“Sean, maybe give us the why before the how.”
Chan and Kelso sat beside Daniel’s bedside. He was still not walking well, although he could now stand.
“I know, I know,” said Daniel. “It seems farfetched. Like something out of one of those James Bond movies. But it’s real, David, I guarantee you that.”
“I’ve seen those movies,” said Kelso. “Kinda unbelievable. For anyone in any kind of law enforcement, it’s lolo kine stuff.”
“Yes,” Chan agreed. “But to the question of why, Sean. Why would someone want to replace you with a duplicate.”
Daniel laughed. “Well, guys, it truly is a bit like James Bond. You know, Ian Flemming, the fellow who dreamt up Bond, knew a good deal about the world of espionage. He was up to his eyebrows in information gathering and covert operations before picking up a pen. That’s why his books are so good. There’s that air of authenticity about them that makes the Hollywood aspects overshadow but not completely cover some key ideas, you see?”
Chan and Kelso nodded that they were following.
“Believe it, gentlemen, there is an organization we’re up against that is similar to what Fleming calls SPECTRE. It’s not a well-recognized syndicate, like the Mafia, say. What it is, is a network of very powerful people, mostly in business and high finance, who are behind some of the most heinous activities worldwide. Anything from arms dealing, to dirty politics, to the backing of coups and planting people in key government, finance, and military positions.”
“Jeez, man,” said Kelso. “If they’re so big and into so much stuff, how come we, the police at least, haven’t heard of them?”
“The thing is,” said Daniel, “they aren’t big at all. It’s a collection of men – and a few women as well – who are spread out all over the creation. No more than thirty or so. But they are one hell of a powerful group. I mean they are into everything.”
Chan took this all in. It seemed like fiction, but the way Daniel talked about it, the conviction in his attitude and voice, this had to be fact.
“So, are you saying that this group of people is intent on somehow replacing you with a lookalike?”
“Yes,” said Daniel. “I’m sure it’s their Plan B at this point. Not having killed me outright, they’ve now got it in their heads that it would be a more valuable move to get one of their people inside MI6 by replacing me. Hence, the second me in the morgue.”
“So they took the body because they don’t want us to know,” said Kelso. “But Hank Lee saw the other you, and you’d think they’d kill him so he couldn’t spill the beans.”
“The first thing’s this,” said Daniel, “I think they would have finished off your friend if they’d had time. Something or someone threw them off. Some kind of interruption of whoever was there. My guess is that there’s only one person overseeing the substitution of the duplicates, and that’s who went to the morgue to get the mask, hoping to do so before anyone saw the connection.”
“Okay,” said Chan. “So what’s the second thing?”
“One of the bodies on the slab was a man, correct?” asked Daniel.
The two men nodded. “Check him closely. I’m guessing that his body resembles mine, certainly. Then check the area around his face for any trace of spirit gum. Some kind of adhesive. There was a mask.”
“So, nothing like plastic surgery,” said Chan.
“Not yet,” said Daniel. “That’s James Bond, not Sean Daniel. At least so far.”
“Who the heck would have killed him?” said Kelso. “If they want him to replace you, it’s kind of hard when he’s dead.”
“That’s a good question,” said Daniel. “You’ll have to find out with the postmortem what happened to him. How he died.”
Chan and Kelso collected their guns as they exited the monastery.
“If he’s right,” said Chan, “and the plot to substitute Sean is real, then there are other men here who can be disguised as him. And for sure this means that Sean has to be killed. They’ll be coming for him.”
Kelso laughed. “Are we even sure that’s still him in bed back there?”
Chan didn’t laugh. He’d already been wondering about that possibility. Daniel lucky only to be wounded by a professional killer? Take the bullet to make it seem like a real attack. Know that the perfectly placed shot wouldn’t kill the man. Was that Daniel? Did this sinister organization replace him before that shooting? Had that even been the real Sean Daniel who stepped off the plane?
Lanning Lee 