Impasse (The Red Gambit Series) by Colin Gee

swiftly organised, to be delivered to the Academic ’s home within the hour.
    “ Right, I'll see what our canary has to say. You know how to get hold of me if you find anything.”
    The two friends shook hands and parted.
     

    I want no mercy... I ’ll have no mercy... I’ll die as many thousands have died, for the sake of their beloved land and in defence of it. I'll die proudly and triumphantly, in defence of republican principals and the liberty of an oppressed people.
     
    William Allen, Irish Republican.
     

Chapter 106 - THE COLONELS
     

0819 hrs, Thursday, 8th November 1945, airborne over the Western Approaches, approximately one mile north of the Irish mainland.
 
    NS-D had spotted its stricken sister immediately, the familiar white shape standing out against the grey rock of the coastline.
    The Mayo Republicans had dragged the damaged Sunderland north-eastwards and away from Glenlara, putting some two miles distance between the two before damaging the watertight hull and leaving the sea to do the rest.
    However, t he sea had contrary ideas and gently pushed NS-X into a modest bay three miles east of the IRA camp.
    As had been agreed in the early morning briefing, in the event that the missing aircraft had been discovered, NS-D set herself down on the ocean and taxied as close as possible to the silent Sunderland, guns trained in case of trouble.
    Each of the rescue aircraft had an extra dinghy aboard, so four of the crew made the short journey between aircraft.
    NS-D’s location report was received with mixed feelings back in Castle Archdale.
    The open hatch invited the rescuers in, but all they found was a silence laden with death, for all aboard were beyond help.
    Splitting up to search different areas, the Flying Officer in charge climbed the stairs to the palace, finding both pilots very obviously dead at their controls. Other bodies lay around the Flight Engineer's board at the rear of the space.
    Elsewhere, other rescuers-turned-undertakers located the rest of the crew, each man pale and long dead.
    The commander of NS-D instructed that the dead crew should be transferred to his aircraft, detailing two more men to go and assist, as well as to ensure that all secrets from equipment and charts were either recovered or destroyed.
    After forty-five silent and nerve-wracking minutes, the job was complete.
    Attaching a line to the silent aircraft, NS-D pulled her out into deeper water, where the rear gunner completed the work done by the IRA the night before, venting the hull with heavy calibre bullets.
    NS-X sank quickly and silently. Her remaining depth bombs had been made safe to avoid announcing their presence to half of Ireland.
    NS-D turned into the wind and drove herself airborne, heading back to their base with an awful cargo.
     
     
    Hostile eyes watched their departure, as they had done from the moment the Sunderland had touched down.
    As NS-D disappeared slowly from sight, Seamus Brown rose from his hiding place, gathered up his two colleagues and jogged off towards his base, hoping his report would calm the fears of the Russian officer.
     
0820 hrs, Thursday, 8th November 1945, Headquarters, G2 Irish Special Branch, Dublin.
 
    The phone rang at his desk, causing the Colonel to jump, so engrossed was he in his work.
    “ Bryan.”
    The Colonel stretched as he listened to the brief information.
    “Good. Ask him to come in please.”
    Replacing the receiver, Bryan walked to the side table and poured two cups of tea, one of which he held out to the newly arrived Richard Hayes.
    Manoeuvring his visitor to a seat, Bryan resumed his former position.
    “ So then, what brings you to my office at this ungodly hour, Richard?”
    “ You know very well why I am here.”
    The two men enjoyed the fencing as a rule, but today there were other fish to fry.
    “All Anger.”
    “ All Anger indeed, Dan.”
    “ Mr Hayes informs me it was an old codename, used back in the days before the Germans.”
    “ So the