The Old Enemy by Henry Porter (read with me .TXT) 📕

He gave her a doubtful look. ‘How would that happen?’

‘When I get back I’ll talk to Shera Ricard, our representative in Congress. But we aren’t ready, and, shit, I’m not sure I can do this. I mean, you saw Speight chew Denis up on the stand. And it’s not as though he is the only one that can ask questions. Maybe he’s organising some kind of ambush with other members of his group.’

‘Look, we should go,’ he said, brushing down the back of his hair and looking around for his jacket.

She caught his hand. ‘Can we really pull this off, Samson?’

‘Let’s see what we’ve got. We’ll know in an hour or so.’

She held on to his hand. ‘Thanks for being understanding about things. It’s just not possible at the moment . . .’

‘However beautiful you are, however much I exalt in sleeping with you, I have to tell you that sex is the last thing on my mind.’

‘And I’m sorry for not telling you about the baby.’ She stopped and smiled shyly. ‘That’s the last time I mention it. I’ve recovered. I’m no longer crazy. That’s all in the past.’

Her attention went to the window, where a butterfly was trapped. She let go of his hand and took a few steps to let it out.

‘What are you smiling for?’ she asked.

‘I’ll tell you another time,’ he said. ‘We’d better get going.’

He dragged the desk back to its position and noticed that an envelope had been slipped under the door. Inside was a note from Ulrike explaining that she had changed the venue of the meeting. The address was on the other side of the old town. She stressed that particular care should be taken to avoid being followed.

Chapter 28

Open Toombs

Anastasia went on ahead. Samson paid his bill and joined the crowds of young Estonians in the streets of the old town on a warm spring evening. He’d gone no more than a hundred metres when an SUV pulled up alongside him and Frank Toombs got out. ‘You want to be shot, Samson? I mean, what the hell are you doing?’

‘Hello, Frank, what can I help you with?’

‘Get in the fucking car.’

‘I’m on my way to meet an old friend, so if you don’t mind.’

He opened the door. ‘You need to hear what I have to say.’

Samson climbed in and three younger agents got out. Toombs wore his usual expression of disdain, but Samson knew he wanted something. ‘Okay, I’m listening,’ said Samson.

‘You’re dumb to be walking around like that. You’ll certainly not survive the next twenty-four hours if you stay here. The place is crawling with Russians who want you dead.’

‘I hear you.’

‘What are you going to do with it?’

‘What?’

‘The information you have.’

Samson gave a shrug and looked ahead.

‘This is where we stand. I know that Robert Harland and Denis Hisami were in a position to reveal names of senior individuals in the US that have been compromised by Russia, or work for Russian interests as a matter of choice. We know that Congress was attacked to protect those names and, with Harland’s death and Hisami’s incapacitation, those parties believe they’re now safe. Yet they’d be a lot happier if you and Anastasia were dead, too, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they’ll achieve that aim within a very short time frame.’ He stopped and opened a window. It was warm without the car’s air con. ‘And I guess that applies to your people, too. They’d happily feed you into a woodchipper. But, hey, that’s the British for you.’

‘Maybe,’ said Samson.

‘Maybe nothing! They want to close you down – hence the arrest warrant – because they’re desperate to keep it away from the Russians. At least in my country we have people who remember what the Cold War was about – Russia, Russia, Russia.’

‘So?’

‘Let’s cut to it. This information is going to come out, and we need to know exactly who’s involved. I want a list, a heads up.’

Samson was silent.

‘In exchange, we’ll provide you with protection.’

‘Like the protection you’ve given me and Anastasia over the last few days?’

‘You don’t make it easy. By the way, I notice you never mention the kid – the Syrian kid.’

‘He’s unimportant.’

‘The hell he is. We know he’s crucial. We know, so please don’t fucking tell me otherwise. But right now my concerns are bigger than how this young man has been communicating with Mr Hisami. I’m here to protect the American people. It’s as simple as that. We can’t have a drug-dealing Balkan deadbeat walking into Congress with nerve agent again. It’s not going to happen and we’re taking steps to make sure that it doesn’t.’ He looked at his watch. ‘At this moment interventions are taking place in Ukraine to eradicate that supply chain. I doubt there’ll be many arrested alive. We’re not fucking about.’

‘And Anatoly Stepurin?’

‘We’ll get him. You were right – he’s the paymaster, the organiser and planner. And he was the one who supplied the nerve agent, so he’s a priority.’

‘No, Frank, he’s just a go-between and a slightly better class of assassin.’

‘Whatever. We’ll get him. Let’s get back on track, Samson. The grown-ups in the US government, and there aren’t too many of them . . .’

‘Try my country!’

He looked irritated. ‘The adults understand that foreign influence is preying on our weaknesses, corroding the foundations of the republic from the inside, whatever the folks at the White House say. We’ve got a problem with the British ambassador. He’s spinning a fantasy about gangsters and revenge to distract from the truth about Russian manipulation. The Secretary of State has bought it, and so has the White House. They’d rather do anything than offend Russia right now. So, if this material comes out half-assed, they can dismiss it and our only chance is blown.’

‘So what do you want?’

‘An agreement that you will give us notice of what you’ve got, and all of it!’

‘What do you mean by notice?’

‘As soon as you know – that has to be