Auggie sitting at his computer not working but deep in thought, things were not adding up about the whole mission. Thinking back on the time Stanislav Ostrovsky's name came across his level of clearance was a simple escort of a Russian government bureaucrat, certainly not warranting someone of Joan's caliber to run the mission. Auggie pulled background information on Ostrovsky and he could only find, 'High ranking political Russian government official'. More details were blocked.
"Bullshit." Auggie hitting his intercom button, "Eric, I need eyes in here."
"Be right there." Eric had also more information on the six known Russians spies that are in Poland.
"Is there a good image of this Stanislav Ostrovsky? Good enough to run facial recognition?"
"It's a side view but I think we can get a facial recon on him. A little effort to turn his head and yeah, it can work." Eric bending over Auggie's shoulder looking at a distance view of a man talking to some women.
"How accurate?"
"Eight-five to ninety percent. Want me to try?"
"Yes." Auggie putting his head set on.
"Got the whereabouts of three of the six you gave me." Eric was ready to tell Auggie when Linda Lee from IA came into Auggie's office.
"Pull it and any more intel in digital for coded transmission." Auggie didn't acknowledge Linda Lee although he knew someone had entered his office.
Eric leaving Auggie's office with a new assignment, he is a busy boy today. Auggie waved to Linda Lee to come in. "Any news?" Auggie identified her by the perfume she was wearing.
"No, not yet but Frank would like to have a word with you. How did you know it was me?"
"Later, I am quite busy for the time being." Auggie had little time of IA intrusion with his mission.
"I'm here to be your escort to IA and now. I would hate to call security." Linda Lee knowing of Auggie's fits of temper and at times he could get physical.
Being there wasn't much else to do until Arthur gave him the receiver of the intel transmission codes; he decided to go peacefully, being agreeable may pay off with needed information.
Joan turns slightly as she regains some degree of consciousness, her stone slab had turned into some sort of a mattress and she felt warm. Movement as if riding in a car, she opened her eyes to see she was in an ambulance of type. Her arm by her side, bound to steel railings running along the floor her legs now shackled together with chains. Further inspections of her surrounds Joan found next to her on another stretcher was a man and still asleep. The vehicle equipped with first aid supplies but also rigged as a prisoner transporter.
She heard the 'click' of a mic and then came a male voice near the front, out of her sight and in Russian, "She is awake."
There would be another nap for her and she knew she only had a few minutes to figure out whatever she could. Not knowing if it was day or night but guess it maybe dust as most sedatives lasted for about six hours. About ten minutes passed meaning they were on limited access highway or in a populated area. The two small windows on the double rear doors had been painted over and only dim lighting over head. The man mourned and he too was gaining consciousness.
"He is coming around." the male voice announced.
A few more minutes, maybe five when the vehicle stopped. Joan waiting for the doors to open but no, they were on the move again and she could feel them making several turns, slowing down than speeding up. A long time she felt they may be on a back road of sort as the van/ambulance was making gentle turns, a winding road.
She wanted to communicate somehow with the other passenger but not dare for the guard would surely notice. Being very still, Joan remembers other times, the dark times she had been captured by the Iranians and held for weeks in some God forbidden location high in the mountains with the living space of a tent and freezing cold. Her escape was only because of her fortitude, composure and patience to wait, finding the right opportunity.
What was she now hearing, a low humming and as she listened closely the tune she recognized, the Beatles song, The Yellow Submarine. Joan wanted to sing out, 'Till we found a sea of green'. but held her excitement. Stanislav Ostrovsky is the other passenger and he was given her that coded exchange.
Pre-planned, he would be humming the lyrics to 'The Yellow Submarine' and she would say, 'Till we found a sea of green' and he would answer 'Sky of blue, sea of green and our yellow submarine'. That would start a conversation and she would say, 'Great song by the Animals' and he would correct her, 'Crickets'.
She need to acknowledge him somehow and in English, "Great song by the Animals" and hoping against hope their Russian guard didn't speak English. He answered, "No the Crickets."
The guard in a sharp voice, "Никаких разговоров" (No talking)
A stillness settled on them, a gratifying knowledge they had made contact would work together to get free, somehow. The van slowed, made a sharp turn and Joan could tell they were on a gravel road, another turn and came to a stop. She heard the cab doors open and close; she waited for the back doors to open. Their male guard inched his way past them, checking their restrains and unhooked the doors. As the door open, it was dark outside, with only some form of light beaming from the left side. The same young woman climbed in once the guard has stepped out. Once more nap time.
She felt something warm and fuzzy against her leg. Annie looking down at two little black eyes looking back at her. "Scram mouse." she yelled, waking a sleeping Dr. Puusepp. Their quarters were anything but first class and Annie was sure the bed had bugs. They both had taken the option of chairs and turns sleeping for their wait.
"Had one for a pet when I was but a small lad." Dr. Puusepp standing and stretching.
"You getting hungry? It's past meal time and I'm starved." Annie glancing out the window at darkness.
"I could use a bit to eat." He smiling at the thought of food.
"Good, I need to check on the arrival time of our ship, ditch our car and find another so we will be a little busy." Annie pulling out her cell phone and dialing Langley and Auggie.
"August Anderson desk." Eric answered. "Eric Barber here to help you."
"Hi Eric, it me, Annie."
"Yeah I know but trying to sound professional. You checking on the ETA of your ship?"
"Yeah, you got a good time for me."
"Sixteen hours Annie, the best we can do." Eric shifting the phone to the other ear and standing to close the office door. "We have another situation beginning to develop in Poland."
"What kind of situation?"
"Russian defector missing his rendezvous point and we think taken by the Russians. Not much else to tell yet but you have new orders. Once Dr. Puusepp is safely on the ship and on his way to us, you are to go the Warsaw, Poland and wait for further instructions."
"Fine. Oh by the way, why are you answering Auggie's phone."
"He is having a chat with Frank in IA. Seems there was a mole in our ranks that Auggie had part in flushing out. And once again, that is all I know."
"Thanks Eric, talk to you later." Annie disconnected, damn she wanted to be on that ship with Dr. Puusepp on her way home, not off again to some mission in Poland.
Sitting in his car, all dressed for a grand night at the Grand Casino he just stared at his phone. Arthur had disconnected after telling Eyal the details of Joan's mission and now she is missing. The Bugatti Veyron still purring as it idled, the wonderful sound of engineering perfection, a powerful piece of dramatic equipment in the skilled driving hands of Eyal Lavin. His mind hastily off the pursuit of Tassos Nicolaides and onto Joan and Stanislav Ostrovsky. The infiltration into the inner circle of the Greek shipping tycoon believed supplying vessels for the transport of smuggled missiles and heavy weaponry to different Islamic extremist terror group around the Mediterranean area was now on hold for a later date.
Not even time for a quick drink and walk through the casino, he had plans and deals to make. More time wasted, the higher the probability of both Joan and the Russian never being found and very well killed. Turning the gorgeous Bugatti Veyron around and heading back to his hotel, Eyal had calls to make. Reaching his hotel room, he pulled off his tie, unbutton the top three buttons and set on the edge of his bed, laptop beside him and he went to work. First call, Poland.
"Gwalbert, hello this is Eyal..." Gwalbert an asset of Eyal in Warsaw and wealth of underground information. The conversation lasted for twenty minutes and once completed, the plan was sealed. Eyal would fly to Warsaw in the morning and from there the hunt would be on for Joan and Stanislav. (Eyal knowing the true identity and his importance.)
Next to establish a link with Langley and code transfer. He would be receiving up-to-date intel as fast as Auggie and Eric would get it. He made three request, (1) all surveillance footage of the castle and sounding area for a one mile radius (2) verify all vans, trucks and ambulance type vehicles in that area. And (3) to establish the passport border entrance for a week ago of a Jesuit Father Paolo Benedetto from the Church of the Gesu in Roman, Italy and four days ago for Sister Anna Margot from Marseille, France with the Catholic Sister of Charity.