by Roger Rapel
They both tucked into the curry as Jackie fired questions at him, but she already knew she wouldn’t get any answers, but that didn’t stop her asking.
Jim just yawned as he told her of his early start in the morning so needed to sleep he gave her a kiss then he handed her present ‘oh Jim that’s lovely’ as she held the necklace looking at the fine chain and the golden heart ‘Thank you so much, I’ll thank you later.’ Jim smiled as he retired to bed setting his alarm for 03.30.
It seemed like he had only been in bed for five minutes when the alarm sounded. He wanted to hit the snooze button, but he daren’t, so climbed out of bed then showered to wake himself, had a coffee then hit the road.
The traffic was light as he sped the country roads to the motorway then to London. His satnav then kicked-in as he turned it on having already plumbed in the co-ordnance. On nearing London the traffic became heavy even at that time in the morning. Jim eventually reached a nondescript set of offices, with no signs on it, although he didn’t expect there would be. He smiled to himself as he thought there should be a sign outside saying spooks.
He parked and walked up to the door, then rang the intercom and smiled into the camera. The door buzzed as he pushed it open then walked in. The door clicked shut behind him; he then realised he was confined into a reception area, all the doors were locked with electronic access keypads. Then he heard one of the doors click and was opened by someone he didn’t recognise. He was asked for his identification which he produced then he was shown in. He followed the person who apart from the identification request never spoke.
Jim was shown into an office where he saw Yvonne and Ricky Briggs sat behind a desk. They both smiled as he was invited to sit down. Jim nodded as he pulled out a chair and sat the other side of the desk. Yvonne then opened up the meeting. ‘Thanks for coming Jim, it’s early I know, but some things have to be completed before the real day’s work begins.’ Jim nodded as he said ‘no problem.’ Yvonne then opened a file on her desk and began to speed read the first paragraph of a report. ‘Okay Jim this is a report from Ricky on his mission to Afghanistan it contains the names of the suspects involved in the arms trade and drugs in exchange for white English girls and women. It has some serious implications as those supplying the arms are deeply involved in terrorism, if our information is correct, they are stockpiling weapons in the UK for the day when they will bring terror to our streets.’ Jim coughed and looked at Ricky, who just nodded; then he looked at Yvonne who had a stern look on her face, which he hadn’t seen before; although he smiled inwardly as he recalled her face when in the height of passion.
Then Jim said ‘wow that is some job, but why are you telling me this, as it must be highly classified within your organisation?’ Yvonne looked at Ricky and nodded then he said ‘Jim I have uncovered a serious chain which has some real tasty people on the periphery which is where you come in, we want you to go sniffing around them which will hopefully cause those we are interested in to get nervous and start to move the arms they have stashed. We need to put them with the arms then we can have them intercepted and dealt with.’ Jim knew the words dealt with, no prisoners.
Yvonne then produced a couple of other documents with a list of names on then said ‘we suspect that a couple of the names on the list are informants to some quite senior detectives up and down the country, so this has to be kept really tight, if there is any wind of what you are doing before we are ready to act it will compromise our operation before it starts.’ Jim thought not again. There was always some double dealing going on somewhere.
Yvonne then stood up and walked over to a white board as she began to give a very detailed briefing on the way Jim should work with Ricky. Jim followed the thread of the meeting. Then she coughed and said ‘I want you to interview Masterson with Ricky; you will have the authority to offer him a white flag if he co-operates. I want you both to turn him and get him to offer up as much as he can, as he is on a sticky wicket at this moment in time and could be going down for a very long stretch if he doesn’t. I don’t need to tell you you’re jobs, but you have a free hand as this is something we need to get resolved as soon as possible for obvious reasons.
Yvonne stood up she shook both their hands and said her goodbyes as she left Ricky and Jim to sort out their plan of action. Jim thought this can’t be right this is something the spooks would do on their own, why do they need me to do their dirty work.
Jim shook Ricky’s hand again as he said ‘okay Ricky cards on the table, now that Yvonne’s gone, I think all cards should be face up?’ Jim looked at Ricky as he cocked his head to one side with his enquiring look.
Ricky smiled and said ‘no pulling the wool over your eyes is there?’ Jim smiled as he sat down then said ‘over to you mate?’ Ricky then sat down as he opened a folder which had been kept out of sight, then said ‘look Jim there are some really tasty people involved in this who are not adverse to dealing with anyone who gets in their way; so this has to be dealt with the right way.’ ‘Why me Ricky, I won’t buy the reason because I’m squeaky clean again?’
Ricky stood up and checked the door making sure no one was listening outside. He went over to the dry wipe board and cleaned it off as he started to write down the names of some Afghan targets. At the top he drew a square box then entered a question mark. Ricky said ‘this is the head of the pyramid he sits and dictates the operation from his mansion in Malaga. He doesn’t mix with anyone other than his closest henchmen, he sits in his ivory tower sending out emails and making phone calls directing his troops to do his bidding.’ ‘Look Ricky I still don’t understand what this has to do with me?’ ‘Jim remember when we met in Malaga where I brought down the Moroccan Ahmy, well the target is a relative of his, who is now at the top of the tree, he knows nothing of you or me, he thinks the whole thing with Ahmy was run by the CIA, but he has now taken over the reins so to speak and is ready to direct his forces to strike at our shores.’ ‘What’s his name just in case it comes up in conversation?’ ‘You don’t need to know its better you don’t know.’
Jim smiled and said ‘why not send in the SAS and take him out in the middle of the night, just a simple quiet operation, you must have been involved in something similar during your time?’
Ricky coughed ‘this is political and whilst we have tons of suspicion we have no evidence of what he is doing.’ ‘Come on Ricky there must be someone on the inside or you wouldn’t have got this far.’ ‘Yes we did, but he was killed in Afghanistan, so we have no one on the inside now.’ ‘Hold up Ricky, I’m not that stupid, you went out there to expose him because you think he had been turned, so you wanted him wasted, either by you or them am I right?’ ‘Ricky smiled as he said ‘No comment.’ But he winked as he knew Jim was on the right track.
‘Okay then Ricky someone got to him before you could interrogate him, so your source of information has gone, where does Masterson come into the equation?’
‘Okay Jim, Yvonne was right you’re not easily led. I need to get next to the target in Malaga to become his right hand man and feed-out information on the operations he is heading.’ ‘Hold on Ricky you’ll be recognised from your time before with Ahmy won’t you? Also if you meet Masterson he will also know who you are, won’t he?’ ‘That’s a chance I’ll have to take, but having been in Afghanistan working alongside the Taliban gives me credit also my looks have changed dramatically.’ ‘Okay I’ll give you that, no one would recognise you now, I didn’t and I know you, but that aside, what about the guy that was killed in Afghanistan; where did he feature in this?’ ‘They don’t know 100% he was killed because someone was blown up by an IED; our target presumes it was his man as he has lost contact with him; which is good for me.’
Jim then looked at the other names on the list as he shook his head then said ‘what about the kids and the trafficking of women, where do they come into this?’ ‘Jim, crack this and the whole operation will collapse, then you can mop up the remnants, there will be plenty wanting to squeal I
can assure you.’
‘Okay Ricky what do you want me to do, where do I fit into this scenario.’ ‘Right Jim, we want you to go back to Spain as one of the names on that list has a holiday home in Malaga.
Jim looked at the list of names again and said ‘there are some really tasty names here;’ then he saw the name of Sands. ‘Yes there are Jim, when this goes down they will want to distance themselves very quickly from the centre and will be offering up all sorts of deals rather than being linked to arms dealing to fund terrorism; if convicted there will be long sentences dished out with little chance of parole.’
‘What is the plan Ricky?’ ‘Okay Yvonne should be talking with Langton now and arranging the enquiry to work with the Spanish police to arrest Sands; then it will be handed down to you. Everything will be official strictly by the book; you will be met by the Spanish police, but be aware there are some corrupt officials, so be minded you will only be talking to them about the information given in relation to Sands. I will only meet you if it all goes wrong, but until then you won’t even know I’m there.’ ‘Where am I staying? I don’t think I will get the same reception as before with Sonja?’ ‘From what I understand she is still there and is not attached, but she is not important, not to me she isn’t, but she could be good cover for you, although that’s your choice, I just want you to be making the right noises and working with the Spanish officials. The subject Sands is on the periphery of the terrorist cell. My target will be looking and watching; he has so much money invested in the arms already purchased and will be rewarded handsomely when the attack in the UK takes place; but beware, with his wealth there is no doubt he will have bought someone in the government for protection, so it’s important that you don’t mention anything about the spooks. If my target suspects you are there as part of the spooks he will shut up shop.’
Jim sat thinking then said ‘how will I know you’re okay?’ ‘You won’t, I’m not your responsibility. I just want you to rattle Sands cage to make my target nervous and make him draw in his horns a bit, that will give me the chance to get in without too much trouble as I can offer him a straight through link to terrorist organisations in Afghanistan as I have the references to ease me in. Once I’m ensconced I will get a message to Yvonne who will contact you, then you can back off.’ ‘Fuck me Ricky this is some task for you?’ ‘It’s nothing out of the ordinary for me or others like me.’
Then Jim sat and thought, as the penny dropped ‘you were sent to Afghanistan to dispose of someone after you got introduced to the Talban in order to get your face known so you could go to Spain knowing you would be referenced by those selling arms for terrorism in Afghanistan. I’m right aren’t I?’ Ricky never confirmed or denied it, he just smiled.
Jim sat thinking then another penny dropped, he had been used again, the information that there was a list of names including the MP’s and Senators was a load of bollocks. Rhanjee had the name of Ricky’s false identity which had been allegedly supplied by one of Rhanjee’s informants in Afghanistan. Ricky was being referenced-up by the backdoor. The snatch would contain all the information to get Ricky set up for his infiltration.
The snatched documents would give the Spanish target the knowledge of Ricky’s false name, including him being linked to the Taliban, would give Ricky the necessary credentials. So there needed to be a snatch so his identity was discovered in amongst the snatched documents; that would give Ricky the references he needed especially if it was allegedly sold on by some bent MI5 official. Ricky would be welcomed with open arms. His photograph and false identity Jim guessed would have also been in the briefcase along with his voice on the audio cassette so if his target tried to test his voice by a recognition device it would be an exact match.
Jim sat as he mulled this over in his head; then he went over all the bollocks about being under surveillance and having to scan his car, it had been all part of the ploy, all part of the scam that Yvonne had organised so Jim had no idea what was really happening.
All the while in the background the MI5 intelligence sources were busy monitoring the emails and telephone traffic about the information that had been allegedly stolen and sold to the terrorist organisation, the back and forth communications would have been red hot.
Jim presumed that the time was now gauged to be right for Ricky to make an appearance and begin his infiltration. Jim then watched as another penny dropped. He was being used again, he was the distraction, all eyes would be on him; the fact that a Spanish official would probably have been bought would ensure his presence in Spain would be fed to Ricky’s target. Ricky would make his connection whilst all eyes and ears were on Jim. Ricky would just slip into his role of being the intermediary between the Taliban and whoever wanted arms, especially if it was to undertake a strike in the UK.
Jim continued to mull the scenario’s over in his head; the only problem was that some of the named people in the investigation after the sex party were on the fringes of the organisation that Ricky was going to try and infiltrate which meant if there was no further police investigation it would be questioned as to why. But on the other hand a full blown investigation by the police would put the terror organisation and the main target to sleep only to re-surface at another time and place. Then another bigger penny dropped, Ricky was going to set his target up; when all the suspects or as many as could be mustered were in one place, then they would be taken out by Ricky’s mates.
Jim sat as Ricky looked at him then smiled as he said ‘what you thinking Jim?’ Jim then explained his theory, which made Ricky half laugh, but Jim could see he had hit a raw nerve. ‘Okay Jim, do not repeat that theory to anyone for mine and your safety okay?’ I’m right then?’ ‘I neither confirm nor deny your theory.’ ‘Ricky, come on man we have worked close before?’ Okay you’re near and that’s as far as I go, its far better you don’t know, just remember you have signed the official Secrets Act.’
Jim nodded as he shook hands with Ricky as he gathered up the papers; then Ricky let him out. He began to drive back, but the traffic around Heathrow by now was nose to tail, he had to concentrate; but his thoughts kept going back to the double dealing and false truths he had been fed. He had to smile though, as he thought how good Yvonne was at acting, she initially had him completely hooked by all of the false trails including the briefcase from Rhanjee being snatched. That’s presuming he was correct in his assumption?
He was miles away when he heard a car horn sound which brought him back to the here and now as the cars ahead all of a sudden came to a grinding halt. The line of traffic was stood still for as far as he could see. There was nothing he could do he just had to sit it out.
Jim rested his head back as he began thinking again; what about Barney, had he been in the loop as well? Also what about CA, did she know? Nothing made sense anymore; who in this world of spooks was ever going to tell the truth. Then he smiled as he spoke to himself ‘no one mish Moneypenny.’
44
Jim eventually arrived back at HQ’s his eyes ached from the lack of sleep and the concentration of the nose to tail traffic. His head was still going around in circles with the scenarios he had been involved in; he knew he had been fed false information, but this latest one really took the biscuit, he had been really sucked-in and fed bull shit, he had taken the bait, hook-line and sinker.
Langton was sat in his office; he looked up and waved Jim in. ‘How was the meeting?’ Jim then thought was this a test to see if he would speak about the suspicions he had; also was this a test from Langton; was he waiting for me to tell him the content of the meeting to see if Jim was being honest with him. After all he was his guvnor and he should be aware of what he was doing? Jims head was hurting even more. Had Yvonne asked Langton to test him to see if he would stay tight lipped?
Jim just smiled as he said ‘early start, that woman never sleeps she’s on the go all the time. I expect she’s already called you?’ Jim decided to send the ball back into Langton’s court, to see how it bounced back.
Langton smiled ‘yes she has and has certainly put things in perspective; it looks like you’re off to Spain again. I have put things in motion.’ Langton then picked up a folder with the targets name on, Martin Sands; ‘now he has got some money and influence behind him Jim, so be careful. Although having said that, ever since the arrest of those at the sex party he has gone on the missing list and it is believed that he is in his holiday home in Malaga.’
Jim looked at the folder and the photograph of Sands then said ‘I know he is involved with the delivery of the kids from the care home, but what else is he involved in?’ ‘Only what Yvonne has told me, he has fingers in many pies; he owns some kind of Import Export Company that transports goods all over the world, so he could ship anything, including human traffic to any destination. We need to ensure he is in his holiday home, if he is then we will get the Spanish police to arrest him and get the extradition papers filed for you or someone else to bring him back to be questioned.’
Jim was reading the content of the file; he nodded then said ‘he certainly has some money, what is he suspected of moving around the world?’ Langton coughed as he cleared his throat ‘anything he wants, straight or bent it doesn’t matter to him or his organisation. He has come up from a very small company to a massive organisation in a very short time, so we imagine drugs, arms and anything in between.’
Jim nodded as he thought about his conversation with Ricky regarding his intended infiltration to his target in Spain. Then he said to Langton ‘what’s the plan guv; who, why, what and when?’ ‘Okay our intelligence section has liaised with the Spanish desk in Interpol and things are bubbling away in the background. There is no need to rush, just familiarise yourself with the file and all of his contacts and their pictures. Then once all the legalities are finalised you’ll be on your way. But just a word of warning don’t mention anything about this to anyone not even Vicky or Jackie, this has rumblings underneath which I can’t comment on at this time.’
