The Lure of the Pack (19 page)

Piper nodded as he sipped from his large mug of tea. “Any
updated reports from the FSB?”

“No,” Jean-Paul replied, “Vitali Menkov checks out on all
the reports we have analysed Sergeant. As you are aware from previous meetings,
he is Wilhelm Oratz’s business companion throughout the whole of the time he is
in St Petersburg.” Jean-Paul shrugged his shoulders, “at present, I would
presume they are having a business dinner together, you know, just to reconfirm
their busy itinerary, which also fully checks out!”

“I wouldn’t count on their dinner meeting being anything so
simple Jean-Paul, he’s up to something, I can sense it!” Piper drank again,
emptying the mug.

“Oratz is one hell of a busy guy Ash,” Nick began typing at
his keyboard as he continued his update, “throughout tomorrow and Wednesday he
has various meetings and a site visit, all with the world’s Press close at
hand. VKE are certainly keen on maximising publicity for this event.”

“That makes sense…I suppose,” Piper replied, sombrely.

“Honestly Ash, everything regarding this business trip
checks out, really!”

Nick’s face openly showed a sense of unease thought Piper,
“what about the warehouse, any sign of movement?”

“No, nothing, 022 and 031 have the area well covered. We can
hit it within minutes if we need too, the Colonel has seen to that!”

“And the detonations, I take it there’s still no news of any
further developments?” Both Nick and Jean-Paul shook their heads. Nothing he
thought, still no damned news of the other four detonations, which he knew were
imminent.

“Just the forty six already recorded,” said Nick, “but the
death toll and casualty figures are constantly increasing.”

“What about the rioting?” Piper’s tone had become menacing.
He wanted to hit back quickly, but knew he couldn’t.

“You’d better take a look at this Sergeant.” Jean-Paul broke
the tense atmosphere quickly enveloping Piper as he moved across to his
colleague’s desk, the Frenchman pointing to a smaller screen to the side of him.
“This is a strategic recon map of the hotspots around Europe. Notice the
different coloured icons ringed around various cities and towns. These icons
represent areas of activity regarding rioting and increased violence against
Muslim and Immigrant communities.” Piper looked closely at the map and folded
his arms; he frowned, his thoughts racing. “The large red circled areas
represent areas of increased police and general law enforcement activity. These
include specialist teams such as Rapid Response units, and in some cases even
military involvement to help quell the rioting and fighting.”

“I see, so the violence is still on the increase and quite
dramatically by the look of things?”

“Indeed so. The orange coloured circles around the different
cities and towns represent areas that have been ignited, or intensely damaged
in some way by revenge attacks. Unfortunately we are receiving reports of
mosques in densely populated Muslim communities being targeted by armed gangs.
The UK especially has been a hot zone for this type of activity.”

Piper scanned the map carefully, making mental notes of the
locations where the attacks on mosques had taken place. “London, Birmingham,
Leicester, Bradford, shit…what a mess!” He shook his head in dismay. If the
innocent Muslim people’s holiest shrines were attacked and destroyed, then
anger would bring about further reprisals he thought, fanning the flames of
hate even more, exactly as Von Kurst had planned.

“That’s not all, Ash,” Nick walked over and stood by Piper,
his gaze also concentrating on the screen to the side of them, “it’s not just
the rioting and revenge attacks that are causing great concern. The police in
cities and towns across Europe are continuing to report firefights between
gangs from differing communities, with a severe loss of life. Again, a great
many of these gangs are armed, with what seem to be replicas of that same
assault rifle used in World War Two.”

“MP44s?” 

“Correct,” Nick nodded his head and pointed to the map, the
index finger of his right hand pointing slowly to each location as he
continued, “Munich, Berlin, Paris, Le Havre, Calais, Amsterdam, Rotterdam,
Brussels, …”

“I get the picture Nick! The fucking grenadiers have been
all over the place, wantonly sowing their seeds of destruction.”

“There are a lot of very angry people out there Ash, all
baying for blood and revenge.” Nick removed his thick-rimmed spectacles and
started to clean them, “if Von Kurst’s grenadiers, as the European Muslim
Freedom Fighters, set off another wave of detonations, let alone the four we’re
still expecting, then all hell is going to break loose.”

“Did you enjoy your meal, Mister Oratz?”

“Yes, I did.”

The Maitre d’ of the Grand Hotel Europe’s Caviar Bar and
Restaurant seemed genuinely pleased with Wilhelm Oratz’s reply. “Now sir, can I
interest you in dessert?”

Vitali Menkov held up an open hand; the look on his face
saying he was fully satiated, “not for me Viktor, I couldn’t eat another thing,
but Wilhelm will, I am sure!”

Why not thought Oratz? He was still hungry, “what do you
recommend, Viktor?”

“Sir, with your permission, I would like to serve you our
Dolce di Cioccolata.”

There was no smile from Oratz, as usual, only a cold stare
at the man who was trying his very best to be pleasant and courteous.

“Oh…and what is that, Viktor?” Again, another hint of
sarcasm, which this time Viktor ignored.

“Quite simply Mister Oratz, it is a delicious slice of warm,
home made Chocolate Cake, enveloped in richly textured Armagnac Ice Cream.”

“Go on Wilhelm, treat yourself!” Menkov wore a bright smile
on his face. It was good to relax again, even just for a few hours, he thought.

“Yes Viktor, that will do perfectly.”

The Maitre d’ bowed his head slightly and walked away as
Menkov’s smile slowly receded. “Wilhelm,” he asked solemnly, “why the fuck
don’t you ever…smile?”

“I have nothing to smile about.”

“Ah, but perhaps I can bring a smile to your face,
possibly…with a gift!”  Wilhelm Oratz said nothing as Menkov continued, “I have
a small package ready to be posted to you, from Moscow.”

Oratz sat bolt upright, his heart suddenly missing a beat,
“oh, I am intrigued.”

“Of course you are, I can see it in your eyes. My latest DVD
recordings are the best yet my dear friend. I am sure they will bring…” Menkov
paused, “…a smile to your face!”

Wilhelm Oratz slowly licked his lips, “you know I am always
grateful, Vitali.”

Menkov nodded, “it never ceases to amaze me just how
inventive my movie business is becoming. The men work so hard on their
beautiful captives, oh…it gives me a, how do you say…a hard on, just talking
about it! Yes Wilhelm, you will enjoy my latest set of films, especially as I
have a new torturer involved in making our young ladies squeal!” Menkov
laughed, his eyes seemingly on fire. He leaned forward, “you will enjoy
watching my new employee at work. Believe me, she…enjoys making the girls
suffer.” Oratz smiled, wickedly. “There, you see Wilhelm…you’re smiling.”

“Where are the Commander and Colonel?”

“They’re in a meeting Ash, upstairs at SHAPE.” Nick Lucas
stood up, pushed back the chair from his desk and began walking to the main
exit door. He needed a Coke. “Jeanette’s with them as well, it’s a top brass
meeting involving senior staff from NATO. They’re discussing whether to let the
politicians know the truth about the bombings and who they think is behind
them!”

Piper walked up to his friend, “Shit, has the Commander
given you any clues as to his own thoughts on this matter?”

Nick laughed, “if I know Commander Hertschell, he will say a
very big…NO! The Commander and Colonel don’t trust politicians Ash. In fact the
Colonel says in some ways CEATA only exists because of politicians meddling in
other country’s affairs, when they should be keeping their noses out!”

“Mmm, I can see the Colonel’s point of view.”

“Anyway, I need a Coke, are you coming down to the canteen?”

“No Nick, I’ll stay here.”

“Okay, see you later!” Nick deftly tapped in the day’s
security code on the keypad next to the entrance door and let himself out. At
the same time, Piper walked back to the centre of CEATA’s communications hub
and gazed at the various screens of satellite imagery surrounding him. He was
becoming very impatient. Just what the hell are you up to Oratz, he thought? I
DAMNED WELL NEED TO KNOW!

“You are certain I can prime and detonate the device from a
safe distance?” The German and Russian businessmen’s faces were blank, with not
a hint of emotion.

“Of course,” Vitali Menkov’s reply was cold, calculating, “I
guarantee it, but you must follow my instructions carefully and accurately.”

Wilhelm Oratz nodded slowly, “I understand, now, the
proposed yield, will it be satisfactory for our cause?”

Menkov’s lips creased upwards, not in a smile but more of a
leer. “As I have previously promised, twenty kilotons, easily enough!”

“And the blast radius?”

“Fifteen kilometres, minimum! The device will explode
utilising the basics of a ground burst detonation. This will minimise the blast
and thermal damage to buildings, except the ones within the epicentre.” Wilhelm
Oratz’s heart pounded with the exhilarating thrill of discussing the purchase
and ultimate usage of one of human kind’s most powerful weapons of mass
destruction. Menkov continued, “the ground burst will maximise the debris
vacuumed into the fireball. Once detonated, particles within the epicentre will
vaporise and irradiate, then of course they will float back down to earth,
making your target, or what’s left of it, totally uninhabitable for many years
to come. HA!” Menkov’s hands clapped together making a loud smacking sound,
their fellow diners looking around, smiling again at the seemingly innocent
joviality of the two men’s conversation.

Now there was a beaming smile sat smugly on the Russian’s
face as Wilhelm Oratz gasped with astonishment. “Wonderful,” he whispered as he
picked up his dessert spoon and fork and slowly began to eat, the thrill and
anticipation of the forthcoming destruction only adding to the enjoyable taste
of the Dolce di Cioccolata. Slowly, appreciatively, another mouthful of the
sweet tasting dessert was thoroughly savoured as Oratz prepared to speak again,
“when do I receive the briefcase and how do I prime and trigger the device?”

It was a bold look that suddenly met Wilhelm Oratz’s eyes, a
look that couldn’t conceal a slight show of defiant irritation and anger.
“Wilhelm,” Menkov’s voice had dropped a tone, giving a more sinister feeling to
the continuing conversation, “you have still not confirmed, certainly as far as
I am concerned, one of the most important aspects to be clarified at this
meeting.” Above his amber and brown eyes, Menkov’s thick dark eyebrows furrowed
together as he finished speaking, giving a menacing appearance to his rugged
face, “well…I am waiting!”

Oratz finished his dessert, wiping his napkin smoothly over
his thin lips, his belly full and slightly bloated from the delicious meal. “Ah
yes my friend, I presume you mean…payment?” Menkov nodded. “The payment for the
device and indeed for your exceptional planning and implementation of this
project, for which of course both Otto and I give our utmost thanks…”

“I am not interested in your thanks, Wilhelm,” the blunt
interruption took Oratz by surprise; it was as if the man sat across from him
was now someone completely different. “I require fifteen million US Dollars
which Otto promised me several weeks ago!”

“And you shall have your imbursement my friend, but
obviously not all at once.”

Menkov bowed his head in agreement for he knew what was
coming, Otto and Wilhelm had obviously agreed upon the plan for payment. “The
new factory,” continued Oratz, “gives us perfect cover for various transactions
to take place. Otto will discuss the finer details with you soon enough. Of
course, all payments will be disguised as expenses for the building and
equipping of the factory…” Oratz paused as he watched the expression on
Menkov’s face, it still hadn’t changed, “…I presume your accountants will be
able to deal with such… transactions?”

“Of course, very much so!”

“Good! This way our new production and research facility is
paid for and so too, are your costs. Ah…it is such a pity you could not accept
the invitation to our promotional evening on Thursday, Vitali.” The tense look
on Menkov’s face had eased slightly, much to the delight of Oratz.

“I understand your disappointment Wilhelm and I too, am
regretful at missing the event, but I shall be in Moscow from Thursday onwards,
as I have certain problems to deal with. These matters require my urgent
attention.”

“Oh, what problems are those my friend?”

Menkov shook his head, “nothing for you to be concerned about
Wilhelm, at least, I hope not!”

Viktor Borzoi heard the snapping of Vitali Menkov’s fingers
and walked quickly over to his guests, “did you enjoy your dessert, Mister
Oratz?”

“Yes!”

“Good, now Gentlemen, can I offer you coffee, possibly with
a splendid selection of cheese and biscuits?”

“Just coffee for me Viktor,” replied Menkov, “Espresso!”

“Yes, the same for me!”

“Of course gentlemen.” Viktor took the ornate gold-rimmed
dessert bowl from the table and walked away.

“So…priming and detonation?” Wilhelm Oratz’s facial features
had become tense.

“You will use a fission triggering device based in a hand
held transmitter, with a pre set codeword. Once activated, a remotely encrypted
radio transmission will arm the device and begin the two-hour countdown. Be
warned my friend…” now it was Menkov who looked tense, “once the device is
activated, there is no going back!”