TANGANYIKA POST OFFICE, TPO
2020
Leo sat inside the van. The van was in a parking lot, outside a building opposite to Tanganyika post office. In front of him was an Apple MacBook Air 2020. On the screen, he could see everything going on inside and outside the post office. He didn’t do anything special. SJ and Patrice hired a hacker from Pakistan. The hacker did the enchantment. He hacked the post office’s CCTV cameras and the surveillance systems. The hacker did the whole job and Leo’s job was just to sit inside the van and watch how things were going. The clock on his wrist ticked 0600hrs.
Through his MacBook Air, he saw a white van approaching the Post office’s parking lot. He zoomed. The hacker taught him how to zoom. Candidly, he didn’t know the hacker’s face. He was given all these directives via a Zoom cloud meeting. That was what he did the whole preceding night. A zoom session.
He zoomed to see the van unmistakably. On the body, it was written City cleaners. He smiled.
The door opened, six people walked out of the van. They were on their white overalls and white hats. Leo zoomed. He enjoyed it. He could undoubtedly see SJ and Patrice. He smiled. How did they do it? They didn’t tell him much when he asked. They just told him that they were TISS special agents, so connections were no problems to them. He zoomed. Patrice’s overall was too big for him. He smiled.
The six cleaners walked to the main Post office’s door. He saw them waving to the guards. He couldn’t hear the voices. Only video, there will be no sounds. The hacker told him that. The guards opened the door and let the cleaners enter. Guards too are humans. They become tired of inspecting the same people every day, though the security protocol wants them to. One of Baraka’s rules says don’t be so straight, bend a bit sometimes. The guards bent a bit and they simplified the entry phase of SJ and Patrice. Leo watched the cleaners entering the post office. He zoomed.
SJ and Patrice headed to the staff toilets. That’s what the blueprint wanted them to do. It wanted them to go to the staff toilets and then to the left restroom two. That’s the room with the wall behind box 103. They entered the restroom. Phase two was completed.
There were no cameras in the toilets. Why would someone plant a camera in the toilets? There will be no cameras in the toilets. We’ll plant one of our own. That’s what the hacker told them. Leo smiled.
“Leo, can you see us now?” SJ said over the comms.
Leo clicked on the MacBook. “Flawlessly…”
“We’re starting phase three. Everything clear outside?” SJ said.
“Clear. Good luck.”
He saw SJ and Patrice taking the chipping machines from their bags. They inspected the wall. They drew a square on the wall. Leo zoomed.
The two started chipping off the wall. The machines were noiseless. There is nothing money can’t buy. Love…? Yeah, money can't buy love, but it improves your bargaining position. The clock on Leo’s wrist read 0630. His heart started pounding fast, then faster.
“Guys, I think we have a stern problem.” Leo said.
“What’s up?” Patrice said.
Leo zoomed. A black SUV Jeep Cherokee entered the Post office’s parking lot. The car looked familiar. Where did he see it? His fingers forked in his hair.
“Leo, what’s wrong?” Patrice said.
His hands were trembling. The Jeep stopped and a driver walked out. Leo zoomed. He exploded out of the chair. It was Zander.
“Leo…” SJ said.
“Christos is here.”
“What? It’s not seven yet.” SJ said.
“How far are you?” Leo said.
“Not very far. The wall is very solid. Twenty more minutes would do.” Patrice said.
Leo zoomed. “I think we don’t have that much time.”
“Fuck it!” SJ said.
Leo turned to the screen. Zander opened the Jeep’s back door. Christos walked out, a cane in his hand. Leo crushed the paper in his fist.