After a tasty meal, Max admitted he was exhausted. He needed a shower and an early night.
"Good idea," agreed Star. "There is nothing else to do, once I have washed up and cleared away."
When Max came out of the bathroom wearing just a towel, he found Star had cleared away his bed on the floor and there were two pillows on the double bed. So Star’s up for it, he thought. Although horny, deep down he felt guilty at the very idea of making love to her, but couldn’t fathom why.
He climbed into bed and went straight to sleep. Star showered and slipped in naked beside him. She lay awake for some time, propped up on one elbow, watching him sleep.
Next morning, Max woke at 10am to the smell of ground coffee and a hearty fried breakfast. Star had been shopping, now they had money, and was doing her best to make a home for them. Now he realized that she had slept alongside him, but chose not to say anything.
“Star, we need some equipment,” Max said, handing her a detailed list.
Quickly skimming through it, Star asked, “How are you going to use this stuff, Max? It’s pretty diverse tech.”
“OK!” replied Max. “I’m pretty sure I know where the dealers I am targeting operate from. It’s just around the corner from here. I sneaked a lift in the boot of their car the night I met you.
“I plan to attach a modified smart phone to the underside of their car and over the next week, follow their movements using its GPS. I hope a pattern will emerge, showing us the places they use to drop off the cash.
“I also plan to break into their base at Montgomery Close to bug the place and computer. During our surveillance, we will need to take all the players’ photos and videos, so we can identify them at the cash drop areas.”
“How will you attach the phone to the car so that it won’t be noticed and how will you see where they go?”
“I’ll put the phone in a weather-proof plastic box with magnets glued to the top. They will hold it in place to the car’s under-body. The phone will be fitted with a hair-thin aerial protruding from the car body so it can ‘see’ the GPS satellites. An app will record the movement and wait time, so the route and stops can be analyzed. Also, this data will be sent to my server so I can look at it in real time. We should get a full day from the extended battery pack I will make up, possibly more, so we will need to change the pack each night.
“Bugging the base will be simple. I’ll plant the bugs behind the phone sockets, so they’ll be hidden and continuously powered by the phone line current. The type I have in mind can be remotely switched on or off, so if they scan for bugs, I can deactivate them beforehand. A simple key logger program can be loaded on to the computer, directing the activity to my server as data. I can look at it and even hijack their computer if I want to.
“Meantime, we need to establish new but genuine identities. That will take six to nine months, so we need to be very careful during that period. With the money and new identities we can go abroad and live a good life. No one will ever find us.”
Max tried to reassure her of his confidence with a brief cuddle and kiss on the cheek. There was no sexual intent in Max’s mind until he felt the soft warmth of her body, her smooth skin and fresh scent. A warm glow spread through his body, then slowly diminished as he broke away; this glow was a sensation he had not anticipated in the midst of so much stress.
Star looked shocked at his words, but made no comment. This plan was taking on dimensions she had never imagined. It was a long haul plan, not a quick smash-and-grab like an action film. The good news was that Max had included her in his plans, including a new identity and by implication, a life together in some other country. The downside was the length of time needed to complete the plan. Every moment was fraught with the risk of getting caught by the drug gang or police.
Star murmured, no enthusiasm showing in her tone. “Ok Max, I will get started with your list, and then we’ll see where it takes us.”
This sudden turn of events got her thinking about the situation in which she now found herself. Star realized that she loved Max, a feeling she had never experienced before, but not because he was damaged or needed fixing. Would this be enough for her? He still needed her and could do nothing without her, which would be as good as fixing him. Then of course there was the prospect of money and a new start in life, somewhere warm and exotic. Frankly anywhere abroad would be exotic she thought.
Later that day, Star returned with most of the items; the remainder she would collect tomorrow.
“Star, I’m planning our new identities, and I know nothing about you. You never wanted to talk about yourself and out of respect for your privacy, I never pushed the matter. We need to talk now.”