Choices. Jeff Edwards
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to act as though I didn’t have a care in the world, but my knees were shaking wildly and I was glad to climb behind the wheel of my car.
I wasn’t sure what I should do next and elected to think about my next move while slowly driving around the city and renewing my knowledge of the capital. With no plan in mind I let my instincts take over, and after a few turns and roundabouts I found myself outside my former place of work in the suburb of Russell.
This was familiar territory for me with the offices of the defence department and the department of the army facing one another across Blamey Square, with both buildings being overshadowed by the towering memorial that stands in the park between them.
Reaching to the sky is a tall slender column topped by a large globe on which sits a stone eagle, its wings standing upright behind. This is the Australian‒American Memorial commemorating the co-operation between our two countries in past conflicts.
I parked my car and took the opportunity to walk slowly around the memorial while remembering the times I had passed here on my way to work. Craning my neck backward, I looked up at the eagle atop his column and recalled the jokes.
With its wings erect behind its body and seen from various angles around Canberra, the eagle looked more like Bugs Bunny with his ears erect than the fearsome eagle that it was supposed to be. In fact the entire area is sometimes referred to as Disneyland by those people who work here and the antics that sometimes went on behind closed doors in the surrounding offices made the name seem accurate.
I glanced over to find the Holden parked not far from my own car, and decided to give its occupants a guided tour of their nation’s capital. It was something that I had never bothered to do when I lived here even though my friends and I had often promised ourselves that one day we would.
From Russell I led them across Lake Burley Griffin to Capital Hill, passing around Parliament House several times so that they could see it all, then on through the streets of Yarralumla, passing the many embassies there, and then back to the shores of the lake, where we drove up and down streets that separated the many government departments, courts, libraries and museums. I then led them back the way we had come, past the war memorial and on up to the top of Mount Ainslie.
For the entire day my body had been operating at a manic level, pushed on by vast amounts of adrenalin and it was beginning to have an effect on me. I knew I had to slow down and rest. Tomorrow was going to be crucial, and I needed to have my wits about me.
No longer caring whether my watchers were behind me or not I drove back to the van park.
I considered turning my phone on to see if there were any messages, but decided against it. I’m not in any mood to talk to anyone, I said to myself as I flopped onto the bed.
Completely drained, both physically and mentally, I was soon asleep.
CHAPTER 5
Dan
I awoke in the predawn darkness, and lay in bed tossing over the events of the past twenty-four hours. What had I been thinking of? I remonstrated silently. I must have been out of my mind to think that something like this would get me out of trouble. Over and over again I considered the options I had previously dismissed, wondering desperately if I could revisit them in some way in a vain attempt to return some form of sanity to my life.
But with the rising of the sun came the realisation that what had been done could not be undone and that I had no option but to continue with the charade. As my old Uncle Bill had instilled in me at an early age, ‘You look at the cards that you have been dealt, and that’s the hand you play. It’s pointless betting on a full hand if you only have a pair of fours. You may win on a bluff a very small percentage of the time, but those wins won’t make up for all the losses.’
I considered the hand I was holding at that point in time be about equal to an ace, queen and three small unsuited cards. To win with cards like that would require a great deal of bluff and a large dose of luck.
With plenty of time on my hands I ate a leisurely breakfast at a pancake shop in Civic, noting that my followers were sharing a table across the room from me.
I hoped that they had both managed a full night’s sleep and were on their game because it was important that they didn’t lose contact with me today. I had to make sure that they saw exactly what I wanted them to see, and that they reported the details accurately to their superiors.
I left the restaurant but remained standing outside in full view. Hoping my watchers were close by, I took my phone from my pocket and punched into it a series of numbers.
I was very relieved when from the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the female officer standing inside the door trying to catch every word I spoke.
‘I’d like to speak to David Jones on extension 451,’ I said into the phone.
I waited several seconds. ‘It’s me … I’m here. Just up the road. It’s all gone pear-shaped. I have to see you … no it can’t wait. Like I said, I’m here right now. It has to get sorted out today … no I wasn’t followed … yes. I’m sure … no it has to be today … I don’t care how long I have to wait. I need it sorted … ok. I understand. Get there as soon as you can. I’ll be waiting.’
On my way back to my car I stopped into a newsagency and debated whether to pick up a few magazines, but decided instead on a cheap pen and a book of puzzles. I needed to keep my mind alert, and I had already read the surfing magazines they had on show.
Making sure my followers were close behind, I drove back out to the suburb of Russell, but instead of heading toward my old work address, I parked outside a smaller building closer to the lake.
The office of the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation, better known as ASIO, had long outgrown its original office and was now scattered in many different office buildings throughout the capital and plans were afoot to rehouse the agency in a new headquarters. If only the local community would allow them to do so, which they were not. No one it seemed wanted a large gathering of spies permanently stationed in their backyard, if any of the articles in the papers could be believed. I guess they were all afraid the building would be a likely target for terrorists.
I entered the building and took a seat in the reception area making sure that it was as far away from the security desk as possible, and I hoped that the agency’s current disorganised state would work to my advantage. After looking around to make sure there was no one else in my vicinity I made myself comfortable, took out my pen and puzzle book, and settled down to wait.
* * *
‘He’s inside ASIO headquarters waiting for someone,’ reported the male follower.
‘How do you know he’s waiting for someone?’ asked his superior.
‘He was on his phone talking to someone named David Jones,’ said the agent consulting his partner’s notes. ‘Ruth heard him and took it all down. He asked to be put through to a David Jones on extension 451.’
‘That’s impossible,’ responded his boss. ‘Are you sure he wasn’t on a public phone? When did he place this call?’
‘He was out in the street using his mobile, not more than a half hour ago.’
‘No he wasn’t. His mobile phone is being monitored and it hasn’t been turned on since he left his house. He’s had a lot of people trying to contact him and his message bank is full, but he hasn’t attempted to turn that phone back on.’
‘So he must have a second mobile phone. One we don’t know about.’
‘It appears so.’
‘With an untraceable mobile phone there seems to be more to Mr Travers than meets the eye. I’ve sent an e-mail to ASIO requesting that they clarify his current status. I’ll let you know as soon as I receive a reply.’
‘How much longer do we have to stay on his tail?’
‘If