by Rob Sinclair
They had both already scoped out the interior separately, noting the layout of exits, corridors, stairwells, toilets and all other potential hiding places and escape routes. Winter had asked to meet Logan in the lobby bar – the area Logan was spying on – but Logan had no intention of sticking to that arrangement. It was a no-brainer that both men wanted to meet in a public place, but Logan wasn’t going to let Winter have the advantage of determining where.
‘Okay,’ Logan said. ‘Take a seat in the bar, on the lounge chairs in the far corner. And keep your head down.’
Grainger tutted. ‘Carl, I think I know how to surveil.’
‘I know you do.’
‘Keep the phone line open, so we can talk.’
‘Of course,’ he said.
Grainger dialled the number for Logan’s phone and he pressed the button to accept the call. She then opened her car door, got out and crossed the busy street over to the hotel.
Logan watched as she strolled through the bar and then took a seat in the corner, as they had discussed. He was to wait in the car. Separated, they were in a better position to surveil a wider area, and the car gave Logan good cover on the outside of the hotel.
With Grainger sitting down, he could only see the top of her head; the rest of her body was obscured by the headrest of the seat opposite her. But that wasn’t a problem for Logan. He knew where she was and between the two of them, they now had eyes on the whole bar and lobby area, together with the street outside the hotel.
After a few moments, a waiter came over to Grainger and Logan heard her order a soda water. Neither he nor Grainger spoke more than a few passing words of Mandarin, but the hotel was a typical business establishment where English was widely accepted, albeit spoken clumsily by the majority of the local staff.
Logan had visited China on numerous occasions but never for any great deal of time and he’d never had the opportunity or need to properly learn the language. Compared to many other countries, he’d always found it more difficult to move around due to the fact that the majority of locals, even in the big cities, had about as much English as he had their native tongue.
‘Nothing happening in here so far,’ Grainger said when the waiter left her.
Logan glanced at the clock in the car. Twenty minutes to go. But as he looked up, his eyes were immediately drawn to a figure moving cautiously along the pavement toward the revolving doors of the hotel.
It was Winter.
His body was stiff as he walked and he was doing a bad job of being discreet, his head darting this way and that as he scanned the area. Logan felt a pang of satisfaction at seeing a man who had on more than one occasion criticised Logan’s skills appear so amateurish.
Or maybe it was all a show, Logan thought.
‘Okay, this is him now,’ he said to Grainger.
‘Early, just like we thought.’
‘Of course. He wants to get the lay of the land first. Just as we did.’
Winter walked in through the revolving doors and then glanced quickly left and right as he made his way through the lobby area. He wasn’t stopping. He kept on going and soon was out of Logan’s field of sight.
‘I’ve lost him,’ Logan said.
‘It’s okay. I can still see him. He’s gone around the reception. Toward the restrooms … and now he’s gone in.’
‘Looks like he’s just being careful. Let me know when he comes back out.’
‘Sure. And likewise, let me know if you spot anything out there.’
‘All I see at the moment is an attractive brunette drinking on her own.’
Grainger laughed. ‘I would ask you to join me, but I’m working.’
Logan smiled. ‘Maybe later.’
‘Maybe. I hope so.’
There was silence on the line for a good five minutes after that. Logan couldn’t help but clock-watch the whole time, feeling the nerves inside him growing by the second as the hands on the car’s clock edged painfully slowly toward three p.m.
‘He’s out,’ Grainger said. ‘And he’s heading to the seats on the other side of the bar to me. You should see him any second.’
‘I’ve got him,’ Logan said as Winter came into view.
Winter sat down on a lounge chair. From the position he had chosen, his face was pretty much in clear sight of Logan, who sank down in the car just a little, aware that Winter would still be scoping the area outside the hotel. Logan couldn’t help but think that Winter looked even younger than he had the last time Logan had seen him, almost a year ago. The weight of the world on his shoulders had somehow brought out the youth in the man.
But Winter didn’t look nervous. Not at all. He looked confident and full of life. Logan didn’t like that. He knew Winter was a tough cookie, mentally at least – he’d worked for Mackie for a number of years, after all, being groomed for a commander position. But Logan was still surprised by his relaxed demeanour. Either he was a brilliant actor, or he was up to something. Either way, Logan was planning to take the upper hand.
‘Still nothing at your end?’ Grainger asked.
‘Nothing. Right, it’s almost time.’
‘Yeah. I see our guy. He’s heading over to him now.’
As Logan glanced to the right, back toward the main doors, he saw a young Chinese man in a bellboy uniform heading over to the bar area. He moved with purpose, waltzing around the tables and chairs toward where Winter was sitting. Winter looked up at the young man with a sudden suspicious expression on his face. There was a brief exchange and the man handed
Winter a piece of paper, then spun on his heel and walked off in the same direction he had come from. Winter looked around him, confusion now washing across his face, then unfolded the paper. A second later, he jumped up out of his seat, turning this way and that. And then he fixed his eyes directly across the street at where Logan was parked. Logan slunk even lower in his seat, hoping Winter hadn’t spotted him.
After a few moments, Logan risked a peek and was surprised to see Winter had gone.
‘Where is he?’ Logan said.
‘Doors,’ was the simple response from Grainger.
Logan’s eyes darted toward the main doors and he saw Winter coming out of the hotel. By now, Logan’s heart was thudding in his chest, and he breathed a sigh of relief as Winter walked off to the left, away from the hotel and away from where Logan was parked.
It wouldn’t have been a disaster if Winter had spotted him, but it would certainly have taken away the element of control that Logan and Grainger knew they’d have if they could direct Winter to the rendezvous spot they’d chosen, which Winter wouldn’t have had time to scope out beforehand.
‘Okay, he’s on the move,’ Logan said.
‘I’m following.’
Logan watched as Grainger came out the hotel and began sauntering down the street. He stayed in the car and waited, wanting to make sure that Grainger and Winter were far enough out of sight to make his own presence inconspicuous before he headed for the rendezvous location.
Within a few moments, Logan could no longer see either of them. ‘Keep on him,’ he said.
‘I am.’
‘And keep on the–’
‘Shit, Carl,’ Grainger said.
‘What is it? You haven’t lost him already, have you?’
‘No. Worse than that. I don’t think we’re alone. He’s got a tail.’
Chapter 46
‘Who is it?’ Logan asked, opening his door and stepping from the car.
‘I don’t know,’ Grainger said. ‘Not Evans. Or any of the other guys he was with before.’
‘Is he following you or Winter?’
‘Winter, I think. He’s in front of me. I didn’t see where he came from. I have to hang back. I might lose sight of Winter, but I don’t want to spook whoever this other guy is.’
‘That’s fine. You know where Winter is heading so just keep going that way.’
‘Yeah, will do.’
The place they had chosen for the
Winter meet was in Beihai Park, a former imperial garden deep in the centre of Beijing. Now a public park, it was popular with tourists and locals alike, and at this time of day, Logan knew the main parts of it would be bustling. The piece of paper the boy had handed to Winter in the bar gave directions to the Nine-Dragon Wall – a six-hundred-year-old screen at the northern end of the park within easy reach of the nearby streets. It was out in the open, giving Logan and Grainger the lay of the land, but also somewhere they could easily run from, losing themselves in the crowds in the park or in the streets if they needed.
But that was all assuming Winter was actually heading there. Right now, Logan’s simple focus was on catching up with Grainger.
‘What does the tracker look like?’ Logan asked. ‘I’m heading up behind you.’
‘He’s tall, about your height. Cropped jet-black hair. Blue jeans, dark-grey coat. I think he’s a local. Chinese, I mean.’
Logan wondered whether he was with a surveillance unit from the Chinese Ministry of State Security. But then, why would the MSS have had Winter or Grainger on their radar? It was possible that he and Grainger had been followed since coming off the freight train at Beijing West station the previous day. But it was more likely that the man was affiliated to Evans or Winter.
Was he with Winter or surveilling him?
Either way, Grainger was very possibly heading straight into an ambush.
‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ Logan said, his quick speech matching his breathing.
Logan could feel his tension slowly starting to rise. He hated being blind to what was going on, unable to control the situation.
‘Can you still see Winter?’ he said.
‘Only just. The streets are getting really busy here.’
‘Yeah, I can see that,’ Logan said as he bumped shoulders with another pedestrian who cut across him. The crowded streets would make his own presence less visible but it also meant progress was slow.
‘Winter’s quite far ahead now,’ Grainger said. ‘I’m not going to be able to keep sight of him for much longer. Wait … no, that’s not him. Shit, I think I’ve lost him.’
‘Damn it.’
‘But I can still see the tracker easily enough.’
‘Okay, keep on him. I can’t be far off you now.’
Lost in the conversation and busily scanning the crammed street for any sight of Grainger or the mystery man, Logan was almost caught out when the pedestrian crossing lights ahead changed to red. He took a step into the busy road and a car slammed on the brakes and skidded to a halt, only narrowly avoiding him. Logan cursed to himself, then gave a meek wave to the angry driver before carrying on across the road, darting between the moving cars.
‘Are you still on the main road?’
‘No,’ Grainger said, causing Logan to shake his head. ‘We turned onto a side street. Take a right when you pass the electrical shop on the corner – red sign. It’s quieter now. Easier to follow.’
‘Easier to be seen too,’ Logan said. ‘But still no sign of Winter?’
‘No.’
‘What’s the street name?’
‘I didn’t catch it. Wait a second. He’s turned right again. Second right.’
‘The tracker?’
‘Yeah, I still can’t see Winter.’
‘That’s not the way.’
‘I’m going to follow him. Winter must have turned too.’
‘No, Angela, leave him. Keep on top of Winter.’
‘But I can’t see him.’
‘I don’t like this. Just go to where we planned. Winter will be there.’
‘Unless he’s done a bunk on us. You head to the rendezvous. I’m following this guy. We need to know who he is.’
‘Angela, don’t do it. It’s not safe.’
But she wasn’t listening. This really was the old Grainger. Dogged, determined. It was the woman he had fallen for. Yet he wished just this once she would stop and listen. Logan didn’t like this. She must too have realised the situation wasn’t right?
‘I’ve turned up the street behind him. It’s just an alley. Pretty much deserted. I see the tracker up ahead, about thirty yards from me.’
Logan swore again. He wasn’t getting a good feeling about the situation at all. He tried to pick up his pace. Tried his best to dodge between the many pedestrians. But it was near-impossible to force a clear path.
‘What’s happening, Angela?’ Logan said, his impatience clear. ‘Where are you?’
‘Damn it. I think he might have spotted me.’ Her breaths were heavy and fast, her voice filled with tension. ‘I’m hiding behind some bins.’
‘Get out of there, Angela!’ Logan shouted. ‘Turn around and just get the hell out of there. I’ll find you back on the main street.’
‘And now he’s gone. I’ve just looked up and he’s not there anymore.’
‘Angela, get the hell out of there!’
Logan knew what was happening but was entirely powerless to stop it. And already it was too late. Because the next thing he heard was Grainger’s shrill scream.
‘Angela!’
The phone line went dead.
Chapter 47
Fighting against the tide of people, Logan did his best to burst into a sprint. After one too many collisions with startled pedestrians, he began to dart in and out of the road. As he moved, Logan scanned each side street he passed.
He followed the few directions she’d relayed to him. He took the turns she had and he found the alley, the set of bins she must have been hiding behind. But there was no sign of Grainger. No sign of life there at all.
In the end, frustration and anger gripping him in equal measure, Logan turned and rushed back toward Beihai Park. It was more than a mile away. By the time he reached the ornate gates at the northern tip of the park, he was a sweaty mess. His legs felt like they were on fire. He was panting almost uncontrollably. He stopped to regain his composure for just a few seconds before entering the park and heading toward the meeting point.
Logan had been to Beijing before, both for work and for pleasure. It was a fascinating city, a strange mix of ancient history and modern exuberance, with the impact of the communist era still evident all around in the buildings and the way people acted. But the impressive ancient sights within Beihai Park – the temples, pavilions and halls with their spires and pointed, upswept eaves and intricate decorations – were completely lost on Logan today.
The park, as expected, was busy with tourists enjoying the sunshine and the sights, happily clicking away on their cameras, holding aloft their ridiculous selfie sticks while they gurned like there was no tomorrow. Logan brushed past them, focused only on one thing. Winter.
The young JIA commander was casually meandering alongside the metal railing that surrounded the Nine-Dragon Wall, looking every bit the worry-free tourist. Just like at the hotel, there was no hint of anxiety, of tension, on his face. Logan strode up to him, feeling the absolute opposite to how Winter looked – his body rigid, his head ready to explode.
When Logan was just a couple of yards away, Winter turned to face him. There was just the slightest hint of a smile on his face when he saw Logan. It was soon wiped away when Logan thrust an arm forward, grabbed hold of Winter by his scrawny neck and almost lifted his whole body off the ground.
‘Where is she?’ Logan boomed.
‘Logan, get the hell off me.’
‘Where is she? Where’s Grainger?’
‘What are you talking about?’ Winter rasped and wheezed. ‘I’ve no idea where she is.’
Logan caught sight of the people around who had stopped to stare. He cursed under his breath. The last thing he needed was to draw unwanted attention from the local police, who still kept order with an iron fist. Being banged up in a Chinese jail really wasn’t going to help matters.
And Winter’s surprised reaction to Grainger’s disappearance seemed genuine.
He released his grip on Winter, who crumpled down, grabbed his knees wit
h his hands and began coughing and spluttering.
‘Walk,’ Logan said, hauling Winter back upright and dragging him along by his arm.
‘What’s going on?’ Winter gasped.
‘We were followed. Either you or us.’
‘What? I’m sure no one followed me.’
‘Then where’s Grainger?’
‘How should I know? I made my way here. Just like your message said.’
Logan stopped and tugged Winter to a halt.
‘If you’re lying to me, I will kill you, Winter.’
‘Your macho bullshit doesn’t work on me, Logan.’
Logan pulled Winter into him again and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. He pressed his face up to Winter’s, snarling like an angry dog.
Logan felt pressure on his side.
‘Let the fuck go of me before I stick this in you,’ Winter said, his voice absolutely calm.
Logan looked down and saw the pocket knife, its silvery blade pushed up against his side, right by his kidney. A spot Winter had surely chosen with purpose. Logan had on a thick jumper and overcoat. Probably an inch or so of protection. But the four-inch blade could still do plenty of damage if Winter wanted it to. If it pierced the kidney or the artery nearby, Logan could be dead within minutes. He let go of Winter’s neck and the JIA commander slumped down and withdrew the knife.
‘You might think of yourself as an unstoppable force,’ Winter said, ‘but don’t kid yourself that I’m just some plank off the streets.’
‘Winter, even with that knife pressed up against me, you don’t worry me in the least. I just don’t want to make a scene out here.’
Though really, Logan was a little surprised that Winter had made a move on him, and he did respect the young man for it, even if he wouldn’t admit to it.
‘Come on, let’s keep walking,’ Logan said, anger still dominating his mind but feeling a sense of clarity returning.
‘Tell me what happened,’ Winter said.
‘Grainger was on foot, following you here.’
‘I figured one of you would be.’
‘But someone else was too. A man. Grainger said he was Chinese. Tall, black hair, grey coat.’