The Mortal Maze

by Ian Richardson

  Felicity takes a seat on a park bench and engages in small talk in English with a well-to-do Western-dressed Arab woman, the mother of some of the other children. She takes no particular notice when Sam runs to join Sophie on a rope climbing frame.

  Several minutes pass then she hears a dull thud and screaming from Sam. She sees him sitting on the ground and crying. She goes to him and picks him up. “What happened?” she asks.

  “Sophie pushed me off the frame,” Sam asserts, wiping away tears.

  “No, I didn’t,” insists Sophie, “he fell when he tried to pull me off the frame.”

  “She’s lying!” Sam shouts.

  “No I’m not,” insists Sophie, “he was definitely trying to make me fall, Mummy. He’s a very nasty boy.”

  Felicity, faced with two conflicting accounts, is inclined to believe Sophie, in view of Sam’s previous ill temper. She helps him off the ground and sees that his knees are scraped and his shirt torn.

  “Now look what you’ve done,” Felicity shouts. “That shirt will have to be replaced. I’m really fed up with you today, Sam. Go back to the car. Stay there until Sophie and I return.”

  He sulkily returns to the car and climbs into the back seat, while Sophie, proud of her victory over her irritating brother, returns to the climbing frame and Felicity resumes her chat with the Arab mother.

  Sam is angry and immediately bored. He helps himself to another mint and for want of something more interesting to do. He returns his attention to Jackson’s “microphone”. He swings it around by its cord, then switches it on and off a couple of times, then on again. The device generates little further interest and he drops it back on the seat. He goes to the car window and looks dejectedly at his sister in the playground.

  ******

  Upstairs in Mack and Joan’s apartment, Jackson summons the courage to phone Thomas to explain how the plan to capture Bin Hassan has spectacularly failed, but Thomas’s phone appears to be switched off or out of range. He then remembers that he was to have collected the tracking device from Felicity. He dials her mobile and is surprised to have it answered by a boy’s voice.

  “Hello, who is that?” asks Jackson.

  “It’s Sam.”

  “Oh hello Sam, it’s Uncle Jackson. Why are you answering your mother’s phone?”

  “She left it in the car.”

  “Where’s she gone?”

  “She’s in the playground with my nasty sister. Sophie told lies about me and I’ve been made to stay in the car.”

  “Oh, I see. What playground?”

  “At the park we usually go to. I don’t know its name.”

  “Oh yes. I know the one: Malik Malouf. Well, when your mother comes back, tell her that I’ll pick up my microphone another time.”

  “It’s here in the car, Uncle Jackson. I’ve just been looking at it.”

  Jackson is alarmed. “You haven’t been playing with it, have you?”

  Sam senses the sudden change of tone in Jackson’s voice. “No, Uncle Jackson, it just fell out of Mummy’s bag, but I put it straight back again,” he lies.

  Jackson is relieved. “Well, it’s important you don’t play with it, Sam, as it could, er, break very easily.”

  “Yes, Uncle Jackson,” he says, then asking “when are you going to visit us again to read some more Hairy Maclary?

  “I don’t know, Sam. I may have to go away for a while. I don’t know. But I can’t talk any more just now. Please tell your mother I phoned.”

  “Okay,” confirms Sam and the call ends.

  ******

  On the aircraft carrier Advance, there is huge relief in the battle control room when the BH1 signal comes up steadily on the main screen.

  “At last!” shouts Todd. He turns to the row of operators in front of him and calls for a satellite view of the area. A clear live picture comes up on the screen, showing that the source of the signal is a car partly obscured by a tree.

  “That’s really odd,” observes Thomas. “Why the hell would Jackson be taken to a park? That makes no sense. We sometimes take our kids there. Why didn’t they go to one of Bin Hassan’s safe houses?”

  “Well, Thomas, ours is not to reason why, but it appears that we’ve both lost our bet. The evil cocksucker has tried to outsmart us by doing the interview in a completely unexpected spot. How long will it take your snatch squads to get there?”

  Thomas checks the screen and sees that there are two armed teams in the area. “About five minutes,” he estimates.

  “Good,” says Todd. “We’ll send instructions that they block off all Bin Hassan’s possible escape routes, but to stay well away from the target.”

  Thomas doesn’t understand. “What do you mean they should stay away from the target? That’s not the agreed plan. They should go straight in and grab him, just as soon as Jackson is clear.”

  “There’s been a change of plan,” reveals Todd.

  “What are you talking about?” Thomas demands.

  Todd doesn’t reply and instead calls to an officer at the end of the row in front of them. “Are you locked onto the signal yet?”

  “Yes, sir, all set to go,” comes the reply.

  Todd pushes an intercom button and shouts into it. “Fire both, five seconds apart.” Thomas is stunned and after about 10 seconds, a voice comes up on speaker: “Both launches confirmed, sir.”

  The colonel turns back to Thomas. “Sorry, Buddy. Orders from the Pentagon. We can’t risk missing this guy. Two Tomahawks are now on their way to blast him to Paradise. Your job is to make sure that your snatch squads don’t let him leave before the rockets reach him in about 10 minutes. If he tries to move, they must open fire and force him back into the target area.”

  Thomas is furious. “You guys have stitched us up. Killing him may make you look good on the news bulletins, but it’s a short term policy. There’s much more to be gained from capturing and interrogating guys like Bin Hassan. You don’t seem to understand that being martyred is a plus not a minus for them. But they hate being locked up for the rest of their miserable lives.”

  Todd shrugs his shoulders. “Let’s talk about this later. Our job isn’t yet done.” He turns his attention back to the screen with the satellite picture. “Let’s get a closer look at the target.”

  The operator zooms in and Felicity’s car can be partly seen protruding from under the tree. But there is no sign of any movement.

  “Has anyone seen Jackson and his cameraman leaving?” asks Thomas.

  The satellite operator turns to them. “Well, I saw a car leaving the park about the time BH1 first showed on the screen. Maybe they were in that.”

  “Did the car come from the same part of the park?” Thomas asks.

  “Sorry, I don’t know,” replies the operator, “I only saw it going out the main gate.”

  The British snatch squads have arrived and are spreading out across the park boundary.

  “Your boys are in place,” notes Todd. “They’ve been told not to take any pre-emptive action, so they’ll be safe.”

  The location being targeted still baffles Thomas. “I really don’t get it. Why would Bin Hassan choose that area? And why did we have those brief signals from the tracker? That was never meant to happen.”

  “Stop worrying, buddy, there must have been a reason and that’s definitely the right tracker giving us a 100% strong signal,” says Todd, who goes back to watching the satellite view.

  “There’s a playground very near the target. Can we see that, please? Thomas asks.

  The operator zooms out to show a dozen or so children and adults there. “Won’t they by hit by the blast?” Thomas asks.

  “The Tomahawks have pinpoint accuracy,” replies Todd. “There shouldn’t be too much collateral damage. Can’t be helped if some of them are hurt, though.”

  “Five minutes to impact time,” announces an operator in the front row. At the same time, a woman and a child can be seen leaving the playground and walking towards the tar
get area.

  “Shit!” declares Thomas, “they’re walking straight into the blast.”

  Todd shrugs his shoulders. “They probably won’t feel a thing when it happens.”

  The satellite operator zooms in for a closer look and the two figures can now be seen more clearly. “Oh Christ, it’s Felicity and Sophie,” screams Thomas.

  “Do you know them?” asks Todd.

  “It’s my wife and our daughter, Todd. Christ! Something terrible has gone wrong. They must have the tracker. Quick. Cancel the strike before it’s too late!”

  “Hell, buddy, that’s not possible. They’re on a pre-set route. Does your wife have a mobile?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Well, ring her and tell her to get to hell back to the playground as fast as she can.”

  Thomas dials Felicity’s mobile from a phone on the bench. It rings out for what seems an eternity. Finally, it is answered by Sam. “Is that you again, Uncle Jackson?”

  “No,” shouts Thomas, “it’s Daddy. Where are you?”

  “I’m in our car.”

  “At the park?”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Quick! Get out of the car as fast as you can and tell Mummy and Sophie you must all run as far away as you can.”

  “Why, Daddy?”

  “Just do as you’re told, Sam!”

  “But I can’t Daddy. I was naughty and Mummy told me I must stay in the car until she returns.”

  “You must get out of the car, Sam. Now! Please. You must!”

  “I can see Mummy coming back now. I’ll tell her what you said.” Sam ends the call.

  There is an announcement over the battle room speaker on the carrier Advance: “One minute to impact.”

  Thomas buries his head in his hands, unable to watch the screen, but Todd is transfixed by the image of Felicity and Sophie continuing to walk briskly towards the car. Then there is a flash as the first Tomahawk makes a direct hit on the car, followed seconds later by another direct hit. Todd flinches, but there is a triumphant roar from the operators sitting along the bench in front of him and Thomas.

  The screen blinks, then through the cloud of black smoke it is briefly possible to see the upturned and unrecognisable wreck of Felicity’s car. The tree it was under has been reduced to a shredded stump and the adjacent refreshment hut has been obliterated. Over in the playground, the image is clearer with several children and adults seen lying on the ground, either wounded or dead.

  Thomas’s body shakes and he begins to weep, his head in his hands. Todd, too, is shocked and puts a hand on Thomas’s shoulder. “Sorry buddy,” he says. “Sorry.” He knows there is nothing more that he can say.

  CHAPTER 30

  Jackson has been called downstairs to the bureau where Mack and Farouk have finished editing the Bin Hassan interview. Mack says London has cleared it for broadcast and it will go out at the top of the next hour – just 10 minutes away – and will be followed by a live Q&A. “Will you be okay for the Q&A, Jacko?”

  Jackson nods a little uncertainly. “Yes, I should be okay. I’ll just make myself a strong coffee first.”

  Mack goes to Samira. “Give CNN and Al-Jazeera a call and tell them we’ve got this interview and they can have as much of it as they like, provided they give us a full credit.”

  She picks up her phone and begins dialling as Jackson goes onto the broadcast stand where Farouk fits him with a lapel microphone.

  Jackson’s brain remains in turmoil and he is finding it difficult to think clearly. The Bin Hassan interview is now being simulcast on World News and the domestic News Channel. Farouk gives Jackson a one-minute warning that the video is about to end.

  Samira calls out to Mack: “I’ve told CNN and Al-Jazeera and they’re going to record it off air. They want to know if we heard the two explosions a short time ago. I told them we hadn’t.”

  “We’ll look into it as soon as Jacko comes off air,” he replies.

  Samira’s phone rings and she takes the call from someone with a news tip. “Oh, it’s just happened has it?” she asks. “Well, thank you very much for that. We’ll get a reporter there right away.”

  She puts the phone down and calls to Mack. “Those explosions were missiles of some sort hitting Malik Malouf Park.”

  Jackson overhears her. “Where did you say?”

  “Malik Malouf Park,” she repeats.

  “Oh my God!” he shouts. “Oh my God! Oh shit! Felicity and the kids are there.”

  Jackson rips off his microphone and runs to Yassin. “Let’s go. Take me to the park as fast as you can!”

  Mack is gobsmacked. “You can’t go now, they’re crossing over to you from London.”

  “Fuck London!” shouts Jackson.

  Mack looks up at the monitor to see presenter Margaret Mathieson announcing that she is about to talk live to Jackson. But all that comes up is a shot of the empty broadcast platform. “Oh dear,” she says, “we seem to be having some technical problems there, so let me summarise what emerged in that exclusive statement made to us by the terrorist leader Ahmed Faisel Bin Hassan…”

  Jackson and Yassin go out the door. Pete grabs his camera and goes after them. “Hey, guys, wait for me!”

  “What’s that all about?” Mack asks Samira.

  “Sorry, but I haven’t the faintest idea.”

  “Well, who’s Felicity?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never heard him mention anyone by that name.”

  As they talk, the phone rings and Samira hits the speaker button.

  “BBC Armibar. Can I help?”

  “Um, I hope so,” says a male voice with an educated East Coast American accent. “Is your reporter Mr Dunbar there by any chance?”

  “Not at the moment. He’s just gone out on a story.”

  “I see. Has he gone to investigate the explosions?”

  “Who is this speaking?” Samira asks.

  “My name doesn’t matter, ma’am,” says the American voice. “I am calling on behalf of one of Mr Dunbar’s friends.”

  “Do you know something about these explosions?”

  “Oh no. Not at all, but it’s urgent that I speak to Mr Dunbar. I think my friend has his mobile number, so we’ll call that.”

  “You can try if it’s really urgent, but it’s not a good time,” she tells him.

  “Well, thank you for your help anyway. Goodbye.”

  The call ends. “What was that all about?” Mack asks Samira. “There seem to be things going on that I know nothing about.”

  Samira draws Mack’s attention to a flash that’s just appeared on her computer screen. “The agencies are already onto the park explosions,” she says. “There are reports of two cruise-type missiles seen coming in very low from the Mediterranean just before the blasts.”

  “I’ll get onto London and warn them that it looks like another ‘biggie’ is heading their way,” says Mack. “Grab a taxi and get your backside to the park pronto. I’m worried that Jacko is imploding, so we might need your back-up. Take the satellite kit with you and Farouk and I’ll get everything else set up.”

  Samira grabs the satellite kit and runs down into the street where she hails a passing taxi.

  ******

  Yassin is breaking the speed limits and running red lights to get Jackson and Pete to Malik Malouf Park. Jackson is in shock and Pete can’t understand why. “What’s going on with you, mate? We’ve done this sort of story before. What’s so special about this one?”

  “There’s been a terrible, terrible fuck-up. I think a friend and her kids are at that park.”

  “Shit, man, that’s serious,” says Pete, “but why blame yourself? It’s just bad luck. Anyway, we’ll probably find they’re okay.”

  As the Range Rover approaches the park, black smoke can be seen rising high into the sky. Soldiers, wearing camouflage outfits of an unidentified army are blocking the main entrance, but Jackson orders Yassin not to stop. He flashes his headlights and furiously toot
s the horn.

  The soldiers, seeing it is a non-threatening media vehicle, jump aside and the car heads down the palm tree avenue at speed towards the playground. It skids to a halt just metres from the blast scene. Pete jumps out and begins filming while Jackson desperately seeks Felicity and the children. He runs to the playground as the first ambulances arrive. They are not there, but there are a number of children and adults lying on the ground, some dead, but most crying from wounds. He returns to the blast scene and sees body parts and shredded clothes lying in the blast crater. He realises instantly that they are the remains of Felicity, Sam and Sophie.

  ******

  In the battle control room of the carrier Advance, Todd puts down the phone after his anonymous call to the BBC and tells Thomas that Jackson is alive and apparently on his way to Malik Malouf Park. He hands Thomas the phone and urges him to try Jackson’s mobile. He nods agreement. As he dials the number, Todd’s attention is drawn to a screen showing BBC News with Jackson interviewing Bin Hassan.

  Jackson takes Thomas’s call as he stares in dismay at the overturned remains of Felicity’s car.

  “Yes!” he says abruptly.

  “Jacko, it’s Thomas. Where are you?”

  “I’m at Malik Malouf Park.”

  “Have you found Felicity and the children?”

  “Yes. I have.”

  “That’s good?”

  “It isn’t good, Thomas. They didn’t survive.”

  “Oh Christ,” says Thomas, beginning to sob, “what’ve we done?”

  “What have you done, Thomas? Don’t fucking try to fucking implicate me in responsibility for this fucking disaster!”

  Thomas begins to shout. “If you’d done what we agreed, this wouldn’t have happened. Did you lose your nerve?”

  “No, I didn’t lose my nerve, Thomas. Binnie just outsmarted us and lifted me before I had a chance to collect the tracker from Felicity. It’s as simple as that. So the brutal truth is that your target is still alive while your wife and children are dead. You betrayed me and you betrayed your own family by trying to kill him. It’s your fault, Thomas. You have to face up to the fact that you’re a treacherous bastard.” Thomas begins sobbing into the phone and Jackson angrily cuts him off.