outside. You think these six men have a better chance of—”
“Yes,” he interrupted. “Right at this moment, I do. Zakharov doesn’t know these men are Ground Branch and SAD singleton assets; he thinks they’re just bodyguards. He probably also thinks he killed us all with those frags they threw into the library. That gives us an advantage. He won’t expect an attack to come from inside the building; therefore, an attack must come from inside the building.”
Jenner said, “You need protection, too, sir.”
Hanley pointed out that there were already two Scottish security men here, and it was a secure room. He and Brewer would be fine here watching what monitors were still up and providing intelligence for the counterattack.
Everyone put in radio earpieces and set them to the same channel, and soon the half dozen men, led by Jenner, began moving through the bar and back towards the second-floor corridor.
* * *
• • •
They found the east wing staircase barricaded. When Travers managed to get the door open a couple of inches, he looked through the gap and saw wires coiling over the table braced on the inside that seemed to be attached to the door itself.
He turned back to Jenner. “Booby-trapped. Could be explosives.”
“Okay, we’ll make our way to the first floor via some other route.” Looking at Hightower he asked, “Any ideas?”
“I walked around the castle for an hour earlier. Suggest the main staircase. They might have tripwires or something, so keep an eye open, but there are no doors so it probably won’t be blocked.”
Jenner nodded. “Let’s keep it tight, all angles covered. We move as a team.”
“Roger,” Zack said, and again they set off up the corridor.
CHAPTER 64
Feodor Zakharov returned to the great hall, along with Rutherford and Capshaw, who both went back to their tables while the Russian stepped over to Fox. Softly, and in Russian, he asked, “Is it done?”
“Finished distribution of the spores five minutes ago, sir.”
“Very well.” Zakharov looked at his watch. “We start the time now.”
Fox nodded.
“You’ve taken your antibiotics?” Zakharov asked.
“As I was climbing the stairs.”
“Good. I will read statements once every other hour on the stage, with an open phone line to the outside, and then I will begin the negotiations for a helicopter. That will take six to eight hours. We will egress via the passageway to the loch as the helicopter lands.”
Fox said, “We only have one group of two men searching the castle for more conference attendees hiding out. I suggest we put more roaming patrols out in the building. They will eliminate any threats inside our defenses, and will serve as a tripwire in case those outside enter the building. We have this room covered, and have men to spare.”
Zakharov said, “Very well. Send the other sleepers out, and one more two-man patrol from the mercenary force. That’s three teams. And get me a handgun. I will help keep the people in here compliant.”
* * *
• • •
Zoya had been ordered to sit at one of the round tables along with a group of senior intel analysts from New Zealand, near the center of the room full of round tables. The mood around her was somber; those who whispered said they were sure the whole building had been wired to blow, and once this unknown man and his unknown force made their statement, they would set off the bombs.
One of the men surprised Zoya by saying, “Doesn’t that guy look a little like General Zakharov, the old GRU chief who died? Chechnya or Dagestan, I think it was.”
“Yes, but this fellow is obviously English,” a woman replied.
Zoya received several strange looks from her tablemates because no one recognized her, and she wasn’t in a ball gown. Instead she wore jeans and a black tracksuit top, no makeup, with her dark hair back in a ponytail.
Everyone seemed to assume she was one of the young MI5 members serving as the castle staff, and they left her alone.
And Zoya did not interact with them at all. No, her focus was on Court, as well as the others up in the room. A pair of grenades had been thrown in, and she heard no shooting after that, but she’d been hustled down here and didn’t know if the Russian attacking force had gone into the room to engage any survivors.
She had no way of knowing if Court had made it, and no way of knowing his condition if he had managed to survive.