Harry started to worry about passport control as they drove into the Port at Caen, when Alex pulled out two passports his own and a brand new one for Harry. "Stop panicking, Harry. You left forms with your sister in case you mislaid or lost yours, it came through and she couriered it to me. Only the Commander has no paper work but seeing how he's asleep in the back I say we just keep quiet about him. They probably won't notice our passenger." The Landrover went onto the boat with barely a glance. They parked and disembarked. "We have a cabin, wait until the rush is over and we'll bed down. I'll bring sandwiches and hot drinks to you guys. Just rest for the time being."
Alex lay on the bunk awake most of the night. He was meant to return to London as if nothing had happened, he could not stop thinking how the chase to find Harry had been a thrilling, desperate and completely exhilarating game. Alex was then drawn to the dark corners of his mind and the black self-hatred and depression that was never far below the surface. Was he just the man his uncle had planned him to be? Alex had itchy fingers. Luckily he was stuck in a room with two twitchy operatives, who would definitely wake up if he moved to either go to the bathroom or exit for the bar. No, he could neither get shit-faced or inflict a large amount of pain on himself.
As they moved back to Alex's trusty old Landrover, Harry noted Alex was tense and looked bone tired. "I'll drive to London. OK, Cub, you look a bit frazzled."
"I'm OK, Sergeant. I just need to have a long chat with the Doc" was all Alex said.
Harry understood the code, that Alex would phone Doc Pritchard as soon as they had a clear mobile phone signal.
Harry drove off the ferry with the practiced ease many years knocking around in Army issue Landrovers. Alex sat back and started to snooze. The Commander was propped up in the back between a pair of rucksacks and observed the interaction of the two ex-squaddies. The sergeant calm and collected, even when imprisoned and being questioned by the less than stellar hosts in Lyon. He then looked at the younger soldier, who swung fro completely professional to twitchy and introverted. 'Cub' was young, maybe he'd had a bum fist tour with the squadron and gone off the deep end, but the ease of his abilities spoke of many successful missions. He could not be over twenty-three. The spy cursed himself for not sneaking a peek at the two soldier's passports. The younger man was not hiding behind a legend, he'd been perfectly open about his friendship with the sergeant. The spy then thought about his turn in fortune, getting caught and then Harry recognising him. A simple bit of data gathering had morphed into a complete FUBAR. He'd had an easier time during his last bit of terrifying clock and dagger in Iran. It had been France, for Christ's sake. He'd been stupid to think of the two crooks running the operation had been simple low life's, not the fully trained terrorist's they turned out to be. He had not even found out what was being traded. He was headed for a complete bollocking when he got back to Vauxhall. The Commander then smirked at the kid's utter derision about the spook squad at Liverpool Street. He wondered when Cub and those jokers had crossed paths.
The security alert was for one car with three occupants. There customs officers had watched the SAS anti-terrorism team arrive and set up with smooth efficiency, two snipers were in place and the plan of splitting off the car from the rest of the traffic had been discussed and the various scenarios for possible trouble were played out until evryone took up their positions.
Harry exited the ferry and noted the officer directing traffic looked awfully familiar. They were directed around to an isolated unit and then the car was surrounded by armed soldiers.
Alex was still snoring on the passanger seat. The stress of the past two weeks had lead to a complete crash. He was home, he had nothing to worry about.
A gruff familiar face looked at the man in the driving seat and signalled the all clear. "Morning Sergeant, had a nice holiday?"
"Holiday? Who gave you your intel? I was working and then I was a guest of some not so nice friends of the Commander in the back." Harry quipped, still aprehensive with his hands on view. He knew it would be a full search and debrief on exiting the vehicle. "OK Wolf, I'll wake up Cub. I don't want him to have an episode here. He's been a bit strung out. Saved my bacon though so you bastards better treat him right." Harry then handed over the two passports. "I have no idea who our other passanger is, he trained in 1999 at Brecon, Oman, Norway and Belize with the group from Special Branch." A little bit of code for the Special Forces training that most agents undertook. The guy was definitely a spook.
Wolf them looked in the back and barked "Get a medic here pronto."
Alex opened his eyes as Harry unbuckled his seat belt. "Sorry for waking you Cub, but Wolf has sent a welcoming party."
"Wolf? Welcoming?" Alex then looked at the grim faces of the soldiers outside. "Ah, right on the floor in restaints welcome. Thats the Wolf I know and love."
"Good boy Cub, jus exit slowly, keep your hands in view and do everything they say."
Alex and Harry exited at the same time and were quickly searched, handcuffed and then manhandled into a waiting van.
Harry watched as Alex slumped in exhaustion still handcuffed and snored the entire way to the evaluation centre. The Commander had not travelled with them, but Harry reckoned the man had been taken to hospital for assessment. The poor bloke had been knocked about a bit and had only received basic first aid in France.
The van disappeared into the underground car park at Albert Embankment, Vauxhall. Cub and Harry were blindfolded and separated before the debriefing began.
Harry had been strip searched and then the doctor had checked him out. At this point Harry laid down the law. "Right Doctor, I guess Alex is getting the same treatment. Before we left the ferry, Alex stated he wanted to talk to his shrink, Doc Pritchard is attached to Brecon and Credenhill. Just pass the message on. Alex has episodes. He's still jumpy. Don't scare the Kid, OK."
"I'll see what I can do." was all the blank faced doctor had said.