Andy McNab: Payback

The laptop was still online and a pop-up had appeared on screen.

HEY, ELENA, HOW’S IT GOING?? GREAT EXPLOIT, EH? BLACK STAR HASN’T HAD SO MUCH FUN IN A LONG TIME!!

Danny and Elena stared at the screen.

‘He knows your name,’ said Danny. ‘How could he do that?’

‘We don’t even know if Black Star is a he,’ said Elena. ‘And I’ve got no idea how he or she knows about me.’

She was about to find out.

SURPRISED I KNOW YOUR REAL NAME? HEY, YOU CAN’T SPOOF A SPOOFER!!! JUST WANTED TO SAY I WON’T PASTE YOUR EXPLOIT ON THE DEEP WEB, WOULDN’T WANT YOU TO GET INTO ANY TROUBLE!!! KEEP IN TOUCH, WE MUST WORK TOGETHER AGAIN. BYE FOR NOW.

The screen went blank; Black Star had gone.

Danny looked at Elena. ‘What was that all about?’

She shrugged. ‘How should I know? Showing off. Probably spends too much time down in the Deep Web. Should get out more.’

Fergus was more concerned with their immediate problems. ‘I’m ready with that e-mail, Elena. Keep it brief. Just tell her we have everything we need for our continued safety, and we’ll be in touch tomorrow to arrange the time and place for a meeting.’

Deveraux had changed into operational clothes for the conclusion of her mission, although her working gear still carried designer labels. She was wearing Italian blue jeans, a black leather jacket and Nike trainers.

As they drove away from the police station, Joey kept taking surreptitious sidelong glances as he tried to figure out exactly who his rescuer was and what she wanted.

Deveraux headed away from the main road into the quieter back streets and for a while she said nothing, deliberately making her nervous passenger wait.

Joey decided he would be the icebreaker. He reached into his jacket pocket for his cigars. ‘Mind if I smoke? I’ve been waiting for hours.’

‘Yes, I do mind,’ said Deveraux coldly. ‘You’ll have to wait a little longer.’

Joey sighed and released his grip on the cigar packet. Once again it was a case of so near, yet so far. Giving up would be easier.

Deveraux took a left turn into a road lined on both sides with parked cars. ‘So, Joey, where are they?’

‘They?’ said Joey innocently. ‘I don’t know who you mean.’

Deveraux smiled, prepared to play the game for a little while. ‘Listen, Joey, I’m here to help them, just like I’ve helped you. Twice now. Getting you out of jail is becoming a habit.’

Joey turned and stared at her. ‘You did that? Before?’

She nodded. ‘Of course. And that’s how I learned about tonight’s little escapade. You’re on our system, Joey. As soon as your name was fed into the police computer it came through to my people. You should have left the country, as you were told to.’

‘Yeah, look, I’m sorry, I-’

Deveraux took her left hand from the steering wheel and placed it reassuringly on Joey’s arm. ‘Never mind. You made a mistake. I can sort it out. I can arrange for you to stay here, even get you a UK passport.’

‘You can?’

‘It’s just a question of mutual co-operation. You help me and I’ll help you.’

Joey was thinking quickly: maybe this might yet turn out a lot better than he had feared. ‘I’d like to help, but I wouldn’t want to cause problems for anyone else.’

Deveraux took a right; the road was quieter, less built up. ‘There’s no fear of that, Joey. I already know that Fergus is totally innocent. The person I want is about to be taken. All that’s needed now is for me to talk to Fergus and the two kids and then everyone can get on with their lives. And that includes you.’

She spoke softly and calmly. She seemed so sincere. And so friendly. Genuinely concerned for their welfare.

Joey glanced at her again. She was an attractive woman; beautiful in a cold and detached way. He decided it was time to turn on his famous charm. ‘I don’t even know your name, and when I’m talking to a beautiful woman, I like to know her name.’

Deveraux smiled. There was no harm in him knowing. Not now. ‘It’s Marcie.’

‘Marcie. That’s a lovely name. Are you married, Marcie?’

Deveraux laughed, she couldn’t stop herself. This sad, deluded individual was actually attempting to chat her up. ‘No, Joey, I’m not married. Too busy sorting out other people’s problems.’

‘But you do get time off?’

‘Business before pleasure, Joey, that’s my rule.’ It had gone on for long enough. It was time to get this over with and move on. ‘Now, let’s cut the crap, shall we?’ She held up a bunch of keys. ‘The car you were driving was hired on Elena’s bankcard. I’ve checked. As well as the car key, there are the keys to an industrial unit on this key ring. And they have an address tag. Careless, Joey. Very careless. That’s where they are, isn’t it? That’s where they’re hiding.’

Joey didn’t reply. And Deveraux didn’t need an answer; she had it all figured out. She knew precisely where Fergus, Danny and Elena were hiding.

There was a soft ping on her Xda. She slowed the car and lifted the Xda up to read the brief e-mail Elena had sent. She smiled. ‘Is that so?’ she said softly.

‘Problem?’ said Joey.

‘No problem at all. Everything is fine, but I need to respond to this e-mail.’

Up ahead was a deserted stretch of wasteground close to some buildings ready for demolition. It was exactly what Deveraux had been looking for. She pulled the vehicle off the road, drove slowly into a dark, unlit area, and switched off the engine. ‘You get out and have your cigar – you’ve waited long enough.’

Joey needed no second invitation. He pushed open the door, pulled his cigars and lighter from his pocket and took a few steps away from the vehicle. Deveraux saw the blue smoke curl into the night air. The condemned man was enjoying his last smoke.

Deveraux had already decided on the method. Going to the ready bag for a weapon and loading up was not the right option. Joey was stupid, but not that stupid. He would try to run, and that would mean an unnecessary delay and complications. There was a much simpler way, once Joey had had a few more puffs of his last cigar.

Deveraux flicked the car’s internal light switch to off so that her victim would get no warning as she opened her door. Noiselessly she stepped from the vehicle. Joey didn’t hear a thing as she approached, silent as a panther.

With a few light steps she was behind him. She held her Xda in her right hand, swung it round hard and fast and heard it connect with Joey’s nose. There was a dull crunch of fracturing bone as the big man fell to his knees, holding his face as blood poured between his fingers.

Deveraux dropped to her knees behind him, stuck the phone’s edge across his throat with her right hand and gripped the other side with her left. She pulled back on the Xda. Joey was kicking out, arms flailing as he tried to tear the phone away from his neck, but Deveraux responded by leaning forward, using the weight of her upper body to bend Joey’s head down so that his chin was virtually touching his chest. She wrenched the phone back even harder.

Joey’s legs kicked out again; his body jerked as he frantically tried to free himself. He couldn’t breathe, his head was dizzy, his vision blurred. His hands scrabbled at Deveraux’s face, but he was weakening quickly, and his assassin simply moved her head to avoid his desperate hands.

It took another minute, no more. Then Joey’s movements subsided to a little spasmodic twitching of the legs. And then there was no movement at all.

Deveraux let go of the phone with one hand and Joey’s limp body slumped to the ground. She checked for a pulse in his neck; there was nothing.

Joey’s last cigar was still smouldering on the ground, close to his body. As Deveraux started to turn away, one foot made contact with a small cardboard packet lying in the dirt. She smiled. ‘Should have read what it says on the packet, Joey. Smoking kills.’