Dead Centre

lready been delivered that morning, so she assumed that it was junk advertising. However, when she finished the breakfast things, she dried her hands on a tea

in the wire basket that was

a new advertising ploy trying to make it look more personal, but she was curious enough to open it anyway and it was a w

the pocket in her apron and went into the kitchen, poured boiling water into her

red to your door by one of our operatives. He wil

e. No-one is in any danger, but please sit down before you

l-Wis

eir mail. She felt the red envelope, there was a key in there, so they hadn't changed that much then, she thought. She

been ill with cancer, but what you do not kno

and undergoing treatment, well, that was partly true, bu

eks left anyway. I chose the drugs, and, since

t our bank in the high street. The key will open the box and the password to get you access to it is the name of our dog and the name of the bu

n the secret before, but please enjoy your fut

knowing any better, may impound the jewellery pending an inquiry, which may last years. However, I assure

verification by all means and if they honour their promise,

anyway and in this way I felt no pain, I assure you. You may che

ou cannot go to the police or government. That is just the way

condition of the deal, so you will not get my remains or e

have disappeared. The staff here have assured

loving hus

X

y drink anything stronger than wine, but she went over to the cabinet, took out

out you've become a

ce, the name of which he did not disclose until the last moment and even then he waited in a doorway across the street to make su

rtnight to think about it

, what ha

b Rye Brown Ale, if they've got any, so t

ced the order. When they had a fu

ill, but not yet inc

asing, but I can still function and

annot tell you everything until I am su

rt

British by nationality, but NATO is internatio

as no

t people for suicide missions. The people who work for

u unde

l die, but in

ctly honest with you, I don't always kn

dead end job, as I am sure you can imagi

ould I choose to die for you and n

provided for; second, you will not die in pain, guaranteed, and third,

mily get and how do I kn

It depends on the mission, not the result, because you will die and painlessly,

t, you will face a brick wall of silence both in your country and in mine. No-one will admit to my existence, and it has to remain so. One more thing, n

your wife, or whomever you choose, written by yo

he point of no return and how

s are best. We will leave them in a security box in a bank of your choice along with full purchase

lly about three days before you have to complete it. Your part will be easy, not phy

ve a moral

uppose it depends

and there is always collateral damage. Make no mistake about it, innocent civilians will die

ll I die i

not been allocated a mission yet and won't be

as if I can run for miles or com

u. I cannot tell you anymore at this moment except to say that if you agree tonight, because I have to leave tomorrow morning, I will

at you like and you will be contacted when it is over. You will be dead within six weeks havi

other jug and

a specific map reference. Ron said goodbye to his boss and colleagues and took two weeks holiday. He told his

is credentials. The only ones he had been given were 'Dead Centre', but as soon a

od, free drink and free women. 'Dead Centre' pi

ically demanding and taught him how to use a pistol and a knife and how to disable an opponent by a

echniques, so that he could control any

were members of right-wing organisations and were there to learn combat techniques. It was not run by the government or NATO,

ad a great tim

a lord. And why not? he thought, he would probably be dead within a month. He fantasised tha

name, but he did believe that he worked for NATO like he had said he did and he was proud

llers, watching the faces of his family and friends pitying him, or he c

ith a bang, he th

. He loved his country and had no qualms about laying down his life for it, like he had risked doing when he was ninete

al and helping no-one, when he could

was

rom Genaro, Gareg wa

can I do for you?

may have another job for you and

backgrounds. Genaro had been born into a wealthy, violent south European fami

Parachute Regiment and moved into the SAS and Genaro had done three years in the French regular

the south coast in the vicinity of Marseille, but also a network of dr

s, insurance fraud, money laundering and kidnapping. It was this section of the

SAS and the Foreign Legion in Rwanda. It had not always been easy to keep in touch in those days, but since they

ever found themselves on opposing sides. Although both men imagined the scenario from time to time, neither of them could see it happening in reality. They bot

business wa

never used your services before, although we have that other little matter to finalise… Still,

oes the second

but let us just say for now that it will involve ext

sure that we ca

but I am restricted by events myself. It will take place in thirty d

it is harder to get the equipment into Germany, they are so well o

liability and that costs, so I agree. Perhaps I will get a d

rha

that was all that was needed to clinch t

but in the near future and in this area and you are willing for the participant to stay with you in

rect. Is the

y equipment. In fact, the participants are undergoing training as

houses in the garden and a girl to keep him company. We shall try

y generous of you and I am sure that he wil

ike. Will you tell him anything or

able to tell anyone anyway. It is better, on the whole, if you keep your relationship simply on a personal level. I will introduce you to him as a frien

se, send him over or bring him over a

bly three, and at the rendezvous, an hour before the ETA of th

. We aim t

Centre'! and th

but I will return with your lodger

reg, per

that they may join us now, tell the chef that he m

will attend t

you still

s,

d two participants. One ASAP and the ot

what are th

ill you have a problem

he equipment today and text you yay or nay, but I cannot foresee a problem. Everything is

r from me wit

n. Bye f

my section leader. If you want, we have a mission f

re i

rope.

t no visa, is that li

don't have a c

onto it

e I just let my superior have the news." He took out

w car park and drove them to Cardiff, where he installed Ron in the 'Marriot' on the old Hays Marke

ther is in his home in Manchester awaiting instructions. The equipmen

eed one package in Marseille in three days and one in Essen in ten days. The exact details are

that will not

ow anyone

river will stay in a hotel with the p

ou had better get onto that right away

he was involved when you said Marseille. Will

. We'll be in Marseille late afternoon. See if you can ge

hat should not

n care of your end of thi

r, er, Gareg.

, and drove to Heathrow Airport, 120 miles further down the M4 motorway. They boarded the early-afternoon flight

riven, classic, drophead, convertible Rolls Royce Camargue took them along the coast to Genaro's villa, he had never imagined that