The Fifth Season (28 page)

****

Hamish rechecked O'Reiley's Pub and still could not find Mary Jo. He asked the familiar barman if she had left, and was informed that she had departed with the group she had been drinking with earlier. Hamish remembered Fieldmann saying where they were staying, and he went to the hotel phones and asked to be connected the Mandarin Hotel's main bar. Having stayed there he knew that it would be unlikely that the journalists would be anywhere else.

The barman there could not find anyone fitting her description and put the call back to the operator. Frustrated, and increasingly impatient to get on the road, he asked to be connected back to the Captains Bar once again, where he asked for Tuan Fieldmann. The barman passed the phone to the group of noisy journalists.

'Who do you want?' a near-drunk voice demanded.

'Is Eric Fieldmann there by any chance?' Hamish inquired, ready to give up and leave. He could call her from Bandung or Surabaya and explain.

'Just a moment,' the voice replied, and then, 'hold on,' he offered, 'I'll have the operator put you through,' with which, he handed the phone back to the barman and asked him to tell the operator to connect the caller to the correspondent's room. Hamish listened to the clicks as the hotel's telephone system found the correct number and connected.

****

The phone rang several times and Mary Jo looked at the locked bathroom door wondering if Fieldmann was going to answer. When he didn't and the ringing continued, she sighed, and lifted the receiver.

'Hello,' she said, a thought passing through her mind, 'Eric is currently indisposed,' she giggled, listening for a response, greeted only by silence. 'Hello,' she tried again, but there was still nothing. Mary Jo shrugged, looked at the mouthpiece as if half-expecting to see the caller, then hung up. 'Goddamn phones,' she muttered, then banged on the bathroom door and told Fieldmann to hurry as she wished to use the bathroom herself. When he did not emerge immediately, Mary Jo decided to return to the Captains Bar and use the toilets there. As she hurried across the lobby, she stumbled into a team of journalists, rushing from the hotel.

'What's happening?' she called, not wishing to stop.

'The students have occupied the Parliament,' one of their number obliged, shifting the weight of his gear as he did so. 'Looks like the army is going to clash with the students again,' with which, he was gone, chasing after the others. Even in her inebriated state, Mary Jo sensed that history was in the making, and she should be present at the scene. She hurried to the bathroom, emerging minutes later to phone her villa.

Mary Jo spoke to her assistant, Anne, the alcoholic haze clearing as her brain clicked into gear.

'Get moving, Annie,' she ordered, having already advised her which equipment she needed.

'Where will we meet?' Anne asked.

Mary Jo thought for a few moments. 'Wait for me at the steps to the main building.'

'Are you sure you don't want me to pick you up?'

'No', she replied, glancing at her watch, 'I'll take a hotel taxi.' Arrangements in place, Mary Jo rushed outside only to discover that none of the drivers would risk the short journey. She wasted valuable minutes arguing with the staff, during which time she learned that the other journalists had been picked up by associates in their station vehicle. She knew that Anne would already have left the villa and, in a pique of anger, she set out on foot, finally flagging down a passing student on his way to join the demonstration.

****

As Mary Jo's long strides took her along Jalan Jenderal Sudirman and away from the hotel, she was unseen by the occupants of the vehicle which had, only moments before, pulled out of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on its journey to Bandung. Inside, Hamish McLoughlin sat staring out through the heavily tinted windows, his anger at Mary Jo's behavior growing as images of her naked lying beneath another man filled his mind, tormenting him even further. Mary Jo's transgression remained clouding his thoughts as he continued on his way to Bandung, and even after he departed the country.

****

Tel Aviv

In view of the deteriorating situation in Indonesia, General Saguy had issued instructions for McLoughlin to be recalled, his contract to be determined. Although Hamish's astute financial skills had provided Mossad with the knowledge it had required at the time, his services were now no longer of any real value. It was time to prepare for any sudden change in the country's leadership.

The Mossad director's concern revolved around who might assume the nation's helm as it was apparent that Suhapto would soon fall. The

possibility that Vice President Hababli was next in line, sent a chill through his spine, for it was Hababli who had been responsible for orchestrating the flow of government funds into Moslem extremists' hands. That, and the man's penchant for elaborate military acquisitions, made the man even more dangerous than his mentor. General Saguy's position remained clear. Should Hababli manage against all odds to become the next President of Indonesia, then every effort would be made to ensure that he would not remain in that position of power long enough to pose any long-term threat, with his idiosyncratic ways.

When Hamish McLoughlin arrived in Geneva, he would be advised of his contract's termination.

She had spoken to many students at the scene, recording those who spoke English, photographing others as an almost carnival atmosphere prevailed. She was curious to observe the lack of response from the soldiers who walked amongst the students, apparently making no attempt whatsoever to dislodge the demonstrators from the green-domed Parliamentary buildings. By noon she was exhausted and Anne drove her back to the villa where she bathed and changed, then rested for an hour while the servants prepared a quick lunch.

Mary Jo took a few minutes to phone the Hyatt and was stunned to discover that Hamish had checked out.

‘Did he leave any message?' she had asked.

‘No, miss,' the operator advised.

‘Are you sure?' she demanded, believing the girl had not even bothered to check.

‘I will connect you to the front desk, miss,' the operator offered, and Mary Jo went through the procedure again, the reception staff confirming that
Tuan
Hamish McLoughlin had left late last night and had driven to Bandung.

She struggled to remember the sequence of events leading up to her departure from his hotel but her memory was clouded. Vaguely she recalled Hamish leaving not long after bumping into Eric Fieldmann.

Mary Jo decided that Hamish had been delayed by one of his international calls. This had happened before. She frowned. Obviously he would have tried to contact her and had been unable to do so.
Why had he gone to
Bandung?
she wondered.

Pressed for time, Mary Jo returned to the city, arriving on their motorbike, just as the crowd broke into an incredible roar. She waited impatiently while Anne parked the Suzuki, then pushed through to the centre of the throng gathered outside the main steps. Mary Jo raised her camera, activating the zoom lens to snap a student standing on the building's roof brandishing an oversized red and white flag. The chanting recommenced, the air electric as the youths taunted the soldiers bringing the confrontation to flash-point.

‘Suhapto resign! Suhapto resign!'

‘Hang Suhapto! Hang those who murder students!

‘Reform, Reform, we want reform!'
the students screamed, their voices filling the air as soldiers looked on, seemingly indifferent to the fact that the country's Houses of Parliament had been occupied by the demonstrators. They had their orders; they were to avoid any further student deaths.

Listen to me!'
Abdul Muis called, the prominent figure appealing to the demonstrators.
‘Listen to me!'

Those closest to the man turned to others behind and yelled loudly, 
‘It's Haji Abdul Muis. Be quiet! Listen, he wishes to address the demonstrators!'
Immediately a hush descended upon the thousands gathered there, many surging forward in order that they might hear the powerful Moslem leader's words.

Satisfied that he had control over the situation, Haji Abdul Muis raised his outstretched arms and called upon the students to pray for those who had died days before, cut down by police bullets. The students obeyed.

Then Abdul Muis raised his arms again, addressing them with a fire none in this country had heard since the days of Soekarno's charismatic appeals to the people of Indonesia.

‘Fellow citizens,'
he commenced,
‘the time has arrived for Suhapto to
step down.'
This was met with thunderous applause, the main body of the demonstrators cheering wildly for never before had someone of the Haji
's
standing ever displayed such courage in defying the brutal Suhapto regime.

‘I have made the call to the Mufti Muharam and can tell you now, that come
this Saturday, one million of my followers will march down the streets of this
city in support of your demands and those of the people of Indonesia for Suhapto
to resign!'

Abdul Muis' statement was met with an incredible roar as the demonstrators cheered the religious leader, their response swelling his chest with pride.

Now he was certain that he had made the correct decision. Earlier he had agonized whether he should take such a grave risk, and place his safety in jeopardy. Muis knew that Praboyo's men were prowling around somewhere out there in the dark. Although he had nothing to fear from the General, Muis was not overly confident that Praboyo's troops would not open fire on the students as they continued to occupy the government buildings.

He had phoned the Jakarta Garrison to inform them of his intentions to address the students, suggesting that his presence might have a pacifying effect. The new commander had insisted that he take military bodyguards, but wisely Muis had refused the offer. Standing before these tens of thousands of students he now believed that his timing could not have been more perfect and that the government was clearly on the verge of collapse.

Abdul Muis had considered waiting for the final curtain to come down on the Suhapto regime and then step in alongside General Praboyo, once he had assumed a caretaker's role over the Presidency. But he was concerned that Praboyo might not be able to succeed with his ambitious strategy.

Muis's move was motivated by his uneasy feeling that perhaps his ally, Praboyo, may have stronger enemies than first envisaged. Muis had publicly joined the growing anti-Suhapto movement in order that his future position and options remain flexible. The government could not, he knew, afford another martyr at this time, especially one of his standing within the Moslem community. He hoped that this would be clearly understood by those who may be tempted to have him removed, that the threat of his thirty million followers tearing the country apart in the event of his death was a very real possibility.

Muis firmly believed that he could easily muster one million Moslems to flood Jakarta's streets in opposition to Suhapto, but he would never have considered such bold action without Praboyo's support. Cleverly he had identified this opportunity to place his
Mufti Muharam
at the forefront of the political push to remove Suhapto, riding on the gathering momentum fueled by the students' anger over the recent shootings. Muis had been as stunned as any other that the military had arbitrarily opened fire, killing and wounding so many. It was apparent that whoever had issued the order to shoot on that day had brought an end to Suhapto's rule, just as surely as any assassin's bullet.

* * * *

‘We must have new elections,'
his voice cried out,
‘and initiate reforms quickly
to prevent further suffering! We must force those from power who are corrupt,
and place those at the country's helm who are fit both morally and spiritually and
eradicate the evil which has destroyed our country!'
The students greeted this also with a salvo of wild cheering, their chanting making it almost impossible for Muis to be heard.

‘We must demand that the people are given the opportunity to embrace Allah
freely, and receive their rightful representation through the Parliamentary process. If the people of Indonesia ask, I will offer myself to my country to participate
in these changes.'
Again the crowd roared.

‘And we should hold to account all of those who have corrupted our people, becoming fat from the sweat and misery of others. We must not permit
the Chinese to take control of our economy ever again!'
The students swung into action, their chants picked up by others as their racist slogans carried through the evening air.

‘Down with the Chinese! Down with the likes of Lim!'

‘Down with the Chinese, ban corrupters such as him!'

‘
Hiduplah Abdul Muis!
Long live Abdul Muis!

Although there was a considerable number of Chinese students who attended the university, few would have dared attend such demonstrations, remaining behind locked doors hoping, as did many in the community, that President Suhapto would soon take stern measures to restore peace to the country.