Episode 45: Faces in the crowd

Phuong had been a familiar yet anonymous face in the crowded Chợ Đồng Xuân for many years and knew exactly where to position himself to observe Anh and her lieutenants and their comings and goings without attracting attention.  He noted the young boy run from the stairwell within Anh's building and back into the mass of humanity, he also could see her pacing back and forth through the open balcony and sensed, even from this distance her agitation.  Later that morning Mai arrived and stepped from the car that deposited her at the entrance to Anh's building, as usual, even this heat she was immaculately dressed and positively stopped the traffic as she made her way from the car to the entrance.  

One thing he learned during the American war was to be successful was to play all sides.  At the time he'd found out that Bill was missing, he had put a call into both the Australian and British consulates to tip them off, explaining anonymously that Bill was being held as a spy and that he would be put on trial unless there were certain concessions made by this imperialist governments.  This initial call had then initiated a flurry of diplomatic calls between Canberra, London and Hanoi to untangle the situation, although with Hanoi being clueless as to what was actually going on.  

The revolutionary council began investigations immediately and through their network, of which Phuong had been one of the operatives contacted concluded that Anh was at the center of this unfortunate and ultimately embarrassing mess.  The revolutionary council had long ago ceded control of the Chợ Đồng Xuân too Anh, but in this instance she had clearly overstepped her sphere of influence.  She knew better than to kidnap foreigners, especially since Vietnam was just starting to find its feet on the international stage.  

Phuong waited expectantly for the inevitable which was about to unfold.  He was not disappointed, as within the hour he watched as the truck loads of soldiers begin streaming into the old quarter and as such the local inhabitants begin to fade into the shadows.  Within moments the loud speaker system, usually reserved for the afternoon indoctrination broadcast came to life.  Moments later he could see Anh, Mai and her entourage being led from the building and being loaded into the waiting military vehicle which clogged the streets around her residence.    

Nhu Ha was safely ensconced in an anonymous safe house only a short distance from where they held Bill, and so now all he needed to do was wait for Bill's release and he would also release Nhu Ha.