Exocet - Jack Higgins [65]
Villiers, searching for a flaw, said, 'There's bound to be a standard checking procedure between French Army Guided Weapon H.Q. and outstations. If they get radio silence from Ile de Roc they'll want to know why.'
'But they won't.' Donner was enjoying himself. 'We'll maintain essential radio contact. I've got an ex-Army Signals man on my staff for that very purpose. Another thing, emergency procedures don't come into operation until they've experienced radio silence for three hours. That gives us plenty of time.'
And Raul Montera, who had listened to all this without speaking, his face hardening, said, 'But this won't do and you know it.'
'That's true. World reaction to such an action by the Argentinian government will be one of horror. One can imagine the row in the United Nations, and God knows what the French will do.'
'But this is not the action of the Argentinian government,' Montera said.
'Of course not, but as long as it appears to be, it's the same thing, and when the body of one of the Argentine's greatest air aces is discovered after we're gone, that should clinch things nicely. Accidents will happen, stray bullets and soon.'
He poured himself another drink. 'Why did you think I was so insistent on your government sending me someone like you in the first place?'
Montera was perfectly under control. 'Why go to all this trouble?'
'Simple. You've lost the war already, my friend. If you had heard the news tonight, you would know that British paratroopers have won an astonishing victory at a place called Goose Green. The rest of their forces have started the long march to Port Stanley. I regret to say it, but they are the best trained soldiers in the world. Galtieri made a mistake. His government will fall anyway, but a scandal of the proportion I envisage will blow the Argentine apart.'
'Fear, chaos and uncertainty,' Villiers said. 'The classic situation for your kind of takeover.'
'Let's put it this way. The idea of units of the Russian fleet being able to operate in the South Atlantic from bases of a friendly power is certainly an intriguing one.'
Gabrielle said, 'You really are quite something, aren't you?'
'I told you I'd grow on you.'
'And what happens afterwards?' Villiers asked.
'Simple. The commanding officer at Ile de Roc has a fast power boat in which Stavrou and I will return to St Martin. Once back, we fly out again in the Chieftain. First stop Finland, then the dear old homeland. I haven't been back in years. As I told you, you'll go with me. They'll love you in Moscow. You, too, of course,' he said to Gabrielle. 'I couldn't very well leave you behind, now could I, and you're too good to break?'
It was the first time that Montera's control snapped. He took a quick step forward, hands coming up. Stavrou grabbed an Armalite from one of the guards, reversed it quickly and rammed the butt into the Argentinian's stomach. Montera went down.
Gabrielle rushed to his side, dropping to her knees. Donner laughed as he looked down at them.
'The only good thing I can say about the cellars here is that there's a lot of them, they're very secure and the windows are barred. However, they are rather cold.' He turned to Stavrou. 'Put the three of them in together. An intriguing situation. They might have to bundle.'
* * *
Wanda had heard a great deal of what went on, crouched as she was beside the landing rail in the darkness above the main hall. She saw Stavrou and the two guards escort Villiers, Montera and Gabrielle across to the door which she knew led to the cellars. After a while, Stavrou and one of the men returned. Donner appeared from the sitting room as the guard went out.
He said, 'Everything okay?'
'Fine,' Stavrou told him. 'The doors on those cells are more than secure. Bolts an inch