‘Commander Spring,’ he returned, pursing his lips as though thinking very hard. ‘No… I don’t know anyone of that name.’
The conversation ended there and Packman and I walked back towards the door. It opened automatically from the inside and we left the building by the main exit to where the Brigadier was waiting.
‘What was that all about?’ asked the Director with a puzzled expression on his face.
‘I used to know someone who looked like him but he was killed recently.’
‘Well Duran is very much alive,’ he laughed, ‘at least I hope he hasn’t come back from the dead to haunt us. We’ve no way of dealing with ghosts in security. If so, he could walk through walls and we wouldn’t be able to pick him up on the screens.’ He glanced at his wristwatch and shook his head. ‘I’d have liked to show you more but time’s against us. I’m due for the monthly meeting later with the Minister of Defence. They’re no fun, I assure you. Everyone thinks this job’s a dream. Don’t you believe it! I have to fight budget cuts in financial aid and grants, political ambitions, and a host of irrational decisions. Look after him, Brigadier. See Mr. Scott off the premises!’ He moved towards a large black saloon and was driven off smartly, leaving me in the charge of the security officer.
‘He’s a good man,# commented the Brigadier. ‘His term off office expires soon so he’s in the danger period.’
‘The danger period? What’s that?’
‘Three of the last four Directors of this division experienced the same problem. Someone tried to break in to steal something during the last thirty days of their reign. But technology is so advanced these days it’s unlikely any intruder could get past the main gate.’
‘Why, Brigadier,’ I smiled. ‘You sound as though you’re looking for a challenge.’
‘Naturally,’ he admitted calmly. ‘Technology advances at sucha rate of knots these days no one really knows whether anything works as effectively as they hope. It took the Falkland War to prove that Exocet missiles were exceptional weapons at sea while the Gulf War allowed us to test devices to scuttle SCUD missiles and also to gain more experience in laser targeting. By that means, an aircraft could identify a target and send down a laser beam so that its bombs would definitely hone in on the exact target. Without challenges, we wouldn’t be able to successfully test new weaponry. The same relates to security. I wouldn’t mind the system being tested by the fine mind of a highly-professional burglar. We need such challenges.’
‘Do you know anything about Tomar Duran?’ I asked as we walked towards the jeep.
‘Number Five!’ he returned coolly. ‘Not allowed to discuss matters concerning staff. How do you know about him?’
We climbed into the vehicle and I decided to come clean. ‘I know him because I found him dead recently. Shot with a pistol through the head.’
His hands froze over the steering wheel and he turned to face me. ‘What do you mean… you found him dead?’
‘We got into a fight in Crete and someone shot him. When I last saw him he was dead.’
‘How long ago was this?’
‘A few days ago. If he was the same man he should have a lump on his head the size of an ostrich egg apart from the bullet wound.’
In an instant, he lifted the telephone receiver in the jeep and pressed a button on the instrument before speaking into the microphone. ‘Security! This is the Brigadier! I want a double check on Tomar Duran for security reasons. Ignore the current file. See what you can find out about him! Report back to me as soon as you find out anything. And check him physically before he leaves the division today. I want t o know every bump, bruise, scratch or birthmark on his body!’ He replaced the receiver with a determined expression and turned to me again. ‘You can never be too careful in security. Don’t worry… we’ll soon find out the truth.’
‘What happens when you find that someone’s cracked your security system?’ I asked tentatively. ‘I mean to break into the complex.’
He started the engine and drove off. ‘No one’s ever succeeded, thank Heavens. If we catch them, we deal with intruders in our own way… it’s what they deserve. We can’t afford publicity or someone shooting their mouth off to other criminals with intent… not with the Ministry of Defence putting up all that money for research and development.’
‘So how do you deal with them?’
‘Anyone caught breaking in will find out to their cost. Do you realise what would happen if any of our plans found their way into the hands of a third party? They’d be hawked around the world to the highest bidders for profit and then everyone would have them. Some wars would break out in insignificant countries while some mad ambitious bastard would set the world in his sights and go for it.’
‘Then why keep designing new weapons?’
The jeep pulled up smartly outside the small dismal building which housed the Brigadier. ‘It’s been a pleasure meeting you, sir,’ he declared, climbing out of the jeep before saluting me smartly. ‘By the way, I have a nephew who’s very keen on computers. Do you think you might be able to put in a good word for him?’
‘I’d be delighted, Brigadier,’ I told him, handing him my business card. Tell him to contact my secretary. I’ll see what I can do.’
I got into my car again and drove to the main gate. The sentry waved for me to stop to examine my identity card again, once more comparing it with my photograph. Then he searched the interior of the car, the boot and the bonnet once again before waving to his colleague to raise the barrier. I drove away from the weaponry division feeling as though I had just escaped from a maximum security prison. I dared not think how I would feel when I tried to break in!
I got into my car again and drove to the main gate. The sentry waved for me to stop to examine my identity card again, once more comparing it with my photograph. Then he searched the interior of the car, the boot and the bonnet once again before waving to his colleague to raise the barrier. I drove away from the weaponry division feeling as though I had just escaped from a maximum security prison. I dared not think how I would feel when I tried to break in!
I stopped the car a sort distance away and looked back. The complex appeared to be impregnable from the outside. Woe betide any unauthorised person who actually managed to intrude past the sentry gate into the interior for that was where the security system really came into its own. However, it was Penny Smith and Tomar Duran who captured my thoughts at that moment. Had she killed him in Crete or were they both playing some kind of a game? If Duran’s gun was filled with blanks it was likely that our doubles were still alive too. If so, the police in Crete would have found only one body in that valley… Chedda, the pilot. In the absence of any other bodies, they would have assumed that he was on a solo flight. Why then did they arrest me. Perhaps, afterwards, when all the bodies had disappeared, they allowed me to escape because there was no evidence against me. That seemed to be a sound reason why someone left the cell door open in the prison and no policemen were around.
When I returned to my office, Penny seemed to be highly agitated. ‘You have a visitor but I’m not sure you wish to see him. It’s Primar.’
I went behind my desk and sat down. Primar was sitting there chewing on the end of a matchstick. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked cheekily. ‘Have you plucked up enough courage to do business without your bodyguard?’
He smiled at me easily. ‘This is England, Jason,’ he replied. ‘That sort of thing doesn’t happen here. We’re all decent fellows, don’t you know.’
‘Tell me honestly, Primar, which side are you really on? That’s what I want to know. And I want you to tell me about Jan’s abduction!’