As I spoke the names, I saw a flicker of unease run through the prisoner.

Then Mike started in. His Russian was impressively fluent and fast, but it produced only a negative response.

‘He doesn’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘What’s he doing here, then?’

This time the man did answer.

‘He says he’s here on business,’ Mike translated. ‘It’s his first visit to London.’

‘OK. Take a look at those papers on the table.’

Mike picked up a couple of sheets and scanned them briefly. ‘They’re about a shipment of goods from Valetta to Amsterdam.’

‘Drugs, I bet.’

A telephone rang, right beside me.

‘Pick it up,’ I told Mike. ‘Answer it in Russian.’

He lifted the receiver and said, ‘Da?’ He listened briefly, went, ‘Khorosho. Spasibo,’ and put the phone down. Barrakuda was glaring.

‘What did they say?’ I demanded.

‘“Everything’s in order. Precisely three hours from now.”’

I checked my watch and said, ‘Ten twenty-one. That gives us until thirteen twenty-one. Thirteen twenty.’

Immediately the phone rang again.

Again Mike said ‘Da?’ and listened, but this time nobody spoke.

‘Keep grilling him,’ I told Mike. ‘Back in a moment.’

I went through the shattered door on to the landing, out of earshot. I knew the telephone line had been tapped that morning so the spooks could trace the calls. Now that the flat was secure, the SAS ought by rights to hand control over to the police and get out; but I’d had another idea.

I jabbed my pressel and said, ‘Red leader. I need to speak to the CO.’

‘Here,’ said the boss immediately.

I reported the calls and said, ‘If they can trace the source, we need to hit it. But I’ve got another idea.’

‘Carry on.’

‘The Barrakuda guy’s obviously trying to do a flit. He’s got his flight out booked for this afternoon. But I’m sure he knows where the bomb is. He knows it’s not far away, and that it’s set to go off three hours from now. We could try beating hell out of him to get the information, but my hunch is that wouldn’t work. On the other hand, if we just keep him on site, he’s soon going to start shitting himself.’

‘OK. I’ll square it with the Director and the Police Commissioner that you remain on target. How many men do you need?’

‘Red team will do fine.’

‘All right. Blue can pull out, then. The QRF will remain on standby outside.’

‘Roger.’

The six guys from Blue team disappeared down the stairs. I put two of our own lads to guard the back door of the flat, two outside the front door, on the landing, leaving myself, Darren Barnes and Mike the interpreter to harass the prisoners.