wanted to kick herself for not having anticipated that her bank accounts would be gone. After all, she was dealing with the CIA; they had those kinds of powers. She blamed it on her lack of sleep. She really, really needed a good night’s rest.
But at least there was this one account. And the one overseas. She’d been so relieved when the library computer had confirmed they were still active. God knew what she would have done if she’d been totally penniless.
If it was just herself, she would have gotten by, but she had a big responsibility. She could relax a bit now that she had the money in her hands. She had secretly been worried her card wouldn’t work and that there would be nothing in there. As it was, she would have just enough to purchase the passports and pay some bills. She frowned. She needed to think of a way to make money to pay the usual under-the-table fees to the relevant officials.
The big man with the mustache turned and looked around. Lily kept her eyes on his hands, unconsciously holding her breath as he pulled out something from his coat pocket. It looked bulky.
It was a cell phone, one of the bigger types that had gone out of style a few years ago. “Ya, hallo?”
Lily exhaled slowly. She hadn’t been this jumpy since she was on her own with nothing but the clothes on her back. She must pull herself together or this wasn’t going to work. Right now she needed to be very logical about what she was going to do. She had a lot on her plate. A group of girls was waiting patiently for her to get back. Illegal passports to purchase. She glanced up at the man still on the cell phone. And trying to find a way to get around the phone problem. It was so damn stupid not being able to use one. How on earth was she going to explain that while she made her deals?
Oh sorry, can’t call me, I’ll call you.
Yeah, that was going to make the illegal traders less suspicious of a woman asking for so many passports. Before, Amber had been able to do it through her information channels. Now that she had to do it face-to-face, the traders would probably want a good reason for the sudden change.
Lily became aware of the man on the cell standing up abruptly, still on the phone. He headed for the exit as the bus came to a stop. See? He wasn’t following her after all. There were a few more passengers in the bus, but they weren’t paying attention to her. Everyone appeared normal.
Except her, of course. She was the odd person here. Show of hands, people—anyone here a sleeper cell? She grinned at the thought of standing up and actually asking that. And oh, anyone here own some special kind of bomb? She had one.
She felt herself grinning. She was probably the only woman in Pristina who fit the description she just gave. If she looked at the positive side of things, it couldn’t be easy for those looking for her to go around describing her. Let’s hope so.
Lily got off at her destination, then walked around for a few minutes to make sure the bus wasn’t followed. The roads were eerily silent as she trudged across the median. She caught sight of the restaurants with their bright lights on and suddenly remembered she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
She could get room service at the hotel. She stopped. No, she couldn’t. She would have to use the damn phone. Shit.
Maybe she’d come down to the café later. Reaching her hotel, she looked up at the lit sign, which she hadn’t noticed before. Welcome to Pristina, it said.
“Welcome to hell,” she muttered, then walked quickly through the foyer into the lobby. She smiled at the proprietor-cum-desk clerk. “ Dobro veèer .”
Let’s hope she still had some charm in her to persuade the nice gentleman to help her make a very special call.
CHAPTER 4
Hey man, there’s got to be more than just loving to ride the waves, you know. For me, it’s a quest. I go out there practically naked, just me and my board. The ocean hides everything, son. Sharks.
But at least there was this one account. And the one overseas. She’d been so relieved when the library computer had confirmed they were still active. God knew what she would have done if she’d been totally penniless.
If it was just herself, she would have gotten by, but she had a big responsibility. She could relax a bit now that she had the money in her hands. She had secretly been worried her card wouldn’t work and that there would be nothing in there. As it was, she would have just enough to purchase the passports and pay some bills. She frowned. She needed to think of a way to make money to pay the usual under-the-table fees to the relevant officials.
The big man with the mustache turned and looked around. Lily kept her eyes on his hands, unconsciously holding her breath as he pulled out something from his coat pocket. It looked bulky.
It was a cell phone, one of the bigger types that had gone out of style a few years ago. “Ya, hallo?”
Lily exhaled slowly. She hadn’t been this jumpy since she was on her own with nothing but the clothes on her back. She must pull herself together or this wasn’t going to work. Right now she needed to be very logical about what she was going to do. She had a lot on her plate. A group of girls was waiting patiently for her to get back. Illegal passports to purchase. She glanced up at the man still on the cell phone. And trying to find a way to get around the phone problem. It was so damn stupid not being able to use one. How on earth was she going to explain that while she made her deals?
Oh sorry, can’t call me, I’ll call you.
Yeah, that was going to make the illegal traders less suspicious of a woman asking for so many passports. Before, Amber had been able to do it through her information channels. Now that she had to do it face-to-face, the traders would probably want a good reason for the sudden change.
Lily became aware of the man on the cell standing up abruptly, still on the phone. He headed for the exit as the bus came to a stop. See? He wasn’t following her after all. There were a few more passengers in the bus, but they weren’t paying attention to her. Everyone appeared normal.
Except her, of course. She was the odd person here. Show of hands, people—anyone here a sleeper cell? She grinned at the thought of standing up and actually asking that. And oh, anyone here own some special kind of bomb? She had one.
She felt herself grinning. She was probably the only woman in Pristina who fit the description she just gave. If she looked at the positive side of things, it couldn’t be easy for those looking for her to go around describing her. Let’s hope so.
Lily got off at her destination, then walked around for a few minutes to make sure the bus wasn’t followed. The roads were eerily silent as she trudged across the median. She caught sight of the restaurants with their bright lights on and suddenly remembered she hadn’t eaten dinner yet.
She could get room service at the hotel. She stopped. No, she couldn’t. She would have to use the damn phone. Shit.
Maybe she’d come down to the café later. Reaching her hotel, she looked up at the lit sign, which she hadn’t noticed before. Welcome to Pristina, it said.
“Welcome to hell,” she muttered, then walked quickly through the foyer into the lobby. She smiled at the proprietor-cum-desk clerk. “ Dobro veèer .”
Let’s hope she still had some charm in her to persuade the nice gentleman to help her make a very special call.
CHAPTER 4
Hey man, there’s got to be more than just loving to ride the waves, you know. For me, it’s a quest. I go out there practically naked, just me and my board. The ocean hides everything, son. Sharks.
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