Counterblow

by Ethan Jones

  Chapter Sixteen

  Almaty International Airport

  Kazakhstan

  Javin tried to connect to the cellphone network as soon as the airplane’s wheels touched the tarmac. The icon showed that he was connected, but the signal wasn’t strong enough for him to make a call. A male voice informed Javin that he was outside the coverage area. He had no option but to sit tight until everyone had disembarked, and they had reached the terminal.

  He kept trying every few seconds and was able to connect as he was stepping out of the airbridge. “Fang,” he said in a voice full of anticipation. “Tell me some good news…”

  Fang didn’t reply right away. There was some static, followed by what sounded like a car engine noise.

  “Fang, can you hear me?”

  “Yes… yes… I… can hear you well. Can you… hear me?”

  “Barely, but yes. Did we get it?”

  “Yes, the operation went so well. Everyone was so… so surprised. We thought the encryption was going to be harder to break. But people prefer convenience over security. The passwords were easy.”

  Javin sidestepped a couple of passengers that stopped all of a sudden, then he walked closer to the windows overlooking the airport’s aprons. “Where’s the package now?”

  “It’s already dismantled and loaded onto the truck. We’re driving toward the border as per the plan. I’m following the truck at a distance. Now, what do we do when we get to Alashankou?”

  It was the border city with Kazakhstan. Mila was supposed to have made arrangements for the truck to go through customs without being inspected, along with Fang and his four-man team. But Javin hadn’t been able to get in touch with her.

  “Wait at the train station. I don’t have instructions yet, but I’ll get them to you as soon as I can.”

  “All right. We’re still a few hours away…”

  “Stay on the backroads and be extremely careful.”

  “Of course, Pierce. Don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing,” Fang said in a cocky voice.

  “Yes, but what’s the army doing?”

  “Oh, they’re scrambling like rats. They still can’t figure out what happened. We’re monitoring their communications, so we know what they’re doing and where they are. They believe the drone fell somewhere after the connection was interrupted. They’re looking at the area where the GPS tracker was last seen signaling…” Fang laughed. “They’ll find nothing there. It’s just a waste of time and resources. That’s the most mountainous part of the entire region.” He laughed again.

  Javin frowned. He wanted to repeat the warning, but he doubted Fang would pay any attention to it. Still, Javin said, “I hope everything goes well, Fang.”

  “It will. I’ll make sure it does.”

  Javin liked the man’s determination and optimism. He drew in a deep breath and said, “Okay, I’ll let you go. I’ll call you with instructions.”

  “And I’ll call you if there are complications, but there shouldn’t be any.”

  Yes, that’s what I’m hoping too. “Take care, Fang.”

  “You too, boss.”

  Hmmm, boss. Javin shrugged. He didn’t feel like a boss, giving orders. He was more like a partner, the senior one with the most experience, but still a partner. Although, technically, Fang and his team worked for Javin since he was paying them.

  He followed the stream of other passengers heading toward the baggage claim area. He had no suitcase, as he traveled light and had only his carry-on, so he continued to Customs and Immigration. The officers gave only a cursory glance to his authentic Canadian passport issued under his real name and waved him through.

  Javin walked across the terminal, which looked like most terminals around the world. It had large glass windows, and gray dominated the interior walls and floor. Stores and kiosks took up the space between the gates, and large advertising boards covered most of the walls. Blue posts and retractable belts cordoned off some areas.

  When he came near the exits, he began to look for yet another quiet space. He found one next to a money exchange kiosk and dialed Mila’s number from one of the burner phones he hadn’t used before.

  The SVR operative replied in Russian in her cautious voice, “Allo, kto eto?” Hello, who is this?

  “Javin. I just landed.”

  “My dear Javin. How was the flight?”

  “Good, for the most part. How are you?”

  “I’ve been better. Still nothing on Tarasov.”

  Javin nodded. “Yes, let me check my email and make a couple of phone calls.”

  “My boss is getting impatient…”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Yes, so am I.” She sighed. “I heard your guys made good use of the hangar…”

  Javin frowned. He wondered how much Kalinin, or whoever Mila had sent, had seen. More than she’ll tell me on the phone. Or maybe it was the hangar’s owner, since he’s a trusted contact as well. “They did. The… eh… the object is on its way. Now, we need to get it across the border…”

  “Yes, I’ve arranged for that. The contact is Captain Vadim Abiyev. He’s in charge of the border crossing. When your guy gets there, make sure he mentions he needs to talk to Captain Abiyev, and no one else can inspect the cargo. If they insist, your guy shouldn’t give in or pay any bribes. It has all been taken care of.”

  “That’s good. Thanks so much, Mila.”

  “No problem, Javin. It wasn’t easy.”

  He nodded. It was a big favor, considering Javin had no assets, no contacts, and no connections in Kazakhstan or northern China. He would owe her big time, whether he was in the CIS or not.

  “I know, Mila. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

  “How’s your guy getting the cargo through on the other side?”

  Javin grinned. Fang was paying a big bribe to one of the top custom officials manning the Chinese border crossing. When the blue-and-white tractor-trailer with the letters MAERSK and the white star on a blue background on the side arrived at the border, the official would turn a blind eye. The truck would be waved through with all its papers in order, stamped and sealed.

  “Ten grand.”

  “Not bad. My way is more economical, though.”

  Javin smiled. “Of course it is.” He didn’t want to ask what Mila had promised Captain Abiyev. Probably she just blackmailed him…

  “Now, what’s your next move?”

  “I need to secure the object and make sure it reaches the destination.”

  “Which is?”

  Javin hesitated for a moment. He looked around and noticed a couple of young men who seemed to be paying close attention to him. “Give me a moment,” he said to Mila and walked farther away, so that he was definitely beyond earshot. He also turned sideways, so that he could still keep them in his peripheral vision.

  The young men lost interest and walked in the other direction, then out of the terminal. Javin followed them with his eyes until they climbed into a taxi and disappeared. “Yes, you were saying?”

  “I asked about the plane’s destination.”

  “Eh…”

  “Javin, you have to tell me, otherwise I can’t help you.”

  She was right. Javin would have to tell Mila if he was to receive her help. The truth was a bit more complicated. He could trust Mila completely, but he wasn’t sure how much he could trust the people she worked with. It didn’t matter if she trusted them, bribed them, or blackmailed them. There could always be someone people feared more or who offered them more. He drew in a deep breath and said, “Mila, don’t take this the wrong way, but I only need your help inside the country.”

  “Kazakhstan?”

  “Correct.”

  “Is the plane remaining in the country?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “It does, Javin. If you’re using it to attack a target in the country, I need to know. I called in a favor, and the captain will not hesitate to give me up if his life is threat
ened. I’m deeply involved, Javin.”

  “The object will leave the country.”

  “You keep calling it an object. So, it’s not a plane. It’s a drone.”

  Javin sighed. “I didn’t want to lie to you, Mila—”

  “But you also didn’t want to tell me the truth.”

  “Look, I’m telling you as much as I can without getting you involved—”

  “I told you that I’m deeply involved, Javin.”

  He sighed again and didn’t say anything.

  Mila cursed, then drew in a deep breath. “Okay, Javin, this drone of yours… It’s not staying in Kazakhstan. That’s good, a relief. Needless to say wherever you’re taking it, Iran, Iraq, the Chinese will know about it. It’s their drone, and they’re coming for it. And for you.” Her voice took on a hint of sadness.

  “Why don’t you let me worry about that?” His voice came out gruffer than he intended, and he immediately regretted it.

  “Of course, of course, Javin. I’m not telling you what to do. But… just a thought… Perhaps this time you’ve bitten off more than you can chew…”

  “Yeah, maybe, but I really had no choice…”

  “We all have choices, Javin. We do things because we want to.”

  “Not always.”

  Mila sighed. “I’m not going to argue with you. But… there’s still time for you to abort this… this… whatever this is that you’re doing.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “You can, Javin, you just don’t want to.”

  He didn’t reply right away. “I… It’s complicated, Mila.”

  “It always is, Javin. There’s nothing easy in our lives, in what we do.”

  “You’re right about that. Now, about Tarasov, let me see what I can find.”

  Mila groaned. “Okay, Javin, I see what you’re doing. Listen, my dear Javin, I sincerely hope this ends up well…” She paused for a moment, then said, “And let me know how I can help, if you want me to help…”

  “Thanks, Mila. I will do that. Back to Tarasov, give me an hour, and I’ll see what I can find.”

  “Perfect, Javin. I hope it goes well.”

  “Bye, Mila.”

  He looked at the phone. Yes, I hope it goes well too.

  Javin glanced around for any suspicious characters, but found none. He walked farther away from the doors and a couple of security cameras mounted on the walls. He checked his inbox and was pleased to find an email from his contact in the Canadian border agency. He had been able to access older files and had discovered that Dorothy Barrett, the woman who drove the vehicle Tarasov had used, entered the United States two years ago at a different border crossing. She had given a different address as her residence at that time, her sister’s, who also lived in Toronto.

  Mila is bound to find something there. A phone number or an email address.

  He forwarded the email to her, then called his friend at the French intelligence. Louis also had some good news. The database had turned up a couple of hits. A phone number and an email address of an American who had brokered the deal for Tarasov’s forged French passport. That should be enough for Mila to find him.

  Javin sent that information to Mila, then pulled up a map of Kazakhstan. He was in Almaty, on the other side of the country relative to the border crossing at Druzhba, where Fang and his team would soon be coming through. If I flew to Taldykorgan, that’s almost halfway there. Not the best, but it will do in the circumstances.

  He sent a text message to Fang with the information about Captain Abiyev, then nodded to himself and headed toward the nearest counter of Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s largest airline. He prayed there wouldn’t be any complications, at least until he joined Fang’s team. Then, he’d be able to deal with them.

  Soon, he’d find out that he’d have his chance…

  Chapter Seventeen

  Taldykorgan Airport

  Kazakhstan

  Javin’s phone buzzed with the arrival of a call as soon as he stepped on the tarmac of the small airport. He didn’t recognize the caller, and only Mila and Fang had this number. He stepped away from the handful of passengers and answered the phone in a hesitant voice, “Yes, hello?”

  “Javin, thank God I found you…” Claudia said in a hurried tone with a sigh.

  “You did, yes, but how?” He gave the phone a surprised look.

  “Oh, don’t ask. How are you?”

  “Eh, okay. Doing well. What’s the problem?”

  “Tell me you’re not in China.”

  Javin smiled and looked around at the fields and the hills surrounding the small airport. “I’m definitely not in China…”

  “Have you been there recently? Three days ago?”

  “Eh, who’s asking?”

  Claudia groaned. “I am asking you, Javin. And our boss, because he heard about a big mess in Beijing.”

  A frown creased Javin’s face. He was already on forced personal leave, and an inquiry committee was investigating his actions and his responsibility in two recent “botched” operations. He couldn’t have another strike against him, as his boss, Bateaux, wouldn’t think twice about terminating Javin, ending his career with the Canadian spy agency.

  “How did he hear about that?”

  “I have no idea, but he’s mad as a hornet. He’s saying that if you had anything to do with this, your career is over. You’d be lucky if you aren’t thrown in jail.”

  Javin shook his head. “I’m on leave and traveling, seeing the world.”

  “C’mon, Javin. You can try that with anyone else, not me. Tell me, were you involved?”

  Javin hesitated for a moment. “Claudia, if I tell you, then you’ll have to tell the truth when interrogated…”

  “Let’s make sure it doesn’t get to that, Javin. I’d hate to see you end up behind bars…”

  He didn’t reply right away. He looked at a uniformed police officer who was gesturing for Javin to walk toward the small terminal about a hundred meters away. Javin nodded and hoisted his knapsack over his left shoulder. “Claudia, I was in China and Beijing on those days.”

  “And did you have anything to do with the shootings?”

  “What shootings?”

  “Javin, let’s not make this more difficult than it already is. The shootings at the Golden Duck restaurant and Dragon Inn…”

  Javin bit his lip. How was this all connected to me? He cursed under his breath. Javin, you really thought it would go unnoticed? The MSS agents, the police officers? The clerk at the inn, witnesses at the restaurant?

  “Claudia, this… eh, this can all be explained. It was… eh, self-defense…”

  “Really? Four people are dead.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, that’s what the initial reports are claiming. Two State Security operatives and a couple of uniformed cops…”

  “What?” Javin said again. “No, no, I… I had nothing to do with those killings. I didn’t kill anyone…”

  “So, tell me then, what happened?”

  Javin had reached a couple of the security officers and airport workers, so he lowered his voice. “Claudia, I… can I call you back shortly?”

  “Sure, call me in ten. Bye.”

  Javin sighed. How did things go so sideways? Who killed those agents? And the policemen? I, for sure, didn’t. I’m absolutely sure my bullets didn’t hit them. Are the Chinese making this all up, to bury me?

  He shrugged and shook his head. He walked past a few airline clerks and passengers as he crossed through the terminal. He neared the gate and looked at a handful of yellow taxis. A few other cars were parked to the side, belonging to civilian drivers who competed with the official taxis. All he needed to do was approach one of them and haggle a rate.

  Javin picked up his phone and dialed Claudia. “Hey,” he said when she answered. “Can we talk?”

  “Yes, you were going to tell me what happened.”

  “I’m not sure I have the answer. At the restaurant, I was dinin
g with an old friend, someone I’ve met during one of our recent ops in China.”

  “The Chinese reports identify him as Fang Zehua. I remember meeting him. Very nice guy.”

  “He’s great. What else do they say?”

  “How about you first tell me what happened?”

  “Sure. Fang tells me he was followed, and then two agents rush through the doors shooting at us. We dash through the back, running for our lives.”

  “Why were you meeting with Fang?”

  “I told you: catching up on things. That’s not a crime, is it?” he said in an annoyed voice.

  “No, but Bateaux is going to ask you these exact same questions… You’ll need to have answers for him…”

  Javin drew in a deep breath. “I needed some intel from Fang.”

  “About?”

  “Eh… about a person, well, persons—Mossad operatives.”

  “Okay, you needed a hacker.”

  “Yes, after what Mossad did to you and to Yael, I can’t just sit on my hands.”

  “Regardless of what our boss said?”

  “He said we’re not doing anything officially. I was going through the personal angle, trying to find out dirt on the operatives. In this way, they could be kicked out of the agency… It’s the least they deserve for their crimes.”

  “Okay, so you had no intentions of killing those Chinese agents?”

  “None whatsoever. The cameras and the witnesses will confirm that.”

  A moment of tense pause, then Claudia said, “The reports give no indications of cameras or witnesses.”

  “Strange.”

  “What happened at the Dragon Inn?”

  “Almost the same scenario. Someone was following me or Fang; I never figured it out. Two police officers began to fire at us. So I had to make myself scarce and left Beijing as soon as I could.”

  “Well, those officers are dead.”

  “I didn’t kill them, Claudia. I swear to you.”

  “I believe you, Javin, if you’re saying you didn’t do it. I’m not sure Bateaux will believe it, though…”

  “What do their reports say?”

  “I’ll forward them to you. In short, they place you at both locations. The Chinese claim you opened fire and killed their MSS operatives and the police officers. They have no cameras or witnesses, not at this point, anyway.”