Death Run (18 page)

The Tiger strode into his office in a foul mood. Bannock followed, equally angry. The big man had yelled at the first guards he'd seen and cuffed one round the head. But it hadn't helped either of them feel any better.

“We still don't have the account numbers or the access codes,” the Tiger announced to anyone within earshot. “That kid and the Banker are running round doing God knows what and causing all sorts of damage. I can't even get a sandwich because the kitchen got blown up. What sort of operation are you running here?” he yelled at Bannock.

Bannock looked away, saying nothing.

“Satellite link-up is nearly complete,” a man said
nervously. “You can start the transfers from here.” He pointed to the laptop computer set up on the Tiger's desk.

“Except I have nothing to transfer.” The Tiger shook his head. Then he gave the slightest hint of a smile. “Apart from the Ministry's own accounts.”

He opened a folder lying beside the laptop. “I got the numbers and codes from that fool Lionel's own computer. He has no idea about security – even asked me what he should use as his password. Yes, let's see.” He ran his finger down a list of names and numbers. “Mr Ardman's budget for the next eighteen months would be a good start.”

“They'll see as soon as you move anything,” Bannock said. “They'll close the accounts down faster than we can get at them.”

“Not all of them. But you're right. We betray our hand and show we're into the system too soon and we'll get next to nothing. They'll cut the satellite link. Better to wait until the last possible moment and clear out what we can along with the Banker's accounts.”

“If we ever get to them.”

“We'll get to them,” the Tiger assured him. “We'll get to them because you're going to find the Banker
and make him give us the data we need. We'll get to them because if you don't, I'll have you hunted down and slaughtered like the dog you are, Bannock. You got that?”

Bannock stared at the Tiger, his lip curling in fury.

“And when you do get the data,” the Tiger went on, “I'll increase your cut to ten per cent. At a conservative estimate that will be something like a hundred million. And that's not dollars. Pounds sterling.” He smiled. “Stick or carrot, whichever gets you motivated. Take your pick.”

Bannock's eyes narrowed. He licked his dry lips and nodded. Then he hurried to give his men their orders.

“Oh and Bannock,” the Tiger called after him. “I need the Banker alive and able to talk. I really don't care what happens to the boy.”

The wooden board looked like it had been shattered by the gunfire and explosions at one end. It was the largest surviving bit of the boat that Jade had found and she clung to it with numbed hands as she kicked out, heading for the island. Without the floodlights, she would never have found the wood to use as a float or known where the island was. Maybe, at last, her luck was turning.

Though it was too late for Halford.

Jade bit her lip, trying to stop her teeth chattering, trying to hold back her tears, and watched the castle grow larger and closer…

Rich had crossed his fingers and tried not to think about the previous time he'd headed back to the “last place they'll think of looking”. But he was confident that Bannock would not bother searching for the Banker in the room he was supposed to be locked up in.

Fairly confident. If only they could get to it.

Huddled in a corridor, they could hear the sounds of men running, of Bannock shouting. Even the occasional gunshot.

“Trying to frighten us,” the Banker said. He sounded like it was working.

“Or taking it out on the seagulls,” said Rich.

He clutched the heavy metal telescope tight. He could probably find a more suitable weapon – they'd even passed a couple of crossed swords and a shield mounted on the corridor wall. But Rich had another use in mind for the telescope. He was going to sort out the Tiger. He'd seen what had happened to the boat – and whether Jade or his dad
had been in it or not, the Tiger was going to pay.

With a deep breath to boost his courage and renew his determination Rich set off down the corridor. If they did run into Bannock or any of the guards – well, that would be their problem, not his.

Close to exhaustion, Jade heaved herself up on to the wooden jetty. She barely had the strength to climb up the ladder. She staggered along the wooden boards towards the huge castle gates.

The next problem would be how to get inside. Just so long as no one had seen her arrive – if they had, then getting inside might not be the problem. But first she had to warm up. She could barely stand she was shivering so much. She couldn't feel her hands, never mind her fingers.

Jade slumped down against the rough stone castle wall beside the wooden gates. As her breathing subsided slightly, she slowly became aware of a dark shape close by. Like Jade, it was out of the main glare of the floodlights that illuminated the castle. A figure – a man. Looming over her.

Jade only had time for a brief startled cry before a hand clamped over her mouth.

* * *

The door was shut and the key was in the lock. Rich locked the door behind them. If Bannock did think of looking for them back in the rooms where the Banker and Rich had been imprisoned earlier, then maybe the locked door would be enough to put him off. Or if not, Rich would get some warning they were trying to get in before they knocked down the door. And for what he had in mind, he would need a warning. He could not afford to let the Tiger or Bannock or anyone else see what he was doing.

There was a bright lamp on the desk, which would be useful. A pen in one of the desk drawers, and Rich found he had a piece of notepaper in his pocket along with the diamond. The hardest part was dismantling the telescope.

“What are you planning to do?” the Banker asked. “Write a letter of complaint? Maybe a message to go in an old whisky bottle?” He seemed less nervous now they were back in the familiar room, with the door locked behind them.

Rich was feeling a sense of relief too. They were safe, at least for the moment, and he had a plan – of sorts. He explained it to the Banker.

“Insurance,” the Banker said thoughtfully.

“It doesn't really solve anything,” Rich admitted. “But it maybe gives us something to bargain with if we need it. If only I can get this telescope apart.”

The metal was chipped and rusted – dented slightly where Rich had hit Bannock over the head. But there was a tiny screw holding the cap at one end in place. If he could get the screw undone, maybe the telescope would come apart.

“This any good?” The Banker held up a slim wooden letter opener from another of the desk drawers. “A bit blunt and flimsy to be any use as a weapon. But it might prise apart the telescope.”

It took a while – longer than Rich would have liked. But eventually the telescope was in several pieces. The cylindrical metal housing, and the lenses from either end were spread on the blotter on the desk. Rich turned on the lamp.

“Right,” he said. “Now we're getting somewhere.”

“Sorry,” Halford said.

“Creeping up and grabbing me like that? Yeah,” Jade said. “Good to see you though.”

They were huddled together in the shelter of the
wall and out of the light. Both were shivering. Halford didn't seem as bad as Jade, who could barely talk.

“I got out of that boat as soon as they started shooting. The shockwave from the grenade almost knocked me cold though. And I mean cold.” He chuckled. “Managed to get ashore. Even managed to keep my leg on, otherwise I'd be hopping to the rescue.”

“I'm too cold for rescues,” Jade admitted.

“We need to get coats or something or we'll catch our deaths out here.”

“And be no help at all to Rich. If he's in there.”

“He's in there,” Halford said confidently. “I had a warning. Too late to be much use, but someone was trying to signal to me, I'm sure.”

“Rich?”

“He's certainly resourceful enough.”

“So what's the plan?”

“We get nice warm coats, then we get Rich and this Banker out of there.”

“And where do we get coats?”

“Ask a couple of guards politely.”

“And where do we find a couple of guards? We need to be inside that castle.”

“Yes,” Halford agreed. “I thought we'd knock on the door.”

A dark red oblong was heading across the map on the LCD screen.

“Looks like a car,” one of the two guards on duty said. “Heading this way.”

“He'll have to stop at the cliff,” the other guard pointed out.

“Wouldn't bet on it. Look at the speed he's going.”

“Perhaps he'll swim for it.”

“Freeze to death if he does. Not that we'd know. The infrared won't pick up anything in the water – too cold for that.”

“Probably just a joyrider or a boy racer. Better warn the boss though.”

“Yes,” the first guard agreed. “You never know.”

Once he reached the cliff a couple of miles ahead of him, Chance's options became rather limited. The road he was on turned to run along the coast close to the cliff edge. But how he was going to get from cliff to island was a problem he could worry about when he got there.

In less than two minutes.

* * *

Doing her best to look pathetic, Jade waited for an answer. She had knocked hard on the wooden gates to the castle. Now she was standing in front of a smaller door set into one of the main gates. She was cold and shivering, wet through, hair all over the place. Pathetic was about right.

The little door opened and a guard appeared. He was dressed in a dark uniform with a soft camouflage cap and had a rifle slung over his shoulder. He looked at Jade with surprise and suspicion.

“It's some girl,” he called over his shoulder. “Scott – come and look at this.”

“Never mind look at this,” Jade told him. “I had an accident. Ended up in the water. Look at me – I need some help here.”

A second guard joined the first. Both were grinning as they stepped through the doorway.

“We'll help you, love,” the first guard said. “Need warming up do you?”

“I could do with a coat,” Jade said. “And one for my friend too.”

The second guard – Scott – looked like he thought it was Christmas. “You got a friend?”

“Better believe it,” Halford said stepping out from the shadows beside the door.

“Oh, now, hang on,” Scott started to say. But his words ended with a muffled yelp as Halford's fist connected with his jaw.

The first guard was struggling to pull the rifle off his shoulder. Jade thumped him hard and he blinked with surprise more than pain.

“Give me your coat,” Jade said and punched him again.

The guard swayed, still fumbling for the gun.

Until Halford decked him. “So much for asking nicely,” he said. “Come on – let's get the coats and then we're inside.”

“So long as no one notices,” Jade said. “We really need a diversion.”

Twin streaks of fire erupted from the castle battlements above them. Two missiles blazed through the sky above them, heading for the distant mainland.

“That'll do,” Jade admitted. “I wonder what's going on.”

The two missiles were brilliant orange against the
night as they blazed towards the car.
So much for the
element of surprise
, Chance thought. He waited until they were almost on him before wrenching the steering wheel abruptly to one side.

The car spun a full circle in the narrow road. The first missile hammered into the tarmac twenty metres behind and debris rained down on the Focus. The windscreen crazed and a window exploded.

The second missile, a fraction behind the first, disappeared through the hedge at the side of the road. There was the low
crump
of detonation and Chance felt the shockwave knock the car forwards.

He turned it out of the spin and fishtailed down the road. There was another flash from the castle battlements – a third incoming missile. Then another. He couldn't hope to avoid them all.

The car accelerated down the road. The wind whipped noisily through the broken side window. The lines of flame streaked towards Chance as he floored the accelerator.

When he reached the point where the road turned sharply to follow the line of the coast along the cliff tops, Chance held tight to the steering wheel – keeping the car on a straight line course towards the
island castle. The tyres jolted up the kerb and skidded through wet grass.

There was only the sound of the wind as the Focus hurtled over the edge of the cliff. As it fell, the missiles overshot it, slamming into the roadway above.

Chance braced himself, pressing back into the seat as the nose of the car dipped down and the dark water filled his vision. Then the whole vehicle punched into the sea. The cracked windscreen collapsed and caved in. Freezing water poured through the side window and the hole where the windscreen had been.

Suffocating darkness closed over Chance's head as the car sank.

The door exploded inwards. Splinters of wood flew across the room, whipping at Rich's cheeks. The Banker was knocked off his feet by the blast.

A figure stepped through the noise and the smoke. Bannock's bearded, angry face stared down at Rich and his hands closed tightly on the boy's throat.

The loss of the windshield was a blessing. Chance was able to get out through the hole. He wrestled his way out of the car and kicked upwards until, gasping, he broke the surface. His jacket was hampering his movement and he struggled out of it.

The Tiger and his men would expect whoever had been in the car to have drowned or to freeze in the water. At best, they might manage to get back to the shore – bruised and battered.

But the LARM suit had protected Chance from the worst effects of the impact, and now it kept his body as warm in the icy water as it had in the freezing cockpit of the Tornado. The castle looked to be a good way off, but Chance was an excellent swimmer. He
struck out swiftly, knowing that the life of at least one and possibly both of his children depended on him.

Two dark figures moved quickly across the castle courtyard, past the spider-like shape of the Tiger's helicopter. They wore dark uniforms and camouflage caps. One of them was limping slightly.

On the other side of the castle a door was flung open and a figure staggered out, a young boy who went sprawling. He was quickly followed by another – an old man in pebble-lensed glasses.

“No need to push,” Rich said, picking himself off the ground.

Bannock grabbed him by the collar and pushed him onwards, towards another door.

“The Tiger's going to rip you to bits,” he said. He grabbed the Banker by the shoulder and pushed him roughly after Rich. “That's what Tigers do.”

As soon as they had re-entered the castle by the other door, the two dark figures emerged from the shadow of the helicopter.

“We have to get them away from here,” Jade said.

“Yes, but how?”

“Follow them. Wait for an opportunity to help.”

“If it ever comes,” said Halford grimly. “But you're right. That's our best bet.”

Jade pushed stray damp strands of her blond hair up into her cap. She and Halford each pulled the brims down as low as they dared.

“Guard duty?” Jade suggested.

“Guard duty,” Halford agreed.

“We found this on him.” To Rich's horror, Bannock was holding up the diamond.

“On the boy?” The Tiger took the diamond from Bannock and held it up to the light. “Quite beautiful. Exquisite. Though I suspect it is actually yours,” he said turning to the Banker.

The Banker did not reply.

“So, I ask myself – why do you have it?” the Tiger went on. “Valuable? Oh, undoubtedly. Insurance, perhaps. But there again, perhaps there is more to it than that…”

“What are you going to do to us?” Rich asked, hoping to distract the Tiger.

The Tiger continued to examine the diamond, turning it to catch the light. “I'm not going to do anything to you. I shall leave that to Bannock.”

Rich felt cold as he saw the way the huge Scotsman grinned at the Tiger's words.

“Unless you tell me what I want to know,” the Tiger went on. “And I warn you, time is running out. It will be dawn soon. I want to get my money transferred to rather safer accounts and then be away from here before any more of your friends come looking. It won't be long before Ardman finds me, I'm afraid.”

“Why not just give up and go now?” the Banker asked. He sounded defiant, but Rich could see the little man was trembling.

“Oh, I'm sure there is no immediate rush. The advance party, if that was what it was, lost an argument with a couple of surface to surface missiles just now. You probably heard the noise. Sorry about that.”

“You're mad,” Rich blurted out. “Sick. A criminal. Why are you doing this?”

“Money. Everything comes down to money.” The Tiger paused as his study door opened. But it was just two more of his guards in their black uniforms and camouflage caps. “But how you get it, what you do with it is… wrong,” Rich insisted.

The Tiger shrugged. “I am an investor. That's all.
I lend money to enterprises that I think will turn a profit.”

“Terrorists? Criminals? Rogue states?”

“Perhaps my remit is a little broader than most. But how is it any different from a man who invests in defence industries – in armaments? You know, most of the bullets and bombs that were used in the world last year were bought by US taxpayers. You blame me for investing my own money in enterprises that I think will give a better return than NATO or Iraq or Afghanistan?”

“It's murder. Organised crime. People suffer.”

The Tiger laughed. “You have no idea how this world really works, have you? What would you rather I invested in? Computer database systems for the healthcare industry? Oh, good idea – that would be money right down the drain. I might as well give it away. Which is pretty much what our government does.” He held the diamond in his fist and brandished it. “Have you any idea how much money I watched being wasted by the Home Office while I was working for dear Lionel? Any idea how it is frittered away and wasted, when it could be invested in something that turns a profit?”

“It's not all about profit,” the Banker said.

“Ah, the bank manager speaks. You've changed your tune. You were happy enough to take my money – anyone's money – and invest it wherever we told you.”

“I was wrong,” the Banker said simply. “And, for your information, I was never happy. I never made that decision. It was just something that happened.” He met the Tiger's gaze for a moment, then looked away. “I should have been brave enough to face up to that sooner. Should have stopped it at once.”

“But instead, you took the money. Bought diamonds.” The Tiger held the diamond between his thumb and index finger and stared into it. “Now, investing in beauty I
can
understand.” He frowned, looked closer, then gestured urgently at Bannock. “Get me a magnifying glass. Quickly, man.”

“A what?”

“Just do it!” the Tiger roared. “It's here, isn't it?” he said to the Banker, his eyes gleaming like the diamond. “The account data, everything – inside this diamond!”

Bannock turned to the Tiger's desk to look for a magnifying glass. The Tiger held the diamond up in triumph.

And one of the uniformed guards stepped quickly
up to the Tiger and grabbed the diamond from him. The guard turned and punched another of the guards full in the face before headbutting another. His cap came off.

“Dex?” Rich exclaimed.

“Run!” Halford told him.

The way to the door was clear. But Bannock – out of Halford's immediate reach – had drawn a pistol and took aim at Halford. Rich hurled himself at the big man, knocking his arm as the gun went off.

The bullet thudded into the ceiling.

The Banker made a dash for the door, but the Tiger had recovered from his surprise and grabbed the little man's arm, wrenching him back.

Bannock threw Rich to one side, sending him crashing into the desk. Another guard – the only one that Halford hadn't attacked – reached down towards Rich.

His vision was blurred and he blinked to try to clear it. Halford and Bannock were wrestling. Halford had hold of Bannock's gun hand. But the other guards were recovering, and coming to help. The diamond fell to the floor as Halford tried desperately to keep the gun away. With a final effort, he pushed Bannock aside and limped rapidly for the door.

Bannock sprawled backwards. One of the other guards was scrabbling for the diamond. Another guard ran after Halford. Rich lashed out, kicking the man's legs from under him. To his surprise, the guard pulling him to his feet made no effort to stop him.

The guard was slight of build and Rich turned, ready to wrench his arms away and thump hard at the man.

Except it wasn't a man.

The guard put a finger to her lips and winked. It was Jade.

“Get after him!” Bannock yelled at the other guards. They were already running from the room, one pausing to hand Bannock the diamond.

“Who is he? How did he get in here?” the Tiger demanded.

“No idea,” Bannock growled. “But I'm going to find out before I kill him.” He gave the diamond to the Tiger. “You really think this is it?”

“I'm sure of it. Now, where's that magnifying glass I asked you for?”

The two guards were not far behind him and Halford knew there would soon be others. The first hints of dawn were streaking the sky, turning it from black to
grey as he limped out of the castle and into the courtyard again.

They'd catch him soon. Or shoot him. He knew that. But the important thing was that he was drawing the guards away from Rich and the Banker – allowing Jade a chance, just a possibility, of getting them away.

The guards at the main gate that Halford and Jade had knocked out had guns. If Halford could get that far, could get a gun, he could fight back and keep more of the Tiger's men occupied. He cursed himself under his breath for allowing Jade to talk him out of taking a gun in the first place.

“We're not shooting anyone,” she'd said.

Which was a fine principle. But as the shouts and the first bullet followed Halford, it was a principle he felt happy to abandon in favour of survival.

Through the open part of the gates he could see the early light reflecting on the water. He limped onwards, aware of the sound of running feet behind him. The shooting had stopped – they'd probably realised he was going nowhere.

Just as far as the guns outside the main gates.

But then a figure rose up out of the water, striding up the causeway, silhouetted against the sea. Heading
inexorably towards Halford. He hesitated – friend or foe?

The figure reached the gates, glanced down at the fallen guards shivering and unconscious without their uniforms. He picked up one of the automatic rifles and pointed it directly at Halford.

“Down!” the figure yelled.

Halford dropped immediately to the ground, recognising the voice and laughing out loud.

A burst of automatic fire drove the guards back. Halford crawled to the nearest cover, a buttress on the outer wall not far from the gates. A shadow fell over him, and he looked up to find that the figure from the sea was offering him the second guard's gun.

“Good to see you,” Halford said, releasing the safety.

“Good to be seen,” Chance told him. “Sorry to burst in on you like this, but some fool left the gate open.”

“It will take a few minutes to set up the transfers,” the Tiger's technical man said.

“It has to be done before nine o'clock.”

“That may not be the main problem,” Bannock said as the renewed sound of gunfire came from outside. “Maybe we should get away from here. Make the transfers from somewhere safer.”

“We'd never get the satellite link up again and hack into the banking system in time,” the Tiger said. “Get out there and find out what's going on. We evacuate only if we have to. Set up the transfer,” he told the technician. “I'll read you the account numbers and codes from the diamond when you're ready.”

“We have to stop him,” Rich whispered to Jade while everyone seemed occupied and Bannock was out of the room.

“How?” she murmured back.

He shrugged. “Just be ready.”

The Tiger glared across at Rich. “What are you muttering about?”

Jade looked down, so he couldn't see her face under the cap. Rich shuffled and tried to look uncomfortable. “You should get out while you can,” he said.

“Oh, thank you.” The Tiger's lip curled. “When I want your advice, I'll beat it out of you.”

Bannock ran back in. “There's just two of them. We have them pinned down near the main gates.”

“Good. Well done, Bannock.”

The phone on the Tiger's desk rang and he waved at Bannock to answer it. The big Scotsman listened for a moment, then put the phone down again.

“There's a boat coming,” he said.

“Deal with it.”

“What if it's Ardman's people?”

The Tiger's voice was hard. “I said deal with it.”