Tiger

The pair steered straight for Edwards' table. Most of the other patrons remained blissfully unaware of the sharks gliding past them. He let them come to him because the shorter, darker one had reached into his jacket and moved the lapel far enough back for a shoulder holstered gun to be visible. They came to a halt flanking his table and blocking his escape routes.

"Mister Edwards," said the taller of the pair, "it's so good to meet you."

"I'm sorry, you have the wrong man. My name's not Edwards."

"You are checked in as Tony Wedgwood, I know, but let us not pretend you are not Gerry Edwards. We have a proposition for you." The shorter man had been tapping at the screen of a mobile phone and now he laid it on the table. On the screen was a photo of Simon and Karen. They both looked terrified, and with good reason. From the right of the screen the unmistakable barrel of a Desert Eagle pointed at them. Edwards' vision narrowed to the phone and the image it displayed. He could just hear the tall man say, "You are going to help us steal four million Euros. Now, if you will show us to your room, we shall discuss the details."

When a kidnapping in Manchester threatens to derail a MI6 operation in Paris they call in retired operative Irwin Baker, the only person close enough to help. With less than four hours until the deadline Irwin, and his Police contact Kay Wood, must rescue the family and save the deal.

Tiger is the first in a series of stories featuring retired MI6 operative Irwin Baker.