Chapter 52

The Wings of Love

1145 – Buckingham Palace, London, UK

The Hartes and Elvis' section walked down the long opulent hall together. Their spirits were high and Spunky mentioned he wanted to cartwheel the rest of the way.

"Probably not the best idea." Elvis said. "At least not until ya get outside." Everyone laughed.

"We'll regroup at the Pub?" Spanner asked, never lifting his eyes from the text he was sending Toni.

"Affirmative. Reckon we can relax, get a bite and raise a few before we head back." Elvis said.

"I wish we could have stayed overnight." Georgie said. Elvis paused to look at her.

"You OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just, well, it would have been nice." Elvis studied her for a bit longer as he wondered if the travel and all had fatigued her. She noticed. "Stop worrying. I'm fine."

"OK, well, I was just checkin." he said taking her hand in his.

"I know." she said, swinging their arms. She was so happy for him. "Come here." she said pulling him to a stop. "Congratulations my love." she murmured and they stole a quick kiss.

"Did you say Captain James may join us?" Jackson asked.

"I did. Section just got back from Syria." As Elvis spoke, his mobile vibrated in his pocket. Georgie watched him swipe the screen, wondering who would be contacting him now. "Colonel…" he said answering with a smile.

"Congratulations Elvis! I imagine you have been properly decorated." Dave Warner said.

"Indeed. Seems you had a say in the recommendation sir."

"You deserved it. What you did was unprecedented."

"Thank you sir."

"Are you staying in London or heading back?" Warner asked.

"Transport planned for 1700 hours. We are going to change out and meet up at Arnold's Pub if ya fancy stopping in." Elvis said.

"I just might do that. Spears and I are working on something at the moment but would definitely fancy a toast with you lot."

"Really good." Elvis said with a wide smile. "See ya then."

"Dave Warner?" Georgie asked, wrapping her hands around his upper arm.

"Yeah."

"It would be brilliant if he joined us." she said.

The couple walked out of Buckingham Palace with happy steps. Elvis donned his ballistic sunglasses as soon as the light hit his face. Georgie dug into her handbag for her own shades and they proceeded to the waiting ground transportation.

"Let's shake a leg you two!" Spanner said holding a passenger door open for them.

"Stand down lieutenant. We 'ave extra cargo 'ere." Elvis said.

Georgie chuckled. "Yeah! That is exactly how I'm starting to feel."

"Ya fancy resting a bit in the room?" Elvis asked.

"Not at all. I'll be sitting at the Pub. I'm good."

"Just say the word George." Elvis said as she settled into her seat and he moved in beside her.

"I know." she said squeezing his thigh.

"Congratulations fellas! Well deserved!" Elvis said as the black SUV pulled away.

Xxxxx

MoD – London, UK

Ollie Knots spent the better part of the past hour playing back in his mind the encounter he had with Warner and Spears. Did they suspect anything? Will they go to Bristol? Why did Spears ask about a mobile account? The final thought gnawed at him. It became so painful that he reached for his phone and simply stared at it. It serves no purpose now I suppose. Fuck! Why did he say that to Spears? Out of sheer anxious dismay Knots thumbed in the numbers. The call began to ring…it rang! No automated message saying the number was no longer in service…..This makes no sense! he thought. It continued to ring….

"Good afternoon."

Knots almost tossed his mobile across the room when he heard the voice.

"Why are you calling me Ollie?" said the voice.

Knots felt as though he incinerated and his body fell to ashes on the chair. There was no mistaking that voice, but his mind would not accept it. "Who is this!?" he demanded with weak bravado.

"Oh I think you know."

Knots felt his entire body begin to tremble as that icy chill rolled down his back again. "You are supposed to be dead!" he blurted, then tried to compose himself.

"Am I? Funny thing that. I don't feel dead. I have never felt more alive."

"You stole the money!" Knots squeezed out through gritted teeth.

"Negative Ollie. I simply withdrew my money."

"You bastard! We had equal shares!"

"That is a concept only in your mind."

"Where the fuck are you!?"

"Closer than you realize."

With that Knots involuntarily went to the window and peeked out between the blinds. "You will never get away with this!" he said, anxiously surveying the street below.

"And I suppose you will? See…Ollie…your problem is that you ran to the authorities about the account. Now they will look into everything!"

"I will tell them the truth!" Knots snarled.

"Knowing you…you have already built a massive wall of lies around yourself. Unfortunately it has as much protection as sand in a wind storm."

"You…are…a…disgrace! Knots sneered defiantly.

"And you are the model? You know…..that arrogant bastard Harte called me a disgrace once."

"He may be an arrogant bastard but he was just decorated this morning." Knots sniffed.

"Decorated!?"

"Yes Arnie. You never amounted to much in Special Forces and Harte….."

"Shut the fuck up! You never even made it through…so who are you to preach to me you sniveling little shit! I just have to say the word and Adam will sing like a canary!"

"Don't be absurd. That would cause you to expose yourself."

"No….no not really. You see Ollie…I plan much better than you. It will look as though you orchestrated everything. Even your poor mate Evans' demise."

The tone of the words terrified Knots. He began to sweat profusely and wanted to retch. "What do you want from me?" he cried.

"Well let me see now….hmmmmm….I would like to know if Harte is still in London."

Knots paled. He knew exactly where Elvis Harte was and where he was planning to meet up with his mates. "How should I know?"

"Because you would make a point of knowing. You cannot stand him Ollie. You constantly whined about him getting ahead of you."

"Leave him alone Arnie!"

"Ah…..so he is still in London. Tell me more."

Knots' eyes squeezed shut. Could he for once just keep his mouth shut!? "Leave him be I tell you! His wife is with him."

"This just gets better and better!"

The ominous response sent another chill down Knots' spine that he actually shivered.

"You make a damn fine informant Ollie. Just missing that small detail as to where he is!"

"What are your intentions?" Knots asked now feeling the room closing in on him.

"Not your concern Ollie….now where is he? I am not asking a third time!"

Ollie Knots' hand reflexively went to his throat. He had no way out of this. Pettigrew would kill him if chose to remain silent. That he was absolutely certain of. "They were going to Arnold's Pub." He finally blurted out.

Xxxxx

1245 – London, UK

"We won't exactly be missing the lunch crowd." Georgie said as Elvis swung the Pub door open wide for her to enter.

"Nah. But hopefully we will find you a seat at least."

She looked around and was pleased to discover the establishment was not overly crowded. "Have you been here before?" she asked turning to look up at Elvis.

"Once or twice. The food is good." he answered as he moved them along. She enjoyed the warmth of his hand at the small of her back. The bar area was completely covered with patrons who payed no mind to the newcomers as they passed by, except for one set of eyes in a gray hoodie tucked between two burly men. Elvis located a table and whistled to his team when he turned and noticed that they had arrived. All had dressed down to civies and approached the couple with huge grins.

"Seems like old times eh boss?" Spunky said.

"Reckon it does." Elvis said with a cheeky laugh.

Georgie looked at her husband as he pulled a chair out for her. "Do I want to know?" she asked with an arched brow.

"Probably not." he answered with a grin. The team laughed.

"We probably have time for a few stories." Jackson said, purposely ignoring the mischievous glare from his captain.

"I'd love to hear them." Georgie said tapping her hands on the wooden tabletop. Spanner meanwhile hailed a server and soon the party was toasting their merits. A cheer erupted when Charlie James made an appearance.

"Wasn't such a lengthy debrief then?" Elvis asked his mate, shoving a Guinness his way.

"Finished that whilst you were otherwise occupied." Charlie said.

"Where's the rest of the section?" Elvis asked.

"Yeah! I would love to see them!" Georgie added.

"A few should be along. I know they are anxious to see you Georgie. Fingers fed them updates from your sister." Charlie said.

"Fingers has got a gob on him, yeah. They haven't seen me pregnant."

"Do you have any names picked out?" Charlie asked.

Elvis shook his head. "Nah."

"So it's not going to be Elvis Junior?"

Georgie spit water back into her glass. "Do not encourage him!"

"Oi! He has Little Charlie!" Elvis said with mock defensiveness.

"Look. I am already having dreams of Little Elvis running around…" she said rolling her eyes. Both men looked at each other and laughed.

"It's getting close mate. You had best come up with something." Charlie said.

"Yeah….yeah… we will." Elvis said sipping at his beer.

"Well with ideas like 'Gunner' we should be good to go." Georgie said.

Charlie gave Elvis a look. "You didn't?" Elvis responded with a sheepish grin and smothered his laugh by taking another sip.

"He did." Georgie said dryly.

"I feel your pain Lane." Charlie said, still not able to shake referring to her as Lane.

"Thanks mate." Elvis said pithily.

"Molly says your new home is quite nice." Charlie said.

"It is!" Georgie said with a smile that mirrored her sentiment.

"Lookin forward to ya comin for a visit Charlie. Ya know we want you and Molly as godparents." Elvis said.

"Indeed. Yes. We are looking forward to that honor mate." Charlie said pressing a hand down on Elvis's shoulder. He took a hard look at his best mate. Life was so different for Georgie and Elvis now. Back when Elvis learned he had fathered Laura he made difficult choices. Now he was finally married to his soulmate and would become the father of two children. Charlie watched the couple…the smiles they exchanged with each other…..the subtle touches….the joy that radiated from them when they were in each other's presence. The Pub jukebox played out the lyrics to "On the Wings of Love." Charlie would not be surprised if Elvis had made the selection…..

….Just smile for me and let the day begin

You are the sunshine that lights my heart within

And I'm sure that you're an angel in disguise

Come take my hand and together we will rise

On the wings of love

Xxxxx

1330 – MoD – London, UK

Jason Spears just about went through Dave Warner's office door after a quick knock. "Good! You're still here!" Spears said slamming the door shut.

"What the fuck is going on?" Warner barked trying to shrug into his jacket.

"Just received word there was an interception on the Midge Drake phone account."

Warner briskly adjusted the jacket around him saying, "Who's our mark?"

"One…Oliver Knots."

"Son of a bitch!" Warner exclaimed. "Well it didn't take him long to send up a flare. Location on Drake?"

"Would you believe London?" Spears said. "Bridge Street to be precise."

"That is too close." Warner said with a measure of concern.

Spears nodded in agreement. "Have you spoken to Harte?"

"Not about Knots. I was just heading out for a meet up with him actually, but this changes everything. We need to pay another visit to the major. This time with Detective Dillon along for the ride." Warner said.

Spears thumbed the speed dial on his mobile and within seconds was requesting the presence of the Metro Police detective for a formal interrogation. Meanwhile Warner texted Elvis to inform him he would be delayed but would be in touch. As the two men hurried to the lift Warner received a call from the Forensic Unit.

"Dave Warner. Affirmative. What do you have for me?"

Jason Spears became acutely concerned when he saw a chalky pallor veil over Warner's face.

"What is it?" he asked as the lift door closed.

A/N: Lyric excerpt from the song "On the Wings of Love" - Songwriters - Jeffrey Osborne and Peter Schless.