Thanks to those who read the last chapter and the reviews were much appreciated.
1.30pm 6 May 2002. The operation proved successful. No loss of life occurred and Mary Kane was detained by Tom Quinn and Danny Hunter as per regulations. Note: this very nearly was not the outcome due to the Bomb Squad's jamming equipment experiencing a limited fail. I will ask for a full report and examination. Mary Kane has been removed, but due to the presence of a number of interested spectators on the perimeter it was deemed unwise to escort her to the holding cells at Thames House. Currently my junior officers are restoring the market to its normal form, removing equipment and thanking the stall holders for their assistance
Helen Flynn has been apprised of the current situation. Although she has been authorised to inform Diane Sullivan that she will be able to go home shortly, subject to a debrief, Ms Sullivan must also be advised that she will be unable to leave the safe house until the usual procedures have been completed. This may occasion a delay as the Welfare department need to meet her with a view to offering counselling and assessing any requirements for longer term support.
Capture effected, no thanks to HM Government who, despite the significant risk to British citizens, in the first instance wanted Mary Kane caught and deported and then followed through that dereliction of care by failing to produce the cash to supply the army with reliable equipment. Two more seconds and we'd have been able to admire our very own crater in Central London, thus saving money on the space exploration programme. Now of course, after we've finally caught the woman, we'll be subjected to a peremptory demand that we hand her over forthwith, at least that 's what I assume. I can't be certain since at present I'm incommunicado.
The DG, who like me knows nothing about the latter part of the operation - that's the bit where Tom instead of bringing Mary Kane in goes mildly rogue - decided to call an emergency meeting of all the Section Heads. I'm sure it was a complete coincidence that that he sent out the message ten minutes after Ms Kane was lifted. Stuck in a sound proofed, de-bugged, reinforced room whose entrance is guarded by specialist protection officers I will be unable to respond to any queries sent to the Grid – such a shame I can't co-operate, I must remember to sound sorrowful when I finally emerge blinking into the sun or, considering the windbags I'll be immured with, more likely find myself disgorged into the dusk of a London evening.
It transpires that the DG was also less than delighted with the decision of our political masters in prioritising the appeasement of the Cousins above the safety of our own public, especially after I'd pointed out to him that if we didn't get the whole network pulled down we could be heading for a crusade by the Christian religious right, of which the most that could be said was that it provide a wonderful counter balance to the threat we are already facing from the martyrs for Allah. I'm not the man's greatest fan but I'll do him the justice of admitting that, like me, he's been long enough in this game to know that in the event of an explosion the shit would mysteriously slide off the Teflon coated Honourable members on its inevitable journey towards the dump it site that is the Security Services doorstep. And that will be another charge to lay at Ms Kane's door. Alongside bombing, conspiracy, murder, and manslaughter she's made Harry Pearce owe the DG one. I hate being beholden – experience suggests that the eventual repayment costs would embarrass even Scrooge and Marley.
Still I am grateful for the time the DG has bought us. No one on the Grid, not even Zoe, knows where Tom planned to take Mary. Danny will also be absent having have been ordered to act as wingman while Tom tries to wring the information we need out of our uninvited and unwanted guest. I don't envy him the task. Trying to crack those with a martyrdom complex is a tough call since they don't walk to the same beat as most of us. I'll bet she quotes the Bible at him – they always do that - accompanied by a self- righteous smirk that implies this is the last and only word. By comparison it'll make listening to the DG and (groan) Olivier Mace a positive pleasure. The suffering I endure for my country knows no bounds.
Thanks for reading and if you have a moment or two a review would be appreciated. We're very near the end now - about another four chapters I think.