Page 85 of Gryphon

Max was one of those people he knew well but knew nothing about. The man had poured him hundreds of drinks over the years. Had shared a toast with him when he and Elene became engaged. Always had a pleasant nod. And nothing much else beyond the story of his tattoos. Tattoos. GSOF. And when someone like Max introduced you to someone else…

“Okay, I’m listening.”

“Good man.” And Max faded into the background.

The Aussie returned. “Looking for a chap doing a dance in a NATO outfit. About five-eight, dark hair—”

“I’ve spent the last few hours with him.”

“Aw, give the man a kewpie doll. Well done, mate. Where is the bloke?”

“Upstairs, meeting with Chief Kancheli. At GIS headquarters.”

“Not the sort of squat I can go strolling into, I’m guessing.”

“That would be a clear no.”

There was a brief round of whispers he couldn’t quite catch.

“Glass, rooftop office?”

“Yes.”

“What’s their plan?”

“I don’t know much beyond the scale of it. Torpedoes from a helicopter and a boat somewhere, but they don’t say which one. I think they’re on the verge of shutting me out completely. Why is NATO conspiring with Kancheli?”

“NATO is asking the same question, mate.”

“They’re…what?” Pavle was missing something.

“That’s two hints,” the Aussie seemed to be enjoying this madness. “Do ye need a third? Chappie’s doing a dance. NATO asking…”

Pavle finally caught on. “He’s not NATO!”

“Ding! Ding! Ding! Stuffed koala bear with the kewpie doll. Ready to go for the big money?”

“Sure.” It was all Pavle could think to say. Not NATO. Then his back door might still be open to get them out of this. But wait, she’d said that NATO was asking the question. He didn’t have to reach out to them, they were already reaching out to him. “Yes. What can I do?”

“Can you get them out of that building?”

He laughed. “Not a chance. Rumor is that Kancheli has a panic room somewhere here that he lives inside of, like a vampire in his coffin.”

A long silence, followed by a few more whispers.

“Is there a patio out front of that glass office? Can you get them both out on the roof?”

“Maybe…”

“Make that a yes and you get the dinky-di prize, mate.”

“And what’s that?”

“I give you a better than fifty percent chance of surviving this fiasco.”

He didn’t need to think about it, “I like those odds.” Best he’d had since the day Kancheli had called him up to the office.

68

---