by Hatchett
The pilot stopped and followed his gaze, thinking rapidly. There were two Chinooks, a Lynx and an Apache sitting on the tarmac, when there should have been at least one more of each.
“No, this is it,” he replied carefully. “The others are out of action.”
“Where are they?” Mamba asked suspiciously.
“Not sure. In one of the hangers somewhere. I fly them, I don’t repair them.”
Mamba thought about it before deciding the response was plausible. “Let’s go then.”
The pilot showed Mamba the easiest way to get into the helicopter and fixed him up with the co-pilot’s headset, so they could communicate. Once he was in his seat, Mamba strapped on the harness and warned the pilot, “jus’ remember there’s a gun pointin’ in yer direction.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not in any rush to die.” He considered using the ejector seat when they were up in the air. The heli and Mamba would surely die, which was a good thing, but his own chances of survival when he came back down to earth were slim to non-existent. Therefore, it was a question of whether or not he should effectively sacrifice himself, not something he particularly fancied. In any case, he argued to himself, killing Mamba wouldn’t necessarily solve anything. There were still over a hundred heavily armed nutters already here, and from what he’d seen and heard, they were just aching to kill people. No, he needed to stay alive and help with the fightback when it came.
73
Day 19 – 06:30
Hendon Police College
Issy, Andy, Gina and Travis had returned to their rooms to get changed, leaving their earpieces on mute so they could still hear what was going on but could talk privately.
Kyle had gone to the storeroom to find some combat gear and some weapons for them all, just in case they needed to depart quickly.
“I still don’t understand how Mamba managed to get to Heathrow and into the actual airport,” Andy said as he headed into the en-suite bathroom and turned on the shower.
“A bit irrelevant,” Issy replied in a raised voice so she could be heard over the noise of the water. “We need to focus on how to get control back, rather than worry about what’s happened.”
“Yes, but if we knew how he got in, maybe we could use the same route,” Andy pointed out as he stuck his head around the door, waiting for the water to heat up.
“The only thing I can think of is the sewers,” Issy said, “just the sort of place Mamba would feel at home, amongst all the rats and shit.”
“Maybe we take the Lynx and Apache and see if we can force their hands. We can also use the Apache at Battersea.”
“Mamba won’t give up. He’ll fight, and that means a lot of casualties if we go in guns blazing. I think we need to be a little subtler, sneak in like he has, then take him out quickly when he’s least expecting it. There won’t be as much collateral damage.”
There was a knock on the door and Andy ducked back into the en-suite as Issy strode across the floor to open it.
Kyle was standing there with a broad smile on his handsome face, “Brought you these. Hope they’re the right sizes.”
Issy indicated the floor by the bed and Kyle stepped into the room and dumped all the gear on the floor. A second man followed Kyle and dumped another load before they both smiled and left.
Issy checked out the gear as she heard Andy showering. It all looked in order and she couldn’t wait to get started.
Issy walked into the en-suite to brush her teeth. She couldn’t help taking a sneaky peak towards the shower and admiring the view. She crept across the tiles to the stall, reached around the glass and slapped Andy across the backside.
“Hey!” he shouted, turning to grab Issy in one fluid motion.
Issy wasn’t expecting him to react so quickly and he managed to grab her wrist before she could get away. He dragged her into the shower fully clothed, and despite her protestations, planted his mouth over hers to silence her.
Issy pulled away. “I haven’t done my teeth yet!” she complained.
“I don’t care,” Andy replied, not letting her go.
Issy looked up at his face and found his blue eyes staring back down at her. She let her eyes wander across his toned chest and further down his body, where her gaze lingered for a few additional seconds as his manhood rapidly grew and rose to meet her. She reached down and took hold and began gently rubbing him up and down rhythmically as she returned her gaze to his now closed eyes.
“Time to get ready!” Issy quickly squeezed him then released her grip and darted out of the shower and out of Andy’s reach.
“Oh! You tease!” he accused, as he stepped around the glass and headed towards her.
Issy flew into the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind her, assuming that he would give up and return to the shower.
The bathroom door opened, and a wet and naked Andy came into the bedroom. He had a massive grin on his face and Issy couldn’t help but smile, especially when he put on a manic look and said, “Here’s Johnny!”
“I thought you were Andy,” Issy said, trying to put him off as she moved to the opposite side of the bed, trying to avoid tripping on the gear on the floor and thinking how she might evade his clutches. She glanced towards the bedroom door.
“Don’t even think about it,” Andy warned as he quickly moved to cut off this escape route, like a lion on the hunt with his prey running out of options.
Issy frantically looked around the room for a window or anything else which might help her get away, but there was nothing. Once Andy had blocked off the exit, he began to advance slowly, toying with her, but gradually closing the gap between them. Issy realised her only option was to get back into the bathroom and lock the door, assuming there was a lock, of course.
She took one final look at Andy, pointedly looking towards his groin and said, “Can’t keep it up?”
As Andy glanced down, she propelled herself onto the bed and after one long stride was ready to jump off the other side and into the bathroom when a strong arm encircled her waist and whipped her backwards.
Issy landed on the bed, some of the wind knocked out of her from being hauled back so roughly. Andy quickly straddled her, grabbed her wrists and held her down.
“I knew you were trying to distract me,” he said, laughing.
Issy bucked and tried to throw him off, but he was too big, too strong and too heavy.
“Bastard!” she panted.
“Bitch,” he replied, smiling.
“I’m gonna kick you in the nuts.”
“No, you’re not.”
Issy went limp, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she tried to get her breath back.
Andy wondered if this was just another ploy to get him to let his guard down, so instead of letting go of her wrists, he leant forwards to kiss her.
This time she didn’t fight back.
74
Day 19 – 06:30
Hilton Hotel
The basement of the Hilton hotel was far less glamorous than the floors above. Everything was concrete from the floor to the walls and ceiling. There was also significant amounts of piping hanging off the ceiling and walls.
The concrete walls had been painted, but it was of a shade of grey which made no decorative impact, more like the sort of paint used on battleships. The floors had also been painted, but it was a shade of vomit-green that should have been banned, or at the very least discontinued before it even left the factory. The purchasers at Hilton Hotels had obviously been hoodwinked by some sort of ‘Del-Boy’ type salesman and signed up for something without the proper due diligence. Or maybe they just didn’t give a shit because it was cheap, and they didn’t have to work down here.
Bear had found a storeroom which could be locked from the inside and was full of large solid boxes which were being used as seats and others which had been pushed together to form a war table. Initially he had been concerned that the concrete all around might block the comms, but thankfully they still worked.
The others
in the room were busy selecting objects to place on the war table as they tried to build a mock up of the Heathrow site. A few boxes of cereal had been strategically placed to identify the terminals, a few packets of biscuits identified the jetways and a line of chocolate bars identified the main roads and thoroughfares. As things currently stood, it wouldn’t qualify for an under-four’s model building competition.
“This can be the control tower,” Joel said with a smile, placing a plastic pen holder on the table near the box of cornflakes representing Terminal 3.
“Are you taking the piss?” Bear asked, with a withering smile.
“No, why?” Joel asked curiously.
“It needs to be much taller than that,” Irish butted in, and Joel and Irish started laughing.
“Come on guys, this is serious,” Bear rebuked them.
“You’re right,” Irish agreed, still grinning in Joel’s direction, “it’s not even in the right place.”
Bear head footsteps in the corridor and rushed to the storeroom’s door, bringing his MP5 up ready to fire. He quickly looked around the doorframe and was relieved to see Don and his soldiers traipsing towards him. They were all now dressed in civilian clothes, but still had their weapons and other key equipment with them.
Bear stepped into the corridor and beckoned them into the storeroom, closing and locking the door once they were in.
“Seen anything?” Bear asked.
“No, completely deserted,” Don replied, “but I guess they’ll do a sweep at some point.”
“When the time comes, we need to decide whether to take them out and hope they’re not missed, or whether to let them pass,” Bear observed.
“Any news from Sarah or Jack?” Don asked.
“Sarah and the rest were taken into the check-in area about fifteen minutes ago. It seems a load of reinforcements have arrived.
“I’m here,” came a whisper through their earpieces.
“Sarah, are you OK?” Bear asked.
“Fine. I’m sitting on the floor in the check-in area with everyone else. We’re surrounded by about fifteen to twenty armed guards. They’ve already shot two and everyone’s a bit jumpy, but Jack has managed to calm things down for the time being.”
“Thanks Sarah,” Bear said, “Jack, I know you’re listening and obviously haven’t had any chance to communicate, but don’t do anything hasty. We’re all fine and just waiting to react. We can get Hendon and Battersea here quickly if we need them.”
75
Day 19 – 06:45
Broadwater Farm Estate, Tottenham
Mamba was looking at the scenery outside the windows of the heli as he put the satellite phone to his ear. He had ordered the pilot to fly low and was amazed what a rush it was skimming across the rooftops just a few metres below.
There were a couple of rings before his call was answered by Volkan.
“Volkan, it’s Mamba.”
“Really?” Volkan replied, sarcastically, seeing as only Mamba had the phone.
“Yep. Where are ya?”
“I’m in my lounge. I’ve been waiting for you to call for over half an hour since the other helicopters picked up my men.”
“Had ta get ‘em organised afore I could leave,” Mamba explained.
“Judging by the noise, I take it you have left?”
“Yeah, man. On the way. We’ll do a fly past the pyramid ta wave then land. OK?”
“That’s fine, how long?”
“’Bout a coupla minutes, can almost see it.”
“OK, I’ll be ready.” Volkan disconnected.
Mamba smiled to himself. ‘Stupid fuck’ he thought. Instead he looked at the back of the pilot’s head.
“Ya betta do exactly as I say, no hesitation, or I shoot. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“What rockets or missiles ya got?”
The pilot wondered what the hell was going on. At first, he thought he would be flying the remaining Lynx to pick someone up but, when Mamba had insisted on taking the Apache, he assumed Mamba must be visiting someone because there were only two seats. Now he was asking about the weapons.
“The aircraft has Hydra 70 rockets and Hellfire missiles,” the pilot explained.
“Which do more damage?”
“The missiles.”
“Select a missile and get ready to fire,” Mamba ordered. “It’d better blast solid concrete.”
“It will,” the pilot confirmed and did as he was told, beginning to realise what was about to happen.
The pyramid came into view and Mamba ordered the pilot to fly as close to the windows at the top of the pyramid as possible and hover.
“When I say fire, ya fire that fuckin’ missile, got it?”
“Got it.”
“At the guy I’ll be wavin’ to.”
“Got it.”
The Apache swooped over the final building and swept upwards, towards the top of the pyramid, slowing and finally coming into a hover and looking directly into the top section of four floors.
Mamba looked carefully and finally spotted Volkan on the top floor, walking towards the glass nearest the helicopter.
“Can ya turn it sideways?” Mamba asked.
“Yeah,” the pilot confirmed, spinning the aircraft until it was side on.
Mamba looked out of the side window and could see Volkan waving at him from about twenty-five metres away, a big smile on his face. Mamba gave him a ‘thumbs up’.
“Right, move it back ‘n fire,” Mamba ordered, still smiling at Volkan.
The pilot manoeuvred the aircraft until it was once again facing the pyramid, letting it drift backwards and away from the building to avoid being hit by any stray shrapnel from the coming blast.
Mamba’s phone started ringing, Volkan obviously wondering what was going on and why Mamba wasn’t heading for the grass area.
“What ya waitin’ for?” Mamba asked loudly, raising his pistol until it was pointed at the pilot’s back.
“We need to be further away, or we could get hit by debris,” the pilot explained.
“Well, get a fuckin’ move on, it’s gotta be quick!”
The phone stopped ringing and Mamba could see that Volkan had turned away from the window and was walking quickly towards the lifts with his bodyguards in tow.
The pilot took the Apache back faster, and once he was past the rest of the building and was satisfied that they were far enough away, he flicked up the cover of the trigger protector and fired.
The missile flew the short distance at an astounding four hundred and fifty metres per second, hitting the top of the pyramid in the blink of an eye. There was a massive explosion and a huge ball of flame as the top four floors of Volkan’s private quarters erupted, looking a little like the after-effects of a space rocket taking off. The missile had hit the central lift area between floors seven and eight, causing floors six and seven to fly almost horizontally into the side apartments of the building. The top two floors, eight and nine briefly took off vertically before gravity took over and pulled them back down towards the ground, bouncing off what remained of the lift shaft and crashing down onto the glass hallway and garden below.
“I want to see,” Mamba ordered as the pyramid disappeared from view.
The pilot waited a few seconds for any remaining debris to fall to the ground then flew the Apache until it was hovering just above where the pyramid had once been.
Mamba looked down but couldn’t see very much through the cloud of smoke, except the odd lick of flame.
After a few minutes, the cloud dispersed, and all Mamba could see was a large pile of concrete rubble. There was no way anyone could’ve survived that.
“Can I speak to Jack?” Mamba asked.
“Yes, hold on,” the pilot said, then confirmed when the connection was made.
“Ya watchin’ Jack?” Ahmed asked via his helmet microphone.
“Yes, Mamba, we were watching,” Jack confirmed.
“Now, that’s how you ta
ke someone out,” Mamba stated, laughing. “Switch it off ‘n take us back.”
The pilot did as instructed, turning the Apache towards Heathrow.
“Callum isn’t it?” Mamba said from the back seat.
“Yes.”
“Tell me Callum, were ya the one who shot the missiles at me? Once in the armoured truck ‘n once at the boat?”
Callum was quiet for a few seconds, wondering what he should say. If he admitted he had shot one of the missiles, Mamba would probably kill him. If he passed the blame on, Mamba would probably hunt down the other pilot and kill him. But worse, if Mamba found out he was lying, it might not be a quick death. Sweat began to form on his brow and he was pleased that Mamba couldn’t see his face from behind. What to do, what to do?
“Yes,” Callum eventually confirmed, his hand moving towards the ejector seat handle. If he was going to die, he was taking the murderous bastard with him.
Mamba laughed and patted Callum on the shoulder. “Don’t worry mate! Only carryin’ out orders. I understand. Ya OK”
A few minutes later they touched down on the apron at Heathrow and Callum and Mamba climbed down from the aircraft.
Callum started walking towards the jetway steps when Mamba called him. He turned around to face Mamba.
“I was lying,” Mamba stated as he pulled the trigger.
76
Day 19 – 06:45
Heathrow Terminal 3
Faruk and Ismet each dragged one of the two dead bodies from the check-in area towards the exit, leaving two large red blood streaks on the tiles.
People sitting on the floor in the way quickly shifted to one side to let the two Turks past, then continued watching from their new positions. They assumed that Faruk and Ismet were planning to dispose of the bodies, which they were, but not in the way everyone expected.
Once they had dragged the bodies outside, they let go and stood looking around for inspiration. They could see a variety of vehicles, metal bollards, trees, lampposts and…discarded trolleys dotted around.
Faruk: “Do you see…”
Ismet: “What I see?”
