Chapter 25

Rob sat in Mrs Davies’ room with a plate of biscuits and a cup of tea. She insisted that he be properly provisioned for his important tasks. He ate and drank his tea as he manually cruised some of the more nefarious sites. This activity was interrupted from time to time by one of his buddies calling him to tell him the status of their searches. Rob and several of his on-line friends had developed an information co-operative. When one or other needed some info on one subject or other, the rest would tuck in and help. It was a sort of a mid 21st century version of an Amish barn raising. The pub Rob frequented in the net was built quickly and painlessly by several hundred coop coders. These very independent types banded together in response for mutual protection when Pius took over as Chief of Union Security some three years earlier.Rob feared that he was rapidly approaching a point where he was abusing the co-operative. When he did need their help, the task was broad and complicated. His latest request was to locate, identify, and suss out a neo-luddite puritan terrorist organisation whose purpose was to wipe out technology in the Union. Then, to find the exact location of their headquarters.
Their very fanaticism that would be their undoing. alt.conspiracies.union.luddite was buzzing as soon as Rob called out his virtual posse. Rob was convinced someone, probably one of the nerds who inhabited the fringes would have heard something. They peddled info to anyone who could give them the money to support their tech habit. Still, their paranoia was working here and Rob would get all the information he needed with some help.

At the end of their search, Asphalt Ballet was the one with the info and Rob’s mates were going to make him talk. Unfortunately, he would not be paid for his info.
Asphalt Ballet showed up in the secure chat zone, known as the void, as he was requested. The Void was so deep that only the best of hackers could get anywhere near it. His avatar was a mangled pedestrian salvaged from some game. Asphalt Ballet and the others floated in free space hovering around each other like planetary junk circulating the globe. AB should have known at once that something was up. The other avatars were looking at him, as the Cerberus began to speak.
“Asphalt, we are looking for some data on Vicar Jervis and his band.”
“Why do you come to me?”
“Well we’ve heard you’re the best.”
“Well that is because I am…”
“And cocky as well.”
“You know my rates.” He said, turning to go, ” I expect to see a transfer, before I give you any info.”
“Ah, you’re doing this one for nothing, as a public service.”
“You’re mad. Who let this asshole in anyway?” The answer came quickly. AB felt great pain, in both his physical and on-line body. One of Cerberus heads blasted the avatar in front of him.
“Let me put it this way, if you do not tell us what we want to know, now, I will make sure the virus currently afflicting you will prosper and grow until it kills you, both of you.”
“How dare you?”
“I dare because, each one of us here has been burnt by you sometime or other. You have no friends, and you would sell out your mother for more technology.”
“You’re bluffing!” AB wished he had not said that. Instantaneously the same head blasted him once more, causing pain too great to describe.”
“Listen, you piece of silicon excrement. If we do not help stop this asshole Jervis, you and I are going to be shut down in a nanosecond…your fleshy body is in Slough. Jervis is in Slough. Do you wanna bet where he and his gang are going to start bashing tech?”
“How do you know?”
“One of our friends is standing next to your flesh body as we speak. He has with him the antidote to the virus.” The Cerberus knew there was no way for AB to check his story. It he were to pull out and look he would risk killing his avatar permanently and infecting his CPU irreparably. Just for good measure Cerburus blasted the reeling figure once again. “You realise if one of Jervis’ thugs pulls out your trodes while you’re on-line, your brain will fry with your CPU. ”
“Look stop hitting me! I will tell you what you want!”
“Speak. You have very little time. I’m losing patience. And the virus is getting bigger, eager…”
“Alright, alright. Jervis is holed up in the old warehouse district outside the town near the M4 turnoff. It’s a large Victorian building. Jervis blokes are well armed, but stupid.”
“Name of the street and address, AB!”
“I think it was 66 Acacia Avenue. That is all I know I swear.”
“Just how do you know this?”
AB kept his nerve, sensing that he was getting out of this one, “That is for me to know and you never to find out!”
“I wish you hadn’t said that.” Cerberus nailed the avatar again, each time making the virus more virulent.
“Oh, alright. Jervis has been recruiting local punks and thugs for a month or two. One of my mates went along for a laugh, looks the part but is a techie like me. Said they were a bunch of nutters. That’s all I know.”
“Give me the anti-virus!”
“If you warn Jervis something is up, I will let the rest of this lot after you.”
Asphalt Ballet lit up like he was one fire, as the rest of the avatars fired a similar looking bolt at the flattened man. His body twitched in pain, AB’s physical body screamed in agony, twitching in time with his avatar.
Rob watched the scene from the comfort of his chair and without plugs. Rob knew the Cerburus, and he let him come along for the ride. An invisible eye floating above the group, recording and enjoying every last minute of the torture play. When the avatar disappeared, Rob was sent back to his own realm. It felt as though he had just died in some old-fashioned 3D shoot-em-up.
“Well, that’s settled then.” As Rob began to pour another cup of tea, other information began coming in on the character named Jervis, most of which Rob would rather not have known.
Jervis’ exam paper from seminary was information he could do without. The list of all outgoing and incoming call on his vid, every program he watched, and recorded, could be useful. This was soon followed by details of all the weapons he bought, the type of weapons and their source. As Rob neared info overload he ate another biscuit and did his best to collate the most useful information to send it to Michaela. Rob got up for the first time in several hours and went upstairs thinking…
“It will be nice to see daylight again, well at least grey-light and rain.”
Jervis on the other hand was deep in thought, avoiding light deep in the nerve center of his HQ. was planning his next raid with Dirk, leader of the Enforcers and de facto lieutenant. Dirk was less than civil to his boss than Edgar had been and showed none of the sycophancy of his former boss. Jervis was at first annoyed by the flippancy of his new aid but soon learned that Dirk was ready and able to carry out Jervis’ orders. Dirk recruited fifty men, five more very young girls. That was an excellent start. He also managed to acquire all the necessary material for the bomb. Jervis was even wondering just how Dirk had convinced one of the new recruits to drive the bomb laden truck to the airport. The attack was planned for the next day. Things were going so well, that Jervis found time to work on his post bomb speech to the press. Truth be told Dirk was planning the bomb and Jervis was planning on how to take credit for it.
Dirk and his new driver returned with the “modified” lorry. Dirk let him drive and he was satisfied with the boy’s ability to control the thing. While the Enforcers readied the lorry for its one way trip, Dirk and Jervis chatted a few feet away.
“Are you sure that you need to go with this guy? Why not send one of the other Enforcers. You’re doing a great job for me.”
Dirk ,a man of few words, shook his head. “This is my job and I have to be there. I assure you nothing will go wrong.”
Jervis was sure this was the case. Since Edgar’s sudden demise and the escape of the two captives, Dirk had improved discipline and beefed up security. It was he who planned the grab of Clive from the Red Dragon. When Jervis asked why the woman was grabbed as well, Dirk’s response was, ” This is to ensure that none of Clive friends come after him. None of them would want anything to happen to their favourite bartender, beside she can look after the girls and keep them out of our way.”
Jervis agreed and let the matter rest.
The other Enforcers and few of the senior trusted thugs loaded all the explosives onto the lorry, placing them in the compartments made for their cargo. Dirk inspected every attachment and placement. He was meticulous when it came to wiring the explosives to the central control mechanism. The remote control device would not be attached until it was time to arm the bomb. The only man to do that would be Dirk.
Since the escape of the captives, Dirk placed two guards on patrol at all times. The two Enforcers who placed Clive in the same room as Jess were not executed as one might expect. Dirk demoted them to head of guards. Jervis was never told exactly how Clive escaped. Dirk was unwilling to lose his men to Jervis’ rage.
“Look Dirk, we need you here, send someone else with the bomb. ”
“No.” Dirk seemed angry with his leader. “I will be going with the bomb. No one else knows how to arm the bloody thing. I want this fucking thing to work. I want to make sure it goes off where it is suppose to…”
“How are you going to do that?”
“Vicar, it’s all under control.” The Vicar felt a certain respect for this take charge guy. Normally in complete control of his operations, he accepted Dirk’s confidence in the details of the plan. Jervis was curious what was going on in his minion’s mind. He gave up his useless inquisition and returned to his room. He instructed one of the Enforcers near the door to fetch him his some new “entertainment.”
Nicky was ushered to Jervis’ room, the Enforcer closed the door smiling.
“Hello Nicky why don’t you come here and sit down. I have some beer and biscuits for you.”
She did as she was told, reluctantly.
Jervis put his arm around her making sure to put his hand on her breast. She flinched but did not move.
“Relax, and we’ll have some fun!”

Michaela, Kiara and David arrived home in record time thanks to the Osprey’s performance and their keen pilot. In a quieter moment, all would agree that he trip was more comfortable and more enjoyable than any recent train trip. Joe was sitting outside David’s flat with his head in his hands. The sight of him banished their fascination with the helicopter trip. Seeing Joe’s face made each long for Gwyn’s immediate safe return to clear that haunted look he wore.
Each in turn gave Joe a brief hug in silent sympathy. Michaela unlocked the door. The vid’s AI informed them in that ever grating tone that in fact he could do that for them.
“Let’s see what Rob has for us.” David as he sat down in front of the vid, without removing his coat and tosing his bag in the corner next to the settee.
Kiara soon joined David while Michaela tried her best to reassure Joe.
“We will get her back, I promise. Rob has spent all day getting as much info as there is on this Jervis character. We will concentrate on getting Gwyn back. I plan to hit them just when the bomb is supposed to go off. Rob will get me that information.”
Joe said nothing as he sipped his tea, trying not to cry. He shook his head at various intervals to indicate that he understood.
David and Kiara poured through the data, collated and packaged by her own techie for easy use.
“Michaela, come over here. We have the info from Rob and it looks pretty good. The bastard even got us an address!”
Michaela walked into the lounge followed by Joe. “I wish he wouldn’t sound so enthusiastic about all this. This is a serious situation and he sounds like he’s going to fun fair! But then, it’s the enthusiasm that makes him so good at it.” She said to herself quietly.
“I always knew he was good. David, it was a good thing you convinced me to let Rob stay there. This gives us more time to plan what you three are going to do.”
“We three? What you are going to be doing. David, we discussed this. I’m pregnant. I’m not in condition to lead a raid on some fundamentalist nutcase trying to rescue a friend. I would just hold you back.”
“Michaela, my dear, when you are at 50% you’re still better than 100 normal men.”
“Well, that may be, but you, Rob and Kiara will have to do this one without me. I will plan it give you some tips, I will even be on the line talking to you, but I will not be there. Got it. This is Kiara show, and you will take your orders from her, not me.”
“So Kiara how are we going to do this?” David turned to his new jefe.
She was submerged in the volume of information thanksful Rob’s sorting and studying all the important data to formulate her plan. Rob had included the blueprints on the target building and Kiara was committing them to memory, both the flesh one and the CPU. “What?”
“Kiara I was asking you what our next move is going to be?”
“Michaela has decided that we should hit them on Friday, when they are supposed to be bombing Stansted, most…” Kiara suddenly saw Michaela staring at her, in a very serious way. She felt a chill go up her spine. “Er, I mean in consultation with Michaela, I have decide that it would be best to get Gwyn out while they are attempting to get Stansted. Considering what we know of his previous hits, it is likely that Jervis would try to bomb Stansted in the afternoon just after lunch time, when all the Eurocrats will be leaving for the continent for the long weekend….We all know they skive off work early most of the time.”
David looked at Kiara, ” I see, sounds good to me.” He felt a sharp pain as Michaela hit on the arm.
“What…” David’s sentence was cut off by Michaela’s hand firmly placed over his mouth. “Shh, let her finish.”
“Well from these plans it seems the best…”
The rescue team spent the rest of the day pumping Joe for what he remembered of the kidnappers, looking over the eyewitness reports and planning the raid. Their concentration was increased by Rob’s frequent calls with even more data on Jervis & Co.

Chapter 26

Rob returned Thursday night from Wales on the 14:14 to Paddington, not knowing what he was walking into. Kiara had ordered him to make his way directly to David’s flat.
When Rob arrived at the nerve center of the operation, there was a temporary halt to the night’s preparation, to bring him up to date on preparations. The flat resembled the staging area for a major campaign. The dining room table was covered with a large set of blueprints with an A to Z of the Slough area balanced on the corner of the table. There were marks with arrows on them leading to the location of the target building. Beside the maps sat a computer print out of the plan for action broken down into thirty second intervals. Rob found his name listed on the plan more often than he would have liked. Most disturbing was the mention of suppressive fire in conjunction with his name. t
The plan was complicated and well though out. Michaela’s examined the plan and used small figures to represent each of the three active warriors. Rob was allowed an hour or so to recover from his trip, eat something and mellow out in front of the vid.
“Rob come here!”
“Yes, Kiara what is it?”
“I need to brief you on your role in all of this.” She handed him a large automatic weapon.”
“It’s a street-sweeper shotgun, great for laying down fire but crap at hitting anything. There is a Glock semi-auto for you as well.”
“A shotgun, for me, surely David is better equipped for this…”
“I am sorry you were not around for the planning but we have decided that you are to play a suppressive role in the exercise.”
“We, or was it Michaela.”
“Rob,” Michaela spoke loudly and forcefully, ” it’s Kiara’s decision on where to use you as an asset.”
“Do we know exactly where Gwyn is being kept?”
“No, we’ll have to find that out when we get close to the warehouse.”
“How?”
“I will interrogate one of the guards, before I kill him.” Came the blunt, brutal reply.
“No prisoners, I guess.”
“We want to avoid gun-fire as much as possible. We’ll probably be outnumbered at least ten to one.”
“That’s reassuring to know.”
“Oh, yes and there are several non-coms we don’t want to hit.”
“Like who?”
“We’re going to assume that none of the girls there is armed and will fight. We also want to avoid hitting either Gwyn or Clive.”
“So we’re going to save Clive as well, then.”
“That’s assuming he’s not dead already, but yes.”
“Have you told Joe that yet?”
“No. He doesn’t need to know that. It’s just the right way to plan this operation. Joe left just before you arrived, Rob. He went back to his post at the Red Dragon, eager to be busy. He seems to have confidence in us, but maybe it’s only because we’re his only hope to get Gwyn back safely. Let’s not talk about that aspect of it, because it scares me that so much rests on this plan.”
Rob still had a lot to catch up on. “So how are we going to get there, certainly not public transport?”
“Derek is going to drive us and keep the car running nearby, so that we can get away quickly. He is also going to call the pols the minute he sees us returning to the car.”
The rest of the night was spent going over the plans for the raid. By the time he was allowed to go to bed, on the carpet, Rob was thoroughly sick of it. He was not that keen on Kiara being in charge either. It seemed to him that he was being picked on rather often. “Power has gone to her bloody CPU!”
Kiara was lying next to him. “What was that?”
“Oh, nothing dear, just going over the plan in my head.”
“I love you, Rob.”
“I love you too, Kiara. Goodnight.”
Kiara kissed Rob on the head on rolled over on her side.
Visions of what could go wrong filled her head. For the first time in a long time, Kiara said her prayers. She finally got to sleep after several hours of panic.
Friday came and Jervis was as excited as a schoolboy. Morning surprised Jervis as he had four of what Dirk called his “harem.” The only hiccup of the evening was when the sheets had to be changed. The second little girl bled more than usual for a virgin. Jervis onl;y suspected that Dirk’s new girls were virgins the first time he shagged one of them. This made it all the more fun for the ex-Vicar. Sacrificing virgins excited him. Problem was the supply could run out. “I must get Dirk to find me some more recruits.” Once again, he silently congratulated Dirk on his resourcefulness.
As if summoned by telepathy, Dirk walked into the room with his young designated driver. “Vicar, we’re ready to go. Would you like to inspect the lorry, one last time before we leave?”
“No, that’s alright.” Jervis rose and assumed a Vicar-like pose. “May God bless both of you and guide your hand in your quest.”
“Thank you Vicar, I hope to make you proud.” said the obviously nervous young man beside Dirk.
“I know you will, my son, I know you will.”
Jervis thought that it might be a good idea to hold a service the night before the attack. When he broached the idea, Dirk thought to himself that the ex-Vicar was imagining himself to be somebody’s savior and might just be past useful before long. He reasoned with Jervis, “No one else beside the Enforcers and the driver knows that anything is really going on. We’ve kept all of them away in case anyone was tempted to be a hero and steal the truck to do it himself.” Since Dirk took the second in command position, he had tried to discourage the Vicar from any outward showing of religious belief. Dirk explained that this might put many of the foot-soldiers off. When pressed on the point that LPR was meant to be a religious fighting order, Dirk suggested to Jervis that he saw that their true strength as a proselitizing force would come in the next phase.
Jervis watched as the two men left the room. He peered through the small warehouse window into the brilliant sunshine to see his two soldiers climb into the special purpose lorry.
Reggie was nervous when he raised himself into the cab of the lorry. Dirk climbed into the passenger seat and placed the remote control mechanism in a small compartment hidden below the seat.
“Now look, just take it easy. This won’t behard. This lorry has been hand made for this mission. Drive it like a normal lorry and you’ll be fine. Forget that we have over a ton of explosives behind us and just get on with it.”
“Uh, huh,” said Reggie as he pressed the start button, the engine spluttered a bit then roared into life, filling the docking bay with acrid black smoke.
“Don’t over rev it!”
“Sorry.” Reggie shot the lorry into reverse and carefully drove it out of the bay.
“It’s a bit of a tight fit getting this thing out of here. I don’t think something this big was meant to come in here.” He looked at his driver and tried to reassure him. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine.”
Reggie drove the lorry out of the bay and around the building perfectly. He started to realx just a little.
“Get yourself to the M4 and head East, I will tell you where to go after that. Tell me when you get to the M25 going North.” Dirk help a map with a detailed line directly to the airport. Trusting his charge, he sat back in his seat, and closed his eyes.
“Yes, Sir. Can I turn on the radio?” On second thought, Reggie figured he needed to justify his request, “to keep track of traffic and the like.”
“If it works…”, frantically trying to remember if there was any strategic reason not to use it and finding none, Dirk said “of course.”
“Cheers.”
Dirk lifted his head. “You know your way to the airport right.”
“Yea, once we get to exit 27 on the M25, I’ll be all set.”
“Excellent, make sure you don’t speed or do anything too stupid and we’ll be fine. I’ll kip for a while before we get there.”
The trip was trouble free. Just in case they were being followed, they stopped at a Service Plaza for a drink, a fag and something to nibble on.
“You want me to drive?” Dirk asked insincerely.
“No, I’m fine. Where was it that you wanted me to drop you off?”
“Birchanger will be fine. Leave me at that pub one the corner with the dog on the sign near the airport.”
“Alright, I know just the place. Could find it in my sleep. Place has a good governor and all.”
“Yes, drop the lorry off, then come back here. Take the bus a
nd try to act just like anyone else coming home from a good day’s work.” “Alright. I’ll buy you a pint when I get to the pub.”
“Why?”
“To thank you for picking me to drive. One of the Enforcers told me that you were going to make me one after this job.”
“He did, did he.” Dirk returned to his rest and waited.

The journey to the pub, took a little over an hour from the Service Area. Dirk didn’t realise that he really had fallen asleep until Reggie woke him.
“Dirk we’re almost there. Shouldn’t you hook up the device before we stop?”
“Uh, good point Reggie. Thanks for waking me.” Dirk reached down between his legs and retrieved the small box with wires coming from it. Beneath the glove-box in front of him dangled a small wire with a plug on the end. As he attempted to attach it, he and the box were forced forward by a jarring stop.
“Will you be careful you pillock. You almost blew us up.”
“Sorry Dirk, some wop just cut me off and I had to slow down. I didn’t think the thing was that sensitive.”
Dirk ignored his companion and this time made the connection. He would not arm the device until he got out at the pub.
“Dirk, we’re here. “The Rogerer Arms,” over on the left. I’ll pull off and let you out.”
As the lorry rolled to a halt, Dirk opened the door to make a quick escape. Once the vehicle was stopped and he was safely on the ground, he reached in and carefully hit the switch to arm it.
“Alright Reggie. Remember, get as close as you can to the main terminal. Just stop the lorry to get out, and get the hell out of there. There’s a switch on this box that’ll let me know you’re getting out. Hit it and then I’ll give you five minutes to leave the area. Got it?”
“Yea, no problems, boss. I see you here in sixty minutes.”
“See you later.” Dirk climbed down and slammed the lorry door. He walked into the pub without a single parting glance at his companion at arms driving the bomb.
“Pint of Carlsberg, please.”
Reggie was pleased with himself as he drove towards the airport. “It’ll be great to be an Enforcer. Those arseholes won’t be able to push me around any more!” He said to himself over the radio, going full blast on his favourite station.
Dirk collected his beer and walked outside into the garden of the pub, selecting a bench chair as far away from the building as possible. When seated,he removed a small device would look to many like a mobile phone. He turned it on and placed it beside his beer. He examined his watch.
“The trip is supposed to take him twenty minutes.”
Reggie was singing along with the radio when drove his lorry into the main entrance of the Stanstead Airport.