Black's Magic Part 31

"Come on," Addison said. "Let's get the food out of the way so we can start the D.J(.), and get in some dancing."

Mark followed Addison to their table. "Just for the record, Addison. I'm on to you this year. I've remembered to make sure there is no 'Birdie Song, Aga Do, Superman, Conga or The Okey c.o.key' tunes in the mix, so there is no way you are paying off the D.J. to play one of those embarra.s.sing songs when I agree to get up and dance."

"d.a.m.n it," Addison said. "I suppose you had to get me eventually." The soldier crossed her fingers as she tapped the compact disc tucked into the waistband of her trousers. Got to move with the times, she thought, making a mental note to hand the disc, she had made the day before, over to the D.J. Should I go with The Macarena, Addison pondered, or go full out and shock them all with The Gang Bang song? Addison chuckled mischievously to herself as she followed Mark to their table. She always made sure to have a night they would all remember. Unfortunately, this time it was no longer in Addison's hands.

Chapter 28.

Dinner, as always, was a plentiful affair with four delicious courses. An option of three dishes was available for each course and all had been pre-chosen through invitations. As was usual, Addison found the dinner to be far too much. Through the course of many years her body had re-conditioned itself to survive and function with the small, nutritious meals soldiers often ate in the field. Addison did sample each course brought before her but she never completed a dish. Instead the agent chose to talk while the other members of her table continued to dine. She entertained them with amusing stories and proceeded to further enthral Mrs. Thompson with tales of a pilot friends mysterious sighting while on a routine night flight from Heathrow to Edinburgh. Mark Blithe had simply shaken his head in controlled amus.e.m.e.nt.

By the time desert was ready to be served, Addison's appet.i.te had taken a sudden growth. Not in the least hindered by the added three gla.s.ses of wine she had consumed, the soldier readied herself as a chocolate cheesecake, tiramisu and fruit crumble were placed upon their table.

"b.u.g.g.e.r me!" Addison exclaimed. "Choices, choices. Which one to try first."

"Which one?" Skyler said in bemus.e.m.e.nt. "You no more than picked at the other three courses. Were you just saving yourself for desert?"

"Well not really." Addison studied the dishes before them. "But look at the options. So... people," she addressed the other occupants of her table. "Tell me now which one you are all least likely to eat because I love them all and could do serious damage to any one of them." She sensed Skyler sidle up beside her.

"Personally," Skyler started in a low voice. "I'm having wonderful visions which include that chocolate cheesecake but don't include you and clothes."

The soldier swallowed a sudden lump, which had unexpectedly formed in her throat. "Umm..."

"Marlene," Mark enquired. "What would you like?"

Marlene pursed her lips. "I'm not that fussy. What are you having?"

Mark checked his watch. "I don't generally eat deserts... besides it is five minutes past eleven. I think I should get up there and start my speech. I don't think anybody will mind if it is during desert. Although these functions can go on until four or even five in the morning, only the trouble makers," Mark nodded towards Addison, causing her to stop munching on the flake of chocolate she had picked from the cheesecake decoration. "Stay until the end."

"What exactly are you implying?"

Mark shrugged. "Oh nothing, Addison."

Addison leaned to her side, towards Skyler. She spoke in a low voice but loud enough for Mark to hear. "Sometimes I feel I should trust him as far as I can throw him."

"Don't you mean could throw him?" Major Thompson asked.

"Oh no," Blithe answered. "She means can throw. During a game of Rugby not very long ago, I made the mistake of opting to play on the opposing team in a friendly match. We got involved in a rough tackle and Addison wasn't too happy about losing the ball. She tackled me back for the ball and sent me flying. I've only just got rid of the cane I was walking with."

"Use dirty tactics to get the ball and so will I to win it back."

"It did make me remember a very important fact."

"It did make me remember a very important fact."

Addison frowned. "Which is?"

"It's better to be fighting with you than against you," Skyler guessed.

General Blithe tapped the side of his nose then pointed to Skyler. "The lady is spot in. It's much safer to stand with you than against you."

With a shrug Addison swiped her finger through the corner of the tiramisu. "It's not that I'm a sore loser. I just don't like to be beaten!"

Marlene arched her eyebrows and smiled. Chuckling lightly she began to cut the cheesecake.

"Look at the time," Mark commented as he checked his watch once again. "I need to get up on the stage." The General rose to his feet. "Be ready for when I call you, Addison." Giving Marlene a loving smile, Mark walked away from the table. Samuel Perkins stopped him halfway on his approach to the stage. Addison watched their conversation for a brief moment before a tap on her shoulder diverted her attention. She turned to see one of the immaculately dressed waiters, clothed in black and white, standing beside her.

"Captain Black?" The young man asked.

"Yes."

"Captain, you are wanted at the front security desk. There is an Agent Alon Yamburg who is asking to see you urgently. Corporeal Miller wouldn't allow him pa.s.sage as his name isn't on the guest list."

"Really?" Addison asked, more surprised to hear Alon was here than she was that he hadn't been allowed admittance to the gala. "Okay, I'm coming." Drinking down the remainder of her wine Addison turned to Skyler. "I'm wont be a moment." Rising, she followed the waiter out of the ballroom.

A feeling of foreboding settled into Addison's mind. She wondered what possible reason could Alon have for travelling all the way from Israel to speak with her. Why not a phone call? Something was wrong and she knew it. Her instincts were never wrong. Walking through the doorway and turning to the security room, Addison could see Alon standing beside Corporeal Miller. Her feeling of dread increased as she took note of Alon's agitated stance and concerned expression. Addison increased her stride, eating up the distance between her and the Mossad agent in seconds.

"Alon, nice to see you, but what's going on?" she asked cautiously.

"Addison, my friend. We have to talk urgently. We discovered some alarming information while continuing our own investigation into what happened in Israel."

"You have been conducting an investigation?" This was something Addison hadn't been made aware of.

"Of course we have," Alon, replied "Do you think my government was happy when they discovered what had been going on?" Alon looked around him. Two soldiers were still within hearing distance. "I need to speak with you alone."

Nodding, Addison said, "Okay," and led Alon into a small security office. A teak table stood by the wall and Addison sat upon its edge. She was anxious to find out what it was that seemed to concern Alon so much. Whatever it was, his uneasy disposition was beginning to rub off on her. "What is it?"

"Addison, I believe you still may be in serious danger."

"Explain."

"Through my investigations I managed to discover the full name of the mysterious owner of the compound Brodie was using." Alon handed Addison a sheet of paper. "His name is Dr. Tobias F. Kleein. Is that name familiar to you? At all?"

Addison studied the name, shaking her head. "No, not at all. Never heard of it." She tapped her lip as her mind tried the possibility of another anagram. Going through every colleagues name she could think of, including, Mark, Quinton, Antonia, Samuel and Marlene, Addison came up clueless. Not one name she tried seemed to fit into the name of Dr. Tobias F. Kleein. "I don't know, Alon. This name means nothing to me at all. I just..." Addison ran a hand through her hair; the soft locks trickling through her fingers. "Don't know."

Alon sighed. "Okay. Anyway... that is not the worst of the information I must deliver to you."

"Not the worst of it? What else do you have for me, Alon?"

"I came here because I wanted to see you in person. I didn't want to risk speaking with you over the phone or leaving a message. I needed to speak with only you, Addison."

"Okay?"

"When I landed at Heathrow this evening, I received word from my superior. Addison we recently apprehended a man suspected of illegal weapons trading. He tried to make a deal with a promise of information. Basically, I discovered he'd put a 'Sadie Bregon' in contact with a scientist who supplied her with a large quant.i.ty of the poison Ricin."

"Ricin?" Addison asked in elevated alarm.

"Yes. He said he was put into contact with Sadie Bregon through a Dr. Kleein. He worked for her through the duration of Agnes Brodie's time in Israel."

Addison blew out a strained breath. "Jesus. Ricin is one nasty b.u.g.g.e.r."

"Addison?"

"It's a good job I destroyed that place because I..."

"Addison," Alon interrupted loudly. "At first I didn't know whether I could believe his information. Then he told me something I could verify myself."

"Which was?"

"He said he was paid to take a delivery from Kleein's compound to a courier at the airport. He said he drove a food delivery truck on the morning of the day you destroyed the place. Addison, I witnessed the vehicle leave that morning. He described it to me perfectly; it was a vending machine supply truck. He certainly was there that morning, Addison. Everything fits."

The feeling of dread, Addison experienced upon hearing Alon had come to speak with her, increased ten fold. She took a deep breath. Needing to be sure she was on the same wavelength as Alon, she asked, "Exactly what is it you are saying?"

"I'm saying Brodie sent out a vial of the bacilli... before you destroyed the compound."

"f.u.c.k... oh, f.u.c.k!" Addison's heart rate increased and she rose to her feet as the implications of Alon's words sunk in. A vial of Gemini's Hyde application had left Israel? That information was only half as alarming as was the fact that they had used the well-known, deadly poison Ricin. It was a poison for which there was no cure for its deadly effects. "Jeez, Alon, do you know what you are saying? Do you know what this means?" Addison headed towards the door and then stopped. She turned back to Alon. "We're in the middle of a dinner for G.o.ds sake. Almost a hundred guests, not including the band and waiting staff."

"Prime target."

"Exactly," Addison replied. "Kleein is here. I know it, Alon. I just know it." Addison opened the door swiftly. "Corporeal Miller?"

"Yes, Captain?"

"Call the guards in from off the door."

"Goff... Murray," Miller shouted. The guards appeared in the doorway before him.

Addison took charge. "We may have a possible threat, men. I need you to alert the troupes on guard outside. We might have a situation here, guys. I don't want anybody leaving this building, at all. I need you to make sure of that. Tell them to make sure n.o.body gets in or out of here and anybody seen within the vicinity, whether they seem suspicious or not, I want them detained. Understand?"

"Yes, Captain Black." Both men left to follow Addison's orders. The soldier turned to Miller.

"Has anybody left the building since all guests arrived?"

"No, ma'am."

"There is a very real chance we may have a traitor here tonight with a highly contagious chemical weapon. An air-born variation of the poison Ricin with the contagious ability of tuberculosis."

"Captain, is that..."

"Possible? Yes. We need to..."

"Corporeal Miller, come in." Goff's voice sounded through the radio attached to Miller's hip.

Corporeal Miller answered, "Roger, Goff."

"Captain Black needs to come out here right away. We've located the soldiers on guard. They're dead. Gunshot wounds."

Addison took the radio from Miller's hand. "All of them?" she asked.

"Yes, Captain."

"s.h.a.gging h.e.l.l." Ignoring common sense, that stated she should stay within the building, Addison ran from the security office, needing to see the bodies for herself. "Stay there, Miller," she ordered as she ran down concrete steps. Alon followed her, turning right and following her around to the side of the building. They spotted Goff standing by the far exit. He was illuminated by a green light and Addison could clearly see two bodies slumped together upon the ground. She jogged towards them.

Looking down at the bodies she said, "Kleein's here, Alon. d.a.m.n it." Addison paced around the bodies seeing Miller standing further away with a body either side of him. "s.h.i.t!" The agent's mind wandered back to Skyler and the festivities commencing in the main ballroom. "I've got to get back in there." Addison took off again. "You two guard the back exits," she ordered. "Alon, come with me."

Running around to the entrance, Addison took the six steps two at a time. Miller stood dutifully by the door awaiting orders.

"Don't let anybody in or out of this door, got it?"

"Yes, Captain."

Addison and Alon ran back into the main ballroom, slowing down as they entered the doors together.

"Ah... and just in time," General Blithe said. He stood on centre stage, a microphone resting lightly in his hand. He placed it back upon its stand as he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, fellow officers..." he held out his hand, "Captain Addison Black."

Addison looked around her as the occupants of the ballroom began to applaud. Heart hammering in her chest, the agents eyes moved around the guests faces, trying to ascertain who may be currently missing. There were too many to accurately determine. Addison turned to Alon. "I have to go up there. We know nothing, okay? I don't want to cause any alarm. Not yet anyway. n.o.body can leave here until we access the situation."

"Got it."

Taking a deep breath, Addison turned back to the applauding room of guests and began making her way to the stage. As she wove her way around the tables she pa.s.sed Skyler. Their eyes connected, the doctor seeing something hidden behind Addison's facade. Skyler clapping slowed, her eyebrows drawing together. Addison smiled rea.s.suringly but Skyler wasn't convinced.

Reaching the stage, Addison stepped up to the platform. She approached Mark and shook his hand. The applause continued. Addison looked out among the sea of faces. She tried once again to gage any form of suspicious action. Alon walked around the edge of the room, watching the guests.

As the applause died, General Blithe began to speak. "Captain Black, in a career that so far has spanned almost thirteen years, your record has been exceptional. In working for the Military and Ministry of Defence you have successfully completed your missions gallantly and with honour."

Addison felt awkward standing in the spotlight. Her only thought was to get off the stage and find Dr. Kleein. Four men were already dead. She didn't have time for this but what concerned her more was the fact that she wasn't sure whom she could trust.

"Now although usual ceremonies of this kind are held at Buckingham Palace, circ.u.mstances, and the nature of our work make that impossible. So instead, we are here today to honour you with not one but two medals... for gallantry and distinguished conduct."

Addison looked at Mark, stunned by his revelation. Her main concern was whether the presentation of two medals would take longer than one. The soldier tried to smile and appear surprised but on looking back at Skyler she saw the same confused expression. Kleein was out there, probably watching right now, one step ahead of her. She felt her anger rise.

"So in respect of the situation and resolution of your mission... here today to present you with these medals is the wife of the soldier whose life was taken so tragically and before his time... by the very person you dealt with and put an end to..."

No! Addison's eyes widened. Not Jenny. Not now.

"Jennifer Easton," Mark introduced.

Feeling the situation couldn't possibly get any worse, Addison scanned the room until she located Jenny Easton climbing the steps to the stage. James Easton's wife smiled proudly. She looked well, Addison acknowledged. Her red hair was cut into a short bob. She had put on some weight, filling out the fragile frame Addison had been concerned about after James' death. The pressure to find Dr. Kleein increased with the guilt ridden realisation that she had already been the cause of Jimmy's children losing their father; she would be d.a.m.ned if anything happed to Jenny as well.

The applause continued and Addison looked across the room to Alon. The Israeli Mossad agent maintained his position by the far exit. She looked to Mark Blithe and for the first time the general seemed to register something of concern etched into her features. He frowned, giving her the same look Skyler was.

Jenny reached Addison and they hugged affectionately.

"I didn't know you were even here," Addison said.

"It wouldn't be a surprise otherwise. They kept me hidden."

The applause finally stopped and Jennifer stood in front of the microphone. She spoke softly. "I know I'm not as prestigious as the Queen presenting these medals but I was asked and am honoured to do so. Captain Black... Addison... you brought to justice the person who took my husband's life." Jenny paused and took a breath, gaining hold of her emotions. Addison's mind felt swamped with frustration and the urgent need to flee the stage and find Kleein. The terrifying knowledge that Gemini might very well be in the room with them, hung over here like a pressurised weight.

Jennifer continued. "So it is my honour to present you with these medals." Blithe handed her two cases, each approximately the size of her palm, and open portraying the medals. "For distinguished service and gallantry... myself... and more importantly, your country thank you, Captain Black, for your service and loyalty to the realm."