They sat around the dining table. Pads and pens positioned in front of each of them. Last to arrive, Tyler recognised the newcomer. Daniel still wore the police uniform. Meredith was seated at the table's head. "Sit down, Tyler." He complied without question.

"I've come up with a plan I'd like to run by you all," she commenced. In front of her she placed a single sheet of paper containing no more than a half dozen lines. "We all know time is fast running out. We also know Aristotle is the enemy. And finally, we have no evidence to prove our case. Guess you could say we're running on empty. That being the case, we've nothing to lose. So tomorrow's our day.

"Prior to outlining my proposal, I'd like to thank you all for the support you've provided these past couple of weeks. Your unqualified trust during this period fills me with gratitude far beyond any words I might offer. I will value your friendship until the day I die." Emotion, a trait normally foreign to Meredith was obvious.

"Now on the plan, feel free at any time to interrupt though it may be simpler if you jot down notes and we leave discussion until the end. Either way, your input is both invited and necessary. Firstly, there are several issues that have already been determined. For example Daniel's meeting with Fraser Paull tomorrow morning to pass on the fingers." She took a sip of water from her glass.

"I'm hoping Fraser can arrange DNA testing of the fingers along with the fingerprinting. We must pursue every avenue of investigation available, in the hope of snaring a break though. At the same time we must pray that absolute secrecy can be maintained." Meredith glanced down at her notes.

"Before going into more detail, I would like to suggest we enlist the support of a prominent Senator I spoke to yesterday. It was, let me assure you, an anonymous call. She has no idea of my identity. And, let me stress, she has no knowledge of our situation. And most important of all, she is a very vocal opponent of the President."

"Are you by any chance referring to Senator Adrianna Tollerson?" asked Jess.

"Got it in one, do you know something about her?"

"Only what I've read. She's said to be tenacious, ambitious and afraid of no one. When she takes on a cause she doesn't let go. Mightn't that be to our disadvantage?" Jess replied.

"She won't be in a position to say anything until other matters have been clarified. But more on the good Senator latter," explained Meredith. "Let me assure you however, I'm using her simply to be our mouthpiece and the mouth won't open until it has irrefutable proof."

"How can you be sure she'll respond to an anonymous tip-off?" asked Kenni.

"Jess summed her up beautifully when she used the word ambitious. I saw Adrianna interviewed recently and she spoke openly of a desire to be in the White House. To achieve such a goal she needs to create the image of a power player and to be seen as a doer rather than as a talker. Bringing down an incumbent President along with one of his foremost advisors would land her on centre stage."

"So how do you get her involved? You've not answered that." Kenni persisted. "There is a law against kidnapping."

"There's also a law against framing people for things they've not done," snapped Meredith. "And I don't see anyone promoting our innocence, Kenni. I have a question back at you, if you're such a believer in your justice system, why not hand yourself in? Throw yourself at the mercy of the law."

"Point taken."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get so wound up. But you're right, initially we may require some persuasion to get Senator Tollerson here. But the minute she hears the truth I have no doubt she'll become an ally."

"How do we convince her we're speaking the truth, when you've already admitted we have no evidence?" asked Kenni.

"Haven't I mentioned our witness yet?"


Tyler looked across at Arthur. He feared what was coming. They were about to be assigned the impossible, the apprehension of Nicholas Papadoupolos.

"And when is this to happen?" asked Tyler.

"You've got two days," said Meredith. "Hopefully by then we'll know the owner of those two fingers."

"Any suggestions on how we convince Aristotle to firstly surrender and then to cooperate?"

"Tyler, you know me, I always allow my operatives to plan their own missions. I just provide the target."

"You can't be serious," said Arthur perfecting the phrase made famous by his one-time idol John McInroe. "The man's protected by an army of security guards. We'd have more chance taking Fort Knox."

"Two days, boys," said Meredith. "And once you have him, you have twenty four hours to coerce a confession and establish his chain of command. Then we hand control to the FBI and we hope to God their ranks haven't been infiltrated."

"Does it matter how we get the confession?"

"Do whatever is necessary, but keep him alive."

"Can you supply us with thiopental sodium or its equivalent?" asked Arthur.

"At the moment I couldn't get you cough drops."

"I guess that leaves the physical approach, will it matter if he has a few scars?"

"Just ensure he is breathing."

"Are you going to film the interrogation?" asked Arthur.

"Only the confession," Meredith replied.

"Should we cover our faces?" asked Arthur.

"Won't be necessary. Aristotle will never get to trial." Meredith's admission surprised neither Arthur nor Tyler. Aristotle had more than enough money to circumvent justice. If he went to trial his lawyers would get him bail and he'd disappear. They would just short cut the disappearance. First though they had to find him.

They all left the table and relocated in to the theatrette. Daniel had arranged the entertainment, a short film on Aristotle. He had found it on u-tube. It commenced with a shot from a helicopter of his residence. It showed only external images.

The house was immense and secured. It was a fortress. Armed guards stood by the front and rear doors. Others patrolled the property's perimeter. A dozen Doberman dogs pranced back and forth and cameras continually swept in all directions. Odds, forty to one plus dogs, there could be no attack here.

The cameras next zeroed in on a massive garage. One door was open, a black Hummer emerged. It rolled up to the house's front door. Aristotle emerged, an armed guard on either shoulder. He strolled the fifteen metres from house to vehicle. One guard entered the passenger's compartment, climbed out then gave the all clear for Aristotle to enter. He then followed. The second guard retreated back to the house. The vehicle's windows were tinted which prevented the viewers from seeing if another guard accompanied the driver up front. Was the driver armed? Odds, three or four to one, feasible perhaps, it was a definite option, but unattractive.

Urgency demanded a reassessment. The vehicle sat low on the road, a sure indication of armour plating. So it would be a case of two unprotected gunmen against three to four armour protected guards with the ability to call for reinforcements. That too was impossible.
The camera's final sweep showed distant images of the Pentagon and the White House, two of the most heavily protected buildings in the entire world, and both far beyond the capacity of a two man attack.

"Does it travel the same route every day?" asked Tyler. "And do you have pictures of that route?"

"The answer to the first question is yes, but we don't have pictures" said Daniel as he scrambled for the internet link. "However, if you give me a minute I might be able to draw the road up on google earth."

"It sure is pretty," said Jess. It was a tree lined avenue, one way in each direction. The land blocks were large and the homes huge. Traffic was light, almost non-existent.

Arthur and Tyler watched the same footage, their eyes however sought out a point of weakness none appeared. There were opportunities to take the vehicle and passengers out. Death though wasn't an option. Aristotle had to be taken alive.

"Can we go back to the vision of the Hummer?" said Tyler. Another memory had resurfaced. Security is only as good as the soldiers enforcing it. "We need to take another look at those guards."

Observation confirmed his thoughts. Discipline was lacking. The guard who accompanied Aristotle into the passenger's compartment had disconnected his headset communication prior to securing the door and appeared more interested in the i-pad he carried than in the employer he was paid to protect.

"He's the weakness," said Tyler. "We just need to create a disturbance that brings him into play."

"Any ideas?" asked Arthur.

"Let's adjourn someplace and talk." The two Calin's ventured outside. Ten minutes later they returned. Tyler addressed his question to Meredith.

"Can you get me a couple of bulldozers?"

"No, but I know there is a large construction site nearby. Do you have a plan?" asked Meredith.

"How near?" How did one go about stealing bulldozers in the middle of the night?

"A couple of miles."


The Hummer sped along on its morning drive towards Washington. The driver swore as he saw the woman holding the road works sign. A large smoke polluting bulldozer was coming to life.

The driver thought about ignoring the woman, and overtaking the road building monster. He slowed to a stop. He turned around to advise his employer of the delay. The guard travelling with Aristotle asked if he should get out and investigate. Aristotle told him to relax.

The bulldozer was reversing towards them, the driver blasted his horn. The guard jumped out, a silenced shot from behind dropped him to the ground. Tyler then reached into the passenger compartment, fired a second shot through the open partition between driver and passenger. The driver died instantly. Tyler eased himself in beside Aristotle.