See Charlie Run

Chapter Fifteen

The Japanese Interior Ministry followed the strictest protocol, approaching the American embassy through their Foreign Ministry, which meant the involvement of the full US diplomatic staff, including the ambassador. A career diplomat only five years away from retirement and a $200,000 a year consultancy as an expert in Asian affairs at a Georgetown research institute, the ambassador ordered immediate discussion with Washington. The initial hesitation from the CIA headquarters at Langley, simply to gain time and seek clarification from Fredericks in Tokyo, was misinterpreted as indicating guilt by the enquiring US State Department. Anticipating a major crisis, State played politics, directing a second and independent enquiry to the White House, where the Chief of Staff had the same reaction as State and alerted the President. That lead to a direct what-the-hell-is-going-on call from the President to the CIA Director, who made the same demand, in a signed cable, to Fredericks. As well as responding to that, Fredericks was subjected to detailed questioning from the still-doubtful ambassador and after that had to go out to Haneda personally to sign for the release of Levine and Elliott. It was midnight before he returned to the embassy and the waiting, remaining, CIA group.

‘What!’ erupted Harry Fish, before Fredericks completed the explanation.

‘The British escape plane, sabotaged at the airport,’ elaborated Fredericks. ‘There was an anonymous call from within the airport itself, claiming Levine and Elliott were responsible.’

‘How were they identified?’ demanded Yamada.

‘The car,’ said the Resident. ‘Described in detail, right down to the registration plate. Even witnesses who remembered it around the military section this morning.’

‘Jesus Christ!’ said Dale. ‘You satisfy everybody?’

‘I’ve got them released, but the ambassador isn’t convinced,’ said Fredericks. ‘Langley is demanding a fuller explanation in the diplomatic pouch, so they’re clearly taking out insurance … would you believe the President himself is riding shotgun, insisting we prove ourselves squeaky clean! Only people not demanding explanations and assurances at the moment are the office cleaners!’

‘Jesus!’ said Dale, again.

‘What did you tell Langley about Kozlov?’ queried Fish.

‘That he didn’t show.’

‘Just that?’ questioned Fish, doubtfully.

‘What do you want me to do!’ demanded Fredericks, venting the anger and frustrations of the evening. ‘Admit we’ve been completely suckered by a guy who’s screwed the Agency once already; someone we were warned about!’

‘OK! OK!’ said the other American, retreating.

‘All because of Charlie Muffin!’ said Dale, disbelievingly.

‘So now it’s recovery time,’ said Fredericks, positively. ‘We’ve lost him and we’ve lost Kozlov and we’ve lost the woman. Right now, all of us together, we’re not worth a bucket of spit.’

‘He’ll be halfway back to England by now!’ protested Yamada.

‘He isn’t,’ said Fredericks. ‘Hank got a positive make on him, from a Cathay Pacific ticket clerk at the airport. He caught a flight to Hong Kong, forty-five minutes after their arrest …’ Fredericks looked at the desk clock. ‘Their own plane left two hours ago …’ He smiled an expression bereft of humour. ‘They want him,’ he said. ‘They want Charlie Muffin so bad you can feel it.’

‘Just Levine and Elliott?’ queried Fish.

‘All of us,’ insisted Fredericks. ‘We’re going down tonight on that C-130 and we’re to shake Hong Kong until all the fruit falls out of the trees.’

‘What if we get him?’ said Dale.

‘We’ve got to get him,’ insisted Fredericks. ‘And we will. We’ve checked the civil flights: there aren’t any more tonight out to Europe, so he’s stuck there, until tomorrow. I’ve activated every informant and person-in-place we’ve ever used and said they can name their own price: earn their pension in a day. Levine and Elliott aren’t moving from the airport until we get there. And our military can monitor any Air Force flight. Hong Kong is sealed.’

‘OK,’ corrected Dale. ‘When we get him. What then?’

‘The Kozlovs first,’ ordered Fredericks. ‘I don’t know how he did it, but I’m sure Charlie Muffin got the goddamned man and the woman to go over to him, together. We’ve got to get them back, through him.’

‘Then?’ said Yamada.

‘And then we blow him away,’ said Fredericks, simply. That guy’s made his last smart-assed move. Ever.’

Olga Balan used her own key to enter the Shinbashi apartment, stopped immediately inside the door by the look on Kozlov’s face.

‘Darling!’ she said. ‘What is it?’

‘She’s still alive,’ said Kozlov.

‘But the plane …’ she said. ‘I heard the reports …’

‘She wasn’t on it,’ said Kozlov. He was white with anger.

‘How …?’ she stumbled.

Kozlov indicated the telephone. ‘She kept to the arrangement …’ In his frustration, Kozlov punched one fist into the palm of the other. ‘It was the Englishman,’ he said. ‘It was all planned so perfectly and Charlie Muffin did something I hadn’t expected …’

‘What are we going to do!’

‘Find them,’ said Kozlov, simply. ‘And this time make sure she dies.’ He paused and said: The Englishman, too: he’s definitely got to be killed.’