by John Morris
A few minutes later PC Blodwell handed the ID back to Dan Glover. “You check out on the database, which I knew you would, but I have learned to verify everything. Come.”
They left via the rear entrance, Percy continuing to do most of the talking. “MI6 eh, I was right to be cautious. I wondered who would respond to my missing persons report. So quickly as well. This must be important. Ah here we are. Jump in the passenger side. We have much to discuss.”
Percy rolled down the windows as he got in and switched the radio off. He unconsciously fluffed his moustache and said, “So why send you from MI6. I was expecting a special police unit, maybe MI5. I thought you guys only worked abroad.”
“Not so, although most of my fieldwork has been in foreign lands. We work in UK in relation to international threats, and we suspect this may turn out to be one.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because the man in the picture was deep undercover in Syria on Friday. He turned up here on Monday, and was presumably executed. Not far from here, I would guess. Tell me all you know.”
Percy sat back and ordered his thoughts, before speaking candidly. “I have three people who witnessed the execution. Yes, that is what it was. Here, let me show you on my phone. The quality isn’t too good, but it’s clear enough. Turn the sound up and you’ll hear the gunshot.”
Dan studied the video and related snapshots several times, but his mind began working in earnest when the copper said, “I also believe I know how he came to be in this country. Look at this video.”
Dan whistled when he saw the passenger aircraft, and noted the different timestamps. Percy went on to explain everything from the beginning, closing with the words, “You’ll want to meet the informants of course.”
“Yes, as soon as possible.”
Percy made the call. “Cathy, I’ll be with you in twenty minutes, with a special guest who is most interested in what you and the boys discovered. We need to speak to all four of you, in private if possible … okay, seven-thirty it is. Call me when your husband has left for the oil rig. I presume he’s still working week-on, week-off? ... Good, in that case we may as well eat at the pub to kill the time.”
“A problem?” Dan enquired.
“No. Mister Collins is a good man, a hard worker, but surly at times, bordering on threatening. Best he not be there. You’ve a place to stay?”
“No, not yet. That’s the least of my worries. I’ll sleep in the car if needs be.”
“We have a couple of hours to kill, so let’s find you somewhere to stay, and then go the village pub near our destination for a meal.”
“Sounds good. Does the pub have any rooms to let? I like to be at the heart of the action, as it were.”
Percy swayed back and sideways to fix Dan’s eyes with his own. “Not officially. It depends upon which side of the law you come from––modern or old school.”
“I have zero interest in petit laws. Jezzz, the places I’ve lived, the things I have seen. I could tell you a few stories to make your teeth curl. If they are making a bit extra on the side, then good luck to them. I can pay in cash, and I mean pound notes. Make the call, this will go nowhere, my word of honour.”
Percy smiled, he was beginning to like Dan Glover, which caused him to offer one more piece of advice. “Ooh, ‘round these parts, well they ain’t ever seen a suit of haute couture like yours.”
“Jeans, tee, and trainers or Chino’s, polo, and casual shoes?”
“The former would be better, most of the time. You got a car … Okay, I’ll drive you round to the front, then follow me.”
The old pub in Cathy’s village was otherworldly, and with Percy’s assistance, Dan was soon settled into their best room. It was more than adequate, with en suite bathroom, and quiet. Dan paid in advance for two nights’ dinner, bed, and breakfast, before joining Percy in the bar. The place welcomed them with wooden beams, and oak panels. A short time later they were called to dinner, which was most enjoyable. Afterwards they both chose cheese instead of dessert. They were finishing up when Cathy called.
A few minutes later, they were seated around her kitchen table. “I’m Dan Glover, SIS, or MI6 to most people. I am here because of this photograph, but before I tell you why, I need a word with each of you, in turn, in private. Once I have your own perspectives, we will form a team. Let’s begin. Chris, you were the first, so where can we talk?”
Cathy complained, “This sounds like interrogation…”
Her words were interrupted. “Nothing of the kind. I promise you, just a friendly chat. I need to hear this from your own lips, without interference from others.”
Percy spoke in support. “This is correct practice, Ma’am. We call it one-to-one.”
“Sorry, we’re new at this. It’s okay. Use the living room, I’ll put the kettle on.”
Chris was only a few minutes, and came bouncing into the kitchen. “Wow! This is so cool, having double-O seven in our home!”
He started humming the Bond theme, as Neville was called next. Cathy also rose. “Christopher Collins, will you please desist. You are to stop this nonsense right now.”
When Neville came out he was smirking. “That guy is really good, he got me to remember something trivial that might be important.”
Percy added, “That’s why we do it this way, otherwise you would all already know. It can cause false memories, or conflict of testimony.”
After all were interviewed, Dan took a few minutes to check his notes, regardless of the fact he had recorded each interview. His observations were about the person, and other aspects of the case, not directly related to the words spoken. He was a very good profiler.
Once satisfied, he rejoined the others at the kitchen table. Dan became proactive in debate, and managed to winkle out a few snippets of information that may, or may not, prove relevant. Percy nodded towards Dan, and assisted where he could.
As conversation began to drift, Dan regained focus. “We are a team, and I need to see the airfield. Can we all go there now, the place where you took those pictures?”
Percy said, “The top of The Mountain, yes; the aerodrome, no. It is surrounded by military style fencing, with cameras, too. We would need a very good reason to go there. I tried earlier today, and was turned away at the gate by security, uniform and all. They told me it was private property, and would not let me in without a valid reason. I could have invented something, but thought better to leave them alone. But they are hiding something. However, I did learn they have a few small jets parked at the far end of the field.”
Dan rose from his sitting position and said, “Let’s go.”
Reaching the top of the hill, Dan immediately dug in his jeans pocket, and put a headband with eyepiece around his head. It had telescopic vision, both day and night modes. He saw a runway capable of landing far larger jets, and four pre-war hangars with thick, blast-proof walls. The other buildings were modern, and there seemed a lot of them. Nothing moved; there were no lights.
His brief surveillance complete, Dan stated, “We are done for tonight. Tomorrow morning we will establish a permanent monitoring station here. I was thinking of a small tent well to the east, and another a little way below for sustenance and sleep.
“I can bring in the equipment we need, but not the staff. Percy?”
“Well, I could take leave, although I retire in seven months, and was saving up to shorten my time. I could apply for a week…”
“Nonsense. I’ll sequester your services to SIS for the duration. That okay with you?”
“Yes, but…”
“Good. Now who have we got to man or woman this twenty-four seven?” Dan stopped speaking, and looked at Cathy.
She spluttered, “Well I guess so, but I have a family to keep.”
Kevin offered, “We could skip school and man it.”
Percy cut to the chase. “I know of a couple of recently retired police officers, old school like me. Good friends through the years we served together. The
y’d be no good at gunfights and chasing suspects, but they would be ideal for logging everything coming in, or going out of that there aerodrome. Oh, and since they are getting creaky, a hut with proper seats, not a tent. Want me to make the calls?”
It may have been the flashlights, but Dan’s eyes seemed to sparkle. “That sounds damn fine, Percy. Make the calls first thing tomorrow morning, and I’ll throw in a little pay, tax-free. We’ll need to have a word with the local inn, discretion being the most important aspect. Cathy, Kevin, Neville, and Chris. We usually man these positions with two people, say one needs a toilet break at precisely the wrong time. You get my drift? So we will work on what works in practice, make it up as we go along. Any problems?”
Neville was slow to speak. “I have my first date with Lizzie tomorrow night. I’ve never had a date before, but I guess I can put it off.”
Dan said, “Nonsense. Go, enjoy your date, but come back here before you go to sleep. No problem.”
Dan gave them each his dedicated mobile number, included them in the operation, and made them swear total secrecy.
The group departed a short time later, most envisioning wild plans of espionage. Dan was level-headed, and after the others went their ways, said to the last remaining, “Percy, care to share a beer with me? I need to understand the locality, what is normal, and not normal around this neck of the woods. I’ll pay for your room if that’s okay, presuming your better half doesn’t object.”
“I’d need to call her, yes. I’ll leave a message on the home landline––on a whist drive she is, and won’t be back till late.”
After a slightly beery night, the first in ages, Dan surfaced to the insistent ringing of his second mobile, the one he had dedicated to the case. The clock read 02:23 hours. “Dan, this is Nev. Get your arse up here pronto, the plane is coming in.”
Chapter 3 ~ Keeping the Lid on Things
As Dan sprinted towards the top of the hill, he got out his phone and set it to video recording. He was filming as soon as the airfield came in sight, and caught the plane touching down.
Still concentrating on the video, he said, “Thanks Neville, this is great. I got the plane’s number with the aid of the runway lights.”
They continued to chat and film. The runway lighting died. With his eyepiece, he could make out the passengers. “Some getting out are freedom fighters, but most are civilians. I counted two hundred and eighty two in all, although some would be crew.”
“Keep filming Dan, the luggage and cargo are next.”
The luggage container was put down inside the hangar the passengers entered, before other boxes were offloaded. Dan recognised some of the crates, but said nothing. He followed the forklifts, but came back to the personnel hanger frequently.
Dan moved slightly away to get a better view of the interior, tracking with his eyepiece, and began speaking quietly, staccato into the phone. “Three flight crew. Three militia. All taken to another building.
“Twelve militia, also carry Kalashnikov’s, taken to a different building. They appear to be new to the place. See their heads turning, taking it all in? Inside the hangar, the luggage container is being hurriedly unpacked, and it would appear names are being called. Yes, people are coming forward, collecting their belongings. Some are being seated in a Volvo coach. It is silver with a medium blue stripe down the side, cannot get the registration number at this distance. Hangar doors closing, so that’s all. No, wait, the jet is being cleaned and refuelled, a maintenance crew are checking the craft over as well.”
Dan continued to film until all was quiet and the lights were turned off. He spoke quietly for some time with Neville and took a power-nap, before sending the boy home to sleep. Dan resumed filming at four-twenty, when the lights came back on, and an SUV dropped off six people at the aircraft steps, three crew and three militia.
Supplies were being loaded into the cargo hold, before the hangar doors opened, and the luggage box returned to the plane. A few minutes later the engines came to life, and after presumed system checks, the aeroplane began to taxi towards the runway; it would take off in the direction it landed from.
With the plane gone, Dan got his first clear view of the hangar internals, where rows of camp beds were arranged in line. There were hundreds of them, and people were grouped in busloads, complete with their baggage.
By then, the aeroplane had reached the end of the runway, and began to accelerate for takeoff. He filmed it rise into the air, and immediately the landing lights were turned off. He came back to focus on the bus pulling out of the hangar. He still could not read the number plate, so reverted to tracking the aircraft, keeping it in centre of view. It headed west climbing quickly, before turning and heading northeast.
He continued to follow it until the coach left the access road, whereupon he switched focus. The headlights were bright, obscuring most detail, but he finally got the registration number when it went past him on the road below, and spoke it into the mic. He also wrote it down. He checked the plane, and could still make out its lights. It kept a steady course until out of range.
He returned to the inn, and was soon asleep. His alarm woke him at seven, two hours of sleep were better than none. After ablutions and dressing, he went down and made a mug of coffee in the inn’s kitchen, returning to his room to make his initial report.
Dan compiled a file on his laptop, including all video, and an operations log of what he had discovered thus far. He added a second document listing requirements, one being a telescope with night vision and a suitable video camera. He asked for one dozen magnetic transponders, that could be attached to vehicles to track them. The last was a request for a half-mile 220 Volt, all weather extension cable, or a quiet generator––just enough for a fire, lights, and a kettle, and someone to fit it. Percy had mentioned something the previous evening that sounded ideal for his needs of the moment.
He added other requests, one the official attachment of Constable Blodwell, marking it ‘Top Priority’. In another document, he laid out his initial plans regards the investigation, but stopped short of drawing any conclusions. He finished by adding, “I suspect something of a much larger scale is taking place.”
Dan’s laptop, and all connections, were highly secure and encrypted. He sent the files, and made live video connection, surprised to find Harry in his office. “Good morning Dan, you don’t look so good, is everything all right?”
“It’s nothing. I didn’t get much sleep last night, but it was well worth it. I’v sent you a progress report, but need the secondment of Constable Blodwell ASAP, like by eight a.m. if possible. I’ve made good progress, and here’s what I have so far…”
When the report concluded, Harry sat back in thought. “The jet?”
“I need it tracking. There may be three or four of them each day. What I do know is that one arrives after two a.m., and departs at precisely four-thirty. How it is avoiding civil and military tracking, I have no idea, but they must be using a ruse. Simon came in on one from Syria, and I need to track it.”
“We’ll get on it. Anything else?”
“No. Only what’s listed in the file. Oh, and PC Blodwell.”
“I’ll call the Chief Constable of Norfolk Constabulary as soon as we finish. You will have your man by eight o’clock.”
“Thanks Harry. I better get breakfast, today is going to be busy
Dan joined Percy for full English breakfast, and they discussed events, and the day’s work ahead. At seven-fifty, Percy used the police car’s radio, and logged on shift. “I’m still working with MI6, and we have a few jobs to do right now. I’ll drop by the station before nine.”
… “Yes, by then you will have a better understanding Sergeant. I’ll speak to you in person soon. Blodwell out.”
“Tetchy?”
“No, bullshit. Come, let’s pay Misses Nicholas a visit. She should still hold the keys to the empty Post Office and shop.”
The former postmistress was at first distrusting, and a litt
le shaken, but Percy and Dan turned on the charm. She took the keys to the old property next door, informing them, “The owners used to pay me to clean the place, and check for damage, any problems. It wasn’t much, but it helped. Here we go, down the side and in the back way.”
They walked the length of the building, and coming to the end, turned right. “Is that a car park, Misses Nicholas?”
“Yes, although it was hardly ever used. Room for six vehicles, so I was told. The garden proper extends beyond it, way over to that there fence. You see it?”
“Admirable. Let’s take a look inside, if you please.”
As the lady unlocked the door, Dan whispered to Percy, “Ideal if we have unfamiliar vehicles, your own car included.”
The building was a large, converted tithe house, with a two storey shop extension the length of one side. Percy nodded as they were ushered inside. Misses Nicholas kept gabbling, as they surveyed the premises. There were three bedrooms upstairs, plus a bathroom and large storeroom. Downstairs was a similar layout, lounge and dining rooms, kitchen to the rear, another toilet, storeroom, and shop.
Dan said, “Ideal, and almost fully-furnished too.”
Percy took his cue. “Misses Nicholas, can you contact the owners. We need to rent this place, as from today. Now if possible. You will be well recompensed. My colleague here needs a base of operations. For how long we do not know.”
Dan interrupted, “I think a week at least, but I’ll pay for the full month, up front.”
Misses Nicholas appeared stunned. She knew the owners had tried to rent the building. But there had been no takers. She was all in a dither. “Gosh, just like that? I’ll need to clean. Now where did I put the disinfectant, and I’ll need a new broom…”
Dan gentled her. “Misses Nicholas, the call, make it if you please.”
“I can’t reach them, the number is discontinued. I know they had plans to emigrate and start a business in Spain. Let me make the deal.”