New Encounters

by Helena Smith

  ‘Was that okay?’ I can see he is trying to please me, and he has been so supportive.

  ‘Thank you Robert, it’s relaxed my body a bit.’ I stand up and kiss him and wrap my arms around him. ‘I need to call my Mum. Tell her what has happened.’

  ‘Oh of course. I will leave you to it. ‘

  ‘Thank you’.

  I pick up the phone and an hour later, I have updated her with everything that has happened. She cries and I cry. We both cry together and admit how helpless we both feel. There is nothing we can do, but sit and wait. I feel shattered again with having to relay the same story. I get a text from Roberts cousin, Caterina.

  * I have heard what has happened. If you need me, I will be over straight away. For now I will leave you in peace xx*

  Oh Caterina, how I wish it was last week and we were sat on the beach again, or in the bar sipping cocktails. She made me feel carefree, I was carefree last week. I have forgotten how that feels, it just feels so distance. I really wanted to introduce Ash and Caterina to each other. I had it all planned out. Ash and I would go out for the day with Caterina and then hit the bars together. Ash would really like Caterina, the way she is, her attitude. I replied to Caterina.

  *Thank you so much. Just pray... I am. xx*

  I decide it’s definitely coffee o’clock and head downstairs. Padding through the deep carpet in my bare feet and then onto the cold marble. My room was so warm, and this marble makes me shiver a bit. I think I might get my coffee and take it outside in the sun. I think my sunglasses are downstairs, if not I am sure there are some near the terrace doors. As I reach the bottom few steps I can hear Robert and Giuseppe talking in the lounge.

  ‘Turkey? Shit Robert. When was this?’

  ‘Last night.’

  ‘Do we know anything on the guy that has taken her?’

  ‘No... no fuckin idea yet. But when I do find out, he will be taking his last breath.’

  ‘Where do you reckon they could be heading.’

  ‘I think we both know the answer to that one. Middle East. I just wish they would hurry up and make their ultimatum.’

  Rage takes over me, blind rage. My body is propelling through the doors before I even have a chance to think and I scream at them.

  ‘What the fuck are you both talking about?’

  ‘Shit... Bella... ‘Robert walks towards me and I step back shaking my head at him. My chest heaves up and down to try and get enough breath... to explode.

  ‘TELL ME NOW’

  ‘Bella... calm down’ its Giuseppe's turn to try and come towards me. But he gets the same treatment as Robert and I step back.

  ‘Calm down........ You must be shitting me. Both of you... tell me now before I seriously explode’

  ‘We have traced the phone, but it was to Turkey. I sent someone along as the phone had stayed in the same place for a while, but it was a dead end. The phone was lying under a hotel room bed.’

  ‘So why do you think that they have taken her to the Middle East?’

  ‘Ash left a sign.’

  ‘What? Tell me know.’

  ‘Well when my guy went in the room, he checked everywhere and found the phone. He had to check into the room so that it didn’t appear suspicious to the hotel staff. He went for a shower that night and the steam in the room had caused the mirror to steam up. Ash had left a message on there.’

  Ash and I used to do that to each other sometimes for a laugh at home in our bathroom. Leave jokes or messages in the mirror for a laugh, like a pair of saddos.... but it was our thing.

  ‘What did it say?’

  ‘You really want to know?’

  ‘What do you think?’ I am spitting as I say this to him. I am furious. How could he keep all of this from me. Robert shifts from foot to foot. The first time, that I have ever seen him looking uncomfortable, and quite frankly... out of his depth.

  ‘It said..... ‘They think I am Bella. Don’t believe I’m not. His name is Feda. Taking me to Middle East. Say they going to behead me’...... that was all she could fit on the mirror.’

  ‘oh my god.’ I manage to make it to the one of the chairs and collapse into it. The room is spinning again and I have pain across my chest. I can’t breath, but I can hear Giuseppe shouting at Robert to get a paper bag from the kitchen. He runs back and gives it to me to breath into it. Eventually it calms my breathing down, and Robert is on his knees beside me.

  ‘I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Sorry? Have you even bothered to tell the police?’

  ‘No... no I haven’t but I have good reason.’ I have to speak in between taking breaths into this brown paper bag.

  ‘Tell me one good reason Robert. One good reason why you think it is better that the Police are roaming around France looking for Ash.’

  ‘They will mess this up. That’s why. They have no idea who they are dealing with. We have contacts in the Middle East and will sort this out.’

  ‘I’m confused. You know who has taken her?’

  ‘Well, we know of the organisation. They will not harm her, not yet. They want something. We don’t know what... yet, but they want something and we will find out soon.’

  ‘How will they know to get in contact Robert?’

  ‘They want that something from us, that’s why they have taken Ash.’

  ‘So they think she is me... they took her because they thought that she was me and they did it because of you and your family?’

  ‘Yes.’

  Giuseppe tries to intercept and diffuse the situation.

  ‘Bella... we will sort this out. Like Robert said, they want something and will be in touch soon for it.’

  ‘What exactly do you lot do? What people are you involved with? What are you, involved with that someone wants to get back at you so badly that they would resort to this?’

  ‘We deal in business transactions. It’s very complex.’

  ‘I want to go back home.’

  ‘No. Bella this is not a good idea. If you show up in the UK and they hear it’s you, they might decide that Ash is worthless. You can not be seen or you will be putting Ash’s life in danger.’

  I am speechless. My whole world is collapsing around me. I have so many questions in my head, but I don’t know if I can trust their answers. I can’t let them be the ones to sort this out and find Ash on their own. They could put her at risk. I have to tell this Detective, but I can’t exactly use my mobile. I don’t want to be overheard. I also don’t know if they have tapped my phone. Noooo that would be ridiculous. But my gut instinct tells me to use a phone box. The nearest one is down in the town. I need to make an excuse, one where I can get out of the house alone.

  I wait painstakingly for hours, to let the dust settle. Then I will find a way of getting out of this house. I need to tell the Detective.

  CHAPTER 34

  In a hot sweaty town, full of hustle and bustle there is a secluded park. Chris strolls along with his coffee and a newspaper, and finds the 3rd bench from the East exit and sits down. As instructed he opens the paper and puts the coffee down on his right hand side. The guy with no name will meet him there. Chris sees out of the corner of his eye, exactly at 2pm a guy strolling towards him. Beige pants, white shirt, panama hat and sunglasses. Chris chuckled to himself, as the guy looks a right prick. It will be some guy stationed in Columbia in a sub station attached to the CIA, MI5, or some government or other. These are the guys who thought they controlled it all, and always came across as pretentious arseholes. In reality, then never saw any action never mind being directly involved. These were the guys who would swap briefcases with you on a train, or slip you a note on a bus. These were the guys without any balls, but wanted to feel like a spy. Hilarious really, as all they were.... well, they were messengers. This messenger looked like he needed to run up the Brecon beacons himself.... more than once and shift some of that fat. Chris folded the newspaper in half picked up his coffee and put the newspaper in its place. The messenger sat down, and put his newspa
per down next to it.

  ‘Last super went well.’

  ‘Yeah, the plates were clear.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘See you then.’

  Chris picked up the other paper and walked off in one direction, the messenger picked up the other paper and began to read a few pages, before he too... would walk off in another direction. Chris went back to the cheap hotel on the outside of town. He wasn’t about to book himself into a fancy hotel, there would be too many people too interested. This way, they would be overlooked. He did think he was being followed at one stage, so he had to loop around a few times to check, but it was all clear. There was only so many times you could do the little tricks to shake a tail off before you ended up sticking out like a sore thumb. Chris knocked on the door twice, waiting a second then knocked twice more. Bob let him in the room. Whenever they did operations, they always treated everything as though they could lose their partner at any time. That way, they were always covered. Chris had known of some operatives being left with no radio, no weapons, no money or passport. Bad times.

  ‘Did you meet the messenger?’

  ‘Yep, all fine.’

  ‘Let’s see it then.’

  They had both been told they were going on another op straight away. You never knew anymore then that. Not until you got the details from the messenger. They weren’t exactly the kind of details you could send over email. No emails were safe from hacking. Not only that, but if it was a government against government operation.... they were always watching emails. Contrary to belief, the documents wouldn’t self destruct in 10 seconds either. That job was still manual, and had to be done with great care.

  Bob and Chris stood side by side and opened the newspaper up, it revealed the file they were waiting for. Top Secret - Confidential. Chris always chuckled to himself when he saw that. I mean... really....? If someone picked up a file in the street and it says Top Secret - Confidential on the front are they really going to stop themselves from having a look?

  It was an assassination job this time. Looks like these guys have trod on some toes as well. The guys in question were a family of 4, based in Sicily. Two brothers and two uncles. It was to be a straight job, go and suss the joint out, then take them all out with our method of choice. We didn’t have to do the clear up afterwards.

  Roberto Costa - Head of the Mafia family, based in Sicily. Recently started dating a woman who is unknown so far, from the UK. Travels regularly to the Middle East, particularly Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan to trade in weapons. He is one of the world’s largest weapon dealer and responsible for arming many of the third world countries.

  Objective: Neutralise

  Giuseppe Costa - Roberto’s brother and right hand man. Not dating anyone currently, based in Sicily with his brother in their family home. Travels regularly to the Middle East, particularly Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan to trade in weapons and he also dabbles with the drug import and export business, heavily involved with the Cartel Columbia.

  Objective: Neutralise

  Vito Costa - Uncle to both Giuseppe and Roberto, aids them in all of their business dealings, and help distribute the instructions for assassinations.

  Objective: Neutralise

  Salvatore Costa - Uncle to both Giuseppe and Robert, aids them in all of their business dealings, and help distribute the instructions for assassinations.

  Objective: Neutralise

  Summary: They will be meeting in 3 days in the house which is attached to this report. If anyone is there, they must also be neutralised.

  ‘These two clowns were here in Columbia going into the house the other day. I recognise them.’

  ‘Yeah me too.’

  ‘Well we have the address. We have our fake passports at the ready, time to bail out and get onto the next one then.’

  ‘It sure does, hey you reckon they have brothers called Mario and Luigi? Haha’

  ‘Probably mate, you know what the mafia are like. They have the biggest families ever. Your turn to destroy the file.’

  Both of the men had read and mesmerized the contents including aerial shots of the house, floor plans, photos and names. There was really nothing else to say on it, but to get on with it.

  CHAPTER 35

  I had sat outside for a while and had barely been speaking with both Robert and Giuseppe. If I hadn’t been shitty with them, they would have suspected something when I wanted to go out. This way, they should let me go freely, but I know they will probably have me followed. So I will have to be clever and give them the slip. But I have to speak with the Detective and tell him everything I know. I don’t even care if it breaks Robert and I up. All I am bothered about is getting Ash out of where ever she is and back home. Robert comes to join me.

  ‘Are you still mad at me Bella?’

  ‘Well, let’s just say I am not impressed that you never told me, but I understand your reasons.’

  I smile at him, and hope he feels more settled with my answer. I do this for a reason. I need to make sure that I keep him and his brother on side. Not only that, but I need them to keep telling me information. So I need to keep a lid on my anger.... for now.

  ‘Robert, I think I am going to go into town.’

  ‘I will join you’

  ‘No, if you don’t mind I would like to go on my own. I just need some time to get my head around things, and get a coffee. I just want to lose myself for a bit, and not talk to anyone. You know... ‘

  ‘Of course, I understand. The driver will take you in.’

  ‘Thank you.’ I bent down and kissed his forehead, but I have to say I feel like slapping him across his face and not kissing it.

  I walk upstairs and pick up my bag. Someone had been in it, because one of the texts that has come through has been read. Why would someone be checking my phone? But then and again, at the moment, I have no idea who to trust and what to trust. It will be someone in the house that has done it. Checking to see if I had told anyone. That settles it, I am going to have to use a pay phone. The driver takes me in, and drops me off near the square. As I walk down the street with my sunglasses on, I pull out my compact and pretend to look at my hair. I can see a few old ladies behind me and there are three men walking along, one with a baby blue shirt, one with a white shirt, the other with a beige shirt. I walk along the streets and go into some of the shops and try to get a peek out of the window but its difficult to see properly. I walk down some more little lanes and there is a beautiful mirror shop. There is a massive mirror, and I hold it up pretending to admire it and look for any blemishes before I buy. But I can see them, all stood pretending to look at something else. Either Robert has sent them to spy on me, or he is worried for my safety. Maybe its both, but at the moment, its not my main concern. I only have one priority right now and that priority is called Ash.

  I go into a women’s clothes shop and grab something off the rail to try on. If lady luck is shining on me there will be a window in the changing room. If not, then I will find some way. As I walk in, I could cheer, but that would be wrong right now. There is a window big enough for even my arse to get though. I put the top down and stand on the chair and manage to haul myself through. The window sill hurts my stomach as I drag myself through the gap and fall awkwardly onto the cobbled road. I would not make a commando unit, but at least I have got them off my back for a bit. I run down the cobbled road and turn right. I want to get maximum distance between me and them. As for the awkward questions from Robert, well... I will have to get round that. Actually... sod that, I will have a go at him for having me followed.

  I walk briskly now so as not to cause too much attention and walk until I find a phone box, there has to be one somewhere. Then near the bus station there are some pay phones. I pull out my euros and my mobile and dial the Detective. I hope he picks up... if he doesn’t he is going to get some long messages on his voicemail. Come on....Come on.... pick up...

  ‘Detective Wise speaking.’

  ‘Detective, its me Bella.’ />
  ‘Hi Bella. I don’t have any further updates for ..’

  ‘Sorry to interrupt but I need you to listen to me carefully. I really don’t have long until Roberts bodyguards find me.’

  ‘Bodyguards?’

  ‘Yeah, they have followed me into the town and I have managed to give them the slip. I’m calling you from a payphone as well and only have so many euros. I didn’t want to use my phone as someone has been checking it. And..... ‘I am ashamed to say this. ‘I don’t know if my phone is tapped.’

  ‘Go on Bella’

  I tell him everything I have learned over the past 24 hours. Everything that Robert and Giuseppe told me, and how Ash was in Turkey, how she had left a message on the mirror and how they think she is me. I shudder as I have to vocalise that she believes she will be beheaded. That Robert and Giuseppe think she is in the Middle East, but they didn’t want me to tell him. That they think the Police will cause too much of a risk.

  ‘Bella. Well done for finding a way to tell me all this, and quite frankly, you have done the right thing. For now, they are probably right about you not going back to the UK. If they learn that the real Bella is alive and well and not the girl they have, it could put Ash in even more danger. As for them not telling me, this is not the right thing to do. They are doing this to protect themselves and who they are.’

  ‘What do you mean who they are?’

  ‘I will explain another time. For now you need to ensure that you stay there for now. Can you do that Bella?’