the next obstacle or exit. To the untrained eye, he was any other guy entering a hallway. To Katherine he was a finely tuned killing machine, who was aware of his abilities but not over confident. Tall and powerful, but walked like a man half his weight, lightly and easily. Minimizing the sound of every step he took.

Katherine dropped her pen and Sean’s hand reached out and caught it easily. His actions were so smooth, they belied their speed. The fluidity of the motion proved just how in tune Sean was with his body. His reaction time was exceptional, hand to eye coordination must have been off the charts. Katherine made an executive decision. There was no way her assassin could deal with Sean. He was going to have to be dealt with in Moscow. It also ensured she had an ally in helping secure the Governor’s agreement to visit Moscow, never mind the chance for her to bed what she concluded was quite an exceptional specimen. A tingle of excitement, one that she had not felt for many years, brought an unexpected smile to her face.

Sean smiled in return, a cheeky smile that suggested he was reading her just as she him.

“I’ll just see if the governor can see you now, if you wouldn’t mind taking a seat,” offered Katherine.

As Sean took the seat, he watched Katherine as she walked back to her office. Her body was toned to perfection. He knew because her shirt and blouse hugged every part of her tightly leaving nothing to the imagination. As Katherine had given him credit for, he had identified every risk and safe point within the hallway. If a gunman were to run through the door, Sean knew exactly where and what he would do. But when it came to Katherine, the only thing that had crossed his mind was what she would be like naked and exactly what he would do to her. After all he had been in Afghanistan for over a year and available women were not exactly falling out of the trees, not that there were many trees and that was the point. A year, first Katie and now Katherine, two beautiful woman and a year’s worth of pent up frustration. He spotted the water fountain and poured himself a drink. He needed to refocus his mind.

Katherine closed the office door and rushed to her telephone device. She dialed Surkov’s number. She didn’t have time to wait for a text reply.

“Katherine, my dear,” answered Surkov.

“We have a problem,” she was in a rush. “Sean Fox has arrived and I’m not sure I can deal with him before the trip.”

Surkov remained silent. Katherine continued, realizing he would hear her out.

“I don’t think the man I have locally is capable of dealing with Sean and, more importantly, it seems that Sean is going to help me convince the Governor to come to Moscow. If he does and then he subsequently dies, I can guarantee the Governor will be going nowhere. You can arrange for him to be dealt with in Moscow, no?”

Surkov digested every word and kept coming back to the same ones 'going to help me convince.’ Why on earth would he want to do that, thought Surkov. The question of which Sean Fox still survived suddenly became more intriguing. If he were his Sean, there was no way he would encourage the Governor to travel to Moscow and if he weren’t his, why would he care? Surkov loved it! “Fine, let him come, we’ll deal with him here! Just hold on a second.”

Surkov had realized there was one other potential wrench in the works. He called Borodin.

“Dr Surkov,” answered Borodin cheerily, still walking on air from his upcoming promotion.

“Call your man off Sean Fox,” ordered Surkov.

Borodin did not answer.

“What’s wrong?” asked Surkov.

“You may be too late!” replied Borodin cautiously. It seemed when it came to Sean Fox, he never got it right.

Surkov slammed down the phone and returned to Katherine’s call.

“It seems Borodin’s man may be an issue!” offered Surkov.

“Fox is here just now, it’s fine, just get Borodin to call off his man. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Katherine ended the call and replaced the device in the hidden compartment of her handbag. She checked her make up in the mirror on the wall and opened her door to see Sean Fox tearing out of the main entrance.

When Sean’s phone began to ring, he dug it out of his pocket and fully expected Vincent’s dulcet tones. When he saw the caller id said Katie, a smile instantly filled his face.

“Hi Katie!”

“Hi Sean,” she replied nervously, a wobble in her voice that instantly had Sean on edge. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Austin, what’s wrong?” he said, standing and looking out the window, irrationally hoping to see something.

“How would you like to pay us a visit?” she asked, trying her best to remain calm. Sean could almost see the vision of James being held while Katie tried desperately to sound normal.

“Of course, when should I come?”

“Now would be good!”

“I’m on my way!”

Katie gave him the address. “Oh and Sean,” she added. “Please don’t bring anyone else!” she pleaded.

He was already out of the Mansion’s door by the time he had ended the call. The governor’s car sat ready should the governor wish to go anywhere. Sean jumped in and gave the driver two choices. The driver seeing Sean’s size and agitated state took the healthier one and hit the gas.

Sean quizzed the driver how far they were from Katie’s address. Just over 10 minutes he had thought. Sean used the time to check the weapons he had packed for his trip to Moscow, as the governor’s bodyguard. He replayed what Katie had said in his mind, over and over again, 'don’t bring anybody else’. Her final warning. Nothing, although she hadn’t said 'anybody’ she had said 'anyone’, one. She was telling him there was only one guy.

One thing was certain, whatever happened, it seemed that Katie Fox was in danger. They had assumed that with Sean leaving, she would be fine but that had obviously been wrong. He was going to have to arrange alternative arrangements ongoing but first things were first. He needed to rescue them.

The Governor’s driver pulled into the hospital parking lot. He explained to Sean that the apartment block he needed was just around the corner in the street. Sean thanked him and climbed out. His weapons bag clunked as the magazines Sean had prepared in the car cracked together. An MP-7 and H amp;K UCP had been his weapons of choice for protecting the Governor — a small submachine gun that offered decent firepower along with a highly accurate pistol that shared the same ammunition. He took out his smartphone and hit the maps button. A map of his location with a blue dot highlighting where he stood appeared. He selected 'satellite 'and the image changed to an actual overhead view of the street and building, again highlighting his position.

Sean looked at the building pointed out by the driver as the target and decided he had little choice but to enter from the front. He took what he needed from the bag and began the walk towards the block. Had he misread Katie’s warning, there was every chance he could be dead already but the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced she was telling him just one. If there were just one, he’d be in the apartment waiting, gun to James’ or Katie’s head. Sean wanted to crush the fuck’s throat with his bare hands, the more he thought about it. The anger swelled as he drew closer. He knew he had to remain calm but after yesterday and getting James back to his mom, the thought of anyone else threatening the boy infuriated Sean like he had never felt before.