Murder to Order: Thirteen

Much to Ms. Madison's suprise, the Green Man raised his hands. She did the same. Mr. Rake hesitated, but a warning look from her made him follow suit. They were led down passages, deeper into the bowels of the earth. Any suggestion that this might have been an ancient vault vanished, the walls being concrete and the whole thing humming with power.

At the end of the corridor, they were led into a well lit operations room. Men in masks were moving counters around, while a huge glass map of Europe dominated the whole scene.

"The Green Man." A tall man of miltary bearing stepped up to a balcony rail, overlooking them."We meet at last."

"Aurelian Caine." The Green Man's tone was grimmer than ever.

"You've disrupted my organisation," Caine shook his head. "But I can replace the men you killed, and I know now who your agent is. I won;t call her a traitor, because I know you planted her. Your loyal little slave."

"Now, listen here!" Rake clenched his fists in anger.

"You need to be careful," the Green Man cautioned Caine. "This man is in love with her. He doesn't approve of me, so I'd hate to know what he thinks of you."

"Do you think I care?" Caine laughed. "Now that you are in my power, Green Man, I can become the master of all the hitmen in the world. Who else could succeed against me, once i have killed you?"

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Caine," the Green Man's eyes narrowed.

At that very moment, an explosion rocked the bunker. Caine screamed with rage.

"Who's attacking me?" he demanded angrily, "who..."

A second explosion knocked everyone to the ground but the Green Man.