Chapter 24
James stood in the makeshift briefing room at the head of the table, fists pressed down onto its surface, eyes boring into each member of two section in turn.
"Right lads, this is it, this is the operation which will decide whether our latest mission will succeed or fail. All of us will need to be 100% focussed and alert. One slip and it could all be over"
"Is that cos if Molly finds out you'll get a bollocking sir?" Asked Baz Vegas
"Exactly" said James "so no cock-ups, understand?"
"Sir" chorused two section
"Ok. I am due at the clinic at 1500 hours this afternoon. I'll make out I'm taking a number of you out on a long run. We'll leave here at 14.30 hours. That should give me enough time to get there and back before any suspicion is raised."
"What we going to do in the meantime sir?" Asked Fingers
"You'll complete the run of course Fingers." Said James with a smile.
Fingers grimaced "I suppose it will make your alibi believable sir"
"Our alibi Fingers. Remember we are in this together, right lads?" Said James
"Boss" came the less than convincing response.
At that point Molly joined them, prompting James to straighten up, clear his throat and start the briefing.
"Right, this Saturday, Operation Blowing Bubbles..." James said, then looked around the room expectantly but received just dumb stares in response "Come on! You've got to be impressed with the name"
"Very good sir" said Nude Nut dutifully.
James smiled "I have been undertaking in depth research for the operation, so that I can merge effortlessly with the rest of the supporters. My next task is to learn all the members of West Ham's scrum"
"You don't know very much about football, do you sir?" Said Molly
"Does it show?" Said James with a worried expression.
"Just little things give it away" replied Molly
"Well I still have a little time" concluded James and moved over to a map on the wall showing the area around the stadium.
"This is the space which has been licensed to Barry's Burgers" said James indicating a spot on the map. "We will set up our observation post here while the immersion team will be positioned here in the van with Nan. I will mingle with the crowd in the company of Dawes' father. Nan has agreed to position some of her employees in the crowd to help with surveillance. Is your dad fully briefed Dawes?"
"Yes Boss. He's already started his mission training" she said with a roll of her eyes. When she received some questioning looks she explained "He's found his West Ham top and is practicing his drinking and singing skills."
"Ok, good. Any questions?"
"Why can't we just go to the police with what we know sir?" Questioned Dangleberries
"What we have is all circumstantial Dangles. We need concrete evidence to link the van to the zombie attacks. This operation should give us what we need"
Fingers then raised his hand "Sir, Major Beck said the intel suggested this was going to be a bigger attack. Do we know what that means?"
"Not at this stage" replied James "It could just mean they are looking to infect more people in one go. I have, however asked Brains to see if we can dig anymore up on DDC Ltd which might give us a clue. Brains anything to report on that front?"
"Nothing on DDC sir but I have been looking at other stuff PharmaCorp have bought recently. They have been on a major shopping spree buying all sorts of businesses and land holdings, even some old MoD property. It's taking me a little while to unpick all the detail cos some of the stuff they've bought are holding companies which own lots of other businesses. Should have a full list in a few days."
"Ok, keep at it Brains" said James
"Sir, it might help if we knew what PharmaCorp where trying to get out of this" said Molly
"Very true Dawes. Morley hasn't been able to get to the bottom of it so far. Its hard to see what they have to gain by discrediting the SZS and me personally. If we aren't operational there is no demand for the antidote which we get from the Americans anyway. The only other drug involved..." James tailed off and frowned.
"What is it sir?" Asked Molly
"It's just...Brains, did you say PharmaCorp had recently bought an MoD site?" Said James
"Yes sir, an old training camp near Salisbury Plain" confirmed Brains
James rolled his tongue around his mouth then addressed Brains again "can you put in a request to Colonel Morley for the latest satellite images from the area. I want to see whether they have been using their new acquisition"
"Yes Sir" responded Brains
"Right" said James turning back to the rest of two section "full kit inspection 1100 hours then PT session after lunch. Dismissed."
Two section stood and trooped out the room. Molly, however approached James.
"Sir, could I request a couple of hours leave this afternoon. Mum feels a bit moby and needs to shoot to the doc's so has asked if I can watch the kids"
"This afternoon? Excellent!" Said James
"What sir?" Queried Molly
"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean excellent, meant ummm certainly. Take as long as you need." Said James
"Thank you Sir" said Molly, looking relieved then smiled and left the room.
That afternoon James left the warehouse with Kinders, Fingers, Nude Nut and Dangleberries for the long run they had discussed. Molly had already left for her Mum's but James insisted on continuing the ruse just in case Molly arrived back early.
The small group of soldiers ran northwards towards Forest Gate, the location of the clinic. Once they had arrived James left them to carry on towards Stratford, arranging to rejoin them an hour or so latter on their return trip.
"Good luck sir" said Kinders as they made to leave "Maybe, once we get back you can convince Baz Vegas to have his one removed"
"He's not thinking of keeping his is he?" Asked James
"Says its growing on him" replied Kinders shrugging then he jogged off with the rest of the detail.
James shook his head and watched them leave before walking up the steps to the clinic. This was going to work out just right, he thought and a certain medic would never know. He pulled open the door to the clinic with a smile and walked straight into Molly coming out.
"Molly, errrr what are you doing here!" Said James in consternation
"Oh ummmm nothing really. Here, hang on, I thought you were on a run with the lads?" Countered Molly
"Well" said James licking his lips and desperately searching for an explanation "I errr asked you first!" he spluttered unconvincingly.
They both then stared at each other and eventually Molly looked down. "I came to get a quote for this to be removed" she said and lifting up her sweater revealed at the base of her back a tattoo of a caricature of the Prince of Wales, complete with large ears and prominent nose.
James stared in disbelief "What ever possessed you to get that done?" He said
"Bloody deaf tattooist up the high street. I went in and asked for a tat saying 'Charles' and he thought I said one of Charles and did that! Didn't realise until I got home" she said miserably.
James burst into peels of laughter.
"What's so bloody funny!" Said Molly
Then James rolled up his sleeve to reveal his own tattoo and she too dissolved into hysterics. They drew curious stares from passers-by as they tried and failed to regain control of themselves. Eventually James managed to find some degree of composure and said "Come on let's see if we can get two for the price of one, and while we are at it I can tell you all about what Baz ended up with on his arm"
An hour later they left the clinic together and waited for Kinders and the others to rejoin them. The small group of soldiers came into view shortly afterwards jogging along the pavement. When Kinders saw Molly he stopped dead in surprise causing the others to cannon into the back of him and sending all four runners sprawling onto the pavement in a tangle of limbs.
Kinders managed to extract himself from the pile of bodies and hobbled up to James with a sheepish look on his face. "Have we been rumbled sir?" He asked nervously.
"Looks as if all of us have Sargent. Come on let's get back to base and I will explain on the way." Said James with a grin...
The following Saturday James arrived at Rochford Close early and sat down with Molly's dad to run through the mission.
"So we're just going to act normal and keep an eye out?" Asked Dave
"Yes, if we see anything suspicious we radio it in using this hidden mic and earpiece" said James and passed over the equipment
"And that's all?" Said Dave
"Absolutely, no heroics ok? Leave that to the professionals" confirmed James
"And ummm your wearing that to the match are you?" Said Dave eyeing James' outfit.
"Why, what's wrong with it?" Asked James
"Well I haven't seen a stripy bobble hat and scarf at Upton Park since the 70s...and as for the rosette and clacker..." Said Dave
"But my research indicated these are all traditional football fan accessories" said James defensively
"Traditional is right. I'd leave them here if I was you, otherwise there is a distinct possibility you'll get the shit kicked out of you...and me too if I'm seen with you" said Dave "You really don't know anything about football do you?"
"So people keep telling me" replied James "...and they say Cricket is complicated"
"Well it is isn't it?" Said Dave
"Oh no not really, cricket is all rather simple" replied James
"Nobody's been able to get me to understand it" admitted Dave
"Ah thats because they haven't done it properly, see you have two sides, one out in the field and one in. Each man that's in the side that's in goes out, and when he's out he comes in and the next man goes in until he's out. When they are all out, the side that's out comes in and the side that's been in goes out and tries to get those coming in, out. Sometimes you get men still in and not out. When a man goes out to go in, the men who are out try to get him out, and when he is out he goes in and the next man in goes out and goes in. There are two men called umpires who stay out all the time and they decide when the men who are in are out. When both sides have been in and all the men have been out, and both sides have been out twice after all the men have been in, including those who are not out, that is the end of the game"
Dave stared at James "Well its obvious when you put it that way. Shall we go?"
They walked the short distance to the stadium and milled around with the gathering fans. James checked in with Kinders in the observation post, located on the roof of a nearby building, and Mansfield Mike who was leading the immersion team in Nan's van, parked a little distance away.
"Is Brains still back at base?" He asked the corporal.
"Yes sir, he said he'd be here in plenty of time. Just waiting for some documents to be sent through which he said might be important" replied Mansfield Mike.
"Very well" said James and walked with Dave around the side of the stadium to check in on Harry and his men. Just then Kinders came over the earpiece "Contact burger, contact burger, approaching north 100 yards!"
"Roger that" said James and then to the rest of his people "stand by"
James and Dave then changed direction and looked northwards along Green Street. The van suddenly appeared, slowed and pulled into the stadium car park where it stopped in its allotted space. Two other catering vans where already there and busy setting up. Queues of hungry fans were forming around the vehicles waiting for them to open for business.
James spoke into the hidden mic. "Take up positions lads" then he and Dave made towards the van, stopping at a short distance where they had an unrestricted view of the scene. By this time the van's roller shutter had been raised and the awning extended. The first customers were reading the menu and smoke was starting to issue from the vehicle's small chimney.
"Harry, can your guys keep tabs on one customer each. Target only those who fit the profile, male between 20 and 35"
"Ok" replied Harry and from a distance James saw him turn to talk to his half dozen companions.
"Kinders, you might as well get down here" said James into his radio
"Sir" came the response.
"What now?" Asked Dave
"We watch and wait" said James
The burger van was now doing a roaring trade, those taking away their meals little suspecting that they were being followed closely.
"Anyone got anything yet?" radioed James
"Nothing here boss" responded Kinders
"All normal" came back Harry
James then looked over at Dave who was following two men closely as they ate their burgers. A shake of the head indicated nothing out of the ordinary.
James grimaced. Could he be wrong. Was this all a waste of time?
Then from close by came an angry voice "Oi you what you staring at?"
James looked around to see Dave being approached by one of the men he was following. "You got some sort of problem?"
"No mate no problem here" Dave said raising his hands
"What's that thing in your ear then, you the filth?" Pursued the man who then grabbed Dave's top as he tried to back away.
"Oh no" thought James and started to head over.
Dave struggled against the powerful grip and then pushed his assailant, sending both of them sprawling. Dave landed heavily on the other man who started to kick and writhe on the floor
James arrived and pulled Molly's dad up but the other man stayed down, his convulsions continuing.
James looked closely at the figure noticing for the first time the green foam flecking his mouth and noise. Suddenly Kinders was in his ear "Got one sir!"
"Me too" said Harry
"His mates going as well" reported Dave pointing at his attackers friend who was now bucking on the floor a few metres away.
James called into his mic "Corporal stand to, stand to! Multiple contacts, west side of stadium"
"Sir!" Came the response from Mansfield Mike. Seconds later the screeching of tyres could be heard and the transit van came into view, speeding down Green Street with Nan at the wheel. A hand break turn and they were in the car park, skidding to a halt next to the catering van.
The rear doors flew open and Mansfield Mike, Molly and the rest piled out, carrying assorted pieces of equipment. Nan also sprang from the drivers seat and called over to Harry "Make sure this one doesn't go anywhere" indicating the burger van driver who had started to hurriedly pack up. Within seconds the man was pinned to his counter top by two of Nan's men.
James strode over to supervise the deployment whilst the crowd, curious to see what was going on, started to crowed around.
"Sargent, I need this area cleared" James called to Kinders who started to move people back with the help of Harry and his men.
"What the bloody hell is going on here" interposed a police inspector who was marching towards them flanked by two PCs.
"That is" said James pointing to the group of shuffling, moaning zombies who where now making their way slowly towards them having completed their transition.
"Oh" said the inspector somewhat perturbed. "But you lot have been disbanded, you have no authority here"
"Very well, inspector" said James, then to his detail "right you lot let's pack up, the local force is taking over"
A look of panic passed across the police officers face. "Hang on a minute, you can't leave me to deal with this!"
"Well ok then", said James "help keep those people back while we do our job" and so saying James stripped off his top and walked towards the now inflated pool.
With one leap he was in the solution and nodding to Mansfield Mike who, at the signal, swung the microphone and began to sing:
"The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I say a little pray for you"
James had one final look around then, in one fluid movement, executed a perfect SHAAtt. In the meantime the zombies were already starting to turn and approach the immersion tank.
Nan sidled over to Molly and murmured "very nice"
Molly turned to her and smiled "I know" staring at James adoringly
"Oh yer he's ok" said Nan following Molly's gaze "but I meant him" and nodded towards Mansfield Mike with an appraising look.
By this time the first zombies were entering the pool and Dangleberries, Fingers and Nude Nut set to work restraining and immersing while the crowd started to sing along to the chorus:
"Forever and ever, you'll stay in my heart
And I will love you
Forever and ever we never will part
Oh, how I'll love you"
Soon the last of the zombies were immersed and James was preparing to exit the solution when Brains burst through the crowd brandishing several sheets of paper:
"Sir, sir, its bigger than we thought. They've bought the food companies, the main suppliers!"
James stared at Brains, comprehension dawning. He strode to the van and switched on the radio "...receiving reports of multiple attacks involving hundreds of individuals throughout the capital, seemingly focussed around major sporting arenas..."
"Oh god" said James
"You might gonna need a bigger pool" said Nan