An unexpected chance

An excerpt of the espionage thriller An irretrievable step.

An irretrievable step

An excerpt

At about a quarter past five pm Lieutenant Doron Seri was on his way to the base mess hall.

He was off duty that evening.

No night training once a week; no sudden emergency exercises thank God he thought relieved.

As he was walking on the narrow sidewalk along the camp main road he heard rushing footsteps behind his back, before he managed to look back a hand touched his shoulder.

‘Howdy Seri?’ it was the base adjutant, Major Yoel Barzive.

‘I’m fine thank you,’ he muttered surprised. He didn’t expect such a friendly gesture from haughty Barby.

‘On your way to paint the town in red, aren’t you?’ Barzive kept on chattering rather friendly, accompanying young Seri to the mess hall.

‘Well I do hope I would but after supper.’ Seri answered with humor and a surprised smile.

‘I’d like to have a few words with you young man.’ Barzive added with a slight cough.

The astounded Lieutenant Seri did not comment and not an additional word was exchanged between them, till they entered the mess hall,

Haughty Barby was known for his subtle pranks, and that was exactly what young Seri believed was going to happen. He hoped to God that Barby won’t come out with some news about some emergency case, which might mean replacing tonight's officer on duty, or some other sort of unexpected tasks.

Major Barzive chose the table and they sat down facing each other, without a word yet. The Major was waiting till the mess hall would fill up, and thus no one would disturb them or ask to join their table, seeing him sitting opposite a junior officer.

'Tell me Seri, have you ever thought of serving abroad?' He asked lieutenant Seri after a few moments of an embarrassing silence.

'No I haven't thought about it, why? I'm well off here.' Seri answered briskly, letting the major understand that he is satisfied and has no complaints what so ever, if that is what the Major is after.

'Well I'm glad to hear it,' the cunning major hastened to remark.

'You're one of the best young officers that we've, and that's why I bother to talk to you at all. But let's talk to the point, do you have any idea about the advantages that such a job has? Say salary increase, quick promotion, and a very pleasant working environment, which would broaden your horizons.'

'No but I'm willing to listen.' Seri answered smiling.

'Fine but you'll have to meet someone else to learn all the details, and that's his phone number.' The Major said while pulling out a small writing pad from his shirt's pocket. He tore a page out of it and handed it to Seri.

'When should I call him?' Seri wondered watching the Major's eyes with a quizzical look.

'Whenever you'll feel like it, eat up and I'll give you a lift to town.

After a forty five minutes drive the Major dropped him at his home, and Seri thanked him and took the lift up to his small apartment; The first thing Seri did was to dial the number that Major Barzive gave him.

'Hello good evening,' he heard a young woman's voice.

'My name is Seri I was asked to call you by Major Barzive.' Seri muttered hesitantly, wondering whether it is not a very sophisticated hoax of haughty Barby repertoire.

'Be at the Eliot café next Thursday at seven pm sharp.' The young woman instructed him.

'But I'm on duty on Thursday…'

'You'll be off duty next Thursday, it's been settled.'

'Who am I supposed to meet, how do I recognize him?'

'Just be there wearing your uniform, we know who you're, bye.' She said and hung up.

He sat down on one of the two old armchairs in his small one room apartment, opposite the twenty five inches second hand TV screen, quite perturbed and undecided.

A few moments passed and he left his seat and went over to the phone, and dialed the number of his current date.

'Hello Tami, I'll be down in half an hour, okay?'

'Okay it might take me a few more moments, but don't despair…' She added with a short laugh.

They were going out over three months already; she had a rich daddy and her own car. A luxurious relationship it was, and a very convenient one from Seri's point of view; he was not in love with her, and he did not even know how long their relationship would last. That's why he refused to move to her spacious apartment, and asked her to be patient as his pretext was we've to know each other better first of all. He did not introduce her to his parents who live in the southern town of Beer Sheva, and he had no intention to meet her parents at this early stage of their relationship.

He took a cold shower, checked his beard growth in the mirror, changed and went down to be there five minutes earlier.

Cars were parked on both sides of the road, there was no free parking space, thus he had to be there and be ready to board her car at her arrival.

She picked him up on time and exchanged a quick kiss with him and just a few words too, and they drove to a restaurant that she chose for them.

'What's wrong Dudi?' She asked him over the desert a bit worried, was he tired of her she wondered. She was not a dazzling beauty but she was wise, and he enjoyed her company.

'Oh nothing at all,' he hastened to answer. 'I won't have a leave again in two weeks time, it bothers me.' He did not lie to her; he did not want to meet her next Thursday. He could not know how long would take the meeting with them, and even if it won't last long he had better not see her after it.

'We'll go straight to my place then?'

He nodded his head and a shade of a smile appeared on his pursued lips.

That's exactly what I need so badly right now, to clear my head. He thought relieved.

He summoned the waiter, paid and they left.

Copyright © Haim Kadman 2013 - all rights reserved