The Gruinard Project Chapter 38

[khandy]

Chapter 38

Kinross Hotel Perth 23.00 hrs.

Michael Sands’ hotel in Perth overlooked the river Tay and he stood staring down at the dark waters as he thought about tomorrow. The hotel was modest, unlike The Tycoon he would have stuck out in a five star hotel. As the boss said it was better to hide in full view than try and be what you were not.

The hour was nearly upon them; tomorrow he would launch the biological weapon. He wondered, not for the first time if The Tycoon was trying to be too clever by leaving clues and red herrings. He would have preferred to have taken Lucas North out with a bullet. He pondered how much Five had actually figured out. However he grudgingly conceded that The Tycoon was certainly pulling all the right strings, Lucas North was here and guarding the wrong person. The game was being played out exactly as The Tycoon wanted.

He turned away from the window. The door of the small wardrobe was open and the uniform he would wear tomorrow was visible inside. A frisson of excitement tingled down his spine as he thought of how the intended targets would suffer before they died. No quick clean death. He enjoyed killing, the power he got from it was why he was so in tune with The Tycoon.

He crossed to the bed and sat down. Miles and Richards had arrived earlier. They were in another hotel near to where the vehicle was hidden. The cylinders were in place ready for use, just waiting to be switched on releasing their deadly fumes.

Stephens and Davies had disposed of the woman Ruth and were on their way back to the Middle East. His eyes drifted to the bedside cabinet to the photograph of the dead woman, copies of the photographs had been sent to Harry Pearce. The Tycoon wanted him to know that nobody messed up his games.

He went over the plan in his mind one last time; it was well thought out and even with the clues that The Tycoon had left, MI5 would never be expecting the biological weapon to be released in such an ingenious way. The targets would be infected before they could do anything about it. Again a shiver of excitement passed over him as he thought about people dying and the potential the weapon had. The only thing he regretted was he would not be there as the light diminished in his victims’ eyes as their lives ebbed away.

He felt a tingle of anticipation pass over him killing turned him on and thrilled him like no other experience and he could wait to kill Lucas North.


The Gleneagles Hotel Lucas North’s room. 23.00hrs.

Lucas placed his gun on the floor at the side of his bed and pulled his shirt over his head. He had functioned all day on adrenaline and coffee and now exhaustion was sweeping over him. The Prime Minister and his wife had finally turned in for the night half an hour ago and after a final check in with Ros he knew he should try and get some sleep Day two had past uneventfully but the metaphorical clock ticked on. Lucas could sense the tension around those who knew of the potential threat; when and where, he wondered, would it take place?

He finished undressing and slipped into bed. He usually slept naked but had thought it was wise to leave his boxer shorts on in case he had to move quickly during the night. He wouldn’t want to give the PM’s wife an eyeful.

He pulled the pillows behind him and settled back against them. Before leaving London Kate had made him promise that no matter what time it was he would ring her before going to bed.

She answered on the first ring.

“Hey I didn’t wake you did I?” he asked.

“No I was waiting for you to call. I’m missing you Lucas.”

“Same here, This bed seems empty without you and I have wished a thousand times today you were here to talk to. ”

“How are things there?”

“Tense, with everybody sitting about waiting. It’s like the eerie stillness just before a storm, unnaturally quiet. The Prime Minister is particularly tense, I was pleased when he and his wife finally retired to their suite.”

“Do you think he has told her about the threat?” Kate wondered.

Lucas considered this for a moment.

“I don’t know. She is certainly edgy but that could be because she is picking up on her husband’s tension without actually being aware of what is causing it. It’s funny I have never really thought about how much the wives of senior statesmen are told.”

“Well I guess they are not normally the people who you are focusing on.” Kate replied. “Ros contacted me about the sprinkler system, do you know if she had it checked out?” she continued.

“Yeah she did but it certainly has not been tampered with in anyway. Malcolm has carried out a thorough search of the whole hotel and nothing has been touched. We still have no idea how they plan to attack. Are you sure it will be as a gas?”

“If they are serious it will be. Anthrax contamination can occur in three ways. Gastrointestinal infection occurs when the bacteria is eaten. It causes a severe inflammation of the gut causing vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and pain. The mortality rate is between 25% to 60% depending on how quickly it is diagnosed and treatment commenced. Cutaneous is via the skin through a cut. A lesion or pustule develops, with treatment this is rarely fatal and even without treatment there is only 20% mortality rate. Inhalation infection on the other hand causes cold like symptoms which are often ignored and then severe respiratory distress and shock develop. Mortality rate historically is around 90%”

“So it will be inhalation because of the better mortality rate and they will want to kill as many as they can,” Lucas said dispassionately.

“One would assume that will be the aim,” Kate agreed.

“Not that I want to put pressure on you but how goes it your end?”

“Badly, as I told Harry this strain seems to multiply rapidly. I need to find an antibody against it but so far none of the specimens are developing any.”

“An antibody?”

“Yes when the body comes under attack from a pathogen be it a virus or bacteria the immune system produces antibodies. It is how a person recovers naturally from an illness or infection and in certain diseases how we become immune after being infected once. If I can see how the antibodies attack the disease I can begin to develop a vaccine.”

“That seems to require the one thing we haven’t got, time.”

“I know. I did say at the beginning I was probably not the person for this.”

“Hey none of that,” Lucas said softly, wishing he could hold her.

“Lucas the best way to prevent this is going to be stopping it from happening in the first place.”

“Well Ros, Malcolm and Jo are doing everything they can. The two men I followed have moved up here today so we are assuming that tomorrow will be the day. Jo is with a team from CO19 watching them. Ros is looking for Sands as she has seen him before and Malcolm is heading up surveillance here at the hotel.”

“Lucas I am so scared, if you get infected this disease is fatal. Please tell Harry to pull out. This is madness.” Kate’s voice shook at the thought of losing him.

“The PM and Queen won’t be dictated to. We have to believe we can stop the attack.”

Kate took a deep breath knowing that he was right about not giving in.

“Sorry I know you are right. Are the emergency services on stand by for a major incident up there?” she asked.

“Yes, they always are around these international conferences,” Lucas told her.

“Tell Ros to ensure that all receiving hospitals must have a stockpile of ciprofloxacin, lecofloxacin and norfloxacin as the tests I have run are showing that these antibiotics do slow the disease process.”

“Hang on a minute while I write them down Kate.” He reached for a pen and paper. “Can you spell them out for me?”

He wrote as Kate spelt the drug names out.

“Lucas if possible causalities must be transferred to hospitals with specialist infection control units. They will have dealt with Anthrax before, make sure Ros knows this.”

“Ok Kate I will.”

“I’m going back over Dr Ross’ notes to see if I missed anything.”

“Ok but get some rest. Are Marcus and Helen still with you?” he asked.

“Yes, it’s difficult for them Lucas. They are struggling to understand why you have to be there and they are worried about how you are coping.”

“Well tell them I am alright and that I am still taking the antidepressants just not the sleeping tablets. Actually I feel more in control than at any time since my return from Russia.”

Kate realised he sounded genuinely relieved.

“Well that’s encouraging. I should let you get some sleep. I will speak to you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight Kate and remember I love you.”

“I love you too Lucas.”

MI5 Safe House London. 23.00

Harry was talking on the phone quietly. Ruth had woken alone in bed initially thinking he had left, until she registered his murmured voice in the next room. She had gone through to him wondering if he ever just switched off, somehow she doubted it. He was sat on the sofa in a towelling robe talking to Ros. Hearing her enter the room he looked up and smiled softly at her. She lent over brush a kiss on his cheek and squeezing his shoulder in silent comfort before going through to make a cup of tea.

Harry watched her through the open door scarcely able to believe that she was here and that they were lovers. He had actually thought at his age this kind of relationship had passed him by.

Ros was explaining her plans for tomorrow and he really had to force himself to pay attention, distracted as he was by Ruth in the other room.

“That sounds like a good idea Ros. The meetings you have with the receiving hospitals are they early?” he asked.

“Well if you have to be up that early then I best let you go to bed. Tell Malcolm I will be in touch again in the morning.” He replaced the receiver as Ruth came back in with the tea.

“Is everything in control up in Scotland?” she asked.

“As it can be. Ros is a good section head she knows what she is doing. Lucas is coping alright he has spoken to Kate who has recommendations for the local hospitals regarding treatment so Ros is going to speak to them tomorrow. I will have to go back up there tomorrow morning on the 6.30 flight.” The last words were spoken almost apologetically.

“It’s Ok Harry I understand. I know what the job entails,” she told him.

“Lucas said I needed to trust you and myself, I’m beginning to see he was right.”

“Yeah I’m tougher than I look.”

“Not that tough.” Harry spoke as his hands slipped her satin dressing gown off her shoulders, slowly caressing the soft skin he exposed. Ruth lay back against the cushions of the sofa as his hands moved to the belt that was loosely tied at her waist. His breath caught in his throat as he realised she was naked beneath the thin satin material. His lips traced a path down her neck towards the vee of material nestling her breasts, pleased that she was a real woman with curves not just a macrobiotic diet fed stick insect. Her hands moved to his robe pushing it free. Self consciously Harry apologised for not being in better shape. Pushing him back slightly she looked at him and smiled.

“To me you’re perfect you foolish man. I have waited for you for what seems like a lifetime Harry Pearce.” Ruth stood and slid her dressing gown off before pulling Harry down to the rug on the floor. “And if you don’t love me know I will have to kill you,” she said with a smile

He wanted to protest that men in their fifties didn’t have sex on the floor but her hands and mouth were driving him slowly mad with need.. Time ceased to have any meaning as they made love. Their previous joinings had been careful; then they had been slow and gentle. Now they explored each other bodies with almost wild abandonment.

She was fluid beneath him her limbs entwining with his as if dancing a sensuous rumba.
“Please Harry no more giving, just take me.”

*********

As they lay together her mouth brushed his. Never had she felt so beautiful, so loved.

“I’m here to stay Harry if you will have me?” she whispered.

Harry looked down at her.

“Ruth is that a proposal?”

“Yes it is. I told you I have waited my whole life for you.”

“Do you want my answer straight away?”

“No I know you need to work this out. But don’t keep me waiting too long.”

She stood and put her dressing gown back on. Reaching down she pulled him up. “It’s time we were in bed. You have to be on your way early”

At the door to the bedroom he pulled her into his arms and kissed her softly.

“You know some things need no thought at all,” he told her. “When this is all over I will get a special licence. I have lost you too many times. Now you are back I am never letting you go.”

The Blue Tower Suite. Gleneagles Hotel.

The Tycoon was sipping a night cap, cognac, possibly not the favoured drink in Scotland but he preferred it to scotch.

His mind went back over his meeting with Lucas North. The man was everything he expected and more. The quiet understated intelligence in those shrewd, watchful eyes had been very evident. It was a pity Mr North had to die. If he could have been persuaded he would have been a real asset, probably more so than Sands who was little more than a thug. However his conversation with Dolby had confirmed what Sands had already said about Lucas North. He was obsessively loyal to his country. Eight years in a Russian prison had not broken that loyalty. The Tycoon could only understand loyalty to oneself and to him, not to any country. Lucas North was an enigma and a dangerous one. He had to die.

The Prime Minister had seemed edgy as if waiting for something to happen. It seemed that MI5 had told him about the attack and he was worried. Did he believe he was the intended target? The Tycoon hoped so, as that was what he had wanted MI5 to believe. It was like a magician performing a slight of hand trick. While you watch him doing one thing, something else was happening elsewhere. Tomorrow the waiting would be over. All the players were in place and he as the controller waited to begin the game.

Would the PM show any remorse? Publicly yes almost certainly, privately no he wouldn’t, in fact he would be pleased that the problem had gone away.

His wife appeared in the doorway a vision in silk and lace floating on a Channel number five cloud.

“Darling are you coming to bed?” she asked, her tone seductive.

He stood and moved towards her. Tonight he would make love to his wife because it suited him to. Just as tomorrow he would launch a biological weapon attack because it suited him to. That was real power. He decided not just what he did but what others did as well.

[HellsBells]

Another superbly written chapter. I love the way the pieces of the story are all coming together. 'The Tycoon' was wonderfully betrayed as an evil character.

[khandy]

Thanks again for the comment. I had so much fun writing the tycoon making him really evil.

I also loved getting Harry and Ruth together more later today