by Fiona Palmer
Eventually Tasha held out her hand. ‘Nice to meet you, Ryan. Shame it’s under these circumstances. Are you one of his Ring crew?’ she asked.
That’s what her mum called the regulars like Tick and Bags. Pax’s mates who helped him keep it going.
Ryan nodded, letting her believe that. ‘How is he?’
Tasha sighed as she glanced at them, all huddled around her in a circle. ‘It was a heart attack. They have him hooked up to an ECG to screen for arrhythmias and they will keep him here for a few days so they can check if he sustained any damage to his heart. He will need medication and he will have to watch his diet from now on.’
‘No more pastries,’ they all said together with a smile.
‘Can we see him?’ Jaz asked her mum.
‘Yes, just not for long.’
Anna, Lenore and Taylor walked into Pax’s room while they waited outside. ‘I’m going to go pack him some things up, do you want a lift or are you alright?’ asked Tasha.
‘I’ll be right, thanks Mum. I’ll wait here till you get back.’
Tasha gave her a hug. ‘He’s going to be fine. Nice meeting you, Ryan.’ Then she motioned for Simon to follow her. Simon gave her a half wave goodbye. He didn’t know Pax like she did. Simon hated The Ring, thought it was too smelly and silly. But Pax was over for dinner at least once a month so Simon was fond of him, like anyone who met the gentle teddy bear.
‘Are you going to hang around?’ she asked Ryan. He’d been standing by her side the whole time, but it wasn’t near enough for her liking. He stepped closer now her mum had gone and lowered his voice.
‘I need to talk to Pax. If he hasn’t finished out passports we might have to cancel our trip,’ he said. His eyes held her spellbound.
Jaz frowned. No, she had been looking forward to this trip. ‘Isn’t there someone else who can do it?’
‘No. Our other guy is in Sydney at the moment. Did you notice if they were on his desk?’
Jaz put her hand to her head and rubbed her temple. There had been papers, loose papers but no passport books. ‘I didn’t see any, sorry.’
They waited outside until Anna, Taylor and Lenore left. ‘See you guys later,’ called Jaz, as Ryan put his hand on her lower back and guided her into Pax’s room. Anna’s eyes widened at the gesture. Great. That would be another chocolate biscuit conversation for later.
‘Pax, mate. What are you doing in here?’ said Ryan teasingly, as he sat down beside the bed.
‘Ha ha,’ he replied before shifting his eyes to Jaz. ‘Thanks honey, for saving me.’
‘Gah, just don’t do that to me again. You are going on a diet.’ Jaz chuckled at the look of disdain on his face. She reached out to hold his hand, to feel some comfort that he was alive and okay.
‘I guess I know what you want to know,’ he said to Ryan. ‘And you aren’t going to like the answer.’
Ryan’s face gave away no emotion. ‘Damn, I was afraid of that. How far did you get?’ Ryan dropped his voice as a nurse passed the door.
‘I got Jaz’s done; it’s in the drawer in the desk. But I haven’t printed yours yet. Is Mick in WA?’
‘No, Sydney. We are out of luck there,’ said Ryan.
‘I could talk you through the program from here? I know how important this trip is. I don’t want all that planning to go up in smoke because of me. You’ve been after this bastard for years. This is your chance to nail him.’
‘I know, you don’t have to tell me.’ Ryan nudged Jaz. ‘You any good with computer programs?’
‘Nope. Simon got all that.’ Jaz glanced at Pax. ‘What about Anna? She could do it in her sleep and you know it. We could ask her to do it, it’s only Ryan’s so she doesn’t need to know much more than that, right?’
‘I don’t like you involved, Jaz, let alone Anna,’ said Pax, who’d started to get his colour back, but the mention of Anna made it fade again.
‘She won’t be in harm’s way, Pax. Maybe we should let you go and get some rest,’ she said worriedly.
‘Probably a good idea. I need to talk to my commander and see what we can do. But if it’s cancelled, it’s going to be hard to get word to our guy in Pakistan. He will end up taking a big risk for nothing if we don’t show,’ he said, more to himself. ‘Alright Pax, we better go and give you some rest. Just get better.’
Jaz gave him a kiss. ‘Love you. I’ll be just outside, waiting for Mum.’
Pax closed his eyes, resting, and Jaz felt better. He looked so fragile in the room, with all the cords and machines.
‘What are you thinking?’ Jaz whispered to Ryan as they walked down the corridor. Their shoulders rubbed and Jaz itched to reach for his hand. To feel the comfort there in his grasp, while her mind raced with thoughts of Pax, of some faceless guy risking his life in Pakistan, of Anna and Ryan.
‘I’ll go make some calls. Are you sure Anna could do this?’ he asked.
‘I’d bet my left lung,’ said Jaz. ‘But Pax?’
‘Maybe Pax doesn’t need to know, at least not right now.’
‘I read you loud and clear,’ she said as they shared a smile.
Then Ryan turned and walked away, leaving Jaz all alone in the wide sterile corridor.
Chapter 15
Jaz and Anna headed straight to Pax’s house the next day after school. They told their parents they were going to tidy up his house and check over The Ring before he came home from hospital. Both parents thought it was a sweet gesture, especially as they both worked till late and couldn’t do it themselves. If only they knew the real reason.
At least, Anna thought they were going there to clean. But Jaz had other plans.
‘Oh, someone’s here,’ said Anna as they stepped inside The Ring. ‘Hey Bags,’ she said, giving him a wave.
The big, muscled guy came straight over, leaving a fifty-year-old man in the back corner to pull off his gloves after a hard workout.
‘Did you wear him out?’ asked Jaz, seeing the sweat marks down the older guy’s back.
Bags laughed. ‘No, only half pace. I think he’s just a sweater,’ he added quietly. ‘So how’s the boss going?’
‘Pax is fine, they might release him tomorrow if he’s good. They’re sorting out some medication for him,’ said Anna. ‘We’re here to help tidy up for him. Are you hanging around?’
Bags shook his head. His singlet was not even damp. ‘I’ve had two sessions today. This guy was the last. I would be closing up in five if you two hadn’t come along. Do you want me to stay and help out?’
‘Na, Bags. Us girls got this,’ said Jaz with a laugh. ‘Can you lock up as you go? We’ll be in the house.’
‘Sure. See you later.’ He gave them a wink and went back to the old guy he’d left. Jaz unlocked the door to Pax’s house but locked it behind her again. Anna glanced at her curiously. Jaz ignored her and walked off to the spare room that had always remained a mystery to them.
Jaz pulled out the key from her pocket and unlocked the door.
‘What are we doing here?’ asked Anna, finally no longer able to hold her curiosity.
They entered the room and Anna hardly glimpsed around. It was as if she didn’t have to. The first time Jaz was in here, she took ages to take in her surroundings.
‘Oh my God. You have been in here before,’ she hissed at Anna.
Going a shade of red, Anna nodded.
‘When?’
‘A few months back. How else do you think I managed those fake IDs?’
Jaz sucked in a breath. ‘No way. I thought you just used the gym computers.’
‘No, you need special stuff, not normal computers.’
‘But how did you get in? Did you find the key or did Pax — ‘
‘No. Pax hasn’t shown me this room. He always told us it was damaged.’ Anna closed the door and grabbed a seat. Jaz sat on the second chair, where Pax had last been working before his heart attack. She waited patiently for Anna to continue her story. ‘Okay, so remember the time you and I stayed
here a few nights during the school holiday and then Pax had to go away for the night? Well, you were sound asleep in seconds and I couldn’t sleep. So I got up and made a Milo. Then I got to thinking about this door. Why was it the only room in this house with an actual door lock that needed a key? None of the others are like it and there are worn marks on it. You know how I hate mysteries and I’ve often thought about this room. And there have been times when we have come to visit and I’ve seen Pax coming from this end of the house. It all spiked my curiosity and I was bored.’
‘Wow, I can’t believe I was asleep while you were having this great epiphany.’
Anna rolled her eyes but continued. ‘Anyway, I managed to pick the lock with the stuff from his toolbox. I can tell you, I was shocked to find this. I mean, this is government stuff. Straight off, I went to the computer. It has a password and I tried a few things, mainly your name, mine, and then a few combinations. Then I thought of the one thing that Pax nearly loves more than us.’
Anna paused while automatically the answer formed in Jaz’s mind. ‘Muhammad Ali.’
Anna smiled. ‘Yep.’
Pax had brought them up on stories of Muhammad Ali and his great fights. How he stood up for what he believed in and, after years in jail for refusing to fight in Vietnam, came back out to be a champion yet again. The Ring had four photos of Muhammad Ali on the walls, along with some of his sayings.
‘Bingo. So when that opened up the computer I found all sorts of stuff. One of them being a program for IDs. And it wasn’t like a fake, pirated copy. Jaz, it was the real deal. I couldn’t believe it. Anyway, seeing as I was wide awake I thought I may as well make good use of what I’d found.’
Jaz just shook her head, her mouth open in disbelief. Go Anna.
‘I loaded our photos off my phone onto the computer to use as our ID photos and managed to figure out how to work the rest of the stuff. Then I tried to put everything back the way it was and hoped Pax would never notice.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me this?’
‘Shit, Jaz. If I didn’t admit to it then maybe what I’d done wasn’t so wrong,’ she said with a funny expression. ‘And maybe I was also a little worried about what Pax was doing in here. I shouldn’t have broken in.’ Anna chewed on her lip for a moment before her eyes snapped up to meet Jaz’s. ‘Hey, how come you have a key to this room and none of this is worrying you?’ Anna waved her arm across the room.
‘This is where Pax collapsed. He had me move him so no one saw this room. He told me he works for the government doing special IDs and passports and that no one could ever know as this stuff would be dangerous in the wrong hands.’
Anna laughed a little crazily. ‘Like in the hands of seventeen year olds!’
‘Actually, it’s those seventeen-year-old hands that he needs right now. He never got to finish a passport and it’s needed tomorrow. So, we thought you were the best person to figure out the program and get one made.’
Big green eyes stared at her dumbfounded. ‘Say what?’
‘Pax needs your help. Can you do it? All the stuff is here.’
‘Is this why you suggested we come clean up? Was this the plan all along? Jaz?’ Anna saw a sheet by the computer and picked it up. It listed a man’s name, birthdates and place of birth.
‘Maybe I should put the kettle on and find some chocolate, yeah?’ Jaz would try anything to bring Anna around.
Anna nodded. ‘I’ll go put the kettle on. I need a moment.’ She walked from the room on autopilot.
Jaz took this opportunity to find her passport, reaching for the drawer Pax had mentioned. Quietly she pulled it open and found a few passports stacked there. She tried the top one and opened it. There was the picture Pax had taken the other day, but it was weird seeing her new name and details. It said she was twenty-three, her name was Yasmeen Chadhar and that she was Australian. Jaz was curious about the name. Were they trying to pass her off as a Pakistani descendent? She guessed Ryan would fill her in soon, as he was coming over to talk about the mission for tomorrow. That’s if Anna could get his passport finished.
Quickly she hid her new passport in her back pocket and shut the drawer before Anna came back.
‘Here, I’ve put extra sugar in mine. I think I’ll need it,’ she joked weakly as she passed a full cup to Jaz. Anna sat at the computer and looked back at her, her fingers wrapped around her hot Milo like she was in Antarctica. ‘So, what is it that Pax needed? I don’t know why he didn’t just talk to me.’ She seemed a little put out, but Jaz knew she’d have to tell her eventually that they’d kept Pax in the dark.
‘See if you can find the passport program. He said he already had the photo loaded up, just needed to enter the rest of the information on that sheet.’
Anna mumbled as she put down her cup and let her fingers do the working.
It didn’t take her long to have it sussed out. ‘What the hell. Is that Ryan?’ asked Anna as she put her face closer to the screen. ‘Oh my God. Why does he look disabled?’ Anna swung around. ‘What’s going on?’
Jaz gave a nervous giggle and smiled. It so didn’t help. Anna’s face contorted.
‘Jaz,’ she growled.
‘Okay, my turn to fess up.’ She took a big gulp of her Milo; it scalded her throat on the way down but that was the least of her problems. ‘You know how Ryan is never around? Well, he also works for the government doing missions.’ Jaz kept it basic, the less Anna knew about MTG and the finer points the better. ‘And he needs this passport for a mission tomorrow. Without it, years of planning will go down the gurgler and bad guys will walk. You feel me?’ said Jaz.
‘Is he like a secret agent guy? Oh, he just got ten times hotter. He totally fits the bill.’
Jaz put her head in her hands. Anna was not helping at all.
‘How come you know about Ryan? Is this why you and he aren’t together?’
Oh, trust Anna to come away with that out of this whole explanation.
‘Kind of,’ Jaz said truthfully.
‘Wow. Makes scense now, how he disappears and why he wouldn’t date you. How long have you known about him and Pax?’ said Anna softly. Jaz didn’t miss the betrayal in her voice.
‘Not long at all. I wanted to tell you but you’re safer not knowing and Pax didn’t even want me to know, let alone you. Actually, while we are telling truths here, um…’ Jaz looked down at her torn jeans. She’d paid good money to have those holes. ‘Pax didn’t want you involved but we went behind his back anyway,’ she said with a rush.
‘What? Really?’
‘Yep. Ryan really needs this passport and no one else can do it in the Agency. I knew you could but Pax didn’t want you involved. So we kind of went against his wishes. We’ll have to tell him eventually, but not while he’s still recovering.’
‘Right. You really thought I could do this?’ Jaz nodded enthusiastically. ‘Aw, thanks, Jaz.’
‘Hey, even Ryan knew you could do it after seeing our fake IDs.’ That made her face light up. ‘Ryan is coming here soon, to see how you’re getting on. Also, can you cover for me for the next two days?’
‘Oh my God, anything else you wanna throw on me?’ Her eyebrows rose up to her hairline.
Jaz didn’t want to lie to her, but telling her about Pakistan would be too much too soon. ‘Marcus’s parents are away for a few days and he’s asked me to stay with him. He’s planned a trip down south, just the two of us, for a romantic couple of days. Could you cover for me with Mum, tell her I’m on a fencing camp? I’ve already written a letter for the school excusing me for two days. And I’m hoping you can make me up a school letter about a fake camp?’
‘Jesus Jaz. Anything else you’d like me to do?’ Anna’s face was a ball of mixed emotions. ‘I feel I need to scold you for forging and wagging school yet again,’ she stressed. ‘And for running off with a boy you’ve only just met, but the other part of me is honoured to be your sidekick. And, well, I’m a little flattered you assume I can do all those things.
’
Jaz laughed at her best friend. ‘I know it’s a piece of cake for you. Please?’
‘Of course. You know I will always have your back. We can draft up a fake letter later, shouldn’t be hard to get what I need off the school’s website.’ Anna pushed out her lips in thought. ‘So you are really trying to make it work with Marcus? You don’t want me to drop his name when Ryan gets here and see if we can make him jealous?’
Got to love Anna for trying. ‘Thanks, but I don’t think he’d care.’ That and Ryan knew darn well she wouldn’t be with Marcus. ‘I think I imagined whatever we had. Whatever it was it wasn’t strong enough to go against his job values. I guess I will see where Marcus takes me.’
Anna was searching her face for any signs of a lie. She knew how hung up on Ryan she’d been. Still was, which is why Jaz had to work hard at hiding her emotions from her best friend.
‘Alright.’ Anna turned back to the screen, took another sip of her Milo and then cracked her fingers. ‘Lets get started on this baby.’ After five seconds she turned back to Jaz. ‘You think Pax would mind if I made myself a passport? Na, never mind. Maybe later,’ she said, chuckling to herself.
Anna went to work, mumbling to herself from time to time. Jaz finished her Milo and begun to tidy up Pax’s desk. It didn’t take long. She heard a voice call out.
‘Oh, that could be Ryan. I’ll be back,’ said Jaz, but Anna hardly acknowledged her. She was in computer mode.
Sure enough, Ryan had been banging on The Ring door and calling out.
‘Hey, sorry. You been here long?’ she asked, letting him in. She locked it behind him while trying to remain calm under his presence. But boy, did he smell good. Getting control of her legs, she led him to the side wall, under one of the photos of Muhammad Ali. ‘We can sit here to talk, that way we can see Anna coming before she can hear us.’
‘Yep, good idea. How is she going?’ He’d put his sunglasses on top of his head, leaving his dark eyes to study her.
