Transgression

He had been dreaming but surely now he was awake. Something was falling on his face. He was lying in a hole in the ground and looking up at the snowy sky and something was falling or being scattered in grainy heaps over his torso and trickling onto his face. He moistened his tongue and thrust it between his lips to taste the substance. Hm, not snow. Soil. So they were burying him alive. He tried to move but his body seemed paralysed. Maybe this was still a dream then. He seemed to be floating as if in a dreamlike state. But no. Stones were striking him now. He could feel them hitting him on the face. They were drawing blood. They were meaning to kill him.

They? Was there more than one then? He could hear the scrape of a single spade and the outline of one bulky shape as it leaned rhythmically, nonchalantly blotting out the sky to shovel in another load. As it worked it whistled, a tune he vaguely recognized but could not name. He was enjoying his work then this killer. No worries or doubts for him. Maybe he felt he was performing a duty. A patriotic duty perhaps? No this didn’t have the air of an official operation. This was a private enterprise job and the man was whistling because he was being very well paid.

Paid by whom? Quickly. Before I lose consciousness and suffocate. . By whom? And for what? What am I doing here? What wicked thing have I done that they don’t do me the honour of killing me first before throwing me in my grave? I have offended someone. That’s obvious. Someone powerful. Someone angry. Very angry. Not the digger. This person wouldn’t deign to get his hands dirty. Or her hands. It could be a her. Or a group of people. A corporation. Who knows? Think now. Never mind all your past life. Who have I offended .. recently? How have I offended them ? Money must surely lie at the root of it. It’s at the root of most crimes after all. So .. have I stolen something? Money or sex. Yes it might be sex.

That would account for the sheer viciousness. Have I slept with someone I shouldn’t have? Think now. Before the world closes in. Before the earth covers my eyes. I can see still but it’s like looking through the lens of a telescope . Soon the shutter will be closed and I’ll be gone. Expunged. Erased. Deleted. Gone.

Sunday December 1st 4pm

The day had been astonishingly warm and now the sun was sinking spectacularly beneath the waters of the New Channel Strait. A cooling breeze had sprung up and was blowing in from the island, making the palm trees below them sway and rattling and flapping the awning above their heads as they lounged on the terrace consuming the last of the chicken and the wine.

‘It is an idyll isn’t it?’ Alys smiled luxuriantly and let her hand drop over the side of the hammock and trace patterns with her finger in the sandy floor. ’We could have been sent upcountry to freeze. But this is wonderful. We were lucky to find this place.’

Her companionH looked at her quizzically. ’We didn’t find it remember? It was found for us. You can say one thing for our employers. They know how to look after their staff. I wouldn’t be working for them otherwise.’

She threw the remains of her chicken leg at him. ’You’re not as cynical as you pretend’ she said teasingly. ’You must have taken a massive drop in salary to accept this job.’

He shrugged. ’I was out of work. A job’s a job. But I must admit this is an unusual assignment for me. I’m not used to being on the side of the Good Guys. I find it uncomfortable.’

She laughed, a trifle nervously. ‘They didn’t tell me about your criminal past.’ ’Not criminal. Well not very. But there are things I prefer brushed under the carpet and the carpet firmly nailed down.’

‘You can trust me you know. I’m not easily shockable.’ Dunbar looked at her uncertainly. She really has no idea. Why the fuck did they want to go and land me with a novice like her? You’ll make a good team they said. Fat chance. She doesn’t remember the old days. Wasn’t even born. Things are so much more complicated now. Once upon a time it was different. Then everyone was a bastard and you only had to hope that the cause of the bastards you were working for was slightly less objectionable than the Other Side’s. That was as far as morality went. Now it’s all over the place like a rash. Why does everybody nowadays have to be so bloody well-meaning?

She sat up in her hammock and planted her delicious feet on the ground, sending a wave of lust running through him. So bloody attractive too. A dangerous combination.

‘Well if you won’t tell me you won’t’ she said, sighing. ’But I refuse to believe you’re as bad as you make out.’ She got up. ’I’m going for another dip before the light fades.’

‘This is isn’t a vacation you know’ he said, suddenly irritated at her beauty.

‘This is a job of work. We have to call in at six.’

Stopped in her tracks she turned back to confront him. ’I know. I’m perfectly aware of the time. Stuart I wish you wouldn’t treat me as some sort of bimbo. I didn’t ask to be yoked together with you did I? I’m the one who has to go for the interview tomorrow. I’m the one who has to go under cover. I can see what you think of me.

OK but just keep it to yourself. Let me enjoy myself for a few more hours.’ ‘Finished?’ he asked gruffly.

’For now. Just don’t bug me and I won’t bug you. You just lie there and ignore the scenery if you want to. But to me this is the nearest thing I’m likely to get to paradise and I’m going to take advantage. In a minute I’ll call my daughter.’ ‘Ah yes, your daughter’ he muttered.

’Now don’t start on that subject. Maybe it would have been better if they’d found someone without family ties but they couldn’t. I have the right qualifications.

I know the country. So here I am. Accept it.’

She undulated past him in her well-filled shorts. Does she realize the effect she’s having on me he wondered. Don’t be stupid. Of course she does. A scientist!

Why would a woman like that want to be a scientist? Scientists are two a penny. But women like that! He’d met a few in his time. Not enough, but a few. Groaning inwardly he remembered how old he was. Too late now I fear. Trying to shake off the gloomy mood that had descended on him he raised his bones off his chair and went to lean over the concrete balcony wall, shielding his eyes against the sun and staring downwards towards the city. He blinked. Something had caught his eye.

‘You’d better put paradise on hold’ he shouted.

The sound of splashing from the pool abruptly stopped. ’What are you talking about now?’ came a bored voice.

‘Well come here and look. We’ve got visitors.’

Muttering to herself, Alys clambered out of the pool and draping a towel around her clumped over to where he was standing. ‘What?’ she said impatiently.

‘Stuart, you’re determined to put a damper on everything.’ ‘Look down there’ he said. ’See. There’s a car coming up. See it. Between the trees.’

‘No one knows we’re here’ she protested.

‘Exactly.’

She screwed up her eyes as hard as she could. ‘It’s a police car’ she said, trying to keep the slight note of alarm out of her voice.

. ‘Really? How can you possibly tell that?’

‘The red light. See?’

He squinted but could not see. ‘It might be a reflection’ he mused. But her eyes were younger than his. He turned away. ‘I’ll get the binoculars.’ ‘No need. It’s definitely a cop car.’ She felt a slight frisson of fear. ‘ Stuart it’ll be all right won’t it? We haven’t done anything illegal.’ Now suddenly she needs me he thought. ‘No. Not yet. At least you haven’t. This could be something completely trivial. We’ll just have to play it by ear.’ The body of the car, close in under the overhang of the cliffs, was now invisible but the headlights were unmistakeably getting nearer, twisting and dipping as it negotiated the narrow, bumpy driveway. He leaned right over the wall. ’Well they’re not hurrying themselves are they? But they’ll be here any minute. We’re innocent tourists remember? Play it cool just like we rehearsed. Go in and make sure there’s nothing incriminating lying around. If in doubt flush it down the toilet. You know what to do.’

The car pulled up onto the little parking plateau and stopped right below them. They heard the doors slam and then after a little while two men in uniform appeared from amongst the rocks, climbing slowly and steadily the long series of stairways that led up to the cabin. ‘They’re taking their time’ she said nervously, emerging from the bedroom. ‘It’s clear by the way.’

. ‘Good. Must be out of condition. Them I mean.’ He continued to follow their progress, watching their every move as far as he could in the fading light. At last they reached the top and not seeing him, disappeared around the side of the cabin to ring the doorbell.

‘You answer it’ he shouted.

‘I can’t. I’m not dressed.’

‘I don’t suppose they’ll care about that. OK, OK I’ll go.’ Putting on his shirt.

and as he passed the sofa stopping to hide his gun behind a cushion, he made his way to the front door and opened it cautiously. Two very large brownskinned men in illfitting uniforms, one carrying a clipboard, the other slightly shorter and holding in his stomach were standing there, blotting out the last rays of the sun. They were puffing violently.

Dunbar smiled. ‘Yes it is a long way up. But the view is fantastic isn’t it?’ ‘We’ve not come for view’ the thinner of the two said suspiciously.

‘Oh is there a problem, officer?’

‘We’ve had complaint.’

Dunbar could barely understand the accent. He struggled to contain his laughter. ’A complaint? I see. Who from? We’ve no neighbours. See, we’re all alone up here.’

‘This is serious matter.’ The accent was strange, indefinable. Certainly not local. Thin Man tried peering over Dunbar’s shoulder. ’Is anyone there with you?’

’Only my wife. Look if we’ve inadvertently broken one of your laws than all I can do is hold up my hands and apologize. We’re strangers to your country of course, and if there’s anything I can do ..’

‘You let us in.’

‘Why of course.’ He opened the door wider and stepped aside. ’By all means.

We’ve nothing to hide. Would you like a drink? Or are those old movies correct and you never drink on duty?’ He chuckled feebly. ‘Eh?’ They glared at him. ’Tea then.

I know how you Darganians like your tea. No? Coffee?’

‘Nothing.’ Thin Man sat down at the kitchen table whilst his colleague wandered from room to room giving Alys a long, hard stare as he passed into the bedroom.

‘Passports?’

‘Oh yes. I’ll just get them.’ Dunbar moved away from the table, hissing ’For God’s sake cover yourself up’ as he slipped past his “wife.” She poked her tongue out at him. Inside the bedroom the fat man was staring thoughtfully at the twin beds. He can tell we haven’t been sleeping together thought Dunbar. Oh well can’t be helped.

Retrieving the passports he took them back to Thinny who studied their covers as if fascinated. ‘American. Darganian. Different nationalities’ he observed.

Top marks to bloody Einstein thought Dunbar. He smiled ingratiatingly. ’Yes. That’s right.’ He must remember that he was supposed to be a Yank.

Thinny opened the documents gingerly and struggled to spread them flat out on the table. ‘More light please’ he called. ‘Yes. Better.’ He examined photographs and wording carefully, his forefinger following the lines of text as he read. ‘Mr. Dunbar. Mrs. Dunbar.’ He looked sharply over at Alys. ’You much younger than husband’ he pronounced.

Alys, who had been leaning against the wall, head averted, now stared disdainfully at him. What fucking business is it of yours the stare said, but taking her cue from Dunbar she forced herself to smile. ‘He swept me off my feet’ she said sweetly.

Thinny looked baffled. He snapped the documents shut. ’Passports are in order’ he pronounced. ‘But I must take.’ He stowed them away in the top pocket of his uniform. ’Sit please both of you. I must tell you, you commit very serious offence.’

Dunbar took his “wife’s” hand. It was shaking a little. He glanced at her. She looked stunned. Well that was natural for an amateur. But maybe he should appear nervous too. He began to speak rapidly in a high-pitched voice. ’This must all be a terrible misunderstanding. I mean ..for goodness sake tell us what we’ve done.’ Thinny sat silent and unmoved. He was enjoying milking the situation. In the lamplight Dunbar had a clear sight of his face for the first time and was appalled by the vacancy of his stare. The eyes were as blank as an animal’s. ’We’ve had complaint’ he repeated.

‘Yes yes. And ..?’

‘The owner of this property he complain. You stay here illegally.’ ‘That’s ridiculous. We’ve paid one month’s rent fair and square.’ ‘You have receipt?’

’Of course not. It was all done over the net. Paperless environment you know.’

‘That most unfortunate. So you have no proof. How you pay?’ ‘By credit card.’

‘You have?’

‘Ah no. I’m afraid I didn’t bring it.’ Fucking WellBeing. They arranged everything and neglected to give us cover if things went wrong. Useless wankers.

Thinny continued to stare impassively. ‘That extremely unfortunate.’ ‘Well, careless.’ Dunbar laughed a trifle hysterically. ’But a couple of calls should sort it out. If you’ll just let me use my phone.’ Thinny’s face cracked and he too began to laugh. It sounded terrifying.

Alys squeezed Dunbar’s hand tighter. ‘Phone calls’ he laughed. ’Yes. Phone calls.

Of course. You must have your rights. But not here. You come with us. Now please.’ He signalled to his companion.

‘Are you arresting us?’ asked Alys, trying to keep the quavering tone from her voice.

‘No of course he’s not’ said her “husband”. ‘We’re not going anywhere.’ Suddenly he remembered something that WellBeing had got right. ’Look I have the landlord’s phone number.’ He took out his wallet, extracted a slip of paper and handed it to the policeman. ’See. The guy’s name is Graham. There’s his address and number. Check it out.’

The thin man consulted his clipboard. He grunted. ‘You have phone?’ ‘I told you. Borrow.’ The cop took the mobile and carefully examined it on both sides as if he’d never seen one before. He punched in the number slowly and waited a long time for a reply, While he did so Alys rose to her feet and as calmly as she could came round the table and placing her hands on Stuart’s shoulders whispered in his ear, ‘Ask for his ID. They’re not policemen.’ ‘What?’

‘See the fat one. No cop in this country wears white socks.’ Dunbar craned his neck and looked out to where the guy was standing ignoring his colleague as he leant over the edge of the terrace wall, consuming the rest of their meal. ‘Bright girl’ he muttered. ’He’s not only got white socks. He’s wearing sandals.’

Thinny dropped the cell on the table with a clatter. ‘No reply’ he announced. ’Unobtainable. Not a surprise. The owner of this place we know him. His name not Graham. See on this list. Dennison. So now ..’ he heaved himself to his feet, ‘I think you come with us.’

‘I want to see some identification first.’ said Dunbar with new-found confidence. The thin man looked at him in surprise. He shook his head. ’Formalities.

Formalities.’

‘We’re waiting.’

He sighed and slowly searched in his pockets, producing at last a grubby piece of card. ‘Here.’

Dunbar examined it at arm’s length. ’What’s this? CMS Enforcement? What sort of a name is that for a police force?’

‘Cops? Cops? We no say we were cops.’ The thin man assumed an air of pride. ‘We are debt recovery agents. You have word .. .. bailiffs.’ Dunbar looked up at Alys. ’Bailiffs have the right to arrest people in this country?’

’Arrest? We no say anything about arrest. We have orders to clear property. So now you come with us voluntary. If you resist then of course we get police backup and then we have statements, court orders, warrants, all that shit.’ Thinny gave a shrug. ‘You no want that. We no want that. The lady ..’ he grinned at her ’she certain no want that. That I can tell. Come with us now, all nice and peaceful eh?’

Dunbar and Alys exchanged glances. ‘Look’ said Dunbar. ’I have a better idea. Today’s Sunday. It must be tough on you guys having to work when other people are out enjoying themselves. No wonder you can’t get hold of anybody. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off? Check everything out tomorrow with Graham or Dennison or whatever his name is, and I’m sure it’ll all turn out to be a misunderstanding.’ He tossed his open wallet across the table. ’And there might be a little something for you.’

Thinny stared at the wallet, at the wad of US dollars peeping out. ’You bribe us?’ he asked suspiciously.

’Of course not. I wouldn’t dream of insulting you. But if you wanted to take a little something for your trouble, buy a few drinks perhaps ..’ The thin man snapped his fingers at his colleague. They began an earnest, half-whispered conversation in a language Dunbar couldn’t place, with many greedy glances in the direction of the table. Dunbar quietly slipped Alys’s hand into his. She made no objection. At last the thin man coughed portentously and approached them.

‘We decide’ he announced loftily. ’We no take money now. Regulations.

You understand? As you say, today Sunday. We investigate problem tomorrow, and if all clear, we come back and give you good news.’

‘Excellent’ beamed Dunbar. What if it’s bad news wondered Alys. She wrenched away her hand. Why are you so fucking pleased with yourself Stuart, if that’s your real name? ‘Are you sure you won’t take a little something now?’ he was asking. ‘There’s a bottle of whisky there just dying to be finished’.

The fat man looked tempted, but his colleague waved his hands in a gesture of dismissal. ‘No. Our religion forbids.’

’Of course. I should have realized. Let me show you out. Oh one thing. Our passports?’

Closing the door on the two of them, Dunbar turned and let out a strangled whoop of joy as he handed her her passport back. ’I think I handled that pretty well if I say so myself ’ he said excitedly. ‘I should suggest a kiss might be in order.’ ‘Absolutely no way’ said Alys. ’I think we should pack our bags and get out of here right away.’

’You were the one calling it paradise just now. No we stay put. If we are being watched the last thing we want to do is go on a runner and draw attention to ourselves.’

’But that’s crazy. We’ve just received a warning. Well, haven’t we? Oh of course you’re the pro and know all about it. But I should say we’re sitting ducks up here.’

Dunbar shrugged. ’We’ll let WellBeing decide. Get the codebook out. We’ll give them the whole story. If they want us to stay, then we’ll stay. It could all genuinely be a misunderstanding. Such things do happen.’

‘But isn’t it bloody suspicious?’

’Of course it is, but not necessarily for the reason you think. What part of Dargania did those guys hail from incidentally? I’ve heard of English, Swedish and French Darganians. They’re not any of those.’

‘They’re immigrants’ said Alys dismissively. ‘Muslims.’ ‘Now, now, my dear. Don’t let your prejudices show.’

‘Don’t call me my dear.’

’Very well, your ladyship. Look if your Intelligence people were really on to us, do you think they’d make use of people who would instantly arouse our suspicions? It doesn’t make sense.’ He smiled at her, trying to suppress his own doubts. ‘Does it?’

She frowned at him. ‘I suppose not.’ He suppressed a sigh of longing. What I should be saying now he thought is “don’t worry your pretty little head about it, darling” but he knew that if he tried it, she would sock him one, and he had a strong suspicion she might be concealing a pretty handy left hook. ’Why not go and phone your daughter?’ he suggested.

‘Yes’ sighed Alys. ‘I might get more sense from her. Though she is only six.’ No point worrying about sense any more thought Dunbar as he watched her retreating back. You’ll soon discover you’ve left that world far behind.

The man called Stuart Dunbar sat in the hire car and watched the dark clouds building up relentlessly from the north. They told us the weather would break he thought. Well bang goes the vacation.

He looked over at the entrance to the North Cromer Medical Laboratories. The place looked more like a fortress with its windows barred , and the security guards pacing about in front. To keep out animal rights activists they’d been told. Hmm. Was there more to it than that?

To pass the time he studied the briefing notes for the umpteenth time.

Republic of Dargania …. Island group situated in the North Atlantic midway between Bermuda and Cape Cod … population 17.5 million … capital Atlantis ….. prey to intercommunal conflict between people of British, Scandinavian and French origin which delayed independence until 1953 … a few years of peace, then breakdown beginning in late 1960s, and reaching state of virtual civil war by 1981… attempted military coup.. guerrilla attacks .. peacekeeping forces .. uneasy coalition government attempting truth and reconciliation .. He shook his head. My God what a dump have I landed in! No wonder Alys left for Boston. An inward-turning society, obsessed with its own problems. Well I can believe that all right. What am I doing here though?

He watched as Alys, in her black interview suit, emerged through the swing doors and picked her way down the steps. Seeing him, she gave a thumbs-up sign. He opened the door for her. ‘Well?’ he asked.

She gave him a warmer smile than usual. ‘Easy. Piece of cake.’ ‘Congratulations. I insist.’ He reached across and pecked her on the cheek.

‘I ticked all their boxes’ she said nonchalantly.

‘When do you start?’

‘Wednesday.’

‘That soon?’ Dunbar could see the prospects of a round of golf disappearing.

‘They must be pretty desperate.’

She frowned. ’Not that desperate. I asked to start as soon as I could. That’s the idea isn’t it? And I shall enjoy working there, even if it’s only for a short time.

McCrohan’s a nice old bloke.’ She smiled malevolently. ‘Almost as old as you.’ ‘Was he the only one interviewing you? ’ asked Dunbar, ignoring this sally.

‘No, there was another man, and a woman.’

‘Which one was the spook?’ Her face fell. ’Oh come on Alys, be realistic.

‘If they’re conspiring to hide the spread of a deadly disease..’ ‘Well I never believed in that silly idea.’

He sighed. ’Alys! I’ll never understand women. Why did you volunteer to come on this outing if you think it’s pointless.’

’For the same reasons you did. Because I needed the money. Because I was asked. Because I thought it might lead to something better. You’re not seriously suggesting you think this story is true.’

‘It doesn’t matter. Our employers think it’s true.’

’They’d believe anything a whistleblower told them as long as it discredited a government.’

’This story certainly discredits your government. Is that what’s bothering you?

Residual patriotism! Aw shucks, Alys, that is so .. nice!’ Alys glared at him as if contemplating which cheek to strike first. ’Just because you believe in nothing any more but yourself! I still believe in the principles I was brought up with, and I don’t think this is my government at all actually for reasons which an old cynic like you wouldn’t understand. Nonetheless I can not believe it would be capable of something like this. OK?’

‘You missed your vocation, my dear. You should have been a schoolteacher.’ Trying to get the image of an Alys sporting bun and rimless glasses out of his mind, Dunbar picked up his notes. ’But judging from these I’d say your government is exactly the kind that might attempt something like this. Desperately anxious to be thought well of and not to suffer any more bad publicity. Good at keeping secrets too I would guess. But hey, what do I know? Let’s wait and see what the phantom blogger comes up with.’

‘Barnabas, yes.’ At the mention of that name her mood abruptly changed and she became suddenly fearful. ’Did WellBeing give you no idea as to who he might be?’

’Nope. I’m as much in the dark as you. All I was told is that he – or she, have you considered that? – was not prepared to risk sending any proof of his story electronically. He wanted an agent sent in person, an agent with some scientific knowledge, who would verify any documents he was prepared to hand over. All very old-fashioned.’

’And very risky.’Alys seemed struck down, as if what she was expected to do had finally come home to her. ’Have you considered that all of it, this whole thing, might be a trap?’

’Give me credit Alys, of course I have. Particularly after last night’s little episode. But I’m just here to hold your hand. You’re the one taking the risk. If you want to pull out..’

‘Oh no.’ Alys had set her jaw. ’If I commit myself to something, I don’t back down. Ask anybody.’

‘You terrify me sometimes.’ Dunbar started the engine. ’Let me take you to lunch. Or maybe you should take me, considering the money you’ll be earning.

Anyway we have two days to enjoy ourselves, so .. oh Alys cheer up. You were so carefree yesterday.’

Alys stared out at the dark clouds filling the windscreen. Brave though she might pretend to be, inside the magnitude of the challenge oppressed her. She shivered. Carefree, huh. Will I ever know the meaning of that word again?