Solomon's Scrolls, page 15
part #1 of A North and Swiftwater Thriller Series
CHAPTER TWENTY
Thailand
After an exhausting, fifteen-hour flight from Bern, Switzerland, to Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, Kim and Connor picked up their luggage and made their way through customs. As they weren’t planning on staying any longer than needed, they didn’t need to purchase an entry visa to enter the country and were greeted warmly by the customs agents. Before leaving the busy airport, they decided to stop and pick up a few things at a kiosk run by a teenage boy with an infectious smile who loved to haggle with foreigners.
Kim was sure they’d paid too much for their provisions but didn’t care as it was her first time in Thailand, and she expected to be slightly taken advantage of by the merchants. As soon as they stepped outside, the humidity struck them like a wet cloth. Even though it was overcast, the air was still very damp. They did their best to politely ignore the swarm of pushy street merchants and taxi drivers waiting for the tourists as they left the terminal and made their way to a waiting shuttle bus to their hotel. Kim and Connor took seats at the back, so they could speak in private. They watched while the shuttle’s driver deftly negotiated the multitude of cars and taxis driving on both sides of the road as if they didn’t care for their lives until they hit the highway and then sped up.
Kim finally broke the silence. “Connor, about last night. I’m sorry. I think I may have had one too many drinks with my supper and then said some stupid things.”
Connor chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. It’s already in the past.”
“Not for me, it isn’t. I want to talk about what happened.”
Connor could sense there was something more going on. “Sure, but if only if you want to.”
“I do.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Kim cleared her throat. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, but I’ve had trouble with my relationships ever since I was a teen. You have to understand that I have deep-seated trust issues and tend to keep most men at bay so I won’t get taken advantage of or get my heart broken. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to trust or feel comfortable around anyone. I must have drunk too much and dropped my guard.”
Connor smiled grimly. “If it makes you feel any better, I’m not that much different from you. After Rachel died, I descended into the deepest and darkest part of my soul. I drank way too much and cut off everyone I had ever loved. Would you believe that I haven’t spoken to my parents in over two years?”
Kim shook her head and tutted. “Connor, that’s awful.”
Connor looked out the window at the traffic swarming all around the bus and then back at Kim. “I often wonder if they know I’m alive or not. If I hadn’t ended up in Africa, I’m sure I’d be dead by now. By the bottle or by a bullet to my brain.”
Kim placed a hand on Connor’s arm. “Connor, I’m heartbroken to hear that. It took me a long time to realize it, but a person’s family is important to them. Even if you don’t get along with them all the time, they’re still your family. You should call your parents the minute we arrive at our hotel.”
Connor drummed his fingers on his leg and went quiet for a few seconds. “I don’t know. I don’t even know what to say after all these years.”
Kim mimed a phone in her hand. “How about, hello, it’s your son here, and no, I’m not dead.”
“Just a second, when did this conversation become all about me? I thought we were talking about you and your trust issues.”
Kim raised her eyebrows. “We were, but now we’re talking about you. Did you see how I did that?”
“Yes, so cut it out.”
“Seriously though, you should call your parents. Two years is a long time.”
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe when the mission is over.”
“I’m not going to push you, but I really am. I want you to call them the instant we find the scrolls.”
Connor raised a hand. “Okay, you win. I’ll call them.”
Kim sat back with a quiet smile.
Their bus parked in front of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in downtown Bangkok. Right away, half a dozen young men in white uniforms, wearing traditional, black, pith-style helmets, ran over and grabbed hold of everyone’s luggage.
“My God, can we afford this place?” gasped Kim, looking around the grand, glass-covered entrance to the hotel.
“I think we’ve got adjoining rooms at around one thousand U.S. a night,” said Connor.
Kim turned on her heels, admiring their hotel. “A grand? My God. That’s insane.”
“I know. But we’re not paying; Jason is,” said Connor with a grin.
“This place is amazing. How did you hear about it?”
“Yuri recommended we stay here.”
“For a man who wears dirty Hawaiian shirts, he has expensive tastes.”
“I agree, but again, we’re not paying for it. Come on, let’s check in and see if Yuri’s in town.”
Connor tipped the luggage handlers well, knowing a new set of young men would be waiting in the lobby to take their bags to their room. The air in the hotel’s interior was cool and refreshing compared to the stifling humidity outside. The mix of modern and old-fashioned architecture mirrored the nation—a people with a rich cultural heritage and an eye on the stars. Connor checked them in and waited patiently as his fake credit card was scanned. He let out a held breath when the desk attendant removed the card and handed him some complimentary chips for the casino.
“Please enjoy your stay,” said the desk attendant, sliding over a packet with the electronic keys to their room.
“Khob Khun,” replied Connor, thanking the attendant.
“I didn’t know you could speak Thai,” remarked Kim.
“I can’t, really. I only know a few phrases I picked up during a two-day stopover in Bangkok when I was just getting started in the Marines.”
Kim raised an eyebrow. “You’ll have to tell me about your adventures here one day.”
Connor shook his head. “Oh, no. I don’t think so. What happens when you’re young and stupid in Bangkok stays in Bangkok.”
“But we are in Bangkok,” teased Kim.
“Don’t use logic. It’s wasted on me.”
They rode the elevator to the sixth floor and walked down a lush, green-carpeted floor to their adjoining rooms. Connor tipped the teenage boys and waited for them to close to Kim’s door behind them.
Kim stepped onto her balcony and looked down at the hotel’s pools and cabanas. “This place is unbelievable. I can’t wait to go for a dip in the pool.”
Connor joined her and felt the sun on his face. “Those pools do look inviting, but I don’t remember packing any swimming trunks when I left the States.”
“Neither did I. But that’s not going to stop me from going swimming. We’ll have to add your trunks and a couple of bikinis for me to Jason’s bill.” Kim turned and looked back into her room. “This is nice.”
Connor’s phone buzzed. “Good afternoon, Yuri. Where are you?”
“I’m downstairs, in the hotel restaurant,” the black marketeer replied.
“Which one? There are at least ten different ones at this hotel.”
“It’s called the Riverside Terrace, I think. You can’t miss it. It has a great view of the Chao Phraya River.”
“Yeah, I know the one you’re talking about. We’re on our way down.”
“Give me a minute,” said Kim as she tossed her suitcase on a bed and opened it. She dug through her clothes until she found a clean shirt. “There’s no point looking like we just stepped off a plane.”
Connor knew it was time to leave Kim alone. “I’ll, uh, meet you in the hallway.”
“With a new shirt on,” replied Kim, with a smirk.
Connor shrugged in defeat and went to check his luggage. They found Yuri sitting at a table a few meters away from the river, sipping a strawberry daiquiri. Kim and Connor sat across from him and ordered a couple of glasses of Perrier to drink.
“I can see why you picked this spot,” Kim observed dryly when two young women wearing revealing bikinis walked by.
Their waiter returned and placed the cold drinks on the table. Connor tipped the young man and asked for some privacy.
“So, Yuri, please tell me you have friends here in Thailand who can help us?” asked Connor.
Yuri feigned being insulted. “Come on; this is Yuri you’re talking about. What’s not to love? But to answer your question, yes, I have friends here in Bangkok who owe me a favor or two, so getting your gear won’t be hard at all.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I know you’ve only been here a few hours longer than us,” said Kim, “but have you been able to learn anything about Ta Phraya and where General Kirdpan?”
Yuri shook his head. “No, not yet. I have feelers out, but it’s too early. Give me two days; I should have something for you by then.”
“That sounds fair.”
“I hope so because Thailand may look like a pleasant country to visit, pretty lady, but its police can be very unforgiving if you know what I mean.”
“I think I do.”
Yuri’s voice became agitated, but he kept it low. “Good, because I’m not being paranoid when I say Thailand has almost become a police state these past few years. So, we would all be wise to keep off the government's radar. People like me don’t go to jail. If I can’t pay off whoever has arrested me, I’ll disappear and become just another tourist who died of an overdose while on vacation in Thailand.”
“We hear what you’re saying,” said Connor, hearing the fear in Yuri’s voice. “And we’ll keep as low as possible.”
“So, when should we plan to meet next?” asked Kim.
Yuri ran a hand over the stubble on his chin. “Why don’t we meet here for breakfast on Thursday morning and go over what I’ve learned?”
“Okay, until then,” said Connor.
“So, what are you two siblings going to do for the next two days?” said Yuri, smirking as he handed two new passports to Connor under the table.
Kim smiled. “We’re going swimming, and then I’m going to eat until I fall asleep.”
Yuri arrived a little after eight, looking like he hadn’t gone to bed once in the interim. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes wrinkled.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” quipped Kim.
Yuri collapsed into his seat and reached for a silver carafe to pour himself a coffee. “Don’t say a word. It took me until fifteen minutes ago to get everything I was after.”
“Here, let me,” said Kim, pouring Yuri some coffee.
Connor smiled and shook his head as Yuri held his cup in his hands as if it were some kind of lifesaving elixir. “Would you like some breakfast?”
Yuri shook his head. “Oh, God, no. Just coffee this morning.”
“Do you mind if we eat?”
“No, not at all.”
Connor waved over their server and ordered two continental breakfasts. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the plates to arrive. Their waiter nodded politely and left them in peace to eat.
Kim casually looked around the restaurant to ensure no one was listening to their conversation and then took a bite from her blueberry muffin. In a quiet tone, she asked, “So what can you tell us, Yuri?”
“Do you want the good news first or the bad news?”
Connor shrugged indifferently.
“I always like getting the bad news upfront. That way, the good news always sounds so much better,” said Kim.
“Okay. The bad news is there is no way in hell I can get you a pass to the base in Ta Phraya.”
“Why not?” asked Connor.
“Because, according to the Royal Thai Air Force, the base doesn’t exist.”
“And the good news?” asked Kim.
Yuri smiled roguishly. “I know where you can get a pass.”
Kim sighed. “To me, the balance sheet seems even right now. So, Yuri, where can we get our hands on a pass?”
Yuri downed his coffee and poured another cup. “The pass you’re looking for is in a room safe at the nearby Millennium Hilton.”
Kim’s eyes narrowed. “Who’s the target?”
“The man’s name is Joseph Quinn. He’s a loudmouthed Englishman who likes to throw his money around. A friend of mine gave me a heads-up that this gentleman was going through ten-thousand-dollar business ladies two, sometimes three, a day.” Yuri made air quotations around business ladies.
“And he has a pass?”
Yuri nodded. “Da. The more he drinks, the looser his tongue becomes, and he couldn’t help but brag about it to one of my friend’s business associates.”
“What does he look like?”
“I’ll send you a picture later today.”
“Thanks.”
“So, what’s the plan?” asked Connor.
“This evening around 2300 hours, while he’s busy at the bar, you’re going to break into his room and steal his pass.”
“And if he notices it missing, then what?”
“He won’t, at least not until it’s too late. I’ve arranged for Mister Quinn to be given a sedative that will keep him in a state of near unconsciousness for two days. So, by the time he finally comes to and realizes that he’s been robbed, you two should be long gone.”
“I like it,” said Kim. “Simple and effective.”
Connor raised a hand. “Being the non-criminal here, it all sounds a bit too simple to me.”
“The best robberies usually are,” remarked Kim. “I honestly like Yuri’s plan.”
“You’re the thief. If you like it, I guess so do I.”
Kim smiled. “Thanks.”
“Yuri, the question that’s been bugging me ever since we arrived in Thailand is, why here? Why would North Korean agents hold a secret antiquities auction on a base run by the Royal Thai Air Force? After all, they’re not exactly the best of friends.”
Yuri held up three fingers and then lowered one. “For two really good reasons. First, General Kirdpan is as corrupt as they come. His base in Ta Phraya is used for what we in the business would call black ops. My contact told me the installation is home to a squadron of drones. But instead of using them to patrol the borders, General Kirdpan uses them to fly illegal shipments of heroin from a village just across the border in Cambodia into Thailand.”
“And the other good reason?” asked Kim.
“He gets a healthy cut of the profits from every auction held on the base. See, I told you he was corrupt.”
“Okay, but wouldn’t the sudden arrival of North Korean agents at one of Kirdpan’s bases tip off the authorities that something was up?” asked Connor.
Yuri gulped down his coffee and reached for more. “Why would it? I already told you the base doesn’t exist. So, you can’t get suspicious if there’s nothing there to begin with.”
“True.”
“I’ve learned the whole process, from beginning to end, is quite impressive. The stolen antiquities are shipped out of Cyprus onboard Liberian-registered ships until they reach Pakistan. After that, they are flown to Thailand. Once they arrive here, they are picked up by some of General Kirdpan’s people and flown straight to his black ops base. I’m not even sure if anyone in Kirdpan’s chain of command has the slightest clue about what’s going on. And if they do, he’s paying them good money to be quiet and look the other way.”
“Good lord,” said Connor. “Who says crime doesn’t pay?”
Kim leaned forward. “Yuri, do you know when the auction is taking place?”
“Tomorrow evening. Mister Quinn’s invitation is also his identity card for the event. Luckily, his card allows him to bring another person with him, or Mister North would be going on his own.”
“If this base doesn’t exist, how are we supposed to get there?” Kim asked.
“My informant wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but he thinks that info is on the back of the ID card. Follow it to the T, and you should be okay. When you arrive at the base, your card will be scanned, and you’ll be escorted to a hangar where the auction will take place sometime after 2000 hours.”
“So far, so good. But what if we want to take a better look at the items for sale? After all, I wouldn’t want to bid millions of dollars on the word of a North Korean agent.”
“I’ve been told the bids are not binding. The highest bidder will get a chance to inspect the artifact, and if they’re not happy, they can withdraw their bid, and the next highest bidder will get the chance to buy it.”
“And you got all this from your friend?” Connor asked suspiciously.
“Yes.”
“For a man in your shape, that’s quite the accomplishment.”
Yuri winked. “Don’t worry. I have friends in low places and do some of my best work half-drunk.”
Kim waved a hand in front of her face. “Half! I can smell you from here.”
“The gear I asked for; did you manage to get that as well?” Connor asked.
“I sure did. I’ll drop it all off tomorrow morning before you begin your day.” Yuri blinked his eyes to focus them. “Please don’t tell me you brought a tuxedo to go to the auction in?”
“No, but I was hoping to rent one from the hotel.”
Yuri muttered something undistinguishable under his breath. “Don’t even think about wearing a tux. You’d stick out like a sore thumb if you did that. Please dress casually and do your best to look like you belong at the auction. You’re my best clients right now, and I would hate to lose you.”
“Or the money?” said Connor bluntly.
“Yeah, there’s that, too.”
“Thanks, Yuri,” said Kim. “You’re the best.”
“Whatever you do tomorrow evening, don’t get caught. General Kirdpan won’t care if you’re from the West or a man or a woman. He’ll torture you to get whatever information he wants from you and then dispose of your bodies in the closest river.”
“Swell,” said Connor.
“Until later,” said Yuri, staggering to his feet.
“He’s thorough. I’ll give him that,” said Kim, watching Yuri try not to trip over his feet as he passed a table with two scantily dressed women sitting there.
