The Assassins by Alan Bardos (best novels in english txt) 📗

security and modernisation.' He spoke as much to the people in the cafe as to his son.

'And illiteracy and the same feudal system that we had under the Turks, leaving our people no better than serfs.'

'Franz Ferdinand will reform things,' the giant said.

Nedjo shrugged. He was lost in the heat of the argument. 'Franz Ferdinand will not rule here. In a year's time we shall all be under Serbia.' Nedjo broke off, coughing.

Gavrilo smacked the table in rage, but managed a curt goodbye to Vukosava before leaving quietly. Johnny did one better and kissed her hand. He followed Gavrilo along Franz Josef Street as they headed towards the embankment.

'The fool will give the game away,' Gavrilo hissed.

Johnny knew that now was the time for him to exploit Gavrilo's anger and find out what was going on. 'Gavro, is it safe to have included someone so… I'm sure Nedjo is a great patriot, but…' Gavrilo shot him a hard look and Johnny let his sentence drift off. Nedjo was Gavrilo's friend and Johnny didn’t want to sound overly critical of him.

'Nedjo included himself in the plot. Well, Pusara included him - he sent Nedjo a clipping announcing the Heir’s visit, while we were still in Belgrade,' Gavrilo said.

'Does Nedjo know how you plan to destroy the Heir?' Johnny asked.

'You heard him in the cafe. Nedjo can't keep a secret. I haven't even told him the weapons are in Sarajevo.'

Johnny looked longingly at the Hotel Europe, an elegant Austro-Hungarian building, as they continued down the street. If his own plans had worked out he'd have been sleeping there tonight, before going to find Libby in the morning.

'Franz Ferdinand will be staying in Ilidza. When he comes, would that not be the best place to act? Is that why Nedjo has been going there?' Johnny asked, hoping to get some idea of what Gavrilo was thinking.

'The tyrant will be too well guarded at his hotel,' Gavrilo said. 'Don't worry Jovo, we have the means. We will act.'

They rounded the corner at the covered bazaar. The domes and ancient stone work reminded Johnny of a picture he'd seen on a Christmas card and he said a silent prayer, as he speculated on how he could render the 'means' safe.

They continued to the end of Franz Josef Street, past Schiller’s delicatessen, on the corner where the street met the embankment. ‘Rum’ and ‘lager’ were emblazoned on the sign above the arched windows and further along there was a massive picture of a champagne bottle on the wall. Johnny hoped that they were going to cross over Lateiner Bridge, and visit the wine shop again. Gavrilo stopped and looked up and down the embankment.

'The only question is how and where we act, Jovo.'

'The attempt will be made when the Heir comes to Sarajevo?' Johnny asked, unsure how he was going to discover a plan that hadn't been made.

Gavrilo nodded confirmation. 'Once we know the programme of the tyrant's visit, we will make our plans and move quickly.'

There was a certainty in his voice that chilled Johnny; it was the voice of someone who intended to die in two weeks.

Chapter 24

'Do you want to abort, Apis?' Major Tankosic asked, as he took a seat in the Colonel's office. Apis looked at Tankosic. There was an innate guile in the Major that made him invaluable to the Head of Serbian Intelligence, as he walked the political tightrope in front of him.

They’d just returned from a meeting of the executive council of Unity or Death, where they’d been ordered to cancel the Sarajevo operation.

'Word of our planned outrage must have filtered through to the government,' Apis said, trying to order his thoughts.

Tankosic nodded agreement, 'It was to be expected. The government has its agents as well.'

Pasic, the Serbian Prime Minister, had closed the border, but been too late to stop the Major's Young Bosnia cell from getting through to Sarajevo.

'And so Pasic has put pressure on the executive council to get the operation stopped,' Apis reasoned.

Although the primary goal of Unity or Death was to fight the Austro-Hungarian Empire and undermine Pasic's appeasement of Austro-Hungary, all of which the Sarajevo 'outrage' would accomplish, Apis knew that it didn't always do to pull the tiger by the tail. The organisation couldn't operate if the government decided to crack down on it completely.

'Major, I want you to let Sarajevo know, through the usual channels, that the council has ordered the mission to be cancelled.'

That should satisfy the council and word would filter back to the government that he'd sent an envoy to stop the operation, Apis reflected.

'At the same time, I'd like your envoy to suggest that this is the council's decision, not your own.' Apis looked sharply at Tankosic and paused to make sure that Tankosic understood the inferred implications of the statement. 'Our line will then be, that we tried to stop the attempt on the Archduke's life, but the outrage was carried out by his own citizens beyond the control of Union or Death.'

Tankosic smiled, 'I will make the necessary arrangements.'

*

Danilo Ilic settled himself at the arranged cafe, overlooking the Sava River. This was the third time he'd been made to travel across Bosnia for the sake of the conspiracy. Unlike the other plots he'd been involved in, things were starting to take shape and spiral out of his control, and now he'd been summoned to the Serbian frontier for a meeting with someone so notorious that he couldn't risk a visit to Sarajevo.

Ilic ordered a glass of milk in the hope that it would soothe his troubled stomach. He'd had a very difficult journey; the uncertainty of what awaited him here caused his ulcer to flare up. It hadn't been right since that awful night in Semiz, when the idiot Jovo cornered him