Andy Mcdermott - Temple of the Gods

‘You were a mole,’ said Eddie in disgust. ‘A double agent.’

‘I didn’t have a choice. These people — once you’re in with them, there’s no way out. Even if, like Jindal, you agree with their goals, they still have power over you. I had to keep helping the Group, but at the same time I was secretly helping Harald as much as I could.’

‘ You told him I was in Rome!’ Nina realised. She rounded her desk, jabbing a finger into his face. Penrose flinched. ‘And you told him that we were going down to Atlantis. You got Lewis and the others killed, Sebastian. It was your fault!’

Eddie hauled him across the room. ‘You’re going out of the fucking window!’

‘No, Eddie!’ said Nina, as Penrose gasped in fear. ‘Let him go!’

He angrily released the other man. The sweating Penrose straightened his glasses before stammering out a reply. ‘I–I know it was my fault, I know. I’m sorry. As I said, I had no choice.’

‘You’re still responsible, though. There’s no way I can let this pass. The UN’s got to be told — it’s more than just a breach of confidence, it’s a breach of security that’s gotten our people killed.’ She was trembling with a cold fury as she jabbed her finger at him again. ‘You’ll go to jail for this.’

Penrose took a long, deep breath. ‘I… will resign my position and turn myself in to the authorities as soon as we’re finished here,’ he said, voice quavering. ‘I always thought this might happen, sooner or later. But you do know that the Group will never allow their existence to be publicly exposed. They’ll either make this go away before it can get close to coming to trial… or they’ll make me go away.’

‘Unless you only tell them about Glas’s side of things,’ Nina suggested. ‘I doubt he’ll voluntarily come to court to defend his character.’

He considered this. ‘It would all technically be true, I suppose… yes, you’re right. But before any of that, there’s something we have to do first.’

She regarded the case. ‘Destroy the statues.’

‘About fucking time,’ said Eddie. ‘I’ll get a hammer.’

He started for the door, but before he was halfway there the phone rang. Nina was tempted to leave it, but there was an outside possibility that it might be Glas. She picked it up. ‘Yes?’

‘Nina, Larry Chase’s wife is on the line,’ said Lola.

‘Tell her to call back.’

‘I… I think you should talk to her.’

The worry in her voice changed Nina’s mind. ‘Okay, put her through.’

The click of a switching line, then: ‘Hello? Nina, hello?’ Julie Chase — on the verge of panic.

‘Julie, what is it?’ Nina asked. She hurriedly put the phone on speaker. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes, I’m okay, but — it’s Larry!’

‘What about him?’ said Eddie, giving his wife a look of concern.

‘I just got home, and — and somebody’s broken into the house, it looks like there’s been a fight. And there’s a note, someone left a note. It said that I had to call you, Nina.’

She was startled. ‘Me?’

‘What’s going on?’ cried Julie, almost in tears. ‘Where’s Larry, what’s happened to him?’

‘Julie,’ Eddie said, ‘this note — what does it say, exactly?’

‘It — it says that if I want to see my husband again, I have to call Nina and give her…’

‘Give her what? Julie!’

‘There’s a phone number,’ came the words between sobs. ‘It says I have to tell you to call it.’

‘Read it out to us,’ said Nina, getting a pen.

Julie recited it. ‘Swiss number,’ Eddie told Nina quietly, recognising the first few digits. ‘Julie, listen — we think we know what’s going on, but we’re going to have to hang up so we can call this number.’

‘You know where Larry is?’

‘No, but I think we know who’s got him. We’re going to ring the number to see if he’s okay. All right?’

‘What should I do?’ she wailed. ‘Should I call the police?’

‘I don’t think they’ll be much help,’ Nina said grimly. Like Eddie, she already had a very strong suspicion about who was responsible, and that Larry would by now be beyond the reach of conventional law enforcement. ‘Julie, we’ll call you right back, okay?’

‘Can — can you get him back home?’

‘I hope so.’ She disconnected, then started to dial the number Julie had given her.

‘What about the statues?’ Penrose asked nervously. ‘We still need to destroy them…’

Nina waved him to silence as the call was answered by a clipped English voice. ‘Hello, Nina. And Chase, I assume you’re there too.’

‘Stikes,’ Nina replied with distaste. ‘What do you want?’

‘I’m sure you already know. Thank you for calling me so promptly, by the way. Mr Warden was getting a little concerned that he hadn’t heard back from you. So I decided to encourage you to reach a decision.’

‘Where’s Larry?’ she demanded.

‘Safe. For now. He’s a little bruised, perhaps, but then my men did warn him not to resist.’ A small chuckle. ‘I considered taking Chase’s niece or sister, but then I decided I preferred the irony of using someone he can’t stand — but won’t be able to allow to come to harm either.’

Eddie stepped up to the desk. ‘I’m going to fucking kill you for this, Stikes.’

‘I doubt that. But I’m sure your father will be absolutely delighted to know that you care enough to threaten murder for him. Anyway, enough of the pleasantries — we have business to discuss. I do hope for Larry’s sake that you have the statues, and haven’t done anything foolish like damage them.’

‘And what if we have?’

‘Then I have no further use for your father, and I never carry dead weight. Come on, Chase, stop being obtuse. Do you have the statues?’

‘Yes,’ Nina admitted.

‘Excellent. Now, since the Group needs you as well for them to be of any use, here’s what’s going to happen. I’ll send you an email shortly, telling you where I want you to meet me tomorrow. Just you, Nina — Chase is very definitely not invited, and there will be, shall we say, unfortunate consequences for his father if I see him. Bring the statues with you, and Larry will be released.’

‘How do we know you’ll let him go?’ she asked.

‘You don’t, obviously. But you do know what will happen to him if you don’t do what I say. I never make idle threats. As I’m sure you must be aware by now.’

Nina looked helplessly at Eddie. Delivering the statues — and herself — to the Group was a course that could lead to disaster. But refusal would certainly mean Larry’s death. Stikes had already proved himself utterly ruthless in the past, and now that he was working for the Group he undoubtedly considered himself to be untouchable for his crimes. ‘What do we do?’ she silently mouthed.

Face tight with frustration, Eddie whispered, ‘Go along with him for now.’

‘Are you sure?’

He nodded as Stikes spoke again. ‘Well? Do I at least get the courtesy of an answer?’

‘I’ll bring the statues to you,’ Nina said, to Penrose’s dismay.

‘I’m glad to hear it. I’ll send you the details now. Oh, and Nina?’ Smug amusement filled the former officer’s voice. ‘Wrap up warmly.’

In better weather, the little ski resort of Chandère would have been beautiful. Backed by majestic peaks, with long flowing slopes running down to the woods around the traditional houses of pale stone and dark timber, it was an almost postcard-perfect representation of the idealised Alpine village. Adding to its picturesque quality was the narrow-gauge steam railway that ran along the valley, connecting it to other equally attractive tourist destinations.