“So, that’s their only lead?” asked Maya. She tilted her head from side-to-side, which made no difference whatsoever. Maya wasn’t sure but for a second, she thought that she’d recognised the suspect.
“Yes,” confirmed Cameron. “…but I doubt they’ll hold him for very long.”
“How do you know that?” asked Billy. “…you a psychic now?”
Cameron looked at Billy, “Not exactly!” he replied ambiguously.
Everyone was looking at the screen but only Maya and Billy seemed more interested in whom the detectives were questioning. Up to this point, Nathan hadn’t said anything and Daley wasn’t particularly bothered. Nathan took the remote control from Cameron and advanced the video. The images flashed by in a speedy blur for a couple of minutes before Nathan suddenly stopped it.
The video froze on the image of the person. He was recognisable to most of the room. Maya wasn’t prepared for what or whom she’d see but her surprise was clear. Before she could stop herself, she gasped and instinctively placed a hand towards her mouth.
“Who’s that guy?” asked Billy, as he looked over at Maya.
Daley hadn’t yet spoken and remained unmoved. Nathan and Cameron looked at each other guardedly but neither men spoke. Cameron expected a more emotional reaction from Maya and was suitably impressed with her restraint.
“Apparently, he’s one of Etienne’s protégés. He’d received a string of calls and emails from Etienne but we’re unsure about their contents,” implied Cameron, as he caught Maya’s eyes.
“Etienne had become somewhat highly-strung but he wasn’t suicidal,” said Daley, as he measured his words thoughtfully.
“So, if this guy is nobody, why’s there so much tension here,” said Billy astutely. He looked at everyone around the table, except for Maya. “Who’s this guy to everyone?” When no one answered, Billy looked to Maya and saw that she was bothered. “Okay, who’s he to you?” he asked her softly.
“Someone from college,” Maya replied offhandedly. “A friend, that’s all.”
Billy didn’t buy Maya’s story and knew that there was more to it. However, when he saw how upset she was, he stopped asking questions.
Instead, he looked at the screen again and stared at the image. He continued squinting and staring until his eyes watered and the images became blurry. Maya looked sideways at him, trying to read his thoughts but it was futile. If she could’ve seen inside his mind, she’d have been unsettled.
Maya could never have guessed that the person onscreen was the same person that Billy once spoke to her about. She continued to watch, as he moved his head slowly forwards and backwards, squinting and wiping his eyes. Everyone around the table was also watching as he mouthed his words silently.
“C’mon, let me see… your… face,” said Billy under his breath. “Wait-a-minute,” he said out loud. “That looks an awful lot like,” Suddenly, the image disappeared from the screen. “Hey, put that back on!” demanded Billy.
“Perhaps we should get to the real reason why we’re here,” said Nathan, as he advanced the video forward. “This is the problem!” he said sharply, as he paused the video. Stepping out a room with the one-way window was a tall man. He had a very relaxed demeanour and a powerful frame when he walked.
“Now, who the hell’s that guy?” hollered Billy.
“Spook?” offered Daley.
“We think he works for Baldwin-Jones,” Cameron speculated. “He may be directly responsible for Etienne’s death.”
“What makes you say that?” asked Daley.
“My sources tell me that he works for the PM,” replied Cameron. “I think we can assume that he’s in the service of MI6 or was.”
“Speculation?” asked Daley.
“No, a certainty… Watch!” said Cameron. He nodded to Nathan, who advanced the video to the next crucial point and pressed the play button. “This was taken from the cameras at Rowling College, specifically from Etienne’s office.”
There was no sound but the quality of the video was good. Everyone could see what was happening inside Etienne McDonald’s office. From the angle of the picture, it was obvious that the camera high and directed towards the desk.
✽✽✽
Etienne was sitting at his desk working and from the bottom of the screen, the door gradually opened slowly. A familiar figure has entered the professor’s office, startling him. The professor looked shocked when the man points a handgun at him and everyone can see his hands automatically go up.
The assassin doesn’t turn around or look up. It’s almost as though he’s aware of the camera above the doorway. He advances forward menacingly gun directed at the professor and begins gesturing calmly. The unidentified man looks impeccably dressed in his dark suit and black shoes.
Etienne McDonald slowly reaches into his draw and takes out a bottle of Jack Daniels. Everyone can see the bottle visibly shaking along with the rest of his arm, as he hands the bottle to the man. A black-gloved hand takes the glass and pours bourbon into it, near full then points the gun at the professor beckoning him to drink.
As the professor swallows the drink, the man has moved around the table and in the blink of an eye, smashed the butt of his gun against the professor’s head. The professor then slumped forward hard, spilling bourbon over the paperwork on his desk. The man has reached inside his jacket and has pulled out another gun. He’s used the professor’s own hand to hold it and has places it near his temple.
The professor’s chair has rotated away from the camera and suddenly, a horrific jet of crimson has sprayed across the wall. A smoky residue seeps from the barrel, as the Professor Etienne McDonald slumps in his chair.
Brazenly, the assassin takes the bottle in his empty hand and swigs a huge gulp before wiping his mouth and the top of the bottle. The assassin heaves deeply and composes himself before he turns and leaves the professor’s office. On his way out, the man has glanced up, as though he’s noticed something. Keeping his head down, his arms outstretched, he rips the camera out.
✽✽✽
“You think that Baldwin-Jones set his lapdog on us?” asked Maya, still looking at the image on the screen.
“I wouldn’t bet against it,” said Cameron. “Whoever that guy is, he’s clearly a professional. So, from here on out you all need to exercise extreme caution!” he urged.
“Baldwin-Jones knows how we operate,” added Nathan Walker.
“You think he’s tying-up loose ends?” Daley surmised.
“Definitely!” said Cameron gravely. “Next year’s an election year and this sort of thing could hurt his campaign.”
“So, we’re his dirty little secret,” said Maya.
Cameron eyed everyone around the table, “We’ll factor that into our future plans,” he said. “For now, let’s take a break.”
Everyone left the room, except for Maya and Billy who remained sitting. Neither of them wanted to be the first to break the silence, so Billy sat with his arms folded and Maya did the same.
Occasionally, they glanced at each other through the corner of her eyes. Eventually, their brief standoff ended when their eyes met and they both creased up with laughter. Maya and Billy’s relationship was always defined by openness, friendship and fun above all else. They could never be too serious around each other.
“Look, I respect you and it’s none of my business,” said Billy softly. “But you don’t need to pretend that guy doesn’t mean anything to you. I’m not an idiot!”
“I know,” replied Maya quietly. She was still looking down at the table.
“So?” asked Billy.
“So, we’re more than friends,” said Maya.
“Okay, cool,” said Billy matter-of-factly. “Does Nathan or Cameron know?”
“Cameron most certainly does,” whispered Maya. “And I’d rather my father didn’t.”
“Cool! I got your back,” said Billy reassuringly. “He’s worth that much to you?” Maya nodded by way of reply and continued to stare dow
n the table pensively. She wasn’t ready to tell Billy about Will. She was unsure of how he’d react.
One by one, everyone returned to the office, Cameron and Nathan were nattering away to each other at the back. Cameron waited for everyone to settle down and when all eyes were on him, he began.
“Nathan!” prompted Cameron.
Nathan Walker stood up with an assuredness and switched on the projector. Displayed on it was a large map of the Britain and Ireland. “Essentially, we’ve planned coordinated strikes,” he said, as he pointed to Glasgow, London, Cardiff and Dublin as examples. “Where we intend to cripple and destabilise the entire networks and infrastructure of the country.”
“How’re we gonna do that?” asked Billy.
“You asked the question Billy,” said Cameron excitedly. “And you’re the answer!”
“Huh!” said Billy, as he frowned and shrugged. He then thought about it for a while, “EMP!”
“Electromagnetic Pulse!” said Cameron triumphantly, as he looked around table.
Cameron nodded to Billy, who explained how standalone devices could be set around key locations or cities. Billy described how it was possible to attach timers to EMP devices and synchronise them to detonate simultaneously.
“Aren’t you concerned about the wider implications?” asked Daley. “What if the national grid can’t restart the networks?” he added apprehensively.
“Dude, the pulse would only cause permanent damage if its current and voltage was sufficiently high, well ridiculously high,” assured Billy confidently. “Like the ones used for tactical weaponry. This EMP will only disable the country’s power infrastructure long enough to make our point.”
“Have faith Daley, the plan isn’t to bring the country to its knees permanently,” lied Cameron. “We’re simply showing our leaders in Westminster who has the power.”
“And destroy the Prime Minister in the process?” offered Maya. Cameron looked at her with a malevolent glint in his eyes. “So, how do we do this?” she asked.
“After phase two, on the Isle of Man, we knew this could work on a significantly bigger scale,” said Nathan Walker.
Nathan spent the next forty minutes outlining the intricacies of the plan. He’d allocated locations to everyone except for Daley, who was to maintain his position at the Chronicle. Each team leader was responsible for selecting their sub-teams and making their individual arrangements.
“Thank you Nathaniel,” said Cameron. “It’s getting late everyone, I suggest that we call it a night. Our next meeting will be when we debrief, after the op.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Road Rage
Scotland, one month later… The standard procedure for Promethean operations was six-person teams, which divided into two three-person sub-teams. When travelling, all Prometheans drove their vehicles in pairs with a support vehicle that trailed a couple of hundred metres behind. Nathan’s team took separate flights to Edinburgh International and checked into different rooms at a budget hotel nearby.
Jake was a fair-haired young man in his late-twenties. Standing three inches shy of six-foot, he sported trendy designer stubble over his slim frame. While his associate Rebekah touched five-foot five and looked anything but demure.
This was their fourth time working together and they’d established an effective dynamic when working together. Having been with the organisation for just over two years, these idealists wanted to help change the country. Typically, Jake and Bekah would pose as a married couple as part of their cover, which wasn’t a stretch for them.
Alfie Jones was a middle-aged man, whose slightly overweight and dishevelled appearance belied his athleticism and skill. Years ago, he worked as a private bodyguard, exclusively for high-profile clients. However, an unfortunate tragedy in Japan cost him the life of a close friend. Eventually, as time passed by Alfie drank away his marriage and his family.
The remainder of Nathan’s team consisted of two young men named Andrew and Lawrence. They were both recent graduates from Oxford University with first class degrees in Economics and Politics respectively. Nathan recruited them into the organisation when he’d attended Trinity College as a guest speaker.
Early next morning, Nathan’s team completed their final checks and headed off. Jake, Rebekah, Drew and Lawrence stripped away the coverings from the sides of the vans, which revealed the bogus Softer Line company name.
The convoy headed northbound along the M90, which was relatively traffic-free until they reached Perth, where they split up. The group agreed that Alfie would trail Jake and Rebekah while Nathan stayed with Drew and Lawrence. Not having any sons of his own, made him feel personally responsible for their safety.
As the volume of traffic increased on the way to Inverness, Nathan had become wary of a looming threat. Cautiously, he kept a sufficient distance from the boys, so he could spot anything out of the ordinary. As expected, the glint of an unfamiliar vehicle had caught his eye in the rear view mirror. There was a dark SUV sporadically weaving in-and-out of the lanes, closing the distance between Nathan and themselves.
In their eagerness to intercept him, they’d recklessly given up their position. Nathan snatched the handset and radioed ahead to his the boys. He instructed them to proceed onto the location, where they’d place their EMP device.
The car tyres screeched against the tarmac, as Nathan dramatically veered off the A9 carriageway. He correctly suspected that his shadow would follow him and quickly it became a game of cat-and-mouse.
On the smaller B-roads, it was considerably harder to overtake other vehicles but that didn’t prevent the driver of SUV from trying. The adrenaline surged through Nathan as he weaved his car around slower cars. The driver behind the wheel of the SUV was clearly skilled and matched his every move. Both cars barely managed to avoid colliding with oncoming traffic, which heightened the tension and danger.
It wasn’t long before Nathan realised his car couldn’t sustain the velocity. The green of the trees and hedges flashed by and disgruntled drivers tooted their horns angrily. As both cars raced up the steep incline, Nathan’s car began to struggle against the four-wheel drive of the powerful SUV.
Suddenly, the SUV rammed into the back of Nathan’s car viciously. Sparks flew up as painted metal scraped and grinded against one another. Before Nathan knew it, both cars were side-to-side and jockeying for road position.
Two bullets shattered the rear windscreen, one whistled dangerously near Nathan’s head. A third shattered his wing mirror and he knew he needed to act. As both vehicles reached the top of the slope, the road ahead became blind. For the next hundred yards, it was difficult to see oncoming traffic.
Nathan forced his foot down onto the accelerator aggressively and demanded every ounce of power. He edged his car ahead of the SUV but of course, it was still no match. He spotted a heavy goods vehicle ahead and reacted.
Unexpectedly, Nathan steered his car against the SUV, forcing it into the path of the oncoming HGV. The driver of the unmarked government vehicle tried steering away but it was too late. Over three and a half tonnes of lorry skidded and screeched vainly, leaving rubber tracks across the road.
The occupants of the SUV died instantly, as the HGV careened into the passenger side and crushed its fragile chassis. Horrific sounds echoed through the air, as the metal body of the SUV crunched and rolled into a ditch. Within seconds, the lorry came to rest.
Nathan stopped on the opposite side of the road and stayed inside his vehicle. He watched through his rear view mirror and allowed his heart rate to drop. The lorry driver was leaning against his HGV in mild shock. A tailback started to form, as drivers slowed down and tried to glimpse the carnage.
Smoke hissed from the debris of the SUV and for a second, Nathan saw a hand struggling to grasp the side of the passenger door. Then a ferocious explosion roared from the lifeless vehicle and ripped through the air. When he was satisfied the threat had passed, Nathan drove off and continued-on to Inverness.
&n
bsp; Later that evening, Nathan learned from Jake and Rebekah, that Alfie Jones sacrificed himself in order to protect them from unwanted company. It turned out another unmarked black SUV unit tried to intercept them on the M90 and force them off the motorway. Alfie, who’d been trailing several cars back, simply shot-out the tyres on the SUV. This caused it to roll and crash into the central reservation, killing the occupants instantly. However, Alfie’s suffered a blowout and his vehicle crashed.
✽✽✽
Marston Moor, North Yorkshire… The man in the dark suit was reading the commemorative plaque through his darkened sunglasses. He had a keen interest in the English Civil War and Oliver Cromwell. He stared up and admired the towering sandstone obelisk as it hugged the clear blue skies.
“Anything?” shouted his female partner.
He scanned the surroundings very slowly and then looked back at his partner, “Nothing!” he said, as he shrugged.
The warm air currents created a mild breeze, which drifted across their faces. Besides the monument, there was nothing of note to see, apart from the acres of open farmland. A quarter of a mile from the monument, there was an evergreen hedgerow that bordered the field near some isolated trees.
The female swung open the driver-side door of their jet black SUV and joined her male colleague, “you enjoying the sightseeing?” she said.
“Sure!” declared her partner.
“How’d we lose him out here?” she asked in frustration.
“Intel said he was resourceful,” replied her partner simply. “You checked the vehicle?”
“No, not yet!” she replied.
She moved cautiously towards the van bearing the name ‘Softer Line’ and drew her gun from her hip-holster. As she circled around to the front, she brought her gun up to her eye-line. Cautiously, she crouched down centimetres from the door and opened it.
Keys dangled in the ignition and the warmth on the seats suggested the occupants had abandoned it recently. She got out of the vehicle, looked up to the bright skies and wiped her sweaty brow. An uneasiness started to wash over her but she maintained control through her training. For a second, she thought she’d heard a high-pitched sound in the air.
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