Andy McNab - Dark winter

I could hear him agreeing.

Since Suzy was sponsoring the RV [rendezvous], she was responsible for the cover story. 'OK, my boyfriend is going to join us any minute. We all know Penang and we're going to meet up and have a little chat over a nice cup of coffee.'

Again, I heard him agree.

'If anything happens, my boyfriend and I are going to go out the back door. You go out the front, the way you came in. Do you understand?'

As I entered the coffee shop I spotted the two of them sitting in the far left-hand corner. Suzy had the commanding position, with her back against the wall so she could see both exits. I waved to her, and he looked round. Her A-Z was sitting on the table.

I went over and kissed her. 'Hang on, let me turn this thing off.'

She turned hers off too. 'This gentleman is trying to find his way to Golden Lane estate. Can you believe it? He was in Penang the same time we were.'

Everyone else around us was doing their own little thing, and no one took the slightest notice. I gave him a nod and a smile. 'We had the best holiday ever. I'd love to go back.'

We all sat down. Cover and escape routes were established: we could carry on with the meet.

There was silence as he sat and waited for us to start, which was strange because it should have been the other way round. I smiled at him – maybe he was nervous. 'What have you got for us, then?'

He was in his late forties, slim, about the same height as Suzy. He wore a simple stainless-steel watch but no rings or other jewellery. He had lost the moustache and had a few dark brown freckles over his cheeks, and a lot of lines everywhere else. They complemented his bloodshot eyes, which made him look as if he'd been up all week, or was just fucked in general. What was most noticeable, though, were his hands – maybe even bigger than Sundance's, with nails that were perfectly manicured yet knuckles so rough they were almost white. He must have been a Jap slapper, into martial arts and all that kit, doing press-ups on them and punching through lumps of wood. I was certainly glad not to be a lump of wood. 'What do you people expect from me?'

Suzy and I exchanged a glance.

'You people have to realize that finding this ASU will be extremely difficult.'

Suzy leant closer. 'So, what's the point of meeting if you haven't got anything?'

'But I told your people I have nothing yet, it was they who wanted this meeting. We are fighting people who want to be martyrs. These are serious people and their successes depend on concealment. They do not make mistakes. All you people keep saying is where are-'

I raised my hands. 'Hey, listen, whatever you're pissed off about doesn't mean a thing at our level, all right?'

He stared at me for a few seconds, as if weighing me up. 'It may take a little while. These are not your boy terrorists in Northern Ireland…'

Suzy's eyes flashed. 'People have died fighting those "boy" terrorists.'

I put my hand on her arm. 'OK, what now?'

The source looked grave. 'They are here, they are in the UK. What are my contact details, who am I dealing with?'

I pointed at Suzy. 'Her. Give him your number.'

Suzy looked at me but didn't object: we had to show unity, even if he was dicking us about. She told him and he closed his eyes as he loaded it into the software inside his head.

When he opened them again, they seemed even more bloodshot. 'I will call if and when I have something.' He stood up to leave.

'Are you sure you'll be able to locate the ASU?' I said. 'Have you got any help?'

'I do not need any. I am perfectly fine on my own.'

He got up and left through the back doors.

'Stay put, Suzy. Watch.'

Outside, the street-lights had come on. Less than thirty seconds later Grey Streak passed the front window, heading back towards the station.

'That's the first one I saw.' The source also walked past as she sat back in her chair and picked up her brew. He didn't bother looking in. Finally, as she took a sip, Navy followed suit. I powered up my cell. 'He's lying. Let's take 'em. You start.'

She did the same with hers, then her bag went over her left shoulder as she stood up, making sure that her leather jacket covered the Browning on her right hip as we kissed goodbye. I hit redial as she stepped out of the front door and disappeared. 'Hello? Do you have me?'

'Yep, good. That's Navy on the right… approaching the station… into the station now. All three unsighted.'

I was on my feet and out on Cowcross. Suzy was maybe twenty metres ahead of me on the right-hand pavement, just short of the pub.

'I'll go complete the station.' I could hear the PA system and the noise of the ticket hall before she spoke. 'All three still unsighted, still checking.'

There was a lot of rustling as she checked the area. 'Wait, wait, wait. Yes… I have all three down on the platform, can't make out what direction. They're still split up, but on the same platform. I'll get the tickets.'

I joined her a minute later. She greeted me with a smile and 'Nice to see you', as we walked arm in arm towards the turnstiles. CCTV cameras were everywhere.

'Look down the stairs.'

A flight of wide wrought-iron steps led down to the platforms. I could make out the top third of the source's head above the billboards, and further along the platform a tell-tale streak of grey. Navy was nearer to us, sitting on a bench between a middle-aged black woman with two Tesco bags and a white man with a leather bag at his feet.

Suzy moved into me and laid her head on my chest, nodding as I whispered lovingly into her ear. 'We'll just have to wait for-' A train roared in immediately below us. People shuffled to the platform edge. Navy and the two on the bench got up to join the shuffle. 'Fuck the other two, they don't know us. We take the source. You take the far carriage and I'll do this one.'

She handed me my all-zone ticket and pushed hers into the turnstile. The gate flapped open as the train doors did the same below us. I followed her through, and down the stairs. She walked briskly on to the opposite platform, using the billboards as cover. My eyes didn't leave the back of the source's head. I needed to be as close as possible, which meant taking the carriage immediately to his right. I moved behind her, head down, losing myself among the waiting passengers until she'd overtaken him. Then I ducked back as the source boarded the train.

Shit. Navy was heading for the same carriage as me. No time to change direction: I was committed. The woman took a seat with her back to the platform, and so did Navy. I sat opposite her, trying not to get my feet tangled in her bags.

The carriage was only about half full. A couple of kids stayed standing because they wanted to look cool, but everyone else sat. I looked to my right, through the connecting door, but couldn't see the source. Half standing, I leant across to pick up a discarded Guardian supplement a few seats to the left of the woman. As the PA told us all to mind the gap, I caught a glimpse of him on my side of the next carriage, seated about half-way along. I couldn't tell if he was aware or not. Navy certainly wasn't. He stared blankly ahead, his hands resting on his legs. That was it now, no more looking. I couldn't afford eye to eye: I didn't want to be someone he remembered later.

The doors closed and the train rumbled off, still above ground, although the grimy brickwork ran very close on either side. I checked the route card above the woman's head and discovered we were on the Circle line. I felt myself rock from side to side as the train speeded up, then slowed. I played with the phone as if I was dialling, and brought the mike closer to my mouth. I smiled as if I'd just got through. 'Hi, how are you?'

I could hardly hear her above the rattle of the tracks, so I lifted the phone right to my ear and pulled out the hands-free.