Stone of the Heart
The Surveillance
Fiona and Hannon hammered out the details of their latest deal. Although the recent polls indicated the Agreement had a majority of support, the referendum was still a few weeks away and anything might derail the peace process in the interim. The Army was not quite ready to disarm but they did recognise the need to change, keep current with the mood of the country while preserving their defences. The leadership was willing to trade some of their bigger toys for those that were more portable, easier to conceal. Fiona was charged with a part of the task.
Ordinarily, she would have bristled with the thought of dealing with the gunrunner so soon after their last transaction. However, this would give Michael another chance to track Hannon and hopefully uncover the seat of his operations in Dublin. Now that she understood exactly the type of man the arms dealer truly was, along with the fact that he was attempting to put her out of business, she was eager to do whatever it took to bring him down, even if it meant a slower, more methodical process than she would have preferred. It might not be as personally satisfying as planting a bomb under his car or putting a bullet through his head, but Michael insisted it would lead to eliminating even more nefarious dealers.
The PIRA operative was able to negotiate a new transfer location. She and Michael had poured over maps of Dublin and it's environs selecting several locations that met the spy's criteria. At the top of the list was the absence of railway crossings, desperately not wanting to repeat that particular misadventure.
Fiona presented Hannon with three options. All were areas with good cover, enough traffic to blend in, at least initially, and a limited number of access points. Hannon had made a final decision regarding the location for the transfer. Clondalkin, a few miles to the southwest of the city centre, had several business parks where an exchange of trucks would likely go unnoticed. Now it was just a matter of getting all the players in the proper places.
The first phase of the operation went much as it had before. Fiona and her crew accepted the delivery at the marina, placed the crates into the back of a truck, and drove their cargo to the designated location. Michael procured a common model vehicle and secured a location nearby the transfer site that provided a good vantage point for surveillance and easy access to the road Hannon would take after the exchange was completed.
Just as before, Hannon was predictable, arriving right on time. Michael saw him as he passed on the way to the meet. Then, it was simply a waiting game until the transfer was made and both arms dealers prepared to scurry away and store their cache until its use or sale occurred.
The transfer was seamless. Hannon took possession of the truck and was on the road within minutes. Fiona watched him drive off, hoping this time they would meet with greater success. She was not sure how many more of these face-to-face rendezvous she would be able to endure before she finally decided to put a bullet in him and be done with it. Now, it was up to the 'American spy' to put his skills to the test.
The hand off complete, the Irishwoman turned to her associates. It was time to go. She was anxious to hasten the remaining duties following the sale. Some of the cargo would be stashed in a secure location close to Dublin but the bulk of the merchandise was headed north. The PIRA arms dealer would disperse her cargo to the mules that would carry it across the border, hidden under hay bales, placed in constructed holds within vehicles, and even secreted in a caravan as it carried a family on holiday. Fiona enjoyed the game of finding creative ways to dupe those soldiers posted at the border crossings, a border that she felt had no earthly reason to exist in the first place.
Fiona glanced at her watch. Michael had not called yet. She took that as a positive sign. Either Michael was successfully tailing Hannon or he was already made and disposed of. She had faith in Michael. This had to succeed. Fiona gave the signal to move out, ready to complete her own business. Michael was on his own but her thoughts travelled with him.
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Michael spotted Fiona's original vehicle, now driven by one of Hannon's minions, easily. He pulled onto the road allowing a few cars to fill the space between them. The arms dealer's team would be trained, alert for signs of being followed. Anybody with training can detect a tail from a single car. Pros watch for anyone who makes the same turns or run too many yellow lights. Fortunately, Michael was trained, as well, and he would be cognisant of avoiding the obvious moves. To beat a pro then, you need a team; something that Michael was sorely lacking. He realized that it's best to start a tail midway along your target's route, when they're sure no one's following. To do that you need someone down the road to give you a head's up.
Unfortunately, he was solo for this operation and was severely hampered by this fact. But Michael Westen was used to working under less than ideal circumstances and in this case he was able to start the tail as Hannon was already travelling.
The target vehicle entered the motorway, Michael was relieved that this portion of the pursuit would be fairly straightforward - no lights or pedestrians to disrupt the flow of traffic. The American recalled past lessons related to his current situation. To tail someone you need both skill and instinct. You need skill because the driving is tough. You can't get too close, and you can't drift too far away. You can't go too fast or too slow. Both cars consciously followed the speed limit, occasionally making lane changes, driving cautiously as to not attract unwarranted attention. The spy was able to hang well back under these conditions. His only concern was that Hannon would make some radical move whereby Michael would be forced to do the same or lose the target. Michael remembered the most important admonition; the one that was difficult to teach, a skill Michael had picked up easily. You need instinct because every turn, every lane change, every bridge raises the risk of being seen.
After several minutes of smooth highway driving, the lead vehicle moved toward one of the exits. Michael followed aware that this adventure was about to get more difficult, as well as, more dangerous. The roads started out as bustling thoroughfares but at each turn, the traffic thinned. Michael knew he would have to discontinue the tail before too much longer. After all, anyone can be trained to follow a car but it takes good instincts to know when to stop following.
He was about ready to abandon this mission, perhaps come back to this neighbourhood at night and look for any clues as to why Hannon moved about its warren of streets. But then, the spy recognised the area. It was the same place where the arms dealer had made the exchange with Fiona's Tommyguns. If he was correct, this was simply a place to switch cargo, using a different means of transport to bring it to the main storage site.
Michael parked along a side street and waited. He longed for a team, or at least a partner, that could continue gathering Intel. His face was too well known and Hannon would be quick to dissolve their association, likely with a bullet, if he were discovered tailing the shipment. He hoped his memory was true, that this was the same location. If he were correct, Hannon would need to return to this spot to continue his journey. The spy thought his first move was to make a transportation change of his own. An action easily accomplished and he was back in place within minutes returning to his vigil.
The spy was not disappointed. Thirty minutes later a 'Clontarf Medical Supplies' van pulled onto the main street, Michael not far behind. It was easier to follow such a distinctive vehicle. Unfortunately, the traffic lights constantly posed a hazard, one the spy employed all his training to avoid. The further they drew into the city, the traffic increased allowing Michael to draw closer without detection. He could keep up this game for several miles, not indefinitely.
The number of trucks, delivery vans, and other service vehicles seemed to increase on this particular stretch of road. Michael pulled over temporarily as he felt his car was more noticeable in this convoy.
This appeared to be an industrial area of the city; storage facilities and warehouses were plentiful. Michael felt a small burst of encouragement. He suspected 'Clontarf Medical Supplies' lie within this business park. He weighed his options. If he continued the tail, the chances of discovery would likely increase. If he stopped now and he was wrong, this entire exercise was in vain. His instinct told him that this was the place. His best course of action would be to return at night, survey the area when there was less activity, less chance of detection. He could use Fiona, another pair of eyes would prove useful and her facility with locks would get him access to whatever building he chose. He just had to hope that Fiona liked surveillance as much as he did.
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"Think of it as a date." Michael had presented his plan once he had given her a play-by-play of how the day's events unfolded. The couple had been trying to navigate this new world they found themselves in: spy and asset, patriot and rebel, lovers above all, despite the differences.
"A date? Sittin' in a car with a pair of binoculars hours on end? Not even a bottle of wine? Seriously, Michael, ya seem to have forgotten exactly what a date is." Fiona stood with her arms crossed. She was pleased that his part of the operation had gone so smoothly, that the tail had reaped success of sort. She would have willingly jumped at the opportunity to discover Hannon's site, go in guns blazing, or at least clean out his warehouse, and increase her own coffers with his inventory. But Michael suggested neither tactic! He proposed to go in under the cover of darkness, not with a sniper rifle or C-4, but with night goggles and lock picks.
"Maybe we can grab a bite to eat before we head out." He smiled thinking he found a compromise but he was met with an icy stare. "Besides, we will probably wind up on a rooftop. Better perspective and less chance of detection."
Fiona let out a heavy sigh, "Ya haven't made it sound much better." She turned wistful thinking how 'Michael McBride' would have found a way to make the operation sound more like an adventure than a tactical plan but appreciated the honesty that came with reality. She searched for a way to mesh both their needs. "Fine." Michael beamed upon gaining her support. "But ya owe me 'dinner' and the early bird bite ya're suggestin' doesn't count." She made a point of using the American word to be sure he understood her conditions.
"Deal." Michael readily agreed. Surveillance was usually boring and often a lonely experience. With a partner, rest periods were possible and information could be acted upon immediately. He thought to himself that there's no greater luxury in the field than working with a friend you rely on. When you find someone you can trust absolutely, you want them on every operation you do. A part of him enjoyed working solo, but this new part of him was looking forward to working side-by-side with someone who had the skills and instincts to balance his own, someone like Fiona.
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As soon as darkness fell, the pair made their way back to area. The operatives made a sweep of the surroundings and soon found the storage site, a small plaque identifying the company was posted near the entrance. Shortly after, they found an accessible building with an excellent vantage point and no security detail to work around. Within minutes they lay prone on a rooftop opposite the warehouse. Michael peered through the night vision binoculars, scanning the compound for any sign of activity, prepared for a long night ahead. No conversation took place, as the spy was intent on his task.
Fiona set her glasses aside and with a heavy sigh asked the man beside her, "How much longer, Michael? We've been here for hours." The woman was clearly ready for this aspect of the operation to come to a close.
Michael glanced at his watch. "We've been here for thirty minutes, Fi."
"Why don't we just go down there, have a look around?" She smiled at the thought, relishing the idea of action despite the risks. "Beats sitting here." Fiona had very little patience.
"We don't have enough Intel - security measures, shift changes, personnel. Without that we'd be going in blind. That's the whole point of being here." Michael thought his strategy was blatantly obvious. "Thirty minutes is nothing. Once when I was in Afghanistan, I spent six days watching one doorway to see who would eventually come out with nothing more than bottled water and some granola bars."
Fiona had her own way of doing things. "I could have found out that information a great deal faster. I'd have thrown a block of C-4 at the damn door. People tend to leave exploding buildings - and I would have been at home in time for tea."
"I prefer my targets to remain in one piece." Michael cocked his head pointing out the inherent flaw in her strategy.
"Well, then, ya have to use just the right amount of explosive. I suppose it takes a bit more skill than ya seem to have in that area." She raised her eyebrows daring him to refute her claim.
Michael froze and placed a finger to his lips indicating the need for silence. Both operatives returned to their vigil. A large truck came into view hauling what appeared to be shipping container. Movement within the yard of Hannon's operation was detected. Two men emerged from the building below, walked to the perimeter gates, and opened them wide allowing easy access for the vehicle. A third man could be seen opening the electronic doors of the warehouse.
The driver backed into the storage facility with ease. All four men gathered about working together to release the cab from the cargo container. Once the job was completed, they stood about, quiet chatter could be heard, nothing discernible at this distance and then the driver returned to his vehicle and left the lot. Michael quickly took down the identifying series of numbers on both the truck and the cargo container just in time as the doors began to close securing the delivery within the confines of the compound.
Two men shouted goodbyes to the remaining employee, their shifts coming to a close. The remaining man settled back into the building.
"One guard? That's it?" Fiona perked up. She started to pack up their supplies. With so little security, they could easily incapacitate the fellow and have a look around but Michael made no movement. He kept his attention toward the warehouse and appeared to have no intention of deserting his post. Her shoulders slumped and she dropped back to the ground beside him. "I take it we're not leavin'."
"A lone guard makes no sense if this is Hannon's storage site. He's way too smart to leave himself so vulnerable." Michael tried to find a logical explanation for the lack of security. His heart sunk as he started to believe that he had been miscalculated and perhaps 'Clontarf Medical Supplies' was exactly what it appeared to be.
Fiona grabbed her glasses once again, inspecting the site with more care. "Those doors are not standard warehouse issue. They're reinforced steel, likely blast resistant. Walls and roof would need to be reinforced, as well, to handle the weight. My guess is there's any equally difficult locking mechanism to get around to go with those doors."
"Great." Michael grimaced at her report. "So, we're not getting in."
"Not quietly." Fiona delivered the bad news.
Michael sat quietly for a long while pondering the options. A smile finally appeared as an idea began to take shape. He turned to the woman at his side, "So, Fi, how's your American accent?"
"My American accent? Non-existent. Why?" Fiona was completely thrown by the question. She could see the wheels churning inside the spy's head.
"Well, that's about to change." Michael Westen had a plan.