the track in front and behind as soon as they’re stopped. Happy with that?”
Bane glanced around the table.
“That’s fine. We’re happy to blow up inanimate objects, as the EuroGov have reason to know.”
“You only threatened to blow up the Vatican. No one knew if you were really serious.”
“The EuroGov obviously thought so,” remarked Jon.
Carla made a dismissive gesture.
“Anyway, you’ll have to be really, really fast getting what you want, because the EuroArmy will have a helicopter en route within minutes.”
Bane glanced at Father Mark.
“D’you think Eduardo’s got anything to jam phone signals?”
“Wouldn’t be surprised. That would take a lot of pressure off. Hard to see how we can actually empty an entire train, otherwise. It’s a lot of risk just to grab a few boxes.”
“You see why it’s easier if you kill them all. Dead men don’t tell tales until you’re well away.” All the same, Carla looked green with envy at the suggestion of a signalJammer.
“ Anyway …” said Bane, meaningfully.
“Fine. Anyway, back to the matter of the guards in the locomotive. The thing’s entirely enclosed, so the problem’s getting the door open to get to them.”
“Do we need to get to them?” I remarked.
“What?”
“Well, can they do anything to us if they’re in there? Couldn’t we find some way to stop them getting out , rather than try and get ourselves shot getting in .”
Carla stared at me for a moment.
“The windows don’t open,” said Francesco thoughtfully.
“No, they don’t, do they. Signorina Silver-tongue may have hit it. Not getting to guards just isn’t usually something we consider.”
“I hate to be negative…” said Jon.
“What are you doing in here, anyway?” Carla interrupted him. “ You’re not going to be hijacking any train.”
Jon closed his eyes for a moment, then went on as though she hadn’t spoken.
“…What do we do if they don’t stop?”
“Simple. You rig the track to blow as far ahead of the signal as visibility allows. They don’t stop, blow it and they have to stop.”
“So why do we need the signal thing at all?”
“Because those trains travel very fast and finding a spot in the forest where there’s enough visibility for them to actually stop in time would be very difficult. Especially a spot that fulfils all your other requirements – access for vehicles, well away from civilisation and army bases and so on. Being near signals will further limit your choices, so it’s certain to result in a gentle sort of derailment.”
“Then we’ll decide about that when we can judge how gentle the derailment would really be,” said Bane.
Everyone nodded agreement.
“So now we’ve a rough idea how to do it,” Bane went on, “ where are we going to do it?”
“I suggest the Milan region,” said Francesco. “If you want to take full advantage of your advisors.”
“Surely it’s going to depend mostly on where trains full of nonLees are actually to be found?”
“ Si , but there’s a factory partway between Milan and Bologna. Most of the nonLees bound for the rest of Europe go over the Alps via Milan.”
“That sounds promising, then. Y’know, I bet the guards on trains carrying nonLees are careless as. Have you guys ever bothered them?”
“Nah. We may have taken pot shots at the guards now and then just for the hell of it. But we’ve never made them the subject of a full scale raid. Why’d we want to?”
“Good. They may be a lot slower to realise what’s going on. Anyway, Carla, you said you brought some useful stuff?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Carla opened the tough zip up folder in front of her and began to put things on the table. “Here, copy of the notification about the emergency signal. Plans of the commonest types of munitions trains. Resistance pamphlet on blowing tracks, though I reckon you don’t
need that.” She looked pointedly at Father Mark.
“Good,” said Bane again.
Bane glanced around the table.
“That’s fine. We’re happy to blow up inanimate objects, as the EuroGov have reason to know.”
“You only threatened to blow up the Vatican. No one knew if you were really serious.”
“The EuroGov obviously thought so,” remarked Jon.
Carla made a dismissive gesture.
“Anyway, you’ll have to be really, really fast getting what you want, because the EuroArmy will have a helicopter en route within minutes.”
Bane glanced at Father Mark.
“D’you think Eduardo’s got anything to jam phone signals?”
“Wouldn’t be surprised. That would take a lot of pressure off. Hard to see how we can actually empty an entire train, otherwise. It’s a lot of risk just to grab a few boxes.”
“You see why it’s easier if you kill them all. Dead men don’t tell tales until you’re well away.” All the same, Carla looked green with envy at the suggestion of a signalJammer.
“ Anyway …” said Bane, meaningfully.
“Fine. Anyway, back to the matter of the guards in the locomotive. The thing’s entirely enclosed, so the problem’s getting the door open to get to them.”
“Do we need to get to them?” I remarked.
“What?”
“Well, can they do anything to us if they’re in there? Couldn’t we find some way to stop them getting out , rather than try and get ourselves shot getting in .”
Carla stared at me for a moment.
“The windows don’t open,” said Francesco thoughtfully.
“No, they don’t, do they. Signorina Silver-tongue may have hit it. Not getting to guards just isn’t usually something we consider.”
“I hate to be negative…” said Jon.
“What are you doing in here, anyway?” Carla interrupted him. “ You’re not going to be hijacking any train.”
Jon closed his eyes for a moment, then went on as though she hadn’t spoken.
“…What do we do if they don’t stop?”
“Simple. You rig the track to blow as far ahead of the signal as visibility allows. They don’t stop, blow it and they have to stop.”
“So why do we need the signal thing at all?”
“Because those trains travel very fast and finding a spot in the forest where there’s enough visibility for them to actually stop in time would be very difficult. Especially a spot that fulfils all your other requirements – access for vehicles, well away from civilisation and army bases and so on. Being near signals will further limit your choices, so it’s certain to result in a gentle sort of derailment.”
“Then we’ll decide about that when we can judge how gentle the derailment would really be,” said Bane.
Everyone nodded agreement.
“So now we’ve a rough idea how to do it,” Bane went on, “ where are we going to do it?”
“I suggest the Milan region,” said Francesco. “If you want to take full advantage of your advisors.”
“Surely it’s going to depend mostly on where trains full of nonLees are actually to be found?”
“ Si , but there’s a factory partway between Milan and Bologna. Most of the nonLees bound for the rest of Europe go over the Alps via Milan.”
“That sounds promising, then. Y’know, I bet the guards on trains carrying nonLees are careless as. Have you guys ever bothered them?”
“Nah. We may have taken pot shots at the guards now and then just for the hell of it. But we’ve never made them the subject of a full scale raid. Why’d we want to?”
“Good. They may be a lot slower to realise what’s going on. Anyway, Carla, you said you brought some useful stuff?”
“Yeah, yeah.” Carla opened the tough zip up folder in front of her and began to put things on the table. “Here, copy of the notification about the emergency signal. Plans of the commonest types of munitions trains. Resistance pamphlet on blowing tracks, though I reckon you don’t
need that.” She looked pointedly at Father Mark.
“Good,” said Bane again.
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