Collective Mind (36 page)

Wasting
no time, the team set off to carry out the plan. At the entrance to the hotel,
Bikie bent down and picked up a little piece of blue plastic.

“Bikie,
you’re like a kid, picking up all sorts of bright colored garbage.”

Bikie
grumbled something to himself. If there was such a thing as a translator for
grumbling, it would have produced approximately the following: “You are a
little kid, you don’t realize that I’ve picked up a room key card from the
hotel. I would explain to you how it could be useful, but you wouldn’t
understand anyway.”

They
took up a position on a sofa in the central hall. Bikie opened his laptop and
started sharing his impressions of New York with Isaac. Pellegrini pretended to
be listening. About half an hour went by. Isaac noted that the commissioner was
poised like a pointing gun dog. Except that he wasn’t nuzzling at the wind.

“Our
first one,” the commissioner whispered.

Isaac
looked round at the front desk, where a man with a suitcase on wheels was
checking in. It was Dr. Burgers, one of the conference participants. From the
polite way in which he was spoken to, he seemed to be an important person.
Isaac thought regretfully that he did not take the trouble to find out about
the participants’ achievements; for them Dr. Burgers was just someone with a
full access pass.

Isaac
turned towards Pellegrini, but the commissioner wasn’t there as he had set off
towards the front desk. No one but Isaac seemed to notice the way he walked
past Dr. Burgers at the precise moment when the receptionist was handing him a
blue key card and telling him how to get to his room.

Pellegrini
came back and said curtly:

“Two,
one, zero.”

Burgers
had taken room two hundred and ten.

“Let’s
wait for one more before we leave.” The commissioner’s voice had a
professionally commanding tone. That couldn’t be helped. But this time, his
tone turned out particularly harsh. “This one is an Austrian. So he must be jet
lagged. He’ll settle into his room and probably won’t leave it again until
morning catching up on sleep. Best to drop in for the pass when he’s out.
Tomorrow morning that is.”

Bikie
protested:

“One
will be enough. I’ve got a little idea. You go on, I’ll come out with Isaac
later, so as not to create a crowd at the exit.”

“Bikie,
have you come up with something?” Isaac asked after the commissioner left.

“You
bet! Look, the shift is changing. The new staff haven’t seen what the new guest
looks like yet. And that’s our chance.”

“I
don’t get it.”

“Look
and learn.”

Bikie
walked across to the attractive looking brunette who had just started working
at the reception desk. Reaching her, he lowered his eyes and asked with a
slight stammer:

“Do
you happen to have a charger for a phone like this? I’ve got an old model, it
discharges quickly.”

Bikie
put his mobile phone, brightly colored in rock’n’roll style, down on the desk.

“Certainly
we do. Are you a guest in our hotel?”

“Yes
I am. I’ll leave the phone with you to be charged and go and get a coffee at
the Starbucks nearby.”

“Very
well, certainly. Your name?”

“Burgers.
Please, I’m so forgetful, can you stick the number of my room, 210, on the
phone. If I forget it, just send it to the room.”

“Yes,
of course, Mr. Burgers.”

“Oh,
you’re so kind!”

The
girl smiled, pleased with the good start to her shift.

“Let’s
go and have a coffee,” Bikie said when he came back.

In
the coffee bar, he explained:

“Look
Isaac, have you never noticed that the more brazenly you behave, the more timid
people around you get? And vice versa, the more modest you are, the more
aggressive others get. As if there a constant amount of cockiness in the air,
and if someone breathes in more of it, then others get less. But never mind
that, the main thing is, if you act with self-assurance, other people will
believe in you too.”

“Bikie,
why have you suddenly started talking like a business trainer on TV? What are
you driving at?”

“Right
now I’m not talking about training, you know. But about how I’ll get the key to
the doctor’s room.”

“And
how’s that?”

“You’ll
see. Just watch.”

Bikie
went back to the hotel, walked up to the same girl and asked for his mobile
phone. Then, holding out a key-card, he added:

“You
know, there’s something wrong with this plastic card. It’s probably
demagnetized, it doesn’t open the door.”

“Just
a moment, do you have any ID?”

“Not
with me. I left it in the room.” Bikie ran one hand across his breast pockets
to illustrate.

“Hmm,
well, not to worry. I’ll reprogram it right now. Are you in two hundred and
ten?”

“Yes,
glad you remember me,” Bikie said with a broad smile. “Although it’s hard to
forget someone who keeps annoying you with stupid requests, isn’t it?” the
pseudo guest asked, still flirting with the receptionist.

She
smiled back.

“Here’s
your card. Enjoy your evening.”

Bikie
and Isaac went to the elevator, rode up to the floor where the doctor was
staying, came back down and walked out into the street.

Bikie,
you say I’m lucky, but the real lucky dog here is you,” Isaac declared.

“Why
is that? Psychology is neither more nor less than a science, Isaac.”

“Bikie,
just imagine if that girl had asked for some detail out of your ID.”

“It
was all covered, I have already read everything about that doctor and I know
his full name and date of birth.”

“You
mean you were ready to state his date of birth?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm,
Bikie, did you realize that the Professor you just impersonated is about
sixty?”

“Oops…
Touché! So I am lucky,” Bikie laughed.

Later
Pellegrini, who was least conspicuous and had most practice, sneaked into the
room and collected the sleeping Doctor Burgers’ pass.

Everything
else was ready for the break-in. They’d have to figure out the details on the
spot.

Link
declared that he had to be present at the moment of the break-in, it was
essential in case of a technical problem. But he could be recognized, so this
issue had to be addressed using the art of makeup. Bikie and Isaac went to a
little carnival costume shop in the Garment District to buy what was needed.

Isaac
loved fantasizing on the subject of the past, and his imagination ran riot yet
again.

“Bikie,
imagine that the two of us are living in ancient times, I’m a great king,
you’re my advisor, and we’re walking along the market stalls, surrounded by
merchants, local people and out-of-towners, silks and yarns.”

A
big wooden armchair stood on a large stone podium right at the entrance to the
shopping mall. A fat elderly gentleman was sitting in it, with a shoe shine man
on a low stool in front of him, moving his hands briskly as he worked on the
man’s black crocodile shoes.

Pointing
to the chair, Bikie declared solemnly:

“Oh
king, there is your throne, it will be free very soon now.”

“Oh
my page, look, your stool will be free in just a moment.”

They
bantered with each other all the way to the costume shop. They bought a false
beard, which looked very natural, a wig and some makeup putty for altering the
shape of the nose and cheekbones. Link would be unrecognizable.

As
soon as they got back, Pellegrini told them he had a plan for getting the
Professor in without an invitation.

Evening
started to draw in and Isaac went down to the lobby to call Michelle before it
was too late by her time. She was glad to get his call. After hanging up the
last time they spoke, she really didn’t want to call first. Good thing, the
chill in their relationship had already thawed.

“You
are cruel to me, Isaac” Michelle rebuked. “You could have phoned sooner.
There’s been no news from you for three days and I have been worried.”

“Sorry,
hon, I’ve been overwhelmed. These past days have been grueling.”

“A
call is just two minutes! You really could have found the time.”

“Well,
I’m sorry. I’m just very tired. And not quite acclimated yet.”

“How
are things going?”

“Everything’s
fine. We’re making progress. We’re going to a conference tomorrow.”

“Will
it happen there?”

“Possibly.
Depending on the circumstances.”

“Good
God, and I have to stay here, sick with worry! Isaac, please, can I come?”

“I
love you, Michelle. But if you’re here, I’ll be distracted all the time
thinking about you.”

“Well
thank you so much for that!”

“Oh
please, Michelle!” Isaac added in a pleading voice.

“I
want to be there with you. It’s my life, you don’t need to make decisions for
me. Why are you fussing over me like a nanny? I am twenty-five. I am an
independent, grownup girl!”

“Do
whatever you like.”

“I
always act as I think fit.”

“Michelle,
I have to go. I love you.”

“I
love you too.”

Isaac
walked wearily back to his room. In the morning, he had to call Vicky in the
hospital. He kept forgetting that he could only do that in the morning because
of the time difference.

An
hour later there was a knock at his door. Isaac reluctantly got up and opened
it. Standing there in the doorway was Michelle!

“Come
in. I thought it must be you.” Of course, Isaac was absolutely delighted, but
tried not to show it.

“I’ve
been in New York since yesterday. But mind you, if you hadn’t called first, I
would never have come round!”

“And
of course, Bikie gave away where we’re staying?”

“He’s
not such a tedious dumb head as you are.”

“I’m
serious.”

“I
like you especially when you are that serious.”

Isaac
immediately relaxed, hugged Michelle close and kissed her.

“Thanks
for coming.” There was nothing else he wanted to say.

A
long, tender kiss… How Isaac had missed that! He looked at her, as if trying to
make sure he wasn’t dreaming, like he did when they didn’t yet know each other.
There was a mischievous glint in her eyes. Keeping her eyes on him, with a
gentle half-smile she started slowly unfastening the top buttons of her blouse,
revealing her black lacy underwear. Letting him know very clearly what she
wanted, but allowing him make the first move. After that he took over. As he
removed her blouse, Isaac felt the ground slipping from under his feet. He was
overwhelmed by an all-encompassing sense of adoration. Michelle was
mind-blowingly sexy! “She is perfection, no, she’s even better!” was the last
thought that flitted through his mind before he was swept into a different
dimension of passion.

***

Bikie
and Link came down to breakfast later than usual. They had already adapted to
the New York time, no longer feeling like waking up at six in the morning, as
they did the first few days.

Isaac
ordered breakfast in his room. He didn’t want Bikie to see Michelle, or he
would torment Isaac with his comments; however, he still didn’t manage to avoid
Bikie’s gibes. It looked like Michelle and Bikie had been in collusion from the
very beginning.

Going
down into the lobby five minutes before they were due to set off, Isaac found
the whole team gathered, including Pellegrini.

“You
owe me,” Bikie whispered in his ear with a smile. “Something in chrome.”

Pellegrini
gave Link his final instructions, then turned to the others. His special ops
skills showed clearly. “After all,” Isaac admitted to himself, “things feel
calmer somehow with Pellegrini.”

“So,
you and Bikie enter here, through the separate entrance for those with
invitations. Make sure you haven’t forgotten them. Take your IDs. Then Link and
I go in together,” the commissioner continued in a confident tone.

Professor
thought it over for a while and nodded.

 “The
conference starts at ten. Since this is the opening, there will probably be a
delay for about fifteen minutes, there are always organizational hitches. While
there’s a crowd it will be easier for us to blend in. At 9:50 we all meet by
the elevator.”

“What
about a pass for Link?” Isaac asked.

“I
took care of that, don’t worry. I made a colored copy of my own.”

Isaac
had time to call the hospital and talk to the doctor. Vicky was fine, she could
come round at any moment. A promising way to start the day, although Isaac had
been hoping to hear her voice before their plan was put in action.

They
reached the Museum, and leisurely walked inside. Link followed, Pellegrini was
right behind him. Link held out his pass. He was asked about something and
started explaining. At that moment Pellegrini pretended to stumble and shoved
Link so hard that he almost went flying through into the hall, and barely kept
his balance. Some coins, a pen, a dictaphone, scattered on the floor.
Pellegrini immediately created a commotion, making fussy apologies, helped Link
to collect things, accidentally on purpose having dropped his invitation and
police badge. He picked them up and apologized at great length to the ticket
inspector, whom he had also caught with his elbow. Tugging Link’s false pass
out of the dumbfounded employee’s hand, he handed it to Link, apologizing yet
again. Spotting the commissioner’s police badge, the inspector immediately
calmed down. To be on the safe side, he also apologized because there was such
a crush at the entrance. The crowd outside was swelling, and the inspector
turned to the next visitor, trying to let people through more quickly.

The
incident was successfully closed. Pellegrini took Link by the arm and offered
to show him to the restroom and help him get tidied up. The inspector carried
on checking people coming in.

Ten
minutes later they all gathered by the elevator as arranged. They walked into
the cabin and pressed the basement button. A little red lamp came on and Link
pressed the stolen card against the terminal. The lift smoothly started
downwards. Pellegrini was the first to the doors and walked out confidently.
Link and Bikie followed him, with Isaac being the last.

They
were all in for a disappointment: they saw a glass partition, a lounge with
sofas, doors to meeting rooms. Nothing resembling a laboratory or a server
room. Isaac ran the full length of the corridor twice before it was finally
clear that they had arrived at the wrong place.

Pellegrini
stopped a girl walking by, half-opened his jacket to show his badge and asked
where the laboratory was.

The
frightened staffer explained that they had to go down one more level, and they
all darted to the elevator, which was still standing there.

There
was another button below “-1”, but to press it you had to insert some kind of a
key. Pellegrini pressed on the keyhole anyway, but the cabin didn’t move.

“This
pass doesn’t have clearance to go lower. Only this far, to the meeting rooms,”
Link said disappointedly.

Suddenly
the lift started moving, but, alas, upwards - someone had pressed the call
button. The lift skipped past the zero, first and second floors and the doors
opened at the third. Two elderly men and a security guard were standing on the
landing. Isaac’s heart sank into his boots.

“I’m
sorry, we need the lift. This is the service elevator. Could you please vacate
the cabin?”

They
hurriedly got out. Link walked out with his head lowered, as if he was
inspecting his shoes. The men got in and the doors closed.

“That
was Blake, the UN Deputy Secretary General,” Link explained gloomily. “The one
I handed over the technology to before I went into hiding.”

Meanwhile
Pellegrini was counting something, looking down at the spiral walkway and the
throng of people down below.

“What
are you counting, Pellegrini?”

The
commissioner ignored Isaac’s question and carried on counting.

“They
went down to minus two,” was the answer he gave later. “Or rather, minus two
and a half. Obviously the ceiling must be one and a half times the normal
height. That’s where we have to get into.”

“Right,
Link, you stay here,” said the commissioner, taking full control. The fact that
only recently they didn’t trust him had been quickly forgotten, it was history.
“Or better still, get away from here. You could be recognized. Who has the
device?”

“I
do,” Bikie replied.

“I’m
coming too,” Link put in. “I have to be there.”

“OK,
you and Bikie go to the café and wait for our signal. “Isaac, go and
mingle with the crowd and listen. Listen to everyone who looks like a local, an
American. Follow what they’re talking about. Look for people who work in the
building. We have to find someone who has a card with lower level access. If
you find one first, call me, I’ll try to pinch it. Bikie, Link, if anything
happens, leave.”

Isaac
and Pellegrini shot off downwards and separated, mingling with the crowd.
Everyone was speaking English, but it was pretty easy to tell European English
from the American one. Isaac listened intently to the conversations. People
were swirling about and there was no way of telling who he had already listened
to and who he hadn’t. But he tried at least to understand who worked there. He
tried to stick to those who had bodyguards or were not carrying briefcases,
which meant they could have an office in the building.

Suddenly
he heard a voice and looked around.

“What’s
going on here? He almost knocked an old man down at the entrance. Now he’s run
into a security guard!”

There
was a commotion in the middle of the hall with Pellegrini.

“He
tried to filch my wallet,” a security guard exclaimed indignantly.

Isaac
tried to stick close and figure out what was happening. He couldn’t tell what
trick the commissioner had pulled, apparently an unsuccessful attempt to steal
the security guard’s key. In any case, everyone’s attention was on Pellegrini
now. A security official came over and asked the commissioner to go with him to
the same elevator that Isaac and his companions had been riding in only five
minutes ago.

It
was a total catastrophe. Most of the audience and the delegates had already
entered the conference hall, the lounge had thinned out. Isaac saw Link leaving
the Guggenheim. Three minutes later Bikie made his way through to the exit. It
was pointless to stay any longer. Bikie had gone out, taking the device with
him. Pellegrini was gone too, and Isaac was alone. There was nothing else he
could do except move towards the exit, especially since, apart from Guggenheim
employees, there were no more than ten people left in the large lounge. He
didn’t feel like going into the conference hall.

***