FORTY-FOUR

Jay navigated through the city and onto the highway. Pat removed his tie and used it to bind the gunshot wound in his shoulder. Jay had no sympathy for him, nor for Cliffe and Taylor. They'd made their choices and Jay had made his. His thoughts were of Sarah.

'Why did you get Sarah involved?'

Pat looked down at his wound and then to Jay. 'You interrogated her and made her look like an idiot. She almost left the Agency. I figured she stayed to learn and to one day be better than you. I wanted it to be revenge against you. Wished it had been. Actually convinced myself that's why she stayed in the program. But I underestimated you both.'

'A lot of that happening.'

'Sure, I knew what you were capable of in combat but I assumed I could manipulate her to help me out without you cluing in to it. She was feeding me some good information until she disappeared.'

'What is this really about? I gave the right people the right information years ago.'

'Yes, you did, and we acted accordingly. That document wasn't a problem for us. We knew you wouldn't give it up, or rather couldn't access it to give it up. Nobody knew the password. It really wasn't a problem until Catherine recruited the right people with the right access. There's a very good reason why Mossad are the best intelligence collectors in the world.'

Pat's tone betrayed that he'd known about the document from the start. Yet Jay was sure he wouldn't have been briefed on it. Maybe he was wrong. Either way, it was just another lie he'd told. 'Yeah, I know all about Mossad,' Jay said. 'They don't stop until the mission is complete – no matter what. Thing is, how the hell did they know about the interrogation of the Iraqi general in the first place?'

'The two agents who took him away from you were Mossad, not CIA.'

Jay whistled. 'Not a chance. That's some serious infiltration. We had special forces elements from all over the world there and serious hardware protecting us.'

Pat gave a slight chuckle until he realised how much it hurt. 'One big game of double-cross from the start. Welcome to the espionage business. Anyway, you know most of the rest except that I convinced Primrose his wife was not Catherine Zinner when I dug up some old photos, sent them to him and told him to compare them to his wife. He wasn't too happy. I brought him in on my side and sent him to pick you both up at the hotel. Unfortunately, you killed him before I could get the document from him.'

Something still wasn't right. 'Wait a minute. Are you still trying to say that everything you've done has come with the PM's blessing?'

'Doesn't work like that, Jay. Plausible deniability. I got told this was my last assignment and to do what it would take to prevent that document from getting out.'

'So you're not being a rogue agent, in it for some type of profit?'

'No, I'm not. Honest.'

Jay wasn't convinced. He hated it when someone claimed to be honest, trying to qualify a statement. In his experience, it generally meant that they weren't being entirely truthful. He kept the thought to himself. For now. 'I guess things have escalated now that you know about the disc.'

'I haven't passed that on yet. If anyone else knew, you would disappear fairly quickly.'

Jay didn't doubt it. 'Why did you have to drag Dad into it, and Bowen?'

'There's no way you'd have done it otherwise.'

'Bullshit.'

'I assume you're talking about me getting your dad involved with Lazarau and not his disappearance.' He didn't wait for a response. 'Think about it. Your dad told me about the nightmares. I can't imagine the burden you've been carrying for all these years. You would have eventually brought it out in the open if I hadn't done it this way.'

'Because the PM was worried that I could bring down the government?'

'A domino effect, Jay. Not just our government, but our allies as well. The Middle East would turn to chaos. Our world economies couldn't handle it. Shit, look at the oil prices as it is.'

'Always about oil,' Jay said. 'What about Bowen?'

'He knew exactly what he was getting into. He desperately wanted to join the Agency and I needed him to do this job.'

'You promised him when it was over that he would be welcomed into the Agency?'

'I know what you're thinking. I told you before that this is bigger than we are as individuals.'

'And Keith?'

'A mistake. I told him what was going on and he didn't want Sarah involved. You see, he and Sarah were very close at one stage.'

Another statement that felt like a whack to the head. 'But he came after us. He had his gun out.'

'No, he didn't. He came to see me. I told him that I had spoken to both of you and that I'd offered Sarah a one-way ticket out of the country. When I said she had refused, he set out to find the two of you – to convince Sarah to leave. His gun was still holstered when I got to him.'

'Don't say you told Sarah that?'

'I did. I owe it to Keith. I offered her that one-way ticket again. I told her all of this when you were at the service station. Practically ordered her off the case. But her loyalty by then was with you.'

'I can't imagine how she must have felt. She swore Keith had his pistol out.'

'She was justifying it to herself.'

Jay started to wonder again if he had done the right thing in posting the disc to the person he had. He wanted it to end. He felt like walking away, his dad was probably safe. But he couldn't leave Sarah. He now knew Catherine's capabilities. He didn't owe Pat anything, especially after what he'd put him through. He had to save Sarah and Catherine had to be stopped. Still, after all Pat's lies, he needed to know he wasn't being set up again.

He pulled the government vehicle off to the side of the road. 'Get out of the car and head over to the trees as if you're having a leak.'

'Why?'

'You want my help, then you'll do what I say.'

Pat gingerly exited and moved into the bushes by the highway. Jay took out his mobile and called Bill.

'Hello.'

'It's me, have you spoken to Dad yet?'

'Yes, and I assume you have a new mobile number that you haven't given me. Kinda makes it hard to call back.'

'Yeah, sorry. Have you spoken to Dad?'

'Keep your knickers on, I was getting to that. He's fine. A little dehydrated and some bruising. The doctors have drugged him up and he's sleeping now but wanted to pass on that he loves you.'

'Did he mention anything about what happened?'

'Only to say not to trust your uncle. But that your uncle is doing what he is doing for a good reason. He said just to be careful and to keep your wits about you. He also added that in the end he knows you'll do the right thing. And whatever that is, he is one hundred per cent behind you.'

Jay knew what his father meant. He'd grown up surrounded by spies; he knew how to decipher cryptic messages. 'Where is he?'

'Nambour hospital.'

'Are you sure you got it right? Uncle Pat is doing what he is doing for a good reason? He said that, even though Pat kidnapped him?'

'That's what he said. I asked for clarification, but he was drugged up. It seems though that he's sympathetic to whatever your uncle is up to. Seems like he was kidnapped for a reason. That's all I got out of him, Jay.'

'OK. Thanks, Bill. When he wakes up, tell him I'll see him soon, and look after him for me.'

'Will do. I too have every faith in you. Is there any other way I can help you, boy?'

'There is.'

'Shoot.'

'Bad pun at the moment.'

'What?'

'Doesn't matter. Can you get to the hospital and when Dad wakes ask him to find out if the Deputy Director had his pistol holstered when he was shot.'

'Sure thing, Jay. I'm going to be a rebel and drive the Monaro up there.'

'Take it easy, then, and as soon as Dad gets the information ring me on this number.'

'What is it?'

Jay gave Bill the phone number and hung up. Something still wasn't right with aspects of the information Pat had fed him. As Jay always instructed agents he'd interrogated during their training, including Sarah: keep your cover story as close to the truth as possible, only changing the vital details, and memorise the vital details.

A message registered on his phone. He opened it: Got bored so I thought I would send you a reminder to stay focused and not fuck me around. He hit the horn and signalled for Pat to join him. Pat stumbled back into the car while Jay fired it up again.

'You done now?' Pat asked.

'Let's go. Sarah's life is on the line and we've got very little time to do something about it.'

Pat didn't say anything. Just got in the car and didn't bother with the seatbelt.

Another message came through on Jay's phone. Another photo. This time a picture of a hand with two missing fingers.