With over three hours sleep, Sean felt invigorated, or at least he told himself he did. The governor’s chopper coming into land had awoken him to the frantic last minute preparations to welcome the governor’s arrival. The small office where he had been kept from the press’ prying eyes was the last to be visited by the welcoming party and on seeing he was up and awake, they swarmed in and tidied just about everything but the desk, chairs and sofa that had been Sean’s makeshift bed for the last two hours.
The Mayor introduced himself to Sean. He was a former FBI agent and was certainly not your average city Mayor. Both awaited the arrival of the governor with some small talk. Sean constantly had to change the subject as the mayor offered his extremely expert and experienced viewpoint and perspective on the warring cartels and the situations Sean and his team must have been facing working undercover.
Knowing approximately zero on the subject, it was one of the most difficult conversations Sean had ever undertaken. His knowledge of Nuevo Laredo was that it was the neighbor to Laredo, it had better whorehouses and Luis’ uncle ran one of the cartels. Fortunately for Sean, the governor made a beeline to his hero and insisted on meeting Sean before making any comments to the press.
“My man!’ beamed Governor Rick Brown as he entered the office.
Sean accepted the outstretched hand and introduced the Mayor.
“Great to meet you, Mr Mayor. Would you mind giving me a few minutes?” he offered the mayor with a smile and a handshake.
The mayor accepted the hint graciously and nodding his head to Sean, exited the small office and left the governor and Sean alone.
Silence followed as the Governor looked closely at Sean, a little too closely for Sean’s liking but he was about to be president, so he let it go.
“Have we met?” asked the governor after the rather awkward staring.
“Hmm, can’t say we have,” replied Sean, pretty certain they had never met before.
“I definitely recognize you and I never forget a face!” he continued to stare at Sean.
“Nope, can’t say we have,” replied Sean with some conviction, he had never met the man before, he was certain.
The governor shook his head and waved his finger at Sean. “It will come to me, it always does.”
Sean nodded half hearted at the governor’s playful promise.
“So, what the fuck are you playing at?” The smile was gone and the governor was bringing things back to business.
The change of demeanor, tone and friendliness in the bat of an eye, was, Sean thought to himself, impressive.
“Just doing a favor for a friend!”
“I thought we hadn’t met,” asked the governor confused by Sean’s answer.
“You’re not the friend I’m doing the favor for!”
“Oh, so who then?”
“Somebody at the CIA.”
“Your boss?”
Sean checked his watch. “Nope,” it had been over two hours since he had spoken to Vincent, so, technically, he was no longer a CIA operative.
“So who then?”
“A friend.”
“Does you friend have a name?” asked an exasperated governor.
“Yep,” replied Sean. He could keep this up for hours.
“Care to tell me it?”
“Nope.”
“You are a federal employee and I am a Governor of the United States of America, will you just tell me the name!”
“Actually, I’m not a federal employee.”
“I thought you were a CIA agent?”
“I was.”
“But you told the officers here you were a CIA agent, is that not true?”
“No.”
“So you lied?”
“No, not true, double negative, ” replied Sean.
“Jesus, are you going to give me a straight answer?”
“I have been,” offered Sean with no hint of sarcasm.
The governor pulled up a chair and indicated for Sean to do the same. Sean flicked the chair with his right foot and spun it in his left hand and planted himself just as it landed perfectly in line with the Governor’s.
“Oh my God” exclaimed the governor. “That’s how I recognize you, James Fox!”
Sean looked at him with utter confusion. The governor was the same age as himself. How the hell did he know his father?
“That thing you just did with your chair, your father used to do the same thing.”
Sean thought back and realized he was right. That was exactly what his father used to do, kick and spin the chair before planting himself to perfection on the seat. Sitting on the chair back to front.
“How did you know my father?”
“Uncle James, he visited us.” The governor thought back. “About three or four times a year.”
“Uncle?” exclaimed Sean.
“Well that’s what I called him, he was a good friend of my mom and dads.”
“But I never met your parents?”
“They didn’t travel much after dad’s accident. In fact, I think it was the time they spent in Washington before I was born that they met your parents. Dad was too ill to travel to the funeral when they died.”
“So you are James Fox’s son!”
“Yep, Sean, Sean Fox.” Sean offered his hand again for a more personal meeting. “Pleased to meet you, Governor!”
Governor Brown took the hand and shook at in a completely different way than before. The firmness and strength had been replaced by a warmer friendlier shake.
“But wait a minute,” the governor pondered. “Didn’t I read you had died, that’s why I didn’t recognize you straight away. I thought you were dead!”
“Another Sean Fox,” smiled Sean not particularly wanting to revisit that story.
“OK,” replied the governor. “So anyway, who is this friend?”
Sean laughed as the governor leaned in conspiratorially, saying he knew Sean’s father it seemed was all he needed to crack Sean’s resolve.
“I’m afraid not, Mr Governor…”
“Rick, please call me Rick!”
“I’m afraid not, Rick. Let’s just say he has your best interests at heart.”
“Worth a shot!” replied the governor with a shrug. He obviously hadn’t expected Sean to fold.
“So you’re not in the CIA any longer?”
“No, left about eighteen months ago and just picked up this job to help out a friend.”
“So what do you do now?”
“Up until about one day ago, bodyguard and exec rescue in Afghanistan.”
“Sounds dangerous!”
“Not nearly as dangerous as here!” muttered Sean under his breath.
“Sorry?” asked the governor not quite catching what he had said.
“Very, but paid very well.”
“And now that you’ve done your favor for your friend?”
“One more little job and then life’s a beach.”
The governor considered Sean’s answer far more than Sean thought it deserved.
“How long will your little job last?”
Sean hadn’t really considered how long it would take him to get James back but the more he considered it he realized it really needed to be soon. Too many variables were in play and the situation could get out of control at any moment. James’ life really was hanging by a thread.
“Hopefully, we’ll have it wrapped up the end of the day!”
“Perfect, we leave for Moscow in three days!”
“Sorry?” asked Sean perplexed by the statement.
“I have a trip scheduled to Moscow as part of my build up to announcing my presidency. I need a bodyguard and you obviously fit the bill. Perfect.”
“The Secret Service will protect you.”
“I’m not on their radar yet because I have not announced my intention to run. So although I’ll get some protection, I’d much prefer you by my side. In any event we can swap stories on your old man!”
The Governor did not wait for an answer. He thrust a card in Sean’s hand and told him to call and get the arrangements. Whatever his per diem rate in Afghanistan would be matched.
Sean stuck the card in his pocket and waited for the governor to take the podium in the main area before sneaking out the back door of the complex. It seemed he had three days maximum to find James or find a way out of the Moscow trip. However, in all honesty, his assessment of hanging by a thread rang true. He really needed to get James back long before then.