London was quite at peace after the fourth fire which triggered the Scotland Yard to forfeit the case to the Secret Service. It had been ten weeks, and neither was there any development in the case, nor were there any more fires.
What people did not know was that the Arsonist was actually sketching his plan out. An elaborate plan, made to the greatest precision in such a manner there couldn't possibly be any holes in the plan.
His experiments with the chemicals and the explosives certainly got the attention of the people living in London, but they have no idea what was coming. He now had a fairly complete idea about how explosives work, and also about the efficiency of certain combinations of the chemicals.
"It's all just chemistry", he thought.
His room was dim. He preferred it that way. With piles of paper and sheets filled with schematics penciled without leaving a single inch of space on every single sheet. Building plans and blueprints of the building, with the vulnerable areas highlighted with a red marker.
Joint to this room was a lab, where he conducts his tests at a smaller scale, especially for preparing new variants of accelerants and fuels. The full blown out testing had taken place in those factories in England.
Ha. Blown out.
There was one final test to make, to make sure that the main plan takes off properly, and doesn't stop right in the middle, like those domino trails that people make for the world records. You set one domino off, and all must fall. It isn't nearly as amusing when it stops midway.
It applies for blowing up buildings as well.
He switched on the television as he went to the kitchen sink and washed his charred hands.
He sat on the couch, and observed keenly the manipulation of actual information by the news channels.
Is it true that this might be a corporate conspiracy to take advantage of the new insurance laws?
Why isn't the Government taking any action?
Is the Queen safe? A report on the security at Buckingham palace.
"This," he thought. "This, is why nothing could stop me. These people, they have no global sense. Always localized to their own country, or they own government."
He smiled, and almost cackled. But he remembered that he didn't really like to laugh, so he turned the television of and continued drawing schematics for his next target.
It suddenly hit him that his last test, could also serve as a prologue or his entry into the world media. To enter the world in spectacular fashion. To enter the world with a bang.
Or multiple bangs if it comes down to it.
In the evening, he went to the pub. Occasionally, getting the reactions of the people in general would greatly enhance his plan. Especially with everyone half drunk, they would say all kinds of things about the Government and other people, and other countries without much hesitation. It would surely contribute to his plan.
"A beer", he informs the bartender.
He looks around, and examines the pub. It's fairly silent for a Friday. It isn't also that crowded.
"What's happening to business?" he asked the bartender.
"Oh, what, today? I know right, it does seem pretty thin for a Friday evening."
"Did something happen?"
"The kind of world we live in? It becomes crowded only when something happens."
The arsonist chuckled. He swallowed a small portion of his beer.
"They scared that the pub is going to burn down or something?"
"Why would you say such a thing mate? You're a regular, where else are you going to go for a drink?"
"Just saying."
The bartender shrugged it off. The arsonist looked at the foam intently.
"Heyo. I've seen you here for the past 4 years now. How come I've never seen you with a girl?"
The arsonist chuckled as he took another gulp. "Do you think a lad with face like mine can land a girl?"
"Why not? I mean, have you seen Nikki's boyfriend? He looks like the bloody Stonehenge!"
"Is it because he's ancient?"
"He is a lot of things, we can never tell. But he's hideous lookin' alright. Sammy, hello! What will you have tonight?"
He eyed the newcomer into the bar, whose name is apparently Sammy. Short, young guy. He wore a hat that covered his ginger hair. He had no facial hair, which makes people think he's far too young than he actually is, but the cigarette in his mouth breaks those theories.
"Wassup my man?" he gives the bartender a fist bump. The arsonist noted that Sammy was probably American.
"The usual?"
"The usual."
Sammy turned around and looked at the arsonist. "Sup? Name's Sammy. What's yours?"
"You a journalist?" he made a quick guess.
"How'd you guess?" Sammy replied, with suspicion. "Besides, I still don't know your name."
"It's Freddie," he lied. "Alfred Thompson."
"Freddie…" Sammy smiled as he was served his Cuba Lite cocktail. "Freddie, Freddie. You an opinionated person?"
"You could say that."
"Alrighty then. Whatcha think about the fireworks in London recently?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"The booms. The explosions, the fires, whatever crap name that the media is giving them. Essentially, they are fireworks, so I'm gonna go ahead and call them fireworks."
"Fireworks are meant to delight, not to terrify."
"You're tellin' me that the guy behind all of this isn't getting' some kinda a kick outta this?"
"So what if he is. He's the only one who is delighted, in that case. But what about the rest? They aren't. They're terrified." He almost felt defeated, but he was really interested in where this journalist was going.
"Does a dog like them fire crackers? Absolutely no frickin way. Why dogs? All of those poor, poor animals that are jus' mindin' their own business, they're flippin terrified every time one of those things go boom."
The arsonist smiles.
"You have a point there." He emptied his glass of beer.
"That's ma' gift." Sammy laughed, almost with a touch of sarcasm.
The arsonist pulled out his wallet and paid for the beer, and before leaving, he said, "Nice talking to you Mister Journalist. See you soon."
"See ya!" Sammy waved him off.
It was raining outside.
"They have no idea what's going to happen," the arsonist chuckled, walking back to his shack dodging a few potholes in the process. "A flash, and a sweep. And before they realize…"
He took in a deep breath.
"Before they realize, they'll be blown to kingdom come."