Now he wanted to get Bruenstein, his belligerence was all too obvious, he knew he absolutely had to be taken out, but the info he had just discovered was too important. Secretly he whispered into his earpiece,
“Control this is Alpha 1. I’m on the upper floors of River View, Bruenstein is here. Harvey, he is planning to detonate the poison carts all over London.”
“How is he going to detonate them?” Asked Harvey,
“Using bombs, probably like the one John found. He’s had the devices planted across the city earlier, from what I understand we’ve only got 30 minutes before they go off.”
“Do we know where the bombs are?”
“Yes, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus and the Houses of Parliament.”
Harvey knew the course of action to take, “I’ll authorise those areas to be sealed off. We’ll make sure to have police and army bomb disposal squads dispatched urgent priority.”
“What shall I do about Bruenstein?” Asked Jack,
“Standby Alpha 1.” Harvey replied,
“Standby? What the hell does ‘standby’ mean?…. I’m going back in there.”
He made his way back into the penthouse area, silent and moving toward his last position, ever aware that the slightest noise could alert to his presence. Bruenstein was still at the window, standing like a giant silhouetted against the glow of the urban night. The other guard, still by his side at this time. Jack approached the column where he was before, creeping into the shadows as something caught the corner of his right eye. He looked to see the second guard move off quickly; had he seen him at the side? Jack froze, half in the shadows, as the guard took the same exit as his colleague before. It was OK, Jack had not been spotted. Silently relieved, he positioned himself behind the column where has was last time in a more comfortable fashion; from here he had a good and uninterrupted view of Victor Bruenstein.
His back turned, he was busy overlooking the AFP complex in the docklands to monitor progress; it was the one chance Jack West had been waiting for. From out of the shadows, his silencer peered out into the half-light; the Walther it attached to loaded and ready to fire. Jack, looked straight down the barrel, aiming for the back of his head,
“Now I’ve got you.” He thought. His gun aimed steady, the target in his sights and Bruenstein standing at the window, it was now or never. With no authorisation to kill from Thames House, in the darkness of the shadows, Jack closed one eye to get a straight aim and began to press his finger on the trigger.
Chapter 25:
Still positioned on the bridge, John looked on at the activity ahead, unaware of the full extent of the plan. By now everything that was happening and the lack of action was starting to get to him,
“Control, I’m still on the bridge. What do you want me to do?” He asked rather impatiently,
“Alpha 2 that bomb you’re holding. It’s just one of many.” Said Harvey,
“One of many?”
“We’ve received information that there is a credible bomb threat across the city. The one you procured was just a single device.”
“Bloody hell!” John whispered.
The activity in Thames House rose considerably. The bomb threat had been credibly compromised, and now the time was as big an enemy as Bruenstein and his terrorist organisation. Everyone had a job to do, rushing about in panic, trying to get a hold on the increasingly deteriorating situation,
“The police have been notified, bomb squads on route to the locations.” Said one operative,
“Will they get there in time?” Harvey asked himself,
“You had better hope so.” Replied the home secretary, overhearing the comment. Privately Harvey hoped so too. If the notoriously heavy traffic could not be beaten and the police could not seal off, evacuate the areas and diffuse those bombs in time, the damage alone would be catastrophic. He had the APF compound sealed, and men on the ground but the locations of the other bombs were now in the hands of others. He prayed that they would be successful,
“Harvey you want to take a look at this!” Another operative called out alarmingly,
“What?”
“There’s activity all over the internet!”
For Harvey, for everyone, this was just another headache, “Dammit!”
The computer screens told the story for themselves, “The word’s out.” Said an operative, “Someone must of have seen the police cordons in the surrounding areas. Rumours are beginning to spread around the social media.”
Harvey took a pensive attitude, “And if the public thinks something’s wrong, pretty soon the terrorists are going to know something actually is.”
Everyone agreed as another lady approached with a message, “It’s all over the internet. People are gathering in the streets.”
“We know!” Snapped Harvey,
“That’s not all.”
“What do you mean, that’s not all?!”
“Reports of local television crews close to the police cordon.”
This was the last thing Harvey wanted to hear, “Oh that’s just great!! Aazim can we patch into the television news feeds?”
“Yep, give me a second….there.”
They looked up at a television screen on the wall. Instantly it showed a news anchor reporting on activity going on at APF,
“And next tonight before we head off to the sport, some breaking news reaching us in the last few minutes. We’re hearing reports of police activity in the docklands area tonight. Eyewitnesses say that a significant amount of police has sealed off adjacent streets surrounding the APF Industries site. We hope to get a report on the ground soon, more on this as we get it.”
Broadcasting to a wide audience, everyone at Thames House looked on at the public unfolding of the stealthy operation,
“Can we shut them down?” Asked Harvey to any of his staff,
“No,” Replied one of the staff, “It’s all over the internet, there’s no point in suppression. The television report is local news, nothing on the national outlets yet.”
“You can bet they will be carrying the story.” Harvey said, prompting him to think further,
“If the terrorists get wind of this, they could get spooked and go all out and release the poison anyway.”
It was a terrifying proposition.
On the site, John was still situated on the bridge. With no direct instruction coming through he thought it unwise to move, instead just choosing to observe. Still the white vans parked outside the warehouse were waiting but their tail lights flickering a deep red glow betrayed the fact that they were preparing to depart. John wanted to warn his superiors as it looked as if they were moving imminently,
“Control, this is Alpha 2. The vans are-‘
“…. Alpha 2, what is it?”
“Standby control.” John replied as he looked at the warehouse below. Crouching ever more behind one of the structural pillars, he looked on as more figures emerged from the building. They seemed to be in a hurry organising themselves into some kind of assembly line as they brought out equipment,
“Control, there’s activity outside the warehouse. It looks as if they are getting ready to move…They seem to loading something onto the trucks…the trollies!! Control they are loading the trollies laden with poison onto the trucks, it looks as if they are getting ready to move!”
Harvey listened to the situation relayed to him via the radio, and the Home Secretary wanted something done,
“Charles, you need to act now.”
“I know.” He replied turning toward one of his team, “Where are the locations of Alphas 1 and 2?”
“Charles, you are running out of time!”
“I’m well aware Home Secretary.”
A further message came over the radio,
“Control this is Alpha 2, they have loaded the trollies onto the vans, they are leaving!! What do you want me to do?”
This is serious Charles!” Said the Home Secretary, “Yo
u have no options left, you need to send in the Special Forces now!”
He was right, there were no options left. He had to make a decision immediately, knowing full well of the implications riding on his next move,
“Home Secretary, can you get senior government ministers and officials to the government shelter.”
“What?” Said the minister slightly confused,
“The Downing Street Nuclear Command Bunker. That 1960’s concrete underground complex built in case the Cold War escalated into World War III. I trust it’s still there.”
Slightly taken aback by the comment, the politician responded, “Charles that is classified information, a need to know basis only!”
“And I need to know now; as a backup plan! Just in case we can’t get you out in time!” Snapped Harvey,
“Yes it’s still operational but the plan here is to evacuate! Look this is on your shoulders Harvey, either you send in the SAS now, or otherwise I’ll put Plan Theresa into operation. And I’ll hold you responsible for the consequences!!”
It appeared checkmate as far as any other options were concerned,
“I’m risking my men being caught in crossfire.” Said Harvey, leaning over a chair head down,
“You have no choice.” Said the minister as one of the operatives spoke out,
“They’re waiting for the final order to depart. Harvey we’re out of time!!!”
Raising his head, it was time for Harvey to make the decision,
“God help us….send in the SAS.”
Crowds gathering in the adjacent streets began to swell. Rumours had fuelled the curiosity as to what was going on, but nobody could get past the cordons, manned by a heavy police presence. Further down the streets vans and cars carrying armed response teams and other officers swarmed around like bees in a hive. Something was definitely happening, intensifying in the last few minutes. The outskirts of the area, where all seemed quiet, only the superficial activity of the local police was obvious; still nobody had any real idea what was really happening. Everything was tense in the cold night; the orange glow of the street lights interrupted intermittently by the electric blue flash of the police vehicles was the only visual clue to something abnormal.
The sounds were quiet, only the rustling of the wind howling the loudest, until the next second. Suddenly and without warning the SAS struck. Placing plastic explosives strategically around the site, they blew their way into the compound at three points. The small charges, smashing perimeter fences and gates into small showers of sharp splintered debris,
“MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!!!” were the instructions as specially trained personnel followed and covered by armed police stormed APF Industries with lightening efficiency. SAS squads clad in black armour and body suits stormed the compound from multiple angles stunning the terrorists in the first moments of the attack. The rattling of gunfire began to ring out amongst the night air as the terrorists responded like for like in attack. Coming out in force from the initial shock, they fired without mercy on the Special Forces and their police escort. Bullets spraying everywhere ricochet of surfaces and walls, pinging and zapping dangerously close as the SAS men forced their way into the compound.
River View provided an excellent grandstand to watch as Bruenstein observed the drama below. With Jack hidden behind him, he watched as his target became rather uneasy at what was going on. Bruenstein was not too concerned he had already given the order to deploy, not knowing that Jack had already struck. Looking on to the ground, he saw dark figures moving in and being fired upon by his aides, yet the trucks filled with the trollies still had not moved. The warehouse where the poison was being manufactured seemed to be the focal point for the operation. Jack meanwhile had Brusenstein in his sights, slightly distracted by the timing of the start of the action but he had by now composed himself. All he had to do was pull the trigger.
Beside the warehouse was the area of greatest resistance. SAS squads moved in to seize the haul of trucks, blocking their way out of the compound. Taking cover behind stacked pallets and drums, they seemed to be pinned down as a small group of henchmen laid down covering fire as others tried to get inside the vehicles in a vain attempt to get them away,
“Watch your fire!!! Don’t hit the trucks!!!” Shouted one of the officers as the SAS group responded. Bullets hit the pallets, smashing splinters out of them as each one carved a hole in the wood, mercifully not a high enough calibre to penetrate completely through. Such was the intensity of the fire that the group was effectively held back by the terrorists; however their presence effectively stopped the trollies from getting out of the compound.
By now the streets were filled with people as the police presence increased dramatically to control the flow of the crowds, as caught on camera by a local television crew. A reporter on site tried to capture the night’s events,
“Activity has increased dramatically in the last few minutes. I can tell you that in the past few seconds we have heard three large explosions coming from just down the street behind me followed by gunshots…. The police are….yes…. I think we are being told to get back now by the police…”
Numbers of police officers manned the blue tape marking the cordon gradually moving forward in a line, gently but firmly gesturing the public into cooperating with their instructions,
“Get back!!, can you get back please!!!” One officer shouted as he forced everyone away for their own safety, the reporter tried to get a scoop,
“Can you tell us what exactly is happening in the compound? Is it another terrorist incident in the wake of the King’s Cross bombing? Are they related in any way?”
The officer stood his ground in his indifference,
“Can you get back please?” He instructed, coming as a vibrating noise permeated overhead. Looking upwards, a police helicopter flew overhead, its infrared cameras ready to monitor the rapidly fluid situation from its unique vantage point. It was the police’s and the SAS eyes in the sky.
On the bridge, John, still taking cover behind the structure had by now removed his silencer from this pistol. There seemed no point as he observed the commotion that engulfed him. He could see the warehouse in front of him only few hundred yards away but getting there was easier said than done. By now the entire roof was occupied by terrorists and firing down onto the compound, causing John to cower as live rounds struck the metal around him,
“Bloody hell!!” He shouted loudly to himself as the rattling noise seemed to come from all directions. He never noticed some SAS squads approach the bridge from behind him, carefully as they did so, reaching a position where they could communicate with him,
“Can you get across?” Shouted one squad member,
“No, they have fire coming from that roof. That’s where the poison mixture a being made.”
“We’ve got teams down there trying to seize the vans, but they are pinned down. Who the hell are they?” Replied the SAS man,
“God knows!! Look I need to get across; can you lay down covering fire?”
The squad leader tried to comply, “Rabbit 1, Rabbit 2, covering fire on the roof, now, now!!!”
The three special service personnel emerged briefly as much as they ever dared, firing their MP5 sub machine guns in deadly unison. The hail of bullets, only partially effective, succeeded in pinning down one or two on the roof as far as John cold make out, but it only alerted some of them to divert in supporting the ones helping out near the vans and turn toward the bridge,
“Shit, get down, get down!!!” shouted the SAS squad leader as bullets rained down on them. Hunkered down behind a girder, John knew he would be shot as soon as he emerged,
“Alpha 2 to control, Alpha 2 to control, can you hear me?!!”
“We read you Alpha 2 go ahead.” Replied Harvey; the background noise almost drowned out any understanding of speech,
“It must be chaos there.” He said to himself,
“Control I still have the primed bomb, I’m trapped on the bridge, but I can’t g
et anywhere near it!! They are firing from the roof!!! We’re pinned down” Said John,
“The police snipers can’t get clear shots.” Aazim interrupted.
“I’m unable to sabotage the poison stockpile, what do you want me to do?”
In River View, Jack was still held up behind Bruenstein, his pistol still primed and ready to fire as he watched his nemesis flinch at the proceedings below. Still distracted by the conversations in his earpiece, he was fully aware of the situation his friend was in, yet here he was, the target in his sights still, all he had to do was fire,
“Alpha 1 listen carefully. ” Harvey snapped over the radio, causing Jack to freeze,
“Alpha 2 is in trouble. He’s pinned down by fire on a bridge, and can’t get to the warehouse. Get over there and link up with him, see what you can do. I don’t care what you are doing, that poison warehouse is the priority.”
West hated to admit it but he was right. If the assault had started, then there would be every risk that the terrorists could release the deadly mixture instantly, they had to be stopped. Silently he pulled his pistol down. Bruenstein has not attempted to flee, obviously thinking that his original order to his henchman had got through and was just waiting to see it through to the end. Obviously he had no idea that Jack had already got to him,
“He isn’t going anywhere.” He thought to himself as he slowly backed off into the darkness.
Now that the operation had started, the trailer that John had come across was still locked by the three SAS squad members who were still in position where they had been earlier. Inside, the situation was very different, the warm cosy atmosphere quickly became shattered as the three Russians picked up on the gunfire almost instantly. Sergey, the obvious belligerent of the three took a dominating role,
Three Faces of West (2013) Page 30