I centred the cross-hairs on his large pallid face and gently squeezed the trigger, and the hammer snapped home with a harmless click. I wondered if I would have done the same had there been a bullet up the spout. The world would be a better place without men like Slade. But to load was too deliberate an act, so I put up the gun and walked towards the cottage. I should have loaded the gun.
As I approached he turned and waved. Good afternoon, he called, as coolly as though he were a regular and welcome guest.
I stepped up to him. How did you find me?
He shrugged. It wasnt too hard. You know my methods.
I knew them and I didnt like them. I said, Quit playing Sherlock. What do you want?
He waved towards the door of the cottage. Arent you going to invite me inside?
Knowing you, Ill bet youve searched the place already.
He held up his hands in mock horror. On my word of honour, I havent.
I nearly laughed in his face because the man had no honour. I turned from him and pushed open the door and he followed me inside, clicking his tongue deprecatingly. Not locked? Youre very trusting.
Theres nothing here worth stealing, I said indifferently.
Just your life, he said, and looked at me sharply.
I let that statement lie and put up the rifle on its rack. Slade looked about him curiously. Primitive but comfortable, he remarked. But I dont see why you dont live in the big house.
It happens to be none of your business.
Perhaps, he said, and sat down. So you hid yourself in Scotland and didnt expect to be found. Protective coloration, eh? A Stewart hiding among a lot of Stewarts. Youve caused us some little difficulty.
Who said I was hiding? I am a Scot, you know.
He smiled fatly. Of a sort. Just by your paternal grandfather. Its not long since you were a Swede and before that you were Finnish. You were Stewartsen then, of course.
Have you travelled five hundred miles just to talk of old times? I asked tiredly.
Youre looking very fit, he said.
I cant say the same for you; youre out of condition and running to fat, I said cruelly.
He chuckled. The fleshpots, dear boy; the fleshpots all those lunches at the expense of Her Majestys Government. He waved a pudgy hand. But lets get down to it, Alan.
To you Im Mr Stewart, I said deliberately.
Oh, you dont like me, he said in a hurt voice. But no matter it makes no difference in the end. I we want you to do a job for us. Nothing too difficult, you understand.
You must be out of your mind, I said.
I know how you must feel, but
You dont know a damn thing, I said sharply. If you expect me to work for you after what happened then youre crazier than I thought.
I was wrong, of course; Slade knew perfectly well how I felt it was his business to know men and to use them like tools. I waited for him to put on the pressure and, sure enough, it came, but in his usual oblique manner.
So lets talk of old times, he said. You must remember Kennikin.
I remembered Id have to have total amnesia to forget Kennikin. A vision of his face swam before me as I had last seen him; eyes like grey pebbles set above high Slavic cheekbones, and the scar ran from his right temple to the corner of his mouth standing out lividly against the suddenly pale skin. He had been angry enough to kill me at that moment.
What about Kennikin? I said slowly.
Just that I hear hes been looking for you, too. You made a fool of him and he didnt like it. He wants to have you Slade paused as though groping for a thought. Whats that delicate phrase our American colleagues of the CIA use? Oh, yes Kennikin wants to have you terminated with extreme prejudice. Although I daresay the KGB dont employ that exact wording.
A damned nice term for a bullet in the back of the head one dark night. So? I said.
Hes still looking for you, Slade pointed out.
Why? I asked. Im no longer with the Department.
Ah, but Kennikin doesnt know that. Slade examined his fingernails. Weve kept the information from him quite successfully, I believe. It seemed useful to do so.
I saw what was coming but I wanted to make Slade come right out with it, to commit himself in plain language something he abhorred. But he doesnt know where I am.
Quite right, dear boy but what if someone should tell him?
I leaned forward and looked closely at Slade. And who would tell him?
I would, he said blandly. If I thought it necessary. Id have to do it tactfully and through a third party, of course; but it could be arranged.
So there it was the threat of betrayal. Nothing new for Slade; he made a lifes work out of corruption and betrayal. Not that I was one to throw stones; it had been my work too, once. But the difference between us was that Slade liked his work.
I let him waffle on, driving home the point unnecessarily. Kennikin runs a very efficient Mordgruppe, as we know to our cost, dont we? Several members of the Department have been er terminated by Kennikins men.
Why dont you just say murdered?
He frowned and his piggy eyes sank deeper into the rolls of fat that larded his face. You always were blunt, Stewart; perhaps too blunt for your own good. I havent forgotten the time you tried to get me in trouble with Taggart. I remember you mentioned that word then.
Ill mention it again, I said. You murdered Jimmy Birkby.
Did I? Slade asked softly. Who put the gelignite in his car? Who carefully connected the wire from the detonator to the ignition system? You did! He cut me off with a chopping motion of his hand. And it was only that which got you next to Kennikin, only that induced Kennikin to trust you enough so that we could break him. You did very well, Stewart all things considered.
Yes, you used me, I said.
And Ill use you again, he said brutally. Or would you rather be thrown to Kennikin? He laughed suddenly. You know, I dont think Kennikin gives a damn if youre with the Department or not. He wants you for your own sweet self.
I stared at him. And what do you mean by that?
Didnt you know that Kennikin is impotent now? Slade said in surprise. I know you intended to kill him with that last shot, but the light was bad and you thought youd merely wounded him. Indeed you had, but not merely you castrated the poor man. His hands, which were folded across his belly, shook with his sniggers. To put it crudely or bluntly, if you like, dear boy you shot his balls off. Can you imagine what hell do to you if and when he catches up with you?
I felt cold and there was a yawning emptiness in the pit of my stomach. Theres only one way of opting out of the world and thats by dying, said Slade with phoney philosophy. You tried your way and it doesnt work.
He was right; I shouldnt have expected otherwise. What it comes to is this, I said. You want me to do a job. If I dont do it, youll tip off the opposition and the opposition will knock me off and your hands will be theoretically clean.
Very succinctly put, said Slade. You always did write good, clear reports. He sounded like a schoolmaster complimenting a boy on a good essay.
Whats the job?
Now youre being sensible, he said approvingly. He produced a sheet of paper and consulted it. We know you are in the habit of taking an annual holiday in Iceland. He looked up. Still sticking to your northern heritage, I see. You couldnt very well go back to Sweden and Finland would be even more risky. Too close to the Russian border for comfort. He spread his hands. But who goes to Iceland?
So the job is in Iceland?
Indeed it is. He tapped the paper with his fingernail. You take long holidays three and four months at a time. What it is to have a private income the Department did very well by you.
The Department gave me nothing that wasnt mine, I said shortly.
He ignored that. I note youve been doing very well for yourself in Iceland. All the home comforts down to a love-nest. A young lady, I believe, is
Well leave her out of it.
Just the point Im making, dear boy. It would be most unwise if she became involved. It could be most dangerous for her, dont you think? I wouldnt tell her anything about it. His voice was kindly.
Slade had certainly done his homework. If he knew about Elin then he must have tapped me a long time before. All the time I thought I was in cover Id been under a microscope.
Come to the job.
You will collect a package at Keflavik International Airport. He sketched dimensions with his hands. About eight inches by four inches by two inches. You will deliver it to a man in Akureyri you know where that is?
I know, I said, and waited for him to continue, but he didnt. Thats all? I asked.
Thats all; Im sure you will be able to accomplish it quite easily.
I stared at him incredulously. Have you gone through all this rigmarole of blackmail just to give me a messenger boys job?
I wish you wouldnt use such crude language, he said peevishly. Its a job suitable for one who is out of practice, such as yourself. Its important enough and you were to hand, so were using you.
This is something thats blown up quite quickly, isnt it? I hazarded. Youre forced to use me.
Slade waggled his hand. Were a bit stretched for manpower, thats all. Dont get delusions of grandeur in using you Im scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Slade could be blunt enough when it suited his purpose. I shrugged, and said, Who is the man in Akureyri?
Hell make himself known, Slade took a slip of paper from his wallet and tore it jaggedly across. One piece he passed to me and it proved to be half of a 100-kronur banknote. Hell have the other half. Old ways are best, dont you think? Effective and uncomplicated.
I looked at the ruined Icelandic currency in my hand and said ironically, I dont suppose Ill be paid for this enterprise?
Of course you will, dear boy. Her Majestys Government is never niggardly when it comes to valuable services rendered. Shall we say two hundred pounds?
Send it to Oxfam, you bastard.
He shook his head deprecatingly. Such language but I shall do as you say. You may depend on it.
I studied Slade and he looked back at me with eyes as candid as those of a baby. I didnt like the smell of this operation it sounded too damned phoney. It occurred to me that perhaps he was setting up a training exercise with me as the guinea pig. The Department frequently ran games of that sort to train the new boys, but all the participants usually knew the score. If Slade was ringing me into a training scheme without telling me Id strangle the sadistic bastard.
To test him, I said, Slade, if youre using me as the football in a training game it could be dangerous. You could lose some of your budding spies that way.
He looked shocked. Oh, I wouldnt do that to you.
All right; what do I do if someone tries to take the package?
Stop him, he said succinctly.
At any cost?
He smiled. You mean should you kill? Do it any way you want. Just deliver the package to Akureyri. His paunch shook with amusement. Killer Stewart! he mocked gently. Well, well!
I nodded. I just wanted to know. Id hate to make your manpower problems more difficult. After Akureyri what happens then?
Then you may go on your way rejoicing. Complete your holiday. Enjoy the company of your lady friend. Feel free as air.
Until the next time you drop by.
That is a highly unlikely eventuality, said Slade decisively. The world has passed you by. Things are not the same in the Department as they were techniques are different many changes you would not understand. You would be quite useless, Stewart, in any real work; but this job is simple and youre just a messenger boy. He looked around the room a little disdainfully. No, you may come back here and rusticate peacefully.
And Kennikin?
Ah, I make no promises there. He may find you he may not; but if he does it will not be because of my doing, I assure you.
Thats not good enough, I said. Youll tell him I havent been a member of the Department for four years?
I may, he said carelessly. I may. He stood and buttoned his coat. Of course, whether he would believe it is one thing, and whether it would make any difference is yet another. He has his own, strictly unprofessional, reasons for wanting to find you, and Im inclined to think that hell want to operate on you with a sharp knife rather than to ask you to share his bottle of Calvados.
He picked up his hat and moved over to the door. You will receive further instructions about picking up the package before you leave. Its been nice to see you again, Mr Stewart.
I wish I could say the same, I said, and he laughed jollily.
I walked with him to his car and pointed to the rocks from where I had watched him waiting outside the cottage. I had you in rifle sights from up there. I even squeezed the trigger. Unfortunately the rifle wasnt loaded.
He looked at me, his face full of confidence. If it had been loaded you wouldnt have pulled the trigger. Youre a civilized man, Stewart; too civilized. I sometimes wonder how you lasted so long in the Department you were always a little too soft-centred for the big jobs. If it had been my decision youd have been out long before you decided to er retire.
I looked into his pale cold eyes and knew that if it had been his decision I would never have been allowed to retire. He said, I trust you remember the terms of the Official Secrets Act. Then he smiled. But, of course, you remember.
I said, Where are you in the hierarchy now, Slade?
Quite close to the top, as a matter of fact, he said cheerfully. Right next to Taggart. I do make the decisions now. I get to have lunch with the Prime Minister from time to time. He gave a self-satisfied laugh and got into the car. He rolled down the window, and said, Theres just one thing. That package dont open it, dear boy. Remember what curiosity did to the cat.