Ben had wanted to develop his career with the American Underwater Research Institute. He had tried several approaches but was rejected every time. He assumed they objected to his British background as the work was highly sensitive, so he applied for American citizenship. But even then they wouldn’t accept his application.
‘I spoke to some of the guys when I returned home’ Sean replied. ‘Soon afterwards Ben received a letter to report for an interview. I don’t know for sure if that swung it but since then he hasn’t looked back’.
‘So — have you heard from him recently?’
‘I got an email a couple of weeks ago.’
‘Oh — what did it say?’
‘It was a bit strange — said he wanted to talk a few things over and was planning to come to the UK soon.’
‘Well — that fits in with our information.’
‘Is he one of yours?’
Andrews’ lips drew back into a thin line. He hadn’t missed the implication of Sean’s last sentence. Obviously Sean felt he hadn’t been at the Section long enough to feel part of the organisation.
‘Perhaps I had better let Lomax continue.’
Sean noticed how tired Andrews looked as he leaned back in his chair.
The briefing papers were still fresh in Lomax’s mind. ‘He’s working for a software company contracted to the American Department of Defence. They provide code for several military projects involving remote control software. We suspect that he discovered something of real importance to us. He probably thought this was the only way he could tell us about it — by leaving the country under our protection.’
‘Do you know anything about the projects he was working on?’ asked Sean.
‘Not a great deal. The department saw him last summer when he came to the UK on holiday — he visited his parents in Yorkshire. You were in Mexico then.’
‘I remember — it wasn’t a holiday.’
‘No’. Lomax glanced at Andrews. ‘One of our chaps took him out for a pint and a chat. From that conversation it appears that the company he is working for was developing some software for a military submarine.’
‘Do we know anything more since his last signal?’ Sean enquired.
‘No, we’ve not been in contact. We think he may have gone to ground — either that or he’s dead.’
Sean looked at Andrews and then back to Lomax to see if anyone would elaborate. No-one did. ‘So gentlemen, what do you want me to do?’
‘If he’s alive’, continued Lomax, ‘we want you to find him and bring him out. He knows you and trusts you, so that should make the job easier.’
‘If he’s on the run I may not be able to find him. Is there any kind of deadline to this?’
‘None that we know of at present. But he’s not been trained in escape and evasion techniques like you. If he’s on the run, he might not last very long.’
Sean thought for a moment. ‘Just how important is this to the department?’
‘We think it’s very important. He’s been feeding us with the odd bit of info for the last four and a half years.’ Lomax paused. ‘However he’s never divulged anything which we might consider “secret”. If you can get him out this might be the breakthrough we’ve been looking for.’
‘So when do I go?’
‘I fly tonight and you go out tomorrow after collecting your documentation. ‘That is, if you want to go?’
Sean could already taste the anticipation. The job would get him back into the field. But he still felt uncertain about Lomax. Sean had never worked with him before and something about Lomax’s absence from the department disturbed him.
‘I’ve heard about you’ Sean recollected. ‘You dropped out of the picture suddenly, about a year ago. Everyone was vague about why you had left. Someone suggested you’d developed stage fright.’ Sean meant that Lomax had lost his nerve, which was not uncommon when working for the Section.
‘I’m not surprised. There were lots of rumours flying around. Let’s just say I needed a holiday — some time to get patched up after my last job.’
‘You needed a year? You must have been injured pretty badly.’
‘You could say that.’ Lomax wasn’t giving anything away.
There was a pause while Sean thought about that.
‘I’m not really here to defend myself’ Lomax continued. ‘It did take a long time to recover, but now I’m back and I’ve accepted promotion.’
‘Congratulations.’ Sean meant it — new executives were very hard to come by and only appointed on merit.
‘Thanks. Do I take it you want the job?’
Sean looked at Andrews and back to Lomax. ‘Is there anything else I need to know?’
Lomax shook his head. ‘You’ll get your briefing papers. They go into a bit more detail but there’s nothing more we can tell you.’
Sean hesitated.
Lomax waited a second. ‘The usual rules Sean. You can refuse to take this on once the briefing is finished.’
Sean noted the slight quickening of his heart beat.
‘There is one more caveat on this job — no bodies. We can’t afford the repercussions.’
The way Sean looked at it there were two possibilities. Either Ben was on the run because his cover was blown, or he was dead. If he was dead Sean could return home straight away. If he was still alive things would be a little trickier, but even so finding and escorting a mate back to the UK shouldn’t be too big a problem. But there always was that little word ‘should’.
‘I’ll go’ said Sean. ‘But on one condition — you keep everyone out of my way. Once I get going I don’t want to stop until I’m back in the UK.’
Lomax glanced at Andrews and saw a minute nod of satisfaction. Lomax looked at his watch again and stood up. ‘Good. Well if that’s all, I’ve a plane to catch. Wish me luck.’
Sean shook hands. ‘Good luck Lomax. I’ll need some too.’
Lomax smiled. ‘You make your own luck.'
When Sean and Lomax reached the door Andrews called out in a hoarse voice, ‘Lomax, I need a word before you go.’
Lomax turned to Sean. ‘You go on. We’ll be in touch tomorrow.’
Sean closed the door gently behind him.
Chapter 3
Andrews beckoned Lomax back into the room. ‘I know Sean’s preference is to work alone, but I think you should have a computer specialist standing by.’
Lomax shook his head. ‘It’s not just Sean — I don’t want to watch over some computer nerd who doesn’t know how to look after himself. Why do you think it’s so important?’
‘Because’ rasped Andrews ‘we think they have developed a communications technology which can remotely command a small nuclear powered submarine from just about anywhere in the world. HM Gov would like a look-see at the technology.’
Lomax cleared his throat. ‘How much are they willing to risk?’
‘The government wants access to this technology badly enough to risk breaking the special relationship’ Andrews replied with a grimace.
Lomax thought for a moment. ‘If the Americans are already on to Campbell then we may have done just that’ he observed.
‘That may be the case. But I don’t think it’s happened yet. If his cover was blown we would know by now. The line between Washington and London would be incandescent.’
‘They might know and want to keep it to themselves’ ventured Lomax.
‘They might just be playing a game’ Andrews conceded. ‘All the more reason you need to take care. Just get Campbell — or his information — out any way you can. If your computer guy can get a line into this new sub, so much the better. We'll deal with the repercussions later.’
‘Fine. And if we are compromised?’
Andrews pulled a face. ‘You already know the answer to that. You and Sean are expendable. If push comes to shove, as the Americans say, then you will be disowned. Use the legend we’ve created for you. If you are compromised and can’t get Ben out, then get everyone else out.’