Rey had gotten into the big SUV, which was just as well – the assassin wasn’t looking for a new friend.
When the Suburban pulled to a stop at CISEN headquarters, two armed guards peered into the vehicle before waving them through the gate into a parking lot with twelve-foot-high surrounding walls that ensured nobody would be seen coming or going from the modern four-story building. They rolled into a stall near a side entrance, and the silent man in the passenger seat stepped out and spoke his first words of the trip.
“This way.”
El Rey slid from the rear seat, backpack in tow, and followed his guide to the entry door, which opened as if by magic, pulled wide by another suited man. They entered the building, and two security guards bracketed El Rey front and back as they made their way to a ground floor conference room, their footsteps the only sound in the marble hallway.
Once he was seated they left him alone. El Rey studied his fingernails, confident that there was a hidden camera somewhere in the room and unwilling to give the observers any more information than they already had.
Five minutes later the door opened and Rodriguez entered, trailed by three men, none of whom El Rey recognized. They took seats across from him, and then Rodriguez cleared his throat and slid a manila folder across the table.
“That’s the file of a man named Werner Rauschenbach. He’s in the same line of work you used to be in. German. There are two pages of summary on his exploits and history. Take a few moments to read them,” Rodriguez instructed.
El Rey flipped the folder open and glanced at the photos inside, and then studied the documents. When he was done, he took a closer look at the top photograph, then dropped it onto the table and leaned back.
“So?”
“We want you to find him.”
El Rey ’s expression betrayed nothing. “And wish him happy birthday?”
“Obviously not.”
“You want me to kill him.”
“That would be ideal. But it won’t be that simple, I’m afraid.” Rodriguez glanced at the picture. “He’s coming to Mexico. Might already be here.”
El Rey nodded. “And it’s safe to presume he’s not coming for the beaches?”
“Yes. We’ve gotten word that he’s been hired to carry out a sanction,” Rodriguez confirmed, irritated by the assassin’s tone.
“Why am I required?”
“Because you’re the best at that business.”
“Right. But you’re not asking me to take a contract, are you?”
“No. We need you to stop him. He can’t be allowed to carry out his plan.”
“Which is?”
Rodriguez nodded at the other men. The shortest, wearing a pale blue shirt and a retro tie, leaned forward.
“He’s going to try to execute a dignitary. A very important figure. If he’s successful, it would be disastrous.”
“Do you have any information on when and where?”
“Negative. But we can guess.”
“So guess.”
“We believe he’ll make his attempt in ten days. Here, in Mexico City.”
El Rey ’s eyes narrowed. “So why drag me off the side of the mountain? This seems like a routine security task. Am I missing something?”
Rodriguez dropped the pen he was toying with on the table. “We need you to find him before he can carry out the hit.”
“Who’s the target?”
“The Chinese paramount leader. The de facto ruler of China.”
El Rey blinked twice. “And why would an assassin come to Mexico to kill him?”
“Because he’ll be vulnerable here – much more so than in China.”
“What’s he going to be doing here? The paramount leader?”
“He’s supposed to sign an agreement with the president to transition our oil industry into Chinese hands – or rather, have them partner with us to get it out of the ground and refined. It would be a terminal blow to the agreement if an assassination attempt took place while he was here. Worse yet, if it succeeded.”
“Can I have some water?” El Rey asked.
Rodriguez leaned over and murmured to one of
When the Suburban pulled to a stop at CISEN headquarters, two armed guards peered into the vehicle before waving them through the gate into a parking lot with twelve-foot-high surrounding walls that ensured nobody would be seen coming or going from the modern four-story building. They rolled into a stall near a side entrance, and the silent man in the passenger seat stepped out and spoke his first words of the trip.
“This way.”
El Rey slid from the rear seat, backpack in tow, and followed his guide to the entry door, which opened as if by magic, pulled wide by another suited man. They entered the building, and two security guards bracketed El Rey front and back as they made their way to a ground floor conference room, their footsteps the only sound in the marble hallway.
Once he was seated they left him alone. El Rey studied his fingernails, confident that there was a hidden camera somewhere in the room and unwilling to give the observers any more information than they already had.
Five minutes later the door opened and Rodriguez entered, trailed by three men, none of whom El Rey recognized. They took seats across from him, and then Rodriguez cleared his throat and slid a manila folder across the table.
“That’s the file of a man named Werner Rauschenbach. He’s in the same line of work you used to be in. German. There are two pages of summary on his exploits and history. Take a few moments to read them,” Rodriguez instructed.
El Rey flipped the folder open and glanced at the photos inside, and then studied the documents. When he was done, he took a closer look at the top photograph, then dropped it onto the table and leaned back.
“So?”
“We want you to find him.”
El Rey ’s expression betrayed nothing. “And wish him happy birthday?”
“Obviously not.”
“You want me to kill him.”
“That would be ideal. But it won’t be that simple, I’m afraid.” Rodriguez glanced at the picture. “He’s coming to Mexico. Might already be here.”
El Rey nodded. “And it’s safe to presume he’s not coming for the beaches?”
“Yes. We’ve gotten word that he’s been hired to carry out a sanction,” Rodriguez confirmed, irritated by the assassin’s tone.
“Why am I required?”
“Because you’re the best at that business.”
“Right. But you’re not asking me to take a contract, are you?”
“No. We need you to stop him. He can’t be allowed to carry out his plan.”
“Which is?”
Rodriguez nodded at the other men. The shortest, wearing a pale blue shirt and a retro tie, leaned forward.
“He’s going to try to execute a dignitary. A very important figure. If he’s successful, it would be disastrous.”
“Do you have any information on when and where?”
“Negative. But we can guess.”
“So guess.”
“We believe he’ll make his attempt in ten days. Here, in Mexico City.”
El Rey ’s eyes narrowed. “So why drag me off the side of the mountain? This seems like a routine security task. Am I missing something?”
Rodriguez dropped the pen he was toying with on the table. “We need you to find him before he can carry out the hit.”
“Who’s the target?”
“The Chinese paramount leader. The de facto ruler of China.”
El Rey blinked twice. “And why would an assassin come to Mexico to kill him?”
“Because he’ll be vulnerable here – much more so than in China.”
“What’s he going to be doing here? The paramount leader?”
“He’s supposed to sign an agreement with the president to transition our oil industry into Chinese hands – or rather, have them partner with us to get it out of the ground and refined. It would be a terminal blow to the agreement if an assassination attempt took place while he was here. Worse yet, if it succeeded.”
“Can I have some water?” El Rey asked.
Rodriguez leaned over and murmured to one of
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