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rejected it. There was no need to disturb her sleep for this. Moreover, there wasn't a great deal she could do anyway.
    He glanced back at Anisha. She really was stunning. In all the time they’d spent together, how had he managed to miss that? Before he had time to answer his own question, Anisha announced that she had worked out the problem and, after some incomprehensible techno-babble, declared the FLD should work now. Just as she was about to play it Jack's arm pounced up to stop her, a cocktail of panic and adrenaline taking hold of him.
    Deep down he knew he would have to listen to the tape but he had a sudden last minute feeling that no good would come from it. To buy more time he suggested they inform Gina. It was far too early in the morning, and Anisha was far too groggy to argue, so the both of them trotted upstairs to wake her.
    Like an old wooden door, Gina's eyes creaked open. She was dazed and confused, much the same as Anisha, but the news that someone had been in her flat, probably only hours ago, was enough to jolt her awake. Reaching the living room, Jack noticed that all the whispering had ceased now. Everyone was alert and awake, as if it was the middle of the day.
    Hesitantly, the trio of friends all clamoured up by the phone and listened intently as the recording played. The resulting audio was muffled and had a pantomime villainy to it, which in more favourable circumstances may have seemed comical. “Good morning Mr Winchester. As you're well aware, some rather unpleasant things seem to be happening to you. I can only apologise for that and assure you that, if you follow our instructions and comply with our demands, this will all be over soon.
    First let me begin by alerting you to the fact that your death is assured. We have killed you, thirteen days from now. There is nothing you can do, no way of getting around it. Unless we alter events, you will be dead in a fortnight. I hope the photographs and the delivery of your fingers will help authenticate our threat. We have the ability to spare your life however, which we are more than willing to do, but in return we demand one simple thing: that you assassinate deputy Prime Minister Michael Green within the next twelve days. Do not attempt to notify the authorities or anybody else. Do not attempt to find us. You will be contacted later with more details.”
     

Chapter 4
     
     
     
    Rays of grey sunshine peeked through the thin red curtains, casting a dull red glow into the Elephant and Castle flat. After an eventful night, and with fear of more intruders to come, none of the inhabitants had slept much. Anisha rubbed her eyes wearily, the strain of being up all night having left them sore. Outside she could already hear the rabble of shoppers gathering early for a bargain hunt in the capital. She stretched her arms; they were painful and stiff from the position she had fallen asleep in.
    Her back also throbbed, probably from spending the night on her ancient sofa bed. She got up and peered around the corner to see Jack with earphones on, playing the instructions yet again.
    Nothing about this situation made any sense. He had struggled all night to find a reason behind it, to find some small scrap of logic. But from what Anisha saw now, he hadn't managed to so far. If one good thing came of last night, it was Anisha turning around her position and agreeing to help Jack check if the detached fingers were his.
    He had volunteered his own prints but unfortunately, with today's sophisticated duplicate software, it wasn't quite that simple. Jack's brother worked in a security office close to the area, and as he’d discovered yesterday, it would be necessary to pay him a visit.
    Fingerprint searches not related to active cases had to be authorised by senior staff so Jack hoped that his brother maybe able to help. After all, he had access to the entire central database.
    Jack’s forehead broke into a frown. According to the audio instructions, he had to