The Death Relic

19

Jones returned to the suite a few minutes later, completely unaware of the conversation that had taken place in his absence. Although he sensed some lingering tension in the room, he was too excited about his discovery to ask about it.

‘I think we caught a major break,’ Jones proclaimed. ‘I figured a nice resort like this would have lots of surveillance, and I was right. They have cameras in the hallways, in the stairwells and in the elevators. Unless the bastards jumped out of a plane and landed on your terrace, the odds are pretty good that we’ll be able to see who trashed your suite.’

‘That’s great,’ Maria said. ‘Do you think the hotel will show us the footage?’

Jones shrugged. ‘Only one way to find out.’

Payne nodded. ‘Why don’t you let me handle that? You two have better stuff to do.’

Maria tensed, unsure what he was implying. ‘Such as?’

‘Show DJ where Hamilton parked his car. Maybe you’ll find something useful inside.’

‘Sure, no problem. But I don’t have his keys.’

Jones grinned. ‘We know. That’s why we’re going to the car while Jon is at the security office. He’ll distract the guards while we break in.’

She laughed. ‘Sounds like fun.’

‘It will be if we don’t get caught. Mexican prisons are the worst.’

‘Are you speaking from experience, or …?’

Jones glanced at Payne, then back at her. ‘Let’s just say I’m glad you didn’t call us from Tijuana because we’re no longer welcome there.’

‘You’re banned from Tijuana?’

‘We were,’ Jones said as he opened the door for her. ‘But only for a decade.’

‘A decade?’ she screeched. ‘What did you do?’

Jones temporarily ignored her. ‘You coming?’

Payne shook his head. ‘Not quite yet. I still have to call DC. I’ll text you when the coast is clear.’

‘Remember to grab the briefcase.’

‘Will do.’

‘Oh, and give my best to Randy.’

Payne laughed. ‘I’m sure that will make his day.’

Technically speaking, Randy Raskin didn’t work in Washington, DC. He actually worked across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, inside a windowless office in the sub-basement of the Pentagon, but due to his classified position as a computer researcher for the US military, the data he compiled frequently found its way to the White House and Capitol Hill.

Amazingly, most of his friends thought he was nothing more than a low-level programmer, working a dead-end job in the world’s largest office building — because that’s what he was required to tell them. In reality, though, he was a hi-tech maestro, able to track down just about anything in cyberspace. Thanks to the next-generation technology at his disposal and his high-security clearance, Raskin was privy to many of the government’s biggest secrets, via a mountain of classified data that was there for the taking if only you knew how to access it. His job was to make sure the latest information got into the right hands at the best possible time.

Over the years, Payne and Jones had used his services on many occasions, which had eventually led to a friendship. Raskin often pretended he didn’t have time for them or their bi-monthly favours, but the truth was he admired them greatly and would do just about anything to help them. In fact, one of his biggest joys in life was living vicariously through them, whether that was during their stint with the MANIACs or their other recent adventures around the globe. That included keeping tabs on them at all times.

Raskin answered his phone on the second ring. ‘Research.’

Payne smiled. ‘Señor Raskin. How are you today?’

He leaned back in his chair. ‘I was doing great until I heard your voice. Now I’m worried about how many laws you’re going to ask me to break during our conversation. I hope you know Big Brother is recording this.’

‘Wait a second. I thought you were Big Brother.’

Raskin shook his head. ‘Sadly, I’m more like Big Brother’s little brother. He accumulates all this cool information about the world, then I sneak into his room and play with his toys.’

Payne laughed. ‘That describes you perfectly. You’re such a little pest.’

‘I can’t believe you just called me a pest. You’re not even on active duty, yet you call me more often than Central Command.’

‘That’s because CENTCOM is running a war, and I’m bored at the beach.’

Raskin leaned forward and hit a few keys on his wireless keyboard. Instantly, a map of the world appeared on one of the screens in front of him. A moment later, the camera zoomed in on the east coast of Mexico, revealing a blinking dot in the city of Cancún. The camera kept zooming closer and closer until Raskin was able to see Payne’s precise location on a digital map of the city.

‘How’s the Fiesta Americana? I hear it’s lovely at this time of year.’

Payne grunted his displeasure at being tracked by satellite. To show his annoyance, he looked out the window and flipped off the sky. ‘I thought you were going to stop doing that.’

‘Doing what?’

‘Tracking my mobile signal for your personal pleasure.’

‘And I thought you were going to stop calling me at work.’

‘I would, but you never leave work.’

‘That’s because I don’t want you to call me.’

Payne laughed at the comment. The truth was Raskin never left work because he was a raging workaholic who consumed more caffeine in a single day than Starbucks served in a week. ‘Fine! If you don’t want to talk, I guess I won’t tell you about Maria.’

Raskin’s ears perked up. ‘Maria? Who’s Maria?’

‘You mean you don’t know? I figured that with all of those fancy databases at your disposal, you’d already have her photo and dossier in front of you.’

‘Tell me her last name and I will.’

‘Sorry, my friend, you have to earn your reward. Find out what I need to know and I’ll fill you in on everything else. And let me tell you, Maria is just your type.’

‘In other words, she’s a woman.’

‘Exactly.’

Raskin groaned. ‘OK, OK, I’ll help you out. But only because I crave oestrogen. Do you know the last time I talked to a woman who wasn’t my mother?’

‘I have no idea.’

‘Well, I don’t know, either. That’s how long it’s been.’

Payne tried not to laugh. ‘Sorry.’

‘But it’s not my fault. I swear it isn’t. You’ve been to my office. You know what’s it’s like down here. My co-workers are all nerds. If I was a woman, I’d stay away, too.’

Payne remained silent for the next few seconds. ‘Are you done whining?’

Raskin nodded. ‘For now.’

‘Good. Because I need this information ASAP.’

Raskin cracked his knuckles. ‘Fire away.’

‘I need background information on a Dr Terrence Hamilton. He’s an American professor who specializes in anthropology.’

‘How deep?’

‘Give me everything. Personal, criminal, financial and social. He disappeared from this hotel sometime last night. If anything stands out, and I mean anything — credit card, cell phone, ATM — I want to know immediately.’

‘Easy enough.’

Payne walked across the room and grabbed Hamilton’s gun. ‘I also need you to trace a weapon for me.’

‘What kind?’

‘Smith & Wesson single-action revolver. It’s a long-barrelled thirty-eight. Probably fifty or sixty years old.’

‘Let me guess: a Mexican special.’

‘Well, we are in Mexico.’

‘Got a serial number?’

He carefully read it to Raskin. ‘Hamilton was carrying it in his briefcase. I don’t know if he owns it, found it, stole it, or built it himself. Any info would be appreciated.’

‘I’ll see what I can do. Might be tough, though. A gun like that will have a lot of history that isn’t available online. Our amigos to the south are slightly behind in their data entry.’

‘Would a picture help?’

‘Of Maria?’ he asked excitedly.

‘Of the revolver.’

‘Oh.’ Disappointment filled his voice. ‘Sure. Can’t hurt.’

Payne snapped one with his phone. ‘I’ll send it as soon as I hang up.’

‘Anything else?’

‘That’s it for now. We just landed a few hours ago, so we’re still playing catch-up. If we need something else, I’ll let you know.’

‘Great,’ he said sarcastically. ‘Can’t wait.’

‘By the way, DJ sends his love.’

‘I don’t want his love. I want a photo of Maria.’

‘Sorry. Ain’t gonna happen.’

‘In that case, I’ll settle for a random chick in a bikini.’

Payne smiled. ‘Fine. I’ll see what I can do.’