Colin Forbes - The Power

'What are you up to?' Paula asked.

'First we get hold of Butler and Nield, with their handguns. You may need yours. No shooting unless it's the only way…'.

Paula was still puzzled until Tweed had collected Nield and Butler, had explained the situation.

'We'll check this floor first

Tweed began to walk up to each room door, pressing his ear close to the wooden panel. He had acute hearing and soon moved on to the next door. It was outside the third door he tried that he froze, ear pressed hard against the panel. Voices inside. One with an American accent.

'Look, do you smoke? You don't? Well, honey, you're going to when I press this lighted cigarette into your face, then lower down. What man will ever look at you again…'

'No, you bastards-'

The woman's voice was cut off with a scream. Tweed inserted the master key quietly, turned it noiselessly, took hold of the handle, glanced at Butler who stood with a Walther in his hand. Tweed nodded, turned the handle. Standing aside, he threw the door wide open.

Butler, Walther gripped in both hands, charged into the room in a crouch, prepared to drop to the floor, gun swinging in an arc. Behind him Newman followed with Nield. Tweed removed the key, stepped in after them, inserted the key back into the lock and turned it to the locked position.

Jennie was sprawled back in an armchair, ankles bound with rope, her wrists pinioned behind her. The blouse was pulled down, exposing her breasts. A cloth gag had slipped from her mouth. One tall lanky American was standing behind her, holding her head back with a hand round her throat. A shorter stocky American stood stooped over her, holding a lighted cigarette close to her cheek.

Butler was on his feet in a flash. He brought the muzzle of his Walther down hard on the stocky American's nose. His target screamed with pain, dropped the cigarette. Tweed picked it up off the carpet.

At the same moment Newman reached the lanky American who reacted more quickly. He'd let go of Jennie, his hand had slid inside his jacket. Newman's left arm coiled round his neck from behind, squeezed his Adam's apple. The hard nails of his right hand dug into the back of the American's. There was a grunt of agony, a Luger dropped to the floor. Nield kicked the American's feet from under him and he sagged, gasping for breath.

Tweed had picked up the Luger as the stocky man had one hand over his damaged nose while his other hand fumbled inside his jacket. Tweed rammed the muzzle of the Luger into his abdomen, shook his head. The fumbling hand emerged empty. Tweed used his left hand to explore under the thug's armpit, gripped the butt of a weapon in a shoulder holster, withdrew it. Another Luger.

Everything had happened in a matter of seconds. The stocky man began to swear, using filthy words. Paula hit him across the mouth with her Browning, breaking teeth. He spat out blood.

'Mind your language,' she told him. 'There are ladies present, Any more of that and you know something? All your teeth will go.'

The stocky man glared at her with hatred as he took out a handkerchief, emptied two teeth and blood into it. He saw the expression in her eyes and looked away hastily.

By now Butler and Nield had the lanky American sprawled on the floor, face down. Butler checked him for weapons, found nothing more. As Newman administered the same treatment to the stocky man Tweed and Paula tended to Jennie. Butler handed Paula his clasp knife. She used it to remove the ropes round the victim's ankles and wrists while Tweed untied the gag. He could see no signs of burns on her.

'I'm going to ask you a silly question,' Tweed said and smiled. 'How are you feeling?'

'OK.' Jennie rubbed each wrist in turn. 'The fat one is Eddie, the tall one Hank.' She stood up and Paula stood close, ready to grab her, but she seemed quite steady. 'Do me a favour,' she requested. 'Get Eddie on his feet, two of you hold his arms tight.'

Puzzled, Butler went over to help Newman when Tweed had nodded to them. They hauled Eddie upright, held him tight by each arm. Paula had pulled up Jennie's blouse so she was decent. Her feet were clad in walking shoes. She walked forward slowly until she was within a few feet of the stocky man.

'Eddie is the sadist. Eddie enjoys his work.'

She picked up the burning cigarette Tweed had perched in the lip of a clean ashtray. Flicking off the end of the ash, she faced the stocky man.

'Eddie likes giving people a bad time, revels in it.'

'Look, lady…' Eddie began.

Jennie stabbed the burning cigarette towards his face and he flinched. Tweed frowned, came close to her and whispered.

'Don't burn him. It would take you down to his level. And I won't permit it.'

She shook her head to indicate that wasn't what she had in mind. Her eyes were blazing at the stocky man, who was sweating profusely.

'Spread your feet, Eddie,' Jennie ordered. 'Or you get this cigarette smeared down your face.'

Eddie, mystified and frightened at the same time, stretched out his feet. Jennie moved. Her right leg arched up with all her strength. Paula was startled by the muscular power she displayed, then recalled she was a horse rider. She kicked her target in the groin. He groaned, gulped, gasped, bent over. Released by Newman and Butler, Eddie crouched on the floor, hands clasped to where her foot had contacted him.

'I like to settle my accounts,' Jennie said. 'Can we get out of here?'she asked Tweed.

'Of course. Now…'

As soon as she was inside his room she sank into a chair and broke down, sobbing endlessly.

'I've got a message for you to take back to your boss,' Newman told Hank and Eddie. 'You never come back here again. If I ever see either of your faces one more time you'll never leave Alsace alive. Get out…'

Newman was controlling a pent-up fury. Butler opened the door of the room and Hank walked out, one hand nursing his injured Adam's apple. Eddie had trouble making his exit. Stooped over, he duck-waddled into the corridor. Butler closed the door and with Nield they began a quick search of the room. The most valuable treasure they found was an Uzi sub-machine-gun with plenty of ammo. They took these items with them.

Paula had accompanied Tweed and Jennie to his room. It had plenty of space, was like a small suite with the sitting area just inside the door and sleeping quarters beyond. After consulting Jennie, Paula had nipped down to the Brasserie and asked for a mug of milky coffee with plenty of sugar.

There was no sign of Eve or Gaunt. He was pretty bloody hopeless at looking after a woman, Paula thought as she carried the mug to the room. She'd tell him so when she next met him.

'Hold the mug in both hands,' she coaxed Jennie.

It was a wise precaution. Jennie's hands were shaking but with a little help from Paula she drank some of the liquid. She looked up gratefully.

'Thank you so much. I felt so damned cold.'

'That's shock,' said Tweed quietly. He was standing as he watched her. 'It will wear off. Drink it all if you can.'

'The bastards!' Jennie burst out after she had emptied the mug.

Tweed knew then she was recovering rapidly. He had the impression she had not only considerable physical powers but also great mental resilience. He waited while Paula sat beside her on a chair she'd pulled close.

'I'm feeling much better,' Jennie announced suddenly. 'Thanks to both of you. I suppose I shouldn't have done what I did to that punk, Eddie.'

'I'd have scratched his eyes out,' Paula assured her.

'Feel up to my asking a few questions?' Tweed enquired.

'Fire away!'

'What information were they trying to extract from you?'

They wanted to know about a film and a tape. Seemed to think I knew where they were after my visit to the Chateau Noir. I told them I didn't know what the hell they were talking about, that kidnapping was a capital offence in France if anything happened to the victim. I made that last bit up – but as they were Americans I didn't think they'd know much about Europe. When I kept that up – which is true – that I didn't know what they were talking about, they turned very nasty. I was so lucky you got there just in time.'