Brady was at a loss for words as the truth began to dawn on him. He’d been duped and cruelly used. Annie had conned him from the first minute they met in that gymnasium in Holland. He had been a complete and utter pawn in her sick game of manipulation.
‘You just happened to come along at a convenient time and place. I needed you to provide the smokescreen for the unauthorised rescue attempt. It’s all well documented, I can assure you. Pulling rank and using my name to acquire equipment and weapons. Hi-jacking the helicopter to get into England! All quite advantageous really. Wrongly assuming you were Chloe’s father and going off half cocked. It’s all in the file – and can be released at any time I decide. So, back off Group Captain. Chloe is mine – and mine alone -and that’s how she’s going to stay!
A quiet female voice drifted in from the doorway behind Ann:
‘Is she now?’
Chloe and Chris had overheard the entire conversation!
Day 30
Monday 13th January
Euronews TV Station – Brussels
Amongst his many other commitments, the British Prime Minister, Sir Ian James had spent much time over the weekend preparing the broadcast he was programmed to deliver at noon GMT on Monday the thirteenth of January – Day 30 of the crisis.
Just thirty days since it started snowing. Just one month! Just eight days since it had stopped snowing – and it seemed like eight years! So much had happened in eight days, but there was so much more to do.
He – the government – was now in a better position to broadcast to the world, in order to update as many people as possible. The nations of the world who weren’t directly involved with the catastrophe in the UK – i.e. those outside of Europe, needed to be brought up to date, needed to become involved, needed to be reminded that Britain was in dire straits and that unless the aid programme continued the entire globe would be permanently affected.
His transmission would be followed by similar and supportive announcements by the Presidents of the USA, Russia, France and China and, finally, the Secretary General of the UN. It had been agreed that every member state of the UN arrange for their Head of State to broadcast a similar statement, on their own national TV stations.
The message was expected to reach just about every living being on the planet.
Sir Ian had spent most of Sunday practising, recording and re-recording the programme until he was satisfied that it covered everything he wished to say without being overly repetitive. In the final analysis, he had to compromise as he was just too tired to carry on. He hoped that his message would reach sympathetic ears – even amongst Britain’s rivals and foes – and there were enough of them!
He now sat in his office with Ann Fletcher, after the best night’s sleep he'd had for two weeks. He felt refreshed and recharged, having taken a sleeping pill – and was more than ready for the challenge ahead. Ann was distracted but Sir Ian couldn’t discover the source of her pre-occupation. Nevertheless, she was her usual efficient self, and had kept the PM up to date with progress since the last Cabinet, which he had missed due to the TV commitment.
‘The rain is causing havoc, Ian. Although the snow level is reducing, water is cascading everywhere. Only sixty-three people were rescued yesterday. Sixty three! Our helicopters are struggling to navigate in low cloud, fog and driving rain.’
Sir Ian didn’t have time to respond as the TV announcer began his introduction for the pre-recorded international broadcast. Dame Ann was armed with pen and paper, ready to note any points which may need immediate follow up action.
They both settled back to watch Sir Ian’s vital attempt to convince the world of Britain’s plight:
‘Ladies and gentlemen, we now go over to Sir Ian James, Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and leader of the United Kingdom Recovery Alliance, who will broadcast a message for the world. This programme will be simultaneously transmitted and translated in over two hundred countries and repeats broadcast on national channels every six hours, today the thirteenth of January.’
The screen flicked to a view of Sir Ian, sat behind a large oak desk. His presentation began, and throughout was highlighted and reinforced with graphics, photographs and video. The Prime Minister looked suitably grim:
‘Ladies, gentlemen and children of the world, my fellow human beings, I speak to you today with a heavy heart in an attempt to bring you up to date with the unprecedented crisis in Europe and specifically in the United Kingdom.
There cannot be many people alive who do not yet know that it began to snow in the UK on the fifteenth of December and, as a result of a unique set of circumstances, did not cease until the fifth of January. Three weeks of unrelenting, driving blizzards which buried our proud nation under more than thirty feet of snow? The entire country was affected – every square metre – and the sea froze out to a distance of three kilometres. The eastern coast of the Republic of Ireland was similarly devastated……’
The speech continued to trace the history of the storm, outlining initial reaction and detailed early examples of the effects of the snow! By the time he reached the fifth of January, he'd being speaking for twenty minutes.
‘It finally stopped snowing on the fifth of January and the sun came out. By that time my deputy, Dame Ann Fletcher, had mobilised our assets on mainland Europe and around the world, and was beginning to counter the enormous effect the storm had had on our landscape, infrastructure, economy and most importantly – our citizens. And just not indigenous British people, but nationals of almost every country in the world. Britain has become a wonderful cosmopolitan mix of races and their loss is the world’s loss. Nobody will have been untouched by this terrible tragedy.
However, due to the magnificent and generous support of our fellow man, we were able to care for one and a half million British holidaymakers who were marooned by the weather. These people, on the whole, are still living in desperate conditions on mainland Europe whilst many hundreds of thousands are stranded across the globe, currently relying on consular assistance and the generosity of their host nation. However, this situation cannot continue indefinitely. We must look for long term solutions to solve these pressing problems causing so much human misery.’
Pictures flashed up demonstrating the points he was making as he continued to summarise the work done over the past five days. He explained the rescue operations, the setting up of the UKRA in Brussels to co-ordinate business, the establishment of a newspaper to keep as many people as possible informed of changing events, the deployment of the British Royal Family and efforts to re-establish Britain’s line of credit.
‘I also need to describe what the snow still has in store for us all. It is beginning to melt, and as it does so, flooding will occur. This will probably cause more damage than the snow itself and danger to life will increase over the coming months. For example, anybody still sheltering underground will be in extreme peril from this day forwards. Floodwaters will sweep vehicles, trees, damaged property and sadly, bodies, into the sea or into huge mountains of debris – countrywide.
I must now touch on an extremely sensitive subject, which affects us all. Many millions of British residents and foreign visitors will have perished in the snow. It's a bitter pill to swallow for many, many people with friends and relatives at home. However, I can only suggest that it may be better to try to accept the inevitable rather than cling on to false hope. Of course, there will be exceptions, but the vast majority of our loved ones are probably gone.’
The PM paused for a few seconds whilst several sadly appropriate photos appeared on the screen.
‘Perhaps it would be fitting if you would all join me in a two minute silence whilst we remember.’
After the full two minutes, Sir Ian continued.
‘I must emphasise, that for the foreseeable future the United Kingdom is off limits to everyone except authorised rescue operatives and British government officials. I am officially declaring a State of Martial Law from midnight GMT, tonig
ht, the eleventh of January. No-one is to enter the UK under any circumstances. This means that any ex-resident – anywhere - is to make alternative living arrangements. Do not try to return to the UK. The British government will advise you on how best to proceed, and is now talking to its friends around the world to establish a global resettlement programme. More of this will be published following the international conference in New York later this week. In short, we will be looking to resettle our nationals in other countries across the world on a permanent basis.
Why permanent, you may be asking?
Because the United Kingdom will not be habitable for at least ten years.
There is not a building standing that has not been damaged – either structurally by snow or by flood. There is no electricity, water or gas. There is no transport, food or infrastructure of any kind. Until we access it, there is no money!
The UK is the scene of a holocaust.
This will become more apparent when the snow finally melts – and that could be as late as early autumn this year.
When the snow does melt we will face our greatest challenge.
Millions of our loved ones will be revealed where they fell. They deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. We are at our wits end trying to work out how to do this to maintain their dignity. Please believe that we care.
I will hold you no further, except to make one final plea.
Hopefully I have conveyed to you the near impossible task that lies ahead.
Please be patient. Please be tolerant. Please be compassionate.
Please be understanding. Please be charitable. Please be considerate.
Please be kind. Please be selfless. Please be noble.
Please be human.
Thank you for listening, good luck and may your God give you comfort in these terrible times.
And for our marooned citizens throughout the world, please be assured, we WILL NOT abandon you. We are working very hard to re-unite you with your loved ones, we are working tirelessly to solve the relocation issues and we are working vigourously to recover the people who are still stranded in the UK and those we have lost.
So, in closing, I make one final desperate plea: please try to be patient.’
The broadcast faded to a rendition of ‘God Save The Queen’ and Sir Ian leant back in his leather bound desk chair, staring at the ceiling, palms on his cheeks. He was thinking aloud:
‘Dear God, what are we all going to do? How are we ever going to return to some small modicum of normality? It's an absolute bloody mess. Thank God I’ve got such a good team backing me up. Thank God for Ann Fletcher.’
*******
Ann Fletcher sat in her office watching as the picture faded on her television. She had been watching a re-run.
She had a completely different agenda to the beleaguered Prime Minister.
Her priorities were streets apart from Sir Ian James and his pitiful Cabinet colleagues.
Ann Fletcher’s first critical task was to deal with Brady – permanently – and secondly, but no less vital, was the recovery – not of people, but something far more important –
Gold!
*******
Whilst Ian James came close to despair and Ann Fletcher conspired, Britain was sinking.
It had rained persistently for three days and the snow was melting at an alarmingly increasing rate.
Water was gushing; water was spurting; water was surging; water was pouring; water was overflowing; water was seeping; water was spraying; water was pooling; water was dribbling; water was babbling; water was spilling; water was oozing; water was flooding into every nook and cranny.
Water was finding its way into every bungalow; every house; every place of worship; every block of flats; every shop; every office; every factory; every hotel. Water was finding its way into every single building in the United Kingdom.
Water was being sucked into every piece of furniture. Water was slopping over and into every piece of electrical equipment. Water was being absorbed by every piece of bedding, every carpet, every blanket and every pillow.
And water was mixing with human waste, food and household detritus – and disease was breeding.
Water was weakening the construction of every structure in the land.
Water was streaming towards lower ground and beginning to surge towards the coast. The onslaught was irresistible. Surface travel had become impossible, and thousands of wretched folk who had survived the snow were now drowning in icy floodwater.
There had now begun a desperate bid to reach higher ground – and in most cases that meant trying to climb up to elevated structures. Consequently, blocks of flats became the target for thousands scrambling away from the thaw!
Unless it stopped raining soon, and the thaw slowed, the chances of rescue would reduce to zero.
*******
It was at 7.37pm on Day 30, Tuesday the thirteenth of January that the captain of a Royal Naval frigate, docked at Robin Hoods Bay off the coast of Yorkshire, sent a message to his controller in Holland.
‘Rescue control, this is Foxtrot Delta four niner seven. Do you read over?’
‘Go ahead Foxtrot Delta four niner seven. Reading you loud and clear.’
‘Rescue control, request we go to a secure frequency as my message is subject sensitive?’
‘Roger, four niner seven, switching to secure, go ahead with your message, over.’
‘Rescue control. There are large numbers of bodies flowing into the sea in our location. We’ve counted several hundred so far – animal and human. Request instructions, over.’
‘Standby, four niner seven. We copy your message. You will receive orders by secure signal at 2100, over and out.’
Foxtrot Delta four nine seven acknowledged and waited for instructions regarding the poor souls now floating off the coast.
Sadly, they were not the only vessel to make such a report that evening.
The dead were slipping into the sea along the entire coastline of the UK.
The unthinkable scenario was now unwinding.
And the British government in exile were completely unprepared for what would happen next.
THE END…….
Read more about the adventures of
Sir Ian, Dame Ann, Brady and Ross
in the third of the
SNOW! Trilogy…..FLOOD!
and then
PLAGUE!
the final episode in the SNOW! series.
***
also try
SCAPEGOAT!
JETLAG! WHITEWASH! or CRUISE!
by the same author – RYAN CLIFFORD
Copyright © K C Eaton 2018 v3
KEVIN C EATON has asserted his moral right and his right under sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
All of the locations and characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and/or author.
now……..
from the creator of SNOW! and THAW!
…… Ryan Clifford
the third and most exciting novel in the series so far……
FLOOD!
Dramatis Personae
For those readers who join the SNOW! series at Book Three, and for those who may appreciate an update, I list the main characters and their present location; and a short summary of the story so far:
Group Captain Andrew Brady.
Our main character to date; Brady survived the SNOW! after losing his family in tragic circumstances. He returned to London during the THAW! to rescue his ‘daughter’ Chloe.
Current Location:Brussels.
Dame Ann Fletcher
Charismatic and manipulative
British Ambassador in Paris when the SNOW! began. Headed-up the Committee of National Recovery (UKRA) during the crisis, now acting as Deputy Prime Minister. Mother of Chloe; and orchestrated her rescue by using Brady and Ross Bryant (SAS).
Current Location:Brussels.
Eleanor Fisher
Personal Assistant to Dame Ann
Current Location: Brussels
Sir Ian James
Newly appointed British Prime Minister, co-ordinating the rescue operation.
Current Location: Brussels
Chloe Fletcher
Daughter to Brady? and Ann Fletcher.
Current Location: Brussels
Chris Townsend
Chloe’s partner
Current Location: Brussels
Sergeant ( now Lt) Ross Bryant
SAS operative, controlled by Dame Ann, and assisted Brady during the rescue of Chloe.
Current Location: Volkel, Holland
Richard Castle
Surviving British MP. Member of the UK Recovery Alliance Cabinet, headed by Sir Ian James. Colluding with Ann Fletcher.
Current Location: Brussels
The Townsend Family
Les, Sue, Marie, Matt, Lynne and Bracken the dog. Rescued by Brady but spirited away by Dame Ann.
Current Location: The United States
Patric and Joanie Silver
Survivors of the SNOW! who twice narrowly escaped death at the hands of crazed anarchists and criminal radicals.
Snow! The Series [Books 1-4] Page 74
