What about Afghanistan?
With my Pashtu and Iranian, I travelled the country a lot. She smiled bleakly. Death seemed to follow me around.
Well, he must have thought hed got you in his clutches at last on the road to Abusan. He smiled. If somebody did decide to make a movie, they couldnt do better than let you play yourself.
You should be my agent, Daniel.
Thats the second time youve called me by my first name. Thats got to mean something. He looked beyond her and saw Ferguson, Miller, and Dillon entering the bar, Colonel Josef Lermov with them. Look whos here.
The Russian, instead of his uniform, was wearing an old tweed country suit, blue shirt, and brown woollen tie. He advanced on Holley and hugged him.
I must say youre looking wonderful, Daniel. He looked down at Sara. And this can only be the remarkable Captain Sara Gideon. He reached for her hand and kissed it. A great honour and privilege, one soldier to another.
Coming from the author of Total War, Colonel Lermov, I must say the privilege is all mine, she replied in perfect Russian.
He smiled. So your reputation as an exceptional linguist speaks for itself. Im impressed.
Miller called for coffee and they all sat down, Ferguson beside Sara. Been in the wars, my dear, so Security tells me? You were on camera.
Ive just seen it, Daniel, Dillon told Holley. You were your normal totally brutal self, and served those bastards right.
I agree, Lermov said. Frankly, Id like to sentence them to a year in Station Gorky in Siberia and see what they made of that. Unfortunately, this is not my parish.
So whats going to happen? Sara asked.
Weve discussed it with management, and the gentlemen involved, having been suitably threatened and banned from ever visiting the hotel again, have departed with their tails between their legs.
They can count themselves lucky, Holley said. NYPD could have caused them real trouble over that derringer.
Anyway, there it is, Ferguson said. Welcome to the club, Sara, glad to have you on board. Congratulations to you, Dillon and Holley, for your handling of the Amity business. Though Murphy wasnt shot to death in Brooklyn, as we thought. He must have been wearing some sort of body armour. Hes turned up close to his apartment, stabbed in the heart. Whoever he was dealing with obviously wanted his mouth shut.
It must have been a hell of a good vest he was wearing when I shot him into the East River, Dillon said.
Yes, but the important thing was the Irish connection you turned up and our old friend Jack Kelly. Coffee was being passed around and he carried on, You may be surprised that were talking about our highly illegal conduct in Brooklyn in front of Colonel Lermov here. He turned to Lermov. Perhaps youd like to make a point, Josef?
Of course, Charles. He removed his spectacles and polished them with a handkerchief. In the old Cold War days, we were sworn enemies, but in a world of international terrorism, wed be fools not to help each other out. Putin agrees with me. He turned to Holley. The Al Qaeda plot to assassinate Putin in Chechnya last year was foiled by information supplied by you, Daniel. He will never forget that.
I wish he would, Holley said.
Ferguson ignored him. So we have common interests, but never mind that now. Ill be in touch with you sooner than you think, Josef, but for the moment, well say good-bye. Were all heading back to London tonight.
He shook hands with Lermov, walked to the door, and they all followed, Holley taking Saras hand. Is it always like this? she demanded.
Only most of the time, Dillon said, and turned to glance at them, smiling. I see you two seem to have met somewhere.
And they walked into the night.
LONDON4
It was an hour before midnight, New York time, when Fergusons Gulfstream rose up through heavy rain to 40,000 feet and headed out into the Atlantic. Lacey and Parry, his usual RAF pilots, were at the controls Sara had met them in the departure lounge and theyd indicated their approval. She was lying back in a red seat, and Parry passed her and spoke to Ferguson.
Definitely heavy winds in mid-Atlantic, General. Could take us seven hours at least. Will that be all right?
It will have to be, Flight Lieutenant, Ferguson told him. Carry on.
Parry paused as he passed Sara and grinned. He can be grumpy on occasion. Sorry we didnt have a steward, but youll find anything you could want in the kitchen area. Were very free and easy.
He returned to the cockpit and she stretched out comfortably and listened to what was going on, for they had the screen on and were having a face-to-face with Roper.
I can see you in the back there, Sara, Roper called. I warned you about Daniel.
Enough of this erotic by-play, Ferguson growled, and lets get down to business. These different kinds of IRA dissidents, Giles, is it really possible for them to work together?
I dont see why not, but Dillon and Holley are the ones to ask. Theyve been there and done that, Dillon since he was 19. Whats your opinion, Sara? After all, the peace process was supposed to solve things, giving Sinn Fein seats at Stormont.
But the ideal to strive for has always been a united Ireland, Dillon said. So as long as Ulster remains with the Crown, dissident factions will have a reason to continue the struggle.
A bleak prospect, Ferguson said. Which simply means they whoever they are have an excuse for continuing general mayhem.
Im afraid so. Dillon shrugged. There are supposed to be sleepers all over London, just awaiting the call to action.
Which brings us to Jack Kelly, Roper said. A well-known Provo whos served time in the Maze Prison he may be, but he was automatically pardoned as part of the peace process. So whats to be done?
A bullet in the head as he walks home some wet night? Holley suggested.
Sara said, I wonder how many times he did that himself during his years with the IRA.
So what do we do? Holley asked. Lift him?
Impossible, Roper said. His lawyers would run rings around the prosecution.
Youre all right, Ferguson told them. Even you, Sara, though I would point out that assassination is the business were in. No, well apparently do nothing, leaving you, Roper, genius that you are, to come up with some way of monitoring his comings and goings.
Thats asking a lot, Miller said. Hell be using only encrypted mobiles.
Roper shrugged. Well see. Something might turn up.
Id sleep on it if I were you, Miller told him.
You clown, Harry, its breakfast time here.
The screen went dark and Ferguson promptly fell asleep. Sara was in the rear of the cabin and Holley took the next seat.
Are you tired?
I certainly should be.
Because its all so exciting. He said it as a statement.
The screen went dark and Ferguson promptly fell asleep. Sara was in the rear of the cabin and Holley took the next seat.
Are you tired?
I certainly should be.
Because its all so exciting. He said it as a statement.
Disturbing, Daniel, thats what Id say, and rather frightening.
Holley smiled through the half-light. Well have to do something about that.
In front of them, Dillon muttered, For Gods sake, kiss the girl goodnight, and lets get some sleep.
Sara smiled and murmured to Holley, See you in the morning.
She pulled a blanket over her knees, closed her eyes, and lay back. Holley watched her for a while, wondering what was happening to him, then he also closed his eyes.
The drone of the engines in flight was the only sound now. Parry peered in from the cockpit and dimmed the lights even further.
Dillon wasnt sleeping, just lying back considering what the day had brought. A lovely young woman, Sara Gideon, and shed obviously had a profound effect on Holley, but they were in entirely the wrong profession for that kind of thing. A pity, but there it was.
He moved on to analysing the new situation in Ulster. Always the same. Reactionary dissidents who would never be satisfied till the sound of gunfire echoed in the streets and the killing began once more. What the hell was Jack Kelly playing at? Hed lost his only son to the conflict, spent years in jail.
Christ, Dillon murmured, youd think hed have learned some sense by now.
But there was no forgiveness in this world, and he remembered Jean Talbot in the Zion Gallery. Shed appreciated why hed had to shoot her son, but couldnt possibly forgive, and had put out a contract on him one of the advantages of being rich, shed said.
Nothing to be done about that. People had been trying to kill him for years. He remembered the old days, going to the horns in the bullring in Ibiza, waiting for the bull to rush out of the gate of fear. It comes as God wills, the toreros used to say, which just about summed it up.
One-thirty over the Atlantic, but 7.30 in London, where Jean Talbot was already enjoying the first cup of coffee of the day. Shed lived in the Regency House in Marley Court in Mayfair for years. It was just off Curzon Street, convenient for Hyde Park, and only ten minutes walk away from Owen Rashids flat, a decided plus in view of the way their relationship was developing.
Her mobile sounded and there he was. Are you up for lunch today? Theres something I wanted to run by you.
Sorry, Owen, Ive got a meeting with the vice-chancellor. Though she was head of Talbot International, she mostly let her nephew, Gregory, handle things as CEO while she pursued an academic career. Are you going for a run in the park?
Just about to leave.
Ill join you if you like. Ill be at the Hilton end of the subway.
Which she was, and they walked through, entered Hyde Park, and had a brisk 30-minute jog which ended with coffee by the café at the Serpentine. As always, she thoroughly enjoyed his company. No silly ideas of romance at her age. In a sense, he was filling her sons place, and he was well aware of the fact.
How did your flight to Rubat go the other day? she asked, for another link between them was that Rashid Oil kept its private aircraft at Frensham Aero Club, as did Talbot International. Owen had been a private pilot for three years, Jean for considerably longer.
Now that Ive got my rating for jets, it was great fun. I was able to fly the Lear.
What was it you wanted to run by me?
I wondered if youd thought any more about my suggestion that Talbot International might consider extending the Bacu Railway line into Rubat.
She said, Ive raised the matter with Gregory, and he seems to think that the instability with Yemen next door might raise difficulties.
Owen said, All were asking for is an extension of the track and the pipelines. It would give us access to Southport and its tankers, and that would be more efficient for us. Remember that one-third of the worlds oil from southern Arabia passes through the system. To interfere with that, Yemen would have to invade Rubat, a sovereign state. Any interference with oil supplies would cause chaos on an international scale. If the UN didnt put a stop to it, the Americans would, backed by powerful Arab interests. Yemen would be ground into the dust.
I like it when youre this way, Owen, full of enthusiasm. She smiled. You certainly make a good case. Ill speak to Gregory again.
As they started the return run, he realized with some surprise that she was absolutely right. The idea as put forward by his Al Qaeda masters was totally misconceived.
They crossed Park Lane and he said, Tell Gregory there will be a Saudi delegation arriving on Thursday to be here for the Presidents visit on Friday. Powerful sheikhs involved in the oil business, but also a general or two, possibly looking for interesting arms deals. Id be happy to help with introductions. He frowned. But what am I thinking of? Theres the reception on the terrace at Parliament.
I heard, she said. Its the social event of the year.
Well, Ive been invited and partners are allowed. Why not come with me?
She was actually quite thrilled at the idea, but said, Good heavens, Owen, are you sure?
Talbot International supplies military hardware to half the countries on earth and has an excellent reputation for integrity in the Arab world. Who better to represent it at such an affair than the chairman?
I admit Im tempted.
Dinner tonight at San Lorenzo. Well discuss it then. Ill pick you up at 7.30.
He half-ran along the pavement. She watched him enter his apartment block, then turned and walked away, suddenly absurdly happy.
As Owen crossed the sitting room, making for the bedroom suite, pulling his sweater over his head, a phone sounded. He hurried into his office and took a mobile from the top drawer. It was his sole link with Al Qaeda through an individual hed come to know only as Abu. The man spoke the perfect dry and precise English of an academic, with no clue as to age or nationality.
Good morning, Owen, Abu said. Did you enjoy your run in Hyde Park with Jean?
Owen had got past being surprised at how up-to-date Abus information was, particularly about Rubat. He had got used to the idea that he was under some sort of surveillance.
Shes excellent company!
Whats the feedback regarding the extension to the Bacu?
Owen gave him chapter and verse. Frankly, its exactly what I expected the company to say. Yemen makes everyone nervous these days, including my own people in Rubat.
Our orders demand that we persist.
Im doing the best I can. As you know, Im a guest at the terrace reception for the President. Ive invited her to join me, with a promise to introduce her to various Saudi dignitaries.
I like that, Abu said. Its good for business from a Talbot International point of view. It could possibly have an effect on their attitude to the Bacu extension. Youve done well.
We aim to please.
Kelly has filled me in on the Murphy business in New York.
Yes, I suggested he speak to you personally, Owen said.