When the officers arrived, he introduced himself. He explained what would be taking place. “I will give you a more detailed briefing later.” Sandra handed a sheaf of photographs to Dave, they were all outside the front of the house, many were selfies with the house in the background. A few were from the alley which ran along the back of the houses. One showed the gate in an open position, the next it was closed. Dave spoke to Sandra, “Can you procure me the following items, black overalls and boots to fit me, five black balaclavas and Kevlar vests, black gaffer tape, a set of lock picks, two thunderflashes, five sets of headphones and cable ties to secure prisoners. Finally, I need and old Transit van or similar, possibly a council van.” She had written the list down, she passed it to the Chief Constable. “No lock picks, the police don’t break into houses.” “They aren’t breaking in, I am, if you don’t have any, I will have to go home to get mine.” Dave couldn’t hear what was being said between Sandra and her boss, “I think while we are waiting, we should eat, it will be some time before we have another chance. Sally joined them in the canteen, she listened as Dave spoke to his new team. “Who of you has fired a gun on duty?” Two raised their hands. “Either of you married?” One nodded, to the unmarried one he said he was Number Two, going round the table, he pointed to each person. “You are Number Three, you Number Four and you Number Five. It is easier to remember numbers than names. If any of you are out for revenge I would ask you to leave now. I want people who will think straight. The plan is to go in the back door, I suspect there may be up to eight in the house, any more and it would be too crowded. Myself and Number Two to enter first, Three and Four to follow us about five paces behind. There will be a distraction at the front of the house, hopefully that will allow us to creep in, secure downstairs, Number Five to stay outside to watch our backs and to stop anyone fleeing. Anyone captured will be cable tied, no handcuffs, three and four to guard those downstairs. One and Two will clear upstairs. Once the house is secure, we will search for the weapons. That’s it. We will go over it again later, looking at the plan of the building, if you have any questions, ask them before we set off, it will be too late when we are standing in the back yard. To save you asking, I am ex-military intelligence, I was a field worker, I have trained with the SAS, I have no issues with pulling the trigger, Sally is my researcher.” In the briefing room, the head of MI5 said she was going to her hotel to shower and change, she asked Sally if she wanted to join her. “I’ve nothing to change into, but I would like a shower.” Dave said to return by midnight. His overalls and equipment had arrived, he quickly changed, before Sally left, he took her Glock and holster, with the black gaffer tape, he wrapped it round the bottom of the overalls, making sure there was no way a rat could run up his leg, he advised the others to do the same. “It will be quiet, I don’t want anyone screaming about rats. When you have done that, cover up anything that isn’t black, including the police logo. No handcuffs, we will be using cable ties, quick and easy. He went over the plans again, making sure everyone knew exactly what to do. “No chatting on the radios, I want silence unless you need to talk, the headsets will be live all the time, no need to press anything to speak.” He phoned Marius, “what about the alarm system, is there a way to set it off?” “I have someone who will do it, just tell me the time.” “02:00 exactly, make sure they stay hidden until then.” Dave put his feet up on a chair, made himself as comfortable as he could and closed his eyes. He opened them again when he heard Sally’s voice, it was 23:30, he could smell MacDonalds food. There was enough for the five about to set out. At midnight the Chief Constable returned. He questioned why the police logo’s had been covered up. Dave explained he didn’t want anything that would reflect light. Time dragged, he paced up and down, it would take twenty minutes to drive to the address. They would only have to spend a little over thirty minutes waiting. At 00:45, he put on his Kevlar vest, it was a signal for the others to do the same. Next was his shoulder holster, using Sally’s he fixed it round his waist. Cable ties were given to each person, twenty each, enough to bind the hands and feet of ten people. He put the flashbangs into one of the pockets half way down his trouser leg. They did a radio check, the conversations would be monitored from the briefing room, additional police would be on standby to take over once the building was secure. “Switch off your phones now please.” He kissed Sally before he left, she didn’t want to let him go. They sat in the back of an old Transit van, they had to brace themselves for every corner. “Nearly there, get ready, I’ll drop you off at the end of the alley.” They felt the van slowing, as soon as it stopped, they were out, the van drove off, five men, top to toe in black crept up the alley, it took a few seconds for them to become accustomed to the darkness. It was difficult to avoid rubbish strewn across their path. Dave counted the houses, making sure he stopped at the right one. He tried the door to the rear yard, the handle turned, he pushed it slightly, it opened, pushing it further, he slipped inside, “Three and Four, take a position either side of the door, I’ll wait inside.” Dave sat in the darkness, at one point, he moved up to the back door, it was uPVC, he hoped there was no additional locking. The bathroom light above him came on, a minute later it was off. He put his ear to the door, he could hear music. Taking the lock picks from his pocket, he tried to unlock the door, the lock turned after three or four minutes trying. Leaving it unlocked, he moved back into the shadows. Checking his watch, it was 01:55. He wasn’t the only one, across the road from the house a figure with a long metal prybar was, like Dave hiding in the shadows. Just before 02:00 the figure slipped out and stood to the side of the roller shutter covering the front of the chicken shop. He slipped the prybar under the bottom of the roller shutter and forced it upwards, he had to use all his strength. It moved around four inches before the alarm sounded. The prybar was left where it was, he ran down a pathway, not stopping until the sound of the alarm was fading away. Dave called for the others to come into the yard. Voices could be heard inside, he pushed down on the handle, the door moved. “Two, follow me, guns ready, Three and Four, wait until you hear me speak before you enter.” Sally was listening intently to the radio. Dave and Number Two entered, he quickly pushed him to one side, footsteps were coming towards them. Dave stuck the gun in the side of the person, he whispered saying if he made a noise, he would be dead. “Open the door and step outside.” His gun was taken from him. His wrists were bound, once searched he was pushed onto the ground. In a sitting position his ankles had the same treatment. “Number Five, shoot him if he makes a sound.” In the briefing room no one spoke, there was silence as they listened to Dave. “Three and Four, inside and wait for a signal. The occupants from downstairs were all in the front room looking towards the chicken shop. The door was open, Dave counted seven, including a woman. He motioned to be ready, “Anyone make a move and I will shoot them, do not turn round, put your hands where I can see them. Three and Four, now. Four take the woman out.” Dave pulled her away from the others, “check her for weapons. Leave her with Five once she is secure.” Dave moved forward and prodded one in the side with his gun. “Turn round and kneel down.” He took the gun stuck in his waistband then cable tied his wrists. “Three, take him into the next room, sit him on the floor, tie his ankles.” This was repeated with each person, three were in the front room, three in the dining room. Dave went outside, he asked the woman how many were upstairs, “Four, two in each bedroom.” Dave followed by Number Two slowly climbed the stairs, He knew this was the most dangerous time. He stopped and looked just above the top step. The bathroom light was on. He could see a closed door to his left leading to the front bedroom. To the right, the bedroom door was open. He waited to see if anyone would come out the bathroom. It was silent, the alarm had now stopped ringing. He took out a flashbang, he turned and held it up, there was a nod, Dave pointed to the right, another nod, he pulled the pin, rolled it along the floor towards the open door. When it went off, there was a scream from inside the room, shots were fired through the bathroom door towards the landing. Dave waited until they had stopped, he indicated for his place to be taken. “If he comes out the bathroom door firing, shoot him.” Dave slithered along the floor towards the other bedroom. He crawled past the door and moved into a crouching position. Taking out the other flashbang, he whispered into his mike what he was about to do. He pushed the handle down and forced the door open. There was another scream as the flashbang went off. Dave shouted for whoever was inside to throw out their weapon. A Glock was thrown towards the door. It landed just out of his reach. “The woman comes out first.” There was crying, a naked woman in her thirties came out the door. “Kick that gun towards me.” She did as she was told. “Go downstairs into the dining room. Number Three, one more for you.” Dave waited until she was downstairs. “Now you, crawl out on your belly, I will shoot you if you don’t obey, hands first.” He moved further back and was ready to fire. Two hands appeared, followed by arms, he had to turn to get his body out the door. He to was naked. “Stay on your belly, put your hands behind your back. Dave secured his wrists and ankles. He left him face down. The Glock he took with him. Silently he moved towards the other bedroom, keeping as low and as close to the wall as he could. It looked empty, he found a young woman in her twenties under the bed. Pulling her out, he put her on the bed. Again, she was bound like everyone else. That only left the one in the bathroom, “open the bathroom door and come out.” There were more shots, he heard breaking glass. “Number Five, watch out, he may be coming your way.” He saw a naked man, gun in one hand, trying to climb down the drain pipe. “Drop your gun, or I will shoot your bollocks off.” There was a clatter as the gun hit the floor. Dave was outside in time to see him being restrained. “Well done everyone,” Sally almost cried when she heard Dave say it was over. “Send in the cavalry, everyone secure, no casualties.” He went back inside, in the distance he could hear sirens. “Where are the weapons?” No one spoke, Dave found the door to the cellar, flicking on the light, he could see the boxes, roughly stacked up. As soon as more police arrived, Dave searched upstairs, two more Glocks were in the bedrooms, downstairs, an SA80 was behind a sofa, each person searched had been armed with a Glock. Dave waited until a senior officer was present and an armed response unit had arrived. “Let’s go, there is nothing more for us to do here, you guys will have reports to write up.” A police minibus took them back, Sally hugged him as soon as he walked through the door. Dave shook hands with each of the team. “Thank you all for tonight, it was a job well done.” Jane Goodley thanked him, the Chief Constable shook his hand. “It’s not how the police would normally carry out an operation like this, but you achieved the right result.” A uniformed policewoman came in and spoke to the Chief Constable. He caught Dave’s arm, “please wait,” he finished the conversation and spoke to Dave. “A passing patrol has found the front door to Stanley Fredericks house open, there are lights on, he hasn’t gone in, he is waiting in his patrol car outside.” “Can you find a car to take me there, Sally will come with me. Tell the local copper to stay where he is and let no one in the house.” Jane Goodley, said she would also go. Sally now had her Glock back. When they arrived, another police car was there. The driver of their car explained who they were. Sally was right behind Dave. “I don’t think this will be very nice, would you wait with Jane, I will call you in when it is OK. He pushed open the front door, his gun was still in its holster. Each room was checked, there was nothing downstairs, on the first floor, he could hear sobbing, for the third time that night he found a naked woman, he wrapped a sheet round her, in a soft voice he asked where Stanley was, “in the bedroom.” “Come with me, he led her downstairs and into the lounge, “sit down, someone will be with you in a minute.” Outside he beckoned Sally and Jane Goodley, “there’s a woman, look after her while I carry on searching.” He opened the door to the master bedroom, he had found Stanley Fredricks, Dave was almost sick, he had seen many dead bodies, but never one like this. He was on the bed naked. The duvet was on the floor to one side. His hands and feet had been cut off, then placed just a few inches from the severed limbs. The head was sitting between two pillows looking down towards the rest of his body. The white sheets and pillows were soaked in blood. Dave switched his phone back on, while he was waiting he went into the bathroom to wash his face, he wished he hadn’t, there wasn’t a surface without blood on it. He took the pictures he needed and closed the door as he left the room. In the main bathroom he ran the cold tap and splashed water over his face. Downstairs, the woman was having hysterics, she couldn’t be calmed down. They looked at him as he came in, his face was white. He shook his head then left. Outside in the cold air, he called over one of the police, “there has been a murder, report it and set the wheels in motion, no one is to enter the house until a detective is here. He returned to the lounge, in the drinks cabinet, he poured out two brandies, one he drunk straight down, the second he put on the table beside the woman. He refilled his glass. Jane Goodley asked Dave to come out into the hall, “what is it, you look terrible.” “It’s not very nice up there, he’s in bits,” She looked at him, “in bits?” “Yes, I wouldn’t go up unless you have a very strong stomach.” “Show me,” “You will regret it.” Outside the bedroom door, Dave asked her if she was sure she wanted to see the body. “I’m ready,” he opened the door, his arm went up to stop her going into the room. “Don’t go in,” the door was closed. She sat on a chair on the landing. “Who would do that?” “It’s payback and a warning, images will be circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp, mess with us and this will happen.” From the landing Dave could make out more blue lights. A detective came up the stairs, he wanted to know who they were. Dave explained, “check with the Chief Constable if you aren’t sure.” “Where’s the body?” “In the bedroom, it’s not pretty.” Dave could hear him retching, he came back out white faced. “From what I could see, there aren’t any injuries, no gunshot, or other wound. I don’t know if this was done while he was still alive.” “How can you talk in such a matter of fact way?” “It’s my job, I deal in facts.” Sally had now come up the stairs, “a WPC is looking after the lady, what happened?” “It’s one of these times when I can’t tell you, it’s not nice. I think we should leave, let the police do their job.” Dave asked the driver to stop at the first open food place he saw. No one else wanted to eat. It was now 05:30, tiredness began to creep up on Dave, in the briefing room, he changed into his own clothes, he kept the boots and overalls. The Glocks were put in the backpack. Jane Goodley was dropped off at her hotel, a report was promised for her early next week. Dave took his time on the drive back. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out the way we had planned. We can have another go next weekend.” “No chance, I’m showing this off to everyone.”
© 10210ken 2025
