The Collectors Book Five (The Collectors Series 5) (29 page)

              “Petros Kyriades.”

              “Mr Kyriades, you do not know me but you have something I want very badly. When my transmitter stopped sending a signal and my men failed to return I assumed the worst.”             

              “We rescued one but he’s bleeding to death as we speak.”

              “Toss him overboard, he is of little importance.”

              “What do you want?”

              “What you found on the wreck.”

              “Get lost.”

              “May I suggest you contact your wife. My partner holds her as insurance. If you cross him, I guarantee her health will deteriorate. The choice of your wife living or you attending her funeral is yours.”

              “I don’t believe you.”

              “I give you until the sun shines over the horizon to see sense. After that your little girl will have lost her mother. Your decision, Mr Kyriades.” The transmission ended.

              “Give him the gold,” said Alfredo.

              “Not yet. I have one possibility, but first I’ll phone home as they expect.” He returned to his cabin, found his sat-phone, went on deck, and pressed memory key one.

              “Maria Kyriades.”

              “Are you all right?” He listened to a scuffle and muted scream.

              “Pleased you contacted your wife, My Kyriades. She is quite beautiful.”

              “You touch her. I’ll string you up on a butcher’s hook and hang you from a tree as bird food.”

              “Don’t threaten me. I have the advantage and don’t give a shit. The legal system in this country is so fucked up I won’t even be charged. What you need to worry about is my associate. She kneed him in the bollocks and your dog took half his arm off. Unlike me, he’s a bit of an animal and will fuck her in many ways before he kills her. I don’t believe you’ll let that happen. If the transfer of the gold goes ahead tomorrow, I’ll let her live.”

              “Touch her and I’ll swing but as sure as eggs is eggs you’ll die the most gruesome of deaths,” shouted Petros.

              “I’ve lost count the number of times someone has said that to me. Everyone of them ended up in the mortuary or pig food.”

              “There’s a difference. I’ll send you, your mother, father, sisters, and brothers to hell. If you don’t believe me, touch my wife.”

              The line went dead.

              With little hesitation, Petros pressed memory button two.

              “Yes.”

              “Bear, I have a problem.”

              “What’s new?”

              “For once I’m deadly serious. Some arsehole has Maria hostage and if I don’t hand over the gold she’ll be murdered. I must make my decision by sunrise tomorrow.”

              “You know he’ll kill her.”

              “Of course. The best witness is a dead one.”

              “I’ve no idea what I can do but don’t worry. I’ll ring you when Maria’s cooking my breakfast.”

              “Thanks. I really don’t know...”

              “Get off the line, you’re wasting my time.” Bear terminated the call.

              Petros turned, everyone stood there.

              “We are agreed. Give him the gold,” said Alfredo.

              “We die if we do. There’s no way the Cosa Nostra will let us live. No witnesses make life simple. No, tomorrow morning we take that bastard down.”

              “And your wife?”

              “Plan B is in motion. In as much as I want to I can do no more. Is our friend still alive?”

              “Just about,” said Tommaso.

              “Good. I’m going to throw him overboard.”

              “What will that do?” asked Marco.

              “With luck attract a shark or two. We need to know how many men are on the Cosa Nostras’ vessel.”

              Amadou and ZZ let the man drop to the deck.

              He opened his eyes and gasped, “Kill me.”

              Petros placed his feet either side of the man’s torso. “You are finished. My idea is to drag you astern and watch the sharks have dinner. With luck you’ll live a few more hours but in agony unless you tell me how many men are on the other vessel.”

              “Mother of Mary, take me now.”

              “Alfredo, two knots please. Amadou, ZZ, take this creature to the stern and toss him over.”

              The man screamed as they dragged him and suspended him from the rail.

              “Tell him what he wants to know and I will treat your wounds,” said Alfredo.

              The man attempted to lift his head as he whispered, “I cannot.”

              Alfredo cut the line and let him fall into the water.

              “Good move,” said Petros. “How much plastic have we on board?”

              “Sufficient to blow us to heaven and back to hell,” said Davide.

              “Time to make a few fireworks.”

              “Your wife?” said Alfredo. “You must be worried.”

              “Whatever happens to my wife, tomorrow I’ll have my revenge in part. Later I’ll claim payment in full. If my friend can do it, my wife will be safe.”

              “How can you be so sure?”

              “I’m not but what can I do?

              Davide and Petros placed the plastic explosive, plus a selection of nuts and bolts of various sizes into old paint tins.

              “Petros, this is crazy.”

              “It could even work.”

              Davide nodded his approval as he taped a timed fuse to each tin.

Chapter Nineteen

Bear parked his car in the station car park and strolled to the entrance of Petros’ Pangbourne home. Shielded by a giant holly bush, he waited in the shadows and out of sight of the road.

              Ten minutes later a black van stopped at the river’s edge. Its driver turned off the engine and lights.

              Although a big man, Bear moved like a ghost and tapped on the van window before the driver sensed him being there.

              The driver wound it down. “What’s the score, Night-Fighter?”

              “Don’t know. I waited for you to arrive before I moved in. Are you sure you want to help? It could cost you your jobs.”

              “We’re here, aren’t we?” said James.

              Three men dressed from head to toe in black jumped out.

              “God, I miss the old days,” said Zack.

              “Everything’s PC and bound by the rules,” said Brian.

              “Night scopes?”

              “Two,” said Brian, “and we have a phazzer each.”

              “Won’t you get into trouble borrowing those?”

              “No chance, bought them off a friend in Portobello market. Most of the street girls have them these days.”

              “That would make the earth move,” said Bear. “Right, two teams. James, you’re with me. A recon first then meet back here.”

              “What’s in the bag?” asked Zack.

              “Crossbows, silent and effective.”

              “Are we going to take these bastards out?” said Brian.

              “You’re not but I might,” said Bear. “Can’t have Special Branch hurting the bad guys, can we? Whatever  next?”

              Alert, the two groups split, Bear and James to the front and nearside, Brian and Zack, rear and far side.

              Both teams listened to their own footfalls and watched the house for any sign of movement.

              “What’s that noise,” whispered James.

              As they circled the garage to gain the best view of the house, Bear raised his hand. “I hear something.” He edged forward searching with his night-sight. In a soft voice, “Charlie.” The animal nuzzled Bear’s hand.

              “Stay,” said Bear, his senses sharpened by experience. “What’s this?” He smelt his hand. “The dog’s hurt, which tells me one of them has a nasty bite. “Good boy.”

              The view from the tree line and across the lawn gave them a perfect view of the house.

              “Shit, they’ve drawn the curtains,” said James.

              “Which means they’re in the lounge or kitchen,” said Bear. “Back to the gate. Charlie.”

              Two men and a dog returned to the entrance and waited for the others to return. They emerged out of the gloom.

              “Nothing,” said Zack. “Where did the dog come from?”

              “He belongs to the daughter. Right, we go in through an upstairs window. There’s a ladder in the garage.” Bear jangled a set of keys.

              “There was a time when we abseiled, swung on ropes and smashed through windows,” said Brian.

              “Iranian Embassy, fifth of May 1980, and we were a lot younger,” said Zack.

              “The ladder,” said Bear.

              Zack and James carried the wooden ladder to the rear of the house. Bear, with the two crossbows slung across his back, climbed quickly and silently and waited on the balcony for the others. He pointed and whispered, “This is the guest bedroom, it opens out onto a long uncarpeted landing and stairs to the right.” With his stiletto, he slipped a window catch and slid over the sill.

              “Have you been practising?” whispered Zack.

              “Not lately.”

              From the shadows, the others followed.

              He crossed the carpeted floor and cracked open the door. The hallway was in darkness. He slipped the crossbows from his shoulder, loaded, and handed one to Zack. The other he kept. “You have one shot, make it count.”

              James and Brian readied their phazzers.

              The four men sidled along the passage to the top of the stairs, stopped and listened.

              Someone walked across the ground floor, their footsteps distinct.

              “Don, take a look in the fridge and make me something to eat.”

              “Yes, Boss.”

              “How pathetic. You serve him as if he’s your lord and master.”

              “Bitch.” An open-handed slap across bare skin came next.

              “Leave her.”

              “I’ll look forward to having you every way possible before I break your neck”

              “I bet you can’t even get it up,” shouted Maria.

              Bear turned to Zack and nodded.

              They descended the stairs two on each side and paused at the bottom. With Bear leading, they strolled into the lounge.

              “And what do we have here? Breathe heavy and I’ll fire,” said Bear.

              Donald lunged at Maria.

              Bear fired, the bolt entered Donald’s thigh.

              Roland raised his hands. “Don’t shoot.” Diverting attention.

              Donald shifted his right arm to his back and received another bolt in his shoulder.

              Roland seized the moment to grab his pistol. Confusion filled his face as two phazzer darts struck him in the chest. He convulsed and collapsed unconscious to the floor.

              Maria lifted her clothes, forced a cheerful smile and ran to Bear, hugged and kissed him.

              “You okay?”

              “Bit shaky but now you’re here I’m fine. I must look a sight.”

              “You look good to me but before you go up west, I’d cover those bruises with makeup.”

              “Thankfully, Alysa is at Zena’s. I’d better get some clothes on.”

              “What do we do with these two?” asked James.