Two cars will be waiting for us, I sent them up right after our conversation last night.
Excellent, Rebecca, impressively efficient, I must say.
She nodded and looked away.
Ive just had a message from Mr Black, Thomas went on. Hell be ready in five minutes.
Thanks, Ill alert the others.
Just as she pressed the transmit button she caught sight of the slight, scarcely perceptible bulge in Thomass jacket on his right hip. It could have been his Blackberry, seeing as most Americans seemed to be unusually keen to keep them in holsters on their belts. Agent 007, licenced to email …
But she felt suddenly convinced that this bulge was something else.
Something considerably more dangerous …
She opened her mouth to say something, but Kjellgrens voice in her earpiece stopped her.
Boss, I think weve got a slight problem …
He was keeping his distance, watching the crowd behind the red velvet rope. To start with everything had been calm. A cluster of old ladies, a couple of tired-looking photographers.
Two black cars were parked right outside the main entrance, with two men in suits stationed on the pavement next to them. They reeked of cop even from a distance, which was why he was holding back. But a few minutes ago things started to get crazy. A number of minibuses had pulled up further along the quayside and a whole crowd of people had tumbled out of them. Twenty or thirty, maybe more, all dressed in pale overalls and white plastic masks that made them look pretty much identical. In just a few short seconds they had taken over the pavement and, as he slowly got closer, they started to unfurl banners.
The cops in suits were clearly twitchy, and he could see one of them talking into a wrist microphone.
He speeded up to get closer, but was forced to slow down almost at once. What if Black regrouped and took another exit at the last minute? There was a way out on the other side of the building, wasnt there?
Hed never get there in time …
Shit!
He loitered by the edge of the quay as he kept a close watch on what was happening on the other side of the street. A television crew had turned up, which seemed to wake the other photographers up and set them jostling against each other. The commotion was getting more and more attention, several curious onlookers were heading over to watch.
A white van with tinted windows suddenly rolled up, blocking his view for a few seconds before stopping a short distance away.
The demonstrators appeared to have taken up positions next to the rope. They looked pretty creepy in their white overalls and masks. None of them said a word, the only noise was coming from the photographers and television crew, who now seemed to be fighting for space.
One of the suits was still talking into his wrist microphone. He didnt look very happy with the situation.
Suddenly a solitary police car came driving up from Skeppsholmen, and the other suit stepped into the street and waved it down.
HP crept in between the parked minibuses. The short walk from Kungsträdgården had left him utterly exhausted, and he had to lean against one of the buses to catch his breath.
The white van was just a few metres away, its engine running. He was hit by a stale smell of warm tarmac and diesel fumes, but was too tired to care. More spectators had arrived, and now fifty to sixty people were gathered in front of the entrance to the hotel.
The patrol car had pulled over and the two police officers were now standing on the pavement.
They were standing and talking to the men in suits, and HP took the chance to cross the street.
His Nokia mobile was in his breast pocket and it took a him a minute to get it working.
His heart was beating hard in his chest, his nausea only just under control.
Good morning, Miss Normén.
Good morning, Mr Black, she replied, meeting his gaze.
No trace of the previous days awkwardness. What a relief!
Theres a larger demonstration outside today, she said. Forty to fifty people at the moment, and the number seems to be growing. My suggestion is that we take an alternative evacuation route …
She glanced at Thomas.
Whats the situation right now? he asked quickly.
Calm, but tense. Weve got two men on the pavement and there are also two uniformed police officers on the scene.
Media? This from Black.
The same as yesterday, possibly slightly more. A few photographers and a television crew.
Black and Thomas exchanged a look.
A faint tremble ran through her lower right arm, making her fingers twitch.
Shit, not now!
We dont want to look like the sort of people who sneak out the back way, Rebecca, Thomas said. Especially not if there are media present. It could be interpreted as an admission that we have something to hide. Openness is an integral part of the PayTag brand …
She nodded, as she carefully clasped her right hand behind her back in an attempt to stop it shaking.
I understand …
Her mobile began to vibrate in her inside pocket but she ignored it.
Kjellgren, were on our way down, she said into the microphone on her wrist.
Its me, he said when her voicemail kicked in. He wasnt sure what to say next.
I … er …
The cops in suits suddenly leaped into action. One of them opened the door of the first car, and the other took a few steps towards the rope and the crowd.
The two uniformed officers were fiddling with their belts and didnt seem altogether sure what to do. As if on command, the demonstrators suddenly began to chant:
Dont be evil!
Dont be evil!
He ended the call and put his free hand in his jacket pocket. His fingers grazed the handle of the revolver. Somewhere behind him a heavy car door closed. The sound made him jump.
Quiet music was playing in the lift, a pan-pipes version of The Winner Takes it All. Clearly there was some unspoken rule that all Swedish hotels had to play Abba muzak in lifts …
She carefully unbuttoned her jacket and pressed her right arm to her side to check that her pistol and telescopic baton were in place. She should really have been wearing a bulletproof vest. But, against all her usual principles, she had decided against it, mainly because she didnt want to look hot and sweaty in front of Black.
A mistake, a big one, she now realized.
Bloody hell, she really did have to pull herself together, get a grip on her thoughts …
Her mouth felt dry, and her heart was beating faster than she had expected. Her right hand was shaking so much that she had to stuff it into her trouser pocket.
She had been involved in considerably more risky jobs than this, so she really shouldnt be nervous.
Her mobile vibrated in her inside pocket again. This was the third time, so whoever it was seemed keen to get hold of her. But theyd just have to wait. Work came first.
The lift stopped at the ground floor and the door slowly slid open. She took a deep breath.
The chanting of the crowd was getting louder.
Someone bumped into one of the brass posts, making the rope swing.
The suited man beside the rope suddenly began to shout.
Back, get back!
The two uniformed police officers took a few hesitant steps closer.
HP closed his fingers around the handle of the revolver.
There was no going back now.
The main doors opened and the chanting rose to a roar. But it suddenly felt like his ears were blocked.
The carpet of sound around him turned into a faint murmur, and all he could hear was his own heavy breathing.
In …
Out …
His field of vision shrank, turning into a grainy tunnel, and for a moment he thought he was about to pass out. He squeezed the handle of the revolver even tighter, digging the mesh pattern into his palm. Hundreds of tiny, stinging needle pricks that woke him up and reminded him what he was doing there.
He had a task to carry out.
His last one …
And suddenly he saw him.
The snake himself.
Mark Black …
The roaring started the moment they opened the doors. The crowd pushed forward, she had time to notice the masks, the white overalls, the worried look on Kjellgrens face. Then the quick movements of the uniformed police officers as they extended their telescopic batons.
Leaving through this exit had been a big mistake.
Back, were going back, she shouted at Thomass thick neck.
But he didnt seem to hear her and carried on towards the car, closely followed by Black.
One of the posts holding the rope toppled over, dragging the others down with it.
And a moment later the demonstrators had broken through.
Thomas immediately floored the first person with an elbow in the face. It sounded like a whip cracking as the mask broke, sending a shower of blood and saliva over the white overalls of the nearest protestors. Thomas didnt seem remotely concerned, and merely shoved the limp body backwards to clear some space. He dealt another blow, then another.
Then she saw him bring his hand back and reach under his jacket in a way that she recognized all too well.
She grabbed the top of Blacks arm with her left hand and pulled him towards her. She felt on her belt for her baton … Her hand was shaking so much she had trouble finding it. And then she heard Thomas yell.
He recognized him from the television.
High forehead, pointed nose and backswept, greying hair. At close quarters the reptilian feeling was even more obvious. He imagined he could see a little forked tongue dart out between the narrow lips. Getting the scent of his surroundings, preparing to attack.
The crowd was roaring now, forcing its way through the cordon. HP went with the flow. Sweat was pouring down his back.