|
09.
Agent under themselves Billy’s
nerves slowly calmed down as he realized Charles was in a more secure
position now. However,
Julia still looked nervous...that he also understood. His
cell phone rang; Julia
looked at him questioningly. “Yes,
hello?“ Billy questions the caller.
He had no idea who would be calling him. He
tells Julia, “It’s Miriam."
He talks into the receiver again, “Oh Miriam, so nice to hear
from you.” Did you have a
good trip to Police
patrols appeared to be every where now as expected.
Julia was afraid and Billy hoped that the police officer didn’t
notice, but apparently not as he signaled them to stop. “Good
afternoon. Your drivers
license and registration papers, please,“ the officer asked in a
friendly manner . Billy looked at him, pulled up his eyebrow and passed
his identity papers to the officer. “I believe this is what you
need,“ Billy said. The officer looked at the papers, gave Billy a
glance and returned the papers to him. Billy
reaches for his Walkie-Talkie and begins to speak into it.
“Heike, can you hear me?”
“Yes, we certainly can hear you.”
“How does it look for you?”
“Yes, dear, I know, we all want everything to go well again,
and I think we will come through all this alright.”
Luckily we now have the GPS navigation system installed and
nothing more should happen. I
think in 10 or 15 minutes we will know for sure and finally hear some
good news.” Although Billy had not said a lot everyone seemed
calm…that is until Charles heard footsteps. “Who can be this?“ he
asked. In no time he
realized it was Hans who reported, “I think the children have had
enough of the zoo and wanted to come home. However, I think it also
means this gang is hungry.” Selena looked at him smiling lightly. “I
fear it’s not only them. I’m
getting hungry myself. I think when Billy and Julia come, we should cook
something for all of us.“ Charles nodded in agreement that he could
also stand something to eat, remembering how the breakfast in prison was
not enough to last the whole day. “Well,
Hans you stay here while Selena and I go rustle up something to eat. Hope
no one has anything special they want today…what we find is we eat.”
Heike shrieked a bit as she giggled and teased, “Maybe a small
Hansi on the spit?” She
gave Hans one more kiss to and giggled as she left the room. Miriam
looked at Birte. “What do you think about that?” she asked Birte.
“Why,
what has happen?“ Birte asked not understanding why Miriam’s so
angry. “The guys act like they don’t have any interest in what’s
happening here. Damn, where
is that Barker?” fumed Miriam. Birte looked up from her PC. “Miriam,
I fear there is something in the air. I have Googled for the latest news
to see if anything is wrong and found Barker was arrested yesterday and
today he fled. I think they
are very busy right now and it has absolutely nothing to do with us.”
Miriam could not believe it as she sat down beside Birte and read the
report. “What does it
mean, we should explain the order?“ Miriam asks. “Of
course not”, Birte retorts, “he’s our boss and Billy gave me the
impression he had everything under control. They will know what to do is
to with the parcel. As long
as we have heard nothing else, we will proceed as planned.“ “Boo!”
shouted the men, scaring Hansi and Marie to screams. “Did we frighten
you?” they questioned.
Both kids ran from the room to their father, Marie wrapping her
arms about his neck and Hansi cuddling in his lap.
Marie unwrapped the neck hold she had on her daddy, looked around
the room a bit and decided to crawl up on to Charles’ lap.
“Marie, I think you should play some place else. You gave me
quite a scare,” Charles confessed.
Charles found the little one really sweet, but not now. “No,
mummy said you shouldn’t work too long and come upstairs instead. I
think she needs your help. And,
Charles, you promised us a long time ago you would play with us.“
whimpered Marie. Marie and
her brother put on their pout faces hoping it would make Charles feel
guilty. Hans was impatient
as he just wanted to hear the sound of an approaching car. “You
both go to mummy, now,“ Hans commanded. His tone of voice immediately
told them both they better not talk back. “I telling mummy that“ one
of the little ones shouted back and ran out of the room. “Can
your children maybe slow down a little?” Ellis asked. He couldn’t
get over how much energy these kids had. Finally,
Billy and Julia were there! “Where
have you two been?“ asked Charles.
“Did you get lost or something?” he continued. “Need I
remind you…you’ve been lost too, big brother”, teased Billy. Both
brothers embraced each other warmly. “You look good, Charles,“ Billy
warmly said. Charles
had to laugh. “I was lucky to only be in jail one night, and that was
enough for me, but I had the time to think about finding myself back in The children were about to set the table. Florian had already lowered the awning over the dining room windows. Indeed, now no one would be able to see in to the dining room. “Charles, you really scared us,“ Florian said as he winked at Charles and went in to the kitchen. Ellis followed him, to lend a hand. Hans went with the others to the dining room and hardly had they sat down when the two younger ones came bouncing into the room, for all were hungry as wolves and just wanted to eat. After
dinner, the adults found themselves alone. “ Billy, can I ask you
something?“ Julia asked with curiosity. “What?“ Billy, looking at
her, had no idea what she would be wanting to know.
The others all looked at her too. “Why have we made this
control so quick? I mean,
you have shown only one identity card, more not.“ Billy saw clearly
after glancing around the room at everyone and then at Charles, he
better not say much of anything.
“No idea, why?“ he muttered, skirting the issue.
“Nice try William Barker, but we gotta speed things up a bit.“
Charles also wanted some questions answered. “Billy, I can accept a
traffic check, that without a passport you don’t get much farther.
Unless … “ trailed Charles’ voice.
Selena looked at Charles.
“Unless what?” she asked and continued. “Charles,
he is your brother, he has planned with Hans and Ellis your escape.“
Are you saying you believe that one of them had you arrested
yesterday? I have no idea, where you got such a thought and believe me,
I would have renounced this with pleasure. I’m
sorry I couldn’t help you. Nonsense,
no one is guilty, and now that’s not what’s important. When do you
believe, the two women with the Blade drive be here again? I hope
everything goes well with that.“ Meanwhile,
Miriam and Birte go to the old church.
They know Charles was arrested and had a successful escape. Billy,
doesn’t want to say a lot, so the girls think he has something to do
with it. “What you think, Miriam?
Will Mason have this parcel with him? You
know, I want to leave this place as fast as I can. Miriam laughs. “You
are doing this like it’s the first time for you today.
We work the same way every time so I think we’re safe.
Charles and Billy don’t need any more trouble. Thomas
said this parcel is essential.” Miriam
isn’t happy, not knowing what she needs to count on, but Tom isn’t
telling her anything. George
Mason was a little older man who wanted to only retire. He had already
been surprised when he had got a parcel from Charles Barker which
contained another parcel. In the enclosed letter it stated Barker would
pick up the parcel himself some time. Now
these two women were there, and wanted to have it. Could he really trust
them? The inside of the
church was quiet. So far nothing was unusual leaving Mason assured that
no one was present. Soon a
door opens and a young, blond woman enters. “Miriam?“
he cautiously asks. She
smiles at him and asks, “Where do I know you from?” Mason
replies, ”Our common friend has sent me an email with your pictures
and has said I should hand over the parcel to them. Where
is your friend? He said
they would be in twos? “ Mason explains. He
looks around searching. Miriam
mentions, “She’s giving us back up” and asks George Mason?“ He
nods. Miriam continues
“Do you have the parcel? We
need to hurry, our friend waits for it and I don’t know how much time
we still have.“ George
looks around. “Girl, do
they generally know what they should fetch here?“ Miriam twitched with
her shoulders. “If they hear Mason. I
am paid neither to know that, nor to stay here long with you. I
am here merely as the courier, nothing.
So where is the parcel? “
Miriam asks again. She had
no desire to be there that long. George
turned round, as he had not heard the door open, and was surprised by
the sudden appearance of another woman. Birte
gave a little wave. “Are
you having a tea party here or are we getting what we came for?” she
asks. “Follow me
ladies,” George orders. They follow as George Mason leaves the church
to his partially hidden parked car.
He leads them to the rear of the car and opens the trunk. “Here
is the parcel. I have no
idea what it is, but they bring it to me to give to Charles.
They told me if Barker needs me again, he should get a hold of
me. I would like know too
with what is in that package, but I trust him … he is a good man,“
George explains. Miriam
takes the parcel, says her goodbyes and disappears with Birte in the
dusk. Charles
looked at his younger brother and angrily announces, “You owe me an
explanation.” Ellis
notices the rotten tone of voice and interferes with “now I also went
through a control, but from me they wanted my driver’s license and the
vehicle papers. It seemed like an eternity to me, before they finally
left me go.“ Julia shook the head. “Indeed, I still don’t
understand what they wanted, but Billy only gave them one identity card,
to which they became awfully friendly and let us go on. The policeman
even addressed Billy as SIR,“ Julia states.
Ellis and Charles looked at him. “Hey what should we look
forward to now? An FBI
questioning? “ Now Charles could not hold back the laughter.
“Oh well, would that be so wrong? Ellis
and I are paid by the FBI, but who is paying you, little brother?“
Charles asks. Silence
… Charles adds “I know you have helped me Billy and I know I can
trust you, but this identity card … William, tell me the truth!“ “It
was a diplomat's passport“, Billy confessed. Billy knew his brother
left him no way out of that one. Every
one looked at him surprised. “What
is it Buddy, you don’t believe me? Want
you to see him with own eyes?“ Billy asked. Charles
shook the head, he believed him, but questioned “How did you come to
have a diplomatic passport?“ “Oh
you know, every one has one in my position,” Billy teased.
“Plus I’ve told you before, we security men know a trick or
two to help ourselves too.” Billy
put his arm around Julia, but feared she would walk away to avoid him,
but she didn’t … rather the opposite.
Just then Billy’s mobile phone rang.
Billy mutters aloud, “who invented these things to ring at the
most inopportune times.” “Yes?”,
he reacted more irritated than he actually wanted to. “Have
I interfered?“asked the voice on the other end.
Poor Birte didn’t know exactly how she should react to this
gruffness. “Birte what is it? Excuse me, I didn’t mean to growl at
you.“ Billy was really sorry and hoped Birte would accept his apology.
“That’s ok. Listen,
we have the parcel and are on our way back.
We can meet tomorrow, or at the latest the day after tomorrow.
If you have a good meeting place, let us know and we’ll meet
you there.“ She hung up
the phone as Birte was a woman of few words which Billy liked. Billy
told the others Birte’s news which drew a deep sigh of relief from
them all. “Why do you let the Blade drive go along?” Billy inquired. “Charles, you can into some to terrible troubles. Have you thought it sometimes?“ Billy questioned. Charles looked at him. “Say, since when do you preach to me? Up to now this was always the other way round.“ Ellis looked at Charles and took his side. “At that time he thought something like that was more sure than he was with the FBI.“ “There might be some truth to that, but not if one could be accused of murder and must flee. This time you have tangled with the wrong people big brother, and you need to right it, so you can show your face out there again.“ Billy said. Billy was worried. He hoped the information Blade drive would provide would ease that worry. He knew Charles depended a lot on it now. “He’s no murderer, Billy. You know he isn’t,“ Selena reminded. Because she believed in Charles, she wanted to make sure Billy did not doubt him. Charles hugged her firmly and gave her one gentle kiss. If they came after him, he would disappear with her on a desert island and he’d give up his present work forever. However, he knew this wouldn’t work and out of respect for Selena he wasn’t about to jeopardize her life by having her on the run. Billy looked over at Selena. “Of course he is no murderer, no one knows that better than me. I believe in him unconditionally. But Selena, this is why it doesn’t make sense. “Why is this thing so important to you over everything else?“ Ellis could not understand it yet either. "Why is everything behind this Blade Driver." “Ellis, on this Blade Driver is all data of the Undercover Agents of our land," Charles explains. “It lists who was where, when, why, admissions of conclusions on orders, contact names. If this information lands in the wrong hands, the lives of these agents are worthless.“ Now Charles didn’t want to become more precise. “So, what you’re saying then, Charles, is that one can find all the agent’s names there. Double agents or from the foreign agents who work for us too,” Billy inquires. “And these agents not only work for the FBI, my friend.“ Billy completed Charles’ statement and made it clear to his brother he knows more than he should. “William Edward Barker … who do you work for?“ Charles demands. Charles has had enough. “Now talk already! Damn, you know things you shouldn’t know at all. You appear in no search and suddenly you wave a diplomatic passport. Billy this smells pretty damn …“ Charles didn’t want to say it. Billy retorts. “What do you expect me to say now? “ Charles shook the head. “How about the truth, little brother?“ Julia
felt the tension. “Guys, how about just letting this rest a bit and
get some rest ourselves.” I mean it’s late and it was a strenuous
day.“ Heike thought the
idea was brilliant, but she also knew both men would not be persuaded so
easily. Heike thinks aloud,
“Exactly, how should we do this. Charles,
there’s a room ready for you and Selena downstairs. Selena
knows where it is; she was a dear yesterday and helped me get it ready.
Tomorrow we will see what happens and what we can do about it.
As far as I’m concerned you two can go to bed now, but I want
from an answer to my question from Billy, even if it takes all night.“
Charles was alright with
that decision for it was time his brother gave up with his excuses.
“ “Charles,
I don’t want to necessarily get in the middle of this, but don’t you
think every one should sleep on this first?” Hans asked. “I
don’t think you slept that well last night especially with being in a
jail cell.“ Hans wanted to take the sharp edge off the whole
situation. He didn’t know
the brothers well enough, but what his brother-in-law had told
him about Billy, he
expected such a discussion
would not be a pleasant one. “Hans,
I thank you, but I fear we must clear this now.
It seems to me somebody here wants to put up a fight. But, Billy,
believe me, I’m too strong for you!“ Barker said.
Hans sat down again, as he didn’t want the brothers still to
get into a fight. Billy
looked into his brother’s eyes, “You don’t want to hear the whole
truth Charles." ”Oh yes, the truth and nothing but the truth,“ Charles
demanded. Charles seriously
meant it; he had had enough of his brother’s excuses.
“How it would be, if I have Conrad check you out sometime,
little brother." “Now, that would be useless,” Ellis put in. "Conrad
has already checked into it and discovered nothing.“
With a shrug Ellis added, “I had asked him to check, so I know
who I’m dealing with.“ Billy
couldn’t help but grin. “If
you would only believe me, you’d be able to see right through me that
I don’t want anything to happen to our dear Conrad in “OK,
OK … calm down,” Billy said. “I’m
just glad you gave me the chance to help you.
Quite honestly, if I were you I wouldn’t have counted on it,
but this it was much easier … to get through control and have Blade
drive come to us. I’m
sorry, but we need the Blade drive to prove your innocence.“ Charles
couldn’t believe his ears; could he trust these words.
“You want me to believe that you were playing all along with
me? I don’t know what to
believe actually…just who are you, Billy?” his big brother pleaded. “I
want Viper, only I know what and why it has happened.“
“Exactly, big brother, same thing we want, but don’t have and
the only one who would maybe help us, would never talk with us, at least
not just like that,” Billy explains. ”Buddy
you know how this works; so does Hans.
I’m sorry, but I couldn’t tell you, that I …“Billy trails
off. He looks at Charles
with a guilty conscience for deceiving his beloved brother, but
continued “have informants to work with too.” Charles became even
more suspicious and now he wanted to know exactly what was going on.
He knew the only way to find out was to get his brother to
finally open his mouth and tell the whole truth, but also knew this
wasn’t going to be easy. Billy continued, “They would love you
question you. Have you
really given it some thought that no one got out who stole from the
Blade drive? Charles,
you’ve gone too far and … sorry, now only I can help you. You just
have to resign to it.“ Charles
looked at Billy, “Who? Do I still need spell it out for you? “ Billy
took in a very deep breath, and quickly let it out.
Should he say? He looked at Hans and saw the approval on his
face. “OK …”, Billy
began, “but, don’t you blow up at me now. I
am with the ... CIA. “ |