To Kill Or Be Killed (39 page)

“No they were
out and I nearly had him. I wanted him alive, shooting would have
been easy. I had the laser dot between his eyes. He was willing to
die. They don’t want to be captured these assassins, love their
freedom too much. They don’t value anything. I feel lucky to be
alive, but angry I didn’t end it there, but killing an unarmed man,
even one like Stanton isn’t a good thing to do, that’s a fact. I’ll
be glad to talk to Else find out what the right reactions are to
doing this kind of work. It’s not what you expect is it?”

“Well I spoke
to Else and she said that this isn’t the first time there’s been
this level of death and destruction. There have been five or six
times in the past when DIC has had agents in such danger and when
agents have had to kill under diplomatic. She says it’s rare, but
not unknown. We’re just unlucky to be the team on duty when it
happened.” Ellie smiled at David when she said it.

She admired
him, they all did. She felt camaraderie too. She, Tony and he had
killed. She had been keen to get Cobb in revenge for Wally, a man
she had admired too, but when she had she was swept over by nausea.
She liked the way the killing had made David poignant in outlook.
She also worried about Tony, who seemed breezy in spite of the
‘heavy burden of taking a life’. That had been Else phrase and she
liked it. ‘The heavy burden’ which she was concerned Tony was
carrying with too little effort.

“Listen has
anyone got any ideas about where Stanton will pop up next?” David
changed the subject in keenness to get the job done.

“We’ve talked
it through. He can’t go to Priory Arms. We’ve got an armed team
member there.”

“Who’s that?”
David asked.

“Liam.” Tony
answered.

“Sure I know
the guy. So what will Stanton do?” David replied not to be
sidetracked.

“Well if I was
him I’d have got on a ferry at Dover and left.”

“That doesn’t
suit the man I know.”

“You know him,
you think?” Jaz exclaimed.

“I saw him on
the Inverness CCTV footage, he didn’t stand out and was unclear on
the film, he can blend himself in; he’s like a snake, deadly and
invisible against the right patterned background. I saw him at
Perth on the platform, looked into the eyes. He was bold and not at
all panicked. He’s got this far because he’s slick. He’s
experienced and a very cool customer. He climbed my roof, was
unafraid of me when I had a gun on him and his eyes showed a
determination you don’t often see in anyone but terrorist
extremists. He’ll carry on. Not because he needs the money, or the
help of the employer on this job to help him escape, but because he
really believes he can do it. He’s something of a terminator
Stanton.” David said clearly focussing his eyes on the face of
Stanton in his mind’s eye as he spoke.

They all
nodded.

“So assuming
he’s coming to London what would he do?” Tony asked.

“Maybe he’s got
a contact number or something, a back up place maybe.” Jaz shrugged
as she spoke.

“Unlikely. We
know his target is high profile so for a million the employer
wouldn’t want to be linked so easily if any of them were caught.
Add to that the fact that the landlord of the Priory Arms
identified Cobb as having been there. There was only one meet
point. Now it’s gone. What can he do?” Ellie said and picked up her
coffee mug and took a reflective sip.

“You think you
know him David, what would you do if you were him?” Tony asked and
popped the last part of his sandwich into his mouth.

“I’m not sure,
but think bold and clever that’d be the way.”

They were all
silent for a moment and Jack Fulton approached them and pulled up a
chair.

“I’ve got
interesting news. We’ve identified one member of MI6 at the scene
of Mason’s killing. I sent the photo to Liam at the Priory Arms on
the off chance and the landlord recognised him as a regular.”

There were low
whistles and expelled breaths.

“Yes. MI6 are
linked to this which probably means Sternway. We’re not getting
anything from the listeners, but we’ve got teams ready at four of
his favourite cafes and restaurants. We may get something, in the
meantime any ideas about Stanton?” Jack looked around at the
group.

“We’ve just
been discussing that.” David said.

“And?” Jacked
looked at each of the faces of a group of what he knew to be very
clever people.

“No ideas yet.”
Tony replied.

Jack got up.
“Well keep working on it. We’ve got one assassin left, we know MI6
are behind this, or at least involved in some way. I’d like us to
be there waiting when Stanton gets to his target.”

Chapter
93

LONDON MI6 Offices

1–45 p.m.

April 19th

“Well any
ideas?” Sternway sat back and spread his hands. Joe, Brook and a
third operative, Telford, sat across from him looking sheepish.

Lionel Telford
was a short neat man, going bald and had subsequently shaved the
remaining hair to stubble. He dressed casually in spite of his
boss’ liking for neatness. He wasn’t muscular in any way and when
he’d had to do ‘dirty work’ always used a weapon. He was a first
class sniper, could blend in almost anywhere and a great undercover
agent. He had an intelligent and active mind even if he was a
little too imaginative for Sternway’s liking, but he was always the
man with the clear view of the situation. Sternway considered him a
vital member of his little ‘department’.

“He’s the last
one. If he can’t make it then it can’t be done.” Telford spoke
first.

Joe smiled.

“It’s been a
good run though and Stanton’s been really good. DIC have really
shown weaknesses here. I can’t believe the mistakes they make.”

“We’ve made
mistakes too though. Mason and Cobb were utterly out of control and
we lost a very good man.” Sternway’s voice cut the smile from Joe’s
face with razor accuracy.

“Stanton won’t
go to the Priory Arms. Blimey I won’t go there myself. DIC will be
all over that by now. Mason must have talked to that bint he picked
up, very bad work all round there.” Brook was shaken in spite of
his professional coldness.

He knew it was
very nearly himself laying dead in the black Honda. They’d had the
car taken away very quickly to cover their tracks. Bentall’s body
was in the MI6 morgue.

“What will
Stanton do?”

“If I was
Stanton, assuming he’s seen the news, I’d know Mason had come from
Vauxhall. I’d know I couldn’t go to Priory Arms. I’d know we’d be
having a meeting, even if I didn’t know who we were. I’d know that
the question was being asked as to where I would go.” Telford spoke
and Sternway focussed his ‘cold telescopic eyes’ on the man’s face.
Telford felt pressured but spoke his thoughts. “I’d go to the
nearest hotel in distance to the Priory Arms and wait there. I
might even book in.”

Sternway swung
his chair around and looked out the window. They waited as Sternway
sifted and weighed his thoughts. They knew him to be a careful and
detailed thinker.

He swung
back.

“A good thought
Lionel, a very good thought.” Joe had already picked up the phone
and dialled his secretary.

“Christine get
me a list of the closest hotels to Priory Arms Vauxhall, nearest
one first on list.” He hung up.

“Of course that
assumes he’s still in the UK. The police found a boat in Dover
marina with his PSS pistol in, so he isn’t coming in by boat. He
must avoid the CCTV unless he disguised himself there and the
‘intel’ we’ve had is that he was spotted and searched for in Dover,
but hasn’t been found. By all accounts he’s probably very close to
London if not in London now.” Sternway listened to Telford’s
reasoning after which there was a silence of consideration.

Finally
Sternway spoke.

“Telford and
Brook can go to the hotels. Joe get them the list and both of you
get cracking. He may be waiting there and if we can reason this DIC
can too. I’m sending two of you, though Stanton won’t be looking to
bite the hand that can haul him out of the sewage tank. Still go
armed and watch out for each other.” Sternway gave them a ‘why are
you still here’ look and they rose and got moving.

Sternway sat
back in his chair and closed his eyes. The plan was working and if
he could just get to the end of it he’d get what he wanted and a
few other things besides. It all depended on Trevor Stanton.

CHAPTER
94

EUSTON TOWER

2 p.m.

April 19th

McKie sat in
his office, which he now shared with Liam, for the duty rota
duration. Liam was at the Priory Arms. David roved over the CCTV
footage for the area. His roving through cameras took him along the
Wandsworth Road. His eye was caught by a single building, white
with a Greek portico. He squinted at the screen and saw the name
‘Chelsea Guest House.’ The light bulb went on in his head and he
called Jack’s office.

“Jack
here.”

“It’s David.
His next move if he couldn’t make the pub would be to find a nearby
hotel. That might even be a backup plan. They’d know that’s what
he’d do. We should stake out the hotels nearest the pub.”

“It’s a good
thought, but it’s a long shot. Alright I’ll send you in two’s to
the nearest hotels. Do the run around and check. Give them a number
and wait nearby.”

“I’ll generate
a list of hotels in a two or three mile radius.” David offered.

“Okay David,
good brain work.”

Magda called up
the pool cars. David met the other two teams in the lobby with the
list and maps he’d very efficiently found at high speed.

“We’ll take the
Chelsea Guest House.” Tony stood with Ellie.

“We’ll get the
Comfort Inn there’s two buildings either side of the road.” Terry
offered.

“That leaves me
the Belgrave Hotel on the Clapham Road.” Said David thinking he’d
got the short straw in the draw.

“You can’t go
alone David.” Ellie looked at the map print out he had given her
with the list. “Look it’s right near Landsdowne Road, call in at
the pub and collect Liam. The landlord can call your Satellite
phone if Stanton turns up there.”

David looked
dubious.

“Do it Davey.
It’s safer, you can’t go alone.” Jaz expressed her concern
earnestly and David was moved by the words of support in favour of
his safety.

All having
agreed on what to do they made their way to the waiting cars. David
was disappointed to see the driver get out and hand him the keys at
the front of the building.

“Aren’t you
going to drive me?” David asked and the pool car park attendant
laughed.

“I’m no driver
I’m just the attendant. We’ve got staff all over London at ‘Priory’
named locations. The drivers are all out collecting them and
bringing them back. You’ll have to drive yourself Mr McKie.”

David got in
and sighed. He hated driving and he’d never driven in London
before. He steeled himself, switched on the Satnav and pulled out
into traffic, knowing he was just going to have to try really hard
not to take a wrong turn. The Satnav took him straight towards the
Vauxhall Bridge.

CHAPTER
95

LONDON

2 -15 p.m.

April 19th

A short while
later Terry and Jaz sat in the lobby of the Chelsea guest house
waiting patiently. They had covered the distance quickly, avoiding
the Vauxhall Bridge. After showing badges, the photograph of
Stanton and explaining the situation they were given a cup of tea
and a place to sit. They waited patiently.

At the Comfort
Inn Tony and Ellie had had to make a difficult choice. The Comfort
had buildings on both sides of the road. They had thought of
splitting up, one each side, but for safety’s sake they had left a
number with reception on one side and decided to sit in reception
on the other. They too had done the badge, photograph and
explanation routine. Tony sat bored reading the hotel
literature.

“Double rooms
are cheap for a night here.”

“Really.”
Ellie’s voice was humorously sarcastic. “What of it?”

“I’m just
saying, they’re cheap here.”

“You thinking
of getting a room?”

“No.” He
paused. “Well not unless I had a need of a bed.” He stared intently
at the literature, purposefully.

“Not on company
time Deany.” Tony smiled.

“When do you
finish?” He asked.

“Whatever
happened to romance? You’re a dirty dog Deany!” Ellie smiled when
she said it. “You want me you’ll have to woo me.”

They both
looked up as a man came into reception and looked at each other
when it was clearly not Stanton.

Stanton was
delighted at the heaviness of the London April rain. As the coach
pulled under the giant glass portico sheltering the bus passengers
in the giant parking bay at the back Stanton put on his woolly hat
and pulled his hood up. He had no luggage, but he had cash and the
card, which he was not sure he’d be able to use.

It was a short
walk to Victoria Station. Umbrellas and hooded figures abounded in
the intense rain. Stanton felt secure. He could not be recognised
on CCTV in the rain lashed ‘muzziness’ and amongst the well covered
people he was invisible to his pursuers.

He felt the
disk in his pocket and knew that he needed to find the nearest
hotel to the Priory Arms. He stopped a passing man and asked him
where the nearest Internet Café was. The man was helpful and
pointed to Victoria Street gave him directions and told him about
the Net Lounge.

Stanton made
his way in and paid for a half hour and got himself a coffee. He
managed to find the Belgrave Hotel using Yell.com and got himself
directions, knowing he’d go through Stockwell Tube station. There
was no drive to put the disk in. He went and spoke to the young
woman behind the counter.