Andy McNab - Meltdown

Even Deveraux knew there was no point in any further argument. She nodded slowly and deliberately.

Dudley gave a faint smile. 'If my operation succeeds, your operation will succeed. So you will co-operate fully.'

'Yes, but if I'm to take on your mission too, I need more people. I've got four operatives out here, but I'll need more if we're to tail Kubara and take care of the twins.'

'Miss Deveraux! Let me make myself plain.' Dudley's long years of high command were apparent. 'This is no longer solely your mission. My mission takes precedence and Watts is in command. You will work with him. That is an order. Thanks to Watts we know that Kubara has arranged to meet the twins again at the football match tonight. He's provided tickets for a private box. There are things we need to put into motion straight away and there's no time to bring in backup from the UK – we have to go with what we've got.'

'What – a lame geriatric and an inexperienced boy who can't take orders!?'

'Danny has done well; he's shown he can operate as part of a team – and as for Watts, he's had more experience of missions like this than you're ever likely to see!'

Dudley turned to Fergus. 'What do you think?'

Fergus shrugged his shoulders. 'I've worked with arseholes before.'

'That isn't the attitude I'm expecting, Mr Watts. The operation must come first.'

'OK,' said Fergus. 'But Danny's got a say in this, and he won't take too kindly to her' – he nodded towards Deveraux – 'being involved.'

'Then make sure you persuade him, Mr Watts,' said Dudley wearily. 'Nothing must get in the way of the ultimate success of the mission.'

Danny was on stag at the hotel, staying close to the twins. They were taking a late breakfast with Storm and some of their clients while Danny sat in reception, casually leafing through a city guide but keeping eyes on the entrance doors and the corridor leading to the restaurant.

The twins had been buzzing with nervous energy following the dinner with their contact the previous evening. Will was clearly excited, but Teddy was very twitchy and had insisted that Fergus or Danny stay near them at all times. When Fergus got the summons from Dudley, he had called Teddy and told him he was going out to buy a ticket for the match from a tout, so that he could be in the stadium as backup if they needed him.

Reception was busy with late checkouts and early arrivals, but nothing out of the ordinary. Danny glanced towards the entrance doors and saw his grandfather coming in.

Fergus went straight over to Danny. 'All right?'

Danny nodded towards the restaurant. 'They're in there. Having brunch, as they call it.'

Fergus led Danny to a quiet corner where they could talk without being overheard. He knew it wasn't a good location for the conversation they were about to have but he didn't have any options. He didn't want Teddy emerging from the restaurant and finding their security had gone missing.

'What did Dudley want?' Danny asked his grandfather as they sat down. 'Is there a problem?'

'You could call it that. It turns out that our operation has come up against someone else's.'

'What – the Spanish Firm?'

'No, ours… You're not going to like it.' Fergus paused. 'I don't like it. It's shit.' He looked at Danny. 'The other op is being run by Deveraux. She's here.'

Danny stared at him, his eyes wide with horror. 'What…?'

'She's after the twins' contact too – his name's Kubara; no surprise – he's big time – terrorism, the works.'

The shock on Danny's face was turning to rage and his voice rose. 'Dudley lied to us again – he promised-'

Fergus gestured to him to keep quiet. 'Dudley didn't know anything about it until last night,' he said softly, holding Danny's furious gaze. 'Deveraux's team was snapping pictures of Kubara and the twins. When Deveraux saw me in the pictures, she put two and two together. That's what brought Dudley over. To sort out the turf war between us and the Firm.'

Danny turned away and swore. Fergus waited, watching Danny breathing deeply, trying to calm himself. When he spoke, his voice was deep with suppressed fury.

'So what now? Where do we go?'

Fergus shook his head. 'We don't. We stay. We see the operation through.'

'So she goes?'

'No. It's now a combined operation. Me in command.'

'What!' hissed Danny loudly. 'You're expecting me to work with the person who killed Elena in cold blood. And you've agreed to go along with this without asking me-'

Fergus could see that people in the lobby were beginning to stare. He had to make Danny get a grip and not compromise the situation.

'No, I haven't. I've told them that I've got to talk to you before agreeing to anything. But I think we should stick with it. Dudley seems to have Deveraux under control-'

'Yeah, right!' sneered Danny.

'We'll have to watch her,' said Fergus quickly. 'But this mission's important, Danny. If Phil can locate the DMP back in England, and we can sort things here, we have a chance of stopping this. And then we can get out. For good. Don't you want to see it through?'

Danny turned away again and stared out at the busy street. 'Not with her. I can't.' He looked at his grandfather with disgust. 'And how can you?'

Fergus sighed. 'It's a job, Danny. If that Meltdown crap gets out… ' He started again. 'One last op and then we're out. Danny, you know the only way to handle this sort of shit is just to do it. Focus. And leave the feelings out of it.'

Feelings, Danny thought. His grandfather had always been a cool operator, detached, ruthless. That was how he'd survived. He'd seen terrible things, he'd seen friends die but he'd always managed to move on. He'd concentrated on just two things: the ongoing mission and staying alive. Like now.

'Yeah, well, I'm not you.'

There was a tense moment before Fergus replied. He looked towards the restaurant and saw a couple of the twins' clients coming down the corridor. Brunch was obviously over and the twins would be out soon. Time was up.

'No, you're not.' Fergus had had enough. 'OK, Danny, you're out of this. Dudley wanted you in because we're short-handed and there's no time to get backup. He's seen what you can do and he's impressed. But if you can't handle it, you're no good to anyone.' He got up to leave.

'Wait!' said Danny quickly. He took a deep breath. 'I'll do it.'

'What?' said Fergus.

'I'll do it. Not for you, not for Dudley. For Elena.'

Fergus was not impressed. 'For Elena? This isn't another revenge thing, is it? I'm not taking you if that's what you think!'

'No! I'll do it because I think… I know… it's what Elena would have wanted. She wouldn't have backed out and neither will I.'

Fergus looked hard into Danny's eyes and said nothing for a moment. Then he nodded. 'OK. You're in.' The tension between them eased. 'Just don't get big-headed about the fact that Dudley wanted you.'

Danny nodded and smiled. 'So what next?'

'We're assuming Kubara wants the formula for Meltdown, which means he's planning to take over from the twins. He won't make his move at the football tonight, not in a stadium full of people. It'll probably be after the game.'

Danny thought for a moment. 'What about the twins? Do they suspect any of this?'

Fergus shook his head. 'Will seems to think Kubara's their kind Uncle Enver, but Teddy's worried about the meeting tonight. I'm going to reassure him. We want to make sure they turn up for the match.'

'So what do I do?' asked Danny.

'Keep an eye on Kubara's car outside the stadium,' said Fergus. 'Don't let it out of your sight. I'll be out in the crowd. Dudley's contacts are fixing surveillance in Kubara's box right now; we'll all have a link to a transmitter so we can hear what's going on.'