The Ghost Roads (Ring of Five) (21 page)

“You can sleep here. Your passport is ready, by the way, but what about your eyes? Every policeman and security agent in the country knows about them and is checking everyone. I don’t know how you’ve gotten this far.”

“Don’t worry,” Danny said gruffly, “I’ll look after that. I’ve got ways of keeping out of the way.” In truth, he didn’t want to change his eyes again with a temporary membrane as he had on past missions. They were part of who he was. His mother was a Cherb! He felt a flash of pride. The Phonemaker turned to look out a little window that opened onto the platform.

“They come here in the evening after work, or at night after the children are put to bed. Sometimes they work all night through and have to go to their jobs the following morning. Because they believe in S and G. They know what’s at stake. People like Longford would destroy the world and stand over the rubble, a lord of ruin.”

“And do they know that I could bring that ruin on them as well?” Danny asked.

“They’re not stupid. They may not know the power of the Fifth, but they know that you are a risk they must take. I thought that showing you the hope in their faces, their belief in you, might strengthen your mind. Perhaps I was wrong. But whatever you plan to do, time is short. The fact that Longford has brought the army under his control means war is not far away. You must act soon, Danny.”

Danny couldn’t believe he was in the heart of an organization founded by his parents. It should have made him feel closer to them, but part of him felt that they could have put a little time aside to look after him while they were busy making plans to save the world. The Phonemaker left and Danny slept, falling into uneasy dreams of ghost trains in the underground and caravans bursting into flames.

L
ongford was incandescent with rage. The CIS officers had taken it upon themselves to destroy Danny’s caravan. All evidence was gone. He had arranged for the officer in charge of the raid to be debriefed by Conal. No one had seen the man since. Thankfully, the boy’s remains had not been found. He was still out there, but he had to be used soon. Longford had taken control of the army, but the generals were suspicious. There was a growing antiwar movement that had to be curbed. He had thought the trial of Nurse Flanagan as a spy would help things along, but now he had other plans for her. He lifted the phone and called the jail.

D
anny woke early, the power stirring in him. He was always aware of it now, and knew that he had to be alert. He looked out at the railway platform and saw that it was busy, the people looking agitated. He pulled on his clothes and went out, stopping a black-haired girl with earbuds gripped forgotten in her hand as she hurried down the tunnel.

“What’s happening?” he said. She looked at him in confusion, then backed away from him, turned and ran. He got other strange looks from other operatives, mostly ones he hadn’t seen the previous evening.

At the end of the platform he saw the Phonemaker and hurried to join him.

“What is it?”

“This,” the Phonemaker said grimly, and brought up a news network on the computer screen. The screen filled with a photograph of Nurse Flanagan. She was splayed on the floor, her eyes wide open, indisputably dead.

“The trial of terrorist suspect Flanagan is in turmoil,” a grim-faced newsreader said, “after she was murdered during an apparent escape attempt. Professor Longford sees it as an attempt to stop material incriminating the foreign power from coming to light during her trial.”

“Who murdered her?” Danny said, a feeling of foreboding coming over him. The question was answered by another photograph flashing up on the screen. Nala. Reported to be armed and dangerous. Danny’s eyes narrowed.

“What is it?”

“Of course,” Danny said. “Longford was never going to let Nurse Flanagan go on trial in an open court. The first thing she would do is dish the dirt on the Ring of Five, and Longford in particular. She was always going to be bumped off, and it was handy having Nala there to be blamed for it.”

But where was Nala now? Once again the newsreader answered Danny’s question.

“The murderer is at large in the city. Police say he may be part of the gang that detonated a bomb at a key government base. Once more, the public are warned not to approach the suspects.”

“The peace is stretched to breaking point,” the Phonemaker said. “Whatever you plan to do, you’d better do it soon.”

“I’ll do it today, if I can,” Danny said. “I need you to find out what the prime minister’s engagements are today.”

The Phonemaker called a male operative over and issued instructions.

“Is that all you want?”

“That’s it,” Danny said. He trusted the Phonemaker, but his organization could be riddled with spies.

Ten minutes later the man came back with the information. The prime minister would address Parliament that afternoon and would return to his residence at four p.m.

“That’ll do,” Danny said, “but I never did get that passport off you.”

“Here.” The Phonemaker handed over the passport. “But you might not need it. There are tunnels from here all over the city.”

“Okay,” Danny said, “but only you know where I’m going, is that clear?”

The Phonemaker nodded, looking at Danny in a strange way.

“What is it?” Danny demanded.

“Nothing,” the Phonemaker said. “It was just that for a minute, you sounded exactly like your father.”

T
hey were ready to go at three o’clock. Danny spent the morning studying maps, working out his plan. The Phonemaker led him to a service tunnel. Only when they were out of sight of the underground station did Danny put on a suit borrowed from the Phonemaker but quickly started to regret having put it on so soon. The tunnels were filthy and hot, and he had a lot of trouble keeping it clean.

After forty minutes the Phonemaker turned into another side tunnel. After a few more minutes he pointed to a little metal door.

“Here we are,” he said. Danny took his map out and the Phonemaker showed him exactly where he was emerging.

“Good luck,” the Phonemaker said. “And if you need us, here.” He handed a small phone to Danny. “All you have to do is hit Send. I’ll answer it.”

“Okay.”

A shadow passed over the Phonemaker’s face.

“Your mother and father were fine people. Very strong-willed, both of them. It grieved me to hear that they are gone.” He bowed his head in sorrow.

How can you listen to someone talking like that about your parents when you didn’t even know them?
a wearily familiar voice snarled in Danny’s head.
You’d be better off without him and his friends
. An image of the S & Gs being led out in handcuffs came back into his mind. He pushed it back. He had to be at his sharpest. Betrayal, no matter about its dark attractions, was not for now; perhaps it could be savored later.

The Phonemaker took a key from his belt and opened the door. “Good luck,” he whispered.

Danny slipped past him and into the crowd outside a busy Underground station. The door closed behind him, one of those nondescript service doors that no one ever pays any attention to. Danny was lost in the crowd in seconds. The tube station was busy. There was even the odd tourist, despite the threat of war. The scene was exactly as he had studied it on the map, and he slipped quickly down the avenue toward the entrance to the street where the prime minister’s residence was situated. A stand of trees that hadn’t been shown on the map confused him momentarily, and he felt panic rising; then, beyond the trees, he saw the large stone arch through which all traffic had to go. He moved quickly. If the prime minister was punctual, then there was no time to spare. Danny preferred it that way. The longer he hung around, the better his chances of getting caught.

Keeping an eye on surveillance cameras, he moved toward the arch in the distance, but he could hear sirens approaching rapidly. He slowed down. He was twenty yards from the arch, fifteen yards, ten … The prime minister’s motorcade appeared at the top of the street, officers on motorcycles clearing the traffic. Danny took ten quick strides forward and stepped into the cover of the arch, where the cameras could not see him. He slipped his dark glasses on and opened his raincoat to reveal the gray suit. The motorcycles entered the archway, the sound almost unbearable as the sirens reverberated off the walls. The first of the security detail running alongside appeared, one of four on each side. The careful observer would have noticed that when the motorcade emerged from the arch, there were five runners on the right-hand side. The motorcade sped toward the security gates, which swung open at the last minute. Cameras flashed, and some onlookers cheered. Then the gates swung closed again. Danny was in.

He fought to keep his head; he didn’t have long. The sudden heat and blare and noise of the cars had disoriented him momentarily, and he had run through the gates in a blur. He took stock quickly. The security had relaxed now that they were out of the public thoroughfare. The prime minister’s car pulled up at the entrance to his residence. The door opened, and with a shock that felt like a physical blow, Danny saw a man standing there. Longford!

Longford descended the steps grinning broadly, as though
he
were the prime minister, not the red-faced man getting out of the car.

“Any news of the killer?” the prime minister asked anxiously.

“Nothing. We’ve expelled their ambassador, and they’ve thrown ours out. It means war.”

“It means nothing of the sort.” The prime minister snorted. “We won’t take any more provocation, but war would be a disaster.”

“Of course, of course,” Longford said, taking the prime minister by the elbow and steering him up the stairs. The security men glanced quickly around and then relaxed, one of them even taking out a packet of cigarettes and lighting one. A young man appeared with a cardboard tray of coffees. Danny smelled danger. The security men’s eyes would track the tray, would realize that there was one too many in their company. Danny wandered behind a catering truck.
“Hide in plain view!”
He could hear Duddy’s words ringing in his ears. He opened the cab door.

“You,” he said to the driver, “where’s your ID?”

“I already got checked,” the young man said, looking frightened.

“This is an in-depth check,” Danny said, “doublelock security. What’s your clearance?”

“I don’t know,” the youth almost pleaded.

“What meals are you serving?”

“Er, snacks for a Ghanaian delegation, soup and sandwiches for war cabinet staff and, er, afternoon tea for Professor Longford.”

“Okay,” Danny said, “we’re going to do a security drill. I’m going to try to breach security by pretending
to be one of your staff. I want you to take me through it, teach me what to do, dress me in the right clothes. It’ll be a real test of security.”

“Are you sure?”

“We do these drills all the time. You want me to call your boss?”

“No, no, that’s fine.” The young man sat up, looking pleased with himself. “I bet I can get you all the way in there.”

“You think so?” Danny said. “My money’s on the security.”

Twenty minutes later, Danny was serving drinks to a delegation of Ghanaian civil servants. He had become expert at standing in profile to the person he was talking to so that they saw only a brown eye or a blue eye, depending on which side they were standing on. But when he saw Longford at the other side of the room, his composure deserted him. As his gaze fell on the head of the Ring of Five, Longford stopped. Danny could feel the man’s mind eagerly probing. He knew Danny was nearby.

For a second Danny was joined to Longford and the others. He could feel the brooding anger of Rufus Ness and the presence of Conal, hard and cold as it always was, but accompanied by something else, not a physical odor, but something sickening that made Danny turn away and cut off his mind. He ducked his head and turned his back to Longford. A new batch of delegates arrived in the room, putting bodies between Danny and Longford. He was shielded, but he was under no illusions. Longford
knew he was close. From being the hunter, Danny had turned into the hunted.

He started to make his way toward the servants’ exit, his mind clearing. He realized that the fragrant presence of Nurse Flanagan had been missing from the joining of minds. Had that presence masked the foulness of Conal’s mind in the past? He risked a glance back and saw Longford talking urgently to a serious-faced man wearing a suit, but with an unmistakable military bearing. Danny could see the eagerness in Longford’s face and, almost without thinking about it, joined himself with Longford’s mind. Longford was caught unawares.

Instantly Danny could feel the man’s triumph—he
wanted
Danny to be here! Had perhaps organized the whole thing! Danny cut off his contact with Longford’s mind before the man could react. He ducked through the kitchen, looking for the youth who had led him in. But when he saw him, he no longer looked like the easygoing lad who had been sitting in the catering van. Now he was hard-faced and carrying a gun. It had all been a setup!

Danny looked up and saw a camera swivel toward him. He ducked and made his way toward the rear door of the kitchen, but two security guards now stood there. He moved toward another internal corridor. At least it wasn’t guarded. The power welled up in him and he forced it down again. He tried to think what Longford might expect. He would want Danny to head down, to try to escape. So Danny would head upward. He found a service stairwell and made his way up with no other thought
than to buy some time. There were no cameras here, but Danny knew his reprieve was only temporary.