Chapter 33
As soon as Mark reached the Sydney airport he went to the Qantas counter and got his boarding pass. He rushed through the security gates and got to a payphone. He slipped his credit card along the slider, got a dial tone and punched Fred’s number at home. He didn’t care what time it was; he needed to let the Chief know what he was doing and get him to detail someone to Vancouver a-sap. Samuel had almost 24 hours on him.
“Fred Gibson,” the man groaned. It was 5:00AM in Ottawa.
“Chief, listen, we’ve got to move fast…”
“Mark?” Fred said his voice gruff with sleep. “Where are you?”
“I’m boarding a flight to Vancouver in a half-an-hour. Samuel is already gone. Get someone to Vancouver as soon as you can, Chief. Talya is Samuel’s next target...”
“Hold on, Mark…” Fred’s unease was audible now.
Mark paid no attention. “No time, Chief, I’ve got to go...”
“Don’t you hang up on me, boy!” Fred roared, flinging the covers aside and sitting on the edge of the bed. It was too late, though, Mark had already hung up.
Fred looked at the receiver in his hand, then banged it in the cradle and went to take a shower. He knew it would take Mark at least 15 hours to reach Vancouver, if he got a direct flight. If not, it would take him maybe 20 hours or more to get to the BC coast.
As soon as he was dressed, he got down to the kitchen, and took the time to gulp down a large glass of orange juice before heading down to his car. He knew he was in for a long day, but he would grab something to eat after he would have set the wheels in motion.
On the one hand, he thought Mark was right, Talya was next in line to be eliminated, yet there were two issues about it that bothered him. Why would Mossad choose Samuel to take her out? And Badawee’s words rang through his brains repeatedly; “She is Jewish...”
Could it be that he was right? Mossad was trying to enrol her and not kill her. “But why?” he yelled, slamming his big palms on the wheel of his car as he was driving to his office. Thank goodness she was tucked away somewhere on that island. They wouldn’t know where she was, or so he hoped.
When he got to the car park, he slid his window down and stopped beside the security officer. “Get her parked in my spot, Dex; I’ve got to get upstairs.”
Although a bit surprised to see the Chief come in so early, Dex only nodded. “No problem. Shall I get the keys upstairs to you?”
“Sure,” Fred said, extracting his huge body out of the front seat.
“Okay.” Dex slid in behind the wheel as soon as Fred had climbed out of the vehicle.
Once he was sitting behind his desk, Fred called Jimmy, his aide, and told him to get to the office on the double. “Oh, and get me a tall latte with something to eat on the way, will you?” Fred added before hanging up.
Next, he dialled Sorenson’s number. He smiled to himself, knowing he would be interrupting his evening meal. “My turn, buddy,” he mumbled.
“232-45-056,” Sorenson said as he picked up the receiver.
“Chief Sorenson, please,” Fred said, with overstated politeness.
“Sorenson speaking. Who’s calling?”
“Sorry to bother you, Sorenson, but if you’ve got a minute, I’d like to confirm