Fashion is Our Name Pt. 15

Jeremy and I looked carefully around, searching for any of our people and for any sign of more guns. Sharon ran from the dressing room, "It's ok, we have everyone. Time to say goodbye."

She sang out, "Au Revoir," and we dashed.

The bus was half out of its parking slot as we left the building, following Zarko's wildly waving arm. Inside the bus, I had Sharon in my arms, lying in the aisle as the large vehicle careened down the alley and made a dramatic left turn downhill toward the Sava River bridge. Zarko and Jeremy were next to us, equally out of breath. Sing was further along. I heard approaching sirens, but Zarko said, "Ours. We kidnapped the patrol. Tied them up and left 1000 kuna."

The driver of the bus was an expert, sending us across the river bridge and through the roundabout in the direction of the motorway to Karlovac.

I looked back. Nine anxious faces, hands hanging on for dear life. Gabriela was on her knees, inching forward to wrap arms around me. "Adrian, I didn't think it would work! Thank you."

I asked Zarko, "Where are we going?"

"Zadar. Three hours if we make it. My cousins are dealing with pursuit. They have rocket launchers if needed. The authorities may stay out of it. This is very old feud."

Miraculously, Al and Ben were with us. They helped Gabriela to her seat and crouched next to us.

"A tense moment back there, Adrian. We almost shot the guys who came to bring us to the bus. We each grabbed a cooler but everything else is in those beautiful vans. Probably won't ever see them again."

Al nodded at the masked driver. "He's a pro. They won't tell us who he is." The driver looked my way and nodded. "Later," he said, with an accent.

Sharon wiggled and I realized I still had a death grip around her chest. "Sorry."

"You owe me a kiss for extracting you." Her eyes flashed and I leaned in. There were noises from behind us. I wasn't going to quibble about the amount of extraction. We were headed down the road at the limit, and for the moment that would have to be enough.

Jeremy and Zarko went to the rear with Gabriela and Amelia, speaking high velocity French. Heads were saying yes and no simultaneously.

I decided on some morale improvement, making my way slowly past the seats with hugs and kisses. Helen wouldn't let go. "A real gunfight, Adrian. You shot that guy!"

"I think it went through his leg. I was madder than hell he was trying to use Nicole as a shield."

Nicole was suddenly in my arms. "Adrian! After everything else, you have saved my life!" She was shaking like a leaf and I maneuvered us to a seat where she could relax in my arms.

Sing knelt beside us. "That was good work, Adrian. No one hurt on our side." She whispered, "I think we will be going on a boat. No place to hide out in Zadar."

My eyes widened and she nodded at me. Yes, a night trip across the Adriatic. Another hazardous venture. My hand caressed her face. "Nice work yourself, tiger."

"It's tigress, young one." The kiss was light.

Anticlimactically, the trip to Zadar through the winding hills of western Croatia was smooth and quiet.

Amelia was back at my side. "Adrian, the story is that friends are taking us across to Rimini. It is not in the plan at all. MI5 originally was going to fly Gabriela out from an unused airfield. I don't know how things went wrong."

"What you are saying is that we are in the hands of the Vukovic family and their friends."

She slipped into my arms and shuddered quietly. "Please give me a kiss. I don't do well when plans go awry." The kiss was long and wet and tender. "I may need that job. My career must be over after this."

I kissed her ear and said, "So far, your mission is in fabulous shape. The extraction couldn't be going better." We both laughed. "Seriously, if we get Gabriela to Italy, they wouldn't dare criticize you. You will be promoted and FION won't be able to afford you!"

She stood and frowned, "Somehow, I think FION is the better bet."

I went forward to talk to Jeremy, who was speaking French with the driver. The voice sounded strangely familiar, but I couldn't place it.

I said to Jeremy, "They seem to know what they are doing. Why were we necessary?"

He turned his hands up. "No idea. Perhaps we will find out later. Still could have trouble on the water."

Sooner than I thought, the bus was winding its way down through the ancient town of Zadar and very slowly creeping out on a cobblestone quay in the last sunlight. We drew up at the end next to a modern motorlaunch with a flying bridge and fancy antennas. The driver motioned us to the gangway.

In a few minutes, we were boarded, and the lines were being cast off. The assistant with the lines climbed into the bus, which began backing up the pier.

We sat on comfortable benches facing each other. I looked up and down the row, counting. Four original men plus Zarko made five. Seven original women plus Gabriela made eight. Thirteen, not counting the bus driver and whoever was driving the launch. Zarko and Gabriela were missing, so I assumed the Vukovics were on the bridge dealing with the details of this last leg across the Adriatic. Not too far, perhaps a couple of hours in this fast boat.

A little later, Zarko came down and asked Nicole and me to come to the bridge. As I approached the steering station, I saw that the driver's head cover was missing and that his arm was around the waist of the boat driver, who was obviously a woman.

We were only a foot or two away when he turned around. Nicole screamed beside me. "Philip! I can't believe it! Oh my god!"

Holding her in a tight embrace, Philip took my hand in a crushing grip. "Adrian, I see you are all grown up. I'd like you to meet someone. I hope it isn't too much of a shock, but this is your mother, Kathleen."

She pulled off her wool hat and even in the dying light, I could see the fair Irish looks that I resembled. "Please come here and give me a kiss, Adrian. I never thought I would see you again."

The four of us stood there, rocking, with the roar of the launch all around us.

I finally said, "There must be a story to go with all this. A very complicated story."

They said, simultaneously, "Yes!"

Philip added, "I am not proud of the deceptions I put on you. The business I am in is full of lies, which you must have discovered by now."

My mother poked him, "No more lies and deceptions, Adrian. He has promised. Gabriela made him promise too. He has been her ally, agent and defender for many years. She told him she was retiring from work with the Service, and he was to make an honest woman of me. And I told him that meant letting me meet you and get to know you."

Philip said, back in Philip mode, "If you don't mind, Kathleen and I have to get this boat safely into a cove south of Rimini. There is a nice hotel nearby that will be safe for the night."

Nicole and I were hugging each other, still shaking. He added, "Perhaps it would be better not to tell the others until tomorrow. I think a good night's sleep is needed."

Afterwards, I thought admiringly of Philip as the perfect agent. Polymath smart, determined, fearless, ruthless, a supreme actor when needed. Others would think him a miserable human being, but of course, he was my dad.

Epilogue

Two days later, Sharon, who had absolutely nothing on and looked marvelous in the morning sun, handed me the phone. "It's John."

"Where the devil are you, Adrian? Where is Gabriela?"

"John, I am so glad you called. We have developed a long list of solicitor action items. You don't suppose you could hop on down here, could you? FION will pay. Bring the girlfriend too."

Various naked bodies were parading around with breakfast items, listening and laughing. The sunny rooftop patio was well decorated. Sally was hiding in the corner, taking outrageous pictures.

I had my excellent solicitor on the phone and he was squirming.

"Adrian!" He shouted into the other end of the line. "This is out of school. We need the mission completed. The Director is all over me and the PM's office is having a fit."

"John, a few things have changed from the original game plan. In fact, there seems nothing left of it. I'm quite aware that your surveillance knows where we are, so let's not kid around. Philip and Kathleen say they have left your employ and will no longer push fibs on Nicole and me."

"But, there is more. What about the Vukovics?"

"Gabriela is here, seeing to her tan. She and Amelia are the only ones with bikinis, but the other women are telling them they are overdressed. I understand they are not working for you, either."

"Do you have word of Jeremy and Sharon?"

"Sylvia is here. She heard we had taken an entire boutique hotel on the Italian Riviera and insisted on flying immediately. They are very naked and very cosy. I've heard there is talk about a baby."

"You know, of course, that Sharon is here, she answered the phone. She doesn't have a suit on at the moment, but she has accepted a position as head of swimwear for FION. Says that she enjoyed being your PA and regrets she won't be back."

"Adrian, I do hope you know that MI5 is extremely upset with the behavior of the Vukovics in Zagreb. They have mucked up our work, possibly for years."

"Zarko is here, and has a slightly different version. Something about the Russians bribing everyone in sight and completely upstaging your efforts with the government. By the way, Zarko's wife has possession of the excellent vans. She will be the Director of FION/Croatia, and says the vans are just the thing for traveling shows throughout the countryside."

"Damn it, Adrian, I told the Director there would be trouble using you and FION. Since you have hired all the agents in sight, I guess there is nothing to do but resign myself, call my friend Amy, and come to you. Is there an extra room?"

The loud clapping took a long time to die away.