The Most Beautiful Place On God's Earth

21 A burglary and a kidpnapping

Strefi Hill

Sandy and Nikos stood perplexed at a gaping empty spot on the quay in the industrial port - no ship, no dockworkers, nothing. Finally, they went to the shipping company's office, where the light was still on. The only employee present told them the ship would not arrive until after midnight, because it had been detained in Benghazi.

"Detained? Why?" asked Nikos.

"Ask me something easier," replied the employee. "I got this cable here, read for yourself."

Nikos read the short message three times, then translated:

"Ship detained in Benghazi. Two passengers taken to port by Colonel Gaddafi in helicopter. Arrival Piraeus + 2.5 h."

"Do you understand this?" asked the clerk after Nikos and Sandy had finished their happy dance.

"No, we don't understand that either," grinned Nikos. "Can I use your phone, please?"

Nikos dialed Basilis' number and read him the message without comment. Basilis sighed:

"As if we didn't have anything else to do. Nikos, stay where you are, I'm coming."

Then Basilis called the hotel on Strefi and gave Georgios new orders.

***

At the same time on the Nefertiti, the Uptones were playing their hearts out, because there was a special guest in the audience today. Nicky had just made it to the departure of the ship from Piraeus. Now she was dancing to her boyfriend's music, and a hundred people with her. She thought very briefly of her ex-boyfriend and wondered how she could have put up with such a boring man for so many years.

***

Tom leaned against the railing and let the lights of the city glide toward him. It was a shame, really, that the ship's voyage was already over. He turned to George and Peter:

"Can't you book a cabin for you and your boss on a Crete cruise this weekend? I'm sure you can do that. We need a day away from our Irish guest."

"Crete, good idea," smiled George, "haven't been there in a while."

***

"How long will it take to tie up the vessel?" Nikos couldn't wait. "If they dawdled like that with the ferries, everything in this port would fall apart."

Just as Basilis pulled up on his motorcycle, the African travelers came down the gangway. Peter and George went home - they lived near the port. Tom maneuvered Barry into Sandy and Nikos' car and went a few feet away with the others.

Barry watched as the young men greeted each other. Tom and Nikos didn't do it the way underground fighters generally do. They talked animatedly, laughing and bouncing in between, and Tom handed two burlap bags to a motorcyclist. Barry wondered if Gaddafi had given them money.

"Okay, I'll have two copies made of each cassette," promised Basilis after Tom had told him that they had recorded their conversations with both Madden and Gaddafi. "We'll keep one, and you'll get the other and the originals on Saturday. You're going to the hotel now. Get into a room as soon as you get there, and lock the door."

"Why is that?" asked Tom.

"Security measure. Don't ask, I have no time. Just do it!"

Basilis darted off. He was in a hurry because two men, presumably the relief of those who had been observing the building the day before, were still skulking by the stairs below the hotel.

Tom looked at his watch. It wasn't too late to call Hans and Reiner in London. He asked Nikos:

"Is there a phone anywhere that I can call London from?"