Milo Moon: It Never Happened (31 page)

*****

‘Mr. Henniger is here.’

‘Good. Show him in will you, Patrick.’

‘Good evening, Mr. Henniger. I hope your day’s been better than mine.’

‘Yes, good evening, m’am. My day? Probably the same I’d imagine.’

‘All right. Well, you asked for this meeting, so I presume you have bad news for me.’

‘Not entirely m’am. We’ve managed to get Mueller to talk, and he’s given us an overview of things, and I must say it’s extremely disturbing. I mean, what he’s been doing down there for all these years.’

‘You mean the human experimentation?’

‘Quite shocking, m’am. Psychological experiments seem to have been the prime area, but drug trials, viruses, contagious diseases. You name it. But the worst part of his story is the link back to the war.’

‘The Nazi programs?’

‘Yes, a long chain. Although he hasn’t admitted it as yet, we are of the inclination to believe that he is the son of the man who started Klinik Siebzehn. A Nazi experiment into psychological transfer.’

‘Right. So what are you doing with him now?’

‘We’ll start a full interrogation tomorrow and get him into finer details and document it over the next few weeks.’

‘And then?’

‘Well, that’s my question to you, m’am.’

‘It seems no one wants him right now. I’ve had a number of calls today expressing the view.’

‘Yes, I’m sure. He’s told me he wants to go to Libya.’

‘Oh. Nice place. Why did he choose there?’

‘Who knows? The worst part of his tale is that he’s been receiving a lot of money from certain governments.’

‘Selling his wares then. To who?’

‘We’ve tracked transactions to secret services in China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Ukraine.’

‘That’s very interesting. I had some news today about similar links to China in particular.’

‘Yes?’

‘Carruthers.’

‘Carruthers! Well of course. She’s decided to fill the dead man’s shoes.’

‘Sorry, Mr. Henniger?’

‘Mueller has been raking in money for years. It makes sense that Carruthers is trying to get into it now that Mueller is out of the way.’

‘But she rang me only yesterday demanding his release.’

‘I’m sure she’d like to get hold of him. She doesn’t have his contacts.’

‘So how do you read this?’

‘As far as I understand, Carruthers is due to head the transferred operation in Russia. We’ve been giving the Americans and Carruthers as much help as we can to get this transfer done as quickly as possible. Maybe she was in the deal with Mueller, I’m not sure. But his detention was not part of the plan. It was only by sheer chance that Seaton recognised him that we decided to hold him. So the problem lies in Mueller’s contacts.’

‘Do you think Carruthers has been benefitting from Mueller’s dealings?’

‘I’ll know by morning, once we do a banking check on her, but my hunch is that she was.’

‘Right, so Mueller and Carruthers make money by selling their wares, and even now I could be drawn to a conclusion that this facility may continue to be profitable in a new location. The big three continue with their post war agreement and no one’s the wiser. At the same time information is being sold off to who ever by Mueller, Carruthers and maybe some covert government agencies. Who knows? All that is quite logical. What I don’t understand is why Mueller helped these two escape with the clear intention of having the facility uncovered?’

‘Because of pride.’

‘Pride?’

‘Yes. Mueller was going to be retired off soon and he was most upset that someone from England I think, was going to replace him. In his mind, it was his program. And the link to his father is what pulls this together. He told me it was a German program. I think what he really meant was that it was a family business.’

‘So why expose it?’

‘His logic was very sound. Everything has happened as he planned except that he is not now heading the transfer and taking charge of the new facility in Russia.’

‘So his only mistake was with Seaton?’

‘Yes. She was supposed to be well sedated, but she recognised him as George Smithe. Without that little bit of luck, he’d be heading the transfer now and on his way to continuing his operation.’

‘Right Mr. Henniger. It looks like we have some decisions to make.’

‘Yes m’am.’

‘First. The record of interview with Mueller.’

‘Yes?’

‘One copy only in handwriting, and delivered to me personally. Make sure there’s absolutely no record of his existence on any of your files or data systems. Not even his initials.’

‘Yes. But it’s highly irregular.’

‘This whole episode is Mr. Henniger. But there’s enormous political and diplomatic consequences involved here.’

‘And historically?’

‘It never ever happened, Mr. Henniger. Clear?’

‘Yes m’am. Understood. I’ll see to it personally.’

‘Next. Carruthers. Perhaps you could drop a hint to your American and Russian friends that she might be trying to sell information to, where was it again?’

‘China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, and Ukraine.’

‘Yes. Should get some attention I think.’

‘Understood m’am. I’ll get that underway this evening.’

‘Now, the transfer. How’s that going?’

‘We’ve made it as easy as we can and we’ve had some help from the CIA. A few unrecorded flights out of Geneva. The last briefing I received this afternoon expected the last of the patients to be out by tomorrow evening. We haven’t assisted with their staff though. So that’s a bit slower.’

‘Well, we’ll leave that to others then. But the facility will be clear by, let’s see, Friday morning.’

‘Yes. I believe so m’am.’

‘Good. I want you to take Mueller to CERN on Friday and get him to show you where this emergency button or whatever it is called, is located and set off this expanding and solidifying foam and get rid of this place.’

‘There’s a lethal gas that’s part of that mechanism m’am.’

‘I don’t think that’ll be necessary. Can you have that part disarmed or something? Just fill the place and make it disappear.’

‘Understood.’

‘Right. I think that covers things for now.’

‘Except Mueller m’am.’

‘Just hold him for now. He may be useful. We’ll decide on his future once this Sootere place is wiped from existence.’

‘Very well m’am. Oh. Just one other matter. We’re still holding this, Dr. Paul Schmidt.’

‘Who.’

‘We took him into custody after the attempted attack in Bern.’

‘Ah, yes at the military base. Yes, I saw Rudiger Staheli’s notes about that incident.’

‘So, what should we do with him now?’

‘Until we know more, I think we’ll keep him. We’ll sort out the two German doctors once we have the other issues under control.’

‘Yes, m’am.’

‘I’d like to see you Friday afternoon for a briefing. Is that okay with you, Mr. Henniger?’

Henniger checked his agenda on his mobile phone. ‘Late Friday afternoon, sure.’

‘Patrick!’ Klausner called out, and Patrick came in.

‘Could you arrange a meeting in my agenda for Mr. Henniger for Friday afternoon around five or six?’

‘Yes m’am.’

‘Right Mr. Henniger. Patrick will look after that with you. I’ll see you Friday then.’

‘Yes m’am,’ he said, as he rose and left the president’s office with Patrick.

Once in Patrick’s office, Henniger asked Patrick a question in almost a whisper.

‘How are you managing? She’s, well, different.’

‘Yes sir. She certainly is that. But I must say I think I might enjoy this rotation. Six-thirty okay with you?’

‘Fine Patrick. Thanks. See you on Friday then.’

When he arrived back at his car, Henniger made a call from his mobile.

‘Hello.’

‘It’s Klaus, John. Carruthers is trying to sell. Chinese buyers.’

‘Thanks Klaus. I’ll follow it up.’

‘Have you tipped MI6?’

‘Not yet.’

‘Leave it to me then.’

‘Thanks John.’

Henniger clicked to end the call and then made another.

‘Yes’

‘It’s Klaus, Sergei. Carruthers is trying to sell. Chinese buyers.’

‘Thanks Klaus. We heard a whisper too.’

‘Leave it with you then, Sergei.’

*****

‘Milo?’

‘Yes.’

‘The moon is wonderful. It’s round like your face.’

‘But it’s got no mouth or eyes.’

‘I’d like to go there.’

‘To the moon?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ll ask Sylvie. She’ll know how.’

‘I miss Marie. I liked her.’

‘Me too Mary.’

Chapter 29 - What Will Be

Tired from her shift, Marie arrived home at nearly half past ten. She opened the door and hung her jacket. It was quiet and dark, so she realised that Jean-Paul was not waiting for her. She switched on the living room light.

‘Oh my god!’ she exclaimed, as she saw Jean-Paul sitting on the sofa with a bouquet of roses in his hand. Then she saw the table set and a bottle of red opened and breathing.

‘What…? I don’t know….’

‘I’ve been cooking,’ Jean-Paul said, with a big smile.

‘Oh have you now,’ Marie said. ‘And what have you cooked then?’

‘Coq au Vin.’

‘Well who’s a clever boy then?’

‘These are for you,’ Jean-Paul said, as he handed the roses to Marie. She took them and smelled their fragrance. Then wrapped her arms around his neck.

‘Kiss me you fool.’

Over dinner Jean-Paul told her he had decided to take his new job.

‘So you need a cheap place to live?’ she said jokingly.

‘There are plenty of cheap places to live Marie. But here I get the bonus of living with someone I love.’

‘I love you too, Jean-Paul.’

They looked into each other’s eyes. Not needing words.

They cleared the table together and made coffee.

‘My commander came to see me today.’

‘And?’

‘He wants me to keep my federal security clearance.’

‘So what does that mean?’

‘It means that I could possibly be called or seconded as they say, for special assignments.’

‘This is on top of becoming a sergeant?’

‘Yes, I know. A couple of big days,’ she smiled.

‘So you could get busy?’

‘Well, I just wanted you to know, that’s all. I don’t have a very predictable job.’

‘So it could mean you do a disappearing act again?’

‘A remote chance.’

‘When you say Federal, do you mean the spooks?’

‘Oh JP! They’re not spooks. Just cops like me. Well, no. You’re right. On reflection, yes. They are spooks. Okay,’ she laughed.

‘Well, it must mean you’re good at your job.’

‘Thanks JP.’

‘So are you going to keep this, eh, clearance?’

‘Only if you agree.’

‘Oh Marie. Don’t be silly. Do what you’re good at. And don’t forget, I’m going to be working all sorts of stupid hours too, so we’ll work it out.’

Marie cuddled up to Jean-Paul. ‘I love you JP.’

‘Me too, Marie.’

*****

Françoise woke early and readied herself for a hectic Thursday. Staheli’s funeral and a host of leaders who would be attending the service in Bern. She smiled in the mirror as she had a passing thought of placing Staheli’s handwritten file in his coffin. That way he could take the secrets with him. Her driver was due at seven, in half an hour. So she decided on making a coffee and relaxing for the thirty minutes. It would be her only quiet time during what was going to be a long and exhausting day and evening. Luckily, her portfolio for foreign affairs meant she knew almost everyone who was attending, so it wouldn’t involve trying to remember too many new names. She closed her eyes and started to put the CERN matter far from her thinking. That was for tomorrow. Today was for churches, handshakes, fake sympathy and free food and drinks.

*****

‘What are you doing?’

‘Cooking pancakes, Milo.’

‘Have you cooked them before?’

‘No, but Marie showed me how to do it.’

‘Can I help?’

‘You could make some coffee, Milo.’

‘Instant?’

‘Oh no Milo. You and your instant coffee. Make it properly with the machine like Sylvie showed you.’

‘Okay, Mary,’ Milo said, not understanding what was wrong with instant coffee.

‘We could go for a walk later. It’s going to be a nice day I think.’