Chapter 10
Customs

The car pulled into the airport parking lot. Fred picked a parking space in garage parking and pulled into it. Behind him, Gollum whimpered slightly. Next to him, Sam growled under his breath.

“They don’t hurt that bad!”

Gollum, who had had his old clothes taken away and replaced by a tee-shirt and jeans that Fred had bought with Greg’s credit card, twisted uncomfortably, unable to get used to the feel of clean clothes. “Uncomfortable, yes, uncomfortable, precious! Makes our skin burn and choke! Skin needs to breathe!”

Sam groaned. “Oh, shut up.”

Fred put the car in park and put the brake on. Then he turned and regarded the two sitting in the back seat. “Shut up, both of you! You’re giving me a headache.”

“Sorry,” Sam muttered. Gollum hissed.

Fred looked at Gollum. “It’s going to be tough going in there. I don’t think you’ll be able to get through security. Can you sneak yourself and our weapons around?” Gollum nodded. “Sam, you come with me then. Gollum, take our weapons and other… sensitive items-” Gollum’s eyes flashed. “-except the ring-” Gollum scowled. “-and sneak around. We’ll have a boarding pass for you so you can get on the plane. Can you do that?” They both nodded. “And remember… I’m Fred Underhill in there. Clear?” They nodded again. Fred opened his door. “Let’s go, then.”

* * *

Greg took a few steps down the ladder with his hands up in the air so that the man with the gun could see he wasn’t carrying weapons. “You see?” He asked. “I’m clean.”

The man lowered his gun, but the other soldiers kept theirs raised. “We’re here to escort you to the prime minister’s office. But we are required to take your weapons from you. Safety reasons.”

Aaron came up behind Greg and crossed his arms. “On whose orders?”

“Greta Worm, chief adviser to the prime minister. Now, hand over your weapons.” The soldier gestured to a bag that one of the other solders produced. “Put them in here.”

Aaron looked over at Greg. George and Liam appeared in the doorway of the plane and also looked at Greg. Greg shrugged. “Do what he says.”

One by one, Aaron, George, and Liam walked down the stairs, unstrapped their weapons, and put them in the bag. Greg was the last to come down. He unstrapped his pistol and placed it in the bag. Then he reached inside his coat and pulled out his hidden gun and placed it in the bag. The soldiers cleared his throat.

“I’m going to need your cell phones as well.”

Greg gave him a glare that would freeze hell. “You wouldn’t deprive a government agent of his phone.”

The soldier recoiled. “Um… that was… um… optional. You can go to the car now. It’s over there…” He pointed down the runway, to an open gate. Greg turned and strode off. The soldier looked as though he wanted nothing more than to be rid of the troublesome old headache of an FBI agent.

Aaron smiled.

* * *

“We has to go,” Gollum said. He, Fred, and Sam were halfway across the parking lot. Gollum reached for the zipper of his pants. Fred realized, with a jolt, what Gollum was about to do, and slapped his hand away.

“Don’t do that!” Fred snapped.

Gollum scowled. “Does it want us to go in these things?”

“We should just let him,” Sam said bitterly. “It might make him smell better.”

“Sam, shut up. You’re not helping.” Fred turned back to Gollum. “Don’t go in your pants. We have to find a restroom.”

Gollum looked at him quizzically. “WhatÂ’s a restroom?”


Fred stopped and stared at him. “Oh dear god. You have got to be kidding me.” Sam roared with laughter. Fred whirled back around to face him. “Sam, shut up!” He turned back to Gollum. “Do. Not. Go. Period. Follow me when we get inside.”

“We has to go NOW!” Gollum whined. Fred grabbed his arm and half-dragged him across the parking lot. Sam followed, still laughing. Fortunately, there was a restroom right inside the door of the airport, so Fred left Sam outside and dragged Gollum inside. He half-pushed, half-threw him into a stall.

Gollum called from inside. “What does we do now?”

Fred rolled his eyes. “Just pull down your pants and sit on the toilet.”

“The WHAT?”

“The white thing!” From outside the door, Fred heard Sam laughing. “Sam, SHUT UP!”

* * *

Sean White sat at his desk and brooded. Below him, the city of Beijing stretched out, like a giant miniature city. The people looked like little ants from all the way up in his office. He smiled. This city, in fact, this entire half of the world, was under his grasp. It felt good.

His intercom beeped. He reached down and pressed the button. “Yes, Li?”

“There’s a incoming call for you, sir,” his secretary said. “Top priority from Greta Worm. Should I send it though?”

“Yes,” Sean said. There was a three second wait, and then Greta’s voice sounded through the speakerphone.


“Master White?”

“What do you want?” Sean growled. “I’m sick of talking to you.”

Greta was unfazed by his coldness. She had grown used to it. “I just called to inform you that Greg Grey and his party have arrived in Australia. They will be here in just a few hours.”

Sean went pale. His hands became sweaty, and shook unnaturally fast. When he responded, he tried to keep his voice from shaking. “Delay them, stall them, kill them if you have to. Do not let them find out about what we have done. If they do, our hold on that region will be lost. Am I clear? If we lose our hold over the prime minister, I will disembowel you myself.”

“Yes sir,” Greta said, and the line went dead. Sean stared out the window again, but he didn’t feel as good as before.

He couldnÂ’t lose Australia. Not now. Not when he was close. So closeÂ…

To Be ContinuedÂ…