Nick Stone [6] Dark Winter by Andy McNab

Author:Andy McNab [McNab, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Thrillers, Suspense, Fiction
ISBN: 9780552150187
Publisher: Corgi Books
Published: 2005-09-05T07:00:00+00:00

33

A kettle was being filled in Bathroom Billy’s kitchen as, very slowly and deliberately, I pulled on my kit. I’d asked for the older versions of the NBC suits because, although they might be harder to put on than the modern ones, there was a whole lot less Velcro to undo first. There was still a noise, but at least it was reasonably controlled.

I turned and realized something was wrong with Suzy. She bent over, her body suddenly convulsing, and pulled out her SD just before she emptied the contents of her stomach into her ready bag.

By the time I leant across to her it was over. I put a hand on her shoulder. ‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘I do that all the time.’

She finished wiping her mouth and snorted back a couple of lumps that had caught in the back of her nose. She leant close enough to make my eyes water. ‘Don’t fucking patronize me. That yoghurt must have been off.’

I nodded and started pushing my Caterpillars into my trousers, then pulled them up high round my stomach. So Suzy was human, after all. It wasn’t a bad thing to be scared. I’d served with guys who’d shit themselves with fear but still got on with the job.

Stitched to the back of the trousers were two long cotton tapes that acted as braces. I put them over my shoulders and crossed them over my chest, guiding the ends through the loops at the front of the waistband and tying them up.

Suzy had already got her smock on and was nearly ready by the time I put my hands into the bottom of mine and started wrestling it over my head. The rough fabric scratched my face.

Canned laughter spilled from a TV next door. I imagined Billy now had a brew to watch it with, while Maureen got busy with the deodorant. When my head finally emerged, Suzy was a foot or two in front of me, her face a picture of concentration, her eyes fixed intently on the back door as she psyched herself for the task ahead.

I lowered my arse on to the cracked concrete as Maureen got a shout to hurry up or they were going to be late. Her reply from the bedroom was loud and clear: ‘Shut the fuck up and turn that bleedin’ TV down, will yer?’

I picked up the first of the boots, which looked to me like a kid’s Christmas stocking but made of rubber, and pulled it over my left boot, lacing up the tapes from the bottom. Once the second was on I pulled the trousers over them and tightened the Velcro at the ankle.

Billy was at the end of his tether. ‘For fuck’s sake, that’s enough. We’re going down the pub, not the bleedin’ Monte Carlo casino!’

Suzy picked up her SD and leant over it with her Maglite to check chamber for the last time, then pressed on the sight. I tapped her arm and she leant over and shone her light so I could do the same.

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