The man in the middle was big, as formidable-looking as his two goons, although he appeared older and more in charge. He regarded the two vehicles idling close, the five sets of hard eyes watching the situation carefully, and then he reholstered his gun and indicated to his men to do the same. After this, he said, “Would have helped if we’d known about your men.”
“Would have helpedyou, I suppose you mean to say,” Coyle said.
The two younger Americans finished the frisk, more politely now that they knew they might get riddled with bullets if they misbehaved, then stepped back. The five Kearney men looked on: the two Donnelly brothers in one vehicle, and the three Walsh brothers in the other. They didn’t show their weapons, but Coyle assumed their guns were drawn, resting in their laps and out of sight.
Coyle turned away from them and back towards the American who’d been speaking.
Extending a hand, the American said, “I’m Mike. Sorry about that, my boys are a little amped up.”
Coyle took it. “Whetstone. No harm done.”
“You’re something of a legend. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“If it’s a pleasure to meet someone like me, chief, then you’ve taken a bit of a wrong turn in your life.”
Mike said, “I’m comfortable with what we’re doing and why.”
“Fair enough.”
“Thank you for getting here so quickly. As I briefed you on your way over, our operation has to start immediately. I need you acting by tomorrow at the latest.”
“I believe you said you needed me acting by dawn, yeah?”
“That would be ideal.”
Coyle nodded. “I can manage.”
“Excellent,” Mike said. “I have weapons, ammunition, an iPad loaded with five targets and their dossiers, and a latex mask you can use as a disguise. It’s all in a case in the trunk of my car here.”
Coyle thought a moment, translating the word “trunk” to “boot.” “I’ll take the iPad, of course. I’ve the weps I need already. The mask…sure, that sounds like fun.”
Mike seemed surprised. “We have full support for you. You only have to—”
“You just met my support. I just need those targets.”
The American just looked at him, then at the other men. “Who are your men?”
“They know what they’re doing. They all have legitimate IDs, and they have no ties to your group, whatever group that might be. If the other assets you’ve hired for your whirlwind of killing are using your own support staff, then that’s a compromise on you.”
“My organization has thought of that already, of course, and has taken measures. I’ll worry about my strategy, Whetstone; you worry about your five targets.”
“Meant no offense, chief.”
Mike said, “One million per. A million bonus for getting all five in a three-day period.”
Coyle said, “That’s just grand. But there’s something else I want.”
Mike sighed a little. “Now’s not the time to negotiate, friend. You already agreed, Sir Allen Glazebrook told me this himself.”
“I’m not renegotiating my price. I’m discounting it.”
The taller American cocked his head.“What?”
“I’ll delete these five individuals for four million total, no bonus, but my price also includes the Gray Man.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Whatever is going on here, you have access to information within the United States government, yeah?”
