a further conu-nuniqud can be expected within the hour.
‘It was expected that some further statements would be received from this
terrorist organization calling itself the FFF. Those have arrived some
fifteen minutes ago. They are not so much statements as threats of the
very gravest nature.
‘The first of those states that they, the FFF, expect to hear by midnight
that a definite and affirmative answer – that is an answer agreeing to
the FFF’s demands – will be announced before 8 a.m. tomorrow. If they do
not hear such confirmation by midnight, the Oostlijk-Flevoland dyke will
be blown at five minutes past midnight. The citizens of Lelystad are
advised to begin to take precautionary measures now. If they fail to do
this, the FFF now disclaim all responsibility for their fate.
‘The second statement makes the announcement that the FFF have in their
possession a number of nuclear explosive devices which they will not
hesitate to use, if the need arises, to achieve their ends. The FFF
hastens to assure the people of the Netherlands that those nuclear
devices are not of the calibre of hydrogen or atomic weapons. They are
tactical battlefield devices intended for delivery by plane, rocket or
shell-fire. All are of American manufacture, some still on the secret
list. All
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have been obtained from NATO bases in Germany. They have the serial numbers
of those devices – they are clearly stamped on each one – and the US forces
in Germany can confirm that those devices are, in fact, missing. If, that
is, they are prepared to give this confirmation.’
There was a pause while the newscaster broke off to accept and glance at a
sheet of paper that had just been handed him by a studio colleague: judging
from the stricken expression on the colleague’s face, he had already read
the message.
Van Effen looked around the room. No newscaster, he felt certain, had ever
had so rapt an audience. The faces of George and the Lieutenant were
expressionless, but that was only because, in certain circumstances such as
those, they hadn’t much use for expressions: but their eyes were very
still. Julie and Annemarie looked shocked. Kathleen and Maria were smiling,
but their smiles were half-he2-rted and more than tinged by apprehension:
no question, they had known what was coming but they still didn’t like
hearing it. Agnelli, O’Brien and Daniken looked thoughtful but not
particularly gratified. But the normally genial Samuelson was revelling in
every moment of it. True, he was still smiling, but there was no warmth in
his smile: there never can be in the smile of a hungry crocodile that has
just spotted his unwary lunch.
‘We have here,’ the announcer said, ‘a further message from the FFF. They
say they are prepared to release those numbers at any time, but they feel
a practical demonstration to prove their possession of those nuclear
devices would be much more convincing. Accordingly, they intend to explode
one of those devices in the lisselmeer in the early afternoon of tomorrow.
The power of the charge will be in the range of one kiloton – that is to
say, the equivalent of one thousand tons Of TNT. This is expected to cause
a certain disturbance of the water but the probable height of the
accompanying tidal wave – tsunami is the term for it – is not precisely
known. It is hoped that the inhabitants of the coastal settlements of the
lisselmeer will not be too inconvenienced. Inconvenienced!’ The newscaster
almost spluttered the word which was obviously not in the script – or the
repetition of it. He recovered himself. ‘The
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demonstration has been delayed until the afternoon in order to allow
British cabinet ministers plenty of time to fly across and join their
Dutch colleagues in watching this demonstration. The precise time and
place will be announced later. The device, they add, is already in
position.
‘Finally, they demand some money. This money, they say, will be returned.
It is not blackmail money, or ransom money, merely a temporary loan to
cover operating expenses. Details of the methods of payment will be
announced later this evening -this is to give the parties concerned time
to arrange for the transfer. The demand is for one hundred million
guilders from the government, twenty million from Mr David Joseph Karl-
mann Meijer, the Rotterdam industrialist.’The newscaster laid down his
paper. ‘Viewers will not need reminding that Mr Meijer’s daughter, Anne,
is being held hostage by the terrorists.’ Samuelson touched a switch
before him and the screen went blank.
‘I wish,’ Samuelson said in a complaining voice, ‘that he wouldn’t call
us “terrorists”. “Philanthropists” is the word. I rather liked that touch
about operating expenses. Anne, my dear, do sit down. You’re
over-excited.’
Annemarie, who was clearly and very understandably overexcited was on her
feet, face pale, lips compressed, her hands unclenching and clenching
into ivory-knuckled fists.
‘You monster,’ she whispered. ‘You utterly evil monster.’
‘You think so, my dear?’He looked round the room, smiling. Van Effen was
one of those who smiled back at him: there were witnesses. ‘Not at all.
Philanthropist. Equitable redistribution of excess wealth. Besides, it’s
not even that. As you heard, merely a temporary loan. Don’t tell me that
the wealthiest man in the Netherlands can’t afford that money. I know all
about your father.’
‘You murderer,’ she said sofdy. Her hands were hangin straight by her
sides now, and they were still. ‘You murderer.’ The tears were rolling
down her cheeks and now Julie was on her feet, her arm around the girl’s
shoulders. ‘You know all about my father. You know then that he has had
two major heart attacks this year. You know that he came out of hospital
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only four days ago after his last heart attack. You’ve killed him.’ Her
voice, like her shoulders, was shaking. ‘You’ve killed him.’
Samuelson had stopped smiling. He frowned and said: ‘I did not know this.
Before God, I dicin’t.’Without apparently even pausing to think ha
reached out for the handset of his RCA and pressed a button. He must have
received art acknowledgment almost immediately for he started talking
into the mouthpiece rapidly and urgently, rJearly issuing instructions
in a language that no one there knew but which George, from a few odd
words, recognized as being Yiddish. He replaced the handset, rose, walked
around behind the bar, poured himself a brandy, not a small one, and
drank the contents in two or three gulps. This performwice was w.-itched
with some astonishment but no comment was made.
Van Effen rose in turn, walked round to the bar in turn and poured brandy
in -.uri – two brandies. He car7i–U’ these roUDd to Anne and Julie,
waited until they had both sipped fforn them and resumed his seat.
‘Fine lot you are when it comes to ladies in distress.’ He looked at
Agnelli. ‘Tbat was a nice line in threats.’
‘You think they were meaningless threats, Mr Danilov? Agnelli didn’t seem
at all reluctant to speak, like others in the room he probably found it
embarrassing not to look at Samuelson who was on his second brandy and
paying attertion to nobody. ‘I assure you they wet.- all geruinely
intended. And will be carried out.’
‘So much for your word, Agnelli.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You’d have to have a damned short memory riot to. Only a few hours agc;
you promised us that no harm would come to any Dutch people. You warn all
the Lelystad people to take the necessary precautions against the
breaching of the dykes. Good God, man, it’s pitch black outside and
coming down in torrents. They won’t. be able to see to take precautions.’
‘They don’t have to see. Flood level won’t be more than half a mctre.
We’ve checked and checked the area. Plenty of secondfloor rooms and
attics – although they could remain on the ground floor if they didn’t
mind getting their feet wet. And
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plenty of boats. We’ve checked that also. The message was primarily for
intimidation. Surely you can see that?’
‘That’s as maybe. Where’s old Elastic Conscience?’
‘Elastic what?’
‘Elastic who. Riordan. The praying priest. The god-fearing Reverend. Why
wasn’t he here watching?’
Agnelli smiled faintly. ‘He regards TV as the work of Satan. Could be
right, for all I know. As you saw, be’s practically married to his
earphones. There was a simultaneous radio broadcast.’
‘You do really have those nuclear devices? I find it frankly incredible.’
‘I can show them to you.’
‘Well, that answers that. So this man of peace and goodwill is prepared
to play around with lethal explosives.’
‘You heard what Mr Samuelson said to you a short time ago.’ Agnelli
looked quickly at the bar. Samuelson, still looking at nothing and nobody
but with something peculiarly tense in his stance, appeared to be on yet
another brandy. ‘Mr Riordan’s prepared to use the devil’s tools to fight
the devil.’