Colin Forbes - Deadlock

'Not till Tweed fires the green signal. You know that. God, Tweed will be raving inside.'

'I see why you were so keen on my skill with a moving target,' Marler commented. 'Must be out of practice.'

'Why do you say that?' Klein asked in surprise.

'Only three out of four. Should have got the lot. I'll get better as we go on.'

'We've made our point,' Klein snapped. 'When Tweed tries to get back let him go. That little demonstration must have shaken his nerve.'

'Which is the crux of your strategy?'

'Always keep the enemy off balance. Surprise him. Break him down.'

They had moved off the platform when Marler asked his question. First he lit a cigarette.

'This elusive bullion we keep hearing about. Any sign of our getting our hands on the loot?'

'Brand is under guard in Luxembourg City. He has phoned me to say Bonn is weakening. I expect to have good news soon. Has everyone eaten?' he asked Chabot who appeared from the direction of the restaurant, munching a sandwich. 'Full stomachs are what an arrny marches on. Napoleon.'

'They have taken it in shifts to eat,' Chabot reported. 'The food we brought with us, that is. And, before you ask, they have drunk nothing but the mineral water or the coffee we also brought with us.'

Klein nodded. He had known there would be food and drink in the restaurant food store but inside two of the cases his men had carried in to Euromast there had been canned meats, butter and bread, cans of coffee, condensed milk and bottles of mineral water. Klein believed in relying on his own supplies. Drinking water from the kitchen taps had been banned. The Dutch might get clever and introduce some poisonous element into the water supply.

'Now,' he said, 'we will prepare the major shock for the next encounter with Tweed.'

'It may be some time yet,' Tweed warned Blade as he passed the masked figure crouched behind a wall.

Van Gorp was waiting for him when he entered the HQ room via the back staircase. The Dutchman stood up, his expression bleak. He waited until Tweed was seated.

'I was on the roof when that incident occurred. Three of my men are dead – or badly injured..'

'Dead. Spanjersberg said they had to be. He's waiting with them on the launch…'

'I am not prepared to stand by while that swine kills off my men one by one. What happened?'

'Spanjersberg indicated they wanted to leave. We thought if all four ran at once there would be too many targets. The marksman on that tower is even better than I thought. It's appalling, I agree.' Tweed looked straight at Van Gorp. 'If you wish to take control of the operation I am in your hands. After all, we are on Dutch soil.'

The Dutchman sat down slowly, spread his hands. 'I realize it is a matter of psychology – dealing with that megalomaniac. You know him better than any of us. Please carry on. And I see you have your Verey pistol.'

Tweed had laid it on the table, exposing his right hand. A blob of blood welled up from the back of the hand. Taking a bloodstained handkerchief from his pocket Tweed dabbed at it.

That needs attention,' Paula burst out.

'A sharp chip of wood flew up from the deck when a bullet hit it. Nothing to fuss about.'

'I'm not fussing. It needs washing. I've got Elastoplast in my shoulder bag. I'm dealing with it…'

While she attended to his hand Tweed went on talking to Van Gorp. 'What's the latest met. report? You have a new one?'

Silently, the Dutchman pushed a sheet of paper across the table. They had been receiving regular weather forecasts at Tweed's suggestion for some time. He read the latest and Paula felt him stiffen.

'What is it?' she asked.

'More bad news,' Van Gorp told her.

'I wonder,' said Tweed. 'Major weather change on the way. A heavy sea mist expected and little drizzle. It's a new factor.'

'You mean Klein won't be able to see what's going on out at sea, that we might be able to move the ships out of range?' Van Gorp suggested.

'Certainly it will eliminate their visibility to the lookout I am sure Klein keeps up in that Space Tower. As to moving the ships, too dangerous. Remember, he said he had men watching on the coast. They'll be in radio communication with him. If they report movement he'll press that button.' He looked at Paula. 'Thank you,' he said as she completed staunching the flow of blood. 'No,' he continued, 'it is here at Euromast the deadlock must be ended. It is conditions here which count.'

He waited as Van Gorp took another phone call. Another conversation in Dutch. Van Gorp swore as he put down the receiver.

'The news is really leaking out. That Reuter report started it of course. Now newspaper reporters, TV crews are trying to slip through the cordons for a view of the tower. Some are bound to get through. And who the hell is this?' He picked up the phone again, listened, handed it to Tweed.

'It's for you. Newman on the line…'

Tweed? This is an open connection. I'm talking from a cafe near a certain bank…' Tweed thought Newman sounded strained, tired. Lack of sleep. '… and we're waiting for the banker to leave for the airport. He's being held at gunpoint – if you know what I mean.'

'I do. The expected consignment is on the move. Give me that number so I can call you. Any plan?'

'When the moment comes Butler and I will arrive at the airport first. Ahead of you-know-who. I'll make it up as I go on from there.'

'Bob, when you reach that airport, get Benoit to call me – ask him to keep an open line. I need to know what's going on there as well as here.'

'Will do. Cheers

Van Gorp put down his coffee cup. 'What's the reason for that? Needing data from both ends?'

'Because Klein will be doing the same thing – synchronizing his operation at Findel with what he does here. We have to outwit him – and it may all hinge on seconds.'

The phone rang again. Van Gorp said yes and no several times, put down the receiver, picked it up almost immediately as it rang a second time. He spoke in Dutch, then ended the call.

'First was from Frankfurt. They're loading the bullion aboard the Hercules transport. Brand can check the consignment when it reaches Findel – but the pilot has instructions not to fly on to any destination until Klein surrenders his control box.'

'That arrangement will test my powers of negotiation,' Tweed said thoughtfully with a faraway look.

'Better you than me. The other call was local. My radio interception people are picking up a lot of strange traffic in a language they don't recognize. I can call them back and they can play you part of a tape.'

'Do that. Quickly please. I don't like the sound of that development.'

'Klein is speeding up his operation,' said Paula.

'Trying to catch us on the wrong foot,' agreed Tweed.

He took the phone Van Gorp handed him and listened carefully as a tape was played back. He couldn't understand one word. He handed the phone back.

'I know what it is. Klein is being clever again. He has a large number of Luxembourgers – and that language, so-called, is their patois. Letzeburgesch. Mix of French and German. Understood by neither race. You need a Luxembourger to tell you what is being said. Do you know of one living in Holland?'

'Not off hand. I'll try to locate one, get him to listen to the tapes. I've been thinking about those Sikorskys out at the airport. Something about them bothers me. I'm wondering whether to put guards on them.'

'Don't,' Tweed said quickly. 'Leave them alone. I have my reasons.' He checked his watch. 'And Klein is late calling for me. Bad tactics for me to make the first move. Think I'll go up on the roof, see what's happening.'

'Can I come?' Paula asked.

'Good idea. Give you a breath of fresh air.'

It was drizzling when they emerged on to the roof, a fine sea-like spray. Van Gorp had told Tweed it hadn't rained for weeks. Crouched at the wall, he peered through his binoculars at the huge barges moored close to Euromast in Parkhaven. Four abreast, there were twelve of them altogether, berthed stem to stern.