Black Ops: The 12th Spider Shepherd Thriller (22 page)

Shepherd had been picked up at his hotel by two men in a Mercedes and driven to a private airfield where Smit was waiting inside a Gulfstream jet. They had flown to a small airfield in Croatia where two more heavies had been waiting with two black Range Rovers. Shepherd had climbed into the back of one and had expected Smit to join him. In fact Smit got into the second car and it was one of the heavies who sat next to Shepherd. The heavy had said nothing on the drive from the airfield to the quarry. He had turned his head away from Shepherd and just stared out of the window.

There were three SUVs parked in a line at the entrance to the quarry and the Range Rover pulled in behind them. Smit climbed out and Shepherd joined him. Shepherd looked around at the granite walls. ‘This isn’t the best place for a long shot,’ he said.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ said the Dutchman.

‘I thought I was here to show you my sniping skills,’ said Shepherd.

‘You clearly are an expert sniper, the way you answered my questions was proof of that. I need you to show me your competence with explosives.’

‘Who is the target?’ asked Shepherd.

‘You’ll be told that once we have confirmed that you are the man for the job,’ said Smit.

‘And how do I do that?’

Smit walked over to one of the SUVs, a black Toyota. A heavyset man in a black leather jacket pulled open the rear door and stepped back. Smit took Shepherd over and showed him what was in the back.

‘Are you serious?’ said Shepherd. The rear of the SUV was filled with boxes of electrical equipment and C-4 explosive. ‘You want me to build a bomb?’

‘Not just a bomb, my friend,’ said Smit. ‘An IED that is remotely primed and detonates either on a timer or when the car is in motion.’

‘I can tell you how to do it, why run the risk of building one?’

‘As I said, it’s not about talking the talk, it’s about walking the walk. And if you truly know what you are doing, there is no risk.’

‘There is always risk,’ said Shepherd. He took off his coat and handed it to the man in the leather jacket.

‘This is Dvorko,’ said Smit. ‘He’ll be watching you.’

Shepherd nodded at Dvorko. ‘You know IEDs?’

Dvorko grinned, showing a large gap between his two front teeth. ‘Some.’ His head was shaved and there was a thick rope-like scar above his left ear; his left cheek was pockmarked with scars that looked like they might have been caused by shrapnel.

‘Do me a favour and shove that in the car while I see what we’ve got here,’ said Shepherd.

Dvorko opened the front passenger door and tossed the coat in while Shepherd ran an eye over the plastic boxes in the back of the vehicle. There were several types of detonators, mercury tilt switches, a range of batteries, half a dozen mobile phones, and handfuls of integrated circuits.

Smit flipped open a black plastic case and waved his gloved hand at the contents. ‘You are familiar with C-4, of course?’

‘Sure,’ said Shepherd. ‘But the British version is PE-4. C-4 is ninety-one per cent RDX – Research Department Explosive – five per cent dioctyl sebacate as the plasticiser, two per cent polyisobutylene as the binder and just under two per cent mineral oil.’ He picked up one of the blocks. It weighed about half a kilo and was just under a foot long in an olive-coloured wrapping. ‘This is military grade C-4, packaged as a demolition block. They call it an M112.’ He gestured at the case just as Dvorko rejoined them. ‘They put sixteen of the M112 blocks into this carrying case with four priming assemblies and sell it as a demolition charge assembly.’ He put the C-4 block back into the case and took out one of the priming assemblies. ‘This is the detonating cord capped with a booster at each end. It’s good kit this. The best.’

Dvorko nodded. ‘We get it from the military.’

‘What about you?’ Smit asked Shepherd. ‘Where do you get your explosive from?’

Shepherd tapped the side of his nose. ‘Trade secret, Lucas.’ He looked over at Smit. ‘What is it exactly you want me to do?’

Smit pointed over at a car on the other side of the quarry. It was a rusting white Volvo with its engine hood propped open. ‘Prepare an IED that can be remotely primed. Have it set up so that it will explode when the car is in motion. But have an override trigger so that it can be remotely detonated.’ Smit smiled. ‘Obviously we cannot have someone driving the car.’

‘Obviously,’ said Shepherd. ‘Lucas, what’s going on here?’

‘We need to be sure that you are able to use an IED, should that be necessary.’

‘It would be a big help if I knew who the target was.’

‘We need to know first that you have the requisite skills.’

‘And blowing up a car will prove that?’

‘Of course.’

Shepherd shrugged carelessly. ‘Fine. How big an explosion do you want?’

‘Enough to be sure of killing the occupants.’

‘You’ve got it,’ said Shepherd.

He took a deep breath, composed himself and reached for a roll of wire. He worked quickly and efficiently, initially putting together a simple circuit of a mobile phone and a battery, hooked up to a test bulb. He used a battery soldering iron and had to choose between three types of solder, which he figured was a test because he saw Dvorko nod his approval when he picked up the Kester brand. When he had finished he tested the circuit by calling the number. After one ring the bulb glowed. He smiled to himself. That was the easy part. He put together a second circuit, this one with a battery and a timer. He removed the bulb and replaced it with the second circuit. He checked the circuit, then rang the phone gain. This time as soon as the phone began ringing the timer began to tick off the seconds.

Shepherd stepped back so that Smit could see the circuit, then he switched the timer off. His third circuit would contain the two detonators but for testing purposes he replaced them with bulbs. He assembled the circuit, set the timer for one minute, and called the number. The timer started immediately the phone rang, and exactly one minute later the two bulbs winked on.

Shepherd rubbed his chin as he looked through the various components that were available. There were several makes of reed switch that were activated when a magnet came into the vicinity, and mercury tilt switches that were activated by movement. He looked over at Smit. ‘We could do this a number of ways,’ he said. ‘A lot depends on how much access I would have to the car.’

‘Explain?’ said Smit.

‘Well, if I could have some time with the car, then the best way would be just to wire the main circuit into the car’s ignition system. That way the bomb will only go off when the engine is running. If I’ve only got limited access then some sort of motion-activated component would be best. Say the mercury tilt switch. The bomb could then be placed on the chassis or under a wheel arch.’

Smit nodded. ‘Let’s assume you have access. But go for the movement option.’

‘Okay,’ said Shepherd. He took one of the mercury tilt switches and soldered it into the detonator circuit. When he had finished he stepped back so that Dvorko could check his work.

‘It’s good,’ said Dvorko.

‘And you wanted an override circuit?’

Smit nodded.

Shepherd put together a separate circuit connecting the battery to a second mobile phone and the two light bulbs. ‘If I do it this way, a call to this mobile will detonate the bomb no matter what else happens,’ he said. ‘There’s no safety. I wouldn’t recommend doing it that way. Mobile phones can sometimes go off on their own and if that happens …’

‘What do you suggest?’

‘Wiring the second phone circuit into the first one, so calling the second phone won’t have any effect unless the first phone has activated the circuit.’

‘Let’s do that,’ said Smit.

Smit and Dvorko watched as Shepherd modified the circuit. When he had finished he showed them how it would work. He called the first phone and the timer started. ‘At this point the bomb is in the car and is now active. One of two things will activate the device. You can either call the second phone in which case the bomb will explode immediately. Or if the car is in motion, if it accelerates quickly or brakes suddenly, the mercury tilt switch will activate the circuit.’ He twisted the mercury tilt switch, allowing the mercury inside to connect two prongs that then activated the circuit and the two bulbs winked on.

Smit looked over at Dvorko and the Croatian nodded.

‘Right, time to do it for real,’ said Smit.

‘Seriously? You want me to blow up the car?’

Smit grinned. ‘Walk the walk.’

Shepherd sighed and reached for a detonator. ‘Suit yourself,’ he said. ‘But it seems like a waste of perfectly good explosive.’

‘You’ll forgive me if I give you some room,’ said the Dutchman. He walked away and lit one of his small cigars.

Shepherd looked at Dvorko. ‘Are you staying?’ he asked.

Dvorko grinned. ‘Looks to me like you know what you’re doing.’

Shepherd removed the two bulbs and soldered in two detonators in their place. He put the soldering iron down. ‘I’d be happier connecting this to the explosive in the car,’ he said.

‘You and me both.’

Shepherd nodded at the black plastic case. ‘Bring two of the blocks, yeah?’

He carefully rolled up the circuit and placed it on one of the plastic lids and carried it over to the Volvo. He placed the circuit carefully on the roof and pulled open the rear passenger door. Dvorko came up behind him, a block of C-4 in each hand.

Shepherd took one of the blocks and inserted one of the detonators into it, pushing it in as far as it would go. He took the second block and pushed the remaining detonator in. He could feel his heart racing. Without the C-4 in place, the worst that could happen would be a loud bang. But now the device was capable of blowing the car, and them, to pieces. He carefully lifted the circuit off the roof and leaned inside the car. He placed it on the back seat, figuring that as it was only a test he didn’t have to go to the bother of concealing it. He closed the door gently and walked back to Smit’s car with Dvorko.

‘That was nice work,’ said the Croatian.

‘Thanks,’ said Shepherd.

They reached Smit, who was halfway through his cigar. ‘Done?’ he asked.

‘Done,’ said Shepherd.

Smit looked over at Dvorko for confirmation. The Croatian nodded. ‘Let’s do it, then,’ said Smit.

Shepherd took the first phone and made the call. He let it ring three times and then ended the call. On the far side of the quarry, the timer was now running. Shepherd put the phone down and looked at his watch. He waited until a minute had passed before nodding. ‘That’s it. The device is now active.’ He picked up the second mobile phone. ‘Do you want to do the honours?’

Smit took the phone from him.

‘Just press redial,’ said Shepherd.

Smit blinked, then made the call. Less than a second later the Volvo exploded and all three men ducked down behind Smit’s car. Pieces of metal rained down around the burning shell and a plume of thick black smoke rose into the air.

‘Nice,’ said Smit.

‘Happy now?’ asked Shepherd.

‘Yes, I think so,’ said the Dutchman. ‘It’s time to talk business.’

S
mit and Shepherd travelled back to the airfield in separate cars, and during the flight back to Amsterdam Smit sat at the opposite end of the Gulfstream, smoking a cigar and studying spreadsheets on a laptop. They took separate cars back to the house in Amsterdam and Smit waited until they were back in the secure room before telling Shepherd what he already knew – that Vladimir Putin was to be the target.

Shepherd feigned surprise. ‘It can’t be done,’ he said.

‘Of course it can,’ said Smit. He lit a cigar. ‘Anyone can be killed.’

‘He’s one of the most protected men on the planet,’ said Shepherd.

‘Yes, but even he has to go out sometimes. And you are one of the best snipers in the world. He has to move around by car and any vehicle is vulnerable.’

‘You think I’ll be able to plant a bomb in Putin’s car?’ He shook his head. ‘Cloud cuckoo land – that’s where you live.’

‘Of course you won’t get anywhere near any of his cars,’ said Smit. ‘But a man like Putin has a schedule drawn up months in advance. So if you know where he is going to be, you can make plans.’

‘And where is he going to be? You obviously have something in mind.’

‘London. In three weeks’ time. He will be attending the G8 meeting.’

‘Three weeks? That’s not long enough. Something like this, it’ll take months of planning.’

‘The planning has been done. All we need is for someone to execute it.’

Shepherd frowned. ‘What the hell are you talking about? Whose plan?’

‘This has been in the works since last year. We know the hotel he will be staying at and have been able to plan accordingly. We had someone lined up but it fell through.’

‘Fell through how?’

‘That doesn’t matter,’ said Smit. ‘But the plan is a good one. It will still work. And you are just the man we need.’

‘You keep saying “we”. Who is “we” exactly?’

‘The client,’ said Smit. ‘You don’t need to know his name. But the money is in place. Three million euros. One million when you agree to proceed, two million when the task is completed.’

‘This isn’t how I work. Normally I do the planning, I decide where and when.’

‘I understand that. But that’s one of the reasons why the contract is of such high value.’

Shepherd shook his head. ‘No, the reason the contract is expensive is because of the target. It’s a career-finisher. A last hurrah.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Whoever kills Putin will have to disappear for ever. The Russians won’t forgive or forget, they’ll be on his trail for ever.’

‘Not necessarily,’ said Smit. ‘Putin is a dictator and dictators are never loved. Once he is dead he will be swiftly replaced. And I doubt his replacement will be out for revenge.’

‘The king is dead, long live the king?’

‘Exactly,’ said Smit. He flicked ash into a crystal ashtray. ‘So you will take the contract?’

‘I will,’ said Shepherd. ‘But the fee is five million euros. Two million up front.’

Smit’s eyes hardened. ‘The fee is three million.’