Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 29

List of Characters.

Barbara. Chief Protagonist AKA Bab’s.
Lola. (Seventeen) Transgendered girl rescued by Bab’s from an attempted murder.

Olivia. (Fifteen) Barbara’s second adopted daughter: Black lesbian girl fostered out of care then adopted. (With
Olivia’s consent!)

Joyce Banks. Bristol Social worker.
Aaron Talbot Surgical registrar – married to -
Shirley Talbot Lecturer at Local university.
They are a married couple who own a narrow-boat on the canal.

Mickey Talbot (Twelve) Aaron and Shirley’s oldest child.
Jessica Talbot (Eleven) Aaron & Shirley’s middle child.
Bianca Talbot (Nine) Aaron & Shirley’s Youngest child.
Billy Medical colleague of Aaron’s – he also owns a narrow boat
Sandra Her parents also own another Narrowboat in Gloucester.
Jackie Sandra’s friend (a bit headstrong and ‘adventurous’)
Julie Third member of the threesome.
Jason. (Black) Gang member deals in drugs at the children’s homes
Tyrone (Black) Also a gang member, friend of Jason. Also a dealer.
Tyson (White) Also a gang member into drugs and trafficking girls.
Angela (Angie), Olivia’s trafficked, drug-addicted friend.
Sergeant Davis, (Bridie) female police bodyguard for Angela.
Sergeant Davies. (Brian) Bridie’s twin brother.
Inspector John, Heading up the anti-rape-gang operation in Birmingham.
Erica. Another vitally important witness/victim. Very attractive.

Gareth Jenkins, police office trained in firearms and witness protection.
Belinda Harrington. Lola’s new girlfriend in college.

Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 29.

Inspector John was just completing the despatch of Erica and the Police communications observer to Gloucester General Hospital by ambulance when he got a call on his mobile.

“Inspector John here, who’s that?”

“It’s Lieutenant ‘EX’, the SAS platoon commander.”

Inspector John smiled to himself as he recognised the officer’s obsession with secrecy.

“Oh! Hello again lieutenant, what can I do you for?”

“Bit of a complication I’m afraid. Chummy’s leg wound is a bit more serious than we first thought. Femoral artery was nicked and he’s bleeding internally more seriously than we first thought.”

“How serious?”

“Well with the rush to get the wounded patrol officer to ER, there’s a shortage of ambulances. Chummy’s going to have to wait about ten minutes before we can get a suitable vehicle to take him. It’s a serious bleed I’m afraid and while our platoon medic is pretty good, we really should get him to A&E ASAP.”

“Damn! I can’t afford to lose him without first getting some intelligence from him and the two ambulances here are just leaving.”

“I’ll see if I can get my colonel to release the Chinook to take him to Bristol.”

“That’ll work!” Gasped Inspector John thankfully. “How long will it take and if you need authority I can already declare it an emergency if that helps.”

Having agreed tactics there were some brief exchanges over various radios then Inspector John was grateful to see the Chinook rapidly ascend from behind the houses where the school playing field provided an excellent airfield. He looked up with satisfaction writ large across his face as the monster Chinook ‘thwocked’ low over the houses and disappeared quickly towards Bristol.

He turned to the ARU commander.

“Can you have a couple of your men follow the ambulances to Gloucester. I’ve no idea yet if there are more of these bastards waiting to ambush the ambulances.”

“Already in hand inspector. D’ you want us to guard the girl while she’s in Gloucester hospital?”

“Oh shit, yes! Thanks for reminding me, in all the trouble that issue slipped my mind.. Definitely guard Erica until we’ve got some idea of how much these thugs know.”

“Well, they know what school she goes to; that must be bad.”

“It certainly is, well in the first instance it is. We’ll have to have to see how things pan out.”

“Are you off to Bristol then?”

“Yes. First things first. That army lieutenant will be keen to get his squad clear of this business now it’s over. The last things those guys want is publicity and they certainly won’t take kindly to having to hang around the hospital in their combat masks and kit. It’ll be blues and twos for me down to Bristol while my sergeant tidy’s up here.”

After some hectic radio traffic, Inspector John relaxed momentarily as the police car hurtled down to the Bristol A&E. After clearing his head he contacted Sergeant Bridie and Barbara down at Canal cottage. They talked long and hard about what arrangements needed to be made.

ooo000ooo

When Inspector John arrived at the Bristol Hospital there was uproar because the huge chinook helicopter had been too big to land on the hospital’s roof-top helipad. Instead the gunman was strapped to a steel basket-stretcher and lowered hastily down to the surprised medical team. The lieutenant had insisted that they accompany the wounded man right up to the doors of the theatre and then they had taken station around the theatre block until Inspector John had personally arrived to organise the pre warned Bristol police who had arrived before him but were uncertain of what was going on.
Nor was the SAS lieutenant inclined to divulge much information except to allow the newly arrived sergeant access to the doors of the theatre.

“I can’t tell you anything sergeant but a Gloucestershire police inspector is coming by car from the crime scene and then we leave it to him. For now only medical staff who that surgeon and the hospital staff can vouch for are allowed in the theatre.”

“Can you give me some idea Lieutenant. I’m working in the bloody dark here.”

“Chummy in there shot one of your unarmed patrol officers with a nine millimetre pistol and it’s touch and go. He also had a go with a fifty millimetre sniper's rifle so nobody's much pleased about that. The police patrol officer is in Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital and I have not heard the outcome.

He then fired off the 50 calibre rifle again and wounded a teenaged girl plus another officer observer. The inspector has put me wise about the whole business and I’m bound to secrecy. Just get your men organised, there’s no knowing what Chummy’s cronies might try.

“Bloody hell! I’d better organise armed back up.”

“Until things are sorted out, that will be a good thing." The lieutenant advised then added; "some of the Gloucester Armed Response unit are accompanying the inspector in their blues and two’s. Others were despatched to protect the girl. That’s all I am telling you. The inspector will advise you when he gets here.”

The sergeant nodded sagely then spoke to Inspector John on the police radio band. The lieutenant remained silent except for a few brief words to his troopers on their radios and to thank the nurse for the tea and biscuits.

By seven p.m., the pandemonium was over. The SAS squadron were back at their base and the police guard had been organised both in Gloucester for Erica and in Bristol to guard the gunman. Inspector John had left the initial interrogation to the specialist police team while the gunman was still in a state of stress and fear. He was more likely to make mistakes in those early hours of fear and pain. To reassure Olivia, Angela and Lola, Inspector John slept the night in a spare berth on the narrow-boat at Canal Cottage.

The following morning a very sore, noisy and angry Erica was discharged from the hospital but both police officers required more intensive care. In the calmer hours of the following day discussions were started concerning Erica’s fate and increased protection.

Bearing in mind that the identification of Erica and her school attendance had also compromised Olivia and Angela’s security; it was concluded that moving all the girls to another safe house would also prove to be fruitless now that Erica’s face had ‘gone viral’.

The police decided to prepare a protection plan that would also serve as a trap for any assassins attempting to kill or kidnap any of the girls. Around the table, despite her difficulty sitting, Erica proved to be a very pragmatic and insightful contributor.

“If you speed up the building work to expand the cottage, can you not hide the extra police amongst the work force. When the planning inspector was talking to the social workers and the police, he seemed disposed to pass the plans without any objections.”

“He is young lady and your idea about using police officers masquerading as builders is already in hand. We’re organising a complete team of officers who have previous building skills learned before they joined the police. The pay they earn as builders will cover the extra policing costs to protect you girls.” The Birmingham police superintendent revealed.

“You mean the money we pay to have the house built will end up as police overtime payments.” Erica objected.

“No the money you pay from your compensations will be to pay for the house expansion and improvements which you girls will inherit when I pass on!” Bab’s corrected her. “Your compensation will be better secured in bricks and mortar than bullet-proof vests and Kevlar knickers. You’ll be getting those anyway.”

“What are Kevlar knickers?” Lola wondered aloud.

“Special underwear woven from Kevlar fibres that resist splinter penetrations from bullets and explosions.” Sergeant Bridie explained. “They were developed to protect soldiers from roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

All the girls snorted with amusement on learning about such protective equipment.

“That’ll cause some funny looks when we change for gym!” Angela added. “What do they look like?”

“They resemble long-legged ‘shapewear’ only slightly thicker than ordinary shapewear. Much like cycling shorts.”

Bridie brought up the website and the girls gasped when they saw them.

“Oh how very sexy!” Olivia cackled, “and what about the bras. I suppose we’ll look like Brunehilda from ‘Das Ring’ by Vagner. The girls will absolutely rave over that when we change for gym.”

“Not to mention the words ‘passion-killers’ being bandied about.” Angela added.

“Better that than torn to bits by shrapnel.” Bab’s remarked soberly.

The mood changed at Babs’s words and they quickly fell to discussing tactics and strategies but the over-riding realisation for the girls was that they would half to accept the status of becoming ‘live-bait’ if they were to remain living at the Canal Cottage.

Lola, ever the more practical girl, asked about man-power and costs.

“Those at least are being covered by special funding,” the Birmingham superintendent revealed. “This case has gone international and funds have been contributed by other interested parties.”

“What parties?” Lola pressed.

“Foreign governments young lady. The information you’ve supplied has proved to be priceless and this case has opened a can of worms from Mexico through USA, and Europe to the Middle East. It looks as though there is a Chinese connection as well. Sex trafficking invariably runs in close parallel with drugs and terrorism. The Dutch and the Danes are despatching officers to liaise with our forces. That’ll mean extra manpower and feet on the ground. Sadly Erica, it means more pictures and questions for you to identify and answer. It also means you’ll be asked to attend courts in Copenhagen and Amsterdam; and that’s just for starters.”

Erica pulled a wearisome frown and shifted uncomfortably on her cushion. Her injured bum was sore.

“Not quite the way I wanted travel abroad.” She sighed.

“Better than your last voyage darling,” Bab’s sympathised.

The meeting continued into the late afternoon by which time Erica was getting tired and asked to go to bed. The girls were relieved of any further attendance while the police officers and other interested parties thrashed out the operational details. It broke up at six p.m., and the girls were pleased to learn that four police officers had now been appointed to do guard duties and they would be stationed on the narrow-boat behind the cottage. Things were going to be cramped until the extension to Canal cottage was completed.

“If we are to be bait then we’re gonna need a bigger boat!” Olivia joked as they sat down to a large communal take-away.

It was the first genuinely humorous thing anybody had heard all day.

ooo000ooo