Good, Roper said. Always nice to be reassured.
SITTING IN THE COMPUTER ROOM, Roper, who liked to think of himself as the planning genius of all time, had a large scotch and smoked for twenty minutes, but he wasnt taking it easy.
First, he checked on Molly Rashids whereabouts. She was a professor of pediatrics at several hospitals, but that night she had performed heart surgery at Great Ormond Street and gone home at midnight.
He also checked the Rashids in Iraq. The villa on the north road beyond the village of Amara outside Baghdad was, according to American sources, still intact and inhabited by the head of the household, Abdul, aged eighty. There were two or three aging females and five or six young men of the AK-carrying variety and many refugees from the bombing. He was also pleased to see a mention of a thirteen-year-old girl named Sara. So, she was still there. Roper had Rashid brought back to the viewing room.
What now? Rashid asked.
Dr. Rashid, were now going to call your wife.
I can speak to her? Rashid had brightened.
I insist on it. Im afraid it has to be on speakerphone, and I suggest you tell her everything-which I suspect you havent.
There was the heavily magnified sound of a telephone and a womans voice. Caspar? Is that you? She was well spoken, a timbre to her voice.
Roper said, Dr. Molly Rashid?
Yes, who is this? She was unsure, uncertain.
My name is Major Giles Roper.
Before he could carry on, she said, Good heavens, I once met you at a charity lunch for the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Youre that wonderful man with all the medals for dealing with bombs.
She paused, and Roper carried on for her. The man in the wheelchair.
Yes. What on earth do you want at this time of night?
Dr. Rashid, Im here with your husband.
Rashid broke in, Its true. Back from my trip to Hazar. Listen carefully, Molly, these people may be able to help us get Sara back.
WHEN HED FINISHED TALKING, everything was quiet. The exchange had been full and frank.
Roper said, What do you think, Dr. Rashid?
Im astonished. I knew more than my husband realized of the great pressures hes suffered from radical Islamic sources. He, Im sure, didnt want me to know about such matters, and I allowed him to think I was ignorant. Its what wives do. The abduction of Sara finished all that. The lack of any legal means to retrieve her from that dreadful war zone has been very hard.
Your husband offers us a bargain. If we can retrieve your daughter, he will give us what he swears is incredibly valuable information touching on al-Qaeda and the Army of God. Do you think I should believe him?
Major Roper, he has never lied to me. He is a Bedouin. His honor is everything.
It would mean him staying here in custody for the period the operation lasts. And you, Dr. Rashid, perhaps you would be better in protective custody, too. We live in a hard and dangerous world.
No, thank you. My operating schedule at the hospital would never permit it.
After what your husband has indicated about the people he wont talk about, I think I could suggest a compromise, Dillon said. Major Greta Novikova, a valued colleague, is a highly skilled officer experienced in several wars. She could travel with you as security.
Molly Rashid seemed to hesitate, and her husband said, Take the offer, please, Molly.
All right. Can I see Caspar?
Visit, by all means. Major Novikova will arrange to pick you up. He hung up. Thats it for this show. Take him to bed. Henderson took Rashid out.
AFTERWARD, THEY GATHERED to talk it out, while Greta poured tea and vodka, Russian style. So this is the way it looks to me, said Dillon. Roper, youll handle logistics from here. Henderson and Doyle will mind Rashid. I know theyll tell me they cant bear the sight of any other military police sergeants in this place, anyway. Greta, youll guard Molly Rashid.
I liked her, Greta said, handing out vodka.
Which leaves you and me, Billy boy, to go to Iraq, Dillon told him.
Saving the world again.
Saving the world again.
The job of all great men, Dillon said. Now, tell me how you see this gig going, he asked Roper.
Well, at some stage I imagine it would involve you or Billy kicking the door of that villa open, gun in hand.
Very funny, Roper.
At that moment, Ropers Codex Four, his secure mobile phone, rang, and he could see it was Harry Salter.
Harry! Whats up? he asked.
Is everyone there?
Not for long.
Put me on speakerphone and Ill tell you whats up. He waited a moment. Remember George Moon and his thug Big Harold?
Personally, Ill never forget them, Roper said.
Listen and learn, children. Harrys voice floated out of the phone. By the time he had finished, everybody was up to date on the events at the Harvest Moon.
At the end, Billy groaned. Ruby? Ruby Moon at the Dark Man?
Shes safely tucked up in bed right now. It could be a lot worse, Billy. Itll make a man of you, old boy, isnt that what they say?
Not at the school I went to.
And it was one of the finest public schools in London, too. I wanted to make a gent of him, teach him how to behave. Look how it turned out.
Yes, youve created a gentleman gangster. A highwayman! Roper laughed. It certainly suits Billy.
All right, lets have you home, Billy. I smell things happening over there. Make an old man happy and tell me all about it.
Ill see you in twenty minutes, Billy said and clicked off. He turned to Roper and Dillon. So, whats the deal?
Well keep Ferguson out of it entirely, said Roper. Ill arrange false papers-I think youll play war correspondents again. Ill book a flight from Farley Field. Dillon takes the rap for telling Lacey and Parry its an unexpected flight, highly secret and so on. The weapons will be supplied by the quartermaster at Farley. I know a firm called Recovery thatll help us in Baghdad. Itll just take a call to make sure. I can let you know tomorrow. Off you go.
Christ Almighty. Titanium waistcoats again.
Billy left, and Dillon walked Greta out and watched as Henderson let Billy out of the electronic gates. After he drove away, they went back inside.
I think Ill sleep in staff quarters, Greta said, and at that moment Ferguson s voice echoed out of Ropers computer, and he sounded annoyed.
Isnt anyone there?
GRETA JUMPED, Roper placed a finger on his lips and Dillon poured Bushmills from a bottle on the corner table.
Im here, boss. You know us, we never close, Roper said.
Hows Brussels? Dillon put in.
Bloody boring, but thats politics for you. As far as the Prime Minister is concerned, though, were into another time of the wolf.
A second Cold War? Dillon said.
I think weve known that for a while. General Volkov never leaves Putins side, and as for that fat fool Lhuzkov at the embassy, well deal with him later. So things are quiet at the moment?
Absolutely, Your Honor, and boring with it.
The stage Irishman act is past its sell-by date, Dillon. All right, if thats all, Ill say good night. Ill check in with you tomorrow.
He clicked off and Dillon said, Im going to bed for a while. Knowing you, youre going to get started on the false papers.
Nothing like a bit of forgery to pass away my lonely night. Its like something out of Dickens, and Roper turned to his beloved computers. Sean-the mystery man from al-Qaeda, the Broker. Do you believe in him?
Absolutely, Dillon said.
Roper smiled. Im so pleased. So do I.
IN THE EMBASSY IN BRUSSELS, Vladimir Putin sat drinking vodka with General Volkov, his most trusted security adviser, and Max Chekov.
So, things are proceeding well with Belov International? the President said.
Of course, Mr. President. Thanks to Belovs untimely demise, we control oil fields and gas pipelines from Siberia to Norway and over the North Sea to England. Volkov shrugged. And we can stop most of those pipelines anytime we want.
Stop go, stop go. Play with them, Chekov put in. When you think of all the effort in the old days devoted to the threat of the atom bomb. He shook his head. Now we can achieve more than we ever dreamed of by just turning off a few taps.
Yes, Putin said. It was a wonderful gift, when Belov ended up at the bottom of the Irish Sea, thanks to Ferguson s people.
Whats happened to Belovs Irish estate?
Chekov said, Drumore Place. Ive visited it twice. It has been developed for light industry. Theres a decent runway for light aircraft, and a helicopter pad. A nice little harbor. All in all, a useful property for us to have. He smiled. And if you ever want to visit and have a drink, theres a great pub called the George.
Strange. Putin, once a KGB colonel, knew his history. King George was the man who oppressed the Irish peasantry in the eighteenth century for being Roman Catholic. They hated him for this, so why call their public house the George?
Chekov said, I asked the publican, a man called Ryan, the very question. He answered that it was their pub and they liked it the way it was. And let me note: they may all be Catholic by persuasion, but their real religion is the Provisional IRA.
Yes. Putin sniffed at his drink. Those former IRA men, so violent-and so useful for certain jobs. Well! He raised his glass, Let us drink to the future of Belov International. He nodded toward Chekov. And to its chief executive officer.
The vodka went down and another, then Chekov excused himself. Volkov poured another couple of vodkas.
What do you think of him? Putin asked.
Of Chekov? said Volkov. Hell be fine. Hes got a good tough army record. The kind who laughs and kills, you know? And hes so personally wealthy that he seems totally trustworthy from my point of view- and hes just unlikely to get too greedy.
Good. Now, Volkov, concerning this sorry business with Blake Johnson. You need to check the quality of your staff. Taking on such a prestigious target is only worthwhile if success is certain. Failure is not an option. And I keep seeing that damn Dillons name popping up everywhere!
Of course, sir, I understand. As for Dillon-hes an exceptional man.
Are you saying we have no such individuals? Whatever happened to Igor Levin, for example?
Volkov hesitated. He became unreliable, Mr. President. By the end of the Belov affair, he decamped to Dublin with two GRU sergeants, Chomsky and Popov. Chomsky, I believe, is studying law at Trinity College in Dublin now. Its difficult.