Chapter 10

I don't think you have any concept of how angry I am right now

Richard jumped violently, Craig leaped up, prepared for a fight. Both of them stared at the man who hurtled through the door.

"Eddie, are you all right?" Mac said as he hauled his friend to his feet.

"Yeah, yeah."

Angrily Mac turned towards Craig.

"I thought you said..." he stopped abruptly, his eyes fixed on Richard. "Christ!" He paled visibly.

"Mac, I told you never to come down 'ere," Eddie said quietly.

Mac shook his head slowly. Carter put his hand on his arm but he shook it off.

"I didn't do this," Eddie continued.

"I don't care," the Scotsman replied, his voice low. "I can't do this anymore."

As the others looked on in silence, Mac walked towards the door.

"Mac!" Eddie shouted at his back.

"Hey!" Craig yelled as he rushed after him.

Mac made it to the door, slamming it on the American. Quickly Craig yanked it back open so he could chase the man down.

"Hello there Stirling, is he one of yours?"

Craig pulled up short. Two men held Mac between them. Both worked for Nemesis Internal Security.

"No, but better hold him for now er, Nicholls, said Stirling, remembering the man's name just in time. "You got guns?"

"Sure."

"OK, keep one yourself and give me the other then get Barrett out of here. We'll wait for the boss. You got any more men outside?"

"We got the place sewn up tight - not even a mouse could get in or out of here without us seeing," replied Nicholls.

"Great. Then you better get someone to take Barrett to a hospital," said Craig.

Richard looked at Sharron and shook his head, clearly very agitated.

"No, just take him back to the hotel for now. He needs rest and I can check him out properly later," she said.

Stirling sensed Barrett's agitation and figured he'd been through enough without being forced to undergo the indignity of an extensive examination at a hospital right now, so he said,

"OK the hotel it is, just you make sure someone stays with him though, I don't want him left alone. Now go on, go, get him out of here!"

"Just a moment," Sharron said. "Richard," she continued as she searched through her bag, "I'm going to give you a shot."

She flicked the end of the syringe and then slowly injected the liquid into her friend's arm. As she watched she saw his muscles relax visibly and his eyes become unfocussed. Just before he lost consciousness a tiny ghost of a smile appeared on his lips.

Craig drew one of the security men to one side and spoke to him in a low voice, "I think Mac, the guy you caught when he was on his way out here, is on the level but I can't be sure. Until we've rounded everyone up we need to know exactly where he is and what he's doing. We can't risk him taking it into his head to try and warn the boss about what's happened. If he is on the level I don't want to antagonise him and, if he isn't, I don't want to tip him off that we suspect him. We don't want him here, things are quite complicated enough. We can do without having to second guess what he might do. I want you to take him back to the hotel with you and Barrett then keep him there until I let you know it's safe to let him go. You'll have your hands full with Richard so make sure Nicholls goes along with you. I'm sure you can manage Mac on your own once Barrett's settled into bed at the hotel so Nicholls can come back here then, OK?"

Sharron turned away from Richard and nodded to the two waiting security men.

"He's ready," she said.

Stirling breathed a sigh of relief as he watched his friend being carried out of the cellar by Nicholls and Mac, who'd stepped forward to help, the other security man following closely behind them.

Craig paused for a moment in the doorway watching them help Richard down the corridor, his feet dragging along the ground.

Behind him, Doyle levered himself on to his chair and whispered something to Carter.

"Shut up!" Eddie yelled. "This is all your fault, you psychotic bastard!"

"Oy Mac!" Frankie shouted as Craig began to shut the door. "Yer well out of it mate. Yer boyfriend's been 'aving quite a time with Barrett!"

Carter roared with rage and he punched Doyle hard, knocking him down. He grabbed him as he fell and thumped him again and again. For a moment Craig let him then, realising the man needed to be conscious to give them any information, he handed the gun to Sharron and dragged Eddie off him. He made a mental note to tell Richard all about it as he hauled Frankie up and plonked him onto the chair.

"Right, start talking! Does your boss sleep on the premises?"

Doyle didn't reply but Carter answered,

"No."

Craig turned back to Frankie,

"When is your boss due back?"

"I don't know, and if I did I wouldn't tell ya," Doyle replied sullenly.

"What's his name?"

"Piss off, I 'aint tellin' you nothin'," Frankie said.

Craig walked over to the box on the floor.

"Hey, what's this? Is this what you used on Barrett? Maybe we should see how long you can hold out if we try it on you," he said threateningly to Frankie.

"You wouldn't do that an' ya know it," sneered Doyle.

"Oh yeah?" Craig said as he walked over to the machine and flipped the on switch. "I don't think you have any concept of how angry I am right now."

"Ya wouldn't dare!" Frankie retorted, his voice sounding a little more worried than he'd intended.

"What setting do you think?" Stirling continued, as he turned the dial.

"Craig," Sharron warned.

"Yeah, you listen to 'er mate."

Stirling uncoiled the cord and moved the device closer.

"So what do you say?" the American said with a smile.

He stopped suddenly as he moved his hand nearer to Doyle and turned to Sharron.

"Gunfire," she confirmed.

"Wot?" Frankie looked confused.

"Watch them," he ordered. "I'll be back."

Stirling ran from the room and up the stairs. As he burst out of the front door on to the street he came to an abrupt halt. Lying on the pavement was Johnson, howling in pain, clutching his leg. To his right a couple of agents ran up.

"The other two got away," one of the agents said as the other began to apply pressure to the bullet wound in Johnson's leg.

"Which other two?" Craig asked.

"A guy, in his forties maybe, and a girl who was driving. I tried to shoot out the tyres but I hit the back window. Still, maybe I winged one of them," he continued.

"Did you get a look at the car?" Stirling asked.

"Yeah, it was a white Alpha, F 33..."

"66," Craig cut in.

"Oh?

"That's Barrett's car."

"Ah."

"Best not tell him you shot out his rear window, at least for the moment," Craig continued.

"No. Er, I'll get the police looking for it."

"You do that."

"Do you want us to take the two down the cellar in for you?" asked the security guard.

"Sure, but just give Miss Macready and me ten minutes alone with them first, OK? And lend me your gun will you." replied the American.

"Right, you got ten minutes then we come and get them."

Back in the cellar the two men sat sullenly as Sharron stood with the gun trained on them. She turned as Craig entered and motioned him over to her.

"I don't think we'll be getting anything out of him," she said quietly, pointing at Frankie. "The other one? Maybe."

"All right. You take Doyle upstairs to the others then come back down here."

Sharron nodded and ordered Frankie to get up.

"You keep yer mouth shut Eddie," Doyle hissed under his breath as he got up and headed for the door.

Once they were alone Stirling approached Carter, turned the chair Frankie had just vacated so its back was facing Eddie and straddled it. The man was staring at the floor glumly.

"So, ..."

"I ain't no snitch!" Carter burst out.

"I can see why," Craig continued. "I don't suppose anybody crosses your boss."

"You got that right. 'E'd string me up."

"Like you did to Barrett?"

"I didn't do none of that!"

"But you'll be charged with it, and from what I've seen of that friend of yours he'll try to pin it on you."

"Frankie wouldn't stitch me up."

"If you say so."

Eddie said nothing.

"What I don't get is why you'd be interested in a code. You look like the kinda guys who're into banks, extortion, smuggling. That sort of thing."

Carter shrugged.

"So why codes?"

"I dunno."

"The boss didn't tell you?"

"He don't tell us nothin' about that side of things."

"What side of things?"

Carter clammed up.

"Listen Eddie, if you co-operate I'll put in a good word for you," Craig continued. "And I don't just mean with the police."

Carter looked up sharply. "You leave Mac out of this, he aint got nothin' to do with it!"

"But I'm sure he's an interested party. Plus, if your boss thinks he's a security risk, then I wouldn't give much for Mac's chances of convincing him otherwise."

Eddie thought over his options. He wanted out. He wanted Mac to listen to him. He didn't want Mac hurt because of him. But he didn't want to end up dead either.

"I can put that boss of yours away," Craig urged. "I just need your help."

Carter paused for a moment and then said, "I don't know wot it's about, but usually we are into other stuff, like you say, bank jobs an' such. But sometimes things like this 'appen. We kidnap some bloke an' the boss gets information out of 'im. I dunno wot it's for or why the boss would be interested, an' that's all I know."

"All right, I'm going to need a list of names of all the guys your boss has kidnapped for information," said Craig.

"Aint sure I can remember now. I'll give it a go though," replied Eddie.

"Just do what you can. I'm going to have you sit with one of our artist guys and have you describe them so we can get some idea of who they were. Finally I shall want you to take a look through a bunch of photos too - see if you recognize any of the boss' victims that way. OK?"

"OK. Then you'll tell Mac I helped you? You'll let me see 'im right?" asked Eddie.

"If he's willing to see you yeah."

Craig got to his feet.

"Let's go," he said.

With some difficulty Nicholls, the other Nemesis agent - who was called Harrison - and Mac got Barrett out of the Scotsman's car. Mac and Harrison stood on either side of Richard, hooked his arms round each of their shoulders and headed to the door.

Fortunately it was early, so no guests were in reception. They tried to block Barrett's face from view as Nicholls picked up his room keys from the man on the front desk.

"He's had a bit too much to drink," said Nicholls as he stuffed the keys into his pocket.

Just as they reached the lift Barrett started to wake up. They bundled him inside quickly. He was semi-conscious and confused. As the doors closed Richard rammed his left foot into Harrison's shin, while yanking his arm from the agent's grip.

"Christ, Barrett!" Harrison yelled, clutching his leg. "It's me, Pete Harrison. You're back at the hotel!"

"Who's this?" Richard croaked, pointing to Mac who he was now holding in a head lock.

"That's some fella called Mac, he's fine, he's with us."

The lift door opened. The man from reception stood there staring at the scene inside.

"What's going...?" the startled employee said.

Harrison hit the button to the 9th floor quickly and the doors closed, leaving the very alarmed junior employee wondering if he should wake the manager.

As the lift began to move Richard leaned back against the wall, freeing Mac. When the doors opened again he allowed himself to be supported down the hall and into his room. Once in the bedroom Harrison helped him out of his clothes and into Stirling's bed. Richard thought about pointing out the error, but Craig's was nearest and the room was beginning to spin. By the time his head hit the pillow he was out cold.

"Right then, I reckon I can take it from here so you'd better get back to Stirling," Harrison said to Nicholls.

"Ok, see you later," the other agent said, handing his gun to his colleague as he headed out of the door.

"Do you want me to stay with Barrett so you can get on with the job you got?" asked Mac.

"Sorry, no offence or anything, but I know nothing about you. I'm staying," replied Harrison.

"OK, I'll go home then. Stirling has the address if you need me for anything."

"Er no, sorry that's not an option either. Stirling said to hold you for now, that means you stick around so I know where you are," said Harrison, raising his gun slightly to remind Mac not to try anything rash.

"OK I'll stay and you don't need a gun to make me, asking me is enough, but I don't expect you take my word for it so I'll deal with it for now. I've no desire to starve at the same time though. At least order a meal from room service. Goodness knows how long we'll be holed up here." said Mac.

He gestured towards Richard,

"I can't see that poor sod waking up any time soon."

He picked up the room service menu and started looking down the list.

"Well, what do you say?" he asked.

"OK, order what you like... within reason," capitulated Harrison.

Craig dropped Sharron off at the hotel and drove away. He needed to get information from Johnson and, as he made his way to the hospital, he went through the questions in his head, mostly to keep his mind off how worried he was about Richard. Sure, Sharron thought his injuries were superficial, but what if she was wrong?

Around forty minutes later he pulled up at St James' Hospital, got out and began looking for the other Nemesis agents. Eventually he found out which room Johnson was in and walked up to the third floor. Outside the room stood a Nemesis security man who turned to Craig as he approached.

"Hey," the man said.

"How's Johnson?" Stirling asked.

"He came through surgery fine, he's sedated for the moment."

"When are the doctors going to wake him up?"

"Not sure," the other agent replied. "They got a bit nasty when I tried to question him. I'm not allowed in the room now."

Craig opened the door. Johnson was asleep, his leg in bandages.

"OK," Craig said, "I'm going to have a word with those doctors."