Gad

The third chapter of the thriller "An irretrievable step."

Chapter 3

The next three days passed rather quickly. He was very busy in instructing and training his men, in day and night drill and on Thursday he had almost forgotten the meeting at Eliot Café. But at lunch time at the base mess hall, Major Barzive winked at him as he passed along Seri's table, and Seri suddenly remembered the appointed meeting.

Right after supper Seri rushed out to the base headquarters where the base staff transportation van was parked, he knew he must not miss it, not at this evening.

He reached town and the Eliot Café street quite early, as he had no intention to sit and wait impatiently near one of the cafe’s tables; he decided to go window shopping, to pass the extra time left up to his meeting.

At five minutes to seven he entered the café chose a free table and sat down waiting with much expectancy. He had sense enough not to watch the entrance, and dedicated his attention to the Café's menu.

A waitress approached his table and looked down at him with a quizzical look.

'I'm waiting for someone,' he told her and she left him in peace.

I hope he'll be punctual whoever she or he may be. Seri thought nervously but right at that moment at six fifty nine pm according to his watch, a young man about Seri's age entered the café, and went straight to Seri's table.

The stranger pulled backwards the first free chair next to Seri's table, and sat down facing Seri.

'My name is Gad and I'll be your contact for the time being, now summon the waiter please.

As he was already used to that kind of parley right to the point, Seri raised his arm and summoned the waitress. She came right away and Seri glanced at his guest waiting for his order.

'A long espresso,' Gad told the waitress.

'I'll have the same please,' Seri said avoiding the waitress lovely features.

'Won't you have some pastry?' She asked.

'Well go ahead if you feel like it, you're my guest.' Gad encouraged him with a smile.

'No thanks just a long espresso.'

While the waitress was on her way, Gad pulled a small pad out of his breast pocket and a pen.

'I'll have your name, your I.D. number and your phone number, before she returns.

With this stage done with and over their coffee cups, Gad asked him a few general questions, where his parents live; does he have a girl friend, the state of his health and so on.

As Gad (if that was his real name) was a pleasant person a couple of years or more older than Seri, and had a well shaped body and was a charismatic type, Seri felt rather composed in Gad's company, and answered his questions without hesitation or doubts.

'Do you've any idea what's expected of you?' Gad asked him quite unexpectedly right after a short lull, while Seri was sure that the meeting reached its end.

'Not at all, but just the knowledge that it's a very different job, compared to what I'm doing now.' Seri replied and watched Gad's eyes with expectancy.

'That's right it's different indeed, and it will demand from you much more efforts, mental efforts in particular compared to what you're used to up till now.' Gad added with much decisiveness, but that was all he said about it.

'Well think it over during the weekend, and if you won't change your mind call us again next Monday, and we'll talk. You may leave now.' Gad added and wrote a few words in his pad, to sum up that first meeting with their new candidate, which his friend the Major recommended him.