The Enemy

by Desmond Bagley

  The real Russians look bloody surprised. Cutler's chap… wait a minute.' After a pause Brent chuckled. 'Cutler's chap is heading for the telephones right now. I think he wants to report that the Russians have arrived. I think I'll let him have this telephone.'

  'Stay with it,' said Ogilvie. 'Stick to Ashton.' He replaced the receiver and looked up. 'It's starting.'

  'Everything is ready,' I said soothingly. I picked up the telephone and asked the hotel operator to transfer my calls to Ogilvie's room.

  We had not long to wait. The telephone rang and I answered. Cutler said, 'Jaggard, there may be an important development.'

  'Oh,' I said seriously. 'What's that?'

  'My man with Ashton seems to think the Russians are interested.'

  'In Ashton?'

  'That's right.'

  'Oh. That's bad! Where is Ashton now?'

  'Lunching at the Opera. Shall I put someone on to the Russian? There may be time.'

  Ogilvie had the earphone to his ear and shook his head violently. I grinned, and said, 'I think not. In fact I think you'd better pull out all your men as soon as you can get word to them. You don't want the Russians to know you're on to Ashton, do you?'

  'My God, no I-' said Cutler quickly. 'We can't have the Embassy involved. I'll do as you say at once.' He rang off, seemingly relieved.

  Ogilvie grunted. 'The man's an idiot. He's well out of it.'

  'It does clear the field,' I said, and put on my jacket. 'I'm going over to Gamla Stan for the beginning of the second act. If Larry does his stuff we should get a firm reaction from Ashton,' I paused. 'I don't like doing it this way, you know. I'd much prefer we talk to him.'

  'I know,' said Ogilvie sombrely. 'But your preferences don't count. Get on with it, Malcolm.'

  So I got on with it. I went to Gamla Stan and met Henty in a bar-restaurant in Vasterlanggatan, joining him in a snack of herring and aquavit. He had been watching the flat, so I said, 'Where's Benson?'

  'Safe at home. His Russian is still with him but Cutler's boy has vanished. Maybe Benson lost him.'

  'No. Cutler is no longer with us.' I described what had happened.

  Henty grinned. 'Something should break any moment then.' He finished his beer and stood up. 'I'd better get back.'

  'I'll come with you.' As we left I said, 'You're our Swedish expert. Supposing Ashton makes a break-how can he do it?'

  'By air from Bromma or Arlanda, depending on where he's going. He can also take a train. He doesn't have a car.'

  'Not that we know of. He could also leave by sea.'

  Henty shook his head. 'At this time of year I doubt it. There's a lot of ice in the Baltic this year-the Saltsjon was frozen over this morning. It plays hell with their schedules. If I were Ashton I wouldn't risk it; he could get stuck on a ship which didn't move for hours.'

  The bone conduction contraption behind my ear came to life. 'Bluebird Two. Redbird by Palace heading for Vasterlanggaitan and moving fast.' Bluebird Two was Brent.

  I said to Henty, 'He's coming now. You go on ahead, spot him and tag that bloody Russian. I don't want Ashton to see me.'

  He quickened his pace while I slowed down, strolling from one shop window to the next. Presently there came the news that Ashton was safely back home, and then Henty came back with Larry Godwin. Both were grinning, and Henty remarked, 'Ashton's in a muck-sweat.'

  I said to Larry, 'What happened?'

  'I followed Ashton from the Opera-very obviously. He tried to shake me; in fact, he did shake me twice, but Brent was able to steer me back on course.'

  Henty chuckled. 'Ashton came along Vasterlanggatan doing heel-and-toe as though he was in a walking race, with Godwin trying hard for second place. He went through his doorway like a rabbit going down a hole.'

  'Did you speak to him, Larry?'

  'Well, towards the end I called out, "Grazhdaninu Ashton-ostanovites!" as though I wanted him to stop. It just made him go faster.'

  I smiled slightly. I doubt if Ashton relished being called 'citizen' in Russian, especially when coupled with his English name. 'The ball is now in Ashton's court, but I doubt he'll move before nightfall. Larry, go and do an ostentatious patrol before Ashton's flat. Be a bit haphazard-reappear at irregular intervals.'

  I had a last word with Henty, and then did the rounds, checking that every man was in his place and the Russians were covered. After that I reported by telephone to Ogilvie.

  Larry caught up with me in about an hour. 'One of those bloody Russians tackled me,' he said. 'He asked me what the hell I thought I was doing.'

  'In Russian?'

  'Yes. I asked him for his authority and he referred me to a Comrade Latiev in the Russian Embassy. So I got a bit shirty and told him that Latiev's authority had been superseded, and if Latiev didn't know that himself he was even more stupid than Moscow thought. Then I said I didn't have time to waste and did a quick disappearing act.'

  'Not bad,' I said. 'It ought to hold Comrade Latiev for a while. Any reaction from the flat?'

  'A curtain did twitch a bit.'

  'Okay. Now, if Ashton makes his break I don't want him to see you-we don't want to panic him more than necessary. Take over Gregory's car, ask him what the score is, and send him to me.'

  It was a long wait and a cold wait. The snow came down steadily and, as darkness fell, a raw mist swept over Gamla Stan from the Riddarfjarden, haloing the street lights and cutting down visibility. I spent the time running over and over in my mind the avenues of escape open to Ashton and wondering if my contingency planning was good enough. With Henty there were six of us, surely enough to take out the two Russians and still keep up with Ashton wherever he went. As the mist thickened I thought of the possibility of taking Ashton there and then, but thought better of it. A quiet kidnapping in a major city is hard enough at the best of times and certainly not the subject for improvisation. Better to follow the plan and isolate Ashton.

  It happened at ten to nine. Gregory reported Ashton and Benson on Lilla Nygatan moving south, and both had bags. Michaelis chipped in and said that both Russians were also on the move. I summoned up my mental map of Gamla Stan and concluded that our targets were heading for the taxi rank on the Centralbron, so I ordered the cars south ready to follow. More interestingly, on the other side of the Centralbron, in the main city, was Stockholm's Central Railway Station.

  Then I ordered Michaelis and Henty, our best strong-arm men, to take the Russians out of the game. They reported that, because of the mist, it was easy and that two Russians would have sore heads the following morning.

  After that things became a bit confused. When Ashton and Benson reached the taxi rank they took separate cabs, Benson going over the Centralbron towards the railway station, and Ashton going in the dead opposite direction towards Sodermalm. Larry followed Benson, and Brent went after Ashton. I got busy and ordered the rest of the team to assemble at the railway station which seemed the best bet under the circumstances.

  At the station I stayed in the car and sent in Henty to find out if Larry was around. He came back with Larry who got into the car, and said, 'Benson bought two tickets for Goteborg.'

  They were heading west. From my point of view that was a relief; better west than east. I said, 'When does the train leave?'

  Larry checked his watch. 'In a little over half an hour. I bought us four tickets-and I got a timetable.'

  I studied the timetable and thought out loud. 'First stop-Sodertalje; next stop-Eskilstuna. Right.' I gave a ticket each to Gregory and Henty. 'You two get on that train; spot Ashton and Benson and report back by radio. Then stick with them.'

  They went into the station, and Larry said, 'What do we do?'

  'You and I lie as low as Br'er Rabbit,' I turned to Michaelis. 'Scout around in the station and see if you can spot Ashton. Make sure he's on that train when it leaves, then come back here.'

  He went away and I wondered how Brent was getting on. Presently Gregory radioed in. 'We're on the train-spotted Redbird Two
-but no Redbird One.'

  We'd lost Ashton. 'Stay with it.'

  The time ticked by. At five minutes to train-time I became uneasy, wondering what had happened to Ashton. At two minutes to train-time Brent pitched up. 'I lost him,' he said hollowly.

  'Where did he go?'

  'He went bloody island-hopping-Sodermalm-Langholmen-Kungsholmen; that's where I lost him. He seemed to be heading in this general direction at the time so I took a chance and came here.'

  'We haven't seen him and he's not on the train so far. Benson is, though; with two tickets to Goteborg.'

  'When does it leave?'

  I looked over his shoulder and saw Michaelis coming towards the car. He was shaking his head. I said, 'It's just left-and Ashton wasn't on it.'

  'Oh, Christ! What do we do now?'

  'The only thing we can do-stick with Benson and pray. And this is how we do it. Get yourself a timetable like this one, and check the stops of that train. You and Michaelis take the first stop-that's Sodertalje, you check with Gregory and Henty on the train and you team up if Benson gets off. You also report to Ogilvie. In the meantime Larry and I will be heading for the next stop at Eskilstuna-same procedure. And we leapfrog up the line until the train arrives at Goteborg or anything else happens. Got that?'

  'Okay.'

  'Reporting to Ogilvie is very important because he can keep us all tied in. I'm going to ring him now.'

  Ogilvie wasn't at all pleased but he didn't say much-not then. I told him how I was handling it and he just grunted. 'Carry on-and keep me posted.'

  I went back to the car, slumped into the passenger's seat, and said to Larry, 'Drive to Eskilstuna-and beat that train.'

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  From Stockholm to Eskilstuna is about 100 kilometres. The first 40 kilometres are of motorway standard and we were able to make good time, but after that it became more of an ordinary road with opposing traffic and our average speed dropped. It was very dark-a moonless night-but even if there had been a moon it wouldn't have helped because there was a thick layer of cloud from which descended a heavy and continuous fall of snow.

  Like all modern Swedish cars ours was well equipped for this kind of weather. The tyres had tungsten-steel studs for traction and the headlights had wipers to clear the encrusting snow, but that didn't mean fast driving and I suppose we didn't average more than 70 KPH and that was a shade fast for the conditions. Neither Larry nor I could be classed as rally drivers, and I was very much afraid the train would be faster. Fortunately, I saw by the map that it had further to go, the track sweeping round in a loop. Also it would stop at Sodertalje.

  After an hour I told Larry to pull into a filling station where he refuelled while I phoned Ogilvie. When I got back to the car I was smiling, and Larry said, 'Good news?'

  'The best. I'll drive.' As we pulled away I said, 'Ashton tried to pull a fast one. When Brent lost him he wasn't on his way to the railway station in Stockholm; he took a taxi ride to the Sodertalje station and got on the train there. We've got them both now.'

  Thus it was that I was quite happy when we pulled up outside the railway station at Eskilstuna to find the train standing on the platform. I switched on my transmitter, and said, 'Any Bluebirds there? Come in, Bluebirds.'

  A voice in my ear. 'Redbird and friend jumped train.'

  'What the hell?'

  Henty said, 'What do you want me to do?'

  'Get off that bloody train and come here. We're parked outside the station.' Even as I spoke the train clanked and began to move slowly. I was beginning to wonder if Henty had made it when I saw him running towards the car. I wound down the side window. 'Get in and tell me what, for Christ's sake, happened.'

  Henty got into the back seat. 'The train pulled up at some bloody whistle-stop called Akers-styckebruk, and don't ask me why. Nothing happened until it began to move out, then Ashton and Benson jumped for it Gregory went after them but it was too late for me-and the way he went he was like to break a leg.'

  I got out the road map and studied it. 'Akers-styckebruk! The place isn't even on the map. Have you reported to Ogilvie?'

  'No. I was just going to when you called me.'

  'Then I suppose I have to.'

  I went into the station and rang Stockholm, and Ogilvie said testily, 'What the devil's going on? I've just had a call from Gregory in some Godforsaken place. He's either broken or sprained his ankle and he's lost Ashton. He thinks they've gone to somewhere called Strangnas.'

  Strangnas was back along the road; we'd skirted around the edges. I said, 'We'll be there in an hour.'

  'An hour may be too late,' he snapped. 'But get on with it.'

  I ran back to the car. 'Get weaving, Larry-back where we came from.' He moved over into the driving seat and I hadn't closed the door before he took off. I twisted around and said to Henty, 'What can you tell me about Strangnas? Anything there we ought to know about?'

  He snapped his fingers. 'Of course! There's a spur-line going into Strangnas from Akers-styckebruk-no passenger trains, just the occasional raslbuss.'

  'What's that?'

  'A single coach on the railway-diesel driven.'

  'You say it's a spur-line. You mean the rail stops at Strangnas?'

  'It has to, or it would run into Lake Malaren.'

  I contemplated that. 'So it's a dead end.'

  'For the railway, but not for cars. There's a road which goes by way of the islands to the north shore of Malaren. But it's late; I wouldn't bet they'll be able to hire a car at this time of night.'

  'True,' I said. 'But step on it, Larry.' I watched the road unwinding out of the darkness against the hypnotic beat of the wipers as they cleared snow from the windscreen. The headlights brightened as Larry operated the light wipers. 'Anything else about Strangnas?'

  'It's not much of a place,' said Henty. 'Population about twelve thousand; a bit of light industry-Pharmaceuticals, penicillin, X-ray film-stuff like that. It's also a garrison town for a training regiment, and it's HQ, East Military Command.' His interest sharpened. 'Is Ashton connected with the soldier boys?'

  'No,' I said.

  Henty persisted. 'You'd tell me if he is? That's my line of country, and I've helped you enough.'

  'Definitely not,' I said. 'His interests aren't military, and neither are mine. We're not poaching on your patch.'

  'Just as long as I know.' He seemed satisfied.

  We didn't bother going back all the way to Akers-styckebruk; finding Ashton was more important than finding the state of Gregory's ankle. We came to the outskirts of Strangnas and coasted gently through snow-covered streets towards the lake edge and the centre of town. A few turns around the town centre proved one thing-there was only one hotel-so we pulled up on the other side of the street from the Hotel Rogge and I seat Henty in to find out the form.

  He was away about five minutes and when he came back he said, 'They're both there-booked under the names of Ashton and Williams.'

  'So he's reverted,' I said. 'Using his own passport. Koslov has suddenly become too hot.'

  'I booked in for the three of us.'

  'No; you stay, but Larry and I are going to find Gregory. I'll ring Ogilvie now and ask him to retrieve Brent and Michaelis from wherever the hell they are now-they can have the other two beds here. We'll be back at six tomorrow morning and I want a concentration inside and outside the hotel. Where are Ashton and Benson now?'

  'Not in any of the public rooms,' said Henty. 'I'd say they're in bed.'

  'Yes, they're getting pretty old for this sort of thing,' I said pensively. 'Come to think of it, so am I!'

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Gregory had sensibly waited at the railway station at Akers-styckebruk for someone to pick him up. He said he was stiff, cold, tired, and that his ankle hurt like hell, so we all booked into a hotel. At five next morning Larry and I were on our way back to Strangnas, but Gregory was able to sleep in because I decided to send him back to Stockholm. He'd be no good to us because his an
kle really was bad, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that, because of him, we'd pinned down Ashton and Benson.

  Just before six I parked the car around the corner from the Hotel Rogge, and at six on the button I went on the air. 'Hello,' I said brightly. 'Any Bluebirds awake?'

  Henty said disgruntedly into my ear, 'Don't be so bloody cheerful.'

  'Did the other two arrive?'

  'Yes; at two this morning. They're still asleep.'

  'And Redbird and his friend?'

  'They're definitely here-I made sure of that-they're asleep, too.' He paused. 'And I wish to Christ I was.'

  'Come out here. We're just around the corner on-' I craned my neck to find a street sign-'on Kallgatan.'

  He said nothing but the transmission hum stopped so I switched off. He did not appear for a quarter of an hour so Larry and I made small talk. There was nothing much to say because we'd talked the subject to death already. When Henty did arrive he was newly shaven and looked in reasonably good shape even though his manner was still a little shaggy. 'Morning,' he said shortly, as he got into the car.

  I passed a vacuum flask over my shoulder. 'Be gruntled.'

  He unscrewed the top and sniffed appreciatively. 'Ah, scotch coffee!' He poured a cupful and was silent for a moment before he said, 'That's better. What's the drill?'

  'What time is breakfast?'

  'I don't know. Say, from seven o'clock-maybe seven-thirty. These country hotels all differ.'

  'I want the three of you in the breakfast room as soon as it opens; you at one table, Michaelis and Brent at another. They are to talk to each other and one of them has to give a running commentary over the air about Ashton and Benson as soon as they come in to breakfast. I want to know exactly how Ashton is acting-and reacting.'

  'We can do that,' said Henty. 'But I don't get the reason.'

  I said, 'Halfway through breakfast I'm going to send Larry in to do a replay of his Russian act.'

  'Jesus! You'll give Ashton a heart attack.'

  'We've got to keep the pressure on,' I said. 'I don't want to give them time to hire a car, and I want to herd them out of town pretty early. Where's the closed van Michaelis has been driving?'