JC called Meier back later that day. He told Meier the meeting would be at 8:30 the following night, not 6:30 as originally scheduled. The library closed at 9 and JC wanted as few people there as possible. Additionally, the location had changed; the Reading Room not the parking lot. Meier tried to bluster, stick to the original north parking lot location and earlier time, but JC simply told him 8:30 or no meet. Meier agreed.
Determined not to be outdone again, Duke arrived at the Central Library in Arlington two minutes after it opened the next day. He applied for a library card and spent a large part of the day surveiling the library and the surrounding area. He knew the library better than the people who worked there and almost as well as the architects and engineers who designed it. He walked all around the neighborhood, looking for surveillance, for trouble spots, for vantage points. There was a park just to the north of the library. It was large, about the size of eight city blocks. Baseball diamond. Basketball, tennis and volleyball courts. A small but nicely wooded area. The library itself had minimal parking in front, a large parking area in the back and the smaller parking lot to the north. There was underground parking as well, but it was closed for renovation.
Joan had spent most of the day either exercising or relaxing in the park. She showed up as an early-morning jogger and spent the next two hours jogging around the park. Disappeared for twenty minutes and came back with an entirely different disguise and a dog. Stayed there for another two hours, playing with the borrowed dog and getting to know where everything was on the edges of the park. She repeated this four more times with four more disguises. She had been a business woman on a long lunch break enjoying a book, a babysitter with a sleeping "baby" in a stroller, a student enjoying the afternoon while pretending to study and a photographer taking pictures of the spring flowers and the setting sun. This last outfit was the one she was wearing when Meier showed up at about 8.
JC was driving down from Boston. The Hyundai Santa Fe had a few extra weapons in the back, but not many. Bannister didn't know what to expect, but he didn't want to be driving around with an arsenal in the car. Duke had outfitted the vehicle weeks ago when they bought it to make it a secure haven, safe from any listening or eavesdropping devices. Turn on the radio, push a button for a pre-tuned station and the noise and music would stop. Powerful amplifiers pumped out inaudible white noise and radio frequencies that would render any listening or recording devices useless. JC had wanted a secure and mobile location to have a conversation with a client without concern for who was listening. It was the perfect vehicle for the situation. JC required a little one-on-one time with the person calling the shots this time.
Bannister's phone rang. Joan. 8:05.
"Meier's here."
"More than a little early."
"You'll never guess what he's driving."
"BMW? Porsche? No wait - a Range Rover."
"Bentley."
"Nice."
"Yeah. Parked it so he's taking up two spots. Nobody can scratch his precious car."
"I'd probably do the same. If I was driving a Bentley."
"No you wouldn't." Joan paused. "Can I blow up his car? Please?"
"No."
"Not now, of course."
"No. You sound like Duke."
"How about a couple of flat tires. He'll never see me."
"Don't approach or engage. Observe."
"But…"
"Goodbye, Joan."
JC called Duke to let him know who had arrived. Double checked with him to make sure he was ready. He said he was. JC was getting close. He liked the suburbs around Washington. Didn't like the district itself, but Virginia was quite nice. He was about ten minutes away when Joan texted him that Meier had gone inside. He knew she would have sent Duke the same text and that Duke would be picking Meier up and tailing him. Joan was probably positioning herself at the library's main entrance immediately after sending the text.
Bannister pulled up in the north parking lot, saw Meier's Bentley and parked between an older Benz and a Prius. Waited. Duke's text came in twenty seconds later: "reading room. alone."
"hold" was the reply JC sent. He sat inside the SUV, making Meier wait. At 8:39 he exited his vehicle. Resisted the urge to adjust his holster or check his pockets. Instead, he just set the alarm on the vehicle and walked past a mother and her twin boys with their arms full of books, heading toward the older Benz on the driver's side. They loaded up and were driving away as he pulled the library's side door open.
Meier was sitting in the reading room. 8:43. He had no books, no magazines, no newspapers. Just another expensive suit, pinstripe this time, and a different pair of shoes. Same watch.
JC located Duke, indicating he should approach. Duke got up and walked casually over, sitting at a table in the largely empty room. If Meier saw him, he didn't indicate it. All his attention was on JC, who did not move. Standing just inside the reading room entrance. Watching. Meier glanced at his watch. 8:44. He indicated that JC should join him. JC stood there another full minute. Staring. Then moved and sat at the table next to Meier. Meier turned sideways to face him.
"So?" Meier said.
JC was irritated by this man. It wasn't his wealth. Or his familiarity with being the one holding the power in most situations.
It was the arrogance that seeped out of every pore of his body.
"So? Tell me, Meier, what's different today?"
"I don't understand the question," Meier replied.
"Do you suddenly have more power today than you did the other night?"
"Pardon?"
JC spoke slowly, insultingly. "Where's your boss?"
"They will arrive shortly."
"Library's almost closed."
JC's phone rang. Joan. "Uhh, JC? Things just got a little busy out here. We've got a black limo and three SUVs. All with U.S. Government plates. They're pulling around to the north parking lot."
"Meet me there," he answered. Looked at Meier.
"They've arrived, I assume?" Meier looked pleased at this apparent show of force. He had no idea that despite having more men and more firepower, his team still wouldn't be enough if things turned sideways. Certainly not enough to save him. Bannister knew the truth; none of the team waiting for them outside would make a move to save Meier. If one of Bannister's team didn't shoot him, he would likely be cut down in the cross fire. The reason was simple.
No matter how much power he had, he was not the boss.
JC stood. Adjusted the cuffs on his own suit. Not Saville Row. Wouldn't be prudent to wear one of his Saville Row suits to a meet like this. Good chance of getting blood all over it. Besides, it was hard to have his favorite tailor in London adjust for the two Glock 23 handguns covering his kidneys. Or the deep carry Kahr MK40 riding in his crotch, to the left of his package. Or the knives. Bannister finished adjusting his cuffs and touched his tie.
"You ready?"
Meier nodded. Stood. "Yes, I'm ready."
Bannister stepped forward, throwing Meier off guard. He adjusted Meier's red and blue striped silk tie then fixed his coldest gaze inches from Meier's eyes.
"No you aren't, son. Not by half."
Meier broke first, trying to control the fear spreading through him. His limbs began to shiver slightly from fright. He moved towards the side exit to mask and hopefully end the panic that nearly made him shut down. "This way."
JC walked by his side, not allowing Meier to lead. Duke fell in behind them. Meier noticed him for the first time, stopped and turned as if to order him away, not realizing he was with JC. Duke stopped as well. In one move, he cocked his head sideways, pulled back his black lightweight North Face rain jacket with his left hand, exposing a Heckler and Koch MP5 hanging from a shoulder holster while simultaneously drawing a nine inch Japanese kaiken knife halfway from its custom made sheath tucked into his waist belt with his right.
"I'm your huckleberry," Duke said in his best Doc Holliday drawl.
Meier's comment stuck in his throat. Duke nodded forward to the side exit. Meier turned woodenly and began moving forward, JC continuing as before. Duke eased back slightly.
JC leaned his head towards Meier as they walked.
"You know what you are?"
Meier was regaining a hint of composure. "What do you think I am?"
"You're an errand boy. Sent by grocery clerks."
The smile on Duke's face went from ear to ear. There was no need for JC to turn around to see it. He knew it was there.