CHAPTER SIX

‘My God! How can this have happened again? What’s wrong with the security in this place?’ John Baxman slammed his fist down on the table. ‘I believed after what has happened in the past that we’d have sufficient security in place! That’s the fifth time in the last year that SPs have been stolen under our very noses!’ He slammed his fist down again. ‘I thought you said security had been tightened! Someone’s head will roll for this!’

‘It was, sir, it was! We’ve increased security since the last incident. I had several new guards on patrol last night –’ the nervous, white-faced senior security officer spluttered.

‘Oh, yes – the two men who were knocked out! Some protection they offered!’ Baxman scoffed. ‘They said they were set upon by two men – but gave no clear description of either of them! No use whatsoever.’

‘Our new guards are no lightweights, but they said the men who set upon them were extremely strong…’

‘Probably some steroid-pumped Russians! I’m sure Solstov is behind these break-ins!’ Baxman muttered. ‘How can they move ten SPs from under our noses?’

‘We’ve checked the CCTV footage. There’s no sign of a break-in or of any vehicles on the road outside. The SPs just seem to have vanished! I don’t know how they could have got past us again.’ the security chief continued.

‘And yet they have!’ Baxman’s eyes narrowed. ‘They must be getting help from an insider. Call a full security meeting for this morning. I want everyone in this compound questioned – from the bottom right up to the top level! And make sure those two guards don’t breathe a word of the break in to anyone. Understand? We can’t have any bad publicity at this point.’

‘I fully understand, sir!’ The security officer almost ran from the room.

There was a light tap and the door opened again. Gilshaw came in.

‘We have a crisis, John,’ he said.

‘Tell me about it!’ Baxman answered shortly.

‘A medical crisis,’ Gilshaw continued. ‘We’re scheduled to perform a kidney transplant this afternoon…’

‘The theatres haven’t been affected, have they?’ Baxman frowned.

‘No, but the SP we need for the transplant … isn’t there anymore,’ the surgeon replied.

‘Oh. Who’s the subscriber?’ the other man asked.

Gilshaw named a well-known Japanese businesswoman. ‘It’s her only daughter.’

‘She’s one of the major shareholders. Can’t you use another SP?’ Baxman suggested. ‘There must be another one that would be compatible.’

‘There is a danger of rejection, I’m afraid.’

Baxman looked him in the eye. ‘This operation has to go ahead and it has to be successful. I don’t care what you do, but you’re the surgeonand we can’t afford any setbacks at this point. Within the next month we’re hoping to sign a deal worth billions with the US company and we can’t afford any rumours or bad publicity whatsoever that might get in the way of this deal!’

Gilshaw took a slow breath and nodded. ‘I’ll see what we can do.’

‘And you’ll do it, Gilshaw!’ Baxman held his gaze.