Deadlock

'Howard is waiting in his office for your council of war. And Commander Bellenger of Naval Intelligence called. Wants to see you very urgently. The results of his analysis of the bombs used to blow the bank vaults in Basle are ready – plus expert opinion on the photocopies we got from Arthur Beck – the ones found in the watchmaker's safe.'

'Call him first – ask him if he can come over right away. He'd better sit in on our meeting. Then Newman. I'd like the meeting to start in half an hour…'

'I'll get people moving now. Something's happening?'

'Something pretty horrific is imminent.'

Five people sat round the table. Tweed, Howard, Bellenger, Butler and Paula. Tweed had obtained the PM's permission to reveal everything – excluding her contact with Gorbachev and Tweed's secret meeting with Lysenko in Switzerland. They were listening as Bellenger, looking very solemn, gave his report.

'The debris collected from the vaults in those two Swiss bank raids has been analysed. It's Triton Three – the same explosive found in the sea-mine we smuggled out of Russia, the same casing used for the bomb left on Miss Grey's doorstep at her house in Blakeney. Tweed, you quoted to me certain figures you said were theoretical – thirty sea-mines and twenty-five bombs. Are they theoretical?'

'No. They were stolen from a Soviet depot, brought out of Russia into the West.'

'Christ! Where are they now?'

That's what we're trying to find out – before they can be used.'

They could annihilate a huge city – I checked with my experts, without revealing the source of my information. I hope they aren't in the UK?' Bellenger asked.

'I don't know…'

The phone rang. Paula reached for it as Tweed frowned. 'I said I didn't want any calls.'

'You'll want this one,' she said after listening for a few seconds and handed the instrument to Tweed.

'Yes?'

'Lysenko here. We're on scrambler?'

'Yes. What is it?'

'It has been decided…'Pause.'… at the highest level that further information should be provided if you haven't tracked Zarov yet. Have you?'

'No. And I'd have liked the lot at the beginning.'

'It was a policy decision…'Lysenko sounded nervous. 'I have to tell you that just before Zarov left for West Germany his superior reported he was showing signs of stress. He went into the Serbsky Institute for examination.'

'And the result?' Tweed demanded in a hard voice.

Three psychiatrists said he was fit, two others diagnosed incipient megalomania. There was a bureaucratic delay. These reports reached me after he'd left Russia.'

'Any other tiny item of information you left out?'

'We thought you should know now…'

'You were damned right. You were also damned late.'

Tweed slammed down the phone and looked round the table. Four faces stared at him expectantly.

'It's a race against time – maybe with no time left,' Tweed informed them. 'I have just heard that Igor Zarov may be on the verge of insanity.'

'Jesus Christ!' reacted Bellenger. 'And he has that explosive arsenal?'

'I think so, yes. It may be as well the PM has decided in view of what I told her to have an SAS strike force standing by – ready to fly to any part of the continent.'

Hipper arrived in Bouillon after dark and Marler, who was registered at the Panorama as Lambert, a common Belgian name, had to interrupt an excellent dinner.

'What is happening?' he asked as Hipper drove him out of town along wooded deserted roads. 'You've given me Newman's photograph.' He waved the envelope Hipper had handed him.

'Soon you will have to move on,' the pasty-faced Luxembourger said in his slow deliberate manner which irked the Englishman. 'Have your bag packed ready for instant departure.'

'Where to?'

'I will tell you when the time comes.'

'Really?' Marler regarded the plump little man with distaste. 'You will tell me now. Klein knows I don't work completely in the dark. Unless, of course, he'd like his advance back now – minus expenses.'

'He said you would be getting restless…'

'Restless be buggered. I'm browned off, mate. Hanging around this one-eyed town pretending to be a huntsman. Up to you. And I hadn't finished my meal. Turn round here and drive back. Tell Klein to stick it.'

'Brussels,' Hipper said quickly, performing a three-point turn at the intersection they had reached. He began driving back to Bouillon. 'Soon after you've completed your commission tomorrow at the Dames de Meuse.'

'That's better. Next time be quicker off the mark – answer a question when I ask you.'

Hipper reached into his pocket, handed Marler an envelope. 'That contains your reservation at the Hilton on the Boulevard de Waterloo. The room will be held until you arrive. An executive suite.' He sniggered, glancing sideways at his passenger. 'Nothing but the best.'

'And you keep your bloody eye on the road – or I'll drive.'

'Lara Seagrave speaking.'

'You know who this is,' Klein's voice answered on the phone. 'Note this address. Boekstraat 198. Got it? Good. Have you a map of Antwerp? Good. Find the address and walk to it as soon as we've finished speaking. Don't be put off by the street. Ask for Mr Knaap at the desk

…' He spelt out the name. 'Come at once.'

She realized the line had gone dead. She checked the index of streets in her map, found Boekstraat. It was less than five minutes from the Plaza Hotel. Wrapping a scarf round her head, she took the elevator to the lobby and walked out into the streets of Antwerp.

Boekstraat was little more than a sordid alley. A drunken seaman staggered out, stared at her and she walked on. Behind her The Parrot, also clad in seaman's clothes, followed cautiously.

Lara didn't like the look of No. 198. It was a small hotel with a neon light over the doorway. She mounted the steps, entered a bleak lobby. The bright red-haired woman behind the counter looked like a madame. My God, she thought, it's a place where prostitutes bring clients.

'Mr Knaap is expecting me,' she said firmly.

'I'm sure he is, dearie.' The woman spoke French with a heavy Flemish accent. 'My, we're going up in the world, aren't we?'

'I did say Mr Knaap…'

'Room 14. Up those stairs. First floor. Fourteen is on the right. No need to give yourself airs and graces.'

'Oh, stuff it,' Lara told her and hurried up the greasy-stepped stairs.

Klein opened the door to her, gave a little bow, gestured for her to enter, closed and locked the door. He waved a hand round the sleazy bedroom.

'I apologize for the accommodation. Security. This place has a secret back exit. For obvious reasons. You'll do better in Brussels.'

'Brussels?'

'That's your next destination. Tell me quickly. What about Antwerp?'

The room was illuminated by a forty-watt bulb inside a bedside table lamp. The pink shade was tattered. Lara remained standing and she sensed Klein was in a hurry to leave. Big deal.

'I don't like the look of Antwerp port,' she said. 'It's a long way up the river Scheldt – a long way from the North Sea. I can't find any safe escape route – the city is dense. It's a trap – rather than an opportunity.' She took a package from her shoulder bag and handed it to him. 'There is a collection of pictures I took. Sorry to be so negative again. In fact, some of the French ports are far more accessible. Is Hamburg the next port to look over?'

'Not yet. I want you to go by train to Brussels tonight -a room has been reserved for you at the Mayfair in the Avenue Louise. You'll enjoy yourself there. It's expensive…' He handed her a sheaf of notes held by a paper band. 'For your expenses. I'll contact you there in due course. And now I must leave.'

He took her by the shoulders, pulled her to him. They embraced and he pulled away suddenly. 'Not in a place like this. Wait five minutes after I've left, then leave yourself. And if you have trouble with some man in Boek-straat, use this on him. Aim for the eyes.'