Алистер Маклин - Red Alert

‘One last question, Calvieri,’ Paluzzi said. ‘Why the Offenbach Centre?’

‘It’s quite simple. The summit is being covered by journalists from all over the world. You can’t do anything overt without alerting them. I’m sure you all know what happened in 1938 when Orson Welles narrated The War of the Worlds on American radio. There was unprecedented panic across the country. Can you imagine that on a global scale?’

‘I’ll call you in a few minutes,’ Philpott said brusquely, then walked to the door.

‘There is one more thing,’ Calvieri said. ‘Sabrina stays with us.’

‘Like hell she does,’ Graham snapped.

‘I was talking to Colonel Philpott.’ Calvieri retorted, then whispered to Ubrino, who immediately drew the Beretta from his belt and aimed it at Kuhlmann.

‘You have five seconds to comply otherwise Kuhlmann will be shot. Then Kolchinsky–’

‘Okay, you’ve made your point,’ Philpott cut in. He turned to Sabrina. ‘We’ll have to do as he says.’

‘I understand, sir,’ she replied with a quick smile.

‘What the hell do you need her for?’ Graham demanded. ‘You’ve got the detonator, isn’t that enough?’

‘I’ll only use the detonator as a last resort. In other words if my demands are not met. Sabrina’s the deterrent to stop you and Paluzzi from getting any heroic ideas about storming the room like a couple of over-enthusiastic schoolboys.’

‘I’m going to come after you when this is over, Calvieri,’ Graham said menacingly. ‘I don’t care where you go, I’ll find you. That’s a promise.’

‘In that case I look forward to seeing you again, Mr. Graham. Please close the door on your way out.’

Ubrino waited until they had left, then locked and bolted the door behind them and handed the key to Calvieri.

Sabrina sat down and looked up at Calvieri.

‘Are your demands really worth the lives of millions of innocent people?’

‘Don’t try to play on my emotions, Sabrina, it won’t work.’

‘I didn’t know you had any,’ Sabrina shot back.

‘ Manette ,’ Calvieri said to Ubrino and pointed to the handcuffs.

Ubrino pulled Sabrina’s hands behind her back and snapped the handcuffs over her wrists. He grinned at her, then reached out to touch her face. She kicked at him savagely, catching him full on the shinbone.

‘Tell your poodle to keep his hands off me,’ she snapped, her eyes blazing at Calvieri.

‘I’m sure he’s learnt his lesson,’ Calvieri replied, casting a disdainful glance towards Ubrino. He took the Beretta from Ubrino’s hand, ejected the clip, pocketed it, then threw the gun on to the table.

‘Leave her alone. She isn’t one of your wide-eyed recruits. She’d kill you without batting an eyelid.’

‘Nobody does that to me, especially not a woman,’ Ubrino hissed through his clenched teeth.

‘You just won’t learn, will you?’ Calvieri pointed a finger of warning at him. ‘I won’t tell you again. Leave her alone.’

The telephone rang. Calvieri answered it.

‘It’s Philpott. I’ve set up a base in the manager’s office. Extension 2-57.’

‘I’ll be in touch.’ Calvieri replaced the receiver and looked across at Ubrino. ‘We’re in business.’

Dieter Vlok was a short, athletically built man in his late forties with black hair and a neatly trimmed black beard. He had been widely regarded in his native West Germany as one of the country’s leading hotel managers, first at the Vier Jahreszeiten in Hamburg, then at the Bremner’s Park in Baden-Baden, before he went to Switzerland to take up his most challenging post to date, that of general manager of the Offenbach Centre.

His office, situated on the tenth floor, had a breathtaking view of the city spread out in the distance. He stood motionless by the window as Philpott described the latest developments to him. Although he had been briefed that morning, he was still finding it hard to believe that such a catastrophe could be unfolding on his own doorstep.

‘As I said this morning, it’s imperative that we keep this under wraps,’ Philpott said in conclusion, then sat back in the padded chair behind the desk. ‘If the press get the slightest whiff of a story, God knows the pandemonium that would result.’

‘Of course, I understand,’ Vlok replied, turning to face the others. ‘I just find it hard to comprehend. This man Calvieri knows what will happen if the vial is opened and yet he says he’s quite prepared to do it if his demands are not met.’

‘What do you expect? He’s a terrorist,’ Graham retorted gruffly.

‘Even so, what can he hope to achieve?’

‘We’ll find out soon enough,’ Philpott replied. ‘That’s why we’ll need to use your office as a base.’

‘It’s at your disposal. Any calls for me will be put through to my assistant. Not that I need the room anyway. I’ll be down in the conference hall making sure everything runs according to plan for the opening ceremony at eleven o’clock.’

‘Do you have an architect’s plan of the building?’ Philpott asked, tamping a wad of tobacco into the mouth of his pipe.

‘Not here. There’s one in the safe at reception. I’ll have it sent up to you.’

‘No, we have to keep our presence here as quiet as possible. Mike will go with you.’

‘Of course. I’m sorry, I’m not used to this kind of secrecy.’

‘How can we contact you if we need you?’ Kolchinsky asked.

Vlok opened his jacket to reveal a bleeper attached to his belt.

‘Ask the reception to page me if you need me. Anything at all.’

‘I will, you can be sure of that,’ Philpott replied.

Vlok looked at his watch. ‘I better get down to the conference hall.’

Philpott gestured for Graham to go with Vlok, then sat back in the chair and lit his pipe. He waited until they had left before looking across at Kolchinsky.

‘Have you got C.W.’s number? We’re going to need him here.’

‘I was thinking the same thing.’ Kolchinsky took a black notebook from his pocket, opened it at the relevant page, and put it on the desk in front of Philpott.

‘When are you going to tell the delegates about Calvieri?’ Kuhlmann asked, pacing the floor in front of the desk.

‘When we know his demands. There’s no use calling meetings every five minutes. And for God’s sake, Reinhardt, stop pacing about like an expectant father. It’s driving me crazy.’

Kuhlmann sat down beside Kolchinsky on the leather sofa but within seconds he was back on his feet. He crossed to the window.

‘I should have barred Calvieri from Switzerland when I had the chance. But no, I let you talk me out of it. Now look what’s happened. Why did I listen to you?’

‘Barring him wouldn’t have solved anything,’ Philpott said, reaching for Kolchinsky’s black book. ‘He’d just have gone somewhere else.’

‘But at least he wouldn’t be in Switzerland,’ Kuhlmann retorted.

‘So that’s what it’s all about,’ Philpott snapped, then swivelled round in the chair to face Kuhlmann. ‘We have a saying in English, Reinhardt, “If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Perhaps it’s just as well that it’s your last year in office. You obviously can’t take the heat any more.’

Kuhlmann was silent.

Philpott picked up the receiver and dialled the number of the boarding house where Whitlock was staying.

‘C.W.?’

‘Yes sir,’ Whitlock answered, recognizing Philpott’s Scottish brogue.

‘I want you to get over to the Offenbach Centre right away. I’ll have a security pass waiting for you at the main gate. We’re on the tenth floor, the manager’s office.’

‘I’m on my way, sir,’ Whitlock replied.