Fear of the Fathers (23 page)

“It's not as easy as that,” said the younger man. “We need insurance. We need guarantees that she's not going to talk. We need guarantees that no-one will talk.”

“What does it matter to you,” said Kamal. “She cannot go to the law – you are the law, albeit a treacherous one.”

“Maybe. But she could still stir up trouble if she wanted. It's a headache we don't need.”

“Stone!” shouted a voice from the track.

Kamal looked round to see Annie being herded into the car park at gun point.

“Shut up!” said Stone. “I told you – no names, you fuckwit.”

“Sorry boss.”

Annie walked up to them sullenly.

“Nice of you to join us Tracy,” said Stone.

Kamal gave her a puzzled look.

“Don't call me that,” she said. “My name's Annie. Annie Steele.”

Stone laughed. “Whatever. It's all academic now.”

Annie's heart sank. She knew from Stone's words that they weren't going to be leaving alive. She looked hopefully at Kamal, wondering if perhaps he had some ingenious plan to save them. But all she saw in his eyes was an apologetic sadness.

“Where are my mum and David?” she said. “Can I see them?”

“Of course,” said Stone. He nodded to Davis, who opened the back door of the Lexus.

Inside, gagged with legs and arms bound, were her family. She raced over to see them. Davis stopped her short. “That's far enough,” he said.

She pushed him out of the way and leapt on to the back seat, smothering the hostages with hugs. Tears rivered as she kissed them both heavily. But her happiness was short-lived. Davis dragged her out and shoved her back next to Kamal.

Stone produced a two-way from his pocket and spoke into it. “Is everything clear?” he said.

“All clear sir,” a voice crackled back.

“I'm sorry about this,” said Stone. “But I really have no choice.”

“Wait!” said Kamal. “There is no need for this. The girl and her family will not talk. Look at them, they are scared to death. All they want is to go home and lead their lives. They are of no danger to you. I cannot talk either – who would listen to an assassin?”

“I can't take the risk,” said Stone. “It's much neater like this. And anyway, she got to see them before the end. I'll make it as painless as possible.” He pointed his pistol at Kamal's head. A solitary bird twittered in the hedgerow.

Kamal stared at him unblinking. “May the universe have mercy on you,” he said.

Stella turned off the vacuum cleaner and put it back in the cupboard. Her flat, if not perfect, certainly looked a lot better than it had done an hour before. The coffee table was just a metal frame, and the stereo was dead, but everything else was working and whole. She was particularly thankful that the television had remained robust in the face of her mighty hurricane of frustration. Tags had been a great help, and any doubts she had about him were put to the back of her mind.

“That should keep out the weather,” said Tags as he finished boarding up the small pane of glass that had been smashed. He stood up, lit a cigarette, and looked out onto the street below. “Looks like you've got a bit of a stalker.”

“What do you mean?” said Stella, who was in the kitchen making more tea.

“I mean the guy over the road in the silver Vectra. He's been there all morning.”

“It's not a crime is it?” she said innocently. “He's only parked up in the road. He could be waiting for someone. You're very suspicious.”

“That man is watching your flat, and you know it. So let's sit down, have some tea, and you can tell me all about it.”

Stella came out carrying two mugs. She was about to make another denial when she caught the severity of Tags look, and decided that being straight was the best option.

Tags took his tea, thanked her, and sat down. Stella joined him.

“You can trust me you know,” said Tags. “I'm on your side. I'm not doing all this for the good of my health.”

“No, I know you're not. But until you tell me the real reason you're here, I'm not saying anything.”

Tags held up his hands. “Alright,” he said. “You've got me. The reason I'm here is because Oggi asked me to watch over you. It was one of Stratton's final requests to him, and he feels that he should honour it. He can't do it himself, so he's trusted me and the boys with it. Does that satisfy you?”

“I suppose so,” shrugged Stella. “It makes sense. But at the moment I'm not sure about anything to be honest.”

“So just tell me what's happened,” said Tags. “And we'll figure it out from there.”

Stella hesitated for a moment. Tags, for all his kindness, was ultimately a stranger. Even if he was doing things on behalf of Oggi, could she fully trust him? What she really needed was Jennings. He was the only one. But in his absence, she had to make a choice. She looked Tags in the eye and decided to take the chance. “Okay,” she said. “It's like this…”

Tags listened intently as she told him about Stonehenge; the clippings she'd found in Cronin's drawer; and about Alonso's tailing of her and his subsequent story.

When she had finished he sat back in his chair and lit up a Marlboro. “Well, that's a tale and a half,” he said. “I knew Cronin was up to something, but I didn't realize it was this big. Secret brotherhoods; rogue priests – it all sounds a bit fantastical to me. And as for Stratton being alive – I don't think I've ever heard anything so absurd. But if you say so.”

“It's not what I say, it's what Alonso told me. I'm finding it hard to believe myself. But why would anyone make up such a story? What's he got to gain by telling me that Stratton's alive?”

“I've no idea. But whatever's going on, they're both taking a lot of trouble to get you on side.”

“They certainly are,” Stella agreed. “The thing is, what do I do now? Which one of them do I trust?”

“Personally, I'd say neither. But Cronin's certainly a bit more slippery than the other guy. If I was you I'd definitely keep out of his way. As for Alonso, well, at least you've got someone watching your flat. If he wanted to harm you he would have done so by now I guess.”

“So I don't need to worry about him?”

“Of course you do,” said Tags. “Like I said, don't trust either of them. I'll get Dino to keep an eye on him. In the meantime I'm going to go and see Oggi, and find out if he knows anything about these guys.”

“How the hell would Oggi know?” said Stella.

“Because he and Stratton were thick as thieves. Stratton might have mentioned something to him. Oggi was always interested in all that spiritual stuff.”

“I guess so,” said Stella, remaining unconvinced. “Make sure you say ‘hi' from me.”

“I will do,” said Tags, smiling. “I'll be back as soon as I can. Either tonight or tomorrow morning.” He got up and placed his hand firmly on her shoulder. “Until then, just sit tight…and keep away from Cronin.”

Stella thanked him once again for his help, saw him out, then sat down on the sofa and sighed, more confused than ever.

Stone's radio crackled to life. “Sir, we've got company,” said the voice.

Stone lowered his gun and radioed back. “Who is it?” he said sharply.

“A couple of ramblers heading this way.”

“Well, just get rid of them! And hurry, we need to finish up and get out of here.”

Kamal continued to stare Stone down, causing him to avert his uncomfortable eyes.

“You must be very proud of yourself,” said Kamal. “Betraying your country and your leader. It is no wonder that you want us out of the way.”

Stone laughed. “You're the one who took the shot, not me. And anyway, you're a fine one to talk. I know your history. I know how many people you've killed in your time ‘Cobra'. You don't believe in anything but money.”

Kamal didn't answer.

Annie watched in silence. A voice in her head was screaming at her to make a run for it, but the sickness in her stomach had paralysed her legs. Her throat was jammed, and the world was a distant dream.

Once more the radio crackled. “Ok sir, we're clear.”

Stone raised his gun again, his arm steady and pointing firmly at Kamal's forehead.

Kamal's eyes lit up and the sides of his mouth curled into a tiny smile.

For a split second Stone hesitated, and then he was lost. Before he knew what was happening Kamal's boot flew up and kicked the gun from his hand. In the same move he back-kicked the man guarding Annie. “Run!” he shouted at her.

Annie staggered, briefly disoriented, and then it dawned on her what was happening. Her legs began to move, first in a laboured walk, and then a trot, until finally she was in full flight. Behind her she heard the report of a pistol.

Kamal, having disarmed the first two, made a beeline for Davis, who, in the heat of the moment, was struggling to withdraw his gun. No sooner had he got it out of the holster than it was flying through the air. A punch to the head followed quickly, and Davis was down, holding his nose in agony. “Motherfucker!” he shouted.

Annie stopped at the Lexus. Oblivious to the fight going on around her she opened the door and pulled out the hostages. She ripped off their leg bindings and led them away to the trees. David was struggling so she picked him up and threw him over her shoulder. As they ran down the muddy path, the sound of gunfire rattled the air behind them. Annie prayed that Kamal was alright.

After fifty yards the going became treacherous. The incessant rain of the previous week had swollen the earth to saturation point. Annie began to slip and slide, unable to move at more than a gluey walk. She glanced back to see her mother lying face down in a watery brown soup. With her arms tied behind her back she was finding it impossible to rise to her feet. Annie set David down and went to help.

The guns had stopped, and all that Annie could hear were raised and frantic voices. She bent down and, with a strength she didn't have, pulled her mother to her feet. The voices grew louder, and through the trees she saw Stone and another man running towards them. “Come on, Mum,” she said. “We've got to go.”

Her mother nodded and grunted through her gag.

Annie picked David back up and carried on running. Once she was out of the trees a steep eight-foot rise blocked her way. In normal conditions it would have been easily negotiated, but in the prevailing mud she may as well have been trying to conquer Everest. She looked back again, her heart sinking as she did so. Her mother had been caught and Stone was bearing down like a runaway train, only ten yards away. She summoned all her remaining courage and leapt up the unctuous climb. With every agonizing step the ground beneath her fell away, holding her stride like a treadmill.

With Stone almost upon her she threw David up onto the grass above and turned to face her attacker.

“Give it up Tracy,” he gasped, his face splattered with trickles of mud. “We've got your mum, and we'll get the boy as well. If you come quietly we can make a deal. Kamal's the one we wanted, and he's dead.”

Annie felt herself welling up. “Fuck you!” she screamed. “Fuck you, you fucking bastard!” and flew at him with wailing fists.

Taken aback by the ferocity of Annie's assault, Stone staggered and slipped to the ground. Annie kicked him hard with vicious frequency, her face contorted with hate, until eventually she faltered and hung her head. Then, remembering her peril, she made one last attempt to scale the small hill.

David sat at the top crying. She looked up and made a determined run, her legs coursing with a renewed vigour. Stumbling and clawing like a windmill, she thrust herself to just below the apex, where momentum propelled her forwards onto the flat. Landing on her front she let out a winded gush. She felt David's hand pawing at her.

Wearily she got to her knees and tried to stand up, but her head was dizzy and her legs too weak. She turned to David and smiled dreamily, eyes glazed, her sight beginning to fade. Then, without warning, she felt herself tumbling backwards, the world a wheel of earth and sky. But it didn't matter anymore, nothing did. She closed her eyes and let herself go.

Stella hung up the phone in frustration once again. She had left two more messages and Jennings still wasn't returning her calls. Logic told her that he was busy looking after the Prime Minister, but after nearly thirty hours without any appreciable sleep, paranoia had set in, and she was starting to wonder if she'd pushed his friendship too far. She shivered as the loneliness engulfed her.

Picking up a broken frame of Stratton she stared at it lazily. The idea of his being alive was continually circulating her subconscious, occasionally manifesting itself as an absurdity in her waking thoughts. Ever since his body had been taken, she had been racking her brains to think of a reason for it. That someone would try and bring him back to life had never occurred to her. But the more the notion broke through, the greater seemed its feasibility. Alonso's story, however far-fetched, might just be based in fact. She had ruled out the impossible, and was now looking at an improbable truth.