Conspiracy of Power

Budapest, the beautiful and historic capital of Hungary, straddles the Danube River near the Slovakian border in the middle of eastern Europe.  History had ravaged the city but its essential beauty remained unchanged.  Buda, occupying the west bank, with its tree-lined boulevards and scenic river-view vistas serves as the main residential area.  It is linked to Pest, on the east bank, by a series of six bridges.  Pest serves as the burgeoning business, tourist and governmental hub of the country with its grand piazzas and historic buildings jostling for attention.  Signs of prosperity have increased enormously since the collapse of the Soviet Union and Hungary’s entrance into the capitalistic world, with increasing numbers of international businesses flocking to the city.

Jack Powers squinted from the glare of the afternoon sun reflecting off the Danube.  The cafe in Pest was not yet crowded as many of the locals were still at work, enabling Jack to obtain a large, rather secluded table by the river.  Jack expected Dan to arrive shortly.  Arranging the meeting here had been easy, Jack’s corporate jet was constantly taking him around the world to his various offices at a moment’s notice and another trip to Budapest would not arouse suspicion.  It would be just a matter of time before they were eight billion dollars richer.

Jack had come first to secure the table.  He looked at his watch, it was ten minutes to three and Dan should arrive shortly.  During the past hour, Jack had conducted business innocuously with his cellular phone and laptop computer.  He was now on his third cup of coffee and had long since finished the pastry.   The waiter, having lost interest in his table, ignored him for the more profitable customers.  He was used to these annoying foreign businessmen, especially Americans, who occupied tables for hours ordering only coffee and expecting to stay all afternoon, using the cafe as an office.

At precisely three o’clock, Secretary of Defense Bridges entered the shop alone and ordered a pastry and coffee to go.  He departed the shop through the open patio doors while surreptitiously scanning the patrons.  Spotting Jack by the river as planned, he walked slowly towards him.

“Jack?  Jack Powers, is that you? What are you doing in Budapest?”  Dan asked loudly enough to be overheard, in case someone was watching.

Jack looked up from the table with an air of feigned surprise and exclaimed, “Dan, it’s good to see you.  Come join me and tell me what brings you to the city.”

Their loud voices immediately caught the attention of the waiter, who glanced at their table eagerly hoping to see a new paying customer but the other gentleman joining the American businessman already had his purchase in hand.  The waiter looked away in disgust vowing to ignore them for the rest of the afternoon as the rush was beginning and he had more important tables to wait on.  By three-thirty that afternoon all of the tables, both indoors and out, were full and the two Americans were still occupying the table for four.

A man of Mideastern decent, overloaded with travel brochures and city maps, entered the cafe on the Danube behind a woman with two young children.  The man smiled at the two children who hid behind their mother, and asked the waiter for a table in broken Hungarian as he gestured to the brochures tumbling out of his pockets.  The waiter apologized and reluctantly informed him that all of the tables were taken.  Desperate, the traveler looked around the crowded patio and saw the table for four where the two Americans were sitting.

Turning to the waiter, “Do you mind if I join those gentlemen by the river?  Their table is not full.”

“The Americans? Sure,” the waiter replied, only too happy to oblige as he escorted the man to the table.  “This gentleman would like to join you, as there are no more seats outside.  It is our custom here to use all of the seats.”

The traveler stepped from behind the waiter, bowing ingratiatingly and in broken English he said; “Please, may I join you?  You are Americans, no?  I would like to speak American better.  Maybe you could tell me what sites to see in Budapest.  No?”

Jack and Dan looked at each other and then at the apparent stranger.  Jack shrugged, “Sure, why not?”

Delighted the issue was resolved, the waiter quickly seated the man and took his order before hurrying off to wait on the other tables.  As soon as they were alone, the traveler dropped all pretenses.

“I was quite impressed with the effectiveness of your product, so much better than Tokyo.  As you noticed, I have kept my promise regarding Ayatollah Dharmeni,” he said quietly so as to not be overheard.

“Yes, we were delighted but such unfortunate circumstances,” Dan confirmed, looking around the cafe to see if they were being watched.