Ruth sits in a chair in her stateroom. There is cash spread out across the bed. She is unwrapping the stacks of money and separating them into piles of each bill denomination. As she does this she is keeping a running total in her head. She grabs the last stack and separates the bills. She reaches a final tally of £175,840. She then goes back to the stacks on the bed and counts again. She reaches the same total. Each packet of money had contained different denominations and the money was not in any order. She tried to figure out a reason for the apparent randomness of the packets, but there wasn't any, leading her to conclude that the money was packaged in haste.
She retrieves Kathy Lu's suitcase from her closet and places all of the cash into it. It fills the suitcase and Ruth has to sit on the case so that she can zip it shut. She places the case back into the closet. She smiles. She loves this job. There are over 2,000 people on this ship right now enjoying their holiday oblivious to the intrigue around them. Ruth feels special. This is her world, the world of a spook. She is a world class spy working for MI-5. She couldn't be happier. She leaves the room and heads to the elevators. She's headed to check the email folder in the media room.
Ruth takes the elevator to the main deck. It is almost 11pm on the final night of the cruise and the ship is a bustle of activity. There are events scheduled late into the evening, including a midnight chocolate buffet. There are lots of passengers milling about, dressed in their evening attire and enjoying their final night. Ruth takes the corridor that leads to the media room. She sees Frederick walking toward her.
(Chinese in italics)
"Good evening Ms. Lu " he says to Ruth in Chinese. "I see you are out late enjoying the last night on the cruise."
Ruth doesn't hesitate. She replies to him in English "Yes, the final night. The other girls have the shift for the rest of the evening. I was heading to the media room to check my email messages. Just reaffirming plans with friends for tomorrow's arrival."
"I didn't know that you spoke Chinese. I had made a bad assumption. Forgive me," he says.
Ruth is maintaining a light hearted aloof approach to Frederick. How does he know that she speaks Chinese? It must be from one of the other girls. She remains calm.
"Oh. No harm taken. I've just been pre-occupied with my own worries lately. I had to schedule a flight right back to London when we arrive in New York. My mother has taken ill and it would be best if I get back as soon as possible. She has never had health problems, yet a neighbor found her lying on the ground outside her flat and called an ambulance and then I'm away on this trip…ugh…one thing after another," says Ruth.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear this news of an ill parent. I know just how you feel," says Frederick.
"Yes, and my major study at university was Chinese. I do like to practice," says Ruth in Chinese. She says this to him slowly and twitches her eyes a bit, as if she is trying to concentrate on what she is saying. "Just that my mind has been elsewhere."
"Yes of course, well, enjoy your evening Ms. Lu," says Frederick
"Goodnight," says Ruth.
Ruth enters the media room and sits at a computer terminal. She accesses the Gmail account and reads the last message from Malcolm. She signs out and goes right to a phone booth. She dials Harry's number. It goes directly to his voicemail, his phone is shut off or he is on the phone. She leaves a message.
"Harry, just me again. Malcolm told me the good news about my job. Thank you. I don't even know how to say this but," she pauses "I, I feel like myself again. If that's a good thing, uhm, I'm not sure," she laughs slightly. "Well, the ship should be in port in about 8 hours. It'll be good to see Adam here, a face from home. I've just done a few small things here, nothing dangerous. I'll try to reach you again. Bye."
She hangs up the phone. She misses him terribly. She wants to hear his voice. He does not have a voicemail greeting on his phone just the computer generated voice to leave a message. She goes to the computer terminal and signs back into the Gmail. She types a message for Malcolm that she is safe and that she will keep a low profile and will not break her cover. She gripes that she would rather return on a flight, yet will do as she is told and remain on the ship. She signs off and erases the internet history.
Frederick has been standing outside the media room observing all of this behavior. Kathy Lu signing onto the computer. In haste moving to make a short phone call. Then back to the computer. He sees that she does have a melancholy hue to her. It is probably true, thinks Frederick. Lots of last minute plans and a sick relative. He leaves the area and heads to his room.