‘This is an unusual conference,’ said Menke, the BfV man, ‘insofar as the focus is not just on saving the planet, it is about the commercial opportunities that environmental technologies offer. There are now a lot of major corporate players involved in environment-related activities. The difference is that these operators aren’t motivated by revolutionary zeal but by the same old imperative of turning a profit. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, if, at the same time, they’re making a positive contribution to the environment.’
‘I see,’ said Fabel, then looked at van Heiden with a confused so why am I here? expression.
‘I’m sure you’re aware that there is almost a tradition of the disaffected of the Free and Hanseatic City expressing their disaffection by setting other citizens’ cars on fire?’ continued Menke.
‘Like the first swallow or the blossom on the trees,’ said Fabel. ‘You know it’s summer in Hamburg when you smell the scent of boiling automobile paint in the air.’ No one got the humour and Fabel moved on. ‘What’s that got to do with the Murder Commission?’
‘Last year there were thirty-four thousand politically motivated crimes in Germany,’ said Menke. ‘A significant proportion of these crimes is made up of arson attacks on cars and business premises in Berlin and Hamburg.’
‘I can quote the figures, Jan,’ said van Heiden. ‘Two hundred cars burned out in Hamburg over the last year. Ten in a single night in Flottbek, a dozen over a one-week period in Harvestehude. And then, of course, there was the attack on the police station in the Schanzenviertel. Unbelievable. One patrol car burned out and a police station in the heart of the city under attack by masked thugs…’ Van Heiden shook his head in genuine disbelief. Fabel knew that no matter how much you tried to explain it to van Heiden, the chief of detectives would never be able to understand how there could be so much anger in Germany’s most prosperous city, his beloved Hamburg.
‘All of these have been down to extreme-left or anarchist groups,’ continued Menke. ‘And that is a worrying trend. The vast majority of the politically motivated crime we investigate at the BfV is skinhead/neo-Nazi. In fact, twice as many offences are committed by the radical right as by the radical left. But there is a shift taking place. We are seeing more and more envy crimes being committed. We have mounting evidence that extreme environmentalist groups are becoming involved.’
‘I don’t think it’s fair to describe these groups as exclusively extreme environmentalists,’ said Muller-Voigt. ‘These people are just as easily described as anarchists or extreme leftists.’
‘Well, it wouldn’t be the first time there’s been a crossover between the two philosophies.’ Fabel kept his tone even and conversational, as if making a general observation. The truth was that everyone in the room knew that Muller-Voigt, a contemporary of Joschka Fischer and Daniel Cohn-Bendit, had been involved in radical-left politics in the 1980s. And there had been some question marks over how far his involvement with some of the more extreme groups had gone.
‘The point is…’ Menke continued to address Fabel ‘… that our intelligence suggests there are elements who are promoting ever more aggressive levels of direct action.’
‘In short, Jan,’ said van Heiden, ‘it’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed. We believe things may escalate during the GlobalConcern Hamburg summit. Violence and property destruction. We also have reason to believe that we may see delegates at the summit targeted.’
‘But that doesn’t make sense,’ said Fabel. ‘These people are trying to help the environment, aren’t they?’
‘Like I say,’ said Menke, ‘this summit is about the business of environmentalism. Making a green buck, as it were. And there are those who believe that corrupts everything the environmental lobby stands for.’
‘But others,’ interrupted Muller-Voigt, ‘believe that it is a natural evolutionary stage: the belief or value that was once the preserve of the minority becomes the accepted truth of the community at large. But I have to say that I know from personal experience that there are some in any political belief system who love being proselytisers so much that they don’t like it when their message eventually becomes accepted. It deprives them of their feelings of moral superiority; it takes away their exclusivity. There is nothing more bitter than a rebel without a cause.’
‘And,’ said Menke, ‘there is also evidence of a growing consensus between the extreme left, extreme environmentalism and anti-globalisation. And GlobalConcern Hamburg, in many ways, represents everything they hate.’
‘So do we have any definite intelligence that someone in particular is going to be targeted?’ asked Fabel.
‘No one specific, but we are anticipating vigorous protesting and organised street violence. And the word is that there is some kind of showcase one-off action being planned.’
‘And you think that may be an assassination?’
‘It’s possible,’ said Menke. ‘The BfV and the Polizei Hamburg’s anti-terrorism branch are working together on this, but it was suggested that you should be briefed on the situation; that your particular perspective and experience may be useful.’
‘Oh? Who suggested that?’ Fabel looked pointedly at van Heiden. He had enough on his plate at the moment and was surprised that his chief hadn’t appreciated the fact.
‘I did.’ It was Muller-Voigt who spoke. He read Fabel’s puzzled expression. ‘That business a few years ago. The Muhlhaus thing. I was very impressed by how you dealt with…’ He struggled for the right word. ‘With things. Very efficient but also very sensitive.’
Fabel nodded his thanks. He noticed that Muller-Voigt, who was normally uniquely composed, seemed less sure of himself.
‘I have already explained to the Senator that you have a rather pressing workload, as you mentioned earlier. We have set up a task group with officers of our own anti-terror unit, the BKA federal crime bureau and agents of the BfV. At the moment we just want you to acquaint yourself with the contents of the file. But we may want to call on your services later.’
There goes my evening, thought Fabel, looking at the thickness of the file.
‘There’s no need to take that with you,’ said Menke. ‘I can email it to you.’
‘Email? Is that safe?’
Menke gave a patronising laugh and earned Fabel’s instant dislike. He indexed the BfV man in a mental file next to Kroeger, the Cybercop. ‘Yes, Chief Commissar, it’s safe. We only use secure servers and systems. Just as the Polizei Hamburg do.’
Fabel shrugged. ‘Well, the State Government’s email system was also meant to be secure. That didn’t stop it from being infected by this Klabautermann Virus. If you don’t mind, I’ll hang on to this hard copy. Means I can read it quicker.’
They spent the next few minutes going over the logistics of the summit. As well as business leaders, GlobalConcern Hamburg was going to be attended by some senior politicians from across the Federal Republic and beyond. Including, of course, Muller-Voigt, who would be chairing the conference. Fabel could see that there was cause for concern, as there would be with any major summit held in the city, but he couldn’t quite understand why his presence was needed. He was an investigator. A murder detective. His job was after-the-fact, not preventative. He was even more puzzled that it had been Muller-Voigt who had requested his involvement. Fabel caught himself involuntarily glancing at his watch. Van Heiden caught him too, but watch-checking was very much part of the Criminal Director’s routine and he didn’t seem irritated.
‘Listen, Jan,’ said van Heiden. ‘I think we’ve got you as much up to speed as you need to be. I don’t want to hold you back — I know you’ve got a lot on your plate.’
‘Thanks,’ said Fabel. He lifted the file and bounced it in his hand, as if assessing its heft. ‘I’ll look this over tonight.’ Fabel rose and shook hands with the three men and took his leave.
‘Actually…’ Muller-Voigt looked at his watch and frowned. ‘I’m afraid I’m already late for another appointment. I think I’ll have to slip away too.’
‘Fine, Herr Senator,’ said van Heiden, also frowning: the idea of someone being late for an appointment was distressing. ‘I hope we haven’t kept you…’
‘No, no… not at all. It’ll be fine. Herr Fabel, could you see me out? I’d like a word, if I may.’
‘Sure…’
Hamburg’s police Presidium was designed as a cylinder, with an atrium in the centre and wings radiating out from it. The design concept had been to mirror a police star. As Fabel and Muller-Voigt walked along the curving hallway to the elevator, the politician made the usual small talk. Fabel was only going down two floors and they got into the lift together. As they did so, Muller-Voigt’s entire demeanour changed. It became agitated. Something that Fabel would never have associated with the Environment Senator.
