Chapter 9: The Broadcast

"A memo from the police," a young female jaguar technician said to Winston, giving him a piece of paper.

"Thank you," Winston answered and took the paper. He read it and shouted: "SHIT!!"

Everyone who heard it looked at MI5 officer. The memo told him about the bomb at Famesbury Park.

Winston picked up his phone and dialled a number. It took two rings before someone answered.

"Hello," the voice said.

"Peter, its Winston."

"How can I help you?" Peter Thomas asked.

"Have you heard about the second bomb?" Winston asked.

"Yes."

"You'll know the media will be swarming that place when they find out. Journalists are already there."

"Yes I know. At least the bomb has been intercepted and lives are now going to be saved."

"Just make sure the stadium is blocked off and tell you're officers not to tell the press about what is found."

"Talk to you later then," Thomas said hung up.

Winston was about to telephone the Prime Minister when he received a fax from his friend and rival William Gold.

"So, are you going to tell us anything?" Knuckles asked Becker, removing the tape off his mouth.

"No way," Becker answered. "I'll never become a traitor to my God."

"Tell me Dr. Becker," Knuckles said, "isn't the first commandment 'Thou Shalt not Kill'?"

"It is," Becker said, "but I never killed anyone."

"But you have told people to do anything for the Catholic faith, including murdering Protestants, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and people from any other religion around the world."

"Can you two stop this Philosophical and Theological bullocks!" Jessica said; it wasn't a question, it was an order. "Just beat the crap out of him until he talks."

Knuckles put the tape over Becker's mouth and started to punch him on his sensitive area, causing the maximum about of pain.

After a few hits Becker's phone started to ring. Jessica picked it out from his phone. She saw the caller ID said 'Shijo'.

"Shhh" she said to Knuckles, pressing her figure on her lips. She answered it saying "hello." She had changed the shape of her voice box to sound like Becker.

"Ah Francis," Shijo said in his Japanese accent. "We need you to come round for the Broadcast. Damio has been captured so he is unable to do it."

"Who'll be doing it then?" Jessica asked.

"James Westle," Shijo Ajiu said.

"Ah right."

"It'll be done at my office block."

"When do you want me to be there?" Jessica asked.

"As soon as possible," Shijo said. "Also, how was it with planting your bomb?"

"Yeah, it went well," Jessica said, answering quickly.

"Good to hear. See you soon." After that the terrorist hung up.

"WHERE HAVE YOU PLANTED THE BOMB?!" Jessica yelled at Becker as Knuckles removed his gag.

"What bomb?" Becker said, trying to play dumb.

"The bomb Shijo wanted you to plant!" Jessica said.

"I'm not telling you anything!"

"Oh yes you will," Jessica answered. She shapeshifted to become Claws with his claws extracted. She placed her figure next to his testicles. "Now are you going to tell me?"

"No I …" Becker said and then screamed in pain as Jessica jabbed her claw into his testicles.

"NOW TELL ME OR I MAKE THE PAIN WORST!!"

"Okay, okay," Becker said panting. "Just remove the claw first."

Jessica followed his request.

"The bomb is at St. Michael's Cathedral," Becker said. St. Michael's was one of the large church's in the country. It was medieval and had many religious artefacts. "The bomb is placed under the pulpit."

"I'll call Marie," Knuckles said.

"Who are Shijo and Damio?" Jessica asked Becker.

"Shijo Ajiu and Damio Pullson. They are fascist terrorists. They want to bring down the government."

"And what's this about a broadcast?"

"At one PM Shijo and Damio are going to block all the airwaves and give a message to the government."

"Where will it be done?" Jessica asked.

"Boro Business Park on Oasis Street, by the river."

"Are you telling Marie all this?"

Knuckles nodded. After a minute Knuckles finished talking to Marie. He then dialled 999.

"What are you doing?" Jessica asked.

"Oh come off it," Knuckles said, "we're not murderers."

"On the phone at the moment is Winston Drake," Sir Daniel Lord, the head of MI5 said. "He is the man running the crisis management in Diamond. He is possibly the best officer in MI5 at the moment. If he is successful he will become a Deputy-Director of Counter-Terrorism: if he fails it'll possibly hold up his career for at least five years."

Daniel pressed the speaker-phone and said: "Go ahead Winston."

"Thank you sir," Winston said. "Let me confirm some things: first the explosion was a bomb and the police are looking for a man called Graham Selmon, a tube worker in the city; second there are more bombs. One has already been found at Famesbury Park, the football stadium." In the background a phone ringing. "Excuse me a moment."

"That settles it," David Johnson said. "There is a second bomb; we're going to have to bring in the curfew."

"We are agreed on this, right?" Edward Bear said, wanting conformation.

The cabinet nodded, saying thing like 'yes' or 'we must.'

"Admiral, call the army to prepare the plans," the Defence Secretary said.

"I'll do it in a minute," Admiral Fisher said. "But I recommend that you ask your man on the ground first. His opinion would be best."

"We'll do that," Edward said.

Winston came back on the line to say: "my agents may have discovered a third bomb. It's at St. Michael's Cathedral. I've sent police and a bomb squad. We are going to arrest the man that said it was planned there."

"Who's that?" the Health Secretary, a 39-year-old female chimpanzee asked.

"Dr. Francis Becker," Winston answered. "He is a Catholic fundamentalist."

"We need your advice on one matter," Edward said to Winston. "Do you think enforcing a curfew in Diamond would help you investigations?"

Winston had to think for a moment. He wanted to make the right decision.

"Well, a curfew would to be useful to stop any public panic. When the media gets wind of this the public would be concerned. Also it may make it easier to find suspects in the city.

"Will troops be deployed?" Winston then asked.

"Yes they will be," Edward said.

"That will help me," Winston said. "The police are good but they will be over stretched. They will also be good for raids. Who'll command them?"

"Lt. General King," Admiral Fisher said. "He's very good and experience in military policing and urban warfare."

"That's good then," Winston said to the Cabinet. "Anyway I'll call if they are any developments."

There was a click when Winston hung up.

"Admiral, do the call," the Defence Secretary ordered.

At the same time Edward picked up a phone.

"Alan," Edward said. "I need you to tell the media that I have a statement at 1 o'clock."

Stars and Natalie were going towards Agolo Kwowo's flat. It was in the poorest part of the city, infamous for drug dealing. But the police were cracking down in the area and council wanted refurnish the area into a modern, 'hip' section, making it perfect for the high student population of the city.

The flat block the two young lovers were in was reported to be brought by the University and make it into new halls of residents.

"So Nat," Stars said. "Why didn't you tell me that your brother is Jack Laser?"

"You took your time to ask," Natalie answered. "Anyway I wanted you to fall for me. I didn't want you to go out with me because of who my brother is.

"Anyway, I would have thought that it was pretty obvious."

"Come on, you know me," Stars said.

"Not back then," Natalie answered. They had only been going out for two weeks but Stars did gain her trust easily.

"Fair enough," Stars answered. "Anyway, we're here now."

Before Stars knocked on the door he used his psychic abilities to search for Agolo. He was in there looking at a black and white of himself with his out army unit when he was 20-years-old.

Stars knocked on the door and Agolo went to answer it. He opened the door, with a chain attached.

"Who are you?" Agolo asked in his African sounding accent.

"I'm Stars. May I come in and talk?"

"Who do you work for?" Agolo asked. He was very suspicious of anyone he didn't know.

"No one," Stars said.

"I don't believe you!" the gorilla shouted. "Now PISS OFF!!!"

Agolo tried to shut the door but Stars put his arm in the way and used his strength to keep the door open. Natalie then aimed her finger at the chain and shot a red beam. The chain broke and Stars forced his way through the door.

When Stars entered the flat Agolo punched him in the face. Stars pressed his left hand on his nose; blood was coming out of it.

At the same time Agolo took a pistol out from a draw on his cabinet. He aimed it at Stars and took a shot. Stars held out his hand as far as possible and focused to form a psychic shield. The bullet hit the shield and fell harmlessly on the ground.

Agolo prepared to take another shot when Natalie came in and shot her beams at the gorilla. When the beams him he went flying into the lounge. Agolo got up, picked up his pistol, shot two bullets at the MI5 agents and ran.

Fortunately the bullets missed Stars and Natalie. Stars got up and both of them chased after him.

Agolo went out his fire escape and ran up the stairs. Stars and Natalie were close behind. Agolo turned and shot at them. The bullet missed but it forced Stars and Natalie to stop as well.

Stars pulled out his pistol and took two shot at Agolo as he was running. Agolo took another two shots before going up to the roof.

When Agolo got up to roof he realised he had nowhere to go. The building was low compared to the buildings around and he only had one bullet in his gun.

Stars was now on the roof, Natalie following closely behind.

"There's no where to run now Agolo," Stars said in a firmly, pointing his gun at him.

"There is one way," Agolo answered. He then pointed his gun at his head.

Stars quickly reacted and pulled his gun up.

"Put your hands down," Stars said to Natalie. "Agolo, you don't have to kill yourself."

"They'll kill my family if I go with you."

"Who are they?" Stars asked. He put his gun back under his jacket.

"Fascists."

"We can help you," Stars said. He was walking very slowly towards the foreigner.

"They are very powerful," Agolo said. "They watch my family all the time."

"I work for MI5, as hard as it is to believe. My handler can help protect them if you come with us."

"They are in Gualand, MI5 can't help them there."

"Then MI6 will help them."

"It's just that I love them so much. I hate fascism, I hate communism. I am a democrat. I was forced into the rebel camp in my country. I hate the fascists in my country; I hope they burn in Hell."

Agolo broke down in tears. The solider was now acting like a young boy lost in a dangerous world. At the same time Stars got up close to him and took the pistol off his hands.

"I'm sorry," Sonic said. "I'm sorry for what I said."

"It's okay Sonic," Amy answered. She was lying on her back, with her head turned to look at her fiancé. "At least you're here."

"Your parents are coming," Sonic said. "They should be on the M20 now."

"That's good. Can you tell me what happened?"

"I'm not too sure myself but there was an explosion at the tube station. The doctors told me that you were hit in the head and spine by rumble."

Amy tried sit up. She was unable to move her body. Then she realized something.

"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Amy screamed. "I can't feel my legs! I can't feel my legs!"

"I'll get help," Sonic said, preparing to get up.

"NO! Don't leave me," Amy said, looking into the eyes of Sonic.

Knuckles and Jessica stole Becker's car. Both were now waiting outside the block of offices where Shijo Ajiu was in.

Jessica changed her shape to look like Francis Becker.

"Well, here goes nothing," Jessica said as both agents got out the car.

They walked off towards the building. Marie told them what Shijo Ajiu and James Westle looked like, but anyone there they would have to blag they way thought.

At the door Knuckles and Jessica was a buzzer for the office. They looked for Koga Management. It was in the middle of the list of companies.

Jessica pressed the button and said: "Hello?"

"Who is it?" a male voice asked.

"Dr. Becker."

"Come right up then," the voice said.

There was a buzz and Knuckles opened the door. They headed towards the lifts of the building.

Becker told Knuckles and Jessica the broadcast was going to done on the roof of the building and that a number of technicians had jamming equipment to be used on all the airwaves and spend their message to the country.

"Are you nervous?" Knuckles asked when the two were going up in the lift.

"Yeah," Jessica answered. "Are you?"

"A little," Knuckles said honestly. "But then life is full of little challenge."

When the two reached the roof the door of the lift opened. Knuckles and Jessica went out of the lift and saw the technicians working on the equipment.

"Francis," a foreign voice said.

Jessica turned and saw it was Shijo Ajiu.

"Shijo," Jessica said. "How's it going?"

"Very well thanks," Shijo answered. "And yourself?"

"I'm good."

Shijo looked at Knuckles.

"Who's the kid?" Shijo asked.

"That's my bodyguard," Jessica said. "He's very good."

"What's his name?"

"Kyle," Jessica answered.

"Is he any good?"

"Very. He's great protection."

"By the way," Shijo said. "The broadcast is going to be delayed by five minutes."

"That's a shame."

"We are getting it sorted out."

On the FBC channels viewers were watching the football commenter Harry Peters, a 47-year-old white and brown mouse outside Famesbury Park.

"As you can see behind me the stewards and police have blocked off the area around the stadium," Harry said. "The police haven't said much except that they found a device at 12:30 pm. The security at the club quickly called the police and is now investigating the scene.

"It seems very likely that …"

"I'm sorry to interrupt you Harry," Charlotte Banks said, "But we now have to transfer to Downing Street for an emergency broadcast by the Prime Minister."

The scene on the screen changed to the famous street where the Prime Minister. People watching could see the black door with the number 10 on it and a microphone standing outside the door.

All terrestrial channels and satellite news channel were all going to watch Edward Bear's statement. In the top right corner it said live.

After twenty-five seconds the Prime Minister himself came. He was now wearing a black suit with a dark grey tie.

The photographers were all taking pictures as Edward Bear walking towards the microphone.

When Edward was infront of the microphone he waited for silence. The statement could make or break his Premiership.

Once everyone was silence Edward began to speak:

"Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen. I wish I was speaking to you under better circumstances. Today at 8:59 am there was an explosion at St. John's Square in Diamond. I can confirm that it was a terrorist attack."

In the crowd of journalists and cameramen and crew was a gasp of shock. They didn't expect Bear to admit it so soon.

"At the moment our intelligence services are now investigating and I can confirm that a second bomb has been discovered at FamesburyPark Football Stadium and the police are now checking St. Michael's Cathedral for a third device.

"More intelligence shows that there could be more devices in the city."

Edward saw shook on the faces of the journalists. Did he was to cause a public panic? were the journalists thoughts.

"So the Cabinet and I have enforced the Emergency Act to ensure the safety of the people in Diamond. In two hours a curfew will be enforce and anyone on the streets will be arrested. The army will be sent in to help the police in the city and will react quickly to any troubles. Any people allow to walk in the city has to have ID and show it to the police or the army and they will check a special database being set up as we speak.

"The attack today has left twenty-nine people dead and seventy more injured. To people who are worried about relatives in the city the Home Office and Department of Health have set up an emergency number: it is 0205576291.

"Now I will take some questions within reason."

All the journalists started to shout at Edward.

"You,"Edward said, pointing to a man.

"Sam Windsor, The Independent. Don't you think that it's a curfew is a panicky response to the intelligence that you have?"

"We will have to wait and see what is found in Diamond. If I'm right I could have saved lives and help the people that protect our country do their job quickly and safely. If I'm wrong; then I'm just playing on the side of caution."

Edward then pointed at another journalist.

"Ben Thompson, CNN. What is the international response you have got?"

"Our close allies have given us messages of support and sympathy. We have been too busy to response to them but I wish to offer mine and my government thanks at this preside moment."

Edward then got asked another question.

"Sarah Lang, ITN. Who is running the investigation in Diamond?"

"All I can tell you is the person is a top Security Service officer with years of experience. But all are agencies are involved in the investigation."

Edward pointed at a young journalist.

"Jason Stewart, Mail on Sunday. Howcome there wasn't a full cab…"

"Good afternoon." The scene of the screen had changed. It was no longer Edward Bear standing infront of 10 Downing Street; but a 34-year-old male badgerstanding infront of a black background. "My name is James Westle. I'm a citizen of this great country and a patriot as well. It saddens me and the people I work with to see our country being ruined by Socialists, Communists and Liberals. This is why we had to attack St. John's Square today. We have planted more bombs in Diamond and they will go off unless the government meets our demands.

"First: we demand the resignation of government and a General Election to be called. In the election the Conservatives, Labour, Liberals, Communists and most minor parties are not allow to put forward candidates and should disband willingly.

"Second: the monarchy must abdicate and to not contest for the throne. The new Freemantle will be a republic.

"Thirdly: when the government resigns; we want them to make us a provision government. We will send Downing Street five faxes with contact details to ensure communications between us.

"Finally: we want from the government before their resignation is 600 million pounds.

"We did not want to plant the bomb and kill citizens but the governments of …"

In the background gunshots were heard. James Westle stood in shock.

"Get the wires!" a female voice shouted.

A couple of seconds later the image of James Westle disappeared and Edward Bear was back on screens across the country.

All to journalists started to shout at the Prime Minister. They were demanding answers that Edward couldn't give.

"I'm sorry," Edward said. "I can't answer your questions."

He turned his back to the cameras and headed toward his office and home.

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