The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War (Never War 1) by Justin Richards Page B

suggested.
    He led Sarah round the side of the hut. They were hiddenfrom the path here, and Guy risked a quick look through the window. It was dusty and he could barely make out the inside. Several people stood in the middle of the small hut – Brinkman, Miss Manners, and another man. More than that it was difficult to tell. He ducked out of sight again quickly.
    ‘Well?’
    ‘They’re talking to someone,’ Guy whispered.
    They both strained to hear. Through the window came the faint buzz of conversation, but it was impossible to make out anything coherent. They persevered for a few minutes before Sarah sighed and shook her head.
    ‘This is a waste of time,’ she said. ‘We might hear more through the door.’
    ‘That won’t look at all suspicious,’ Guy muttered. But he followed her back to the front of the hut.
    As soon as Sarah had turned the corner of the hut, she was back again. ‘Someone coming!’ she hissed.
    They both pressed against the side of the hut, out of sight.
    ‘Man in a crumpled suit,’ Sarah whispered. ‘He doesn’t look happy.’
    As she spoke, they heard the door of the hut slammed open.
    ‘What the hell are you playing at, Brinkman?’
    The words reached them clearly through the open door. A moment later, it slammed shut again. Sarah and Guy stepped out from behind the hut. They could still hear the voices from inside, and Guy saw that the door wasn’t quite closed – the newcomer had slammed it so hard it had sprung open again.
    They crept closer, listening, but also trying to look as if they had just stepped out of the hut for some air. As if they had every right to be there.
    ‘You can’t just commandeer my staff like this.’
    ‘Actually I can, Mr Fredericks.’ Guy recognised Brinkman’s voice. The colonel’s calm manner obviously did not have a soothing effect on Fredericks.
    ‘Dr Wiles is one of my senior analysts. I won’t have him diverted onto your… your… Onto whatever it is you people do,’ Fredericks finished lamely.
    ‘I’m afraid it’s not your choice. Dr Wiles and whoever he chooses to serve on his team—’
    ‘His
team
?’
    ‘I do hope you’re not going to make this any more difficult than it needs to be.’
    Fredericks sounded almost incandescent with rage. ‘I shall fight this at every level, believe you me.’
    ‘Michael…’ another voice said, evidently trying to calm the man. ‘I didn’t ask for this. But for what it’s worth—’
    ‘You keep out of this, Wiles. It’s nothing to do with you.’
    ‘Um, well – actually…’ the hapless Wiles started.
    But Fredericks wasn’t listening. ‘I’ll take this right to the top. We’ll see what Mr Churchill has to say!’
    Guy glanced at Sarah, and saw that she was already watching for his reaction. She raised her eyebrows.
    ‘I can tell you exactly what Mr Churchill will say,’ Brinkman countered. His tone was conversational. ‘Miss Manners, do you have the letter?’
    ‘Of course.’ Her voice was so quiet they had to strain to hear her.
    ‘What is this?’ Fredericks demanded.
    ‘If you read it,’ Miss Manners said, ‘you’ll see that it is a letter of authorisation. It gives Colonel Brinkman carte blanche to recruit or requisition whoever and whatever we need.’
    ‘That’s ridiculous.’
    ‘You are welcome to take it up with the authors of the letter,’ Brinkman said. ‘You’ll see that it is signed by General Ismay on behalf of the Prime Minister.’
    There was silence for several moments. Guy found he was holding his breath as he waited for Fredericks’ response. But there was none.
    Instead, he heard Miss Manners say: ‘We’ll let you know if we need anything else.’
    The door was yanked open before Pentecross or Sarah could move. A man in a crumpled dark suit, his face so red with anger that he could only be Fredericks, strode out of thehut. He pulled the door shut behind him, glaring first at Guy, then at Sarah, before he marched off.
    ‘He must think we’re