“Boat across the Channel to France. After that, I have not been told.”
“Why haven’t they told you if you are coming too?”
“They have alternative routes and will decide at the last minute; more secure that way.”
“Have you made the trip to Iraq before?”
“No, but I’ve been to other places …”
“Such as?”
Wasim does not reply immediately Henry must learn that he can’t ask all the questions he wants. “Pakistan,” he volunteers.
Henry nods. He is learning fast from his trainer about the way of the jihad. The training camps, the brutality towards those who cannot make the grade.
“They want you safely delivered,” Wasim carries on.
“Are you coming back to the UK after that?”
Wasim grins. “Inshallah.”
“Sorry, a no-go area,” Henry replies with raised hands.
Henry stands up, walks to the broken windows that have been patched up with mismatched wooden planks. Nancy’s image springs into his mind and she feels far away, not only a few hundred miles, but as if she now belongs to another world. He turns back, away from the window, and as he does, Wasim nods.
“You’re ready.”
Glossary of Technical Terms
Term
Meaning
ANPR
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
IDENT1
UK central database for biometric identification, fingerprints etc.
NCA
National Crime Agency
SOCO
Scene of Crime Officer
SO19
Special Firearms Command of the Met
SFO
Serious Fraud Office
UVF
Ulster Volunteer Force
INTERPOL
International Criminal Police Organisation
List of French Expressions with English Translations
French Dialogue
English Translation
Absolument
Absolutely
Absolument mon cher
Absolutely my dear
Absolument, rebel de la gauche
Absolutely, left wing rebel
Andiamo
Let’s go
Bien entendu
Certainly
C’est vrai
It’s true
Dés que j’ai fini
As soon as I have finished
En tête à tête
Ha, voila. Parfait
Ha, here we are. Perfect
Je le sais
I know
J’ai besoin de vous
I need you
J’ai besoin de vous parler
I need to talk to you
Je suis trés flattée, mon cher ami
I am very flattered, my dear
Ma chére
My dear (female)
Ma chére amie
My dear friend (female)
Mais je n’en doutais pas moins
I had no doubt about it
Messieurs
Gentlemen
Mon ami
My friend (male)
Mon cher
My dear (male)
Mon cher ami
My dear friend (male)
N’est-ce pas
Isn’t it
Très heureux de l’entendre
Very glad to hear it
Une proposition irresistible
An irresistible offer
Vraiment
Really
Vraiment désolée
Really sorry
Henry is ready…ready to face the greatest challenges in his life. He needs to infiltrate ISIL’s terror group, move to its centre in Syria and deliver information to MI6. But you will have to wait a few months to find out whether he succeeds…
SPY SHADOWS will be coming out in 2020.
Dear Reader,
I hope you have enjoyed reading NO TURNING BACK as much as I have enjoyed writing it … Perhaps I can now ask for a small favour? Please take a few minutes to write a review on Amazon, Goodreads or BookBub. Thank you so very much!
If you would like to find out more about the genesis of NO TURNING BACK, or receive information about the next book in the series, please join Freddie’s book club. Go to www.freddieppeters.com, where you can also find the Glossary of terms and abbreviations.
Looking forward to connecting with you …
Freddie
Acknowledgements
It takes many people to write and publish a book … for their generosity and support I want to say thank you.
Cressida Downing, my editor, for her no-nonsense approach and relentless enthusiasm for books … mine in particular. Lucy Llewellyn for her expertise in design and for producing a super book cover, yet again and her team Catriona, Aimee and Melanie. Helena Halme, an author in her own rights, for giving me her help in marketing my books.
To the friends who have patiently read, reread and advised: Kate Burton, Alison Thorne, Elisabeth Gaunt, Helen Janececk, Prashila Narsing-Chauhan, Geraldine Kelly, Malcolm Fortune, Tim Watts, Gaye Murdock, Kathy Vanderhook, Kat Clarke.
Finally, a special thanks to ARCADE Gallery for providing plenty of fantastic contemporary art, and to my artist friends Bernard McGuigan and Susan Rosenberg for providing plenty of inspiration.