The Defector

by Mark Chisnell

  I nodded slowly. Those last words echoing. She hadn't left him. She was going back to him, back to their boat. To escape the danger I'd got her into. I had to stay with her. I had to help, she obviously couldn't approach Scott or Ben in the bar herself. She still needed me. But I wasn't going to lose her, not that easily.

  Chapter 17

  I pulled the baseball cap down a little tighter, crossed the street away from a dark and, I now saw, empty police car. Eyes casting about for the owners. Nothing. But over twelve hours had passed since I heard the radio news bulletin, twelve hours for the manhunt to progress. Did they have our names? Were our pictures on television, in the evening papers? It wasn't worth taking the chance of buying one to find out. So I moved through the streets of Kings Cross without knowing how great the danger was. And the uncertainty, as much as the risk, played up and down my spine with an icy finger.

  After waiting till dark, we had got this far uneventfully, using the train. There were a lot of people here, but these were tourists, party-goers, drunks. Out for a good time, they wouldn't be worrying about cop-killers. No, only the surveillance team assigned to Scott would be worried about that. I'd had all day, sitting and sweating in our hole, to think about this. Now I actually had to do it. I almost hoped that Kate was wrong, that he wasn't there.

  But then what? If we stayed in Australia they would catch us. It was as simple as that. Every time we broke cover we were at risk. And the longer it went on, the worse it would get. They would pull out the photos from our visa applications and plaster them all over the media. And the more people that saw a picture of us, the more chance someone would remember our faces. Cop-killers. Drug-dealers. The ultimate threat to suburban security. The police would want us to be caught alright. And they wouldn't rest till they succeeded.

  So I had to do this. And he had to be there. And the boat had to be leaving on schedule. The uncertainties had eaten at us all day. Sweating it out in silence. Realising there were no alternatives. Now Kate was waiting by a phone we had found a quarter of a mile north of the station, and I approached the bar. The phone's number was in a message from her to Scott, arranged inside a cigarette packet. I intended to give it to Ben. That was the plan, it was still the best idea we had.

  Kate had described the place to me in some detail. I walked up past it once, quite quickly, sweaty palms pressed into my jean's pockets. There was no obvious police presence. There appeared to be only the one entrance which was manned by a couple of bouncers. I crossed the road a hundred yards further up, then strolled back down towards it, studying it carefully. It was a biggish place, bracketed on either side by smaller shops. There was no one hanging around, watching the entrance. Maybe he wasn't here. I paced myself to tag onto the back of a large mixed group about fifty yards short of the door. I was almost in amongst them, happy, smiling faces. And no shouts, no yells. No one came after me. This was it. I was up to the door, ahead of the stragglers. Part of the crowd.

  ‘Five dollars mate.’ said the bouncer, I nodded. ‘Pay the girl.’ And he waved me inside. I parted with the five bucks, the precious baseball cap still well down over my eyes, and moved in. It was dark and it was loud and crowded and it was perfect for the job. If they were here.

  I moved towards the bar and queued patiently in the three deep crowd. I glanced around, as naturally as I could, checking people, checking the space. The room was long and rectangular with one central oval bar, and a band at the far end away from the door. I couldn't see Scott. But nor could I see most of the room. I found myself at the front, with a jolt of panic at the sudden eye contact with the barman. Before I realised he was waiting for me to order. I got a beer and bailed out without incident. I started to work my way round the room.

  I moved with infinite care, stopping every couple of feet to peer out from under the peak of the cap, take another sip, plot the way forward. The place was jammed solid; music, lights and voices pounding the brain in successive, relentless waves. I side-stepped a lurching drunk, still scanning the restless, shifting sea of faces. Each one registered, assessed for recognition or threat, discarded. I couldn't see Scott. My heart and head fought over the correct emotional response. Elation at the short-term escape, or despair at the long-term prospects - or lack of them. Elation was winning when I stalled mid-stride, felt beer slop on my hands.

  Scott sat locked in deep discussion with a second man that fitted Ben's description; leather skin, thinning bleached hair pulled back into a pony tail, paunchy, medium height. They were at a table near the band. Just like she said they would be. I watched them for a second, tingling with the knowledge the surveillance could be only yards away. I took a big pull at the beer. They were in full view of eighty percent of the room. I doubled back slowly and went round the other side of the bar, away from the door. I worked my way along the side wall until I found a free seat at a table, about half way down. From here I could see them and most of the rest of the room. I needed some time to spot anybody watching them.

  I sat back and waited. The hunted, hunting the hunters for once. But the tension in my neck was making me only too aware that a single tiny error would reverse the roles once again. The beer was helping. I shifted the cap to clear a bead of sweat, struggled to drink slowly. I didn't want to face the barman again. A couple of songs went by, pretty average covers of blues numbers, but plenty of people were dancing. I couldn't see anyone else on their own, most were at least couples, or groups of three or four. Those few individuals that were around kept moving, cruising, in and out of the shadows, looking for prey. No one was paying Scott any particular attention. Kate had been right. It was safe, as safe as it would ever be.

  It wasn't long before I got my chance. Ben finished his drink with a flourish and headed towards the bar. I watched him go, swallowed mine back heavily. This was it. Get it over with. One way or the other. I stood up and started out towards him. Trying to move smoothly round tables, past people, and not to focus too much on him. I pulled the carefully prepared packet of cigarettes out of my pocket. Tapped one out and paused to light it. Watching him, letting him get ahead. He stopped to wait for a girl carrying drinks to cross his path. Then he shouldered his way into the crowd.

  I took a couple of breaths and stepped closer, empty glass in one hand, cigarettes in the other. Head down. I took a soothing drag. Time ticked away. I jostled for position, studied the mock brasses. Checked the faces, no one interested in anything other than the next drink. He was second row, I pushed up beside him. We were deep in the middle of the crowd, I'd never get a better chance.

  ‘Cigarette.’ I said, as casually as my trembling body would allow, holding the pack low, at waist height.

  He looked at me, curiously, as you would. The balding pate and forehead wrinkled slightly. He shook his head, ‘Don't smoke.’ he said in a soft accent - South African, definitely Ben.

  I pushed the packet further up, under his nose, the rolled message sticking out invitingly, my hand shaking. ‘Please.’ I said, in a voice that was a lot more desperate that I intended.

  I saw him tense, thought he was about to tell me to piss off, or hit me, when he glanced momentarily at the pack. Kate had written on the inside of the lid, 'Take it! Kate.'

  I saw his eyes widen.

  ‘Don't say a word, read it where no one can see you, take a smoke as well.’ I hissed, through a fixed expression of nonchalance.

  He stared at me, bewildered, but he was cooperating mechanically. He pulled out the note and a cigarette, palmed the note neatly into his pocket. I lit the cigarette with mine, a steadier hand now, and for a second our eyes met. And I saw the light of comprehension start to burn. He nodded his head a fraction, then turned away. I let the jostling bar queue work me backwards, shoving forward in front of me readily enough. The critical moment passed. No crash of tables and chairs as the trap snapped shut. It was done. Now I had to get the hell out of there. I pulled the peak down and shuffled through the crowd. Trying to sway a little and look drunk. I stepped outside
, the fresh air hit me. I sucked it back, still tensed, ready to run.

  I checked up and down the street and started off in the opposite direction to the station and the phone. I needed to see if I was being followed. There was half an hour before I had to meet Kate. I made my way through the back alleys and bars of the Cross. The tension slowly unwinding in my muscles. I couldn't believe I'd got away with it. Maybe I hadn't. I forced myself back to the job, checking for a tail. There were all sorts on the streets. Punks, preppies, skinheads, bikers, drop-outs, tourists of every national flavour, and all ceaselessly moving around. It seemed hardly possible that there was anyone in the bars there were so many people on the street. I stopped occasionally at a shop or restaurant window, spinning round quickly to see if I could spot a tail. Like before, if there was anyone behind me, they were a lot better at this than I was. Which was possible, but finally I convinced myself I was clean. It was time to get back to Kate and find out if it had been worth the risk.

  She was where I'd left her, sitting in the shadow of a wall by the phone, ‘Did he call?’

  ‘Yes.’ she looked up, smiled, but there was a trace of concern in her eyes.

  ‘Well?’ I said urgently.

  ‘It's going to work.’ she didn't seem particularly elated though.

  ‘Thank god for that. Let's go Kate.’ I reached out my hand, ‘It was alright after he got the message? They didn't draw any attention to themselves?’

  She pulled herself to her feet with my help, ‘I don't think so. Ben figured out the deal.’

  I nodded, indicated down towards the station, ‘Let's keep moving, get out of here.’ She started to walk. ‘So what did he say?’

  She stared down at her feet as she spoke, ‘We got lucky. He went back to Josh's place with Ben last night. They were drinking till five in the morning, slept there, woke up at lunchtime and didn't get back to the hotel till mid-afternoon. He missed the eleven o'clock meeting with the sponsors.’ she shook her head, still staring down. I glanced away to check the street. The station was on the other side, we needed to cross the road.

  ‘When he finally got back,’ she continued, ‘everyone was waiting. You can imagine, the police wanted to grill him then and there, Rollen's still wanted to talk to him - though god knows why after everything that's happened. And on top of it all he was hungover. He told the police we had the van before he realised what it was all about. Janac was right - someone saw you leave the club in the van with me. When Scott found out he went and got completely trashed.’ she hesitated again, glanced up at me, the concern was back.

  ‘So they have our names.’ I said, neutrally, I could hardly blame Scott.

  ‘And a description. From Scott. But no pictures.’ she added.

  ‘They can get those from our visa applications. It's just a matter of time.’ I looked at Kate, the long blond hair hidden under the cap. Pulled my own down tighter in a reflex, as a well-dressed, middle-aged man strode past us close by.

  When he was gone Kate continued, ‘He told the cops where he was last night, and that he knew nothing about what happened with the van. And he couldn't answer any more questions because he had to go to a meeting. Ben was there to back him up and so there wasn't much the police could do. They went off to check his story with Josh, told him they'd be back, but it should put him in the clear.’ she sighed, ‘Then he went and saw the Rollen's people, but they just wanted to tell him that Duval had got the deal. After that he came straight down here with Ben. He told me he wanted to avoid the police till they figured out what was going on.’ she snorted with disgust, ‘More like he wanted to avoid sobering up, in case he figured out what was going on.’

  ‘But that's perfect. You told him the right story to give them tomorrow?’ I cut in.

  She nodded, ‘Far as the police and everyone else is concerned we're through and I can go to hell. He's out of here. Bound for Hong Kong, leaving on schedule.’

  I wish, I thought, but I said, ‘Then we're clear, it'll work.’

  ‘Yes.’ said Kate, ‘But...’

  ‘But what? What's wrong? He will do it?’

  ‘Of course he'll do it.’ she paused as we stopped at the kerb, waiting for a break in the traffic. ‘But he's suspicious of you. Like you said, angry with you for getting me involved,’ I grunted. ‘and he wanted to know why I left the club with you both times.’

  ‘What did you tell him?’

  ‘To shut up and listen, he was drunk and deserved it and anyway this was more important than his petty jealousies. But Martin, if, when, we get on the boat, you must remember - I'm still his girlfriend. Ok?’

  I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle as I stepped out to cross the road.

  ‘Martin?’

  I could feel her eyes on me, as she followed. I stared resolutely ahead. But I had no choice. ‘Ok.’ I said tightly, glancing at her, then quickly, ‘What else did he say?’

  She was as keen to shift the topic as I was, ‘He liked the plan, but he had a better spot, North Narrabeen beach, right at the top end. There's a lake there and a little river provides a good rip current that will sweep us out through the break. They'll be there at midnight. He'll wait about half a mile offshore, closer if he can get in, he didn't know the depth around there.’

  ‘Not too close, we don't want to attract any attention.’

  ‘It'll be ok, it's a quiet beach, especially at night. We need a torch and a radio. A handheld VHF, they'll be listening on channel 71. We'll be Danny Boy. If we see the boat to the north of us, and the coast is pretty much north/south there, we must call on the radio for Northern Lights, if the boat is to the south we call for Southern Cross. If they're offshore we say 'Come in Southern Cross, Come in Southern Cross.' if the boat is inshore of us, we just call 'Southern Cross, Southern Cross, this is Danny Boy.' They won't talk to us unless they're having real trouble finding us.’

  ‘He's got it all worked out.’

  ‘Yes, he's pretty good at organising. The other thing he said was that once we get out beyond the headland there's anything up to two knots of current going south down the coast. We've had a couple of days of the sea breeze weather so the current'll be running tomorrow night for sure. We must stay on the beach until we see the boat lights. They'll be motoring up the coast slowly. The forecast is for this weather pattern to last another day or two before there's a southerly change. So it should be calm wind-wise tomorrow night. But there's quite a swell running from a big storm out in the Pacific.’

  ‘Oh great.’ I said, unenthusiastically.

  ‘You'll be ok Martin. He said we should have a practice in daylight and remember not to panic.’

  ‘Thanks. So where is this North Narrabeen?’

  ‘That's the bad news. It's miles up the coast.’

  ‘Well how do we get there?’

  ‘Get the ferry to Manly and start walking.’

  ‘Jeez. How far?’

  She checked her watch, ‘We've got twenty eight hours.’

  I sighed heavily, ‘So we need Circular Quay again then, right?’ We were walking into the station now.

  ‘Yeah, that's right.’

  We were silent until we got on the ferry and managed to find a spot by ourselves. It was quite cold out on the water, and I wondered what it would be like tomorrow night, in the damn ocean. ‘We haven't really got twenty eight hours though, have we?’ I started, ‘We've got to get the boards, torches and radios for instance.’

  Kate shuffled in closer to me, perhaps to keep warm. ‘Uhuh, we pass through a few shopping places on the way, we should be able to buy everything we need.’

  Instinctively I checked for my wallet, it was still there. The irony of using Janac's ten thousand dollars to fund our escape from him had not escaped me. Nor, I'm sure, had it escaped him. Especially after he had let me keep it. Then it occurred to me that those things wouldn't be that easy to buy, you needed specialist shops for VHF radios and surfboards. I said so.

  ‘Well, we could steal them.’ she sai
d.

  I was surprised, but what difference did a couple of stolen radios make? People were dying in this thing. But stolen radios and surfboards might be reported to the police, and someone might put two and two together. Even then there was the chance of being recognised. But better to take the short-term risk, rather than leave clues behind as to our escape. If we were recognised at least we could run, discard the plan. Once we were on the boat we were committed. If Janac figured it out after we were on-board, we were history. I said as much to Kate and she nodded. We settled back in silence.

  Despite it all, it was good to have her with me. It made a difference. We had slipped back into the comfortable, easy-going relationship of four, five years ago. The best days. Perhaps that was what had provoked Kate's warning - guilt. Fuelled by Scott's obvious anger at the whole situation. I wondered if I should have avoided the opportunity to talk about it. But now wasn't the moment - when we were safe. Maybe on the boat. If we made it.

  I stepped off the ferry in Manly heavy with recall. My last visit seemed like a decade ago, but was barely more than a week. And then we started to walk. We trudged on, heads down, just two more late night party goers, going home. Except that every sense and every nerve was red-lining in the effort to avoid human contact. It was going to be another long night.

  Chapter 18

  I glanced at my watch, 12.15am and no sign of them. Still, boats weren't like buses, and those weren't usually on time either. It was cold tonight, out here by the ocean. Even without any wind, and we weren't in the water yet. Kate had got a full wetsuit, but the shop had only had a shortie that would fit me, no arms and no legs. It was all I was wearing. I had buried the rest of our clothes and gear as soon as it got dark enough to do it safely. It was an isolated stretch of beach, and I was happy that it wouldn't be found. I shivered involuntarily.

  ‘You ok?’ Kate lay beside me on the sand, and had felt the shudder.