CHAPTER 2 - Caught By History
Candice was fortunate that the only other bed in her hospital room was vacant. The room had recently undergone renovations, including new equipment and furniture. Although it was a public hospital, which usually meant sterile, stark white walls, brown vinyl chairs, metal bed frames and side cabinets, this room was pale green, spacious and elegantly furnished. On the window’s sill sat a large bunch of multicoloured flowers that filled the room with a delicate scent. To Simon the room added to the surreal events that were unfolding in his life.
Anyone looking at Candice could not have imagined that she was seriously ill. She was lying in bed undisturbed by the bustle outside her room. The day had been tiring with numerous tests and x-rays. Candice had not had the time to fully come to terms with all the consequences of her illness.
Candice’s mind wondered back to her past. Many years had passed since she first met Kevin, but her memories were always so vivid that they kept her from feeling too lonely when he was out at sea, and especially during these past ten years - they would also need to sustain her now through her last ordeal.
At thirty-eight Candice still looked very attractive with her soft brown eyes and dark blonde hair. She was fairly tall, even though at thirteen Simon was already taller than her. But then Simon had inherited his tall athletic build, blonde hair with blue eyes from his father. Every time Candice looked at her son she was reminded of her husband. They had met whilst Candice was working in an import company. The first time he entered the office she was mesmerised by those striking blue eyes. That night was the first of many dates. They had discovered they had many things in common.
Candice did not have any family to speak of and had never thought of trying to find her parents. She believed that if they did not want her as a baby, they would not want her now. Kevin had no family: when she had asked him, he replied that he had lost his family a long time ago, and would rather not talk about them - Candice never spoke about the subject again.
One afternoon after work she had walked out of the office only to find him there, holding a large bunch of multicoloured tulips; from that day on, tulips had become her favourite flowers. That night Kevin proposed. They were married within a month; and then she became pregnant with Simon. Candice’s world was perfect.
Simon sat quietly beside his mother’s bed and watched the different emotions cross her face. She looked tired and Simon did not want to disturb her thoughts. He was still in shock over the discovery of his mother’s critical illness, and the news that his father was alive. He was impatient to know more but, at the same time, he dreaded what he was about to discover. So he silently awaited and braced for what was to come.
Candice slowly became aware of her surroundings and looked at her beloved son, it was time to tell Simon the truth. She wasn’t sure of his reactions, but there was no more time.
Candice tentatively began: “When I married your father he told me he worked on a merchant ship. He would be gone sometimes for months. I always received lots of telephone calls, and postcards from the different places the ship visited. I had my work, so I kept busy and never doubted him.”
Simon could see the strain on his mother, and wanted to tell her to stop, but knew that he had to know the truth about his family. All the questions he had wanted to ask, could finally be answered.
After a lengthy pause Candice explained that it was just after she became pregnant, that everything went terrible wrong and they had to leave their home. Simon sat transfixed and listened intently as his mother told him that his father was involved in a drug bust in Germany, at the Hamburg seaport. Drugs, money and documents were hidden in the frames of imported cars. There was a lot of shooting and many men died, his father was fortunate to have survived. It was during this raid that he discovered a photo of himself with “informer” written on it. That night when he came home he told her that they had to leave, and would never return again. She had felt angry and betrayed, because he had put them at risk. “I believed that nothing was worth putting us in danger.” Candice stated. Simon could feel the sadness and fear his mother had felt at the time.
His parents left everything behind as they headed for India. A month later they moved to Vietnam, but his father felt that they had been compromised, so they fled to Australia.
It was during the flight between Sydney and Melbourne that his father had first proposed faking his death. “Melbourne was wonderful,” said his mother. His father worked as a kitchen hand at the Flinder’s Hospital, just around the corner from where they lived. He even managed to return to night school and get a nursing degree. She had wanted him to become a doctor, but he had explained that as a doctor people would notice him more, and increase the risk of being recognised.
Simon could remember many things about his life during those years. He wanted to ask his mother how they could afford to live in a lovely home, with only a kitchen hand’s wage. Although, they lived a moderate life style, money never seemed to be an issue.
Simon remembered the fun he had in the park. The picnic lunches, playing with his father hide and seek amongst the large trees.
“Your dad had always loved the sea and we would often go for long drives along the Victorian coastline. It was on one of these trips that we stopped at a popular beach called Torquay and, whilst you two were swimming, you were confronted by a shark.”
“You knew about the shark!!” exclaimed Simon.
Candice only smiled and said, “Those were the happiest days of my life. We thought that we could finally live a normal life. No more running”.
“Mum, what did dad do? Who did he work for?” asked Simon impatiently.
“To this day I do not fully understand what he did, or where he went. When I asked him, he just said that it was better if I didn’t know” his mum replied sadly.
After a long pause Candice continued: “One night whilst working in the emergency ward, a critically wounded man had been brought in. He had been stabbed during a brawl in a local pub”. It was whilst your father was checking the victim’s blood pressure that the man turned to him and asked if he was English. Your father denied it, as he had always taken care to disguise his accent, but the man grabbed his arm and looked intensely at him and said, “There’s a large reward being offered for information leading to the whereabouts of you and your family. A well-dressed Englishman has an old wedding photo and is asking a lot of questions. I don’t know why he’s looking for you, but I don’t think he’s the long lost friend he claims to be. My friend if I were you, I‘d get my family and leave Melbourne as soon as possible. Take it from someone that has been on the run for most of his life, don’t take any photos, as these will only help your enemies find you”.
Your dad had asked him why he was helping him and not claiming the reward. The man just smiles wearily and said that he knew he was in a bad way and probably would not make it through the night. He confessed he had done many terrible things in his life, and believed that if he did one good deed, it may help his cause. The man had then smiled as if he was telling a joke.
That night your dad left without saying anything to anyone. He was in a hurry to get home. When he got home, he didn’t need to speak as I had seen the same expression several times before. Although we had several years of living in peace, danger was always in the back of our minds, so we kept an emergency bag ready. I guess you can never really feel safe once you are on the run, no matter how many years you live in peace”, Candice said wearily.
“We were at the end of our street and watched our home go up in flames. Once again all we had were a couple of suitcases, with only clothes, some of your toys and two photos.
We drove to Canberra and booked into a motel. Your dad stayed up all night making phone calls. I didn’t know whom he spoke to. But when I woke up the next morning he told her of his plan. We were to go to Denmark where he had arranged to fake his death.
“By the time we arrived in Denmark, your dad and I had come up with a s
cheme to stay in touch; until he could finally join us again.” said Candice.
”Your dad would regularly send postcards from locations where he was staying. He would sign them with different names, but I knew it was him. He would post them when he had actually left these places, so even if they were to be intercepted he would have already left, but I would know he was safe. The choice of destinations were the places he wanted to take us, once he was sure he had fooled his enemies into thinking that he was really dead. This would hopefully only take a year. In the meantime you and I returned to England and where I joined various book clubs. The plan was that he would start sending me books describing were he was staying. If anyone checked our mail they would most likely assume that the book was simply sent by one of my book clubs. However, if I received two books describing the same location, it meant that it was time for them to relocate. To ensure that your dad would always know where we were, once we arrived at a new destination, I would immediately notify my book clubs of the change of address. The choice of countries was also predetermined; it would be one of the ones shown on the old postcards. “
“Your dad has also visited us when he could. I am sorry you were never able to see him. But he came when you were asleep and only stayed the night. We didn’t want to burden you with this secret, so we let you continue to believe him dead” said Candice looking worriedly at Simon
Simon, struggling to come to grips with this information, simply sat quietly staring disbelievingly at his mum. He struggled to find words to express his confusion. He wanted to be angry for not seeing his father when he visited, and that his parents had not put him in the picture before. But somehow he could also understand the need to keep their secret.
“It now makes sense,” Simon whispered.
He now understood why his mother had all those books that she kept reading. It also made sense why his mother would send for the subscriptions to be redirected to their new address, instead of simply buying books from the local bookshop. It also made sense when his mother asked him to choose their destination based on his father’s old postcards. He had thought that this was a way his mother could still feel close to his dad, knowing that he had once visited these places.
Thirty minutes had passed since Whisper had found Candice’s room. He became aware of the pretty nurse laughing with an older nurse whilst glancing in his direction. He was accustomed to the attention of women, but now he realized that this could become a problem – he knew they could describe him to the police. He felt frustrated that his plan had been thwarted yet again.
“Mum where is dad now?” asked Simon
“If you look in my hand bag, you’ll find the book that I received last week. Your father is …” but Candice never finished the sentence as Simon raised his hand to stop her.
“Mum, let me find him. Let me read the book”.
“You are so much like your father. He always loved to figure things out for himself.”
Simon stood up and kissed his mum. He needed a few minutes to be by himself, he had to digest all the information just given to him, so the toilet seemed a good excuse.
When he walked outside the room, he found himself looking into the deep brown eyes of Deepa. They stood facing each other only centimetres apart as they almost bumped into one another. Both unwittingly smiled and blushed.
“Sorry, I ….. I was looking for the toilets,” mumbled Simon
“Sure! They are right at the end of the corridor”
“Thanks”
“Simon, if there is anything you need, just let me know.” With that, Deepa walked past Simon into his mother’s room.
Simon entered one of the far cubicles in the toilets. And as he sat there contemplating what he had just learned, he suddenly became aware of the expensive Italian leather shoes belonging to the person in the next cubicle. For a moment his heart rate accelerated and he began to panic.
“… never show fear to a predator as it will give it the confidence to attack!” Simon heard his dad saying.
“So, this is where you intend to try again?” asked Simon showing more bravado than he felt.
Whisper, although not really surprised that the boy knew of his presence, was never the less startled by his confidence. For a moment, he hesitated to answer.
“I’m surprised! You’re considerably taller and stronger than me. You seem to have no problem pulling out your gun on a public beach. And yet, you are too scared to speak!” Simon stated, still sounding more confident than he felt.
The stranger remained silent for a few moments. Simon was about to speak again when a hoarse whisper came from the next cubicle.
“I give it to you kid, you’re courageous”.
“And you sir, are a fool! You wear clothes that make you stand out. Your shirt alone is worth more than what most people here earn in a month! You then get some of the local kids to attempt to kidnap me! And when things don’t go your way, you expose yourself by doing your own surveillance!” exclaimed Simon audaciously accusing him.
“Young man, I’m impressed by your observations. I have to admit, I have been somewhat careless. Maybe, it’s because most people around here seem to go on with their own lives regardless. Or maybe, it’s because I don’t occupy myself with jobs usually carried out by thugs! I haven’t anything against you kid, come quietly and I promise it’ll be first class all the way!” the mysterious European said in all honesty with a subtle German accent.
“All the way to where?” asked curiously Simon
“We go to Russia. We will get further instructions once there,” stated the voice in the next cubicle.
Simon was unsure as to why someone wanted to kidnap him. If they wanted to kill him they could have easily done it by now. Maybe they wanted him as a hostage. Now that he knew his father was alive and wanted, he could be the bait needed to lure him into a trap.
“My mother thinks I’m special. My dad, before he died, used to think I was special. The question is, why do you think other people consider me special?” asked Simon tentatively.
“Kid I don’t know what makes you special, but if your father is indeed dead and your mother is here, then there is someone else who thinks you are special! That, kid is the person who makes you important,” answered the voice. A thought was beginning to form in Simon’s mind. What if the person that thought him ‘special’, was the same one that was keeping his dad away from them?
“When would I have to leave?”
“If you come willingly, we’ll be leaving in two days. If you resist, then it’ll happen sooner”.
“In that case, I’ll see you in two days” stated Simon thinking that he could buy a little more time to think.
With that Simon got up and returned to his mother’s room. He spent the rest of the night reading ‘The Broker’ by John Grisham.
When Candice woke up she could see Simon asleep in the armchair with the book still in his hands. She could not help feeling saddened for the burden she had given him. She still loved her husband and missed him terribly, especially now when she had to face the toughest ordeal of her life. But Simon was her son. She had always asked a lot of him, always leaving behind his friends, and he had never asked questions or complained. Thinking about her son, she thought how over the years he had become a loner. She had rarely met any of his friends, and he spent most of his time studying or doing sport. Maybe he had given up making friends, because he knew that sooner or later he would have to leave. Simon never complained about sleeping in train stations, airports or bus stops. He did his best to help her settle into new places, always making it sound as if they were on an adventure. She was extraordinarily fortunate to have a son such as Simon.
Now, once again she would ask so much of him. She had one last wish, that the three of them be reunited again. No, she would not let death defeat her; she owed it to her loved ones to stay alive until then.
Candice did not realize that Simon was awake and was closely observing her. “Good mo
rning mum. How are you feeling today?” asked Simon, brighter than he felt.
“Good morning sweetie, I feel great. In fact I feel very hungry. How about you?”
Just then Simon’s stomach gave out a grumble, and they both started laughing.
“Sorry mum, I forgot to have dinner last night”.
Just then, as if on cue Deepa came in with a large tray full of food. “Ahh, good morning” she smiled.
“I thought you must be hungry, so I brought you both a hot breakfast” she continued, glancing across at Simon
“Good morning Deepa, are you coming off your shift?”
“Yes madam” sighed Deepa
“In that case, would you like to join us for breakfast? I see that you have more than enough for the three of us”.
Deepa accepted Candice’s invitation to join them in their little feast. They managed to spend the next hour happily joking and laughing about the most mundane things. The three of them were trying to conceal their own sadness for the sake of the others.
“May I come in?” a male voice came from behind the door.
“Hello!! Please do.” Candice replied as she instantly recognised the voice.
Inspector Lau entered behind a large bunch of coloured flowers.
“Selamat Pagi Candice. How are you holding up? Are these two kids giving you any trouble lah?” Inspector Lau smiled as he kissed Candice’s cheek’
“Good morning to you too,” replied Candice
“Daad! I’m not a kid! Are you checking on Candice or me?” Deepa exclaimed
“Dad?” said Simon thinking aloud
“Small world isn’t it Master Simon!” smiled the inspector
“But, but …” commenced Simon but was unable to continue as he felt confused. Deepa looked of Indian origin, whilst the inspector looked Chinese!
“Deepa’s mother was Indian, and Deepa is as beautiful as her mother was lah” interjected Inspector Lau.
“Deepa dear, could you please go down to the kitchen and inform chef Soo-Guan that I would love his “breakfast special” asked inspector Lau with a grin. “He is an old school friend and is happy to feed me when I have to come early to the hospital”.
As soon as Deepa left, Candice looked at her son and with a heavy heart asked “Simon, I know how these past two days have been very difficult for you, but I need to ask you to do one more thing for me... I want to see your father one more time. I know I am burdening you with this request, but I also believe that you are mature enough to ask this of you.”
After a long pause she whispered, “I have no one else I can trust.”
“Simon your mother has told me everything. I am here to help you lah”
“Thank you inspector. Until yesterday I would never have thought that I would be looking for my dad, but,.. I don’t want to leave mum” said Simon sadly looking at his mother.
“Simon, the doctors think I have only a month to live, but they can’t tell me how fast my tumour is growing.
They could attempt to remove it, but, the risks are very high, and even if the operation is successful the possibility of losing my memory is also very high. My past memories are too important to me... Inspector Lau’s wife also had he same type of tumour as me, and he believes that I will have more than a month to live.”
Candice was concerned about Simon’s safety but knew that all the years of travelling had equipped him with skills no ordinary boy at his age would have.
She looked expectantly at Simon.
“I will find dad!!” stated Simon determinedly. Those four words set in motion a chain of events that would change his life dramatically.
Simon was torn between his concern for his mother and the thought of finding his father. He also felt troubled at the thought that Inspector Lau knew about the kidnapping attempt. He could arrest the European before Simon could figure out how he could use him to get to his father.
But Inspector Lau was more helpful than Simon could have imagined.
“Simon, do you know where to start looking for your father?” asked the inspector.
“Italy!” replied Simon. He went on to explain that the last book his father sent mainly covered two countries: U.S.A and Italy. Simon continued explaining his theory. His father had never sent any postcards from the U.S.A, whilst they had received numerous from Italy. His father knew Italy well and could speak Italian fluently: as he often did so with Simon in his younger days. The book also mentioned the city of Treviso. Compared to other cities in Italy, Treviso was not a well-known tourist destination. He also believed that those looking for him might also know that his father loved to live by the sea. Treviso was not located by the sea, but was built on the river using a similar concept as Venice – suspended on special pontoons -. The city has the appearance of having been built with a river surrounding it, like a castle moat, but in fact the river also runs under it.
The Adriatic was only a few hours drive from there.
“I agree with you. You are as intuitive as your father,” said Candice.
“Many years ago, when your father first described Treviso, I said that I would love to see it one day. Over the years I had picked out many places that I wanted to visit…” but before Candice could continue Simon interjected “ …the books that dad sends you are those locations!”
“Yes, they are.”
“Mum are there any locations that you and dad have spoken about, but that dad has not gone to as yet?” asked Simon
“I’m sorry Simon, I spent the whole of last night asking myself that same question, but I am sad to say that I think he has been to all of my ‘dream’ destinations. Although, he once mentioned of a town where Italians supposedly go to for their honeymoon and overseas tourists do not often frequent it. At least that was the case when your dad and I just met and he talked about his dream honeymoon.”
“Do you remember where this town is?”
“No, I am sorry. All that I can tell you is that it is somewhere in central Italy and the town is surrounded by the walls of an ancient castle. I also remember him saying that unfortunately it would mean long drives to his beloved sea.”
“Anything else?” There are hundreds of castles in Italy!” exclaimed Simon
“mmm,…only that he made a joke about the skyscrapers of the 13th century”
“It’s ok mum, as long as he continues sending you books, I will find him” stated Simon
“Master Simon, when do you think of leaving?”
Simon looked at his mother and explained with uncertainty “I don’t have much time, so I need to leave as soon as possible. It really comes down to how I will get there. I might have a way, but it is not very reliable. But…” Simon didn’t finish what he was about to say. He went silent. The European stated that they would go to Russia and then maybe somewhere in Europe, which if not Italy, the destination would still be closer than here. He knew perfectly well that he would be a prisoner and escaping might become difficult, but he had faith in his abilities. In the back of his mind he did not trust the stranger’s true intentions: would he have told him of his plans so easily?
Inspector Lau interrupted Simon’s thoughts. “Master Simon, the first destination is not something to be too concerned with, as I have friends that regularly fly military planes to Europe lah.”
“In that case, when is the next flight to Europe, preferably Italy?” Simon asked excitedly.
“I will give the Butterworth base a call and let you know in a few minutes lah,” replied the inspector.
As the inspector dialled the number on his mobile phone, Candice looked at her son whilst taking one of his hands between hers.
“Simon, I knew that this day might come, but I thought that we would be looking for your father together. At home I have prepared a suitcase that you will need. In it there are several fake passports, money including Euros, and a note I found in one of your father’s books, which is simply an email account that I would imagine he has access to. Be very
careful when using an email, as the content is not very secure, and the origin of it’s and the location of its recipient can also be traced” warned his mother.
At that point Deepa entered the room with a tray holding Mango juice, a basket full of toasted bread, Vegemite and English breakfast tea.
“Vegemite?” asked Candice with curiosity.
“I have no idea why, but dad loves it!” replied Deepa unable to hide her disgust.
“A lifetime ago, I went to Australia for work and over the two months that I spent there I came to love it. It is quite hard to find it in Malaysia but I know some of the pilots at the Butterworth air force base who every so often make a trip to Australia. They always bring back a few jars that I then share with Chef Soo-Guan. He really doesn’t like it, but we have always been competitive and he refuses to accept that I have no trouble eating it whilst he struggles to even smell it. Having said that, he has come up with a Vegemite vegetable soup recipe that is to die for.”
Realising too late that he accidentally used the ‘D’ word, Lau instantly went white in the face and looked down at his feet.
“Mmm, since I am already half way there, I guess that I am entitled to some of that soup” said Candice with a big grin.
“I am sure that Chef Soo-Guan will be more than happy to accommodate you,” said Lau still embarrassed by his silly oversight.
After the four of them had shared the breakfast accompanied by lots of jokes and laughter, Deepa stood up from the chair. “Best I go home and have a well deserved shower and rest. Candice, I ran into the doctor down the corridor and he will be coming to see you at the start of his morning rounds. Simon, it was really nice having breakfast with you and your mother. And dad, please refrain from making any more jokes as they have gotten worse as time has gone by” said Deepa with a grin whilst winking at Candice.
They all broke out into laughter.
Once Deepa departed, it was straight down to business.
“Ok Master Simon, we are in luck. My friend was asked to fly some military officials to witness some NATO manoeuvres. The flight will go to a NATO base in Germany. So, my young adventurer, as you do not have a car licence, we might have to rely on public transport between Germany and Italy. As it is winter in Europe, you will not have the luxury of catching a lift with one of the many Germans who go to Italy for their summer holidays.”
“Thanks inspector. Mum, I need to leave you for a short while; I have to go home and pack” said Simon looking at both the inspector and his mother.
“Selamat Pagi Candice her.
Candice did not have time to answer for the inspector’s phone rang. He was informed that the generals travelling on the flight to Germany had requested an earlier departure. They were to leave in thirty-five minutes.
“Can Simon make it to the plane in time?” asked Candice
“I can make sure he does. I will be able to bypass customs easily enough.”
“But mum, I just can’t leave right now. This might be the last…” but Simon never finished the sentence.
“Simon this is your chance. We don’t know how long you would have to wait until your next opportunity!” interrupted Candice looking intently at her son.
“Ok mum” whispered Simon as he hugged his mother tightly.
“Simon, keep in touch with Inspector Lau. If anything should happen to me before you return. I will leave him my will and a set of instructions. Other than your dad and you, the inspector is the only person I trust. I love you son. Be safe.”
Simon not wanting his mother see him cry, quickly left the room with the inspector.
“Inspector I need to quickly stop at home” said Simon.
Once in the police car, the inspector proceeded quickly.
“Simon there is a bag on the back seat. It contains some ‘toys’ that might be useful on your trip,” explained the inspector.
Simon reached back and got the bag. He slowly opened it and examined the contents inside.
“Where did you get all of this stuff?” asked Simon whilst examining a small computer not much bigger than a small diary.
“Let’s say that over the years I have worked in certain operations which gave me access to special toys. What you have in your hand will allow you to connect to any Wi-Fi network and be able to access the Internet. Within the computer there is a program called Sentinel, it allows you to keep in touch with your mother and me. Although I trust the encryption software, I would suggest that you still take the upmost care when communicating with us. Never say anything that might compromise you. I would have liked to have spent sometime explaining how to use the items in the bag, but unfortunately you will have to work them out yourself” stated the inspector.
Simon did not stop to ask how the inspector knew that he would be leaving on his adventure and may need all the help he could get. He was too excited discovering the contents of the bag.
“And this?” asked Simon holding up what looked like a portable sewing kit.
“That is something I hope you will never have to use. Those needles are actually tranquillising bullets.
“Bullets? But where is the gun?” asked Simon fascinated.
“You will find that the Mont Blanc pen in the bag is actually the firing device.”
“Wow! What about the cotton thread, does it also have an alternative function?”
“Yes. I find that it is quite useful as dental floss!” joked the inspector
“And what’s this?” asked Simon whilst holding what looked like a synthetic skin used to treat burns.
“That is an adhesive skin that can be attached to the palm of your hand. Within it there are needles, which contain the same powerful tranquilliser that your pen-gun uses. If you ever get into a struggle, simply grab hold of the person threatening you and the needles will penetrate their skin and make them pass out within seconds.”
“I hope I don’t get to use it”, replied Simon
“Master Simon, I suggest that you should probably place it on now.”
“Why?”
“I know there is a certain gentleman in town asking questions about you. I think, until you are safely in the air, you should wear the tranquilliser skin.”
Simon was taken aback by the inspector’s comment. How much did the inspector know about the kidnapping attempt?
“Please don’t tell mum”, he said quietly
“I agree. She doesn’t need to worry. But I do. I have been told that the gentleman comes across as a professional.”
“A professional what?” Simon asked, hoping the inspector could shed more light.
“I hope that is something that we will not need to learn.”
As the inspector finished his sentence, he pulled over in front of Simon’s house.
Simon jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. His home was a double front white weatherboard house with a small green lawn at the front. The blinds were still down from the previous morning, as they kept the heat of the Malaysian sun out, and made their house somewhat cooler.
As he entered, he struggled to make out any shapes, as inside the house was considerably darker and his eyes had not yet adjusted. He quickly made his way to his mother’s bedroom to collect the bag containing money and the false passports. To his surprise the bedroom blinds were up; he knew his mother was meticulous about putting them down every morning. He then rushed into his bedroom where he collected a few items of clothing and toiletries and threw them into the bag. He then returned to his mother’s bedroom and pulled down the blinds. On his way down the stairs again the thought of the blinds still played on his mind. When he reached the entrance foyer a sudden sensation gripped him; he knew he was not alone.
He stood rooted to the ground unable to move, his heart pounding inside his chest. He had to do something; he couldn’t just stand there paralysed, especially as the intruder could attack him at any moment. For a second he considered running out of the house and alerting Inspector Lau, but instead took a deep
breath, put his bag carefully on the floor and turn towards the lounge room. He slowly walked into the lounge room, his eyes trying to focus on the familiar objects within.
“I hope you made yourself feel at home,” he said as if speaking to a friend.
“I thought I would wait for you here, as the hotel was becoming uncomfortable,” said a hoarse whisper coming from the double couch.
“But I am curious to find out why you rushed upstairs to collect your forged passports. Were you intending to take off?”
“I don’t know who you are, but I am not a person who runs away very easily,” responded Simon very calmly, despite the pounding of his heart.
“No kid, you are not running away from me. But I think you have other plans. I know my adversaries. You, for instance are afraid of me. Yet you are able to disguise your fear, a talent that most people even in my field can’t do. You are left-handed; you could probably outrun me if it came down to a chase; something I would not recommend as I am armed. If it came to a physical combat, you would stay and fight instead of running outside screaming to the inspector in the car waiting for you. I can also tell that you are thinking of your next move. So kid, what have you decided to do next?” asked the voice.
Simon now worried that he would not be able to make it to the plane in time, slowly walked towards the voice, hoping his martial arts training and the adrenaline he felt would be enough for what he was going to do next. As he stood in front of the couch, the man stood up. Simon’s eyes had adjusted enough to make out the intruders outline. He was taller than Simon and, contrary to earlier impressions, had the physique of a World Wrestling champion.
“Kid, I know you are considering fighting me…”
That was all Whisper managed to say.
Simon, with a rapid movement drove his heel with all his strength into the European’s knee, bringing him down to eye level. He then grabbed the stranger’s neck. The devices attached to Simon’s hand worked immediately. He pushed the stranger to the floor and quickly turned and started running to the front door. As he picked up his bag, he suddenly decided to turn around and return to the lounge room as he had an idea.
The inspector accelerated as Simon was still closing the door.
“Everything Ok Simon?”
As Simon removed the device from the palm of his hand and placed it back in his special bag, he looked at the inspector with a childish grin.
“All is good inspector. This device certainly comes in handy; thanks.”
The inspector now concentrating on the road ahead and swerving between the midday traffic, simply smiled.
“I believe in Australia there is a saying, ‘never look a gift horse in the mouth’. I’m not sure where it originated, but I think it means don’t question your good fortune,” smiled the inspector.
“Are we going to make it on time?” asked Simon still perplexed on the inspector’s real identity.
“Whilst you were inside, I called the air traffic control tower. The flight has been delayed ten minutes,” replied the inspector.
“So, is this another case about horses’ teeth?” asked Simon with a big grin.
“No Simon, this is a case of having the Air Traffic control director as my brother-in-law” replied the inspector with a smile.
Once they arrived at the Butterworth military airfield, the guard at the front gate automatically waved the inspector through. They made their way through some local houses that were supposedly initially built by the Australian Defence Force, but were now occupied by local airport personnel. Within a minute they were driving along the tarmac towards one of the hangers, where a C130 Hercules military cargo plane was waiting with its rear cargo ramp down and its propellers already spinning. The inspector drove directly to the back of the plane and stopped a few centimetres from the ramp.
Once the car had stopped, the inspector turned in his seat and faced Simon.
“Young master, I wish you all the best. Remember that if you need anything, please use your telecommunication device to call me. I would suggest that once in Europe you get yourself a different ‘SIM’ card for the mobile phone that I have also included in the bag. Also, be very careful if you run into your friend from back at the house. Next time he will not fall for the same trick as he now knows about your tranquillising device. I will go back and check if he is still there, even though I sincerely doubt it. Never trust anyone, especially those that claim to know you, your family or me. Once in Italy get yourself a scooter as you are old enough to legally drive it. Although you might have enough money to stay in a hotel, try and find a ‘pensione’ for accommodation. It is basically like a home-stay where Italian families rent out a room. With a bit of luck they will look after you and be a great source of information. When speaking to people, don’t lie if you don’t have to. Truth is easier to remember. Just don’t tell them anything about yourself.”
“Yes Sir!! Anything else that you might consider essential for my survival in Italy?” replied Simon half joking.
“Absolutely!! ‘Marinara’ in that region is not a seafood dish, instead it is a simple tomato base with garlic and oregano” added the inspector with a smile. “Good luck kid. I wish you well.”
“Thank you Inspector. Please take great care of my mother.”
“You have my word.”
“Inspector, please also say goodbye to Deepa for me.”
And with that Simon got out of the car and walked up the ramp of the plane. Once inside, a short but menacing loadmaster yelled in Malay “where do you think you’re going?”
“I am supposed to hitch a ride to Europe. Or so that is what I was told,” Simon replied feeling puzzled by the inhospitable reception.
“Hitching?! That’s a laugh! You have exactly ten seconds to turn around and get off my plane before I throw you off!!!” yelled the loadmaster whilst taking a menacing pose.
Simon, unsure as to what to do next, turned around toward the exit hoping to still catch the Inspector before he went away. To his disappointment, the inspector’s vehicle was already driving through the base exit gates.
Realising that he had few options left to him if he was to find his father in time, he decided to try a different approach.
As he turned back toward the uniformed person, he took out of his bag a few hundred American dollar notes.
“You are really testing my patience young man! I warned you!”
Before Simon had the chance to respond the loadmaster came at him with both hands forwards in attempt to grab him and most likely toss him out of the plane.
“Sarjan Udara!!!! (Sergeant in Malay)” a foreign voice suddenly yelled from the front of the plane’s belly.
The loadmaster immediately recognised the pilot’s voice and stopped himself a few centimetres from reaching Simons khaki jumper.
“Yes Sir!” the loadmaster instinctively called out.
“I’d like a word please,” calmly ordered the pilot.
After a few minutes of quite discussion between the pilot and loadmaster, Simon saw the Sergeant nod to the pilot and move away. The pilot then proceeded toward Simon and offered a handshake.
“Thank you. For a second I thought I be kissing the tarmac.”
“You must be Simon. I do not know how you managed to have Lau vouch for you and frankly, I think the less I know the better it is.”
The pilot then turned around and simply waved Simon to follow him.
The two of them then proceeded to walk along the belly of the plane towards the pilot’s cabin. Inside the plane there were two military 4WD vehicles chained in place and a set of straps provided what looked like uncomfortable seating along both sides of the plane. All of the plane’s passengers were wearing military camouflage uniforms and were curious as to Simon’s presence. At the front of the military plane, Simon climbed up the wall using various shelves as steps, until he managed to make his way into the pilot’s cabin.
“Young man, Inspector Lau asked me to help you by offering you a li
ft to Europe. That is exactly what I will do: nothing more. So, take a seat on our spare seat just to your left and for the next 24 hours try and not get in the way. I am sure the ‘Sarge’ would love to throw you out at the next opportunity you cross him. The spare seat is not much, but at least it is better than what our passengers will have to use downstairs. The good news is that because of the officers travelling on this flight, we have been rationed with some delicious food. Are you hungry?”
“No thank you” replied Simon in Malay whilst orientating himself around the cabin.
“Well in that case, take a seat and strap yourself in. We are taking off.”
As the pilot went to sit in his own seat, the co-pilot was already moving the plane forward and calling out the pre-take off checklist. In the cabin there was also an engineer who had so far paid no attention to Simon and was simply checking the control panel in front of him.
The European found himself lying on the floor staring at one of the couch legs. Aware of what had happened and still affected by the tranquilliser chemical, he helped himself back onto the couch by using the available strength in his arms. He sat silently for a few moments staring at the photos on the mantelpiece and thinking of what his next actions would be. It was whilst staring at the photos that he noticed one was missing and had been replaced by another object. He slowly stood up and moved to the object. It was a tin of shoe polish with a label stating “Made with eucalyptus oil from Australia”. On it there was also a hand written note.
“I thank you for your offer of travel, but I have to cordially decline. I thought that the shoe polish might come in handy maintaining your expensive leather shoes during the long chase that I imagine we are both about to embark on. Simon Eady.”
The European smiled at the note. He then placed both the note and the tin of shoe polish into his pocket and preceded to go upstairs to check which currency the teenager had taken with him. Somehow, possibly based on the comment about the ‘long chase’, the European sensed that the kid was on his way to Europe. A few moments later, supported by the missing Euros and Pounds, the suspicion was confirmed.
The flight went smoothly with little turbulence along the way. Despite having now been on the plane for the last half a day, none of the crew or passengers had spoken to him. Simon thought that it was possibly because the flight was uncomfortable and nobody felt like a conversation. During the last few hours Simon managed to get some sleep and had some of the special meals. In fact the time felt like it was flying by as Simon was completely focussed on getting ready for his eventual arrival in Italy. To his fortune, shortly after Simon took off from Malaysia, he found that amongst his gifts from inspector Lau there was an MP3 player. It was loaded with numerous Top 40 songs, something Simon suspected Deepa selected, and an Italian language course called “Learn Italian in ten days”. Unfortunately for Simon, he didn’t have ten days available: in fact, by the time he noticed the language package, he had approximately ten hours before landing in Germany. To Simon’s surprise, he had still retained most of the basic Italian learned at primary school and from his dad.
With one hour to go before landing in Germany, somewhere near Berlin, the pilot took a break and came to sit next to Simon. “Kid, looks like you are in luck! We have just received orders to assist the military exercise by flying some equipment from Berlin to a NATO base called Aviano.”
Simon, not knowing where the new destination was, simply waited quietly as he gathered by the pilot’s grin that he was about to be told.
“Kid, Aviano is the NATO base located in the province of Treviso.”
Simon, unable to find a way to express his joy simply jumped up and gave the pilot a huge hug.
“Easy boy, this is a military aircraft and we don’t want to give the wrong idea to my crew!” stated the pilot showing a hint of a smile.
The landing in Berlin was smooth and Simon was told that he had an hour before taking off again. In order to allow Simon to stretch his legs for a little while without raising suspicions, the pilot provided a flying suit for him to wear. Simon, once changed, simply used the toilet facilities in a nearby hangar and then found somewhere to sit down, go over the Italian language course again, and stay out of the loadmaster’s way.
It was whilst waiting for the plane to take off, that a local German officer offered Simon to use a computer in case he wanted to send an e-mail or use the Internet.
At first Simon declined but then decided that this might be the opportune time to attempt to send a message to the e-mail address found in one of the books sent by his father.
“Hi, I am finally taking my first holiday to visit family. I look forward to getting to my destination as I am almost finished reading this month’s book club selection. As I know you like riddles, here is one that will leave you wanting to come back for an answer: what scares a man that is not scared of sharks?”
The rest of the trip to Aviano went quickly and, aware that within a few hours Simon would be landing in Italy, he spent the flight studying the Italian course. Simon was wondering when the recent batch of luck was going to run out. At first he thought his luck had run out when he decided to use the toilet at the back of the C130. The toilet comprised of a steel round green bin covered with a toilet seat and surrounded by a very flimsy green shower curtain which provided some privacy but allowed limited movement. The experience of attempting to stay within the toilet boundary whilst moving through a bit of turbulence was at first a novelty but within seconds became annoying. Once Simon finished cleaning up the mess that he had made, he decided to head back to the pilot’s cabin and recommence his Italian course.
“Io ho deciso di aspettare finche’ arriviamo in Italia” Simon suddenly heard as he closed the shower curtain behind him. Simon, now staring in the direction of where the words came from saw a grinning Italian officer.
“I will wait until we land” the Italian officer repeated in broken English
“L’unica cosa che ho mancato erano I miei pantaloni (The only thing that I’ve missed were my pants)” added Simon with a smile.
“You speak Italian!” called out the Italian Captain with excitement. “I am Franco.”
“I am Morten” replied Simon quickly thinking on his feet.
“So Morten, you very young to be in Air Forces” mentioned Franco in broken English whilst looking at the flight suit worn by Simon.
“I am not really in the Air Force. I simply managed to bribe an officer in Germany to get me onto a military flight heading to Italy. I love the language and I wanted to see Italy before heading back to Germany to start my university degree” quickly replied Simon whilst attempting to look embarrassed of having been caught.
“No problema Morten, your secret is safe with Franco” replied Franco with a big grin.
For the next 40 minutes Simon felt that his luck had returned. Franco, possibly out of boredom or novelty, decided to take it upon himself to provide tuition on the correct pronunciation, the introduction of colourful words regularly used in the Italian language but unlikely to be found in the dictionary, local Trevisian customs, mannerisms, and the best way to impress Italian girls!
Once the plane landed, Franco handed Simon a business card in the event that he needed help or wanted to catch up for a tour of the local bars. He also handed him a local paper where it contained advertisements for accommodation in Treviso.
Simon, before his departure, also thanked the pilot for all the help. The pilot informed him that he would be back in Germany in two weeks time to pick-up the Malaysian officers for the flight back home and offered Simon a lift back. The pilot also informed Simon that he could simply walk through the airport terminal as this morning there were no Custom Officers on base.
Once outside the gates, Simon stood silently for a few minutes staring at the chaotic traffic of cars and scooters racing one another and beeping their horns. It was then that Simon said to himself: “I’m in Italy!”