Ax just stood there, looking at the T.V. He had heard enough and knew that the shit had hit the fan. They had taken Julie. How? Something was wrong. Nobody knew about the Rainbow Group, let alone a fucking T.V. reporter. What were they playing at? He would have to go to London. Otherwise, he knew, London would come to him. No, he decided. He would go to them. He would go to London. He would go to Rainbow. He would go to Switzerland. It was the only way. Somebody there would know what the hell was going on.
Anne called. She said, “We are sending some people to you.”
27
The Rainbow Man: Beginnings
Ax said, “Don’t. If you send your people to me? I will send them back in a bag.” He put the phone down.
Ax took the local bus at 7.00 am. There would not be another until 10.00 am. It rattled and shook all the way to Inverness where he caught a plane to London. At 5.00 pm he walked into Anne Pembleton’s office. “Mind telling me what the fuck is going on?” he asked?
Anne looked up slowly. God, how she hated this man, this, this animal!
“Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” she said. “You probably know as much as we do at this point, I presume you have been watching T.V?” she asked.
“Don’t try that with me, I know you lot and you know what is going on. So, who took her?”
Anne Pembleton sighed. “O.K, we think it is a new terrorist group in Yemen. You probably remember them as “The Islamic World” as you were sent to kill their leader a few years back. If you hadn’t missed we would not be in this mess, “ she said.
Ax tilted his head back and slightly to the side as a slow smile spread across his face. Then, in a very quiet voice “Be fucking careful, girl, be fucking careful.” “Are you threatening me?”
Ax just looked, then said, “Don’t need to.”
Anne sighed again as she looked swiftly down before looking back up at Ax.
“Look, I’m sorry we got started like this, we need your help,” she said, looking down to her right.
“You don’t need me. I’m retired, remember? I’m quite sure you have enough of your killers left to handle this. I only came to find out what you intend to do, and when.” He was smiling, laughing at her, she thought!
“Well, that depends on you, see?” she said.
“I’m listening.”
“Well, we want you to go and get her out, basically, what else? Alive, if possible?” “You know, you have learned nothing, have you. Still the tight-arsed bitch I knew before, and still as stupid. If they, whoever they really are, could get to Julie they can get to anyone. Including you, M A D A M, ever think about that?”
“And you haven’t changed in the slightest, still the arrogant Scottish bastard who thinks he knows it all.”
“Fuck you and the horse, don’t call me, and don’t ever threaten me again,” he said. Ax turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The pretty blond behind
her desk and glasses looked up, eyebrows raised. When Ax looked back she quickly lowered her eyes and pretended to type. Anne picked up her red phone.