Red Notice

77

Shivering with delayed shock, Delphine still crouched on the floor, next to the spot where the old man had been murdered. He’d begun his journey with such joy and anticipation in his heart, but had now been tossed aside like so much rubbish. Delphine told herself to stay strong. The old man’s optimism counted for nothing now, but that didn’t mean she should lose hers. Tom had said he would come back for her, and this time she believed him.

Sambor stood guard over her. Laszlo joined him to debrief the two gunmen who had pursued Tom and the children. Although she couldn’t understand a word they were saying, she was in no doubt that this performance was at least partly for her benefit. The men now encircled her. A pair of blood-stained boots was planted a few inches from her face.

There was a tremor of fear in the older insurgent’s voice as he made his report. ‘We think he’s dead.’

‘You think?’ Laszlo’s voice was low, but dripping with menace. ‘Where are the bodies?’

‘We couldn’t find them. We couldn’t go so far towards England…’

It wasn’t what Laszlo wanted to hear. ‘So you do not have bodies?’

‘No.’

Laszlo went silent again, still waiting for the answer he wanted. The gunman, even more nervous now, felt he had to fill the gap. ‘But the amount of fire we put down, no one would have survived. No one.’

There was another long silence as the fighter waited for Laszlo to reply.

‘I would say, almost certainly, that they are not dead.’

The unfortunate individuals accepted their error, heads lowered. Neither answered back in their defence as Laszlo continued: ‘So, one man and two children are too much for my heroic fighters, and a 7.62mm gun team? Have you forgotten everything the SAS taught you? I suppose I should be grateful that the children weren’t armed, or you might all have been killed. You are getting slow and lazy. It’s time to step up. We have our unit. We have our history. And, most importantly, we have our pride.’ His expression darkened still further. ‘We must maintain them at all times.’

‘Yes, Laszlo, we must step up. We’re sorry.’

Laszlo hugged both men. ‘OK. Now go and do your duty.’

Delphine had scarcely been able to breathe during the exchange, but now she released a long, shuddering gasp. She had caught the mention of ‘SAS’. Laszlo’s tone of disappointment, along with the nervousness of his subordinates, planted a small seed of hope in her heart.

When the two brothers were alone once more, Sambor spoke: ‘The pipeline? That is still safe? Escalles?’

Escalles… Another word that Delphine understood. She saw Laszlo look down. She instantly dropped her gaze, but could feel his eyes drilling into her.

Sambor stepped away from the girl, and motioned to his brother to follow. ‘Whoever this man is, he’s no ordinary passenger. He’s been very well trained.’

‘Perhaps so,’ Laszlo said thoughtfully, looking out into the darkness. ‘But training is only part of it.’ He remained facing the window. ‘Brother, do you know the three questions to ask if you want to find a good general?’ Laszlo raised an index finger above his shoulder. ‘Is he intelligent?’ He brandished his middle finger as well. ‘Is he ruthless?’ And finally his ring finger. ‘And is he lucky?’

Laszlo turned back to face his brother, and gave the merest tilt of his head towards Delphine’s still prone body. ‘This Good Samaritan of theirs seems to be ruthless. And he’s certainly been lucky — so far, at least. Let’s see if he’s intelligent as well, shall we?’