The Getaway

Almost four hours later they were sitting in a restaurant, at Sherbruk Av., having a late dinner.

They sat at a corner table facing each other rather secluded, away from the rest of the guests that happened to be there at that hour. They ate their food without a single word exchanged between them.

Nicole seemed to him a bit worried. He could not understand why, they have enjoyed such an incredible bliss together just a short while ago, was she simply tired? Or did some professional issue trouble her?

The carnal reminiscences blurred his thoughts. Thus, he was sipping his wine absentmindedly, taking pains to keep his mouth shut. He did not dare to ask Nicole what the matter was. He knew he had better wait and learn directly or indirectly, out of her next move what bothered her.

He had his share of experience down there, at the villa and although the circumstances were drastically changed, incomparable to their past relationship; still she could fling her fangs at him from time to time. She seemed to be in such a mood right at that moment, and it started to get on his nerves.

'Listen Nick.' She said in a rather low voice. 'There's something I want you to do, a small task.' She added keeping an eye on the waiters, who were some distance off, out of earshot at that certain moment.

The restaurant was almost empty, as the time was ten forty five and most people were having their fun in some other joints at that late hour..

'What is it now? We haven't done with our dinner yet!' He complained mildly.

'Yeah I know, won't you listen to me?' She retorted without the slightest change of expression. 'I'm going to pass you a money belt at the other side, below the table's surface, near the wall. Get hold of it and tuck it with care under your jacket wing, so nobody might see it.' That is what she did right away, bending forward and handing him a folded linen belt on the other side below the table's surface.

'What? I didn't see you putting it on back home, why, what's all that secrecy for?'

'I'll tell you later on Nickie, but right now keep it there with much care.' She went on as he did tuck it neatly beneath his jacket. 'Go to the restroom, shut yourself in one of the cabins, and tie it round your waist, make sure it won't protrude in any conspicuous way.'

Getting to the restroom did not pose any special problems for it was quite close and no one was in his way, and no one was in there while he entered it.

Nick shut himself in the nearest cabin and weighed curiously the folded belt in his hand. Must be some damn exercise no doubt, but what is she checking for Christ's sake? He wondered perplexed. If it's an exercise that belt is stuffed with plain paper, newspaper clips... He told himself opening one of the belt's pockets. Good God, its real money! Plenty of Green backs! What's that supposed to be? Is she checking my reliability, or are they, whoever they might be checking me...? Better leave it as it is! He warned himself excited, while he undressed and tied it round his waist.

As he was coming out of the restroom, walking toward their table, Nicole scrutinized him all the way without a word.

'Well done Nick.' She said smiling as if she was just happy to see him back.

'What's on your mind now? Is that all?' He asked a bit disturbed with the whole business.

'We have got to act real fast!' She said and kept on smiling as if they were discussing the movie they have just seen together. 'We'll leave the place shortly in a cab to the Queen Elizabet Hotel, there's a dancing ball over there. That's our excuse but I'll drop you at the 'Gare Central'. You'll get there right in time to board the train to Toronto, there you'll switch to the Chicago line and reach at the end its airport, I forgot its name.' She noted and waited for his reaction.

'It's O'hare International. But what has happened... Aren't you coming with me?'

'Shut up and listen, got it? Oh yes thanks, O'hare that's it. Okay when you'll get there some fifteen hours from now, get yourself a seat in the best restaurant over there. I don't know the place and I'll have to find you. That's why I want you to wait for me in the greatest and best restaurant, which that airport has and let's hope there's only one restaurant over there.' She stopped abruptly as both of them could see their waiter carrying their last dishes, approaching.

'Do you know the place, have ever been there?' She asked knitting her brows.

'No, I've never been there...' Something must be wrong, something terribly bad must have happened. He thought watching her a bit worried. 'Okay but when would you be there, what time and how long do I've to wait?' He hastened to ask as soon as the waiter left them, ignoring the tasty dish before him.

The whole plan seemed so utterly fantastic, or rather so out of place; he could not grasp what it was all about. But again he knew he had better listen and obey, and sooner or later he would know what the real problem is.

'That's the thing you should ask Nick. That's what I've expected to hear from you. All right, be there from three pm, to five pm, I'll find you. Now then, eat up and let's go.'

The time was four seventeen when a redhead woman wearing a pair of dark sunglasses reached Nick's table at the restaurant, amid the bustling ever lasting come and go of air travelers at Chicago's O'hare International. She pushed a handcart loaded with two handbags and a suitcase, up to his table. Without any kind of preliminaries, she pulled a chair and joined him.

'Hello Nick', she said with that familiar sweet voice of hers, the voice he already missed so much, though he could hardly identify her.

'It's me, Nicole.' She added in a whisper almost. 'Now, do act naturally please!' She said, as if she left him there just a few moments ago. 'As much as you can dear one.' She added smiling sweetly. 'We're boarding a plane.' She went on in a low voice, smiling still. 'So call the waiter and pay the bill, we have to leave in a few moments.'

What is it all about for God's sake? He thought alarmed with quite an amount of frustration already. The wild train ride night and day without knowing the its purpose, the long wait and the fact he did not recognize her troubled him, he was on edge again.

'Is that so, the game isn't over yet then?' He smiled back a forced smile surprised.' Trying his best, to get over his hurt feelings and frustration. 'Are we flying back?'

'There's no time to waste, do as I say and no questions please - I'm serious!' She went on in the same low voice as before, without changing her jovial expression. Reminding Nick with a sudden flashback the way she used to brief him down there, at the villa's yard.
'There's your handbag! The bigger one on that cart.' She added without pointing or looking in its direction. 'Our passports are there plus the flight tickets and as you can guess, plus the boarding cards. I'll tell you when to rise and to what gate we're bound. All you have to do is listen and carry out. It's a must, I'll tell you why later.'

'Okay.' He muttered raising an arm to summon the waiter.

Are we flying back then? Yes that's what is seems to be. He thought on, encouraging himself. There's nothing wrong as far as I can think of... It must be some kind of a test combined with an exercise... Everything is running smoothly it seems...

'Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? I didn't, but have you noticed anything?' She went on smiling, as if they were discussing some trivial personal matters. 'I mean have you seen on your ride down here, or while expecting me in that place anything that might have looked suspicious to you?'

'No, nothing at all.' He answered decisively.
'Well that's very encouraging indeed, it's wonderful I'd say!' Nicole said, raising her voice a bit, watching the approaching waiter - chuckling delightfully.

'What do you suppose we're doing? That's what I'd like to know first -we may talk freely almost here. Yes, just what do you think it's all about?' She asked Nick, when they were seated in the first class cabin of the "PAN AM" 747 jet; isolated almost from a two more couples and a lone businessman, who shared the luxurious first class cabin with them. But they sat quite apart and were surely out of earshot.

'Well, it's some kind of a test, whether I'm reliable at all, and maybe to find out how I will do in some extreme circumstances; that's how it seemed earlier but right now... I don't have the slightest idea.' Nick answered clearing his throat, still perturbed.

Nicole was laughing quietly, and leaning on his broad shoulder she got closer to his face kissed him on his cheek lovingly, and whispered in his ear: 'We're in deep trouble nick! We are on the run. I'm serious, we must succeed, we must make it. It's either our survival, or our doom, we've no alternative between these two options.'

'What's wrong, what has happened so suddenly, are we really on the run? Why, why should we be?' He whispered back to her, in a frightened stammer.

'About a week ago I received a warning from a reliable source in my country, that things might turn drastically against me. Just about thirty six hours ago, at two thirty am, I was summoned to Moscow! I was instructed to leave everything and get there as fast as possible. Well, if I should have left for Moscow, it wouldn't have been just the end of my career, but the end of my life as well.'

'But why? You were doing so well, weren't you? So how come, have things turned out that bad?'

'It has nothing to do with professional capabilities. There has been a change of power over there, and those who couldn't tolerate my existence; who couldn't agree with my nomination as a net leader, in such an important part of the world. Those people are in power now over there; and that's without taking into account the fact that I'm a woman and above all an Eurasian! They are already after my hide right now I believe, that must be the current situation. We mustn't disillusion ourselves.'
'Jesus Christ...!' He muttered in utter despair. 'What are we going to do then? You're not telling me some cover story, are you? Are we really stuck in such a Goddamn mess?'

'Yes we are! It's our lives that are at stake. They would have bumped us off in a matter of hours! They have Andrei right on the spot and I'm quite sure he'll lead the hunt after us. So keep quite, calm down and listen.' She warned him, leaning her head on his shoulder. 'You haven't read it on the ticket then, have you?' She chuckled. 'We're flying to Lima.' She kept on her love's chat close to his ear, in that sweet melodious voice of hers '...the Peruvian Capital, and from there we'll fly to our freedom, to Hanoi, to my country where we first met. If you have any objections, now that everything is lost, we may part at Lima.'

'I'll never leave you!' He declared interrupting her vehemently. 'But why not hide in the states? I've got a brother in California, he'll help us in finding a lone spot where we could stay till things will cool down.'

'No way, it won't do. They'll track us down quite easily there, you don't know how good they are in those matters, do you? We'll never be safe not in the states nor in any other part of the world, except back home and it would jeopardize your brother and his family. But it might prove quite an ordeal for you, as you'll have to lie low for quite a while.

But we'll break off now or in a day or two if you'll wish it, you may fly to your brother. If they'll hunt me down, they won't be looking for you. They'll let you be, you are not a risk for them, not yet.' She added making her best to persuade him indirectly to stay on with her.
She could do without him, his 'huge bulk' was too conspicuous. It was a certain disadvantage and he is not a trained pro who could stop a hit man; and if it is a crew that would be put in their wake, he is useless - as simple as all that.
But if she intends to get back home, she had better keep him at her side up to the last moment, use him as a decoy. They can always split up and she'll see to it, to turn the blood hounds right after him.

'No, never, I'm not going to desert you!' He repeated his vow dramatically, and extended his arm to embrace her shoulder. 'It isn't my fault, is it? I mean my refusal to marry another woman, that certain Jewess and the rest of it?'

'Absolutely not Nick, it isn't your fault, I didn't lie or invent some cover story. I've told you the bare truth.'

They were both silent for a few seconds. Nicole was composed and calm, while Nick was still breathing hard with excitement.

'There's one more opening...' He turned to her suddenly, as if he reached some miraculous discovery. 'We can always turn ourselves in. I mean ask for a political asylum...'

'It's out of the question Nick! But I won't stop you... If you'll decide to join your brother, or hop over to the American Embassy in Lima, it's up to you.'

'I shouldn't have brought it up, sorry. No, I'm staying with you!'

'That's real kind of you Nick.' She replied feigning sincere gratitude, and added after a short break: 'Well, I don't know how it will exactly turn out, it might be rather harsh for you at the beginning, but I'll do my best to help you out.'

'You mean I won't find my way, I won't fit in, even if I would learn your language and customs?'

'It would be hard no doubt but it will work all right, you can count on me.'

He is going to be a real burden... She thought gloomily. What about me, what about my future? They'll put me on the shelf for quite a while, if I'll be that lucky...To get off the plane at Hanoi airport with him at my tail, such an extra load might end up my own career.

But right now she needed him; she might though ditch him in Bangkok, leave him a sum of money to get along on his own and promise him she will summon him a bit later on, to join her. 'I say, we'd better fly to Tokyo, or Beijing.' She whispered to him with a sudden urgency.

'You mean stay there, instead of...'
'No Nickie, not to stay there, goodness you come out sometimes with such...' She cut herself short but kept on whispering in his ear. 'They'll be waiting for us in Singapore and Bangkok, if they wouldn't catch up with us - don't you see?'

'Fly to Hanoi from there, but they aren't fools, they can simply make some inquiries and get on our trail just the same.'

'You've got a point there Nickie, we might stay there for a while.' She added completely surprised by that simple assumption of his, that shattered her theory.