I squeezed past the hustle and bustle of people, catching the wafts of pretzels and workers' coffee from the kiosks. Passing under the grated metal caged skylight, the crackle of arrivals and departers mingled with the stomping and clattering of the station as another train screeched into the station above.
It didn't take me long until I found the first café and headed straight for it, greeted by sharp-suited businessmen having an early coffee and an old newspaper with the title, Congress Takes The Tonkin Resolution Into Action. A wave of anger flashes through my body at that idiotic decision before it fades, no point getting angry over something I had no control over, I'm here now. I passed a young couple sweetly playing with their son, as he giggled from the tickling from his mother, I smiled for the first time in a while before I caught myself.
I quickly spotted James by himself in his light wool coat, seated at the far end of the table, an open newspaper and a second coffee in front of him. With his sharp jawline and casual open posture, I can tell how he so easily integrates himself with people, I mean, who doesn't like talking with a good-looking person.
I discreetly look around but can't find his other friend, leaving it, I start to approach and am quickly spotted by him. He smiles kindly and gestures to the opposite seat. "Hey kid, glad you got the message. Feared it might have gone over your head."
"I know how to read between the lines." I smiled back as I sat down.
"Do you now. Haha. I think you only got that last part." He smiled cheekily at me. "Well, let me introduce myself. I'm James Calloway, and I work for the DIA as a defence attaché for the embassy here in Germany."
I sit up in my chair a lean forward closer to him trying to be as quiet as possible. "Right, I'm Cooper Johnson. Though I go by Cooper Schmidt in public, people don't take to kindly to American names in the East."
He smiles, "You don't need to be so worried, kid, no one is going to overhear you. I know how to throw off those German Stasi. Wait, did you say Johnson, American?"
I play with my fingers. "That's what my mother said, never actually met the man, so I just go off what she says."
He raises an eyebrow to me.
"Mother said that he was a soldier here fighting during the war, but they lost contact with each other. They weren't married, and mom used to always say it was an inspired night of passion."
James smiles. "I know the feeling." I give him a dirty look. "haha, don't look at me like that kid. You'll get it when you're older. Anyway, word is you're looking for foreign work?" he rose an eyebrow at me.
"Something like that," I said quietly, lowering myself down, my heart racing, as some police officer strolled past us, the pair of them chatting about the coffee of the place as they turned to us.
James waved at them. "Evening officers, looking sharp and good looking as always."
One of them smiled. "Thank you, Sir. You have a nice evening now."
James gave a cheeky grin. "I always do officer. Haha." They walked off as James gave me a wink.
I look surprised at James, he is such a nice guy, Dad was right, these Americans are nothing like they are portrayed in the newspaper, I guess I owe him a beer.
"No need to look so worried kid, you look like you're trying to hide something." He took a sip of coffee as he looks me over. "Well, you seem like a good kid, and I'd see no reason you wouldn't find work, though it would be best for you to learn English, the company always wants people who speak English, also helps if you can read and write it." He smiled kindly.
I sat up smiling brightly. "That won't be a problem. I can already speak English, and my reading and writing is not bad."
(English) "Can you now, quite impressive if that is true? Care to prove it."
"There would be no reason for me to lie about something like this. See, I can speak great English."
He raised his eyebrow again. "Bit of a British accent?" My heart rate spiked for a moment.
"In part, my mother wanted to stay connected with my father in some way, so she would read it over and over again, she also said that it would be a great skill to have when I got older, and so I would listen to the British radio whenever I could. Looks like my mother's words turned out true." Thanks for the accent actual Dad, Mum did always say it sounded so sexy to her.
(German) James sighed. "I'm sorry to have to ask this kid, but where is your mother."
I turned down hiding my face, trying my best to act my part. "She's not here anymore. Passed away a couple of months ago."
"Sorry about that kid, just that the company often want to understand peoples background."
It fell into awkward silence before a waiter came along. "Your Apfelstrudel, Sir."
"Thanks." He turned to me. "Here kid, eat up."
He sat back into his chair, relaxed and drank his coffee. No way was I going to reject food if it was put in front of me.
A train whistle sounded in the distance. "Tell me, what makes you good for the kinds of jobs that we offer?"
I finished the food before speaking. "Um, I know my way around the streets, picking up some crafts, and I can also speak Russian."
James turned serious. "That's a serious claim, Russian is not an easy language, can you read and write it?"
"Yes Sir."
James narrowed his eyes at me. "And how did you learn that?"
I swallowed deeply. "Um, when I was with my mother, she struggled to support us both, especially when we got trapped in the East. With my English skills, I became a good middleman for people. Got dragged into the black market and moved between the three groups, and quickly picked up the language, it allowed me to make ends meet for my mother and I, but it was a bit too late. My mother became ill and then passed shortly after. Her final words to me were to do something greater with my life, not to end up like her."
"She seemed like an incredible woman, I'm sure she loved you greatly kid. That also answers my final question."
"Sir?"
"The how and why, you pick me out of a crowd of plenty of other people?" He sat back in his chair again. "You thought I was a kind and helpful guy?"
I looked away from him.
James surrendered his hands up before taking it into a stretch. "Busted. Haha, don't worry about it kid. Well, good news is you've got skills in high demand so I have a lot to work with, it might even allow me to not just help you move over but even get you a great position as well. Looks like your mother's wishes will be more than fulfilled. You good to go now?"
I shot my head straight back to him. "Now? Is that everything you needed?"
"Yep, you're good to go, kid, no reason to beat around the bush."
I heard heavy footsteps behind me and then a heavy hand on my shoulder, causing me to jump in my seat. I looked up and found James's quiet friend. "Looks like things went well then, come on."
"Because my friend hates chatting with people, this is Robert, my partner at work."
Robert rolled his eyes. "Come on let's get a move on." Robert then led me away, whilst James disappeared into the crowd of people and moved away from us. I followed as we went out of the station and started to walk away, going a couple of blocks before getting to a nice-looking car.
"Love these Cadillacs," Robert said before opening the back door, before quietly whispering as I got in. "There's a hidden switch to open a hidden compartment for space under the seats, get in it."
I hopped in the car and quickly found it, revealing a comfy compartment. "Looks like what we smugglers use."
Robbert smiled. "Where do you think you got it from. Now move it." I quickly got in before Robert closed me in.
Quickly, the engine smoothly started up, and we drove off. We went for what seemed like a couple of blocks before stopping where I could hear people talking.
"Everything alright, James," Robert said.
"Yep, all clear. Let's head for the embays."
We drove around in aimless driving; I was sure that they were doing it to shake anyone off before we finally slowed down in what I hope is the embassy.
"Come on Cooper, we are here." I heard Robbert say as he opened the compartment. As I got out, I could see that I was not wrong, as I looked out at the concrete wall. It looked like we were at the back of the embassy at a car park it had.
"No buildings to look into the compound from here," James said as he saw me looking around it. "Safe to bring people in this way." He pressed me forward and towards the building.
I stepped through the embassy's thick, brass-clad doors, and into a cold, sterile reflection of its exterior with gleaming marble floors, fluorescent lights on the American eagle, with the big words, United States of America cresting it. An open lobby with halls leading off where the faint smell of coffee wafted from.
"Welcome to the embassy, Kid." James smiled at me.
"Technically not an embassy James," Robert said as we walked past me and disappeared down one of the hallways.
James rolled his eyes. "So pedantic. Come on." My heart started to race as James brought me further into the 'embassy'.