6 Chapter 3 - Meet-Up
After dropping off Harold at his home, Ben waited in the car for a couple of minutes before his satellite phone rang.
"Hey, this is Wolf." Ben answered the phone.
"Hey bro, it's Stingray. How you doing? Heard you got a job for me." A raspy voice replied.
"Sting man. I'm good. Yeah got a job for you. But how you been man?" Ben replied to Stingray feeling relief that he can sort out this meet for his Boss.
"Bro I'm good, would've been better if you were still in the game. No can watch my back like you can. Anyways, I'm looking for an out from the merc-life. Bee told me you can sort me out and hook me up. So, what's the sketch?" Sting answered.
"So, my current Boss need you to fake some kids death so that he can work for him. Don't worry it's not kidnapping but the kid that's requested it. Boss says he's willing to give you a less risky permanent job in security under me if this can be done and I'll be able to get you into the chem lab after a year or so. What do think, it's good?" Ben explained the job and also the reward, knowing that Sting would love to be back in a lab after all these years.
"Damn, bro. That's a good set up. If anyone else gave me something this lucrative, I would call it trap bait. But coming from you Wolf, I know it's true. Hmm." Sting said hopefully to finally stop running from mission to mission and settle.
"Wolf, I'm in. Let's meet up." Sting decided.
"That's great, Sting. I'll meet you tonight to catch up and bring you to the Boss in the morning. Oh and call me Ben from now on, I left Wolf behind for now." Ben said as he started the car.
"I'm at the Crown. You remember the place." Sting told him his location.
"Yeah, I remember. I'll be there in twenty." Ben said as he hung up the phone and drove off.
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The next morning, Harold woke up and got ready for the upcoming day. Walking out of his house, he saw Ben leaning on the car and speaking with a wiry man.
"Good morning Ben. Who might this be?" Harold greeted more relaxed than yesterday.
"Ah Morning Boss, this is the guy I told you about yesterday. Sting this is my Boss, Harold Hames." Ben replied to Harold while introduce Sting to him and vise versa.
"A good morning to you Mr Hames. I'm Aaron Peake code named Stingray, a pleasure to meet you." Sting said as he stretched his hand.
"It's nice to meet you too, Mr Peake. So, I assume Ben has mentioned what is needed." Harold sad as he shook Sting's hand.
"Yeah, something about faking some kid's death to allow him to work for you." Sting commented.
"Well, It's close. The boy in question is already on his death bed and he wants to fake his death, so he made that a condition for his cooperation in one of my projects. To be honest, I feel for the kid and he wants to end his loved ones suffering do they can begin to move on." Harold explained.
"That's all good Mr Hames and I can get the job done. I just need your word that I can work under Ben after this job is done." Sting tried to get confirmation.
"Aaron, I hope you don't mind me calling you Aaron." Harold started and waited for Sting to nod.
"I would be pleased to have you on board my own security detail. You'll get a similar salary and perk as Ben, such as a car and house all paid for and furnished by the company. I am also prepared to offer you other roles should you be interested." Harold continued.
"That's what I wanted to hear. Now who is the kid and how do you want it to happen?" Sting asked.
"So the boy is called Daniel Fount. He has some difficult circumstances and is currently residing in the Royal London hospital. Due to his request we need this done as soon as his legal issues are sort which should be by next week." Harold explained.
"I have his file in my office and we need it to look like cardiac arrest. It shouldn't be too difficult as his condition already stresses his respiratory organs and he has had minor attacks in the past. But we cannot stress his condition as I want it to be as easy as possible on him." Harold finished.
"It's not going to be a problem." Sting said and turned to Ben. "You remember the prison in Korea. I've improved that drug so it now cools the body and slows the heart to a beat per hour."
"Ha you were crazy back then and if I remember right we were in a coma for 3 days straight before the effects wore off." Ben laughed reminiscing about his past adventures and mishaps.
"Yeah but as I said I improved it. Now I can lengthen the coma to 10 days without causing any issues and I can bring a person out of the coma as and when I want." Sting said getting a test tube out of his jacket pocket.
"That'll do it. I assume you want the boy to go for the full funeral to give no chance of a knock back." Ben said as he turned to Harold and stood up off the car and opened the back door.
"Yeah, I want the boy to be finished with this all and if we can prolong his life at least we can put him back to rest there as well." Harold said as walked to the car to get in.
"Aaron, stay with Ben for now. When the legal team have finished, you can start. Ben let's get to the office so I check on there progress." Harold said now sat in the car.
"Sting, get in the front and I'll get you some new dreads for this operation." Ben said as he got in the drivers side.
"Man, this is going to be a fun gig." Sting said to no one in particular as he sat in the front passenger seat.
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In Harold's office, Sting was reviewing all the information about Daniel while Harold was on the phone checking in on the legal team. The door opened to reveal Ben with a doctors coat and ID cards.
"Sting, I got you into the hospital. Here's your ID and some security codes." Ben said walking to Sting and putting the ID and coat on the couch next to him.
"Bro this kid is amazing. If I had half his brains, I'd be swimming in money now. Too bad about his condition though." Sting said as he looked up to Ben.
"Yeah, He's a whizz kid alright and that's why the Boss needs his help. You've seen the Helm right. That's Dan's creation. Kid made simulation training so much easier and as it's all virtual we don't have hold back. I got him to create me a virtual training room to keep my senses sharp and I can even do it in REM sleep." Ben replied.
"Bro, I want to meet the kid soon. Maybe he can help with some of my experiments. His chemical theorems are out of this world." Sting said looking back at the chemical equations on the paper he was holding.
"Well, Aaron, the legal team says they finished everything today and just need to wait 24 hours to finalise everything so you can meet him now if you want just give it 2 days be moving on with the fake death." Harold said putting the phone receiver down and looking across the room.
"Ok Boss. I'll go suit up." Sting said jumping off the couch and taking the ID's and coat Ben brought over.
"Wait up, I'll give you a lift." Ben called out as Sting ran out the office leaving Harold on his own at his desk.
Harold sat back in chair and looked up to the ceiling as he let out a long sigh.
"Finally, we can begin." Harold mused to himself as he spaced out for a bit.
Waking up from his slight trance, he picked up his phone and began working for the aftermath of Daniel's supposed death. He picked up the phone receiver and dialled a number.
"Hello, yes. I know. We can began after his funeral and we need the med ward prepped for him. I've got an agent ready to start extraction. No don't worry he's one of Ben's old contacts and will be working for us after to prevent any leaks. When Daniel is here, I'll welcome him and bring him into the Fold so that he can start deciphering the artefact. Yes I'll initial a black site protocol. I know he can do but I don't think there is enough time. I've already spoken to Sven and he's advised that at the moment nothing can be done. Yes. I'll get right to it and we won't have any issues after the black site is initiated." Harold explained over the phone.
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Outside the hospital, next to the black sedan was Sting now dressed in his white doctors coat with a blue shirt, black tie and slacks. Around his neck was his new hospital ID and glasses to finish of the disguise.
"Hey Bro. How do I look?" Sting asked Ben, while beaming a smile at the big man next to him.
"You look like Murdoch trying to escape from the hospital. So perfect I think. Just go in and introduce yourself, Dan is in room is 786 so the private ward on the 7th floor. Just tell him Wolf sent you and you'll be all good. Bear in mind though that the his nurse knows nothing of this and he wants to keep it that way." Ben highlighted.
"No worries Bro. I make my own way back. Just text me the address." Sting said walking to the entrance as he flashed a cheeky grin.
Meanwhile, Daniel was using his Helm in his room peacefully unaware of the plans set in motion.
