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.He hated meeting with politicians, whose smiles were always broadest when they were shafting you the most.And audiences with the PM – he dreaded those most of all.It was his experience that the man in the top job was the most insecure of the lot.He hadn’t met a prime minister yet who didn’t appear to think, somewhere deep down, that MI5 was just a tool to be used in his political machine to help secure his precarious position.This one was no different.He looked across the table at the familiar face, the dapper suit and the blue tie.And as he always did when he was in the Prime Minister’s presence, he reflected that the man looked like a boy, fattened around the jowls from too much chocolate.Of all the leaders Jonathan Daniels had met – and he’d met a few – this one was the least impressive.‘Good of you to make the time to see me, Jonathan,’ the PM said, taking a sip from his cup of coffee.‘My pleasure, Prime Minister,’ Daniels muttered.‘A week to go until the President’s visit,’ the PM noted.‘I thought it might be beneficial for you and me to have a little sit-down and discuss the arrangements.Make sure we’ve all got our ducks in a row, eh?’‘My people have been keeping the Joint Intelligence Committee up to speed.’‘Oh, of course,’ the PM smiled.‘Of course, of course.Wouldn’t do any harm for us to have a little chat, though.Jolly important event for us, this.Sure I don’t need to tell you that.The President’s approval ratings are sky-high, and not just in the US.No harm in him scattering a little of his stardust.I’m, ah, just a little concerned about the terrorism-threat-level status, Jonathan.Critical, you know.Wondering if there’s something we can do about that, eh?’Daniels remained impassive.‘The terrorism-threat-level status, Prime Minister, reflects the threat of terrorism.’A look of annoyance crossed the PM’s face, but he quickly mastered it.‘Of course.Of course, of course.I’d just like your assurance that everything is being done to minimise the possibility of any.’ He waved one hand in the air.‘Any unpleasantness.’Daniels took a deep breath.‘Prime Minister,’ he said.‘It’s no secret that I’m unhappy with the timing of the President’s visit.I consider it to be ill-judged and provocative.The anniversary of the July seventh attacks generates mayhem.Always does.We have every crank in the country tipping us off to bogus threats; and there isn’t a single genuine terrorist cell that wouldn’t love to pull off a spectacular a week from now.’ He could see the skin around the PM’s eyes tightening.This clearly wasn’t what he wanted to hear.‘That said, I can assure you that the Security Service is working at full efficiency.I’ve cancelled all leave and we have our eyes firmly on the ball.’The DG breathed deeply again.He’d gone a bit further than he’d intended, but perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing.The PM appeared momentarily lost for words, so Daniels continued.‘As you know, the President’s visit is not yet public knowledge and we will not be announcing it until the sixth.We are in touch with the Secret Service regarding their requirements for the day.In addition, my people are liaising with our special forces to ensure that the security arrangements are as they should be.As regards the threat-level status, we raised it in response to a particular threat, and I expect to hear of some developments about that threat in the next twenty-four hours.’He settled one hand on top of the other, and waited for the PM to speak.It didn’t take much for the semblance of civility to slip from the Prime Minister’s manner.That made sense, Daniels thought.You didn’t get to a position like that without a ruthless streak – he couldn’t be quite the bumbling idiot he appeared to be.‘Director General,’ the PM said quietly.‘A strong relationship with the United States is of course crucial to our ongoing security.The last conversation I had with the White House was distinctly frosty, thanks to a monumental cock-up in Helmand Province by our special forces.That’s not something I intend to repeat, and it’s my full intention, a week from now, on the anniversary of 7/7, to show the President that we are fully on top of the terrorism threat, and that we stand shoulder to shoulder with him in strength.’He sounded for all the world like he was on the hustings.‘I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that the role of Director General is quite within my gift,’ he continued.‘I’ll be most disheartened if I am unable to tell the President that this threat you have identified has not been comprehensively dealt with.Am I clear?’Daniels sniffed.‘Quite clear, Prime Minister,’ he said.‘Will there be anything else?’‘Nothing else, thank you, Jonathan.’ The smile returned to his face.‘Thanks once again for coming to see me.Now I’m sure you must be terribly busy, so be so good as to close the door on your way out, will you?’Daniels stood.The button on his suit jacket had come undone as he was sitting, so he did it up, nodded at the PM, then turned and left.In Jack Harker’s dream, his friend Red died a thousand times over.Like a phoenix, he came back from the grave only to burn another time in the furnace of Jack’s mind.And each time he burned, Jack imagined a four-fingered man watching in satisfaction.Smiling as his friend screamed and Jack himself stood by, desperate to help, but unable to do a thing.Jack woke suddenly.There was a banging noise.‘RPG,’ he muttered to himself as he sat up quickly.But then he realised it was nothing of the sort.Just the coughing of a car engine outside.He blinked, confused as to where he was.Not the Stan, that was for sure.After he’d let fly at Willoughby they couldn’t get him off the base quick enough.Fly and Dunc Forsyth, the two cousins from his unit, had been sent along to chaperone him and they had been pretty sheepish about it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]