Dark Service

  Dark Service

  Linda Coles

  Blue Banana

  Introduction

  As this is a story set in the United Kingdom with English characters, I have opted for UK spelling rather than USA. Therefore, there will be what seem like typos to some readers, and perhaps words you may not be familiar with, but they are in keeping with the British way and terminology.

  Linda

  Chapter One

  Her eyes flickered briefly, like an almost-gone candle, and then slowly opened. Her eyelids were heavy, and she struggled with the desire to keep them closed. Heavy from what, she’d no idea. With an effort, she wrenched them open, and now another problem presented itself. Where the hell was she?

  The glow in the room was dusky orange, the lamp in the corner the only thing giving light; the world outside the window was dull and dark grey. Her hand reached out and felt where she was lying. The satiny fabric of the sofa told her she wasn’t at home; her own sofa didn’t feel this way. And there was a soft, pale green blanket draped over her. She didn’t have one of those. Sitting up, she licked her lips; her mouth was parched dry as a biscuit and her head buzzed with a sound like a drone hovering around her ears. She looked around the room and noticed the tea tray set out on the table in front of her, a single empty cup and a plate of uneaten tiny triangles of delicate sandwiches without crusts. A slight curl at the edge told her they’d been there a while; the day was warm and no match for soft, fresh bread.

  So, where was she? And more importantly, how had she gotten there? And even more importantly, why was she there, wherever ‘there’ was? With no immediate answers to her questions, she took in the rest of the dimly lit room. It gave her no clues. Orienting herself, she stood on wobbly legs and walked to the door. She turned the handle, which opened easily, and, holding the door carefully open, looked out into an empty though somewhat familiar space. The corridor looked like any other hotel corridor in London: thickly carpeted, traditional styled art adorning the walls at sporadic intervals. She stepped back inside and shut the door again, deep in thought. The room was quiet, save for the hum of distant traffic and the odd car horn blaring, more or less a constant in London.

  A quick scrutiny of herself told her she felt fine, apart from her dusty mouth and the drone stuck inside her head. Her clothes were all still in place, and she seemed not to have been harmed in any way. But something felt different, lost almost, and she couldn’t place what it was. It was weird. Had she fallen ill and someone taken her in, looked after her? Why was the blanket covering her when she woke, and where had the food come from? Where were these people? Closing the door, she wandered around the room a little, taking in the large undisturbed king bed, the luxury unused bathroom and the sitting area where she’d woken up only moments ago. An envelope propped up on the ornate desk caught her eye. There was one word written on it – Taylor. So, somebody knew her name – that was obvious. Picking it up, she slid the expensive-feeling embossed card out and read the message.

  Your debt has been settled. I’d advise you to tell no one. It wouldn’t be wise.

  It was beautifully handwritten in a fancy, styled font. Sliding her finger over the words, she guessed quite rightly it had been written with ink. Not from a cheap plastic pen, but from a fountain pen; that in itself was quite uncommon, and something she knew a little about. Confusion still clouded her head: what had happened, exactly, and what debt was the sender talking about? She caught her own reflection in the gilt mirror over the desk and gave an involuntary scream. In place of her long, wavy cognac locks was one short stump, still secured by a hair tie. Panicked, she raised her hand and tentatively touched her head.

  Someone had stolen her glorious hair.

  Chapter Two

  Twenty-four hours earlier

  Taylor stood patiently at the check-in desk, surrounded by a long snaking queue of other travellers. Newark airport was just like any other – the noise of chatter in languages from across the globe, the hugs and tears of loved ones leaving, the excited cries of children off on the trip of a lifetime.

  But for Taylor, the trip ahead signified the end of an era, an era of twelve months in New York working for one of the best galleries in the world, dealing with some of the most sought-after antiques money could buy. And money did buy them, in obscene amounts, but that was the very wealthy for you. When they were willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a glass of the finest champagne available, millions was small change for the purchase of whatever they desired. She’d enjoyed her time living in the city, though her tiny flat was nothing spectacular, unlike the items she worked with, but it had suited her and the location was perfect. Going back home to London would mean a huge adjustment but she eyed it as another chapter in her life, another story to be written, another adventure all her own. She’d make it work; she always did. She shuffled forward, her two large bags on a trolley in front, passport at the ready. The desk in front became free and the attendant beckoned her over. Taylor gave her name and handed her passport over.

  “Good morning, Miss. Palmer.” Her east coast accent rolled over Taylor in a way she knew she was going to miss.

  “Morning.”

  “I have good news for you: you have been upgraded to First Class, no less.”

  Taylor stuttered a little as she replied, “Pardon? Are you sure? How come?”

  “It doesn’t tell me. I’m sorry, but you definitely have been issued with a First Class ticket. There is no mistake. Is that alright, Miss Palmer?”

  Taylor didn’t need to think long, and the smile that broke out on her face confirmed to the attendant it was, indeed, okay.

  The attendant carried on. “Today is your lucky day – perhaps I might suggest you buy a lottery ticket?” Her smile was sincere. She handed Taylor her boarding pass for the trip back to London – in First Class. “Enjoy your flight.”

  “Oh, I think I will. Thank you.” With her luggage handed over, Taylor carried on towards security and passport control, a smile on her beautiful young face at the stroke of good luck. Never in all her times of travelling throughout the world had she ever been upgraded, but there was a first time for everything, and right then, she really didn’t care. It was a shame the journey back wasn’t even longer so she could enjoy the full experience, though; she’d always wanted a glass of the real McCoy in a crystal flute. Now she might just get one.

  Behind her and well out of sight, a tall, dapper-looking silver fox of a man stood watching her delighted smile. The corners of his eyes wrinkled slightly as he strained to catch odd words of her conversation with the check-in attendant, gauge her reaction in full, but her body language gave him the verification he needed, nay, hoped for. Her hair gently flowed over her shoulders as she moved, mesmerizing him with its shimmer, and he hoped he wasn’t staring too much; otherwise he’d get caught. All around him the hustle of the airport carried on, but he was lost in his thoughts as long as she stood there, fixed to the spot as though his feet had been glued to the tiles beneath them. He was glad he’d been able to get her a place in First Class, give her the gift, and all without her knowing it had been he. This was as he’d wanted it to be: he’d asked the check-in attendant not to tell a soul he’d been the one to upgrade her. He’d said it would be a nice surprise; she was a friend of his daughter’s and hadn’t seen her for some time. She’d be thrilled, he’d said.

  The attendant had smiled at his generosity. “What a lovely thing to do,” she’d said. And so it had all been organized; the young woman was none the wiser. When she finally took her seat later, they’d sit next to one another in comfortable silence, perhaps even make small talk, he safe in the knowledge he’d given her something nice, something she’d enjoy, look back on with delight. Then he could be repaid in full, at a time
that suited him. And suited his needs. That, he knew, would be quite soon.

  She had just what he desired. Watching her move away towards the gate, her Louis Vuitton bag balancing in the crook of her elbow, he pulled his phone out and activated an app, knowing the rest would happen seamlessly while he was in the air. Seated next to her.

  Chapter Three

  Taylor relaxed back in her reclining chair, her legs stretched out in front, and marvelled at the soft leather and how the other half travelled. She’d only been on board a few minutes and already the attendant had served her a glass of champagne at her seat – and they hadn’t even taken off yet. Glancing around the small private cabin, she took in the surroundings. The large leather seats, the state of the art personal screens, the space each passenger could enjoy in their own capsule-like environment, the smart bag containing toiletries and pyjamas to slip into later. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced, and her delight was obvious.

  “It’s a beautiful way to travel, don’t you think?” A male voice to her left caught her attention. She jumped slightly.

  “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “You didn’t. Not really. I was just a little mesmerized, that’s all.” Taylor turned to the gentleman and smiled. “And to answer your question, yes, it is a beautiful way to travel.”

  “I’m sorry – how rude of me.” The man extended his hand in greeting. “I’m Terrance Dubonnet.” Taylor stood to come up to some of the height of the silver-haired man in front of her, though she was short by about a foot. Not that she was small, far from it, but he must have been a little over six foot, in her estimation. Their hands connected and she returned a firm handshake.

  “Nice to meet you. And I’m Taylor Palmer.” Both of them were biting back smiles; they were both looking at sparkling eyes, though different colours.

  “Good to meet you, Taylor. May I call you Taylor?”

  “Of course, if I can call you Terrance.” His face broke into a ‘touché’ smirk. She had a strong personality; he liked that. He ventured further with conversation, eager to talk to her.

  “The new Dreamliner is particularly nice because there are only eight seats in the whole cabin. It’s one of the most modern birds in the sky. It’s a real treat to fly on one, don’t you think?”

  Taylor couldn’t help the slight blush that crept over her cheeks. Should she say it was her first time in First? But there was no need. The silver-haired gentleman understood immediately.

  “Well, if it’s your first time on board in First Class, then you really must have the window seat. Then you can add the view to the whole experience. Allow me to swap seats with you. That is, if you would like?”

  “Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that! But thank you anyway.”

  “Nonsense, my dear. I’d be delighted to swap with you. I’ll just let the stewardess know. It’s my pleasure, as I said.” His silver-grey eyes twinkled at her in encouragement. How could she refuse?

  “Well, in that case, I’d love to see the view as well. Thank you.” Taylor couldn’t believe her luck. Could this get any better?

  “Splendid. Then you gather your belongings, and I’ll let them know we’ve swapped. Then maybe we can chat again a bit later, during the flight? Perhaps over another glass of champagne?” The man nodded to her flute of bubbles.

  “Certainly. It would be my pleasure.” Taylor watched as he turned to talk to an attendant, then moved herself across the aisle to the window seat and settled back in. A moment later, she felt his presence rather than heard him, in the seat she had recently vacated, and snuggled back into her own. Closing her eyes to savour the moment, she wondered, and not for the first time, how she had come to be sitting in First Class. Not upgraded to Business Class, even, but full-on First Class. Some airlines didn’t even have a First Class section any longer, and with only eight seats in the cabin, there wasn’t room for many to travel in such style. Her smile returned. The gentleman’s voice caught her attention again.

  “I’m so sorry to bother you again,” he said apologetically, “but I thought I’d show you how to turn your seat into a lie-down bed for later. It’s a long way back to London. I’m sure you’d appreciate a decent sleep?”

  “Oh. Yes. Thank you. That would be great. It’s been a long day, actually. I don’t think I’ll have too much trouble dropping off tonight.”

  “Well, allow me to make you more comfortable.” Taylor removed herself from her private cubicle and watched as he showed her the mechanism. While it was kind of him to take an interest, she was curious why he was doing so. The flight attendant would have helped her anyway. As she watched his body bend to make the changes, she noticed how easy he was for an older man. She guessed he was in his seventies, perhaps; he was very nimble. Her own grandfather barely shuffled around his flat without groaning about being stiff, but not this gentleman. Perhaps he did yoga.

  “There you go. It’s really very easy.” Touching the side of his nose knowingly, he added, “And nobody but us will know you’ve never travelled First Class.” His kind smile filled his face genuinely, his silver eyes and silver hair giving him an air of Santa Claus without the red robe. A man to be trusted. Taylor smiled her appreciation at their secret.

  “Now you settle in, and maybe after dinner we can chat more over that drink?”

  “I’ll look forward to it.” Taylor sat back and picked up her book, ready for takeoff. In several hours she’d be back in London, and whilst she was looking forward to seeing her friends and family again, it was going to be tough to get settled in another role. She’d left New York, and everything she loved about it, behind her.

  Dinner was served an hour into the flight. Gone were the nasty plastic trays filled with plastic cutlery, tasteless food steamed to death under a tinfoil lid, and the little plastic wine cup. An actual menu had been presented moments before, and she’d decided on herb-crusted lamb with all the trimmings as her main course. But right now, with stainless steel cutlery, Taylor was enjoying fresh lobster with a lemon dressing. Another flute of bubbles was at her side. She thought of what the majority of the passengers behind her in economy would be eating; there was no comparison. And in the back of her mind, still couldn’t for the life of her understand how she’d come to be sat there enjoying it all. Perhaps she should buy that lottery ticket when she landed, before her luck ran out.

  “More champagne, Madam?” The hostess hovered with a bottle of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle in her hand, linen napkin at the ready to catch any drips.

  “Thank you – yes, please,” Taylor said, and she watched as her glass was refilled for the third time. She caught the eye of her silver-haired gentleman friend as he watched with interest, a slight smile on his lips. She smiled back, and he nodded in satisfaction and went back to his own meal, safe in the knowledge that his plan was taking shape, both on board the aircraft and down on the ground.

  The following morning, and an hour before the flight was due to arrive in London, he had his last task to fulfil. He ordered coffee for the both of them and a pot, cups and cream arrived shortly afterwards. He turned towards his new friend.

  “I’ve taken a bit of a liberty, I’m afraid and ordered a pot of coffee. Would you care to share a cup with me?”

  “Of course. That would be lovely,” she said, closing her book. She watched as he poured aromatic coffee into a second cup and offered it to her.

  “Cream and sugar?”

  “Just cream, thanks.”

  “Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed your trip in First Class. You’ll never want to go back to economy now, I expect.” He was teasing her; his smile told her so.

  “I’ve no choice, so I’d better get over myself and realize this has been a one-off. Fabulous, but the chance of being upgraded again is fairly remote, I’d say.”

  “Oh, you never know. Life is full of surprises, my dear. One never knows what will happen to us from one day to the next.”

  “Quite. I agree.” Thinking, she add
ed, “It’s been nice meeting you too, and thanks for letting me have the window seat. The whole trip has been a surreal experience for me.” She drained the remains of her coffee.

  The silver-haired old man could only smile his delight in reply. The last part of his plan was now in place. The rice grain–sized device was now floating around inside Taylor’s stomach, and would stay in her system for the next 24 hours, transmitting her location at all times. He sat back in his chair and smiled his appreciation to himself in the privacy of his own cubicle.

  Within 24 hours, he’d have another prize to add to his collection. And he couldn’t wait to savour it.

  Chapter Four

  The man picked up the new signal almost immediately. He checked the code on the screen to see who had activated it, whom it had been issued to, and smiled as he saw the name of someone who regularly used his services. He never knew his real name, of course; anonymity was crucial all round for their services to work so seamlessly. His records showed the owner of the tracker as ‘Quinine,’ which meant nothing to him nor anyone else. The tracker device icon pulsed gently on his screen, the dot not far out of London itself, and he flipped to another screen to see where his team were located, who he could pull in for immediate surveillance. He texted the tracker device link to his chosen player, who acted immediately. Watching the movement of the now two different-coloured dots on his screen, he could see the player had moved towards the device’s path, closing the gap between the two of them slightly. The easy part was in motion; the harder part would come some time later. In another hour or so by his reckoning, they would have a full visual of the person they were to supply. That was the part that had the potential to be tricky, so it was imperative nothing was overlooked.