“Like I said, get rid of them” he whispered.
Wyre climbed to his feet still clutching his ribs, the fury still visible on his face but his main priority now was to take care of Oliver who was visibly upset by what was going on. Bostock walked towards the door by which he had entered and opened it. With a nod of the head he ordered his men to round up the group and follow him. Alex gave up his weapon with no resistance and gave the nod to Wyre and Andy indicating they had no choice but to follow Bostock. No sooner had they left the room they were climbing into the back of a Volkswagen transporter van and being driven through the streets of London.
“Well this takes me back” said Bostock smiling and making it seem like they were all going out to a pub for a drink or a day out somewhere.
“So who came up with the idea of using the boy?” asked Richards who still had weapons being pointed at him. Wyre could be seen glaring at Bostock, forcing Andy to place his hand on Wyre’s shoulder to re-assure him. Bostock’s next comment had Wyre and Andy sat in stunned silence.
“Let me see….ah yes that’s right…..it was you my dear Alex” replied Bostock smiling.
Wyre watched Richards with more intrigue as he seemed to ponder on the statement. It was as though Bostock had reminded him of something he wished to forget. Richards seemed to stare out of the window as his mind drifted back to the past. The flashback saw Alex sat back in the car with boy in his school uniform. As Alex pointed his weapon at the boy the car parked up by the side of the road. The vision told Alex that they were in the Middle East and it seemed they were near a checkpoint. Richards jumped out of the car and opened the boys door and led him out. The boy was sniffing back tears as Richards walked with him towards the checkpoint. In the vision they both walked passed a sign in Arabic that read “You are now leaving Jordan. Welcome to Israel” As they got closer to one of the most volatile border crossings in the world Richards stopped and nodded to the boy that he wished him to walk towards the armed border guards. The boy obediently walked towards them as Richards watched with intrigue as nobody paid any attention to the schoolboy making his way back home. As the boy was allowed to enter the pedestrian walkway that crossed the border Richards turned around and headed back towards his waiting car. The noise of the explosion had Alex ducking down slightly as debris fell near him. The sound of people screaming and shouting slowly disappeared as Alex’s mind slowly came back to the transporter van he was sat in with Wyre, Oliver and Andy. Bostock was still smiling.
“What does he mean Alex?” asked Wyre now looking stunned.
“You’re wrong” replied Alex, seeing that Bostock knew he had just had a flashback.
“The only trouble was we didn’t realise that it relied on a certain blood type to react properly” said Bostock almost reminiscing about past events.
Wyre was desperate for Richards to say to him it wasn’t true and provide proof but he didn’t. He felt he should push the issue and find out if what Bostock was saying held any truth but Richards was looking more confused and angry, his eyes seemed to glaze over and his fists clenched ever tighter the fury beginning to show.
“Please tell me you can remember that assignment you had in the French Alps a few years back? It was about then that the system was perfected. Of course it took a lot of guinea pigs to develop the system and to make sure it worked without killing the carrier. Yes this boy, like the other back then did a grand job and would have fulfilled his objective if it had not have been for the interruption” said Bostock now frowning.
Before Richards could speak again, Bostock felt it was time to perhaps tell the people sitting in the vehicle and the people who he was supposedly helping a few home truths.
“Yes the job in the Alps Alex do you remember? Of course you do” at this point Bostock turned to Wyre and Andy, a sort of excited expression on his face. “It was a perfect example of how to execute a whole family, almost get caught and then be treated as a valuable witness”
“You’re full of shit Bostock!” said Alex frowning, as the story was re-told.
“It was the Al-Hilli family from Iraq. Yazik Al-Hilli you see used to be a close friend and advisor to a certain Mr Saddam Hussain. Mr Al-Hilli was a clever man who turned his hand to medicine when the regime fell and he managed to get into this country as a doctor. I find this ironic Mr Davis seeing as you also are a doctor. Anyway Mr Al-Hilli and Mr Hussain had a falling out to the point where Mr Al-Hilli had the death sentence put on him by his old friend. He needed a way out of the country so through contacts in the British and American Governments he came up with a clever idea. If he gave the said Governments important information regarding Mr Hussain they would allow him safe access into Britain. The deal was made but of course now Mr Al-Hilli had to come with some damning evidence to save his own arse. He came up with it alright but he made the western world look like fucking idiots. Weapons of mass destruction he said. Imminent attack, he told the security services. He even had maps and names of places of where he knew them to be. I think we all know the outcome of his lies. Of course Blair and Bush wanted Mr Al-Hilli in custody after realising their mistake but Yazik had other ideas. He claimed he was untouchable because he said if at any moment he felt his life or that of his family was being threatened he would spill the beans and tell all. The British press always listen he said and if they don’t the social media network will. This is where our mutual friend Alex came in”
At this point Bostock looked at Richards almost affectionately.
“We told him where they were and what we wanted and of course he delivered. I must admit I shit myself when Alex here appeared on the news as a witness and that he was helping both the French and British police with their investigation. Yes a few questioned my judgement and he had a few of the heads in MI5 and MI6 being scratched but I knew he had something up his sleeve. The sneaky bastard rode on his mountain bike up the road as bold as brass until he came to the family parked up in a layby. In seconds he had shot Mr Al-Hilli, his wife, her mother and their seven year old child. You nearly got undone though didn’t you Alex?” said Bostock shaking his head and laughing.
“Some poor bastard appeared from around the corner on their mountain bike as he had done and see everything. This boy didn’t hesitate though did you? Shot him at point blank range. Job done he calmly rode off. That was until some Italian tourists appeared in their car. Now our boy here I imagine was getting a bit fucking fed up of all the bodies piling up so he took it on himself to turn good citizen instead of assassin, so flagged down the car and asked for help. They duly rang the police and Alex here pretended to help the victims of this unfolding tragedy. What he didn’t count on was the poor fucking five year old girl still alive and unseen, lay on the floor of the car under her mother’s dress. The police found her eight hours later whilst searching for evidence”
A few of Bostock’s men could be seen gripping their weapons tighter and feeling slightly more nervous at the realisation that the stories and myths they had heard might now be true even though the man himself was now unarmed.
“My boy here even went back to the scene a few times to help the police in their enquiries. This of course was a huge risk because the seven year old daughter survived. As for the five year old who hid and survived, our boy Alex here had not been recognised by her. You wanted to kill her as well Alex but in the end it wasn’t necessary. Fucking genius!” proclaimed Bostock as he looked at the guys pointing their weapons at their captives hoping they were appreciating being in the presence of a master. “You should have seen him. Could have won an Oscar”
No sooner had Bostock finished the story, the vehicle came to a sudden stop and the side doors slid open. Much to the surprise of Richards only two armed men ordered the group to follow them into the building. If he was honest he expected more. Alex, Andy, Wyre and Oliver were walked through the door and along a corridor then into a large lift. Bostock placed a key into a hole where the twenty first floor button should have been and the light lit up and
the lift started its ascent. On leaving the lift they then entered a room with lots of sunlight coming into it. Wyre seemed relieved they had not entered one of Bostock’s torture rooms but instead they were in a penthouse suite high above the river Thames. The blinds covering the large floor to ceiling patio windows were only one of very few items of furniture in the luxury suite, along with a sofa and a dining room table with four chairs. Now Alex Richards knew and sensed the familiar predicament they were all now in. Bostock had planned for this and had already sorted a cover story for when the local authorities found the dead bodies of three adults and a child so he had to act soon. This suite is where Bostock planned to kill them.
“So how do you explain Sousa now your plan failed?” asked Alex searching for clues as to what this was all about.
“Oh I’ll leave that to the suits in Downing street. Come let us sit down” said Bostock ordering his men to put their weapons away, all except Jim that is.
As all four of them sat down on the sofa, Wyre held Oliver close to him preparing to protect him at all cost. Bostock’s men busied themselves while the man himself made a phone call. Wyre took this opportunity to cautiously ask Alex in hushed whispers what had happened back at Cameron’s meeting at number ten and what he had removed from Oliver’s thigh in such a hurry.
“Dr Montgomery has discovered what they have pumped into Oliver” replied a thoughtful looking Richards.
The detective was unsure whether to tell Wyre what was in Oliver’s bloodstream because this was not the time and the place for Wyre to lose it but at least if Alex was the first person to tell Wyre he could perhaps contain Wyre’s reaction. Surely it must be better than hearing it from Bostock.
“Really! What was it?” replied an anxious Wyre.
“Wyre they planned to blow up the Syrian guy Sousa, Cameron, the Iranians, the Russians and a few diplomats to create mayhem in the political world. It seems they have perfected a technique that was tried many years ago”
“What?” Whispered Wyre not sure if he really wanted to hear the rest.
“They were going to assassinate almost everyone in that room. Yes Wyre, Montgomery found traces of glycerine in Oliver’s blood, enough to react with a device to cause an explosion. Oliver would have been the bomb”
Wyre felt his arms grip Oliver tighter but could do nothing but shake his head in dis-belief and anger.
“How did you know the chip was in him and more to the point how did you know where it was?”
Richards seemed reluctant to reveal too many details but knew Wyre would refuse to be white washed especially after Bostock’s story time.
“Let’s just say it’s one of the many reasons why I left. It was being developed by Bostock a few years ago”
“The sick bastard was going to blow up my son? Jesus bloody Christ Alex in the name of what, who and why?”
“Daddy I want to go home now” sobbed a very scared Oliver.
“I know Oliver we will soon” replied Wyre although he knew the situation they were in was desperate. The three of them knew they were not going to be allowed to walk out of the suite alive but still Alex Richards didn’t seem concerned or look like a man searching for a way out. He just sat there calm and studying everyone in the room. Wyre prayed he had a plan.
“Well what do you think Alex? It’s a great view isn’t it” said Bostock screwing a silencer onto his weapon.
“You have certainly gone up in the world I will give you that. You normally kill people in alleyways, car parks or dis-used office buildings” replied Alex standing up and walking over to the huge patio windows. Wyre placed his body subtly between Oliver and anyone who might start shooting to protect him although he realised when they decided to kill everyone in the room they would make sure Oliver didn’t survive. He was sure all of them would be executed. Bostock placed the weapon on the dining table and sat down.
“So Alex, have you figured it out yet? I would be very disappointed if you hadn’t”
Richards stood with hands in pockets looking at the varnished wooden floor.
“I’m feeling pretty confident about some questions and answers. There are some that don’t make sense and some that do but seeing as you like to brag I would be glad to hear you tell us all why we will be headlines in the news over the coming days. Let me see there are three of us and a young boy. How about this? COPS BREAK UP PAEDOFILE RING ON THE SOUTH BANK. Am I getting close?”
Bostock smiled and gave a subtle nod of the head.
“Not bad, not bad. The trouble is Alex you have poked your nose into something big here and as you have probably guessed it’s even above that idiot Cameron’s head. I feel I should tell you this because I want you to know before I kill you all that your sacrifice is for a worthy cause and it’s not in vein. It’s to protect the future of our country and the people in it”
“Bullshit you’re nothing but a murderer. Nothing you can say will persuade me otherwise” interrupted Wyre now trying to supress the urge to jump up and grab the weapon on the dining table.
Bostock burst out laughing and stood up, picking up the weapon off the table.
“You know Wyre I quite like you”
“You don’t even know me”
“Oh dear man don’t be so ignorant. You are in the wrong profession. Your good friend Andy also thinks so and I know it was considered a few years ago whether you should be recruited but alas it was not to be. I personally think you should have been but the decision was taken out of my hands. A great shame, what do you think Andy tell him what you told me”
“Fuck you Bostock!”
Alex glanced at Wyre who seemed confused but Alex knew what was coming. His suspicions had been correct but inwardly confessed to his self that he had not been one hundred per cent and hoped for Wyre’s sake he was wrong. He trusted Wyre’s answer when Alex asked him if he trusted Andy one hundred per-cent. Bostock stretched out his hand offering the weapon to Alex.
“It has one bullet so don’t waste it” said Bostock giving Alex the browning pistol.
“Alex what’s going on? What are you doing?” said Wyre looking shocked and desperate. The sight of Bostock giving Richards a weapon turned Wyre’s stomach over and he refused to believe that maybe Alex was still perhaps working for Bostock and had he been in on it all from the beginning. Wyre instinctively gripped Oliver tighter because he had no idea what was going to happen next. Richards looked at Bostock and took the weapon from him under the watchful eye of Jim and the others. He didn’t need to check whether it had one round in the chamber because he could tell by the weight of it in his hand. Bostock approached Wyre and Oliver and pointed the weapon at the boy waiting to see what Richards would do. Alex looked Wyre and Oliver in the eye then lifted the weapon to fire. Andy desperately looked around for a weapon but to no avail. The decision to attempt to grab the weapon from Richards came too late as Wyre flinched at the sound of the sickening thud as the bullet hit its target. Realising it wasn’t him or Oliver that had been shot, Wyre turned to look at Andy who was now slumped on the sofa with blood trickling from a single bullet wound to his head.
“You murdering bastards all of you, just fucking kill us both now. I can’t deal with this anymore please just let the boy go or kill us both, Jesus Christ!”
Wyre became almost hysterical as he left Oliver on the sofa and leapt up to confront Richards who was now placing the weapon back on the table.
“You’re just one of them you sick fucking murderer. Why?” shouted Wyre as he tried to grab Richards. In a second Jim had his weapon held up next to Wyre’s head and telling him to sit back down. Wyre turned away and knelt next to Andy to check his pulse. There was nothing, forcing Wyre to bow his head and let out a huge sigh as he struggled to hold back his emotion at the sight of his friend being shot dead in cold blood. He had to hold it together for the sake of Oliver. Wyre sat next to Oliver and held him even tighter looking for any sign of sympathy from the men in the room.
“I’m really sorry your son
had to see that Wyre” said Bostock attempting to apologise. Wyre didn’t respond and ignored the comment as he kissed Oliver on the head, his mind totally blown to bits on what was happening. Richards made his way to the window once again and watched a boat taking tourists west along the river below. He wondered whether there would be any normality in his or Wyre’s and Oliver’s lives ever again. Bostock placed another mint into his mouth as he vied for the attention of Wyre.
“Things are not always what they seem to be Wyre and Andy was a perfect example of that. He had betrayed me Wyre and abused my trust but there is something you need to know…….he also betrayed you and your trust. Up until a few minutes ago he was working for me”
Wyre did nothing but shake his head.
Chapter 22
Wyre didn’t respond to Bostock’s accusation. He couldn’t because it was too incomprehensible. His mind would not and could not accept what was being said. The fact he now trusted nobody in the room also meant he refused to listen to the lies and deceit. Even the slightest thought that Wyre’s close friend and regular work colleague had been lying to him all this time was something Wyre refused to take on board. They had shared near death experiences together and Andy on many occasions had saved Wyre’s life. Wyre was confident that Andy would certainly lay down his life for him so to now be accused of such things was surely Bostock’s way of poisoning Wyre’s mind. Maybe it was Alex Richards who had been working for Bostock all along and that’s why he didn’t hesitate in killing him in case Andy told Wyre the truth. Wyre’s mind slowed down as the tangle of lies and reasoning of the people he was now surrounded by closed in on him. He cursed himself quietly for being so foolish in trusting Alex Richards, someone he had never met before and had no reason to help Wyre. Regret was now smothering him but it was too late and there was nothing he could do about it. Wyre felt foolish and vulnerable.
BEYOND THE SPRING Page 24