The Hunter by Tom Wood

Author:Tom Wood
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Hachette Digital
Published: 2011-05-11T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 43

St Petersburg, Russia

Monday

13:57 MSK

Victor, briefcase in hand, strolled through the crowds of Russians in the mall, all dressed in heavy layers to protect against the cold that even the shopping centre’s heaters couldn’t combat entirely. Victor took the escalator to the upper level, one gloved hand resting on the rubber handrail as he ascended. He moved the lollipop with his tongue from one side of his mouth to the other.

At a payphone he called Norimov’s bar and gave the bartender who answered the location and time. He then made his way to the main stairwell and climbed the stairs to the top parking-lot level. The parking lot was mostly empty, only a dozen or so vehicles parked beneath the sky above. He breathed in the crisp air, watched his breath form thick clouds of moisture. He was too focused to feel the cold. His pulse was perfectly steady.

The maintenance door was locked with a stainless-steel padlock that barely slowed him. On the other side Victor took the metal steps to the actual roof, one storey above the top parking-lot level. The sky was near cloudless, the bright November sun making him squint. He drew a pair of sunglasses from his breast pocket and slipped them on. He moved to the edge of the roof, squeezing around the large ventilation pipes protruding from inside the building. The thrum of fans duelled with the rush of the wind.

Victor peered over the edge, saw the exterior parking lot six storeys below him; at this time of day it was half full of cars. He turned, squatted down, and placed the briefcase on the roof. He unlocked it and opened the lid. It took less than a minute to assemble the Dragunov and calibrate the sight for the distance to the ground. He then selected the magazine containing the standard rounds and loaded it. Victor sucked on the lollipop while he waited, resisting the urge to crunch.

He saw the same black BMW he’d ridden inside two days before enter the parking-lot entrance. It meandered slowly and found a parking space close to the centre, ten yards from a ticket machine as instructed. A moment later the rear off-side door opened and Norimov climbed out. Through the scope, Victor watched him as he walked up to the ticket machine.

There was at least one of Norimov’s men in the car, the driver, but there could have been more. From Victor’s position he couldn’t see through the windows, but he doubted Norimov would have come with less than a car full. There could even be another car in the area, back-up in case anything went wrong. Whatever their history, Norimov wouldn’t fully trust him.

Victor scanned the area. New people were coming and going all the time, moving around the space, some walking to cars, some just taking shortcuts. He only paid attention to the men, those between twenty-five and forty. If Norimov’s contacts had betrayed him or if Norimov had been compromised some other way, the FSB, SVR, or both would be in the parking lot.

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