condensed master
Will Bonner Ed was waiting on Toorak Road in a different car with the engine ticking over. It was just getting dusk and the evening was fine and mild. The car sped east and then turned north. "Where are we going, and who will be there." "To the north end of the city proper, on the other side of the Carlton Gardens, and there will be one other person there." "Who is this other person?" "He's okay, he works with me occasionally." "Does he know about me?" "No, only that you are helping out technically." The conversation ended and Will sat back contented with having a rough idea of where he was going. It wouldn't take long to show them how to get the best out of the instrument. The car circled round the back of the gardens and turned into what appeared to be a dead-end street. There were no houses, just old deserted warehouse type buildings. Ed steered between the buildings at the far end of the street and manouvered into a small gap under an awning type roof. It was an ideal hiding place for a vehicle, which could never be seen from the street. As the two men got out of the car, a tall, scrawny, sharp faced individual, seemed to appear from nowhere, and he and Ed were soon engaged in whispered conversation. Ed walked around the front of the car, at the same time, beckoning the tall stranger to follow. "This is Gerry, he'll be watching out for us." The tall man leaned forward towards Will, a wide grin on his face. "Good on ya mate," and with that, promptly turned and disappeared into the building. The happenings of the last few minutes triggered suspicion in Will's mind, and he was feeling very insecure at that moment. "What do we need a look-out for Ed, what the hell's going on?" Ed put his finger up to his lips to signal silence. "Why you devious sod, you've trapped me haven't you? I should have known better than to trust you people. You're going to put surveillance on somebody and you want me to operate the instrument!" "I told you the location would be difficult" he replied, in such a way as to try to exonerate himself from his questionable actions. "Follow me quietly, I'll show 140
The Reluctant Agent A Compelling Story of Espionage you." Will followed him inside the building, his mind buzzing with the possibility of trouble looming it's ugly head. Gerry was nowhere in sight and they climbed a wooden stairway to the next floor, then along the empty building, to a broken window, at the far end. Ed once again put his finger to his lips, and pointed through the aperture. Will raised his head and looked out across the yard to a roofed over section, open on three sides, projecting from one of the other buildings. The area under the roof was dimly lit but with enough light to make out a small group of men sitting on wooden benches. They were a safe distance away, but it would stretch the instrument to it's limit. Ed had quickly assembled the unit and stood back for Will to set it up. "The meeting is due to start in a few minutes at 8 o'clock. Hurry up Will, I must hear it from the start!" Will looked into the telescope and focused it on to the group, but after pressing the trigger all he could hear were muffled voices that were not legible. After playing with the controls for a few minutes things got no better and Ed was throwing a silent tantrum. It was dark and Will was having to operate the instrument from memory when he suddenly remembered a boost control button positioned above the trigger. The sound of voices came romping through the headphones and a final adjustment to eliminate some of the noise in the background, enhanced the clarity. Without warning the voices stopped, Will panicked, thinking that the apparatus had failed, but he had no cause for concern as a single voice could be heard. The meeting had come to order. Will quickly passed the headphones to Ed and watched him revelling in every word, occasionally giving the thumbs up. So far so good Will thought, but he still felt uneasy. Ed pointed to the next floor up. "Would you go up and check on Gerry?" "Yes, but whatever you do, either switch off or stand back from the telescope before you take your headphones off. If you don't, there will be an almighty wail like a banshee. It's called acoustic feedback, and they'll hear it down there." Will navigated the floor above but could find no sign of Gerry, and after what seemed a long time he made his way back down, thinking that by now the meeting below would be wrapping up. Whatever they were up to, they would not want to prolong the issue, fearing detection themselves. As he made his way back to the first floor he could just make out two dim 141
- Page 90 and 91: Will Bonner "I've come to say how s
- Page 92 and 93: Will Bonner 92
- Page 94 and 95: Will Bonner On it's approach to Hon
- Page 96 and 97: Will Bonner response, there surely
- Page 98 and 99: Will Bonner reappear. "I'll be blun
- Page 100 and 101: Will Bonner The two men concentrate
- Page 102 and 103: Will Bonner "Or else what, will you
- Page 104 and 105: Will Bonner that they were back at
- Page 106 and 107: Will Bonner thing seemed obvious to
- Page 108 and 109: Will Bonner Will was beginning to l
- Page 110 and 111: Will Bonner beauty of the place. As
- Page 112 and 113: Will Bonner as Gerald moved towards
- Page 114 and 115: Will Bonner Abruptly slowing down G
- Page 116 and 117: Will Bonner Rodney. "Perhaps we can
- Page 118 and 119: Will Bonner Breaking into the groun
- Page 120 and 121: Will Bonner It was an ideal spot wi
- Page 122 and 123: Will Bonner that by revisiting Waik
- Page 124 and 125: Will Bonner had a bemused look on h
- Page 126 and 127: Will Bonner next morning. Will show
- Page 128 and 129: Will Bonner 128
- Page 130 and 131: Will Bonner problem returned with a
- Page 132 and 133: Will Bonner fifth floor. The elevat
- Page 134 and 135: Will Bonner The atmosphere did not
- Page 136 and 137: Will Bonner "The least you know the
- Page 138 and 139: Will Bonner attention." Will placed
- Page 142 and 143: Will Bonner figures at the far end.
- Page 144 and 145: Will Bonner head!" Will's statement
- Page 146 and 147: Will Bonner As he sank into the mat
- Page 148 and 149: Will Bonner "Well! Well! Well! We'r
- Page 150 and 151: Will Bonner Will sat in the rear of
- Page 152 and 153: Will Bonner bag and came up with th
- Page 154 and 155: Will Bonner
- Page 156 and 157: Will Bonner "Electronics actually."
- Page 158 and 159: Will Bonner Don looked at it. "It's
- Page 160 and 161: Will Bonner his face now passive. H
- Page 162 and 163: Will Bonner eliminate one problem a
- Page 164 and 165: Will Bonner Ed to meet him on the f
- Page 166 and 167: Will Bonner of Gerald in Hawaii. He
- Page 168 and 169: Will Bonner The clerk tore a number
- Page 170 and 171: Will Bonner Dorothy and Will would
- Page 172 and 173: Will Bonner from that predicament p
- Page 174 and 175: Will Bonner dry cleaners. When he s
- Page 176 and 177: Will Bonner skin. He had too much t
- Page 178 and 179: Will Bonner in about ten minutes. W
- Page 180 and 181: Will Bonner them, the voices are cl
- Page 182 and 183: Will Bonner "We're sorry cobber, bu
- Page 184 and 185: Will Bonner anyone be doing in a pl
- Page 186 and 187: Will Bonner preventing them from ge
- Page 188 and 189: Will Bonner Every morning, before w
Will Bonner<br />
Ed was waiting on Toorak Road in a different car with the engine ticking over.<br />
It was just getting dusk and the evening was fine and mild. The car sped east and<br />
then turned north.<br />
"Where are we going, and who will be there."<br />
"To the north end of the city proper, on the other side of the Carlton Gardens,<br />
and there will be one other person there."<br />
"Who is this other person?"<br />
"He's okay, he works with me occasionally."<br />
"Does he know about me?"<br />
"No, only that you are helping out technically."<br />
The conversation ended and Will sat back contented with having a rough idea<br />
of where he was going. It wouldn't take long to show them how to get the best out<br />
of the instrument.<br />
The car circled round the back of the gardens and turned into what appeared<br />
to be a dead-end street. There were no houses, just old deserted warehouse type<br />
buildings. Ed steered between the buildings at the far end of the street and<br />
manouvered into a small gap under an awning type roof. It was an ideal hiding<br />
place for a vehicle, which could never be seen from the street.<br />
As the two men got out of the car, a tall, scrawny, sharp faced individual,<br />
seemed to appear from nowhere, and he and Ed were soon engaged in whispered<br />
conversation. Ed walked around the front of the car, at the same time, beckoning<br />
the tall stranger to follow.<br />
"This is Gerry, he'll be watching out for us." The tall man leaned forward<br />
towards Will, a wide grin on his face.<br />
"Good on ya mate," and with that, promptly turned and disappeared into the<br />
building.<br />
The happenings of the last few minutes triggered suspicion in Will's mind, and<br />
he was feeling very insecure at that moment. "What do we need a look-out for Ed,<br />
what the hell's going on?" Ed put his finger up to his lips to signal silence. "Why you<br />
devious sod, you've trapped me haven't you? I should have known better than to<br />
trust you people. You're going to put surveillance on somebody and you want me<br />
to operate the instrument!"<br />
"I told you the location would be difficult" he replied, in such a way as to try<br />
to exonerate himself from his questionable actions. "Follow me quietly, I'll show<br />
140
Change language