Urban Assassin (8 page)

Mitch wondered if Lavall would also head north. Were the two planning to meet up? If so, the odds were that they’d be meeting Deacon. At the thought of Deacon, Mitch felt a shiver of anger run through him; directed both at Deacon and himself. He’d been careless. He’d let his guard down and allowed himself to be caught. Well that wouldn’t be
happening again. Next time they came face to face, Deacon wouldn’t be walking away.

Still some way behind, Mitch followed Lavall down the stairs to the underground station. He checked the direction they were heading and radioed it back to Benny and the others: ‘Bakerloo line southbound.’

Lavall was heading in the opposite direction to Smitt. So maybe there was no meeting with Deacon after all. Maybe the two targets had a different agenda today.

Reaching the southbound platform, Mitch glanced up at the electronic display. The next train would be arriving in one minute. The one after that would come four minutes later. Would Lavall wait and see who else stayed behind on the platform, just to make sure he wasn’t being followed? It was what Mitch would do. As both trains had the same final destination, everyone on the platform should get on the first one, unless they had another motive for being there.

The crackle of the railway lines told Mitch the train was coming. Lavall moved forwards to the yellow line at the edge of the platform. Mitch, a few yards further down, did the same. The train slid into the station and stopped, and the doors opened. Mitch stood to let the people get off, and then got on the train. Lavall went to move forwards on to the train, then stopped and stepped back, staying on the platform.

The doors of the train slid shut, and the train moved off.

‘Target One remained on the platform,’ Mitch said into his mouthpiece. He was on the train, leaving the station.

‘I thought he might,’ said Benny. ‘I’m staying at the bottom of the escalator in case he heads back up. I’ll keep in touch.’

The next station was Embankment, only a few seconds further on. Mitch got off the train, left the platform and waited in the area by the escalators, out of sight of the platform and the incoming trains. He didn’t have to wait long. He heard Benny’s voice in his earpiece say: ‘Target One on train. I’m in the next carriage.’

‘If he doesn’t get off at Embankment, I’ll grab the train after this,’ said Mitch. ‘That way I’ll
stay out of his sight.’

‘Copy that,’ said Benny.

Mitch waited until he heard the next train pull in.

‘Looks like Target One is staying on,’ Benny informed him.

‘I’ll stay here in case he sneaks off at the last minute,’ said Mitch.

Lavall stayed on the train and Mitch heard it move off. He then walked on to the platform to wait for the next train. He wondered where the MI6 operatives were. There was no doubt that Gerald would have his own people close behind Delta Unit, out of sight and taking turns to get on and off trains the same way Mitch and Benny were doing.

Mitch caught the next train, which meant he was now just two minutes behind Benny and Lavall.

‘End of the line,’ announced Benny. ‘Elephant and Castle. Target One getting off the train. Heading to Northern line northbound platform.’

‘Copy that,’ murmured Mitch.

In his ear he heard Tug say, ‘Target Two getting off at Euston.’

Euston station, thought Mitch. The place where Sparks had been murdered. Where he and Two Moons had confronted Pavel. Had Deacon chosen somewhere near there for his base?

‘He’s heading for the escalator,’ continued Tug.

Mitch’s train pulled in to its final stop at Elephant and Castle. Mitch stepped off and headed towards the northbound Northern line platform. As he walked he took off his black jacket and pulled it inside out. The jacket was reversible; now the lining on the outside was red. A reversible coat was a neat and easy device to avoid being spotted when tailing someone.

‘Train arriving,’ said Benny. ‘I’m getting on it. I’ll let you know Target One’s movements.’

‘Copy that,’ confirmed Mitch.

Mitch strolled towards the entrance to the northbound platform, and then stopped in case Lavall appeared and made for the exit after all. He
heard the train doors open, and then shut, and the train leave.

‘Train on the move. Target One stayed on the platform,’ said Benny. ‘Looks like he’s staying there.’

‘Copy that,’ said Mitch.

So Lavall was staying put. Maybe he had arranged to meet someone on the platform. Who? Not Smitt, because Smitt was at Euston. Deacon, maybe? Mitch hadn’t seen any sign of him, but then, he reminded himself, Deacon was a master of disguise. Maybe he was already here at the station – he could be dressed as a station worker, or anybody going about their daily business.

Mitch heard the sound of another train approaching the northbound platform. He had to take a chance. He walked through the short tunnel on to the platform and spotted Lavall further along. The train was visible now. Mitch decided to let Lavall make the move; see if he got on the train. It was a risk: if Lavall got on and Mitch followed, Lavall might step off again just before the doors closed.
If that happened, Mitch was sunk – he would lose Lavall. And if he rushed off the train, Lavall would spot him as a tail.

There were always the MI6 agents – they’d take over, but Mitch’s cover would be blown.

The train doors opened. Lavall got on. Mitch did the same, entering the next carriage. Mitch sat down. If Lavall was going to jump off, Mitch would have to stay on the train anyway, and by sitting down he looked less conspicuous – like a normal guy going about his business. If Lavall had any suspicions, hopefully this would put him off the scent.

The train doors slid shut. Lavall stayed in the carriage.

‘Target One on train. I’m in the next carriage,’ Mitch reported.

‘Copy that,’ said Benny. ‘I’m at London Bridge station. Getting off now.’

‘Target Two on Northern line train, City Branch,’ reported Tug.

The same line as us, thought Mitch. He felt a
stirring of excitement. Were the two men going to meet up?

Mitch picked up a discarded newspaper and pretended to read it, while sneaking a glance into the next carriage. Lavall had sat down. The train stopped at Borough station. Lavall stayed where he was. The next stop was London Bridge.

As the train slid into London Bridge station, Mitch spotted Benny on the platform among the crowd. Benny disappeared from sight as the train passed him.

‘Stay on the platform,’ Mitch advised, ‘in case he jumps off.’

‘Copy that,’ agreed Benny.

Mitch kept his eye on Lavall. The Frenchman stayed in his seat. The doors slid shut and the train moved off.

‘I’ll follow you on the next train,’ said Benny.

‘Copy that,’ murmured Mitch.

In his ear, he heard Tug say, ‘Target Two getting off at Angel.’

‘Where’s Gaz?’ asked Mitch.

‘Picking up the train behind this one,’ said Tug. ‘I’m on Target Two.’

Mitch cast another glance at the tube map. Angel station was just four stops further along the line.

‘I’ve got a feeling our man will get off at the same place,’ he said. ‘This could be our meeting point.’

‘That’s how it looks to me, too,’ agreed Tug. ‘He’s heading for the lift. I think we’re leaving the station.’

‘Copy that,’ said Gaz, his voice coming in for the first time. ‘I’ll be with you in about one minute.’

Mitch kept watch on Lavall in the next carriage as the train stopped at Bank, then Moorgate, then Old Street. As the train approached Angel, Lavall stood up.

‘Jackpot,’ said Mitch. ‘Angel station, confirmed.’

‘I’m on the next train,’ said Benny. ‘I’ll be there shortly.’

The train pulled into Angel and Mitch followed Lavall. He kept well back, letting the Frenchman get halfway up the escalator before stepping on
himself. Tug was already above ground watching Smitt. Mitch was sure that Smitt and Lavall would meet somewhere near here.

Mitch emerged from the station into the bustling streets. He scanned the area, looking for Lavall. Yes, there he was! The Frenchman was on the other side of the road, heading towards the maze of side streets that backed on to Pentonville Road.

‘Come in, Tug,’ he said. ‘Where are you?’

‘Heading towards Chapel Street,’ said Tug. ‘Target Two in view. You?’

‘Same direction, just a few streets behind you.’

‘Chapel Street,’ said Benny. ‘Got that.’

‘Me, too,’ came in Gaz’s voice.

Mitch now slipped off his jacket and reversed it again so the black side was showing. Less noticeable than the red. He saw Tug, standing looking in a shop window. Lavall walked past Tug and continued along Chapel Street. Tug waited until Lavall was out of earshot, then murmured, ‘Target One went into Mott & Co warehouse on Chapel Street.’

‘Target Two heading towards same warehouse,’ added Mitch.

The Mott & Co warehouse was an isolated single-storey building; little more than a corrugated iron shed set on a patch of concrete, surrounded by a chain-link fence.

Mitch stopped and scanned the buildings, as if he was looking for a particular number. He saw Lavall stop outside the metal fence, look around, and then walk through the gateway towards the warehouse. Once Lavall had disappeared from sight, Tug joined Mitch.

‘Looks like we’ve got the location for the meet, Colonel,’ Tug said to Nelson through his headset. ‘Both targets have gone into the warehouse.’

‘Copy that,’ said Nelson’s voice.

Mitch was aware of movement behind them; someone approaching. He turned and saw Benny and Gaz.

‘Looks like we’ve all ended up at the same place.’ Gaz grinned. ‘What does that suggest?’

‘That our friend Deacon is in there with them,’ said Benny grimly.

‘Or coming along later,’ said Tug.

‘Good point,’ said Benny. ‘OK, let’s scatter. We don’t want him seeing us. Let’s see how this plays out.’ Into his mouthpiece he said, ‘We’re all at the location, Colonel, awaiting orders.’

‘Hold it,’ came Nelson’s voice. ‘New orders.’

There was a brief pause, then Gerald’s voice cut in and they heard him say: ‘Delta Unit, stand down.’

‘What?’ snapped Benny. ‘We’ve got them in our sights!’

‘This is our operation,’ snapped Gerald. ‘You will stand down, Delta Unit. An armed response team will take over from here.’

The four soldiers looked at one another, shocked and outraged. This was
their
operation!
They
had tracked Lavall and Smitt here.

‘Colonel . . .’ began Tug, but Nelson interrupted him.

‘We’re being overridden here, guys. Nothing I can do.’

‘Colonel, these people don’t know what they’re walking into,’ said Benny. ‘We know Deacon. He’s tricky. I get the feeling this isn’t going to be straightforward. They can’t just send in the armed response team. This could be an ambush. Some scam of Deacon’s.’

‘I’ve told them that,’ said Nelson. ‘But this is an Intelligence operation, we’re just the foot
soldiers. We stay as backup.’

Benny shook his head angrily.

‘This ain’t Intelligence, Colonel!’ he snapped. ‘This is lack of intelligence.’

‘I think they can hear you,’ Mitch pointed out. ‘The comms are still on.’

‘I don’t care!’ barked Benny. ‘It’s madness to crash in there without checking things out.’

Even as he spoke, two black vans appeared. The back doors opened and several armed men encased in black body-armour and armed with automatic rifles leapt out. They headed towards the warehouse, using the surrounding buildings for cover.

‘Well, at least they look the part,’ commented Gaz. ‘I mean, here we are in civilian clothes, with a tenth of their firepower . . .’

‘It was still our operation,’ muttered Benny. ‘These guys don’t know Deacon. They don’t know what they’re going into!’

They heard another vehicle approach from behind them. They turned and saw a car pull up
and Gerald and Nelson get out. Nelson looked at his four soldiers with an apologetic shrug.

‘Sorry, guys,’ he said. ‘Being a colonel doesn’t carry the same weight here.’

Gerald had gone over to the fence and watched from a distance as some of the response team reached the rusty metal door into the warehouse. Others disappeared round the side of the building, making sure all the exits were covered.

‘Anyone come out since Lavall and Smitt went in?’

‘No,’ said Tug.

‘So they’re still in there,’ muttered Gerald.

‘Any sign of Deacon?’ asked Nelson.

‘Nope,’ said Benny.

‘So it’s likely he was in the building already, waiting for Lavall and Smitt,’ said Gerald.

‘Or he was somewhere outside, watching and waiting. In which case the sight of your toy soldiers arriving like that will have scared him off,’ snorted Benny.

‘We know what we’re doing,’ said Gerald curtly. ‘We’ve been conducting this sort of operation for a long time.’ Into his headset, Gerald snapped: ‘OK, go. Casualties are acceptable.’

In other words, thought Mitch, kill Deacon and his two fellow assassins. Job done.

Delta Unit watched as the armed response team members nearest them opened the door, then slid silently into the building. They knew the same thing would be happening on the far side of the warehouse. The metal doors swung shut. There was a pause, then they heard the unmistakeable chatter chatter chatter of automatic gun fire, and the next second there was a deafening explosion. The metal doors of the warehouse flew open and fire and black smoke belched out.

‘What the . . .!’ Gerald shouted, gaping at the scene in front of him.

The five soldiers of Delta Unit already had their weapons drawn and were running towards the warehouse in zig-zag patterns to stop any
sniper from getting an easy shot.

Behind them they could hear Gerald shouting into his headset: ‘Come in, team! Report! Come in, team!’ But the men of Delta Unit knew there wouldn’t be any reply. The force of the explosion meant that everyone in that building would have been killed instantly.

The emergency services had done their work and gone. The fire was out. The bodies had been removed.

The police had arrived but been sent away by Gerald. Forensics were now examining the smouldering remains of the building. Everyone knew what their findings would be.