Early morning hours, sitting in his London flat, Eyal looking at his phone, strange, very strange he thought. Annie has never confided in him on any of her missions he was not involved in fact she would, like him keep that information close to the chest - the spy's mentally. He needs to verify a few things, first a call to an old friend in Mossad personnel division with a check of Cimon Nadir and second a call to Arthur for a drill down to Joan. That known spy sense of his was kicking in and his insight was telling him Annie was heading for a dangerous threat.
Cimon Nadir driving over the poorly sustained roads of the northern Turkish control section of Cyprus, Annie seeing the vast difference in the island. Greek side was more prosperous while the Turkish side looked rural no man's land. A farmer with a herd of goats walking along the side of the road, later an old farm truck over loaded with something. Finding the village of Mora, they drove through it as the inn was on the outskirts across town. The tavern/inn is located in the middle-class section of predominate Turkish control sector. The women that greeted them was dressed drab in a loose-fitting tunic and pants, her head veiled and she wore several gold chains with flat coin disc around her neck, the only bright spot on her.
Speaking in Arabic, "Good day. May I be of service?"
Cimon taking Annie by the hand to stand beside him, "My wife and I would like a room and meal."
"Yes, please come and register our log." The women walking behind a counter and opening the inn's guest log to a blank page. "Do you have suitcases?"
"We'll gather them from the airport later today, they missed the plane we were on, so inconvenient." Cimon signing the log and turning to Annie and in English, "Okay my dear wife, we have a room for you rest."
Annie wasn't sure what just happen as there had been no dialogue beforehand about their plan of action. Once in their room Annie was livid but retained her composure, well almost.
"You should have told me what you were going to do. I don't like surprises at least from my mission partner. We are in this together and I need to know what you have in mind before you act. If by any chance you wish to have me cover your ass, well I need to know before shit hits the fan. Don't be pulling that kind of crap on me again. Can you work by those rules?"
"Sorry but it was a last second move. Seeing the inside of this place I became concern about our target not being free to greet us." Cimon peeking behind the curtains, opening closed cabinet doors, generally is giving the room a sufficient once over, making sure the room was clean.
"You mean she might be captive here - by whom?"
"This is a fundamentalist Islamic strong hold; didn't you see the prayer symbol pointing to Mecca?"
"No, but isn't that normal for Muslims?" Annie was trying to remember the instructions she had received about the Islamic faith and prayers five times a day.
"In Cyprus rarely in places of business. Our meal should be ready, hope you feel like eating again. Give us a chance to have a look around, at least try to figure out if there are watchdogs. Do you have a scarf? We don't blend in and covering your light hair would help."
"Yes." Annie pulling a scarf from her tote and wrapping her head, covering all blonde strands. "Is that better?"
Annie was starting to feel uneasy, she was losing point and Cimon was calling the shots, although what he was saying give the impression of being right. Quickly texting Eyal their location before following Cimon to the main room for dining and drinking, after all it was a tavern.
Unhurriedly indulging in their mid-morning meal of fruit, cheeses and bread, they keep a watchful eye on the patrons and employees. Three men came for drinks - starting early and a young girl for a package given to her by the older women who appeared to be the cook. The girl bows and gives thanks to the women and leaves by the front door and down the street.
"You stay here, I'm going to take a walk through the inn part, see if I can pick up anything." Annie standing with a controlling confidence in her tone.
"I should go with you." Cimon half standing from his chair.
"No, stay here and keep watch on the coming and going of people. You know what to look for. I shouldn't be gone long." Annie wanting to separate for a while to check the rooms and touch base with Eyal.
Entering a tiny courtyard leading to some back rooms of the inn, Annie called Eyal, "Did you get my location?"
"Yeah, dial in this code to your phone so I can track you. 5820. It also blocks out all other tracking."
"5820 - got it. Eyal something isn't right but I don't know what."
"I'm double checking on a few things too. Did the CIA give you an exit plan?"
"No. You said that Larnaka is the best." Annie looking around making sure she was not being over heard.
"It's the only safe one, Mossad pretty much has control of the port and maybe I should give my old contact there a call, you know the drill, have an ace in the hole."
"Thanks Eyal, I'll call back when I can. By the way if I call you Auggie..."
"You have ears near you. If you can pick up a burn phone and hide your real one."
"I can do that now, there is a shop across the street. Talk to you later." Annie putting her phone on vibrate and stuffing it in her bra, under her left boob near her heart. Quickly darting into the general merchandise store and purchased a phone that looked much like hers and programmed in Auggie's number and text Eyal the new number. Next a call to Auggie.
"Hi Auggie, real quick, I had to dump my phone so use this one."
"Any problems Walker."
"Not yet but it's a safety measure for when. We are in Mora on the north side of the green line. Got to go now." Annie making sure her boob phone would only be Eyal calling.
As she return to the tiny courtyard Annie caught a glimpse of the tavern women carrying a basket to an end room on the second landing. Quickly moving into the cover of a column she watched as a man opened the door and took the basket. He stepped outside to have a look around and as he turn to reenter the room, Annie saw a side arm. She kept her cover until the woman had disappeared down the steps and back into the tavern. She was about ready to continue her trip back to the tavern when the door open again and Cimon Nadir came out, looking for any signs of movement below, he quickly walked back to the tavern.
Oh shit, he is a plant. Her heart started racing or was it the phone vibrating. Hell it could be both. Moving to the street side of the inn, "Eyal I have trouble."
"I know - Cimon Nadir is a dead man for five years now." Eyal's voice was calm and had the same effect on Annie, she was calming down.
"I need to play this mission though." Annie waiting for Eyal to say no as she had come to expect it, as always from Auggie. But Eyal surprised her, not only was he supportive but encouraging which made her feel confident.
"I wouldn't expect anything else from you. Once you have secured your target, take Ozan-Beg roadway south to Harika and cross the green line there, should be an easy crossing, pick up pick up B2 south and follow the signs. Go to pier 58 and meet Yoav Gabai, he is your ticket to Tel Aviv."
"Got it. I may be off line for a while."
"I'll wait for your call. Please be careful, I owe you a holiday for the missed Christmas. Dinner and the evening at the theater would be nice."
"I'm going to collect." Annie disconnected and returned to the tavern as if nothing had happened.
Eyal slipping his phone in his pants pocket and after his last conversation with Annie and what he had discovered there was only one thing to do and he was three hours away.