“He’s taking care of it.”
“Just like that?”
“That’s what your father does.”
“I’m talking a lot of money, Maman.”
“He understood what you meant, and it isn’t a problem. Your father is very, very wealthy,” said her mother.
Did most adult children know their parents’ net worth? “Why do you say he’s very wealthy? Aren’t you?”
She smiled. “I suppose I am, Manon. However, I am also French.”
“Meaning?”
“Saying so would be…crass.”
“Brace yourself, Maman, I’m going to be crass. When you say very, very…what are we talking?”
“Your father is a billionaire, ma fille.” Her mother gave her an impatient look.
“Sorry, am I being too American for you?”
“Oui.”
When her parents came back the next morning, her mother brought a change of clothes, and her father brought a plan of action.
While Alegria changed into the clothes Matille had been wearing, her father explained that they would walk to the elevator together while her mother sneaked down the back stairwell.
“Where are we going now?” Manon asked when her father pulled out of the parking structure.
“Logan.”
“Thank you, Papa.”
“I have filed the flight plan. It’s a long trip, Manon. Given you are not cleared to fly, we’ll have to break it into two days.”
She’d been lost in thought, praying that soon she, Mantis, and Dutch would be back in the States and this all would be just another successful mission. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I know that you’re anxious to get to Afghanistan, Manon, but I will not risk fatigue.”
“I expected to fly commercial.”
Her father laughed.
“I’m serious. You have to stay with Maman.”
When she looked between her two parents, their expressions were ones she was very familiar with. The conversation was over, and whatever either of them had said, was the way it was going to be.
Two days later, walking two paces behind her dad and dressed in traditional Afghani attire, she listened as he negotiated a deal with Abdul Ghafor. In exchange for ten million dollars, wired to an offshore account, Ghafor was happy to give Monsieur Mondreau the exact whereabouts of Mantis Cassman along with the details of the arrangement that had been made for the hostage exchange.
The deal her father had made was for the money to become available as soon as he received word that Mantis and Dutch were both on their way back to the United States. Any deviation would result in the money being immediately withdrawn.
Now it was up to Alegria to give Doc a heads up about the plan she and her father had put in place.
“Where in the hell are you?” Doc bellowed when he answered her call.
“Islamabad.”