Time of the Assassins

'You can go through,' the policeman said to Sabrina.

'You still haven't told us what the hell's going on?' Graham snapped. 'What are you guys doing here?'

'There's a senior SWAT officer down there,' the policeman replied, pointing to the approach road. 'He'll brief you.'

'There's a SWAT team here?' Kolchinsky said incredulously. 'That's all we need.'

Sabrina engaged the gears and turned down the approach road.

'There's the Colonel,' Kolchinsky said, pointing to Philpott who was standing with Swain beside a SWAT van.

Sabrina pulled up behind the van then climbed out of her car and smiled at Philpott. 'It's good to see you back on your feet, sir. How are you feeling?'

'I was feeling fine until I got here.' Philpott gestured around him. 'It's like a bloody circus.'

'What's going on, sir?' Graham asked, closing the back door behind him.

Philpott shot Swain a dirty look. 'Dave was followed by one of the SWAT boys. That's why they're here. I'll see you in my office tomorrow morning, nine o'clock sharp.'

Swain nodded sullenly then walked to his Mazda and got behind the wheel. He started the engine then turned the car round and drove back towards the highway.

Philpott turned to Whitlock. 'I spoke to Bernard on the phone soon after I got here. He's got Rosie in there.'

'Is she alright?' Whitlock asked anxiously.

'Yes. He let me speak briefly to her. She's fine, considering the circumstances. She's a remarkable girl, C.W. You should be very proud of her.'

'She's a great kid,' Whitlock replied. 'Has Bernard made any demands yet?'

'Not yet.'

'What about Rogers?' Kolchinsky asked.

'Dead. Bernard let the SWAT team take the body away…" Philpott trailed off as an unmarked police car turned into the approach road. 'Well, this is a surprise.'

'Who is it, sir?' Sabrina asked.

'Sean Hagen, Deputy Commissioner of the N YPD. What brings him out at this ungodly hour?'

Hagen waited until the driver opened the door for him then climbed out. He was wearing a grey overcoat over his suit and had a trilby tucked firmly over his head.

'I didn't realize you had such little confidence in your men, Sean,' Philpott said as Hagen approached him.

'The SWAT unit falls directly under my command,' Hagen replied, digging his hands into his pockets. 'Who do you think ordered the tail on your man? It's the only way we could find Bernard again. Like you, we lost him when he was released from custody.'

'And now you've come to supervise his execution, is that it?' Philpott said coldly.

'I'm here to liaise with my men,' Hagen shot back angrily. 'What's UN AGO doing here?'

This is still a UN AGO operation, Sean. And that puts me in overall command. I want your SWAT team out of here. Their presence is putting Rosie Kruger's life in danger.'

'I can't do that, Malcolm. Rosie Kruger was kidnapped here in New York. This is our jurisdiction. I've already spoken to Lieutenant Stephens, the officer in charge of the SWAT team, and he's indicated that, because of the situation, he's prepared to work with UN AGO to help secure the release of Miss Kruger. But that's as far as it goes. They won't be pulled out until this situation's been resolved.'

'This has got nothing to do with jurisdictions, has it, Sean?' Kolchinsky said, struggling to contain his anger. 'You don't give a damn about Rosie, do you? All you're interested in is avenging the death of the two officers Bernard shot at the apartment. You're still smarting from what happened tonight. And now that you know he'll never be allowed to stand trial, it only leaves you with one alternative. You'll have to kill him.'

'That may be the way they do it in Russia, Sergei, but not in this country,' Hagen said after a moment's silence. 'I want to see Miss Kruger released, unharmed, just as much as you do. And with that in mind, I'm prepared to go in there and negotiate with Bernard on a one-to-one basis. I'm sure we can resolve this situation without bloodshed.'

'Who's to say that Bernard will even want to talk to you?' Philpott countered.

'There's only one way to find out,' Hagen replied then rapped on the back of the van. The door was opened from the inside and he gave the order to get Bernard on the line. He waited until the communications officer had got through before climbing into the back of the van and taking the receiver from him. 'Bernard?'

'Yes. Who's that?'

'My name's Hagen. I'm the Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department.'

'Sean Hagen. I am honoured.'

'You know me?' Hagen retorted.

'Of you,' Bernard replied. 'What do you want?'

'To talk. In person.'

'Why?'

'I would have thought that was obvious,' Hagen said, glancing at Philpott. 'I want to resolve this without bloodshed.'

'That makes two of us,' There was a lengthy pause. 'Come in alone. Unarmed. The door will be unlocked. But I warn you, Hagen, any attempt by your SWAT team to storm the house and Rosie dies. I don't have anything to lose, not any more.'

'No attempt will be made to storm the house, you have my word on that.'

The line went dead.

Hagen replaced the receiver and climbed out of the van. 'He's agreed to see me. At least it's a start. Do you know where I can find Lieutenant Stephens? I want to have a word with him before I go in.'

'He's with his men on the edge of the clearing,' Philpott answered.

'Thank you,' Hagen said.

'Excuse me, sir,' the communications officer called out after Hagen. 'Do you want me to make up a wire for you?'

'Yes, good idea,' Hagen replied then walked towards the wood.

Philpott was about to shout a warning about the animal traps when Hagen stopped abruptly as he neared the edge of the wood. He nodded to himself, then turned away and continued walking down the road.

Kolchinsky noticed the frown crease Philpott's brow. 'What is it, Malcolm?'

'Nothing,' Philpott replied with a dismissive shrug.

Philpott watched Hagen until he disappeared from sight around a bend in the road. Why had he suddenly changed his mind about entering the wood? Why would he purposely take the long way round to reach the clearing? Did he already know about the animal traps? It seemed unlikely as Stephens had only been told about them when one of his men had almost stood on one. And Philpott only knew about them through Stephens. He knew there was probably a logical explanation for Hagen's actions but he still felt uneasy. It was a feeling he couldn't seem to shake off.

'The only way Bernard leaves that house is in a body bag. Understood?'

No, Mark Stephens didn't understand. And what the hell was Hagen doing there anyway? Stephens, who was in his early thirties, had been with the NYPD's SWAT unit for five years, the last eighteen months of those as a lieutenant. He had been trained to deal with hostage situations. It was his job. And now his authority was being undermined by Hagen's interference. But what could he do? Hagen was officially the commander-in-chief of the NYPD's SWAT unit. And that meant his word was law. He knew the men, himself included, held Hagen in contempt — a desk man who only ever showed his solidarity with them when they were being praised for a successful operation.

'I asked you a question, Lieutenant,' Hagen said sharply.

Stephens removed his black peaked cap and ran his hand over his short blond hair. 'That depends on the circumstances, sir.'

'What circumstances?'

'If we can get a clear shot at him. There's a sixteen-year-old kid in there as well. Her safety is my main concern.'

'Your main concern is preventing Bernard from leaving the house alive.'

'Sir, he has hostage — '

'I don't give a damn about his hostage,' Hagen cut in, his eyes blazing. 'She's a drug addict, for Christ's sake. What's her life compared to the lives of the two officers that son-of-a-bitch gunned down in cold blood? I had to break the news to their wives. Spare a thought for them, Lieutenant. And spare a thought for those kids who'll never see their fathers again.'