The Tribunal: Michael Rickers Series
It was late in the evening and Baines' black Jaguar rode along the broken wasteland of a former busy docklands out in the far east of London, well beyond the Thames Barrier. It manoeuvred around piles of scrap metal, junk, tyres and other rubbish that had been dumped in the area. Baines drove the car up close to the old quayside edge and came to a stop. He put the car in neutral and applied the handbrake, killed the motor and got out of the car, closing the door behind him.
Stood ten meters away on the edge of the quayside was Shmelev, looking out across the waters wearing a navy blue pinstripe suit. Baines walked around the front of the Jaguar and strolled over then too stood by the edge and looked out.
"If there is anywhere you go for a good suit, it's either here or Italy" Shmelev said without looking at Baines.
"I here Vietnam make them just as good, at a fraction of the price" Baines replied.
The two stayed silent for a while, they just kept looking across the river Thames. Then Shmelev looked to his left and walked over to where a half rotted rope was left lying on the ground and picked it up. Then he slowly started practising making knots with it as he stepped back towards the edge of the quayside.
"I remember all those years ago back home where I had to learn to be a seaman. I knew nothing of the sea before then as I grew up on a farm outside Saratov. They made me for months and months practice rope work. Can you make knots?"
"Since before I could walk"
Shmelev tittered "It used to be fun you know?"
"What was?"
"The Cold War. Back then at least you knew who the bad guys was. In the Soviet Union it was against the capitalist pigs who took from the poor. And for you it was... well what was it the Americans used to say? Reds under the bed?"
"Something like that"
The two again went into silence.
"You are here to ask me why I am here in your country. Am I correct?" Shmelev asked.
"That had crossed my mind, yes"
Shmelev was considering answering the question Baines hadn't asked. But he thought maybe not.
"So they made you a Rear Admiral now. And a knighthood? Is that right, Sir Rear Admiral?" Shmelev joked.
"Well you seemed to know about me, what about you. How's life been treating you after all these years?"
"Very well, much better than you though"
Baines slowly turned his head to Shmelev
"I know that Michael moved away years ago and that you now live on your own. So you may have a nice comfortable desk job and a good pay. But what do you really have? An old car and an empty home. Myself however, I have three lovely young children, a loving and loyal wife and a pet tortoise"
"At least I am not a traitor"
"Ah, but to be a traitor, first you must believe in the cause. So by definition, I am not a traitor. And before you ask. I sleep very well at night"
Baines had to admit, he was right. He wasn't a traitor. He was worse.
"I have to ask, why are you back here? You know if you are discovered by either the authorities here or by those in Moscow, you could cause... some diplomatic tensions. That was the conditions set by those above us. Besides your quarrel is with me, not Michael"
"I was given information that would have been of great importance to me. But it would seem it is not. So for the time being I have been... what is the word... reminiscing?"
"Your English has slipped over time. But you told you?"
"Now, you see that's is where we are both in the same boat. I cannot answer that question because I don't know. It would seem you have a mole somewhere. But I'm sure you'll catch this mole as you now have some experience at it" Shmelev grinned. Then he slowly turned around and started to walk away from the quayside then stopped and faced Baines.
"Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you again after all these years, Sir Rear Admiral. But my stay here in your quaint little island is now drawing to a close and I will go home to my children, my wife... and my tortoise" Then he started to walk away.
"Hang on, just another question" Baines called. Shmelev looked back again "I believed you were dead"
"Well lets just say, I'm good at resurrection. Unlike others. I heard about your wife. My greatest sympathies"
"Just another thing"
Shmelev was getting annoyed, was Baines going to keep having 'another thing'.
"What's your tortoise's name?"
Again Shmelev tittered "I called him George. I very British name, wouldn't you agree?"
"Your family know your past?"
"I hold no secret had I spied on the British and I even now I hold no secrets. Unlike you"
Baines' eye's tighten marginally "What's that suppose to mean" Baines was wondering whether Shmelev knew of the Autobots.
"Well you know where all British submarines are. We'd have fun picking that out of your head, but we are all friends now. But I'm sure there are others secrets you have" Shmelev let that last point linger in the air. Then he finally turned around again and started to walk.
Baines reached into his right outside jacket pocket and pulled out his stainless steel Walther PPK and pulled back the slide.
Shmelev heard and turned around quick enough to see it aimed square at him. He raised his hands in front of him "No!"
Baines fired two shots into the chest. Two entry wounds, two exit wounds and lots of blood splattered on the ground behind him. He fell over backwards and landed in his own blood, stone cold dead. Baines took a few short steps closer and for added certainty, fired one last round right through the head.
Baines stared at the corpse of Shmelev for a long time then slowly he pulled out the magazine of his gun and dumped it in his pocket. Then he checked the barrel was empty and dumped the gun in his pocket as well. He walked back to his car quickly and opened the boot. In it was a black plastic body bag. He brought the bag back and laid it out next to the dead body and unzipped it.
We some degree of difficulty he managed to get the body in it by starting getting the feet in first then slid the rest of the body through the zip opening. Then walked over to a pile of scrap metal and picked up the heaviest things he could carry in his hands and piece by piece he shoved it in the bag also then zipped the bag up leaving a small opening. Baines knew that as the body decomposes, gasses are realised causing the bag buoyancy. The slight opening would let the gasses escape so the bag wouldn't float back up any time soon.
Baines then got a good grip of one end of the bag and dragged it across to the edge of the quay and then with a firm push from his foot the bag tumbled into the water with a large splash and sunk instantly never to be seen again. Baines watched the water as it swallowed the body into the murky depths.
He looked up at the darkening sky, the clouds were drifting over again. He predicted it would rain soon, that would wash the blood away. So he slowly walked back to his car, opened the door, slid in and closed the door then he just sat there. He looked out thought the windscreen. His face was blank, he now finally killed the man he thought he'd killed many years ago.
He had been hoping for a sense of satisfaction and closure, but he got none. Instead he felt doubt and confusion. Was Shmelev telling the truth? Was there a mole somewhere? It would make sense, he only showed up once. But was it all a ploy to make him think that or was he really involved somehow? And what about his family? Did he even have a family? Many questioned floated around in his head. In frustration he slammed the palms of his hands hard on the steering wheel repeatedly.
He hated spies, he was never sure what was fact or fiction with them.
He had enough thinking so he started the engine, put his seatbelt on, engaged first gear and pulled away, making a U-turn back the way he came. The only evidence of anything going on in that place was disturbed dust and a puddle of blood. Half an hour later the night started to descend and the rain started to fall, washing away the blood into the Thames.
The rain began to pour down the window of an office where there was a man sat behind a desk. His office was old in appearance, the walls was made of old oak panelling, the stain glass window to the man's right and many bookcases on the walls full of books with old style spines of various dull colours that had faded in time. On his desk was a Ministry of Defence file for Rear Admiral Baines that was lit by and old fashion desk lamp made of a gold painted metal stand with a green glass shade.
The man was young, late twenties or early thirties. He had a slim jaw line, finely combed brown hair and brown eyes. Young, successful and respectable.
"Yes I know about Rear Admiral Baines. I've got his file here. A decorated war hero. Falklands, the Gulf war, Kosovo and many times commanding submarines in daring mission. This is someone you don't mess with. If you want to try and take this man on, then be prepared. He is no stranger to war. Quite a hard liner in battle if the reports are anything to go by" He spoke into his phone and listened.
"I've only just got into this job and already you are causing me problems. The Americans have been hounding me since you pulled that stunt. Thank you very much for that"
On the bridge of the Nemesis was the other side of the conversation. Megatron listened to the man.
"And how will this effect your mission?"
"To be honest you've made it ten times as hard now. I had it under control then you had to go and screw it up"
"What did you say?" Megatron raised his voice.
"If you'd left this well alone I wouldn't be stuck where I am. Mr Rickers would be in prison... eventually. The Autobots and their friends, British and American would have been distracted long enough and I'd be closer to locating the Autobot base. If you hadn't gone and posted an undercover British spy in the Pentagon, I'd be a lot closer to finding out the location because now the Americans have stopped sharing intelligence until a review on it has been completed. So yes, you screwed it up"
"So, just for clarification. What were you doing to distract them?"
"Well I did some digging and found out about this Russian spy that the rear admiral knew before. I gave this spy false and vague information and he fell for it. The rear admiral found the spy from his past and went down that route. And would have kept doing so if you hadn't gone and started kidnapping people. I had a plan and it would have worked. Next time tell me what you are about to do before you do it"
Megatron didn't argue with the man. The man had a point, this would have been very different if hadn't got involved.
"So how long to you think you'll be able to locate the Autobot base?" Megatron asked.
"Well until the American's finish their review, I can't even speculate. Hopefully they won't get too uptight about it and things will carry on as normal. Now if you don't mind I have a meeting" The man hung up before Megatron could reply.
There was a knock from the door to the man's office.
"Yes, come in" He said loud enough to be heard through the door as he stood up to greet the person.
The door opened and in walked the MI5 Director of Operation, Control.
"How do you do?" The man pointed at the seat on the other side of his desk. Control walked over and sat on the chair.
The man sat back in his chair as he closed the file in front of him and placed it in a draw in his desk.
Control looked at the man with a smile on his face, pleased from the days events "What can I do for you this evening, Home Secretary?"
End