‘Yes,’ he said. He took his ID card out of his wallet and handed it to Guy. Guy studied it. The photo of Jake on the front. The black magnetic strip on the back. The number 3 in silver lettering next to Jake’s photo.
‘Security Level Three,’ he said. ‘So, you can get into the base, but you can’t get into the hangar.’
‘No,’ said Jake.
‘Which is a pity,’ said Guy. ‘Because there’s only one way to find out if your theory is correct, Jake, and that’s for you and me to go to this place and check.’
Then he smiled, and from his pocket he took another ID card, virtually identical to Jake’s, except it had the number 5 in the same silver lettering on it.
‘Luckily for us, your friend Gareth Findlay-Weston was carrying his ID card on him when we picked him up. Look, Jake. Level Five. That means, with this card, I can get us into that hangar.’ He held it out towards Jake, and Jake could see that the photo of Gareth had been replaced with one of Guy.
‘Good, isn’t it,’ said Guy. ‘It’s wonderful what you can do these days with digital technology.’ Then he sighed. ‘However, this old pal of mine I spoke to told me there was an extra-tight piece of security about these ID passes, especially when getting into a high-level security area like this hangar at Laker Heath. Do you know what that is, Jake?’
Jake felt his throat go dry and felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
‘Yes,’ he said in a quiet voice that was almost a whisper.
‘And what is that extra piece of security?’ asked Guy, putting on a casual, relaxed air.
He knows, thought Jake. He’s playing with me.
‘I’ll tell you, shall I, Jake,’ said Guy. ‘It’s a fingerprint. Index finger, right hand. So, you can see the problem, Jake,’ said Guy. ‘The photo may be of me, but it won’t match with my fingerprint.’
‘I’ll go there,’ said Jake desperately. He had to keep Guy on track with the idea that The Index was at Laker Heath and give them time to work out how to get away. ‘I’ll go in.’
‘But you can’t get into the hangar,’ said Guy. ‘Not with a Level Three security pass. And I don’t really trust you to go there on your own, Jake. You might not come back. You might run to the police, and tell them where we are.’ He shook his head. ‘No no, Jake, we can’t have that. You and I shall go to this place together and see if The Index is there. This Level Five card will get me in, and once I’m in, I’ll sneak you in with me. So all I need to make it work is an index finger.’ He smiled. ‘One that matches the fingerprint they’ll have on file for your friend, Gareth Findlay-Weston.
‘Now I could take him with me. But the problem is he looks a bit battered and his appearance might raise some awkward questions. So I think it’s safer for us if he stays here.’ He picked up the machete and gently swung it in his hand. Then he turned to Spider and Duke. ‘Spider, will you and Duke go down and bring Mr Findlay-Weston up here. I think he’s got something that I need.’ And he grinned.
Chapter 23
Jake was still feeling sick as he, Guy and Des stepped outside the castle into the fresh air. Gareth had been brought up from the dungeons and tied to the same heavy wooden chair where Lauren had sat. And then Duke had cut off Gareth’s index finger with a savage blow from the machete. Jake could still hear Gareth’s scream as the blade slicked through his finger and bit into the wood of the chair. They hadn’t bothered to use tape over his mouth to silence Gareth, as they had with Lauren.
‘Ice and a plastic bag, please, Midge,’ Guy had said, picking up Gareth’s finger from the floor.
As Midge brought a paper cup and a plastic bag to Guy, Guy had grinned at Jake and said, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that these fast-food drive-throughs always give you too much ice with your drink!’
Then Guy had scooped the ice from the cup into the plastic bag, dropped Gareth’s finger into it, and put it in his pocket, while Gareth was untied and dragged out of the room and back down to the dungeons.
‘I think we’re ready to go now, Jake,’ said Guy.
Guy took the pistol from his pocket and showed it to Jake.
‘Just to remind you I’ve got this, Jake. Try anything and you’re dead. Remember, now I’ve got Mr Findlay-Weston’s finger and his ID card, I can still get into that hangar with or without you. At the moment I need you because you know what you’re looking for. But, at a pinch, I can try this without you. Just remember that.’
He slid the gun back into his coat pocket.