Hellyer's Trip by Philip Prowse

Author:Philip Prowse [Prowse, Philip]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Espionage, Fiction
Publisher: Kernel Books
Published: 2018-01-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

A bizarre normality took over and Nick found his Fridays in Ras-El-Tin surprisingly relaxing. Samy seemed to have accepted that their friendship was just that, and would not go to a physical level. Nevertheless, he conceded discreet handholding when they were out walking together.

One Friday afternoon, swirls of cigarette smoke drifted into the projection beam of a low-ceilinged cinema and peanut shells crunched underfoot as they arrived late for the start of Chaplin’s The Champion. Tense silences were followed by roars of appreciation at Charlie’s combination of bashfulness and audacity.

Other days, they sat outside a juice bar with glasses of freshly pressed sugar cane and guava, Samy chatting freely to the other customers, Nick venturing just a few words.

He returned on his own to Ras-El-Tin a couple of times each week in the afternoon or early evening. He saw no sign of the freighters but spotted a newly delivered Komar-class guided-missile patrol boat.

Sundays meant Agami with Grace and Col, accompanied by Douglas, whom Quinlevan had described as a visiting colleague.

While the major required him to stick to the truth at all times this clearly did not appear to be a reciprocal arrangement. Nick reckoned the guy was almost certainly based in Cairo.

‘Douglas is as good a name as any other. No need for you to know any more about me. That way, if the balloon does go up, there’s less to squeeze out of you.’

In khaki safari jacket and shorts and white knee-high cotton socks, the man looked like an off-duty South African real-estate salesman. But he was most definitely the real thing despite his youthful appearance, arriving from Cairo each weekend in an embassy car with driver.

Moreover, the information he provided had every appearance of the truth. At Agami, they went for long walks on the half-deserted beach while Douglas tested Nick on his recall of what he’d just been told. Nothing was written down.

‘Planned arrival of an extra parachute-trained infantry battalion at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, to be based at Dhekalia. French Mediterranean fleet to start manoeuvres off the North African coast. Thought to be practising amphibious landings.’

‘Why are we passing all this on to the DDR, Douglas? No one’s going to attack East Germany from Cyprus, are they? Sounds a stupid question, but what’s the purpose of us letting them in on it?’

‘Don’t know. Don’t want to know. Don’t need to know.’

Douglas brushed sand from his knees.

‘Information. Most valuable currency of all. Of course, not always clear whether counterfeit or not.’

Post-briefing, the vice-consul and the man from the embassy strolled along to the beachside bar, while Grace and Nick made the best use they could of this brief interlude.

***

Mondays to Wednesdays was devoted to teaching. Nick found the spontaneity of his students’ reactions to the characters and universal themes of Shakespearian tragedy and Dickensian fiction deeply rewarding and energising. It was as if they were considering real-life people, problems and events.

On Tuesdays, he paid his now regular visit to Hans in the DDR Cultural Centre roof garden for tea.

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