But it is at the rear of the tent where all the important information flows to. It is the rear where the decisions and orders emanate from and the rear where the red bereted MP is leading us.
I see Colonel Reed before he sees Dan or me; he is facing the front at the head of a large tactical table, similar to the one back at Orion. But this one is on a different scale; this one is vast. Alongside the colonel, five other high-ranking officers are studying the large screened table; all but one outranks him but it is clear who is taking charge of this operation and of them.
Colonel Reed hasn’t been passed over for promotion in his military life, or any other part of his life, for that matter. Way back, when I was still enlisted in the army, there were at least a couple of occasions when the rumour went around that the Colonel had turned down or refused another promotion. He was exactly where he wanted to be in the British Army, still able to be in the thick of the action with his finger on the pulse of operations and a high enough rank to directly influence, decide and direct operations. The Colonel is older than many of the Generals above him; his superiors, in many ways, were in name only, it would be a very brave General who went up against him. A promotion and a seat on some committee in the Ministry of Defence was not for the Colonel.
The MP enters the rear area of the Command Tent and stops just short of the men circled around the tactical table, snapping rigidly to attention and whipping his hand up to salute.
“Excuse me, Sir, I have Captain Richards, Sir,” the MP declares forcefully.
Colonel Reed is down leaning onto the tactical table with his hands gripping the side, spread out on each side of his body. He’s studying the large map of London displayed on the big screen and raises his short-cut, silver-haired head as he looks sternly at the new invaders of his space.
“You are dismissed, Sergeant,” he tells the MP without an ounce of gratitude. The MP swivels a turn and marches back out through the Command Tent.
It is immediately obvious to me that the cordial business relationship the Colonel and I had in my capacity as Head of Operations at Orion has evaporated with the demise of Sir Malcolm and indeed, the demise of Orion Security.
The Colonel lifts himself off the tactical table, rising to his full six-foot-two inches, bringing his arms down to his sides and puffing out his chest. He shows off his broad shoulders and muscular physique that a man half his fifty-four years of age would be proud of.
“Good, Richards, you’re here,” he says ominously, “and I see you’ve brought your man with you,” he adds, derogatorily, referring to Dan. “Please join us,” he finishes, lifting his hand towards the opposite end of the table to indicate where he wants us.
The end of the table is currently taken up by General Wright, but he quickly shuffles around to the side to make way for us. General Wright was once a subordinate of the Colonel, but with well-planned subtlety and deftness, Colonel Reed ensured his rise through the ranks was steady, all the way up to General, so far.
I take up my place at the end of the table, as asked, like a good soldier, playing along to the Colonel’s tune for now. Dan does the same, now standing beside me. The Colonel’s tune won’t last. However, I will play along for now and hear what he has to say and what he actually wants. I will then make my decision and if I have to tell him no, then he will have to swallow it, as nothing he is going to say will override my priority, which is Emily.
Silence ensues around the table for a moment as if everybody is waiting for something to happen, which they are, like some kind of sick challenge to see who will blink first. Well, I, for one, haven’t got time for these games and if it is me who has to blink first then so be it; they are all looking in my direction anyway.
“What do you want to discuss, Colonel?” I ask plainly and then everybody’s heads turn to see what the Colonel is going to say.
“You know very well what you are here for, Captain,” the Colonel says, puffing his chest out even further, revelling in his power.
I decide to test him, to see if I can prick his inflated ego a bit. “No, Colonel, I don’t know why you called us here, so if you have something you want to discuss, I suggest you get on with it,” I tell him.
This doesn’t go down very well with him, unsurprisingly, and I can feel his men gathered around the table cowering slightly, waiting for his response.
“You know damn well why you’re here, man!” he starts angrily, “I got you out of a very dark hole yesterday, on your word that you would give me Sir Malcolm’s computer and his safe. You provided me with one, but then proceeded to try and make a fool of me! The Home Secretary took a very dim view of the events and even then, I cleared you to land here in your stolen Lynx helicopter. I expect you to get me that fucking safe, Richards!”
The Colonel isn’t irate, but he is not far off, as some of the blood has definitely left his chest and gone to his face, which is a shade of dark red now. Maybe it is time to try and calm the situation.
“As I have explained to you, Colonel, we couldn’t shift the safe; if we could have, we would have but our time ran out and I didn’t try to make a fool of you by commandeering the Lynx. I had no choice. The safe is still there and I am sure you have enough capable men to get it if you think it is that important.”
“Major Reese, explain to this buffoon why that safe is important.” I would say that I was offended by the Colonel's slight, but I’ve been called much worse.
The only officer who doesn’t outrank the Colonel around the table, an average-sized man, who doesn’t look like he has seen much—if any— ‘action’, starts to speak.
“Captain Richards, I was in charge of the facility where this virus escaped from, and I was tasked with moving out of the facility and shutting it down. Unfortunately, a terrible accident happened, the virus was released and a large fire broke out which destroyed the building. To add to this unfortunate incident, all the records related to the particular virus we think has caused this outbreak were destroyed in the fire… genetic sequences, details of possible anti-viruses all destroyed. Now it is my understanding that Sir Malcolm once oversaw the facility where the accident happened and may have kept files related to this type of virus. Don’t ask me how, but apparently, he kept them to try and force the MOD to destroy the viruses. This never happened and according to the Colonel, the records could be in his safe and could prove vital in stopping this virus or at least dramatically cut the time it takes us to stop it.” The Major finishes his appeal.
Major Rees’s speech is honest and passionate, but it doesn’t give any reason why getting the safe requires Dan or me. We could easily brief another team, tell them what to expect and the terrain of where the safe is in the Orion building. A team much younger, fresher and not as rusty as me and Dan.
“Thank you, Major,” the Colonel says. “So, Captain, tell me what you need to go and get the safe?”
“I understand what Major Rees is saying, Colonel, but as you know, I am not a Captain any longer and I haven’t been for over five years, I’m prepared to brief a team and oversee an operation to retrieve the safe, but I cannot go on the mission; my daughter needs me, I am afraid,” I tell him in all sincerity.
“You have forced my hand then, Richards.” The Colonel says, filling me with dread at what he will do to get his way. “Your daughter is safe here behind our protection, but what about your son, he is still a serving member of this Army isn’t he? And your actions will have a great bearing on where he is posted.”
“What is that supposed to mean, Colonel?” I ask in trepidation.
“You will have gathered, Richards, ‘Operation Denial’ to take back the city is due to get underway in a very short amount of time, at 1000 hours in fact, and the infantry are gearing up now to move out. Your son will be joining them as we speak and he will be in the first wave to re-enter the city. We are expecting heavy losses with that first wave. Operation Denial will not stop, however, until the city is secure and every one of these Zombies is dead; we mean to e
xterminate them completely, at any cost!
“Now, if you were to lead this mission as you said you would, yesterday, I would, of course, let you assemble your own team. Handpick each man if you like, and I will defer to your judgement as you know the terrain and what you will need to complete your task better than me.
“The initial action plan, drawn up to complete this mission, is for the team to chopper in after Operation Denial is well underway, to retake the city and—using it as a diversion—to slip in, complete the mission and be back here quick-time.
“So, Captain do you want to rethink your position?”
Images, of Josh marching into London flash through my mind and my stomach drops to the floor. Both Josh and I know full well what will be waiting for the poor souls that try to re-enter the city. The Colonel is right about one thing at least, to expect heavy losses; God only knows how many Rabids there are in the city now, in London, with its population of eight million plus. I wouldn’t like to guess.
My mind races, trying to outmanoeuvre the Colonel. The thought of leaving Emily behind again frightens me and her reaction will be awful. This time, it will be me and Josh leaving her. The Colonel has made it clear the only way for Josh to not be in that ‘first wave’, is if I have him reassigned to my team.
I can feel the tension around the table as the anticipation rises; they wait for my reaction. Dan, beside me, keeps quiet for a moment. He knows me well enough to give me time to think without trying to give me his thoughts and distracting me at a time like this. I value Dan’s input above all others in this type of situation and he knows it. He will give me his take when the time is right and plans will change and adapt with his input—or the plan could be scrapped completely and we’ll go with his, which wouldn’t be the first time.
After what seems like an hour but is no more than a couple of minutes, I come to my conclusion.
“Colonel, I’ll accept the mission on the conditions that I have control. And that when it’s complete, we, including my son, are free to leave… and that my daughter is kept securely here with Catherine Hamilton and Stacey Jones, who arrived with my daughter—until I get back. Oh, and I will need to see them before we get underway.”
A satisfied look crossed Colonel Reed's face. He knew he had a winning hand before this charade even started. I had no other option but to accept, since no matter how easy the Colonel tried to make the mission sound, it was either that or allow my son to march to a fate worse than death, and he knew it.
Josh would kill me himself if he knew I was making deals to get him off the front line, that is for certain, but so be it. Josh is a proud soldier, but I am his father and he will always be under my protection.
“And what about you, Atkins?” The Colonel turns to Dan.
“I’m in,” Dan says without hesitation.
“There was no way out of that one, Boss, he had you by the testicles.” Dan turns, talking quietly into my ear.
“Agreed,” Colonel Reed says, triumphantly.
The Colonel makes the mission to retrieve the safe sound so easy, but he, as well as I, know that any mission, even the ones that look so simple on paper, can go sideways at any moment.
My time in the Special Forces taught me all too well that no matter how good the mission plan is or how many backup plans there are, how much preparation you make and how many times the mission is rehearsed, it can all go to shit before the first boot even hits the ground. Mission intelligence is wrong, the weather changes, engines fail, weapons jam or somebody just fucks up; there are too many variables to predict with any certainty how a mission will play out. Even the most meticulously prepared mission plan can go seriously wrong at any moment and then if you are too far in to pull out, you just have to go in as hard and as fast as you can and trust in your training, your team and the luck they bring.
Lieutenant Winters, who took me to the briefing with the Colonel earlier this morning, appears out of nowhere at Colonel Reed's side but slightly back, and waits patiently as if he knows he is about to be called upon by the Colonel at any moment.
Colonel Reed’s face changes; he knows he has won this little battle with me and has already moved on, feeling no compulsion to gloat. The look of satisfaction he had when he had won has been replaced by his game face. I expect he has also seen a change in my face, my initial look of anger and frustration at losing, replaced by a look of concentration and determination. There is absolutely no point in dwelling on this loss, as my training and experience have taught me that, and it is gone, I’ve already picked myself up and moved on too; my concentration now is on winning the next battle.
Chapter 7
Lieutenant Winters continues to stand back from Colonel Reed, as if he is apprehensive of approaching the inner circle of the officers gathered around the tactical table. I am not even sure that the Colonel knows that Winters is there.
“Winters,” the Colonel says abruptly without looking behind himself. I should have known that Colonel Reed had Lieutenant Winters exactly where he wanted him, too.
“Yes Sir,” the Lieutenant replies without hesitation.
“Captain Richards has a mission he needs to prepare for. See that he gets everything he needs, then report back to me with the mission details,” the Colonel orders, still without looking around.
“Yes, Sir.” Lieutenant Winters responds, whilst standing to attention.
“Captain Richards,” the Colonel says to me. “That safe needs to be back here A-SAP, the mission will be ready to go by 1500 hours at the latest, understood? Oh and no fucking about this time, Captain; you won’t be cleared to land again here without the safe, am I clear?”
“Crystal clear, Colonel,” I reply, knowing he isn’t bluffing.
Lieutenant Winters turns sharply, still at attention towards the exit at the front of the tent and then he starts to walk with conviction out of the rear of the tent and back into the buzz of the front area with its numerous staff and humming computers.
“Please follow me, Captain,” he says on his way out.
Dan and I fall into formation behind Lieutenant Winters as he leaves, our spot at the table immediately filled by one officer or another keen to be in the Colonel's direct line of sight. They all move onto the next order of business, almost as if we were never there, although I am sure that at least some of their deliberations involve me and Dan, and our imminent mission.
Exiting the tent, we all squint momentarily from the bright sunshine, the sun now climbing higher in the sky, its warmth now building into what looks like is going to be a hot day ahead.
Parked just in front of the tent is yet another Land Rover Defender. This one isn’t a standard-issue army Defender, however, it is a relatively new one and probably one of the last to come off the production line before Land Rover discontinued manufacturing them. The Defender is painted gloss black with dark tinted windows, and my guess would be this is the vehicle in which the Colonel is ferried around by Lieutenant Winters who heads straight for the driver’s door.
“Please, get in,” the Lieutenant says and so Dan and I do. I get into the front passenger seat and Dan gets in behind the Lieutenant.
When we are all in the Defender, Lieutenant Winters pauses before starting the engine.
“Colonel Reed has arranged a small hangar just over there,” the Lieutenant says pointing to a group of buildings near to the mass of helicopters. “You will be able to use it as your base for planning and executing the mission, it has all the equipment you should need but if anything is missing, let me know and I will get it for you.”
The Lieutenant then reaches for the ignition but pauses just before he is about to start the engine, as I ask him a question.
“What time is the mission to retake the city due to commence?”
“The first waves moves out at 1000 hours,” he tells me.
I glance at my watch, which tells me it is 0815, so it is not long, not long at all until they move out. I don’t envy any of the poor souls tasked with bei
ng the first to re-enter the city. I wish I could think of an argument against that course of action and offer a better plan, but I can’t; as horrific as it sounds, that is the only plan that has any chance of stopping this virus here and now. To hold off, to try to contain the virus and wait for some kind of cure of which there is no sign, would be to risk the infected breaking out of the quarantined area of the city and the virus spreading. That would risk the whole country succumbing to the virus and that cannot be allowed to happen, at any cost!
So, how can I intervene to stop my son marching into the city side by side with his comrades? They will all be somebody’s sons and daughters, but I know it is the only course of action to possibly save the country. I guess I will have to struggle with that thought, but I just can’t stand by and let Josh go in that first wave when I can stop it. Wouldn’t every parent do the same, if they had the chance? And Josh was probably only assigned to the first wave because of me, so Josh will continue to play his part in this nightmare ordeal, just by my side, where I will do everything to protect him.
“Lieutenant, make arrangements for my son, Joshua Richards, to join my team immediately,” I order.
“Yes, Sir, of course,” the Lieutenant replies with no qualms.
“Also arrange for Second Lieutenant Alice Ward to join us.”
“Boss, I—” Dan starts to say something, but I quickly shoot him a look that shuts him up. He is probably worried that she won’t be up to the task, and with Josh on the team too, the risk of having two younger, inexperienced personnel on the mission could be risky, but I am confident we can find them both a task that won’t raise the odds of the mission being a success.
Lieutenant Winters is slightly confused by the second name I request but nevertheless complies.
“Okay, let’s have a look at what we got in this hangar,” I say.
Capital Falling Trilogy Box Set [Books 1-3] Page 29
