The Export by J.K. Kelly (read along books txt) 📕

Wilkerson just stared at Matt, who took a sip from the coffee mug he had carried in with him. Well, you wanted candor, so you got it, big boy.

“The employee is related to some very powerful people, someone high up in the Russian military. She – they – are using this to blackmail you. They have not asked you to do anything against the United States; they just want a confession and an apology, along with two hundred and fifty grand in U.S. dollars. And they want you to resign and leave their country forever.”

“Anything else?” the ambassador asked.

“Yes, Mr. Ambassador, in order for this to work, in order for me to do my job, we have to have total candor and honesty between us.”

“Agreed,” he responded, but Matt noticed the slight flinch in Wilkerson’s left eye, something the ambassador acknowledged immediately.

“I’ve worked with operators like you before, Mr. Christopher. To have made it to this room, with me, you no doubt know all my tells.”

Matt smiled.

“I don’t play poker, and I’ve never been able to overcome that twitch. I will be totally honest with you as long as we are talking in private and confidentially. That was my ‘Oh crap, I’ve got to tell the truth wince,’ the liar’s tell is when I cough.”

Matt smiled again. “Deal. So let’s keep going. I was told you have a mistress, Anika, a Russian woman they are holding. I was also told they won’t release her until all their demands have been met. It’s clear they want to embarrass you and, consequently, the president and our country.”

“Okay, that’s the real problem,” Wilkerson admitted. “I’m told you’re one of our country’s best exports, so how do you fix this?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The ambassador’s office at the Embassy in Moscow had hosted its share of conversations and top secret meetings over the years that had helped keep two superpowers, Russia and the United States, from destroying each other. Matt’s job here, operating on hostile soil, was to broker a deal to keep another type of peace.

Matt stared back at the ambassador. He had seen men like this before. Politically and financially powerful, strong egos, and very well connected, who had let their dicks get them in trouble only to get a fixer who’d pay someone off and make an indiscretion go away. Heck, Matt was related to a few of those same powerful people – about as many as he had made enemies with.

“Well sir, the trouble is that we don’t know who is making the demands. Because of this, we have no guarantees that if we are able to negotiate our way out of this, the bad guys will keep their word.” Matt continued. “This is real-world, high-stakes, mob boss stuff. And there’s a very good chance somebody’s going to get dumped in the river before this is all over. I’ve dealt with the Russian mob a few times in the past, and it never ended clean.”

Wilkerson nodded his head, pushed back from his desk, and walked to the window overlooking the busy boulevard in front of the Embassy. Matt gave him a few minutes to process what they were discussing.

He cleared his throat and turned to face his fixer. “I know the smart thing to do is to pack up and get out of this damn country. Hell, I’ve got enough money to settle on an island in the Caribbean and forget politics forever.” He paused. “But I cannot let down the president. I won’t embarrass him or the United States, no matter what.”

“And Anika, what about her?”

“They won’t hurt her, at least I don’t think they will. They think I need her, but I don’t. She’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, but she’s a plaything, not a career killer. As long as we get Misha out of the way, they can try to embarrass me with Anika, but it’s just her word against mine if it comes to that.”

“So if they send you a video of Anika being tortured, would that change your mind?” Wilkerson didn’t respond. He walked back to his desk and sat back against the front of it, dropping his head and shaking it slowly from side to side.

“Does Mrs. Wilkerson know about Anika?” Matt asked, watching the ambassador closely.

“We’ve never discussed her specifically, but I’m sure she knows there is someone. However, she’s no angel either, as you will find out at some point.” Matt looked around the massive office. Photos of the president and past ambassadors stared back at him from every wall.

“I also want to verify something with you, Mr. Ambassador,” he said. “Can you tell me why the secretary of state isn’t involved with this one?”

The ambassador laughed.

“Politics, plain and simple, my boy. That prick didn’t want the president to give me this position. He campaigned against it. Remember, he’s from Texas, too, and we’ve had a feud going that goes back decades.”

Matt understood. This wasn’t anything new.

“So I’ll ask you again,” the ambassador said, turning to Matt, “how do you fix this?”

“Well, typically, I’d try to get some dirt on the people making the demands and turn that against them. But again, this isn’t LA or D.C., this is Moscow.”

Wilkerson raised his eyes, wanting more.

“If there’s no dirt, then we find his enemies. In the military, any military, there’s always someone who’s taken a boot in the butt or been passed over or double-crossed in a quest for power. We need to find that person or persons.”

“Keep going.”

“We can also try to find the mistress and grab her,” Matt continued. “Everyone has a price, so if she’s being held by a few knuckleheads who would be happy to get a bag of money and a private jet ride to somewhere like Tahiti, that might be on the table. How much are you willing to spend, if I might ask?”

Wilkerson’s facial complexion changed. He was angry, and Matt saw the red face rise in