Part 29 (1/2)
”The guard's van at the rear.”
”What if there isn't one?”
”There always is, Billy.” Dillon glanced at his watch. ”A quarter to eight. Time for the moment of truth.”
There was a sound, a kind of whisper in the distance, and then a long, drawn-out whistle.
”Here she comes, Billy, let's get under cover.” They started up the slope and bedded down.
The door by the toilet in the guard's van opened to a metal ledge. There was a coupling to one of the open cars loaded with oil pipes, a wooden plank walkway giving access across four open wagons in all. Then came the enclosed cars containing the explosives, the ladder to each of them leading to the roof. Finally, the water tank and the coal tender. The point was that the engine was totally reachable and there were small access doors at each end of the enclosed wagons.
All of which suited Keenan's purposes. During the trip from Al Mukalli, he and Casey and Kelly had laid their charges, opening the access doors between the two explosive wagons, linking them with det cord. The block of Semtex was in the front wagon, and the det cord also linked to chemical fuses Keenan had stuck in some of the explosives packages.
It hadn't taken long. He'd decided on a couple of timer pencils, after all. They were ten-minute jobs and already in place in the Semtex block and ready to be broken at the appropriate moment when the train was halted on the bridge.
In fact, for the past hour or so, Keenan had enjoyed himself more than he had in years. Casey and Kelly had returned to the guard's van and the whiskey bottle, but Keenan had made his way up to the engine and joined Ali and Halim on the footplate.
Ali had allowed him to handle the controls, drive the old engine, savor the wind in his face, the smell of steam, and Keenan had found it wonderful. As the train started up the steep gradient to Tank Five, he sounded the whistle. Yusuf had explained the necessity for the stop, and now Ali tapped him on the arm and took over. He started to slow the train down and up ahead was Tank Five.
Crouched behind the rocks halfway up the slope, Dillon and Billy waited, and suddenly Dillon's Codex rang.
He answered instinctively. ”Who is it?”
”Ferguson. I wondered what was happening.”
”We're at Tank Five and the train's just toiling up the slope, that's what's happening, so I'd get off the line if I were you, General.”
The train ground to a halt below amid a hissing of stream. Ali and Halim got down from the footplate, followed by Keenan.
”The man himself,” Dillon said softly. ”That's Barry Keenan, Billy, and that's Kelly and the other is Casey,” he added, as they arrived, each with an AK slung from his shoulder. Yusuf trailed at the rear.
The voices below were muted, as Dillon and Billy watched, and Halim brought a length of canvas tubing linked to the train, which he clipped onto the end of the outlet tube at the bottom of the tank and started to work a lever, which was obviously a hand pump. Dillon debated whether to call Villiers and decided to leave it until they were on the train. Kelly and Casey were laughing at something.
”We could knock them off now,” Billy whispered. ”Why not?”
”Because we can't be certain what Keenan's done on the train. He'll have everything ready to blow, probably timers. I suspect the explosives will be in the enclosed freight cars, but we need one of those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds to show us.”
”I see your point.”
At that moment, Halim uncoupled the canvas water tubes, Keenan got back on the footplate, and Kelly climbed up a ladder to the top of the front car and squatted there. Casey did the same, sitting behind him on the rear car. Ali and Halim followed Keenan and Yusuf moved to the rear of the train.
”The guard,” Dillon said.
They watched him enter the guard's van and shut the door. Keenan, under Ali's supervision, was at the controls. He sounded the whistle, the train juddered, and there was a great cloud of steam.
”Move it, Billy,” Dillon said and led the way, sliding down the slope at the rear of the blockhouse.
The train was moving now with a great clanking, and as it pa.s.sed they ran out onto the track, reached for the rail of the platform to the guard's van, and heaved themselves up. Keenan kept pulling the whistle line. Billy and Dillon, AKs ready, stood on either side of the door.
Dillon got his Codex out and called Villiers. He got an answer almost immediately. ”Is that you, Dillon?”
”As ever was. They've taken on water. Billy and I are on the platform at the rear of the guard's van. We're going in hard, so do your best and let Ferguson know.”
He clicked off, put the Codex in his pocket, and grinned at Billy. ”I'm an older guy, so you can have the honor.”
”b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
Dillon turned the bra.s.s handle and opened the door and Billy was through in a second, AK ready. At the desk, Yusuf turned in alarm as the two demons, dressed in black, appeared. Billy had him back against the desk, the muzzle of the AK under his chin.
”He'll kill you without hesitation,” Dillon said in Arabic. ”And the weapon is silenced. No one will know.”
Yusuf was terrified. ”Sahb, please don't.” please don't.”
”You speak English?”
”Yes.”
”Then use it now, my companion has no Arabic. Answer my questions and live. Where are the explosives you carry?”
”On the two enclosed cars in the center of the train.”
”The three men, the Irishmen, what have they done since you left Al Mukalli?”
”I don't know, Sahb. Sahb.”
”You lie. Kill him, Billy.”
Billy stood back and took aim and Yusuf cried wildly. ”No, Sahb, Sahb, I speak the truth.” I speak the truth.”
”You still lie. You are Ras.h.i.+d Bedu, you and the engine driver and fireman. I know this because the Countess boasted you were her people. As this is so, you must know the train stops on the Bacu Bridge, where the Irishmen will blow it up. Is this not so?”
”Yes, Sahb. Sahb.”
”So tell me the truth. What have they done, the Irishmen, since leaving Al Mukalli?”
Yusuf was in despair. ”I only know that they have worked in the explosive cars for most of the time, but I was instructed to stay here, Sahb. Sahb. I have not seen what they have done.” I have not seen what they have done.”
It was obviously the truth, and Dillon lit a cigarette and pa.s.sed it to him. ”Is it easy to get to those cars?”
”Yes, Sahb, Sahb, through the door, and there are walkways across the open cars.” through the door, and there are walkways across the open cars.”
”So you can go all the way to the engine?”
”Yes, Sahb. Sahb.”
Dillon turned menacing. ”Is there more to tell me or have you told me all?”
”I swear it on the life of my eldest son.” He was obviously trying hard, sweat on his face. ”They worked in the car for an hour or an hour and a half. Afterwards, two of them sat in here and drank whiskey. The leader joined Ali and Halim on the footplate. He's been driving the train.”
”Driving it?”