‘It could even bring down this government.’
The PM returned his stare. It was quite clear that the previous discussion had not altered Dinsdale’s mind and nothing he nor anyone else could say would change him.
‘There is nothing else for it’ replied the PM thoughtfully.
‘Good’, replied Dinsdale. ‘At last you are beginning to see sense.’
‘Em’, coughed the Foreign Secretary. ‘Aren’t we all missing something here?’ he asked.
‘F**k, we’ve dealt with it, now let’s move on!’ said the red faced Dinsdale, unwilling to become involved in further discussion.
‘Let’s hear what you have to say’ said the PM, giving Dinsdale a reprovingly look.
‘Aren’t we about to make a mistake that many governments make in circumstances like this? We are making a tactical judgement without listening to the people involved on the ground. What have the agents got to say — surely they are the people most closely involved in the operation? Surely they are aware of the potentially terrible consequences of their actions? Of all people they are best placed to assess the risk and reward and make a decision on whether the mission should continue or not — not a small group of politicians like us — three thousand miles away from the action?’
‘Oh Jesus’, complained Dinsdale. ‘Here we go again. We are the people with the power and responsibility. Whether they continue their mission or not is not a tactical decision — it’s a strategic one! If we are going to abdicate that, then we might as well not have been elected in the first place!’
The PM raised his hand. ‘Martin’, he said gently, ‘it is my wish to see this through, as long as there is no direct impact on our relationship with the Americans. I think we should follow our Foreign Secretary’s advice and allow the team on the ground to decide just how far they may pursue their mission.’
Dinsdale’s face grew redder with embarrassment. But before he could remonstrate, the PM held his hand up for the second time. ‘I understand all your arguments Martin, but I believe we need to give our team the best opportunity they have to follow their mission — just so long as it doesn’t compromise the relationship with our allies.’
Sir Anthony bowed his head slightly, acknowledging the point. That single act alone appeared to seal the decision.
‘Thank you sir. We will do our best to comply with your wishes.’ He gathered his papers quickly and headed for the door.
‘I’ll remember this’, Dinsdale snarled. ‘When a wheel falls off, as it surely will, I will remember this.’
The door chime sounded again, and Stan grumbled. ‘OK, OK I’m coming!’
He opened the door and saw Natasha slumped against the wall. Her hair was wet and bedraggled and she looked exhausted.
‘Dear God! Whatever happened to you!’
Natasha could barely move. She managed to stagger indoors before her legs gave way and she fell.
Stan picked her up, carried her in and laid her out on the sofa in front of his wife Maddie. Maddie took charge immediately, ordering Stan to fetch a glass of ‘something strong’. She bent to undo Natasha’s coat and loosen the collar of her dress. Natasha’s forehead felt hot and clammy and her pulse was very high.
Gently Maddie wiped Natasha’s face with a tissue and Natasha opened her eyes.
‘Maddie?’ She started to get up, but Maddie pushed her back gently.
‘Best to rest just now. Take a drink of this.’ Maddie guided the glass to her lips. Stan looked on helplessly.
Natasha took a sip and spluttered, then swung her legs around and sat upright. ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Whatever happened?’ asked Maddie consolingly.
‘Burglars’, Natasha gasped. ‘I tried to get out, but they chased me.’
Maddie lifted Natasha’s legs back onto the sofa and helped her lie back against the cushions. ‘Tell me what happened’, she asked. ‘Take it from the beginning.’
Natasha closed her eyes, reliving the experience. ‘I woke because I thought I heard a noise. The outside light had come on and I went to investigate.’ She continued, starting to shake when she described how the car that had been chasing her had tried to mount the concrete posts in its quest to run her over.
‘Oh my poor girl’, Maddie fretted. ‘What happened then?’
‘I cycled through the mall.’ Natasha weaved her hand in and out, as if describing an obstacle course. They couldn’t follow me in the car. They started chasing me on foot, but I cycled through some side streets. That was the scariest time in my life.’ Natasha looked up at Maddie. ‘You won’t believe how relieved I felt when I arrived at your door.’
Maddie clucked in sympathy.
‘We’d better tell the police’ Stan said.
‘The police!’ gasped Natasha. ‘Yes — do you mind if I use your phone?’
Maddie helped her up and through the hallway to the house phone, before making a discreet retreat. She looked directly at her husband. ‘Do you know what all this is about?’
He lifted his eyebrows and murmured quietly: ‘Not really. We had a project go dreadfully wrong. Some people have died and she took it badly — we all did — but she thinks it wasn’t an accident.’
‘You mean it was deliberate?’
Stan sighed. ‘I don’t think she knows. She just has this hunch that there’s something going on.’ Stan glanced at Maddie. ‘Now she thinks there’s somebody after her.’
‘You think she just made up that story about being chased through the streets?’ Maddie asked indignantly.
‘Maddie’, Stan’s tone was serious. ‘Her boyfriend has been murdered and we’ve been through a disastrous time at work. These things affect different people in different ways.’
‘But that poor woman has just had the fright of her life’, started Maddie.
Stan held up his hands to stop her in mid-stride. ‘I know. The best we can do for her is to keep her here where she feels safe.’
Natasha entered the room and looked from one to the other. ‘The police will be here in the next half an hour. I’m sorry to have put you through all this.’
‘You’re welcome to stay as long as you like,’ Maddie offered. ‘We’ve a spare room. I’ll just need to go up and air the bed for you.’
Natasha flopped back onto the sofa. ‘I’m so grateful to you both. Thank you.’
Stan disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a hot chocolate drink. ‘You know, when the police arrive you won’t be able to talk about work.’
Natasha wrapped both hands around the mug. ‘Of course, I know that. But now I think about it, it’s possible there’s a connection. I only told you yesterday about the virus and early this morning I have burglars.’ She shivered when she thought back to the shadow she saw through the glass of her front door.
‘It’s a bit early to connect your ideas about the virus to the burglary. It could be just a random burglary.’
‘How many burglars do you know that chase people through the streets?’
Stan shook his head. ‘Anyway, we’ll just have to let the police sort it out when they get here.’
‘Well you know what I think.’ Natasha was adamant. ‘I think all of this is a deliberate act to sabotage the project. Someone is after me because I know the truth.’
Stan glanced at Natasha.
‘If that is true, then now they will be after me too.’
Chapter 11
‘Can someone tell me precisely what is going on?’
The senior military commanders around the table looked at each other in surprise — it was rumoured that the President had occasional bouts of anger, but only one person in the room had actually seen it before — until now. The Secretary of Defence was first to break the silence.