The hum of the coffee machine echoed throughout the staff room at AFP Headquarters, was a reassuring sound to Darrin O’Connor. His fingers, stained from the countless reports he’d been ploughing through, idly traced the whorls of steam escaping from the machine’s spout. The comforting scent of the brewing coffee filled the blue-tinged room, cloaking the sting of the January sun outside the building. Darrin’s attention shifted as the glass door opened. He grinned when he saw Nicole step in, her sharp features softened by a fleeting smile. She moved towards Darrin, her heels clicking with an unfaltering rhythm, filling the room with a hypnotic symphony of echoed sound. There was a shared understanding in her gaze as it fell upon him, a bridge of unspoken solidarity that linked two souls grappling with the inky darkness of their chosen profession. ‘You read my mind,’ she said, her voice as soft as the sway of wheat in the wind.
‘How?’ asked Darrin. Nicole pointed to the coffee.
‘I’m running dry.’ She showed her empty cup. Darrin chuckled. An undulating sigh passed through Darrin’s lips as he watched the coffee machine’s slow drip. Laura’s memory was a ghost entwined around his consciousness, haunting his present, an agonising balm for the unhealed wound in his heart. ‘How are you holding up, mate?’ she asked, as she waited her turn for the coffee machine. She tapped her fingers on the back of the chair, the sudden urge of cravings for coffee kicked in.
‘I’m, I’m getting there.’ His voice laced with a private anguish.
‘Well, I’m here if you need to talk.’ Darrin smiled, the barest lifting of his lip corners was his response, a fragile, silent acknowledgment of her solidarity.
‘Been makin’ any headway with the Haynes case?’ he asked, steering the conversation into familiar territories, a desperate clutch at the transient normality work provided. He finished making his coffee and shifted allowing Nicole to make hers. Nicole’s gaze grew distant, her mind drifting towards a myriad of paper trails and suspicious connections.
‘Ugh, it’s brutal. I’ve been going through the AML’s personnel list. Checking for any inconsistencies.’
‘Mm, sounds tedious. I don’t envy you.’ Nicole rolled her eyes as she waited for the steamed milk to finish.
‘That’s an understatement, but someone has to do it I guess.’ Her voice echoed a hint of sarcasm. ‘I’m still looking for a link between them and Arthur Williams.’
‘Hey, look. I’m sorry about our conversation earlier. I don’t want you to think you’re a traitor. The Boss told me in confidence, I had to withhold the information.’
‘No, it’s okay. I get it. If he’d told me, I’d done the same thing. I can’t believe it’s real…that someone in this unit is working against us.’ She took a moment to scour the office, watching everyone, realising it could be anyone. Their professional exchange was interrupted by the entrance of Paul Duncan.
‘Briefing room, both of you. Now.’ The soft clink of their coffees being picked up punctuated his words. They trudged through the labyrinth of offices, their journey marked by the steady hum of the building’s heart, the rhythm of whispered conversations, the low, urgent murmurings of a nation’s invisible defenders. Inside the glass-walled briefing room, the other members of the team were assembled, their focus trained on Paul as he began. ‘Right, I’ve spoken with Mackenzie.’ His words hung in the air, the silent spectre of Paul Duncan’s authority looming over them. ‘She’s alerted the President’s Close-Personal Protection detail about Williams. Hopefully her security detail can stop him before he carries out his threat. I’ve also been advised that the President has received a set of demands from the kidnappers.’
‘Do we know who they are yet?’ asked Darrin, taking a sip of his coffee, but Paul shook his head.
‘It’s unclear, but we know they’re demanding the President to resign, and disband the Republic of Australia.’
‘But that’s not possible.’
‘I agree, but that’s what we’re dealing with,’ said Paul, the sound of dread in his voice. ‘We’re in the process of locating the kidnappers through the cybernetic breadcrumbs they left behind…right now, we have to hope we locate him in time.’ He could smell the tension in the room as the federal agents took in the information. ‘Where are we at with the Haynes’ connection?’
‘So far, I’ve been able to trace a large amount of funds that were transferred from Haynes’ account less than three days ago. The amount totalled five hundred thousand dollars,’ said Darrin.
‘Shit. That’s quite a chunk of money, any idea where it went?’ asked Federal Agent Simon Harper, as he monitored the conversation.
‘At this point, none. Haynes refused to tell us anything more before he was shot.’
‘It’s quite possible this money was a payoff. Haynes could’ve used it to pay Williams to shoot the President,’ Felicity thought.
‘It’s a possibility. We need to dig deeper into Williams’ background. What else do we know about him?’ asked Paul Duncan, sipping his coffee.
‘Aside from serving with the Northern Territory Police Force for the last twenty odd years, there’s not much to tell. He was one of their best officers. He’s had a clean record, he’s even received multiple awards for his recognition of service,’ said Nicole, as she read from the paperwork.
‘We also know he lost his sister.’
‘It just doesn’t add up. There has to be something more, otherwise, why would Haynes’ go to all this trouble to hire someone like Williams?’ Paul checked his watch.
‘Alright. It’s coming up to half eleven. The President is due at Commonwealth Park inside the hour. Williams’ ID has been distributed to the President’s security detail, so hopefully they’ll keep a look out for him…’ the federal agents sat in silence. ‘In the meantime, we still have to figure out where that money came from, and where it went. Let’s get to it.’ Paul watched as his subordinates packed up their gear and headed out. He knew time wasn’t on their side.
****
‘John, please talk to me,’ said Merin, as she used the last bit of energy to stand. ‘Please, I don’t like seeing you angry.’ John’s face turned red. Merin let out a heaped sigh.
‘I don’t know what to think, Merin. This is our son we’re talking about.’
Merin sobbed. ‘I know that, but I can’t resign. It would undo everything we’ve worked for. Australia has just become a republic. Imagine if I went out there and told the people it’s being disbanded, it would cause chaos.’
‘Imagine if you didn’t, these madmen will murder our son!’
‘If I give in to these people, it will tell the world Australia caves to extortion.’
‘It would also tell the world you’re a bad mother.’ John’s hurtful words stabbed Merin in the heart like a knife. Her lips trembled. ‘I’m, I’m sorry sweetheart. I didn’t mean that.’ She turned at the knock on the door. Joe stepped in.
‘Sis, I’ve been on the phone with Ms. Crawford. She said the AFP is getting closer at finding Jarrah.’
‘That’s wonderful, Joe. Any idea how long?’
‘Unclear at this point, their cyber team is having trouble locking onto the server used by the kidnappers. But they’ve got a starting point. They know it’s somewhere in Canberra.’ ‘Well, that tells us a lot doesn’t?’ Joe lowered his head.
‘Sorry, Joe. I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘It’s okay, John. I get it. The AFP is doing everything they can to get him back.’
‘How much time do we have until the speech?’ Joe checked his watch.
‘It’s coming up to quarter to twelve. The Prime Minister is getting ready to leave for Commonwealth Park. I think we should do the same. I’ll be out in the hall.’ Merin watched as Joe turned to leave. She then reached for her Kangaroo skin cloak. John’s hand gripped Merin’s wrist.
‘You’re not going to resign, are you?’ asked John. Merin paused. She couldn’t move. John’s grip stopped her.
‘I don’t know what I’m going to do, John,’ she said. ‘But I have to give this speech.’ They stared at each other, locked in a torment of uncertainty. She slipped on her cloak and turned to leave.
‘Merin.’ She kept walking. ‘Merindah.’ She paused, her heart dropped like a stone. She wanted to say something, but she had no words. She left John standing alone in the study.
Out in the hall, Joe stood waiting. He checked his phone for messages, but nothing new. He looked up to see Merin standing there.
‘Everything alright, sis?’
‘Yes, Joe. I’m alright.’
‘Is John joining us?’
‘He’s welcome to, but I don’t think he will. We had a slight disagreement about the situation with Jarrah.’
‘I understand. I can’t imagine what you’re going through sis. But I’m here for you,’ he said.
‘Thanks, brother. Let’s do this.’ They made it to the main entrance and Merin’s security formed up. Mick Ross opened the rear door and the President smiled at him as she climbed into the back seat of the Holden Caprice WM.
Merin got herself comfortable and took a moment to prepare herself for the ultimate speech; the inaugural speech that would put Australia on the map as a republic.
Comments (0)
See all