Alan McQueen - 02 - Second Strike by Mark Abernethy

was about the historic MOU with Indonesia for a joint investigation, which was now called Operation Alliance. One concerned the forward command post, and there was a housekeeping release that covered the DVI program and details of how rellies could make inquiries and how the survivors could assist by disclosing their whereabouts on a central number. If the AFP’s database was to be comprehensive, it had to include the three hundred people unaccounted for, many of whom may have travelled back to Java, Malaysia or Australia itself.
    She was good, this Julie, which made Mac’s next move all the easier.
    Julie and Simon from the AFP were talking softly in the side garden when Mac came out with three cold Tigers. He also brought the one-pager he’d typed and printed in the business centre, which was a copy of the one he’d left on Chester’s bed. Mac joined them at one of the outdoor tables, the stench of old cigarette butts competing with the frangipani perfume of a balmy evening.
    Mac got to the point. ‘Guys, I wasn’t entirely sure what the story was going to be down here when they asked me to come.’
    Simon sat back in his chair, crossing his arms defensively. He was in his late twenties, a man whose looks suited his receding dark hair.
    ‘But now I realise that having some Foreign Affairs bloke trying to control the AFP’s public affairs program is not the best way to approach this. At the same time, there are wider Commonwealth concerns with government-to-government agreements, repatriation and fi nancial arrangements. And these are best handled by Foreign Affairs.’
    Julie and Simon sipped their beers, watching Mac closely. They were both early career public servants on the verge of becoming mid-career public servants. They were looking for a break, a chance to break away from the pack.
    ‘A lot of the AFP stuff is highly technical,’ continued Mac, ‘and if I’m too hands-on with it the chance of error becomes high. I mean, I don’t even know what a DVI is, right? I mean, what is that - a fucking Drunken Vehicle Incident or something?’
    Simon and Julie laughed, and the tension was defused, like someone had popped a cork.
    ‘Shit!’ said Simon, laughing at the night sky. ‘Drunken Vehicle Incident - I love it. Can I use that?’
    ‘Better than that, champ, I need you and Julie to run this show, okay?’
    Julie did a small victory clench with her left fi st while Simon eyed Mac.
    ‘Julie has fi nal veto via me, but that’s not her fault - that’s my call.
    But you are now running the media for the policing and investigation side, okay?’
    Simon sat forward, a little stunned. ‘Sure, that’s great.’
    ‘And you,’ said Mac, looking at Julie, ‘the last thing you need is another luncher trying to put his oar in, right?’
    ‘Well,’ she said, embarrassed, ‘I wouldn’t put it exactly like that.’
    ‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Mac. ‘I deal with that every day. It never goes away, believe me.’
    ‘What about Chester?’ asked Julie, looking at the table but addressing Mac.
    It was a fair question. Julie had a career to think of, and Chester was still technically her boss.
    ‘Don’t worry about Chester. Chester is my headache,’ replied Mac, suddenly feeling very hungry. ‘For now, here’s the deal: the two of you are co-directing the public affairs side of Operation Alliance. Simon’s doing the police side, Julie’s doing the rest. My one stipulation is that there be no open-mic interviews with the cops. And I mean any cops.
    A reporter or producer wants answers, they put the questions through you and you write the responses with attribution, okay? - If Mick Keelty turns up and wants to do a touchy-feely session with some journos, we say no . If he wants to walk amongst his people, do the loaves and fi shes, the answer is no .’
    The two media operatives laughed at that.
    ‘I’m serious, guys - that staged media shit feels good for a few hours but it puts too much pressure