LONDON
The chirping noise indicating an incoming radio call continued as Ronan navigated the roundabout with the powerful Audi.
"Will you answer that damned call?" Sir William rumbled.
"I will as soon as we're in front of this bloody convoy," Ronan answered as he navigated the powerful car between two transport trucks.
Ronan depressed the switch on his steering wheel. "Iron Hammer. Wait one." A sudden burst of acceleration pushed them to the front of the convoy.
"Iron Hammer. Proceed."
"JTAC Control, sir. We have information on the vaccines. Are you secure?" the voice of Ronan's assistant announced.
"Proceed."
"The drugs were part of a normal shipment. Forensics has examined the seals and all other pertinent evidence. No joy there, sir. We've examined the batch of unused vaccines – they're legitimate."
Sir William punched the dashboard with a gloved hand. "When do we get a break?"
"Sir..."
"Proceed, JTAC." Ronan gunned the car to change lanes.
"We have further information on Hamed al-Abbadi or Captain Al-Mezroui, the prisoner who was killed by the vaccine."
"Proceed."
"He was part of a UAE combat team in Afghanistan. He was reported MIA after a firefight. From our reports, he was incarcerated in the Bagram Detention Compound," the controller continued in a monotone.
"That could explain his brain contusions. He could have been tortured at Bagram," William gripped the dashboard as Ronan changed lanes at a breakneck speed.
"Continue, JTAC."
"He dropped from the radar in December 2007, sir. From what we have been able to piece together, he was repatriated back to the UAE and was recognized in Dubai two years ago," the controller continued in his monotone.
"Wait one. I will contact you from Charles Street. Send all files via a secure link. Iron Hammer out."
"Why did you stop him?" Sir William peered at Ronan as he tightened his seat belt. "Do you intend to take up Formula One racing very soon?"
"No., but I intend to see why I am being followed by three cars. Hold on!" the Commander braked, spun the wheel and swiftly accelerated into a side street.
"Three cars? Where?"
THE MENA HOUSE OBEROI
CAIRO, EGYPT
"Thank you gentlemen," Robert Townsend dismissed his close protection detail after the hotel staff had withdrawn from the exclusive cottage on the eastern side of the forty acres of hotel's gardens.
He strode to the French doors, flung them open and inhaled the scent from the gardens.
Seven hundred meters away, the Pyramid of Cheops towered above the age-old palms bounding the perimeter of the hotel's grounds.
Eva stepped to the bar and poured herself a large tumbler of vodka. "Enjoy the view. I'm sure Hassim is not enjoying his view."
Robert turned to study his mistress/assistant's countenance. "Be reasonable, Eva. You know we cannot tolerate a breach in operation security. I've been suspicious for several years because of strangely prophetic reactions by Britain's Prometheus team. Now that we have confirmed that it is Hassim who betrayed us, he will have to pay the price."
YOU ARE READING
The Shaddad Conspiracy
Adventure“Your murder victim was not an innocent, naive woman. She was on our terrorist watch list. The fact that she escaped from Basra and lived a normal life in London buggers belief, but she was planted here by a foreign government to wreck the Taliban p...
