"Now that is settled, what's next?" Lawrence trying to lead the wayward conversation back to the purpose of the meeting - plan the downfall of Lexington Global. He had driven from London to meet with his Mossad counterparts. They had chosen the Pink Pearl restaurant for morning breakfast and meeting in a back room, one that Lawrence Carter had arranged.
"Kyril Davy, a South African diamond operator and smuggler also supplies armament to Islamic extremist and pirates. He has a deal with Lexington Global to fund part of their operations in exchange for political favors of several European government officials - protection for his smuggling routes. Believe the deal between Davy and Lexington was struck last week in Florida. Kyril Davy is to expand his illegal arms trade to Al-Shabab at the strong request of Landric Von Friedric-Kristiansen and several well suggested interpretations of what could go wrong if he didn't." Eyal debriefing on the recent intel gathered by Mossad.
"Al-Shabab? I've heard of them." Lawrence asked. "Aren't they gaining in numbers?"
"Yeah, a group of terrorist is operating out of Somalia with an estimated several thousand fighters, including a few hundred foreign fighters. Some of the insurgents' foreign fighters are from the Middle East with experience in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Others are young, raw recruits from Somali communities in the United States and Europe. Mossad fears that militants fleeing Afghanistan and Pakistan could seek refuge in Somalia join Al-Shabab and are gaining strength. Al-Shabab and al-Qaida have announced their alliance, with Al-Shabab leader Yahya Farid el-Hashem pledging allegiance to the global terror movement. So if we can eradicate Lexington Global and Kyril Davy, it will put a huge dent in the operations of Al-Shabab. An ongoing battle that may never be won but only control." Eyal taking a quick break to pour more coffee, "Let's take five shall we."
They walked outside to discover rain, so what else does England have to offer and thank heaven it is not snow. Weather along the North Sea could be anything one never knows from hour to hour. Cutting short their break. They walked back in the warm and dry restaurant.
"Okay, let's get back to work. Kyril Davy is our end target and we have to destroy his network very quickly - before he can have time to regroup. Thanks to a Mossad operative now planted in Davy's camp, we have some important intel."
Eyal tuning his laptop so the group could view the screen, "Ariel Heber, a Jewish diamond broker in Tel Aviv and part of Davy's diamond trade is now out of the picture, thanks to some enlightening chats between Heber and the Israeli authorities. Next, is Dolph Branstrom a Swedish jeweler who by some tragic accident was found dead in a London jail cell. That leaves only one crooked diamond broker for Davy to deal with, Kolora Baumschlager, a Vienna, Austrian art and diamond smuggler/dealer."
"What about Prewitt Laroche. Is he working with Davy?" Annie asking about the person she had first targeted in Paris and spent two weeks in the south for France watching him and his wife do nothing.
"Still collecting intel on Laroche and we do know Neilson has had several meetings with him. He very well could be a player with Neilson and Davy but we have nothing solid as yet. Not sure if it is arms, diamonds or both that Lexington Global is dealing but one thing for sure, the man is crooked as hell."
"Eliminate Kolora Baumschlager but he still has the arms trade." Annie studying the picture of an attractive mid-age woman with dark blonde hair and dressed very stylish.
"One of our objectives, yes. I have been introduced to Davy as Eyal Cohen, diamond broker with shady operations in smuggled diamonds, precious gems and gold. He will need to contact me for a way to gain funding to purchase arms to fulfill outstanding contracts."
Lawrence making notes, "You know for a fact he has outstanding contracts?"
"I do. He has comittments to delivery arms and it if the deliveries are held up or stopped, Al-Shabab would put him out of business. Dry up the diamond routes and business, take out or slow down the arms delivery and Davy would be dealt with by others. We have our goal - now to formulate the plan."
Eyal pulling up on the screen the pictures Annie had taken of different people while in Florida, "These are pictures of the persons associated with Landric Von Friedric-Kristiansen and Kyril Davy and they are all our targets with the exception of the lady with Davy. Jahia Jones is her name and to be protected at all cost."
"She the Mossad plant?" Annie asking because she remembers how beautiful she looked, resembling a Bond girl from the cinema when they were in Florida.
"She is a wealth of intel." Eyal changing the screen to Joseph Neilson, "We have just about zero information on this man but he is dangerous. Joseph Neilson once Henry Wilcox associate and now new head of Lexington Global for the American operations."
"How do we handle him?"
"We don't. We have enough to go after on this side of the Atlantic, let others take him out but if we run across him on our turf, he becomes our target."
"And our turf is?" Annie asking.
"This side of the Atlantic, Europe, Middle East and Africa."
"Do we earn air miles?" Lawrence quip and was a welcome interruption in the seriousness of the meeting.
The night sky was menacing looking with thick black clouds rolling in, bringing strong wind gust and driving rain.
"You bored?" Annie sitting on the bed, her legs curled under her and reviewing all the intel they had gather.
"Just thinking." Answered Eyal.
"About what?" Annie closing her laptop and focusing on Eyal.
"A lot of things Annie." Eyal still looking at the raging storm.
Annie could sense something was disturbing him which for the first time since knowing Eyal she could feel his melancholy mood but not being able to tell what was causing the silence Eyal. She had heard he could be brooding at times and this being one. She climbing out of bed and moving to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her turned head on his back between his shoulders. He moved his hands to lie on top of hers and gently caressing them with his thumb and index finger. She said nothing, if he wanted to talk he would but until than she would only hold tight to her tall Israeli.
After a good while Eyal move to stand to one side of Annie and looking at her, not being able to read his expression. She thinking some great revelation was about to be uttered from his lips - but no.
"You think the pub is still open and would like to have a drink?"
She wanted to talk, to find out what was bugging Eyal but instead, "Sounds good."
There were two other customers riding out the storm with tall mugs of English beer. Eyal order lime Bacardi Breezer and crisps for both of them. Annie taking a small slip of her drink and smiled approvingly at Eyal's choice.
"It's very popular here in the UK and also back in Israel. That's where I first tasted it."
"Do you ever miss not being home?" Annie wondering if his moody behavior has anything to do with missing Tel Aviv.
"I go home to visit and also on business but no, I don't. I miss seeing Avi or being a full time father to him but that is the choice I made and I'm okay with it. It doesn't eat at me like it did at first. Why are you asking? Are missing your home?"
"I don't miss Washington but yeah, I miss my sister. When she moved to California I was heartbroken but found I could recover. At first we had almost daily chats but over time and my job it shifted to weekly and soon fewer and fewer. I guess I'm wanting that one last talk, to let her know I'm not dead."
"I will arrange for that to happen and keep you safe all at the same time. Did you have a pet name she would call you that no one else would know?"
At tiny spark flashed in her eyes, "She would call me 'Lit Bit' because I was so much small than her. She is the older so of course I was smaller and still am."
Eyal with a beaming smile, "That was lovely to see again."
"What?"
"That flash of sparkling life in your eyes. Maybe there is hope the real Annie Walker is somewhere deep inside." Eyal reaching across the table to hold her hand, "For too long your eyes have been void of life."
"Annie Walker is dead, you know that." Annie pulling her hand away from Eyal. She was still dealing with the Annie Walker is dead grief.
"In name only but not the beautiful soul she has sleeping and needs to be awaken. You asked what I was thinking and it was about you."
"Me. What about me. Please Eyal, remember you saying being open is the first step in building a sound foundation " Annie was slowly grasping what he meant, for she too had lost the desire to laugh at nothing and take pleasure in small things, like a robin taking flight as she went on her morning runs. Her early morning runs were also becoming less and less - gone was the renewed feeling after each run, now only being sweaty and tired. Long nights of loneness had turned into long nights of being numb, the tears had dried, replaced with unfeeling emptiness. She would chat with strangers but no interaction and couldn't remember what was said five minutes later. She may be one hell of a kick ass operative but she had lost the balance, that oh so need balance between being both a caring human and effective spy.
"That god forsaken day back in Frankfurt, the day you when dark was also one of the darkest days of my life." Eyal could see the wayward glaze in her eyes realizing she was contemplating his words. Words he would have to pick carefully.
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
"You taking the plunge on the dark side and all I wanted to do keep your innocent from the changes I knew would happen.
"Innocent? Changes?"
"Saying good-bye to you, the beautiful soul of caring for other people. The kind-hearted angel that could see the good in all people even in the worse of the worse." He paused, trying to find the words to go on, "The emotions that drove you to help others against all odds would become void, replaced with indifferences and that void and the heartache that goes with it would eat at your very being. The long nights of loneness without the closeness of love ones, just a simple conversation with someone without having suspicions. Distrust would become the norm and it would take a toll on your personality. Yes my dear Annie, you have changed as I knew you would - it is the beast of our profession."
"You are correct on all accounts. I have become someone unfamiliar to me but it was necessary for survival."
"I know that very well Annie. My regret is being part of your walk even if I couldn't stop you, I could look after you."
"I was the one to asked for your help...And what do you mean by look after me?"
"I had just finished a mission when you called and had some free time before another life threatening incident against Israel would need me. So I followed you to Geneva and it didn't take long for you to stuff a body in a trunk and set the car on fire. You walked away as if it was an everyday occurrence."
"I had killed before and watched you shoot men but for the first time that night I felt nothing." Annie closing her eyes and remembering what she had. She had become as evil as the people she was hunting.
"I remember the look you gave me in West Virginia for hitting Griffin Cole's bother with my pistol. I bet now you have used some of the same strong-arm tactics to gain information."
"What has become of us Eyal? Are we that unattached and harden? No longer with feelings for others?"
"We have seen the evil of this world and it has affected us. My heart's desire is for you to return to being the empathic person I first met. You are a skillful spy but I miss the compassion you once had for others."
Annie looking away from Eyal. What he was saying was true, the only feeling she had was for him and a desire for the well-being of Danielle - nothing more. She remember Russia and he becoming so irate once he found out she had given her go package to Simon's sister. Is that what he is missing, her capability to make him mad - it amused her but she knew different.
Taking his hand in hers, "Tell me Eyal, what did you lose?"
"I told you the other night. I built a wall around my ability to love unconditionally and completely." He looked away for a second, "I'm only a part-time father to my son and that hurts. Maybe Lady Destiny has once more brought us together for our salvation. Together to find our missing pieces, make us totally human again."
"And how do we work on it?"
"I have no idea Annie but together it is worth the trip."
"It's going to be one hell of a ride." Annie smiling with hope of a brighter tomorrow.
Early morning and Annie was packing. Eyal with a mug of coffee reading the latest update on their mission. It was a beautiful day after such a dreadful storm and the sun being a welcoming sight.
"What are you reading."
"The newest update on any intel." Eyal glancing over at Annie. He was becoming very accustom to her being at his side, strange but he like the idea but with reservations. Maybe the days of being the lone wolf were starting to fade. He mused about the future than pushed it to the back of his mind - take things gradually, there are still doubts. Turning his thoughts back to the mission and off of Annie.
The plan is to put out of business Kyril Davy and take out any peripheral operation as a bonus. The Mossad and MI6 data had been gather, Davy missed a delivery date to a large Hezbollah insurgent group in Lebanon and a second missed shipment to al-Qaeda in northern Syria.
With a slight chuckle from Eyal as he read the intel, "The missed shipments because his arms suppliers lost their stock pile in two separate explosions - wonder how that happened?" Eyal now in full laughter, "Only by some extremely sneaky Jews."
"Is there a special group, I should know. I'm not a very good CIA spy not knowing the inner workings of other agencies."
"It would have been part of IDF and my guess is Sayeret Matkal commando unit much like your Delta Force. Mossad could have done the jobs but not likely."
"Doesn't Mossad have a highly trained unite like our Special Operations Group - the SOG"
"Several of them, yes and I was once a member of one - but you know that."
Annie quickly could tell by the ever so slightly change in his tone to drop the subject, a dark time in his life and she knew he hated talking about those days. "So where do we go from here?"
"Davy has been leaning heavily on Kolora Baumschlager to buy his diamonds since Dolph Branstrom had been arrested on drug charges and later killed and Ariel Heber, his Tel Aviv dealer has disappeared."
"Wonder how all that happened." Annie now joining with Eyal in chuckling at their little escapade in taking down Dolph Branstrom. "That was fun."
"Yeah is was. Always like working with you even with your impulsiveness."
"Come on Eyal, I'm not that bad."
"Your jump out of the second level garage not impulsive? Disobeying your handler's orders and going after Khalid or our trip to West Virginia against Joan's orders, giving your to go package away and do you want me to go on, the list is rather long."
"You've made your point."
"Okay. Now back to business. Davy is getting anxious to raise resources to pay for the missed shipments and locate new sources for weapons orders he has to fill. If his European sources were eliminated, he would be forced to seek out alterative resources in the states with an expensive American network. We will be forcing him to make mistakes."
"And Eyal Cohen will be there to pick up the pieces." Annie laughing.
"Now who could that be at this hour." Auggie reaching for his phone buzzing away on the night stand.
"Tell them to go away until morning." Dolores not taking too kindly with a call late at night when she had something else on her mind for Auggie.
"Anderson here."
The voice on the other end made Auggie sit up in bed. "What happen?"
Duncan James was the voice and the old buddy Auggie had asked for a favor. "Our trip to Mexico was a complete waste. Someone or team got to Diego Fajardo before us and what a job they did. Looks like there is another vigilante group or some well-trained bad-asses out there."
"Holly hell. Have any idea who?"
"None. Whoever they are have some heavy well organized training. My guess a covert paramilitary unit but not one of ours. There was not any orders with the SOG that I know of. Auggie, what the shit is going on?"
"Looks like WWIII against the empire Henry Wilcox built. With Langley being infiltrated and we don't know who, there is little we can do against Lexington Global."
"That is a bunch of crap. Look man, any time I can help... you know in the shadows I will. Sorry to call so late but just got back in the states."
"Thanks Duncan and call anytime." Auggie disconnecting and lean back against the headboard, "I'll be damn. I know the Israeli is good but not in two places at the same time. Wonder who is the new player on our side?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Business and nothing important my dear Dolores. Now where were we?"