Carver

94

Carver emerged from the side entrance to the Goldsmiths’ Hall and had himself patched through to the spotters on the far side of Gresham Street. ‘I assume you’re armed.’

‘Yeah.’

‘Are you using laser sights?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Well, do me a favour and switch them on. Then track me. Whoever I talk to, point the sights at them.’

‘Got it.’

Carver crossed Gutter Lane, looking down it as he went. He could see the lights from the party on one side of the narrow street. He could see the Wax Chandlers’ Hall on the other side, so close the two buildings almost seemed in touching distance. He started to get a very bad feeling indeed.

Two security guards in cheap black suits and over-gelled hair were standing on either side of the entrance to the Wax Chandlers’ Hall. Beyond them a short flight of steps led up through an arched portico to the interior of the building.

Carver went up to the nearest guard and produced his Ministry of Defence ID.

‘I need to get into the building,’ he said.

‘No, you don’t,’ said the guard. ‘No one gets in unless they’re on the list. You’re not on the list. You don’t get in.’

He gave a smug, self-satisfied nod, as if delighted by his awesome powers of reasoning.

‘Yes, I do,’ Carver said.

‘You got a problem, mate?’ asked the second security guard, lumbering towards Carver.

‘No… you do. Look at your mate’s head.’

‘What the fuck are you going on about?’

‘Look at his head.’

A red laser dot was glowing right in the centre of the security guard’s forehead.

‘Oh shit…’

‘You got one too, mate!’ the first guard shouted.

‘So here’s the thing,’ Carver went on. ‘You’re both currently under observation by Metropolitan Police snipers. With me so far?’

The men nodded.

‘Now, I’m about to go in this building. Try to stop me and they’ll shoot. Or stand up against the wall, legs apart, hands flat against the wall, and don’t move, and you won’t have a bullet where those red dots are. What do you reckon?’

The men spun round and raced for the wall. Carver walked up the stairs, drawing his gun as he went, relieved that he had not had to use it earlier: if Zorn was in here, he didn’t want him alerted by the sound of gunfire.