The Becket Approval by Falconer Duncan (best big ereader .TXT) 📗

down on her. She scowled at him, her eyes filled with defiance.

‘Take the little bitch over there,’ Krilov ordered, indicating the parapet at the land side of the landing stage.

Her handler yanked her over and forced her to sit on the crumbling tarmac. When he walked away she lowered her head, desperate and despondent.

 

 

Chapter 24

Gunnymede drove along a narrow, poorly maintained tarmac road that was in complete darkness beyond his headlights. He’d left the main road half a mile behind. A dirt track led through a line of trees into what looked like an access to the salt marshes but it ended in an empty clearing a hundred metres further on. Parked at the back of the clearing was a 4x4. Gunnymede stopped beside it and turned off the engine.

The driver’s window slid down to reveal Aristotle. ‘I talked with Simons and his response was as I expected. With no evidence he cannot divide what forces they have to come here.’

‘Would a sighting of Krilov be enough?’

‘I should think so.’

‘Isn’t anyone a little concerned that if Krilov is in the refinery and not in the docks, then we don’t have full control of what’s going on.’

‘If Krilov is indeed here then it would be a cause for concern. But this is a police operation and they don’t know that Krilov might not be at the docks.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because we haven’t mentioned it to them.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because we don’t know for sure. You don’t know for sure. Remember, the police don’t know about Saleem.’

‘Why not? They’re going to know about him when the ship docks.’

‘No they’re not. They’re going to have six members of ISIS on their way to UK.’

‘Why don’t they know about the threat to London anyway?’

‘Come on, Gunnymede.’

‘Because that’s our route to Spangle.’

‘Correct.’

‘A high price to pay for Spangle.’

‘I don’t think anyone is suggesting that. The longer we can keep a lid on the operation the more chance we have of flushing him.’

‘You know an awful lot about the engine for an oily rag.’

Aristotle treated the comment with his usual contempt.

‘What about Bethan Trencher?’ Gunnymede asked. ‘The police officer who’s been kidnapped.’

‘Again. No proof. I’m surprised a person of your experience in the business has not considered the information you’ve gained about Krilov and the police woman could be disinformation designed to throw us off the real operation.’

‘I don’t believe it is. Why are you here if you don’t believe me?’

‘Because there’s always a chance. And what else do you have to do tonight.’

Asshole. ‘What did you bring me?’ Gunnymede asked.

Aristotle climbed out of the cab and opened the back of the vehicle. Inside was a large black plastic box. He raised the lid to reveal that it was filled with a variety of assault equipment. ‘Compliments of the SAS.’

Gunnymede looked through the box. ‘Shit. This is everything.’ He removed his jacket and pulled on a moulded torso armour with high velocity plates front and back. Over that he fitted a weapons harness with various pouches filled with munitions and a pull-down knife in a sheath on his left shoulder. He lifted out a rubber pack and examined it.

‘What’s that?’ Aristotle asked.

Gunnymede opened a flap to expose the innards. As he thought. ‘A drone. Nice toy.’

He looped the strap over his head and placed it on his back where it was designed to sit. Next was a helmet with a dropdown screen and a pair of tight leather gloves.

The final items were weaponry. Gunnymede loaded a semi-automatic pistol, cocked it and placed it into a thigh holster. He lifted out a G36 rifle with underslung grenade launcher and suppressor, attached a 100 round twin drum to it, placed a 40mm grenade into the grenade breech and hooked the tail of the hands free rifle sling to the centre of his chest harness. He was good to go.

‘You look like the real thing,’ Aristotle said.

‘Let’s hope anyone I meet is as dumb as you.’ Gunnymede looked in the direction of the refinery. ‘Now all I have to do is find that son-of-a-bitch and Bethan.’

Aristotle closed the back of his 4x4 and climbed back behind the wheel. ‘Good luck,’ he said as he started the engine.

‘Wait a minute,’ Gunnymede said going to the cab window. ‘That’s it. You’re just driving off.’

‘Did you want me to come with you?’

‘I didn’t mean that. This is a big deal. What happens if I do find Krilov?’

‘Let us know. Oh, and, please keep in mind you’re breaking a large number of laws and you’re on your own if caught. All of that equipment is deniable.’

‘But if anything happens to me, doesn’t that scupper your plans for Spangle?’

‘We can’t wrap you in cotton wool. Spangle expects to see you operating as normal. Let me tell you a truth, shall I? There’s little chance of Spangle going for the bait anyway. He’s sure to see through you. But the small chance is still worth it.’

‘You don’t believe Krilov’s here, do you?’

Aristotle just looked at him.

‘It’s me you don’t trust, isn’t it? I keep forgetting. I’m just a low-life heroin thief whose only purpose in life is bait for Spangle ... with a small chance at that.’

‘You’re not the smartest operator in the box but you always get there in the end, don’t you?’ Aristotle smiled and drove away.

Gunnymede watched him go. Fucking Greek wanker.

He sighed heavily and looked at himself in his war gear. This was ridiculous. He should dump this shit, climb back onto his bike and ride off to the nearest pub. Who cared about Krilov? But he couldn’t. Because he cared about Bethan. Arguably it was his fault she was in the mess she was. He had to try at least.

He