Strategy
Chess.
The movement of pieces in a strategic manner, creating occasional diversionary surprises that result in the capture of the intended target, thus allowing for a victory in the game.
Today’s modern games being played by children are nothing more than that, with some colors and sound thrown in. The larger versions of these video games are played by adults, with score tallies that speak of the pawns sacrificed for the larger goal.
But Charles Spender prefers chess. He likes to play it by himself. In front of the fireplace, he sits, smoking one Morley after another. No computer. No opponent but his own mind. It’s a very masturbatory intellectual exercise in solitude. There’s no whining or gnashing of teeth when he beats himself, no matter how deceptive the tactic used to win. He knows his enemy too well.
The man who taps lightly on the door, and then enters, is an albino, with white hair and the palest blue eyes. Mercenary risen from the ranks of the men who failed before him, he’s as cold as the man he serves.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Spender, it’s about to begin. Nicholas Jacks has taken position.”
The knight is toyed with. Yellowed fingertips tap on the top. “Current situation?”
His feet spread, and brace. Hands are placed behind his back. Shoulders squared. “The target vehicle will exit the business lot, heading north on Desert Highway. Jacks and his party will force diversion in an unincorporated and uninhabited stretch. There are no bodyguards visible, sir, only the four female targets. Commands have been issued to sedate and seize the targets, for transport to the meeting place, which is secure. At that location, I will take possession of the four, and deliver cash to Mr. Jacks. The helicopter will transport us to the cabin. Mr. Jacks will then…what?”
“Mr. Jacks will then be on his own, Joshua. Oh, he thinks he’s under our protection, but I see no advantage in our backing the man. Krycek will probably kill his brother in law as soon as he figures out that Jacks is seizing control of the Jacks empire. There will be chaos. There’s no advantage to us for Jacks to gain control in his sister’s absence. Besides, watching Jacks and his ambitious cousin run around like mice trapped in a cage with a cobra will be amusing. Krycek will be so engrossed with Jacks and the Dumont woman, he won’t have time to consider who might have backed him, or who has the girls.” Spender took a drag off the cigarette between his fingers, and moved the knight to a position.
“Mr. Krycek will surely look for the missing family.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Alex never had much of an attention span, except when it came to Mulder. My sources tell me that he’s got more intimate personal matters claiming his time and energy. He’s scattered. I doubt he realizes what he had, the power that was within his grasp.” More smoke floated above Spender’s head, as he examines the chessboard.
“And if he did? What if he steps in?” Joshua didn’t really want to deal with Krycek. The man was good, and very unpredictable.
“Then we throw the dead body of his little sister in the road, and he’ll be distracted. Besides, his focus of rage will be Nicholas Jacks and Miraina Dumont. All of the fingers will conveniently point to them, and Krycek can take out his revenge. It’s not my concern.” Sacrificing the queen was a bold move, and not a safe one. But Spender does it, tipping over the cold marble figure.
“So Krycek kills Jacks and the blonde bint, and thinks that the children are lost or dead. What if Jacks talks?”
“Jacks is too impulsive. He’ll get himself killed before Krycek has the chance to question him. And I’ve given him men to ‘protect’ him, as insurance. Should Krycek get too close, they’ll kill the Dumont woman and Nicholas. I’m not concerned. Reasonable deniability. By then, the girls will be safely tucked away in our lab.” The hand holding the cigarette moves another piece on the board, and the white king is taken in the bold move, as the ashes fall like snow over the remaining players.
“And then?”
“And then we see if these experiments turned out as well as we hoped…or feared.”
to be continued…
The movement of pieces in a strategic manner, creating occasional diversionary surprises that result in the capture of the intended target, thus allowing for a victory in the game.
Today’s modern games being played by children are nothing more than that, with some colors and sound thrown in. The larger versions of these video games are played by adults, with score tallies that speak of the pawns sacrificed for the larger goal.
But Charles Spender prefers chess. He likes to play it by himself. In front of the fireplace, he sits, smoking one Morley after another. No computer. No opponent but his own mind. It’s a very masturbatory intellectual exercise in solitude. There’s no whining or gnashing of teeth when he beats himself, no matter how deceptive the tactic used to win. He knows his enemy too well.
The man who taps lightly on the door, and then enters, is an albino, with white hair and the palest blue eyes. Mercenary risen from the ranks of the men who failed before him, he’s as cold as the man he serves.
“Yes?”
“Mr. Spender, it’s about to begin. Nicholas Jacks has taken position.”
The knight is toyed with. Yellowed fingertips tap on the top. “Current situation?”
His feet spread, and brace. Hands are placed behind his back. Shoulders squared. “The target vehicle will exit the business lot, heading north on Desert Highway. Jacks and his party will force diversion in an unincorporated and uninhabited stretch. There are no bodyguards visible, sir, only the four female targets. Commands have been issued to sedate and seize the targets, for transport to the meeting place, which is secure. At that location, I will take possession of the four, and deliver cash to Mr. Jacks. The helicopter will transport us to the cabin. Mr. Jacks will then…what?”
“Mr. Jacks will then be on his own, Joshua. Oh, he thinks he’s under our protection, but I see no advantage in our backing the man. Krycek will probably kill his brother in law as soon as he figures out that Jacks is seizing control of the Jacks empire. There will be chaos. There’s no advantage to us for Jacks to gain control in his sister’s absence. Besides, watching Jacks and his ambitious cousin run around like mice trapped in a cage with a cobra will be amusing. Krycek will be so engrossed with Jacks and the Dumont woman, he won’t have time to consider who might have backed him, or who has the girls.” Spender took a drag off the cigarette between his fingers, and moved the knight to a position.
“Mr. Krycek will surely look for the missing family.”
“Perhaps. Perhaps not. Alex never had much of an attention span, except when it came to Mulder. My sources tell me that he’s got more intimate personal matters claiming his time and energy. He’s scattered. I doubt he realizes what he had, the power that was within his grasp.” More smoke floated above Spender’s head, as he examines the chessboard.
“And if he did? What if he steps in?” Joshua didn’t really want to deal with Krycek. The man was good, and very unpredictable.
“Then we throw the dead body of his little sister in the road, and he’ll be distracted. Besides, his focus of rage will be Nicholas Jacks and Miraina Dumont. All of the fingers will conveniently point to them, and Krycek can take out his revenge. It’s not my concern.” Sacrificing the queen was a bold move, and not a safe one. But Spender does it, tipping over the cold marble figure.
“So Krycek kills Jacks and the blonde bint, and thinks that the children are lost or dead. What if Jacks talks?”
“Jacks is too impulsive. He’ll get himself killed before Krycek has the chance to question him. And I’ve given him men to ‘protect’ him, as insurance. Should Krycek get too close, they’ll kill the Dumont woman and Nicholas. I’m not concerned. Reasonable deniability. By then, the girls will be safely tucked away in our lab.” The hand holding the cigarette moves another piece on the board, and the white king is taken in the bold move, as the ashes fall like snow over the remaining players.
“And then?”
“And then we see if these experiments turned out as well as we hoped…or feared.”
to be continued…