Silencer by Andy McNab Read Free Book Online Page B

… Go and tell whoever is on your floor that your obstetrician is here. Tell them she wants to see the infant.’
    Anna caught my eye and we nodded at each other. She was going to do exactly what she was told.
    Katya and I started along the path towards the main entrance. ‘Nick, they won’t want to let Anna be with the child. And theywon’t let you near him either. It’s the Russian way. They’re paranoid about infection.’
    As we walked through the large main wooden doors, I crunched a Pepsi Max carton underfoot, crushing the ice that was still inside; a stream of diluted cola spewed out. ‘You’ve got to be joking. They’re worried about infection – in this shit-hole?’
    She gestured towards Reception. ‘Bureaucracy and prejudice – a dynamite combination. This won’t be plain sailing either. Private obstetricians seem to antagonize them – I’m not one of them .’
    ‘So what are you telling me? I’ve got to go and steal the baby?’
    She stopped, not sure if I was serious. ‘No, no, no …’
    A couple of nurses sauntered past, chatting and smoking, followed almost immediately by a couple of half-size chef’s hats tapping a piece of paper and shouting at each other.
    Katya leaned closer to me. ‘I’m just telling you that the system is still stuck in the old ways. They might decide your baby isn’t fit enough to be moved. And they have the final say. I can’t overrule them.’
    ‘But you’re going to sort it out, yeah?’
    She gave me a gleaming smile. ‘Wait here and let me get on with it.’ She pointed to one of the three wooden chairs that stood like islands in a sea of discarded cigarette packets and food wrappers. ‘They won’t allow you to come with me, and I could be an hour or so.’
    She hesitated. ‘And don’t forget, you might have to make a contribution.’
    A contribution. That was the best word for it I’d heard yet.
    She got back on her mobile and I headed for the chairs. As soon as she was out of sight I turned towards the fire door.

11
    I needed to do something. I wasn’t sure what, but I couldn’t just sit there and pick my arse.
    I sheltered by the exit, out of the drizzle, and didn’t have long to wait before one of the staff emerged, helmet in hand. I was through the door without him even noticing.
    You could have died of smoke inhalation in the narrow corridor I found myself in. A comedy show blared from a distant TV, complete with bad canned laughter. There was a faint smell of coffee from somewhere.
    Banks of lockers lined the walls on each side of me, some of them open. White coats and chef’s hats in all shapes and sizes. I helped myself to one of each, not forgetting the clipboard, switched on my internal GPS and headed in what I hoped was the direction of Anna’s window. The occasional nurse and doctor cast me a sidelong glance, but I carried on walking. I was in undercover-ops mode. I was a fully functioning medic; I had a reason to be there. If you can convince yourself of that, you convince those around you too. And the further you are behind the lines, the easier it becomes. No one expects the enemy to be at the heart of their world.
    I pushed through yet another set of heavy wooden swing doors. Years of grey men had worn away layers of grey paint before me. The ward stank like a school canteen. There were twenty beds, maybe, ten on each side. No privacy curtains,nothing like that, they were just separated by a bedside locker. Three women whose faces I recognized were still shouting from the windows.
    Anna was about halfway down on the left, huddled in an orange furry blanket.
    She didn’t look up as I approached. She was too busy staring at her feet. Her sweat-soaked hair was tied back at the nape of her neck. Dried blood caked her calves.
    I leaned over her as two nurses walked past, leaving a cloud of cigarette smoke in their wake. ‘Hello.’
    Anna was too switched on to show excitement. We didn’t kiss either – not that we’d done that for