Jack Higgins - The Killing Ground

He knelt there in the pouring rain, secure in his waterproof clothes, and hacked away at the grass and soil beneath, holding the tire lever in both hands, and gradually a patch tore away. He scrabbled with his hands, and there it was, a portion of a cast-iron manhole cover. He managed to reach a part of the circular edge, forced the tire lever in, hoping to lift it. It was hopeless. It needed the right tools, but that wasn’t his problem. He looked around him. A crowded thicket of bushes and undergrowth pushed in and the trees were close. It was certainly private enough.

He went back through the rain, immensely cheered by the way things had turned out, and his extraordinary good fortune in meeting Seth Harker. He got in the Audi and called Ali Hassim on his mobile. There was an instant answer, for Ali was entertaining Hussein and Khazid in the back room of the shop.

“Where are you?”

“Zion, of course. I’m coming back. I’ll see you in about three hours.”

“But why aren’t you staying overnight?”

“Because I’ve finished the task you’ve given me. Zion House has a purpose. I believe it to be a high-security safe house. People only arrive by plane. They have their own personal runway. They received a plane at eleven-thirty this morning with two women passengers, a young girl and three men. I haven’t the slightest idea who they are, but I suspect you do.”

“This is incredible,” Ali told him.

“No, but the fact that in spite of all their security, I’ve found a way in-that’s incredible.”

“If that is so, truly Allah is on our side.”

“I thought you’d say that.” Bolton drove away fast.

At the shop, Ali turned to face Hussein and Khazid and told them everything.

AT THE DARK MAN, HARRY AND BILLY SAT IN THEIR USUAL booth, Roper beside him in his wheelchair, Joe Baxter and Sam Hall leaning against the wall and talking in low voices. Sergeant Doyle, who had brought Roper down in the People Traveller, was sitting in it outside, reading a book as usual. They all looked troubled. Harry had just swallowed a large scotch and called to Ruby, who was tending the bar with Mary O’Toole. “We’ll have another, love, me and the Major.”

“All right, Harry.” She poured the drinks. “I’ve not seen this before, the black rage. He frightens me in a way.”

“Did he know this Professor Stone well?”

“According to Billy, they worked quite closely with him when the outfit had some sort of bad time in Hazar two or three years ago.”

“Ruby, what’s keeping you?” Mary picked up the tray. “I’ll take it for you.” Harry accepted it in silence, staring into space, his face like a frozen mask. Ferguson had phoned Billy and told him that the surgeon, a Professor Vaughan at the hospital in Cambridge, unhappy with Hal Stone’s condition, was holding back on the operation.

Billy shook his head in a kind of controlled fury. “I wonder where those bastards are now?” Roper swallowed his scotch. “Well, only they would know that.” Harry seemed to come alive. “Yes, but they must have some plan. I mean, this Hussein is a clever bugger. He wouldn’t do anything without backup.”

“You’re right,” Roper said. “He wouldn’t have dared come to England without knowing there were extremist organizations who would back him to the hilt.”

“Well, we all know that,” Harry said. “Fanatics who get away with preaching terror everywhere from television to the London streets.”

Billy said, “Yeah, but there’s their human rights to consider. We know what they are but can’t do anything about it.”

“Well, I bloody well can.” Harry turned to Roper. “This guy with the funny name, Professor Dreq Khan and his Army of God thing?”

“He’s untouchable. Covers his back constantly.”

“Bloody disgraceful,” Harry said.

“It’s likely Greta speaks Arabic,” Roper said. “So she heard enough of the conversation at the hospital to know those two men at Caspar’s house were under orders from Khan to get up to no good. After things went sour, he did a quick flit to Brussels in his role as chairman of a committee involved with racial harmony. He’s just come back.”

“Then why hasn’t he been nicked?” Harry demanded.

“His work with the UN gives him diplomatic immunity. We know he’s guilty as sin, but proving it legally is another thing. Even if Ferguson descended, it would be laughed out of court, and with Khan’s UN status, he’d probably be allowed to do a runner anyway,” Roper told him.

“Well, I’m not happy about that, and I think I’d like to discuss it with him. I presume you’ve got an address?”

“The Army of God is a registered organization,” Roper told him. “It’s in the phone book.”

“I was thinking of something a little more private than that.”

Roper smiled. “I should say, are you sure you want to do this, but you know what, Harry? Khan is a very bad man. Like you, I’ve had enough.”

He called Holland Park, gave Khan’s name into the automated connection in his computer. A recorded voice gave him an answer in seconds.

“Huntley Street Apartments,” he said.

Harry started to move and Billy stood up. “This is my gig, Harry. The boys and I will get him.”

“You’ve got to think of your position, Billy.”

“As a member of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Services? Harry, I don’t give a toss. I’m as pissed off as you two.” He turned to Hall and

Baxter. “Are you available?”

“Too bloody true we are,” Baxter told him.

Harry said, “Okay, I’ll see you on the Linda Jones, and you, Major, I think you’ve got things to attend to at Holland Park.”

“You mean I’m not up to it?”

“I just don’t want you involved.”

“He’s right,” Billy said. “Come on, boys.” Baxter and Hall followed him out to the Alfa Romeo parked by the People Traveller.

“Major Roper’s coming out,” Billy called to Doyle, behind the wheel with his book, and piled into the Alfa with Baxter and Hall and was away.

Roper emerged in the wheelchair, Harry following, and the rear door of the People Traveller came down as the lift descended at Doyle’s touch. Harry put a hand on Roper’s shoulder. “I’ll be in touch.”

“Try not to kill him,” Roper said. “Sometimes I’ve had enough of that, too. It’s been a hell of a life, Harry.”

“I know, old son. I’ll try and oblige you.”

The lift took Roper up and inside. Doyle drove away. Ruby appeared. “Everything all right, Harry?”

“Just going down to the Linda, love. I’ve got a bit of business to handle, phone calls to make. I don’t want to be disturbed, okay?”

“Just as you say, Harry.”

She went back inside and he walked slowly along the wharf.

KHAN WAS AT THE DESK of his study, working over some papers, when the buzzer sounded from the entry phone in the hall. Billy had given the matter some thought on the way. That Khan was involved in the whole affair was obvious, which meant he might have seen photos of the Salters and Dillon. So it was Baxter who held up Billy’s warrant card when he pressed the buzzer.

Khan looked at him on the entry screen. “Yes?”

“Professor Khan? Sergeant Jones, CID Paddington Green. Young Muslim lady was assaulted. A patrol car has brought her in, but her English isn’t too good. She mentioned your name. I’m really asking for assistance here.”

“I’m always happy to help the police.”

Khan pressed the button, took a few steps to the door, which burst open. Baxter moved fast and punched him in the stomach. Billy and Hall crowded in behind. An overcoat was taken down from a hall stand, his arms thrust into it, a dark trilby hat rammed on his head. Baxter and Hall walked him out to the Alfa, sat him between them in the back and Billy drove away.