Rome being full of life with tourist season in full swing and Eyal roaming restless about, lost completely in the crowd, waiting for any word about Annie or any new developments on Joseph Nielson or the two sisters still in South Africa. He would walk, a past time he enjoyed and also help smooth his irritation of delay. Eyal had purchased a renovated flat in the midsection of Campo de' Fiori and the old Jewish Ghetto centered on the Piazza Farnese. The old Jewish Ghetto history dates back to 1556, Pope Paul IV ordered the Jews, about 8,000 at the time, to move into this area. The walls weren't torn down until 1849. Although ancient and medieval Rome has a lot more atmosphere, this working-class neighborhood is close to many attractions. Eyal can live and move about anonymously as there are still many Jewish families living there today and Hebrew is their second language.
There in the market square of Campo de' Fiori is an area which includes many buildings that were constructed in the Renaissance period and now with private homes. The old Jewish Ghetto where restaurants are numerous and stroll along Via Giulia, one of Rome's most fashionable street during the 16th century with its many antiques stores, book stops and modern art galleries was refreshing for Eyal or it would be if not for the missing Annie. This was Eyal's home away from home; everything about the neighborhood suited his liking from open air farmer's market to art galleries and within walking distance to performing arts theaters. He had spent the past several days boning up on astronomy so he could have a half-way intelligent conversation with his son, Avi. Eyal being a true renaissance man with a dark side, a very successful dark side and it would be that dark history of being one of the best spies that he needed to focus on to bring Annie safely to America and Danielle as he had promised her. A Promise he would move heaven and earth to keep.
Turning into his favorite café for a bite to eat, his phone buzzed - London and Lawrence Carter calling. "Hope you have some good news for me." Eyal answered quickly.
"Don't how good but our man Nielson has been very quiet of late. Attending to non-important business of one of Lexington's covers, a men's clothing line and visiting shops along High Street." Lawrence giving an update on Nielson and letting him know the target was still in London. "He is staying especially low key and I feel something evil is afoot."
"Could well be. What about the ship, The African Star?"
"At anchor in the Gulf of Suez waiting for its turn in enter the canal. Still no word on their destination."
"Well at least it's coming closer to me." Half good news for Eyal - maybe. "Thanks for the update have another incoming call."
"Right man, will keep you posted." Lawrence breaking the connection.
"Shalom." Eyal quickly taking the call from Mossad.
"Have a location on the missing ship. It's waiting in the Gulf of Suez with a Russian cruiser on its tail." Rivka was on the line. "Also you need to know I spoke with Joan Campbell about your run in with Calder Michaels and she seemed grateful. She told me any assistance Mossad could give in bringing Annie Walker home would be rewarded and here is more information."
"What."
"There is no treason warrant out for Annie. She is a free woman to return to the states at any time. Also Eyal, if she wishes asylum here in Israel... well she has it."
"You offering asylum mean you read something in what Joan was saying."
"Don't think Annie will be welcomed back with open arms of hugs and kisses, there is still her going rogue and that is an issue the CIA has to deal with. Joan in so many words wanted me to get that message to you. She seems to think you have some magical pull over Annie."
"Todah Rivka, any other news?"
"Heenkha and be careful Eyal and if you need... well I don't have to remind you we are here to help. Shalom."
Eyal sat, looking at his phone and thinking. He was given some good intel but still his hands were tired. Rivka surprised him with offering Annie sanctuary in Israel and there must be more to what Joan had said but Rivka could only read between the lines. He didn't think his boss cared for Annie but only used her for the benefit of Mossad although he did quit over that distrust and betrayal. She must have come to terms with the knowledge there is a greater bond between the two special spies, yes he was sure that her motive was not to aid Annie but keep him in the cluster of Mossad top spies. Joan has never to too thrill with Annie working with Eyal and Auggie had shown signs of jealousy but still reached out to him to get Annie out of Russia. However, at the present he need all the help he could muster and that included Auggie and the CIA, which he should give Auggie a call... buzz...buzz. It was Auggie calling him.
"Hey Auggie."
"Have some good news, Annie has been spotted onboard of the cargo ship you were asking about."
"How is that?"
"We have our ways. She was on deck this evening their time with a man and from the reports she looks well and unharmed." Auggie with a matter-of-fact tone as if he was giving a briefing to other CIA employees. "The African Star is in the Gulf of Suez waiting its turn to form in line with a convoy to make its trip north."
"Do you have a destination yet?"
"Sorry no. That's all I have so far but at least she is unharmed." Auggie knew Eyal was anxious about any news about Annie and he was sure that Eyal would be well informed with Mossad also on the radar trail of finding Annie. "I'll let you know if there is anything else."
"Thanks Auggie for your help."
"No problem, we want her back here safe and sound." Auggie was the first to disconnect.
The way Auggie was talking, a sense of holding something close to his vest - Eyal knew there was more intel on Auggie's part and he not being forth coming in information. But then that was the CIA stand and he being Mossad that was and will always be a distrust between the two. Something was cooking at the CIA and he was going to find out. Next call to his inside connection within Langley.
"Hello Gloria."
"I'll call you back in twenty." Gloria Galster disconnected quickly and smiled as the door to her boss's office opened and Arthur Campbell stepped out.
"Dinner tonight sweetheart, the nanny has the baby and we should have some time to ourselves." Arthur standing in the door way talking to his wife, Joan. Gloria smiled as he walked past, and he with a friendly hello to her. Gloria is Joan Campbell's new administrative assistance and Eyal Lavin's inside asset.
Gloria Galster had known Eyal since childhood when she would visit her grandparents in Tel Aviv during the summer months. They had form a lasting friendship and when she joined the CIA she was more than willing to help Eyal from time to time. She, like him, hated the lack of trust the two agencies had between them. Israel being the birthplace of her mother, she had a strong unspoken allegiance to Israel. Never in a hundred years would she betray the United States but on many occasions she would pass on to Eyal helpful information - intel that should have been shared between CIA and Mossad.
Waiting about fifteen minutes, Gloria taking her break walked out to the parking lot for some fresh air and a call to Eyal. With a cheerful note, "Hey handsome, when are you going to be in DC? You owe me a dinner."
"I have not forgotten and I will add a night at the theater to go along with dinner, which is if your husband doesn't mind."
"He can come with us. Bet you are calling about all the activity around one of our missing agent, Annie Walker."
"Precisely. Just finished speaking with Auggie Anderson and I know she is on a ship in the Gulf of Suez but I think he isn't tell me the whole story."
"You are right, he is not being completely up front with you. They are trying to get boarding permission from Egypt to stop the ship at Ismailia and board her for some trumped up inspection. As of right now I'm not sure how that stands."
"Many, many more thanks to you my dear. Give your family my best and now I owe you two dinners."
Crap, CIA with their going in with guns blazing mentality will surely get Annie killed. They just don't pick out individual ships in an already formed convoy to board for inspection and either delaying the convoy or worst still hold the ship for another convoy to arrive and with a Russian warship in the mix... very bad move on their part. Guess it was time for Mossad to do their magic and stop that boarding - working relations between Israel and Egypt at best was strain but workable, however the US wasn't in a better situation having made some bad political moves with the unrest that had pledged Egypt. Eyal's next call was back to Rivka to disturb her evening meal.
On their walk from the dining room along a long corridor and down a flight of stairs to another passageway, Annie stayed silent not sure what to say as Michael Zervas' mood was focused, not as attentive to her as he had been. She could see his eyes change, becoming dark and brooding, a threatening glaze replaced once jovial looks. Rounding the last corner before reaching her cabin Annie stopped - she was certain once inside her cabin all hell would break loose and her best chances were in the hallway.
"What's wrong?" He grabs her arm tightly, his fingers digging into her flesh.
"What to go for a walk on deck." She trying to stay as calm as she could, her mind turning rapidly the different alternatives she had - none really that would work but she needed to buy more time.
"It's too dark for going on deck. Come now don't be difficult." He with a powerful yank almost jerking her off her feet toward the cabin. Grabbing her in his arm, he raised his hand to her face, ever so slowly moving it down the side of her neck and over her breast, stopping to fondle. His mouth was hard and demanding on hers and his hold pressing hard against her causing pain. Annie pulled back only to be jerked back to him with a sopping kiss on her neck. Made her skin crawl with disgust.
"You are hurting me Michael, let go!" Annie's voice now changing from weak shy female into her don't-mess-with-me tone as she twisted against his advances.
"Playing hard to get, I like that in a woman. A bit of fire." He quickly opens her cabin door and started to push her in when they heard footsteps rushing toward them.
Annie was the first to see Talib with a large pipe wrench in his hand rushing toward them and as Michael turn to look, Annie rotating her leg between his and pitching him off-balance, letting loose his hold on Annie, she spinning out of the path of the oncoming Talib. As Michael lunged forward he was met with a brutal blow to the head, sending him to with a forceful thump to the floor - blood oozing from his temple, eyes wide open.
Annie had fallen to the floor and still a bit in shock, she gaze at Talib standing over the collapse body of Michael Zervas without any expression on his face, the pipe wrench still in his hand and just looking down.
"Are you okay Talib?" Annie with a soft voice, pulling herself to her feet.
"Good riddance. Yeah I'm okay how about you." Talib speaking with complete phase and not the broken English she had been accustom to hearing from him.
"I'm fine and thanks for coming to my aid." She stepping to bend down and check Michael pulse for any signs of life.
"He is dead, it was quick." Talib also inspecting the body. "Now we have to get rid of him."
"Your English is very good. You really had me fooled." Annie wasn't going let the young lad get one over on her. "Why did you let me think you were trying to learn the language?"
"If people don't think you understand them they get very loose lip and one can gain knowledge of many things. I didn't know why you were here but figured it wasn't your choice. Besides, you have been very kind to me, trying to help with my English. Thank you."
"You are welcome. Now what are we going to do with the body and when will he be missed?"
"We got until sometime tomorrow afternoon before he is due on the bridge. I'm going to get a tarp and my brother. Help me drag him into your cabin for the time being."
"I'm not sure I want him found in my room."
"Only for a short time. I have to get some things. Please trust me and I know that will be hard to do."
They pulled the body to just inside the cabin. "Bring back some white towels and bleach, I need to clean all traces of blood away." Annie looking at the blood trail from the passageway into her cabin.
"Sure, bleach and towels, anything else?" Talib placing the pipe wrench on top of the body. "Need to clean the door handle and add your prints."
"You sure you are not some secret police or something." Annie cleaning the door handle and adding her prints as well as Talib and than once more her prints on top. "There - that should do it."
"Guess I watch too much British television." He closing the door leaving Annie in the room with one dead Michael and her thoughts. Surely she would be question and people had seen them together at dinner but nobody saw them leave the dining hall or at least she didn't think so. Wonder what type of reputation he had among his crew and as quickly as Talib acted there must be a story there - she needed to know or did she? Get her story clear in her mind and hope a missing second mate would be reported to the international authorities, her chance to get free. Wasn't long before Talib and his older brother maybe by one or two years, Raimi the steward working in the dining hall, returned with arms load with resources and pulling a steamer trunk.
Both of them went to work on wrapping Michael's body in a tarp, leaving the pipe wrench with the body and adding weights. Tie the bundle with nylon rope, they loaded him in a steamer trunk with more weights and onto a cart. Annie couldn't help but think this isn't the first time these two have gotten rid of a body, The African Star must be the final voyage for many of Kyril Davey's adversaries. Annie in the mean time went about detailing the blood clean up with bleach, when finished, she placed the bottle of bleach and dirty towels in the trunk. The lid closed and locked the two brothers were ready to leave.
"What are you going to do with the body?" Annie asked.
"It is best you don't know. When we are questioned tomorrow, please tell the Capitan that Zervas had the evening meal with you and he escorted you back to your cabin and left. Raimi saw you leave with him and we'll keep our stories together."
"It is the truth, he did escort me back to my cabin. Even how he dismissed you when we were on deck watching the sunset."
"Good, I'll see you in the morning with breakfast and any new developments if there is any. Good night."
"Good night and thank you." Annie closing the door and hearing Talib lock it as normal. Sleep for the rest of the night would be light with every conceivable consequence running ramp thru her mind. Finally closing her eyes she couldn't escape the dreaded nightmare, it returned with relentless intensely and once more twisted Annie into a pusillanimous wreck - the killing, and when will it ever stop?
The next morning went as usual. Talib bring Annie her breakfast followed by a stroll on deck. This time they were underway and Annie knew the ship had entered the Suez Canal. Watching the movement of the ship, they were going at snail's pace and the shore line on both sides were close. She thought about jumping in and swimming to the west back but gave up the idea. Once on land than what, she had no concept where they were or how close the nearest village would be. Roaming about in barren land of sand and more sand wasn't the best scheme for survival. Talib back to his very broken English and nothing was said about the night before.
The noonday meal was different, she was taken to the dining hall and sat alone to eat. About half-way finished her lunch, the Capitan of The African Star came in to the dining hall. At tall man with a bit of portly middle and snow-white hair with a beard. Why did most seafaring men wear beads she thought. His face tanned from the sun and heavy lines around his greenish-gray eyes. He made his way to Annie's table, stopping to momentarily chat with two of the crew members at their table.
"Ms. Walker, I'm Capitan John Soosmith and would like to welcome you aboard ship." His voice was deep and smooth, much like the voice of Eyal. "May I join you?" His English was with a South African/British accent.
"Yes, please do." Annie smiled at him.
Raimi was there with his plate of food and pouring him tea. He thank the lad and starting to eat. Annie continued with her meal, slowing down as not to finish before the Captain - bad manners. Over dessert of ice-cream is when he picked up the conversation once more.
"We have a slight problem Ms. Walker. My second mate, Michael Zervas didn't sleep in his cabin last night."
"I met him yesterday on the deck. We had dinner together here in the dining hall."
"Yes I know all that. What I don't know is what happen to him after you left the dining room."
"He escorted me back to my cabin, we chatted for a few minutes and we said good night. That was the last I saw of him."
"Did he come into your cabin?"
"No. He was a gentleman at all times. Why would you think any different?" Annie started getting brave in asking her own questions.
"The man has a reputation."
"What sort of reputation?"
"Unimportant Ms. Walker. Thank you for answering my questions and I hope the remaining part of your voyage is a pleasant one." With that the good (maybe or maybe not) Capitan departed leaving Annie sitting alone.