‘But if you send anyone in there, he’ll kill Macy!’
‘I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but that’s a risk we might have to take.’ He started to tap in a number.
Eddie put his hand down firmly on the phone. ‘You’re right, I don’t want to hear it. And if I hear it again, you know how I’ve broken your nose twice? It’ll be three times, and it won’t be the only fucking thing.’
Alderley reflexively touched the crooked lump on the bridge of his nose, a permanent souvenir of prior encounters with the SAS man. ‘What else can I do? The country’s in chaos, Parliament’s been destroyed — and the man responsible,’ he pointed at the screen again, ‘is there.’
‘And he’ll still be there until we arrive,’ Nina said, almost pleading. ‘You heard him.’
‘He’s not exactly the most trustworthy person!’
‘You’re not fucking gambling with my daughter’s life,’ said Eddie firmly, his hand still covering the phone. ‘Look, you’re a high-up at MI6 — you must have some sway. You can tell MI5 and Special Branch and whoever else where Brice is, let them surround the place so he can’t get out… but get us in there first. I’ll do whatever I have to do to rescue Macy. And if he kills me,’ he added, ‘put a bullet in his head the moment he shows himself so I can meet him at the Pearly Gates and kick his arse!’
‘You really think you’re going upwards?’ Alderley asked with the faintest of wry smiles.
‘Tchah! I can do your nose four times if you want.’
‘I’d really rather you didn’t.’ But the SIS officer’s expression had become thoughtful. ‘You’re right that we can pen Brice in if we move quickly — assuming he hasn’t already left the Funhouse, of course. This whole thing could be a diversion to keep us occupied while he escapes somewhere else.’
‘My daughter’s life is not a “diversion”, Peter,’ Nina said frostily.
He nodded. ‘Not my meaning, but sorry. If you’ll take your hand off my phone, though, I can call in forces to surround the grounds. Not to go in,’ he quickly added on Eddie’s glare. ‘Not yet. After what you’ve done for the country today, I think you really do deserve the chance to rescue your little girl.’
‘Okay, so what do we do?’ Eddie asked.
‘I may be able to get us down there by air, which will save a lot of time,’ Alderley replied. ‘As you said, I have some sway as a section head — and I doubt departmental budgets will be a priority today.’
‘The quicker you can get us there, the better,’ said the Yorkshireman, before doing a double-take. ‘Hold on. “Us”?’
‘John Brice is — was — an SIS officer,’ Alderley said, steel entering his voice. ‘He not only betrayed his country, he betrayed us. There’s no way I’m not going with you. I want to see that bastard taken down — one way or another. Besides,’ he continued, ‘I can use my authority to make sure no police or jobsworth officials mess us around.’
‘Okay, if you can help us, then good,’ said Nina. She gave Eddie a look; he begrudgingly lifted his hand from the phone. ‘Let’s get started.’
Ninety minutes later, a helicopter carrying Nina, Eddie and Alderley touched down at Southampton airport. A car waited for them; the SIS officer took the wheel. ‘The Funhouse isn’t far,’ he said as they headed down the M27 into the night. ‘About nine miles.’
‘I, ah, thought the speed limit in England was seventy,’ Nina said in alarm as they rocketed past the handful of other vehicles on the motorway. She had seen from the air that all the roads out of London were jammed, but once beyond the city they became unnaturally quiet, people staying at home out of fear and uncertainty about what might happen next.
‘It is — for civilians,’ Alderley told her, almost smugly. ‘As an intelligence officer carrying out my duty, I’m exempt from speeding tickets.’
‘Bet you wish you’d brought your Capri, huh?’
‘I doubt that thing’d even do seventy,’ Eddie said mockingly. Their driver gave him an annoyed look.
It was not long before Alderley exited the motorway, taking the car down ever-narrower roads on to a nondescript country lane. They soon reached an area of land enclosed by a high chain-link fence, with signs warning that the compound beyond was government property and that trespassers would be prosecuted. ‘Don’t see any cameras,’ Eddie said.
‘You’re not supposed to,’ Alderley replied. ‘But trust me, they’re there. If Brice is still inside, he knows we’re coming. Which reminds me…’ He made a brief phone call. ‘As far as we know, he is. Nobody’s left the building since we started surveillance.’
‘Do you know if Macy’s okay?’ Nina asked.
‘We tried using thermographics to see inside, but it looks like he switched on the Funhouse’s climate control. There was too much waste heat venting out to spot anyone.’
‘What about ground units?’ Eddie asked.
‘They’re holding back about a mile away. When I give the word, they’ll be here in under two minutes.’
‘Two minutes is a long time in a hostage situation.’
‘Yeah. I know.’ He glanced into the mirror. ‘Eddie, trust me. I’m going to do everything I possibly can to get your daughter back — preferably while keeping you alive as well.’
‘You actually called him Eddie,’ Nina noted. If the situation had not been so tense, she would have smiled. ‘It must be love at last.’
Both men made hurried sounds of denial, Alderley’s a disapproving ‘uh-uh’ while Eddie’s was more of a retch. ‘Anyway, this is it,’ said the spy. The car neared a gate in the tall fence.
Eddie stared through the chain-link. They were in open countryside, their surroundings cloaked in darkness, but around half a mile away across scrubby fields he saw a large warehouse-like building illuminated by spotlights above its entrance. It was windowless, painted a neutral khaki shade to blend into its environment. ‘So that’s what it looks like from outside?’ he said. ‘I only saw a side door when I was being bundled out of a van.’
‘It’s the inside that’s interesting.’
‘Hopefully not in the Chinese saying’s sense,’ said Nina as they approached the gate.
Alderley stopped short of it. ‘Ah. That’s not good.’
‘What isn’t?’
‘It should be shut.’ The barrier was wide open.
A gatepost to one side bore an intercom and a bulbous camera lens. The car’s occupants reacted with alarm as a voice barked from it. ‘What part of “come alone” was so hard to understand?’ demanded Brice.
Alderley hurriedly lowered his window to reply. ‘I only came with them so they could get here as quickly as possible, John,’ he said. ‘I’ll drop them off and turn around if you want.’
‘Or you could get out and let us drive the rest of the way,’ Eddie suggested sarcastically.
‘No… no, bring them to the building,’ Brice said. ‘But stay in the car. This is between me and Chase, and his wife.’
‘And our daughter,’ Nina snapped. ‘Is she okay?’
‘She’s fine… for now. Macy? Would you like to talk to your mummy and daddy?’ The question was asked with an audible sneer.
‘Mommy? Daddy?’ Macy asked a moment later. ‘Where are you?’
She sounded terrified, on the verge of tears. ‘Macy!’ Eddie shouted through his own window. ‘It’s okay, love, we’re here. We’re coming to get you.’
‘Did he hurt you?’ demanded Nina.
‘He… no?’ came the reply, tremulous enough that it was obvious Brice was intimidating her. Eddie clenched his fists.
‘There,’ said Brice. ‘She’s alive. Whether she remains so is now entirely up to you, Chase. Peter, drive up to the car park. Once you’re here, Chase and his wife will come inside. I’ll tell them what to do from then.’