“Did you hear that?” she asked her partner.
There was no reply, so she initially took her partner’s radio-silence as affirmation. She rooted through the contents of the van but didn’t find anything. Minutes had passed before it occurred to her that everything was quiet, too quiet.
She hadn’t heard from her partner for over ten minutes, which was unusual behaviour for him. “Jack!” said called out. She tapped her earpiece twice, “Dammit! Jack, do you read me, over?”
An eerie silence now filled the air, which made her more cautious. Using the hedges for cover, she surreptitiously headed back to the monument. Once there, she saw a pair of motionless legs on the ground.
When she got to the other side of the monument, her arms flopped down to her sides. The site of her dead partner left her visibly shaken and vulnerable. Worse, the splattering of blood on the obelisk unsettled her.
As she tried to maintain control of her the emotions, for the first time in her life, she began to question the legitimacy of her mission. She took her jacket off and covered her partner’s dead body. As she stared at her fallen partner, she noticed the powdery-white mess on the ground underneath his legs.
Carefully, she moved his legs to inspect the ground. Part of the markings resembled the letter ‘X’. It took her seconds to understand the significance of the mark, before she got up slowly and started looking around.
When her eyes met the treeline in the distance, she caught the distinct glistening of light, as it hit a reflective surface. Understanding its meaning, she remained unmoved and continued to gaze at the trees across the field. She drew a deep breath, straightened her clothes and closed her eyes. The quietness of Marston Moor made her smile pleasantly and she felt at peace.
A muffled sound crackled in the distance and echoed through the air. The crowd of birds flapped out of the trees frantically and a discharge from the rifle flashed outwards. The bullet whistled menacingly through the air at high velocity, then slammed into its target. In a second, the woman’s legs buckled and the force violently yanked her backwards. She fell onto the ground, beside her partner.
As the two Prometheans emerged from the trees, one of them had already disassembled the snipers rifle and packed it away. They both got onto a dirt bike and the person in front stamped his right-boot down and revved-it dramatically. In minutes, they sped across the field and returned to the van that was stationary near Marston Monument.
Billy Johnson gave the rucksack to his companion, “Load the bike up,” he said.
He walked slowly around the monument and checked the area. When Billy saw the two dead bodies, he examined them sadness. There wasn’t any sense of satisfaction in what he’d done, just regret. Billy grabbed a blanket from the bike, crouched down and covered the bodies.
All of a sudden, he began chanting a lament in Cherokee song to honour the dead. He quietly asked that their spirits go to a more peaceful place. Minutes later, the van rumbled to life, disrupting the serenity of Marston.
They headed back to the town on the edge of York City, where they’d placed their EMP device. Later, Billy would check-in with the rest of his team and ensure they’d completed their work, up in Manchester.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Best Laid Plans
Norwich, Norfolk… In spite of her mood at the meeting, Maya was secretly overjoyed about travelling to East Anglia. She rather preferred the calmness of rural England, as opposed to typically larger urban cities.
As she drove down the A143, Maya had her window partially opened so she could smell the freshness in the air. Cameron suggested that Maya take a smaller team, which suited her. She handpicked two people whom she knew were trustworthy and reliable, Ashleigh Defoe and Tara Pascal.
Ash and Tara were Dominican cousins, born in and raised in London. They were both strong-willed, smart and fiercely independent. They’d all known each other since their days at Elmbury, to their time at Rowling College. Their bond was such that they could almost anticipate one other.
Standing over seventy feet high, Castle Mall sat proudly on its daisy-riddled motte. Cladded in Caen limestone and reinforced with flint, the castle stood as an impressive reminder of Norman England architecture. Below it, there was a mass of people ambling purposefully while they shopped.
Maya, Ash and Tara casually strolled into the museum wearing clothes that made them look like ordinary students. During their tour of the museum, the girls studied routines and behaviours of the staff inside. Specifically, they were concerned with access areas, security cameras and personnel.
As they walked out of the museum, Maya looked over to the receptionist and saw that he was watching them closely. A swarm of goose pimples quivered up her face but she looked away and feigned ignorance.
Had it not been for her father’s warning two days earlier, Maya might have been unsuspecting of the men posing as museum staff. The tension in the air became oppressive but Maya maintained her composure and subtly ushered the others out. When they’d got clear of the museum, she let out a huge sigh of relief.
“What’s wrong?” asked Tara.
“Just keep moving,” cautioned Maya. “Don’t look back.”
“You talking about the creepy security guard or the Curator?” asked Ash perceptively, in her distinct Caribbean accent.
“You noticed them too?” asked Maya, almost surprised.
“Uh-huh!” confirmed Ash. “The man at fi desk clocked us the moment we walked into the museum.”
“And he was watching us the whole time,” added Tara, as she cursed in Patois. “Not too subtle about it neither.” Maya and Ash looked at her in amazement. “You didn’t see that?”
“So, what does dis mean?” asked Ash, looking at Maya. “Are we going to abort? I dare say Cameron would like that.”
“No Ashleigh, he wouldn’t,” replied Maya, somewhat brusquely. “…but he wouldn’t want us to compromise the mission either.”
“You know I don’t like being called that,” said Ash, berating her.
Maya quickly appeased her, “Sorry Ash,” she said, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Let me think!”
“What are we going to do?” asked Tara.
They headed off to the food court in the mall, where they planned and discussed their next move. While they ate, they considered all the possibilities. Ash suggested picking a different location and Tara thought a softer target would be a better option. As they spoke, Maya looked at them apprehensively.
Ash looked at her tensely, “What aren’t you telling us?” she asked.
Maya had never hidden anything from her friends before, especially if it directly affected them. “Two days ago, my father was attacked in Scotland,” she said. “He barely got away. Someone’s trying to stop us from achieving our goal.”
“Would this someone be working for the government by any chance?” asked Tara astutely.
“How do you…?” started Maya.
“Come on Maya, everybody knows Cameron has an ’ard on for the PM,” replied Tara. “That makes ’im number one with a bullet and your dad possibly number two,” she added.
“We’re all fair game,” stated Ash. “But that’s not the real issue.”
“The real issue is, are we going to complete our jobs or not?” asked Tara.
Maya saw that Tara was prepared to finish their job. She looked to Ash, who was already nodding positively. So she grabbed her phone off the table, “I’d never ever put you guys at risk needlessly,” said Maya. “That’s why I need to make this call.”
“Who’re you calling?” Ash asked.
“Back-up,” replied Maya determined. “Someone I trust with my life.”
She pushed a single digit on her phone and made the call, whilst her friends looked on. Later that evening, they remained incognito and went over their plans thoroughly, before heading off.
Later that night, it was dark and Tara was lying face down in a pool of blood. She’d taken at least three bullets, two of which w
ere fatal. Her death was as instantaneous as it was tragic. Ash had taken cover behind another car, recoiling from gunfire as was trying to stem the bleeding from a wound to her shoulder.
Maya had expected the ambush but incorrectly assumed where it would happen. As their van pulled into the car park, they instantly came under fire. A covert four-man team had waited patiently for them.
Bullets whistled back and forth across the frosty night air. They ricocheted off the castle walls, chipping the slabs and perforated the chassis of the parked cars. Maya and Ash tried to return fire but they were outnumbered and pinned-down. On Maya’s signal, they rolled two smoke canisters across the car park.
The canisters sparked to life and a thick, grey smoke quickly filled the cold air. When Maya was satisfied her enemies vision was obscured she zipped around to the side of the SUV. Ash stayed where she was and gave covering fire.
In one fluid movement, Maya dodged and rolled as bullets flew dangerously close to past her. However, she managed to return fire and her bullets felled two of their targets. One man spun around wildly and fell back against the SUV, while the other dropped to the ground clutching his thigh.
The man groaned in agony, as he tried to suppress the bleeding. He stopped when he saw Maya approaching him. Without speaking, she stood over him and pressed the trigger multiple times, sending several rounds into him. As he laid dead on the ground, she fired once more.
“That’s for Tara you bastard,” said Maya coldly. Before she could enjoy her retribution there was another scream, “Ashleigh!” she cried out.
Maya turned and ran back and found Ash lying on the ground next to a third assassin. Ash was barely moving and gasping for breath.
“Hey, don’t try to speak crazy girl,” whispered Maya softly.
Ash was fading quickly but she managed to motion Maya towards her. Maya placed her ear close to Ash’s mouth, “I told you…not…to call… me… that,” whispered Ash softly.
Very gently, Ash wiped away a tear from Maya’s face and then her body went limp. Maya kissed her forehead tenderly and carefully placed her down on the ground. There was no time to grieve because there was another threat skulking about the grounds.
Maya listened carefully and could hear footsteps shuffling towards her. Before she stood up, she checked her gun and looked around. Just as she began to lift her hand and aim, a black leather boot pinned her down. She looked up and found herself staring down the barrel of the fourth man’s gun.
“I’ll take that,” said the man quietly. Maya handed her gun over butt first and then raised her arms submissively. “Interlocked fingers behind your head and don’t turn around,” ordered the mysterious man.
Maya tried to glimpse the man’s face but was discouraged, when the butt of his gun smacked the side of her head. A reddish bruise quickly formed, as blood ran down her face. The man smiled maliciously, as he placed his gun to the back of her head. He finger started to press against the trigger.
A muffled sound echoed across the cold night air. Maya instinctively flinched and grabbed her stomach. Then she looked at the man, who had an expression of surprise on his face. He looked down and noticed the blood pouring from an open wound and fell to the ground.
“You took your bloody time,” said Maya angrily.
“I’m sorry!” replied the woman. “I got here as fast as I could.”
Maya looked around at the heartrending scenes around her, “Not fast enough!” she said solemnly and stood up gingerly.
“There’s nothing we can do for Ash and Tara now,” said Alannah Cox sympathetically.
“We were ambushed,” said Maya angrily.
“Yes,” said Alannah Cox thoughtfully. “And I think I know why!”
Aberystwyth, Wales… Cameron Cox was fully aware of the dangers. Nathan Walker’s warning after Scotland hadn’t surprised him but confirmed a longheld suspicion that eventually, someone would come for him.
Some days ago, Cameron dispatched his teams to Aberystwyth and Cardiff respectively, ahead of their planned schedule. When he deduced he’d be the primary target, Cameron sent Tom Foley in his place. Tom was a loyal member of the organisation, who bore a uncanny resemblance to him. He willingly chose to be a decoy and drove Cameron’s own vehicle to Wales.
It was late and the ambient temperature around Aberystwyth Harbour was pleasantly mild. As the Rheidol rippled calmly, there were several classes of sailboats secured to their moorings. Gently, they all rocked and swayed with the tide.
Cameron was lying prone in a concealed position, looking directly through the scope of a snipers rifle similar to Billy’s. He allowed the temperate breeze to brush his face, as he began to take long, deep breaths. He dugs his elbows dug into the tarpaulin, which protected them from the damp earth below and waited.
“Ah Clive,” sighed Cameron. “You will keep sending your robots to do your dirty deeds,” he added dismissively. “Oh well, ‘If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”
The black SUV sat inconspicuously in a blind alley, where no one would’ve taken much notice of it. There were two assassins dressed in civilian clothing, they got out of the vehicle and walked furtively towards the van. Before the Prometheans could get out of the van, the men pounced on them.
Obediently, two pairs of hands hung out of the windows of either side of the van. The man approaching the passenger-side carefully pulled a pistol from his holster, his partner covered the driver. As the passenger door opened, two bullets thundered mercilessly into the assassins. The force caused their bodies to jerk violent into the van and they flopped silently to the floor.
Tom Foley got out of the van and stepped carefully over the dead man’s body. Relieved, he looked up to the hills beyond the railway bridge, which overlooked the harbour and waved in gratitude.
“Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war,” whispered Cameron, still quoting Shakespeare. He flashed a torch flashed intermittently by way of acknowledgement and disappeared into the darkness. As he walked back to his car, smoke was still seeping from the muzzle as he dismantled the rifle.
When he was sure his team were safe, Cameron checked-in with the Cardiff team who’d already completed their part of the operation, without incident. In days, he’d return to the Malverns, where he and his associate Albert Stanley would activate the EMP’s simultaneously.
✽✽✽
Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk… Maya sat on the sofa, staring transfixed at the burning logs and comforted herself by the fire. She gulped some wine and closed her teary eyes, trying not to think about Ash and Tara. Alannah Cox unintentionally disrupted her contemplation by applying some tea-tree oil to her graze, which made Maya wince.
“Sorry! It’ll help the wound heal more quickly,” said Alannah.
Maya looked at her arm, “I hadn’t realised I got hit in shoulder,” she said.
“Adrenaline and rage will do that to a person,” assured Alannah, while she bandaged the arm. “You’re lucky it’s nothing more than a flesh wound.”
Maya finished her glass and began inspecting the living room critically. The cottage was a typical blend of rustic England with a touch of modern niceties. As her eyes returned to the fire, Maya noticed how everything complemented each other.
She wondered if Will and her would ever get the chance to live in such a place. “Where are we?” asked Maya.
“A little cottage in Bradfield St George,” said Alannah proudly. “We’re on the outskirts of Bury Town.”
“Suffolk!” confirmed Maya. “But how?” asked Maya.
Alannah sat down next to Maya and explained how she’d driven through the night. She’d used her discretion and taken smaller B-roads and country lanes, which she knew intimately. Maya looked a little confused, until Alannah explained to her that she’d passed out twice on the way.
“How’s Will?” she asked Maya.
“He’s fine,” Maya said more guardedly than necessary. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep this f
rom him.”
“You must stay strong my dear,” said Alannah compassionately. “…If only for a little while longer.”
“I know!” replied Maya frustrated. “It’s one thing being sandwiched between Cameron and Clive but this is getting too much.” Alannah looked on as Maya continued, “Will’s starting to ask all the right questions and I don’t like lying to him.”
“You love him!” said Alannah.
Maya gave her a meaningful look, “He deserves to know the truth and I’m not sure if I can keep us safe,” she said uncertainly.
“You can and you will,” said Alannah confidently. “We’re the only ones that can protect him.”
Maya thought back to the time she saved Will on the rooftops. She’d wanted to tell him everything then but couldn’t. Alannah watched her and smiled at the thought of them together, it made her happy.
Alannah had developed a lasting bond with Maya since she’d been a young girl. The two had remained close ever since. She walked over to a shelf, picked-up an old cake tin and tipped the contents onto a coffee table.
“What are those?” asked Maya.
Broken up into pieces of several bugging devices fell onto the table, “I found nearly a dozen of these, in my bag, my flat in London and in my car,” said Alannah. “That’s how the PM’s apes were tracking us.”
Maya took one of the devices in her hand and examined it thoroughly. She’d seen equipment like that before, he father had used them. “Yep, miniature transmitter,” she confirmed. “Military spec!”
“Clive!” said Alannah.
“Well, now you know he doesn’t trust you,” said Maya.
Alannah explained to Maya how she’d changed her travelling routines and allied herself with Anthony Wilson, who was one of the PM’s biggest challengers. The most revealing thing that Alannah told Maya was she intended on reaching out to Will after his graduation.
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