Black Hawk Day Rewind: An action packed spy thriller (Mark Savannah Espionage Series Book 1) (29 page)

98

The next morning Anaïs Degann rented a car and headed to Dallas. She had drawn up a plan to find out if Savannah was right or had only wanted to send her on a wild goose chase. Anyway, she still had to go to Dallas on the last step of her search to trace him.

She took a room at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas and went to do some shopping in the main streets: she needed an elegant dress that would highlight her curves and a pair of shoes with heels; in fact, her luggage was made up of just sportswear that wasn’t suitable for what she had in mind.

She came back after an hour, put on a pair of pants and a jacket and headed to the Dallas Convention Center where the press conference was to be held in front of the city authorities. Anaïs planned on arriving early because she hoped to intercept Ransley Bain before his speech, later it would be almost impossible due to the journalists who would all attempt to speak with him personally.

She arrived in the conference room organized for the event and asked a hostess if Ransley Bain had already arrived; the girl told her that the doctor was in a room next door and asked her the reason for the request.

"I have an appointment with him before the press conference. Can you please show me the room where he is?" Skylinep92 asked with a smile.

"Follow me, I’ll accompany you," replied the hostess kindly.

"Dr Bain? Excuse me, there is a certain..."

"Anaïs Degann."

"Anaïs Degann, who says she has an appointment with you."

"Thank you, please let her come in."

Ransley Bain was sitting at a table, leaning over a cup of coffee and rehearsing his speech; when the agent entered the room, he jumped up like a spring.

"Doctor Degann, good to see you. Why are you here?"

"I’m here in Dallas for a few days for work. I read about the press conference and so I decided to come here to meet you. I'm fascinated by the "Transtem 1.1" project, even though I’ve heard little about it."

"Hasn't Jago C. Green told you anything? It’s a social project of which we’re all very proud!"

"Jago didn’t tell me anything, but I must say that we see each other very little. I'm always on the road, while he lives at Biosketch Technologies Inc."

Bain had lust in his eyes as he watched Anaïs, and she, who had noticed it, became even more charming.

"The Colonel told me that you are a world-renowned scientist and that without you "Transtem 1.1" wouldn’t have been created...but...now I’ll go, I’ll leave you to your work. I don't want to bother you any further."

Ransley Bain, without even a moment's hesitation, asked her point blank:

"I’m very pleased with your interest in the project; if you have no engagements…what do you say if we talk about it tonight? I'm having dinner with the journalists, but I could pick you up at the hotel around 10:00 pm for a drink. I don't want you to be late because of me... Have I gone too far?"

Anaïs perceived Bain’s shortness of breath, and pretended to think it over sadistically prolonging his discomfit, and then she replied with a smile.

"Okay, thank you, but I can’t be late. I'm at the Ritz-Carlton."

"Ah, you operatives, always under pressure! Please call me Ransley."

"Sure, Ransley."

“I'll pick you up at 10:00 pm; I know a place that you will like."

"See you later then, I’ll be in the audience. Good luck!"

Bain accompanied her to the door, his hungry eyes had now melted and he was staring misty-eyed at a vision. He stood in the doorway watching her until she turned the corner of the corridor.

Anaïs chose a seat in the conference hall that would be easily identifiable from Bain’s position at the microphone. She took off her jacket, sat down and dialed Jago C. Green’s phone number.

"Hello Jago. I’m in Dallas, I hope to find some clues here. I’ll begin tomorrow."

"Hey, hello! Ok, we’ll keep in touch. Did you know that Bain is in Dallas for a press conference updating the media on the "Transtem 1.1" project? You could attend his presentation, get a clearer idea about the project."

"Oh yeah? That’s a coincidence, but no thanks, Jago. I have to figure out how to move and which organizations to contact in this city. Savannah seems to have disappeared into thin air and I don’t want to give him any advantage."

"One thing, Anaïs. Would you mind turning off the device that stops us from locating you? It's been activated for at least three days, and if you need help I cannot retrieve you."

"You know that I need silence and I don’t like to be spied on. Besides I was pissed off with Reed, he was very rude to me the other day. We had an argument…and anyway the reactivation procedure takes a second even in dangerous situations. Don't worry."

"Reed is exceedingly severe with people in this period, I understand how you feel. So okay, but be careful. I don't want anything happening to you because I've given you your privacy."

"Talk to you tomorrow, Jago, you chicken shit. Tell Reed to fuck off for me!"

"Yes, of course, so you can bring me grapes on Sunday morning. What a brilliant idea!"

Anaïs attended the press conference; Bain flattered himself without restraint while talking to the media of the success of "Transtem 1.1", showing a series of interviews released by the clinicians of accredited hospitals and universities and by enthusiastic transplant patients.

He ended his presentation by announcing that Biosketch Technologies Inc. was about to begin the formalization of contracts with various foreign institutions in Asia and Europe, in order to export the patents of the engineered tissue and the protocol on an international scale.

At 7:00 pm Anaïs returned to her hotel, took a shower and got something to eat.

99

At 10:00 pm the receptionist called Skylinep92 telling her that Dr. Bain was waiting in the lobby. Ransley had just come back from the dinner with the journalists where he had been drinking heavily.

Anaïs looked at herself for the last time in the mirror and fervently hoped that the trendy and elegant shoes wouldn't threaten blisters and swollen feet until the end of the evening, then she went down in the lobby.

Bain intercepted her and immediately went to greet her. She was wrapped tight in a black dress, cut just above the knee, emphasizing her narrow and delicate hips and her long legs. The researcher moved his gaze from her feet up her body, stopping at the low neckline that left just a glimpse of the softness of her small but shapely breasts.

Bain wanted to take her directly in his arms, taste her tongue and not waste time getting her back to his room. He wanted to start the siege there in the elevator, but this was Anaïs Degann, Reed’s favorite agent, and he knew very well he was walking on eggshells. He tried to divert his thought, he already had an erection and he didn’t want to feel any more uncomfortable and ruin everything.

"Hello Anaïs, you look beautiful!" he said.

"Thanks, Ransley. Where are we going?"

SkylineP92 had noticed Bain’s liquid look and how he had looked at her as he was walking towards her. Ransley was a distinguished-looking man, tall and handsome, but his eyes reflected only great opportunism and the lust for power that many like him cultivated at the expense of other people. He was a photocopy of his master, Colonel Walton I. Reed.

"Let's go…a taxi is waiting for us outside,” suggested Bain.

After about ten minutes they arrived at a botanical garden, the flower beds were lit and the lights revealed a surprising landscape.

They walked down a path among the trees and they found themselves in a clearing under a pergola of wisteria, where a bar had been arranged: there was a pianist playing Gershwin and there were lit candles on the tables.

The tables were full, but the people, in order not to disturb the atmosphere, were whispering so that the only sound was that of the piano whose notes accompanied the night.

"Do you like it? Bain asked her. “I booked a table.”

"It 's a beautiful place! I didn’t think there could be such a place in Texas… what a nice scent of flowers..."

Ransley moved a chair to accommodate her and then he sat down, too. He was a perfect gentleman, gentle but firm, and this SkylineP92 could not help but notice with pleasure.

"What would you like to drink?" he asked her.

"A Martini with a splash of orange juice would be perfect."

The waiter was already at their table ready to take their order.

"Good evening," said Bain. "A Martini for the lady with a splash of orange juice and a gin and tonic for me please. If you could bring us your famous dragées and some orange peel covered in chocolate, thank you and…yes, you have understood me."

The waiter gave a Duchenne smile, took note and disappeared immediately.

Anaïs looked at Ransley, he was undoubtedly very charming, polite and attentive without being unnatural, moreover he smelled of male: if it were not Ransley Bain of Biosketch Technologies Inc., a vassal of Walton I. Reed, maybe she would have given it a little thought; he had big and very beautiful hands and for a moment she let herself imagine that everything else was up to the task.

The waiter returned with a bouquet of pink tulips artfully packaged and he placed it on the table next to Anaïs.

"I thought you would like tulips…they’re beautiful just like you," Ransley said smiling.

Skylinep92 was really surprised, the bouquet was the most beautiful she had ever seen. “I love them. But how do you see tulips?" she asked, smiling.

"Strong but delicate at the same time, sublime colors, stylish but not coy, simple but aware of their beauty."

She was speechless, that was the nicest and most spontaneous compliment that a man had ever paid her. She looked right into Bain eyes, and he took the opportunity to touch her hand.

Fortunately, the waiter came back and put their drinks on the table in front of them. On fine porcelain plates he placed the dragées and the chocolate-covered orange peel.

Anaïs, who had moved away her hand, began to ask him about "Transtem 1.1".

Bain, to please her and not to be hasty, began to describe the project and after a while, he ordered a second gin and tonic.

"But Anaïs! You haven’t touched your first drink!" Bain said suddenly, looking at her Martini cocktail.

"Ransley, I'm slow, don’t worry. It's really good,” she said sipping it coquettishly, “but I like to taste it slowly." Anaïs said slyly.

"Now tell me about yourself," said Bain, smiling at her.

Anaïs knew that it was now up to her and that she had to make him drink more, so she started to tell him about the place where she lived in Switzerland, how she had decided to become a secret agent and how she had been recruited by the USA secret services.

She told Bain she was fed up with dangerous missions, and that the Colonel had promised her that she was going to direct Mayer’s astrophysics laboratory after her last operation.

Meanwhile, Ransley, who was listening with interest, ordered a third gin and tonic and it seemed he’d reached his tipping point…everything he’d drunk at dinner and now with Anaïs was having its effect.

Anaïs, still lucid, continued to charm him with her words, and as she carelessly let her left hand, which still held her glass with the first Martini, touch Ransley’s hand momentarily, she felt his electric reaction.

"Surely to return to an active life for those who have suffered debilitating injuries is like being born again," she said. "Too bad that the project concerns only civilians, for the army it would be a panacea in terms of public image, since the army sends so many young boys to fight in very difficult and dangerous countries...too bad..."

“And who says they’re not doing it?" replied Bain who was now drunk and still too far away from SkylineP92’s face.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing...I was joking," Ransley said biting his tongue.

"Come on Ransley. I'm trained, I know you're lying."

"Forget it. I didn’t ask you anything about the reasons you are here in Dallas, did I?"

"That's true, but you have already told me that soldiers are involved. I’ll not tell Reed, I promise you. Besides this evening will remain between the two of us, you know the procedure well. We work for the same organization, and as an operative I am obliged to communicate any new relationship for the personal safety of the person involved, and to ensure they don’t interfere with my job."

"There are two, two separate projects,” admitted Bain. “The one placed under military secrecy is called ‘Brainexe’. All the soldiers have a micro transponder RF-ID tag inserted under the skin in the neck. A real success, my dear: we have created the perfect soldier even if there is a bit of a mess at the moment…you are so beautiful double..."

Anaïs pretended that the information was of little value and she began again to talk about her life as an agent of Colonel Reed. Ransley Bain tried to touch her hand. He was completely drunk, and so she let him take her hand while her knees were touching his.

"Ransley, how about I take you to the hotel? It's late and you seem very tired."

"Do you want to take me back? That’s great..."

They got into a taxi and Anaïs let Ransley rest his head on her shoulder. When they arrived at the Sheraton, she accompanied him to his room and made him lie down on the bed; at that point Bain tried to kiss her but Anaïs withdrew herself classily saying:

"Ransley, you're completely drunk. I'm not a one night stand...sex and that's it! Now you have to try to sleep, you’ve had a busy day."

"Sorry, sorry...” Bain muttered, soon he was fast asleep.

Anaïs left and went back to the Ritz-Carlton, she put the bouquet in water, flung off her heels and undressed preparing for the night.

While half asleep lying in bed, Anaïs thought it had been easy with Bain and in the end she regretted having made fun of him; in fact, he had behaved like a gentleman even when he was in the room, even when she had hinted at being available. Anaïs had never risked anything with him and of this she was absolutely grateful. She would call him the next day to say hello and thank him for the evening.

Skylinep92 fell asleep while she composed the puzzle of her ideal man, and in the puzzle, which she could never complete, inserted the pieces of Bain’s education and charm. He was the only man who had ever given her a very special compliment, and if he had not been a clone of that bastard Reed, probably she would have started dating him.