Paper or Plastic

by Mackey Chandler

  Here… The authorities had acted as if she might decimate an entire industry, if they granted her rights to be employed. He really doubted the American glass artisans needed protection from one woman, who might make a half-dozen small pieces in a good week.

  And the workload… He could count on his fingers the nights he came home late in Stockholm. Not to mention he could walk home easily and safely, instead of commuting out of the city through insane traffic, to where housing was affordable. Well, not tonight at least, by the time he got out tonight the traffic would have abated quite a bit.

  Ehud Chesal walked in with an angry scowl and planted his fists on his hips. Haim knew he was trouble before he opened his mouth.

  "I just came in and read my messages and reviewed the security log for the building. What do you think you are doing bringing my sayanim into the consulate? The whole utility of them depends on them being ordinary people, who are not connected to the consulate. Then you parade them through, for anyone to photograph and ID who is keeping track of us and our visitors. If my agency required some task of them, surely it could have waited a day for my return. Then I would have visited them and given them instructions at their home, or a safe neutral setting." He paused just long enough, Haim thought he might really expect a reply.

  "They were not here for anything to do with your interest section," Haim assured him.

  "I suppose you had them here for a friendly tea."

  "As a matter of fact, the gentleman made us a gift of a superb tea service and gave me gentle but pointed instruction on blending the social niceties with business. The three I introduced to him, specifically asked for an introduction to someone with ties to home. And they did conclude significant business sitting at the table, where I brought them together. These people had a rather nice lot of uncut diamonds. So the primary thrust of our meeting was exactly what my business is, promoting economic activity favorable to Israel."

  "I see how it favors the Schumachers, but the fact they are Jewish hardly makes it automatically favorable to Israel. "

  "Perhaps you need to widen your view," Haim suggested. "First of all the Schumachers are not ‘ordinary people’ in the sense of a taxi driver, or a travel agency owner, who never have business that calls them to the public’s attention. They are one of the half dozen biggest diamond houses in New York. That alone would link what they do, to a vital industry for our country. But they are also related by marriage, to people who run two of the biggest cutting houses in Israel."

  "That may not show on paper, as being legal subsidiaries of each other. But the family bond will color their decisions, far more than a mere corporate tie. With someone like Aaron Schumacher our circles of interest are going to overlap sometimes," he illustrated with his hands. "It is not surprising they should have occasional reason to come to the consulate, or meet us elsewhere on business."

  "In any case your interest will be subservient to mine," Ehud bristled.

  "I was given no such instructions," Haim assured him. "I am instructed to cooperate with you and all other section heads. The Consul himself has never said different. I suspect if you examine your directives, you have similar orders to cooperate, even if it doesn’t come naturally," he said, pointedly.

  "I’ll ask for those instructions to be further clarified to you," Ehud said, yielding nothing.

  "Something else you said, that needs clarified," Haim added. "You spoke of instructing your sayanim about what you require. They are volunteers and you may intimidate some baggage handler, or pawnshop owner, to act like you can command them, but if you try it with someone like Aaron Schumacher, he’ll throw you out on your ear like a bum. You ask people like him nicely and apologize if security keeps you from explaining why you need him to do something."

  "We are in a war of survival, daily," Ehud snarled. "I don’t have time for such ‘niceties’ as you say, from a merchant of baubles, or a muddled bureaucrat. I’m trying to get this station back to a footing that I found completely lacking when I got here last month. There is no discipline, or cooperation with local authorities."

  "With our close ally, I’m allowed to let them know unofficially what my real standing is with the mission and solicit mutual communications and aid. They made it clear that my predecessor left them expecting no real cooperation. All they expect from this office now is hostility. I’m working to correct that."

  "So the best I can hope for from you, until I can have your standing made clearer, is to have tea with your merchant prince and stay out of my hair. You’ve certainly ruined him anyway, as any resource of mine, but don't compromise others." On that note he turned and stomped out of Haim’s doorway.

  Haim looked at the disk sitting on the corner of his desk. It was the recording from the diamond trade meeting. Ehud would be sure to examine it now and he’d be back when the library did not have it and it was listed as checked out to Haim. He popped it in his computer, dictated a summary of all his hopes for increased trade and business from the strange trio, on the disk and made a copy of it. He removed both of them and carefully wrote with felt pen – SECRET - VITAL TO NATIONAL ECONOMIC SURVIVAL. He dated it and wrote NTK – Haim Sheer - originating officer – COPY to Ministry for expansion.

  That should do it. Ehud might get added to the Need To Know list in six or seven months, if he got his application in quickly, when the Commerce Ministry was reviewing it for expansion. It helped to grovel too, which Haim suspected wasn’t a primary skill of the man. He could protest too and get it declassified – when hell served ice cream.

  "Deborah?" he called the night communications manager and archivist on the phone, "would you send someone up, with some classified material sleeves for disks? I have some changed status material for you."

  Haim sighed again and looked at the clock thinking of the time in Tel Aviv. He’d like to go home, but if he could get Ariel on the phone, he needed to know more about Ehud Chesal. He knew Ariel had returned home three days earlier than planned, after Ehud relieved him and there had been strained silence between the two, after much shouting behind closed doors. He hadn’t thought it his business then, but he suspected he better find out why, quickly.

  This disagreeable young man might call home and influence somebody to put Haim firmly under his thumb. He was already unhappy with this assignment. If he found himself in such a restrained position, he was sure he’d have no choice but to resign and take the early retirement his wife had been hinting he should.

  * * *

  "Let’s get some breakfast and Martee wants to do a little shopping," Rog suggested to Josh.

  "We have too much junk in the room already," Josh objected. "If we have to vacate in a hurry, we’ll leave way too much in the room that can be tied to us. Especially the high-end clothing, that was made just for us."

  "Do you have any reason to think we are going to have to cut and run? Seems like everything is going pretty smoothly to me," Rog said.

  "No, but you stay out of trouble by assuming the worst."

  "Well, how about if we agree to take her shopping, but everything extra has to be put in the ship. All we will keep down here, is what we can carry to the ship in one trip. "Roger offered.

  "That would make me feel a lot better if you can sell it to Martee."

  Martee was her usual agreeable self and they moved several bags and boxes to the roof.

  * * *

  They had a good day, starting with breakfast out at a nice new place. Ono accompanied them as usual and the car came back when they called. Ono never forgot he was an employee and they could see he never forgot he was guarding them, but they all grew very relaxed with each other, so he felt free to join the conversation and make suggestions about the city. That made their excursions more enjoyable.

  Martee bought some things much more casual than what they had gone for before. Josh and Roger picked up a few items, but mostly sat while Martee tried things on and talked about how to pick a patent attorney. They concluded they would need separate attorn
eys for plant rights and for electronic devices. Maybe even separate firms if they could not find the needed expertise in one.

  When they got back they freshened up and took a few of the new things to the roof as agreed. Ono ran back to the guard room. Steve wanted to get out a bit, to walk around and buy a couple paperbacks and some gum. He promised to be back well before Anderson arrived for the night watch.

  Steve was headed back to the elevators with his purchases, when he heard a commotion at the front desk. Not that he could follow the words very well, but the voice had that sort of deeply strained, worried sound you didn’t normally hear over a problem in booking, or a lost bag. He changed direction to see what was going on. When he got closer he heard the name Martee said clearly. The clerk raised a telephone hand piece to his ear and then looked up and saw Steve. He looked relieved and put the phone back down.

  "I remember you. You’re security for our guests. I was about to call up, but if you’d like to interview this gentleman you can call up yourself and see if they want to see him in person. We have a firm note on the desk, saying to not let the room number out. If they wish to come down to speak with him let me know. I have a conference room open that is not being used."

  "Thanks, I’ll do that," he told the desk man.

  "Steve Coontz," he introduced himself. The man didn’t look all that dangerous, but anyone this agitated was unpredictable. "Why don’t we step over out of the way and you can tell me what is going on?" he offered, trying to be friendly. He walked over and sat on a beautiful leather sofa, tucked between some tropical plants.

  "I’m Haim Sheer, from the Israeli consulate," the man said easy enough. "Your employers are Joshua, Martee and Roger?" he asked, skipping their last names.

  Steve reached over and patted the sofa flat handed, suggesting he sit too. He did with a little frown, but perched on the edge, ready to jump up again.

  "That’s right. I’m their hired man. You have any objection if we send your picture up and ask them if they want to talk to you?" he asked, getting his phone off his belt.

  "No, please do, but the matter has some urgency, so let’s be about it."

  Steve got a good full face pic and sent it up to Ono. "Run this past our people and see if they want him sent up," he instructed.

  It took a couple minutes before Ono replied. Haim was getting visibly antsy. "Send him on up. I’ll search him and Josh will back me up on the sly. They say to stay down there and keep an eye out for anyone following. If you see Anderson come in, stop him from coming up and he can watch with you until this is over and we can end our shift."

  "You can go up now," Steve said, "top floor, a big Oriental looking fellow will be standing at the door. See him and he’ll take care of you."

  "Thank you." After being in such a hurry to go up he hesitated. "There may be police coming. That’s the main thing I’m here to tell them. I thought I should tell you, in case they come you can be watching for them."

  "I appreciate that. The fellow Ono you are going up to is City police." That got an odd look from Haim. "I’ll probably recognize them if they come in a bunch, thanks."

  While Haim walked quickly to the elevators, Steve relocated to have a view of the entry, desk and elevators. He decided to put in his earpiece and mic and put the phone in his pocket with Ono’s number input, waiting on one touch of the button to dial. He settled in a plush leather chair, to any observer completely relaxed and opened one of his paperback books.

  When Haim stepped off the elevator Ono was obviously standing by an open door. He invited Haim in with a wave of the hand. When he stepped through there were doors to two dark bedrooms and nobody else in the suite.

  "Are your employers out?" he asked and looked back over his shoulder.

  Ono had a big pistol in his hand pointed at the ceiling by his shoulder and spun Haim back around with a big hand.

  "Up against the wall and spread ‘em," he commanded. "Higher with the hands," he ordered, but for the feet he rapped sharply on the inside of Haim’s foot with his own, until he was spread wide enough to please him.

  "We don’t have any fancy scan, so we have to do this the old-fashioned way," Ono explained. Expert fingers swiftly worked down both arms and checked areas he would have never thought would conceal a weapon.

  "OK, clean enough for me," he admitted. "You can come off the wall," he invited. When he turned around Josh was standing in the opening to a dark bedroom, in crisp khakis over white athletic shoes and a nice short sleeve shirt. Cutter and Buck or Burberry, Haim thought. He was also casually holding a small pistol down at his side, an unusual accessory.

  "Josh, one of the people I work with at the consulate has reported you three to the police. I’m worried they will come by to arrest you and there isn’t anything I can do about it, except suggest you get out of this jurisdiction as soon as possible. It’s wrong and I didn’t have anything to do with it. I didn’t even know until too late to protest. Please tell your security people so there is no misunderstanding and they try to resist."

  "I’m NYPD," Ono informed him, "there won’t be any misunderstanding. I have my shield and ID in my pocket. But which agency? There are City, State and County police and all the different flavors of Federal Police. Who are we dealing with?

  "My colleague is with security for the consulate. He is new, started just last month and he is determined to have a good relationship with the local authorities. He works at a national level so I assume the ones he wants to trade information with are National level for you too."

  "He’s a damn spook isn’t he?" Ono asked. "Is he Mossad? Or that just a name they use in spy thrillers and it’s really something else?"

  "No, that’s real enough," Haim admitted. "And I spoke at length last night with the fellow he replaced, Ariel is his name. He wouldn’t cooperate with a lot of your people. He didn’t, ‘approve of how they do business,’ was how he put it to me. This new fellow doesn’t have any such problems. He spoke to me this afternoon, upset the recording of our meeting was classified and he could not review it. He ordered me to not have any more contact with you, which really exceeds his authority."

  "Worse – he informed me he passed your names to his contacts and suggested you were secretive and selling diamonds. He pointed out that diamonds were used by many terrorist organizations to move funds. So he warned me I might be regarded as an accomplice, if I was swept up with you people. 'Swept up' sounds to me like they may be coming to arrest you. Why don’t we move very quickly to be somewhere else?" Haim suggested.

  "Perhaps," Josh agreed. "Let’s go down the hall and talk to Martee and Roger," he suggested.

  "If you get any flavor of cop looking for us I don’t expect you to try to deal with them, just send them down the hall to us," Josh instructed Ono.

  "You have a mic in there anyway don’t you?" Ono asked.

  "Hey, buddy. We got multi channel HD video even. Don’t worry. We’ll see them coming."

  He let Haim inside, enjoying the look he left on Ono’s face.

  "Well we can just write off the diamonds," Roger concluded.

  It really didn’t seem to bother him that much, but then they had how many lots like this one? Haim couldn’t remember. Over a dozen, he was sure.

  "No, they are still at the consulate," Haim explained. "But I doubt that anyone knows that. They'll think Aaron has them."

  "Have you let Aaron know? If they think he has some of the diamonds, they may send somebody to raid his house."

  "But if he received them in good faith," Haim started. Josh and Roger were both just shaking their heads no.

  "You are about to receive an education about law in America. It’s all about forfeiture. They don’t have to charge us with anything. Don’t even have to arrest us. If they just assert the diamonds were obtained in the commission of a crime. They simply take them and it’s up to us to hire a lot of expensive lawyers and prove we are innocent to get them back. That’s why we have gone to some trouble to stay off everyone’
s radar."

  "In America, once they know you have something to steal and don’t have the political clout to protect yourself, you can kiss your treasure goodbye. Aaron will be lucky if he isn’t charged with receiving stolen property and aiding terrorist organizations."

  "Rog, Marty, how about running our last few bags up to the roof? I’ll make sure Aaron is warned and send Haim down with Ono to vacate the building."

  "Call him up, Haim," Josh said offering his phone. "It’s in video conference mode, so he doesn’t blow off a call from a strange number. I don’t suggest you want this call on your cell phone log."

  "You! Some nerve you have to call!" Aaron’s deep voice boomed at Haim, as soon as he saw who it was. There was road noise so he was in a car.

  "I’m calling to warn you!" Haim protested. "I’m I too late? Have the police been to your home?"

  "How would I know? You think I waited around to greet them at the front door? They already went in my offices. On the Shabbat when they know nobody would be there, they busted down the doors of the Diamond Exchange and came in with armor and guns. Three layers of security between the door and the vaults and they hurt my people who have been with me for decades."

  "I was on the phone with my captain who was holding them off, at the last line by the vaults, when he got a call on his land line and they say they are Customs and come out with their hands up, or they will use explosives to blow their way in. Why would Ehud, his name be cursed, send them there when you have most of the diamonds in question in your safes at the consulate?"

  "Ehud doesn’t know your diamonds are in my safe. The commerce section has their own safe, a big old mechanical monster. Even if he knew they were in there he doesn’t have the combination. I set it new when I took the job. I classified the disk of our meeting SECRET and he’ll never get a look at it until it is too late to matter. There is a great deal he doesn’t know."