Алистер Маклин - Red Alert

Calvieri stood up, pocketed the transmitter, and crossed to where Ubrino was standing.

‘Any luck?’

‘It’s ringing,’ Ubrino replied.

The receiver was lifted at the other end of the line.

‘Tony,’ Ubrino said, extending the receiver towards Calvieri.

‘Hello, who’s speaking?’ Calvieri asked in Greek.

‘Andreas Kozanakis. Who is that?’

‘Tony Calvieri, Red Brigades.’

‘It’s an honour–’

‘Shove your honour,’ Calvieri said tersely. ‘I want to know if the ELA have planted an explosive device at the Offenbach Centre due to go off at three o’clock. Yes or no.’

There was silence.

‘Answer me!’ Calvieri snapped.

‘I am not at liberty to discuss that with you,’ Kozanakis replied.

‘How’s Alexis?’ Calvieri asked, his voice calm.

‘What?’ Kozanakis replied, the question catching him off guard.

‘Alexis, your daughter. How old is she now? Seventeen? Eighteen? It’s her first year at Rome University, isn’t it? I believe Lino Zocchi promised to keep an eye on her for you. Pity he’s in jail. I’d hate something to happen to her. She’s got her whole life ahead of her.’

‘Leave Alexis out of this,’ Kozanakis said, a note of anxiety creeping into his voice.

‘Then tell me about the explosive device.’

Kozanakis exhaled deeply. There was a pause.

‘Semtex. Twenty pounds.’

‘Nasty,’ Calvieri said. ‘Where is it?’

‘I don’t know. One of my aides installed it.’

Calvieri looked at his watch. ‘You’ve got exactly twelve minutes to find out where the Semtex has been hidden. If I haven’t heard from you by two forty-five then I’ll call Rome and have a couple of my Brigatisti visit Alexis at her residence. I’m sure she’ll amuse them.’

‘No!’ Kozanakis screamed down the line.

‘I know you won’t let it come to that, Andreas.’ Calvieri gave him the number, and extension, where he could be reached. ‘Twelve minutes. Don’t let Alexis down.’

‘How much lower can you sink?’ Sabrina hissed when Calvieri had replaced the receiver.

‘I never realized you spoke Greek as well,’ Calvieri said. ‘You continue to impress me.’

‘It’s not mutual,’ she retorted. ‘A seventeen-year-old girl. You disgust me.’

‘And how would UNACO have handled the situation?’ Calvieri asked, sitting astride the chair at the head of the table, his arms resting on its back.

‘We wouldn’t have threatened to send round a couple of hatchet men to rape her.’

‘Who said anything about rape?’ Calvieri exclaimed with a look of feigned disbelief.

‘Spare the theatrics, we both know what you meant.’

‘He’ll call before two forty-five,’ Calvieri said.

‘And if he doesn’t?’ she challenged.

‘He will, end of subject.’ Calvieri looked at the television screen. ‘What’s happening?’

‘The Dutch Prime Minister’s making a speech about the need for European unity in 1992’ Ubrino replied.

‘Still no sign of Bellini?’

Ubrino shook his head. ‘The Foreign Secretary is still representing the Italian Government.’

‘Good.’ Calvieri watched the screen for a couple of minutes, then got to his feet and took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. It was empty. He crumpled the pack into a ball and threw it angrily against the wall.

‘You got a cigarette?’ he asked Ubrino.

‘I smoked my last one twenty minutes ago,’ Ubrino said with an apologetic shrug.

‘Great. We could be here all night and we’re already out of cigarettes.’ Calvieri crossed to the side table and rifled through the drawers.

‘Pens, paper, even peppermints. But no damn cigarettes.’

‘What do you expect?’ Sabrina said. ‘It’s a conference room, not a tobacco stall.’

Calvieri closed the bottom drawer, then tugged back his sleeve to look at his watch.

‘ Tempus fugit ,’ Sabrina said, looking at the clock on the wall.

‘He’s still got six minutes.’ Calvieri leaned back against the side table and folded his arms across his chest. ‘He’ll call. Wouldn’t you? Or perhaps you don’t think I’d carry out my threat against Alexis, just as you don’t think I’d press the button if it came to the crunch.’

‘I’m sure you would, under the circumstances.’

‘And what’s that supposed to mean?’

‘As you said earlier, who’s going to take you seriously unless you’re prepared to back up your threats? But I still don’t believe you’d push the button, even as a last resort. You’d have so much to lose.’

‘If I found myself in a situation where I was forced to press the button, I’d have reached a stage where I had nothing left to lose.’ Calvieri dismissed the subject with a curt flick of the hand. ‘This is all idle speculation. Bellini will resign, the money will be paid and the virus will be returned to the authorities intact.’

‘Let’s hope the ELA have read the script as well.’ Sabrina looked up at the clock. ‘Three minutes left. Are you still so sure he’s going to call?’

‘Of course,’ Calvieri replied indifferently.

They lapsed into silence, both caught up in their own thoughts.

She knew he wouldn’t push the button. He couldn’t. He wasn’t the megalomaniac the others believed him to be. She knew him better than them. He had even managed to fool Ubrino then again, that wouldn’t be very difficult. She smiled faintly as she looked at Ubrino, who sat in front of the television set, as enthralled as a child. She had her doubts whether he even understood what was being said at the conference. He was slow, even gullible. But he was also very dangerous. He wouldn’t touch her as long as Calvieri needed her.

They were sure to use her as a hostage to get clear of the building once the ransom had been paid. Then what? She suddenly realized her life was entirely in Calvieri’s hands. There was little comfort in that thought.

Calvieri flexed his fingers and winced as the pain shot through the back of his hand. He took the transmitter from his pocket again and turned it around slowly in his hands. It seemed to ease the pain. Strange. His eyes flickered towards the telephone. Damn the ELA. What if Kozanakis couldn’t contact his aide? What if the bomb went off? The building would be evacuated. Then what? He looked at the transmitter. The button. He smiled to himself. Would he press it? Not according to Sabrina. Only he knew the answer. If it did come to the crunch, he–

The telephone rang.

He snatched up the receiver.

‘Calvieri?’

‘About time,’ Calvieri replied, recognizing Kozanakis’s voice. He glanced at his watch. ‘You just made it. What did you find out?’

‘The Semtex is in the boot of a white Audi Quattro. It’s parked close to the building.’

‘Number plate?’

‘He doesn’t remember,’ Kozanakis replied hesitantly.

‘Brilliant! Does it have any distinctive features?’

‘A plaid rug on the back seat, that’s all he can remember.’

‘Is the boot booby-trapped?’

‘Yes,’ came the resigned reply. ‘It’ll blow if any attempt is made to open it.’

‘You’ve done well, Andreas.’

‘What’s going on?’ Kozanakis demanded. ‘I had this number checked with the operator. You’re at the Offenbach Centre.’

‘That’s right,’ Calvieri said brusquely.

‘The ELA has planned this for months–’

‘You’re way out of your league,’ Calvieri interrupted him sharply. ‘The Red Brigades have got something big going down here. It’ll be in the news soon enough. But until then you’re to keep your mouth shut. If only for Alexis.’

‘This is going to cost you, Calvieri.’