Contents (83)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- Acknowledgements
- OUT NOW IN PAPERBACK
In an instant King was out of the room, Hale just a step behind him. Both pulled their firearms as they rushed down the stairs. Towards the sounds coming from the street outside.
FORTY-FOUR
King reached the door first. He did not hesitate, running straight through and into the street. Hale did the same. It was the wrong move, one that none of SO19’s firearm specialists would have made. It was contrary to their training.
And it cost King his life.
Hale would later count himself lucky to have been slower than King. It placed him second, the less obvious target.
The SO19 officers had taken effective cover as soon as the bullets began to fly, leaving the gunmen they faced with little to aim at. A fact which made King’s wide, muscular frame an irresistible temptation.
King went down within three steps of the door. At least five shots had been fired. Two had hit. One had shattered his hip. The other his head. The force of the impact had sent him backwards into Hale, who was close behind.
It was King’s falling body rather than Hale’s tired reflexes that sent the older man to the ground and saved his life.
Hale landed heavily on the pavement. King fell next to him, a bullet hole unmissable in the centre of his skull. Hale scrambled for his own dropped pistol, picked it up and then grabbed King’s too.
With a pistol in either hand he crawled the final few feet to the cars that were already providing his cover.
‘GET BEHIND A WHEEL!’
The shouted instruction came from the nearest SO19 officer. Hale looked along the line of parked cars and saw that each firearm specialist was carefully positioned in the same way.
The sight brought his own firearms training came back to him. Lessons until now lost in the adrenaline of the moment.
The tyres give the best protection, Hale remembered.
He was moving in an instant, launching his body behind the nearest wheel. He tried to make sure his body was as covered as possible, although his bulk was working against him.
Hale signalled the attention of the same SO19 officer.
‘WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?’
He had to shout over the sound of gunfire.
‘AMBUSH,’ the officer shouted back. ‘THEY HAD A TEAM IN THE BUILDING OPPOSITE. THEY OPENED FIRE AS BURRELL WAS BROUGHT OUT.’
‘WHERE’S BURRELL NOW?’
‘DON’T KNOW. WE LOST OUR TWO GUYS BRINGING HIM OUT STRAIGHT OFF. THEN BURRELL MADE A RUN FOR IT. ACROSS TO HIS TEAM.’
Hale nodded. His heart was racing but the initial shock was passing. He was beginning to calm. And to understand. With that much cocaine in the office upstairs, he should have expected this additional security. A team covering the entrance was just good sense.
‘HOW MANY OF OUR TEAM DOWN?’ Hale shouted.
‘JUST THOSE TWO. THE REST TOOK COVER.’
‘WHAT ABOUT THEIRS?’
‘ONE DOWN IN THE FIRST EXCHANGE. I COUNT THAT LEAVES THREE MORE. PLUS BURRELL.’
‘WHAT ABOUT THE GUYS FROM THE OFFICE?’