Choices. Jeff Edwards
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He let me to return to my puzzle and reported to his associate that I was early for an appointment. However, when I was still there an hour later he became more concerned. He called to me and motioned for me to come over to his desk. ‘Who are you here to see?’ he asked.
‘David Jones,’ I replied confidently, fully expecting there to be several persons with that common name on their records.
The security guard consulted his computer. ‘We have four persons of that name. What section does he work in?’
‘I don’t know. We only spoke by phone. He’s on extension 451.’
The security guard shook his head. ‘That can’t be right. That’s not one of our extension numbers.’
‘I spoke to him before I came in here. He said he might be delayed. I’m sure he’ll be here to collect me soon.’
‘Are you sure you don’t mind waiting? Why don’t we see if we contact someone else for you?’
‘Don’t trouble yourself. I’m sure he’ll be here soon,’ I responded with a confident smile.
* * *
When the man and his puzzle book were still seated in the corner of the reception area a half hour later the security guard made another phone call.
This time he contacted the ASIO duty officer and reported the stranger’s presence.
‘Who did he say he was waiting for?’
‘A David Jones on extension 451, but we don’t have any such number.’
‘I’ll look into it,’ responded Agent Diane Hall. ‘Keep a close eye on him.’
Minutes later a curious Diane Hall reported to the main security office and spoke to the officer overseeing the many cameras placed around the building. ‘There’s a male who’s been seated in the reception area for a couple of hours now. Bring him up on the monitors. I want a print-out of his face.’
The security officer nodded and a nearby printer soon deposited the face of Dan Travers into Diane’s hand.
His brow furrowed in concentration, Travers looked very ordinary to the ASIO agent. Not exactly displaying the look of a fanatic of any sort, she thought. To the security officer she said, ‘Check the recordings on the outside cameras. Run them back for two hours. I want to know when, and how, he arrived.’
After several minutes of searching the security officer reported, ‘Here he is arriving in reception, and as we wind back to the cameras in the car park we see him climbing out of an old utility.’
‘Get me a photo of his car.’
‘It’s coming through now.’
Armed with the photo of the mystery male’s car, Diane returned to her office where she punched in the registration number of the utility into her computer.
She then printed out a copy of the information, made several phone calls, and then left her desk to make her way to the reception area.
Dan looked up from his puzzle as the good-looking female agent came through the security point and made her way in his direction. At last, he thought to himself, things are starting to happen.
‘Mr Daniel Travers?’ the agent asked as she came to a stop before him.
‘Hi,’ smiled Dan. ‘How do you know my name?’
‘My name is Agent Hall,’ the agent explained. ‘We seem to be having trouble finding the person who you’ve come to visit. You did say his name is David Jones did you not?’
‘Yes. That’s right,’ Dan smiled.
‘Well the situation is Mr Travers, I have contacted every person by that name with our organisation and none of them have any idea who you are, and why you would be calling upon them. They all deny ever ringing you, a fact that can easily be confirmed.’
Dan’s brow furrowed as he considered his next words. He looked around. ‘I don’t understand it. I certainly spoke to the man and he told me that he would meet me in the reception area of the Department of Agriculture.’
‘Mr Travers,’ the agent said gently, ‘you are in the reception area of ASIO, not the Department of Agriculture.’
Dan looked shocked. ‘My goodness! How utterly stupid of me! I must be going. Mr Jones will be expecting me.’ He jumped up and headed toward the door.
‘Mr Travers!’ the agent called after him. ‘You’ve left your puzzle book.’
‘You can keep it,’ Dan called over his shoulder. ‘I don’t think I’ll need it any longer.’
A bemused Diane picked up the book, intending to throw it into the nearest bin, and made her way back to her office. To her the entire episode was now finished. She thought the entire matter would make an interesting anecdote to relate to her friends over drinks that evening.
Once back at her desk, and as ASIO rules dictated, she opened the incident site on her computer, and commenced making a full report as to what had happened and how the matter had been handled. As she was about to press the enter button she realised that there was one further thing for her to do. Dialling the Department of Agriculture, Agent Hall asked to speak to a Mr David Jones on extension 451.
‘Extension 451 does not exist madam,’ reported the telephonist. ‘All department extensions have four numbers.’
‘Then may I speak to your Mr David Jones please.’
‘The only David Jones with this department is located in our Coonabarabran office. Do you wish me to transfer you?’
Diane thought for a moment. ‘No, that will be fine. If necessary I’ll ring him direct. Thank you.’
Diane looked at the puzzle book which now lay in her wastepaper basket. She picked it gingerly back out by a corner and dropped it on her desk. Beside it she placed the photo of Travers and his car.
What am I to make of you Mr Travers? she thought to herself.
Turning back to her computer she brought up an enquiry page and entered Travers’ full name and birth date. Within seconds the words ‘Not a current record’ appeared.
‘So you are in here Mr Travers,’ she said to the screen.
Printing out the relevant file number Diane left the building by a rear door, and made her way between buildings until she came to a discreet sign beside a door marked ‘Archives’.
Diane presented her identification to the female clerk behind the counter and gave her the file number that she was after. The clerk entered the number on her computer.
‘We don’t have it,’ said the girl looking up from her computer. ‘It was taken out this morning.’
‘What!’
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