‘Bit bloody risky though,’ Ben says. ‘Going into an American army base, I mean. Are you sure we go there? Maybe we go somewhere else . . . Like the Kremlin, or somewhere less dangerous than the biggest . . .’
‘Be fine,’ Harry says, slapping him on the back. ‘Yanks never lock their stuff up. We nicked it all the time.’
‘Really?’ Ben asks, recovering himself as the room fills with the glow of the portal shimmering to life.
‘Had a tank away from them in Italy.’
‘A tank?’
‘Aye. Then a frigate in Portsmouth.’
‘A what?’ Ben asks as Miri tilts her head at Harry.
‘Frigate,’ Harry says. ‘Ship.’
‘You stole a ship?’ Ben asks.
‘And a tank,’ Harry says.
‘Heard about that ship,’ Miri says.
‘What did you do with it?’ Ben asks.
‘We rammed a German battleship with it.’
‘What about the tank?’
‘We kept that.’
‘Oh,’ Ben says.
‘Good tank.’
‘Right.’
‘We should get a tank, ma’am,’ Harry suggests.
‘We’re not getting a tank,’ Ben says.
‘Who the fuck are you?’ A deep American voice booms out. They snap from staring at Harry to the man leaning through the portal glaring round the room. ‘This a Spec-Ops thing?’ the man asks. Buzz-cut hair. A hard face and strong jaw. Army fatigues on his upper body.
‘Soldier,’ Ben says, stepping quickly in front of Safa, who was about to launch at the portal. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Staring at you,’ the soldier fires back. ‘Seeing as this is in my goddam armoury . . .’
‘Staring at you . . . sir,’ Ben says, sounding each word out with perfect delivery and complete authority. He takes a step forwards and stops with his hands on his hips to glare at the soldier. ‘Waiting?’ he adds quietly.
‘What?’
‘You said we had this area clear,’ Ben says, glancing at Miri. ‘This area should be clear. That was the agreement. How can we test holographic equipment if we have bloody soldiers poking their heads in every five minutes? And rude soldiers at that. Rude soldiers who don’t know HOW TO SAY SIR!’
‘Stand down, soldier,’ Miri barks, her accent suddenly noticeably firmer, harder and distinctly American. ‘Sir, I can assure you this area should have been cleared.’
‘Well, it’s not bloody clear, is it?’ Ben says, withering in delivery. He moves towards the portal with an air of utter confidence. ‘Well, go on, piss off.’
‘What?’
‘THE OFFICER GAVE YOU A COMMAND,’ Harry roars, striding at the soldier.
‘Sir, yes, sir!’ The soldier snaps a salute and draws back.
‘Follow through,’ Miri whispers.
Ben and Harry march through the portal with that instant transition not just from one room to another, but to a completely different place in terms of oxygen, the smell of the air and the feel of the world around them. Instantly colder, and the air taken into lungs a hundred million years ago mists as it is exhaled. Ben glares round a vast room, pointedly ignoring the two soldiers as Harry walks straight at them.
‘OFFICER ON THE DECK. TEN . . . SHUN!’
Instant compliance. Both come ramrod straight to snap salutes. Harry glowers, simmering with aggression that terrifies the two young men. ‘Shower of shit,’ he growls. ‘Pair of miserable little squaddies. DO NOT EYEBALL ME, SOLDIER . . .’
Miri and Safa come through. Safa holds back with Ben, while Miri moves to stand next to Harry.
‘What the hell are you doing here?’ she demands. ‘Who ordered you here? Was it Captain Dayton? I told him this area is to be clear.’
‘Ma’am,’ one of the soldiers says, with another salute. ‘Captain Dayton is away this weekend, ma’am. Leave, ma’am. Said to count the rifles, ma’am.’
‘Punishment detail?’ Harry barks.
‘Sir, yes, sir.’
‘What did you do?’ Miri asks.
A look between them. Worry and angst filling their features.
Harry leans round them to make a point of noticing the playing cards on the floor behind and the stubbed-out cigarette butts. Open cans of soda. Empty food packets and army-green blankets rolled up and used as seats. He tuts once. Disdainful and disgusted.
The blood drains from the soldiers’ faces. One even squeezes his eyes closed at being caught out, because their futures are suddenly filled with days of court martials, trials and sentences of hard labour for a long time to come.
‘I asked a question,’ Miri snaps.
‘Stole a jeep, ma’am,’ one blurts.
‘Crashed it,’ the other says.
‘Into the General’s staff car.’
‘Killed his cat, ma’am.’
Ben snorts a laugh, then coughs to cover it and turns away.
‘You are both in deep trouble,’ Miri says.
Ben pauses, watching them closely, choosing his moment. He moves closer and sighs heavily. ‘This test should be covert,’ he says to Miri. ‘These two have seen it.’
‘And they will pay for it,’ Miri says.
‘Doesn’t stop the test from being blown, does it? They’ll tell everyone. They’ll go back and say what they saw. What then? This has been months in the planning. The British Army does not want this spoken about. Generating holographic illusions is meant to be secret.’
‘Ach, I’m sure we can have an agreement,’ Harry growls, moving closer to the two men. ‘I’m sure an understanding can be reached here.’ He stops a hair’s width away from one. Glaring as though waiting for a response, before moving to do the same with the other one. ‘Do you want to be court-martialled for dereliction of duty, son?’
‘No, sir,’ the soldier blurts meekly.
‘My commanding officers do not have my level of patience and tolerance. My commanding officers do not want this spoken about . . .’
‘Sir.’
‘Sir.’
‘I AM A SERGEANT, NOT A SIR.’
‘Sergeant!’
‘Sergeant!’
‘You will not discuss this. You will not mention this. If you discuss this or mention this, I will find you. Are we clear?’
‘Yes, sergeant!’
‘Yes, sergeant!’
‘Ma’am,’ Harry says, stepping away and speaking calmly, as though nothing has happened. ‘Just lads having a game of cards on their ref break, ma’am. No harm done, ma’am. Seem like good lads, ma’am.’
Miri holds position, as though deliberating, before shooting a glance at Ben, who nods once and waves a dismissive hand.
‘Leave us,’ Miri tells them both. ‘Our test will be done in thirty minutes, at which point you can return. I will be speaking to Captain Dayton to ensure these rifles are counted correctly. Are we clear?’
‘Ma’am.’
‘Ma’am.’
‘Dismissed.’
The two about-turn into each other. Both swear. Both about-turn to face the opposite direction and set off before one realises and turns to run and catch the other. It takes seconds for them to cross the vast room, but finally they walk out the far door.
‘What the fuck!’ Ben releases the breath he was holding. ‘Jesus Christ . . . Did that just happen?’
‘That was incredible,’ Safa says, grinning at Ben and Harry. ‘Ben! You reacted so quickly.’
‘Aye, was very good, Ben.’
‘You were brilliant,’ Ben says, staring in awe at Harry. ‘Miri? That okay?’
‘Fine,’ Miri says. ‘They won’t say a word.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ Safa asks.
‘I saw them when I was here. Month from now. I remember they both panicked and snapped salutes when I walked past. Had no idea why at the time.’