Mis-directed email

chapter 5 - 6

CHAPTER 5

Rosa had decided to open up a website of online shopping. She needed something that would look like a woman killing time and pretty harmless to anyone watching or snooping. She opened a site offering the ultimate bath towels and home furnishings. Knowing that she was probably over reacting she still felt that she had stepped into someone else's nightmare. This just couldn't be happening.

She had, had to cut the previous message short to Donnie and she'd sent it without signing off, in mid-sentence in fact and she hoped she hadn't worried him unnecessarily.

The older Russian got up and walked near her and she wasn't sure what he could read from a distance. A quick click and she was shopping for bath towels and bed linens. Her head bent toward her computer screen she looked carefully thru her lashes and saw him pause. The older man did glance and seemed to make a slight sneer, then moved to where a couple stood looking at the flight schedule board.

Rosa kept her head bent toward her screen but looked through her lowered lashes at the couple and realized that the woman was pregnant by at least 7 or 8 months. She seemed a pretty woman from this distance. Still with make up on it was hard to decide what her age might be. She was short, only about a little taller than herself and had shoulder length blond hair. Her makeup was carefully done but She should have had her hair re-dyed to match her dark eyebrows. She wore a stylish gray maternity outfit and matching gray high heels. She was carrying her coat and had a purse tossed over her shoulder. She seemed to carry the pregnancy well as she didn't have the thrown out stomach that so many women had by their later months. The husband was tall and thin. He had a sharp angular face and sandy brown hair. A hard looking man with no gentleness in is demeanor. In fact his hands were deep in his pockets and he stood farther from his wife that most men would, Rosa decided. She hoped that he would be gentle with his wife and their child. The older man stopped near to them, looking for all the world as if he hadn't noticed them, he moved his right hand across his brow and then down his cheek. A moment later the woman repeated the gesture as the old man spoke to the couple. Then the woman gave a slight headshake and touched her stomach.

Rosa could not believe that the old man would ask about her pregnancy. No, Rosa felt this was a meeting of some kind, an arranged encounter that was meant to look like a casual chance passing of time as they waited for their flight.

She wondered about the hand gesture and decided that she would pass on the information to her brother as soon as she could.

She carefully studied the couple so that she could tell Donnie about them. They didn't seem to be an actual couple, more like strangers. They looked nervous furtive, yet smug. The husband was not in the least solicitous of his wife. But the woman seemed to be the one in charge. Her movements were decisive and direct with a curt precision to her actions.

They did not seem to have any romantic bond at all. He made no move to touch his wife and she seemed to hold him in contempt. It just didn't feel right. The old man gave a slight incline to his head and walked back to his young companion who had remained seated just a couple of chairs away from her.

What he said next chilled her. She had to strain a little to catch everything.

"The package will be at the place at 4 O'clock on the 22nd

The plan is set and there is no room for mistakes. We will show these American's that Russia is still proud and pure. When we return we will be heroes, and the Commander will reward us," the old man said.

Her eyes took a worried glance around. Oh, My God! The 22nd was just 2 days away.

She took a quick glance at the 2 men to get a better description to email to Donnie. She had to get a good description. The waiting room was bright so she pulled out her reflexive sunglasses and slipped them on. Angling her face toward the baby she shifted her eye toward the men and studied them, hoping they couldn't tell she was watching them so closely.