Free First Response by Stephen Leather

Kamran.
    ‘Engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, arranging availability of money and property for use in terrorism, failing to disclose information about acts of terrorism.’
    ‘And what about connections between the three from north London and the three from Portsmouth?’
    ‘Nothing obvious,’ said Lumley. ‘Other than the fact that they all went to fight for ISIS in Syria.’
    ‘If there is a link between them, that might lead us to whoever is organising this,’ said Kamran.
    ‘It could just be that they’re members of ISIS,’ said Waterman. ‘That might be the only connection.’
    ‘But what about the family members?’ asked Kamran. ‘Why not ask for everyone to be released? Why just these six?’
    ‘Because the families are collateral damage, not jihadists,’ said Waterman. ‘But let me get our people looking for links.’
    ‘And we need to see if there are any connections between these six and the jihadists out there now.’
    ‘I’m on it,’ said Waterman, heading back to her workstation.

WANDSWORTH (12.16 p.m.)
    Malik peered out of the store, looking left and right. The mall was deserted and had been for the best part of fifteen minutes.
    ‘I need to go to the toilet,’ said Zoe. The sales assistant was standing as far away from him as she could get without putting tension on the chain. Each time the chain tightened, Malik would snap it towards him and tell her to stay close. The other sales assistant and the four shoppers who had been there when Malik arrived were now huddled in one of the changing rooms. Malik had told them to stay there and to tell everyone on social media what had happened.
    ‘You will have to wait,’ said Malik, moving back into the chair.
    ‘I can’t wait.’
    ‘Then you will just have to do it here.’
    ‘You could undo the handcuff. I’ll let you put it back on afterwards.’
    ‘Do you think I’m stupid?’ snapped Malik. ‘If I take that off I’ll never see you again.’
    ‘But I have to pee!’
    ‘There’s nothing I can do,’ he said. ‘Now shut up. I need to think.’
    Malik wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He was uncomfortably hot but there was no way he could remove the coat while he was handcuffed to the girl. Taking the cuff off wasn’t an option because he didn’t have the key, but he didn’t want to admit that to her.
    Tears began to trickle down her face and Malik groaned. ‘Girl, pull yourself together.’
    ‘I want to pee.’
    ‘I know. I know. Look, is there a toilet in the back?’
    ‘Just the changing rooms.’
    ‘What about a bucket or something?’
    ‘A bucket?’
    ‘You can pee into a bucket.’
    ‘I’m not peeing into a fucking bucket.’
    ‘I’m trying to help here,’ said Malik. He squinted at the name tag, white letters on a black plastic oval. ‘Look, Zoe, I know we’re in a bad place at the moment but if we stay calm and see this through, everything’s going to work out all right.’
    ‘You’re not going to blow us up?’
    ‘I don’t want to die today, Zoe, and I certainly don’t want to die like this.’
    ‘Mohammed, can you hear me?’
    Malik stiffened. The shout had come from outside the store. ‘Who’s that?’ he asked Zoe. She shrugged, not sure if he expected her to answer the question.
    ‘Mohammed, I’m with the police and I’m here to talk to you. Can you hear me, Mohammed? Let me know that you can hear me, will you?’
    ‘Is that your name, Mohammed?’ asked Zoe.
    ‘No. Well, yes, but no one calls me Mohammed, not even my mum.’
    ‘He wants to talk to you.’
    ‘I’ve nothing to say.’
    ‘You have to tell him what you want.’
    ‘They know what we want. We want the six ISIS prisoners released.’
    ‘Mohammed, I’m coming up to the front of the shop. I’m not armed and I’m alone. I just want to talk.’
    ‘Stay the fuck away from me, man!’ shouted Malik.
    ‘I just want to talk. I’m almost there now. Come to the entrance and you’ll see me. I just want to