Trojan Horse (29 page)

“Lockup? I don’t know the phrase.”

“You know, for cars.”

“Like a garage, you mean.”

“Like that. Few apartments here have parking so you must pay for a place. You understand?”

“Yes, I do. Thank you.”

“Anything else?”

“Would the owners live close to their lockup?”

She nodded. “If they can.” She shrugged. “I can’t say.”

After thanking her Jeff walked back to his car. What to do? He started the engine, pulled away from the curb and through the rearview mirror saw another car dart into the spot. He made several turns then drove down Jezkova Street again. The young woman was closing up for the night. He drove as slowly as he dared.

How often, he wondered, could he risk driving down this street? Maybe he should park nearby and watch the location from on foot. He couldn’t see anywhere convenient for that, though. He kept driving, taking his time. He feared he’d attract police attention if he kept this up.

Jeff glanced at his watch. He’d risk an hour. If he couldn’t find a parking spot from where he could watch the location for the night he’d park somewhere and risk a vigil on foot.

As he drove he wondered how he might contact the Geneva police and forward to them the photograph of the men he’d recognized. But he could not figure out a way to do that and keep Bridget out of it. What had he done by rushing off to Prague? Shouldn’t he have at least waited to view the photographs for the police, pointed out the two he knew
then
flown to Prague?

The thought tantalized him but he sensed that time was an issue, that taking those few hours might prove fatal to Daryl. Well, he thought, it made no difference now. The fat was in the fire. He’d made his choice and would have to live with the consequences.

Finally, on his fifth or sixth time down the street—Jeff no longer could keep track—a parking spot magically appeared. He rushed to it, pulled the car in, then killed the engine. By turning just slightly to his right he could make out the lockup, as the girl had called it, from the corner of his right eye and not seem to be watching it.

He cleared his mind of all unpleasant thoughts. After a bit he ate one of the candy bars and drank some water. The street and city slowly become quiet and without realizing it he lay his head across the back of the seat and fell into an exhausted sleep.

PRAGUE 3, CZECH REPUBLIC

TABORITSKA 5

11:17 P.M. CET

S
aliha sat smoking as Ahmed worked his new computer. He’d had a laptop he’d brought with him that he’d removed from a carrier and sat on the desk beside his old one. Nothing had gone as she expected since he’d arrived and been surprised to see her waiting—pleasantly surprised. They’d all but leaped into bed and now she was disgusted with herself. Why was she always so ready for him? She’d never been like that before.

Worse, he still hadn’t paid her for the trip even though he examined the personal items she’d brought back for him with approval.

Saliha rose and went into the bathroom where she turned on the water, then prepared to take a shower. Ahmed no longer thought of her, not after, and was instead engrossed in his new computer. In that way he was like every man she’d ever slept with. They wanted a woman for one thing and that was all. She stepped into the hot water and considered what to do next. Or rather, how to tell Ahmed she was finished with these trips and still get paid. She’d wait until after getting the money she decided, then tell him. She’d never seen him lose his temper. Tonight might be the first time.

With the shower running in the background Ahmed stared at the computer screen without comprehension, his mind far away. His conversation with Hamid had disturbed him deeply. This whole operation he realized had been a botch from the first. He wondered now how many problem areas existed about which he knew nothing. The police could be searching for him this very minute. He had no way of knowing. He should have thought more carefully of the possibilities. That was what he’d been taught.

He’d simply driven to Geneva and kidnapped the couple. Those had been his instructions but it was assumed he’d consider every eventuality and take the necessary steps. Up to that point it had appeared a straightforward operation. What he’d not done was plan for likely scenarios and devised a plan for each. He’d had good men, access to others. It should not have been a problem.

It occurred to him that like his men he’d been in the field for too long, that his life in Prague was too easy. The edge he’d once possessed had been dulled by soft Western living and now he was paying the price.

Still, Hamid understood operational problems. He was a field agent himself, one of the best and knew how events could easily spin out of control. Ahmed’s instructions had been vague and that always meant that the outcome was unpredictable as was the path in getting there. Hamid might truly be angry, even questioning Ahmed’s ability, but he was a reasonable man aware of local difficulties. Ahmed had been under extreme time constraints. Hamid knew that.

Ahmed closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose to release the pressure. He was being too hard on himself. Except for the escape, which had not been his fault, he’d done pretty well. He’d improvised, adjusted to changing circumstances and completed the mission. Mostly.

No, Hamid was not likely all that unhappy except possibly for Ali’s loss. Good agents were hard to replace. The council’s opinion was another matter altogether. These were men Ahmed did not know, faceless administrators who moved pins on maps, made decisions in meetings with an excess of enthusiasm, men who in their deepest soul cared not one whit about Ahmed or any of his agents.

He shook his head against the gathering despair he was feeling and told himself it was the result of his exhausted state. He needed to sleep then deal with the woman. But first there was this other matter. Hamid had told him it would make all right so he drew on his final reserves.

He turned to his own computer and checked his e-mail account again but found nothing. He lit a cigarette as he listened to the shower, his mind conjuring up an image of Saliha.

He’d been enormously relieved to find Saliha waiting for him. He’d feared she’d broken off or was playing some kind of woman’s game and would make him search for her. Given the urgency of the mission he had to send her on he had been very concerned as he had no back up for her. But there she’d been.

After sex, though, she’d turned petulant. He didn’t understand women. They were always like that after. He tried checking messages again. Nothing.

He’d have thought himself too exhausted for sex but the moment he laid eyes on Saliha he’d been ready. He realized it was the adrenaline of the mission, the closeness of failure, even of death. He’d rushed through the preliminaries, or perhaps it was her who had rushed. Now his fatigue had returned and he was so sleepy he could hardly keep his eyes open.

He checked messages. Again nothing. This was nonsense. How urgent could the message be?

He glanced at the woman’s laptop. He would get the password from her first thing then skim the machine for data before turning it over to his computer expert. Unfortunately the man wasn’t in Prague.

Ahmed closed his eyes as he sat, nodding off almost at once. The water stopped. He jerked awake. He checked his messages and there it was.
At last,
he thought. There was a coded message, the first time one had come with the attachment. He pulled over a sheet of paper and pencil and worked the code used in such situations.

Keep the computers safe. We want them.

Ahmed glanced at the woman’s computer. So someone else understood how important it might be. But he had only the one. What would Hamid think when he learned?

Ahmed was getting a headache. He again pinched the bridge of his nose. The pressure wouldn’t go away. He inserted the small thumb drive and transferred the attached file directly into it. Once it was loaded he closed the computer off then removed the drive.

Saliha was humming as she patted her damp hair. He could just make out the sight of her through the partially open door and though he felt no bodily urge for her at the moment the vision was fulfilling just to see.

He had to sleep. There was no getting away from it. He’d send Saliha on her way then lay down for a few hours. After that he’d return to the woman. That was the way it had to be. He’d muffle her and do what had to be done at Karim’s apartment. He had no alternative.

Saliha stepped out of the bathroom and began to dress. She saw him holding the thumb drive. “What’s that?”

“I need you to make another trip.”

“I just got back.”

“I know, but this is urgent.”

She snapped her bra into place. “You haven’t paid me yet for the last trip.”

“I have your money.”

“I’m sure you do but
I
don’t have it and we aren’t talking about another trip until I’ve been paid.”

“This is important.”

“It’s always important, Ahmed. My money?” She held out her hand suddenly aware that she was dressed only in her bra and panties. For an instant she wondered if he’d toss it at her like she heard some men did to their whores.

Ahmed pulled out his wallet and counted bills. He handed them to her then said, “Okay now?”

Saliha counted the money, then shook her head. “My miscellaneous expenses. You didn’t pay me for them last time either, remember?”

Ahmed made a great effort not to show his anger. “How much?”

She pursed her lips. “A thousand euros for both trips. It is a bargain because I think I spent more.”

He handed her the money. She nodded approval then began dressing.

“You must leave immediately, as soon as you can make arrangements,” he said.

“No. That was my last trip.” She eyed him carefully, searching for any warning sign that he might explode. “This is too dangerous.”

Ahmed suppressed a sudden surge of anger. “Dangerous? What are you talking about? You are doing nothing illegal.”

“Oh? What is on that drive you hold in your hand? I watch you with the computer. It is very important.”

Important,
Ahmed thought. The CIA and Israeli dogs had crippled his nation’s nuclear program with their computer virus. If what Hamid said was true, the code on this key chain would change all of that. “It is just information I need to get home.” Do this, he’d been told, and all would be well.

“Then e-mail it the same way you got it. Okay?” Ahmed said nothing. “You see? It is important and it is dangerous for me to have it. I understand and I am finished with this.”

What to do? Ahmed’s mind raced through the choices. Take her into his confidence? That was out of the question. Threaten her? No, he couldn’t make that last for the duration of the trip and she traveled alone, unsupervised. A woman like this would just vanish, reinvent herself in another European city. She must get offers from visiting men all the time. It was too easy for her. He hesitated at the thought of humiliating himself in front of her but could think of no other way.

“This will be your last trip. I promise,” he said. “And I will pay you double.”

Saliha looked at him carefully. Once more might be all right. That’s what she’d decided in Turkey before changing her mind once she was back in Prague. “Four times more. You must double it again or I won’t go.” Eight thousand euros, that was what she wanted, plus her road expenses.

Ahmed slowly nodded agreement and she realized she could have demanded even more. What was this she was to carry? How dangerous could it be? “And half now, the rest when I return.”

He nodded again.

“So? Get the money. I need to sleep if I’m to leave in the morning.”

Ahmed went to his dresser drawer and withdrew the cigar box where he kept his open reserve. There were three hiding places nearby but he’d have to leave to get to one of them. He was certain he had enough. “Here.” He gave her the money.

As she counted the bills Saliha said, “There’s no flight before tomorrow morning. I know the schedule by now. The first flight never leaves before nine. And I have to call work.”

“Make the flight reservation. You can spend the night here.” Ahmed was suddenly fearful of letting her out of his sight.

She gave him a wicked smile. “I know what you want,” she said. “But promise you’ll let me sleep after, all right?”

The last thing Ahmed had been thinking about was sex but as he watched her at his computer making the reservation he felt himself stir.
I’m weak,
he thought a few minutes later as he joined her in bed.
No wonder I behave so foolishly.

By Johnson Lam—
Internet News Service

April 15