Chapter 23

David, Michaela and their friends were blissfully unaware of what was going on in the world. Much to Michaela’s surprise, after his late night on the cliffs, David was relaxed and none the worse for the chill. He was interested only in her, her comfort and her happiness. The vid remained off. Neither had come up with any new ideas on how to solve Michaela’s problem, or perhaps just to accept the situation.
Kiara and Rob left Michaela and David to themselves. Kiara thought that it might be best and Rob found no reasons to disagree with her. Except for meals and few nightly drinks at the pub together, each couple vacationed alone.
This all changed on Sunday morning, Michaela arranged that they were all to be awakened at 9am for a leisurely breakfast together. It was not until that morning that Michaela explained why she wanted them all together. David knew immediately when Michaela got up, that there was something very serious afoot. He suspected it had nothing to do with her pregnancy.

Breakfast, thought it may have been meant to be leisurely was anything but, as there was no conversation to speak of, the meal was finished in near record time.
“I suggest that we all go for a walk and get some free air for an hour or so. We can go get the papers and take a stroll around Tenby.”
“Why? We still have three days till we go home, there is plenty of time for that. None of the shops are even open, as it is on a Sunday.”
“I really don’t want to say anything yet, I think you should all hear the information at the same time I do.”
“What information, Michaela, and from whom?”
“David, I know you’re curious but I think it best if we hear it all together. I get the feeling that we are all about to be thrown into another great mess. Unfortunately, I think we are the only ones capable of solving it.”
“Wait a second, you’re not telling us you have got us a job have you? I mean I hope you don’t think that we have become a team of mercs, for hire.”
“Look, I told you I am not going to say a thing till we get back. I am going to make a call at about 10:30 and I want you all to be there.”
“But Michaela…”
“David, please, trust me on this one.” She reached over and put her hand on the side of his face. She then got up and led them all out of the room and out the front door. Their coats were resting on the banister, retrieved from their rooms by some unseen hand.”
“Michaela, may I go to the toilet before we go out.”
“Yes, of course. I will wait here with the boys.”
“Michaela, why don’t you come join me, the braid in my hair seems to falling out and I need help to do it.” Kiara motioned with her head that this was not an idle request.
“Yes, I see what I can do, braids were never my forte’ in school.”
As the pair walked away David whispered to Rob, acutely aware of Michaela’s keen sense of hearing. “Yea, her forte’ was guns and other weapons. While the other girls read 17 and Teen she read Guns & Ammo and Soldier of Fortune.”
They both laughed out loud. “If she was not so pretty, she easily have passed for one of the boys.”
“I know what you mean,” replied David, “She is honestly the only woman I ever met that I had so much in common with…”
“I have always meant to ask her this. Do you know if she knows how to fix a car?”
“Without a doubt, probably knows how to build the parts as well.” The pair of men stood in the entry-way of “High Seas,” it was separated from the rest of the house by a large glass door. On their side stood a table, with an ancient coin-box phone and a small stand for leaflets advertising local attractions and events. Like most of the rest of the place, it harkened back to a by-gone age, with no tech, vids or Union. This was the stuff of thousands of English holidays spent by the sea-side in the summer. Pale white skin baking in the sun, turning flesh red so that the upper body resembled some lobster humanoid creature. The shop next door still sold plastic buckets and spades, rakes, naff hats and lame postcards together with inflatable anything: from one man boats to water-wings.
There were still quite a few holidaymakers in town, but no where near as many as in July. Soon children be back at school and husbands and wives back to work. The summer, that barely even touched Tenby, would soon over for another year. Small guests houses like “High Seas” would be closed for the winter, their owners going off to some far flung part of the country to take their own vacation. Another summer over, and plans for the next one just a distant memory. Autumn was on its way, but for the Bank Holiday Weekend. The next weekend would be the storm before the calm, with Easter week so far into the future…?
In the bathroom a less cordial discussion was going on. “Michaela what are you up to? Why the suspense?”
“Kiara, I cannot tell you. You, David and Rob, are going to have to make a very important decision. One which, since I will not be able to be directly involved with, I cannot, or rather will not, make for you. I desperately do not want to influence your decision…”
“You are not making any sense.”
“Yes, I know, I am sorry. I have been under a lot of stress lately about you know what and I do not want it to affect my actions. I was not willing to speak for all of you in my condition.”
“But….”
“Kiara, please trust me on this one. It will become clear, when you hear what Gwyn has to say.”
“Gwyn, isn’t that the woman who runs the Red Dragon, David and Rob are always on about, is it? You are not planning to buy a pub are you?”
“No, nothing like that. Please don’t tell the boys, I beg you.”
“Look Michaela, if it means that much to you.”
“Kiara, it means so much to all of us.”
“Enough of this let me see that hair of yours and see if I can do anything for you.”
“Just make sure it does not look like it is going to fall out, it feels like it is slipping.”
“You mean your braid is actually slipping?”
“Yes, I wasn’t completely lying.”
“Oh, I thought it was just a ruse to get me alone to have a chat.”
“Only part.”
Smiling, Michaela turned to her friend and said, “Well that’s that then. Let’s go get the papers.” The two women headed downstairs.
“Oh, here they come.”
“Rob, did you remember your room key, or does Kiara have it.”
“Kiara looks after those things, afraid I’ll lose it.”
“Clever woman, that Kiara.”
“Very funny, metalhead.”
“Are you two ready for a brisk run round Tenby then? There will be a few hills, so you had better be ready.”
“What?” Chorused David and Rob in time.
“Oh, did I say walk earlier, I meant run. You two are out of shape and need some exercise. Come on, march, double time.”
“Bullocks to that!”
The four friends spent a relaxing hour wandering the mostly deserted Tenby. Rob and David finally found the papers they wanted. Most of the places they looked at were already sold out of the “broadsheets.” Tabloid newspapers were everywhere with headlines like England to secede and become 61 state of US and even better Royals to move to America, US to become Monarchy! There were the usual assorted stories about various celebrities and their private lives.
“Who reads this shit?”
“David, these papers are the voice of the common man.”
“Bullshit, papers like this are voice of common scum and their advertisers.”
The newsagent was getting annoyed with the two men’s critique of his selection of papers. He looked relieved when they left his shop, even though neither bought anything.
Michaela was characteristically anxious about the time and made sure that they were all heading back with plenty of time to spare. Her internal clock was set to the atomic clock at the Greenwich Observatory, accurate to millisecond. One of Michaela’s biggest quandaries was why no one else she knew was as prompt as she.
The quartet arrived back at the hotel with several minutes to spare before their call was expected. Each one made a quick trip up to the rooms with a promise to gather in the main lounge at the pre-appointed time.
“Maybe now we will know what the hell is going on Rob. The suspense is killing me.”
“I bet Michaela told Kiara but not us.”
“Comrades before significant others, seems to be the rule for those two!”
“Good thing we are not like that, I never keep anything from Kiara, I can tell you,” said Rob in his most sarcastic tone of voice.
“Oh yes, I would never think of such of such a thing. What is marriage if it is not based on honesty, openness and trust.”
“Rob, David will you two knock it off. It would be a shame if I missed the call because of being sick to my stomach.”
“Kiara, I think we’d better confiscate any copies of crap American chat shows, these two have. That stuff is rotting their brains.”
“Yes, I think Rob used the expression “personal space” yesterday, I almost hit him!”
“Excuse me,” said Mrs Davies, “you will either have to come down stairs to my office to take the call or use the ordinary phone with no visual link. You are standing in front of a television not a vid.”
“Rob, we did it again. I completely forgot this was not a vid.”
“Well, at least I managed to avoid talking into the handset unlike you.”
“Yes, yes thank you, big mouth.”
“If you will follow me I will take you to my office. I assume you want the video link.”
“Yes, of course Mrs Davies, if that is not too much trouble.”
“I am sorry that there is no other vid in the building, there is not much call for it from my guests, in some cases there would be downright hostility. My guests normally come here to get away from technology.”
The four followed the middle-aged woman down the stairs to the main entrance way, towards the kitchen. Hidden to the side, invisible from anywhere but directly in front of it, was a small doorway leading to a small twisting stairway down to the lower level.
“Mind your head, I am afraid this was built for a time when people were a great deal shorter than they are now.”
The small narrow staircase led to a series of rooms, that were used for various purposes. In one stood a large commercial washer and dryer and piles of dirty towels and sheets.
Mrs Davies was aware the her guests were seeing the piles and apologised for it, “I am sorry about the mess in their, my washer woman is ill and I have not had a chance to get to it yet.”
In another room, there were stacks and stacks of supplies. Rob believed it was the most toilet paper he had ever seen.” She’ll have enough until the next century. She must buy it by the lorry-load.” There piles of the other things needed to run a Guest House, neatly stacked in great rows, everything perfectly in its place.
On the left as the group negotiated their way down the stairs was a small toilet clearly labelled with the letter WC, inside it were an even smaller shower and sink. The group passed through the room with the laundry to a slightly larger room with a small bed in it against the left wall, the only thing easily seem from the entrance.
David was amazed what he saw as they all turned the corner to the right.
“This is my humble office. This is the heart of “High Seas””
“Humble that is a very recent piece of kit. It is not even Union approved. My god, it is a GE Vidmaster 3000. How on earth did you get that Mrs Davies?” Asked a humbled Rob.
“I have several American guests, who have been coming here for longer that I have been running the place. One of them is an American diplomat in Brussels. Put this down as a diplomatic necessity. The gentleman has a life time guarantee of free accommodation and priority booking.”
“Nice one, Mrs Davies.”
Mrs Davies felt a bit guilty implying the Mr Shumway was not being honest with his employers,” uh, you understand that he does actually use it when he is here. He thought it best for him to leave it here rather than carry it back and forth to Brussels. Very sensible man.”
“I am jealous!’
“I never thought I would like something so sophisticated, but it is very easy to use once you get used to it. There is a nice man in…I think it is Cupertino, California who answers all my questions and solves my problems.”
“I am afraid I have apologise for Rob here, he is a bit of a techno-weenie. Keep him away from tech too long and he has withdrawal symptoms.” Kiara put her arm around her boyfriend to preven him from going any closer to the machine.
“I am afraid David is just as bad. Between the two of them, we barely ever get away from talk about tech.”
An American voice emanated from the vid, “Mrs Davies, there is a personal call for one of your guests, should I put it through or take a message?”
“Put it through, very well.”
“Should I put a phone charge the guest bill?”
“No, that is fine, no need.”
“I should remind you that there is a charge for received calls, it is clearly stated in “High Seas” literature.”
“I’m aware of that. Remember I wrote the brochure.” Mrs Davies turned to Michaela and David. “The only problem with this machine is that it is rather patronising. I cannot figure out how to stop that function.”
“Typically American. Does it correct your grammar as well?”
“Thankfully no, that feature along with the Political Correctness Filter can be disabled.”
“Are telling me that is actually tries to correct your grammar? I was kidding.” Said the astonished Michaela.
Rob interrupted the conversation. “No actually Michaela, it produces a report analysing the content of a given conversation, pointing out any errors in speech that might have been made…”
Kiara placed her hand over Rob’s mouth from behind him to prevent him from continuing.” She was relieved when she finally saw a female figure appear on the vid in the familiar surroundings of the Red Dragon
“Hello…David how are you? I see you have all managed to fit into Mrs Davies office. I was wondering whether Michaela would make you all come chat to me. It must be a tight fit.”
“Well no, the roof is a little low but we are fine. As long as the conversation does not take too long I think we will be fine. Michaela may have a crick in her neck though.”
“Michaela, why don’t you sit on my chair? You don’t look comfortable like that.” Mrs Davies got up from her chair and practically pushed Michaela into the seat. Actually, between ducking her head and catching her heel on the uneven floor, Michaela sort of collapsed into the chair.
“Just seit there, Michaela. I have things to do. You’ll be fine here without me. Just tell the thing to sleep before you leave the room. Oh, yes watch your head on the way out as well. Even I sometimes bump myself on the stairs on the way up.”
“Thanks, Mrs Davies, you have been a big help…as usual. I hope we can figure out a way of finishing our stay here. I so hate to leave.”
“Oh shit, this is serious,” David said to himself. “Michaela thinks we may have to go home early.”
“I am sorry to have to ruin your holiday this way, but you seemed the only person who would know what to do with this information. We are at out wits end, here.
“What is it? Sounds a bit serious?” Michaela was at her most serious. She knew that Gwyn would never have allowed Joe to call her if it were not important. Gwyn, a woman who ran a pub, appreciated holidays like no one else.
“I don’t know if David will remember him, but one of my regulars from way back, is in a spot of bother.” In the background Clive made a point of coming into sight of the camera on the vid. “David, I think he stopped being a regular soon after you started coming regularly.”
“I can’t say I remember the name.”
“Clive used run a rebel outfit campaigning against the Union. It has since ceased to exist. The group that wiped them out are planning something big.”
“Gwyn, stop being so cagey we’re all adults here. What is really going on?” Michaela displayed her lack of patience when it came to niceties in serious situations. “Who the hell is this Clive character and what group did he lead? I am not one to help terrorists as you well know.”
Clive emerged from the background and taking a deep breath began to speak, “Michaela, I am Clive and you are right you need to know the facts before you get involved. In my defence I might add that the information I have I would not have gotten unless I was involved in BASH. I would not have this chance to save a great number of lives.”
“Clive, cut the heroic bullshit. Which terrorist group were you a member?”
“Actually I was the head of BASH until we were wiped out by Jervis and his gang.”
“You ran that bunch of arseholes? Weren’t you the lot that blew up that housing estate? I seem to remember your last leader being a stooge of the Minister of Security. Wasn’t Cromwell the one who got blown up in that apartment a few years back.” Michaela was not going to let on that Rob was the one responsible for Cromwell’s end.”
“Your glorious leader was involved with a guy that had a friend on mine’s fianc killed to get to me. You expect me to help you?”
“No, I don’t expect you to help me, but I do expect you to want to prevent a massacre on the size of the housing estate bomb.”
“How do I know you are telling the truth?”
“Michaela, this man is on the level, I assure you. I have two good friends who can vouch for the information. This is serious.”
“Gwyn you do not seriously expect me to help the pols and a group of wankers who were responsible for the death of a good friend of mine do you? I love you dearly but this is a bit much.” Michaela was shouting by this time, and it was clear to all she was very angry.
“Michaela please, hear him out. This is serious.”
“Bloody hell, this must be what that old man was talking about on the cliff. Bloody hell.” David was shocked to hear himself. “Michaela, I think we had better listen. I know it is a bit difficult but we have to do this.”
“David, how do you know about this. This is the first I have heard about this, and you already knew and did not tell me!”
“Michaela you would not believe me if I told you. But, I know we have to do this.” He put his hand around her back. “Clive ,please go on.” David did not see Rob left the room, tears in his eyes. Kiara although tempted to follow stayed in the room to hear more.
“Well when we were raided by Jervis and Co…”
“Who is this Jervis, person. If you want me to help you, you need to tell me everything from the beginning.”
“Vicar Jervis, as he likes to be called, is a nutcase that used to be a member of BASH. He was responsible for the accidental explosion at the housing estate. I am convinced that it was on purpose. Jervis and I differ on the way we want to achieve our goals.”
“Meaning what exactly?”
“Jervis could not give a shit who happens to get killed along the way. Innocents die as martyrs to the cause and the guilty burn in hell. He is the closet thing I have ever met to a Christian Fundamentalist akin to Islamic Jihad and the like. Jervis, from what I understand wants to start a new crusade to “cleanse” England and the old UK of the unholy. Which in his case means the Union and anything having to do with technology. He is a luddite as well as a puritan of the worse kind.” Clive was on a roll and could see he had the attention of the people on the screen before him. “Oh yes, one more thing he has the taste for VERY young girls, I am talking 10-13.” Clive was pleased when this last little tid bit had the effect he wanted, right on cue Gwyn cut in, “Michaela, the friend on mine who helped Clive, told me about a girl Clive saved from Jervis who was not more than 13. Now I hear he is recruiting girls as young as 10 to come and join his group. This man is a real sicko.”

Gwyn, her face was stricken with concern as she said, “I can have TM give you a call to confirm what I have told you. She talked at length to this girl when she was staying with her. TM told me it was a heart wrenching story.”
“Where is this girl then?”
“TM gave her some money and she went to Torquay to be with some family she has there. TM was really concerned for her safety.” “Has anyone made an attempt to come after Clive, yet?”
“No, not that we know of?”
Joe appeared behind his wife and spoke. “Michaela I can get you any info on the raid from the vid reports. There is a bloke here in the pub who is a real crisis junkie, records anything really nasty that happens. Been quite busy lately.”
“No, that’s fine I am sure Rob can get me all of that an more from his buddies on the net. Can’t you Rob?” She turned away from the vid to find that he was not where she he would be.
“Rob stepped out for minute.” Said Kiara, her face saying more than enough to make it clear to Michaela exactly why.
“What else have you for me, Clive?”
“Well, Jess told us that they are planning an attack on Stansted Airport for this bank holiday Friday. From what she could recall there were to using a large lorry filled with explosives.”
Michaela as quick of the mark as ever questioned the information, “Clive, a girl of thirteen would not have known the previous name for the Claude Monet European Gateway, now would she?”
“She didn’t she just said that the airport being hit started with an “S” and had allot of continental flights going to and from it.”
“So you are guessing.”
“Michaela, it was TM’s husband Andrew that figured it out, not Clive.” Gwyn was getting upset with the direction of the discussion and making her frustration as clear as possible to Michaela. “Look, I know this isn’t easy, with Teresa getting killed and all that. But I believe him and so does Joe, with two of our oldest and dearest friends!” One of Joe’s regular volunteer took Andrew home to return with Derek and Phil. Andrew knew that the call Clive and Gwyn were to make to Pembrokeshire was going to be ugly. The tension in the air as he left said it all.
“Gwyn, look I’m sorry I’m being such a bitch but this is looking more and more dodgy by the minute. How are you sure that someone is not setting me up for some kind of trap?”
“I don’t know that for sure, of course, but I have a feeling, call it a gut feeling he’s on the level. Understand?”
“Alright say I believe this piece of terrorist scum, what do you expect me to do about it?”
“Michaela, what I expect you to do, is handle it the way you handle everything else, to the best of your ability.”
Andrew was getting worried that Michaela was going to say something she might regret. “Michaela, we all realise that this in a strange situation. Why don’t we hear the man out and think about it in a calm sensible fashion.”
“OK Clive is there anything else, we need to know?”
“No, that is about it.”
“Clive, let me make one thing crystal clear.”
“Yes?”
“If this is some sort of trap and I manage to escape from it, I will personally hunt you down and kill you. If any of my friends get killed or captured, I will make sure you die very slowly. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes.”
“That’s settled then.”
“Michaela, I am sorry to have disturb you like this. Please give my best to Mrs Davies.”
“Good-bye Gwen…Vid off.” Michaela spun around in the seat and faced her two companions.
“What now?” Kiara asked.
“Well as soon as my head stops throbbing and my face goes back to a normal colour, we will have to talk this one through.”
“We?”
“This is not mine. Remember, I’m pregnant. I cannot go on some mission to stop a bunch of terrorists. I’m in no mental or physical shape for it.”
David examined his well toned chrome enhanced girlfriend in abject shock.
“If you are not in the shape for it, what do think about the rest of us?”
“Well that is all up to Kiara, isn’t it?”
“Michaela what are you talking about?”
“I am in no condition to make any decisions on this matter. This one is all yours Kiara. I am deputising you.”
“Bloody hell.”
Rob hear Kiara curse and ran into the room. “Kiara, what is wrong?”
“Rob you had better sit down, your in for a shock.”

Chapter 24

“Well that went well,” said Clive to Gwyn. “Think there is a chance in hell she’ll help.”
Gwyn turned to face Clive red-faced and angry. “Look, what the fuck do you think the woman is going to say. You and your terrorist friends help kill her best friend, almost her fianc, nearly killed her husband and managed to get them all on the Union’s most wanted list. Can you, in your blind idealism, not see the pain and anguish you have caused Michaela and those she cares about. You, are on very shaky ground. Do you have any idea why Joe is not here with you and sent me instead?”
Clive shook his head no
“Because your presence makes him sick, I think Joe and I’ve done as much as we can for you. If you don’t mind, I want you to leave by this evening. Get your stuff and get out before you cause anyone any more trouble. To answer your question, I am sure she will do all she can with the information you gave her…Oh and another thing,trust me, Clive, you do not want to cross that woman. She is one deadly lady.”
Sheepishly, Clive turned away and went up to his room to get his things. On the way out ,Clive managed to bump into Joe coming through the door. “Excuse me,” received a grunt in response.
When Clive was safely out of sight, Joe s to hiaids wife. “Don’t you think you were a bit harsh on him?”
“Joe, don’t you dare take his side. That man is a complete bastard who is responsible one way or the other for hundreds probably thousands of deaths in the last ten years. He has endangered the life of quite a few of our friends and I want to see the back of him as soon as possible.”
“Gwyn, you realise you may be sending that man to his death. I am sure if that Jervis catches up with him it will not be merciful either.”
“Frankly I could give a shit, Joe.”
Joe was not sure what was the more astonishing, his wife’s behaviour or her language.
“Gwyn, at least let me give him some lunch before we turf him out. I hate think of him dying on an empty stomach!”
This actually raised a smile from Gwyn. So, Joe knew for certain his wife was in a rare mood.
As they were talking in the kitchen and the staff were opening the pub for the day, two well dressed but shorn men walked in with a group of regulars. The taller of the two grabbed a table as far from the bar as possible. None of the regulars took a blind bit of notice. The second man soon returned to their table with a couple of lagers and two packets of crisps. The tall one spoke quietly to his companion, “Now milk that beer, we should have more than one, we need our wits.”
“Uh, yea, I know, I know. We gotta look like we’re drinking though, or ain’t we going to look a bit funny. We are the only ones here under the age of 50 for Christ sake.”
“Yea, yea alright, but the Vicar’ll kill us if we fuck this one up!”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, quit worrying. The bloke we’re supposed to grab is old enough to be your father!”

Clive emerged from the door next the bar, with a bag looking downtrodden and depressed.
“Oi, look there he is…” The smaller of the two was about the get up when his colleague grabbed his arm and held him down.
“Mellow, will you.” He was correct in his assessment as their quarry was stopped in his tracks by the bartender.
“Clive, before you go, I thought I give you a bite to eat. I’m sorry my wife was hard on you but Teresa getting killed really got to her. She has always been fond of Rob and was really cut up when his fianc got killed.”
“I understand.” Clive dropped his bag on the floor and grabbed a stool at the bar. “She’s right you know, I should leave before I cause any more trouble than I already have done.
“What will you have, it is all on the house?”
“A cheese ploughman and a beer, if that is alright?”
“You sure you don’t want something more substantial like pasta.”
“No, thanks, a ploughman will be just fine.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I figured I d head to America or something?”
“America?” Joe said as he handed Clive his beer.
“Well there’s nothing left for me here. If I stay in the Union, I’ll be forever hunted. There’s no point. Too many memories. I’ve failed in what I wanted to achieve, the Union is too big to fight. I am old and tired. Just like Bill Cash in the 90s, I fought the behemoth and lost.”
“How will you get there?”
“Well, I have some contacts in Ireland. I’ll try to hop on one of the smuggling ships that bring in illegal arms for rebels all over the Union.”
“Think they’ll let you get on?”
“I hope so.” Clive’s food arrived and Joe went off to serve other customers.
In the quiet surroundings of the old Tenby guest house, David, Rob,Michaela and Kiara were still working out their plan. “Well that went well don’t you think. That Clive bloke managed to annoy everyone in this entire room and frustrate his host to the point of violence.” David was trying to lighten the mood which was getting uglier by the minute.
“Some piece of work isn’t he? He expected us all to forgive him as a misguided patriot trying to make good for his past ills. Part of me thinks it’s a shame that Jervis didn’t get him with all the others.” Kiara was doing her bit as well, Michaela was silent and resembled a sitting statue, only her chest moving gave her away.
Kiara continued, “What annoys me is that I think I believe him. Michaela, do you really think this is a trap?”
“Probably not. However any plan must be made with that possibility in mind. But enough of what I think, what do you think commander.” Michaela suddenly came to life and turned her seat to face Kiara directly. “It’s your call. What do we do now? Rush back to London? Tell the pols? Do both?”
Rob was still sitting on the bed in shock.
“Rob, are you alright?”
“Ah, I guess so Kiara, I am afraid I didn’t handle that call very well.”
“Rob, look we all understand this a brings up all that shock and hurt again. Still, you know more about this type than any of us. What do you think we should do now?”
“One thing we should do is not help that arsehole. That guy has bad news written all over him. Since when did we become the guardians of the English people anyway. I say we tell the pols and let them do what they will. Any deaths are on their consciences, not ours?”
“Rob, you know as well as I do that the pols’ll bugger this up. Thousands of lives could be at stake here, you realise that don’t you.”
“David, why should I care? Thousands of people die every day, I am not some sort of martyr. What do I look like, Mother Teresa or something?”
“Rob, think of this logically. Don’t you think we should help others when we can. We are the only ones in a position to stop this maniac. The pols will fuck it up, I guarantee it.”
“Boys,” Michaela’s voice filled the room, the sound amplified by the small size of the room and competing tensions. “There is no logical solution to this. We are in a difficult situation. Every one of us will feel the guilt for the rest of our lives if there is a bomb and lots of people are killed. You heard Clive, Jervis was responsible for killing all those people in that housing estate on purpose.”
“How do we know that Clive didn’t agree to it at the time?”
“We don’t David. That’s not the point. We simply must do all we can to help. Whether or not that actually involves us physically is another matter. I expect every one of us to do all we can to prevent this thing going down.”
“I suppose this means we will all have to rush back to London, right.”
“Why should we David?” said Rob.
“What the hell can we do from here?”
“Look stop being such a cold hearted bastard, Rob.”
“No, Kiara, I am serious, there is a better piece of kit behind you than anything I have at home. I can get all my info from my home vid from here and get to work finding out what is going on.”
Kiara, yet to be convinced that there was not some hint of Rob finding and excuse to use a new piece of technology, turned to face her boyfriend.
“Yea, if this is a set-up, we will not be where we are expected to be…only a few people know we are here in Tenby. If they raid our place, so what, they will find no one.”
“Now that’s the spirit!” Michaela smiled for the first time in over twenty four hours. “I will clear it with Mrs Davies, explain the situation and get her permission.”
“Michaela, what are rest of us supposed to do, while he is fiddling with his chips?’
“Well, for one thing I am going to see my mother’s GP and then pay a visit to my mother, which I should have done two days ago. Kiara, you and David are going to be doing a bit of training from now until we leave. You, Kiara, are especially out of shape.”
“Thank you very much, Michaela. I could still whip these two wimps easily.”
“Yes, but we have no idea who we might encounter. Don’t worry it won’t be anything too bad.”
“What is not too bad?”
“A few swims in the Irish Sea, some horse back riding, a bit of hill walking that sort of thing.”
“A swim in the Irish Sea, in August, are you nuts?”
“It isn’t that bad, the last time we were here I had a hard time keeping David out of it.”
“Ah, I can’t go swimming it might hurt my cybernetics!”
“Nice try, first thing is there’s no corrosion problem with your chrome, and secondly you can always wear a wet suit.”
“Shit.”
Rob shoved his girlfriend out of the way. “Look while you lot yap, I have work to do. I have to get myself used to this sucker before I do anything too funky. I wonder I brought any cyber-link cables with me….”
“Rob you recovered well.”
“Kiara leave him alone to work.”
“This could get interesting!” David sounding enthusiastic about the unfolding events.
At the Red Dragon, the opening was as usual, quiet . Joe and Clive continued to chat between Joe’s duties. In a few hours, the publican’s duties would take all his attention . Sunday lunch, despite all the European influences brought by the Union, was as popular as ever. Despite the many BSE scares, roast beef was still the most popular meal. Sunday was the most popular day for meals. Joe was close to requiring Sunday reservations, even for his regulars.
Clive finished his meal and had another beer. He was wary of pushing Joe’s hospitality too far. Just this one beer then he would leave. Clive was not about to let on that while he was homeless and jobless, he was not poor. Earlier BASH leaders raised funds for its activities through bank robberies and money laundering. Bank targets were selected for their close relationships with the Union. Private banks and building societies were not seen as legitimate targets. The drugs trade was also the source of the of the best of BASH’s weapons and explosives. Drug smugglers just added some armaments to their regular shipments brought into the Union. When Clive took over, these tactics become unnecessary. He put on a good public relations to polish BASH’s image whileat the same time avoiding actions which might “put off” his supporters. Wentworth used his international contacts to acquire guns, ammunition and explosives so that they could do without the drug connections. Wentworth and several of the younger BASH members were convinced that the spurned drug dealers were bankrolling the rebellion in BASH ranks. “Too bad I didn’t believe them in time. Considering the weapons Jervis’ men had, I am sure the Yardies funded them!” Clive’s conversion on this point came on the way to Jervis’ HQ as he sat in the vehicle surrounded by thugs with really impressive stuff.
Now, Clive was the only one left and he had all the access codes and passwords the large off shore bank accounts. “All I have to do is survive long enough to enjoy it.” He mused to himself.
When Clive finished his beer, he saw that he could easily slip away before lunch got underway. He headed for the door with his bag, waving a brief good-bye to his reluctant host. “Clive, Clive, wait a minute I have something for you.”
Clive was out of sight and around the corner by the time he stopped to see who was calling him.
Gwyn rushed up behind him and grabbed his arm. Jervis’ two men were following close behind. “Clive, I made you a packed lunch for your trip. I thought you might need it.” She handed the little plastic box to Clive.
“Look Gwyn, you shouldn’t have. I’ve been too much bother already. I just had a full lunch and Joe did not charge me a farthing…” He never got the chance to finish his sentence, as he reached down to open his bag and put the box in it, he was hit over the head with a cosh.
The larger man turned to his smaller compatriot. “You idiot! Couldn’t you have waited ‘till he was alone!” His words were drowned out by Gwyn’s scream. “Joe! Help we’re being attacked!”
Joe dropped the glass he was holding and ran to the door, followed by the entire pub, young and old. He reached the street in time to see his wife bundled into a car, limp as a dishrag.
“Who was that?” Asked an old man out of breath from running out the door in pursuit.
“That was a couple of Jervis’ men I suspect. That Clive is a dead man.” Joe much to amazement of the rest of the people standing with him, calmly turned round and headed into bar.
“Joe, are you going to call the pols?”
“No, someone better, much better.” Joe walked into the room with vid. “I just hope this works.” he said to himself. “Davyd take over will you. Make sure none of the old boys die on me.”
Joe never wavered from his path to his vid. In his wake, he left a room full of people, still standing, paralysed with shock. “Bloody hell, I’ve heard of Welsh stoicism but this is fucking ridiculous.”
“Shut up Henry, have a little tact, you Scotch git!”
“Oh, piss off Davyd,” being a predominately Welsh pub, Davyd could apply to most of the regulars.
“Will you twits shut up and go sit down? You two fighting will not help things. OK, everyone, what do you remember those two blokes who grabbed Gwyn, Michaela’ll need all the help she can get.” Davyd, the bartender, was positive he knew exactly who Joe was calling, he was not the only one.
“Well I know one thing, their dead, when Michaela catches em’.”
“Thank you for that wonderful insight, now think! Anyone who remembers something gets a free drink…write down on this pad here.” Davyd knew exaclty how his customers’ brains worked. Confused looks were replaced by contemplative ones, a queue was rapidly forming in front of hastily acquired pad.
“Well they weren’t regulars,” an old duffer offered his observations.
“Shut up you old git, of course they weren’t regulars!” Chorused the rest of the room in one form or another.
“Now calm down and think. Joe’ll need this fast as possible.” The paper in front of Davyd was rapidly filling with scribbled information, some of it indecipherable. Davyd gave everyone in the room beer on the house to loosen the old memory cells. He refilled all fifteen tankards with house ale and then examined the piece of paper. “Good job boys, I think this’ll help.” Truth be told Davyd was far from convinced but took it to Joe just the same. “now you lot behave while I am in the back, and no pinching any beer!”
As the car sped away, wheels spinning, the driver realised what his mate had done. As he spun around the corner he saw Gwyn fly into his field of vision and hitting the window of the rear of the car.
“Reg, what the fuck is she doing here?”
“She was a witness!”
“You pillock! Now they have a reason to come after us.”
“Yea, but we took their mate as well.”
“Are you fucking blind and deaf, didn’t you realise they were turfing his arse out of the place?” The large man wanted to hit Reg but was more concerned with driving as fast as he could away from Kennington.
“You want me to chuck her out?”
“I am not going to stop so you can get her out!”
“Who said anything about stopping, I’ll just open the door and push her out.”
“Yes and knowing you ending up losing Clive as well. Remember the Vicar wants Clive alive.”
“No, look I’ve done it before, no problem.”
“Look Reg, if you don’t fucking shut up, now I am going to throw you out myself…did you remember to lock the car door after you shoved her in?” The large man got no answer, he didn’t need one as he saw Reg lean over the back seat and pull the lock shut.
“Reg?”
“Yea.” said Reg as he sat facing front in his seat once more.
“There is a gun in the glove-box, if either of them wake up get it out and make sure they don’t try to escape…and try not to shot yourself.” Luckily the big man needn’t have worried both Clive and Gwyn were still unconscious by the time they reached Slough. “Hope the prat hasn’t killed Clive, or we’ll really be in the shit.” He muttered to himself.
Joe was gracious when he received the list of observations by his patrons. He complemented his barman for quick thinking. “Nice job Davyd.” With a pause he continued. “I wish Gwyn was not so bloody generous. One minute she wants him out and the next minute she gets kidnapped trying to be nice to man she just chucked out.”
“Joe, I am sure it will be alright. Michaela is the best. Have you got in touch with her yet?”
“I am trying. It takes a while for the link to David’s head to hone in on him. He is probably in the middle of some stone church in Pembrokeshire. The vid will tell me when we get a link. I’ll have to try “High Seas” if this doesn’t work.”
Joe almost cracked a smile when he heard his vid speak. “Contact made, looking for answer now.”
David sat on the back of a horse in the middle of the countryside, rain dripping down his helmet echoing with the sound of an incoming call. It was almost a nice day, when he enthusiastically left High Seas with Michaela and Kiara to go riding. Rob stayed in the basement hideaway to “nerd” away. By the time they were kitted out and off on the bridle path, the weather had changed. Drizzle covered everything in a thin layer of water, turning the dirt on the ground to mud. Michaela and Kiara rode around the field, now trotting, now galloping, to get used to riding again. In the middle sat David, his horse eating a small clump of grass, trying to get a link to the outside world without deafening himself. He felt a prat sitting their fingers in ears talking to himself. Through the cacophony he thought he heard himself wonder, “I hope this horse doesn’t bolt while I am doing this.” He needn’t have worried as his horse was quite happy to eat.
“David, David, this is Joe. can you hear me?”
“Yes, yes please stop shouting or you will deafen me…” He was interrupted by his CPU informing him that he was indeed in contact with the Red Dragon in Kennington.
“David is Michaela with you?”
“Well yes, in a manner of speaking. I’m on the back of a horse and she is cantering around me on anther one in a very damp Pembrokeshire drizzle. Why?”
“Gwyn has been kidnapped. I thought Michaela would know what to do.” Admitting it to himself and David for the first time, caused a sense of panic to come over Joe.
“What?”
“A couple of thugs grabbed her when they were trying to get that Clive bloke.”
“Where?”
“Right outside the pub, in broad daylight. There was nothing any of us could do.”
“Shit. Jervis is part of that, no doubt.” David was frantically waving at Michaela with one free hand.
“Who else would do this?
“Is she alright?” David realised as soon as he asked the question it was a dumb one.
“Well, she looked unconscious when they put her in the car.”
“Bloody hell!” David said this so loud that even Kiara on the other side of the field heard it. His horse even raised its head at the outburst.
Michaela brought her horsenext to David’s attempting to shake David without falling off her horse. Kiara pulled her horse into the tight formation. David’s horse resumed eating.
“Joe, wait a second. Michaela is here and trying to talk to me.”
“OK.”
“David what is it? I am sure the entire valley heard you shout, and on a Sunday.”
“Someone grabbed Gwyn and Clive from the Red Dragon, Joe has just called me.”
“Bloody hell. Tell him we will head back to London immediately.”
“How, the last train today left half an hour ago?”
“We will have to get a car from somewhere?”
“Joe, Michaela says we will leave as soon as we can. We are coming by car so it will take 6 hours or so. Do you want Michaela to call from “High Seas.”
“No fine, I will see you when you get here. Call me again before you arrive. Bye.”
“Bye, Joe take care.”
“What did he say?”
“He wants us to get back in touch when we get close to London. He will meet us at the flat.” With that David pulled on the reins to move his horse towards the paddock. Kiara and Michaela were not so patient. “Come on, David, get a move on.”
Kiara and Michaela leapt off their horses at the paddock gate. The stable girl ran to secure the horses, alarmed by their sudden early return.
“Sandy, look we have to go. It’s an emergency. Send my mother the bill and I’ll make good for it.”
“What has happened?” Asked Sandy.
“A mate of ours has been kidnapped.
“Oh.” To Sandy, just spending time in a city would be a pennance, making kidnapping just one step worse.
“Sandy, you wouldn’t know where we could get a car to drive to London? Quickly.”
“Rental places are closed. Try Trevor.”
“Of course.” Trevor was waiting for them in the nearby farmhouse, chatting away with the owner of the stables. Trevor knew everyone in the area and never gave up a chance for a natter. His cosy chat was suddenly disturbed by a breathy stable hand. “Excuse me, Michaela needs you now.”
He made his good-byes and ran after the stable girl.
“Trevor, thank god you stayed, we’re in the shit.”
“What is going on?”
“A friend of mine has been kidnapped and we have to get back to London. We need a car, to get to London, fast.” David explained to his friend.
“Why bother driving?”
“But there are no trains.”
“Who said anything about trains. a mate of mine runs a small helicopter company in Haverfordwest. He’ll get you there in two hours flat, take you right into London. City Airport, right?”
“Uh… Are you sure he’s free?”
“Definitely. I saw him just before I came and picked you lot up. Business is slow this weekend. Seems no one wants to come down here and fish, this week.”
“We have to go to High Seas first and grab our things, plus Rob is still there.”
“No problem. I’ll run you over to Tenby and give my mate a call from High Seas.”
Mrs Davies nearly died of shock when the four of them tore into the entry way where she was calmly arranging the fresh flowers on the little hall table.
“Mrs Davies, we’re going backto London immediately. A friend of ours is in a spot of bother with a bunch of thugs.” Not missing a beat or anything else for that matter ,Mrs Davies pressed further. “Anything to do with Jervis and his ruffians?”
Michaela realised she was had, “Yes I am afraid so, they grabbed this Clive character and poor old Gwyn got in the way.”
“How dreadful, I hope she is alright. Joe must be worried sick.”
“Oh, of course, you met them at our wedding. I hope she’s still alive to rescue.”
“That bad, is it?”
“Yes I am very much afraid. so”
Trevor was on the phone to his pilot friend, clearly excited at the prospect of helping in a crisis. “They’re in a hurry…suppose they’ll not mind if I gun it the whole way then.”
“Walter, remember these are my friends and they’re needed in an emergency, so make sure they get there in one piece.”
“Have I ever crashed?”
“No, not yet anyway. Look, Walter, we’ll be there as soon as we can.”
“I’ll have her fuelled and ready to go. See you in a bit.”
As he rang off, Trevor heard Walter calling to his wife.
“He and his machine’ll be ready when you are,” Trevor said to Michaela.
David, go get Rob and tell him what’s going on. Kiara and I will get our things.”
David rushed down the narrow stairs to the vid room, hitting his head three times in the process. “Rob! Rob! Are you there?”
“Yes. What are you doing back so soon?” Rob swung around in Mrs. Davis’ posture chair by now alarmed at the tome of David’s voice.
“Gwyn has been kidnapped by Jervis. They took Clive too. We’re taking a helicopter to London as soon as we can get to Haverfordwest…Come on then, off your butt.”
Calmly Rob spoke to his friend, “David, I can do much more sitting right here. The trip will waste valuable research time. Everything is set up here. I will have a whole load of shit for you when you get home.”
“Have you told Mrs. Davies about this?”
“She came down to see me with a cup of tea and watched what I was doing. I managed to teach her a few things she did not know about this piece of electronic magic. She was well impressed. Although, I think she knows more about this stuff than she lets on.”
“Well, alright. I’ll put it past Michaela. Call Joe and tell him we’re on our way. I’ll call him when we get into London City Airport.”
“OK, tell Kiara I’ll do as much as I can here and then join you in a few days time. Some of this stuff will have a lag time on it. It will not matter if I am out of the loop for several hours once things are moving along. I need to be in touch right now and have access to some good piece of kit.”
“Face it Rob, you just want to stay here and play with this thing.” David tapped the top of the vid.
“Watch it, you might knock me off line. I am downloading a scrambler program from home.”
“Look I’ll…it is a better bet if you come upstairs as well. We’ll tell the girls together.”
“Alright but it can’t take long. I’m going in, when Squeaker gets in touch with me in about an hour. I’m glad Kiara remembered to bring my trodes or this would have been a right pain in the arse.”
David rushed up the three flights of floors to his room, finding his wife in the midst of mad packing.
“Where is Rob? Did you manage to get him away from the vid.”
“He had a better idea, Michaela…He is going to stay here for a few days getting info. He says this is a bad time to spend several hours “out of the loop.” He is going on-line in an hour or so. Going to go to that virtual pub in the net and see what he can dig up about our friend Jervis.”
“Does he think he will be able to find any info about a bunch of neo-luds on the net? Seems a bit odd, doesn’t it?”
“Think about it. Paranoid geeks would be the best source of info on anti-tech luddites. The geeks would be the number one targets when the luddites take over… enemies, evil incarnate…”
“OK, that’s definitely hyour domain. Just help me pack. No wait, go tell Kiara to unpack Rob’s stuff.”
“Shouldn’t she stay here and protect Rob?”
“No way, she is my Number 1. I need her with me at all times.”
“Okay Mic, see you in a second.” He popped next door and told Kiara the news. She agreed it made sense for now. Kiara insists that Rob return to London by helicopter. She doesn’t want him traveling back to London alone on the train. Frankly, I see her point. She’s his bodyguard after all.”
Mrs Davies was at the bottom of the stairs when the three of them reached the ground floor. Rob confirmed that he could use the vid in the basement for the next few days. He offered to sleep downstairs but Mrs Davies assured him that he was welcome to stay in his room ‘till the end of his stay. Rob kissed his girlfriend and scooted off to the vid hideaway.
Trevor emerged from the kitchen, grabbed one of Michaela’s bags and headed for his car. After hurried good-byes, Kiara, Michaela and David followed tossing their things into the boot of the car and off they went.
In Kennington ,sat a distraught man, worried about his wife, losing his composure, rapidly. He was so shaken with worry for his wife that he was not able to work. Davyd called in the barmaid from her day off. Gwyn’s absence was the talk of all the regular Sunday lunch patrons. Davyd and Cordelia tried to dodge questions about Gwyn but the patrons who saw the kidnapping were all to happy to describe it, in all its detail to each newcomer. The normal jovial ambience of the Red Dragon on a Sunday was replaced by the disturbing hiss of whispering. Joe made fleeting appearances at the bar but soon gave up. He couldn’t face the pub without Gwyn and the sympathy of his friends brought him close to collapse. By three, the diners had left. A few loyal patrons remained, clustered in the far corners of the pub, sipping their drinks and fretting about their favourite barmaid.
Joe sat quietly in front of the vid with his head in his hands contemplating his wife’s fate.
“Joe, this is Rob. Michaela, Kiara, and David are heading your way by helicopter. They will call when they reach London City airport in a few hours. Michaela wants you to meet her at their flat bringing any info you have with you.”Joe awoke from his turpor.
“Where are you?”
“I am staying here in Tenby, working. I’m getting all the info I can on Jervis and co. A mate of mine is doing a search on intelligence and TV reports to see if we can find the hideout. I’ll send an e-mail package to Michaela by the time you all arrive at David’s flat…Joe, we will get her back. I promise.”
“If she is not dead already, that is…”
“Don’t talk like that. We’ll get her back, I promise…I have another call coming in. I’ll call you back if I know any more.”
“Bye.” Joe returned to his previous position.
Rob took the call.
“Rob, how are things? This is David calling you from the helicopter. We are really humming along. Kiara looks a bit worried at our cruising height, but she’ll be alright. Anything new?”
“I just got off the phone with Joe. He’s in pretty bad shape. I made some promises to him I hope we can make good on… How come there’s no visual in this call? How old in that chopper anyway?”
“You nitwit I’m calling you on my internal phone.”
“You mean it still works! Great. I must go. I told Joe that you’d call when you got to London. I’ll be in touch.”
“Yea, bye.”
David looked at the countryside speeding along beneath him. He knew just what those promises were. He was worried about Gwyn as well. From what he had heard about Jervis and his men, there was not much to be hopeful about. “I hope she is still alive.” he said aloud.
“David don’t talk like that.”
The helicopter was actually an Osprey VTOL, its jet engines propelled its occupants at high speed. Interior noise was high, but boy did they move. Both David and Michaela were surprised to see Kiara was sound asleep.
“How can she sleep on this thing!” David shouted to Michaela. She was off in her own world, no doubt planning the rescue operation.