Project Reaper
Page 9
Eleven-twenty five hours GMT
The Christmas period had arrived having fallen over the weekend, which meant the first day back to normality was Wednesday, as usual for many people it had seemed forever arriving but had gone in a flash.
The hearse carrying a coffin filled with sand was winding its way through the cemetery.
There had been no remnants of Ruth to be placed in the coffin.
Waiting at the entrance to the crematorium on this bright cold December day were the members of Everest, Strayker the Prime Minister and Max Storm; nearby were Ruth Nelson’s parents and friends.
Due to the presence of so many high profile people
MI-5 had been asked to look after the security arrangements, so in amongst the other guests and close to the Prime Minister were plain cloths armed security details.
Strayker had two six-man teams of OSC covering the area; they had arrived three hours before and were positioned
covertly around the crematorium.
Tall conifer trees surrounded the crematorium, with only
one road in and out. A circular road went around the main building with a garden feature in front of the main entrance.
Team five had been split, two of the team were using the brand new single fire bolt action suppressed L96A1 with a ten round 7.62 NATO round magazine and were positioned on one of the two flat roofs to the main building. The remaining four along with team six had found plenty of cover in the surrounding grounds.
Roy Smith was the team’s leader.
Half a mile to the east on the other side of the nearby M-25 motorway was a Westland Lynx-Army Helicopter with its rotors on tick over, on board were the team one, led by Colin Bishop eagle five.
Strayker was not anticipating any trouble but this would be a useful team exercise for them.
The congregation had taken their places inside and a few minutes later Ruth’s coffin was carried in for the service.
During the service, the Prime Minister gave a short speech,
“Mr and Mrs Nelson, friends and family of Ruth; it is always sad to loose someone close to you and although
I only had the opportunity of knowing Ruth for a few
months, I would like to count her as a dear friend of
mine; although Ruth’s time her was short it is apparent
she touched the hearts of many people; we should remember her for the good she brought during her time amongst us.
With that, the Prime Minister returned to her seat.
After the service, people gathered outside the Prime Minister spent some time talking with Ruth’s parents on a half-moon area of grass with bench’s.
Roy Smith had been scanning the area through binoculars when his attention was diverted to a man wheeling a wheelbarrow across the grass on the southwest side, around two hundred yards from the congregation and the Prime Minister.
The man was wearing a hooded coat with the hood up and dark trousers, the wheelbarrow had a rake and spade in it.
Roy observed him for a few seconds longer and spoke into Comms unit, “all units’ man on southwest side with wheel barrow looks like the grounds man.”
The man wheeling the barrow was anything but a grounds man.
Born in Belfast; Paddy O’Neil twenty-four had grown up on the catholic side of the city, having spent the last nine years of his life in the sectarian conflict as a
member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA).
His father had been killed in July 1970, when 3,000
troops imposed a curfew on the nationalist Lower Falls
area of Belfast, in the ensuing gun battles between the troops and the IRA.
The death of Ruth Nelson had made the news headlines along with her biography and her recent work within the OSC.
Paddy O’Neil acting independently had seen Ruth’s funeral as a good opportunity to settle some old scores against the Brits.
He had seen the guests arriving and was jubilant to see so many high profile people including the Prime Minister.
In his wheel barrow along with the spade and rake was his
Kalishnikov AK-47.
He easily picked out the plain cloths security detail and had decided to target the Prime Minister whom was with a small group away from the others with two-security men nearby.
He paused for a moment to light a cigarette and stood looking at the congregation.
Roy had continued scanning the area and came back to the grounds man. As he observed the man smoking a cigarette he was plagued with the fact that something did not look right about the man, he moved the binoculars up
and down and finally the penny dropped. The man was
wearing trainers not the sort of footwear a grounds man
Would be wearing on a cold damp winter’s day for digging.
He spoke into his Comm’s, “all units I’m sure the grounds man is not for real; sniper one scope him and see what else he has in that wheelbarrow.”
Sniper one on the flat roof had the advantage of looking down and quickly zeroed his scope on the man, he quickly observed the AK-47 in the wheelbarrow, “Sniper one to Eagle four, he has an AK-47 in the bottom of the wheelbarrow.”
“Roger that, target him if he goes for the weapon shoot him.”
Sniper one replied, “target acquired.”
Roy quickly did a mental check on his team’s positions; the four remaining members of the team five were closest in fact less than twenty yards away on the east side, Roy spoke, “team five members on east side go snatch him.”
Two of the team five’s members moved with surprising speed using the trees and shrubs for cover. As they broke from cover Paddy O’Neil picked them up in his peripheral vision, he bent forward and reached for his weapon, which was the last thing he ever did, as a spray of blood emanated from his head from the bullet of sniper one’s
bullet struck him. He collapsed to the floor where the
two team members quickly dragged him back into the
nearby trees.
Roy quickly scanned the congregation; it appeared no one was aware of what had just happened.
A short while later the congregation began departing going their separate ways.
Once it was all clear, the OSC teams rendezvoused on the car park on the east side, their Range Rovers with blacked out glass having been left there earlier.
The dead body was bagged up, the AK-47 retrieved, and both were put into the back of one of the vehicles.
Roy contacted the team one to stand down.
The OSC teams left the crematorium heading back to their operational base at Hester’s Copse; followed by team one in the Westland Lynx-Army Helicopter.
‘ICIS’ Saltbox Hill Biggin Hill Kent
Lat = 51 degrees, 19.7 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 1.2 minutes East
Thursday 29th December 1988.
Zero ten forty hours GMT
Although a large part of the country shuts down over the Christmas period GAIL was a twenty-four seven system; since the Baros island incident she had been trying to locate Ajaz Ahmed as well as checking all, the CCTV footage for Heathrow airport on the day Clipper 107’s midair explosion.
GAIL had quickly analyzed the footage from Heathrow and had created a short image package for Strayker.
One hour ago she had also located Ajaz Ahmed.
Strayker and Max had been informed and were on route to ICIS.
Strayker and Max arrived at ICIS for ten forty three hours.
They approached a large Metal panel; on the other side a VDU screen was being monitored and showed the two images on the other side of the metal panel.
Two armed Sentinels stood nearby as the VDU operator
presse
d a switch. The metal panel slid open Strayker and Max walked through, the metal panel closed behind them.
In front of them was another metal panel; a voice came
from a nearby speaker. “Please carry out identification procedure.”
Strayker and Max approached the eye scan monitors and spoke into them; within seconds the panel in front of them slid open.
Vince Edwards was waiting for them and led them to the Intel room where GAIL’s hologram was hovering in the vertical light tube, Vince gestured to some chairs, “please take a seat.”
GAIL turned her head to face them “good morning Major good morning Colonel.”
Max and Strayker replied jointly, “good morning GAIL.”
Vince spoke; “GAIL has scanned all the footage of the Heathrow terminals for the date 21st December and has put together a composite video, GAIL if you would play the video.”
“Certainly Vince.”
A large plasma screen dropped from the ceiling and black and white footage with no sound played.
The composite ran for one minute and twenty seconds, the screen went blank.
The footage had shown Professor Hooke queuing and receiving his ticked, then it moved to another shot with the professor and another man talking to another man, it
could clearly be seen that the Professor handed his
ticket over to this man.
The final clip showed the Professor with the same man walking to another part of the terminal.
GAIL spoke; “it would appear our Professor Hooke boarded a private charter flight.”
Strayker spoke, “any idea of the destination GAIL?”
“The plane was a Learjet call sign Charlie Papa 89 Hotel, destination Baltimore airport USA.”
Max spoke; “GAIL who is the plane registered to and did it stay in Baltimore?”
“The planes call sign is Bolivian Max and registered to a coffee organisation in Bucaramanga Colombia, it stayed overnight in Baltimore and the next day flew to Bucaramanga.”
Strayker spoke, “Where is it now GAIL?”
GAIL paused for a few seconds, “the plane is still at Bucaramanga airport and has not left since it landed on the 22nd.”
“So it certainly appears the Professor decided to not take his flight and looking at the footage reluctantly,” replied MAX.
“They would certainly need some leverage to hold him,” Strayker responded.
GAIL intervened, “I think I have found the leverage
gentlemen.”
The plasma screen came alive showing a still image of a family; Professor Hooke could clearly be seen with a woman and two children.
“This is the Professor with his family from publicity
Shot earlier this year, his wife and children flew out to
The USA on the 16th December and are currently staying at the Washington Hilton Hotel, I have accessed there computer reservations and the Professor checked in to the families room for one night when he arrived on the 21st, the professor checked out the next morning on his own.”
“I concur with your deduction GAIL,” replied Strayker.
Vince spoke, “Well that’s all on the Professor gentlemen I suggest we move on to the other reason I called you in.”
A photo of an Asian man replaced the picture on the plasma screen, “this gentlemen is one Ajaz Ahmed.”
Max sat up and leaned forward starring angrily at the photo.
Vince spoke, “You asked us to track Ajaz Ahmed down, it took a little while but my girl came up trumps.”
“Gail if you would give us the report on Ajaz Ahmed?”
“Certainly Vince, he popped up in Sri Lanka yesterday
to be exact in Mutur part of the newly formed North east
province.”
A map of Sri Lanka replaced Ajaz Ahmed’s photo.
“Muter is located about fifteen miles South of
Trincomalee on the Southern side of the Trincomalee Harbour, In Tamil Muter translates to ‘Ancient village’.
Max spoke, “How easily will it be for you to keep him under surveillance GAIL?”
“Now I have located him there’s nowhere he can go that I cannot track him Max.”
Strayker looked at Max and pre-empted him, “I read your thoughts on this Max, you will have authorisation to kill him within the next twelve hours, prep two teams to go with you and take Rob Flynn.”
“Yes sir,” Max replied.
Strayker looked at Vince, “Vince I need the Intel on the Professor’s wife and the final destination of the Professors flight before I leave, include the most recent photo of the Professor we have, there are plans that need to be prepared.”
Strayker stood up “a great job Vince, and to you to GAIL.”
“Thank you sir,” replied Vince.
Both Strayker and Max stood up and left the room.
They went to the Operations room, “Max contact Hesters Copse and have a helicopter sent down to pick you up from Biggin hill, I’ll have Johnson my driver take me back to London.”
‘ICIS’ Saltbox Hill Biggin Hill Kent
Lat = 51 degrees, 19.7 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 1.2 minutes East
To London 10 Downing Street
Lat = 51 degrees, 30.2 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 7.7 minutes West
Thursday 29th December 1988.
Edwards; Strayker’s personal driver was returning to London with Strayker in the back, the vehicle was a maroon coloured twenty-four valve three litre Vauxhall Senator developing close to two hundred bhp.
The steady journey took fifty-seven minutes; Edwards rolled into Downing Street from Whitehall and parked in front of the famous black door.
The small, six-panelled door is surrounded by a cream-coloured casing and adorned with a semi-circular fanlight window Painted in white.
Between the top and middle sets of panels, is the number “10”. The zero of the number “10” is set at a slight angle as a nod to the original number, which had a badly fixed zero.
A black iron knocker in the shape of a lion’s head is
between the two middle panels, below the knocker is a brass letterbox with the inscription “First Lord of the Treasury”.
The uniformed armed Police officer opened the door for Strayker, as he entered another armed Police officer was seated in a Chippendale chair; this room was the entrance hall with its distinctive black and white chequered marble floor.
Strayker went straight to the main staircase with a wrought iron balustrade embellished with a scroll design and mahogany handrail; it is the first architectural feature visitors see as they enter Number 10.
As Strayker moved up the staircase he passed black and white engravings and photographs of all the past Prime Ministers decorating the wall; they are rearranged slightly to make room for a new picture of the most recent former Prime Minister, there are two photographs of Winston Churchill.
Strayker entered the room along the corridor where the members of Everest were seated.
The Prime Minister beckoned Strayker to take a seat.
“Gentlemen, since our last meeting I believe a number of
positive steps have been achieved; firstly I’ll let Pierce from six give his update.”
“Thank you Ma’am, Our man whom had gone missing in South
America escaped his captors and liaised with our second operative we sent there, they are both back and are waiting outside with their Intel.”
“Thank you Pierce, Jonathan can you give us five’s update?”
“I have local armed police on the ground carrying out twenty-four hour surveillance at the A G B research centre in Hertfordshire, Professor Hooke’s research documents have been replaced with simila
r ones, which have been doctored with vital information missing.”
“Strayker, please you’re Intel.”
Strayker passed around the room six manila folders, “Ma’am, gentlemen, It has been established that Professor Hooke did not board the ill-fated flight to New York, in fact he boarded a private charter plane to Baltimore airport and then went to the Washington Hilton hotel where he spent one night with his family.”
Pierce Evans interrupted, “Major did he go voluntarily?”
“Looking at the CCTV I would say not, he was being escorted by another man a photo is enclosed item one, it’s a bit grainy but hopefully we can get an I.D on him.”
“Major do you have his whereabouts?” The Prime Minster responded.
“The plane was registered to an organisation in Bolivia
and is still at Bucaramanga airport, the Professor’s family is still at the Hilton hotel, my guess is they are
being kept under surveillance and being used as leverage on the professor, that’s all for the moment.”
“Pierce bring in your two operatives.”
Pierce Evans left the room and returned a few minutes later, followed by his men.
Ma’am, gentlemen these are Sam Winnet and Tony Walters, Sam here is the one whom was captured.
The Prime Minister spoke, “Gentlemen can you give us your update?”
Sam Winnett stepped forward, handed around the table photocopies of the schematics of the Hacienda, and then spent the next ten minutes explaining his mission and his escape.
The Prime Minister spoke, “Thank you gentlemen you may leave us now.”
Both men turned to leave when Strayker spoke, “one moment gentlemen.”
Sam and Tony stopped and turned around.
“Ma’am I think it may be prudent for Mr Winnett to have a look at the photos enclosed in my file.”
“Certainly Major carry on.”
Strayker pulled out of his manila folder two photos and passed them to Sam Winnett, “was either of these two
men at the place you were held captive?”
Sam looked at the photo’s one a very clear picture of a
middle age man and the other a grainy one.