Chapter One

TURKISH AIRLINES FLIGHT 473 took off from Milas airport, banked hard through the setting sun and headed across a corner of the Mediterranean towards Beirut.

After leaving the hotel, I got in the Fiat, drove hard to the airport and took the first plane that was heading south – anything that would get me closer to Saudi Arabia.

My idea was to save as much time as possible. While I was in the air I would call ahead and organize for a US government jet to rendezvous with me halfway there – on the runway in Lebanon.

No sooner had the sparkling waters of the Mediterranean come into view and the FASTEN SEATBELT sign been turned off than I took my cellphone and headed for the bathroom. With the door locked and no time to worry about who might be eavesdropping, I called Battleboi in New York. First, I had to know where the hell in Saudi I was going.

Rachel-san picked up. ‘It’s me, ’ I said, without further identification. ‘I need to talk to the big guy. ’

‘Listen, ’ I said, as soon as he had come to the phone. I didn’t have time for small talk. ‘You said you found the woman’s application for a driver’s licence—’

‘That’s right. ’

‘She was born in Saudi – where? What town? ’

‘Hold on, ’ he said, and I could hear him padding his way towards his office.

‘The application’s in front of me, ’ he said after a short break. ‘ “Jeddah”, it says. A place called Jeddah. ’

‘Thanks, ’ I replied. ‘Great work. ’ I was about to hang up, but he got in first.

‘Did you hear what happened? ’ he asked.

‘About Leavenworth? ’

‘Yeah. I told you they’d bleed me out then double-cross me. I hate this but … I have to ask … I need help. ’

There was a catch in his voice, and he had to pause to master his emotions. ‘I can do it – do the time, I mean – but I’ll lose Rachel. She wants kids – I can’t ask her to wait and give it up. Five years’ reduction is all I’m asking. I don’t know who you really are but—’

‘That’s enough, ’ I said, more harshly than I meant, but I couldn’t allow him to go anywhere near the topic of my identity in case somebody was listening. ‘I know people, ’ I said hurriedly. ‘I promise – I’ll do what I can. ’

‘Yeah, sure, ’ he said sarcastically and, while I understood that he had been used and screwed, I didn’t appreciate it.

‘I’m not like the people who nailed you, ’ I said, voice rising. ‘If I give you my word, I mean it. I’ll do everything possible. Okay?! Now, I’ve got a few problems of my own—’

‘Sure, sure, ’ he said. I think he found my anger more reassuring than any words I could have said, and I hung up.

My next call was to Whisperer. Again, there was no need for introductions. ‘I know his name, ’ I said quietly.

I don’t think in the history of covert intelligence such a bombshell had ever been met by so much silence. After what seemed like an eternity, Whisperer responded: ‘You mean the guy in Afghanistan? ’

‘Yeah. Name of al-Nassouri. He’s the cop’s brother. ’

There it was – done. The organism had fulfilled its fate; it had relayed the information. If I had died then, it wouldn’t have mattered – the mission would survive.

‘What else? ’ Whisperer asked.

‘Not much yet – born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ’ I said.

‘Saudi? Ask me why I’m not surprised, ’ Whisperer replied.

‘Another few hours and I should have his full name and date of birth. I’m hoping to get a photo. ’

‘Where the hell are you?! ’ he asked suddenly. For only the second time in recorded history he had raised his voice. I figured that the automatic trace on my phone had just appeared on his computer screen and it was showing that I was in the middle of the Mediterranean. But it wasn’t really about him being alarmed by my location – the emotion, the stress, the relief, had broken through for Dave McKinley. We had a name, we had an identity, we had a man to hunt. Now it was just a matter of time.

‘I’m on board TA473 en route to Beirut, ’ I said. ‘I need assistance getting to Jeddah and a lot of help on the ground when I get there. ’

‘We’ll talk about that in a minute. First, how long before you can give me an update with the rest of the details? ’

I looked at my watch and did a fast calculation of flying time and document searches. ‘Twelve hours – I should have what we need by then. ’

‘Sure? ’

‘Yeah. ’

‘I’m at the office now, ’ he said, ‘but I won’t be then. I’ll be down the road – you know the place. We’ll be waiting for your call. ’

He meant the White House, and he’d be in the Oval Office with the president.