The Not so Secret Agent Ch. 02

The Inspector dialed the phone number but then had to wait for about a minute before someone answered.

"This is Inspector Marchik of the National Police Force of Upper Danubia. I need to speak to one of your managers; a Mr. Neal, concerning a criminal investigation."

He looked offended. "I do not understand miss... no I do not need to speak to a lawyer. I need to speak with Mr. Neal. This is concerning a former employee of his that is now in our custody."

"Very well let me speak to him then." There was a pause. "Yes, Mr. Murphy I am an Inspector for the Danubian Police and... " He was interrupted.

"Yes, but I need to interview Mr. Neal since he is the only one who can verify the suspect's claims. I don't think that I..." Again the Inspector was interrupted.

"I see, then we have nothing further to discuss." The Inspector angrily hung up the phone.

"It seems this Mr. Neal is not taking our phone calls, just his cursed lawyers. This does not help your case at all. The prosecutor will no doubt charge you as an accessory in the attempted homicide, theft, and perhaps more. If you can think of some information that will help us catch any associates you have or alert us to any other crimes you know about he might be more lenient."

"Inspector," a distressed Arthur said. "I told you all I know; I don't have any criminal associates."

The Inspector stood up. "Then it seems we are through here, are we not? At least until trial." Here Arthur was put into a jail cell to spend another sleepless night.

---------

Early the next morning two police officers came to retrieve him. He was handcuffed, pulled out of his cell completely naked, and marched down a long hallway on the fourth floor that had offices on either side. There were people all around, but after going two days without sleep or food and with his whole body sore from the previous day's abuse, Arthur staggered along and didn't think much about modesty.

Arthur was taken into a spacious office at the end of the hall and was forced to his knees in front of a young secretary at her desk. She glanced at him as though nothing unusual was happening, then spoke with one of the guards. In a perfectly ordinary manner the secretary picked up the telephone and made a brief call. Arthur thought she mentioned his name.

A tall man in a business suit walked into the room. He briefly spoke to the secretary and then made some gesture to dismiss the two policemen standing guard. The man, who looked about thirty-five years old, turned his attention to the detainee on the floor in front of him. With his friendly expression Arthur was sure he wasn't a cop.

"Arthur Liggett, I am Spokesman Ralkliv, I have your custody."

His accent was so odd that it took a few seconds for Arthur to realize that the man was speaking English.

When he took the handcuffs off Arthur remained on the floor almost too sore and tired to move.

The man motioned to Arthur: "Get up now, come inside, have coffee, have food." Arthur managed to get off the floor and follow him into a smaller office with a large wooden desk, a cabinet, rows of shelves packed with books and framed certificates on the wall.

The man poured a large glass of water, then his secretary entered the office set down a tray in front of him. The breakfast consisted of black coffee, biscuits and a hot bowl of something that looked similar to oatmeal. Then he left the room to allow his client time to eat. Arthur now realized how hungry and thirsty he had been. When Spokesman Ralkliv returned Arthur was feeling a bit more lucid.

"You feel better now I see." Ralkliv pulled out a folder. "I am being... I mean I am your spokesman for the criminal." He shrugged. "My English is not good as it used to be, but I think we can get by. As I said, I am Spokesman Ralkliv." He paused, searching for words. "I will represent you in court."

"Spokesman?" Arthur asked. "Does that mean you're my lawyer?"

The Spokesman leaned back in his chair and smiled pleasantly. "More like... advocate. Arthur, you don't need lawyer. You admit entering illegally, you admit to taking data, and you were working with a known criminal. You will be sentenced. I will try making sentence better. Less suffering."

Arthur was alarmed by the implications of what this spokesman had said. "You're... not going to say that in court? I... I mean, you would be admitting my guilt."

"I try get you less suffering for crimes," Ralkliv calmly asserted, "less punishment."

Arthur was horrified that this was his defense attorney. He would have given anything for a crooked American lawyer right then, this guy wasn't going to contest the facts for god's sake!

Ralkliv opened a file and examined a few pages. "Arthur, before we go to the arraignment, I need to know what you know about this partner of yours and the break in. Maybe... I argue for better sentence if you tell... circumstances."

Arthur repeated all the information he had told the Inspector and made the point that he had been unaware that his employer hired him for a crime.

The spokesman calmly explained: "In Danubia ignorance is no excuse to break laws. Know, or not know... no matter. Sentence same. We try getting less punishment though."

"Uh... Mr... uh... Spokesman Ralkliv", Arthur was almost afraid to ask. "What sort of a sentence will I be facing?"

Ralkliv sat up straight and gestured with his left hand. "Arthur, our system of criminal justice is divided in two parts. First part is for capital crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and other serious offenses. If a criminal is convicted of a capital offense he is executed by firing squad."

Ralkliv flipped over his right hand. "The second branch of our system is for less serious crimes such as theft or vandalism. Criminals found guilty in this system serve sentences. First task is to convince the prosecutor to try you in criminal court."

Arthur hoped he didn't hear the spokesman correctly. "Spokesman...I...uh...do you mean...that I might be executed?"

"Yes," Ralkliv said casually. "The charge of espionage is usually a capital crime, you may also be charged as... accessory in the shooting which may also be a capital offense."

Ralkliv pointed an index finger upward. "However, I will argue that there is no evidence to show that you had prior knowledge of your employer's criminal activities and that there is no evidence to prove intent on your part to commit either of these crimes."

"There are three other factors in your favor. You had no serious criminal record and you had no weapons at the time of arrest. Prosecutors may also be wary of executing an American for the damage it might do to international relations." Ralkliv shrugged. "We will just have to wait and see."

"If I can convince the arraignment panel to try you in criminal court you get maybe three or four years for break in, maybe five or ten years for theft of... data. Espionage might be fifteen or twenty years. Other charges maybe more."

Arthur hoped he didn't hear that right. "Are you saying that I'm either going to be executed or put in prison for over twenty years?"

"No, no prison. You stay as criminal, wear collar."

"Wear a what?"

He motioned to his neck. "Criminal wear collar to track position."

Arthur started to ask more questions but he was cut off. "Arthur we... not want to be late, go in bathroom, clean up." He pointed to a door in the back.

After cleaning up he found Spokesman Ralkliv at his desk putting files into his briefcase. "Arthur, the guards will come and then we take you to arraignment panel."

When he asked what clothes he's supposed to wear, the Spokesman glanced at him. "Criminals no... um... do not wear clothes," then Ralkliv went back to organizing his papers.

Incredulous, Arthur asked: "You let people walk around naked in public?"

"Yes. Criminals naked, always."

Before all of that had a chance to sink in two officers arrived. True to his word Arthur was soon marched through a busy lobby wearing nothing but handcuffs.

---------

Arthur faced a three-person arraignment panel that included two middle-aged women in robes and one older man. All three sat behind a tall desk and looked down at him.

While a guard took off his handcuffs Spokesman Ralkliv told Arthur that the three officials would determine what charges he would face at trial. Once the panel was ready he turned to Arthur.

"Stand in criminal stance, face panel, hands behind head, feet apart." Impatient with Arthur's hesitation he warned, "You do not want panel angry, hurry!"

Arthur quickly moved in front of the panel. He folded his hands behind his head. The man on the panel issued an angry order and a big guard stepped forward with a hand on his police baton. Arthur looked to Ralkliv for help. Ralkliv motioned to his feet with a spreading gesture. Arthur remembered what Ralkliv had said and adjusted his stance with his feet set wide part. Arthur felt exposed and humiliated but the guard did back off.

The official in the dark suit spoke first. He read a series of statements from a document in his hand before turning his attention to Spokesman Ralkliv. He would serve as both spokesman for his client and translator during the hearing.

While standing in that humiliating posture Arthur had to answer a series of questions; most of which were identical to the ones he had been asked by the Inspector the day before. The panel only asked two unique questions: 1) Are you currently or have you ever been a covert agent for the US or other government? 2) Are you a member of an organized crime syndicate?

The first question was ridiculous, Arthur thought. A spy who admits to being a spy every time he's asked, wouldn't be a very secret agent now would he? The second question had more merit. Arthur already admitted to working for Mr. Rumak, and it was clear from the panel's question that they considered Rumak to be a card-carrying member of the Russian mob. The amount of cash that Rumak paid for the one-day job also seemed far in excess for any legitimate business. Arthur could but hope that the prosecutor would require more than this circumstantial evidence to press charges.

"No sir." Arthur answered to these final two questions.

Then his spokesman and the three officials on the panel had a lengthy discussion. Even though Arthur didn't understand a word of this dialogue it was clear that Ralkliv was a gifted speaker in his native tongue. Spokesman Ralkliv and the woman on the right side of the panel talked for several minutes while the other two officials were mostly silent. Eventually the conversation ended and the woman on the right turned to Arthur and gave the decision of the arraignment panel.

Spokesman Ralkliv, who was obviously pleased with himself, translated. "Arthur Liggett, the panel recommends you face charges of espionage, theft of property, and unlawful entry in criminal court." With their task complete the panel stood and made a gesture across their chests before leaving the room.

Arthur was handcuffed and marched back up to his spokesman's office. After the police left Ralkliv explained the charges and upcoming trial. "Arthur you are very, very lucky; you just face three charges: espionage, theft, and unlawful entry in criminal court. You get no more than thirty-five years, could be much worse."

Arthur felt like throwing up but he managed to smile.

"Ah, you feel better now I see. Good," Ralkliv smiled. "Trial in two hours."

Arthur panicked. "T... Two Hours! How can you prepare a defense in two hours?"

"We are very efficient here," Ralkliv casually assured him. "I do it all the time; I have another trial this afternoon." Ralkliv smiled and put up an index finger. "Arthur, you need to know what to do at trial. First we go to court, you stay by me, next judge enters and defendant kneels. Place forehead to floor and you stay until I say get up. Then you stand on the platform in front Judge. You stand, like before, with legs apart, hands behind head. Always stand like that; always look at Judge. When Judge stands you kneel again."

Arthur just sat there trying to keep up with all these heavily accented instructions. "Kneel?"

"Yes kneel," Ralkliv casually explained. "Head to floor, on knees."

Arthur's eyes went wide. "You can't be serious."

Ralkliv frowned. "Why can I not be serious? This is no time for joking Arthur; you are in major trouble."

Arthur shook his head and gestured frantically. "I mean... uh... you said the defendant has to kneel. I can't kneel... I mean, Americans don't do that and... and when can I put on some clothes?"

"Oh... oh now I understand. Arthur, I recognize you are going through a difficult time but you have a very simple choice to make." Ralkliv put up one finger. "You can do as I say, cooperate and live as a collared criminal," Ralkliv put up a second finger. "Or you will be executed by firing squad."

Arthur sat with his mouth open, trying to form a coherent response.

"Better to live than die, yes?" Ralkliv smiled. "I thought so. Where was I? Oh yes... the judge returns for ruling. When Judge returns you kneel on platform, when Judge says you stand in criminal stance. You hear sentence. Then you get collar put on neck."

Spokesman Ralkliv had gotten up and was gathering some documents in his briefcase when his phone rang. After a short conversation he turned to Arthur and continued.

"Oh... Where was I? The collar, after you have collar, you kneel before police officer... Then they switch you, then police give you back to my custody." He looked at the clock and picked up his briefcase.

"Switch me with what?"

"Switch."

"These police switch me with someone else?"

On his way out the door Spokesman Ralkliv shook his head. "You find out later, I'll be back to take you to trial soon. Here," Ralkliv threw a paper on the desk. "Why not read newspaper?"