TEDDY JOINED HIS friends in the hotel dining room for breakfast.
“Okay,” Teddy said. “Here’s the plan.”
He was wasting his breath. At the moment, Dino’s plan involved getting a second helping of crêpe suzette. Stone’s plan involved making his way through every English-language newspaper available at the hotel.
Teddy smiled indulgently, then went and stood in line for his own individually prepared, made-to-order omelet. He opted for scallions and peppers. Returning to the table, he applauded his choice.
Finishing his omelet, he pushed his plate back with an air of finality. “Okay,” he said, “it’s time for me to check in with the CIA. That should be interesting. They won’t be expecting me. Except for the mole, of course.”
“Who is the station head?” Stone said.
“A guy named Norton. I don’t know him, which is good. He doesn’t know me, either, but he’s going to hate me a lot.”
“What for?” Dino asked.
“Aside from just on general principles: for pulling rank, giving orders, and not letting him into the loop. He’ll fall all over himself to cooperate with me while hoping I get hit by a truck.”
“What’s your cover story?” Dino asked.
“Sorry, that’s above your pay grade.”
“Is that what you’re going to tell him?”
“See why he’ll hate me a lot? I have no cover story, and it saves me having to make one up. And because my identity is marked as top secret in the system, he won’t be able to call my bluff or do anything about it.”
Teddy passed over a fat envelope. “Okay, Dino, you’re up. Here’s some Monopoly money, a burner phone, and a list of what I need. You’re renting an apartment in the name of Fenton Towne.”
“Should I claim to be Fenton Towne?”
“Certainly not. You’re Fenton Towne’s manservant.”
“Fuck you, too.” Dino grinned. “You’re loving this, aren’t you?”
“Welcome to the world of espionage. A lot of espionage is hiding in plain sight. I’m going to do what I have to do, and my tail is going to know some of it—and some of it he’s not. Controlling what he knows, doling out only the information I want him to have, gives me the upper hand.”
Dino grumbled good-naturedly. “I thought this spy stuff would be a little more exciting.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get you some action.”
TEDDY WENT UP to the suite and packed his clothes in the secondhand suitcase he’d bought the night before. He called the front desk and had a bellboy take the suitcase down and get him a cab. As he climbed in, he spotted his shadow watching.
Teddy had the cab take him in the opposite direction from the apartment he’d rented over the phone the night before. After about a mile, he had the driver pull over and let him out. He stood on the street corner with his suitcase for a few minutes, then hailed a cab going the other way. He got out three blocks from his apartment and walked the rest of the way. The suitcase wasn’t heavy. It held only his clothes, and not all of them at that.
The super who lived in the basement apartment had his keys, as promised. He surrendered them gladly, impressed with Teddy’s CIA credentials.
The apartment was what Teddy expected. A kitchen the size of a closet, a small living room, and a bedroom not much bigger. Teddy didn’t mind. It was perfect for his purpose.
Teddy flopped his suitcase on the bed and unpacked. It didn’t take long. He put his toiletries in the bathroom, hung up his jacket, and put his clothes in the dresser. When he was done, he closed the suitcase and stashed it under the bed.
He locked the apartment, went out, and hailed a cab.
As expected, his shadow was right on his tail.