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The first thing that Joan and Arthur were going to have to learn, in Auggie’s opinion, is that there was no such thing as a routine mission if Annie was involved.
It might seem like it was willful on her part, but Auggie could count on the fingers of one hand – (he thought for a moment and revised his inner tirade) without taking off his shoes – the number of times it had been Annie’s failing that had caused one of her missions to go off plan. They should have known from the beginning, from her very first assignment in that Washington hotel, that Annie was, you should pardon the expression, a shit magnet of the highest magnitude.
He heard Joan’s heels coming toward his office and looked toward the door.
She sighed and said, “I assume there’s no word.”
“None. Well, other than the four letter ones I plan on shouting at Arthur when I get home tonight.”
Joan sounded puzzled when she asked, “Is Arthur slated to meet you later?”
Auggie shook his head. “No, I’ve just gotten better about waiting to get home before I scream epithets at my superiors.”
Joan chuckled. “Me, too. I’m lucky that my ‘superior’ can still hear them.”
He could tell she hadn’t left. Auggie was about to say something, he wasn’t sure what, when Joan took a deep breath. “How well do you know Brussels?”
“I haven’t been back since I lost my sight, but, back in the day, I spent two years at NATO headquarters working for the U.S. Mission.”
“And where did you live?”
Auggie smiled. “I avoided the American ghettos and found a nice maison de maitre on the rue du Magistrat in Ixelles.”
“I need to talk to Arthur,” Joan said. “I’m going to Brussels under my State Department cover, and I want someone who knows the city with me. We’ll find Annie.”
Auggie nodded. “I don’t doubt that. But will we find her alive?”
“That’s why I’m asking Arthur if I can take our best man with me.” She turned to leave and then took a step back into his office. “I need to know that you can keep your objectivity on this assignment. Finding Annie is a secondary mission for me. There’s a reason I’m using my public cover, and it’s far bigger than one agent. Annie will be your primary mission, but if I need to pull you off to work with me, I want your head to be in the game.”
“I want to take both my laptops with me. That way, I can keep my head in the game, as you call it for diplomacy, and let the other encrypted computer run its searches for Annie.”
Joan waited a moment before replying. “I can live with that. As I said, I expect that you’ll just be decoration for my role in these Interpol and intelligence agency negotiations, but if I really need you…”
Auggie said, “My head will be in the game.” He heard her start to walk away and called out, “Will I need a tux?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. Formal suits in case I need you, too. Make your equipment requisitions, go home, and get packed. Be back here by five. Our flight’s at eight.”
“Thanks for thinking of me, Joan.”
***
Annie woke up and looked around. She was pretty certain she was still in Europe. She didn’t think she’d gone any farther north than Brussels based on the light from the square of window in her prison. Whoever had taken her was prepared. There was a toilet and shower, neither of which had doors on them, but still separated from the main area for minimal privacy. The water from the shower was potable, and they’d left her a bar of soap and a small towel. The mattress had bedding, even a pillow, so other than the stone floor underneath it, she didn’t sleep too badly.
She wish she knew what she’d done wrong. As best she could tell, her captors were going to let her go. They hadn’t interrogated her. She’d been injected quickly and woke up on the mattress without her purse, her passport, and with all her pockets turned out. They’d left her her clothes, but she was in a deep basement with white washed walls, one tiny window, and facilities. She hadn’t been able to come up with an escape plan. There were always two people bringing her meals, one with a gun on her, and one with the tray. They served everything on paper plates, and she’d discovered they could make anything into a sandwich. She wouldn’t starve; she wouldn’t freeze, and she wasn’t going to escape.
She’d been selected for the job because it was so simple. Neither Arthur nor Joan was trusting her much these days. All she had to do was find out the name of an arms maker. He did special guns for special situations. Once they had his – or her – name, the other details, like who was actually the intended target, would be clear. Her French was good. She had enough Dutch to follow conversations, but obviously something had tipped off her contact that she was not the person she purported to be.
After using the bathroom, she began an exercise routine. If a chance to escape arose, it wouldn’t be good for her not to be in good enough shape to take advantage of it.
***
Auggie took Joan’s arm as they walked from the Hotel Metropole to the American Consulate. It wasn’t going to be a short walk, but Auggie needed to know escape routes he could follow in an emergency, and Joan was still congratulating herself for not killing the small child who kept kicking her seat throughout the seven hour flight from Dulles.
They’d gone about a half mile -- including walking through a train station, when Auggie said, “Can you read the sign across the street?”
Joan said, “Rue Ravenstein.”
“Isn’t there a smaller street, same as our current trajectory?”
“Rue Baron Horta?”
Auggie smiled. “That’s it. We’ll go up the stairs, walk through the park and be at the consulate in ten minutes.”
"You have a great memory for places.”
Auggie gave a wry smile. “Only the places I loved.”
“Brussels?”
“Yeah. Everyone goes on and on about Paris, and I admit there are more bureaucrats here per square foot than even Washington can boast, but between the architecture and the art, this is a great city when you get to know it.”
Joan said, “Let’s hope this trip gets filed in your good memories.”
When they got to the building that housed the US delegation to the EU, Joan asked to see the cultural attache. After their passports were reviewed they were escorted to a room with a couple of Marines guarding the door.
“Cultural Attache?” Auggie said. “Why do we need a cultural attache to the European Union?”
“He handles copyrights,” Joan said firmly, and smiled at Auggie’s disbelief.
One of the Marines went into a full salute and said, “Captain Anderson?”
Auggie and Joan stopped. Auggie said, “Sergeant Veasey, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m happy to hear they let you out of Afghanistan for a better reason than I had.”
“Yes, sir. And may I say you and your men protected our position. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.”
Auggie smiled. “I’m sure that’s not true, but thank you for thinking so.”
“Um, is that your wife, sir?”
“This is my boss, Joan Campbell. Joan, Sergeant Veasey. He’s an old comrade in arms.”
Joan said, “Pleased to meet you, Sergeant.”
The door was opened, and Joan led Auggie into the attache’s office.
“Joan!” The attache pulled her away from Auggie and kissed her on the cheek.
“Nice to see you, Michael. Allow me to introduce one of my top analysts, Auggie Anderson. Auggie, Michael Edgarton.”
The attache took the hand offered and after shaking it guided Auggie to a seat.
When they were all settled, Edgarton said, “I didn’t expect Arthur to send you, but I’ve noticed many of our allies are sending people from your level or higher.”
There was a long pause. “And then there’s the agent that you’re missing.”
“You’ve heard something about Agent Walker?” Auggie asked.
Joan answered, “Michael had men keeping an eye on her. You helped her ditch her tail, so after that point we don’t know what happened.”
“How was I supposed to know it was a friendly tail? My boss didn’t read me in.”
Joan was succinct. “My boss didn’t read me in on that part either.”
“Ouch,” was Auggie’s reply.
Edgarton said, “There’s good news out of this. They weren’t amateurs, so she’s probably still alive. We know that the arms chatter was real, and they don’t seem to be Wallonian or Flemish factionalists. This is the real deal.”
Auggie said, “And that’s good news?”
Edgarton said, “Well, a plot we know about we can prevent. That’s good news in my book.”
“And Annie dies if we prevent the plot.”
Joan said, “Not if we can prevent it by finding the conspirators. Michael has agreed to let you set up in this office. He’ll provide full access to the surveillance tapes on Annie. I’ll review the visuals tonight. If you can find her or if you know who the assassination target is, have word sent into the meeting. Michael and I will both be attending. If you find out who the arms dealer is, send it to Langley for deeper review, and we’ll meet here at four to figure out our next step. Am I clear?”
“Crystal,” Auggie said. “Although, if I’d known I was going to be stuck here all day, I wouldn’t have worn the fancy suit.”
Joan smiled quietly. “I’m sure our entire walk is on a security camera somewhere in Brussels. I’d rather be seen with a man who looks distinguished.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Mister Edgarton, where can I set up?”
***
At four p.m., the office door opened, and Auggie said, “Joan? Mister Edgarton?”
“It’s us,” Joan said, “Did you find anything?”
“I just got back an analysis from a lip reader back at Langley. You were right, Joan, virtually everything can be found on tape here. Annie gave herself away by not recognizing a piece of Flemish slang. Her Dutch was fine up until that point.”
Joan said, “We were under the impression this was a francophone group.”
“Well, as best I can tell, it either isn’t or it’s joint. There’s another phrase that’s repeated ‘nieuwstraat,’ but it doesn’t seem to be a full address. And heaven knows there are at least a dozen ‘new streets’ in Belgium.”
Edgarton said, “But rue Neuve, as I think of it, has long been the center of the black market in specialty guns.” He turned to Joan and asked, “Is it all right if I have one of my analysts review it again?”
“Certainly, Michael. Any help would be welcomed. Anything else Auggie?”
He said, “Before I helped her ditch the tail, she mentioned two defense ministers and two exchequers as a phrase she’d overheard on the first part, the surveillance segment, of her assignment. I put it into the file at the time, but the lip reader thinks one of the words that’s difficult to make out is the name of the current German federal minister for Economics and Technology.”
Joan and Edgarton exchanged a look.
Auggie said, “I can’t participate in that kind of conversation anymore.”
“Sorry, Auggie,” Joan said.
Edgarton said, “It looks like a long time before we’ll get dinner.”
“We’re in Europe,” Auggie said, “It’s fashionable to eat late.”
***
By noon the next day, they’d managed to wake up the delegates from three secret agencies in four countries. By nine a.m. the morning after that, Auggie was being chauffered down to a small town called Beersel. It had taken some negotiating, but he was going to be the diversion for the Belgian commando team to take the farmhouse where Annie was being held.
There’d been an argument. It ended when Auggie said, “No one believes a blind man can fight. No one thinks we can lie. If I can’t read a map or follow social cues, it can’t be because I’m acting. I’ll get farther down the driveway and be more believable as having gotten lost looking for the castle, than anyone else.”
The car came to a stop and Auggie got out. The driver said, “The farmhouse entrance is on your right about one-hundred fifty meters from here. The castle is about six hundred meters behind you.”
“Thank you. Tell the men to await my signal.”
Auggie started down the road. The basic reconnaissance told them there were up to ten people in the house, not including Annie, but during the day the front entrance had only one person covering it. He really hoped their intel was right.
He managed to get a long way up the drive before someone started shouting at him in Flemish. He yelled back, “Do you speak English?”
There was a muffled curse and footsteps came down the drive toward him. “Sir, this is private property. You are trespassing.”
“I’m sorry,” Auggie said. “I thought this was the entrance to Beersel castle? I must have gotten turned around.” He walked closer to the voice as he spoke.
The man sighed, obviously irritated, but not willing to express it to a blind man.
Auggie smiled, “I don’t mean to be a bother, but once I get mixed up it can take a few minutes to get oriented again. Is that east?” He pointed north, away from the area where his team should be crossing the lawn. This was the most dangerous moment for everyone.
He was relieved when the man said, “No, north. And the castle is just south of here. If you turn fully around, and turn left at the gate, it’s less than a kilometer.”
There was a sound of scuffling behind them, and before the guard could call out, Auggie had found the man’s carotid and put sufficient pressure to make him pass out. At this point, he was dependent on the team, and all he could do was listen to the quiet fight around him.
Less than ten minutes later, a gait he recognize came down the path toward him. “Annie?”
“I should have known you’d be part of my rescue team.”
“Yeah, you should have.” Auggie grinned. “I’m surprised you hadn’t managed to get out yourself.”
“Drugged when I was brought here. I have no idea where I am.”
“Still in Belgium. Joan’s waiting for us back at the hotel. And I’m taking you out to dinner on Friday, once we’ve completed both our missions. Tonight too, if you’ll let me.”
“Are you asking me out on a date?” Annie said.
“That’s exactly what I’m doing, Annie Walker. A date. Dinner at Ogenblijk and a romantic walk back to our hotel. I know you might not be ready, but I figure if I don’t ask now, I’ll lose my chance. And Annie, I already know what it’s like to lose you.”
He felt her hand on his neck, and for a split second he hoped she wasn’t going to pull the carotid artery maneuver. Then her lips were on his and his arm was around her waist holding her close to his body. They fit. They broke apart when the men around them started to applaud.
Auggie asked, “Are we missing anyone?”
Annie looked at the men in handcuffs and said, “I don’t know. They kept their faces covered when they brought me food. The men I originally contacted aren’t in this group.”
“Well, we’d better get back to Brussels and debrief you.”
One of the men chuckled as they began to herd their captives to the vans. “Sir, I think you’re the only one she’ll allow to debrief her.”
Annie put his hand on her elbow and began to walk down the driveway. “That’s absolutely right, soldier,” she said.