‘We’re on our way,’ Sutter replied.
‘Now, I’m sure we’re dealing with honest and upright citizens here,’ O’Hagan announced to the other three men, with a slight smirk, ‘but we don’t relax. I don’t see how they can get to us, and the weapon is still the ace card, but we stay alert.’
Watkinson received another call just as Richter and Jackson were deciding what to do about lunch. He left the lounge to answer it, and came back a few minutes later. ‘The government’s imposed a total news blackout. They intend to pay the ransom, then forget it happened, and make absolutely sure nothing like it can ever happen again.’
‘So we just walk away and forget about it?’ Jackson asked.
‘Spot on,’ he said with a sigh. ‘Those are my direct orders. Her Majesty’s Government’s representatives are instructed to support and assist the local authorities in whatever way they may be requested, but are to take absolutely no action unless and until specifically directed. If you contact Langley, Carole, I think you’ll find the Company will tell you pretty much the same.’
Richter said nothing, just gazed out of the window towards the Burj Al-Arab.
‘And maybe you’d better talk to your secret squirrel outfit, Paul.’
‘Yes, I will. I’ve got a couple of calls to make first.’
Something about the tone of his voice caused Watkinson to stare at him. ‘You’re not planning any kind of freelance operation, I hope? That would be a really bad idea.’
‘Me?’ Richter raised an eyebrow. ‘Perish the thought. But what about the practicalities? Can the government raise the ransom in time?’
‘That won’t be a problem. They’ll just draw the bullion and gemstones from their own safety deposits. The cash, bearer bonds and other stuff they’ll borrow from the principal banks. They’ll probably have it in place by mid-morning and, with any luck, this whole thing could be over by lunchtime tomorrow.’
Dubai Airport has two terminals, with a third approaching completion. The biggest and busiest is Sheikh Rashid Terminal, also known as Concourse One, which handles most of the commercial traffic. Terminal Two caters mainly for regional, charter and executive flights, and the Gulfstream was parked on a small hardstanding adjacent to it.
When Sutter and Haig arrived, they were escorted straight out to the aircraft; clearly instructions had been given to ensure they weren’t delayed. Haig started the Honeywell APU to haul down the cabin temperature, then stowed away their drinks and food, while Sutter rang O’Hagan’s mobile to let him know they were in place.
And then there was nothing they could do but wait.
Once they’d finished lunch, Jackson contacted the British Embassy in Manama using her cellphone, but there were no messages or instructions for her from Langley.
Richter’s call to Hammersmith was short and inconclusive. His section had received no tasking from anyone involved in the situation in Dubai so, as far as Richard Simpson was concerned, there was nothing for Richter to do.
‘I don’t like this any more than you do,’ Simpson complained, ‘and if I had my way I wouldn’t even talk to these bastards. I’d empty the building, call up a couple of helicopter gunships and strafe the top floors of the hotel. No warning, no negotiation. With any luck, that would kill everybody inside the suite and not give them time to detonate the weapon. All it would need would be a touch of paint and a few new carpets.’ Clearly, Richter realized, Simpson had never seen the interior decor and furnishings of the Burj Al-Arab. ‘And even if the weapon did blow, I’d still have three big ones left in the kitty to rebuild it. But it isn’t my hotel, and it isn’t my problem. Or yours, either. Let the Dubai authorities sort this out themselves. This isn’t a good time for any kind of cowboy action from you.’
‘Oddly enough, the local Six rep told me very much the same thing.’
‘So you shouldn’t have any trouble understanding the message, should you? Just watch what happens tomorrow, and keep me informed.’
‘Anything new from your people?’ Jackson asked him as he finished the call.
Richter shook his head. ‘Pretty much the same as the message we got from Watkinson. They’re probably right, of course, but it really goes against the grain to let these bastards walk away with three billion dollars.’
‘But there really isn’t any alternative, is there? Neither of us has any official standing here in Dubai, and even if we had, what could we do? The government has already agreed to pay them, so we’d get no help from the police or anyone else. There are four armed terrorists sitting in an inaccessible suite at the top of the tallest hotel in Dubai, and guarding a primed tactical nuclear weapon. How the hell could we even get inside the building, far less do anything to take these guys down? Our best plan is to just do what everyone’s telling us, which is to walk away, pretend nothing’s happening, and enjoy the rest of our time here.’ Jackson paused and eyed Richter closely. ‘But you’re not going to do that, are you? I can read it in your eyes.’
Richter grinned. ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘You’re quite right. There is nothing we can do, but something about this still niggles me.’
‘You mean apart from the three billion dollars’ ransom?’
‘Yes. I can’t put my finger on it, but I have the distinct feeling that there’s another component, some other dimension that we’re missing.’
‘I don’t agree. To me, this just looks like a really big extortion job.’
‘Maybe.’ Richter still didn’t sound even slightly convinced. He reached for his coffee cup, then stopped and again stared through the window towards the elegantly stunning white offshore hotel. ‘Christ,’ he muttered. ‘Could that be it?’
‘What?’
‘Listen, we still don’t know who these people really are, do we?’
Jackson shook her head. ‘We know they’re American, or at least able to pass as Americans, but that’s all. We’ll probably never know their identities, unless one of them does something stupid when he spends his share of the ransom and gets picked up that way. At least we know what they want.’
‘Are you quite sure about that?’ Richter asked. ‘Are you certain it’s just the money?’
‘What else could it be?’
Richter didn’t answer directly, but instead changed tack. ‘Has anything ever struck you as familiar about Dubai? Anything that reminds you of another city?’
Jackson gave him a puzzled stare. ‘I’m not that good at guessing games, Paul, so why don’t you just tell me what’s on your mind?
‘I’m thinking about the commercial centre, around Shaikh Zayed Road.’
‘And that means what, exactly?’
‘Maybe nothing, maybe everything. Excuse me, I’m going to make a phone call.’
‘Who are you calling?’
‘A man I know in Moscow,’ Richter replied, as he walked away.
Sutter and Haig had been waiting in the Gulfstream for nearly an hour when a small convoy arrived, two police cars flanking a large armoured van.
Haig opened the cabin door as the vehicles came to a halt beside the aircraft. Alert for any tricks, the two Americans watched from opposite ends of the cabin as four men carried a lot of steel boxes up the steps into the aircraft.
The moment the delivery was finished, Haig secured the Gulfstream’s outside door. None of the boxes was locked, and in minutes they were all open. Sutter did a rapid count, checking the listed weight and purity of the bars of gold, silver and platinum they contained, then called O’Hagan again.