started. Three of us went in the front, the other three through the back. We'd been
told which room would be used for the meeting so we didn't have to search the whole building. We threw stun grenades into the room then went in firing.' He shifted uncomfortably on the chair and wiped a bead of sweat that ran down the side of his face. 'There were no rebels there. Just four missionaries and thirty-five kids. None of the kids were over ten. Orphans of the war. It only took us a few seconds to realize the mistake but by then twenty-eight kids and three of the missionaries were either dead or dying. Two of the kids and the fourth missionary died later in hospital. Five kids survived. Five out of thirty-five. The rebels blamed the massacre on the government troops and the government blamed it on the rebels. It became just another story from Central America. Nobody took much notice.'
He rubbed his hands over his face. 'The six of us were immediately flown back to the States to undergo psychiatric treatment. I was the worst affected. I couldn't touch a gun. Christ, I even broke out into a sweat if I saw one on TV. The other guys responded to treatment. I didn't. After six months the psychiatrists gave up on me. So I was retired. It was another six months before I was able to pick up a gun again. But I still couldn't touch the trigger. I wanted to shoot that bastard tonight, Mike. My brain told me to pull the trigger but my finger wouldn't respond. I know I should have told you earlier but I reasoned that if I did you wouldn't want me along; and you needed a guide. You wouldn't have lasted five minutes if you'd gone after Bernard by yourself. They protect their own around here.'
'Yeah, I know.' Graham stood up and patted Laidlaw on the shoulder. 'I'm sorry, buddy. I only wish you'd told me this earlier. Like when we first met. It would have saved a lot of unnecessary antagonism.'
'I realize that now,' Laidlaw replied with a shrug. 'But like I said, I didn't think you'd want me along.'
'I wouldn't have let you off that easily,' Graham said with a half-smile.
The door opened and Jenkins entered carrying a tray. He placed it on the bedside table.
Laidlaw took a beer, drank a mouthful, then looked at Graham. 'You guys want us to leave?'
Sabrina nodded. 'Please. Mike and I need to talk.'
'Sure,' Laidlaw said then followed Jenkins to the door.
Graham closed the door behind them then turned back to Sabrina. 'You're here to take me back, aren't you?'
'Yes.'
'Then you're wasting your time. I came out here to find Bernard and that's what I intend to do.'
She sat down then outlined the case to him, careful not to leave anything out.
'So what you're saying is that Bernard's the only person who knows when the hit on Mobuto's going to take place?' Graham concluded once she had finished speaking.
She nodded. 'And if you put a bullet into him before he can pass the information on to Bailey then Mobuto's as good as dead. It would almost certainly mean the return of a dictatorship to Zimbala; and the reinstatement of the Security Police. Could you
live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life?'
Graham rubbed his hands over his face then stared thoughtfully at the carpet for some time before finally looking up at Sabrina again. Til make a deal with you.'
'A deal?' she replied with a frown.
'You help me find Bernard - '
'Forget it!' she cut in sharply.
'Hear me out, Sabrina. If you help me find Bernard I'll wait until he's tipped off Bailey before I kill him. If you refuse then I'll go after him regardless of what happens to Mobuto. Could you live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life?'
'I don't believe what I'm hearing,' she replied. 'What the hell's the matter with you, Mike? This isn't some game show where you barter with another contestant for the big prize. We're talking about a man's life here. We're talking about the future of a country.'
'If Bernard gets away after tipping off Bailey he's
told which room would be used for the meeting so we didn't have to search the whole building. We threw stun grenades into the room then went in firing.' He shifted uncomfortably on the chair and wiped a bead of sweat that ran down the side of his face. 'There were no rebels there. Just four missionaries and thirty-five kids. None of the kids were over ten. Orphans of the war. It only took us a few seconds to realize the mistake but by then twenty-eight kids and three of the missionaries were either dead or dying. Two of the kids and the fourth missionary died later in hospital. Five kids survived. Five out of thirty-five. The rebels blamed the massacre on the government troops and the government blamed it on the rebels. It became just another story from Central America. Nobody took much notice.'
He rubbed his hands over his face. 'The six of us were immediately flown back to the States to undergo psychiatric treatment. I was the worst affected. I couldn't touch a gun. Christ, I even broke out into a sweat if I saw one on TV. The other guys responded to treatment. I didn't. After six months the psychiatrists gave up on me. So I was retired. It was another six months before I was able to pick up a gun again. But I still couldn't touch the trigger. I wanted to shoot that bastard tonight, Mike. My brain told me to pull the trigger but my finger wouldn't respond. I know I should have told you earlier but I reasoned that if I did you wouldn't want me along; and you needed a guide. You wouldn't have lasted five minutes if you'd gone after Bernard by yourself. They protect their own around here.'
'Yeah, I know.' Graham stood up and patted Laidlaw on the shoulder. 'I'm sorry, buddy. I only wish you'd told me this earlier. Like when we first met. It would have saved a lot of unnecessary antagonism.'
'I realize that now,' Laidlaw replied with a shrug. 'But like I said, I didn't think you'd want me along.'
'I wouldn't have let you off that easily,' Graham said with a half-smile.
The door opened and Jenkins entered carrying a tray. He placed it on the bedside table.
Laidlaw took a beer, drank a mouthful, then looked at Graham. 'You guys want us to leave?'
Sabrina nodded. 'Please. Mike and I need to talk.'
'Sure,' Laidlaw said then followed Jenkins to the door.
Graham closed the door behind them then turned back to Sabrina. 'You're here to take me back, aren't you?'
'Yes.'
'Then you're wasting your time. I came out here to find Bernard and that's what I intend to do.'
She sat down then outlined the case to him, careful not to leave anything out.
'So what you're saying is that Bernard's the only person who knows when the hit on Mobuto's going to take place?' Graham concluded once she had finished speaking.
She nodded. 'And if you put a bullet into him before he can pass the information on to Bailey then Mobuto's as good as dead. It would almost certainly mean the return of a dictatorship to Zimbala; and the reinstatement of the Security Police. Could you
live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life?'
Graham rubbed his hands over his face then stared thoughtfully at the carpet for some time before finally looking up at Sabrina again. Til make a deal with you.'
'A deal?' she replied with a frown.
'You help me find Bernard - '
'Forget it!' she cut in sharply.
'Hear me out, Sabrina. If you help me find Bernard I'll wait until he's tipped off Bailey before I kill him. If you refuse then I'll go after him regardless of what happens to Mobuto. Could you live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life?'
'I don't believe what I'm hearing,' she replied. 'What the hell's the matter with you, Mike? This isn't some game show where you barter with another contestant for the big prize. We're talking about a man's life here. We're talking about the future of a country.'
'If Bernard gets away after tipping off Bailey he's
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