I felt Thackery's hand brush against mine, and the canister was gone. He carried on walking. He'd done this before.

I decided against the suits, but had a quick look at the overcoats before heading to the cashier on the far side of the floor. I didn't know what Thackery was doing, and didn't care. My only job now was to pay up and get out, and that was exactly what I did.

24.

A wrecked car was burning nicely in the square, dangerously close to one of the apartment buildings. Flames were licking at the second-floor balconies, but n.o.body seemed to care. An old mattress had been chucked onto the roof, its burning foam adding to the column of thick black smoke. I tossed the garbage bag containing all my c.r.a.p onto the fire; it was too good an opportunity to miss and I stood against a wall and watched it turn to ash. Kids ran around the car like Indians around a wagon train. They threw on wooden pallets and anything combustible they could find, while their parents shouted at them from the windows above. wrecked car was burning nicely in the square, dangerously close to one of the apartment buildings. Flames were licking at the second-floor balconies, but n.o.body seemed to care. An old mattress had been chucked onto the roof, its burning foam adding to the column of thick black smoke. I tossed the garbage bag containing all my c.r.a.p onto the fire; it was too good an opportunity to miss and I stood against a wall and watched it turn to ash. Kids ran around the car like Indians around a wagon train. They threw on wooden pallets and anything combustible they could find, while their parents shouted at them from the windows above.

As I approached the house, Hubba-Hubba's garbage bag was exactly where it should have been, and the matches were under the door. Lotfi looked up from the couch by the coffee table as I entered the living room. Wearing a matching green shower cap and gloves, he muttered, "Bonjour, Nick," with a very straight face, daring me to comment on his new hat. I just nodded extremely seriously as Hubba-Hubba threw the bolts behind me. Nick," with a very straight face, daring me to comment on his new hat. I just nodded extremely seriously as Hubba-Hubba threw the bolts behind me.

As I bent down to get my own gloves out of my duffel bag, I saw Hubba-Hubba's sneakers stop a few feet behind me. He gave me a cheery "Bonjour," "Bonjour," but I didn't look up until I'd slipped on my new multicolored velvet jester's hat, then given a shake of the head for the full benefit of the bells. I tried to control my laughter, but failed as Hubba-Hubba moved into view. He was wearing a pair of joke gla.s.ses with eyeb.a.l.l.s bouncing up and down on springs. Lotfi looked at us with a pained expression, like a father with two naughty children. but I didn't look up until I'd slipped on my new multicolored velvet jester's hat, then given a shake of the head for the full benefit of the bells. I tried to control my laughter, but failed as Hubba-Hubba moved into view. He was wearing a pair of joke gla.s.ses with eyeb.a.l.l.s bouncing up and down on springs. Lotfi looked at us with a pained expression, like a father with two naughty children.

We all took our places around the coffee table. Lotfi got out his beads, ready to start threading them through his fingers as he thought about his next conversation with G.o.d. Hubba-Hubba took off his gla.s.ses and wiped the tears from his eyes before playing mother with the coffee. I kept my hat on, but what I had to say was serious.

"I've got the location of the boat in BSM from Greaseball. I've also got the three addresses from him, but he doesn't know the names of the hawallada hawallada or the times of the collections." I looked at the two of them. "You ready?" or the times of the collections." I looked at the two of them. "You ready?"

They both nodded as I tried the hot sweet coffee. Then they closed their eyes and listened intently as I gave them the Palais de la Scala address.

They were immediately concerned. "I know what you're thinking. I couldn't agree more. It's going to be a nightmare. But what can I say?"

Well, I did know what to say: the address, three more times. I watched their lips moving slightly as they repeated it to themselves.

I gave them the second address three times, then the third. They opened their eyes again once I'd finished, and I told them about the recces.

On the buildup for the Algeria job, when we were in Egypt, sitting around a pot of coffee just like we were now but without the clown getup, I'd told them about the seven P' P' s: "Prior planning and preparation prevents p.i.s.s-poor performance." They liked that one-and it was funny afterward, listening to Hubba-Hubba trying to get his tongue around them in quick time. s: "Prior planning and preparation prevents p.i.s.s-poor performance." They liked that one-and it was funny afterward, listening to Hubba-Hubba trying to get his tongue around them in quick time.

"Okay, then, the Ninth of May Ninth of May is going to be parked at berth forty-seven, pier nine. Forty-seven, pier nine. That's the second one up on the left-hand side of the marina as you look at it from the main road. Got that?" is going to be parked at berth forty-seven, pier nine. Forty-seven, pier nine. That's the second one up on the left-hand side of the marina as you look at it from the main road. Got that?"

Lotfi turned to Hubba-Hubba and gave him a quick burst of Arabic, and for once, I understood the reply: "Ma fi mushkila, ma fi mushkila." "Ma fi mushkila, ma fi mushkila." No problem, no problem. Hubba-Hubba waved his gloved hands around the room as he traced the outline of the marina and pinpointed the pier. No problem, no problem. Hubba-Hubba waved his gloved hands around the room as he traced the outline of the marina and pinpointed the pier.

I gave them the confirmatory orders for the stakeout, from placing the device to lifting and dropping off the hawallada hawallada.

Lotfi looked at the ceiling and offered his hands and beads to his maker. "In'sha'allah." "In'sha'allah."

Hubba-Hubba gave a somber nod, which looked ridiculous, given the way we were dressed. Lotfi's beads clicked away as kids on motor scooters screamed up and down the street.

"Okay, then. Phase one, finding the Ninth of May Ninth of May. Lotfi, what are the closing times for the places you looked at?"

"Everything is shut by midnight."

"Great-and yours, mate?"

There was a rustle of plastic as Hubba-Hubba moved in his seat. "Around eleven-thirty."

"Good." I picked up my cup and took a gulp of coffee. "I'll do the walk-past at twelve-thirty A.M. A.M. I'm going to put the Megane in the parking lot up on the road, and walk down to the marina via the stores, check out the boat, then back to the OP via the garden and the "I f.u.c.k girls" bench, to clear the area in front of the OP. I'm going to put the Megane in the parking lot up on the road, and walk down to the marina via the stores, check out the boat, then back to the OP via the garden and the "I f.u.c.k girls" bench, to clear the area in front of the OP.

"If the Ninth of May Ninth of May is parked where it should be, the OP won't have to change." I looked at Lotfi and he nodded slowly as he leaned forward to pick up his coffee. I described the OP once more, the higher ground above the f.u.c.k bench, the hedge, and the path from the marina to the main road. I needed them to know my exact location so that if there was a situation they would know where to find me. is parked where it should be, the OP won't have to change." I looked at Lotfi and he nodded slowly as he leaned forward to pick up his coffee. I described the OP once more, the higher ground above the f.u.c.k bench, the hedge, and the path from the marina to the main road. I needed them to know my exact location so that if there was a situation they would know where to find me.

Lotfi looked puzzled. "One thing I don't understand, Nick. Why would anybody write that on a bench?"

I shrugged. "Maybe he's proud of his English."

Hubba-Hubba joined in gravely as he filled Lotfi's cup. "I think that whoever wrote that has had a very tall gla.s.s of weird."

Lotfi's eyebrows disappeared under his shower cap. "You've been watching too much American TV."

Hubba-Hubba grinned. "What else can I do while I wait for you to finish praying?"

Lotfi turned to me with a look of exasperation. "What am I to do with him, Nick? He is a very fine man, but an excess of popcorn culture is not good for such a weak mind."

I started to go through the what-ifs. What if the boat wasn't there at all? What if the boat was there, but in a different position and I couldn't see it from the OP? What if I got compromised by a pa.s.serby in the OP? The answers at this stage were mostly that we'd just have to meet up on the ground to rea.s.sess. And if the boat didn't make an appearance at all, we'd have to spend all night screaming up and down the coast, checking out all the marinas-and, of course, Greaseball.

I swallowed the last of my coffee and Hubba-Hubba picked up the pot to give me a refill. There was a gentle click of beads as I continued. "Phase two: the drop-off and the OP setup. I want you, Hubba-Hubba, to walk along the main and past the OP at twelve-forty with the radios, the pipe bomb, binoculars, and insulin case. If the OP area is clear, I want you to place the bag in the OP, so it's there when I get back from finding the Ninth of May Ninth of May. Leave a c.o.ke Light can in the top of the hedge to give me a telltale, then move back to your car and get in position for the stakeout. Where exactly are you going to be?"

Hubba-Hubba waved his arms about again to give me directions, as if I knew what was in his head and what he was pointing at. I was eventually able to establish that he'd found a place just past the marina, toward Monaco. "There are vehicles parked along the coast, mostly belonging to the houses on the high ground." He checked inside the pot to make sure he had enough of the black stuff to keep us going. "The radio should work-I'll be no more than four hundred yards away."

"Good news." I had a brainstorm. "Wrap all my OP gear up in a large dark beach towel, will you?"

He looked puzzled, but nodded.

"Once I've found the boat I'll move back to the OP the same way that I walked in, but not before twelve-forty, so the gear drop can take place. Once I'm settled in the OP I'll radio-check you both. Where are you going to be, Lotfi?"

He'd gone for the parking lot five hundred yards back into the town, on the other side of the marina from the OP. "The one that looks over some of the marina," he said, "so the radio should work from there too-I'm in line of sight with you."

It was a good position: in the dark it would be very difficult to see him, as long as he sat perfectly still and left a window open a fraction to stop condensation forming and giving the game away. I'd told both of them to practice this when we first met up in-country. They'd spent a couple of nights not getting noticed in supermarket parking lots, so they were well up to speed.

"Call signs are our initials-L, H, and N. If I don't hear anything from you by one-thirty, or you don't hear from me, you'd better move position and try to get comms. Come in closer if you have to. This job's going to be a nightmare with these radios, but it would be even worse without them.

"Once we've established comms I'll tell you if anything's changed-like, the boat isn't there-and we can rea.s.sess. Once we've done the radio check, and everything's fine, the OP is set, and no matter what happens we must never lose the trigger on the Ninth of May Ninth of May. Not even for a second. Lotfi, I want you to radio-check us every half hour. If somebody can't speak, just hit the pressle twice and we'll hear the squelches."

I moved on to phase three. "While we're all hanging around and getting bored, I'll be working out when to go down to the boat and place the device. I won't know when I'm going to do it until I see what's happening on the ground. And I won't know where I'm going to place the thing until I know what the boat looks like. It might not happen tonight-they might have a rush of blood to the head and invite their pals around for a barbecue on deck, or decide to sleep under the stars. Or the boat next door might be throwing a party. But as soon as I'm ready, here's what I want you both to do."

I covered all the angles, and finished by telling them what I had in mind if there was a situation, so we could get away quickly and, with luck, make it look like nothing more significant than an aborted robbery. We didn't want to put the collectors off their mission.

Lotfi and Hubba-Hubba were absolutely silent now. Even the beads were still. It was time for the difficult part.

"Okay, phase four, triggering the collectors away from the boat. We can't afford to lose them. We think we know the first location, but it means nothing-we're going to have to take them. I'm calling them Romeo One and Romeo Two, and so on as we ID the hawallada hawallada. I'll give them their numbers when I first see them. If they go toward Monaco, this is how I want to play it..."

I covered the details of the take of the collectors to the Palais de la Scala. Then I went through the actions-on in the event that they went toward Nice or Cannes, and finished my coffee before confirming the major points.

"Remember that radio contact is vital, especially if I've had to follow them onto a train. If we have this all wrong and they go toward Nice and Cannes, I want you, Lotfi, to head straight for the Cannes location. Hubba-Hubba, you work your way into the city and take Nice. That way, hopefully, one of you will be at the collection point to back me up-if I manage to stay with them.

"If they go somewhere else altogether and we get split and lose comms, I'll have to a.s.sess the situation, see if I can do the job myself. Whatever happens, we'll meet back in our BSM positions again by 0030 Sat.u.r.day morning. I'll radio-check at 0100. If there's been a f.u.c.k-up, we'll meet up on the high ground and sort ourselves out. Any questions?"

They shook their heads again, and Lotfi got cracking with the beads.

"Phase five: lifting the hawallada, hawallada, and the drop-off. Getting the Special K into him is going to be difficult. I doubt if he'll take the injection lying down. Just remember, no matter what, he has to be delivered alive. When and how we do this is going to have to be decided by whoever is on the ground at the time." and the drop-off. Getting the Special K into him is going to be difficult. I doubt if he'll take the injection lying down. Just remember, no matter what, he has to be delivered alive. When and how we do this is going to have to be decided by whoever is on the ground at the time."

I was silent for a minute to let them take it in. "Right, let's go through the DOP again."

They knew where it was and how it worked, but I didn't want there to be any misunderstanding. "Remember the telltale for the hawallada hawallada in position-the c.o.ke Light can to the right and just under the recycling bin. Whoever is picking up the in position-the c.o.ke Light can to the right and just under the recycling bin. Whoever is picking up the hawallada hawallada will remove it so it's clear for the next drop the following night." will remove it so it's clear for the next drop the following night."

Lotfi started to pour everyone more coffee. I waved it away. I hated it when my pulse raced: there was going to be enough of that tomorrow, for sure.

"We have until four in the morning to make the drop-offs. I want to get rid of each one as soon as we've lifted him. That will give us time to get clear, and sort ourselves out for the next lift.

"We'll use frequency one for Friday, frequency two, Sat.u.r.day, three on Sunday-just as well this job is only three days, we only have four frequencies."

It got no more than a polite laugh from the two of them.

"We'll change frequencies at midnight no matter what is happening, even if we're still playing silly fools trying to lift the first hawallada hawallada. Remember, keep the radio traffic to a minimum and, please, no Arabic."

Lotfi piped up. "Is it okay to come up on the net if we need to correct your English?"

I laughed. "Okay, but only in the event of split infinitives."

They gave each other another squirt of Arabic, and both smiled. When Lotfi turned back to me, I knew what was coming. "On second thought," he said, "we won't be carrying enough batteries...."

"Very funny." I reached over. "Split this." I gave him a smack on the back of the shower cap. "Have I missed anything?"

We sat quietly, running everything through our heads, before I wound things up. "I need you both to go and check out the other two hawallada hawallada locations before getting on the ground at BSM tonight. Get down to Nice, get down to Cannes, familiarize yourselves. But leave Monaco. I think we should only be going in there when we have to." locations before getting on the ground at BSM tonight. Get down to Nice, get down to Cannes, familiarize yourselves. But leave Monaco. I think we should only be going in there when we have to."

As I went through all the timings again, I fished around in my f.a.n.n.y pack and got out my phone card. They did the same. "Zero four nine three." I pointed at Hubba-Hubba.

"Four five."

I nodded at Lotfi, who did his part too. We went around and around with the telephone number until it was burned even deeper into everyone's memory.

We started to play the address game, exactly the same as we'd done with the pager number. I started off with the Cannes address, stopped halfway through and handed the baton to Lotfi, who finished it off, then started on the Nice address, pointed at Hubba-Hubba, who carried on. We played the game until we heard sirens in the distance-probably a fire engine and police escort about half an hour too late to sort out the burning car or maybe one of the apartments by now.

"This is now going to be the most dangerous period for us." I leaned forward, elbows on thighs, as the plastic crumpled and my hat bells gave a gentle ring. "Up to now we've sacrificed a lot of our efficiency for security. From now on it's going to be the other way around. We'll have radios beaming out our intentions; we're going to have to meet up without a safe house; we'll be on the ground, vulnerable, and open to discovery. Not only from the Romeos and the hawallada hawallada but from the police and the intelligence services as well." I pointed to the shuttered window. "Not to mention that bunch, the third party." The kids screamed with excitement as they taunted the fire crew. It must be tough trying to hook into a hydrant while you're being pelted with dead pigeons. I wondered if they ever got used to it. "They're the ones who'll be watching every minute we're out there. But if we're careful, by Tuesday morning we can all be back where we belong." but from the police and the intelligence services as well." I pointed to the shuttered window. "Not to mention that bunch, the third party." The kids screamed with excitement as they taunted the fire crew. It must be tough trying to hook into a hydrant while you're being pelted with dead pigeons. I wondered if they ever got used to it. "They're the ones who'll be watching every minute we're out there. But if we're careful, by Tuesday morning we can all be back where we belong."

I stood up and pulled the plastic away from my jeans as static tried its hardest to keep it there. Lotfi continued to watch me. "And where do you belong, Nick? Maybe this is the biggest question."

I somehow couldn't shake off his gaze, even though he still looked ridiculous in his shower cap.

"I mean for all of us." He paused, choosing his words with care. "I have been thinking about G.o.d, and hoping that he doesn't want us to die here, because it is for my family that I do these things. I'd rather be with them when he decides it is my time. But what about you, Nick?"

Hubba-Hubba rescued me. "Take no notice. It's been this way with him since we were children."

I sat back down to the jingle of bells and looked at each of them in turn. "Of course-brothers. I should have realized..."

One thing I did realize was that we were moving into dangerous territory here. Standard operating procedure said that each of us should know nothing more about the others than we had to. Then I thought, f.u.c.k it. We were in dangerous territory already. "How did you both get into this, then? I mean, it's pretty weird for a family man, isn't it? Is it an Egyptian thing, you all stupid or something?"

Hubba-Hubba smiled. "No, I'm here to become an American. This time next month my family will be living in Denver." He punched his brother on the arm in celebration. "Warm coats and ski lessons."

Lotfi looked indulgently at his brother.

"What about you?" I asked him.

Lotfi slowly shook his head. "No. I'm going to stay where I am. I'm happy there, my family is happy there." He touched Hubba-Hubba on the shoulder. "And he isn't doing this for warm coats and skiing lessons. He is a little like you: he likes to cover hurtful things with humor."

Hubba-Hubba's smile evaporated. He glared at Lotfi, who just gave a rea.s.suring nod. "You see, Nick, we have an older sister, Khalisah. When we were all children she was whipped and kicked in front of us by the fundamentalists." He cut the air with his right hand. "Her crime against Islam? She was licking an ice-cream cone. That's all, we were just having ice-cream." He had the mixture of hatred and grief in his eyes that only comes from seeing your own family hurt.

Hubba-Hubba rested his elbows on his legs and shifted his gaze to the floor.

Lotfi's face crumpled under his shower cap as he relived the experience. "The fundamentalists shouted at her, screaming that it had lewd connotations. Our twelve-year-old sister was whipped with sticks-there, in the street, in public, then kicked until she bled." He rubbed his brother's back between the shoulder blades. "We tried to help, but we were just small boys. We were swatted away like flies, and forced into the dust while we watched our beautiful sister beaten. She still has the scars on her face, to remind her, every day of her life. But the scars inside are worse...."

Hubba-Hubba gave a low groan, and rubbed his face with gloved hands. He was breathing hard through his fingers as Lotfi rubbed his back some more, and comforted him with a stream of soft Arabic.

I didn't really know what to say. "I'm sorry...."

Lotfi looked up at me, acknowledging my words. "Thank you. But I know that you, too, have your sadness. We all need a reason to continue, and this is our reason for being here. We made a pact that day. We promised ourselves, and each other, that we would never again just lie there in the dust if one of us was being hurt."

Hubba-Hubba gave himself a shake, wiping his eyes with the back of his hands, and sat up as Lotfi continued. "He will be leaving me soon for Denver. A new start for his family, and Khalisah-she is going also. But I am staying at home, at least until this evil is driven out. The fundamentalists, they are guilty of shirk shirk-you remember what that is?"

I nodded.

"So you also remember I have a duty to perform for G.o.d?"

Lotfi fixed me again with his penetrating look. Not for the first time, he gave me the impression he could see right through me, and no amount of silly hats was going to stop him. A new start. Where had I heard that before?

25.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 00:19 HRS.

T he fourways flashed as I hit the key fob of the Megane and walked away from the parking s.p.a.ce behind the OP. As I continued on down the road toward the marina entrance, I zipped up the front of my new jacket and shoved my hands into my pockets. There were several Snickers bars in each for later on, sealed in Saran wrap to cut down on noise. he fourways flashed as I hit the key fob of the Megane and walked away from the parking s.p.a.ce behind the OP. As I continued on down the road toward the marina entrance, I zipped up the front of my new jacket and shoved my hands into my pockets. There were several Snickers bars in each for later on, sealed in Saran wrap to cut down on noise.

A set of headlights swept the high ground ahead of me, on the other side of the marina as they left town, then cut into the night sky in the area of the parking lot where Lotfi's Ford Focus was going to be positioned. The vehicle continued down the slope, pa.s.sed the marina entrance, then came uphill toward me, still on high beam, dipping briefly as it climbed past me. It was Hubba-Hubba's silver Fiat Scudo. He'd drawn the short straw for the sort of small van an odd-job man would use. It had a sliding side door, plus two at the rear; on my instructions he'd had to spray out the windows in the rear doors with matte black car paint, and we would have to sc.r.a.pe it off again before the van was returned to the rental company. We couldn't be sure of making a definite ID on the hawallada hawallada if we encountered a group of people handing over the cash, so we might have to lift a bunch of people, bundle them into the van, and let the warship figure it out. I bet they'd be able to sort the problem out in no time at all. if we encountered a group of people handing over the cash, so we might have to lift a bunch of people, bundle them into the van, and let the warship figure it out. I bet they'd be able to sort the problem out in no time at all.

I couldn't see him behind the steering wheel because of the headlights, but I could read the first four digits of the rear plate as Hubba-Hubba went by. Tucked under that plate, as with all our vehicles, would be his spare key.

Silence returned, apart from the sound of water slapping against very expensive hulls and the clicking and clacking of pieces of metal and ropes and all sorts of other stuff as they rocked rhythmically at their moorings. A few lumpy clouds blocked out the stars now and then as they scudded across the sky.

I turned left at the mini-traffic circle, and walked past the shopping promenade toward the parking lot. There was still a light shining in the rear of one of the fancy restaurants, and the flickering glow of a TV set escaped from the gaps around the blinds of a cabin directly opposite, but apart from that everyone else in marinaland had thrown in their towels for the night.

I turned right at the parking lot and headed for pier nine, which was the second one on the right. In the dull glow of the overhead lamps that lined the edge of the marina, a sign told me I couldn't fish from here, and that the s.p.a.ces were numbered forty-five to ninety.