The Tattooed Man hag-2

by Alex Palmer

  The eye swung around quickly. It was heading towards one of the trucks on the edge of the village. The truck door was pulled open, the photographer was climbing inside the cabin. Then his hands were on the wheel and he was driving away at speed. A distance down the road, he stopped to collect a small group of villagers, one of whom was carrying a child. A man climbed in the front and spoke to the driver. He was directing him. Presumably the others had climbed into the back.

  The truck moved on down the dirt road. Eventually it came to another, larger village that seemed equally deserted. They were passing a large white building when the truck stopped suddenly. It had broken down.

  Next, the driver and the villagers were inside what must have once been a schoolhouse. The eye looked out of the window. The other truck carrying the soldiers had stopped outside. In the open space in front of the school, Beck and du Plessis got out of the cabin; the armed men spilled out of the back. They surrounded the building. Through a window, Beck could be seen standing and shouting at whoever was inside the school.

  Then Beck gestured to three of the men. The eye watched them return from the truck carrying jerry cans. Then it followed them from window to window as they threw what could only be petrol against the walls of the building. One of them tossed a lighted rag onto the petrol, which burst into flames. The woman with the child ran out of one of the doors. What happened to her the camera did not show and there was no sound. In its eye view, the walls and roof had begun to burn fiercely. Flames rained down around the camera. It saw people burning. Then it was pushed through a door into another room, a storage area with a window on one side. At floor level there was a long metal grille. The ceiling came down in curtains of flame. The eye was propelled towards the dirt floor against the grille. Then there was nothing.

  When the video was over, Harrigan and Grace sat in silence for some moments. Then she got to her feet and went to the kitchen where she began to make coffee.

  ‘Now we know how Brinsmead got his burns,’ Harrigan said. ‘He was an agent in an undercover operation that went wrong.’

  ‘Yes,’ Grace said shortly, her back to him.

  He went to her. She was crying. He put his arms around her and comforted her, pleased that he had this to do. Anything to occupy his thoughts while he tried to find some meaningful way to deal with what he had just seen.

  ‘That’s why I do the job I do,’ she said. ‘Knowing that people can do that kind of thing to other people. I hate it, and if I can stop them or get them, I will.’

  The coffee was ready. She poured them a mug each and lit a cigarette.

  ‘Go after them,’ she said. ‘Go after the people behind that massacre with everything you’ve got. Get du Plessis. Take him to trial.’

  ‘I’m doing my best. But someone with the authority to do it shut down that original operation.’

  ‘Had they seen that video? They could have prosecuted Beck and du Plessis on the strength of that.’

  ‘But they didn’t. We don’t know why and I don’t think anyone’s going to tell us.’

  ‘Daniel Brinsmead will know,’ she said. ‘Somehow he got out of there and was still alive enough to be flown back to London. He must have had that video on him then.’

  ‘You want my opinion? He’s involved in the shooting up at Pittwater. Him and Jonas together. For all I know, they’re our murderers. I can’t feel for him.’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure.’

  ‘Calvo didn’t have the motive to kill those people and then advertise it. That video gives Brinsmead all the motive he needs to kill Beck.’

  ‘He and Sam didn’t talk that way when I was listening to them the other day. They talked like professional agents. If they are, they can’t be your murderers. Did you find out if they were legitimate?’

  ‘I’ve asked the question. I don’t know when I’ll get an answer or even if I’ll be told.’

  ‘That video is as much motive for Calvo as it is for Daniel Brinsmead,’ Grace said. ‘It’s what she has to cover up. She is a murderer. A murderer just like the people behind the killings we saw on that video just now. Someone who gets other people to do it for them. They don’t even have the guts to do it for themselves. They’re worse than the people who actually pull the triggers.’

  ‘She’s definitely one of them. Grace, you need to calm down. We can only deal with this calmly. That’s the only thing we can do for those people now.’

  Grace moved away, restlessly. ‘I want to know the whys and the wherefores,’ she said. ‘Who’s behind what. Calvo would know.’

  Harrigan’s phone rang.

  ‘Paul,’ the commissioner said. ‘Can you come to a meeting in my office immediately? We have a significant development in the Pittwater investigation.’

  ‘Are you referring to the video that’s on the net, Commissioner?’

  ‘It’s connected to that. We’ll see you as soon as you can get here.’

  ‘I’m on my way.’

  ‘You have to go again,’ Grace said.

  ‘I don’t know when I’ll be back but I’ll call you. I’ll let you know what’s going on. That’s a promise this time.’

  ‘I’ll wait,’ she said, wiping her eyes. ‘What else can I do but sit here and be useless?’

  ‘Just stay safe.’

  It wasn’t yet five when Harrigan hit the road. The traffic was sparse in the early summer Saturday morning. There was a fragile sense of the dawn’s coolness soon to disappear in the heat of the day. When he reached the commissioner’s office, Chloe was waiting for him. She ushered him in immediately. Another man was there for the meeting. Harrigan didn’t recognise him.

  ‘Paul, let me introduce you,’ the commissioner said. ‘This is Stephen Grey; he’s a first assistant commissioner with ASIO. Stephen, this is Commander Paul Harrigan. With the special assistant commissioner’s demise, he’s the executive officer in charge of the Pittwater task force.’

  They shook hands.

  ‘Thank you for coming in at this hour, Commander,’ Grey said. ‘I’ll get to the heart of the matter. I’m here to advise you that at about 3 a.m. today, we attempted to execute arrest warrants on two individuals who, the commissioner tells me, are persons of interest to your investigation: Dr Daniel Brinsmead and Sam Jonas.’

  ‘Do you have them in custody?’

  ‘We do not. They’d flown the coop. At present, their whereabouts are unknown. Let me give you the background. The photograph of the dead associated with your investigation showed a Jerome Beck. Shortly after that photograph was published on the net, he was recognised by a certain agency in Britain with the code name Falcon, a highly secret anti-terrorist organisation. They contacted us and asked us to place a watching brief on your investigation. They sent us photographs of two individuals they were interested in, the two I’ve just identified to you. Both are former agents of Falcon. Both were the primary operatives for the operation recorded in that dossier and also in the video that was posted on the net this morning. Their operation was shut down in December four years ago. It was ruled a failure that almost resulted in Brinsmead’s death. These two individuals have stolen and now illegally published secret information. Both have turned rogue, in other words. Jonas was at one time a highly respected career agent named Sophia Ricks. At present, she’s impersonating a dead woman.’

  ‘I should tell you, Paul, I was aware that this watching brief was in place,’ the commissioner said. ‘When you spoke to me yesterday, I rang ASIO to take advice on what information your squad should receive. It’s impressive that you found these two individuals out through your own investigations.’

  ‘It’s also the reason we’re having this meeting,’ Grey said. ‘Secrecy is of the utmost importance at the present. It was necessary for you to be made aware of the gravity of the situation before that information was passed on.’

  Harrigan thought how much easier life would have been if he had been told sooner.

  ‘Do we know what made these people turn rogue?
’ he asked. ‘Because that operation had gone bad and was shut down?’

  ‘I think that’s a question you should ask them,’ Grey said. ‘They may have felt it was an act of betrayal. From the information I have, my opinion is that Brinsmead was a poor choice for an operation of this nature. I’m advised he was a close, long-term friend of Ricks-not a good situation to begin with-and was chosen on her recommendation for his scientific skills and his previous experience in the army. By all accounts, he didn’t have the temperament for undercover work.’

  ‘You are aware that both individuals were in the employ of or were connected to a Dr Elena Calvo?’

  ‘We do know that. It’s clear she’s been imposed upon. We will be speaking to Dr Calvo in due course. At present, we don’t consider it the right time for an interview. We’re uncertain about her allegiances to Dr Brinsmead. She was previously involved with him, and since his return from the DRC she’s given him a great deal of support. We don’t want her warning him.’

  ‘I think it will be the other way around,’ Harrigan said. ‘I think you should warn her.’

  ‘I’m sorry but that can’t happen. It could jeopardise the operation. I understand she has very professional security of her own. We’ll rely on that.’

  ‘Did the parent agency in Britain know these two people were working for her?’

  ‘They were aware of Brinsmead. We found Ricks for them. As part of our watching brief, we sent an agent to Dr Calvo’s launch. She identified her as Calvo’s personal bodyguard.’

  Harrigan decided there was no future in advising either Grey or the commissioner that he had known about Sam from the beginning and could have identified her from whatever picture they happened to have.

  ‘I’ve advised Stephen that both they and an individual who appeared in this morning’s video, Andreas du Plessis, are persons of interest to us,’ the commissioner said. ‘Could you tell us where we are with that?’

  ‘It’s very early days. The case we have against them is in its infancy,’ Harrigan replied. ‘It’s more a matter of circumstance than evidence, but in my judgement Brinsmead and Jonas are responsible for the killings at Pittwater and also the special assistant commissioner’s shooting. Again in my judgement, du Plessis was the agent responsible for the murder of Senator Edwards and his adviser. Obviously we’re still acquiring evidence.’

  ‘Do you have any idea who du Plessis was an agent for?’ Grey asked.

  ‘Elena Calvo,’ Harrigan said after a pause.

  ‘Are you sure?’ the commissioner asked.

  ‘She’s the one with the motive. She’s got a lot to protect.’

  ‘The senator was a friend of hers. Is she a danger to the community?’

  Harrigan considered it was fair enough to say Elena Calvo had taken care of all eventualities and probably didn’t mean anyone else any harm. Why else might she be prepared to give him the opportunity to remove the one person who could incriminate her: du Plessis?

  ‘No,’ he said.

  ‘Do you have any proof?’ Grey asked.

  ‘We’re in the process of acquiring it. Circumstances indicate there is a connection between Elena Calvo and Beck and also between LPS and Beck’s activities with the International Agricultural Research Consortium. At this stage, I can’t afford to rule her out as a possibility.’

  ‘Whatever Beck was doing has been shut down, hasn’t it?’ Grey said. ‘In which case, Commissioner, we will leave that part of the investigation to you and your people. It’s not our responsibility. That’s a case you’ll have to prove yourself.’

  ‘The issue we have to deal with now is where this leaves our entire investigation,’ the commissioner said. ‘The Minister for Police spoke to me late last night, Paul. The federal government has requested we direct our manpower to support ASIO in their hunt for these two individuals. Obviously, we’ll comply with that.’

  ‘You should know that the British government intends to extradite both Brinsmead and Jonas for stealing and publishing top secret government information,’ Grey said. ‘Those extradition warrants will be ready to be executed very soon.’

  ‘Be that as it may, we still have a significant murder inquiry to pursue,’ the Commissioner said.

  ‘As I’ve said,’ Grey replied, ‘for the British government this is a matter of national security. Falcon is an extremely important agency. Its operations cannot be compromised. If there is a murder trial for these two individuals here in Australia, then there is certain evidence they cannot be allowed to present in an open court. If a prosecution is to proceed, it will need a narrow focus. Specifically, any information relating to the operation in which Brinsmead received his burns will need to be excluded.’

  ‘We can try to do that,’ Harrigan said, ‘but there’s so much information out on the net, it’s impossible that any kind of suppression orders will be effective. Everything on their website has been posted all over the world.’

  ‘Then we have to move into damage control. From here on in we must maintain secrecy and let that publicity die.’

  It would be a useless exercise. Harrigan left this unsaid.

  ‘Do we know why Falcon didn’t pursue Beck and du Plessis for murder four years ago?’ he asked instead. ‘There was enough evidence.’

  ‘I have no information on that,’ Grey said. ‘Our primary role in this is to arrest two individuals who have contravened British national security laws.’

  ‘Where does that leave du Plessis? If we apprehend him, is there any intention he be charged for the massacre we just saw on the net?’

  ‘Before anything, Falcon will want to interview him and determine what he does and doesn’t know. He may also need to be extradited. If his evidence in any way revealed knowledge of Falcon’s operations or its operatives, then that information would have to be prevented from entering the public domain. I understand he’s wanted for murder in South Africa. That may have to be sufficient retribution.’

  ‘There’s a question of how much access we’ll be allowed to any of these individuals once they are apprehended,’ the commissioner said. ‘If they’re to be returned to Britain for questioning almost immediately, when do we get to interview them?’

  ‘You will be given access in due time. But the individuals in question will need to be debriefed first and made to understand what they can and cannot say. Please be assured that we have the political authority of the federal and state governments behind us. It’s their intention we cooperate with the British secret service.’

  ‘How long will these debriefings take?’ the commissioner asked. ‘How will we be advised when these people are available to us?’

  ‘You will be informed at the right time. You have my word on that. Meanwhile, we’ll continue with the manhunt. Does that cover everything?’

  ‘Paul. Do you have any questions or comments?’

  ‘These two people have already been driven to act in extreme ways,’ Harrigan said. ‘I wouldn’t underestimate them, particularly now. You may not find them easy to track down, particularly Jonas.’

  ‘This is where you come in, Paul,’ the commissioner said. ‘I’m making the information you’ve collected so far available to ASIO. With your and your squad’s assistance, they will analyse it here. That process will begin first thing this morning.’

  ‘We’ll cooperate in every way.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Grey said. ‘I think that’s all for the time being. Our agents will be here soon. I understand your people are on their way in, those that aren’t here already. Good morning.’

  ‘Is Elena Calvo really your choice for the individual du Plessis is working for?’ the commissioner asked as soon as Grey had left the room.

  ‘The evidence is circumstantial. But she’s the one with the motive and the means.’

  ‘If that’s the brief you’re going to present to me, it will need to be based on something stronger than circumstantial evidence. Now, regarding this turn of events. Realistically, we have no choice, Paul. The Minist
er for Police made it very clear to me last night that we are to cooperate. I advised him we’ll do what’s asked of us.’

  ‘Commissioner, if I could say this. You didn’t advise me that this watching brief was in place. We might have been able to assist you with it.’

  ‘I advised no one,’ the commissioner said. ‘At that stage, I didn’t know who I could trust and that’s a fact. Given the events of this last week, I think that judgement has been well and truly borne out. But the situation has changed. There’s another matter I wanted to discuss with you. Are you happy in your present job?’

  ‘It’s challenging. I find it satisfying,’ Harrigan replied, taken by surprise.

  ‘Now that the special assistant commissioner is no longer with us, I intend to reorganise the executive ranks. I will be advertising several senior positions quite soon. My advice to you is that you apply for one. I can’t promise you a position, of course, but I can promise you your application will receive very careful consideration.’

  ‘Thank you, Commissioner. I’ll think very carefully about it.’

  ‘Good. Now, this morning’s liaison meeting between ASIO and your squad’s senior people-I want you to chair it. I’ve scheduled it to start at seven thirty. In the meantime, would you like to get some breakfast? Chloe’s arranged a buffet in the executive meeting room.’

  ‘Commissioner,’ Harrigan said, ‘the video that was on the net this morning. What action are we taking about it?’

  The commissioner pushed his papers to the side irritably.

  ‘It’s not in our jurisdiction. Leave it to the International Criminal Court. Realistically, we have no power to act. You must know that.’

  The executive meeting room had a view. If Harrigan’s application was successful, he would get an office like the one Marvin used to have, with a similar outlook. Better than the villagers he’d seen on the net this morning, whose only view was the dirt on the sides of their makeshift graves. He ate from Chloe’s generous buffet with a bitter taste in his mouth. If he applied for a senior executive position, where would that leave him with Grace? Nowhere, most likely. It would demand even more of his time. Life had snookered him by giving him what he most wanted while making it taste sour at the same time. His phone rang. He was relieved to have his thoughts broken.