Three Faces of West (2013)

by Christian Shakespeare

  “Where the hell have you been?” Asked John angrily,

  “Here take this cardkey, it should open the doors from here but it may need activating.”

  West was clearly trying to avoid the question,

  “Jack, where the hell have you been? What’s going on? Aren’t you aware there’s something going off in the segregation block? Now come on, we need to get these wardens out!!”

  Hudson turned toward the gate that was still locked. He shouted above the commotion to the people inside,

  “Will that card work?”

  “No.” Was the muffled reply

  Putting his anger aside, he turned toward his partner,

  “Will that card work?”

  Jack, not rising to the confrontation responded in a rather calm matter,

  “It should work, I got it from the admin block again, but I was warned that it could need activating beforehand.”

  “Give it here.” Replied Hudson, taking the card from West. Knowing he had to work quickly he took the initiative by taking over a nearby computer console. The system was already logged on so that was one obstacle overcome. Scrolling through the menus again triggered a familiarity in his mind. It was this that allowed him to work quickly, even so the glitch was still interfering with progress going through the files. By now the wardens were at the gate wanting to get out, trying to do their bit they placed the card in the digital lock, but like at the other side, this gate also denied them escape,

  “Hurry up!!” Was the cry from the imprisoned officers,

  “Got it!” Said John,

  The gate clicked and buzzed in conformation allowing an overspill of the wardens out into the office,

  “How did you do that?” Asked Jack

  “No idea” Said John as he got up to accompany West as they assisted the freed personnel. All were coughing some worse than others. One was especially bad,

  “Sounds like he needs to be taken outside for some air.” Commented West. He was escorted outside, clearly it was common sense based medical advice, John took the opportunity to ask,

  “I think we’d best see if the cells are OK, I’m not sure if they remained locked from the other wing when I was there.”

  “Good idea.”

  The smoke, whatever it was began to dissipate. They could clearly see inside now, still, they had to be cautious. Entering the isolation block with the younger warden beside them, making their way through the now hazy atmosphere, the noise from the cells already a signal telling that the inmates were very much OK. Upon reaching the office in front of the cell corridor they noticed it was vacant, this was no cause for alarm as all the accounted personnel came out when the door was released. The warden led both West and Hudson toward the cell block checking the integrity of each door as they went. All were locked…..until they came to the end cell……The one marked Grey. John, noticing the door slightly ajar, wanted to peer in to see what was inside. However he did not make it to the cell for in the corridor close to the door they could make something out in the haziness,

  “What’s that?” Asked Jack,

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to check.” Replied John, as he pounded over to the object. The image that immediately struck him was one of a body slumped on the floor, his immediate concern prevented the warden from immediately raising the alarm,

  “What do you think you’re doing?” He asked,

  “Look I’ve got to see if he’s OK. If he’s not we call for a medic.”

  Jack watched on as John leant over the seemingly unconscious person dressed in prison clothes,

  “Careful.” He commented to his partner.

  Both the prison officer and West looked on as Hudson turned over the body. HIs back turned to them, there was no way of gauging his reaction to the identity of the person. But then again why would there be? It had to be Grey,

  “Is it Grey?” Asked West naively,

  “Come on; let’s get him back in his cell.” Replied the warden.

  “Take a look for yourself.” Said John.

  Both men moved closer, the cheers and shouts from the other inmates from the cells became drowned out as the sight before them began to captivate them. John turned and lifted the semi-conscious man up slightly so they could get a good look at his face. John stared to see the reaction to what he himself had just discovered. The face of the man was not familiar, what John had discovered that the “prisoner” was not Grey himself, but the duty warden.

  West was shocked to see who it was. The warden reacted immediately, leaping to his feet, he hit one of the touch strips lining the sides of the corridor. A beeping sound rang out through the corridors, rooms and indeed the whole prison. Muffled shouts could be heard in the background as the general escape alarm took effect. It seemed that West was right; Grey did use the computer glitch to try an escape. That what the gas was, that’s what Grey was fiddling with when West peered through the door the second time they spoke. It all became so clear to West as he stared, fixated in an almost daydream like trance. How could the prison service be so stupid?

  John was waiting in a small office. Some time had passed since the discovery and the whole complex were in a total lockdown, and rightly so. Jack had disappeared for the time being reporting the incident to the governor gave him a chance to think things through. So many things were running though his head, why did West disappear to make a phone call, what was it about? Who was it to? And why did he disappear at the same time as the escape attempt was alleged to have taken place? So many questions, so little answers,

  “Jack couldn’t have had anything to do with this, could he?” He thought to himself. Surely not, West? No, not him, he knew what side he was on and it wasn’t on the side of the terrorist. Then again there were such things as rogue agents.

  The troubling though did not last in the forefront in his mind; Jack appeared from behind moving forward past him,

  “The governor is happy with our report. He’s cleared us, we’re free to leave.”

  John followed West toward the exit; he needed to ask the questions,

  “Look what-‘

  West interrupted him without looking, “We are free to go, let’s move.”

  Hudson had little choice. West was moving so far ahead it was if he was trying to escape himself. Something wasn’t right here; yet again West’s actions brewed such suspicion in Hudson’s mind that he almost felt like a spare part in this whole charade. The feelings of animosity would continue beyond the prison walls.

  Chapter 7:

  Outside Hudson found West standing there by the visitor entrance, caught on camera again no doubt. As he approaches his partner, Hudson, already seemingly angry as he was perplexed wanted to have it out with Jack over what just happened inside. He could not figure it out and he could not believe the timing of the escape in relation to their visit, seems all too suspicious,

  “What’s going on Jack?” he demanded,

  “Come on.”

  As West move off, Hudson followed in pursuit. Feeling a little disrespected he wasn’t going to take that for an answer,

  “I don’t know what just happened in there, but it sounds a bit funny to me! What the hell’s going on?!!”

  As the outburst came out, Jack said nothing, no response, no remorse about leaving his friend in the lurch. But there appeared to be more to it,

  “Where are you going?”

  “Follow me, we have some other business.” Replied Jack.

  John followed in a quiet silence, wondering what “other business” there could be. Surely they now had to investigate the other leads at Finchley and Lewisham. And there was still the explanation that he wanted from West, he wasn’t going to let it go, he was going to get some answers.

  Moving away from the park and from the main cameras, West led Hudson in tow down the side of the complex, on through the undergrowth in an obviously non-public area of the surroundings. John wanted to know where Jack was leading him, and was about to ask when his partner comment f
irst in a pre-emptive strike,

  “Here.” He said

  “Where are we going?” Asked John having absolutely no idea at all what the logic behind this move was. Lately it felt that he couldn’t be sure about anything. On they went round the corner to a small length of path lined by undergrowth, it seemed like they were heading to some sort of pre-arranged rendezvous site, but why? They continued walking, 20 yards, then 50 yards, then 75 yards, and 100 yards West obviously looking for something, but it was Hudson the first to spot something unusual,

  “Look.” He commented pointing straight ahead. A small figure popped up tentatively, not easy to spot but just enough for one to see if they were close enough, and they were looking for something. The person crawled out of the bushes to greet both men, Hudson tried to make out who it was with each step taken, but he could not be sure for the second,

  “It’s one of the wardens.” He said clearly observing the white short sleeved shirt, black tie and trousers. West on the other hand appeared to know exactly who they were approaching, whoever this person was, they were clearly connected to West and it was something Hudson did not know about. To John the hair seemed familiar, the body, the face, until only a few yards away the identity of the person snapped into Hudson’s mind hitting him like a mental express train. It wasn’t a warden,

  “Grey!!! It’s Maxwell Grey!!! How the hell?!!-‘

  “Careful John.” Interrupted West.

  “What do you mean ‘be careful’? I’m going to warn the authorities!”

  John half turned to sprint back to the prison when he felt a sharp tug on his jacket shoulder. Looking round Jack’s clenched hand gripped him like a vice,

  “What are you doing?!!” John shouted. He did not take kindly to being restrained. The two men faced each other with Grey looking on. The tension between them quietly rising to near breaking point,

  “I warn you John, don’t bother.”

  “What do you mean don’t bother? There’s a dangerous man standing there!!”

  West looked on without comment. The eye contact between the two men seemed to echo far louder than any words. Then suddenly, as before the pieces of the morning’s events struck home,

  “Why hasn’t he run?” Asked John pointing to the static Grey, “Why did he not stay hidden when we arrived? Did he expect to see us here?”

  West glanced at Grey and then back at John.

  “Well?” He queried

  Jack hesitated for a second before answering, “Don’t bother informing the authorities.”

  Then it hit John, “He did didn’t he? He was expecting you. It was you all along!!”

  West, now taken at a slight disadvantage decided the best thing given the situation was to come clean,

  “Yes he is. He’s here because I asked him to.”

  “You helped him escape didn’t you? That’s what the sudden phone call was about!!”

  Jack confirmed John’s allegation as truth,

  “Yes, but it was for a reason.”

  John just stood there stunned. Well aware that they in company with a dangerous criminal, he could not believe that West was it seemed in league with a terrorist. A chilly wind blew over all three as the revelations came out. But this reason, what exactly was it? Surely it must be connected to previous events, most notably the Finnin murder and the King’s Cross bomb plot,

  “He’s a terrorist, he poses a threat to security, and you just let him out.”

  Jack noticed his partner’s inability to accept the circumstance. But there were other factors to this,

  “Listen, I’m taking Grey to a safe house-‘

  “You what?!”

  “I’m taking Grey to a safe house. I want you to carry on with investigations.”

  John responded defensively,

  “You can’t tell me what to do! Do you just expect me to walk away as if nothing has happened and leave you with someone you helped to escape?”

  “That’s exactly what I expect you to do. Look I’m well aware of whom and what he is, but believe me there’s some things you best not know about. He needs to be out, but for now we need to protect him.”

  This time it was John’s turn to hesitate. The whole thing sounded very suspicious, and against his better judgement. Faced with the delicate choice as to what to believe,

  “I don’t like this.” He said

  “I know. Trust me here; this is just the tip of a very large iceberg.”

  He was prepared to give his friend the benefit of the doubt. Staking everything, his professionalism, even his freedom on the trust and past knowledge of working with Jack he could only hope his faith had not been misplaced. He gave Jack a word of caution,

  “If this goes wrong….”

  Cutting in, Jack tried to reassure his friend, “It won’t, we need to know who we are dealing with here. I’ll get Grey off somewhere secure for the time being. For now he is a vital link in all of this.”

  “All of what?” Queried John,

  “You’ll find out sooner rather than later. Can you carry on while I do this? I can meet up with you later.”

  John submitted to the request. He wasn’t too happy about it but that was the situation he found himself in at the present time,

  “I can go to Finchley to investigate that kid’s name, who was it?”

  “David. OK good idea. I’ll join you when we have Grey secure.”

  John moved away but turned back. Without saying a word West cut him off before he spoke,

  “There is more to this trust me. I would like you in the picture but there are just some things even you are not privileged to know about. All I ask is that you place your trust in me, you do trust me don’t you?”

  John looked for a second before turning away to walk back to the car. West turned back to his “prisoner” he had helped to liberate,

  “Good that’s stalled him for now.” He thought to himself. Striding toward Grey he had to get him as far from the prison compound as possible,

  “Let’s get you out of here, this way.”

  Leading Grey away a pre-designated route, he made his escape with the terrorist. The plan had gone like clockwork, but was the price his career in the security service and his friendship with John?

  Chapter 8:

  Finchley 3:00pm, West arrives in a quiet street, nothing out of the ordinary from the outset really. Walking down the street he clearly was looking for a specific place as he strolled down the tree lined pavement. The houses, all upper middle class Victorian, had the distinctive architecture of the period, tall doors and large bay windows, all very well to do. He only stopped outside one residence when he recognised the silver car that John had driven away from the prison. Looking up at the property outside it was certainly intimidating, matching the style of all the other buildings. The car door opened beside West as Hudson who had been there for a few minutes stepped out to join his partner,

  “You got Grey off safely?” He asked begrudgingly,

  “Yes, he’s OK for now.”

  John did not want to probe further. He knew the intelligence community was connected and interconnected with everything else. He knew his place,

  “What do you think? Shell we go and find out about this David?”

  West hesitated for a second, he had yet another revelation,

  “I’ve had word from HQ. They’ve done some digging in relation to David’s background. Turns out that his second name is Finnin.”

  “What?” Replied John,

  West continued in his revelation, “David is Finnin’s nephew. That’s how he got the internship in the Whitehall offices. Family ties and all that.”

  “We need to see him fast then.”

  “Yes.”

  They proceeded to the front door. As usual for flats it had a panel beside the main entrance where one could be buzzed into the correct apartment. They looked on eventually deciding to press one button in the hope that they could catch the young man. Pressing button number 4 the intercom crackled and
buzzed as a woman’s voice radioed over the speaker,

  “Yes?”

  West began his introduction, “We are here to see David Finnin, does he live here?”

  The reply came through, “No he lives in flat number 7 upstairs. Who are you?”

  “We can’t say who we really are.” Commented John quietly. Jack agreed,

  “We are police officers. We need to speak to Mr Finnin urgently.” He hoped the deception would be enough.

  No answer came from the door as both men got out their security passes just in case of security cameras. Hopefully the clarity would not be good enough to blow the lie. It didn’t, the door clicked allowing the two men entry.

  “Looks like it worked.” Remarked John quietly.

  They proceeded through the door to find themselves in a small foyer. Shutting the door behind them the moved on into an entrance hall. It seemed respectable enough, carpeted floor, post boxes on the wall, nothing really out of the ordinary. Ahead of them lay a staircase, Jack noticing its presence just as one of the flat doors on the right opened up. A lady appeared, presumably the same one they had spoken to outside. She was young, around 28-ish blond hair,

  “You want to speak to Mr Finnin?” She asked,

  “Yes.” Replied Jack, “We need to speak to him urgently.”

  “You’re the police?”

  Jack continues with the deception, “Yes we are.” Both men produced their ID’s gambling on the fact that the woman would not look past that. Hopefully she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference and think that they really were police officers.

  “Can you tell us which flat Finnin lives in?” Asked John,

  “I told you, it’s flat 7 upstairs.” Replied the woman, confirming that she was indeed the lady they had a conversation with outside,

  “Right well, we’ll be on our way then. Thank you for your help.” Said Jack, he clearly wanted to waste no more time here; he wanted to continue the investigation.

  They both moved past the girl toward the staircase. It creaked slightly with each step as they climbed further and further. Once climbed the first flight, they passed a large hallway window through which, the communal garden at the rear could be seen. It wasn’t very well kept, a sign that is wasn’t really used that often,