Layers of Deception Read online

  Steve interjected. 'Crack on with making the technology a perfect fit for Asia. We are in a bad situation. We have to win the Q7 deal.'

  'Hi Steve. Fine by me. I'll get things ready for Q7. We'll test the latest release of the core and the demo apps.'

  Steve moved closer to the phone. 'We have to close the deal. You should be at the meeting, the project set-up and demos.'

  David coughed. 'I hate travelling. Asia, jet lag and the heat. I can do everything from here. And anyway, can we afford it?'

  'No, we can't afford it, but we can't afford not to do it. We're bouncing along at the top of the overdraft. You should attend. The meeting is crucial. We can't afford to bugger this deal up, and it shows how serious we are if we bring the big guns. You and Mark are key to Seguro.'

  'OK, I'll talk to Trish tonight and fly out a few days before you, to set up and get over jet lag.'

  Steve nodded. 'Good idea. Make sure you check everything before the meeting. I'm sure Trish will understand how important the deal is. We need to close it.'

  'OK, I understand.'

  'And let's say nothing to the guys about the certification. Don't want to worry them. Focus on Q7. OK?' Steve looked at Mark.

  Mark nodded and blew out his cheeks.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Sunday 8th February

  THE DISTINCTIVE SILVER PLAQUE and embossed gold lettering above the receptionist's head welcomed visitors to Tan Koh Chong Group. This was the company headquarters, based in the penthouse of the Tun Sambanthan building, central Wilayah Persekutuan district of Kuala Lumpur. The receptionist bowed. 'Good afternoon, Mountain Master.'

  Mountain Master, head of Kongsi Gelap thirty-one - the Triad gang controlled the centre of Kuala Lumpur, upheld the traditions of extortion, drugs, smuggling, and prostitution, and had ambitions to expand activities on an international scale. Despite his slender frame, he exuded confidence: tailored suit, dark brown eyes, tanned complexion, and jet-black hair. Flanked by one of his foot soldiers, a huge man resembling a sumo wrestler wearing a black suit, they walked straight past the receptionist and into the boardroom.

  When his father died, Mountain Master's life became focused on building wealth, status and power. Ever since university he wanted to be a successful businessman, to influence politicians, gain vast wealth, and be admired by the Islamic elders at the local mosque. As the proud head of the organisation, he ordered his subordinates to carry out deeds to accumulate riches and power. The gang’s rank names referenced controlling comrades of the organisation. At the lowest level were the probationary affiliates – often drawn from local youths, these so-called Blue Lanterns became rank and file members after an initiation ceremony. Above them were the key leaders: White Paper Fan, the money man; Red Pole, the Enforcer; and Straw Sandal, the strategist. At command level came Vanguard, Deputy Mountain Master, Incense Master and the Mountain Master himself.

  The opulent boardroom's striking marble floor lay in a synergy of black, white and brown squares. At each corner stood stone pillars reminiscent of a Roman temple. A single large fan circulated, and air boomed out of the conditioning unit. Mountain Master sat at the head of an oval table, and his hench man stood motionless in front of one pillar.

  Incense Master, also known as The Commander, arrived next. Born in Malaysia of Chinese origin, he radiated a quiet stillness. They nodded to acknowledge each other. Mountain Master clicked his fingers. 'Two oolong.'

  The huge man bowed and left the room to organise the tea.

  Incense Master leaned forward in the chair. 'We are completing on the purchase of the New York condo next week.'

  'Good. Is the rental organised?'

  Incense Master smiled and crossed his legs. 'Two options, one is a US law enforcement agency. No details of which agency though.'

  'Do we need to be cautious?'

  'No, not in the US.'

  'Good.'

  A petite woman entered the room, carrying a tray with a pot of oolong tea, teacups and saucers. She bowed, laid the contents on the table, bowed again, tiptoed backwards and left the room.

  Other gang members arrived and sat around the table on wingback chairs. Vanguard, Head of Operations, had a skinny, weasel-like face and a slight frame. Accompanying him was White Paper Fan, a plump man with glasses and greying hair. Last to arrive was Red Pole who had many years' experience in the Malaysian army and police force. The assembled men met once a month to discuss progress, including revenue earned from protection agreements and prostitution at the Beach Club and Cuban Latino bars.

  Red Pole stood up and saluted. 'Straw Sandal cannot attend the meeting. He sends his apologies.' Straw Sandal's position was liaison officer for the group. Red Pole sat back down.

  White Paper Fan, the money man, summarised income for the month.

  'What are we doing about Kongsi seventy-seven?' Vanguard asked, 'They’re trying to take over the Ampang District, though they already own the northern suburbs.'

  'The police are patrolling Ampang. A large district; difficult to cover the whole area at all times.' Red Pole opened his arms wide to emphasise his point.

  Mountain Master stood up, walked over to the window and looked out at the city skyline. 'Let's move on. I will speak with Mountain Master at Kongsi twenty-six. They also want them stopped.' He turned and looked at Vanguard. 'Where are we with Q7?'

  'They arrive today for the final presentation. Farid will award the contract this week.'

  Mountain Master sat back down. 'Any problems?'

  'No, we are ready. The girls are at Cuban. Briefed and given photos,' Incense Master said.

  'Hotel rooms set up, Vanguard?'

  'Yes, all four wired for video and audio.'

  'Good. We need to move fast and ramp up the offshore flow. Are we all agreed?'

  They nodded and carried on with the rest of the agenda.

  ######

  “Ten minutes to landing” buzzed the plane’s tannoy system as British Airways Flight BA33 approached Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), passing over masses of neat rows of oil palms interspersed throughout large areas of woodland.

  Steve sat cramped in the aisle seat. He stretched, peered with heavy-lidded eyes, and forced a smile at the flight attendant as she strolled along the aisle. The Valium tablet did not have the desired effect as he had slept on and off during the journey; grogginess made him uncertain how much sleep he’d got. Either way, the Q7 deal played on his mind throughout the journey. He had forgotten Mark, sitting nearest the window, separated by a vacant middle seat. His lanky frame was not engineered for long-distance plane journeys in coach class. He would not have blamed Mark if he’d got a regular job anytime over the past three years, Steve pondered. The last year has been tough. I must keep him onside. Determined to show confidence, he needed him more than ever for the final push. Although Mark loved Kuala Lumpur, Steve wanted to make sure that Mark, being a gay man, remained discreet and didn't attract unwanted attention when visiting a Muslim country.

  Steve always made sure they checked the latest data and advice before entering any country. Malaysia still upheld the British Penal Code of 1871 making it illegal for men of any age to engage in sexual intercourse with other men. The level of tolerance for homosexuality differed from its neighbours in South East Asia. In addition, the Islamic Sharia laws forbade sodomy and cross-dressing. Same-sex handholding occurred often, although conservative Malaysians frowned on all displays of public affection.

  The plane touched down and once they had passed through passport control and retrieved their suitcases, they emerged from the arrivals' exit, then headed towards the Information Point. Steve spotted a sign displaying, 'Steve Roussos, Mark Farrell, Seguro Limited', held up by a well-dressed chauffeur who relieved them of their baggage.

  Mark smiled. 'No matter how many times we use the hotel limo service, I love it.'

  'The only way to travel,’ Steve said.

  They followed the driver and moments later emerged from the air-condit
ioned coolness of the terminal into the sweltering tropical heat. Although shaded by the airport canopy, the blast of year-round heat and humidity caused Steve to experience an immediate flow of sweat from every pore of his body, even though he removed his jacket. Many visits to Kuala Lumpur and he still found it difficult to get used to the hot, oppressive climate. They strolled past the massed ranks of Mercedes Benz and the Malaysian-manufactured Proton limos. The chauffeur led them to an elegant, long wheelbase Proton. They jumped into the back of the car, and were greeted by an array of drinks, papers and magazines provided as part of the service; the driver turned on the engine and a welcome stream of cool air greeted them

  As they drove along the toll road into Kuala Lumpur, a heavy thunderstorm reduced traffic to a walking pace despite it still being early evening. The rain descended, creating flash floods and gridlock, slowing their progress.

  Steve stretched and yawned. 'This may take some time. We'll meet Glen and David in the morning for breakfast to run through everything.'

  'OK great. We're in good shape,’ Mark said.

  Steve smiled. 'Yes, we're gonna win the deal.'

  I hope so! Three years of hard work. Shit or bust.

  Mark nodded.

  The car crawled along the road; the downpour now beating off the windscreen, causing the wiper blades to work overtime. Steve peered out of the window. Kuala Lumpur had turned into a construction site as high cranes loomed from what seemed every available space, interrupting the skyline like giant Transformers. He reflected on the good times working for large companies: living the dream, on excellent salaries, great commission and more than generous expenses. There were the stresses of meeting targets for sure, but they had left the financials, fundraising, board meetings and staff issues to the management.

  Happy days.

  Steve reflected on the company’s current situation and knew they had got nowhere near the capital needed to carry on. The company had raised millions in contributions and loans, but still struggled to break even, because they did not get the full amount promised from any of the shareholders. Three years of lack of financial backing caused lots of problems. They assumed all the money would come in; but Steve accepted how naïve they had been, generating only a fraction of the amount they needed. They hired all the staff, started the software coding and kicked-off the product development plan. He regretted not taking the Valido offer to buy Seguro. There had been four months of painful and costly legal wrangling before Roger and the lawyers made them walk away from the deal, followed by over eighteen months chasing money. He would bite their hand off now if Valido made the same offer.

  ######

  The looming cranes looked unstable in every direction. One of them took a direct hit from a bolt of lightning. In the illuminated skies, the jagged half-built skyscrapers looked like twisted ruins. Steel pillars to carry automated trains, the latest undertaking to deal with traffic congestion, stood at regular intervals, like giant sentries petrified by a powerful enemy. They travelled underneath a massive six-lane flyover which caused a temporary lull in the rain drumming down, sheltering the car. Motorbikes jammed both sides of the road, their riders wearing makeshift plastic jackets, taking refuge from the rain under the concrete structure. Vehicle lights glinted on their shiny transparent coats, many revealing Arsenal, Man United and Chelsea soccer shirts. The rain eased, and the traffic moved forward at a stop-start pace as the bottleneck unfolded.

  After seven PM, local time, the Proton pulled up at the Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The bell boy greeted them as they stepped out of the car, gathered their suitcases from the trunk and moved them into the hotel lobby featuring a vast marble floor, pillars and a reception desk. Even the walls and ceiling were set in expensive marble. They booked into the premier level as usual with a view of the Petronas Twin Towers. As they had done many times previously, they walked straight over to the elevators, and ascended to their rooms.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Monday 9th February

  STEVE GOT TO SLEEP before ten PM, woke at two AM, and again just before four. Rubbing the rheum from his eyes, he pulled two pillows together to prop up his head, then stretched, leaned over and grabbed his MacBook, placing it on his stomach. He set up Wi-Fi and went online before he started FaceTime and called Beth. 'Hiya, can't get much shuteye.'

  She smiled. 'Hi love, what's the time?'

  He brushed his hand through his hair whilst the other covered a yawn. 'Four in the morning.'

  'Oh dear. You'll be exhausted.'

  'I'll adjust over the next few days. The adrenaline will keep me going.'

  'You poor thing.' Beth leaned forward to stroke the image of Steve on the screen.

  'Wow, I need you now.' He smiled.

  'I bet you say that to all the girls.' Beth blushed. ‘You should do some of the Tai chi and yoga I taught you.’

  ‘I’m sure that would help. But I’m exhausted.’

  ‘I know. Once you adjust, it’s the best thing you can do. I love it.’ She smiled.

  'You get the kids off to school OK?'

  'Yes, Jake's got hockey practice, so I got his kit ready. He didn't tell me until this morning. Ellie and Kate are missing you. Millie is missing her walks.'

  'Ahh.'

  'I'm taking Kate to Doctor Harris.'

  'What's wrong? Is she OK?' He felt his shoulders tense.

  'A wheezy chest, I’m taking her just in case.’ Beth looked tired.

  Steve rubbed his eyes with the base of his palms and pushed them deep into his sockets. 'Poor thing. Give her a big kiss for me.'

  'I will – oh, and we got another letter about the mortgage. They want us to meet about the arrears.' Her eyes rolled skyward.

  'Can you ring and tell them I'm away? If they're awkward, I'll call them tomorrow. OK?'

  'Should we cancel the holiday?' Her expression slid into a frown.

  'No, its cash flow.' Jesus Christ. I don't need this right now.

  'OK.' She sighed.

  'Thanks love, you're a rock.'

  'Just win the contract.' Beth's brow puckered.

  'Plan is to meet the guys in the hotel lobby to get prepared for the presentation tomorrow. I suppose I better try to sleep.'

  ‘Yes, you should get some sleep.'

  ‘OK, I'll ring tomorrow and talk to the kids. Love you.’

  ‘And you,’ Beth smiled.

  ######

  Steve took another Valium and drifted into a deep sleep after five AM. At eight AM the boom of his iPhone alarm woke him. His head felt heavy and pain shot from the bridge of his nose across both eyes. He stopped the beeping sound, picked up a bottle of the complementary water from the bedside cabinet and drank the contents. He liked the familiar layout of the room: queen-sized bed, black leather lounge chair and a large TV. It all made him comfortable, despite being six thousand five hundred miles away from home.

  Refreshed after using the powerful rain shower, he put on a T-shirt and boxer shorts, and opened the French doors onto the balcony where an uncomfortable dearth of fresh air greeted him. Thanks to Kuala Lumpur's location on the equator, the city experienced some of the most intense heat and humidity the earth offered. The bustle of cars, trucks and mopeds spewed out carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides created by the extreme temperatures, as they crawled along the road in both directions, with the metro sandwiched in between like the filling in the middle of a cake. This would be no good for Kate's poor chest. I hope she is OK. That's all we need.

  Once Steve got dressed, he facetimed Glen Lewis, Seguro's Sales Manager for Asia.

  Glen filled Steve's screen with the proximity of his face. 'Namaste.’ He bowed his head. ‘Farid Razak wants us to go to dinner tomorrow evening after the presentation.'

  Steve raised his eyebrows. 'Sounds promising if the CEO wants to take us out. If we don't balls-up the presentation, we'll nail this deal.' We must nail this!

  'Hope so.'

  'Did you speak to Farid?' Steve rubbed his chin.


  'No. Anil sent me a message.' Glen lit a cigarette.

  'David OK?'

  'Yeah, he got in two days ago and has spent most of the time in his room. Ordered room service for breakfast. Mind you he can set up and configure the Q7 demo from the hotel. Mad, eh?'

  'I'm gonna get dressed and check emails. So, let's meet in the hotel lobby before breakfast. Nine o’clock. The four of us. OK?'

  'OK, I'll ping David and Mark. Namaste,' Glen replied as he closed the call.

  ######

  The Hotel lobby was bustling with people: guests and visitors queueing at the reception desks, waiting in line for taxis, or generally milling around. Steve headed across the magnificent marble floor, past the elegant staircase and into the atrium. He spotted Glen waving to him.

  Glen leaned back in a leather lounge chair, hands behind his head. Although he lived in the UK, he had invested most of his working life living in Asia. He had embraced the continent over the years and he loved Malaysia and Singapore. A stocky figure, carrying too many extra pounds, his short brown hair and clean-shaven square jaw made him stand out in Malaysia. Glen's casual trousers and shirt displayed the labels of the fashion conscious. “Gadget man” as he was known, having two phones, an iPad, MacBook, and his treasured Breitling timepiece to name but a few.

  Steve, feeling a little light-headed, tried to relax in the armchair next to Glen. He put his notepad on the table and smiled as he stretched. 'How's Alice?'

  'Don't care.' Glen grimaced.

  'Is she gonna be OK with you spending time over here?'

  'Not bothered. Been two years since we’ve been in any sort of relationship. My uncle Patrick told me she has a boyfriend. He's welcome to her. Good luck to him. More worried about Jack and Lauren. I Skype them every morning before they go to school.'

  'How are the kids?' Steve gave him the thumbs up.

  His eyes brimmed with warmth. 'Jack loves his football. He's playing for the school and doing well. Lauren is Lauren. She's delightful. Alice is a wonderful mum but after eight years together, we've both moved on, so no relationship anymore.'