Country Retreat - 67. Conference Breach

I led the way into their new home, where Julia and the boys had a good look around the pod, which Rebecca and I had been busy adding stuff to make it more homely for them, with one of the bedrooms made into a playroom for the twins, and they soon found all the toys waiting for them. “The boys have separate bedrooms, but if they want to share a bedroom, we can happily change that around for them,” I said to Julia, “Let’s wait and see how they handle it, they usually do share a bedroom, so we may have too,” Julia replied.

After spending some time watching the twins, I let Julia know that I had a few things to do and that I would see them at dinner at 6 pm, and I left her and the two boys to get settled into their new home. I headed to my pod and my study, to try and relax a little, and to try and sort out my feelings about all these sudden changes in my life, with the return of Julia in my life as well as having two sons.

“Are you ok? I came to check to see how you are feeling, with all the new changes happening here,” Rebecca said to me as she came up the stairs, and I sighed as I glanced at the clock and saw that over an hour had passed since I arrived here. “I think I am ok, thanks mate. It's just a lot to sink in, that is why I am here trying to relax and think over it all,” I replied. “Give it time and you will find that you will be a lot happier. I came to let you know that Gran and Gramps have arrived and will be staying for dinner, and they have met Julia and their great-grandkids,” Rebecca said to me. “Ok good, I will be down shortly,” I responded.

I decided to let Julia handle looking after the boys for now, until she had set some guidelines for the boys and me as I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle being a parent in one sudden swoop, as I watched Gran and Gramps help Julia through dinner, and Julia happily let them assist with feeding and cleaning up after them. “Marcus and Hunter helped with moving the beds into one bedroom for the boys,” Julia informed me, as she finished cleaning the boy’s hands and faces with a face washer. “That’s all good. If you need any help with anything, just let me know,” I replied.

Over the next few days, the team and I helped Julia and the twins settle into their new home, which included a couple of trips down to the beach for a short swim and play on the beach, which I could see was a great help to Julia, as she still looked a bit stressed with everything that has been happening lately. Gran and Gramps stayed for a few days to get to know Julia and the boys, and they were a great help in assisting Julia to settle in.

Just two days after Gran and Gramps headed back to Yanchep while finishing a late lunch, I received a text message from Koen in Vancouver, “Are you ready for some new arrivals? How are your newest protectees settling in? I have three more ready for transport, let me know when you can take them. Talk at 1300 your time. Koen,” and I groaned when I read this. “What is it? More trouble?” Rebecca asked me, “Not exactly, more like three more arrivals. That is all I know for now,” I responded as I glanced at my watch and saw that it was 12.35 pm.

“Another conference?” Marcus asked me, “Yes, at a different time, so it must be important, it will be just me for now, I will call you in if needed, otherwise I will brief everyone after the conference,” I said to my good friend. Just over 20 minutes later, I was in the conference room in the administration building, with Marcus and Rebecca waiting in the reception area down the hall.

When I sat down and keyed in the password for the encrypted video link, the big screen came online, and instead of seeing just Hugh, Koen, Jarrad and Giles on the screen, I was surprised to see a few extra faces, and underneath Giles was… “Giles, what on earth are you doing in Bern Switzerland, and who the hell are all these extra people?” I demanded. “Steady there my friend, all the people you see on screen are regional executives of NCB Interpol, let me introduce them to you,” Koen said to me, “No” I replied before hitting the disconnect button, and I stood up and left the conference room and the building, with Marcus and Rebecca silently following me with concern.

Eventually, I stopped in the middle of the sports field and sat down hard on the artificial turf, grimacing with pain as I did, “Ouch” I said softly to myself, as my two friends sat down too, forming a semi-circle, where they waited for me to say something, but all I did was sigh. “Do with have troubles that we need to be concerned about?” Rebecca asked me cautiously. “I am not sure, but something is going on and I have a feeling that I am not going to like it,” I eventually answered as I handed over my phone to Marcus, which already indicated several missed calls.

“Call Gramps, tell him and Gran that I need to see them in person urgently, I will explain when they get here,” I said to Marcus, who nodded his head and dialled the number and decided not to put it on speaker, he held it to his ear and waited, but there was no answer. “I will try again in a few minutes,” Marcus said just as the phone buzzed again with an incoming call, “It’s your Dad…” Marcus said as he answered the call and put it on speaker. “Mr Kingston, this is Marcus with Rebecca and Oscar with me,” Marcus said into the phone.

“Oh, ok. I wanted to let you know that Gran and Gramps were in a minor car accident with Deacon and Amara in the car too, but they are unharmed and Gran is just a little shaken up, while Gramps has a few bumps and bruises, so the hospital is keeping them overnight for monitoring. I am at the hospital here at home now, so all is good… Where are you at the moment? I hear seagulls and waves crashing in the distance,” my Dad replied.

“I am near the beach up the coast a bit, just having a bit of downtime with my friends,” I replied, stretching the truth a little, as I heard someone speaking in the background. “Grandson, are you ok?” Gran said to me over the phone, “More to the point, how are you and Gramps,” I replied, “We are both fine, just some idiot who ran a red light and swiped the back corner of the car which is a mess. How are you?... Is everything ok where you are located?” Gran replied cryptically which made me smile.

“I am all good, just need to speak to you and Gramps about some urgent business, but it can wait for now,” I replied, “OK, I will speak to you in a day or two, once we have escaped this place, and found a way to get home,” Gran said and I chuckled at this comment. After the call ended I sighed again and thought for a few moments. “Ok. Just to let you know, when I was on the video link, which I thought was going to be just the lads as usual, I was caught by surprise by Giles videolink location as Bern in Switzerland, and that there were additional people from various locations.

When Koen tried to explain that they were regional executives of the NCB Interpol, I cut him off by saying no and disconnecting the link. I have no idea why Giles and Hugh wanted to talk to me, and why there were additional people linked to the conference, I was more concerned about this place being tracked and my safety,” I explained to my two good friends, “I fully agree with you, it is your safety that is the most important thing right now… Were Hugh and Jarrad in the conference link?” Rebecca asked.

“Actually. No, they were not online. I wonder why not?” I replied, as Marcus dialled a number on his phone and put it on speaker, “Hello Marcus, what is happening in the West?” Jarrad asked when he answered, “Please hold while I link Hugh into this call,” Marcus responded, before putting him on hold and dialling another number. “Good Evening Marcus, is the boss with you?” Hugh said when he answered. “Just a moment mate,” Marcus said before pushing a few more buttons.

“Ok, Jarrad and Hugh, you are on conference with the boss, Rebecca and me,” Marus announced. “Wow, you can do that on mobiles,” Hugh responded, and I chuckled, “Hey guys, we have a situation, and my grandparents are not available at the moment. I got a message from Koen with the need for an urgent conference at 1300 hours just gone, and when I was connected I…” I said stopping when I started to get upset.

“Does this have anything to do with why Giles has been trying to get hold of me for the past hour or so?” Hugh asked us, “Yes, that may be the case, Oscar has explained the basics of what is going on, and we understand that a lot of information is need to know. Oscar said that when he went into the conference room alone and connected the link, he saw you guys missing but there were additional people from all over linked in as well. Koen began to explain that the additional people were regional executives of the NCB, and Oscar said no and disconnected the link, before storming out of the building,” Rebecca explained.

“We are currently sitting on the sports field, trying to work out what to do, and what the hell is going on,” Marcus added, “Drake, urgent overseas call for you on line 7,” we heard a voice say in the background, “Guys step away for a moment if you please,” I asked Rebecca and Marcus, and I took the phone off speaker. “Ok, it's just me listening in now, go ahead,” I said to Jarrad, “And me too remember,” Hugh added. “Ok, here goes,” Jarrad said, as we heard him put the phone on speaker and place it close to his desk phone.

“This is Jarrad Drake speaking, who is calling please,” we heard Jarrad say. “Hi mate this is Koen, and I have Giles on conference as well. Do you know what is going on with Oscar, as he isn’t taking my calls?” we heard Koen say, “Let me ask you first, what is going on with you guys? I have several missed calls from both of you, is there something important happening?” we heard Jarrad respond.

“Yeah, well things are sort of heating up at the moment, and it’s involving a few different NCB agencies here in Europe and North America,” Giles said. “Explain to me exactly what is going on?” Jarrad asked, “Well, the long and short of it is, that we have three witnesses to a crime that took place a few months ago, where these witnesses have been in protective custody while awaiting the trial of several international crime syndicate kingpins,” Hugh explained to Jarrad.