The Assassins by Alan Bardos (read novel full .TXT) 📕

'One bomb.'

'One bomb, Johnny!' Breitner tried to keep his voice down.

That annoyed Johnny - it wasn't his fault. 'I was in the middle of doing it when your dancer turned up. Who is she anyway?'

Breitner shifted uncomfortably. Involving her was obviously distasteful to him. 'She's a compatriot of mine from Budapest. I have reason to find her useful from time to time.'

'I just bet you do.'

'There are more important things to worry about than the life story of one dancer.'

'Not to me there aren't.'

'Johnny, do you want your commendation or not?' Breitner grinned, and it was Johnny's turn to shift uncomfortably.

'I'm meeting the group tomorrow, so hopefully I can find out more. Now the itinerary's been announced they can start planning in detail. Oh, and I've met the other person in my cell, his name is Trifko Grabez.'

Breitner nodded, making a mental note of the name. 'And the other cell?'

'I've been angling to try and join it, but your little stunt at my work may have lost me some stock with Gavro.'

Breitner gave an indifferent flick of the wrist. 'These things can't be helped.'

'Why don't you just round everyone up - you must have enough evidence by now. and then just beat the rest of it out of them?' Johnny asked. 'Ilic is on a knife-edge, I'm sure he'd talk.'

Breitner looked irritated by the question, ‘I’m a civil servant, not a policeman. I tried to have the conspiracy dealt with before I ever involved you, Johnny. It doesn’t matter how much evidence I have, the authorities won’t listen to me. I explained to you that I have something of a past and anyone who involves themselves with me is likely to find their career ended - especially where the Archduke’s visit is concerned’

‘There must be something you can do, Breitner.’

'I have to see Governor Potiorek. No one else will dare interfere with the Archduke's visit.'

'Well, go and see the Governor then.'

'He's at the manoeuvres with the Archduke. I can't get to him until Saturday afternoon. Before that though, I want to know every detail there is to know about this plot, so you’d better complete your mission by then and come and meet me at the Governor's residence, around four thirty. I'll try and arrange an audience,' Breitner said, although he didn't look comfortable with the idea.

'And what happens if I can't?'

'Just come to his residence on Saturday. Hopefully we can talk the Governor into cancelling the visit.' The tram stopped and Breitner charged out into the rain.

It was still raining the following evening when Johnny met with Gavrilo, Trifko and Ilic at the boarding house. A dull light from an oil lamp cast a menacing glow over the assembled conspirators, hiding their faces in shadow.

Johnny hadn't spoken with Gavrilo since he'd been dismissed from the charity and he couldn't tell if he was still angry with him. All of Gavrilo's focus was on Ilic, who was continuing to bang on about postponing the assassination.

'Now is not a good time to act - we will not profit from it. We must wait until there is a proper political structure in place.'

'Whatever happens after the assassination will only be good for our cause,' Gavrilo replied abruptly, his mind made up.

Ilic held his hands up in surrender. He'd tried to stop it; he was no longer responsible for what happened, or the consequences.

Gavrilo passed Ilic the copy of the Bosnische Post that he'd been reading in the pastry shop. If Princip had any concerns about Ilic, he'd brushed them aside; they'd been friends far too long for him to harbour any serious doubts about Ilic's commitment.

Ilic opened the newspaper and started to study the itinerary of the Archduke's visit, with what little light he could get from the lamp. 'The Royal train will arrive at Sarajevo Station, at 9.50 a.m. and from there the tyrant and his wife will inspect the army barracks and meet senior military commanders. Then they drive to City Hall, via Appel Quay, for a reception and municipal welcome from 10.10 to 10.30, with drawing room dress required. After this they will tour the new museum between 10.40 and 11.40, followed by a nice, long luncheon with Potiorek at the Konak. Then a sightseeing tour and back to their hotel in Ilidze by special train.'

'We intend to ambush the Heir's motorcade, in the true spirit of our forefathers,' Gavrilo said quietly, his calm scarcely concealing the tension in his eyes.

'Surely it would be easier to act while he is walking around sightseeing, rather than when he is sitting in a moving car,' Johnny suggested. 'If we split up and position ourselves at different points on the tour, we'll increase our chances of success.' Johnny hoped this tactic would also make it a lot easier for him to slip away and warn Breitner.

'The station, barracks, City Hall, museum and Governor's residence will be too well guarded,' Gavrilo said, studying the route.

'One person may have a better chance of slipping through the cordon and destroying the Heir. We should draw lots to decide who,' Trifko said, exchanging a look with Ilic. Johnny thought that Ilic must have got to Trifko before the meeting, with another idea to divide the group and stop the assassination.

Gavrilo gave no quarter. 'It will be all of us. This can't be an act of a single person, but a collective action of a people taking revenge.' Gavrilo's word's steadied Trifko. 'We will make one concentrated effort while the tyrant is driven through Sarajevo and the gendarmes are most stretched.'

'All of us? Even the other cell?' Johnny said to remind Gavrilo of the concerns they'd discussed previously. 'What do we know of them, other than that they are young and enthusiastic?'

'You cannot use