For a while she clung on to the safety of his arms. He abruptly got out of the bed and freshened up.
“Now – where are you going?”
“Got to go out – get few things and see to it that you are safely out of Amsterdam.”
He had now decided – two people who were close to him during his active days were affected – one eliminated and the other – almost…
“Your passport.” he snapped at her. She was still in her romantic dream regaling in the feeling of his love making, his snap, snapped her out of that dream. Covering herself with the bed sheet she fiddled at her purse and held out her passport to him.
“Jannat Mirza, Hyderabad, India” he read out the information on the passport, “Hey! Where’s your immigration on this passport?”
“Oops … wrong one…” she handed another passport to him.
“Zoya Sultan, Multan, Pakistan … where do you get these rhyming names? … Oh! There’s the immigration stamp.”
He put both the passports in different pockets of his jacket and looked at her, “You hungry?” she shook her head.
“Okay – now be a good girl and stay put in this room and be quiet and discreet. Don’t contact anyone – I’ll be gone for a couple of hours – perhaps more – do you remember the code knock I always used? – Good – I’ll use the same code knock when I return.” He turned toward the door of the room.
“Here” she held out her gun for him, “keep this for any emergency.”
“You keep it – you are on their list – not me…” he quickly disappeared shutting the door behind him in a flash. He deliberately circled the circular passage – away from the elevator and reached the room where blast had occurred. Like any other terrified but inquisitive tourist – he started to push around the group of bystanders who had gathered. Taking advantage of the crowd, he quietly slipped Zeenat’s passport with her immigration stamp into the room – the fumes still emanating from it…
One of the politie officials approached the crowd in a bid to clear it so that they could work and investigate. Like any other ordinary man, he asked the politie officer few stupid questions who turned him away sternly – with a look of dejection he turned away and started to slowly walk away toward the elevator. A hotel employee politely asked him to use stairs instead of elevator and he turned toward the staircase even as one of the politie officers inside the room shouted to his colleagues that he found a passport but no body of anyone…
He was about to put his step down the stairs when he bumped into a woman who tripped. He stretched his arm to arrest her fall. She looked blankly at him for a moment and smiled at him, “Oh! You? I never thought we would meet again…”
“I’m sure you won’t…” he put on a nervous look, “the world isn’t safe anymore, Ms Hu – if I remember your name correctly.”
“Ya – you got a good memory.” she said, “who could have thought that a bomb would go off in a tourist city like Amsterdam…”
He rolled up his eyes feigning fear, “You mean to say that explosion was a bomb? A terrorist attack? – someone told me it was a gas pipe…” he looked as if he was going to faint, “Oh! No… No… I’m not staying here in this city anymore. I’m going to any travel agent in the town and taking first flight, leaving for any destination – no matter where, out of Amsterdam…”
“I’m sure the police here would find out who is behind this.” she said as if to make him feel comfortable.
“No way Ms Hu… I turn on the TV and they tell me about mysterious murders in this city – now this bomb blast – no way that I’m staying here to get murdered.”
He started running down the stairs and she followed him. When they reached the main reception floor, he suggested that even she leaves Amsterdam at the first opportunity and rushed toward the front desk, keeping a wary eye that she wasn’t following him. He saw her strolling casually out of the main entrance as if nothing had happened at the hotel.
‘Victor it seems was correct – MSS cannot be ruled out behind all this mischief’ he thought and made a snap decision. He walked out of the hotel and hailed a cab to Aneka’s travel agency. He reached her office in few minutes. The girl at the reception announced his arrival and was promptly asked to meet her in her cabin. She gave him directions within the office which he was familiar. As soon as he entered her cabin, she locked the door from inside, turned down the blinds and put on loud music so that nobody could see or hear them. She smiled and put her arms around him and kissed him passionately.
“I was expecting you toward closing time… what made you walk in so early? Is everything okay?”
He put Zeenat’s fake passport by name of Jannat Mirza on her table, “I want you to manage that we both arrived from Mumbai on the same plane, exactly similar visa and immigration.”
“Who’s she?”
“Sweetheart – I was in two minds when I met you yesterday. Now, I have made up my mind. I’m flying back to Mumbai as Lion – someone, many people recognize.”
“Honey – what’s the urgency?”
“You told me about those mystery murders in the city – I checked them out – they are intelligence agents from various agencies. In the morning, I met Victor by chance when I decided to check out the new cruise for our date. He was my partner in many missions. Some sniper shot him dead right before my eyes. And this agent…” he pointed at the passport on her table, “she narrowly escaped a bomb that was placed in her room. The same hotel I am staying. The blast was either timed or with a remote.”
“Was she in your room?” she asked him in a tone of a jealous lover.
“Err… We bumped into each other at the reception and were sitting in the bar when the bomb went off. Once we knew it was her room – I gave her the key to my room and asked her to stay put and I rushed here to you… don’t want to lose another friend now… would like to board the first available flight tonight.” he lied to her between his teeth about Zeenat, knowing the jealous tone of Aneka’s voice and questions.
She gave him one long look to check for any giveaway sign or expression on him and shrugged, “Okay – two and half hours. It will be done.”
“Thanks Aneka – I love you.” he got out of his chair and walked around her table and pecked her cheek.
“Oh! No!” she exclaimed, “Lion – the flights leading out of Schipol are heavily booked for a week… the first flight you would get is out of Frankfurt – a nonstop flight to Mumbai leaving in ten hours – full fare first class…”
“Book it – also book a rental for me to drive to Frankfurt.”
“Okay – done – your booking is confirmed – here – I am checking you in and these are the prints of your E-Tkt.”
“You are a sweetheart,” he said beaming at her, “now – passport with visa and immigration stamps.”
“Yours is ready. I got yours done as per your instruction. Gimme about couple of hours to get hers done.”
“Good.” He turned toward the door.
“I thought you will stay here with me till this is done.”
“Other times – I would have – got to go and collect few things before leaving this city.”
She looked at him go out and close the door behind him – her concern for his safety growing – she made phone calls and decided to get the passport done under her supervision and left her office.
Meanwhile, Lion entered a mall, collected a sack for cabin baggage. He walked past women’s section and selected few clothes and garments for Zeenat. He now knew her size to a T.
Aneka returned to her cabin and booked his rental car in time. The girl at reception announced his arrival. He kept the sack at the reception and walked toward her cabin.
“Here’s her passport, stamped, the way you wanted. I booked you rental – should be here any moment.”
“Oh! Aneka – I really wonder many times – what would I do without you…” he looked at her with genuine gratitude, “what’s the expense on all this activity?”
“To hell with money – Lion – I love you – return in one piece and pay me for the services.” she put her arms and kissed him passionately, “You very well know that I don’t indulge in any shady business. I get these shady jobs done only for you. It’s my love for you that compels me” she said amid shower of her kisses, “all I want is to see you safe and romantic – all in one piece.”
“Don’t worry – you know I always take care – it’s like a race – either them or me – and I like to win.” he smiled at her.
“I love you more and go weak when I see you in this mission mode.” she kissed him more passionately. The intercom on her table buzzed announcing the delivery of the rental car.
“I want to see my beautiful Aneka welcoming me with more love when I return.”
He pulled her close and kissing her back. He put both passports & E-Tkt. printouts in his pocket. She looked dreamily in his eyes even as he kissed her bye…
He collected the car and drove back to the hotel. He took the elevator straight from the parking to the floor his room was – he knocked his code on the door.
Zeenat opened the door and he quickly entered in, “here are few clothes you can wear. Choose something comfortable.”
“What’s the plan?”
“We are leaving for Frankfurt in five minutes. We can buy our meals later.”
He waited patiently for her to freshen up and get into clothes he got for her. He then handed the key to the rental car and asked her to sneak into it while he checked out of the hotel.
They got out of the room and quickly made to the elevator. He alighted on the main floor while she carried on to the parking lot. Within few minutes – he joined her in the parking and they drove out of the hotel – out of Amsterdam. They made it to A3 highway in about two hours. He was keeping a fantastic speed in the traffic – they reached Frankfurt in flat five hours … he dropped off the rental and they walked into the airport for formalities. They grabbed their meals waiting for the boarding announcement.
Soon … they were on their way – flying off to Mumbai…