The traffic was light on his drive from Paris to visit Annie, Eyal is in a contented mood having regenerated his batteries if only being at home for three days was just the ticket... what would a month do? He being so proud of Avi, such an intelligent boy and what made him happy was the fact Avi had fascination with learning and he was going to help in way he could. Kazia, his ex and to his great astonishment was receptive to him sending their son to Bareket Observatory for the six-week course. Perchance she was softening a bit or was it he? They had started to have civil conversations without ending in a shouting match and that he enjoyed. Their love had been wild, passionate and zealous but they were at opposite ends on any of their lines of thought and that's where the conflict started. Maybe age had mellowed both of them and having Avi as their main concern had brought them to a healthy working relationship for the benefit of their son.
Time spend with his parents was pleasurable but one thing for sure, a slender build wouldn't last very long around his mother. She is a fantastic cook and maybe that's why he enjoyed cooking, from childhood he knew what good food tasted like.
As he drove along the highway from Paris, Eyal's thoughts turned to Annie. How was she coping with being in the dark, a women of very sociable personality and enjoyed the company of others. Was her new life of running and hiding turning her into a monster, hard-hearted and uncaring and worst of all, a frozen heart? He drove his car into the city of Orleans, little over an hour drive from Paris. The home Annie was staying in was an older rundown building that had been turned into different flats but still kept its charm of yesteryear. Annie's flat was on the first floor in the back with a rear entrance. Eyal not sure what he would be finding in Annie. Months of being in the cold with no contact with one's agency has a hardening effect, almost like squeezing the life out. Many times making you turn to stone without any feelings, he should know as he has been in the same space, the one of total isolation only a coded contact with home base. Knocking softly on the door.
"I can't tell you how happy I'm to see you." Annie with a gracious smile her genuine hug.
"Neshema my dear Neshema you surprise me with such joy."
"Because you are..."
"A trusted part of your dark life." Eyal with his indisputable caring smile.
"That and someone I can once more talk with." Annie pulling at his arm to step in side.
Eyal holding back, "Grab a sweater and we'll go for a drive. I have a bottle of wine and some snacks, we'll stopped for a relaxing moment, take a break from the dark shadows." Even with her warm smile and greeting he could see a change in her eyes; those once sparking, dancing eyes were now void of life and shadowy. It broke his heart to see what he had always known would happen to an isolated spy.
Those simple words delight Annie, Eyal was so thoughtful and a few hours of being carefree with him was she needed. "Yes Eyal, I would love that."
The drive east of the city along the La Loire River until coming to a beautiful spot in the countryside, a field with a stone fence, a large chêne (oak) tree and the river flowing just down a slight hill. Eyal had a blanket he spread on the ground, basket of cheese, bread with different jams, apples, grapes and bottle of fine French wine. While Eyal spread the blanket on the ground, Annie took delight in smelling the fresh air, picking some small spring flowers near the stone wall, she felt free. Watching Eyal open the wine, she could help but notice how handsome he look, more so than she remembered.
Eyal turn as Annie approached and gently touching her hair, "I love the color, it is very becoming to you."
"Thank you, I'm just getting use to it even after all these months. You know it is close to my natural color."
"I know, roots." He chuckled, "Let's relax and enjoy some good wine and food. I would have fixed a meal for you but this is more carefree and calming of the soul. The sound of running water and fresh air has a way of putting things in perspective and clears the mind of useless cobwebs."
Annie sitting on the blanket and raising her glass of wine to Eyal, "To wonderful friendship."
"To wonderful and lasting friendship." The sound of a gently tinkle of their glasses and they sat in stillness, serene quiet, without saying a word but both knew the trust they shared. Drinking and snacking, they sat peacefully watching the water of a gently flowing river pass... something straight out of a romance novel, only if they share more than friendship.
Eyal was the one to break the mood. "Now tell me how I can help."
"Have you ever heard of or met Calder Michaels?"
"No I haven't. Is he your only contact with the CIA?" Eyal had read his dossier but clearly it did not giving any detail of the man's personality. He could only guess but would later check with his contacts within Langley. He knows Auggie was out of the picture and that had to be eating at Annie on the inside, Annie cared for Auggie more than just a handler but as a lover, Eyal had heard rumors. She had so wanted to put down roots. Eyal being excellent at reading Annie knew the last time he saw her in Amsterdam there were emotional issues, grief for the death of Simon and her ordeal in the Russian hell-hole had left her longing for stability and Auggie represented that safety net she needed. Yet another disappointment in her life for Annie to deal with - alone.
"Yes. And not very often. You want to know something, I'm liking that part but miss being informed."
"It's all part of the game. So tell me, do you have a good ID?"
"Since leaving you last, I was going by Jessica Matthews, an American but that bombed out over a week ago. Someone for my past recognized me and I've been burned but good, Lexington Global and Joseph Neilson knows Annie Walker is alive and well. Calder Michaels got a message to me, I'm now wanted for treason back in the states and he can't come to my aid. I don't know how they did it but Neilson got a warrant for my arrest on some trumped-up treason charge. By coming forward with the fact he was involved with my fake death Calder too would be wanted for treason so what's left? Go darker. I'm now Nicole Remy for short, full ID is Nicole Lorraine Annette Remy and very weak credentials at best."
"French hmmm..., I would have guessed German or Dutch. It is a pretty name, I like your choice."
"French is my strongest language and as a kid spent time in Le Havre with my grandparents."
"Well I've learned bit more about you. We have a connection - I too have a French grandmother, Sharita." They chatted a little longer before Eyal once more asked, "How can I help you?"
"I need a date... No I really need a husband and business partner."
"Now that could be promising. Does fringes benefits come with it?" Eyal not easing up on the seductive overtones he has always teased Annie with and as always, she dismissing it.
"I need a husband dealing in black market diamonds. I have a target to get close to and a plan."
"Hmmm... Diamonds, sound interesting. Read me in Annie or wait, Nicole."
"Wilcox may be out of the picture but his Lexington Global is gaining ground here in Europe. Corrupt government and business leaders being blackmail or purchased outright. A new head has taken over and is super ambitious for cultivating power to his camp. You know of him already - Joseph Neilson."
"Yes, seems like his is messing with some Israeli interest."
"He is arrogant and believes he is untouchable which he probably is." Annie shifting her weight from one leg to the other and moving a bit closer to Eyal.
"Lexington Global has a huge payroll not to mention the cost of buying government officials and politicians. The way to bring down his little empire is to cut off the money trail. Not an easy task but it can be done." Eyal listening intently and slipping on his wine.
"Undermining Lexington Global is the way to go. Just taking out Neilson wouldn't do the job as there will be someone else to step up. I found that out the hard way." Annie remembering killing Henry Wilcox didn't to the job. She also loving the working relationship she has with Eyal, they could work through a problem by exchanging ideas.
"You must have a plan if you wish to be my wife. Now don't get me wrong but why do you need a husband? I would think you might want to work alone - especially since you've gotten a good taste of what it is like."
"I do have a plan. Tomorrow night is a large charity ball in Paris with all the high rollers in business and politics will be there and one Prewitt Laroche, French art collector and has many stolen and black market art works in his collections. Homes in Paris and a country estate near Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera, he is a high-profile player and Joseph Neilson has been courting him heavy. The man has unlimited source of money coming for his black market diamond trade."
Eyal perked up even more as Laroche was the man named in his report file on Kyril Davy as being an arms supplier also. "I've heard the name and may have a way to take him out of the picture."
"I knew you were the person to call. Tell me what."
"A major art theft in Italy this week and it is believe that Laroche is behind the heist."
"So if he is arrested for art theft it'll take him and his money out of the picture."
"Right. But only for a short period. We have to find a way to do away with him for good. He can't be the only source of Joseph's funding."
"One step at a time Eyal. We are only two people."
"If we can set a trap for him and maybe his diamond operations at the same time..."
"I'm on you page Eyal. That is why I need a husband that is in the diamond smuggling business."
"I've got a few connections and one or two ideas. Tomorrow night is black tie?"
"Yeah."
"Still haven't answered my question about needing a husband." Eyal with his oh so sexy smile.
"Joseph Neilson will almost certainly be there. Although I've never met him you can rest assured he has studied my picture and a single woman working the gala would be very noticeable."
"Good thinking" Eyal leaning back on one elbow and looking very sexy to Annie. With a smile he continued, "And you will need a wedding ring and a nice size diamond."
"A simple band will work."
"Not for my wife. Leave the rings to me Neshema. I'll also have a nice suite for us in Paris. We Cohen's go first class."
"Cohen?"
"Eyal Cohen is a known diamond broker for smuggled goods. I just have to resurrect him and his new wife, Nicole."
"You used you first name?"
"Wasn't my idea but Eyal is a fairly common name in Israel. The name had been established long before I took it over. Mossad farms cover names from childhood with a great paper trail and history. Eyal Cohen was born two years before me in Hadera. One thing for sure, you'll never screw up my name." He's laughing at her as Annie seemed to have problems with his cover name for anything other than George.
The first part of the plan - make contact with Prewitt Laroche.
The drive into Paris that night was relaxing for Annie. For the past eight months she had be on high alert, watching every move and suspecting every shadow to do her harm. She had only anticipated what it would be like to go dark but never did she imagined to be so isolated, so daunting, not trusting anyone and losing her most valuable asset, her empathy. She had changed, harden with little or no emotions. Looking at Eyal as he drove, Annie wondered if he too had harden like her, she has seen him kill without any reaction and to use people without any regard to their feelings, yes being a spy turns good people into cold beings and she has become one of them. With a sigh, she could only smile, Eyal was warm and caring with her, always being there to help and she felt an affectionate feeling toward him, a kind of bond between two analogous persons. Being with Eyal gave her a sense of safety, a time she could let down her overactive guard and unwind.
"Here we are, the Athenee Hotel for our fun nights in Paris." Eyal pulling his car in the valet parking area.
Small but elegant, a unique charming boutique hotel the Athenee Hotel provided a romantic atmosphere created with luxurious decor, candlelit rooms and fresh flowers to welcome the guest. Ceiling high draped fabric gave a romanticism atmosphere to their room but only one king size bed.
"Only one bed."
"So, we've done this before without any problems... Or if you're man hungry..."
"Thanks for lighting the mood." Annie chucking at Eyal's playful way. He could make her laugh quickly just with his sexual overtones and not meaning it.
"Where is all this money coming from?"
"The diamonds will be on loan. I probably should tell you."
"Tell me what."
"Lexington Global is also part of a Mossad mission. They made an alliance with an Islamic terrorist group, Al-Shabab based in Somali that is attaching Israeli holdings and citizens. Our goals are the same but for different reasons."
"So you being a diamond smuggler fits with your mission." Annie wasn't completely sure about how Lexington Global fit with the Israel's mission or if the Mossad side would take over, Israel first and all that.
"Diamond broking is better. Another source for Kyril Davy to fence his diamonds after we take out Prewitt Laroche, his main source."
"Who is Kyril Davy?"
Kyril Davy - born 1960 - the son of Paulos Panagopoulos, a Greek shipping tycoon and Poppy Davy, the daughter of a South African diamond operator. Kyril has inherit the diamond mines from his mother and is now a diamond and gold smuggler - he is the owner and operator of two diamond mines and one gold mine. While his business trade is well-respected and above-board, he also is a smuggler of a vast network of illegal diamonds mined in Angola and Sierra Leone by the way of hiding the illegal diamond within his legal diamond export. He also owns a small shipping line his Greek father established for him shipping out of Greece to South Africa - Serest Star Lines. He also smuggles gold from his mine that exceeds government regulations of export. He has a close association with Joseph Neilson in trading diamonds and weapons to several African and Arab countries of Palestine, Syria, the Hezbollah in Lebanon, and now al-Shabab in Somalia.
"So we are totally not operating in the dark but have the backing of Mossad."
"That's right, so my dear Nicole you should perhaps stick with me to complete your mission."
"My pleasure Eyal. Yes, truly my pleasure." Annie felt so relieved to have an agency backing even if it was Mossad. And working with this master spy, well she couldn't think of the word to describe her gratitude for Eyal.
"Now for our sleeping arrangements, I take the left side and you on the right and neither the two shall meet." Eyal folding down the covers on his side of the bed. "I would take the floor but this looks more comfortable."
"As large as this bed is we will never know the other is in it." Annie chuckling with her smirk type grin.
"Oh I shall know but won't act." Looking at Annie across the bed as she turned down her side, "It will be your move."
Annie smile and slipped into the bathroom to change into her pajamas. When she returned, Eyal was already in bed on his side, his back would be toward Annie as she smoothly crawled into bed.
"Laila tov Neshema."
"Bonne nuit Eyal."