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Chapters (79)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Anthony Riches
  3. NEMESIS
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. Read on for an exclusive preview of the next Mickey Bale thriller Target Zero
  76. Prologue
  77. 1
  78. About the Author
  79. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Some of those snappers can earn fifty k for a decent pic at the right moment. Which has a somewhat Darwinian effect on their competence. And this pile has ground-floor windows on the lounge you could fly a light aircraft through. So they’re out there all right, camouflaged up and ready to get that money shot, in a manner of speaking. I could be fifty yards from here and you’d never see me, so what price one of them at five hundred? I’ll see you at 17.00, Michael, and we can discuss Sir Patrick’s engagements for the next few days over a cup of tea. Shouldn’t take long.’

7

‘So, gentlemen, as you can see, the minister’s calendar has been stripped clean, pretty much. Life around here just isn’t going to be very interesting for the next few weeks.’

Mickey shrugged at James’s somewhat doleful pronouncement.

‘Boredom is an occupational risk around here. There hasn’t been an attempt on a cabinet minister since the Brighton bombing. Half the trick of this job is finding ways to stay alert.’

Cavendish nodded knowingly.

‘Sounds like my job. Ninety-nine per cent paperwork, bureaucratic idiocy and the toleration of fools. One per cent loud noises, shouting and terror. My previous job, that is.’

Mickey raised an eyebrow in return. Major Cavendish not looking like the sort of man who felt terror. More like the kind who inflicted it.

‘Presumably you’ll be able to go back to it, when this all blows over?’

The soldier shrugged again. ‘As an army officer, especially in the infantry and past a certain age, it’s either up or out, gentlemen. Fail to achieve promotion on schedule and you start coming under pressure to clear the pitch for the next chap. It was already being made pretty bloody clear to me that I’m not very likely to make it to Lieutenant Colonel. And then I was told that I was going to have to do a tour of duty in the MOD, without the option. I could either take some time to consider my options or just accept my bowler hat. Start a new life on Civvy Street.’

He grimaced at the prospect.

‘And a new life out of uniform is something I don’t consider myself ready for. Not just yet. Of course, when I got here I realised the real purpose of my being posted to the ministry.’

He looked at the two men for a moment. Shaking his head at their lack of reaction.