Everything to Lose

by Gordon Bickerstaff

  "We'll lose the bloody deposit on the flat," he moaned.

  "It will be alright."

  "The Lambeth Group VC is fussy about expense claims. If we lose the deposit they won't reimburse it. Have you got a grand to spare? I don't," he moaned again.

  "Don't worry about it. Cairn said he'll cover the cost. Trust me," she tried to placate him and get his mind onto something else.

  "Buzzwall, Griffan and Kwan have been arrested. There will be lots of questions. We need to extract ourselves out of the Department. Low profile, otherwise your Lambeth Group cover is blown. So over the next couple of days we'll do that then back to London for a quick debrief. Then you can go home."

  "Okay," he said reluctantly.

  "I've spoken to Elaine. We'll meet her tomorrow and she'll give us a credible exit strategy. We must walk away from this without drawing any attention to the work we've done."

  "In the past I've just called in sick. Told people I had double pneumonia and didn't go back."

  "That might be an option. Elaine will tell us how she wants to play it. I don't want her HR cover compromised."

  "Fine I can use the time to summarise what I've found in the BRTKPharma files."

  "Good man Gavin. I've got my final report to write. You can help me."

  Zoe opened a small bag and extracted her favourite 9 mm Browning HP handgun together with six mags. Gavin looked alarmed as she ejected the clip, checked her handgun and slammed the clip back into place. It was the first time she'd checked her handgun in the flat in front of Gavin Shawlens.

  "Surely we're not expecting gate crashers. I thought it was over."

  She realised that keeping him in the dark wouldn't work. He's too observant, has too many questions and certain to do something stupid if he doesn't know what's going on.

  "Okay Gavin sit down. I can't keep lying to you every minute."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Someone had the two of us under surveillance. These holes were made when Cairn's men ripped out cameras put there by someone else."

  "Cameras in the rooms. What the hell, who?"

  "I don't know that yet."

  "Do you think they're coming back?"

  "We'll find out."

  "I think we should get out of here right now."

  "Someone has an issue with you or with me. Whatever it is, it isn't going away. I say we confront them and deal with it."

  "Thanks for letting me know. I think I should have a gun."

  "Have you ever discharged a weapon?"

  "I know how to point and pull a trigger?"

  "When this is over I'll train you properly. But not right now."

  "I do know the basics."

  He didn't want to tell her that during the Barscadden nightmare he accidently fired a gun and killed a man. Fortunately the man was aiming to kill Gavin's friend at the time so it turned out well.

  "If this issue is about me you'll be alright. If it's about you then I will get it sorted."

  "Obviously it's about you."

  "Well I've made plenty of enemies over the years so it's probably about me," she said.

  "The only major person I've pissed off is Barscadden. Killing Emma like that put me in living hell so he got his crushing revenge on me."

  "You're probably right."

  "Five surveillance cameras. That's serious information gathering. What information do you think were they after?"

  "Now Gavin that is a very useful question."

  "Do you have any information of any value? I don't think I have."

  "I think the Bulgarians had foreign government backing. Maybe Russian Intelligence maybe CIA. Surveillance of this quality is their bread and butter. Did the Bulgarians mention anything about a government partner?"

  "They spoke in Bulgarian all the time. You think they were watching us to find out if we discovered their involvement in the 80PGen project?"

  "No government agency will want to be associated with exploitation of Nazi research. There will be panic in the toilets until they're sure they're in the clear."

  "What makes you think they'll come back here?"

  "If they think the files you've got contain proof of their involvement then they'll come for the files."

  "So I'm the bait, squishy and vulnerable."

  "And I'm the rod, hard and invincible."

  "I really do think the bait should have a gun."

  "No."

  50

  Cabinet Office Briefing Room, Whitehall, London

  Some of the men and women sat at around the conference table were anxious to get started. Some scanned through briefing papers. Others stood in groups of two or three deep in conversation. All were wondering, if not discussing, why the Prime Minister had called an urgent meeting of COBRA. None of them knew of any unfolding emergency or impending threat.

  In the room were the three heads of the Armed Forces, the Home Office Secretary of State, the Foreign Office Secretary of State, the Defence Secretary of State, Deputy PM, heads of MI5, MI6, JIC and ACPO.

  The COB rooms in Whitehall are a suite of sophisticated rooms containing secure state-of-the-art communications equipment for both receipt and dispatch of vital information, orders and reports arising from national and regional incidents or international crisis that could impact on the health and well-being of the UK.

  The group had assembled in COBR room A and there were all aware that the PM and the CDS were in COBR room D on a videoconference call with the President of the United States, his Defence Secretary, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The President had specifically requested that only those five would take part in the videoconference call which lasted twenty-three minutes.

  The PM and the CDS breezed into the COBRA room and headed to their respective place names at the head of the conference table. The PM in an exquisite navy suit, brilliant white shirt and dark purple tie stood out like a beacon among the grey suits and uniforms in the room. His skin so peachy warm those females in the room thought he was wearing foundation. The top dog had arrived exuding robust health and prosperity.

  "Please be seated," the PM said loudly to break-up conversations in the room and urge those still standing to sit down.

  His piercing blue-green eyes full of self-confidence. His lips pursed and his face determined to run the meeting in his trademark Germanic mode with no-nonsense efficiency and full clarity of purpose. His body leaned forward over the table.

  "What's this about?" fired the Deputy PM who was deeply annoyed he'd not been included in the videoconference call with the President.

  The PM gave a hand gesture and expression to indicate he would come to that when everyone had sat down.

  "Thank you all for coming here at such short notice. I know some of you are in the middle of challenging work but this new development overrides all other issues," the PM said.

  The PM paused and looked down at the buff-coloured folder between his two hands for a few seconds while he contemplated his words. When he looked up he locked eyes with the CDS then he said.

  "As you know we have just come from a videoconference meeting with the President of the United States and I speak for the both of us when I say that we are completely gobsmacked."

  The CDS nodded in agreement his face stern and grey.

  "Is it nuclear war?" demanded the deputy PM.

  "No. At least not from what they've told us," said the CDS.

  "We don't know what the US is facing but the President is clearly in a state of shock. Everyone here has met the President. You know he's strong in a crisis, confident, reassuring and ice-cool. I think he is the coolest man on the planet. In that meeting he was nervous, his voice weak and edgy. He stared at the table for periods, broken is the only other word I can think of," said the PM.

  "The Defence Secretary hardly spoke a word and he looked distraught. Most of the time he was leaning on the table with his two elbows and his head buried in his hands. George Schumantle was the only one of them composed and upright. H
e did most of the talking," the CDS said.

  They all knew that the Defence Secretary was a motor mouth and not UK-friendly. He was well known for blasting UK personnel with aggressive and caustic rhetoric.

  "What do they want from us?" asked the Home Office Secretary.

  The PM directed his gaze at the Head of MI5.

  "Milton how much do you know about Dr Gavin Shawlens?" the PM asked.

  "Very little without looking at his file. He's a lecturer, biologist I think and an active member of the Lambeth Group. I know he has top level clearance. He was at the centre of the mess when James Barscadden's empire collapsed. That's all I can recall off the top of my head," Sir Milton L Johhns replied.

  "What's the Lambeth Group?" asked the deputy PM.

  "A Home Office group that investigates and roots out corruption, fraud and unethical activity in the higher education sector," said the Home Office Secretary.

  The PM's private secretary knocked on the door then entered. She placed a green coloured file in front of the PM then she placed a piece of A4 notepaper folded neatly in half on top of the green folder then left the room.

  There was a small photo of Gavin Shawlens on the cover of the file. The green file was passed down to Sir Milton Johhns and he started to scan the contents. The PM opened and read the notepaper.

  "Are you going to tell us what the hell this is about?" demanded the Deputy PM.

  "Be patient for fuck sake. This isn't in any way easy," the PM blasted in a voice that reprimanded the Deputy PM.

  "John there is no Secret Service file on Gavin Shawlens," the PM said looking up from the notepaper.

  "Then he's not crossed our radar with foreign nationals in the UK or popped up as an issue in any of the foreign countries that we monitor," said Sir John F Steelers, Head of MI6.

  "Would you know if he had any untoward interactions with people or organisations in the USA?" asked the CDS.

  "Yes. It's his duty to report any inappropriate interactions," said Sir John Steelers.

  "Milton anything in your file?" PM asked.

  "There is one entry here. He has employed Dr Sharon Bonny from New York as a postdoctoral researcher in his lab three years ago. On the face of it; it's a very low level academic interaction. He has visited the US four times for academic conferences but never more than a few days," said Sir Milton Johhns.

  "Is it at all possible he could be some kind of sleeper spy or terrorist infiltrator?" asked the PM.

  "Unlikely. For his full clearance we traced his history back to his primary school. His life is entirely open and there is a great deal of evidence including school photos and school prizes to track his progression to where he is now. He was very visible as a university student with friends and staff who know him very well. He's genuine, he had a normal upbringing and had no association with any organisations that could have turned him," said Sir Milton Johhns.

  "I would know if he was suspected of terrorist activity. I would be aware of any US interest in him. The cousins are not exactly subtle when they chase down a terrorist on our island," said Sir John Steelers.

  "We aren't always told when they operate on our soil especially if they are following up intelligence received from tortured suspects held in Third World Countries," said the Head of ACPO.

  "Is Shawlens accused of terrorism? If so I want to view the evidence against him," Sir Milton Johhns said.

  Everyone looked to the PM for an answer and he sighed as he raised his eyes to the ceiling and ran his hand over his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

  "The President wants us to hand Gavin Shawlens over to the CIA within four days," the PM said hurriedly.

  Four questions were fired simultaneously at the PM.

  "What for?"

  "Or what?"

  "What has he done?"

  "Why the deadline?"

  "All they will say is it's a critical matter for their national security. They are not saying he is a terrorist or that he will face any charges. They are not threatening us to do this, quite the opposite," said the PM.

  "Well I am certain the Attorney General will rule that an extradition under these circumstances is illegal, end of discussion," the Home Office Secretary said.

  The PM turned to her and said.

  "It is illegal and I have told the President this in no uncertain terms. If we do this it will not be an extradition. It would be a black bag transfer," the PM said.

  "Totally unacceptable. The answer must be emphatically no. I'll tell him if you can't do it," the Deputy PM said.

  "If they want rendition. I am opposed to it. I disagreed with it before and I will not accept it now," the head of the JIC said.

  "Absolutely ridiculous. What a bloody cheek," said the Foreign Office Secretary.

  "That is outrageous even for the yanks," the Defence Secretary said.

  "Are you seriously saying the President wants us to break the law? I thought we agreed to uphold the law even when it's inconvenient," said the Home Office Secretary.

  "This would not be the first black bag transfer that HMG has authorised," said Sir John Steelers.

  "The world is very different now Sir John. Standards in public office are much higher. Dirty deals are a thing of the past. We are under intense public scrutiny and we must be seen to do what we preach. The public balk at this kind of behaviour and rightly so," said the Deputy PM.

  "I have to agree. It's not on this time. We have a responsibility to uphold the law otherwise we have nothing and we are nothing. We must stick to our principles," said the Foreign Office Secretary.

  "We shouldn't let the yanks push us around like this," said the Home Office Secretary.

  "I agree. We set the correct standard in public life," said the Defence Secretary.

  The PM's complexion paled as colour drained from his face and his expression shifted from business-like to stressed-out. He knew the next part was going to be very difficult. A surge of adrenaline made him hot under the collar. Most unlike him he loosened the knot in his tie and opened the neck of his shirt. He extracted a piece of paper from his folder and read from it.

  "As you know we have been in prolonged negotiations with the US Department of Defence to replace our Trident nuclear deterrent. If we hand this man over to them within four days the United States will give us four Ohio class nuclear powered submarines.

  Each one complete with one hundred and fifty-two Tomahawk cruise missiles, capable of delivering up to two hundred and thirty-five nuclear and three hundred and seventy conventional warheads. Plus eighty Harpoon torpedoes. With service and upgrades including all the warheads for a period of twenty-five years. A package worth thirty-four billion dollars over the operational period."

  After initial gasps and mutterings of disbelief the entire room fell silent and stunned. You could hear people breathing heavily and if you wanted you could work out who in the room was a heavy smoker.

  "We replace the current Trident nuclear deterrent with a more substantial and more effective deterrent for no cost to the UK. A massive financial saving for our country," said the CDS.

  "AND. If we hand him over within forty-eight hours they will add a bonus," said the PM.

  "Jeeesus-Mary. What kind of a bonus?" Defence Secretary asked.

  "The President will make the Argy problem go away permanently," The PM said.

  "How?" asked the Foreign Office Secretary.

  "The President said the Argies will drop all claims to the Falkland Islands. The Islands can then join the United Nations and receive permanent UN protection. He said he can make the Argies an offer they will not refuse," the PM said.

  "All of this for one academic nobody. I don't believe it," The Home Office Secretary said.

  "Has he got super powers or something?" Deputy PM asked.

  "They will not say other than it's to protect their national security. They did say he will not return so it's a permanent move for him," said the PM.

  "Why haven't they just lifted him behind our ba
cks? They don't hesitate to do that when they want," said the head of ACPO.

  "He's on an operation for the Lambeth Group. It was Shawlens who brought down Barscadden's empire so a revenge attack is anticipated. Special Forces have been covering his back since his partner Emma Patersun was killed by Barscadden. If the CIA try to lift him, there will be a bloody firefight in the street. I guess they don't want that," The Home Office Secretary said.

  "Prime Minister this is interesting," said Sir Milton Johhns reading from the Shawlens file.

  "Go on Milton," the PM said.

  "During the James Barscadden incident Shawlens was captive on a Russian boat heading for Russia. Two US F16's were dispatched to destroy the boat but the SBS boarded the boat and executed a successful rescue in the nick of time. The CIA told us that they were after a Russian agent called Zavarok and aborted the F16's when the SBS confirmed Zavarok killed. Zavarok was a well known target so up until this moment I accepted their explanation.

  On the basis of what you have just told us Prime Minister. It would seem the US was prepared to destroy a Russian boat, in UK waters, to prevent Shawlens falling into the hands of Russian agents," Sir Milton Johhns said.

  "That's it then. They will do anything to protect their national security. His fate is already sealed. I am content to hand him over but I must stress that the money saved by not replacing Trident must remain in the Ministry of Defence," said the Defence Secretary.

  "Provided their offer is backed with binding contracts. I say give him up for the good of the country," said the Deputy PM.

  "Obviously he's done something serious to undermine their national security so reluctantly I agree. We should hand him over sooner rather than later," said the Foreign Office Secretary.

  "Maureen you are unusually quiet," the PM said to the head of the JIC.

  "I'm trying to get my simple mind around the maths Prime Minister. Thirty-four billion dollars. Plus let's say for argument sake another six to make the Argies go away. I cannot think of anything this man Shawlens could possibly have or know that would be worth forty billion dollars.