Tested by Fire

by David Costa

  ‘We will keep her on board for the time being she also knows Costello and he will be easier for her to spot him than us. She can look at the CCTV but I know she will only confirm it is Costello.’

  After Broad left, the team waited for Reece’s instructions.

  ‘I really can’t say more than the boss. The next mistake they make will be their last. They have been spooked but I think they’ll continue with their plan as it’s too late in the day to change it now.

  ‘Tomorrow’s Saturday, let’s go over everything we know tonight: CCTV, maps, the buildings around the Conference area, then get a good night’s sleep because God knows when we’ll get another one.’

  SATURDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2019

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Just after midnight, Costello and the team sat around the table in the Irlam safe house. The plates on the van had been changed and they now watched Waheed expertly handle two small blocks of Semtex. He wore blue surgical gloves and from his rucksack he’d produced two sandwich-sized Tupperware boxes with small holes drilled in one end.

  He handled and caressed the explosives as he would handle and caress the butt or stock of a gun he’d seen for the first time, thought Costello.

  Waheed then removed two detonators from his bag. They were wired to a timer that looked like a buttonless mobile phone. Placing halve the Semtex in one of the boxes, he pushed the detonator through the hole and pressed it into the block of explosives. He placed the Semtex inside the Tupperware, accompanied by a bundle of five-inch nails secured together with Sellotape, closed the lid, and stuck the timer on the outside. Everyone held their breath as he repeated the process with the second Tupperware box.

  When he’d finished, he produced two real mobile phones.

  ‘The devices are now ready,’ he said. ‘These mobile phones – the trigger devices – will initiate the explosive. When they are switched on, they’ll send a signal to here.’ He pointed to the timing device linked to the detonator. ‘Just switch it on, enter the code – which is 1,2,3,4 – and bang… off they go!’

  ‘How close do you have to be for the signal to connect?’ asked Lyndsey.

  ‘The signal will bounce off the normal phone masts in the area, so anywhere up to one mile away.’

  ‘I’m impressed, Waheed,’ said Costello. ‘I’ve seen and used explosives in Northern Ireland but usually with a line of sight on the target. This way you don’t have to.’

  ‘There will be large crowds at Piccadilly and around the Conference itself. Mohammad said there will be many left-wing agitators demonstrating there all week. Imtaz and I will place the devices near both locations, retreat to the safe zone, and then detonate for maximum effect. We are both prepared to die for Allah, and to take as many infidels with us as possible. If we are cornered, we just need to press the send button on the phone twice quickly.’

  ‘Mohammad, you’ll go on Wednesday morning,’ said Lyndsey, ‘and then stay with Sean until the mission is complete, I’ll be waiting for your call. Sean, you’ll leave the rifle behind. I’ll be in the van in the NCP car park and I’ll pick you both up when the job’s done. In the initial confusion, we should be able to get back here and lie low until things cool down. Mohammad, make sure the kitchen is well stocked with food. After you’ve dropped me at the hotel, I want you to take the BMW outside the city and burn it.’

  ‘Burn it?’ said Mohammad.

  ‘Yes, I’m sure the Hilton CCTV has you picking us up today and they’ll be looking for the car by now. We aren’t far from the airport, so you should be safe to drop me off then dispose of it. Waheed and Imtaz, you stay here until Wednesday morning and then take the train into Piccadilly. From the information Mohammed’s given us about the conference and the PM’s speech, we can expect him to walk out the rear door of the Midland between eleven and eleven thirty on Wednesday morning. Sean will be set up in the apartment ready and everyone needs to be in position for that time. It will be down to Sean to shoot the Prime Minister with the sniper rifle. Mohammad will send us all the text ONE DOWN confirming that Sean has completed his mission, that’s when you tap in the code on the mobile phones then press the send button. The explosions and following confusion should give us the cover we need to escape the area. If you feel you can’t get back, try to return to your own city and home.’

  ‘I’ll gladly offer my life for Allah, all praise to his name,’ said Waheed.

  ‘Me too,’ said Imtaz.

  Costello thought Imtaz looked a little more frightened at the thought of being a living sacrifice.

  ‘If we kill the British Prime Minister and hundreds of people, we’ll need all the angels on our side to get away, that’s for sure,’ said Costello.

  Costello felt the buzz from his mobile phone in his pocket. Mohammad had already done his usual security scan, so he answered when he saw the number.

  ‘John Jo, how are you?’

  ‘Oh yes, hi, Sean, it’s me, OK. Got a bit of information for you. Sorry it took so long, it took me a bit of time to track down Mary’s mum. People are still very suspicious when someone starts asking questions. She lives in the Beechmount area on her own.’

  ‘What have you got for me, John Jo?’

  ‘Well, I told them that an old friend of Mary’s had died and as I was up in the city for the day, I thought I’d call with her and tell her if she didn’t already know. She told me Mary lives on the Lisburn Road, she didn’t have the number, but Mary had phoned her a few days ago to say she’d be away for a while and would call her when she got back. Does that make sense to you?’

  ‘Yes, that would add up.’

  ‘She believed my story, so she gave me Mary’s number. I’ll text it to you now.’

  ‘That’s great, John Jo, I owe you one. If you hear anymore, give me a bell.’

  ‘Will do, bye for now.’

  The phone went dead and almost immediately, the text with Mary McAuley’s number appeared on the screen.

  Chapter Forty

  When he parked the van at the airport, Costello thought that even he would have a problem finding it again in what looked like the biggest car park in the world. He made a special note of what lane and section the van was in in case he needed to find it in the dark in a hurry. He was thankful that all being well, he’d be coming back to find it in daylight.

  He walked to the Radisson Hotel about a mile from where he’d parked up. A good distance for security purposes. He could check for surveillance and the van was far enough from the hotel it wasn’t obvious where he was if the security forces found it. Had he flown out of the country, they would wonder, and if not, it’d be like finding a needle in a haystack.

  Rain was falling, so he pulled his coat closed, slipping the Browning pistol into his right-hand pocket…the cold steel comforting in his grip. It reassured him knowing this was the final stages of the operation. He was happier now that the action was close. He felt more in control…this was his world now.

  Lyndsey was sitting in the foyer of the hotel when he entered. They kissed each other on the cheek then he sat opposite her.

  ‘No problems getting here then, you’re parked up OK?’

  ‘No problems. No one following, and you were right, safely lost in a car park for the night.’

  I know someone who won’t sleep tonight, he thought. Before he’d left Irlam, he couldn’t resist calling the number John Jo had sent him. When the woman answered, he recognised her Newry accent.

  ‘Hello, Mary. Surprised to hear from me?’

  He could hear her breathing, the hesitation in her voice as she spoke.

  ‘Who is this?’

  ‘I think you know, Mary. I just called to let you know I saw you and your friend today. It took me a while to figure out where I’d seen him before, your Special Branch friend.’

  ‘Who are you? I don’t know what you’re talking about?’

  ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be seeing me soon, you and your friend.’

  The call had only lasted seconds n
ot long enough to get a trace but just long enough to give her and her friend a message.

  ‘I could do with a bite… I will order a plate of sandwiches for the room. What floor are we on?’

  ‘The third, room 302.’

  ‘I’ll have a quick wash then a bit of kip.’

  Ten miles away, in a field near Warrington, Mohammad had parked the BMW. He knew that a short distance away was the small train station of Glazebrook where he could catch a train in fifteen minutes that would take him to Irlam.

  Plenty of time to do what he needed to and get to the station. He was sure no one had seen him turn into the field and the darkness would give him the cover he needed. Taking out the tea towel he’d brought from the Irlam safe house, he opened the petrol cap and stuffed the towel in as far as he could, then, using the lighter brought for the job, lit the piece of towel hanging outside. Making sure it was well alight, he turned and walked towards the road and, turning left, he walked the short distance to the station. Halfway there, he heard the loud explosion and saw the sky light up in the darkness as the car turned into a fireball.

  Chapter Forty-one

  The call to the Warrington Police Station from a disturbed resident said there had been an explosion near Glazebrook the small village on the edge of the Warrington Police Divisional Boundary with Greater Manchester Police. Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Connor, Cheshire Constabulary was old school, you always keep your senior boss up to date, and there was no one more senior than his Chief Constable so he was the first call.

  ‘Kevin, I’ll contact the Gold Commander and Chief Constable in Manchester to let them know what’s happened. In the meantime, you can keep me up to date and I’ll get their Gold Commander to speak with you,’ said the Chief Constable.

  ‘I look forward to hearing from him.’

  ‘Call me at any time you need to, Kevin.’

  ‘Will do, sir.’

  The call came from the Gold Commander at 10 p.m. ‘Usual commands keep me informed.’ Lockwood came across to Connor as snappy and demanding.

  ‘We need all the information we can extract from this scene, Chief Inspector, and we need it as soon as possible.’

  When the phone went dead, Connor could only smile to himself as he thought, You will get it when I have it and not before.

  His mobile phone buzzed on the desk, he didn’t recognise the number or the voice when he answered it.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hello, Chief Inspector Connor?’

  ‘Yes, speaking, who is this?’

  ‘My name is David Reece and I’m leading a team working on the people who burnt the car on your patch. I would like to visit the scene and maybe meet you there for a chat.’

  ‘Are you police, Mr Reece?’

  ‘No, I work for the Secret Intelligence Service and as I say, we’re after the people who burnt out that car. I’m not far away, I can be there in twenty minutes.’

  ‘Well, we have floodlights and officers at the scene and you’re welcome to visit it and I’ll meet you there, but I don’t think you’ll get much from it.’

  ‘I would still like to have a look for myself.’

  ‘That should be OK, wait for me if you’re there first, how will I recognise you?’

  ‘I’ll be in a black Range Rover. I’ll stay in the vehicle until you knock on the window.’

  Reece had been called to the comms room by April to be told they’d found the black BMW burnt out. The comms team had been monitoring the police networks, and it was just as well because they’d received nothing from Lockwood. Although just what Reece had expected, he was furious.

  Reece found Mary still sitting in the canteen with a cold coffee.

  ‘Sorry, but something’s come up. Do you mind waiting here a little longer or if you want, I’ll get someone to drop you back at the hotel?’ After Mary had told him about the phone call from Costello and the confirmation of what they already knew. Baseball Cap man was Costello and he knew Mary was working with the security forces, Reece was taking no chances with Mary’s safety.

  ‘No problem, I’m happy enough here. You take care.’

  Reece could see the blue and white tape sealing off the approach to the car which was lit up with the bull lights making it look like a beached whale in the dark. He parked the car on the main road and waited for Connor.

  He sat in silence watching the traffic go by and the police vehicles park up then leave after a while taking the evidence with them.

  After ten minutes, a blue Renault Megane parked just short of the entrance and a large man in a grey overcoat got out and spoke to the officer at the field entrance. The man then turned to walk towards the Range Rover., Reece stepped out to meet the man halfway.

  ‘DCI Connor?’

  ‘Yes, Mr Reece, I don’t wish to be formal but have you any identification?’

  Reece produced his SIS Identity Wallet.

  Connor was in his late fifties around six feet tall with receding grey hair and light blue eyes. He looked fit and spoke with a north-west accent but with a hint of Irish.

  ‘Good to meet you. Now, how can I help?’

  ‘To put it simply, sir, this car has been used by what we believe to be a terrorist cell operating in the north-west. We’re on their tail and the car is just one more piece in the jigsaw to helping us catch them. We think they’re in the final stages of a terrorist attack, so the quicker we can get the forensic information from this car the better.’

  ‘Well, it would appear that when the car exploded after the petrol tank was lit the damage was mainly to the rear of the vehicle. These BMWs have a strong chassis, so I’m told. So, despite their best efforts to destroy any evidence, the front of the car is still intact, even the built-in satnav. Our technicians are working on it as we speak, and I hope to have the results within the hour. Hopefully we’ll know where the car has been for the last few days.’

  ‘You’ll know the car was hired from a local Hertz dealer, we’ve already looked for the tracker they sometimes fit, but this one didn’t have one – just so your guys don’t waste their time looking for it. We need the info off that satnav.’

  ‘I see that you’ve been working with Graham Lockwood the Manchester Gold Commander for the Conservative Conference, has this anything to do with that?’

  ‘Yes, but I would appreciate you giving me a heads up on anything you get as time is of the essence.’

  ‘Are you ex police by any chance?’

  ‘Yes, RUC twenty years.’

  ‘I thought so. My parents were from Northern Ireland. I have a lot of time for you guys. You held the line when some would jump ship.’

  ‘I thought I could hear a bit of Irish accent.’

  ‘Listen, between you and me, I know Lockwood and he’s an ass of a paperclip pusher and I know he always wants to be the big boy claiming all the glory to himself. So, anything I get you’ll be the first to know.’

  ‘I know from experience how things can get bogged down in little kingdom battles at senior level. No pressure, but whatever you get I get before anyone else including your Chief Constable and I need it in a hurry. Nothing stops it or gets in the way. If you have any problems let me know. You have my number. If we can find out where the car has been, then we have a chance of catching up with these guys.’

  Connor smiled his understanding. ‘You have my word. I’ll be in touch later.’

  Connor went back to the tape line and spoke to one of the SOCOs dressed in a white full body forensic suit. Reece returned to the Range Rover and started the engine. Using the radio, he spoke with Jim Broad.

  ‘Just had a good chat with DCI Connor at the scene. I believe he knows where I’m coming from and that he’s now working for me… we should get the information from the car soon. He doesn’t like some of the top brass in Manchester that’s for sure and he’s going to work with us cutting out the red tape that slows things up. I would think that by the time I get back to the hanger, information will start to come through.’
>
  Reece spoke as he drove. ‘Have the SAS ready for a briefing when I get back.’

  When he got back to the hanger, despite the time of night, everything was movement. Reece found the team and the SAS in the comms section of the hanger, checking their equipment.

  ‘Great, you’re all here,’ said Reece who noted Jim Broad sitting quietly in the corner, the sign of a good commander. When all the training had been done, the recces complete, and the target known, a good commander would brief his troops with everything he knew then sit back and let them do their job.

  ‘I met the DCI from Warrington who is in charge of the burnt-out car and he’ll be in touch soon giving us all he can. The good news is his forensic technicians just might be able to give us a location for these people from the inbuilt satnav which survived the fire almost intact. Our people could do it but considering they already had people there who could pull the information why delay further. It’s going to be a long night people so make sure you have everything you need.’

  Mary was watching from a chair at the entrance. Seeing Reece in full flow like this impressed her. This was the side of him that had been hidden, the professional side he’d talked about, and now, when she saw it in action and up close, she felt a little scared, and for the first time, she was aware of the real danger ahead.

  ‘Where do you want us?’ It was the SAS troop boss Kevin who asked the first question.

  ‘Realistically, until we know a location to start from, we all stay here, conserve our energy until we have something to get our teeth into. But let’s get everything ready for when we get the information. Everybody go through your equipment: your comms, your vehicles…everything needs to be right.’