Zero Point

38-39

So now we could add Ben to the growing list of casualties. I barely knew the poor sod, and I felt guilty for ever doubting him. I wondered how his wife and kids would fare.

I wasn't sure where we were―somewhere in the Bedford countryside, but I'd lost my bearings. About half an hour after we'd escaped Luton onto the M1, we'd gone off road. I was pretty sure I'd be able to track my way back if I had to, but that wasn't the problem―the problem was I couldn't place where we were heading.

After another half hour we arrived at what looked like a small military installation, about one hundred-odd square meters, encased by a tall, barbed wire fence. About a dozen or so armed guards in standard army combat uniform were dotted around the inside of the complex.

No sooner had we dismounted, than Riz ran off into the bushes to puke up again, and Andy was bent over clutching his knees. I didn't exactly feel in top shape myself.

"What is this place?" I said. Our benefactor pulled off her helmet, revealing a mane of long, dark hair that framed bright blue eyes. She was pretty, but her eyes had a piercing hardness possessed only by the kind of soldier who'd seen a lot of shit.

"This is base camp." She wheeled her bike toward the gate and punched a number into the side panel. She pushed the gate open and led us inside.

"Whose base camp?"

"By now you've heard of Black Fox. We're batting for the other side."

"Why?" asked Andy "Who are you, and what's in it for you?"

"I know you've got a lot of questions. So do we, actually. You realise that you're the first people to have identified the location of an actual Black Fox base?"

I glanced at Andy.

"How the hell did you know about that?" he sniped.

She chuckled. "You're lucky. We were monitoring Agent Incharo. We'd had him under surveillance for several months. He was bugged. We picked up everything that had happened and were listening in to your conversation at the safe house. As soon as we realised you were going to try and make direct contact with Incharo's field supervisor, we knew this was an invaluable opportunity to get the information we needed. So we decided to intervene."

"And there I was thinking you just wanted to save our arses," said Riz.

Her eyes fixed on him pointedly. "I didn't particularly need to save your arse as it happens, given my mission objectives. All I needed was to ensure the safety of the information that your colleagues here had intercepted."

Riz gulped.

"Look, we're grateful for what you did back there," I said. "You did save our arses, big time. And we still don't know your name."

"You can call me Lisa."

"Well we're damn pleased to meet you Lisa. Thank you."