THEY PASSED THROUGH Rennes and, twenty miles later, pulled up at Saint-Denis, a small station in a pleasant market town. It was six-thirty, still that bad March weather, daylight now, a slate-gray sky and the eternal rain. There was quite a press of people waiting to board, obviously going to Brest, the nearest big city.
Parry was waiting with an umbrella and approached them at once. Ive got a car waiting with a driver. The airfield is eight miles from here, and weve had an order from General Ferguson only an hour ago to bring our departure forward. I dont know whats up, but he wants you out of here as soon as possible.
They piled in the car, and Billy said as they drove away, You think Ropers had words with Ferguson?
Of course he has, Dillon said. And wants us clear of French soil.
They were at the airfield very quickly, and the driver, obviously obeying instructions, drove straight to the end of the runway where the Chieftain waited.
Parry said, Straight on board. We have friends here. Its taken care of.
So five minutes later, he was heaving up the airstair door and passing along the aisle to join Lacey in the cockpit. They were at ten thousand feet before they knew it, still bad weather, the Chieftain rocking in the turbulence but making steady progress out over the Channel Islands and pushing on toward the Isle of Wight to England.
Parry came back after a while. Coffees back there, a bottle of champagne, Cokes, the usual things.
You certainly got us out of there fast, Billy said. Good thinking.
Billy, I dont know what youve been up to and I dont want to know, but we had an order from Ferguson to get you out with the fastest extraction since we saved your hides in Iraq.
He moved away, and Dillon opened the bar box and found the bottle of champagne. As he opened it, he said, Ferguson was just being careful. He wanted to get us out of the war zone quickly, as it were. It should be a day or so before those bodies are found. Then itll take a while to identify them as Russian GRU and sort out what the hell they have been doing operating in a friendly nation. The lies will start, the deceit, the demands for the bodies, and the story will fade because the public wont be particularly interested anyway.
He poured and passed the first plastic glass to Monica, and Billy said to Kurbsky, Theres a lesson for all of us. We said it would be smooth as silk, dead simple, and it would have been if that bird, the chambermaid, hadnt happened to be clocking on shift by the taxi rank and seen you.
Saw me and heard me, because the doorman asked for my destination to tell the taxi driver.
Thats what doormen in top hotels do. Dillon handed him a glass. Its called service.
Billy raised his glass. Anyway, weve been there and done that. Heres to what comes next. He smiled at Kurbsky. Who knows? You might grow to like it.
Kurbsky said sharply, You obviously know what is intended for me. What does come next?
Thats for General Charles Ferguson to tell you-hes the boss.
That was never clear to me. The boss of what, exactly?
The Prime Ministers personal security unit.
And youve obviously dealt with this kind of thing before.
Too bleeding right, Billy told him. Our rules are there are no rules, not these days, not with all the terrorists and murderers emerging free from court, thanks to stupid laws and clever lawyers.
And how did you get involved with him? Kurbsky asked.
I used to be a gangster, but it got boring. So did my uncle Harry. Dillon here was a top enforcer with the Provisional IRA, and the two guys flying this plane are decorated RAF officers. The point is, we can be worse than the bad guys.
Kurbsky turned to Monica. And you? Are you worse than the bad guys?
She hesitated. Now and then, I can be useful.
Dillon topped his glass up. Who knows what you could end up doing?
AT FARLEY, Ferguson s Daimler drove straight up to the Chieftain when it rolled to a halt, Parry dropped the airstair door, and Kurbsky went down and got in the rear seat beside Ferguson. It sped away at once, and the General said, Charles Ferguson, and shook hands. Heard about the spot of bother on the train.
Yes, rather unfortunate, Kurbsky said.
Youre here now, and thats the main thing. Were going to the Holland Park safe house. Most of my work emanates from there, and Major Roper is based there. It has the fullest facilities, extreme security, and its very high-tech, which saves on staff. I need only a couple of Military Police sergeants to keep things smooth. One of them, Doyle, is driving the car now, and Sergeant Henderson is back at the house.
And what about me?
Weve put together some ideas, which well explain to you shortly. I think youll find them rather interesting.
Excellent, Kurbsky said. I cant wait to see what you have in store.
BACK AT FARLEY, Harry drove across the tarmac to the Chieftain in his Bentley, put the window down, and leaned out, grinning.
Lets be having you. Ferguson wants us all down at Holland Park. They climbed in and he drove away. So it worked okay, hes here. Bleeding marvelous. He must be a right villain, knocking off three like that.
Ferguson told you? Billy demanded.
He certainly did. Were like a club, Billy, the six of us. Were the ones who know everything. He wont tell Svetlana about this. Kurbsky being her nephew and everything, she mightnt like to think of him running around and knocking off people. Lets face it, though, hes obviously got a talent for it. I tell you, hed have done well in the East End in the old days when the Krays were running things. Hell be giving you a run for your money, Dillon.
Monica leaned forward and said, Harry, youre one of a kind.
AT HOLLAND PARK, they found Ferguson and Kurbsky with Roper in the computer room. Harry needed an introduction and shook hands warmly.
You certainly dont take prisoners, my old son.
Only if there is a choice, and there wasnt. Kurbsky turned to Ferguson. What about my aunt? She must be anxious to see me.
Only if there is a choice, and there wasnt. Kurbsky turned to Ferguson. What about my aunt? She must be anxious to see me.
Of course. Ive put her and Katya in one of our staff apartments. He turned to Monica. Perhaps you could do the honors? You know where it is.
Of course. Monica led the way. Its on the ground floor and not far. A couple of minutes later, she paused at a door. Its a big moment, Alex, for both of you.
For her especially, I think, because of her age. I must get it right, for her sake.
For both your sakes. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek and held his hand for a moment.
You are a remarkable woman. He raised her hand and kissed it. Sean Dillon is a very lucky man, I think.
He opened the door, and Monica glimpsed Svetlana on a sofa by the window, Katya beside her. Svetlana got to her feet and Kurbsky stood there for a moment. Then Svetlana held out her hands and said, Alexander, can it be you? I cant believe it after all these years.
Like the bad penny, Ive turned up again, Babushka.
There was a flood of tears, and he closed the door. A short while later it opened again, and Katya emerged and closed it. He introduced me, but its very emotional for Svetlana in there.
Lets leave them to it and go and join the others, Monica said.
Ferguson was in the corner of the bar area, talking to Dillon and Harry. Billy was sitting with Roper, and the two women joined them.
How did it go? Roper asked.
Floods of tears from Svetlana. Her precious boy back after all these years. He even called her Babushka.
I thought that meant grandmother in Russian? Roper said.
It seems it was his pet name for her when he was very little. She is so relieved to see him. Just cant believe hes got here safely.
Monica glanced at Roper, who nodded. Tell her what happened. After all, you were there.
WHEN SHE WAS finished listening, Katya looked grave but not particularly shocked. Its a bloody nose for the GRU, but Alex is what he is.
God knows, he saw enough during the years of war, Monica said.
I think theres more to it than that. Katya moved to Ropers side table with the bottles, opened the vodka, and poured one. Something else, something deep in his soul, perhaps blossomed during the wars and wont go away again.
Perhaps. Monica was uncertain.
Roper reached for his whiskey, the pain in his left shoulder and back suddenly intense. Shes got a point, Monica. Take you. A class act. An academic at a famous and ancient university, with doctorates galore, and yet when push came to shove, you shot that IRA bastard dead last year. I mean, where did that come from? He swallowed his whiskey. I know, Im the pot calling the kettle black, but one things certain. It would be difficult for Svetlana to take on board the fact that her beloved nephew has just stiffed three people.
I think were all agreed on that, Katya said. Ill go and see how they are getting on.
She went out, and Billy said, One smart lady, Katya.
Well, I wouldnt disagree with you. Roper pushed his glass over and Monica poured another scotch. Is it a bad day? Monica asked him.
Monica, its always a bad day, but Im alive, if not exactly kicking, when I should have been in bits and pieces, like a lot of the poor sods coming back from Afghanistan and Iraq these days. It occurs to me that in the great scheme of things, there might have been a meaning to my survival.
I didnt know you were religious, Billy told him.
Im not, Billy, but I believe in reason and purpose.
The conversation was cut off by the appearance of Kurbsky with Katya, and Svetlana on his arm. Katya said, Svetlana wants Alex to watch my show now, so that he knows what we have in mind. Ive spoken to Ferguson, and he and Dillon and Harry have gone ahead to the viewing theater.
I wouldnt miss it for the world, Roper said.
KAT YA HAD TWEAKED the film a certain amount, but it was pretty much the same as she had first shown to Svetlana, Dillon, and Monica at Chamber Court. She talked it through, and when she was finished, said, Lets show it once more, I think, so that Alex really gets the idea.
There was silence when she finally froze on the final image of what he had become, standing there in hospital scrubs.