An hour after he had told Sally and Jane of Taff’s impending arrival, his phone rang. Security informed him his visitor was waiting for him. He said to Howard he would be gone for an hour, but would still be in the building.
Taff still hadn’t shaved, he looked like he hadn’t slept for days, his clothes were crumpled, he looked relieved when he saw Dave. “Once he has been searched, show him into an interview room, bring us coffee and sandwiches. Two guards outside the room.” They sat either side of a table bolted to the floor, it was the same with the chairs, both of them knew the conversation would be recorded. He waited until Taff had eaten the sandwiches. “Do you want more?” There was a nod, he pressed a button on a wall mounted steel intercom. “More food please, burger and chips and two coffees.” It was fifteen minutes before he stopped eating. “My problem is one of trust, we are both wondering if we can trust the person sitting opposite. You have information which will help the investigation. I can offer you safety, the question is about what you tell me, are you lying, trying to put me off, sending me in a different direction? We are both good at our jobs, I will know if you are lying, you need to tell me how you ended up here, your response will determine whether you go any higher in the building, or end up back on the street.
I should let you know I am in temporary charge of MI5 while the head is away. I have the final decision.”
Taff hadn’t spoken other than to say ‘hello’ when they met. “Around six months ago, I was approached by someone I knew vaguely, he said there was the opportunity to make big money. They were looking for current and ex-military, especially those who had been special forces. I spoke to Colin about it, he didn’t want anything to do with it. He makes enough money from the doors, private security work and the odd job from you. I always want more money, I hope to move to Cyprus and live in the sunshine. Well, I said I was interested, the money was £1k every time I was called on, paid in cash. There would be a phone call saying I was required to deliver a parcel from A to B. The money would be paid to me on delivery. I was going all over the country, it could be a pickup in Manchester and a delivery in Glasgow, usually from and to accommodation addresses. On one trip I opened up the box, it had C4 explosives inside, I carefully sealed it again, I had thought it was drugs, this was much more dangerous. The people I met were all forces, you can tell. I asked Colin to trail the person who I had collected the parcel from, he followed him back from Birmingham to Cardiff, and took a train up into the valleys, there were only a few who got off at the station, it became more difficult for Colin, fortunately the guy he was trailing, never looked round. He eventually went into a little tea room, around fifteen minutes later, he saw someone else go in, he recognised him from when we were in the Welsh Guards.”
Dave interrupted, “Major George Armson.”
Taff looked at him, “how did you know?”
“We’re on to him, I think I know what this is all about.”
“I decided I didn’t want to carry on, ex-forces, including a Major, boxes of C4, this wasn’t going to end well, you saw what happened the other week, someone fucked up. The next few times I was called, I made excuses, when I came out the pub one evening I was jumped by four blokes in balaclavas. I couldn’t fight them off, I had the shit kicked out of me. I was told if I didn’t start doing the deliveries again I would end up floating in the docks. I figured I would end up in there at some point, once I was no longer required. Dead men tell no tales. I’ve been moving about for the last three weeks, that’s it.”
“How do I know you haven’t been sent here to find out what I know?”
“Because I’m shit scared, not just for my life, but for what is going to happen, you know me, I’ll fight anyone, but it’s what they have planned for the country.”
“Tell me about it,”
“I was approached by another person when I had been doing the deliveries for a couple of months, before I knew it was explosives. He said I was doing well and asked if I wanted to get paid more. I asked what was involved, he said they might need to use some of my skills later on. I wanted to know more, but I wasn’t told, only if I agreed would more be explained. I said I would stick to the deliveries. It’s difficult to find out much, no one will talk, but with little bits heard here and there, mostly in squaddie pubs, it’s something to do with taking over the BBC.”
Dave said nothing, they were both quiet, he wondered if Taff had more to say, if he did, it wasn’t going to be now. “I have two options, the first is to say thank you and let you leave. The second is to offer you a place to stay until this is sorted. I could say I don’t believe your story, or I could take everything at face value. Put yourself in my position, what would you do?
In exchange for giving you a bed, I want to know where you have hidden your weapons, I want to retrieve them, secondly I want your phones, your usual one plus the burners. Without them, there is no deal. It’s up to you now.” He looked directly at Taff, his eyes not moving, he saw Taff nod. “Phones, now please,” he was handed three phones, they were passed to one of the guards. “Have these taken up to Miss Fellowes, she is on the top floor.”
When he had returned he asked where he had stashed his weapons. “There in a carrier bag stuffed in the middle of one of the bushes across the road, near the river.” Looking at the guard, he said for the police to be informed. “mMke sure they are brought here, have them taken down to the armoury, give me a list of what they find.” He turned to Taff, “you will go upstairs now, the guards will go with you. They will find your rooms and hopefully you have a change of clothes, get cleaned up, have a sleep, and I will see you later. Taff, if you betray me, you will be hunted until you are found, your identity will be cancelled, no bank accounts or ID, your passport won’t work, you will be left to live on your wits, every time you see a policeman, you will wonder if he is looking for you. All the time you will be looking over your shoulder. I know some very nasty people who owe me big time, they would have no qualms about taking you out. I’m sure it won’t come to that, but I’m just letting you know. Right, I’m going back to work now, I will see you later, to these people you are only a name, no one knows your past.” He waited until Taff was led out the room, in the room next door the recording of the conversation was being copied onto a USB stick for him.
Sally looked at him when he walked into the office, everyone was working, on her desk were Taff’s phones. “What are these?”
“Taff’s phones, one is his normal phone, the others are burners, use the iPhone software, I want a list by the end of the day of all the calls, have we had the possessions from the attackers yet?”
“They arrived about half an hour ago, Jane is going through them now, she will have her people investigate them.” Again, Dave wanted a report by the end of the day.
Howard stopped him as he walked back to the office, he whispered saying the Prime Minister was in the office waiting for hm. “How long?”
“Fifteen minutes.”
“Can you have sandwiches and coffee for two sent up.” Opening the door, he said hello, “sorry I wasn’t here, I had to see someone.”
“An informant I understand.”
“Yes, but it’s whether to believe the information he has.”
“Can you tell me what happened last night?”
He spent some time going over the events, during this, the food was brought in, “I ordered for two, do you want something.” Dave carried on talking as they ate, by the time they had finished, the PM knew everything.
“When do I get to know what is going on, there is an awful lot you aren’t telling me?”
“Sir, it’s difficult, we were attacked because I said to someone the end was in sight, he then told one of his colleagues. The fewer people who know, the better, when it comes, it will be swift. I still haven’t worked out the end game, but it will come to me, hopefully later today. When I call you, I will need you here, I want someone who can make things happen.”
“You have the police and the army to assist you,”
“I don’t have the army, and I’m not sure about the police, I will explain when you are next here.”
When the Prime Minister had gone, he went upstairs to see Taff, the guards were outside the door to his room. Inside there was a bedroom with a shower room off it, the room would be used on occasions when staff had to stay overnight. Taff woke when he came in, “how is the room?”
“It’s good thank you.”
“There will be a meeting tonight, you will be present, those attending already know who you are, I will come for you at 18:00.”
“David, I have papers for you to sign.”
“Phone Miss Goodley, ask her to join me, when she has gone, bring in the documents.” There was coffee ready when Jane came in, her cup was sitting on the desk. “Lock the door please,” he waited until she was sitting down. “How do you feel? I don’t want you doing too much.”
“I’m OK, it makes a change to be doing research, it reminds me of how it used to be.”
“Can you stay on until around 19:00 tonight, a car will take you home afterwards. I want a private meeting, there will be four of us, you, Sally and myself, and an informant I have placed upstairs. He says he is on the run from those who are organising this. I know him and up until now, I would have trusted him with my life. The meeting will take place upstairs.”
“Yes, if you think it would help,”
“I want help with my options, I think they are limited. Will you and Sally have the information for later? I would like to read through it before the meeting, make four copies, I will decide if we use them.”
“David, you and Sally are relentless, I’d no idea how hard you both worked, Sally has the ability to understand what needs to be done, she doesn’t have to stop and think. It’s one thing after another.”
Howard came in as soon as Jane had gone, he sat down as Dave read through the paperwork, several times he asked for more information before signing. When he was alone in his office he closed his eyes to think, a minute later they were open again. He used his mobile to call his contact in the CIA, “Cyrus, David Stretton,”
“How are you, congratulations on your new job.”
“It’s only temporary, but you will know that. I need you to look up a name and tell me what you have on file. George Evans, ex-SAS, I don’t need a copy, just read out what you have on the screen.”
“If he’s one of yours, look in your own files.”
“I’ve already done that, I want to know what you have,” he could hear typing at the other end.
“It lists his service record, the jobs where he has helped you, some drug dealing, private security and some travelling round the country, that’s it.”
“Will you tell me the rest, the bits you haven’t read out.”
“No, I can’t.”
“Cyrus, I have him here, I need to know if I can trust him.” There was a long pause, “I could look myself, but I don’t have the time.”
“I would say yes, but use your own instincts, he was involved in some of this bomb problem you have, but nothing for a few months.” He thanked him and hung up, he closed his eyes again. At 17:30, Sally brought through the reports, he asked if Jane had told her about the meeting, she nodded. For the next thirty minutes he read through everything, by the time he had finished he thought he understood fully the scale of the operation.
Sally’s phone was ringing as they went upstairs, “Olivia, I will call you back later, around 20:00, I’m just going into a meeting.”
The three sat round the small dining table, Dave had put the kettle on when they first went in. “Be careful what you say round the table, I don’t want our plans spoken about, this is to see if I am right about what I think is being planned. Jane, I will need to speak to you later, but I might do it in a call or maybe tomorrow. I think it might be a long day tomorrow.” He left the table as the kettle boiled, he poured out four coffees. Opening the door into the hall, he motioned for the guards to bring in Taff. He sat on the only remaining chair, Jane was introduced as Sally’s assistant. Taff said he knew who she was. Dave called him by his correct name. “Have a look through these reports, tell us if the information is correct, and we want to know if we have missed anything.”
No one spoke as Taff read through the reports. “You haven’t got the main people down on your list, the ones who are giving orders to the Major.”
“Unless he has another phone we don’t know about which is only used to receive orders, do you know who it is?”
“The Patriotic League is involved somewhere, I heard the name mentioned several times in the pubs I visited.” Sally was making notes, Jane said they had an MP elected a few months ago in a by-election.
“Dave, you have a big problem when you go after these people. For a start, a lot of the population agree with what they want to achieve, who can you trust, you don’t even trust me? I’m not sure soldiers will fire on other soldiers, it’s probably the same with the police, can you send armed coppers to arrest one of their own. What happens when the shooting starts? If and when the media turns against the government, then you have lost. That’s what they want, anarchy, then step in with a military government.
People will then think everything will be sorted, but all of us round this table know it will only get worse, we may secure our borders, but controls on the population would be worse. Who wants the nutters from the Patriotic League running the puppet government. And the Forces, most of the leaders are shit, they couldn’t run a bath. You’re fucked unless you can stop these people, and I’m not sure how you are going to do it. Dave said nothing, he agreed with Taff, time was running out, there were still over two hundred timers available to make bombs. He wondered how much C4 they still had.
Dave said the meeting was now over, the six including the guards left the room. Jane Goodley was going home, the other five needed to eat. They sat in the only staff canteen open. Dave stayed with Jane, he went down to the basement with her to make sure she had a car to bring take her home. “Can I phone you later, I want to discuss tomorrow? If not, I will see you in the morning.”
“Wait until after 21:00, I will have eaten and changed by then, Ruth will want to know how I feel after being at work.”
While Dave was with Jane, Taff spoke to Sally. “I don’t blame Dave for not trusting me, if I was in his position, I would be the same. I want to do something to help end this, will you tell him.” They already had food, Dave picked from the dishes on the counter and then joined them, he was quiet, any attempts to start a conversation with him didn’t get anywhere.
Eventually when he had finished, he spoke. “Taff, I still don’t know what to do with you, I will think tonight, and we will talk again tomorrow.” He had already thought, a plan was in his head, it might upset a load of people, but it was the only one he thought might work. Taff was taken back to his room, Sally had been asked to pick up one of the laptops from the room where she had been working. She and Dave sat at the table where less than an hour before there had been four people.
“I have to phone Olivia, do you mind?”
“No, do it in the bedroom, I will be writing out a plan for tomorrow, I will need it typing up later.”
Sally tried to say as little as possible to Olivia, she asked about the report she had seen on the TV about a shooting outside the hotel. “Olivia, Dave and I are OK, perhaps when this is over, I might be able to tell you more, but at the moment, everything is very secret.” She was asked when they would be home, hopefully before Christmas was all she would say. Sally promised to call her when she could, saying she would try over the weekend. Olivia said to take care.
She read Dave’s plan before she typed it up. “You can’t do some of these things, it’s like you are taking hostages.”
“I am, it’s the only way. I have to call Jane, I said I would ring her after 21:00.” They swapped places, he called her from the bedroom, his first question was to ask if she was OK. “Yes, thank you, I enjoyed working with no responsibility, although I am tired, it’s more physical than mental, I want to talk to you when this is all over, just you, not Sally.” Dave went on to give her some details of his plan for the next day, she expressed the same misgivings as Sally. “If you do that, you will upset a lot of people.”
“If I don’t, a lot of people may die.” She agreed to come in later in the morning and to expect a long day. Sally had finished typing out the plan. “I think, even for you this is very risky, not the dangerous stuff, but from a political point of view, you won’t be making many friends tomorrow.”
“I’m not bothered, I will start at 07:00 tomorrow. Jane will be in later, why don’t you stay in bed and come down about 10:30, things might be happening by then.
© 10210ken 2026
