Алистер Маклин: Time of the Assassins

‘I’ll be there, buddy,’ Graham said, wagging a finger at him. ‘You just make sure the Perrier’s cold.’

‘It’s already in the fridge,’ Whitlock replied with a smile.

‘C.W., Sabrina, I’d like a few words with Mike. I’ll see you both at the flat tonight.’

Sabrina paused in front of Graham and put a hand lightly on his shoulder. ‘If you want to talk, you know where to find me.’

‘I might take you up on that,’ Graham replied. ‘It just depends what time I get away from the safe house.’

‘See you, Mike,’ Whitlock said then followed Sabrina from the room.

Philpott activated the door behind them. ‘I spoke to Sergei and C.W. after I’d seen the Secretary-General last night. They’re both behind you one hundred per cent. Don’t let them down.’

‘Sergei? He’s been on my back ever since I got back from Zimbala.’

‘Quite right, too. You screwed up, Mike. Badly. But he also knows how valuable you are to the organization. We all do, that’s why you’re still here. I doubt any other operative would have been given another chance if they’d flouted the rules as you’ve done. You’ve got the potential to be the best operative UNACO’s ever had, but you’ve got to work on this maverick streak that seems to come out at the worst possible times. I know a lot of it has to do with what happened to your family. You always felt that someone at Delta had let slip your position to Bernard and Al-Makesh. Trust suddenly became a dirty word in your book. But now you know the truth. It had nothing to do with any of your men. Use that knowledge to channel your resources positively back into Strike Force Three from now on.

‘I don’t have to tell you how lucky you are to have Sabrina as a partner. There isn’t a field operative here who wouldn’t give his right arm to trade places with you. Not only that, she also thinks the world of you. That’s a great compliment from a fellow professional. And now Fabio’s coming in. He’ll need to draw off both of you until he’s found his feet. And that means supporting him. What use will you be to him if you’re going to continue with these maverick tendencies? Now that C.W.’s coming onto the management side, you’ll be the most experienced field operative not only in Strike Force Three but in the whole of UNACO. That’s quite a responsibility, Mike. Added to which you’ll be officially promoted to team leader when Fabio joins you. And a good leader always leads by example, doesn’t he? You of all people should know that.’

‘Yes, sir, I do.’

‘There’s a car waiting outside to take you over to the safe house.’

‘Thank you, sir.’

Philpott activated the door then closed it again behind Graham. Sarah looked up from her typing as Graham approached her desk.

‘Excuse me,’ he said then leaned across the desk and dropped the letter into the shredding machine beside her. ‘ “Things that are done, it is needless to speak about. Things that are past, it is needless to blame.” ’

She frowned.

‘Confucius,’ he added.

She watched him leave the office then, shrugging her shoulders, went back to her typing.

The End