The Gruinard Project Chapter 23

[khandy]

Chapter 23

Yorkshire 8am

Jo’s eyes were scratchy and dry; she had been awake too long. A yawn escaped before she could stop it, the result of a combination of boredom and tiredness. It was a life time ago that she had been drawn to working for MI5; to think that she had believed that it would be all designer clothes, Aston Martins and non stop adventure. Reality was different, most of the work was boring and mundane with hours spent cramped in small places watching and waiting for something to happen, fighting boredom and the need to sleep as hour after hour slipped by.

When they recruited you they didn’t mention the monotony of surveillance. They didn’t mention a lot of things. They mentioned the pride in serving your country, the travel, how interesting it was to work with other law enforcement agencies. What they didn’t tell you was how seedy and dirty the job could be, how if you were not careful it ate away at your soul. Was it because she was a woman she felt like that? Ros said it was harder for female agents, Jo had been aware that Ros meant that female agents were expected to use their sex to obtain information. For her though it had been much worse; captured on an op she had been violently raped by Boscard and still carried the scars of that mission. It was strange but it had been men who had helped her recover. First Adam, she sighed as she thought what a good friend he had been; dropping everything when she had called night or day. Being at her side through those endless early days listening to her rant and rave. He had been too young to die and too good as well. Thinking of Adam her thoughts naturally moved to Wes, it was his birthday soon, what did young boys like these days she wondered? Harry kept in touch with the lad as well; she must ask if he planned a birthday visit.

She sighed again and scanned the road. The other man who had helped her was Lucas. He had realised that she had not dealt with killing Boscard and had told Harry she needed help. They had shared a drink and she had asked him to explain how he had known that she was not coping when the others hadn’t seen it. He had smiled that enigmatic smile and said the others hadn’t seen the places they had. The pain she had seen in his eyes had remained for a long time, Lucas had not been dealing with his demons either. That changed with the arrival of Kate, the desolate look in the depths of his eyes had changed over the past week. She smiled was it only week since Kate had arrived at MI5? She seemed to have been a part of the team forever. The difference in Lucas since her arrival was profound, he seemed less troubled.

A slight sound behind her made Jo turn around, Mrs Ball the owner of the house was entering with a tray. She had been so excited when Jo had explained that she was from the RSPB and that a rare Lesser Yellowlegs had been spotted on the pond in the centre of the common that her house bordered. As this was the furthest north the bird had ever been sighted the RSPB wanted photographic evidence. Mrs Ball had been only too delighted to allow the young woman to set up a camera in the front bedroom so that she could get the photographic evidence she needed.

“I thought you might like some tea and breakfast dear, as you were up so early.”

Jo smiled.

“That is really kind of you,” she said, as she took the tray.

“Any sight of the bird yet?”

“No not yet Mrs Bell. You have to patient to be an ornithologist.” And a field officer Jo thought as she spoke.

“Ah well you can stay as long as you like my dear. Now drink your tea while it‘s hot.”

It was mid morning before Jo saw any movement outside number 32. An npower works fan pulled up and two men got out and headed up the drive. Jo moved to her camera and took several shots. The door opened and after a moment’s hesitation while she checked their ID, a grey haired older lady let them in.

Jo placed an ear piece in her ear and listened to the conversation. One of the men was telling her that next door had a carbon dioxide leak and that they were checking other houses in the row as they were all built around the same time.

While the men were inside Jo passed a message on to another agent to get ready to follow the men when they left. The inspection took about ten minutes and Jo took several more shots as they left the house. They sat in the van for a while and Jo could make out one of the men using a mobile phone before it pulled off. A dark nondescript saloon car followed.

Satisfied that the men were being trailed, Jo plugged the camera into her laptop, she downloaded the photographs and sent them to London with a request to Malcolm. An hour later she received an email with an attached file. She opened in and smiled, Malcolm was a wonder. She opened the door and called Mrs Ball to show her the photo of the Lesser Yellowlegs. Promising her a copy of the picture she packed up her equipment and headed off to meet up with the other agent who was with her.

Thames House 11am

Malcolm handed the photographs to Lucas.

“These are the men you followed. Jo says they have left Mrs Ross’ mother’s home. She has them under surveillance it looks as if they are catching the train back south,” he told the younger man.

“They are them, do we have any names yet?”

“No I’m waiting for six to get back to me as you think Michael Sands may be behind this.” Lucas had explained his theory to Malcolm when he had arrived on The Grid. “They may be former agents,” Malcolm continued.

“True, let hope we get a name or two before Ros and Harry arrive back from the meeting with the PM‘s office.”

“Let’s hope.” Malcolm walked back to his desk.

Lucas glanced across at Kate her face a study in concentration again. He knew she was scared but like the real trooper she was she was not showing it. She had been working solidly without a break for four hours. He went to the coffee machine and poured her a coffee and selected a brownie from the cake box.

“Here you need to take a break.” He put the coffee and cake on her desk and then perched on the edge next to her. “How’s it going, better than last night?”

A slight blush tinged her cheeks at the thought of last night she doubted anything could be better than last night. Giving herself a mental slap because that was not what he was talking about so she had better get her mind back on the job.

“Yeah actually I think I have made a significant discovery but there is a long way to go.” The swish of the automatic door had her turning. Harry and Ros walked across the reception area.

“Conference room everybody let’s see where we are.” Harry pushed open the door.

Once everyone was settled Ros kicked off by explaining what they had learned about the PM’s schedule.

“He is tied up all next week with the Commonwealth Head of States Conference. Then he is off on a secret visit to Afghanistan to meet with senior British commanders over there. On his return he has a meeting with the head of the UN, Ban Ki Moon, to discuss more United Nation involvement in Afghanistan. Other than that it is routine business of government. Lucas why do you think the MS they mentioned is Michael Sands?”

“When Dean and I went to retrieve the rucksack from where he had dumped it, we were set upon by four men and that,” Lucas pointed to one of the men in the photograph, “is one of them. It is too big a thing to be a coincidence.”

“Supposing you are right and it is Michael Sands. Why target you? I saw him as well. I actually had a conversation with him,” Ros asked.

“If I didn’t know better Ros I would say you were jealous,” Lucas joked. “Seriously though I had wondered that but then it occurred to me that you never saw him shoot Dean and I did.”

“That’s true, well if it is Sands he is working for somebody else. He is usually the brawn in ops not the brains.”

“If I remember correctly he was working for the foreign office last time. Do we think they are involved this time?” Malcolm asked.

“Sorry did you say he was working for the foreign office? Our foreign office?” Kate asked.

“Yeah he was, they were having problems with a French negotiator.”

“Good God that’s unbelievable. Our own government doing something that illegal.” Kate shook her head.

Lucas glanced at her concerned; the black and white world she lived in was being violated.

“To answer your question Malcolm I don’t think he is working for the government, after all the threats are being made against the PM,” Harry said.

“Harry I have more information on the potential target as it maybe that it is not just the PM. Arnold Smith the name in the last message.” Lucas paused and looked around the table.

“Ok who is he Lucas?” Ros asked.

“He was a Canadian diplomat, the first ever Secretary General of the Commonwealth he served in that position from 1965 to 1975. He was an educated man having been a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Deeply committed to the Commonwealth he is best remembered as having a clear vision on what the fundamental principles of the Commonwealth should be and thay were developed in The Singapore Declaration. Those being democracy, human rights and good governance. He believed that history would show that the Commonwealth was one of Britain’s greatest gifts to humanity. As he died in 1994 he is not our target. The other previous Secretaries are all still alive. The current holder of the office is Kamelesh Sharma; he will of course be at the Heads of Government Meeting that Ros has already mentioned, which is being held at Gleneagles next week. I think we have to assume he is a potential target.”

Harry rubbed his eyes wearily. Yet another potential target.

“Jesus how many of these notes if any are red herrings? Ok Ros I want a full itinerary for the Gleneagles meeting next week and I need you to speak to head of security there it has now become the number one location for the attack.”

“Harry,” Kate interrupted him hesitantly. “I think we have to consider that the first note is not a red herring.”

“Well I didn’t think it was, it was warning of a biological threat,” Harry said.

“Yeah but we assumed it wasn’t the one in the clue, Anthrax, because there is a vaccine for it.”

“Right which is why we said they wouldn’t use it.”

Kate looked at him.

“Well they’re going to,” she said

“What is the point of that?” Ros asked. “If we have an effective vaccine it must be common knowledge.”

“Oh it is common knowledge there is a vaccine. They have modified the bacteria. This is what has been confusing me, Dr Ross was a virologist I think he must have stumbled on this by accident he wouldn’t have been doing research on a bacteria. His notes are disjointed not how a scientist makes formal notes but from what I can understand so far they have genetically modified the bacteria. The vaccine is going to be useless.”

“Is this new strain just immune to the known vaccine or is it more virulent as well?” Lucas asked.

“I’m not sure, I have still got several pages of data to work through. However if you are modifying something it is generally to make it stronger or more effective. The thing is though Harry we need a sample of this bacteria, it is the only way we can begin to develop a new vaccine.”

“Ok back to work Kate. Lucas I want a plan on how we get into that lab and steal a sample of the vaccine. Malcolm, Lucas is going to need to know all the security at the lab, get on to it please. I will inform Dolby about the developments. Thank you everybody.” Harry stood and walked to his office.

[HellsBells]

Another excellent chapter, khandy.

[khandy]

(01-12-2010 04:37 PM)HellsBells Wrote:  Another excellent chapter, khandy.

Thank you

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Thank you

[BravoNine]

YAY!!! Sounds great!