Honour Among Thieves

right to contradict him, if she was ever given the chance. Hannah pushed open the door and crept into the corridor, which was deserted except for a pair of soldiers chatting by the entrance to the Chamber. She realised she couldn't hope to get past them without being questioned. With a pace to go, she was told to stop, and came to a halt between them. After they had checked the cleaning box thoroughly, the one with two stripes on his arm said, 'You know it's our duty to search you as well?' Hannah made no comment while he bent down, lifted her long black robe and placed his hands on her ankles. The second one let out a raucous laugh as he put his fingers round the front of her neck, and began moving his hands down over her shoulders and across her breasts, while his colleague moved his hands up her legs and onto her thighs. As the first soldier reached the top of her legs, his colleague pinched her nipples. Hannah pushed them both away and stepped into the Chamber. They made no attempt to follow, although their laughter increased in volume. The table had been returned to the centre of the room and the chairs casually rearranged around it. She began by straightening the table before placing the chairs at an equal distance from each other. She was still trying to take in the fact that Simon was alive. But why would the CIA send him to Baghdad? Unless . . . she stared up at the massive portrait of Saddam Hussein as she straightened his chair at the head of the table. Then her eyes came to rest on the document that was nailed next to his picture. The American Declaration of Independence was fixed to the wall in exactly the place the Deputy Foreign Minister had claimed it was. hand. 'I am sorry to have kept you waiting. But don't let me hold you up any longer. Please show me your safe, which Major Saeed seems so impressed by.' Without another word the General turned and began walking towards the building, leaving Scott with little choice but to follow. For the first time in his life, Scott was terrified. TWO CARS SWEPT UP TO the barrier and were ushered quickly through without the suggestion of a check. Scott watched carefully as a large group of soldiers surrounded the vehicles. When a tall, heavily-built man stepped out of the second car, Aziz said under his breath, 'General Hamil, the Barber of Baghdad. He carries a cut-throat razor on his keyring.' Kratz nodded. 'I know his complete life history,' he said. 'Even the name of the young Lieutenant he's currently living with.' Major Saeed was now standing to attention, saluting the General, and Scott didn't need to be told that this man was of a different rank and calibre to the one he had been dealing with until then. He studied theiace of the man dressed in an immaculate tailored uniform with several more rows of battle ribbons than the Major, wearing black leather gloves and carrying a swagger stick. It was a cruel face. The troops who stood around him were unable to disguise their fear. The Major pointed to Scott and said, 'You, come.' 'I've got a feeling he means you,' said Kratz. Scott nodded and strolled across to join them. 'Mr Bernstrom,' the General said, removing the glove from his right hand, 'I am General Hamil.' Scott shook his Hannah picked up a duster and some polish and began to rub in small circles on the table while taking a more careful look at the Declaration of Independence. The parchment was in such terrible condition that she doubted if it could be repaired even if Simon were able to get it back to Washington. She peered round the door into the short corridor, and spotted the safe she had seen on the truck earlier that day. It was open, but was guarded by two more thugs, chatting as much as the other two who were stationed at the door of the Council Chamber. Hannah made her way slowly down the corridor, dusting and polishing the ledge of the wooden skirting until she was opposite the safe and had a clear view inside. She took a pace forward and peered in as if she had never seen anything like it in her life before. One of the soldiers kicked her and she fell into the safe. The inevitable raucous laughter followed. She was about to turn round and retaliate when she saw the long cardboard cylinder in one corner, almost hidden in the shadow. She leaned across and rolled it quickly towards her until it was safely under her long skirt. She wondered if she could use it to get a message to Simon. Hannah left her duster and polish on the floor of the safe,