Avenger by Andy McNab Page B

darkened room in The Hamptons, Pointer smiled as he watched Elena's face.
    'Time to talk,' he whispered, his fingers moving across to his computer's keyboard.
    Hi Gola, glad u made it ok. Thought this woz best
    way 4 us 2 b in contact now ur here. So how ya doin??? Room ok???
    Elena almost dropped the BlackBerry. It was like he was there, inside the room with her, rather than just sending her an IM. She hesitated, uncertain how she should reply: she realized that this was the first time since the operation had begun that she had been completely alone when in contact with Black Star. Where she would normally have looked to Deveraux or Dr Jacobson for an instruction, now she had no one. She was really on her own with this thing, and if the operation was to succeed, she had to get it right. So many people were relying on her. She shivered. She was so tired. Her brain didn't feel capable of logical thought. And yet the one thing she knew she felt comfortable with was technology. A BlackBerry? A breeze! She took a deep breath, thought for a moment and then her thumbs began to move over the keypad.
    Im ok, bit tired, long day. Is this safe?? Secure?
    The reply came straight back.
    Hey, Gola, u may b tired, but ur still thinking
    good. Normally it might not b safe, but 4 us its perfectly secure. We're just
    hitchin a ride on this site, they dont even know we're here. And they never
    will!!!!
    Elena couldn't help but marvel at the hacker's incredible ability to go wherever he desired on the Internet without leaving a single trace. But before she could comment, Black Star came back.
    So heres wots goin down tonite. First, I need you
    2 tear that sheet of paper in2 small pieces and flush it down the toilet.
    Do it now!!!
    Suddenly Elena knew for certain that somehow Black Star was watching her. She found herself glancing around the room, not knowing what she was looking for, only that somewhere there was a camera.
    Do it, Gola, we have 2 stay safe!!!
    Elena rested the BlackBerry on the bed and grabbed the sheet of paper. She was already ripping it to shreds as she walked into the bathroom. The pieces fluttered down into the lavatory bowl and Elena flushed them away. As she waited for the swirling water to calm, she had a sudden, cold thought. If Black Star was watching her in the bedroom, could he be watching her here too?
    She went back into the bedroom and picked up the BlackBerry.
    Done
.
    Great! Ya done good. Now, Im gonna tell you about
    ur cool nite out!!!
    For a moment Elena felt herself panic. She hadn't expected to be going out that evening and she knew she still had to establish a DLB and then carry out a brush contact with Danny to pass on the details in just twenty minutes' time.
    Nite out???
    Sure, Gola, I want 2 give u the perfect example
    of exactly y we're doin wot we're doin. Show u the sort of people who run
    this world and dont give a shit about people like us!!! U up 4 it????
     
    Danny checked his watch for the tenth time since arriving
    in his room on the eleventh floor of the Pennsylvania. It was time to move.
    But there was a problem. Danny still hadn't made contact with his grandfather. He had checked in with Deveraux first, exactly as ordered, but since then he had been calling Fergus's mobile every few minutes and had got the voicemail every time.
    He decided to give it one more go but the same thing happened. Danny didn't like it; it didn't feel right for the beginning of the operation to be rough at the edges. Maybe Fergus wasn't answering for the simple reason that the battery in his phone wasn't keeping its charge. But it wasn't like Fergus to let a situation like that persist; he'd just go out and get another phone.
    Danny called Deveraux again. 'Look, I know I'm not meant to contact you again now, but I've been trying to get my granddad for ages and I can't. I'm worried.'
    Deveraux's response was cool and unruffled. There's been a problem; he was lifted at Heathrow. We're doing everything we