Red Alert (25 page)

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TEN

^Thursday

;*What time is it?' Graham asked.

'Five minutes later than the last time you asked,' JSabrina replied, exasperated. 'And ten minutes later than ?;the time before that. And fifteen -- '

'Okay, you've made your point. Ask a civil question land all you get is sarcasm.'

'That's rich coming from you, Mike - ' 'Sabrina, please,' Paluzzi interceded quickly, his hands raised defensively. 'We're all on edge, let's not make it |any worse than it already is.'

Paluzzi sat behind the wheel of the white BMW 735! fthat Kuhlmann had had delivered to the hotel for them Ithat morning. Graham sat beside him. Sabrina and fCalvieri were in the back. They had been parked in the ^street that overlooked the Offenbach Centre for the past Pforty minutes, waiting for Kolchinsky to call them on the ro-way radio lying on the dashboard. So far only silence. Paluzzi stared at the building in the distance. fe remembered the official opening earlier in the year irhen one critic had called it 'a monstrous glass and jminium bandbox, without the ribbons'. He could see what the critic had meant. There was nothing appealing about it. A ten-storey building, cylindrical in shape, pwith a glass and aluminium exterior and a flat roof to commodate a helipad. Helicopters had been landing rid departing regularly in the last forty minutes and he

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was sure the traffic would get busier as the day wore on.

'What's the time?' Graham asked, nudging Paluzzi's arm.

Paluzzi pulled back his sleeve to reveal his gold Carder watch. 'Nine twenty-four. Where's your watch?'

'It got bust on the mountain yesterday. I'll send it to the jeweller's when I get back to New York. It's pretty special to me.'

'Was it a present from your wife?'

'Yeah,' Graham muttered, then lapsed into silence.

Paluzzi turned his attention back to the Offenbach Centre. The more he looked at it, the more he came to agree with the critic. Berne, a beautiful, medieval city, had always rebuffed the advances of modern development, and planning permission had been granted to Jacob Offenbach, the Swiss multimillionaire, only on condition that the Centre was built on the outskirts of the city, away from the charm of the Old Town district. The people of Berne had never taken it to their hearts, calling it the Raumschiff, the spaceship, because of its futuristic appearance and design. It would never be accepted by the locals, and he could see why.

'Does anyone mind if I smoke?' Calvieri asked, breaking the silence.

'Yeah, I mind,' Graham bit back, then threw up his hands dismissively. 'What the hell, I'm going for a walk. Do what you want.'

'Don't go far,' Paluzzi said. 'Sergei could call at any moment.'

'Stop panicking, I'm only going to that fruit and vegJ etable shop over there.'

Graham forced himself not to slam the door behind^ him. Sliding on his dark glasses, and then thrusting his

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fids into his pockets, he walked the length of the narrow to the shop. He crouched in front of the display [itside, which was shaded from the sun by a white canopy, ad tested the apples for their ripeness. He suddenly ime aware that he was being watched. He looked up. ; five-year-old boy stood in the doorway, pointing a toy straight at him. Graham feigned a look of surprise slowly raised his hands. The boy glanced with alarm Graham's chest. Graham looked down. His bolstered eretta was visible. He immediately got to his feet I covered the holster with his jacket. The boy stared fear illy at him, then ran into the shop. Graham cursed nself but a hand grabbed his arm before he could after the boy. He spun round to find Sabrina behind

'What happened?' she asked, then glanced towards the irway after he had told her. 'I'll talk to him. He's hardly >ing to understand you, is he?'

Graham nodded and she disappeared into the shop, be emerged a minute later with a brown-paper bag in 1 hand. The boy was with her.

'Magnum!' the boy shouted with a wide grin, then tended to shoot at Graham before hurrying up the et and disappearing into one of the houses. 'He thinks I'm Magnum?' Graham asked in amaze ent.

'I told him you were a real-life Magnum. It certainly jpealed to him.' She took an apple from the bag and

ed it to Graham.

yThey crossed the street to the site of a demolished house at on what remained of the front wall, sorry I snapped at you in the car,' she said at "I had a pretty rough night. I don't know how sleep 1 actually got. About two hours, probably.'

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'That much?' Graham replied, turning the apple in his hands. 'I doubt I even got an hour.'

'How did you pass the time?'

'I watched television, there wasn't much else to do.'

She sat forward, her elbows resting on her knees. 'I tried to but I found I couldn't concentrate for more than a few minutes at a time. In the end I was just glad of the background noise. I don't think I could have coped with the silence.'

'I know what you mean. There was a soccer match on one of the channels. I stayed with it for the whole game but I still couldn't tell you the score. Hell, I couldn't even tell you who was playing.' He tugged back her sleeve to check the time: 9.37. 'Twenty-three minutes left. And here we are sitting around waiting to d
ie.
'

She put a hand lightly on his arm. 'I hate this waiting as much as you do, but you know that Sergei's right. If Ubrino did see us, he'd be sure to bolt. Then what?'

Paluzzi jabbed the horn and, climbing out of the car, beckoned them frantically to him. They ran to the car.

'What is it?' Graham asked breathlessly.

'Sergei's just been on the radio. Ubrino's been caught inside the building but he won't say anything unless Calvieri's there.'

'Did he have the vial on him?' Sabrina asked, getting into the back.

Paluzzi glanced at her in the rearview mirror and shook his head. 'He's been searched from head to toe. It wasn't on him.'

'Was he wearing a disguise?' Graham asked.

'Not when he was caught,' Paluzzi replied, starting the engine. 'But he must have worn one to get into the building. How else would he have got past the guards?'

'It doesn't make any sense!' Sabrina exclaimed, looking

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&Calvieri. 'Why would he take off the disguise once he as inside the building? It's almost as if he wanted to get aught.' Calvieri shrugged. 'We'll find out soon enough. The

thing is he's been caught.'

Paluzzi put a siren on the roof and drove the short mce to the Niz southbound motorway. He took the i-off for the Offenbach Centre and came to a stop Kree hundred yards further on in front of a red and white amgate. An armed guard approached the car. Paluzzi iuced the pass provided by Kuhlmann and, after eking it, the guard gave him directions to a side en ance where Kolchinsky would be waiting. The guard gave the order to lift the boomgate. Paluzzi slid the ar into gear and drove into the grounds.

Pantechnicons of varying shapes and sizes, covered nth the logos of the world's media, lined the sides of the ad and spilled over into the massive car-park which had designed to take two thousand cars. There wasn't a jace available. Paluzzi drove around the perimeter then jrned into the alley indicated by the guard and stopped ide a fire escape. Kolchinsky, who had been standing the door, hurried forward to meet them. 'Why all this cloak and dagger stuff?' Calvieri asked, imbing from the back of the car. 'Why can't we use the lin entrance like everyone else?' 'Because we're armed,' Sabrina answered, patting her ^bolstered Beretta hidden discreetly beneath her beige Ifacket. 'If we used the main entrance the X-ray machines prould go berserk.'

'Have you managed to get anything out of Ubrino yet, ergei?' Graham asked as they followed Kolchinsky to the Idoor.

'He refuses to say anything until he's seen Calvieri.'

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The guard at the door stood aside to let them pass then I closed it again behind them. They were in the main foyer, ] which bustled with activity as journalists sought last-j minute interviews with the politicians as they made their i way towards the lifts. Kolchinsky took four ID passes' from his pocket and handed them out.

Graham clipped his to his jacket pocket. 'Where did; you get the passport photographs from?'

'The Colonel brought them with him,' Kolchinsky replied as they walked towards the lifts.

They took the lift to the fifth floor where Ubrino was < being held in one of the conference rooms. Kolchinsky; stopped outside an ornately carved oak door and knocked twice, paused, then knocked twice more. The armed guard inside peered through the spyhole, then unlocked the door to admit them. The room was small and windowless, with a rectangular mahogany table and fourteen matching chairs around it. Kuhlmann dismissed the guard and Kolchinsky introduced Paluzzi and Calvieri to Philpott.

Philpott turned to Ubrino. 'Well, Calvieri's here now. Where have you hidden the vial?'

Ubrino merely shrugged his shoulders.

'I'll find out,' Graham hissed angrily.

Philpott put a hand lightly on Graham's arm, then looked at Calvieri. 'Talk to him. Maybe you can coax it out of him.' ';

Calvieri crossed to where Ubrino was sitting and patted him on the shoulder. 'He doesn't know where it is.'

'How do you know that? You haven't even asked him yet,' Kolchinsky said.

Calvieri took a small transmitter from his pocket and held it up for them to see. It was the size of a cigarette lighter. 'He doesn't know because I never told him.'

Paluzzi stared at Calvieri in horror. 'You've been be116

jtthis all along. And we've played straight into your

V

raham slid his hand behind his back, feeling for his

Beretta.

Ivieri touched the detonator with his forefinger. 'The litter's linked to a small charge of plastic explosive to the side of the cylinder. It's powerful enough ak both the cylinder and the vial in half. Question Ir Graham, can you draw your gun and kill me before ; the button?'

et it go, Mike,' Philpott said without looking at tiam.

raham's hand dropped to his side. I'Now, I want you each to remove your handguns and

them on the table. One at a time. Ladies first.' [Sabrina removed her Beretta, using her thumb and efinger, and put it on the table. Graham and Paluzzh the same. |*You won't get away with this, Calvieri,' Kuhlmann

sharply. ' 'Get away with what? You don't even know what I

it yet.'

f'What do you want?' Philpott asked. 'All in good time, Colonel. In the meantime, would you : the key for Riccardo's handcuffs on the table next to : guns.'

'I don't have it. The guard took it with him.' | 'I wouldn't insult the intelligence of the UNACO Direc Please don't insult mine.' Calvieri smiled at their artled expressions. 'Oh yes, I know who you work for. ben you refused to tell me I did a little investigative ging of my own. It took a while but I got there in the

)

'How did you find out?' Philpott demanded.

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'I have my sources, let's leave it at that. Now, i

Philpott put the key on the table, then turned Calvieri. 'You killed Zocchi, didn't you?'

'Had him killed,' Calvieri corrected, then picked i key and unlocked one of the cuffs. He gave the Ubrino to unlock the second one himself. 'I must i your little theories about Zocchi certainly kept me ar these past few days. I knew that with him dea authorities would have no option but to call us in to| them find the vial. And I was the only Brigatista Sig Pisani would trust with such a delicate task. That's! the plan came into being in the first place. And as| said, Paluzzi, you played straight into my hands. Ric didn't have the vial on him when he got here, that' have been too dangerous. I had it with me. I kne wouldn't be searched when we entered the builc passed it on to a sympathizer in the foyer. It's al: been secreted somewhere in the building. So I have to thank for helping me smuggle it past the guards.'

Ubrino tossed the handcuffs on to the chair then i lected the handguns from the table. He handed twc Calvieri and tucked the other into his belt.

'Where does he fit into all this?' Paluzzi asked, indil ing Ubrino.

'He's been my inside man in Rome for the past^ years. 1 knew you would immediately suspect Zocc Riccardo was involved in the breakin at the plant.'

'How did you get in?' Kuhlmann demanded of Ubr

'I pose as maintenance engineer,' Ubrino replied in thick Italian accent. 'Nino Ferzetti, that is his name, have the same build and height. He wear the beard glasses. It is an easy . . .' he trailed off and looked \ Calvieri. 'Travestire?'

'Disguise,' Calvieri answered.

Mť

disguise for me. I carry his pass so the me.' rreal Ferzetti?' Philpott asked.

eping off the effects of a spiked drink he S,* Calvieri pointed to the door behind them. t've taken up enough of my time as it is. me when you have a number where I can (And make it soon. The longer you delay, the : will be to process my demands.' question, Calvieri,' Paluzzi said. 'Why the iCentre?'

simple. The summit is being covered by i from all over the world. You can't do anything jut alerting them. I'm sure you all know what tin 1938 when Orson Welles narrated The War rids on American radio. There was unpre i panic across the country. Can you imagine that i>ai scale?'

I you in a few minutes,' Philpott said brusquely, Iked to the door. (is one more thing,' Calvieri said. 'Sabrina stays

: hell she does,' Graham snapped, as talking to Colonel Philpott.' Calvieri retorted, lispered to Ubrino, who immediately drew the from his belt and aimed it at Kuhlmann. 'You we seconds to comply otherwise Kuhlmann will be pFhen Kolchinsky '

ay, you've made your point,' Philpott cut in. He I to Sabrina. 'We'll have to do as he says.'

ierstand, sir,' she replied with a quick smile, fiat the hell do you need her for?' Graham deed. 'You've got the detonator, isn't that enough?' I'll only use the detonator as a last resort. In other

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words, if my demands are not met. Sabrina's the deterr to stop you and Paluzzi from getting any heroic ide about storming the room like a couple of over-enthusiasti schoolboys.'

'I'm going to come after you when this is over, Calviertl Graham said menacingly. 'I don't care where you go, if find you. That's a promise.'

'In that case I look forward to seeing you again, Graham. Please close the door on your way out.'

Ubrino waited until they had left, then locked an bolted the door behind them and handed the key Calvieri.

Sabrina sat down and looked up at Calvieri. 'Are you demands really worth the lives of millions of innoc people?'

'Don't try to play on my emotions, Sabrina, it won| work.'

'I didn't know you had any,' Sabrina shot back.

'Manette,' Calvieri said to Ubrino and pointed to th handcuffs.

Ubrino pulled Sabrina's hands behind her back an^ snapped the handcuffs over her wrists. He grinned at he then reached out to touch her face. She kicked at him savagely, catching him full on the shinbone.

Tell your poodle to keep his hands off me,' sh snapped, her eyes blazing at Calvieri.

'I'm sure he's learnt his lesson,' Calvieri replied, casting a disdainful glance towards Ubrino. He took the Berett from Ubrino's hand, ejected the clip, pocketed it, thefl threw the gun on to the table. 'Leave her alone. She isn't] one of your wide-eyed recruits. She'd kill you without! batting an eyelid.'

'Nobody does that to me, especially not a woman,'] Ubrino hissed through his clenched teeth.