So its all over … Hasselqvist sighed.
We won, they lost. Game over!
HP was about to say something, but stopped and held up his hand. Far in the distance there was the sound of sirens.
Then they suddenly fell silent.
Into the van, quick! he hissed.
Clear blue sky, hardly a cloud in sight. The kitchen window was open, letting in a breeze of summer air. Perfect wedding weather, the happy couple deserved congratulations for that.
She had woken up long before the alarm clock went off, and a song by Kent seemed to have got stuck in her head during the night. Even though her mind had plenty of other tracks to choose from, the lines continued to replay in her ears. Over and over again …
You know nothing about me.
I know nothing about you.
She inserted a pouch of coffee into the Nespresso machine, then waited patiently as the golden brown rats tail trickled into her cup before she picked it up.
The coffee went down easily enough, which was more than could be said for the sandwich. Her nerves had already shrunk her stomach to half its normal size, and there wasnt a lot of room left.
She shut her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths, put the coffee cup down, then held her hands out in front of her. The song was still going round her head.
You know nothing about me.
I know nothing about you …
Only a few hours left, and she still hadnt made her mind up.
Unless she had, a long time ago …
Jocke Berg was still singing inside her head:
How do you feel now?
Do you feel anything?
Good question!
A bloody good question, actually.
Surprisingly, she felt strangely calm for the first time in ages.
She went through the timetable in her head, trying to picture the route before her. Every turn, every new street. Trying to imagine the sounds, smells, impressions. The bulletproof vest against her body, the earpiece of the radio in her ear – the gun at her hip.
It helped briefly, but the song was back a minute or so later.
I know nothing about you …
She opened one of the kitchen cupboards and took out a small tub of pills without even thinking. She weighed it in her hand, listening to the little tablets rattling around inside.
Time to decide. What was it to be?
Red or black?
She pulled the lid off.
You know nothing about me …
How the hell did they find us so quickly?
Dont know, HP growled as he tried to cling onto the seat.
The heavy police van was lurching over the gravel track.
Maybe the van can be traced, but I didnt think the cops were that advanced …
They flew over a bump and for a fraction of a second the van left the ground. As it landed HP hit his head on the side window.
Fuck!
He tried to look through the little window of the holding cell at the back of the van, but all he could see was dust flying up behind them.
How many? he yelled at Hasselqvist.
Two, at least. Must be more on the way!
Hang on, shit, we should have done this earlier … Nora undid her seatbelt and clambered into the passenger seat. She fiddled with the police radio and suddenly excited voices began to pour from the speakers.
9150, theyre heading straight for you, over.
Copy that!
Hasselqvist slammed on the brakes, spun the wheel and slid the van into a side track. Say what you like, but the guy could drive …
Control, 9127, they turned left, now heading north …
Copy that, 9127, all cars from control, now heading north, towards Nybygget … The radio operator in the Regional Communication Centre sounded considerably less excited than the officers taking part in the chase.
The vans engine was roaring and the track in front of them narrowed to a thin line. But Hasselqvist didnt seem particularly concerned.
In two hundred metres Ill be turning sharp left, so hold on … he yelled.
How the fuck do you know where … ? HP managed to splutter as he clung on as best he could.
I did some rally driving up here a few years ago … Hasselqvist replied.
He slammed the brakes on and did a controlled handbrake turn.
Control, 9127, theyve just turned off, weve lost … hang on.
HP held his breath.
No, weve got contact again, now heading west.
Copy that, 9127, the helicopters on its way.
If the helicopter picks us up were finished, Hasselqvist snarled through his teeth.
He spun the van into another side track.
Theres only one option, he said over his shoulder. Youll have to jump out.
What?!
YOULL HAVE TO JUMP OUT! Hasselqvist shouted, without taking his eyes off the track. Ill stop and let you out, then Ill carry on. Theres half a tank left, and I can keep going for at least another half hour, forty minutes. If they dont figure out where you jumped, theyll never find you …
B-but, were in the middle of the forest … Nora began.
The railway lines over there.
Hasselqvist gestured towards the window beside her.
Find it, then head south. Its a couple of hours walk to the nearest station. Then you can just catch the train back into the city.
But we cant just leave you …
Kents right. We dont have a choice, HP interrupted. If we get caught, the hard-drive will be in the Game Masters hands in less than an hour, and then everything, all this, will have been in vain …
Nora bit her lip.
Okay, she conceded. Just tell us what you want us to do, Kent.
We need a bit of breathing space, some sort of diversion so I can stop for a moment …
Control to all cars, the helicopter will be with you in approximately five minutes.
Theyre currently heading west. It looks like theyre listening in, so well switch to the backup frequency. Backup frequency from now on, over and out!
The radio bleeped and suddenly went silent.
The fire extinguisher … Nora turned to HP and nodded at the floor.
It took him a moment to catch on.
He loosened his belt, braced himself against the seat and leaned over. There was a fire extinguisher on the floor on the side of the van. He quickly untied the rubber straps and pulled it loose.
At the same time Nora scrambled back over her seat.
Open the door! she yelled, and he did as she said.
The heavy sliding door slipped from his grasp and flew open.
He stared through the opening at the trees flying past just a metre or so away.
Dont worry! she yelled. Ill keep hold of you!
But he hesitated.
The helicopters almost here, Hasselqvist shouted from the front of the van.
HP closed his eyes.
Now or never.
He loosened the nozzle of the extinguisher and pulled out the safety catch.
Then he stood up.
Nora grabbed hold of his belt.
Hold on, Ill slow down and let them get closer …
Hasselqvist took his foot off the gas and suddenly they could hear the sirens of the cars behind them.
Now! Hasselqvist shouted.
HP put one foot on the step, then leaned the top half of his body out of the van.
His belt cut into his left kidney and he felt Noras grip tighten against his hip.
The first police car was only ten metres away.
He raised the nozzle of the extinguisher, took aim …
Suddenly the wheels on one side of the van hit a pothole, the van lurched and his head slammed against the roof. He lost his balance and for a couple of weightless seconds was floating free.
Then Nora grabbed his arm and dragged him into the van.
Fuck, that was close!!
Now, now, NOW!! Hasselqvist screamed from the drivers seat.
HP stood up again, leaned his torso out through the door and braced himself against the step.
He raised the nozzle and slammed the lever down.
A shower of powder flew out of the hose, got caught in the vans slipstream and landed in the middle of the police cars windscreen like a big white blanket.
The driver put his foot on the brake but HP carried on spraying powder until the police car vanished in a cloud of smoke behind them.
Then he threw the extinguisher out and let Nora drag him back inside the van.
Hasselqvist put his foot down.
Theres another side track in a hundred metres, he yelled. Jump out when I slow down to turn. Then just lie low until theyve gone past …
Copy that! HP moved closer to the door again.
Good luck, Kent. Youre hot shit when it comes to driving! he yelled at Hasselqvist, and got a quick wave in response.
Dont forget the rucksack, Nora said close to his ear.
Of course … shit!
If hed jumped without the hard-drive … Epic Fail!
He snatched the rucksack from the floor, and pulled it onto his back.
Straps! Nora said, pointing at his chest.
He muttered something to himself, but did as she said, fastening the clumsy metal catch between the two straps.
The van slowed down, then turned sharply to the right.
NOOOW! Hasselqvist yelled.
30
Underneath the spreading chestnut tree …
She cycled slowly along Rålambsvägen, then turned off into the park, following the path across the grass.
Seagulls and crows were squabbling as usual over the previous nights rubbish and leftover food, but a team of cleaners from the council had already arrived.
The city had to put its best face on now that at least part of the world would be watching it.
Apart from them, the only people in sight were a couple of dog-walkers and an early-bird jogger.
She changed down the gears to get up the steep slope leading to the bridge over Norr Mälarstrand. An empty bus with blue and yellow flags on its roof passed below her.
She carried on up to Fridhemsplan, wove her way through the red lights and stopped next to the gatehouse. The feeling of pulling her police ID from her pocket was unexpectedly comforting.