The Romeo cafe

Chapter 4 of the thriller "The Imperative U-turn".

Chapter 4

At about eight thirty the next morning Ilayev’s mobile woke him up.

‘Good morning,’ he muttered in English, wondering at first who could it be; and in a second thought he understood that it could be only the press attache’, his temporary operator in fact whose name he does not know yet.

‘Listen Jack,’ Ilayev recognized immediately the voice of the press attache’, whom he met yesterday at the latter’s office for hardly five minutes, and then the latter accompanied him to the embassy’s entrance; and sent him off with a smile, and a hidden threat.

‘I’ll see you at the Romeo Cafe at ten am sharp.’ His temporary operator added and switched off his mobile right away.

One more dirty job but it’s my last one so help me, and if I’ll manage and have it done successfully and unscathed, I’ll retire and return to my Lusya. Ilayev encouraged himself sitting on the hired cab rear seat, on his way to Romeo Cafe.

At nine fifty eight Ilayev entered their planned meeting place, and noticed his temporary operator sitting near a far off table. He nodded slightly his head and with a shade of a smile, he moved towards the press attache’s table ignoring the few customers, which were sitting close to the entrance. As soon as he reached the press attache’s table, he pulled a chair backwards, and sat down facing his temporary operator.

‘Your punctuality impresses me,’ his anonymous operator muttered with a benign smile.

Who the hell does he think he is? Ilayev thought exasperated, but he kept on that shade of a smile, which appeared on his face, when he crossed the Cafe’s threshold and noticed his temporary operator; and kept a very strict control on his inner feelings.

‘So how are you?’ He asked the press attache in English of course, letting him understand that he is not his inferior, on the conrary he realized yesterday already that the press attache is a green horn; and letting his compatriot understand that he is not impressed by his temporary operator’s pompous behavior; and that he wishes to know what he is supposed to do, and end up this unpleasant meeting as far as he is concerned.

‘I’m fine thanks,’ his operator answered drily, and raised his arm to summon one of the waiters.

When the waiter reached their table the press attache ordered beer, as it he and Ilayev are old friends and that’s what they decided to drink while discussing their meeting’s subject.

‘Listen Jack,’ he turned to Ilayev as soon as the waiter left their table. ‘We’ll leave the place togather, and you’ll see me to my car...’ He cleared his throat hardly audibly, and made a slight nod with his head.

So he is going to brief me outside near his car, which means with hardly a sentence or two. Ilayev concluded worried but made a similar slight nod with his head, hinting to his compatriot that he got the message.

@ Haim Kadman 2020 - all rights reserved.