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Chapters (124)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Acclaim for Frank Gardner’s Luke Carlton thrillers
  4. Also by Frank Gardner
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  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. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. 85
  92. 86
  93. 87
  94. 88
  95. 89
  96. 90
  97. 91
  98. 92
  99. 93
  100. 94
  101. 95
  102. 96
  103. 97
  104. 98
  105. 99
  106. 100
  107. 101
  108. 102
  109. 103
  110. 104
  111. 105
  112. 106
  113. 107
  114. 108
  115. 109
  116. 110
  117. 111
  118. 112
  119. 113
  120. 114
  121. 115
  122. Epilogue
  123. Acknowledgements
  124. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘We’re sending you both to Moscow,’ announced Margaret Stratton, abruptly, the moment they were seated. Luke looked across at Jenny, but her features remained impassive; she didn’t turn to him. Which he took to mean she must already have been told this.

‘The PM’s decided we’re going to have to work with the Russians on this one. They have as much to lose from this outbreak as we do and they know things we need to know.’ ‘Marge’ was perched on the edge of her chair facing them as she said this, looking from one to the other. The light glinted on her gold brooch each time she moved. ‘Between the pair of you,’ she continued, ‘I have complete confidence that you have the appropriate skill-sets for this job.’ She used the word ‘job’ like it was something mundane and ordinary. ‘You’ll be going in declared. Moscow already knows who you work for. But I’m afraid that means the Russians will gather and store all your biometrics. Now, we’ve cleared this with Security Branch at VX, but if either of you has any personal objections, then now is the time to raise them.’ Again, the disarming smile. This time it was Jenny who gave Luke a look, raising one sculpted eyebrow at him. He shrugged. If it was already cleared with his bosses at Vauxhall, who was he to object?

‘No, ma’am,’ he said.

‘Good. I thought not. So …’

The director-general got up from her chair and started to pace around the room. ‘This mission would be sensitive at any time – sending in two of our intelligence officers declared like this – but there is an added factor here. Russia has an indigenous far-right extremist community of its own and we believe some of them have covert links to the Russian government. There’s an individual in St Petersburg, for example, who’s on the FBI wanted list. He’s sitting there beyond their reach in Russia, wearing an “I love Putin” T-shirt and directing a whole damn online network in the States with the Kremlin watching his back for him. Which means you’re going to have to watch your backs and be ultra-careful who you talk to.’

‘Understood, ma’am.’ Luke didn’t want to show it, but he was getting increasingly impatient to know the mission. This preamble was going on too long for his liking.