by Tim Jopling
Olsen pulled out his phone and dialled first Gibbs and then Jordan. ‘Get me a location, now.’
A beep came from the computer, confirming both agents were still at King William Street.
Olsen saw it and waited for a phone to be answered…
Both Gibbs and Ferec jumped a little at the sound of a mobile phone going off several feet behind them.
‘There’s no way out of here. My team know my location and they’re on their way now. Give yourself up!’
The phone continued to ring and echo through the tunnel as Ferec stood still, never once thinking of surrendering. Instead, he bolted into a sprint straight at Gibbs, determined to take out as many S.U.C.O. agents as he could.
Gibbs reacted more quickly and slammed his shoulder into Ferec’s side, making him fall back further. Amidst the shadows and darkened areas, Gibbs looked for the head of his target and tried to stamp his size eleven right foot down as hard as he could.
Ferec was equal to the task, rolled out of the way and launched a counter attack of his own. Using his own unique fighting style he cut his right hand, shaped like a blade, through the air and made a knife like contact right between the shoulders of the protector.
Gibbs cried out in pain and then felt a heavy kick into his ribs. He stumbled for a moment, desperately trying to catch his breath, before he felt another kick smash into his right eye socket. On the ground, he got to his knees but couldn’t open his right eye, no matter how hard he tried.
Ferec laughed to himself and threw himself through the air to administer the killer blow.
But Gibbs was more than ready, blocked the attack with both his hands and gave a deadly upper cut to Ferec, who lurched back and flew against the wall. He forced himself to continue forward and thought of all the years he had put himself on the line, refusing to go quietly if it were his final battle.
Ferec spat out one of his teeth and got to his feet, not remembering when he was last hit so hard.
‘IT’S OVER!’ shouted Gibbs, who continued with his assault. Harder and harder the blows came, one after another until finally Ferec lost his balance and Gibbs delivered a crushing blow, a powerful roundhouse kick straight into the chest. He stopped there, grabbed the smaller man by the throat, lifted him several feet off the ground and tossed the body towards the edge of the tunnel where parts of the wall had rotted away. Below was the active Circle line.
The back of Ferec’s head collided with the wall and he slumped in a heap, just metres away from the edge.
Gibbs closed in and stepped over several parts of the rotted wall. His breathing was erratic and his whole body was pain. Stopping just a few feet away, he eyed up the broken man. ‘Who are you? What are your plans?’
In all the years, all the operations, it had never happened before. There was no way around it. Ferec was in danger of being beaten. He tried to move, tried to find some energy so he could turn things in his favour again but his body failed to respond. But there was always hope! Ferec was a meticulous planner and he felt a small flick knife drop down from a hidden pocket in his inner right shirtsleeve. He gripped it as hard as he could and waited for his attacker to come closer.
Olsen heard the phone go onto voicemail and snapped it shut. ‘SHIT!’ he turned to Carter, who was still at the display panel. ‘Send a message to Jarvis and the others now!’
‘What about the devices on the rails, we need to show the investi-’
Olsen was reloading his Beretta and looked deadly serious. ‘You stay here and show them the way then join up with me. I’ll take Lorna, we may need her help.’
Carter agreed on the first order but disagreed with the second vehemently. ‘Whoa, wait a second. Lorna’s a civilian and an S.O.S is in play.’
‘She’s a civilian who has agreed to help us. I’ll protect her. Either way, she’s coming with me.’ He slammed the door shut and revved up the engine. ‘Time to go.’ he said, in a cold tone.
Carter got out and shut the door, wishing there was more time for him to check Olsen’s attitude. Not for one minute did he feel comfortable leaving his partner on his own. He saw Lorna get into the car, looking somewhat concerned. He managed his most supportive smile. ‘Go with Sam, it’ll be fine.’ As he saw the Audi speed away, Carter wanted to believe what he’d said more than anything.
Gibbs stepped closer. ‘You might as well tell me. It’s over. We both know that.’
Ferec gripped the blade still, waiting for his attacker to come just a little closer, having already worked out exactly what he was going to do.
Gibbs shook his head in frustration. ‘Fine, you can explain yourself back at MI6 but trust me, they won’t be so accommodating.’ He took another step towards Ferec, never once suspecting his own impending doom was just seconds away.
Ferec flashed out the knife so quickly that amongst the shadows, the S.U.C.O. agent never knew what had hit him. The blade dug into Jordan’s right calf, enough to affect his balance and Ferec, with all his strength, locked his right foot into Gibbs’ stomach and used the forward momentum to send him flying over the edge.
Gibbs cried out in despair as he tried in vain to stop his freefall but it was too late. The ground and the ceiling of the tunnel swapped places and the last thing he felt was the searing pain of a Circle line train speeding round the corner and smashing into his body.
Olsen could hear nothing but his own determined thoughts as he floored the accelerator of the Audi A4 and saw buildings flash by as he skilfully manoeuvred the car through the busy lunchtime traffic. A sharp right bend appeared and Olsen had to brake hard to make the turn.
In the back seat, Lorna Reed felt her lunch threaten to repeat itself as she was thrown around the left hand side of the car. I don’t remember rally driving being in my promise to help these people! She looked to Olsen and saw a determined look on his face, as she studied his every feature. The young woman could clearly see determination in the handsome features but there was more going on in the background. Something else there too…he just looks so angry. ‘Are you ok, Sam? What’s going on?’ She asked as politely as she could.
Olsen violently shifted the car into 4th gear and continued to weave in and out of the traffic, which was now building rapidly. ‘I’m fine. Forgive my driving. We’re in a hurry.’ The car lurched forward again as Olsen pushed down hard on the accelerator. The 2-litre engine strained under the pressure but complied in earnest as the car easily passed the 100 miles per hour mark.
Reed saw that frightening look in Olsen’s dark brown eyes again. ‘Oh.’ she managed. A mobile phone broke the silence, much to her relief.
Olsen took one hand off the wheel and placed the phone in the hands free kit, on the dashboard, that had been linked up to the sound system of the car. ‘Olsen.’ he said coldly.
A tense sounding Jarvis filtered through the speakers. ‘I’m pulling up to Regis House now with the others. Want me to go in?’
Olsen swerved the vehicle around a small red single-decker bus and narrowly avoided a collision with an oncoming car. ‘No! I’m almost there, just wait another 2 minutes and I’ll join you.’ he shouted, his voice still hardened and sounding deadly serious, ‘you wait!’
Another risky move came, as did a yelp from the back seat. He knew all too well he was pushing too hard but two of his friends, two of his best agents, were in trouble; it was the right time to push it. Thoughts came and went in his mind at a ferocious speed. All he could think of was wiping out these people, once and for all.
Reed could feel the anger coming from Olsen and nervously asked a question. ‘Will you need me to go down with you?’ She waited for a reply but none came. Instead, she held onto the back seat and prayed for her safety.
As he floored the car once more, the mobile phone rang again from the hands free kit. Olsen didn’t look at the display and assumed it was Jarvis again, showing his stubborn streak. ‘You stay where you are! I don’t care if you’re there already, you wait for me!’
In Hampshire, Rac
hel was taken aback by the reply and wondered whether she should be calling after their last conversation had ended on such a low. ‘Sam, what’s happening?’
Olsen recoiled in surprise at the soft sound of Rachel’s voice. He had become so consumed with the frantic turn of events, not once had he thought of Rachel. He felt embarrassed with Reed listening from the back seat. ‘I’m sorry hun, I thought you were someone else. Can I call you back? I know how that sounds but I’m rushing to another location.’
Rachel tried to hide the sarcasm in her voice. ‘No surprise there.’ She could hear the engine of a car and could almost feel the tension in her husband’s voice. ‘I was hoping you would have called me back by now. I guess you’ve been busy.’
‘Things have been difficult but I know for sure this is all personal now. They want every S.U.C.O. Agent out of the picture, so just make sure you stay with Miller and Sampson. Are they sticking close by?’
‘They’re here. I just think we need to-’ the sound of a car engine and traffic noises came over the line again and Rachel wondered whether she was still connected. ‘Sam, are you there?’ There was no reply. ‘Sam!’
‘I can barely hear you, I’m trying to get-’ the sound of tires screeching filled the air as Olsen made another sharp turn.
‘Can’t we talk?’
Olsen gripped the wheel tightly and swerved past one car and then another. ‘I wish we could, believe me. This is just a really bad time.’
As ridiculous as it sounded, Rachel felt like she was bothering her husband. The loneliness came back to her and she sighed heavily. ‘Tell you what, call me back when it’s a good time.’
Olsen grimaced, knowing how awful things appeared to his wife. ‘Rach I didn’t-’ he heard the click on the line and sighed to himself. Within moments he went back to the driving and tried to stay focussed. Some of his energy went into his emotional state, knowing the danger he was heading into. His marriage would have to wait, all he could do was focus on the here and now and staying alive.
Rachel put the receiver back on the phone handset and stared out ahead of her blankly. How much more of this could she take? It seemed impossible to talk to her husband and connect as they normally would. Thinking it over in her mind, she became more convinced that if she remained in Hampshire her marriage would crumble before it had really begun. As much as she didn’t want to go against her husband’s wishes, she was not going to continue to feel so worthless. Suddenly, she rose from the table and started to climb the stairs to find Agent Miller who was on duty in the house. Her mind was made up and she was not going to take no for an answer, she was going to insist the Agents take her back to London so she could be a wife to Sam Olsen again.
Ferec, carrying the much needed supplies, slowly made his way down to the ground of the active Circle line tunnel and did his best to put as much distance between himself and the soon to be arriving S.U.C.O. agents as he could. He passed the severed torso of Gibbs but did not look, he was too busy trying to push aside the physical pain he was feeling. He had failed and only by sheer luck had he come through and survived. Putting his damaged ego aside, he stumbled down the tunnel and made a deal with himself; he would complete his work or die trying.
Olsen swerved the car around the final corner, struggled to maintain control of the vehicle and slowed down to a halt, several feet away from another Government car. Try as he might, he was struggling with his feelings and did his best to keep them hidden, even though he knew he was doing a lousy job.
As Olsen emerged from the car, with Lorna Reed in tow, he saw Jarvis run towards him with two other S.U.C.O. Agents. Olsen wore a grim expression, said nothing and led the way into reception.
The security guard on the front desk offered his assistance but watched the four men and a woman breeze by without so much as a hello.
Olsen snapped a magazine into his Beretta 92G and caught the gazes of two of his Agents. ‘Follow my lead, we’re going to do this my way.’ He saw Lorna Reed standing several feet back and looking very uncomfortable. ‘Lorna, I appreciate your support on this. Stay here with Agent Wilson and when I give the ok, I’d like you to come down and assist us.’
Lorna waited for the chance to decide but saw Olsen and the others turn away and walk into the nearby lift. When did I sign up for all this?
As the lift doors closed and it smoothly moved down the shaft, Olsen could feel the gazes of the others but he said nothing. Inside, he was brimming with anger and longed for the doors to part so he could vent it as best he could.
Soon enough, the doors did part, revealing a deserted basement and a visible manhole in the far corner.
Olsen rushed over and scanned the manhole below with the sights of his Beretta. ‘Cover me.’ His pulse quickened as he took each step of the ladder until finally he jumped down and saw the deserted ruins of yet another abandoned station. His senses grew more alert and his instincts were activated as he saw beams of light drift across the tunnel.
The scene had an eerie edge to it, with ninety percent of the tunnel and station remains in almost complete darkness. A disc of light was slowly fading, as if it too had been dimmed by the station’s own demise.
Olsen’s eyes scanned as much as he could from his position until finally he stepped out and entered the darkness ahead. Behind him, he could hear the footsteps of his colleagues on the ladder but Olsen was focussed ahead. He stopped in his tracks at the sign of something in the distance. Keeping his Beretta out in front, he reached his left hand to his belt and his Maglite torch. Aiming the beam at the shape ahead, his heart skipped a beat when he realised he was staring at the body of a S.U.C.O. Agent.
Upstairs, Lorna watched the Agent with her answer his phone and visibly deflate. He then called for an ambulance and turned towards her. ‘We’re needed downstairs.’
Olsen was livid now. He scanned the darkness once again, not wanting to look at the pale features of his fallen comrade a second longer. He wished the attacker would return. Not only would it occupy his thoughts and take away his guilt but he could vent his anger and tear the man limb from limb, destroying any chance of him hurting any-
‘I can’t stop the bleeding Sam, we need paramedics down here now!’ spoke a breathless Jarvis, who looked genuinely concerned for Jordan.
‘Stay with him, do what you can. Paramedics are on their way.’ He turned to Ballard, the oldest member of S.U.C.O. ‘You’re with me.’
Into the darkness they went, until the sight of their fallen comrade had become a series of sounds behind them.
Olsen reached the damaged brickwork and the ledge that led downwards. ‘We need Lorna up here. No telling where this-’
A tube train rushed past at speed causing a flurry of noise and panic amongst the two Government Agents.
‘We should wait until we have strength in numbers. There is no telling what might-’
‘Wait!’ Olsen peered over the ledge and slowly traced his Maglite torch across the tunnel floor. ‘LOOK!’ Despair turned to hope as he caught sight of a pair of feet that could just be seen from the edges of the tunnel corner. ‘I’m going down there!’
Ballard sized up the structure and the considerable drop but before he could say anything, his team leader was already several feet away, climbing down.
Olsen reached the bottom and rushed along the tunnel, desperately hoping he would find Gibbs around the corner. He didn’t care what shape he was in, if he was alive he would take it and thank god his team was still in one piece.
Blood showed up on the tracks as Olsen came to the corner edge and turned around sharply. Straight away, he had to turn back and was promptly sick at the sight of the severed torso he saw…
Carter, who had arrived just seconds before, ushered the paramedics from the lift and down the manhole.
‘What the hell’s been going on here?’ asked one of them.
‘Enough to know that someone is seriously injured.’ Replied Carter, who led the men towards the body of his fallen colleague. ‘We
have to move him out of here now!’
The senior paramedic knelt down and felt for a pulse. ‘We’ll be the judge of that.’
Olsen wiped his mouth and felt a shiver go through his body. He closed his eyes in defeat and hung his head in shame. Leaning against the wall, he wanted to look round the corner once more to check for clues or any leads but couldn’t bring himself to do it. The image he saw would stay with him forever, no matter how hard he would try to forget. Behind him, he could hear Ballard’s call and took a step back towards his fellow S.U.C.O. Agent. Still he hesitated but how could anyone search a torso for any evidence or clues?
As his thoughts continued to spiral out of control, a familiar noise broke the silence and Olsen gratefully answered his signal-boosted phone. ‘Olsen.’
Back at MI6 headquarters, one of the admin personnel of Operations Command enthusiastically described his find. ‘Sir, it’s Williams from Operations Command. We’ve had a breakthrough.’ The admin officer listened intently on the line but heard nothing but silence. ‘Sir…are you there?’
Olsen shook his head as if to get himself together. ‘I’m here, what have you got?’
‘Several things, sir. Firstly, we’ve heard back from the Military stating that St. Marys checks out and has been given the all clear. They sent a team down there, apparently.’
Olsen walked away from Gibbs’ remains and felt sick. ‘Fine. What else?’
‘One of our recovery teams checked up on an MI5 surveillance team that hadn’t been in contact for several hours. Unfortunately sir, the team was ambushed and all four agents were K.I.A. All the cameras were destroyed but we’ve had a major breakthrough and rebuilt one photo from the memory of the car’s computer. They must have been attempting to send the pictures to us when they were attacked. It shows the man Chief Ramsey showed you, though we still don’t have any leads on who he is and what his role is in these attacks. It’s definitely the same man who was seen with Hal Burton at London Victoria station. This image is of a much a higher quality, sir.’