Part 39 (1/2)

Vasco said: 'He's drunk.'

'Again, not him. He's seen his bottle is empty and a.s.sumes because of that and the fact that he reeks of schnapps that he ought to be drunk and acts accordingly. Auto-suggestion, I believe they call it. It could have been a bit awkward if his relief found that he couldn't wake him. Enough.' In the bedroom van Effen said: 'I think we should go downstairs in a few moments. Including you, Vasco, if you feel strong enough.' 'I'm a captain in the Dutch army. I'm brave.'

George said: 'You told Samuelson you wouldn't be down.' 'My mind changes along with the circ.u.mstances. It was freezingly cold out there. I require brandy. More importantly, I want to see their reaction to the news that the hunt for the FFF is now being concentrated in the Rotterdam-Scheldt area. Even more important is that I want those missiles, explosives and other nasties transferred from the truck to the helicopter.' 'Why?'George said.

'The roads between here and the Rotterdam-Scheldt area will be alive with patrols tomorrow morning, police and army, but mainly, I suspect, army. My personal conviction is that Ylvisaker will be intercepted. I want those missiles because the FFF want them mounted for some offensive or defensive purposes and that should give them, from our point of view, owing to the fact that the missiles are totally useless, a splendid sense of false security.'

'You should have been a lawyer, a politician, a Wall Street broker or a criminal specializing in fraud,' George said.

'Such devious minds don't belong on the ranks of the police forces.' 'Hark at who's talking. I have also the hunch that the explosives, grenades and other sundries may prove to be more useful to us than to them. Just a hunch. Vasco, what do you know about the regulations concerning the transport of missiles?' 'Absolutely nothing.

'Then let's invent some.'

'I'll wager, sir, that I can invent better regulations than you can.)

'Gentlemen, gentlemen!' Samuelson's crocodile smile would have shamed an archangel. 'Delighted to see you. I thought you weren't coming down, Mr Danilov.'

'I just couldn't sleep,' van Effen said with a transparent honesty that would have shamed the same archangel. 'As a Dutchman, even an adopted one, I just couldn't - well, you understand - well, you know, Flevoland.' 'Of course, of course. I understand. And the Captain - sorry, Lieutenant. Delighted to see you, my boy. I take it you are feeling better?' 'My voice is not but I ain't,' Vasco said hoa.r.s.ely. 'Thanks to your kindness, Mr Samuelson.'

'The universal specific. I suggest another.' He looked at van Effen and George. 'Brandies, gentlemen? Large ones?'

'You are very kind,'van Effen said. He waited while Samuelson gave instructions to Leonardo. 'You know that I am a normally incurious person, but two things take my attention. The ladies have returned. I was given to understand that they were still in a state of nervous exhaustion.' 'As far as I can understand, they still are. Your second question?' Van Effen smiled. 'My second question may give the answer to my first implied question. I see your TV is on again. I have by now come to understand that this means that you are expecting a further communique or statement or whatever in the near future.'

'You understand correctly. 'It was Samuelson's turn to smile, the usual avuncular one. 'Both questions answered. You will excuse me a moment, gentlemen. I must tell the Reverend that it is earphones time.' Leonardo brought them their drinks. Van Effen thanked him and led the other two out on to the terrace. No one raised an eyebrow. Apart from the fact that they had already established reputations as eccentric fresh-air fiends, ii they wished to have a private conversation they had already had a long time to have held it upstairs.

Van Effen closed the door and said: 'Well, what do we make of that?' 'The four young ladies who appear to have recovered from their nervous exhaustion? They're talking among each other, not animatedly, not very cordially, but they're talking. And I don't for a moment believe they've come down to watch this next broadcast. 'George sipped his brandy thoughtfully. 'Somebody wants to talk to us.'

Van Effen nodded. 'Julie. Could be Annemarie, but my hunch is Julie.' He looked across at the loft door where the sentry was now pacing to and fro, perfectly steady on his feet and looking every inch a man devoted to his job. 'When we get back inside - which will be in a very few seconds, it's 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 well covered 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 gla.s.ses, gentlemen.'

At the bar, van Effen said: 'It's a wild night outside and getting wilder. Do you seriously think it's safe to fly tomorrow?' 'Do you fly?'

'As a pa.s.senger, 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 time -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.