We knew from the very beginning that this was going to be a very complicated operation. Your friend knew that as well."
"I can't believe Rapp is still alive and Hubbard is dead. You need to get men to Zurich. Rapp cannot get his hands on Obrecht."
"I have already taken care of it," Durrani lied. He had completely forgotten about the deception involving the Swiss banker. With Rapp dead, he was going to be a crucial witness to Rapp's corruption. It was Rickman's way of muddying the water. "You are still alive," Durrani said. "That is what's important. You are free, and you are rich beyond your dreams."
With each passing revelation Rickman was feeling less than stellar about his situation. "And Mitch Rapp is still alive and he's going to hunt my ass down and kill me."
"He will never find you. My plans are intact. Once you undergo the surgery, no one will ever know."
Rickman's thoughts returned to Hubbard. "How did Hubbard die?"
"We're not sure . . . other than the fact that Mr. Hubbard did not make it to his rendezvous point." Hubbard had in fact made it to the warehouse in Jalalabad, and that was where he was killed, but that information would only serve to upset Rickman. Durrani knew what was best for him. Things would be much smoother this way.
"So he might be alive?"
"We don't think so. There was a shootout . . . things are a little sketchy, but it sounds like Rapp killed him."
"Sounds like . . . so you're not sure." Rickman was becoming extremely agitated. "If Hubbard is still alive, you and I are as good as dead."
"Well," Durrani said, trying to think of a way to calm Rickman down, "he is most certainly dead. I'm just being cautious."
"Cautious! You should have been more cautious about making sure Rapp was killed. Fuck." The word was filled with despondency. "I told you killing Rapp was crucial. I've run all the calculations. Mitch Rapp is the last man I want looking for me. You don't know him like I do. He won't stop until he finds me, and that means you, too."
"They all think you're dead," Durrani said dismissively.
"Most of them will, because that's what they want to believe. But Rapp doesn't operate that way. It's not a matter of what he wants to believe or doesn't want to believe. He's a human bullshit detector. He's going to sniff out the cracks in our plan and he's going to start hammering away until the entire thing collapses and then he is going to hunt our asses down." Rickman moaned and then added, "I went through all of that pain for nothing."
"You exaggerate the abilities of your former colleague."
"I exaggerate nothing. I've worked with him for over twenty years. He's the fucking Energizer Bunny of covert operatives. He just keeps killing and killing, and if you want to stay alive, you'd better figure out a way to kill him, and you'd better do it quick."
Rickman was overreacting. "I want you to calm down. There is far too much to celebrate."
"I can't calm down as long as that man is above ground." Rickman started coughing, and it wasn't long before a trickle of blood began to run down the corner of his swollen mouth.
Durrani couldn't believe the doctor wasn't here. "Just one minute," Durrani said, holding up a finger and retreating from the room. He ignored Rickman's coughing and moved quickly down the hall and into the living room. "Get Dr. Bhutani here immediately. I am extremely disappointed that you ignored my orders."
Kassar looked up from his magazine and said, "He refused to let me call a doctor, and he was doing fine until you got here and upset him."
"One of these days," Durrani said, shaking his fist, "you are going to push me too far."
"You may get rid of me any time you like."
"Just get Dr. Bhutani and get him fast."
Kassar set down the magazine and stabbed out his cigarette in the large copper ashtray in the middle of the table. He stood and said, "I will get Dr. Bhutani, but as I said, I like the man. If you decide he is a liability at some point you will have to find someone else to do your dirty work."
"Fine," Durrani snapped. "Just get him."
"And I heard what you two were talking about."
"What?"
"Rapp."
Durrani was exasperated. He didn't want to talk right now, he wanted Kassar to get the doctor. "What about him."