by Ted Tayler
Do you know what she asked me? She said ‘Am I going to die?’ I told her not to worry; everything would be OK. Now she’s dead. She was so young.”
“Many people died Phoenix; we saved a heck of a lot more. We cannot be everywhere. You did everything you could.”
“You made a good call at Weymouth Athena, the ammo idea was pure genius.”
“Not just a pretty face Phoenix. Do you want me to stay with you tonight?
Colin nodded. He knew that the night they had planned would have to be put on hold. But he was not up to facing the night alone. They lay on his bed and held one another until dawn. Sleep was a luxury for Colin. Most of the time he lay there, listening to Athena’s steady breathing and saw the faces of Therese, Ally and the other people from the café.
The morning papers and the TV news bulletins were full of the horrific details of the attacks. Names and faces were given to the people who had perished. Families visiting relatives in the hospital were photographed and filmed. Their concerned, haggard faces filled pages and TV screens.
Erebus called Colin and asked him to come over to the main house.
“Bring Athena with you, old chap, if you please,” he said as he was going to end the call.
“He knew you were here,” Colin said.
Athena smiled. “I told him I was going to see you when I left the meeting yesterday.”
When the room had its full complement, Erebus began,
“The Prime Minister will address the nation at ten o’clock. He will say that the Games resumed as per the original schedule this morning. Terrorism must not be allowed to win. Everything you would expect him to say. There will be a memorial service in St Paul’s next Sunday morning. The IOC will reschedule events to allow the competitors to have the service relayed to them in the Olympic stadium. No events will take place on that day.
The government has asked the whole of the UK population to be on the alert. Television adverts, full page spreads in the news and posters the length and breadth of the country will carry the following message,
If you are walking or sitting and a suicide bomber strikes nearby:
At the first flash or blast, hit the ground and get as low as possible to avoid debris and smoke. Shelter behind something and expect another bomb. Get yourself and anyone you can to an exit and get outside. Once you have made it out of the area, keep away from any buildings or structures that might collapse because of the first blast, or any other bombings that could follow.
Take precautions to prevent radiation sickness. Be aware that any explosion may have been ‘dirty’ or a radiological dispersion device. If you are within one mile downwind, then you are in the radiation danger zone. You should always presume that you have been exposed to radiation. Ensure officials are aware of the fact and follow their instructions. Do not eat anything. Drink water only from a sealed bottle.
Thanatos looked across at Colin. He said, “I suppose you can find something funny to say about that, Phoenix?”
“I believe that to be a very apt message Thanatos. Far better that people know what to expect. If our intelligence is correct, then this spate of bombings is over, for now.”
Rusty chipped in “Far better these adverts than just printing a load of t-shirts with ‘Keep Calm and Radiate’ printed on the front.”
Erebus examined the file in front of him. How did Rusty know the Home Office were considering that?
Everyone needed time to heal. Olympus would lie low for a while and gather strength for the battles to come.
Erebus decided to close the file for now.
* * *
You have just finished reading ‘Gold, Silver, and Bombs’
This was the second book in the series featuring ‘The Phoenix’ the anti-hero from ‘The Olympus Project’. So what do you have to look forward to in the final book in the trilogy ‘Nothing Is Ever Forever’?
• Athena takes control of Olympus, with Phoenix by her side. Will they take the organisation in a new direction?
• Have the Charity Commissioners sowed the seeds of doubt in the minds of the authorities about the true nature of the Olympus Project?
• Can Colin Bailey, aka Phoenix, stay invisible forever? Will his old nemesis DCI Phil Hounsell finally track him down?
If the world became a far better place, then there would be no criminals to bring to justice, no wrongs to be righted, and no closure to be sought for victims…
I think we know there are more tales to tell, don’t we?
Feel free to Tweet about this book and please tell your friends about it. If you would like to leave a review then you will find it listed on most e-book retailers and Goodreads.