by Mark McKay
‘I’ll call the police,’ said Ilse, reaching for the phone.
‘No, don’t bother. It will be a waste of time.’
She looked at him. ‘You’ve been attacked on our premises. I must report it.’
‘If you do, I’ll just deny that any attack took place. I fell over, that’s all.’
She sighed. ‘Go to hospital, then. You need to see a doctor.’
‘I will. Thanks for your help.’
As soon as he was in the taxi he told the driver to take him back to the railway station. The man muttered something to himself, but did as he was told. An hour later Nick was on his way back to Heidelberg, nursing a headache and fervently hoping that the lump growing on the back of his head wouldn’t bleed all over the seats.
It was early evening when he arrived at Alix’s place. He’d tried to sleep on the way back, but the headache and the necessity of waking up to change trains made that a difficult proposition. His head was still pounding when Alix opened the door. Her face was a picture.
‘My god, you look terrible,’ she said. ‘Come and sit down, right now.’
He was only too glad to oblige. Max appeared from the kitchen. His face was a mirror image of Alix’s.
‘What happened?’
‘Sorry I couldn’t say more on the phone on the way back. Open carriage.’
‘You lost the suitcase. I got that much. But how?’
‘Two men, they were waiting for me when I left the building.’ He patted the back of his head, gingerly. ‘Someone seems to know exactly where we are, and when.’
‘Shit,’ said Max. ‘If you’re right, then that someone must know we’re here in Heidelberg. I was hoping we’d learn more from the tapes. No chance of that now.’
Alix had found a replacement dressing. She sat next to Nick on the sofa, with a warm bowl of water and a flannel.
‘Hold still while I change this,’ she said.
‘They didn’t get this,’ said Nick. He reached inside his jacket pocket and extracted the notebook. Max’s face lit up.
‘Let me see.’
He took the notebook and flicked through it. ‘Brilliant. Now we have something we can work with.’
‘Do we need to do anything? Now this person has the tapes, he may just decide that’s all there is to it.’
‘Maybe,’ replied Max. ‘But when he watches them, he might conclude that he was just one of a number of people who were put in a compromising situation by me. A representative of Her Majesty’s Government. And he might decide to embarrass that government. Which in turn, will embarrass me. Links to MI6 will come out and that will put me in an even more embarrassing position. I can’t have that.’
‘Point taken. Let’s get these names off to Mariko. We need to know where these people are now and what they’re doing. Then we need to figure out how we’re going to cross them off the list of possible suitcase-snatchers. Let me know if you have any bright ideas about that.’
‘I’m sure I’ll think of something. I’m more concerned right now that whoever snatched the case probably knows where to find us.’
Nick glanced at Alix. ‘Sorry about this. We should move to a new location, soon as possible.’
She looked back at him with a grim expression. ‘And leave me all alone to cope with whoever comes looking for you? No thanks.’
‘You’re right. Looks like you’re stuck with us for now. There’s really no reason for anyone to come looking. They’ve got what they want.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Do you have a weapon?’
She nodded. ‘I have a handgun. And the front door is solid steel, specially fitted. I have a little booby trap I can attach to it too, just in case someone manages to force the lock. I’m not without resources, you know.’
Nick silently agreed with her. Alix had a presence and a demeanour that shrieked resourcefulness. ‘OK, if you wouldn’t mind sending the names through to Mariko right away, we might have a response sometime tomorrow.’
Nick leaned back on the sofa and closed his eyes. He needed to have a word with Mariko and Yoshi Mashida about Max. How much protection was he supposed to provide, and for how long? More to the point, should he be helping Max to sort out the mess he was now in?
‘Alix, would you ask Mariko or Yoshi to phone me tomorrow? As soon as they’ve run the names. I need to update them.’
‘Sure, will do.’ She left the room. Tantalising aromas were emerging from the kitchen and he could hear Max singing as he worked. Nick drifted into a light sleep with the sound of a slightly off-key rendition of ‘The Girl from Ipanema’ to help him on his way.
An hour later, they all sat down to eat. Nick had taken some paracetamol and felt slightly less battered. He tucked in to the roast chicken and vegetables with a vengeance. Max had made a particularly good butter sauce to go with it.
‘Delicious,’ said Nick. ‘Highlight of my day.’ He looked at Alix, who nodded in agreement. ‘So, what’s your story?’ he asked.
‘My story? Oh, you mean how do I come to be involved in harbouring people like you?’ She smiled. ‘Pour me another glass of wine and I’ll tell you.’
Nick filled her glass. ‘Go on, then.’
‘We have to go back to my grandfather’s time,’ began Alix. ‘A few years before the war Germany signed an anti-communist treaty with Japan. We became allies. My grandfather was in the German Intelligence service at the time, the Abwehr. He went to Japan to give their intelligence people some training in counter-espionage techniques. That’s when he met Yoshi Mashida’s father. They must have got on, because they stayed in contact. The Abwehr was disbanded in 1945, but my father, Helmut, worked for the new agency, the Federal Intelligence Service. And when Yoshi took over from his father he kept the connection going. But Papa is actually retired, now. So, it’s almost a family tradition.’
‘Almost?’ asked Max.
Alix smiled. ‘I don’t work for German Intelligence. I’m a librarian at the University.’
‘That really doesn’t explain why you’re running a safe house,’ said Nick.
‘I studied Japanese at university. We had an Aikido club, too. Papa suggested that I go and stay with the Mashida family in Japan, to improve my language skills. And my Aikido skills. That’s how I met Mariko.’
Nick recalled his own time in Japan with Yoshi and Mariko, at their aikido retreat. He remembered the fluid grace and expertise they’d demonstrated to all of their students at the time.
‘Did you improve both those skills?’
‘I did, actually. I spent almost a year in Japan. Then six months after I got back I had a phone call from Mariko. Asking if I would let a friend of hers stay here with me. Only two nights, she said. When I agreed, she said she’d already discussed it with Papa. Then she told me about the Crimson Dragon Society and that this friend of hers was an agent. I knew Mariko had something to do with Japanese Intelligence through Papa, but we’d never discussed it. She said I could back out if I wasn’t happy with the idea of a Japanese spy being in my house.’
‘But you didn’t.’
‘No. They put me on the payroll, as well. More like a retainer, really. I get a regular monthly payment, which is useful. Librarians aren’t exactly well paid.’
Nick topped up Alix’s glass. ‘How often do these Japanese spies drop in, then?’
Alix laughed, it made her eyes sparkle. ‘I get about one a year. They’re never any trouble. You’re the first two Europeans I’ve had, actually. Mariko came to visit me once. But after she’d checked that the front door had been fitted to her satisfaction, it was more of a social call really. We were just two girls having a fun time in Heidelberg.’
‘I wish we could all have a fun time, too,’ said Nick. ‘I hope we don’t turn out to be more trouble than you expected.’
‘Yes,’ said Alix, looking reflectively at her wine glass. ‘I’ve been hoping the same thing.’
After dinner, Max had a closer look at the notebook. He read it in silence for about 20 minutes, flickin
g between entries. Then he closed it and paced the room for a while. He stopped by the front window and put his hands in his pockets, staring into the night.
‘Do you remember them all, now?’ asked Nick.
Max nodded. ‘Only ten entries. For some reason it feels like there should be more. I’m pretty sure there wasn’t anyone else, though.’
‘You said that Charlie selected these people. There must have been some logic behind that.’
Max returned to the sofa and sat down. Alix was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, listening.
‘He didn’t really explain in great detail,’ said Max. ‘But it wasn’t hard to work out. Most of them were businessmen, and the businesses were family owned. These were men who would in all probability take over from their fathers. No guarantees, of course, but Charlie was playing a long game. Wanted something he could use to manipulate them, should the need arise.’
‘Sounds pretty speculative.’
‘There was some method in his madness. They were all in sensitive businesses, like semi-conductors and electronic surveillance. Conway was in pharmaceuticals, not just the kind you find in hospitals, either. They had a chemical weapons research division. Not listed on the company accounts, of course.’
‘All Brits?’ enquired Nick.
‘Six British businessman and one German. Then we have two diplomats, a Russian and a German. And the last man was Heinrich von Essen, a young aristocrat who wanted his family estate back from the communists.’
‘Where did he fit in?’
Max raised his eyes. ‘Good question. He liked a good time, I remember that. And when he met Marielle he was entranced, I think the word is.’ He sighed. ‘Yes, those two girls were quite irresistible when they wanted to be.’
‘The question,’ said Alix, interrupting Max’s reverie, ‘is can these men still be manipulated twenty years later?’
‘We’ll be in a better position to answer that tomorrow, I hope,’ said Nick. ‘In the meantime, I have another question.’
‘Which is?’ said Max.
‘Where’s the laptop we took from the SUV?’
‘In my room. Why?’
‘Fetch it for me.’
Max groaned. ‘Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?’
‘Let’s find out.’
The laptop was duly fetched. Alix had a set of screwdrivers, one of which was small enough to unscrew the case that housed the battery. Underneath that, Nick found a custom-made compartment, complete with a tiny tracking device.
‘Someone must have been watching this apartment, and then just followed me to Berlin. Where he contacted his friend with the VW.’
‘So, they know exactly where we are,’ said Max. ‘Shit.’
‘But they have the tapes, now,’ said Alix. ‘They should leave us in peace.’
‘Maybe. I hope that door of yours is as secure as you think it is,’ said Nick.
‘I’ll put the booby trap on it tonight. It’s a mini-flash grenade, which will go off if the door is opened. As long as we’re in our bedrooms when that happens, we won’t be disoriented by it. But it will wake us up.’
‘OK. Keep your weapons close by tonight. If anyone is crazy enough to come through that door, don’t hesitate. Just shoot them.’
The night passed without incident. Alix was due to go to work that day, but Nick persuaded her to call in sick.
‘Just for a few days,’ he said. ‘When we leave, we’ll take the computer with us. That will draw attention away from here. It’s Max they wanted to question, so there’s no need for you to worry.’
Alix looked less than convinced. ‘I’m not sure I want to be left alone when you’re gone.’
Nick thought for a moment. ‘Maybe we can get you some company. Let’s go out shopping, now. We need to stock up and lay low for a bit. When I’ve talked with Mariko, we’ll make a plan of action.’
‘Fine,’ she said. If she was upset at the disruption their visit had caused, it wasn’t showing in those cool brown eyes. ‘Max is the cook. Let’s ask him to write out our menu for a week. I wonder what he thinks about sausages and sauerkraut.’ She grinned, and went to find Max.
Nick watched her walk away. Alix was a tough cookie; Mariko had chosen wisely in that respect. If things got nasty she’d be a useful person to have on your side. With a bit of luck, he wouldn’t need to find out if he was right about that.
It was a ten-minute walk to the supermarket. There weren’t many people in evidence when Nick and Alix set off, but as they approached the town centre it got busier. Nick was on high alert, sensing the environment around him.
‘Keep your eyes and ears open,’ he told Alix. ‘Anyone that you see more than once, just make a note of it.’
She nodded. ‘Alright.’
They came out of the supermarket an hour later, laden with carrier-bags. There was a main road to cross and they stopped, waiting for the signal.
‘Yes,’ said Nick, his voice low. ‘We have a tail.’
Alix started to look around, but managed to check herself. ‘How do you know?’
‘I can sense it.’ He smiled at her blank expression. ‘It’s a skill. Taught to me by a swordsmith in London. I’ll explain later.’
‘Is that so?’ said Alix, staring across the road. ‘And where is this person?’
‘I can’t say exactly. No more than 50 yards behind us, though. I tell you what, just put down one of your bags and make sure it falls over, backwards. It’ll give us an excuse to turn around.’
Alix did as she was asked. ‘Damn,’ she said, as the bag tipped over. They both turned around to deal with the spilled contents.
There was an arcade right next to the supermarket. As Alix rounded up a bunch of unruly apples, Nick took a quick look. A few yards inside the entrance a man was gazing into a shop window; then he turned and walked away, his back towards them. It only took a moment, but it was enough. Nick recognised the greasy hair and the squat features of the VW driver from Berlin.
‘Alix, you’re so clumsy,’ he said, bending down to help her.
She looked at him, half-amused. ‘I’m so sorry. See anything?’
‘One familiar face. Come on. As you’re not to be trusted with the shopping I think we should get a taxi back. Where can we find one?’
She stood up. ‘Cross the road, and there’s a taxi stand around the corner. Just follow me.’
‘You’re sure it was the same man?’ asked Max, when he was told about the shopping trip.
‘Positive. But why are they still keeping tabs on us?’
Max shrugged. ‘Beats me. Still, as long as we’re in here we should be safe enough. Unless they blow the door down.’
‘We need to turn the tables on them,’ said Nick. ‘Assuming there’s just the two of them, that should be possible. Then we can find out what they did with your tapes.’
‘They’re not my tapes. Mislaid property of MI6, if anything. How do you propose we turn the tables?’
‘I have an idea…’ began Nick. His phone rang. ‘It’s Mariko. Tell you later.’
He went into the bedroom, he wanted some privacy for this call. He’d sent a summary of the situation to Mariko when he requested more information on the names in the notebook. He was looking forward to hearing her assessment of the situation. Except it wasn’t her on the line.
‘Hello Nick,’ said her father, Yoshi. ‘How’s your head?’
‘Still aches. How are things in Japan?’
‘Fine.’ Mashida wasn’t one for small talk. Nick pictured his employer, who was probably calling from his house at the retreat centre, a few hours away by train from Tokyo. Mashida was in his fifties and was tall for a Japanese. He had plenty of thick black hair tinged with grey, and an imposing presence. He also had what Nick thought was a cruel twist to his mouth, a ruthless twist. It was a family trait; Mariko had it too.
‘How is my friend Max?’ Mashida asked.
‘He’s worried. Doesn’t seem to have a clue who m
ight have these tapes. We’re hoping you might be able to help with that.’
‘They were only taken from you yesterday. What we have been able to do is put together a report on the names you sent, with their current details. It should be in Alix’s inbox by now.’
‘Just clarify, for me,’ said Nick. ‘How much help am I giving Max here?’
‘I owe Max a favour from a long time ago. Help him until this matter is resolved. In the meantime, send Mariko a report as often as you can. If we hear nothing from you in any 72 hour period we will assume you need help. Someone will be sent to the last location you reported from.’
‘We’re still being watched. If Max and I need to move, I don’t want Alix left alone. Can you send someone to stay with her?’
There was a long pause while Mashida considered the request. ‘Kamiko will come. In the next two days.’
‘Thanks. I’ll look at your report and then we’ll work out our next move.’
‘Make sure you keep me informed. And Nick, some of those people on your list are quite influential now. Ask yourself which one of them would have the resources to threaten Max in Greece and then send two other men after you when that didn’t work. Be very careful.’
‘I intend to be.’
Nick hung up and went back to the living room. Alix and Max were next to each other on the sofa with expectant looks on their faces.
‘There’s a report in your inbox,’ Nick said to Alix. ‘Can you print off three copies?’
‘Sure,’ she said, getting up to do just that.
‘And we’re having a visitor. Pretty Japanese lady from India. To keep you company.’
‘I hope she’s more than just pretty,’ said Alix, as she went into her bedroom.
Nick turned to Max. ‘Looks like I’m helping you to the bitter end. Let’s read the report and figure out what we’re going to do to get back your tapes.’
‘They’re not…’ began Max. ‘Oh, what the hell. Glad to hear it. Now, you were saying a moment ago, about turning the tables?’
Chapter 5
