unclear whether he’s most strongly linked with the Somali or the Yemeni branch. What does seem certain is that he’s committed to the reintroduction of Sharia law and to the use of terrorism. We think his recent activities are intended as a means of getting himself further up the Al-Shabaab hierarchy.’
‘Like a job application?’ Danny said, incredulous.
‘If you like. He’s no fool, though. We can’t pin a single actual crime on him, at least not on UK soil. He is wanted in Jordan on terror charges, and the British government have been trying to extradite him there for some time, only to be blocked in the courts.’ She glanced at the CIA liaison officer. ‘ Much to the dismay of the prime minister.’
Harrison Maddox gave a mirthless little snort. ‘That’s what I love about you Brits,’ he said. ‘You don’t get even, you get mad.’
Victoria gave him a frosty look. ‘Personally, Harrison, I’m extremely pleased my children can grow up in a country where the rule of law can be relied upon, and extended to all our citizens, regardless of . . .’
‘Regardless of how many people they’re planning to kill, Victoria? Please, spare me the passive aggression. The US has been offering to take Abu Ra’id off your hands for years now. We’ve all known that he has a group of disciples hanging on his every damn word. He doesn’t need to get his hands dirty because he’s got untold numbers of young extremists willing to do the work for him. Hell, we’ve just seen that he even wants his people to commit suicide at his command.’
‘That’s the problem with these bloody ragheads,’ Chamberlain interrupted. ‘They all think they’re going to get their seventy-two virgins if their sordid little plans go tits-up.’
Both Maddox and Victoria threw Chamberlain an irritated glance. Maddox drew a deep breath. ‘If you’d accepted our offer,’ he told Victoria a little more mildly, ‘we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.’
‘We are not in the habit, Harrison,’ Victoria said crisply, ‘of throwing people into black camps on the basis of a hunch. In this country, the legal process still means something.’
‘Ah,’ Maddox said lightly, ‘the legal process.’ He slowly folded his arms. ‘Remind me again what it is we’re here to discuss? The summary execution of three terror suspects, was it?’
Another silence. Victoria visibly bristled and Danny had the sense that she was forcing herself to calm down. She drew a deep breath, then carried on as if the interruption hadn’t happened.
‘Both Sarim Galaid and Jamal Faroole were students – if you want to use that word – of Abu Ra’id’s at the Holy Shrine mosque. Our analysts are almost certain that he was the driving force behind the attack. We simply can’t risk a repeat performance, so approval has come down from Number 10 to act pre-emptively. Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate him.’
‘Why don’t you ask the missus?’ Spud said. ‘What do they call her? The White Witch?’
‘Oh, we intend to, just as soon as we get through the layers of legal protection with which she has surrounded herself.’ Maddox rolled his eyes at this comment, but Victoria continued briskly. ‘I think it rather unlikely, however, that she will know of his location. We’ve directed all our resources into looking for him, but until he puts his head above the parapet, you’ll have to concentrate on the foot soldiers.’ She looked from Spud to Danny. ‘Are you under any doubt about what we’re asking you to do?’
Danny gave her a flat look. ‘You want us to hunt them down,’ he said, ‘and kill them.’
A pause. Victoria nodded uncertainly. ‘I trust you don’t have a problem with . . .’ – she struggled for a word – ‘. . . ethics?’
Danny almost allowed himself a smile. ‘Far as I’m concerned,’ he said, ‘that’s a county near London.’
Nobody laughed. Victoria took a moment to collect her
‘Like a job application?’ Danny said, incredulous.
‘If you like. He’s no fool, though. We can’t pin a single actual crime on him, at least not on UK soil. He is wanted in Jordan on terror charges, and the British government have been trying to extradite him there for some time, only to be blocked in the courts.’ She glanced at the CIA liaison officer. ‘ Much to the dismay of the prime minister.’
Harrison Maddox gave a mirthless little snort. ‘That’s what I love about you Brits,’ he said. ‘You don’t get even, you get mad.’
Victoria gave him a frosty look. ‘Personally, Harrison, I’m extremely pleased my children can grow up in a country where the rule of law can be relied upon, and extended to all our citizens, regardless of . . .’
‘Regardless of how many people they’re planning to kill, Victoria? Please, spare me the passive aggression. The US has been offering to take Abu Ra’id off your hands for years now. We’ve all known that he has a group of disciples hanging on his every damn word. He doesn’t need to get his hands dirty because he’s got untold numbers of young extremists willing to do the work for him. Hell, we’ve just seen that he even wants his people to commit suicide at his command.’
‘That’s the problem with these bloody ragheads,’ Chamberlain interrupted. ‘They all think they’re going to get their seventy-two virgins if their sordid little plans go tits-up.’
Both Maddox and Victoria threw Chamberlain an irritated glance. Maddox drew a deep breath. ‘If you’d accepted our offer,’ he told Victoria a little more mildly, ‘we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.’
‘We are not in the habit, Harrison,’ Victoria said crisply, ‘of throwing people into black camps on the basis of a hunch. In this country, the legal process still means something.’
‘Ah,’ Maddox said lightly, ‘the legal process.’ He slowly folded his arms. ‘Remind me again what it is we’re here to discuss? The summary execution of three terror suspects, was it?’
Another silence. Victoria visibly bristled and Danny had the sense that she was forcing herself to calm down. She drew a deep breath, then carried on as if the interruption hadn’t happened.
‘Both Sarim Galaid and Jamal Faroole were students – if you want to use that word – of Abu Ra’id’s at the Holy Shrine mosque. Our analysts are almost certain that he was the driving force behind the attack. We simply can’t risk a repeat performance, so approval has come down from Number 10 to act pre-emptively. Unfortunately, we have been unable to locate him.’
‘Why don’t you ask the missus?’ Spud said. ‘What do they call her? The White Witch?’
‘Oh, we intend to, just as soon as we get through the layers of legal protection with which she has surrounded herself.’ Maddox rolled his eyes at this comment, but Victoria continued briskly. ‘I think it rather unlikely, however, that she will know of his location. We’ve directed all our resources into looking for him, but until he puts his head above the parapet, you’ll have to concentrate on the foot soldiers.’ She looked from Spud to Danny. ‘Are you under any doubt about what we’re asking you to do?’
Danny gave her a flat look. ‘You want us to hunt them down,’ he said, ‘and kill them.’
A pause. Victoria nodded uncertainly. ‘I trust you don’t have a problem with . . .’ – she struggled for a word – ‘. . . ethics?’
Danny almost allowed himself a smile. ‘Far as I’m concerned,’ he said, ‘that’s a county near London.’
Nobody laughed. Victoria took a moment to collect her
Similar Books
