something to prove. ‘Nine months ago a consignment of Chinese weapons we sold to the North Koreans was hijacked while being transported,’ she said. ‘This happened inside North Korea on a train. A hundred HN missiles were among the consignment.’
‘Who could have done that inside North Korea?’
‘We believe Chinese Muslims. They have infiltrated elements of the military and defence department. They smuggled the weapons back into China and we traced them to a ship bound for Indonesia. But by the time we located it, the ship had set sail. Once North Korea took delivery of the missiles, they became Pyongyang’s responsibility, but the North Koreans were unable to respond quickly enough despite the intelligence we gave them. These are Chinese weapons and we had to get them back.
‘We were always days behind. In Indonesia they went on board a bulk carrier bound for Oman. But the ship never made it that far. It was never intended to get to Oman, although the captain and crew didn’t know that. It was hijacked by Somali pirates who knew exactly what was on board and when and where it would be sailing through the Indian Ocean.’
She had been hoping for more of a reaction from Stratton. She got little.
‘Is that weapon from the stolen batch?’ he asked.
‘To be certain, I would have to confirm the serial number is a match. But it has to be.’
‘Did you know it was going to be on board this boat before you saw it unloaded on the beach today?’
‘No. This was a surprise to me. We knew they were in this part of Somalia in the hands of the terrorists but we didn’t know what they had planned for them.’
‘Do you know who’s behind it?’
She shrugged. ‘Al-Shabaab.’
‘Any particular individuals?’ Stratton asked. ‘Do you have any names?’ He wondered if she knew about Sabarak.
‘No,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘I shouldn’t tell you if I did. But to save you from threatening me again, I don’t know any names.’
‘What about the destinations of the weapons? What they’re planned to be used for?’
She shook her head. ‘No. We initially assumed they wanted to use them against Somali government forces. As I said. This was new to me.’
Stratton was beginning to believe her. ‘What’s your task?’
‘To locate the missiles and report back to my superiors.’
Stratton looked at her quizzically. ‘How did you really end up getting captured by these guys?’
She hesitated. ‘Getting captured was a part of the plan.’
‘You got caught deliberately?’ he asked, surprised.
She looked defiant, like his tone implied that she was crazy. ‘I found the missiles, didn’t I?’ she said. ‘And now I’m going to get away from here and make my report.’
Stratton had to give her that much. But there was something missing. ‘You found only one,’ he said.
She didn’t answer.
He stared into her eyes. He saw something. ‘So where are the others?’
She still didn’t say anything.
‘Are your people going to be happy with just one missile system out of a hundred?’
She looked like she had told him more than she had wanted to, thinking it would be enough to appease him.
It turned out she was right. Stratton did leave it alone. He had learned a good deal anyway. They were on different teams but not necessarily on opposite sides. Not in this particular task at least. The Chinese wanted the missiles back. She, and the agent in Yemen, seemed to be proof of that.
‘Will you tell me who you are?’ she asked.
‘Name’s Stratton.’
‘British?’
‘Yes.’
‘You knew about the weapons?’
Stratton could see no harm in some quid pro quo. There was always a need to make allies in his business, whenever it was safe to do so. You never knew when a friend would come in handy. And the best way to achieve that was to exchange useful information. ‘We knew they existed. But nothing more than that.’
‘Then why are you here?’
‘A series of unfortunate incidents.’
She suddenly felt slightly superior. ‘Then you didn’t mean to get captured.’
Stratton took it on the chin. ‘No.’
The hint of a smile softened her expression. ‘What will you do now?’ she asked.
‘Get out of here. What about the man with you?’
‘He cannot travel.’
Stratton understood. The information was too important and the man was too badly injured.
‘You will leave your friend too?’ she asked.
Stratton would have considered it only if there was a good chance Hopper could survive on his own. But he would most certainly die. ‘No. I have to get him.’
She looked disappointed. Stratton suspected she saw it as a weakness.
‘We would have a better chance together, you and I,’ she said.
Stratton suddenly wondered if she had more useful information. But he wouldn’t leave Hopper behind, no matter what she had to offer. ‘Where are the other missiles?’ he said.
‘I’ll tell you if you help me get away from here.’
It was a fair enough exchange. She was tough and might not be such a liability. She might even be helpful if they could find a boat. ‘OK,’ he said, stepping out from behind the brace to look up towards the hatch.
He made his way to the bottom of the ladder. He couldn’t see any movement above and all was silent. The girl joined him.
‘What’s your name?’ he said.
‘Immy.’
‘I’ll go up first.’
‘Or I can.’
‘Get one thing straight. This isn’t a partnership. You do everything I say, as soon as I say it, and without any chat. Got that?’
She shrugged.
He reached for a high rung and pulled himself up the ladder.
7
Stratton emerged from the bosun’s locker hatch. He crouched, scanning the deck and the superstructure. Then he moved to the familiar cover of the anchor chain machinery. The girl paused at the hatch opening to look around for herself before following.
‘Did you come up the anchor chain?’ Stratton asked.
‘Yes.’
‘We’ll go back the same way,’ he said.
‘I found something better,’ Immy said. ‘Follow me.’
Before he could stop her, she had stepped away to the other side of the deck. His jaw tightened with irritation, but there was little he could do in their exposed position. Keeping low, he followed the girl.
On the port side, a few metres down from the sharp end of the boat, a thick rope looped over a bollard and reached down to the water.
‘Less exposed than the anchor chain,’ she said.
He had to agree. ‘Would you like to go first?’ he asked.
Without hesitation she climbed over the solid perimeter, grabbed hold of the rope and let her legs swing
