Chapter Two
Hannibal Inn
Sousse, Tunisia
Marco parked in a back alley, behind a mosque, three blocks away from the inn. He shifted in his seat to face Justin. “You and the girl go through the main entrance, while I bring him around. Buy me time, so we can slip in through the back door.”
Justin nodded. The low-budget inn still had a clerk on-duty around the clock, but no security cameras, which was why Justin and Marco had chosen this particular establishment. Discretion was much more valuable in the activities of a covert operative than comfort or amenities. “Sure, we’ll do that. But let’s switch places.”
“Why?”
“I have an idea about how to distract the clerk. The broken window.”
Marco nodded. “I like that. He’ll have to come out.”
“Exactly.”
When Justin got behind the wheel, they drove for another block, then stopped to allow Marco and the captured jihadist to get out of the vehicle. Then he rounded the last two turns and parked outside the inn’s front door. He turned to Alina and said, “All right, we’ll go inside for a little bit.”
“Is Mommy coming there?”
“Eh ... no, but I’ll be with you. And you’ll be okay. I’ll get you some ice cream. You like ice cream?”
Alina gave Justin a look as if that was so obvious he need not ask.
“What flavor?” he asked.
“Chocolate, what else?”
“Chocolate is my favorite too. Now, when I talk to the clerk, I need you to wait for me at the couches, just inside the door. Just wait there quietly. Can you do that?”
“And then we’ll get the ice cream?”
“You got it.”
Alina nodded and her face formed a small smile. “But I want two scoops.”
“You drive a hard bargain.”
She gave him a surprised look.
Justin shook his head. “Two it is. Now, let’s go.”
When they entered the small lobby, Justin led Alina to the couches. She sat on one of them and gazed at the television screen mounted on the wall, which was playing some kind of talk show. “Stay here, okay?”
“All right.”
Justin approached the reception and nodded at the sleepy-eyed clerk. “How’s it going?”
The clerk stifled a yawn, then looked up from his book. “A long night.”
“It is. Do you mind switching that to some kid show for my niece?”
“At this hour?”
“There must be some cartoon reruns. I don’t want her to see something inappropriate.”
The clerk nodded. He found the remote in one of the drawers and pressed a couple of buttons. The screen changed to a cartoon show featuring a yellow sponge and a pink starfish. Alina smiled and clapped her hands.
“Thanks,” Justin said to the clerk. “She likes it.”
The clerk nodded. “Anything else?” His voice carried a tone of impatience, and he looked at his book.
“Yes, somebody broke my car’s rear window.”
“When did it happen?”
“Not too long ago. Come and have a look.” Justin gestured toward the door and took a step toward it.
The clerk reluctantly stood up. “I’ll call someone. Were you parked here?”
Justin did not reply, but kept walking toward the door.
The clerk followed him.
When they reached the silver Peugeot, Justin showed the damage to the clerk. He shook his head and argued that this was not their responsibility. Justin told him he had no problem paying for someone to replace it, but it would have to be early that morning. The clerk said that he could find someone, but it would be difficult and expensive at such short notice. Then Justin and the clerk began to haggle over the price of a new piece of rear window glass, and how it had to come from another Peugeot, so it would fit perfectly, and it had to be without any cracks, and so on.
When five minutes had passed, Justin felt there had been sufficient time for Marco to make his entrance. So Justin shook hands with the clerk and agreed to the repairman’s coming first thing in the morning. No time was established, so “first thing” could mean anything. It did not matter. Justin was planning to be long gone, before sunrise, especially if his plan worked.
Inside the lobby, Justin walked to the ice cream freezer opposite the reception desk. He picked up three Magnum double chocolate hazelnut sticks, then walked to Alina. “They don’t have the scoopy kind.” He offered her one of the sticks.
“These are fine.” Alina reached and took two of them.
Justin smiled at her, while she ripped the wrapping paper off the first one and took a small bite. He said, “Now, we need to go upstairs for a moment.”
“Why?”
“I need to talk to my friend. It will only take a moment.”
“Then we’ll go find Mommy?”
“Eh ... we’ll ask my friend about that.”
“Okay.”
Justin paid the clerk for the ice creams and gave him a small tip for the help with the car. Justin then took Alina and walked to the room near the end of the second floor, by the exit staircase. Justin knocked the established signal: two short knocks, followed by a long one, and Marco opened the door. “Hey, you took your time...”
“Wasn’t sure how long you needed.”
“I got ice cream.” Alina said and walked inside the spacious room.
“You did? And where is my ice cream!?” Marco walked behind her.
Justin closed the door. “Here, I got you one.”
Marco shrugged. “No, I’m all right. I was just saying...”
“You’re sure? It’s chocolate.”
“I should stay away from sugars.”
“Suit yourself.” Justin tore open the package and took a bite. Then he looked at Alina, who was standing by the window. “Where is he?”
“Locked in the bathroom. You’re ready to proceed?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“And what if he doesn’t know anything?”
“We’ll see about that.”
Marco held Justin’s arm. “No, if he really doesn’t know about Karolin.”
Justin’s eyes burned in a menacing glare at the mention of her name. “His life for hers. A fair trade.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“If he doesn’t know, he can find out. He’s not the leader for nothing.”
“One of the leaders.”
“Yes, but very high up. He’ll talk, or he’ll be in a lot of pain and talk.”
Marco nodded. “You know what you’re doing.”
“Right. Do you mind looking after Alina for a little bit?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“I’ll call you when I’m done.”
“When will that be?”
“Not sure. It will depend on how tough he thinks he is. Sooner or later, everybody breaks. I hope for everyone’s sake that it is sooner, rather than later.”