by Gabriel Kron
The screen settled on a black and white photograph of a young German Naval officer.
“In the 1930's this young German invented a device that so baffled his seniors that the Gestapo tortured him for weeks about who had given him such information. The Americans confiscated the technology after World War Two under the authority of Operation Overcast and there it hid for decades until this man—” Jack Welch’s photo faded in “Jack Welch, a decorated veteran of World War Two, knew where one of these devices might be and so started a hard journey of searching, discovery, survival, pain, suppression and murder.”
Lee held up a small silver cylinder the size of a D type battery, a roaming cameraman zoomed in on it, the display screen behind showing the close-up of the device. “This little device is the revolution that is about to change the world. It is as it looks, a battery, but not just a normal battery. This battery can deliver more power than any other battery and deliver it for longer. In fact, not just for longer, but forever. Yes, this battery will never run out, not in our lifetime anyway. And the implications of that one fact will revolutionise the world. Imagine, no more changing batteries in remote controls or cameras, mobile phones that never need recharging, TVs, Stereos, laptops, tablets, never needing to be plugged into a charger, and that’s just the beginning…”
~~~
Standing at the back of the gallery watching the conference unfold, Rourke was uneasy. The grab team hadn’t yet managed to locate Bateman and were returning to the conference in readiness to take him down if and when he tried to surrender.
He knew he was too late to ultimately stop this twist in 45Com12's plan. Men like Senator Reaves, Lord Copeland, Liang Kim and even Judge Webb were all capable of ensuring Rourke’s failure to contain this technology would be punished.
Rourke watched and listened to Dr. Gregson, the screen behind him showing pictures of crop failures in various countries.
“... and can you imagine greenhouses with grow lights producing fruit and vegetables for free, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year? Free light, free heat, an abundance of affordable food.
“Think about a world where instead of transmitting power around the country on a national power grid, each house had its own decentralised power unit, providing enough electricity for that household, forever?
“Now for another big one. Your electric car would never need recharging!”
Rourke was getting impatient and there still hadn’t been any mention of Bateman.
He held the radio close to his mouth, “Alpha team split into two and station at either end of the gallery. We need to lock this lot down. No-one gets in or out,” Rourke commanded as Cornell arrived.
Perhaps Bateman wasn’t going to surrender today, maybe because of their presence, he’d bottled out, or maybe... Suddenly he realised that the video being displayed was of Daniel Bateman and his partner standing in a room watching a video link of the conference.
Lee continued narrating, “... and none of this would ever be possible if it wasn’t for this man, Daniel Bateman. He listened to Jack Welch, went to Stuttgart to search for the device, found it, tested it, reported it, and then it all went bad really quickly. He found himself a wanted man for crimes he did not commit, and he remains wanted and hunted it would seem, with the latest attempt on his life only yesterday. Today he is freely surrendering himself to the authorities…”
“Where’s that room?” Rourke said and looked around for someone who might know. The museum director Professor Langley was standing close by. Rourke pointed to the large display screen and put one hand on Langley’s shoulder. “Where is that room?” he demanded.
Professor Langley was shocked and taken aback. He adjusted his glasses and looked at the screen now showing several other people in the room as well. The audio was being piped out of speakers all around the gallery. “…Daniel Bateman, you are under arrest for the multiple murders of Sophia Locke, Johann Locke…”
“Er...That’s not here,” Langley said. “It looks like it might be one of the V'n'A vaults…”
Rourke took Cornell to one side, “Contain this lot here and make damn sure they’re gagged, I’m going to deal with Bateman myself,” Rourke said and left the gallery, instructing two of the grab team to accompany him. They had to be quick. The Victoria and Albert museum was opposite the Science Museum on Exhibition Road, but it would take them a good couple of minutes to navigate their way out of where they currently were.
Unaware of the slight commotion at the back of the gallery, Lee pushed on with the presentation. The display was split, one half still showing the video link of Daniel being arrested, handcuffed and read his rights; and the other half showing photographs that included the basement entrance, the basement itself and the large crate with the Lockridge device inside. A series of close-ups of the device were then followed by the short video clip of it running.
“... Discovering this device and reporting it revealed that this technology had been deliberately suppressed for over sixty years. Those responsible for this suppression began fighting back and framed Daniel for multiple murders. They destroyed the device, but despite their continued efforts at assassination, they failed to destroy Daniel.
“We have the evidence of who is responsible for not only framing Daniel, but also is guilty of suppressing this technology. Those responsible are very high up in our government, judiciary, police and military, and are responsible for this super-injunction and DA Notice restricting you from reporting on not only the technology and its re-discovery, but also from even reporting that it exists at all. We are hoping that you will be able to report on this later today after the appeal court has assessed our findings...”
Everyone in the room was focused entirely on the screen and Lee’s presentation. Hardly anyone had noticed the barriers being closed to the gallery, containing everyone there. All they saw were the portraits of those killed in the pursuit of this technology. Each was displayed with an obituary:
Jack Welch aged 84, murdered by asphyxiation.
Sophia Locke, 34, shot dead.
Johann Locke, 82, shot dead.
Dominik Becker, 58, shot dead.
Vivian and George Bateman, murdered by asphyxiation.
The final picture of Daniel’s parents sitting together on the beach at Bracklesham Bay remained on the screen.
“We have the evidence to show that Daniel Bateman is innocent of arson, murder and terrorism. Dossiers containing this evidence have already been sent to the Attorney General’s Office, Home Secretary and the Lord Chief Justice. Thanks to the Lines Foundation’s legal team, they have managed to prepare legal bundles in time for today’s disclosure and exposé. Daniel should be in front of a Judge tomorrow morning.”
~~~
“...you do not have to say anything,
but it may harm your defence
if you do not mention
when questioned
something which you later rely on in court.
Anything you do say
may be given in evidence.”
Hearing my rights being read to me felt strange. It felt wrong even though no-one was treating me badly. Maybe because of the television camera recording the arrest, having the handcuffs put on whilst being arrested made me feel guilty and ashamed. Maybe it was just dread.
Inspector Reynolds had two Metropolitan Police uniformed officers with him, but it was Inspector Reynolds who made the arrest under the International Arrest Warrant. As he fastened the cuffs and checked them I couldn’t help but say quietly to him, “I didn’t do it, I’m innocent.”
Inspector Reynolds was a short stocky character, he looked up at me and making sure his back was to the camera, whispered, “Don’t worry.”
Becs gave me a final hug and kissed me. “Love you,” she whispered.
“Love you too. See you tomorrow.”
“Make sure you do,” she said as I was led by the officers from the vault.
Richard was waiting out
side the vault and again told me “...not to worry, these guys are the best,” I certainly hoped so. “George is waiting at the Police Station for the Inspector to bring you in. He’ll make sure you’re treated right. Young Miss Taylor and I will make our way over to the rest of the conference and everyone will be put up in hotels tonight with armed guards.”
Inspector Reynolds led me through the corridors to the loading bay where I had been brought in earlier. The white Transit was still there, but there was a large white BMW 5 series Traffic Patrol car waiting with its doors open.
One of the officers helped me into the back of the car, protecting my head with his hand, when suddenly someone shouted, “Hold it right there!” I looked through the windscreen and saw three men quickly descending the stairs towards the car. They were armed with handguns.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Inspector Reynolds said shutting the car door and approaching the men. “You can’t be in here. Who are you and why are you armed?”
The tallest of the three, produced his ID. “General Rourke, MI5 please handover the prisoner, Daniel Bateman. He’s our jurisdiction.”
“Sorry, General Rourke, he is already in our custody, we can handle this. Please step down.”
“I'm sorry but this is a matter of National Security and I need to question the prisoner,” Rourke said, and then gestured towards me to one of his men.
One of the uniformed officers along with Inspector Reynolds moved to block his path.
“Back off!” Reynolds shouted.
Suddenly, guns were being aimed at Reynolds and his officers. The exchange between Rourke and Reynolds looked one sided, but they continued to dispute their authority over me as a prisoner.
I couldn’t believe what was happening. I was handcuffed, stuck in the back of a car with an argument about me flaring up between MI5 and the police. What I couldn’t believe was that Inspector Reynolds and his officers were not armed.
“Give us Bateman, now,” Rourke said again,
“I’m sorry General, but I have an arrest warrant and direct instruction from the Attorney General. You need to go through the correct channels if you want to interview him.”
Rourke was losing his temper. I could see the frustration in his clenched fists, his body language screaming “get out of the fucking way or I will KILL YOU!”
One of the MI5 agents, his gun aimed at one of Reynolds' men, suddenly lowered his gun to answer a mobile phone vibrating in his pocket.
“Sir, it’s Cornell,” he said and handed the phone to Rourke.
~~~
Cornell watched the conference and waited for Rourke to answer.
“Sir, we’ve got a bit of a situation developing here,” Cornell said.
“What is it? We’re getting Bateman here. You just need to contain it there, whilst we deal with our own little problems. Don’t let anyone leave until they’ve all been cautioned about the injunction.”
“Not sure that will hold, sir, we’ve got the Met demanding explanations as to why we’ve locked the gallery down and there’s too many news crews here for us to stay on top of. They’ve just revealed who they think is responsible for the Stuttgart murders, the suppression of what they’ve discovered and who framed Bateman. They’ve already named a cabinet minister and a US senator, but they’re claiming it is being perpetuated from deep within Westminster,” Cornell tried to explain as he saw the images on the screen start showing a web of powerful people all converging on a single point, Westminster Palace.
~~~
LBC presenter of the late morning show, James Riley had been fully briefed about the emerging news story at the Science Museum and was ready for an update. “Thank you Roger for that unique perspective on UKIP membership and re-affirming my theory about those called Colin, Nigel or Roger. But we go now to a news bulletin from our morning news reporter, Mike Smith, who has been following proceedings at the Science Museum. Good morning Mike.”
“Good morning James. It has been an interesting morning full of mystery and intrigue. We were invited to the Lines Foundation press conference on the promise of a new product launch that was going to be more revolutionary than the invention of radio.
“Just before the conference started we were all, and there are a lot of news outlets here James, issued with a super-injunction and a DA Notice forbidding us from reporting certain details or aspects of what we might be told. A DA Notice is a Defence Advisory Notice normally issued by the Ministry of Defence advising us to refrain from reporting on certain key topics or incidences. Where that is only advisory, the super-injunction strictly forbids us from reporting on certain key elements of this story.
“Anyway, we all listened to Doctor Lee Gregson present firstly their product launch, a battery that never runs out, and then go on t—” Mike was interrupted by the studio presenter, James Riley.
“I’m sorry Mike, did you say 'a battery that never runs out'?” James asked with an obvious hint of scepticism.
Mike laughed then continued, “Yes, James, a battery that never runs out. They are in there now demonstrating it to some scientists and engineers. It’s all beyond me, but, James, it gets even stranger. We’ve been locked in by the people who handed us the DA Notice this morning. It appears they are from MI5, but the Police have also turned up as well wanting to know what is going on. That is all I can report on for now.”
“Thank you Mike, reporting live from the Science Museum. Stay tuned to LBC 97.3 and we’ll keep you abreast of the proceedings as they happen. It leads me nicely onto what I want to ask you, the good people of this country, what I have been discombobulated about since my early teens…”
~~~
The conference display screen displayed an animation Lee had knocked together the previous night to try and explain how the new radio-active or ‘radiant’ battery cell worked.
“... So at this point we are just speculating about exactly what is happening, but we think that when the crystalline structure of the radium salt is stimulated with an impulse of energy, it is triggered into an electron avalanche at what we think is something like a semi-conductor junction between the radium and the lead graphite. That electron avalanche is like a sudden rush of electricity which is what we want. Energy wise, the trigger impulse into the cell is minimal compared to what we get out. This ratio of in to out is what is referred to as the Coefficient of Performance, or COP. Tests so far on the prototype cells are producing a COP of twenty. That’s twenty times more power out than the devices use.
“We weren’t sure that we would actually have a working device to be shown today. The primary aim of this conference was going to be Daniel surrendering himself to the authorities so that his name could be cleared. Plus a presentation of what he had found and where we were heading with it as an Open Source project. But part of our team has been working hard with the information that Daniel had discovered and just yesterday managed to produce these working radiant cells as an off-shoot from the main device. So I’d like to hand over to Clive Sinclair for the next part of the presentation where he will demonstrate and explain how these cells are made.”
Clive had set himself up on a bench to one side of the stage. On the bench Clive had several pieces of kit that included an oscilloscope, meters, and samples of the battery cell in various stages of construction. The roving cameraman focused in on the bench as the lighting in the gallery changed.
Before Clive started his section of the presentation, he called Lee over to one side.
“Lee, can you see if you can find Karin, she said she’d be here?” Clive asked.
“Sure. Got any ideas as to why they’ve locked us in?” Lee asked having seen the metal cantilever gates being closed across the gallery entrances at the beginning of his presentation.
“Sorry, no idea, been busy setting these up.”
Clive went back to the bench as the camera finished panning across the table.
“Thank you Lee,” Clive said to the gathering of news crews. “Because this is a
n open source project that we want everyone to know how to make and utilise, I’m going to go through the process that was used to make these cells. Nothing is secret or proprietary. As Lee explained so eloquently, these radiant cells were almost discovered by accident. We had made a test rig that was meant to simulate various functions of the actual mechanical Lockridge Device so we were able to test the commutator brushes that had been made following the instructions Daniel had nearly lost his life for. The test rig showed us what the carbon brush was really doing in the device and also answered many other questions…”
Clive went on with a demonstration of how the original brushes were made and why the various elements of the construction were vital to the process.
“...even the grade of paraffin used on the blotting paper separators that sandwich the radium chloride paste prior to the baking process is important, even though we don’t know why yet.”
~~~
Inspector Reynolds was arguing his corner, with both sides being vocal about who had authority. Everyone else was in a stand-off, with the MI5 agents aiming their Glock pistols at the uniformed officers who were standing their ground.
Reynolds tried to instruct one of the uniforms to get in the car and get me out of there.
“Ah ah,” said one of the MI5 agents, and raised his gun again to a firing position.
“What, are you really going to shoot a Met Police officer?” Reynolds said. “Look, as I keep telling you, he is already in our custody. If you want him, go through the correct channels,” he indicated to the officer to continue to get me out.
I had heard enough and couldn’t see how the guys with guns were going to lose, especially as I feared they were more interested in killing me than putting me in front of a Judge. As the officer turned to get into the BMW a single shot rang out. The officer fell to the floor screaming, General Rourke himself had shot him in the leg.