4 Chapter 4

Thomas arrived in Washington D.C. to meet with Smith to receive instructions of his next assignment.

Blending in with the unsuspecting populous he made his way to the Hotel Smith had arranged. Smith arranged all details of an Asset's assignment. All that was required of the Asset was to turn up. Execute the package.

And leave. A meeting had been set at a small café on the West Side,Cafe Le Beck.

Thomas sat anxiously waiting for Smith to arrive. There was something about Smith that put the young man on edge. He had been recruited a year earlier and proven himself proficient. Smith had found him at a bar feeling sorry for himself. And offered him a job. An initial upfront payment secured his services.Smith had offered him a life style beyond his wildest dreams. All in the name of National Security.

Who was he to say no?Knowing Smith would arrive in his own time. He takes a sip of coffee andlooks out at the park opposite and children playing. Patches of snow lay litteredthe ground. Melting slowly away as spring took hold. Returning color to thetrees. The door opens and a bell sounds an arrival, or departure. The Asset looksup and see a man in a dark suit walk in. Smith."Thomas, how are you?" Asks Smith quietly.

"Good... Thank you Sir." Thomas responds to his handler."Settled in okay?"

"Yes Sir."A waitress appears beside Smith and inquires if he would like a coffee?"I'm good thank you. I won't be staying long. But thank you." Smith waitsfor the Waitress to leave before continuing his discussion.

Smith reaches into the side pocket of his jacket and pulls out a small bottle oftablets. Discreetly covering the bottle with Thomas' newspaper and slides ittowards him."Two of these in his coffee will induce a massive heart attack... You knowthe drill soldier."

"Yes Sir.""Everything has been arranged... Your Security Pass...Your name is MaxPecks... Tell them Mister Smith from catering sent you... They'll be expecting...Be there by seven... You've been assigned to the Senator's table."Smith slides the identity card over to Thomas who examines the imageembedded onto it.

"You've been given full security clearance... No one should question you."

"Yes Sir." Thomas takes in the orders.

"Get in. Get out. Go home. I'll call you if we have any issues. Otherwise you won't hear from me. Understand?"

"Yes Sir. In. Out. Home... Thank you Sir." Thomas iterates his orders.Smith looks about for eavesdroppers. But there were few people about thattime of the morning. Outside to the early morning streets the sun was risinghigher and there was a tingle of warmth in the air. Life was returning to thestreets again. Smith felt some pride in keeping the nation safe from misfits anddegenerates.

Thomas looks at Smith and senses a distance. As though he was lost in somecomplex thought. Smith returns to the table and recognizes Thomas. And the purpose of his visit."Thank you Thomas... I'll be in touch." Said Smith gathering his faculties again. Beginning to stand.

"Yes Sir. Thank you Sir... Leave it to me."Leaving as quietly as he has entered, the doorbell barely sounds hisdeparture. Adjusting his collars and hat, Smith walks to a waiting cab anddisappears into the traffic.

Thomas watches him drive away. Wondering whoSmith was and the power that he held over life and death. It felt good to haveSmith as a friend. It also felt dangerous. To take orders without questioning why.His bank account did not complain. Being caught was remote with Smith pullingthe strings. Thomas felt untouchable.Finishing his coffee, examines the bottle of tablets. Two small white tabletsrattled inside the small plastic bottle. Thomas pockets the bottle to his jacket.Shoving them in deep so as not to lose them.With ten hours to kill before the banquet, he would pass the time site seeing.

Already familiar with Washington from a previous assignment. An itinerantMobster blackmailing a Congressman. The body never to be discovered. Buriedunder tons of concrete at construction site. Thomas waved down a passing caband asks to be taken back to his hotel before embarking on his excursion of thecity."Where's everyone?" Frank asks Tomo, seeing the bar deserted.

"You're it... Have a seat... The usual?" Asks Tomo.

"Thanks mate... Just the one today."

"Let's just see how this one goes down okay before you make anycommitment." Pushing a glass of bourbon in front of him."Cheers mate."Forgetting the vow of silence he had made to Smith informs Frank of hisinquiries.

"That guy in the suit was asking after you after you left." Tomo blurted out.

"Said his name was Smith... John Smith. Doesn't sound right, but then who knows."

"What did he want?" Franks looks over to Tomo, wondering how much hehad told him."Not a lot... Just wanted to know your situation... Said he might be in aposition to help you... That's about it." Said Tomo leaving out the Marilyn and Benjamin.

"What you tell him?" Franks looks at Tomo keenly.

"Just said you're looking for work and you come here to pass the time...Must have heard us talking yesterday."

"Thanks for the heads up... He been in today?"

"Nah... I'll let you if he shows up again."

"Thanks... I'd be interested to have a chat with him... Especially if he has work... God I could do with some about now. Sitting around waiting is the worse part... You think it is all bourbon and skittles... It messes with yourhead... Waiting for the phone to ring..."Frank caught himself before he became a broken record.

"Sorry man... I'm rattling on again aren't I?"

"You're all good Frank... You have a right to be... So how's Marilyn? You should bring her in here more often... Maybe she's got a sister."

"No sister thank goodness... But she does have a husband if you'reinterested..." Frank disclosed a piece of information he had been withholding from Tomo up until now.

"No chance of divorce... She's Catholic..." Frankadded.

"Woah man... That's heavy shit... What you going to do about it?"

"Not much I can do... But enjoy the ride I suppose." Frank lifts his glass and toasts Tomo

."I suppose so... Who knows he might have an accident one day... If youknow what I mean... Then you'll be set."

"I like you're thinking big guy... I'd be so lucky."

"Oh well... Enjoy it while you can as you say... Who knows something might come up... Any news on job front?"

"I'm sitting here aren't I? ... This is it." Gesturing his surroundings.

"Whatyou see is the summation of my life."

"Can't be that bad Frank... You have Marilyn and the kids. .. Don't forget...You have your health." Tomo reminds him.And with that timely remark Frank coughs. Wondering if he was comingdown with something.

"Sometimes I wonder Tomo." Sipping a spoonful of bourbon as if medicine.Then another spoonful for good measure.

"You know there's always a job here mate. Happy to have you flippingburgers."

"I'll keep that in mind thanks Tomo... But I'm not quite ready for that."

Dismissing the offer as quickly as it was made. Tomo returns to polishing glasses and Frank returns to focus his concentrationon the large ice cube in his glass. God was proving difficult today. But the Force was strong in this glass. Wondering how many shots Tomo had poured. Rattling God from side to side. A musical beat he was all too familiar with.Mid-afternoon on a mid-week day. A good chance the phone could ring. He had applied for several more jobs that week. Applications gave him hope. But with each passing day of silence, spelt bad news. But Frank always lived in the now.The phone would always sound today. It had to.