Free The Suicide Exhibition: The Never War (Never War 1) by Justin Richards Page A

from is Station Z. Close you down, and that frees up funds and personnel. It’s only a matter of time.’
    He didn’t wait for a reply, but turned and stalked back down the corridor. Alban’s shoulder brushed against Guy’s as he went past, but he gave no sign of recognition.
    Guy watched him go, then hurried after Brinkman. He kept the colonel in sight, but was careful not to get too close. The whole place was a maze of passages and rooms. It was now three times the size it had been when first completed just days before the German invasion of Poland.
    When Brinkman stepped into one of the offices, Guy decided that enough was enough. What was he doing, following an army officer about the place just because he didn’t understand the man’s role?
    But it was more than that. There was something important going on here. Chivers didn’t know about it, Guy was sure. And twice now Brinkman’s intervention had interfered with Guy’s ability to do his job. He wasn’t especially happy with the work he had to do, but he was determined to do it as best he possibly could.
    Brinkman emerged from the office almost immediately, now carrying a cardboard folder. He headed on down the corridor, towards the exit stairs.
    Guy was on his way out too, so he found himself again following. He turned away quickly as Sergeant Green appeared and Brinkman handed him the folder. Guy kept back as the two men spoke. Then Brinkman set off down another corridor, away from the exit.
    So now Guy was following Green. The man walked briskly to the stairs and out of the War Rooms. Guy was close behind, but Green never once looked back.
    Out on the street, Green paused to look round. Guy stepped back quickly into the shadows. But the sergeant had already spotted who he was looking for.
    A woman emerged from the shade of a doorway where she had been keeping out of the glare of the sun. She was wearing a long dark blue skirt and a white blouse with a short jacket over it. It was hard to tell how old she was – probably not as old as she looked, with her dark hair tied up severely behind her head, and black horn-rimmed spectacles.
    Green and the woman greeted each other quickly and with the ease of people who knew each other well – as friends or colleagues. They set off along the pavement, heading into Whitehall.
    Instinctively, Guy followed. Chivers wouldn’t expect him back at the office for a while yet. In fact, if he didn’t make it back in for the rest of the day, Chivers would just assume that he was stuck in an interminable meeting down in the War Rooms.
    Quite why he was following, Guy wasn’t sure. Maybe he would find out where Green worked – what Whitehall department was home to the mysterious Station Z. Assuming they were heading for an office in Whitehall.
    He became less certain of their possible destination as he became more certain of something else. He glanced back several times. He made a short detour round a square and back again in time to hurry after Green and the woman. Itwasn’t long before Guy was sure that as he was following them, so someone else was following him.
    He waited until he was passing a narrow alley, and ducked down it. Pressing himself against the wall, he waited. He had caught only glimpses of the figure behind him, so he was surprised when a woman’s voice called round the corner. He was surprised too by the American accent.
    ‘I know you saw me, but I wasn’t following
you
.’
    There was obviously no point in pretending, so Guy stepped back out on to the street.
    She was probably in her late twenties, tall and slim, wearing a belted mackintosh despite the warm weather. Her fair hair was cut short, curling away from the collar of her coat, and her features were thin and slightly angular.
    ‘So what’s your game?’ the woman demanded. ‘Why are
you
interested in Sergeant Green and Miss Manners?’
    Guy considered denying it, but she had been following him for long enough to know the truth. He glanced