Chapter 8

Sam slowly regained consciousness, feeling like he'd been run over by several freight trains. He was desperately thirsty and hungry too, his last meal having been breakfast the day before. As he dimly became more aware of his surroundings, he was relieved to see he was now in a different room and lying on a mattress, albeit a thin one. He rolled over gently to ease the pain in his shoulder and ribs, but was suddenly pulled back. Shaking his head clear, he looked at his left wrist and saw that it was chained to a radiator. He sighed in frustration and then slowly eased himself into a sitting position. His whole body ached with the effort and he knew deep down there would be more punishment to come before this was over. He professionally cast his eyes around the cell and sized it up. There was a heavy steel door and a small window and judging by the weak light that permeated the room, he guessed it was late afternoon. Turning his attention back to the handcuffs, he tried to see if the radiator had a weak point at all, but to his dismay found it was made of good old fashioned cast iron. He lay back against the wall and closed his eyes and thought about Gerry Owens. He had known at the pub that wet, miserable night, that Gerry was onto something big, but he had never foreseen this. Easing himself into a better position to aid his aching ribs, he looked around for something to unpick the cuffs. He had only just started to look when the door was unlocked and Jack walked in.

Sam tensed involuntarily, but remained silent and defiant.

"I've brought you something, Sam." Jack smiled broadly and placed some water and bread on the ground. "We don't want you to starve, well, not just yet anyhow!"

Burke and Hare grinned inanely.

It took all the strength Sam had to resist grabbing the jug and downing it in one go, but that would give his captors the upper hand and if Sam was one thing, it was stubborn.

Jack was unimpressed that his 'kindly' gesture had been rebuffed. "Tut, tut, you really are very obstinate, Sam, but I can fix that. Have you heard the saying, 'you can lead an agent to water but can't make him drink?' I don't believe it, so I'm going to test the theory." He indicated with his finger, and Burke and Hare came further into the room.

"I thought this was a private party?" Sam quipped, not feeling as chipper as his voice indicated.

He was once again un-cuffed and pulled upright.

"You, Mr Curtis, are really trying my patience!" Jack was getting riled.

"Well at least I am doing something right!" Sam muttered, but was rewarded with a punch across the face. The two henchmen dragged him out and into the same room as before, but this time there was no trolley, just a bath filled with water. Jack again didn't speak, he just nodded and without warning, Sam's head was forced under water. He was held there until his lungs were bursting, but then thankfully he was pulled back out. He gasped for air, his broken ribs complaining dramatically with every breath.

Jack came up to where Sam was retching and spoke to Burke and Hare.

"I didn't see him drink anything, did you?"

The two henchmen shook their huge heads. Jack snapped his fingers.

"Let's try again!"

Sam barely managed to take a breath before he was plunged once again under the water. The loss of his major senses caused disorientation, but his training kicked in and he tried to relax, panic would surely ensure he drowned. The pain in his lungs nearly caused him to give up. One large breath and his lungs would fill with water and this nightmare would be over, but Sam wasn't the type to give in to people like this and he was damned if he was going to die in this sordid little room. Once again he was pulled out of the water and his body was racked with coughing.

After a while, Jack grabbed Sam's chin and forced his head up. Sam blinked away the water as his coughing subsided and he found himself looking into the eyes of a madman.

"You WILL tell me where Gerry Owens and the file are, do you hear me?" He struck Sam viciously across the face, causing his nose to bleed. He then began a prolonged assault on the defenceless man, punching and kicking until after what seemed a lifetime, his anger subsided. The two henchmen used the lull in the proceedings to drag a barely conscious Curtis away from Jack and to put him back in his cell. They hardly thought it necessary to handcuff him, but Jack insisted and so they once again secured him and left him to recover, if indeed he ever would.

Keel meanwhile, had gone with Backus to take Mrs Kantor home and during the journey had briefed her on what to say. Keel got out of the car a few streets away and Tina took her to the Embassy and waved her goodbye. Tina returned to pick up Chris and they parked a few streets away and ensured the equipment was working.

Chris wasn't sure about Mrs Kantor's resilience.

"If she gets this wrong, Sam will be dead – if he isn't already!"

Tina looked at him. "Mrs Kantor is doing this for her daughter and when a mother has a child to protect, she's as formidable as any army!"

Keel smiled slightly. "Ok, I bow to your superior knowledge."

"It will be ok, Chris. Sam is a tough one and will get through this!"

At that point they heard the voice of Andras Kantor speaking to his wife, but it was in Hungarian and neither agent had a clue what was being said. As the machine recorded its important conversation, Keel radioed Malone.

"4.5 to base."

"Go ahead, Mr Keel."

"We need a translator, Sir. The whole conversation is in Hungarian!"

"I foresaw this eventuality, Mr Keel and I already have a government translator here with me."

'Of course he does!' Keel mouthed quietly to Tina, who giggled slightly.

"What was that, Mr Keel?" Malone's no nonsense voice crackled through the RT.

"I didn't say anything, Sir. That's good, we'll get the tape back once we hear Mrs Kantor's secure word indicating she's finished."

"I will see you both shortly - out."

Keel shook his head. "I swear that man has super human hearing, amongst other things."

Tina agreed and they both concentrated on the conversation, listening for the word that they had agreed beforehand with the Ambassador's wife, to indicate she was now alone and ready to remove her wire. Sure enough, after about an hour, they heard her say 'Tiffany'. The expensive jewellery store in London had been chosen as the word, and not long after she uttered it, the line went dead.

Tina shifted the car into gear, and they raced back to headquarters, hoping whatever had been discussed in that embassy, would help lead them to their colleague.

The tape was played for the translator, who relayed the conversation back to Malone and his two agents. Mrs Kantor had done a superb job. She started off by saying to her husband how she'd bumped into Tina who gave her a lift home. On the journey she'd asked about the agent who'd been disciplined and was told he was missing, believed to be being held by the Morris brothers. Andras Kantor seemed more interested in this than he should have been, just as Malone had hoped. Kantor pressed his wife for details, but she didn't know anything, except they were close to finding them. A bold lie, but it may get Kantor to bite. The rest of the conversation was pretty mundane and it ended with the code word.

"I think we should put a tail on Mr Kantor. We cannot bug his phone, but I have a feeling he will be making contact with the Morris's soon. Mr Keel, Miss Backus I suggest you get a move on!"

"Yes, Sir." Keel acknowledged and both operatives left quickly. Tina took her own car and went to the embassy straight away whilst Keel went home to pick up a key piece of surveillance equipment he'd 'borrowed' and left there. Curtis would have had a fit. He'd never have done that, he always returned the equipment promptly and in good condition.

Keel arrived at his apartment, and rushing up the stairs two at a time, deftly opened the lock and strode in. What he didn't expect was to be greeted by the barrel of a gun aimed at his head. The apartment was quite dark now that evening had arrived and the gunman had his back to the window, creating a shadow around him.

Keel raised both hands in submission. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?" He ventured.

The figure remained where he was and cocked the gun, its loud metallic sound ringing ominously throughout the apartment.

"You're the American?" He asked.

Keel was fired up with his mission to locate Sam and wasn't in the mood for stupid games.

"Ten out of ten! What gave it away, my accent perhaps?" He replied sarcastically.

The large figure drew nearer and laughed. "Oh God, how does Sam put up with you?" It chuckled.

Keel was confused. "Who the hell are you and how do you know Sam?"

The man came into the light and sheathed his gun.

"My name is Gerry Owens, and you must be Chris Keel. I know Sam because he used to be my partner for a while in MI6 and am here to help him."

Keel lowered his arms and had to say his piece. "It's because of you he's in this mess!"

"Partly, yes but I told him to meet me back at base, not go off on his own against these people!"

Keel wasn't prepared to waste time arguing.

"Well you're on board now, Gerry. We have to get to the Hungarian Embassy to follow Kantor."

Owens nodded. "I know there is a connection between him and the Morris's but I could never prove it due to his diplomatic status. Where's the file now?"

Keel put his mind at rest. "Sam mailed it to me whilst being pursued; it's safely at CI5 headquarters."

Gerry smiled. "Good old Sam. I knew I could rely on him."

Keel came up to him. "Well he's relying on us now and I for one am not gonna let him down!"

"I hear you!" Gerry replied and followed Keel out to his car.

As he drove, Keel updated Malone.

"4.5 to base, I appear to have located Gerry Owens. He will help us shadow Kantor, unless you need to speak with him, Sir?"

Malone thought for a moment. All the checks on the man were solid and if Curtis had trusted him then he should too.

"That is understood, Mr Keel. Keep me informed of any developments!"

"Yes, Sir. 4.5 out."

Gerry listened quietly then spoke in his Geordie dialect. "I've heard a great deal about Harry Malone, but I bet half of it isn't true!"

Keel smiled. "Not only is it all true, there is a lot left out!"

Gerry was impressed. "No wonder Sam made the switch to CI5, but it was a loss to MI6 when he left."

Keel nodded. "Tell me about your days together."

Gerry allowed his mind to drift back.

"Sam and I were partnered in Berlin and controlled by Carl Dietrich. Sam was always the thinker and I was the muscle, we were the hot shot Geordie and the thoughtful Londoner but it worked well. Sam was reliable, immaculate and a crack shot. I was tenacious, pig headed and also a crack shot, we made a good team. Once Sam left I found the job tiresome and so I too got out a bit later on. He would always go the extra mile on a job and that was how he nearly became a snipers next victim, covering my back when he should have got the hell out of there!"

Keel agreed. "Sounds like Sam alright!"

Gerry sighed. "Seriously, Chris, may I call you Chris?" Keel nodded affirmative. "He should have waited for me before wading in like this. I know how brutal these guys are, and if Sam gets stubborn I hate to think what they might do to him."

Keel didn't reply but indicated they were now at the embassy. Tina came over and looked surprised to see another figure in Keel's car. Chris did the introductions.

"Tina, meet Gerry Owens. Gerry, meet Tina Backus."

They shook hands and Gerry was obviously taken with Tina, but that had to wait because Kantor was on the move,

Chris started to follow as Tina radioed base. "7.4 to Malone, we are following target, repeat we are following the target."

Back in his office the head of CI5 was pleased things were starting. Perhaps now he could bring his agent home.