flatly.
Spangler smiled, then finished the last of his orange juice. “Well then, it’s a good thing you aren’t working with him, isn’t it? He’s doing what I am telling him to do. Just like you.” He paused, put a gentle hand on her forearm. “Look, we are survivors, you and I. Ja, our mission is dirty, so true. But so what? When we fulfill our contract to the client, then we will have helped create a marginalized Iran in the EU.” He put his glass on the table. “Our client knows what he is doing.”
She sipped her coffee in silence.
Spangler said, “Now. Let’s discuss recent events. Potential comebacks on Shrike Group after Drummond went to the Venezuelans.”
Annika waved a hand in the air. “Shrike is in the clear.”
Rudolf smiled, motioned to the waiter for a refill on Annika’s coffee and another OJ for himself. “You’ll have to indulge me a little. How do you know that? How do you know if Drummond told Venezuelan authorities about his actions here?”
“It wouldn’t have served his interests to do so, but even if he told them every single thing about his time in Berlin, what could he say? He thought he was working for the Mossad. He had no connection to Shrike Group whatsoever.”
Spangler was, if not satisfied, at least somewhat placated. But then he said, “What about the Russian woman who was brought in by Ric? She knows she’s with Shrike.”
“She will keep her mouth shut and do whatever we want. And she won’t talk because she’s a hunted woman, Rudolf. She needs us more than we need her, and we do absolutely need someone like her assisting with ops, especially when we attract new clients.” When Spangler seemed unconvinced, she added, “We have handed her a lifeline; she won’t betray us. If she does, she knows we only have to pick up the phone and the Russians will come for her.” With a shrug she said, “She’s as safe a bet as they come.”
The next round came, but neither reached for their beverage. Annika said, “Drink up, Rudy. I’ll pass. I have two techs in the field I have to supervise. Both of them are tracking MeK-affiliated students here in town.” Sarcastically, she said, “We’re tailing anti-regime Iranian college students so that we can help end the Iranian regime?” Then her sarcastic tone faded away. “What the fuck are we even doing?”
Spangler stood and motioned for the check. “Our jobs. That is all. Be safe, Annika.”
She softened a little, then kissed him on the cheek, the actions of a daughter towards an older man she considered a father figure. And then she turned for the door.
* * *
• • •
Rudy Spangler’s eyes tracked his star intelligence officer as she departed through the restaurant, or more accurately, his eyes skimmed back and forth around her, checking to make sure she hadn’t picked up a tail while they were sitting here talking. It came from over a generation in the intelligence game, and Spangler was as good at it as he’d ever been, as far as he was concerned.
Annika left the Regent without generating any obvious interest, so Spangler turned away, pulled his phone from his pocket, and dialed a preset number. He ran a fingertip around the lip of his juice glass while he waited for the international connection.
He didn’t have to wait long at all for an answer on the other end. “Hello, Rudy, my friend. How are you?”
“I’m concerned, Tarik. Very concerned. The quickening of events has me, and more importantly, my staff, troubled.” He was normally agreeable with his benefactor, but the recent spate of killings had him spooked to the point where he wasn’t concerned with demonstrating an annoyed tone.
“I understand. Of course, I understand.” He paused, then said, “We should talk.”
“Yes, let’s,” Spangler said.
Tarik surprised him with his next comment, though. “How about I meet with you the day after tomorrow? Lunch?”
The German cocked his head, the phone held tight against his ear. Tarik had never come to Berlin to speak with him. “Lunch? In Berlin?”
“I’m on my way to Qatar at the moment, but I’ll be in Berlin by the end of the day tomorrow.”
“You had some other business to attend to here?”
“No. Just you.”
Spangler was pleased. “I think that would be very useful, Tarik. Thank you.”
“Of course. As you said, our contract is near completion, and as you and your staff have detected, there is a quickening of events. I want to ease your concerns.”
Spangler