like an ice-box out here – I want you to wait a few discreet minutes, then
wander aimlessly around, playing the role of a genial, middle-aged Lothario
– just act your natural self, that is – and see if you can’t have a word
with Julie. just a few words and don’t let her talk more than a few words
with you. If necessary, just say the word “helicopter”. She’ll know what I
mean, I’ll try to get next to her and no one can hear a word on a
helicopter. I don’t want to go near her myself. If Samuelson has got a
leary eye for anyone, it’s for me.’
‘A bagatelle,’ George said.
They re-entered the living-room, both van Effen and Vasco giving
exaggerated shudders: George was too big and wellcovered for that sort of
thing.
Romero Agnelli smiled. ‘Back so soon, gentlemen?’
‘Fresh air is one thing,’ van Effen said. ‘The Polar ice-cap another.’ He
looked up at the flickering but silent TV set. ‘Mr Samuelson not down yet?’
‘He’s hardly had time to get upstairs and back, has he,’ Agnelli said
reasonably. ‘Your glasses, gentlemen.’
At the bar, van Effen said: ‘It’s a wild night outside and
275
getting wilder. Do you seriously think it’s safe to fly tomorrow?’
‘Do you fly?’
‘As a passenger, a lot. I have – had – a pilot’s licence. Never been in
a helicopter in my life.’
‘I have a licence for a helicopter. Total solo flying t1me -about three
hours. In weather like this, you wouldn’t get me within a hundred miles
of the pilot’s seat in a helicopter. Daniken’s had thousands of hours.
Superb pilot.’
‘Well, that’s a relief.’ Van Effen was aware that George and Vasco had
drifted away: his eyes made no attempt to follow them. ‘Nice to think we
might get there – wherever there is.’
‘If Daniken wasn’t sure he wouldn’t take off.’
They continued an amicable discussion along those lines for two or three
minutes until Samuelson reappeared, to all appearances his usual urbane
and good-humoured self.
‘Any moment now, ladies and gentlemen. I think we should take our seats.’
It was the same lugubrious announcer and he seemed to have aged
considerably since his last appearance.
‘We have two announcements to make, both concerning the FFF. The first
is that London and Stormont, the Northem Ireland parliament, have arrived
at an agreement to begin active and immediate negotiations with our
government. Such negotiations have, in fact, already begun.’
Samuelson beamed.
‘The second is that the government advises all citizens of the
Netherlands to be of good heart. The Ministry of Defence suspects,
although it has no reason to believe, that the FFF will be switching its
scene of operations from the lisselmeer, where the dyke breaches and the
explosion of this nuclear device are promised to take place tomorrow.
This is because the FFF have established a practice of not striking twice
in the same area. The balance of opinion is that they will concentrate
on the southwest, most likely in the Rotterdam-Scheldt. The reason given
for this announcement is that the govemment wants every citizen in that
area – repeat eve?y – because it affects every citizen, to be on
continuous alert and report anything in the slightest way abnormal to the
nearest police or army post. It is
276
appreciated that this statement will also be picked up by the FFF, but the
government regards this as the lesser of two evils compared to whatever use
it may be to the FFF.’
Samuelson was no longer beaming. Van Effen, forehead furrowed and lips
pursed, looked at George, then, without altering his expression, at
Samuelson and said: ‘I don’t think I like this very much.’
‘I don’t like it at afl.’ His expression was almost a mirror image of van
Effen’s and the fingers of both hands were drumming on the arms of his
chair. After a few seconds he turned to van Effen and said: ‘And what do
you make of this development?’ It was significant, van Effen thought, that
Samuelson should have asked him first: it didn’t speak too highly for his
confidence in his associates. Van Effen waited about twenty seconds before
he replied: he already had the answers to most possible questions but
Samuelson wouldn’t have been too impressed by an immediate answer.
‘I think they’re bluffing. Or, at least, counter or double bluffing. They
may believe that you intend to strike next in some other spot entirely and
that this is intended to put you off your guard and relax while they close
in on where they fondly imagine you are, or they may not be bluffing and
this may be intended to restrict your movements. Either way, they’re not
very bright, but, then, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Defence
and the Chief of Police of Amsterdam are hardly renowned for their
outstanding intelligence.’ George coughed softly into his hand but retained
an impassive expression.
Samuelson looked doubtful. ‘Don’t forget I’ve met Wieringa. He didn’t
strike me as a fool.’
‘He’s not a fool. He’s honest, straightforward and the most popular man in
government but lacks the devious intelligence to rise to the very top.
Plots and counter-plots are not for him. Another thing, if the authorities
knew where we were don’t you think we’d have had a visit from a battalion
of paratroopers or commandos – or both – quite some time ago?’
‘Ah!’ The thought seemed to cheer Samuelson up.
‘And still another thing. I’m told you have another operations
277
centre somewhere. Why don’t you call them and see if they’ve suffered any
harassment?’
‘An excellent idea.’ Samuelson nodded to Romero Agnelli, who dialled a
number, spoke briefly and hung up.
‘Nothing,’ he said. ‘
‘Again excellent,’ Samuelson said. ‘So we’re in the clear.’
‘No, we’re not.’Van Effen shook his head in a discouragingly defa-iite
fashion. ‘Lieutenant, is there any chance that it may have been
discovered that the truck and weapons are missing from the armoury from
which we took them?’
‘The truck?’Vasco said hoarsely. ‘Possible but unlikely. The weapons, no.
The regular inventory isn’t due for another two weeks.’
Van Effen said: ‘Mr Samuelson, it’s not really for me to say, but
shouldn’t we change the identification numbers on that truck?’
Samuelson also smirked. ‘Already done.’
‘Well done. But there’s more to it than that.’ Vasco spoke huskily and
unhappily. ‘The authorities, as Mr Danilov says, may be operating in this
area. Mention was made of both police and army posts. That means there
may be police and army road blocks. Police road blocks present no danger.
Army ones do. They know the missiles in transport – which is in itself
an extremely rare occurrence – always travel in convoy. If you want to
get them to their destination they’ll have to travel by helicopter.’
‘Not in my helicopter, they won’t,’ Daniken said firmly.
‘Mr Daniken, I believe you to be an expert helicopter pilot.’ Vasco’s
voice being in the assumed condition it was, it was difficult for him to
speak coldly, but his eyes were cold enough. ‘The cobbler should stick
to his last. I’m an expert on missiles. A missile cannot be armed until
it’s in flight. It’s obvious that you’ve never been in military
helicopters. What do you think the Russian gunships use in Afghanistan?
Pea-shooters?’ Daniken remained silent. ‘I also think the other weapons
and explosives should be removed otherwise you’re more than liable to be
asked what armoury you’ve taken them from and to what armoury or army
unit you’re taking them. Mobile army con-
278
trols tend to be very curious, very alert and very persistent -especially
when they know there’s a national emergency alert out.’
Daniken looked unhappy. ‘But the detonators
‘The detonators,’ George said comfortably, ‘will be in their velvet
sockets, wrapped in cotton wool, in a lead-sheathed steel box and resting
on my lap.’ He let a note of irritation creep into his voice. ‘Do you
think I want to have myself blown up, far less your damned helicopter?’
‘I shouldn’t imagine so.’It was Samuelson who spoke. ‘What do you think,
RomeroF
‘I don’t have to think, Mr Samuelson.’
‘Neither do I. Totally agreed, gentlemen. Excellent precautions. We shall
drive the truck down to the helicopter tonight and transfer the missiles
and the rest of it after the staff have retired, which may be rather late
especially as they, too, will be watching their TV sets at midnight. Not
that it matters that much. They are well accustomed to the mysterious
goings-on of film companies.’ He paused. ‘I wonder if one of you three
gentlemen would care to supervise the transfer of those materials.’
‘I will,’ George said immediately. ‘No coward like a big coward.’ He
looked at Daniken. ‘It looks like being a rather bumpy flight tomorrow.
As this is an ex-military helicopter, I assume you have clamps, lashings
and other devices to secure things that. have to be secured?’