Read Online The Need for Fear by Oisin McGann - Free Book Online

You’re not a human being to them—you and almost everyone else in this country, you’re nothing but farm animals to be used or butchered. And I’m not much better.”
    Chi was almost levitating to try and relieve the pressure on his testicles. Robert glanced down at his own hand and then, with something akin to guilt, released his grip. Chi let out a rather embarrassing, babyish gasp of relief and settled back on the bench, cupping his hands over his crotch, partly for comfort, but mostly in fear that the old man might change his mind and take hold again.
    â€œLet’s walk,” Robert said.
    â€œI’m not sure I can,” Chi groaned.
    â€œStop being such a big girl’s blouse and stand up, you pillock.”
    â€œThat’s quite sexist.”
    â€œYeah, like I could give a damn. Come on, we need to get moving.”
    They headed out onto the street, with Chi walking rather stiffly, struggling to keep up with the old man’s long strides. There was a sullen silence for the first few minutes, each of them lost in their thoughts, unwilling to be the first to speak.
    â€œHow are the balls?” Robert asked eventually.
    â€œThey’re bloody sore! Where are we going?”
    â€œBack to Harriet’s. You’re not done there.”
    â€œShe won’t let me anywhere near Sharon—”
    â€œWe’re going to get this finished and we’re going to do it now,” Robert snarled, his tone allowing no argument, his face creased with anxiety. “Everything you said is true. Back in Northern Ireland, I was exposed. The operation was a liability; it could have brought down the whole peace process. I was going to prison anyway, so I took the blame for all of it and they looked after me when I went inside. But I still did five years and prison is no joke for someone with my background. Afterward, I’d proved my loyalty, so they quietly took me back, restored my security clearance, and farmed me out to GCHQ.
    â€œListen to me now and listen good, because there are lives at stake and I’m not having you cocking this up. Sharon’s story about the Scalps, these black ops guys, is real—or at least enough of it to matter is. For the last few months, she’s been hitting a lot of dead ends, but she’s smart and she’s persistent. Eventually, she’s going to make the right connection somewhere and, with what she’s got, she’s going to uncover an operation that needs to stay secret. A lot of very powerful people are involved in this and they won’t take chances.
    â€œIf she comes too close to the operation, she’s going to die. I’m telling you this as someone who’s been in this business a long time. She’ll have a sudden heart attack, or hit her head and drown in her bath, or crash her car, or commit suicide. Whatever form of death is considered the most appropriate at the time.”
    Robert stopped and seized Chi’s shoulder, staring into his face. The old man’s eyes were wide, his lips pulled tight against his teeth.
    â€œAnd if the Scalps think Sharon has been talking to Harriet, then Harriet will have to die, too. That’s a simple fact. They’ll make that decision the way you decide whether you’re going to keep an old pair of shoes or throw them away. They’ll kill her .”
    Now Robert’s agitated manner made sense, Chi realized. He was terrified for his daughter. They were about a ten-minute walk from her flat on Shoreditch High Street and could have caught a cab, but Robert seemed to need to walk off the shuddery energy that was coursing through him. He was shaking his head and as he continued talking.
    â€œSharon won’t back down—she wouldn’t even if I warned her,” he sighed, walking at a pace that nearly had Chi jogging, trying to ignore the bouncing ache in his testicles. The old spy’s voice was just loud enough for Chi to hear him