Book 12: Déja Flew     "Déja Flew"   Part 1

 
Déja Flew is a ten part Tammyverse story and follows on from Tammy:Ch-Changes.

 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Wednesday 13th December 2017
 

"Good evening everyone and welcome to the sixth form presentation of Macbeth."

Tammy was stood to the right hand side the stage at her former school, St Andrews in Thurso. Over her shoulder the stage was set for the opening scene of the play and it seemed like wisps of smoke were already coming from a cauldron.

"I and the cast realize that a few of yourselves may be familiar with tonight's playwright, the Englishman Shakespeare, and perhaps even this tragedy. Indeed, what does the Sassenach upstart think he knows about Scotland? We'll find out shortly."

She paused for the expected laughter.

"Of course, it may have been a few years since you last saw a performance, so hopefully we can help you rejuvenate your memories."

The Headmaster audibly coughed at Tammy's dig at the older adults present, although most laughed politely.

"Can I remind you all to please turn off your phones and other devices. Could I also please ask that you do not use flash photography during the play. There will be an opportunity for photographs at the end of the play."

She paused whilst pockets and bags were checked by the audience. "I give you; Macbeth."

Tammy left the stage as three witches walked to the cauldron and squatted.

"When shall we three meet again...."

Tammy's seat was on the end of the front row next to one of the guests, Dr Steven McIntosh. Maisie had been invited, of course, but had elected to stay at home studying reports on past terrorist attacks, looking for missed opportunities. Tammy still wasn't certain which of them had the better deal.

The interval was taken after an hour, this allowed Tammy to head backstage to check on the actors, and, hopefully, avoid any front-of-house questions. The first scenes had been flawless but there had been a little stuttering at the beginning of the second Act. Jeri was acting as stage manager.

"That wasn’t our best performance, Tammy/"

“I noticed, cause?”

"Nerves."

"But we've rehearsed enough, and it's not as it they didn't know the play?"

"Granted, but this was their first time in front of an audience?"

"True, it's a shame we didn't have time for a full rehearsal with a small audience?"

One of the biggest concerns had been the role of Lady Macbeth, Tammy found the character in the make-up chair.

"Harry, what went wrong?"

"I saw both of my parents in the audience."

Harry looked immaculate but was busy checking his make-up, all self-applied. Tammy had heard he had been attending classes in skirts for a few weeks and was heading to return fully as Harriet in January, although his father hadn't yet been informed.

"I guess there will be an interesting conversation when the play ends, did you need Mrs Smart to be there?"

"I heard she has already spoken to them."

"Will you be safe tonight?" Harry lived in Wick so attended as a day student.

"I think so, it's just going to be a bit of a shock for him. I didn't think he could get here tonight."

"Okay, but there's plenty of support here and there's funding available if you needed to board for a while, as well as emergency accommodation. Mrs Smart can arrange that. You're not on your own."

"Thanks Tammy."

There wasn't time to speak to any other actors so Tammy slipped back to her seat, finding Cathy had swapped with Steven.

"How is Lady Macbeth?"

"He's fine now, has mum told you?"

"Yes, we're ready in case Harriet needs funding, the money hadn't been needed yet this year."

The lights dimmed and the play resumed.

Tammy was watching the cast carefully, she had been asked to report on each of them by the Headmaster and was already aware of their strengths and weaknesses, some of which were becoming apparent. Harry, however, had overcome his early jitters to give a good rendition of Lady Macbeth's dream sequence, earning a spontaneous round of applause.

Once Macbeth's head had been produced for the final scene, Tammy climbed back up the stairs and thanked the cast and backstage crew. She then introduced each of the cast by name before dismissing them. As she walked down she could see that Harry, still in costume, had been collected by Joan and was now heading for that conversation with his parents, carrying his skirts as he walked. She just spotted Harry curtsey in front of his father but couldn't hear what was said.

"Tammy?"

Cathy had caught up with her. "Yes?"

"What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maisie."

"Oh."

"Indeed, Miss Smart. Three years ago you didn't know which way you would go, but you'd never had a relationship with anyone at all. That much was clear when you rebutted my brother’s approaches.”

"Don't remind me!"

"Then one of the staff had the hots for you."

"Leanne."

"You road tested your new equipment with a boy whilst in Cornwall."

"Daniel."

"Then Helen mistook your desire to help, and showed her own sexual immaturity."

"You can't blame me for that."

"Perhaps not. You also had that lad from the university?"

"James, but no, he didn't get into my knickers and, in any case, I lost him to Suzie."

"There's another one, isn't there?"

"Kyle, that was a one night stand. I never want to see him again."

"So why does it have to be Maisie? Was it because she was vulnerable? That's a common theme here I suspect?"

"No, and I didn't make a play for her either. I simply helped her see her own potential, to see past the hypocrisy and bigotry that was blighting her existence."

"So you rescued her?"

"No, I gave her options. The army would have made an example of her in order to protect their own but she'd done nothing wrong. I was preventing an injustice."

"That still sounds like a rescue to me, however you dress it up."

"Cathy, I'm not sure what you're aiming for? I saw potential in her when no-one else had and I allowed her to explore that. She didn't have to stay, she could have gone back to her father."

"But you sent her to Cornwall, out of the way?"

"I was worried I was getting too close to her, Maisie was becoming clingy. It seemed sensible to let her explore her skills at a distance. I hoped the infatuation would go. She was told she could simply go home to her father if she wanted."

"When did you see her again?"

"Two and a half weeks later, she virtually threw herself at me. To be honest I had missed her, really missed her."

"So what happened? What made you take the next step, two steps?"

"Truthfully, Cathy, I'm not sure. It's the first time that I've had that feeling of wanting to be with someone, not just for a single moment either. Something clicked when we stayed overnight in Epping. The next day was the house-warming, that was when I realised she wasn't moving in with me as my assistant, we were moving in as a couple."

"You could have kept some separation?"

"Maybe, and I know I had some self-doubt but right now I'm comfortable."

"Engagement? What was wrong with just living together?"

"It seemed like the right thing to do. I wasn't going to live in sin!"

"I doubt that was a consideration! So when are you getting married?"

"Not straight away, maybe not for a few years, but why not? In any case we’re thinking about having a baby."

"Oh, how?"

"We'll make some enquiries in the new year, I think there's a way."

"Okay, Tammy, thanks for that. Drop in for a coffee over the weekend?"

"Or you can visit us? We're in most evenings."

"Sure."

 
Monday 18th December 2017
 

Joey was minding the office for the last time before her Christmas break and Tammy's course had finished the previous week. Because of their impending travel Maisie was busy at home reading the latest batch of briefings. Tammy, meanwhile, cycled over to the print shop.

"Hi Tom, I got your message."

"I managed to print your cards a day earlier than planned." He reached under the counter and pulled out a box. "Two hundred and fifty for you and the same for your assistant."

Tammy made a show of her engagement ring. "My fiancée."

"Oh, sorry, when she called she just said she was your assistant."

"That's okay, I guess that was the easiest thing to say."

"Do you know what happened to the guy I stopped round the back here?"

"I'm told he was flown back to New Zealand by his employer."

"So not prosecuted?"

"The Procurator Fiscal imposed a suspended sentence for resisting arrest."

"That all? I wondered why I wasn't called to give evidence?"

"My guess is that it was kept as low key as possible, the hearing was in Inverness."

"No wonder there wasn't anything in the local rag, anyone would think it was being swept under the carpet? Do you know what his beef was?"

"No."

"Anyway, that's seventeen pounds."

Tammy offered her card.

"Did you get another tenant for your storeroom, Tom?"

"No, but business has improved and I'm now using it for myself."

"Fair enough. I'm sorry about leaving, but I couldn't risk losing my backup disks. My insurance company insisted on a robust business recovery plan."

"Understandable, but that's a new one on me?"

"I get a discount by removing some risk, it's a tailored policy."

"Ah, my policy comes up for renewal in January so I might explore that."

Tammy put the box in her backpack and headed outside to her bike. A youth was crouching by the rear wheel, which she'd secured to a lamp post with a combination lock.

"Oy!"

He legged it towards the main road, the A9, Tammy took a few seconds to unlock her bike then set off in pursuit. He was across the A9 before Tammy reached him, unfortunately she was held up by traffic and could only watch the youth whilst he ran down the side of Sir George's Park. When she got going again he had disappeared and Tammy stopped at the far end of the sports ground to work out where he'd gone. In the distance she could hear panting so set off in that direction, towards the bank of the River Thurso.

She spotted him on the bankside path and when he turned around Tammy recognised him from the university, although he wasn't on her course. She pushed until she was alongside then stuck her leg out to trip him. He rolled into the mud. Tammy considered that as 'job done' although she earned a few words of questionable language for her efforts.

Half an hour later she rode back into the small yard at the back of the house. After much deliberation they'd agreed on a name for the property - Taigh Cluaran - House of the Thistle. Maisie was in the kitchen getting a drink.

"How was your ride?"

"I managed two sprints."

"You should push yourself more?"

"I was held up at junctions, maybe need to try a different route?"

"Have you tried the other side of the river? I went down there at the weekend, the path was a bit slippery though."

 
Tuesday 19th December 2017
 

"Did you have to wear that outfit Tammy? Maisie too?"

"Yes, Mum. Today I'm your pilot and the role needs an image, Maisie is my assistant and maybe one day my co-pilot? I'm not treated as a weekend part-timer by the ground staff when I dress the part, respect works both ways."

"It doesn't look right?"

Tammy shrugged, this was a conversation she couldn't possibly win.

Tammy hadn’t been able to get over the day before, and all of the Smart Air employees had been busy, so one important task remained.

She unlocked the cabin door but stopped Angela from boarding immediately. "Hold on."

Tammy used a toolkit to unbolt the chemical toilet, having secured the contents. She eased it out of the door and dropped it onto a waiting pallet, making certain her crisp white uniform was untouched.

"What did you do that for?"

"We need space for five of us plus luggage."

"What about if I need a wee?"

"Hold it, and perhaps stay off the coffee? I’d suggest using the loo in the hanger anyway."

Tammy picked up a pack of wipes then cleaned the area where the loo had been, plus her own hands. She switched on the wifi and the coffee machine, having checked the water level.

"Okay, is anyone going to give me a hand stowing this luggage? The quicker we do this, the quicker you can board!"

One of the few fallbacks of Tammy's Epic 1000 was the diminutive cargo space behind the rear bench seats. Joan had decided she needed a large case for her ten day excursion but everyone else had a smaller case for the same length of time. With five of them that equated to alot of luggage, and an additional fuel requirement. Tammy, together with Maisie, filled the cargo space but that left two cases in the cabin. Both could fit under the couch along the wall.

Joan was getting impatient, not helped by the threatening rain. She quickly claimed the end of the couch and patted the space next to her for Richard. Angela took the Starboard rear facing seat. Tammy grabbed a pallet truck and moved the loo into the adjacent hanger then decided to make one more walk around the aircraft but told Maisie to board.

"Make sure they're all buckled up. Hopefully the coffee is ready."

The cloud that had threatened to dump rain, or snow, had started to move off and whilst not sunny she could feel the dampness in the air decrease. To the South Tammy could see lighter cloud, the current forecast was for an easy flight, although that was changeable. She was back a minute later, but was confused to find Maisie sat in the cabin next to Joan.

"What's up?"

"I was evicted."

Tammy checked the rest of the cabin and could see that Angela had just, finally, clunked her belt. Tammy reached behind her and pulled the cabin door shut before pouring a coffee into her personal cup then climbed into the left hand cockpit seat. Maisie knew to offer a drink to anyone in the cabin once they were airborne. Tammy pulled on her headset and asked the tower for permission to taxi.

Tammy now addressed the issue. "Okay Dad, why don't you want to sit back in the comfortable seats?"

"I'd like to ride up front in an aircraft that my company operates?"

There was no time to play musical chairs, permission to taxi had been granted.

"Good morning, this is your pilot speaking. We will be taking off shortly for our flight to North Weald. The weather is good with Northerly winds and there's a high cloud base once we clear the Highlands so you can expect good views. Please ensure your belt is tight and familiarise yourself with the safety information." Tammy announced with a smile.

She'd reached the end of the runway and asked for permission from the tower while bringing up some light Jazz for the cabin to listen to. For her own listening, she chose the playlist titled High-level Run on the player that Krystel had left. That playlist had female vocal electronic music and may not have been to Richard's taste, but he had opted to join her and had the option of removing his headset.

"G-KTFL you are cleared for take off, climb to fifteen thousand on heading one-six-five."

"One-six-five at Angels fifteen, thank you."

Tammy had flown Katie from Wick Airport many times so the take-off was smooth and straightforward. She turned South when she could and began to follow the Scottish East Coast towards London. Richard waited until he could see his daughter relax.

She engaged the autopilot, picked up her coffee and started to sip.

"Tammy, I keep thinking I should get a licence for myself?"

"Why not, Dad?"

"I'm not sure I'd have the time."

"Why? Because you're retired?"

"Yes."

"Come on, that doesn't make sense. I'm studying, run a business and maybe have some other work but I still fitted the training in."

"But you don't have a wife?"

"Not yet, but no, I didn't have at the time."

"Well, the school takes up a whole load of my time although it's strictly speaking not a paid role. When I do get a free day there's always something else to fill the gap. I'll get killed for this, but I'm sure Joan makes sure there's plenty for me to do?"

Tammy sipped her coffee before replying, opting to be brutally honest.

"I had noticed. Perhaps you need to cut back and make the time? Otherwise you could just accept that you'll never be in charge?"

"In both respects? I do feel a bit guilty using a plane or a chopper just so I can get somewhere quicker, then we're not earning money whilst I'm using the aircraft for my own benefit."

Tammy acknowledged him, but was taking instruction from NATS for a minor course change. She took the aircraft out of auto pilot, reached for the stick and turned five degrees to the East, bringing aircraft over water and away from the coastal airports. She waited until she was ten miles off the coast then turned due South. She re-engaged the auto pilot but wasn't going to relax.

"Okay, Dad, sorry but there's plenty of traffic and I've been asked to take a wet route so I'm not going to be talkative. There's low cloud and rain ahead of us on this route."

"Understood. I'll head back."

A minute later Maisie was back in the seat. "Thanks Tammy, I was getting interrogated back there."

Tammy didn't answer, but blew Maisie a kiss and pointed at her belt, before putting on the seatbelt sign. She sought permission and took the aircraft to 30,000 feet, climbing quickly. She also decided to go a little faster, a little above the most economical cruising speed. The light went out and she re-engaged auto pilot.

Just over ninety minutes later she had reached East Anglia and after passing over Kings Lynn, there was now ground, not water, beneath the aircraft. She started to lose altitude and velocity, dropping back through the cloud.

"Belts on everyone, we're on Final."

Directly ahead was London Stansted but Tammy had to swing to the East of that airport so as to avoid the many flights using it. She also, however, had to lose altitude quickly as her own destination, North Weald, was barely fifteen miles past Stansted.

The airframe groaned as Tammy rapidly lost altitude and speed, but thankfully, the tower gave her permission to go straight in. She received instruction to approach the main runway from the North, simplifying her landing considerably. She was still going a little fast when she touched down, but the runway was damp so she tried to avoid using the brakes too heavily, and as a result she used almost the full length available of the former RAF base main runway.

A minute later she rolled onto a taxiway and cleared the runway. Tammy pulled up near the terminal building and engaged the brake, ready to unload her passengers. Tammy loved flying Katie; to her it could behave like a sports car when needed, and other times like a Bentley. Today it had been both.

"All change!"

Suzie was still at work so they needed a cab to get themselves to the house, but first Tammy had a few things to do. She put her head into the cabin, Joan and Angela looked a little pale.

"Can you please unload your luggage, I need to get fuel now."

"Why not wait until after Christmas, Tammy?"

"Given the season, Dad, I think supplies will be limited and that might become an issue for non-commercial aircraft between this weekend and the New Year. Under the circumstances it's better to get it now and avoid any risks. I need to post-flight anyway."

"Okay, but your Mum wants to get to the house?"

"Go ahead then, but please drive back to get me."

Suzie used the tube for work and hadn't declared a need for a car but had now changed her mind; a hatchback was sat in the driveway for her use as well as visiting family. Unfortunately there was no-one at the house to drive it at that moment.

"We'll need a big cab?"

"I'll stay with Tammy so there's only three of you to ride in the cab, plus your cases."

"Oh, okay Maisie." Joan wasn't used to being bossed by anyone and still hadn't fully accepted Maisie as family.

The two girls held back their own bags instead of sending them with the others, Tammy needed control of her own luggage these days whenever possible and that made flying commercial difficult to justify. She climbed back into her seat, put on the headset and asked the tower for permission to get fuel.

"Maisie, can you close the door?" Why have an assistant and do all the jobs yourself?

While she waited for the tower she checked the box to the left of her seat. Inside were her Glock 26, the 19, sheathed MadDog knife and her Main Reno packet. In the rear lock-box she had hidden her bail-out pack. She removed the two Glocks and temporarily put them in her cavernous shoulder bag, the knife went into her sleeve. All her usual documentation was in an envelope in her bag already.

"G-KTFL you are cleared to proceed to the fuel stand."

"Cleared to proceed, G-KTFL out."

She released the brake and made her way slowly to get fuel.

-----

"You took your time?"

"I can't insist the tower gives me priority, Dad, I think we were lucky to go straight in considering all the other traffic there, you have to work at their pace not your own. Following instructions from the tower or an ATC is one of the very first hard rules in flying."

"Okay, but don't be surprised if your mother won't accept that excuse!"

"I don't remember getting a 'thank you' from her for the flight? Perhaps you should tell her how much time, and fuel, is spent waiting for the tower to give permission at Wick? I got off lightly today. Remind me to leave her behind next time."

"I hope that was a joke, Tammy?"

"Of course ... Dad."

It was only a ten minute drive back to the house and it appeared that eating arrangements had been decided whilst Tammy and Maisie were still with the plane. Richard and Joan were taking a cab to Luton at seven in the morning, so wanted a quiet and early night. Tammy and Suzie would have been up for eating at the pub whilst the other two would have to accept whatever the plan was.

Richard, however, had decided to order a curry for all of them, it was due at six-thirty. He hadn't actually asked what anyone wanted. "I had them on the phone and had to make a decision."

Angela had moaned the loudest, but Tammy had a plan and she whispered it to Maisie.

"Really?"

"Yes, just play along."

Suzie arrived home at six, but had been pre-warned by text message about the food arrangements. She took Tammy to one side.

"I had booked Thursday and Friday off, but it looks like I'll have to go back into work for the rest of the week, all leave on the European Desk for the next few days has been cancelled. The threat level has been raised to 'substantial'."

"Did anyone say why the threat level was raised?"

"No, but everyone has to work until Friday at least. What do you know?"

"I had a non-specific briefing that something might happen in the next few days. Criminals think holidays are a good time to do whatever."

"In other words, the same as I've been told?"

"Yes."

"What have you said to Mum and Dad?"

"Nothing, Suzie, as we have no specific threat. The last couple of Christmases have been incident free, so I'm hoping that nothing happens this year?"

"Yeah, so do I."

Tammy and Maisie rushed up to change out of their Katie-costumes, as Maisie had begun to call them. The doorbell sounded as they came back out of their room and a moment later food was being piled onto the kitchen table. Tammy was doing her best to stick to her diet and exercise plan but a heavy curry wouldn't help one bit. She loaded her plate with the vegetable side dishes, very little meat and just enough rice to make the plate look full.

"Today just became my cheat-day." Tammy muttered just loud enough for Maisie to hear.

As she ate, Tammy looked around the lounge. Maisie and Suzie were digging into their curries as if they'd been brought up on them. Tammy knew that until three years earlier Angela hadn't known what a curry was and even now the girl wasn't keen on highly spiced food. Likely a psychological effect from her late father perhaps? She had more rice than anything else and appeared to be dissecting the food in her dish.

Tammy's father had ordered the curry and Tammy knew he had a cast iron digestive system, but Joan, like Angela, was playing it careful and muttering about getting indigestion. That meant it was a rare treat at home.

Tammy had to think differently. Her home was no longer Dunbankin', the Smart family home, but her new home that she shared with her fiancée Maisie. It was their decision what to have at mealtimes and, for the most part, the diet plan was followed in spirit if not by letter.

Although everyone had their fill there was still food left. Some combining was done and three containers ended up in the fridge once they were deemed cool enough. With the kitchen tidied Joan announced that she was having a shower, reading then having an early night. She then told the girls to keep their voices down.

Tammy waited for Joan to head up the stairs, with an apologetic Richard in tow, before making her pre-planned suggestion.

"The George?"

Suzie cried off, she had to be on the tube just after seven in the morning so Angela decided to stay there as well. Tammy and Maisie were fine with that but Tammy next announced she needed the loo first.

It wasn't considered a good idea to carry NATO and MI5 passes to a pub, nor firearms licences or get-out-of-jail-free permits. Tammy concluded her wee then took off the leggings she was wearing and attached the thigh holster for her Glock 26 to her leg. She stepped into a long skirt and pulled on long boots. A fake leather jacket finished the look and it had pockets! Her bag was left on the bed, all she needed was her debit card, keys and phone.

Meanwhile Suzie had decided that an hour or two alone with her little sister wasn't the best of ideas so had opted to join Tammy and Maisie for a couple of drinks. Angela was then given the option of accompanying them, she declined.

Finally the three girls hit the street and headed for the George and Dragon. As it was only a few days before Christmas the place was reckoning on being busy with self-declared eighteen year olds so had employed doorstaff to check IDs. Naturally that generated a queue and a few disappointed seventeen year olds. The girls got in line, but up ahead there was shouting and everyone in the queue moved backwards. Suzie suggested they went to the SpeakEasy Bar on the other side of the High Street, there was a break in the traffic and they managed to get across in one go.

"Angela would still be on the other side!"

Suzie hadn't spent much time recently with her younger sister, but clearly had no patience for her.

The girls got a quick look as they walked in, but weren't asked for proof of age and Suzie was known by the friendly barstaff so Tammy was introduced as her sister and Maisie as partner. Maisie produced her ring, with the cheap fake diamond, and then called on Tammy to do likewise.

"When?"

"Six .... days ago!"

"Have a drink on us!"

The evening seemed to flow from that point and perhaps too much alcohol was consumed. By ten, however, the place was overly busy and Suzie had reminded them that she had an early alarm.

"Okay, time to go!" Tammy said over the noise.

Out of the bar's window they'd seen a number of blue lights go past but that wasn't a rare sight in an outer London area.

Once they were back on the street, however, they could now see the scene of an incident. Further along the road, outside the George, there were two ambulances and four police vehicles. Maisie wanted to investigate but Tammy and Suzie decided that the professionals could handle the situation and wouldn't need a pair of intelligence assets.

The three, instead, ignored the sight and made their way down Station Road back towards the house.



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew"   Part 2

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Tuesday 19th December 2017(Cont)
 

The house was quiet when they arrived back from the bar, and none of the family were left downstairs. Unfortunately, with the effects of alcohol, the three girls weren't perhaps as quiet as the could be. Richard appeared whilst they were in the kitchen, drinking coffee and bitchin'.

"Come on ladies, please? I have an early cab to the airport."

There were mutterings of apologies and Suzie took her leave, noting that she also had to be awake in a little over seven hours. Richard waited until Suzie had gone.

"Tammy, didn't you have something for me?"

“Yeah, upstairs.”

They all left the kitchen and Richard followed his daughter and Maisie into their room, gently closing the door. Tammy went to her suitcase and carefully removed an envelope.

"Can you just confirm the ownership of this account and the current status?"

"Just that? You could have asked the Credit Suisse office in London?"

"And probably got nowhere. This is an unofficial query before I do anything hasty."

"Okay, Tammy. What are you guessing is in the account?"

"Wild guess, a quarter of a million sterling."

"Ah, I see."

"The owner of that account is dead, under questionable circumstances three decades ago. Should it be foul play, then other parties might still be interested in the deceased's finances. I need to know more."

"Hence the quiet approach outside the country?"

"Exactly. Plus, this isn't an official matter. It's personal. I can't ask for help through my usual channels but I may even have to turn over what comes up."

"Understood. I'll make some calls when we're in Lausanne, maybe a trip to Zurich to meet old friends?"

"Thanks Dad."

Maisie waited until he'd left the room and a second door had been heard to close.

"Was that out of the safe at home?"

"Yes."

"It sounds like you think he was murdered? How long ago?"

"Thirty years ago. Maybe there's nothing in the account and I'm wasting my time, it might have already been emptied. Even closed."

"Oh."

"Come on, let's get some sleep and nothing else; I have a feeling we'll be needed in the morning."

"Why do you say that?"

"Call it intuition, something doesn't feel right."

The pair changed, bathroomed and then bedded, intending a full night’s sleep.

 
Wednesday 20th December 2017
 

Tammy found it impossible to stay in bed at six fifty as there was plenty of noise from adjacent rooms. She pulled on a thin gown and wandered onto the landing to see what was going on. Her movement on the stairs attracted some attention, Suzie was heading up but stopped when she saw her sister.

"Ah, Tammy, you need to see this."

Tammy followed Suzie back into the kitchen, finding her holding a piece of toast but pointing at the morning TV news that was being shown.
 

 
"What's the background Suzie?"

"Outside the George last night, two girls collapsed as their bags and ID were being checked. I woke up to a ton of PMs asking if I was alright as I'd been seen."

"But you don't take drugs."

"Neither did they; that's apparently the theme. Girls, and it's almost all girls, are going down even though they're not drug users."

Suzie's phone pinged.

"Team briefing at nine."

"Is that a secure phone?"

"No, but we have a secure app for messaging."

"I'm wondering if I shouldn't be there?"

"You're on sabbatical?"

"No, I'm training Maisie."

"Do you have your Thames House pass?"

"Yes. Maisie doesn't have one yet, can you organise one?"

"Not until I get there. Leaving in twenty minutes."

Tammy dashed upstairs and grabbed her partner. "Wash, dress, now! We're going in."

Tammy had packed a dark grey knee length skirt suit and it seemed the most appropriate choice for the day. It was finished off with a simple white blouse and knee high boots, it was a look that meant business. She only had time for minimal make-up and transferred her lippy and compacts to her bag. The contents of her pockets from the previous evening were sat on a dressing table and joined the make-up in her bag. She again wore her Glock 26 in a holster under her skirt and attached the MadDog knife up her left sleeve. Tammy secured her hair with one of the barrettes from her case and deemed herself ready to go.

Maisie for some reason had packed a set of combats and was now dressed as if she was on camp. Her hair was in a regulation bun and her face was clean, very clean, with just a little powder.

"Sergeant Staines reporting for duty, Ma'am." She saluted.

"Excellent. Don't forget all your credentials."

Maisie was the first out of the room and gave Joan a fright as she came out of their room.

"Military?"

Richard laughed. "I guess you have a reason?"

"Tammy's told me there's a problem and she needs me ready immediately. I can get into combats in my sleep Mr Smart."

"What is the problem?"

"I don't yet know, just reporting as ordered."

Tammy appeared behind Maisie. "Morning Mum, Dad. Suzie's manager has called a team meeting, I'm going in and taking Maisie with me."

"Thames House?"

"Yes Dad. All we know at the moment is that teenagers who are not drug users are being hospitalised and some have died through apparent drug use. It looks like we saw two last night on the High St here."

"And that's an intelligence matter?"

"Right now it is."

"Is it safe for us to fly?"

"Right now I'd say yes. In fact Switzerland might be just about the best place today."

"Good, we need to get away."

Joan didn't look so sure. "You and Suzie are going into a meeting about drug deaths?"

"Probably a briefing rather than a meeting, but yes. I'll take Maisie with me."

"But you don't do that any more?"

"As of last month, yes I do." Downstairs the front door was open. "Taxi!"

"Mum, enjoy yourselves, we'll be fine."

"I'm not sure."

"Go!"

With Richard and Joan out of the way, Suzie, Tammy and Maisie made their way to Epping Tube for a ride into Central London. Tammy had her Oyster card, but Maisie didn't have one so Tammy showed her how to use her debit card as a travel card. It would create a record of her travels but was deemed an acceptable risk.

They changed lines at Liverpool St onto the Circle line for the connection to Westminster Underground, exiting with the mass by the Houses of Parliament and then onto Millbank.

Maisie was in awe but more so as they approached the Security Service building.

"Is that the place?"

"Yes, Maisie."

"It doesn't look anything like the one in the Bond films?"

"That's the building on the other side of the River Thames!"

The three went up the steps of Thames House and Suzie continued through the inner security gates, leaving Tammy and Maisie behind. Tammy took Maisie to the enquiry desk at the side in order to arrange a visitor pass, although they first asked for Tammy's pass.

"It expires in the new year, but you can use it until then."

"Oh, Okay. Maisie here was at Abigail Adams House for two weeks recently so should be in your database?"

"Ah, yes. No pass has been authorised."

"Can you check with John Smith in Personnel Security, and tell him that I'm here?"

"Just a moment."

It seemed to take an age, but she returned with a pass.

"Here you are, freshly minted, it's Yellow zone escorted. Wear it at all times in the building and take it off outside. You must be accompanied, even to the toilet."

"Okay, thanks."

They were about to move off when Tammy was called back.

"Have you forgotten something Miss Smart?"

Tammy reached behind under her skirt and retrieved her '26. Quickly she dropped the magazine and worked the slide to prove it was empty then set it all into the steel drawer. A clipboard was held out for her signature.

"Thank you."

Maisie giggled, "how could you forget that?"

"Easily, like when you start to wear a bra, at first it feels odd but soon you forget you have one on and it feels strange without one?"

"Oh, yes."

"Plus here, the sensors would go bananas if I had a weapon on me! Right, place your pass on the pad then walk forward; I'll see you on the other side."

They reconvened a few seconds later, Tammy checked, there was still almost half an hour before the briefing so she took Maisie to the restaurant for coffee and a bun. As they sat at a table, Tammy discreetly glanced around. Several faces garnered her attention. A couple of them noticed her as well and nodded in recognition. One in particular, Sir Thomas Addington, was passing by and gave her a very obvious look of recognition. A tap on her shoulder claimed her attention.

"Miss Smart?"

Tammy looked to the young man. "Yes."

"I was sent to inform you that you and your associate are to attend a briefing in ten minutes. Briefing Room Seven." He informed her.

"Thank you." Tammy replied.

Maisie asked quietly. "That was fast. Do you know where that is?"

Tammy thought about it. "We have to go up a floor or two, I think. We need to get a wiggle on."

"Okay." Maisie answered.

Quickly they finished their small breakfast then visited the loo on the way to the elevators. In the end, they had to ride up three floors, Tammy hadn't been to the building for a while.

By the time they arrived, people were already beginning to line the walls. Tammy and Maisie only received glances as they found a location to occupy in the middle of the room. Maisie wasn't the only person in some kind of military uniform, although the man in desert camouflage didn't look as if that was his usual dress. Suddenly the low chattering ceased and a group of ten people entered the room to take a position at the front. Sir Thomas was last in the line, the familiar face of John Smith was just ahead. Tammy didn't recognise anyone else in the room, but one lady did look directly at her.

"Who is that? On lead." Maisie whispered, pointing at the sharp suited guy towards the back.

Tammy whispered back. "I don't know his name, but I think he's with the Circus. Best we stay quiet."

Maisie had to think quick to catch that ‘Circus’ was old slang for MI6, the Secret Intelligence service.

Sir Thomas Addington opened the briefing noting that there were representatives of multiple agencies present. "I'm sure most you will have guessed that there is already Parliamentary oversight of this operation and that the Government is being briefed regularly. Get it right everyone and we come out of this looking good."

He paused, making sure they knew the implications of a balls-up. "There will be full notes available on conclusion of this briefing and these will be uploaded to the usual portals. I would remind you that this briefing is overall Secret but some intelligence should be considered as Top Secret. As such I must remind you that no recordings, audio, data or paper, should be made.

"Let me introduce your briefers:

1) St. John Barclay 2nd of SIS (MI6)
2) Sir Alan McClaggen 2nd of the Security Service (MI5)
3) Detective Inspector Emily Keane MetPol Counter-Terror
4) Christine Armaud UK Rep Europol

"We also have representatives from Interpol and our American cousins in attendance." He pointed them out, Tammy now had a designation, albeit not a name, for the desert camouflage clad CIA officer. "For those who have not yet been read into Operation Bangor yet, this is now a European investigation with the potential to become a global issue. How we proceed here, today, will have ramifications far beyond these walls."

Sir Thomas paused again, ensuring that the more junior persons present understood the urgency.

Tammy hadn't given too much attention to the group walking in, beyond the faces that she knew, but now paid regard to the two ladies in the briefing group. Tammy recognised Emily Keane's name but it had been while since their last conversation and they'd only previously met at Heather and Sophie's wedding two years previously.

"Let me first hand over to St. John Barclay."

"Yesterday afternoon, initially at multiple sites across South East England, we received reports of young persons, predominately females, collapsing with indeterminate symptoms that mimicked drug overdose. Plainly that would not normally be within the remit of SIS to investigate. However, victims have also now been reported in Brussels, Lille, Paris and Amsterdam with isolated reports from other European locations."

He paused, the mass media that morning had not, so far, included the European victims but that wouldn't last.

"We have since received intelligence that individuals in Brussels are aiming to disrupt the UK and we are currently working on a premise that this group is responsible for the UK victims. Collectively we believe that True Freedom are the aggressors. This is an ongoing investigation on multiple fronts. DI Keane?"

"Thank you St. John, indeed this is progressing on multiple fronts. My teams are taking the lead in identifying the supply and distribution of the substance as well as the movements of the individuals as they are identified. So far we have been able to interview about thirty of the victims. The substance has affected the victims to different extents and this is, according to medical personnel, unrelated to the victims' physical strengths. One major factor is that this is predominately a female orientated syndrome and the vast majority of the victims are between eighteen and twenty five. It is therefore believed to be a targeted attack. Parts of the media have claimed this is a result of students debauchery, but that is inflammatory and not backed by intelligence or interview. I repeat; this is a targeted attack on young adult females."

She paused and picked up a glass of water for a sip. There was a low level of babble in the room as the impact of her last statement sunk in.

"The interviews have picked up on a common trait, almost all of the victims passed through one of the major public transport hubs in London on Monday evening of this week. We have used ticket information to view CCTV at specific times and locations in order to track the victims through the terminals. That research has identified a possible cause."

A projection was turned on and a still from a station appeared, Tammy realised it was London Bridge.

"The single common factor is a pop-up concession stand that was placed between the platforms and the underground station entrance, facing the platforms, at four mainline stations. The fifth location at St. Pancras where it was located just ahead of the international check-in."

She took another sip.

"The placement of each of these concession stands appears to be a well thought attempt to deliberately obscure the stands and the personnel; each of them was placed in a location that was partially or fully obscured from CCTV. We have confirmed with Network Rail, who manage all of the railway sites, that the stands were all booked by Sharon Gainsborough under the trading name of Teen Plus Spirit. The address given for this company is a letter drop and the mobile number for Ms Gainsborough is disconnected. Separately we have identified several of the hired concession personnel and are bringing these in for interview.

She picked up her glass but put it straight down before turning towards the MI5 senior representative.

"It transpired that Ms Gainsborough is not only known to several of the agencies present, but she has been implicated in several investigations by those agencies. A little more shared information would have been useful! We have been able to ascertain that Ms Gainsborough was on the concession stand at St Pancras and boarded a Eurostar to Lille at nine PM. Thanks to our French colleagues, the Police de L'aire et des Frontières, we have confirmed that she then boarded a Thalys service into Brussels, having changed her clothes. We are currently seeking CCTV from our Belgian police colleagues to identify where she went from there."

She now picked her glass up again to take two sips, nodding at Mme Arnaud as she did.

"The substance has not yet been identified and it must be assumed that the number of victims will increase in the short term. With the agreement of Sir Alan McClaggen I would like to put a nationwide appeal out to recall any samples of Teen Plus Spirit."

Emily Keane sat down and Sir Alan stood.

"Clearly I would like to thank DI Keane and her team for their sterling work so far. We are providing support where we can and can only apologise for not sharing what we knew about Ms Gainsborough previously, unfortunately we had assumed that the Met knew. That is an error we could not afford to make. Indeed the nationwide appeal should go out, although I have reservations about alerting Ms Gainsborough and her cohorts, but the public need outweighs our need under these circumstances."

Tammy could see DI Emily Keane using her phone to send a message, in contrary to the opening security remarks.

"We will co-ordinate with the regional police forces to interview everyone who worked on these stands, although I'm sure British Transport Police would like a slice of that action." There was a low level giggle around the room.

"It is also our opinion that True Freedom are behind this attack, and make no mistake - it is an attack. Based on their previous modus operandi, we can also assume that there will be other apparent unrelated attacks against the UK and its allies. The threat is very real. We will double our efforts to locate known True Freedom activists in the UK and I believe SIS are helping locate those in Europe?"

The question was rhetorical.

"Clearly time is against us, given the impending holidays, and that is also something that True Freedom will have considered. I would ask all agencies to consider bolstering their usual duty cover over the season, currently we believe we'll require additional provision well into the New Year and colleagues should allow for this. Unfortunately this will not be good news but this investigation could impact their own sons and daughter, grandchildren, nephews and nieces, so the quicker we resolve this investigation the sooner we can assure the public that it's safe out there."

Christine Armaud now addressed the room.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you have any intelligence that may help the European agencies, please pass it to me so we can co-ordinate the flow. I will similarly disseminate anything that comes from Schengen agencies. I would, however, ask that no UK agency starts a proactive investigation in Europe. The local forces are very capable and do not wish to clear up other countries' messes."

Sir Thomas concluded the meeting.

"Multi-agency working groups are being setup and you will be contacted by the group leader. Please wait here until you have been allocated to a group."

The briefers started to move, although the first to reach Tammy was John Smith, the personnel security manager of MI5.

"Are you leading my group Mr Smith?"

"No Miss Smart, I am not. Several weeks ago I gave you some strong advice but you have acted contrary to that advice although I believe congratulations are in order? I will update your file accordingly but you are less than stellar when it comes to following advice?"

"That's the way it fell, Sir. Thank you for sorting Maisie's pass out?"

"And bumping her clearance, otherwise you wouldn't be here today, Miss Staines. Both of you; I need a relationship report by the second of Jan, independent and no conferring. By the way, you can ignore the requirement to be escorted, but please try not to go wandering on your own in this building."

"Oh, of course Sir."

"Miss Smart, I have also been told that the IT team here will install something called an app on your phone, it's a recent requirement for all Thames House personnel."

"I see, Sir."

John signalled the DI to approach.

"Miss Smart, let me introduce DI Emily Keane of the Counter-Intelligence team at New Scotland Yard."

"Kevin's lot?"

"Indeed Miss Smart, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise, this is my fiancée Maisie."

"Okay Tammy, I'm taking the lead on a team to find Penny Lavoska."

"Who else is on this team?"

"Heather and Sophie plus your sister."

"That sounds like it's a financial investigation?"

"Yes, although finance wasn't one of my strengths before I worked with Heather on a case."

Tammy thought for a moment. "Fourani?"

"Correct."

"Let us continue this back at my office."

They walked down to the European Desk and collected Suzie who had received a video feed of the briefing. She wasn't convinced of her need to go with the others.

"I can do more here?"

"No Miss Smart, you can act as a liaison to this unit but we believe you can work with Tammy to form unique modes of investigation."

"I see."

"Sign out a secure mobile, you'll need it."

As they walked back to the main entrance Maisie held Tammy back.

"What the hell am I doing here? This isn't my scene, I don't know who these people are or how it works!"

"Unfortunately it's my scene and you're now stuck with me, unless you'd like to spend the day with Angela?"

Tammy stopped to collect her weapon and had to resist rolling her eyes. She had forgotten to check in the knife up her sleeve. They followed Emily and Suzie down to a waiting police minibus. Tammy's phone pinged and she could see a request for installation of an App. Tammy authorized it and the process started.

"Problem?" Emily asked.

Tammy shook her head. "Request to install the App. I authorized it."

"It shouldn't need to ask. It installs automatically." Emily looked at her curiously.

Tammy shook her head. "I have encryption on my phone and nothing is automatic, that was standard operating procedure at Room 40. There are malicious Apps that are disguised and will install themselves without notice."

Tammy wasn't lying. She just wasn't telling the whole truth. Her phone had been issued during her trip to the Bahamas and in most resembled the latest phone on the market. The irony was that the MI5 secure messaging app would not be able to access the secure section of her phone.

New Scotland Yard was, strictly speaking, walking distance away but the current circumstances meant that was a risk not worth taking. Their vehicle executed a number of left turns and pulled into a subterranean carpark after passing through a security gate.

"Follow me."

Oddly they went one floor further down and stopped outside a secure door.

"Tammy, are you armed?"

"Yes, Glock 26 and a MadDog knife."

"Do you have access to any more weapons?"

"There's a Glock 19 back at the family house in Epping."

"Okay, spare ammunition?"

"A box back at the house. Oh, and a spare clip in my bag."

"That wasn't checked in back at Thames House? You clearly didn't set off the alarms?"

"No, it's inside a container. Oops."

"Shit! Tammy, how stupid is that? If you can do that then who else? Where did you get it?"

"Relatives."

"You will have to declare that."

"Great, declare it or I'll get strip searched just to check in my library books?"

"Hmmmm, I'll have to take advice. Maisie, are you armed?"

"No, why?"

"I don't believe in leaving safety to luck. I guess you're trained with the SA80?"

"Yes."

"Have you used a pistol on a range?"

"Once or twice, a long time ago."

"That's close enough." Emily swiped her pass and they entered, Tammy immediately recognised the armoury.

"Tammy, have you used an SA80 as well?"

"Yes, I'm qualified."

"We have a sniper rifle here that you should take."

"Calibre?"

The armourer took over. "Miss Smart?"

"Yes."

"Your license please?"

Tammy pulled her firearms license out of her bag and handed it over so it could be inspected.

"Hmm, it's due to expire in ten days."

"Oh, I hadn't noticed."

"I'll issue you a new one, valid two years."

"Thanks."

He went off with her paperwork.

"Tammy, how can you be so casual?" Suzie was stood behind the others but was clearly wondering what she'd allowed herself to become involved in.

"Because, sis, this is what I do."

The armourer returned with Tammy's new license.

"I've re-issued your license until the end of 2019 and included the last few days of this year. I'll dispose of the expiring one."

"Thank you."

"Now, to answer your earlier question, it's seven point six-two. What is your usual weapon?"

"Glock 26 and the 19. I wouldn't mind a Barrett. The MRAD or the M107 chambered for four-sixteen if possible?"

The Armourer's eyes had widened at her request then shook his head. "Those are not available to us, and don't ask the Americans for help obtaining them! You'll have to use the AT308, just a moment."

He returned with a small bag and two boxes of ammunition.

"The rifle breaks down for transportation. It is single shot and takes a 10-round detachable magazine. I'm issuing two magazines." He instructed Tammy with putting it together then breaking it apart as well as loading and unloading.

"Sergeant Staines?"

"Sir?"

"Do you have a firearms license?"

"No Sir."

"Could I have your NATO pass and your driving license?"

Maisie handed them over.

"DI Keane, are you authorizing?"

"I am."

He went away.

"I hope you're not going to give me a bloody gun!"

"No Miss Smart, Suzie, it's very clear that you are not responsible."

"What? You don't trust me?"

"Frankly you have been shown to have a poor sense of judgement in the past and that worries me. However, I'm told you are well respected on your team."

"Thanks, but where the hell did you get the idea that I can't be trusted?"

"John Smith. I understand that it's only due to the efforts of Tammy that you regained your clearance, it is, however, under regular review."

"Oh, damn."

"Indeed. Have you said enough?"

Suzie went quiet and Emily turned to face the counter as the armourer returned.

"Here you are Miss Staines, I have made this out without regard for your military rank. You are now authorized to carry personal firearms and ammunition in the UK. This does not expressly authorise you to injure or take a life; do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good, now I have been asked to provide you with a Glock 26 and a hundred rounds."

"Okay."

He came back with two boxes, two empty clips and a holster. He took the brand new weapon out and showed Maisie how to fill the clip.

"Come with me."

He led her to a box set into the wall. "Point the pistol in there and squeeze the trigger."

She did as asked then repeated the exercise.

"Fine."

She put the safety on.

"Excellent." He proceeded to give Maisie a lecture on weapon care and safety.

Finally they were done, they returned to the lift and went up four floors then took a long walk along a corridor followed by a flight of stairs up one level. Emily opened a door.

"The command centre for our part of this operation, settle in."

"Sophie!"

"Good morning Tammy, Suzie, Maisie. Have you set the date yet, Maisie?"

"No, Tammy wants to wait."

"It's quite unlike Tammy to wait for anything?"

Emily had walked over to what Tammy assumed was her desk and dropped her jacket before making a quick call, she now returned to the group.

"Good, you all know each-other. Firstly, everyone, please do not use your personal mobiles in this building. Suzie, I'd like you to go down to Redruth and work with Heather."

"So I don't get to run around with these maniacs?"

"Correct, that makes me feel safer plus you can achieve more there."

"I'll need to pack?"

"I realise that, I have requested a vehicle to drive you home and then to Heathrow. I believe your flight is at six so you have plenty of time. Heather will brief you on arrival."

"What about Christmas?"

"For the duration of this operation, Christmas is cancelled."

"Oh."

"Do you think the families of the victims will be celebrating? No; so until we have detained the perpetrators, our own lives are on hold."



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 3

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Wednesday 20th December 2017(Cont)
 

Emily went to the office window and looked down.

"Good, your transport is here. Suzie, go back out the door and take the stairs to the bottom, there's a fire exit. Your driver is parked there. It's a marked police car so you won't get in the wrong vehicle."

"What will the neighbours think?"

"They can think anything they bloody want to, go!"

Sophie was smiling and Tammy was struggling not to laugh.

"Seriously Tammy, is she always like that?"

"Sorry Emily, she's a Monday to Friday nine to five desk jockey, she doesn't adapt well."

"Clearly, will she be okay with Heather?"

Sophie answered. "The pair know each-other and liaise often so it'll be a good working relationship."

"That's a relief, I'm taking responsibility for this team's actions and I'm expecting good results."

"What's our brief, Emily?"

"Locate Penny Lavoska and use whatever means necessary to detain her."

"Legal means?"

"No, I know what I said. For this purpose your military rank will allow you to operate in any NATO country, with Maisie as your backup."

"Won't we rely on the local forces to detain Ms Lavoska?"

"That would be ideal, but once we get to the twenty fourth then we'll be lucky to get anything and anyone activated away from these shores. What we need is our own mobile team that isn't under national control; and that, Tammy, is where I'm told you come in."

"Okay Emily, but I guess that for the time being this is a paper operation to find the woman?"

"Yes, we'll stay here until we have good evidence of her location."

"You do know that Maisie and I didn't have to be there this morning?"

"Indeed, but we would have fetched you so you saved us the effort. I was pleased to see you in Thames House, it showed foresight. The same for you Maisie, although I didn't know who you were until John Smith told me.

"I'm only here because Tammy told me to go with her."

"So, did you want out?"

"I'm still training until next month. This sounds like it'll be a good experience for me?"

"For the time being you are off training and fully operational."

"Yes, ma'am."

Emily called for a tech to attend the group. Sophie still had a Met Police login but Tammy and Maisie needed accounts on HOLMES. Tammy was familiar with the system but this was new to Maisie. Sophie explained.

"It's the Home Office Large Major Enquiry System, a pretty awful acronym. It's used for any serious investigations, especially those that span police forces and agencies."

"Oh, what am I expected to do?"

"Look at the data that comes in from everyone and see if you can see connections, links. Check the news media and see if there's information that officers have missed but be careful, do not input unverified information. One other thing, in the early hours of an investigation there's usually a flood of data but it's not always tagged properly so don't limit yourself to defined parameters and if you see something's incorrectly tagged, fix it."

"I'm not sure?"

"Look, your target is to locate Penny Lavoska. Tammy, when did you last see Penny?"

"Two years ago, she wanted me to work in Geneva with her."

"I remember, you refused, obviously?"

"No, not at first. Hilary, I mean Helen, suggested I seriously considered it."

"Oh."

"I now realise the implications if I had gone with her, I could have been a wanted woman myself?"

"Indeed."

"Emily, has anyone interviewed Helen or checked her visitors?

"No, did you fancy interviewing her?"

"To be honest, no, she tried to manipulate me. I'm also not trained in interrogation."

"Which, Tammy, is the correct answer. Don't try to do something that you are not trained to do, there is no time for amateur hour."

"Can you answer this for me, Emily? I dealt with Kevin when Sharon Gainsborough was on the course with me, just before she went rogue. Kevin knew about her, so why did you claim to have no information about her?"

"Because all the intel that Kevin learnt was bundled up for the Security Service and we were told to destroy any local copies."

"As if someone didn't want her investigated?"

"Correct. My guess is that we've lost a year, maybe more, and many opportunities to stop Ms Gainsborough."

"Damn, but why aren't we going after her?"

"For his sins, that's Kevin's job. He has a team back at Thames House to dig up her travels and will be given back his own reports. If you come across anything relevant flag it for Kevin but don't actively research her."

"Okay. One more question?"

"Yes?"

"Where's the loo?"

"Out the door and the other side of the stairwell."

"Thanks."

Tammy picked up her bag and made for the door, Maisie wasn't far behind.

"Do you need a wee as well?"

"Yes, but do you have any tampons or pads?"

"I have pantyliners, why?"

"I think I've just come on."

"I thought you were on the pill?"

"The army offered a jab to all the female staff, it covered me for three months. I was due my next jab a month back."

They'd reached the ladies loo, Tammy opened her bag and handed two liners to Maisie who then went into a cubicle. Tammy took an adjacent one and soon relieved the pressure on her bladder.

Maisie took a minute longer than Tammy but was soon washing her hands.

"Thanks, I clean forgot to pick up any supplies, I haven't had a period for several years. Thing is, why do you need them?"

"Overactive secretions!"

Maisie giggled, "oh yes!"

"Come on, they'll send a search party for us."

They walked back into the room as a box of food was delivered.

"Girls, I had to order this a few hours ago so I don't know what you like. There's ham, cheese and fish sandwiches, tuna I think. There's also crisps and soft drinks plus some fruit. There's a flask on the way here for coffee. Let's not get hungry while we work!"

Tammy was kicking herself for not bringing her Security Service laptop with her, it was currently in a locked box back at their house. She asked, forlornly, whether Emily had an MI5 terminal she could use?

"I think you already know the answer to that? Now, why did you want access?"

"I had some addresses for Penny from when I bought a plane. In the end it was found to be a deathtrap and was taken apart by the AAIB. Penny was involved in the supply of that plane."

"Did the AAIB know about her?"

"No, that information wasn't passed on. Above their pay-grade."

"Bloody hell."

"I wasn't responsible for the dissemination of that report, unfortunately. There's no evidence she was in the UK at all but we did place her in Belgium."

"Anywhere else, that you have evidence of?"

"The last time I met with Penny and her sister Paula, when they wanted me to work with them, they mentioned Geneva. I also remember hearing that Penny had a suite at the Hotel au Lac, Lausanne."

"Tammy, which hotel are your parents staying in?"

"Of course, the Angleterre et Residence. Oh, damn, that's almost next to Hotel au Lac. My mother, Tara, often stayed at Hotel au Lac."

"When are they due into Geneva?"

"They were on a flight at eleven, so they should be landing in about an hour."

"Has your father met Penny?"

"Yes, a couple of years ago when I assisted with the fashion show at my school."

"Is there any reason to think their travel could have been compromised?"

"No, Pru booked everything separately, it might be more expensive but it gives us complete control over the travel. Pru would also have put it through the company account."

"I see, and you trust her?"

"Absolutely. She was cleared a while back when we took her on."

"So there's no reason to believe they're compromised?"

"No. Dad also knows the area well, although it's Joan's first trip."

Tammy's phone rang, the display said 'Angela'.

"Tammy, are you coming back for lunch?"

"No, Maisie and I are stuck, no idea when we'll be back."

"A courier came by for you, I had to sign for an envelope."

"Who was it from?"

"It says 'Box Office, Royal Albert Hall'."

"Open it please."

A moment later Angela said. "There are four tickets to; The Nutcracker, on the twenty-third. TAMMY; it says they are BOX SEATS!"

"Box seats? For The Nutcracker?"

Emily looked up from behind her terminal and Sophie had turned to look as well.

"Tammy, I know that is a ballet. Isn't it fancy dress?"

Tammy was still wondering why she would get tickets. "It's formal, Angela. Evening gowns for ladies, tuxedos for men. Four tickets? That would have been all of us. I'd hate to waste one as Suzie won't be able to go."

"I can't get hold of Suzie?"

"She's on her way to you now."

"Oh, I thought she was working?"

"She is, but I can't tell you any more."

"Will she do me lunch?"

"No, but she might appreciate it if you prepared a sandwich for her."

"I don't know what's in the fridge?"

"Open it? I have to go now." Tammy killed the call.

"Do you always talk to your sister like that, Tammy?"

"No, Sophie, but at times she does stretch my patience. You've not met her, have you?"

"Only at a distance, when we met you in Wick?"

"Ah, yes. She has grown up a bit since then, but not much."

"Box seats for the ballet? I read they have been sold out for a month."

Tammy shook her head. "It is a surprise to me as well. My parents would have mentioned getting them, if they were responsible."

Emily told them to get back to work, Tammy was to write up the Swiss connection to the Lavoskas.

"From memory?"

"Well, unless you have your reports with you, which would probably be a security breach?"

"Okay."

"Remember, the system will allow someone else to add more data, especially if they have access to your reports."

"Fine."

Tammy opened a new record and started to type. In their last conversation, Penny Lavoska had suggested she had met Tammy in Lausanne in the summer of 2011, when Tammy was a 14 year old Thomas. Try as she might, Tammy couldn't remember much of that period other than that she'd been bored. Thomas had been a bind to his mother and she'd made certain he knew it. She tried to remember the hotel, it had been the au Lac on that occasion as well.

For a fleeting moment Tammy considered contacting Tara to see what she could recall, but it was unlikely that Tammy could use any of the information, if any, that Tara still remembered. It didn't help that Tara remained a convicted criminal, albeit one who had avoided a trip to jail.

Her phone chirped with a secure text message, it seemed Suzie had spent her ride back to Epping transferring numbers.

Using my new phone. On way to Heathrow, Angela moaned that you told her to make her own lunch and make some for me, nothing made so expecting to get an expensive sandwich at Heathrow. Did not tell Angela where I was going, I suggest you eat out. You got tickets to RAH for the ballet? How? Heard in the Evening Standard it's been sold out for a month or more. Suzie

Tammy picked up a couple of the sandwiches on offer and started to munch, whilst she tried to remember more about Ms Lavoska. She allowed her mind to drift back five or six years and recalled a woman tell her mother about the lunches at The Lacustre restaurant on the lakeside. That woman had been brunette but could she have been Penny, or perhaps Paula Lavoska?

Tammy noted it regardless, it was a tenuous link but, it could be useful.

It wasn't long before someone else accessed her entry and attached a note.

Request sent to Swiss Police via Europol for possible tracing of Penelope Lavoska. DI Edmunds

"Emily, I thought Kevin was working on Sharon Gainsborough?"

"He is, but he has an inter-agency role as well so will have sent a request to Europol on your behalf."

"Oh, because I can't send that request?"

"Exactly. That was a good piece of intelligence, placing her there."

"It's not recent."

"Maybe not, but she mentioned Geneva to you at a later time and suggested she'd been there more recently?"

"Yes."

"So you have now provided two locations in that region where she could have been recently, or could even still be?"

"Yes, I suppose so. It's not enough to go and get her though, is it?"

"Indeed, we'd need much more, like a sighting or documentary evidence, but we need to know where to look first and you've given us a location. Well done."

Tammy tried to remember more, either from six years earlier in Lausanne, or three years earlier at the school or even two years earlier in the shop or Le Bistro. She'd met the two sisters on several occasions, but did she really know much about them?

She looked around the room and there was quiet action taking place, but it was impossible to identify how much work was actually being done.

"Sophie, how well do you know the Fourani files?"

Emily's head appeared over her monitor, but she said nothing.

"Only in the broadest sense."

"Were there any properties in Switzerland?"

"Are you suggesting that there's a connection between the Fourani empire and True Freedom?"

"Yes."

"That's a dangerous suggestion, if you're wrong?"

"But it seems to fit? Where did True Freedom spring from? Where did the financing, weapons, munitions, vehicles, electronics and the safe houses come from?"

"And you believe that some of the Fourani assets were acquired?"

"Yes, Sophie."

"I'll pass that to Heather."

Emily now spoke. "How sure are you, Tammy?"

"It just seems to make sense. An organization suddenly appeared overnight, fully functional, but nobody saw it develop? There was no intelligence, no media coverage, before their encryption was cracked and that led to the planned strikes in London and outside. Just Rumour Intelligence and all of it misleading. That doesn't work for me, there had to be resources in place?"

"It was assumed that the resources were coming from Iranian or Kurdistan sources?"

"Why not from arms dumps and money drops in Germany, Austria, Switzerland? My guess is that all that's been looked at has been the UK angle?"

Sophie replied.

"No, Tammy, we've investigated links to Dusseldorf and shut those down."

"Okay, Sophie, but what about Munich or Frankfurt? Both are about an hour by air from Geneva and half a day's drive by car?"

"I can't remember more than a mention of Munich, but I'll let Heather know."

Maisie walked over.

"What is Fourani?"

"He was an Iranian who ran a large business in London. He was killed a few years ago and in his files was evidence of drugs and arms running, stockpiling even, plus money being laundered regularly through building purchases and sales."

"What's Heather's connection?"

Tammy looked up to see Emily shaking her head.

"Hmmm, it's the kind of thing she's good at."

"Oh, follow the money?"

"That's right."

"That was her favourite phrase when I was with her."

"Okay Maisie, let's crack on?"

"I think I need to go and get some supplies?"

Emily was clearly keeping tabs on the pair. "Supplies?"

"Tampons."

"Ah, your best bet is Boots on Bridge St, behind Portcullis House."

"Where's that?"

"Sophie, would you mind helping? You know the area and you can get back into the building, Miss Smart can't."

Tammy wondered how that would look, Maisie was dressed in her combats and Sophie was in her Devon and Cornwall Police Inspector's uniform, they would certainly look like an odd couple but it was unlikely they would be attacked.

That also reminded her of another fashion concern. The ballet was formal; neither she, Maisie nor Angela had brought any evening wear beyond party frocks, but what did Suzie have in her wardrobe? It certainly looked like Tammy's recently installed styling club app was about to get some exercise.

Maisie had wanted a kiss before she left, Emily looked as if she was going to say something about fraternisation in the office but she'd not anticipated that Maisie would be accompanying Tammy, having only learnt that from John Smith that morning.

Tammy took herself off to the loo, her phone chimed a message before she reached the door into the 'ladies'..

check email.

Tammy debated a moment then sent back.
working a case, will check later.

Breakdown: Nightingale leaked records, went to school with Gainsborough. Hope you're working the 'overdosing/poisoning' incidents, they need the help. It's a mess according to our ground reports.

"Ground reports?" Tammy whispered to herself then realised. "They have somebody here?"

Tammy typed out.
Do I have more family in town than I thought I did?

The reply made her eyes go wide with a single word.
Yes.

Tammy was thinking who it could be and drawing a blank. Then the phone rang with a secure call. She unlocked the sub-screen and answered.

"Hello."

Dannigan's gruff voice came through. "If I guessed you were in a building that belonged to letters and a number, would I be correct?"

"Hello Uncle. Yes, almost, I'm in London for the holidays. It's so busy, I may not get all my shopping done though."

"Very well. I'll update your status to Domestic Tasking. Do what you can to contribute, you're in your yard, Niece. Virginia farm-boys are around, but don't expect them to be neighborly to you."

Tammy understood that to mean the CIA were monitoring the situation, but weren't getting involved unless they really had to. Having said that, the misfit guy in desert camo back at Thames House was certainly Agency so would likely be on someone's team.

"Yes Uncle, I will do my best to behave and not tease any country boys here in the city."

"Thank you. They might have a problem following that charming highland humor of yours."

Tammy decided to risk asking. "Will I have a chance to say hello to my cousin?"

"That cousin is working as well, but not cross-purposes. You will see each other, but have to catch up some other time. That is if something doesn't come up. If that happens, you'll get together. I also understand you are up to speed on your bird-problem."

"Yes, sir. A true annoyance. Apparently that bird didn't understand to be quiet. It may not be in the cage either. Should I bring it to my other Uncle's attention?"

"Do that. It's his bird, he can fricassee it."

Tammy laughed. "I think I'll stick to my diet if he invites me to dinner!"

"I would too. He's a lousy cook, unless he took a class recently. That'll be all for now."

"Yes Uncle, Happy Christmas."

"Enjoy the ballet. Out."

Tammy glanced to the phone as it disconnected and wondered how he knew about that. Her bladder alerted her to an imminent need, forestalling any more thoughts on the matter.

Once she was sat on the 'throne' she accessed the fashion app and put in her search parameters. Of course, as she was in London, the options were plentiful. Tammy didn't want the girls dressing similarly or with the potential to be wearing the same dress as anyone else, so that ruled out any national chain stores.

One shop that grabbed her attention was apparently only just over ten minutes from her location and promised to stock bespoke wear at affordable prices. She pulled up the phone number for Manga Vintage and made the call.

"Hello, I'm looking for evening wear for myself and two others for Saturday evening?"

"Which event will this be?"

"The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert."

"Oh, you should have called a few weeks ago."

"I was given the tickets this lunchtime without warning."

"I see, I may be able to help but you'll have to come here."

"Of course, when would be appropriate?"

"I can book you for ten in the morning, that's the only time available I'm afraid. It is coming up to Christmas. Name please."

"Indeed." Tammy gave her contact details and ended the call. She heard flushing from one of the other cubicles but there wasn't anyone in the loo when Tammy emerged. She washed her hands and returned to the office.

"Family issue?" Emily asked as Tammy re-entered the room.

Tammy sighed. "A cousin is about, but we won't be able to catch up. I do need to call another uncle in regards to a problem pet. I'll do that later."

"I'm not happy about using mobiles in this building but it is meant to be a time of year for family." Emily replied then added. "Since Suzie is away, why not ask Sophie to join you for the ballet? Tickets like that shouldn't go to waste and it might help keep the night without incident?"

"Thank you, I will ask her."

It was another twenty minutes before Maisie and Sophie returned; Tammy stood to get a better view, Maisie was carrying bags from Tesco and Next whilst Sophie had a small bag from Next.

"I thought you were going to Boots?"

"Yes, but I told Sophie I wouldn't mind getting a few other bits so she guided me to Trafalgar Square instead and both of these shops were close by." Maisie raised the three bags briefly, followed by a dig into one of the Next bags to pull out a purchase. Sophie ignored the display but Emily wasn't happy.

"You're not being paid to wander around the shops or participate in a fashion show!" Emily was quite gruff.

Tammy sat down, closely by Maisie dropping audibly onto a chair and dropping the bags on the floor. Tammy could see that the girl had been on a little buzz, probably after her unexpected visit to a famous London landmark followed by the adrenalin-inducing clothes shopping experience.

Maisie leant towards Tammy and whispered. "I didn't know we were that close to Parliament either, it's like just around the block. Oh, we're in a building called Richmond House, not the tall one with the spinning sign?"

Tammy's phone pinged and she could see it was a notification from her latest app. Maisie grabbed something out the Tesco bag and Tammy saw her disappear out of the room before she picked up her phone.

Had some replies re your personal investigation. Kirk Angus McDuff born 29 Feb 1956 in Thurso, died Sunday 1st March 1987. Unmarried and only child of Frank & Maureen Kirk (from Musselburgh, moved to Thurso in 1954. Father worked at Dounreay, mother was a hairdresser with own salon.

Swiss police have one record of him being detained before boarding a flight at Zurich in 1986. He was acting drunk but hadn't been to any of the bars. Was allowed to board a later flight. On that day he travelled with Birmingham European Airways, that airline was bought out in 1992 and broken up in 1993 so no flight records exist.

Tammy tapped a quick thanks to Heather and wondered if she'd ever learn any more about the former resident at Taigh Cluaran. A ping from her HOLMES terminal brought her back to her current job. Kevin updated her Swiss entry for Penny Lavoska.

Swiss Police report no trace of Lavoska sisters. Via Europol.

"That can't be right!"

"What's that?" Asked Emily.

"The Swiss have no record of the Lavoskas!"

"Okay, ignore that and move on."

"No, it isn't possible."

"Why not?"

"The Lavoskas are Estonian of Russian birth."

"Estonia is a member of the EU so they would have free movement?"

"Switzerland isn't in the EU. If you stay in a Swiss hotel then your details are recorded and submitted to the regional tourism office. If you trade in Switzerland then the Federal Department of Finance will have your details and if you live in Switzerland for more than three months in any year you have to register with the police and the Federal Department of Home Affairs."

"How do you know this?"

"My father was working in Geneva and Zurich at least once a month and my mother virtually lived out there. I spent part of almost every summer in that country and I asked questions."

"Ah, so you're saying that there must be a trace of them?"

"Yes."

"I'll call the Europol rep and ask her, Christine Armaud."

"No, Emily. I have another route to try."

"Legally?"

"Yes, via Heather."

"Why?"

"She's just done some research in Switzerland for me, on a different matter."

"I'm not convinced."

"Emily, all I'm asking to do is to verify the information that we have. My own experience tells me that it's wrong, but unless I can check it then it may be an opportunity lost?"

"Okay, but log it."

Tammy agreed, but would delay this until she had something to write. She pinged the request to Heather but noticed Sophie also typing a message on her phone., Sophie looked at Tammy when she'd hit the 'send' button and smiled.

Tammy's phone buzzed and there was a two word reply

On it

Hopefully this reply wouldn't take the several weeks her personal request had taken.

By five they'd achieved little more so Emily told them to go and rest.

"Err, Emily? Maisie and I have an appointment in the morning. I doubt we'll be here much before midday."

"That's not good enough!"

"Okay, how about we go home? Unless I'm mistaken I'm volunteering to be on this operation so I get to choose what to do? My deal with the Security Service might give them a hold over me, but you don't."

"That's not a healthy attitude Miss Smart?"

"Maybe not, but all I was asking was for a few hours tomorrow. It's up to you?"

"I see. Where is this appointment?"

"New Pye St."

"That's not far from here, off Victoria?"

"Yes, we'll walk here as soon as we're done, although I'm not sure what to do with Angela."

"Angela?"

"My sister, she is not cleared for anything and has no idea how to get around London. Is there a crèche here?"

"What? You want to put your sister in a crèche whilst you work?"

Sophie and Maisie who'd been listening quietly now turned to see what Tammy was going to say.

"She's qualified as a child carer and could easily assist?"

"But she wouldn't have a Disclosure certificate for the City of London?"

"Oh, damn. She's certified in Caithness, Dundee and Berwick."

"Okay, there may be something, but it still sounds like you want to place her with responsible adults whilst you're working?"

Tammy laughed. "Well, yes, but I'd like her to be useful? It's that or we physically put her on a Central Line train and hope she gets out at the end of the line."

"I hope you're overstating the issue?"

"Call Suzie, she'll verify."

"Hell, look, if she comes in here she'll have to sit out of the way and not take part. My guess is that she has been cleared, but only to a minimal level. I'll ask."

"Thanks."

Her fiancée was waving.

"Maisie?"

"Tammy, have you forgotten something?"

"Oh, sorry Emily. Sophie, we have a spare ticket for the Nutcracker on Saturday, would you like to join us?"

"I'm not sure, I'm expected back in Cornwall and was catching the Night Riviera tomorrow evening. I'm already booked and it won't run again until after Boxing day."

"Oh, the offer's there anyway."

Tammy and Maisie picked up their rifle bag and shopping then walked out of the office with the aim of finding the street. With Maisie as a guide they found the main entrance, although it didn't look like a Met Police building. Tammy set off an alarm however.

"Excuse me Miss, could you come here?"

Tammy did as requested. "Sorry, I guess my rifle and my Glock set it off?"

"ID?"

Tammy carefully opened her bag and pulled out the A5 document wallet. "Pass, new firearms certificate, Home Affairs Committee authorisation .... anything else?"

After a quick inspection she was okay'd to leave.

"Maisie, can I take one of those bags?"

"I can manage?"

"I want to lose the rifle, and a Next bag is ideal."

"Oh, okay. It won't crease my things, will it?"

They made it onto the street and turned towards Westminster Tube.

"No, Maisie, it won't. Anyway, what did you buy?"

"A jacket, skirt and trousers, all matching, and couple of blouses. Oh, a new nightie."

They were approaching one of the tube station entrances so Tammy carefully retrieved her Oyster card whilst there was plenty of space around them. By the time they hit the stairs into the station it was getting busy, with queues at the gates. There was queuing at the top of the stairs towards the Circle Line so Tammy grabbed Maisie. "Jubilee!"

That direction was quieter, just, and they found an Eastbound train in a couple of minutes.

"Where are we going?"

"Stratford, we'll get the Central line there."

"What about food, I don't suppose Angela's been shopping?"

"I doubt it. I wasn't too harsh about her, was I?"

"I don't really know her, but she couldn't handle what we do?"

"Nope."



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 4

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Wednesday 20th December 2017 (Cont)
 

Conversation on the Tube wasn't easy and Tammy hated having to talk in riddles so the pair just sat there, holding bags and trying not to look like a potential target. Their destination was the end of the Jubilee Line at one of London's busiest interchanges.

It was approaching eighteen hours when they made it onto platform six at Stratford for their Central Line eastbound train, Maisie acknowledged she'd been there before so stopped asking questions. They were in the open air and the temperature was dropping rapidly but, thankfully, an Epping train was first up. They boarded and, as usual for rush hour, they had to stand. Tammy didn't have a chance to warn Maisie that they were about to dive back underground and that she really would be shook, rattled and rolled by the time they got off at the end of the line.

A minute or two later they were back in the open air so Tammy pulled out her phone to confirm she had a signal. Next she found an appropriate app for home delivered food and located the Swan Chinese in the middle of Epping. It didn't take long for her to conclude the order, with an estimated delivery forty minutes hence. "That'll do." She showed the screen to Maisie.

By the time they pulled into Epping station the number of passengers had thinned down but Tammy still wasn't free to have a conversation so they silently walked off the train, amongst the hundred or so that had made the same journey. Tammy was very pleased to get back to the house so she could, finally, relax.

"Well, what's happening?"

"Good evening sis, it's nice to see you too."

"Look, I don't know what's going on, then a police car pulls up and I thought the worst. Suzie rushes in, throws clothes in a bag, complains about lunch then leaves with blue lights! Where has she gone?"

"Cornwall."

"What? Why?"

"Work."

"What about Christmas?"

"For us it's cancelled."

"Why?"

"Have you seen the news?"

"Yeah, students collapsing, someone suggested it's an attack but it could be fake news for all I know?"

"It's for real, we were needed."

"Oh, but what's your involvement, and Suzie?"

"It's best you don't know."

The doorbell sounded so Maisie opened it, half-expecting their Chinese meal, but finding Ocado, a home shopping service.

"Delivery for Miss Small?"

"Yes, but ...?" Angela responded.

"Okay, sorry I'm a bit late, you'll get a refund of the delivery fee."

He'd already unloaded crates from his van and started to hand bags to the girls. Tammy's phone pinged whilst this was going on.

Flight delayed. Forget to say there's an grocery delivery due.

Tammy acknowledged the message but was now needed to help moving the bags into the kitchen then find space in the fridge, freezer and cupboards. Suzie had clearly decided to do her Christmas food shop a few days earlier than most. Tammy wondered how much would get wasted, there wasn't a huge amount of space in the freezer.

The doorbell pinged again and Maisie now took delivery of their Chinese. Tammy hadn't known if Suzie had chopsticks so had included a few pairs in the order for the three of them.

"I didn't fancy a Chinese."

"Tough, Angela. You hadn't prepared anything, couldn't follow a simple request at lunchtime and the pair of us," she pointed at Maisie, "have been working our butts off trying to protect this country."

She fully expected a tantrum but didn't get one. "Did girls really die?"

"They did, and more will die before we get to the bottom of it."

"Oh. Thanks for the food."

Tammy was surprised and tried not to show it. Her diet was definitely suspended however, she'd have to pay penance in January but for now calories mattered.

Later that evening, once the kitchen was clear, Tammy did her best to explain what was happening.

"It's possible there will be further attacks and that's what Suzie, Maisie and I are looking at."

"But how can you predict that something might happen?"

"Experience, plus there's a lot of people working on this, and not just in this country."

"What about Christmas?"

"We don't know."

"I don't understand."

"Angela, right now we don't know for certain how this will pan out. If we find the criminals tomorrow then maybe we'll be here for Christmas."

"Oh, so what do I do?"

"Tomorrow we're going frock shopping."

"Why?"

"If you remember, we're going to the ballet and the three of us need to be dressed appropriately. You didn't pack a gown, did you?"

"I don't own anything like that."

"Just this once, will you play at being a young woman and not a spoiled brat?"

"That's easy for you to say."

"Look, we're leave here at half past eight in the morning. If you would like an evening out, be ready."

They washed and hit the bedrooms, Maisie decided to wear her new nightie but Tammy had no energy left for anything other than a cuddle.

 
Thursday 21st December 2017
 

Tammy, Maisie and Angela gathered in the kitchen for breakfast on Thursday morning, they didn't have to be out of the house until eight thirty, much later than the previous day, but one of the girls was complaining of lack of sleep.

"I'm not sure I want to do this, I mean it's a big event, and I'm frightened."

"What of, Angela?"

"I .... I don't know but I'm not sure I want to be there?"

Tammy guessed that the paparazzi would be out in force, aiming to capture the actresses and fashionistas for the following day's newspapers or glossies, but there was no need to alarm the girl further.

"Of course it's a big event, but it's not the first night and everyone will be relaxed. Look, Angela, I know you'll look stunning."

"Really, I'm not sure?"

"Okay, is it about wearing an expensive frock in public?"

"Yes."

Angela's self doubt was very apparent, but Tammy wasn't beat yet.

"Maisie, when was the last time you wore a ball gown?"

"Never."

"How often are you seen in public in a dress?"

"Err, not for a few years, I can't remember. It might have been mum's funeral?"

"And have you been to the ballet or a formal concert before?"

"Never, not even a pop concert."

"So it'll be the first time in a gown and your first time at a major public event?"

"Yes, the same as Angela."

"And are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes, I mean it might be the only time I ever get to do it."

"So, Angela, don't keep thinking 'woe is me' as you're not the only one."

"But ..."

"No, Angela. I tell you what, ring Mum and tell her your reasons?"

"I don't think so."

"Good, now go upstairs and get dressed, put a skirt and top on."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to be trying on clothes."

"I didn't pack any skirts."

"Try Suzie's wardrobe, you're about the same size."

"She'll moan?"

"No she won't. Go!"

Maisie had turned on the kitchen telly as the eight o'clock news headlines started.

Ten more dead in student poison attack, hundreds more sick. Police are urging everyone to check if they have a bottle of Teen Spirit Plus and to seal it in a clear plastic bag. Phone 111 and let the police know you have one. Parents are asked to check with their teenagers. Anyone with symptoms of drowsiness, light-headedness or dizziness should seek hospital treatment immediately.

By half eight they were all ready for the day, although Tammy noted that Angela's legs would need treatment and they didn't have time that morning, at least her barely black tights would hide the growth.

The tube ride to Victoria was largely incident free although one of the three kept tugging her skirt down.

"Here we are." Tammy said in front of the building, although there was no shop window or even a sign. She pressed the buzzer.

"Manga Vintage."

"Tammy Smart." The door release sounded and Tammy pushed the door, the three went inside.

"Miss Smart and party?" A woman greeted them.

Tammy nodded. "Good morning. Mrs Terring. Sorry to cause any problem."

"No, no. I'll get you sorted. Just call me Agatha. Let's crack on, ladies."

They gave their names and sizes, though Angela wasn't quite sure. A tape measure appeared in an instant and Angela kept her mouth shut as the measure reached areas that were otherwise untouched by any third party. The woman's eyes popped when Tammy mentioned they had box seats.

"You have box tickets? Oh dear. That changes things. Follow me."

In the back she began pulling from a rack.

"What do you recommend?" Tammy asked.

"Italian, British or American. French should be avoided. Unless you know for certain you won't encounter Royals. Let's try this Midnight Blue velvet by Giorgio Armani for Angela. Maisie should try this red sequin Mizrahi. Tammy, for you, a black satin by Valentino. Off you all go." Agatha ushered them to the changing booths.

Angela immediately ran into problems, the gown wouldn't zip. Agatha took the gown and returned with another, two sizes up. Angela was able to zip the new gown closed. "There's a little room up top, do you have any mother's little helpers?"

Angela nodded.

"We can't have you looking like a tomboy for this event, and I know we're not all blessed with the right size, but you'll need at least a C, preferably a D cup for this frock. That means a strapless bra but make sure it's filled."

Maisie was next out of the changing room.

"How am I Agatha?" Maisie asked.

Agatha nodded to her. "Good fit, but you need a different bra or go without."

"Agatha, I believe this is a win." Tammy stepped out.

The figure hugging satin flowed down her body while full sleeves of lace covered her arms. The neckline plunged deep in a Queen Ann style. Tammy had removed her bra before and was glad she did.

"Shame I left my Louboutain pumps at home. Those would solve any hemline problems." Tammy commented.

Agatha was looking Tammy over. "Fair guess. That does work for you, with the right heel of course. Let's see if we can find some shoes for you all."

Maisie found a pair of red Steve Madden pumps easily enough, but deemed too well-worn. Angela on the other hand had no actual experience with a heel over two inches. Agatha had only one pair of shoes that Angela could walk in, but were in white. Tammy's size turned out to be popular and therefore hard to keep in store. Their only option would be to obtain shoes elsewhere.

Tammy checked her phone using the style app. "Right. We're off to Kurt Geiger at Covent Garden for shoes then."

Tammy paid for their gowns and, because she had used the style group app, there was a discount. Agetha told them she would send the frocks by courier, Angela promised to be at home the following morning to receive them.

After paying, they rushed to the Tube, it was one stop on Victoria Line then three on the Picadilly, both deep level lines. After walking to Kurt Geiger, Angela looked at the 'shoe chandelier' and asked Tammy.

"Is that for real?"

Tammy ignored it. "It's a talking point to get attention. Let's find a clerk."

"Hello, may I help you?" A young woman walked up to them.

Tammy returned the greeting. "Good morning. Are you Clarissa? You were recommended by my App."

Tammy showed her phone's app.

"By chance, I am! How may I help?" Clarissa asked.

They gave their sizes, preferred colours and heel height, Tammy had taken photos of the three frocks to aid their decision making. Clarissa showed them to a bench then went to the back, returning a few minutes later with three boxes each.

Maisie settled on a pair of high red patent Dolce and Gabanna pumps. Angela grudgingly agreed to a pair of Carvela mid-heel pumps she was willing to risk. Tammy choose a pair of high Michael Korr D'orsay pumps. Clarissa also recommended coordinating handbags. Shoes and bags sorted, they made their way to the counter to check out.

At the register were two young women, speaking to each other in Russian. One was searching her bag and dropped something. A small round bottle rolled across the floor and Tammy caught it. She began to hand it back, then saw the label.

"Spasibo." The girl said then looked at Tammy. "Is something wrong?"

Tammy held up the perfume sample. "Where did you get this, please?"

"They give at bridge. Was free." She said in a heavy accent.

Tammy took out her phone and brought up the advisory. "There is an alert about it. They have been tampered with."

The two Russians began talking to each other then the first turned back. "Is true?"

Tammy showed them her phone. "Oh yes! Girls are going to hospital over it. You haven't used it, have you?"

"No. We do not use. We take home. Souveniers. Talia have too." She said of her companion. "We get rid of, da?"

Tammy dug out her Thames House pass. "Better I have them. I will get you a better souvenir in exchange? Clarissa?"

Clarissa went over to a rack and pulled two necklaces featuring a Union Jack. Tammy paid for the necklaces and handed them over with a smile.

"Remember your visit, to London, ladies." Tammy said.

The other girl, Talia, retrieved the bottle from her purse and gave it to Tammy. "Spasibo."

"Thank you. My name is Katerina. We come to dance." She said.

Tammy smiled. "For the ballet? We'll be watching. I'm Tammy, please don't worry about these bottles. I'll turn them in when we leave here but if anyone else has any, give them to the police. It will be okay."

The two dancers thanked them again and left, happier with the necklaces than the perfume samples. Tammy paid for their own purchases then led them out.

Out on the street, Maisie asked. "What are you going to do with those bottles?"

"Turn them in when we get to the office. Even if tests have been run, more might need to be." Tammy explained.

"Now, lingerie."

Honey Birdette Lingerie wasn't far away but Angela virtually had to be dragged through the door. This store wasn't in Tammy's app but her sister had to handled quickly and this lingerie store was conveniently very close by. She again showed the assistant pictures of the frocks, explaining that she herself didn't need a bra, but the other pair would .... plus Angela would need a little extra help, her enhancers were in Thurso.

When Maisie went to be measured she was happy to undress, and was back out just a minute or so later. Angela was next and that self doubt returned. Fortunately Veronika was calm and promised Angela that she would make the girl feel special.

It was then Tammy's turn.

"I don't need a bra for this frock."

"Perhaps not, but it would be a shame not to have a bra to match the panties for another time? And perhaps a belt for your stockings?"

Angela took delight at the exchange, now that her sister wasn't in command.

Tammy's black Amex again took the hit and the three left with bags proclaiming 'The Best Lingerie in the West End'.

"Shopping done, let's head to the office."

Against protests from one of the party Tammy took the three back down the Strand and onto Trafalgar Square, she stopped outside Next.

"I have a feeling we'll be invited to a party or two. Get in there and find a couple of party dresses."

Tammy had packed a few frocks in case of pub-hopping but the intention was that the sisters, plus Maisie, wouldn't be eating out often. Maisie was still rebuilding a social wardrobe having severely outgrown every frock she owned and Tammy suspected that Angela simply hadn't packed any.

Maisie had grabbed Angela's hand and they were already deep in the store when Tammy landed at a rack of LBDs. She could still get into a size fourteen but decided she should buy a size up, the simple frock would allow Maisie, or Angela, to shine whilst Tammy took a back seat.

She moved on and found the other pair in front of a rack of tartan frocks and guessed that a conspiracy was in hand. "Tammy ..... why don't we?"

"Are you a budding Elsie McPherson, Maisie?"

"Who, oh, I don't know what you mean?"

"Let's just say that the first few times I landed in a frock it was down to Elsie and I ended up wearing the same as Cathy, Alison and Andrea."

"I've not met them."

"Never mind, it's not a bad idea, where's Angela?"

"In the changing room trying one on, I'll go help her with the zip. I have yours here."

Maisie handed a dress to Tammy and continued into the changing room with Angela. Tammy waited for the scream or the complaint but there was nothing, and a few seconds later Angela appeared in the doorway.

"How do I look?"

The fit was good and suited Angela's smaller bust. Maisie was next out and it seemed that the material had a fair bit of flexibility as it coped with her C cup.

"Your turn."

Tammy took the next five minutes trying the tartan frock on, followed by the LBD. The other pair had walked past the rack of lightly embellished black frocks so now went to grab one for themselves, accompanied by giggling.

They had been out for nearly three hours when they finished their walk to the office, going through Parliament Square.

Tammy and Maisie signed in and then had to deal with Angela. The desk officer was patient.

"I already have clearance for a Miss Angela Smart but I must verify that you are Angela Smart. Driving licence?"

"No."

"Passport?"

"No."

"Any ID?"

"Err, my Caithness pass."

"Wherever that is, let me see it."

By this time the three definitely needed a wee, none more than Angela, who was starting to squirm. The officer made a further call, asking the callee if they could describe Angela? He laughed at the response and put the phone down.

He wrote a visitors pass for Angela and handed it over. "I want this back when you leave, okay?"

"Yes, thank you, where's the loo?"

"Up one floor or up three floors for the ladies."

Tammy suggested Maisie took Angela up to the closest loo and watched them go.

"I hope you don't mind, but was that DI Keane you called?"

"Yes, but Inspector Grieves took the call. I asked if she could describe Miss Smart, she was spot on."

"What did she say?"

"I'm sorry, but you're not cleared for that!"

Tammy also used the loo one floor up and then continued up to the office. Angela was sat in a corner drinking water and munching a sandwich.

Tammy grabbed the same but sat to login to HOLMES.

"Whoa."

The latest info was from Heather, she had a response from the BundesPolizie.

"Heather got a hit in Munich, a Fourani building. She's got Suzie working on it."

At she looked at the entry she could see tags being added, a comment by DI Edmunds said he was passing this back via Europol in case they could add more.

Within ten minutes Suzie was linking more names and addresses, not all of which, she noted, were relevant to the search for Lavoska or Gainsborough. Kevin again added a note that he's shared this.

Tammy's phone rang.

"It's Kevin, Heather tells me you asked for the search?"

"Yes, testing a theory or two, but I'm still waiting for some responses."

"Well, your name is going to be mud very shortly, Christianne Armaud is on her way here and she's spitting feathers. You went behind her back and not through channels."

"I had a good reason, Kevin, a very good reason."

"I hope so, as I don't want an inter-agency war right now."

Suzie meanwhile was adding an address in Strasbourg to the enquiry and found a flow of persons and money to a London address. Suzie called Tammy.

"Found her, I know what you wanted."

"Where?"

"Both locations, by Strasbourg University and by Elephant and Castle in London. At first there's payments by her to the accounts but in 2010 the flow was the other way."

"Bloody hell. Don't put that on the system yet, can you call Kevin?"

"Heather has his number."

"Good."

Tammy cut the call, every eye in the room was looking at her.

"Okay, Tammy, what do you have?"

"Ms Armaud was paid by Fourani, my bet is that she's now True Freedom."

"Evidence?"

"Being passed to Kevin, this isn't my gig now."

"Summarize for me."

"Okay Emily ..." Tammy laid out what she knew, but explained Suzie had all the connections in front of her.

"Shit. What nationality is Armaud?"

"French but I would bet there's some German in the family." That was Sophie who had clearly done some digging of her own.

"Okay, everyone, I need to go to the Assistant Commissioner with this. How certain are we?"

Everyone's HOLMES screens pinged with news of Ms Armaud's arrest by Kevin under Terrorism and Official Secrets legislation.

"Oh." She flew out of the door.

Angela put her head up. "Did I miss something?"

Suzie called around three. "How's it going?"

"Kevin's had to hand the woman over to another team for interview as he's too close and may be implicated himself. That was good work, Suzie."

"I nearly didn't follow that through, but your hunch was right."

"Yep. I think this is what Emily wanted us to do, find new avenues."

"Okay, how's my sister? I've had a few texts from her claiming you're a bully."

"She has a new frock, lingerie, shoes and a matching bag, then says she was bullied? She's ungrateful, I have half a mind to send her back to Thurso?"

"Find out what mum would say?"

"Yes, which is why she'll have to suffer the unfortunate chore of going to a first class ballet performance that's probably going to be screened worldwide."

"Good grief, don't tell her that!"

"It's also the final night."

"Which makes it even stranger how you got tickets?"

"Friends."

"Perhaps your friends can get something for me? Beyoncé and Jay-Z play Stratford next June."

"I'll see what I can do, sis."

Emily called for a meeting at five.

"Okay, Ms Armaud is at Paddington Green and that is now a separate investigation. We cannot deny her a solicitor so have to assume that her arrest is now known to others. Her addresses, however, will be secured. We have also asked Europol for access to her office, but that may take some time.

"Kevin is writing up his report so please don't call or message him, this problem has merde written all over it, it's a complication we didn't need."

She raised her hand to stop Tammy's objections.

"Yes, I'm aware she's broken the law and has probably leaked details of this investigation, but let's work out what the damage is. Meanwhile we still have a task to find Penny Lavoska and shouldn't go off on tangents just because you can smell something rotten. Do you understand, Tammy?"

"Yes, Emily."

"Good, please let me be the judge over whether you nose has picked something up and then I will allocate it to the most appropriate person or team, understood?"

"Yes, Emily."

"Now, regardless of that, good work, very well done. Why don't we see what we can achieve in the next hour then call it a day?"

"Bingo!"

It was Maisie who screamed, all heads turned.

"Oh, whoops, sorry."

"No, what do you have?"

"You told me yesterday to look at making links?"

"Yes, what did you get?"

"An address in Geneva."

"Whoa, who and how?"

"Paula Lavoska's office. Her first interview from her arrest in Scotland is on here, I cross-referenced it to the Penny Lavoska files."

"We need to check that, whether the office is still in use? Flag that for Heather to follow up."

"Okay."

Tammy went over to Maisie and gave her a kiss, followed by another one. "I knew you were good news."

"You said I was trouble!"

Emily shook her head and Sophie made a strategic withdrawal, almost bumping into Kevin as he arrived.

"Tammy, why don't you put her down and introduce me?"

"Oh, Kevin this is my fiancée Maisie Staines, Maisie this is Detective Inspector Kevin Edmunds."

He leant over and kissed her on the cheek. "If you ever get bored with Tammy ...."

Tammy dummied with her right hand and caught Kevin with her left. "Get your own, you oaf!"

"I'm offended! Why don't I buy you ladies dinner?"

"Does that include me?" asked a voice from the far corner.

"Angela? Please don't tell me that you've joined your sisters in their fight against the whole world?"

"No, wrong place, wrong time."

"Well, of course you're included. Sophie, will you join us?"

"No, I've just been asked to go to search Armaud's office. It seems that the Met made a request to the regional forces for assistance, on account that the Met may have passed info to True Freedom. Given I'm already here, I was asked to assist. Of course, the other teams don't need to know that, do they?"

"How long will you be?"

"No idea, but I'll keep Emily in the loop."

"Still free for Saturday night?"

"I'll let you know."

Kevin and the three girls headed out of the building, their new lingerie now transferred into the Next bags.

"What are we doing now?" Angela asked.

Tammy waved her to follow. "We're going to dinner."

"Where do you suggest, Kevin?"

"Remember where we went when you busted open the MI6 moles?"

"Oh, yes, shall I lead?"

"Can you take them, I need to go somewhere first."

They walked towards the West End, by now all the street lights were on and the temperature had dropped. Tammy had suggested, no insisted, that morning that they wore good coats, but all three girls were in skirts with thin tights.

"Can't we take the tube?"

"No Angela, it's just past six and everyone's playing sardines down there."

The girls followed their leader up to the street and down to an alley where Tammy stopped at a door that had oriental pictograms.

"Chinese again?" Maisie asked.

Tammy opened the door. "No. Vietnamese. These people are really nice and it's quiet here."

The hostess smiled at Tammy. "Xin Chào, Tammy."

"Xin Chào, Trihn." Tammy smiled back. "Four of us, please. Our friend Kevin will be along."

Trihn took two menus then led them to a back table and seated them, handing the menus to Angela and Maisie. "Soong will come take your order when you are ready."

"Cảm ơn bạn." Tammy said in Vietnamese, thanking her.

"Oh thank goodness. The menu is in English." Maisie sighed in relief.

A familiar young man stepped to their table. "Xin chao, Tammy."

Tammy smiled. "Xin chao, Soong. I would like my usual, extra peppers. For both of them, ask Grannie to go easy. This is their first time. Two beers and a tea please."

Soong had written down the order as Tammy was telling it. "I'll bring that out soon and be right back with your drinks."

"Who is Grannie?" Angela asked after the waiter left.

Tammy laughed. "The very nice woman who owns this place."

When they had been seated, Tammy took the chair with her back to the wall. Maisie sat to her left and Angela across from her. There were a few tables closer to the front that were occupied. A table closer to the back wall than theirs was occupied by a single blonde haired woman in a grey velvet dress. Tammy was surprised when Soong brought the woman a fresh beer and they spoke back and forth in Vietnamese. Her attention was snatched back when a bowl of soup and a small bowl of peppers were set in front of her.

"Xin chao, bà cụ!" Tammy greeted the old woman then pointed to each table-mate. "Maisie and Angela. Please go easy on them."

Grannie nodded back. "I easy them. You eat."

Tammy pointed to the soup bowls in front of Maisie and Angela. "Grannie said to eat, don't wait."

"So she is 'Grannie'?" Angela said then sipped the soup. "It's spicy."

Tammy was distracted again as Grannie went over to the other table and talked with the woman. The old woman seemed to fuss and chastise the younger, who laughed and teased back, earning a playful swat at her shoulder. Soong brought their drinks and set them down. Kevin was approaching the table.

"Sorry for taking so long." Kevin said as he sat down and took the menu handed to him, but looked at Tammy. "I think I'll have what she's having."

Soong concealed a smirk. "Yes sir. A beer as well?"

Kevin remembered the beer from the previous visit. "Ah. I think I'd prefer tea, instead."

"No spirit of adventure?" Tammy smiled.

Kevin shook his head. "I'll save that for the plate."

Tammy munched a pepper and did her best to keep her face bland. Though she had been adventurous in her visits, she still wasn't immune to the heat. Soon their plates were brought out and Tammy explained them to Maisie and Angela. Kevin finally caught the waiter's smirk as he was offered a small bowl of peppers.

"I think I'll refrain that risk this time."

Tammy giggled. "Maybe next time Soong."

Soong chuckled. "Maybe. Anything else Tammy?"

"Soong, who is she?" Tammy asked and nodded to the other table.

Soong shook his head. "She has come in at least two nights every week for a month. Charmed Grandmum the second she sat down. I know she speaks American English, Viet, Russian and French. She did mention a little sister that told her about us. Excuse me."



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 5

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Thursday 21st December 2017 (Cont)
 
Kevin waited until the waiter was sufficiently far from the table.

"I didn't suggest this place just to eat, Tammy."

Tammy sipped her beer. "True, Kevin, but it seems we have a problem."

"How did you find out?"

"When I submitted my inquiry about the Lavoska twins in Switzerland, she came up with nothing. I knew that was wrong. Those two had to have a footprint there; Swiss protocols require it." Tammy explained.

Kevin mulled that over. "So that clued you in that Armaud was working at cross-purposes?"

"Or her contact was. How to put it; more than one moving part?" Tammy threw in a disclaimer.

"That was always a possibility. How did you determine the 'fouled cog' in the machine?" Kevin asked.

Tammy went for another pepper after a shrimp. "Sent in the same request via different route. If the same result came back, I was wrong and we would move on. If a different result came back, we'd have verified a bad source."

"Why not play her?"

"Emily would have insisted I entered the new data and challenged her to explain the difference. She'd realise and bug out, this way we got her and isolated the problem. She is but one cog, now we need to bust the machine and smash it!"

Maisie's eyes went wide. "Just who do you work for?"

"Me." Tammy said then grabbed another pepper and munched it, looking Maisie in the eyes.

A firm swat to her shoulder made Tammy pay attention. The old woman glared at her.

"Nice!" The old woman scolded.

Tammy nodded to her. "Yes Ma'am. Sorry."

The old woman looked over to Angela and asked. "Too hot?"

"Yes Ma'am. I'm sorry." Angela apologized.

The old woman went around, patted Angela's head then took her plates away. "Stay."

Angela looked to Tammy. "Did I make her mad?"

"No. She will bring something not so spicy. You are okay."

The old woman came back with a small plate and set it in front of Angela. "You try. Okay?"

Angela used her fork to dig into the dish and tried it then nodded. "This is better. Thank you M'am."

"Good girl." The old woman patted Angela's cheek then went back to her kitchen.

Tammy reassured her younger sister. "It's fine, Angela. She understands some people are more sensitive to the spices. I've eaten here enough that they built me up to it. Grannie's very special."

Kevin sipped his tea. "I never caught how you started coming here."

"After work one night. I'd seen it before and it caught my nose as well. I just thought it was Pad Thai, but I came in and found out otherwise. Nice people here." Tammy half-answered.

The blonde woman from the other table began to leave, but stopped at the kitchen and called out in Vietnamese. She gave money to the old woman and kissed her cheek, receiving a swat to her behind in return making her laugh going to the door.

The old woman shook her head, turning back to her kitchen. "Mũ nồi xanh."

Tammy phased out for a moment. Even though the old woman had said it to herself, Tammy had heard it and lost hold of her chopsticks. It was a phrase she had learned early on and never forgot. Mũ nồi xanh; Green Berets. Words the old woman always said with obvious affection and exasperation. As rowdy and sometimes obnoxious as they had been, they had not forgotten her. She would never forget them.

Kevin began making small talk with Angela and commended her pursuit of child care.

"We had to go frock shopping this morning." Angela sighed.

Kevin chuckled. "That doesn't sound so bad."

Angela sighed. "I've never been to the ballet before. I haven't a clue what to do at one."

"Ballet?" Kevin asked then looked around at the three.

Tammy nodded. "The Nutcracker at Royal Albert."

"Tammy got box tickets!" Maisie said proudly.

Laughing behind them drew their attention. Soong pointed to the now vacated table.

"The star just left." He chuckled.

Kevin looked to the girls. "No chance for selfies or autographs."

They finished eating and made their way to the door as Tammy paid the bill, collecting a hug and swat on her behind from Grannie as well. The Tube was less crowded on the way home.

"Thank you Tammy. Thank you for everything."

"That's okay, Angela, I'm glad you enjoyed it."
 
 
Friday 22nd December 2017
 

Tammy and Maisie were back in the office by eight, deciding that an early start might be good for Operation Bangor, even if they hadn't got off to sleep early. Naturally Emily was already there, but so was Kevin. There was no sign of the fourth member of their usual cabal.

"Kevin, what about your team?"

"I've been replaced. Sophie takes over later today on temporary promotion."

"I thought she was directing the office search?"

"Just supervising, making sure no problems arose. From this morning she's in Thames House. To be honest I don't mind Sophie taking over, at least I know the job will get done."

Tammy nodded, "So what are you doing now?"

"I'll help you out but I'm waiting to be called for interview with the Assistant Chief Commissioner."

"Interview? Oh, it might have looked like you were passing intel to Armaud?"

"Yes."

"Bloody hell, Kevin, it's a mess."

"Maybe, but I'm clean. You have gotten out of much worse, there was almost a shoot to kill order on you."

"Yeah, that wasn't fun."

"Shoot to kill? Really?"

"Don't worry Maisie, I got involved in some really nasty stuff and they didn't like the fact that I was so close to blowing their operation. In the end everyone got what they deserved."

"How long have you been working for, err, yourself?"

"A couple of years. It seems I've upset a few people in that time."

"Me included, if you don't start work!" Offered Emily.

Tammy logged in to HOLMES and started to review yesterday's work and see what had happened overnight. Heather messaged her to say the Swiss had been asked to check the Geneva address but hadn't responded as yet.

"What's this?"

Maisie called Tammy over to her terminal.

"My work from yesterday has gone from my account, there's nothing about Fourani or Geneva now."

"Search for it."

DI Keane looked at a few screens and could only utter "Hmmmm." She headed back to her own terminal and called Tammy to follow.

"Right, let's go into the system audit screen, there, that's Maisie's entry when she created the link to Geneva, and at 8pm last night that's the deletion."

"Who authorised that?"

"It says Financial Investigations."

"That's Jenny's old unit but she's retired and the unit doesn't exist any more. So it must be an old login?"

"Yes, and I fear someone is having us chase our own tails."

"Emily, outside of Police buildings and other agencies, who else would have access to HOLMES?"

"The UK Liaison officer at Interpol would have access."

"What if that was compromised? Can you check the location?"

"Lyon in France."

Tammy tapped at her phone "Lyon is under an hour by road from Geneva and is on a direct rail link too. When we lost Gainsborough after she arrived in Lille, why did we assume she was going to Brussels?"

Kevin replied. "She got on a Thalys service to Brussels Midi."

"But never arrived. How about she doubled back to Lille? There's a direct TGV service between Lille and Lyon. She's playing us! Find out what's happening at Interpol!"

Kevin saluted Tammy. "Your wish is my command, Miss."

"Sorry Kevin, did I come over a bit strong? I mean something here smells bad, but I think I need to pass this on to someone else?"

"And if I wasn't due in front of the ACC, that could be me. Meanwhile I'm sure Emily can assist our Miss Sherlock?"

"Perhaps also, we can get some more CCTV from Lille Europe or from that TGV? Check with SNCF Lyon too?"

"Any more requests Miss Smart?"

"Not for the moment?"

"Okay, you might just have given us a lead, but it could be a wild one. Let us deal with it?"

"Fair enough. Don't forget to credit me with the idea?"

"Of course, but we work as a team not as individuals, right?"

"Except when there's a gong in it!"

"That's not the way it works, and right now you're interrupting me and not achieving any work of your own."

"Yes, Boss."

"Plus it's not our job to find Sharon Gainsborough."

Tammy only now noticed that Kevin had now gone and just the three ladies remained in the office, a very different scene to the previous evening.

Tammy sent a message to Suzie suggesting she looked for properties in Lyon in the Fourani data, but decided not to enter this on HOLMES.
 

"Warn Heather, Holmes possibly compromised."
 
Tammy was now very wary of entering new information onto the police system, she messaged Suzie again.
 
"Can you remember someone in Financial Unit being dismissed?"
 
"Two years ago I was in the office when Val was arrested, but I wasn't told why. I also heard Jenny tell someone about Jeremy who was dismissed a year ago."
 
"Surnames?"
 
"Val - not sure, Jeremy Davis"
 
"Thanks sis."

 
Tammy's phone pinged with a secure message.
 

Stop using HOLMES with immediate effect.

 
"Okay ladies, I suggest you take an early lunch break as it might be some time before we can continue with this."

Tammy didn't argue with Emily and logged off, making sure Maisie did the same. "Come on."

They stepped onto the street and Tammy pulled out her phone before selecting one of her contacts.

"Dad, where are you?"

"We're by the lake."

"Okay, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"If you see anyone in Lausanne who looks familiar but you can't place them, head in the opposite direction."

"Why?"

"Remember the woman who offered me a job in Geneva?"

"Yes, and the plane?"

"Correct."

"Understood. How are your sisters?"

"They're fine, Dad, I took Angela and Maisie shopping yesterday."

"I reckon that was more complicated that it sounded?"

"Indeed, but I was thanked for it in the end."

"Good, what about Suzie."

"She's helping someone out at the moment, friends."

"She wouldn't tell your mother where she was."

"That's probably for the best, but I promise you she's in good hands and is safe."

"Understood, take care."

"You as well, love you, Dad."

She made another call as they walked along the North bank of the Thames.

"Hello, this is Tamara Smart. Can I make an appointment for Saturday at six, a table for three, no four, of us?"

Tammy directed Maisie towards Tate Britain on Millbank, a couple of hundred metres past Thames House.

"An art gallery?"

"Yes, Maisie."

Entry was free and very quickly it was clear that Maisie had an interest in art, but probably hadn't ever been in such an establishment. Tammy moved behind a large sculpture and turned to look back towards the entrance.

"What's going on, Tammy?"

"I think we were followed."

"Oh."

"I could be wrong, let's keep going. Don't look back."

They made their way up to the café, which had been Tammy's original intention. She hadn't seen anyone familiar, or anyone who was taking an undue interest in the pair. Both were dressed for the weather in nondescript outerwear, but this allowed the pair to carry their firearms and purses inside their jackets as bag snatching was an ongoing problem.

Tammy organised a drink and pasties for them, just something to tide them over as there was a promise of a decent dinner from Angela.

They took a long stroll through the gallery's many rooms but avoided the exhibitions. This enabled Tammy to keep moving whilst turning frequently as they negotiated their route. One problem was that there was only one public way in or out of the building, and anyone following them would already know that.

Maisie was clearly thinking the same but spotted a school group and tugged at Tammy. The pair hitched onto the rear of the group and followed them as they turned right out of the gallery then right again away from the river. Tammy and Maisie broke from them when the students turned towards a parked bus.

"What now?"

"Back to the office, with eyes wide open."

Tammy used every trick she had learned to flush out any tails as they made their way back to the office. Unfortunately she came up with nothing.

After passing through the check-in Tammy sighed. "If somebody was tailing us, they are better than I am or knew I was onto them and backed off."

"How?" Maisie asked tapping the call button for the lift.

The doors opened and Tammy stepped inside. "Tradecraft. We have ours, they have theirs. Let's just hope ours is better."

"You mean yours, I haven't a clue." Maisie said as the lift let them out.

Inside the office, they met with a surprise.

"Ah. There you are Miss Smart, Sergeant Staines."

Tammy nodded back and shook hands. "Sir Thomas. Please, just Tammy."

A glance to Emily revealed she was very uncomfortable with the high-ranking man in her office.

"I'm visiting all the teams but I understand it was your hand that caught us the mole in EuroPol?" Sir Thomas said.

Tammy downplayed it. "I caught a sniff of something foul, but we now have other problems."

Sir Thomas pulled over a chair and sat, gesturing her to do the same. "You have my attention."

"Bluntly, Sir, we lost an opportunity because I jumped in feet first. The mole is now in custody and no longer able to pass any information but we lost the chance to play her. She cannot be exploited to gain intel and distribute misinformation to our benefit." Tammy summarized.

"Indeed. That is blunt, but also correct. Continue." Sir Thomas remarked, scratching his chin.

Tammy chose her words more carefully. "We now have every reason to suspect a high percentage of our security is blown. Anyone who is of significance on this operation are likely known to the opposition. Including yourself, Sir. Her communications should be looked into. All of her locations should be checked for alternate communications methods."

Sir Thomas actually looked pleased. "Very astute, Tammy, I am impressed. I can assure you those suggestions are already underway."

"Additionally, Sir Thomas, whilst I have no proof, I believe I may be under some type of surveillance." Tammy stated and at his nod, continued. "The Lavoskas targeted me before but I refused to play their game, resulting in Polina's capture."

"Polina?" Emily interrupted.

Tammy glanced over. "Paula's real name. Oh, she is the older twin by three minutes and that may affect the way the pair interact. I've done some analysis and some of their tradecraft is likely based on Russian GRU training, as their father was an officer stationed in Estonia before the fall of the Union. There will be antiphathy towards Russia as he was discarded instead of recalled. That's when the Lavoska world went to the loo and created a pair of very angry girls that would love to see the world burn."

Sir Thomas nodded. "I see. And how do you fit in?"

"They couldn't exploit me, plans failed and Polina got nicked. It seems Penelope wants me personally but causing problems for governments is her main occupation and I'm her hobby." Tammy explained.

"Reading between the lines, I would agree and that fits. Let's see if I remember correctly: Your family came to their attention in Geneva, particularly, your mother. Through her, they discovered your father's works and the strong implication you were to follow that as well. Is that the general course?" Sir Thomas proposed.

Tammy nodded. "Yes sir. Also that my mother was having an affair with a minor member of the Fourani group. That may be how they were able to make use of their assets after it went down. They stepped in and took it over."

"That is a supposition?" Sir Thomas asked.

Tammy kept a poker-face. "Yes, it's only an idea but it's mine and it makes sense."

"Let's say you are correct in that. What else do you know?" Sir Thomas went along.

"The Lavoska twins are a high-value commodity, but they come as a set and I suspect we'll end up sending Paula to join her sister somewhere else in Europe, as a compromise. Gainsborough is an add-on, an opportunist who gets to play in the big league. We need to keep her for ourselves, there will be plenty she can tell us, but it's preferable that we get her intact." Tammy answered.

"Of course. Miss Gainsborough is quite the nuisance." Sir Thomas remarked.

Tammy added. "More than that. This was not recorded on the system but I believe Miss Gainsborough was actively targeting Interpol and that's where she's been for the past few days. It's another source of irritation and potentially was an intel goldmine for them, our operation laid bare."

Sir Thomas stood up and made for the door. "Continue to work with Emily and her group, progress is being made here. I'll see about a shadow for you, but continue to flush them out on your own."

"Will I be going after them, Sir?" Tammy asked without turning around.

Sir Thomas had opened the door and looked back. "Would 'they' approve?"

"I'm on 'Domestic Tasking', Sir. This is MY garden, after all." Tammy answered.

"Happy hunting, Miss Smart, bag a pair of trophies. Intact." Sir Thomas replied then walked out. "Ladies."

Emily looked over at Tammy. "Just exactly who do you work for?"

Tammy walked over to the urn and smiled as she poured a cup of coffee. "Me."

A supply of cakes had been delivered so Tammy ignored her diet sheet and picked up a cream bun, she was wiping the crumbs off her lips when the door opened and a familiar face returned.

"Kevin? You survived your interview?"

"Yes, but I'm not allowed to actively investigate for the time being, officially I'm off active duty."

"Is that the official line?"

"Definitely. Now, is that ticket to the ballet still spare?"

"Yes."

"It seems I need to find something to wear."

"You're cutting it fine to find a gown, Kevin, especially if you're wanting to co-ordinate with us?"

"Fortunately I have a suit that will suffice, it was dry cleaned a week ago in case I needed it over Christmas."

"Okay, okay. So what are you really doing?"

"I've just been re-assigned. As your shadow."

"That was FAST!" Emily and Maisie both remarked.

Emily put the phone down. "Can I have your attention please?"

Everyone turned.

"The Interpol liaison officer has been found dead and appears to have been deceased for several days. Someone else used their ID yesterday to access the building and then used a compromised login for HOLMES to read the data and, in some cases, delete it. Clearly Interpol are embarrassed but they are claiming it's our problem."

"That sounds like a problem with their management?"

"Unfortunately, Tammy, it's entirely possible that we have even more moles or compromised staff, so we have a huge issue with other countries' agencies."

"So the Lavoskas have successfully isolated the UK?"

"In terms of this investigation, yes."

"So what do we do next?"

"All HOLMES logins have been reset and will be re-issued. That will take some time, meanwhile we continue as best we can."

"Whilst we wait to see what they do next."

"Indeed, Tammy."

"I suggest we can't achieve anything here, Emily."

"What's your plan?"

"To go home, surprise my sister, and have a quiet evening."

"There's probably something you could do here, or in Thames House?"

"No, I think my plan works best, this way you'll get a fully rested operative."

"Here tomorrow?"

"Err, no."

"Where?"

"Ballet."

"That's not until the evening?"

"So there's just enough time to get ready."

"I suppose you also get reservations at the Ivy when you want them?"

"It's better when a sugar daddy arranges the table then I can pretend I'm an innocent."

 
Saturday 23rd December 2017
 

It had been a squeeze getting the three girls hair appointments for the Saturday morning, only a day before Christmas Eve, but money talks and Tammy had bought them a private session with a stylist who hadn't planned to work that day.

"I'm Lisa and you're very lucky."

"I'm grateful, Lisa, what were you planning to do before I called?"

"I was going to go shopping with the children in tow, instead my hubbie gets that job." She laughed. "And you're paying me enough to book a table for Christmas Day so I don't even need to cook!"

"I'm glad we both benefit."

"Okay, now what do you need done?"

"We have tickets to the Nutcracker tonight."

"Wow! The principal is something else."

"We met her a couple of days ago, but I didn't realise who she was."

"Oh no! Where?"

"We used the same restaurant, the owner told me after she'd left."

"Damn. What a wasted opportunity."

"I hope our paths will cross again, anyway, how are going to do this?"

"Do you have photos of your dresses?"

Tammy pulled out her phone and showed Lisa. "Ah, I suggest you all wear your hair down, maybe with ringlets and highlights?"

Tammy laughed, "how about we all have ginger highlights?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure about orange, but I'll go with red?"

"Sure. Just do it, and don't let my little sister know!"

"That goes against my code of practice?"

"I'm paying and there a bonus to keep her sweet."

"Done. What about your fiancée?"

Neither was wearing a ring that morning. "How did you know?"

"I was in the wine bar on Wednesday night when you came in, but with another girl?"

"My older sister, step sister."

"Oh, big family?"

"It feels like it at times! Can you get Angela in the chair first? She can then go home and make lunch for us."

"Will do."

All three were back by midday and Angela had indeed prepared lunch, a simple salad, but it was enough for them at that time. Once everything was cleared away they headed upstairs to get changed. Tammy had just put on her new, bra-less, lingerie when the doorbell sounded. She quickly grabbed a wrap and ensured she was decent before reaching the door.

"Kevin, you're early!"

"Better that than late."

"Indeed, sorry but we're getting ready ..." "...and you may be some time. I know, Tammy, I know."

She looked at his tux, then looked carefully before tapping a patch under his left shoulder. "There."

"Yes, a P22."

"Okay."

"I guessed you might not be carrying tonight."

"You guess wrong, Kevin. Help yourself to tea, coffee, oh, I haven't organised a cab."

"Leave that with me."

Tammy went back upstairs and was treated to a kiss. "We don't have time!"

It wasn't long before Angela was asking for help, Maisie responded to the request for zipping up as Tammy was still getting into her own frock, having spent a few minutes pulling up her stockings and attaching them to the belt. One more, optional, item was strapped on before she dropped the dress over her head.

"Maisie?"

"Coming, my love."

Tammy was tugged and then zipped into place, a throw finished the look. "There!"

Somehow, by four, they were almost done. There was a small matter of loading handbags with the necessaries, but first Tammy attended to their guest.

"You look lovely, Tammy."

"Thank you Kevin."

He looked her over and went to pat her shoulder but it was bare.

"Okay, I give in, where did you hide it?"

Tammy raised her hem to her stocking tops, revealing the Glock 26.

"Nicely done, but try not to show that to anyone!"

"As for you, is that pure wool?"

Kevin opened his coat so Tammy could see the label. "Shetland. A present for myself the last time I was in Wick."

"Excellent, deep pockets?"

"Of course, and I managed to claim enough expenses to cover it."

Angela, at one point, was rushing up and down the stairs creating a furrow. Tammy shrugged and gave up asking her sister what she had forgotten that time, choosing instead to go to the fridge. Suzie had, thankfully, put a few bottles of Prosecco on the grocery order and Tammy handed a bottle to Kevin as she retrieved four glasses from the cabinet.

"Would you mind?" Kevin had clearly opened fizzy wine before and not a drop was spilt.

A toast was made to friends, especially absent ones.

Their transport arrived at five, it was a classic London Taxi although something didn't sound right.

"It's all electric. Get in!"

Tammy had ridden in many cabs and Angela had a little experience but for Maisie this was new.

"Okay, Tammy, where to?"

"The Ivy, of course."

It might have been a Saturday late afternoon but the traffic wasn't giving in, it took almost exactly an hour to travel the twenty or so miles. They were dropped directly outside the restaurant.

"Kevin, who is the driver?"

"One of the Met's drivers. Provides discrete transport when needed. He'll be back for us when needed."

They were met at the door by the Maitre'D.

"Miss Smart, so nice to see you again?"

"Good evening Françoise, I rang yesterday?"

"Indeed Miss Smart, let me show you to your table."

Kevin leant over. "How did you get a table at one day's notice?"

"Connections."

As they were seated, Tammy waved away the wine menu. "Languedoc Blanc St Chinian Estate 2001 and a half carafe of Nuits St George 2011."

"Good choice, Mademoiselle."

The Maitre'd distributed the main menus.

"Tammy, there's no prices?"

"Quite, now just get on with ordering a starter and a main without worrying about the price."



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 6

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
 
Saturday 23rd December 2017 (Cont)
 

At Tammy's suggestion they had stuck to a main course and a dessert, given time was potentially an enemy that night. Kevin had arranged for their driver to return in order to take them the short distance across South Kensington. Tammy was grateful when she climbed into the cab, she was still getting used to her latest heels.

Kevin exited the cab first, offering a hand to Tammy then Maisie and finally Angela. Whilst the other girls awed at the Royal Albert Hall, Tammy pulled the tickets from her purse and led the party to the doors. Inside they removed and checked their coats. A female usher offered programs which they took while another usher tore their tickets and returned the stubs.

"Please take the stairs right over there ladies and sir." The usher directed them.

Tammy again led the way toward the stairs and followed a sign to the boxes. At the top an usher showed them to their reserved box. Since neither Angela nor Maisie had been to a professional ballet before, they were offered the front seats with Tammy. Kevin sat behind them. The rest of the seats in their box were empty but Tammy suspected they wouldn't stay that way for long.

"I understand it is about Christmas, but why is it called The Nutcracker?" Angela asked.

Tammy explained. "Back when the story is set, candy and chocolate wasn't widely available. Nuts were, those were the 'treats' children enjoyed most of the time. Nutcrackers became a popular gift to children. They started making them very fancy to appeal to people, like toys. The most popular for boys was a soldier, for girls it was a prince. The children in the story are given a nutcracker. The rest of the story, you'll see."

Maisie giggled. "I always wondered why it was called that too."

"Count me as well. I understood it was a main character. I just never understood the real significance." Kevin admitted.

Angela looked around. "How does it go on? Like a movie or a play?"

"Like a play. There will be an intermission between the first and second acts. You'll be able to go to the loo or get a drink. It's when most people return calls. Oh bloody hell. Mute your cellphones now." Tammy said then reached for her purse and set her phone to vibrate.

Maisie and Angela did as well. Kevin had two and silenced both.

Kevin then asked. "Since you are more in the know; Tammy, when is the most appropriate time to applaud?"

"Beginning and end of scenes and acts are best. We can also applaud at the end of a particular dance. If they stop moving for more than four seconds, we can clap if we like. That works best for the Principal Dancers; the Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy." Tammy smiled.

"The Moscow State Academy of Choreography. Is that important?" Angela asked, pointing in her program.

Tammy nodded. "Better known as the Bolshoi academy. It is a ballet academy in Moscow, more precisely the oldest in the world. More top dancers come from there than anywhere else in the world and many become Primas."

"So it's the Oxford of dance schools?" Maisie asked.

"Yes." Tammy replied then looked in her program. "The Sugar Plum Fairy, Candy Canes and some of the Flowers went to Bolshoi. The rest of the cast studied here or places I don't know. This should be excellent. Maybe once in a life. I hope you all enjoy it, I certainly intend to."

The House lights dimmed some and a spotlight illuminated a box in the off-centre. Tammy immediately stood up as did the rest of the attendees and turned.

"Up! Stand up!" Tammy said quietly.

Before anyone could ask her why, the reason was revealed. The Royal Box was being occupied. They waved to the crowd then took their seats. Everyone returned to their seats as the spotlight dimmed then went out. A spotlight then came on for Centre Stage as a man walked out. He announced himself as Kevin O'Hare, the Director of the Royal Ballet, and welcomed everyone, with a quick bow to the Royal Box. A quick explanation of the Nutcracker and its history was given then notable dancers of the production.

"Lastly; dancing as the Sugar Plum Fairy; Miss Tiffany Davareaux. Please do enjoy." Kevin O'Hare announced then exited Stage-Left and the spotlight went out.

They heard two women chuckle behind them and turned to see an older woman beside a younger one, sat next to Kevin.

"No, no, please do watch. This you must see. Cold-Shadow Tiffany is a beautiful dancer." The younger woman said in a heavy Spanish accent then turned to the elder. "Da, Madam Olga?"

"She has proven worthy." The elder woman looked as if she had never smiled in her life and spoke with a Russian accent. "I am satisfied with her training. Watch her close."

They all turned back to the stage as the curtains parted and the lights came up. A house party was taking place. Children ran and danced around as adults greeted each other. A Tree came forward and everyone hung some type of decoration on it of an ornament or candle. After a few moments the actual party began. Everyone danced as grand music played then gifts from under the tree were handed out to the children.

Suddenly the hall was filled with eight loud chimes, a cloaked figure came onto the stage followed by three large boxes and a something like a large covered bird-cage. The figure threw open his cloak to reveal himself as kindly man and the children swarmed him. He patted each boy on the head and cupped each girl's cheek, finally grandly bowing to the Host and Hostess of the party. A boy and girl were waved forward to stand with him then he opened the three boxes. Inside each was a dancer dressed like a doll. He lifted them out to stand in the middle then took a large ornate key to wind them up. The dolls danced around stiffly until they wound down.

The cage was uncovered and opened to reveal the most beautiful clockwork doll of the four. She was set on the stage and wound with the key. Her movements were perfectly stiff and mechanical though more complicated than the other three until she wound down to droop foward and stop. The two children seemed to beg the man to make them dance again, but he denied them and put the dolls away. At their dejected looks he shook his finger then reached under his cloak, pulled out something and showed it off, revealing it to be a Nutcracker made to look like a prince. The girl received it and hugged it tightly. She danced around with the other girls as if the Nutcracker were real and dancing with her.

The boy came up and snatched it away, holding it up high then danced away as the other boys followed him around. For a few moments the two children matched each other in claiming the toy until they both held it. The boy gave a firm pull and the arm came off. The boy dropped the arm and danced away with other boys seeming to believe him victorious. The girl though acted heartbroken, picking up the arm. Carefully she tried to put the arm back on but finally had to use her handkerchief to make a sling. The cloaked man took the broken Nutcracker and stood it on the fireplace mantle.

"Dirty little git." Angela hissed, clearly getting into the performance. Tammy shushed her, but smiled. Angela looked back to the two women, intending to apologize, but the younger woman winked at her with a smile and the elder simply nodded.

On stage, ten loud chimes were heard as people were leaving. The Host, Hostess and boy began to leave, the lights started to dim and only the girl remained. She looked up at the broken Nutcracker on the mantle, wiped her tears and walked away sadly. Almost all lights were out now, save for the fireplace and dim light on the nutcracker.

A few moments later, eleven chimes were heard and the girl peered around then came out. She looked dressed for bed and sat upon a sofa, looking up at the Nutcracker; slowly she began to droop then slumped over to lay down sleeping. Twelve chimes are heard and a small figure scurried across followed by another then more and finally a larger one. Several other figures began to come out and looked like gingerbread men, the dark figures turned out to be mice and the larger had a crown on his head. The rodents and gingerbread men danced around, as if fighting, and soon the mice began to take parts away. The mice seemed to be eating the gingerbread men and making an offering to their king.

The girl awoke and began to dash around in a panic then chased by the mice. Suddenly the fireplace mantle brightened to reveal a tall Prince standing where the broken toy had been, he drew his sabre, leaped to the stage and held out his sword. Tin soldiers began to march out to his command and a battle ensued. Finally the Nutcracker Prince duelled the Mouse King ending it with a thrust, killing him. The tin soldiers cleared the floor of the mice and fallen gingerbread men as the girl rushed over and hugged the Nutcracker Prince. The lights dimmed until only the two of them are seen. The lights come back up and they were now in a forest. Together they walk deeper into the forest as dancers dressed as snowflakes danced around them slowly then quickly as the lights dimmed again then went out and the curtains closed.

Tammy began to clap as did the rest of the audience, even the two women behind them clapped. The house lights came up, signalling the end of the act and beginning the intermission. Naturally ladies made their way to the restroom quickly. Kevin, on the other hand, sought the bar. Tammy and the others had the advantage of being close to the Ladies' loo and were done quickly. They found Kevin at the bar talking to three other men. Tammy was able to stop a tray-bearer and procure glasses of wine for herself, Maisie and Angela.

"Miss Smart, I'm surprised to see you here." A voice stated behind Tammy.

The group turned and faced the speaker.

"Good evening, Sir Thomas." Tammy greeted then glanced over to see Kevin discard his conversation and make his way back to them.

Sir Thomas looked at Angela. "If my memory serves, you would be Angela; correct?"

Angela nodded slightly. "Yes, Sir."

"Sir Thomas Addington. A pleasure." Sir Thomas greeted then looked to Kevin. "Ah, there you are. All quiet this evening?"

"So far, Sir. I do have a question though, if I could have a moment?" Kevin asked then directed them both to the side.

Taking the opportunity to glance around more; Tammy saw several faces she recognized from the news, but didn't know personally. It seemed every first world Ambassador was in attendance. Many celebrities were also there, mostly the older, senior, ones. The girls took their time with their drinks and Tammy discouraged a refill. Kevin rejoined them as the ushers announced the Intermission was ending.

Kevin leaned close to Tammy. "I asked Sir Thomas about the two women in the box with us. The older is Olga Perokova, The Iron Doll. She's the Dance Mistress for the Elite Corps, A Prima Assoluta. She also trained the woman dancing the Sugar Plum Fairy and the woman with her, a Spanish Prima named Esmeralda Fuente. Word is; Fuente is pregnant and stepping down, so this Tiffany woman is going to be named Prima in her place. That's why they are here, for Fuente and Perokova's determination and, if they approve, she'll get the title shortly after New Year's Eve."

"Impressive." Tammy remarked as they walked in to take their seats.

Kevin nodded. "I'm told Perokova is known to all intelligence agencies. Everybody believed she was a spy, back in the day."

"Between KGB making sure I never defect and trying to bed me, CIA trying to convince me to do both and your MI6 doing same; no small wonder why I never marry." A firm voice said behind them.

Kevin had the good grace to look sheepish. "My apologies for gossiping, Madam Perokova."

The old Russian waved him off. "You are not first and certain not last. At least you pronounce name right."

"If it buys forgiveness, I did hear you are the greatest Dance Mistress of the Academy and respected world-over." Kevin offered.

"Spasibo." Olga said then looked to Tammy. "You wish to know about name. Why I am Iron-Doll?"

Tammy nodded, seeing Olga smirk. "Please?"

Olga waved her to come close then whispered in her ear. "Because in all years, no man ever have me. Even now, I am still virgin."

Tammy then saw her smile and knew instantly the old woman had told her the truth. She had to shake her head and hold back the laughter.

"To your spiteful victory, Madam." Tammy smiled and received a wink back.

Madam Olga nodded to the stage. "If you believe before was good; do not look away. You will see Cold-Shadow at her best."

Angela looked confused. "Cold-Shadow?"

"Si." The younger woman nodded. "Cold-Shadow Tiffany. You will love her."

The House-lights had dimmed and the curtain was opening, all eyes now fixed forward to watch as the Stage-lights came up. The young girl, Clara, and the Prince emerged from the Forest in a place decorated with what looked like enormous candies. It seemed the trees and candies were all on wheels as thyey were pulled across from one side of the stage to the other, as well as an ornate gate that swung open for the couple to pass through, bfore sitting and waiting. Finally a fancy high throne came onto the stage, on the throne was the fourth clockwork doll, but now looked definitely less doll and more woman.

"Soon, Cold-Shadow. Very soon. Everyone is waiting for you." The old woman said quietly.

They had all heard the old woman and focused to watch. The Sugar Plum Fairy rose from the throne and gave a deep curtsy to Clara and the Prince. The Sugar Plum Fairy curtsied to them again then danced, joyously celebrating the throne being reclaimed. She stopped, posed high on her toes, slowly lowered into a curtsy then stood, clapped her hands twice and quickly twirled away off-stage.

Tammy glanced to her box-mates and saw a mixture of delight, awe and envy. Of the two beside Kevin, Tammy saw joy from the younger and pride from the elder. She looked back in time to see the background changing to a scene of a castle and flamboyantly dressed dancers come out in rich brown costumes.

"Spanish Chocolates?" Maisie mused glancing at her program.

Fuentes affirmed. "Si. Are we not sweet?"

"Shh." Olga shushed them.

The Spaniards were very dramatic in their dance then ended with deep bows from the men and a curtsy from the woman. The audience erupted with applause and quieted as the group danced off-stage. The background blurred again then focused to a mountainside. A group of women came out and began to 'play flutes' and dance while a group of 'sheep', obviously children, scurried around to frolic in the field.

A glance over revealed to Tammy that Angela consulted her own program to learn this group were the Danish shepherdesses. Smiles were on every face that could be seen for the adorable scene. All too soon it ended and the audience expressed their approval with applause. The background blurred again as the group danced off-stage, the flock herded by the shepherdesses behind them. The background came back into focus to show the domes and minarets of Arab palaces and Mosques.

"Arabian Coffee." Kevin commented quietly.

A group of musicians took their places and began to 'play' as a pair of Saracens came out bearing a sedan-chair, perhaps more like a fainting couch inside a canopy. Inside, a woman in harem costume with veil lazed seductively until the Saracens set it down. Slowly she came out, languidly moving as the music picked up. The woman danced a mixture of ballet and belly-dancing as her guards danced around her with their swords flashing. The trio finished with the Saracens leaping high into the air to land, kneeling to their Lady, while she smoothly dipped to the floor. Left leg forward and resting on her right knee behind her, she bowed forward holding her arms out gracefully. Again the crowd erupted at the fantastic display and slowly quieted as the Lady returned to her transport. The two Saracens carried her off-stage while the musicians followed behind as the background blurred again.

Angela was smiling as she looked to Tammy and whispered. "WOW!"

"The best is yet to come." Tammy smiled and whispered back.

A gong sounded as the background focused to an Asian looking castle with a giant Buddha. Musicians came out with strange instruments and took their place as two men in the stereotypical Kung-Fu clothing came out with spectacular acrobatics. After landing, with a backflip ending the tumbling routines, they looked up as a woman came swooping in on a pair of Ariel Silks. She flew about and performed several moves then landed by dropping to the ends and let go to slide across the stage, stopping almost dead-centre. Her Guards lifted her up and literally threw her high into the air to perform a complete twist, catch her and propel her forward to twirl almost off-stage. She stopped short to throw herself over into a back-handspring, the very edge of the stage under her toes.

The music had paused and now resumed as she returned to dance with her warriors in a mixture of ballet, acrobatics and martial arts. After their heart-stopping finish, the warriors picked up their Lady and once again threw her into the air. She caught her silks as they swept across the stage and literally flew away. The background blurred again as the musicians followed the warriors off-stage performing animal inspired fighting moves. This time the crowd were on their feet as they clapped.

Tammy looked to Maisie and Angela. "Chinese Tea. I've never seen it like that before!"

The changing of the scene had to wait longer as the ovation was held. Finally the background came into focus, the Romanov Palace. Musicians came out to take their place and a pair of Cossacks leaped and twirled out to the stage. A beautiful girl, resembling a princess danced out to join them. Instead of sabres, the Cossacks duelled and flourished a pair of candy canes, narrowing missing their princess as she danced without fear.

"Katerina has grown so much, look at her now." Fuente commented.

Olga chuckled. "She will never fail, her Prima will not allow it."

"You mean she will not dare Lyssa's wrath again." Fuente giggled.

Tammy looked back. "THE Lyssa?"

Olga nodded with a vicious smile. "Da. Ekaterina was taken to task by the Ghost-Legend. She will not disappoint her again. Watch her now."

Tammy remembered her own time with Lyssa and had to suppress a shiver as she looked back to the stage. To say this production was like none she had ever heard of was an understatement. The previous times she had seen the ballet with her father and biological mother were boring compared to this. The Russian Candy Canes were an exhibition of precision and flawless grace. The Cossacks duelled and struck at the floor with their canes, barely missing the Princess' feet and legs, thrusting forward almost skimming along her hands and arms. Finally the candy cane swords struck together and held as she dropped into a curtsy. The crowd roared and were on their feet again.

Tammy glanced back and saw the elderly Russian sitting with look of absolute, smug, satisfaction.

Olga noticed and confirmed Tammy's suspicion. "Da, she is one of mine."

"She's incredible!" Tammy complimented.

"Just wait, Devushka. You will see." Olga smiled.

The background blurred again as the Cossacks escorted their Princess off, followed by the musicians. Applause filled the Hall again then quieted as the background focused again to gingerbread house. A woman wearing a very large skirted dress came out and began to move about as music played. Suddenly children began to come out from beneath the huge skirt. They danced, chased each other and played at her direction. The segment was very cute to the audience and over before they wanted as the children returned to Mother Ginger's skirt. She made her exit as the background blurred again to the audience's applause.

The background focused again to a field of colourful flowers and the music became lively as three lines of dancers came out for the Waltz of the Flowers. The large group were in perfect sync and it was hard to pick just one to watch. And then, it was done. The flowers were all down in a deep curtsy. Tammy wanted to laugh at herself. She had been so busy trying to watch the dancers, she had missed the dance. Applause filled the Hall again as the background blurred and the dancers left the stage.

Tammy whispered to Maisie and Angela. "The Grand Pas de Deaux is now."

The background focused and it had returned to the Land of Sweets. A handsome man came out wearing an elaborate uniform. He danced, displaying his strength, yet gracefully. To Tammy, he was quite the masculine specimen. She glanced in her program and read quickly. His name was Enrico Maretti, La Scala Theatre Ballet School in Milan Italy. Suddenly, the Sugar Plum Fairy danced from the wings, like a bird drifting through the sky. A quick leap and the Cavalier caught her as if weightless. The well-built man was obviously a powerhouse to hold her firmly, without looking efforted.

Together they danced as if she were light as a feather and delicate as smoke in a glass. The music was slow and the duo were almost sensual together. He cradled her easily when she fell back to what seemed like impossible angles on her toes yet remain rigid in her pose. The lifts were breath-taking and when set back to the floor she spun between his hands like a cyclone then go into a painstakingly slow pose on one toe while dipping forward to almost touch the floor with her tiara. Finally they stopped dead-center holding hands as he bowed and she curtsied.

The audience applauded as the Sugar Plum fairy Danced away and the Cavalier had the stage to himself. The music became light and quick as he claimed the whole of the stage for his own. Great leaps crossed distance then took him to heights above the floor Tammy couldn't believe. He was quite the dervish with the way he spun, even jumping for turns like an ice skater. When he stopped Centre-Stage and held his right arm up, the audience were quick to applaud. The Cavalier danced away and all eyes went to the wings as the Sugar Plum Fairy stepped out and posed.

"Now. This is your time, Cold-Shadow. The world has waited long enough. Show what you do." The old woman said quietly.

Tammy watched, as did the everyone else, in amazement. The Sugar Plum Fairy danced like they'd never seen. At some points her movements were so slow and precise, it looked to be controlled agony. Other times she spun and twirled with blinding speed then leaped as if launched from a springboard. In all; she was so controlled, her movements were smooth and flowing, like tall grass blown by gentle breezes. For Tammy, time stood still. Like she had been charmed by a swaying cobra, she couldn't look away. She wanted to watch. She even believed her breath was caught, her heart had paused and all was still and silent, save the music and Her. Spellbound, Tammy wanted it to last forever.

When the Sugar Plum Fairy stopped moving, she had ended in a deep curtsy. It took several moments and the applause came, then they were on their feet.

Maisie looked to Tammy. "I almost shouted for her not to stop."

Tammy nodded. "Me, too."

Tammy looked back and even the old Russian Dance Mistress was on her feet. The look of proud approval was unmistakable as she clapped, her smile of pleasure was beautiful. Tammy looked back to the stage as the Sugar Plum Fairy rose easily and continued until high on her toes then twirled off-stage. The applause continued even when the Cavalier returned to the stage. Once again he was raw energy, fast and powerful. The Sugar Plum Fairy rejoined him and they danced in tandem, crossing each others paths like race cars circling around and through a track until they ended by her leaping to his arms and him catching her then settling her on his shoulder. The Sugar Plum Fairy was set down and they walked forward hand-in-hand to bow and curtsey to the audience.

The ovation was the loudest of the night as they danced to the wings and the background changed to a night version of the Land of Sweets. The Nutcracker Prince and Clara descended the Throne and a sleigh pulled by 'reindeer' came out. An old man and woman wearing glittering crowns and wearing white furs rode in the sleigh, which stopped before the Prince and Clara. Clara climbed into the sleigh as the Nutcracker Prince bid her goodbye. The Snow King and Queen waved as the sleigh went off. The Nutcracker Prince returned to his throne and the lights dimmed until a single spot light shone on him then the background blurred and all went dark.

The audience clapped until the lights slowly came back up and reveal the house, dimly lit and the sleigh came. The Snow King and Queen bid Clara goodbye as she climbed down and waved as they went off. Clara looked to the fireplace and light shown on the mantle. The Nutcracker stood as before. Quickly she ran to it and took the wooden doll down and held it up in joy, the arm no longer damaged. She hugged it and danced about until the lights dimmed to only a spotlight and carried him away happily. The lights went out and the curtains closed. The audience took to their feet again, clapping and cheering.

The House lights came up dimly and the Stage lights came up fully as the curtain parted. Kevin O'Hare walked out and began introducing the dancers by Act and Scene.

The Nutcracker Prince came out and was announced. "Our Nutcracker Prince; Alan Mitchell!"

Mitchell being a full member of the Royal Ballet received thunderous applause. He bowed twice and stepped off-centre. The Sugar Plum Fairy came out gracefully.

"Lastly, our Sugar Plum Fairy; Miss Tiffany Davareaux!" Kevin O'Hare announced.

Tiffany curtsied gracefully to the crowd then turned to the Royal box and curtsied again then stood up to smile brightly. A man from the audience stepped up to the stage and presented her with a bouquet of red roses.

The elderly Russian chuckled, prompting Tammy and the other three to look back.

"The American Ambassador. He give red roses. Cold-Shadow Tiffany prefers roses called Sterling Silver. He did not read the note given last week." Olga informed them.

Angela asked. "Ma'am; why do you call her that name?"

Fuente answered. "Some dancers earn a name. If they are lucky, is good. They get name by how they are to people or something they do. Tiffany earn part of her name in America; Shadow. She teach little girls to dance. They learn by watching her. She danced, they follow, like shadow. Then other way. They dance and she follow, they see right and not. Shadow-Tiffany, Si?"

"That's cute." Angela smiled.

"At Bolshoi some of the older girl think they will do as they please in her class because they see her with the young first. Very wrong. Tiffany was harsh and unsympathetic. She was Cold. And so became Cold-Shadow Tiffany." Olga finished with a grin.

Kevin asked. "Did she pass the test tonight?"

"She dances better than I ever did, Señor. I am jealous." Esmeralda Fuente giggled.

The cast began to filter back-stage after another round of bows then the curtains closed. The House lights came up and the audience began to make their way out. Tammy and her party followed the two other women out of the Box, but they turned to the opposite way of the Ladies' loo or exit.

"I suppose they are allowed back-stage." Kevin guessed.

Tammy turned toward the stairs. "Most likely. Well, as wonderful as it was, the show is over. Let's go."

They stood inside waiting for the crowd to thin enough to claim a taxi.

"Kevin, did you call our transport?"

"Yes, why?"

"Call him back and send him home. We can catch the tube."

"Are you sure, Tammy?"

"Yes. Where are you heading?"

"Ealing."

"So, West from here a few stops."

"Yes." He took a look towards the floor. "It's a little walk to the tube station from here, are you going to be okay?"

"I'll be okay, there just wasn't room in my bag for a pair of DMs."

Maisie and Angela appeared to have been observing the glitterati so had missed the exchange.

"Come on, we're going."

"Where's the cab?" Angela asked.

"We gave him the rest of the night off."

Maisie wasn't phased by the change in plans, no doubt having suffered regular disappointments from the Army Logistics team. "Where we going?"

"South Kensington station."

Kevin led the way along Exhibition Road and ensured the three girls made it through the gates intact.

"Tammy, are you sure?"

"Of course, Kevin. We'll be fine."

He took himself down the steps onto the District & Circle Line platform, whilst Tammy went towards the escalators. "Pick up your skirts! And watch around you!"

They reached the Piccadilly northbound platform without incident and it wasn't long before a service arrived in the platform. The three girls boarded and took seats. At Holborn Tammy led them through the subterranean tunnels to the Central Line. The second train past there was for Epping.

"My feet hurt."

Yes, Angela, so do mine."

"But ...."

Her complaints were ignored. Tammy and Maisie kept watch, with Angela facing them across the walkway. It was after Liverpool Street that Maisie spotted something and nudged Tammy. "Coming up from the left."

"I see them."

Angela's bag was dangling and Tammy decided against saying anything, choosing instead to make a grab for the bag.

"Hey!"

"You should look after it!"

"I was!"

The three coming up the train had now reached the girls. One made a grab for Angela's bag whilst another went for Tammy's.

"Ou.....shit! You bitch!"

"Move along boys and no-one else gets hurt."

The one with blood coming out of his hand was more concerned for his own welfare, which the other two weren't. One went for Maisie's bag, she pushed out of her seat and knocked the lad on his back, his head caught one of the steel grab poles. The third looked at Tammy as the train pulled into Bethnal Green then jumped onto the platform as soon as the doors opened. The one with a damaged hand stumbled after him, they left the last one.

"Angela, follow me."

"My bag?"

"Shut it!"

Tammy led them down to the front carriage, she wanted to be away from the scene before they reached Mile End. Her makeup wipes quickly cleaned any marks off them.

Nothing more was heard but a police car was waiting at Epping Station, alongside an ambulance. The girls walked out of the station and ten minutes later were securely indoors.



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 7

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 

Christmas Eve dawned in Epping, much as it was doing across the globe, but few households were pondering saving the world from terrorists. More important issues, however, needed to be dealt with first.

"The little black dress?"

"Yes, Angela, our new LBDs"

"Why?"

"Because that's what Maisie and I are going to wear, and it would be nice if you did too."

"But? Why?"

"Be prepared, sis, be prepared?"

"Why?" Angela wasn't getting the point.

"One, because we can. Two, we will be dressed for almost any eventuality today. Three, dress to impress and anyone you encounter will be on the back foot before you utter a word. Four, Elsie would have insisted. Five, I bet Suzie is dressing up for today. Finally, six, there's always a chance of a party on Christmas Eve?"

"I'm not sure I want to go to a party?"

"That's irrelevant, you'll be ready."

"Oh, okay."

The girls were wrapped up warm for their ride into Central London and standard tube protocol applied, so no-one else was any the wiser. By the time, however, they passed through the security point at Richmond House their jackets had been loosened and the duty officer received a chorus of "Merry Christmas" to brighten the overcast morning.

Emily hadn't arrived, yet, but the two girls found sealed envelopes containing their new logins for HOLMES and were soon going over the new data. Maisie found the interviews with Paula Lavoska and Helen Bell.

"These were done on Friday!"

"My guess is the notes weren't loaded on there until yesterday. Did the women say anything?"

"No, nothing at all."

"Who interviewed them?"

"A John Stevens did both of them."

"I suspect a female interviewer would have been better."

"Do you, Tammy?"

She spun around, finding DI Emily Keane behind her.

"Yes, Emily, I do. Both of them got on better with women rather than the male of the species. I spent enough time with the pair to see that."

"In which case, why not go to Holloway prison and do it yourself?"

"I'm not qualified and I wouldn't be objective?"

"Correct, someone senior decided who the interviewer would be and probably made that decision based on many factors. I'm sorry that they didn't ask for your input as well?"

"I was only offering an opinion, Emily."

"That's not how it sounded to me."

Each of their phones issued a 'Bing Bong' as a headline came onto the screens.

UK NATS FAILURE

"Shit! Not again!"

"What is it Tammy?"

"The national air traffic control system is down, that means no commercial flights in the UK."

"So your plane is grounded?"

"Strictly speaking, yes."

"Why did you say, 'not again'?"

"Almost exactly three years ago I was heading to Salzburg when terrorists took out the air traffic control centres at Fareham and Maastricht. We were stuck at Edinburgh Airport that day, for a while. Emily, do you have any more news?"

"No, give me a moment."

Emily clearly had access to much more than the girls did and soon had enough to update them.

"Explosions at the power and primary communications feeds at Fareham. All staff reported evacuated safely but operations are impossible."

"This has to be connected."

"We don't have enough information."

"Okay, but my hunches haven't been off and I call this as a True Freedom operation."

"Like that briefing, Tammy?"

"Yes Maisie."

That got Emily's attention. "You had a briefing on True Freedom? How recent?"

"Last month."

"I've been asking for an update on them since the end of the summer, but no-one had a package I could see."

"I think our package was put together just for us."

"By whom?"

"I'm not sure."

"What do you mean?"

"I know where it came from but I don't know who actually put it together. I can ask, but I'm not sure you'll get it."

"Damn, just who do you work for?"

"As I said a few days ago, I work for myself. It's an arrangement that is approved by all the relevant parties, including Sir Thomas Addington."

"So I saw. How do you know him?"

"We met at a social do in Scotland in September and I've had cause to speak to him since then."

"That's where you met me!"

"Yes, Maisie."

Emily wasn't convinced. "I do wonder Miss Smart where your loyalties lie?"

"Right now they're fully engaged protecting this country."

"I hope so."

Tammy glared. "Do not 'hope'; understand? As for the briefing, I suggest you ask John Smith?"

There was little new information by mid-morning and, as it was also Sunday, no sandwich service. The girls went out at ten to raid any shops that had suitable food, it was very early morning on the US Eastboard but Tammy made a call as they walked.

"Ram Air."

"Kerry, Tammy."

"Hi Hi, girl, what's up?"

"I guess you're up to date with our local troubles?"

"Yes, I guess you need something?"

"I'm wondering about a care pack?"

"I thought you had local suppliers?"

"I'm playing with paper and string right now, the store here has peashooters."

"Understood. Don't forget it's Christmas Eve and there's no commercial flights because of your local issues."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that."

"I'll see what I can work out, might be a while though."

"Thanks."

"One more thing. Since regular comms are now unreliable, switch your phone over to satellite only for the duration. Enjoy your lunch. Out."

Tammy went into the settings and switched her mode to Satellite. Now her phone would work regardless of cellular failure. None of the usual stores had lunch items so they ended up in a fried chicken establishment. Tammy's diet was heading out of the window.

Kevin had arrived during their absence.

"I went to collect you from home but Angela said you left at eight?"

"We just caught the tube as usual."

"I'm supposed to be your shadow."

"We can protect ourselves."

"But who will protect the public from you?"

"Well, I suppose you can have that job?"

"If you keep doing your own thing I'll find something better to do."

"Sorry Kevin."

"And it smells like you sat in a ruddy KFC, probably very exposed?"

"Needs must. Look, what do you know about the Fareham bombs? Sounds familiar?"

"Yes, but Kelmendi is in prison."

"So who else was there?"

"I thought we had all of the original gang, either in prison or deceased?"

"Was there someone else, who was missed? Any more Kosovans in circulation? My bet is that this is being treated as a fresh investigation?"

"Obviously."

"So nothing to stop us looking for the missing person?"

"Where do we start looking?"

"We call Heather."

Tammy realised that this could be a real 'needle in a haystack' problem, even if there was a needle. It remained a hunch that the rogue Kosovans were again involved, but it fitted a profile she'd had running in her head.

"Heather, you heard the news?"

"Yes, Tammy, I guess you're focusing on the similarities?"

"Correct, can you look for any unusual transactions in the Fareham area? I'm guessing that police resources will be predictably looking at the site first?"

"Indeed. I'll get Suzie onto this, she wasn't involved in that attack three years ago, was she?"

"No, we hadn't known each-other at that point. It was a few weeks later, just before her father's funeral that we met."

"Okay, we'll see what we can find. Oh, Suzie is waving at me .... hold on."

Tammy waited.

"It's Suzie, Heather tells me you've been watching some boats?"

"Yes."

"There's one called Helga IV in the English Channel."

"That's a long way South of where I last saw it, what's it doing?"

"Nothing, it's stationary between the two shipping lanes. Coastguard has asked if it's in trouble but they haven't responded. An aircraft has been sent to investigate and a Royal Navy launch is heading that way."

"Damn, we need eyes on that boat."

"We're trying but at the moment it's a shipping hazard and nothing more. This isn't a subject area I know well."

"Okay, thanks. Please keep me, erm, us, informed."

"Will do, sis."

Tammy updated HOLMES but no-one else could see what she was implying. Emily walked over.

"Right, what relevance is this boat?"

"I don't know, yet, but it shouldn't be there."

"That's not helping us find Penny Lavoska?"

"Not directly, but Maisie is picking through the reports about Penny and following up on the new Swiss searches, so the work is being done."

"Ok, humour me, what is going on?"

"Two, possibly three, converted trawlers were in the sea off Scotland in September and October. They called into Scrabster, Inverness and Aberdeen but then disappeared. The last photos we have showed a remotely operated vessel on the foredeck. Now one of then shows up in the middle of the channel, ignoring the Coastguard."

"Okay, I can see your interest, but?"

"I'm not sure, it simply doesn't smell right. Call it another hunch if you like?"

Kevin shouted from the other side of the room.

"Internet and phone links to the continent are going down."

"How? How bad?"

"According to Down Detector we've lost almost forty percent of links, some services are completely down and others have reduced capacity. Social media is particularly affected."

"Damn, that's what they were doing; cutting the cables!"

"Cables, Tammy?"

"A huge number of the country's internet links go across the channel from Folkestone to Cap Gris Nez in France."

"How would you know that?"

"It was in coursework I did at school. The thing is, it's almost a single point of failure."

"There's more than one cable?"

"Yes, there's dozens that are still in use, but damage enough of them and we have a major problem."

Kevin looked up. "She's right, it seems that some of the British companies are using cloud services based in Belgium, Netherlands or Luxembourg and those are completely off or very very slow. The banks are also reporting problems with card payments."

"On Christmas Eve? Shit. I wonder where the other boat is?"

"Another boat, Tammy?"

"Yes, I think I said there could be two, perhaps even three? Thing is, where did it go? Where are our other internet links?" Tammy paused and no-one answered. "There's a link to Spain from the South Coast, there's the US and Canadian links from Cornwall and the Irish sea route. Don't a load of the global internet companies have their UK servers in Ireland?"

Emily was rushing to her phone. "Get me the Commissioner! Now!"

Tammy called Suzie.

"Yeah, we heard."

"Okay, Suzie, see if you can find another boat, look in the Irish sea. Anglesey area, first, I think."

"We're having trouble accessing some of the websites."

Tammy looked around at Emily who was rapidly explaining to the head of the Metropolitan Police, the most senior UK police officer, what she needed.

"We need the Royal Navy to find and disable a rogue ship that might be in the Irish Sea."

Emily paused to listen.

"Yes, Ma'am. I understand that it doesn't seem plausible or relevant, but we have excellent intelligence and believe that the entire country is being isolated, cut off, by a terrorist group."

Maisie started waving her hands. "Penny's put a video out."

Kevin and Tammy went to Maisie, who had her personal phone out. "I'll play it again."

She pressed 'play' but nothing happened, followed by a 'time out' message. She tried a few times but nothing.

"Oh."

"What did she say?"

"That the UK would remember this Christmas, but she wanted one present to make all the problems go away. That present was her sister."

"That ain't gonna 'appen." Kevin spat the words out.

"Understandable, but we don't know what resources she has or what else she is going to do?"

"Tammy, are you seriously considering giving in to terrorism?"

"No, but perhaps we can make it look like we're considering to release her sister? It might buy us some time?"

"True, but that decision is a long way above our pay grade."

"What about Sir Thomas?"

"Addington?"

"The same, would he have the authority?"

"He could persuade the PM to sign off on a plan, yes."

"Okay, let's call him."

"Woah, Tammy, you can't simply call someone like him?"

"Why not?"

"One, there are channels to go through and right now, for me, that's via the Assistant Commissioner. Two, we don't have his number."

"I do."

"But what are you asking? This is not the same as arranging to arrest Kelmendi in a hotel bar." Kevin countered.

"I saw that video." Maisie offered.

"Okay Kevin, but can we convene a meeting at Thames House for all the relevant folk?"

Emily shouted from the far side of the room.

"The PM has called for a COBR meeting, I'm off to Whitehall. Keep at it."

"Cobra?"

"Maisie, it's Cabinet Office Briefing Room, it's where everyone important meets when the country's falling apart."

"Not quite, Tammy, but close enough." Kevin smiled as he uttered a little put-down.

There were reports late afternoon of bank interconnects going off, so card payments and cashpoint transactions were failing. This was causing a few problems but thankfully there were few people around and most stores were shut or about to close. Those folk trying to top up fuel tanks were having the worst problems it seemed and sites were closing regardless of whether their payment system was still working.

Just before five Tammy took a call from Heather.

"The Royal Navy found the boat, exactly where you said it would be."

"Great, and?"

"The crew refused to obey orders to stand down, then used a weapon against the RN vessel. One sailor received a minor wound. HMS Monmouth's master ordered that they used their heavy calibre machine gun on the wheelhouse, tearing it apart. There are Royal Marines on board now, searching and restraining the survivors."

"Excellent news, give my regards to the crew."

"I'll pass that on. They were on their way to their Christmas anchor."

Tammy updated HOLMES with the news, no doubt someone would accuse the armed forces of using excessive force against a civilian boat? Perhaps she should have asked for the trawler to be towed somewhere quiet, or was that already in hand?

Half an hour later nothing more was happening and Tammy figured they wouldn't achieve much more.

Her phone pinged.

No Name Club 1830

"Maisie, grab your bag, we need to freshen up."

Kevin looked over. "Going somewhere?"

"Time for a drink, Kevin. Not sure how you'll get on, join at your own risk." Tammy remarked then went out with Maisie in tow.

Several minutes later the three were through through the security checkpoint and headed out. A short Tube ride later, Tammy led them down a cobbled alley to a door.

"Hope you're both ready for this? Here we go." Tammy said and opened the door.

Inside, the casual conversations paused to view the entrants then resumed. Undaunted, Tammy led the way to the bar.

"What can I get for you Miss?" The Barman asked.

Tammy glanced around and spotted who she was looking for then answered. "I'd like to open a tab; Lieutenant Smart. Wolfburn, for four, please. We're joining the Colonel."

The Barman nodded. "Straight away, Ma'am. Bruce will bring them over."

"Good evening." Tammy greeted Sean MacTaggart then leaned down and hugged him. "Uncle."

The old Scot hugged her back. "Hear you're busy. Sergeant, getting on well?"

"Yes Sir." Maisie replied. "Thank you."

Kevin stepped forward and offered his hand. "Kevin Edmunds, Colonel was it?"

"Aye. You'll be Counter-intel for the Met?" Sean asked and received a nod.

The three new arrivals took their seats whilst a man dressed as a server came over with a tray and set down drinks, removing the Colonel's empty glass before returning to the bar.

Sean turned to Tammy. "You want answers?"

"Yes, sir."

"Cooper will be out of it for five years. Fielding was sent back to New Zealand and demoted, following a debrief. They aren't thrilled with him back there."

"I see." Tammy commented.

"There's your good news, things have definitely gone down the pan." Sean grumbled.

Tammy sipped her scotch and swirled the remaining around in her glass. "Do I have anyone, besides you, left on my side?"

"A fair number. You may not believe it, but Wade is still with you. Actually, he led the enquiry into Nightingale. Wade's one of the good ones Tammy; his only real problem is that he forgets you don't fit in like everyone he's accustomed to working with. Personally, he still likes you. Professionally, he admits to looking at you one-sided." Sean stated.

Tammy gave a half-smile. "I'll give him a call soon and make nice, but I can only see him as an over-bearing older brother."

"That'll be enough to go on with." Sean agreed

Tammy sipped again. "You mentioned my 'bird problem'. I understand it made quite the racket and may be loose?"

Sean growled. "Racket is an understatement. That 'bird' has been re-caged. I have a team all over that business."

A man came over and interrupted. "Pardon me."

He leaned down and whispered to Sean then stood back.

"Damn." Sean growled then nodded to him. "Thank you for the update, Wells."

"Sir." He stood at attention then made to leave.

"Just a bit." Sean said then looked to Tammy. "Lieutenant Smart; Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Wells."

Tammy stood up, as did Maisie. "Sir."

"Tammy's fairly naughty." Sean remarked with a grin.

Wells looked her over. "Smart. The same Smart that flattened a Colonel Cooper in the Canteen?"

"That would be me, Sir." Tammy answered.

"Well done. He was an ass." Wells smirked then signalled the Barman to bring Tammy a refill. "He was barred from here years ago."

Tammy frowned. "He ruined my suit."

Bruce returned and swapped Tammy's glass. Wells returned to a seat at the bar.

"So how are you qualifying current affairs?" Sean asked Tammy.

Tammy sipped and answered. "Domestic Tasking. Tending my garden, as it were. I'm supposed to play nice. So far; I am."

"Let's try to keep it that way. Can you name anything now, you might need?" Sean asked.

Tammy nodded. "I may need an IFF code to go where I'm needed. Military, please, NATO SHAPE access, all airports and approved landing strips."

Sean nodded. "I'll look into that."

"Colonel. May I ask what happened with the two investigators?" Maisie asked.

"They've been reassigned to other duties. As for the charges against you, those have been buried. You're safe now, Sergeant." Sean informed her.

Maisie looked relieved. "My father has been concerned about it all, they were rather hostile."

"I'll call him myself and settle him down." Sean reassured her then looked to Kevin. "I need a bit with Tammy. Would you and the Sergeant excuse us."

Kevin and Maisie understood it was an order and not a simple request, they picked up their drinks and went over to the bar.

"So Paul wants you working on this?" Sean asked.

Tammy nodded. "He insisted. Quote 'this is your yard, Smart, do what you can.' I agree. Especially with the connection I have to it."

"Rubbish removal?" Sean asked.

Tammy sighed, glancing into her glass. "He prefers I not go into those but understands they can end up with me regardless."

Sean sighed as well. "Aye, there is that. Contribute what you can and hope you don't have to go."

"To hoping then." Tammy saluted him with her glass, drank then hugged him. "Uncle."

Sean returned the hug. "Off with ya, Niece."

Tammy went to the bar and settled her bill. Jeremy Wells tossed her a wink which Tammy smiled back. Their visit had only taken fifteen minutes but they were done.

"Are you taking the tube, Tammy?"

"Yes, Kevin. Hopefully it's a bit easier than last night?" She sighed.

"Hassle?"

"Some punks tried to steam the train and my little sister made an easy target. One ran off, one crawled off and one needed an ambulance."

"I think I'll ride with you."

"We can handle ourselves."

"I'm concerned for the travelling public!"

Tammy phoned Angela and let her know they were on the way, it was still before seven. There was a sign at the entrance to the tube station.
 

 

As they walked through the open gates Maisie posed a question.

"No tube tomorrow, I thought London never stopped?"

Tammy forgot that her partner had little experience of the capital.

"There are always exceptions, Maisie."

Their ride was incident free, apart from a few drunks. Tammy, and Kevin, did however spot uniformed officers on the platforms at several stations.

Kevin saw them back to the house then left to go home as well, back down the Central Line. An evening meal was ready and it seemed Angela had spent an hour out during the day, on her own. Tammy almost gave her sister a lecture on personal security but ... that would have spoilt the evening.

 
Christmas Day
 

Tammy's phone pinged at 0730.

Thames House 0900

It rang shortly afterwards.

"Good morning, Kevin, Merry Christmas."

"And you, Tammy. How are you getting there?"

"We have a car."

"What's the registration?"

Tammy had to look out of the window before reading it out.

"Why do you need it?"

"I'll see if I can let Thames House carpark team know, plus I can register the vehicle with the Met so you won't get stopped."

"Oh, my own car has something like that?"

"Indeed, but we'll register this one in case you, Suzie or Maisie are going to be driving it?"

"Good idea. We'll see you there."

Angela had clearly been listening to one side of the call.

"So what time will you be back?"

"We'll try to be back by five, Angela."

"What about dinner?"

"Start cooking at two. I think you need to allow about four hours to cook Christmas dinner, get the turkey crown out now and do the preparation work at the same time? We'll be back to help you finish it off."

"I've never cooked a roast dinner, let alone ruddy Christmas?"

"Google it, look for Saint Delia, Nigel Slater or Nigella Lawson?. Sorry sis but we're needed elsewhere."

"Do you have to?"

"Under the circumstances, yes. Our country needs us! Don't forget, Suzie is also in this but she won't be here for dinner, and it's her own home!"

Tammy silently hoped Angela wouldn't trash the kitchen because of her apparent inexperience. At least she hadn't asked about eating out.

"If I get stuck?"

"Text me or Suzie, but don't call, please."

"Okay."

"Okay Maisie, we're working today. What's the most important thing now?"

"Make sure we fill in our overtime sheets?" She smiled at Tammy as she spoke.

"Ooooh, no, our appearance. Let's not be dowdy!"

"Matching?"

"That might be difficult but we can raid Suzie's wardrobe for frocks, how about a red theme today?"

Mission accomplished Tammy picked up the car keys and hurried outside, with Maisie closely behind.

"Does she really not know how to do a roast dinner?"

"Yeah, it's a long story. Get in!"

The drive was fortunately quicker than she expected as they pulled onto Millbank just before nine in the morning.

"There's nowhere to park?"

"Yes, there is, Maisie." Tammy swung around to the rear of Thames House and pulled up at the barrier.

"ID?"

The two girls handed their Security Service ID cards over. "This car isn't registered to either of you?"

"It's owned by my father, Richard Smart. He has a group insurance policy on it and I'm named as a driver."

"A moment."

The vehicle was checked with mirrors and sniffing probes.

"You can proceed."

Tammy drove down and looked for a visitor parking bay, ending up taking the last space several floors down.

"Plenty of people here today, Tammy?"

"Yes, what did we miss?"

They found a subterranean reception desk where they surrendered their weapons, before being allowed inside the security cordon. Tammy made a mental note of the desk's location, having never seen it before.

"Where to?"

"Coffee."

Tammy's instruction had been to report to the home of MI5 at nine that morning but she had no idea where they were actually needed. Based on past experience she guessed they'd be found easiest if they were in the restaurant.

They'd just picked up their drinks when a nearby loudspeaker gently bing-bonged.

"Miss Smart, Miss Staines, please proceed to the European Unit."

Tammy tried to drink as much of the coffee as she could but it was too hot, abandoning it. Maisie meanwhile downed her hot chocolate in one. "The army often pulled dirty tricks like allowing you a break and then cutting it short, hot chocolate is never scalding hot."

They were directed into a meeting room and the door was closed behind them.

"Now that we're all here?" Sir Thomas smiled at Tammy as he spoke. "Thank you for attending. I'm sure we'd all rather be at home with our families but right now our country is being held to ransom to satisfy one woman's vengeance. She's using a terrorist group to do her dirty work and claims that everything will magically return to normal when we release her sister.

"That, ladies and gentlemen is not an option. It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that we do not accede to terrorist or criminal threats. If you had a wild plan to liberate Paula Lavoska, forget it now.

"The Prime Minister has made it very clear that she wants the threat eliminated, but she did not expressly authorise lethal force. I hope everyone understands that?"

He paused and scanned the room, possibly looking for any malcontents.

"I have asked Dave Brown to bring some co-ordination to our efforts and he joins us this morning."

"Thank you Sir Thomas, and good morning to everyone here. I would remind you that we do not currently have a location for Ms Lavoska, but excellent work is being done to narrow down where she is. On a more positive note, Ms Gainsborough has been located in France overnight and is currently detained by the CRS."

Tammy had mixed emotions about that news, ideally Sharon would be brought back to the UK for trial but what would happen if the woman wound up the French riot police? Their reputation did not include references to kid gloves and gentle treatment.

"The Royal Navy yesterday were guided to a vessel in the Irish Sea thanks to excellent intelligence from one person in this room and a major incident was averted. I'm told that the crew, Russians, are not yet talking. As for the vessel found in the Dover Straits, that has been towed into a secure facility and is being searched, but there is no trace of the crew. The damage to subsea cables is being examined but it will take several months to fully repair. Meanwhile the online services are being rerouted and most should be restored by lunchtime.

"We have also apprehended two Kazakh nationals who were acting suspiciously around Telehouse 1 on Docklands. For those who don't know, I'm told that many of the global internet links into the UK, plus the connections for the BBC and major global retailers, all pass through that building. A vehicle is being examined.

"We are, of course, grateful to the officers of the Metropolitan Police, and other forces, for maintaining an alert without causing panic amongst the public. It is unfortunate that many of these officers would also have been at home with their families today but are instead trying to keep our citizens safe."

There were grunts from around the room, some of which were forced.

"For those present who didn't appreciate my mention of the police, had a device taken out Telehouse, or any similar building, then we could be looking at mass disorder right across the country, plus disruption that would extend well into the new year. There is no way the intelligence agencies could have spotted the two Kazakh gentlemen, given there was no prior intelligence on the pair, I'm sure a transfer to foot patrol could be arranged if anyone wishes to think they are better than the police?"

The room fell silent as the point was being driven home - even through a few thick skulls.

"We need to work together, each agency or unit working to our own strengths, it does no-one any good to carry a superiority complex and Sir Thomas has reminded me that there will be a Parliamentary inquiry into this investigation regardless of the outcome. I will be checking with each agency and unit this morning."

Kevin walked over to the girls. "Well done, Tammy, a mention in dispatches."

"But I wasn't named, I guess that's doing it 'for the team'?"

"True, but the folk that matter know who you are, as for the guys over there," he pointed over his shoulder at a few leaving the room, "they are so far up their own arses that they only care for themselves and the gong they deserve."

"I've met the type, now, why is Dave here?"

"Because I was asked, Miss Smart."

She span around and gave him a kiss "That wasn't fair, creeping up on me like that! How are you?"

"I was enjoying a retirement, again, but then it's difficult to let go completely. I understand you have had a few personal changes?"

Tammy pulled Maisie close. "Indeed, Dave I'd like to introduce my fiancée Maisie Staines, Maisie this reprobate is Dave Brown. Amongst his other accolades, he's an old boy of St Andrews."

"Enchanté, Mademoiselle." He kissed her hand.

"Dave, leave her alone, she's mine! What are we doing today?"

"We have finally recovered the communications between Europol and Christine Armaud. I'd like the three of you to go through that. It's all set up in Room 14. Nice frocks, by the way, it beats the boring suits I'm going to spend the next few hours with!"

The three found the room, complete with a steaming pot of fresh coffee. "I didn't think this was allowed in the offices?"

"Desperate times, Tammy, need desperate methods."



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 8

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
Christmas Day 2017 (Cont)
 

It didn't appear that an analysis of Ms Armaud's Europol communications had been done, this was just the raw data without any annotations. There were a set of non-networked PCs and the trio was told that each of them had access to the same files.

"How much is here?" Asked Kevin.

Maisie was already pushing keys. "It goes back three weeks or so."

"We need to concentrate just on the last few days."

"Kevin, wait, what if there's a report from three weeks ago that she sat on? We can't discount that."

"Well, fine, but I'm going to start on Wednesday and work forward from there."

Tammy shrugged. "Maisie, can you start at the first date available?"

"That's the third of December."

"That date rings a bell? Never mind, that's as good a start point as any, my dear."

"What am I looking for?"

"Anything that ties into what we know about the Lavoskas, Gainsborough or True Freedom. You should particularly identify any references to Brussels, Lausanne, Geneva or Stuttgart, but don't limit yourself. If in doubt, flag it, better that than miss it."

"Okay, what will you do?"

"I'll work backwards from Tuesday evening."

"So we'll meet somewhere in the middle?"

"Maybe ....."

Kevin put his head up. "Tammy, Maisie, come on! Stop yapping!"

Tammy took Maisie's hand. "Come with me."

Maisie did as asked, passing Dave Brown in the doorway.

"Where we going?"

"The loo. Plus, I don't want Kevin to start thinking he's in charge of our group."

"He is a Detective Inspector?"

"Sure, but we're in the Security Service building here and not Scotland Yard. Right now I would be the ranking officer. Ah ..."

She pushed the door and disappeared into the loo, followed by Maisie. Tammy really did need the loo, but a certain amount of self-maintenance was also appropriate.

They reconvened in Room 14 several minutes later and silently started to dig into the communications. Tammy did wonder, for a moment, whether the Europol emails had been obtained legitimately, but set that thought aside as she looked at the data for the previous Tuseday, just five days previously when the girls had flown down.

Kevin made a sarcastic, chauvinistic, comment about females and work ethics but neither girl heard it fully, having fully concentrated on the task in hand. It hadn't been ten minutes when Tammy found something.

"Last Tuesday morning, an overnight from Brussels to Armaud concerning Lavoska: Penelope had been seen by an off duty federal police officer close to the European Parliament building."

"Is that it?"

"Yes, Kevin, but that confirms Penny was in Brussels on Tuesday. It also confirms that Armaud kept information from us."

Maisie seemed to be going through the data quicker than Tammy.

"On the tenth the Zeevaartpolitie in Ostend reported an ex Russian converted trawler called Sophia XIX was in the port."

"Zeevaartpolitie?"

Kevin answered. "The Belgian federal port police."

"Okay, but that places her just North of the English Channel a full week before things started to happen."

"How does that help, Tammy?"

"Armaud suppressed it, so it must be relevant .... did Penny or Sharon visit the boat? Is CCTV of the port available?"

"Possibly, but it's over a fortnight ago and it's Christmas Day, in case you hadn't noticed?"

"Kevin, we just send the request and ask, whether they answer this morning, this afternoon or first thing tomorrow is irrelevant - so long as we've made the request. Maisie, well done, how did you find it?"

"I guessed that the easy search would be to look just in the reports from major cities, airports, Eurostar, that sort of thing."

"I see, that's one way of filtering the information?"

"Yes, but my guess is that although Mme Armaud was actively blocking intel last week, well before she was arrested, she might not have been told about the boats?"

"True."

"So I first looked at reports from the ports, keeping it to Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands."

"There wasn't a search function for that?"

"I know, so I used the filters to remove what I didn't need, I've used this program before."

"Oh, great, maybe you can show me one day?"

"If we have time, Tammy."

There was a grunt from the other side of the room.

"Do you remember where the European Desk is, Maisie?"

"Yes."

"Print what you have and go to see them, they'll help you send out the request."

"Will do." She gave Tammy a kiss as she went out of the door.

Tammy kept searching but wondered whether there had been a response from SNCF? "Kevin, do you remember me asking about Sharon heading to Stuttgart?"

"Yes, it still didn't fit what we knew?"

"Even so, did the request get sent?"

"Emily handled it."

"How would she have sent it?"

"To the Met's European desk, and .... oh."

"Let me guess, to Europol?"

"Yes. I'll see if it's in this lot."

"I'll look for it, Kevin, if you don't mind?"

"You want ownership?"

"No, I'll call it continuity."

Tammy poured herself a coffee and sat to search through the communications, Maisie returned a minute later.

"All done?"

"Yes, the manager there invited me to spend a week with the unit in the new year."

"That's interesting."

"Dave Brown was there, he said he would make sure I had the right experience."

"Considering he's supposed to be retired?"

"He knew all about me."

"Interesting. Come on, we've got a pair of terrorists to find."

Tammy soon found the replies from the Police de L'aire et des Frontières, containing a set of CCTV stills. These showed Sharon back at Gare Lille Europe an hour after she'd apparently left there on a train to Brussels, additional photos also caught her boarding the TGV to Stuttgart.

"Got her." She printed it off and continued her search through the messages. "If only she'd been stopped at St Pancras?"

It was approaching midday when Kevin found a set of emails.

"Shit!"

Tammy and Maisie looked up but waited for Kevin to continue.

"Lavoska was stopped in a restricted zone at Brussels Airport on Friday."

"Was there an address?"

"Yes, Hotel Novotel."

"That's on the airport approach road, Dad and I stayed there a few times. We can ask the Belgian police to arrest her?"

"True, I'll make the call."

Dave Brown was in the doorway. "Progress?"

"Kevin may have located Penny Lavoska and I've confirmed Sharon Gainsborough's movements after she left here, whilst Maisie is looking at the boat that was abandoned mid channel."

"Excellent. There's a buffet in the restaurant if you want to take a break?"

They took a short break but were back in the room half an hour later, via a freshen up. There was a fresh pot of coffee waiting, along with an agitated Detective Inspector.

"Tammy, we've heard from the French."

"Gainsborough?"

"Yes, they want to prosecute her for the murder of the Interpol officer."

"Damn, we can do her for terrorism here?"

"Indeed, but I doubt she'll get an easy ride through the French legal system? She's going in front of an examining magistrate tomorrow, when she's released from hospital."

"Hospital? I don't suppose she tried to escape?"

"The CRS account is that she assaulted an officer and they restrained her."

"Silly woman. I've seen the CRS in action."

"Even so, Tammy, we can concentrate on locating Lavoska now."

Kevin's phone rang, he rang off a few seconds later.

"Okay. The Belgians visited the Novotel, Lovoska checked out on Friday. There's no forwarding address."

"But was there a phone number for her, or an email address?"

"I'll be sent all the information as soon as they have it, but my office wanted me to have the headline straight away."

"Okay, although I find it strange that she checked in using her real name?"

"Real name? It's just an identity she uses, Tammy. Perhaps she's stayed there under that name before so couldn't use a different identity?"

"I'm pretty sure that's her birth name, but good point? I wonder if we should check the other hotels nearby?"

"That's going to take hours, even if you can get an answer? It is Christmas Day!"

"She could have taken a train or driven out of Brussels on Friday?"

"Or she could have stayed in town? How about finding evidence rather than guessing?"

Suitably chastised Tammy slunk into her chair and woke up the terminal.She didn't get anything done though.

"Is he an MCP, Tammy?"

"Not usually, but I think he may have put in some extra effort tonight?"

"How do you know him?"

"He came to see me, in Sarah's shop, after my first kidnap failed. That was almost exactly three years ago."

"And I got you out of trouble a few times, Miss Smart!"

"I think that one goes both ways, DI Edmunds?"

"Truce?"

"Agreed."

They continued trying to join dots for another couple of hours but without finding usuable intelligence. Kevin received a message just after three.

"The Brussels Federal Police are going to survey all the hotels tomorrow morning, and have called in additional officers to do this. Apparently it was a local police officer who went to the Novotel and he didn't ask for a copy of Lavoska's invoice."

"Damn, so nothing more until they do their searches?"

"No, Tammy. Why don't the pair of you go home?"

"Sure, that'll please Angela. What about tomorrow?"

"Stay at home until you're contacted. But, please, keep the alcohol to a sensible level tonight, in case there's an early start in the morning!"

"Understood."

The pair visited a loo before retracing their steps to the subterranean reception desk to collect weapons. Finally by half past three they were driving out of the carpark.

Tammy didn't exceed the speed limits but it seemed as if all the traffic lights were aligned and she escaped out of Central London without any trouble. Her Satnav gave a few options but she went for the motorway route, once she reached the bottom of the M11. Tammy and Maisie walked indoors barely forty minutes after leaving one of the most secure buildings in London.

"Oh, you're back from saving the planet?"

"No, Angela, just the country."

"Mum rang, they were about to have dinner."

"Damn, I meant to call them."

"Well, call after we've eaten?"

"Sure, hopefully it won't be too late there?"

"Okay, how about giving me a hand with dinner?"

"Of course, I'll help with the wine. Is it red or white?"

 
Boxing Day (26th)
 

"How much longer are we going to sit here, Tammy?"

"As long as necessary, Maisie dear."

"Have you heard anything?"

"No."

The morning news broadcasts had concentrated on a sports star and a soap actor who announced their 'secret' relationship, although most of the national press were present for a joint statement earlier that morning. The internet and phone lines were working normally so weren't worthy of a mention.

"Is Penny's video still visible?"

"No, Tammy, it's gone from everywhere. If you try to google her name, it fails."

"It seems the internet companies can block terrorists after all!"

The house phone started to ring, Tammy was closest.

"Oh, hi Mum."

"I was expecting a call from you yesterday and instead I was just worrying myself. Tammy, what is going on?"

"There's been a few problems."

"The BBC is saying there's still no flights, we're meant to be coming home in a few days?"

"I'm sure that will be sorted by then."

"Come on, Miss Smart, what is really going on?"

"Terrorists."

"And?"

"And this is an insecure line."

"I expected you to spend Christmas Day with your sister, instead I get her on the line as she doesn't know how to make Yorkshire puds? Where were you?"

"In the City, helping out."

"Somebody else could have done it?"

"Err, I don't know."

"Whilst Suzie is sent far away, where?"

"If she couldn't say, then neither can I. Sorry, but it's important for everyone's safety that I don't say anything more."

"You've told me nothing at all, young lady."

"When it's all over I'll see what I can tell you."

"Hmmm, I'll believe that when it happens. At least you're indoors today?"

"Yes. Maybe we'll take a walk later into Epping Forest?"

"Your father and I thought about that the last time we stayed there? It'll be good for you to get some fresh air?"

"Yes, Mum."

At least they didn't finish the call on a bad note, but Tammy now had a tune running around her head, with the line "I went for a walk on a winters day". It took her a minute to find California Dreamin' by the Mamas and Papas after her memory failed.

The three girls had lunch together, which Maisie prepared, but the idea to take an afternoon walk was thwarted when a visitor arrived at the door.

"Angela, do you remember DI Kevin Edmunds?"

"Err, yes, hello?"

"Good afternoon. Tammy, Maisie, can we go somewhere to talk?"

Angela decided she would take a shower and that resolved one security issue. Tammy first put the kettle on then they sat in the lounge but Kevin insisted they put the radio or music on first. Tammy found a rock station and turned the volume up; clearly Christmas tunes were not on the playlist.

"Okay, Kevin, is someone being paranoid?"

"Given the circumstances, it's this or a secure briefing room."

"Understood, what are we talking about?"

"This briefing is Top Secret, do you both understand?"

That explained why he hadn't called in advance. "Yes."

"One of the teams in Thames House yesterday went back over the interviews from when you exposed the True Freedom moles in Six, plus the new interviews with Helen Bell and Paula Lavoska."

"New interviews, who did those?"

"Emily."

"Ah, good, what did she get?"

"A reformed Paula. She gave us a few names."

"Good, what about addresses of their hide-aways, storage facilities?"

"Possibly, they ran out of time but Emily is going back to see her again this morning."

"Okay, Helen?"

"More names, and Helen knew Emily had already seen Paula."

"What does it all mean?"

"We have a bigger mole problem than we thought, deep sleepers mostly."

"Hence the secrecy?" Asked Maisie.

"Indeed. There are a load of disgruntled mole hunters being sent out, instead of watching football on the telly this afternoon."

"We were going into the forest for a walk until you turned up."

"It's freezing out there!"

"That's a warm day for Scottish folk!"

The radio station played an advert then "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" started up. Tammy wondered if someone was reading her mind?

"We're getting off topic."

"The kettle's boiled, I'll make a pot of tea." Tammy went to get up but Maisie was already at the kitchen door.

"Stay there, you can brief me on anything I miss."

Kevin waited until the kitchen door was closed. "Is she cleared?"

"Yes, bumped by 'Five', otherwise she wouldn't have been there with me for the past few days. The Military have also uprated her."

"Okay, thanks."

"You could have asked? She did an induction course at AA House a few months ago."

"I didn't know."

"Clearly you didn't need to know."

Maisie returned with a teapot on a tray, plus the appropriate crockery.

"Best let that mash for a while."

"Don't you mean 'brew'?"

"I know what I mean. Did I miss anything?"

"No. Where were we?"

"Mole hunting. Any names, Kevin?"

"Nobody you've dealt with, not directly."

"Is there a threat to my family?"

"Not specific, Tammy, other than the Lavoskas."

"Okay, how much has been leaked?"

"Not too much of the current investigation, but that's only at first sight. I also have limited access to some intel at present, remember?"

The Pink Floyd track ended, followed by an advert. Tammy tried to place the next track, remembering it as something Krystal had played.

"Okay, but what's the risk?"

"One of those being detained worked in communications for the Security Service."

"Shit!"

"The potential is that any call to or from Thames House could have been compromised." Maisie started to pour the tea.

"What's the timescale?"

"This person has been in post for the past two months. The total scope is hopefully just a few targeted calls or operatives. That will become clearer over the next few days."

"So our secure phones are not secure?"

"They are, handset to handset, but not if you are calling Thames House."

"Great. What's his issue?"

"Money, it would seem, plus a belief in a new world order, whatever that means today?"

"Okay, what's my orders?"

Tammy sipped the liquid nectar, Maisie had used Suzie's Lapsang Souchoung blend. Kevin's phone pinged.

"That's from Emily, there's just one word 'Geneva'."

Tammy's phone pinged with the same message.

"Did Emily know you would be with me today?"

"Yes, and we'd agreed in advance she'd supply limited intel to us."

"Okay, so am I going to Geneva?"

"Yes, current plan is that you wait until after dark then fly into Geneva. You'll be met and briefed on arrival."

"Nothing more?"

"No, and I don't know who's running that show."

"Are you coming with us?"

"No, the pair of you are going under a NATO guise because of your military ranks, I'm not covered for that."

"So what will you do?"

"Remain here with Angela, she's not armed, is she?"

"No. Is that necessary? I thought you said there wasn't a direct risk to my family?"

"Not as such, but this address goes down as Suzie's home so will appear in the Security Service records. They're checking what's been accessed, and by whom. Right now Angela could be used in order to prevent your involvement. That, however small, is an unacceptable risk."

"I can't say I'm happy but..."

"I'm not happy either!"

None had noticed that Angela was now stood in the doorway in a dressing gown. "I came to see if there was any tea left and I hear my name."

"Maisie and I have to go and do a job, so Kevin will stay here."

"Hmmm, what about dinner?"

"That's a good point, Angela. Question is, what time are we due out of here?"

"At the airfield by seven."

"Okay Kevin, but I'll need an IFF squark code."

"Sorry, I have no idea what that is."

Tammy checked the time, it was half past one so there was plenty of time.

"Maisie, I'm going to get an hour's kip and then prep myself."

"I'll join you."

"Kevin, I guess this meeting is adjourned?"

"Okay, I'm off to the local police station so I can login, I'll be back by four."

Kevin went out the door and Tammy turned the music off, vaguely recognising it as a German Metal band.

"What about dinner?"

"It looks like you're just doing something for yourself, and maybe Kevin too? Isn't there a fair bit of turkey left?"

"Yes. What time will you be back?"

"Tomorrow, maybe?"

"Maybe?"

"That's what I said."

"Fine bloody Christmas this is, I should have stayed at home!"

"And cooked for yourself there? Look, we've had some fun shopping, been to the ballet, eaten at the Ivy ... none of that would have happened in Thurso."

"Yeah."

"Look, I'm sorry that things happened but I think I would have been involved even if we'd stayed in Scotland."

"It's just not fair."

"Why?"

"Mum's not here, Suzie's not here ..."

"Phone your sister, she might be able to tell you when she's coming back? Don't ask her any more questions though."

"Okay."

Tammy & Maisie took themselves upstairs. Both plugged their phones in to charge whilst Tammy took her weapons out to clean them, instructing Maisie to do the same. Eventually they packed everything away and lost their clothing before climbing into bed.

A few cuddles later and they were asleep.

Tammy woke to her phone beeping, she looked at the message and cleared it.

"Err, what time is it?"

"Six O'clock, Maisie. It's time to get moving. Bring your case."

They dressed quickly, Tammy opting for the darkest clothing she had, but wondered if she would need the certain outfit hidden in her mid-size suitcase. She picked up her weapons, suitcase and signalled Maisie to follow her downstairs.

"Suzie says she'll catch the Night Riviera tomorrow, if all goes well. I asked her what that meant but she wouldn't say?"

"Sorry, sis, but my guess is that she knows even less than me, and that's bugger all!"

"But why are you dressed like that?"

"I have to go out, we have to go." She waved Maisie to stand with her.

"I thought you knew nothing?"

"I received a message telling me to get ready, that doesn't mean I know why I've been asked to get ready."

"You haven't had anything to eat since lunch?"

"Do you have any of those oats and honey breakfast bars? We'll take a couple each."

Tammy and Maisie made their way out to the car.

"What message, Tammy?"

She handed over her phone after unlocking it.

Thistle Maiden: Boots and Saddles

"Boots and Saddles?"

"It's from the Wild West."

"Oh, okay, getting ready to ride a horse? Like the Cavalry?"

"Exactly."

Tammy pulled away and was soon on Epping High Street heading North. They passed Kevin just before the turn onto Epping High Street, clearly on his way back to the house. Tammy wondered for a moment if Angela would open the door, given he was severely overdue? She ignored the thought as largely irrelevant, she had other issues to deal with.

"Find Sean MacTaggart in my phone contacts and call him please."

"Sure." Maisie docked Tammy's phone then hit the call button.

"Miss Smart?"

"I require a non-commercial IFF for a flight to Geneva, Sir."

"Understood, I'll send the information to your phone."

The airfield main gate was closed but a gate guard saw Tammy's headlamps pull up.

"Ah, Miss Smart, we were told to expect you." One gate slid open and they drove through, towards the hanger Tammy had left her Epic.

It was sat outside the hanger, Tammy started putting the preflight through her mind and smiled when she remembered that she'd bothered to refuel on arrival. DI Grieve was waiting by the plane.

"What are you doing here, Sophie?"

"I received a message, an instruction."

Tammy sat in the plane and checked her phone, a secure text had just arrived with her designation and IFF, although for now she was a civilian flight. Next she phoned the North Weald Tower to file her flightplan. With that done she deplaned and did her walk around.

"Tammy, who is that?" Maisie asked, looking past the Epic.

A person wearing a long dark hooded coat, pulling a suitcase, approached.

"Greetings, Cousin." A female voice said, slightly amused.

Tammy smiled, recognizing the woman with a combat painted face. "I should have known. Nice to see you, Cousin. I just filed my flightplan."

When she hugged her, Tammy felt the weapons concealed under the coat and whispered. "I'm glad you're here, Tiffany."

"No problem." The woman said just to her then turned to the plane. "The flightplan is being updated as we speak. Time to go."

Sophie leaned to Tammy. "Just who is that and why is she acting like she's going with us?"

"She is going with us and that's all you need to know."

Luggage was quickly stowed and the plane checked over while coffee brewed. Tammy was surprised when Tiffany set up a laptop, as were Maisie and Sophie. Tammy continued her preparations, switching her IFF code to the one provided. Now she had a temporary NATO designation; Claymore-Three-Seven.

"Why the laptop?" Sophie asked.

"Updates." The woman replied simply then turned to Maisie. "Staines, right?"

Maisie nodded slowly. "Yes."

"I'll be riding second-seat en route. I understand that's your usual gig, but this is different." The woman said then went forward to the cockpit. "Okay, Cousin. Two channels; one is ATC and the other is Stronghold. I'm Sierra Delta, you're Tango Mike. Got it?"

Tammy nodded. "Got it

Maisie looked over at Sophie to say something, but stopped. Sophie was staring at the laptop intently. Across the screen were two windows and both were scrolling code at high speed.

"What is that?" Maisie whispered.

Sophie glanced to Maisie then back to the laptop. "Military-grade encryptions. I've never seen a laptop process so much so fast before."

Suddenly the codes stopped and the windows were dropped then other windows appeared. Maps and other imagery, clocks, status of the plane itself and some kind of audio feed.

"Oh dear God, this is direct contact with some kind of Space Tech Operations Centre. They most likely hear and see everything we do." Sophie whispered to Maisie.

"Stronghold to Tartan-One."

Tammy recognized Kimberly's voice and smiled as she looked over to Tiffany. "Tartan-One, we have you."

"Sierra Delta aboard. Tango Mike and I standing by for Tower, Actual." Tiffany replied.

"Copy. Status of Tango-One is unchanged. Still on site outside Geneva." Kimberly informed them.

Sophie asked aloud. "Tango-One?"

"That would be Lavoska, Detective Inspector Grieve." The woman on the laptop answered.

Though she had suspected everything in the plane could be seen and heard, it still surprised her to be answered. Being addressed by name and title slightly disturbed her as well.

"Actual, we'll need to refuel on arrival." Tammy said, now understanding the dialogue.

Kimberly answered. "A fuel truck will come to you. It may be waiting or arrive shortly after. Sierra Delta, have you arranged ground transport?"

"Affirmative on Transport. We need a Load-out." Tiffany replied.

"Assault or Penetration?"

Tiffany looked at Tammy then replied. "Assault; by four and disposable."

"Copy. You'll have to stop and pick it up."

The Tower interrupted the conversation. "Claymore-Three-Seven; you are cleared to Taxi."

"Roger Tower, Claymore-Three-Seven Taxi to Runway." Tammy answered.

Tiffany spoke up on the other channel. "Roger that, Stronghold. We just got cleared to Taxi."

"Copy."

Tammy had taxied out to the designated runway. "Tower; Claymore-Three-Seven standing by for permission to take off."

"Standby Claymore-flight."

Tammy looked over. "So where exactly are we going?"

"Off-the-books strip outside Geneva. We'll have more privacy." Tiffany said then handed Tammy a page with printed instructions on it.

Tammy frowned. "I've never landed without lights before."

"Relax, Tango Mike. I just got confirmation, somebody's home and the lights will be on for you." Kimberly broke in.

"Claymore-flight; you are cleared to takeoff. Outbound; climb to twenty-five thousand on heading zero-nine-five." The Tower called out.

Tammy confirmed her instructions. "Roger Tower, Climb to Angels two-five on heading zero-nine-five. Taking off."

Tiffany reached over and added her hand to the throttles. "Not alone, not afraid. We're with you. Let's go."

Tammy smiled at the reassurance. "Yes. Let's go."

Everyone was silent as Tammy sped down the runway then climbed up into the night sky. Tammy then reached over to turn on the music and almost laughed as classic Rolling Stones came up. She fell to the temptation and sang along with the opening lyrics, with slight variation.

"Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a girl of wealth and taste." Tammy sang.

Tiffany added. "I've been around for a long, long year. Stole many a man's; soul and faith."

A glance to the side showed Tammy being grinned at so she returned it. She felt confidant. Though it was multiple firsts for her, she didn't feel swept up in fear. Within a few minutes she could see the dark ground shift to sparkling water and knew they were now flying over the North Sea. She wondered if she should announce it and looked over to Tiffany.

Tiffany understood without being asked. "Stronghold; Tartan-One is feet wet and on mission."

"Roger that."

Tammy isolated herself and Tiffany to talk. "Aren't the other aircraft called Vendetta?"

"Yeah." Tiffany answered.

Tammy continued on. "And I'm Tartan." Tammy adopted a deadpan voice. "I wondered why that is?"

Tiffany laughed. "Actually Vendetta are all the military aircraft plus the Gulfstream. The civilian part of the fleet have the company name for them. Stronghold thought you'd appreciate having a designation. Of course, you only use it when talking to us, but they thought you'd like it anyway. I think it's cool."

"I do like it." Tammy giggled.

"I heard you were curious about the other houses." Tiffany commented.

Tammy nodded. "Yes. Even now."

Tiffany smiled. "One is mine. I'll try to be home next time you come."

Tammy looked back to see if they were being overheard then asked. "Will you be at the races on the Isle of Man?"

"I wish, but no. If I'm lucky, I'll be in Japan. If not..." Tiffany trailed off.

Tammy understood the unsaid. Tiffany wouldn't always know where she would be before she had to go there and plans could change at any time.

"Perhaps I shouldn't ask questions like that." Tammy said, mostly to herself.

Tiffany shook her head. "It's fine. Now that we've met, I'll let you know when I'm around. Okay?"

Tammy smiled. "I'd like that. Oh, was it you that sent the tickets?"

"Yep. I was told you would be in town, so I sent four of my tickets to you." Tiffany told her then asked with a smile. "Madam Olga liked you. She said your sister was charming."

Tammy laughed. "I liked her too. Did everyone really think she was a spy?"

Tiffany laughed as well. "Some still do. Actually she hated what they used to do back in the Cold War. I don't blame her. I know she probably told you that she's still a virgin. Did she smile?"

"Yes. I almost laughed about that. I believed her." Tammy admitted.

Tiffany nodded. "The story is true. The smile was fake."

"Fake? Why?" Tammy asked.

Tiffany sighed. "She almost didn't get a choice. A couple of GRU assholes planned to rape her to force her into the game. She got really lucky, it was a Command performance for Gorbachev. Only he didn't send for her, he showed up. If he'd been just four minutes later, he'd have walked in to the studio and saw it happening."

"In the studio? Seriously?" Tammy asked in dismay.

"Yep. Right in front of a bunch of ten year olds. Instead, they had to explain to ol' Gorby what they were doing, showing up with their pants unzipped. He didn't appreciate the 'salutes' they were sporting either." Tiffany explained.

Tammy's jaw dropped and then she asked. "What happened?"

Tiffany shrugged. "Good question. So said; nobody ever saw or heard of them again. The only thing known for fact is; the Man was beyond pissed. That and he ordered both onto their knees and instructed all the girls to kick them twice. Seventeen of them; do the math."

Tammy laughed. "My maths skills say they didn't walk out of there!"



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 9

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 
Warning: This chapter includes violence

 
Boxing Day (Cont)
 

Tammy could see land ahead so she announced. "Stronghold; Tartan-One is dry."

"Copy Tartan-One. Looks like you caught a tail-wind. Ten minutes ahead of schedule. Sierra Delta, the Load-out is ready and waiting."

"Thank you, Actual."

"Something else. Gainsborough tried to escape again."

Tammy swore. "Damn her!"

"She barely made it down the hall from the interview room. The agent she tried to get past took offense to her line of bullshit."

"Something tells me that Gainsborough didn't think this through?" Tiffany snerked.

Kimberly replied. "The female agent responsible competes on the women's pro karate circuit. Let's just say that when the idiot was seemingly unattended the bitch attempted to talk her way out of the block, she tried force when nothing else worked and it did NOT go well for her."

Tammy's anger dropped. "Not well?"

"If the report is right; broken nose, three teeth needed work and her jaw was dislocated on the left side. They'll keep her under tighter guard at the hospital whilst they make her presentable then send her straight back to London."

"Oh, I like her. Send that agent some flowers, chocolate and BIG bottle of bubblebath!" Tiffany laughed.

Tammy laughed and continued. "Have the card say, on behalf of Her Majesty!"

"Doesn't someone's eyes blacken if their nose gets broken?" Maisie asked from the rear.

Tiffany called back. "Usually. It doesn't get counted though. Like dropping a building to nail a terrorist bomb-maker and you take out the guy planning to deliver it too."

"That's so callous!" Sophie snarled.

"Nice guys end up in body bags, Grieves. Tonight, you're on the front line." The voice on the laptop stated.

Tammy winced. "That hurts."

"Tango-One deserves a double-tap to the head, but the management says to bring her in alive. Sometimes orders suck, but we carry them out - Without Dissent! Lets get on with this job." Tiffany said.

"Is she alone?" Maisie asked.

The voice on the laptop answered. "Negative Sergeant, that's why Sierra Delta is with you. Her task is to get Tango Mike to the target. She's all yours Tango Mike."

"Understood, Stronghold, I'll bring her in. Are there any special instructions?" Tammy asked.

Kimberly replied. "There are. Alive, intact and functional. Sierra Delta has something that will make her extraction more manageable."

Tiffany took a small plastic case from a pocket. "A dose of Twilight Zone and she's down for hours. No more than two are advisable, side-effects are likely."

Tammy saw Tiffany smile at the last part. Obvious that in some cases, side-effects on the person weren't really a concern. Tammy gave her attention back to flying, the terrain was changing again. Paris ATC advised she gain altitude, so Tammy climbed to thirty-thousand and slowed down forty knots to compensate. Higher altitude meant more fuel would be consumed, so slower speeds were recommended.

"Time check; zero-one-thirty local." Tiffany announced, checking her phone.

Kimberly stated. "E.T.A. to Hawk's Ridge; Zero-three-eighteen local. Another nine-zero mikes to the hard-site."

"That puts us around five in the morning." Sophie surmised.

Tiffany called back. "Can't be helped. We just have to go with what we got. It sucks, but it's all we have. If we wait, she'll bail and we have to start all over again."

"We can't afford to risk losing her again. This is for all of the marbles, right?" Tammy asked.

Kimberly replied. "Correct."

Tammy flew on. The mountainous terrain passing safely under her plane. There were winds that made her correct to stay on course occasionally, but weren't a serious problem to her. Soon it was time.

Tammy called in. "Geneva Tower, Claymore-three-seven. Deviating from course per flightplan."

"Affirmative Claymore-three-seven, good luck. Geneva Tower, out."

Tiffany reached over and switched the channel and called out. "Hawk's Ridge, this is Claymore-three-seven; do you copy?"

Several tense moments later. "Hawk's Ridge, copy. Approach from the South."

"There it is!" Tammy said.

In the distance, the lights of a runway were dimly lit. She checked her heading then adjusted to approach from the South.

"Ready?" Tammy asked.

Tiffany nodded back. "I'm with you."

"Buckle up." Tammy called back to Maisie and Sophie then turned back. "We're going in."

The plane descended and roared in at full speed to set down without bouncing on the runway. Tammy was concerned about possible black-ice. The best way to land was at full-speed, landing as lightly as possible then drop the throttles and let the plane slow on its own. The runway was longer than she thought and was glad for it. It was also very wide. When the plane slowed down enough she gently applied the brakes and stopped then throttled up to turn around and approached a small building to stop again. She shut down and began her post-flight checklist.

"Stronghold, Tartan-One is on the ground." Tiffany announced.

Kimberly replied. "Roger that. Load-out drop is being sent to your phone. Re-establish comms on station, Stronghold, out."

The multiple windows on the computer screen went blank. Tiffany went back and packed up her laptop. Tammy came from the cockpit and set her cup in the sink.

Tiffany looked to Tammy. "Get changed. Our ride will be here soon."

Maisie was looking on the window. "I think there is a truck coming toward us."

Tiffany let down the stairs and went outside. A fuel truck came to a stop and she directed the driver into position for refuelling. Sophie and Maisie had stepped out at Tammy's instruction. Inside the plane, Tammy opened her medium suitcase and removed what she needed. Before the truck finished refuelling Tammy stepped out to join them.

"Oh Holy Hell." Sophie groaned.

Maisie blinked then looked over at the other woman and saw she had shed the coat and stood unaffected by the cold in a form-fitting one piece uniform, weapons harness, gloves and boots. The uniform seemed to be in various shades of grey. Tammy's, however, was in all black.

"Leave the hardware, Cousin. You'll be using ours." Tiffany called out.

Tammy ducked back inside then came back out, the holsters empty. Tiffany directed her to sit on the steps and took out a small compact.

"I'll help you out this time." Tiffany gave her a smirk then began painting her face in waved streaks of black and grey and blended the edges.

Maisie shook her head in disbelief and asked. "Just WHO do you work for?"

Headlights from an approaching vehicle caught Tiffany's attention prompting her to greet the arrival.

"Santa Claus, Kid. I handle the naughty list." Tiffany dead-panned as she passed Maisie.

An SUV stopped and two men got out.

"Konbanwa." Tiffany greeted them and bowed.

Both men gestured with their hands then bowed. "Konbanwa Itoko-chan."

Tammy was waved forward and Tiffany introduced them. "Extended family. More Cousins."

The men bowed to Tammy. "Konbanwa, good evening."

"Konbanwa. Thank you for coming. Arigato." Tammy replied then muttered to Tiffany. "Please tell me I said that right."

Tiffany chuckled. "You said it fine. They will stay here and guard the plane while we borrow their ride."

The elder of the men opened the rear passenger door and came back with a long object in a bag. He untied an end, withdrew a sword and offered it to Tiffany saying something quietly to her. Tiffany took the sword and bowed to him.

"Arigato Itoko-sama." Tiffany said then looked to Tammy. "Let's go. The clock's ticking."

"Help yourselves to coffee in the plane." Tammy said then waved to Sophie and Maisie. "Let's go."

The four piled into the SUV and Tiffany drove out. For forty minutes they drove in silence, using Tiffany's phone for navigation. When it beeped she slowed down then pulled over. She and Tammy got out and pulled a large case from beneath some roadside brush to load into the cargo area then drove on.

"I find it strange you're letting us see all these things." Sophie remarked.

Tiffany didn't glance away from the road. "Like what?"

"Secret runways, supply points?" Sophie answered.

Tiffany shrugged. "Your government knows about the runway. What supply point? We just stopped at a random spot along the road. It's a drop. Won't be used again."

Tammy fought to suppress the giggle, but did smile. She had never seen Sophie outsmarted so easily before. Before they realized it, Tiffany was pulling over again and turning off the lights.

"This is it?" Tammy asked.

Tiffany pointed ahead. "A quarter mile out. We have to stop here or tip them off. Come on."

At the back, the case was opened and Tiffany began distributing items. Two pistols for Tammy then a knife. Tammy smirked at the old-style Fairbairn–Sykes commando knife. The sheath was fixed to the back of her right thigh. Two pistols remained, one apiece for Sophie and Maisie. They each took a CAR-15 and suppressors were fitted onto the end of the barrels. Tiffany adjusted the sights on Tammy's rifle then her own.

"That should be zero'ed to you. Unless somebody didn't write down your settings right. No way to test, just have to go with it." Tiffany stated then gave out magazines to Tammy followed by the others. Tammy held still as a radio was clipped onto her back shoulder strap then a strap wrapped around her neck.

"Throat-mic, voice activated." Tiffany told her then handed her the ear-piece. Maisie and Sophie were both fitted with radios as well, but had to tuck them into their coat pockets. A pair of cameras were next, attached to Tiffany and Tammy's shoulder-straps.

"Body-cam. Others are watching." Tiffany said quietly to Tammy.

Tammy nodded. "Right."

Finally Tiffany took out four sets of foam panels which turned out to be lightweight snowshoes they could strap onto their boots.

"Are these some kind of prototypes?" Maisie asked.

Tiffany chuckled. "No, they've been commercially available for the last couple of years; easier to use than traditional snowshoes."

Tiffany then took out her phone and tapped on the screen. "Strike team to Stronghold, comm-check."

"Five by five, Sierra Delta. Standby." Kimberly replied.

Their ear-pieces were silent for a few moments then they heard the woman's voice again. "Strike Team is online, gentlemen."

"Copy that." A man's voice stated.

Tammy smiled at hearing his voice then her jaw dropped at the next voice.

"Understood." The cultured voice of Sir Thomas Addington came through.

Tiffany nodded to Tammy then spoke up. "Stronghold; Strike team is go, no-go for infiltration."

"Your orders, gentlemen?" Kimberly asked.

Sir Thomas answered first. "Strike team; Go."

"Strike team; do not fail, Go to war." Dannigan ordered.

Tiffany and Tammy both replied. "Yes Sir."

Tiffany slid the sword into the back-straps of her harness as she turned and led the way off the road, deeper into the tree line. The sound of the snow being compressed was muted by the soft material of the snowshoes. Ten minutes later they stood at the edge of a clearing and could see a dark building ahead.

"Is there anything that will let them know we're here?" Tammy asked.

Kimberly's voice answered. "Negative on a perimeter system. Entry points of the structure may have anti-intrusion."

"What's that noise?" Sophie asked.

Tiffany answered. "Generator. Sounds diesel."

"The site is off any service. No electrical or hard communications. They do have satellite." Kimberly informed them.

Maisie mused aloud. "So that's how she's been able to keep communications going without being tracked."

"Cut comms or seize comms?" Tiffany asked.

Kimberly answered. "Seize comms. Get us access, we'll deal with their system accordingly."

"Roger that." Tammy replied.

Tiffany looked at each one then told them. "No voices from us. One click is yes, two clicks for no. Ignore three clicks. I'm on point, Tammy second, Grieves third and Staines on rear-guard. No shooting unless I say so. If either of you two shoot me; you won't like it."

"She means it." Tammy told Sophie and Maisie.

"Real deal, cousin, not an exercise. This zone is Live." Tiffany said to Tammy then called over the radio. "Strike team, starting infiltration. Quiet comms."

"Copy Strike Team, twenty minutes on the assault clock. Standby. Standby. Mark!" Kimberly informed them.

Tiffany waved them to follow and led the way slowly toward the main structure, an old Chalet style manor typical of rural alpine property. The distinctive smell of smoke hung in the air and they could easily hear the increasing, albeit muffled, noise of the diesel generators as they moved forward. The four of them arrived at the exterior wall of the manor and began to circle around to the back, ducking beneath windows. The windows seemed unnaturally dark though to Tammy and she tapped Tiffany's back for attention then pointed to the window.

Tiffany leaned so close Tammy could feel her breath. "What?"

"Why are they so dark? We should see lights of some kind inside." Tammy whispered back.

Tiffany shook her head. "Those aren't curtains. The glass has been spray-painted. Keep moving."

The four moved on silently and turned a corner. Tiffany looked up and pointed to something above them.

"That's it. Our way in." Tiffany whispered.

They heard Kimberly over the radios. "Rover, opposite corner in thirty seconds."

Tiffany slipped off the snowshoes and advanced alone, waving the others to crouch down low. At the corner she drew the sword slowly and waited. A man turned the corner, complaining loudly to himself. Tiffany stepped away from the wall, the sword flew through the frigid air. The man who had come around the corner stood frozen place as his head fell to the ground then his body followed. A flick of the sword slung the blood off the blade. They all heard three clicks over the radio-net.

"Rover; down." Kimberly announced over the net.

Tiffany turned, sheathed the sword and stalked back. Overhead was a small balcony at the second floor. Using hand signals Tiffany told Tammy they would use the balcony to go inside. Tammy was positioned to watch one way, Maisie the other. The wall was made of fieldstone, not cut block, so Tiffany was able to find small finger and toe-holds to climb up. The three minutes seemed more like three years as they kept glancing up. Finally she lunged to grabbed the top of the balcony then pull herself up and over. A moment later a black rope dropped down. Tammy patted Sophie roughly then pointed up. Sophie slung the rifle over her shoulder then grabbed the rope. She struggled to climb up with her gloved hands, but finally managed to go high enough for Tiffany to grab her shoulder and be dragged over.

Maisie was swatted next. Tammy gave her a stern look then pointed up. Maisie slung the rifle and climbed the rope. She went up faster than Sophie, but didn't find it easy. Finally Tammy climbed the rope. She gave Tiffany a look of self-loathing then nodded. Tiffany nodded then motioned for them to resume guard. From a pouch at her back, Tiffany pulled out a small cylinder. She passed it around the perimeter of the window and stopped along one side.

A glass-cutter traced the inside of a pane after a small suction cup was pressed against it. Carefully the glass square came away from the frame. Tiffany reached inside with a mirror then reached in with her knife and worked it. A minute later she pushed up and the window lifted.

"Inside. No noise." Tiffany whispered to them then climbed through the window.

Maisie climbed in next, then Sophie after Tammy tapped her back. Tammy entered last then pulled the window down. Sophie looked at her in confusion. Tammy waved her on anyway. An open window let in cold, cold would get attention. That much, Tammy knew for certain. At the door, Tiffany inched it open and checked outside. Carefully she opened it more and leaned out. Hand signals indicated the hall was clear. Slowly they edged out. Tiffany looked to Tammy and waved her to go down the hall, but stopped her.

"Check the rooms. I'll secure downstairs." Tiffany whispered. "Alive. Take her alive. Dead is done. Go get her."

Tammy nodded. Tiffany pointed to Maisie and Sophie to follow her then eased down the stairs. Tammy went to the next door. As carefully as she could, Tammy cracked it open then looked inside. It was empty. Tammy closed it then moved to the next. Maisie stood on one side, Sophie on the other, watching the hall. Tammy repeated opening the door. Again the room was empty. Tammy waved them to the next. Four more times, they came up empty. Tammy turned a corner and found another door. Maisie and Sophie set up their guard again then Tammy cracked the door open. Inside she saw flickering light from a fire, burning in the fireplace. A laptop on a table drew her eyes.

"The trawlers were always disposable. I'm not concerned. Tomorrow night, eight gliders will cross the English Channel. Radar can not see the gliders. They will carry bombs to drop at key communications and electrical facilities. 'Great Britain' will drop into chaos overnight." Penelope Lavoska chuckled.

A male voice snarled. "I don't care! All I care about is the MONEY and release of my family they are holding!"

Tammy recognized the accent and edged closer until she was right behind her then slowly rose up, gripping her rifle tightly.

"I will keep my word, I assure you.." Penelope started and was cut off.

"BEHIND YOU!" The man on the video call pointed and shouted.

Lavoska turned, but only in time to catch sight of the rifle before the butt slammed against the side of her head and fall over. Tammy gave the man on screen a feral smile then ended the call. Downstairs they heard a man scream wildly then shots ring out.

"Cuff her!" Tammy ordered then bolted for the door. "Maisie stay with Sophie!"

Tammy ran for the stairs, jumped onto the bannister and slid down. Another scream, wild and animalistic. Tammy brought the rifle up and rushed through the open doorway. She froze just inside the doorway. Tiffany was facing the doorway, sword held along her side. A man with his back turned was falling forward, literally sliding off the sword through his chest.

"Let fly the wings of fury, on cold winds. I am Death and I have called your name." Tiffany said coldly then spun around and severed the falling man's head.

A glance to the left revealed Tammy standing in the doorway.

"You're supposed to be catching an annoying bitch, cousin." Tiffany remarked calmly. "Got your target?"

Tammy nodded slowly, now seeing several bloody bodies on the floor. "Yes. I stroked her with my rifle butt. Sophie cuffed her after that. I heard, um, them and came to help."

"They needed help." Tiffany slung the blood from her blade and sheathed it. "Stronghold, Sierra Delta; Hard-site now secure."

Kimberly answered. "Copy that. Tango Mike, disposition of Tango-One?"

"Uh, alive. She's unconscious." Tammy answered. "I interrupted her video call on a laptop."

"Grieves and Staines; are you with her?" Kimberly asked.

Maisie answered. "Yes Ma'am. She's still out, but cuffed anyway."

"We need to access that laptop." Krystal spoke up over the net. "Sierra Delta, breach those servers. Tango Mike, go back to the laptop."

Tiffany went over to one of the servers and inserted a flashdrive. Tammy ran back upstairs and went to Penelope's room.

"I'm at the laptop." Tammy announced.

Kimberly spoke up. "Follow my instructions."

Tammy did as she was told. The laptop then began running codes. Penelope started to stir, groaning.

"Oh, somebody's waking up." Maisie said.

Tiffany walked in. "Yeah? Here."

Tammy took the case handed to her and removed one of the three syringes. "How do I use it?"

"Pop off the needle guard and jab her in the ass." Tiffany quipped.

Tammy blinked at the bluntness of the instructions then shrugged and did so. Penelope yelped, which Tammy had to grin at, the injection was anything but gentle.

Penelope Lavoska glared. "Bitch! What did you give me?"

"I have no idea really. Honestly, I don't care either." Tammy replied.

Any other hostility from Penelope would have to wait, her eyes rolled back and she fell over.

Sophie looked over. "Maybe it would have been better to wait? She could have been walked out instead of carried?"

"I would've dragged out by her hair." Tiffany commented, looking around the room.

Maisie winced. "That is so primitive."

Tiffany found a purse and suitcase. "I didn't mean the hair on her head. Grab all this, falls under Site-Intel."

"What about the servers downstairs?" Tammy asked.

"They'll be a giant paperweight in a few minutes, the array is being stripped." Tiffany answered then made to leave the room. "I'll go back and get our ride. Be ready."

Sophie began gathering up all of the personal effects while Tammy and Maisie carried their quarry downstairs. Downstairs Maisie and Sophie looked into the room with all the computer equipment and were immediately sickened. Ten men in all added to the night's body-count. They had been armed, for all the good it had done them. Three did try to use their pistols, but were unsuccessful. The front door opened and closed with a quick blast of cold air from outside.

Tiffany walked up to them. "You did search her, right?"

"Sorry, no." Tammy admitted.

Tiffany nodded. "Do it now. Strip her completely, jewelry too, and search her body then clothing. Take no chances, she could have made plans in the event of capture."

Sophie removed the cuffs and Tammy began stripping the unconscious woman. When completely naked, Tammy searched her body, feeling for anything under her skin or hidden in her hair. She was about to stop when Tiffany corrected.

"Mouth, too." Tiffany instructed.

Tammy used the light of her phone to look inside, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "I don't see anything weird."

"What could be in her mouth?" Maisie asked.

Sophie looked puzzled as well then looked over. "You mean like a poison tooth? I thought that was just movies and books?"

"I wouldn't put it past her." Tiffany said.

Sir Thomas cut in over the net. "She will be thoroughly inspected, erm, Agent."

"Continue with the mission, ladies. Your clock is not going backwards." Dannigan prompted.

"Yes, Sir." Tiffany and Tammy replied.

Lavoska was redressed after the clothing was checked then cuffed again.

Sophie pointed to the suitcase. "I put all her effects in the suitcase. Anything else?"

"I took pictures and video of everything, high-rez. Her and her stuff comes with us. Let's go." Tiffany said and waved them to follow.

The group went outside. The back opened and they deposited the weapons, radios and other equipment back into the case. Penelope was heaved inside along with her suitcase. The four climbed back in and drove away.

"What will happened to the house?" Maisie asked.

Tiffany shook her head. "Above our pay-grades. We weren't here. That didn't happen."

"Just like that?" Sophie asked.

Tiffany smirked in the mirror at her. "Unless you want to admit to breaking eighteen Swiss laws and nine international ones?"

"Careful Sophie, police officers never fare very well in any prison." Tammy snarked.

Sophie's jaw dropped in realization. Switzerland was a non-extradition treaty country and they were, in effect, now conducting a kidnapping following breaking and entering and killing of multiple individuals. All regardless of their crimes, perceived or proven.

Sophie groaned. "Bloody Hell. That's me, buggered."

"So we can't talk about this, ever?" Maisie asked.

Tammy glanced back. "Talk about what? We're enjoying a quiet drive around London today."

Maisie caught on. "Oh."

"I'd like to pick up my parents and bring them back, but I think it would be a problem." Tammy commented.

Tiffany nodded. "Serious problem. Ask if you can retain the IFF to come back and get them. You have to get out of Swiss airspace fast. Fly over to France and get in a nap. Maybe your buddies can meet you at an airfield to make a pick up. After some rest you and your honey can go pick up your folks. Your cop buddy can ride back with dingbat."

"If I don't ask, I definitely won't get." Tammy said. "I'll call before we take off."

The sun was fully up when they returned to the airfield. A small power unit had been parked beside the Epic and was providing service to it. The two men saw their return and let down the steps to meet them.

"Okaerinasai, Itoko-chan." The older bowed.

Tiffany bowed. "Arigato, Itoko-sama."

Tammy followed suit. "Arigato."

The younger man bowed. "Your plane, very nice!"

"Thank you! I mean, Arigato." Tammy said politely and bowed again.

Tiffany said something in Japanese and the younger man went back into the plane then came out with her luggage. Tammy looked to her in confusion.

"This is where we go our separate ways, Cousin." Tiffany told her with a kind smile.

Tammy frowned. "Too bad. I would like more time."

"The future is unwritten. I'll always be with you. We all are." Tiffany said.

"Not alone, not afraid." Tammy repeated.

The men began loading the unconscious woman and her case into the plane then bowed to Maisie and Sophie. Then the equipment case was set onto the ground.

After a tight hug, Tammy climbed into the Epic, followed by Maisie and Sophie. The power unit helped with start up then Tiffany disconnected it. Tammy taxied down to the end of the runway turned around and powered up to take off in the brightening sky. She made a pass and wagged her wings slightly, getting return waves from the woman standing beside the SUV. She saw her put something in case, jump into the vehicle and drove away very fast. Just as they crested the ridge, she saw the case explode.

"WHOA! Why did she do that?" Maisie exclaimed.

"And that's what disposable means." Tammy sighed then changed frequency. "Geneva Tower, Claymore-three-seven. En-route flightplan, Geneva to Paris. Charles De Gaulle."

"Request received. Proceed Claymore-three-seven."

"Bollocks." Tammy said to herself. "I forgot to call before we took off. I'll do it when we get there."

They landed at Charles de Gaulle after circling for over ten minutes, waiting for a slot. It appeared that post Christmas business had arrived. Tammy checked the date, it was the 27th. Finally, close to ten in the morning she rolled the plane to a halt by the business terminal.

"Fuel, Tammy?"

"No, Maisie, there's enough to get us back to London or Geneva."

"What are we doing now, then?"

"Good question. I have an apartment in Paris if anyone wants a wash and a nap?"

"I hope we're not taking our prisoner there?"

"No, Sophie, although I had kinda forgotten about our guest."

Tammy's phone rang, she engaged secure mode.

"Bonjour Sir Thomas."

"Bonjour to you too. Are you on the ground?"

"Yes, what are your instructions?"

"I'm told the RAF are sending some transport, but for now this is a medical extraction, DI Grieve is to accompany the prisoner."

"Understood."

The call ended. Tammy shrugged, they now had to wait and any British plans could easily be delayed by French bureaucracy, heck they even invented the word! She took three pictures of her face then began to scrub the combat paint off with disposable wipes.

"Why the selfie?" Sophie asked.

Tammy grinned. "So I can do my own paint if I need to. Maisie, coffee please?"

"Emily would be having kittens after all this." Sophie muttered then added. "Suzie was right, maniacs indeed."

After cleaning her face off, Tammy changed back into civilian clothes and hid her uniform away. She suggested Maisie did the same.

There was a tap on the plane door half an hour later and a young corporal was stood there, wearing a red cross armband.

"Corporal Dagmar, Ma'ams, I understand you have a patient?"

"Indeed Corporal." Tammy pointed and, on cue, Lavoska moaned. "Do you have anything for pain? Preferably to intensify it?"

"Our Doctor will assess the patient. I understand one of you is responsible for her custody?"

"That'll be me, I suppose." Offered Sophie.

"Excellent, I'll be back shortly."

Maisie decided to step out to have a look.

"There's an RAF Chinook sat about a hundred metres away."

"Okay."

It was a few minutes later when the Corporal returned with two orderlies and a wheelchair. Lavoska was coming around.

"You bitches! I'll kill you all!"

Tammy reached for the pack and took a second injection out, lost the cap and jammed it into the woman with a grin. This time was definitely more 'stab' and less 'jab'.

Lavoska screeched and went silent again.

"Ma'am, what did you give her?"

"I have no idea, but you should have around four to five hours before she's a pain in the ass again."

"Understood."

The orderlies removed the limp body of their captive from the plane and strapped her into the chair. The Corporal took her pulse and confirmed Lavoska was still alive.

"I guess she's my responsibility now, Tammy?"

"Yes, Sophie, and you're welcome to the bitch."

The orderly started to push Lavoska away.

"I'll do it by the book, you know that!"

"Sure, we don't want her to get away with anything on a technicality?"

"Don't worry Tammy, I'll make certain she gets into a cell and that justice will follow."

"And if you don't get a move on, she'll leave without you!"

--

The story continues in Chapter 10

--

Part 2 of Tamara's Trials is now available on Kindle



Book 12: Deja Flew     "Deja Flew" Part 10

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!
 

Wednesday 27th December 2017 (Cont)

"You said you have an apartment in Paris?" Maisie asked.

"Yes, it's not far from Gare Du Nord, so it's handy for the Eurostar to London."

"Okay."

Tammy opened up the mini-galley. "Leave our weapons locked away, I don't fancy having to explain myself to a Gendarme officer." She collected her handbag to leave, ensuring she had her passport and phone. Once they had secured the plane they walked through the business terminal, although Tammy first had to pause to pay her landing fee. Next stop was an ATM, this would place her in Paris but right now she had no Euros. Finally they made it back into the open air and picked up a cab from the rank outside.

"Numéro onze Rue Jean Robert, svp."

"Nord?"

"Oui."

Their vehicle set off and they were quickly on the A1 heading into Central Paris, the taxi was flying along at 130km/h and Maisie was agog. "Is this car safe?"

That was a question that wasn't truthfully answerable. "We'll get there, that much I know."

It wasn't long before they went past the French sporting edifice, the Stadt de France, but as Maisie was watching the scenery pass by her window the road suddenly dived into a tunnel. They emerged just before a major junction.

Maisie pointed up. "What's that?"

"Le Peripherique. It's the M25 of Paris."

On the far side of that junction the road became a traditional Boulevard, five minutes later their driver had executed a series of right turns then, finally, pulled over.

"Trente cinq Euros."

Tammy handed over forty. "Reviens ici a tres heures pour le retour."

"D'accord."

They extracted themselves and Tammy walked to the door. "Let me see ...." She tapped a code into the number pad but nothing happened. "Ah, I remember." A second attempt and they were in.

Tammy led Maisie up the stairs and into the lounge.

"I haven't been here for a while, a few years in fact."

"What did you say to the taxi driver?"

"I asked him to pick us up at three, to go back to the airport."

"Okay, so what are we doing here?"

"There should be some long-life milk and cookies in the cupboard so let's have a coffee then jump in the shower before grabbing some kip? I don't know about you, but I really should recharge my batteries, I don't know how much longer the adrenalin will last?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Tammy first went into her old room and sat on the single bed. The room had been cleared in the past year when Joan and Richard had spent a long weekend in the city earlier in the year. Tammy had sent out a change of clothes, just in case, and had unopened packs of plain undies available, plus a couple of tops and skirts, she checked everything was stowed and opened the sealed packs. Moving to the main bedroom she went for her father's wardrobe, finding several large t-shirts that would suffice as nightwear for the girls.

More importantly there were clean, wrapped, towels and hot water was instantly available. The coffee, and much more, was forgotten as the pair walked into the large shower.

Suitably cleansed they dressed for bed, taking the only double bed in the apartment. Sleep came very quickly.

Tammy phoned her father when they awoke, finding several missed calls.

"Hi dad, sorry I was asleep."

"What's going on? I just heard that Lavoska woman was found and is now in London?"

"Really, I haven't seen the news?"

"You're not in London?"

"No, we're in the Paris apartment. Did you still want to be picked up?"

"Paris? I should ask why? Never mind, can you get to Geneva airport?"

"Sure, do you want to be picked up and head back to London?"

"Yes, can you get on your way but I'll go to check with your mother again, she may have changed her plans in the past five minutes."

"Okay, we'll be at least an hour."

Another, quick, shower and they dressed. It was icy outside but Tammy went for the skirt, albeit with a pair of tights borrowed from the master bedroom.

Maisie redressed into the same outfit but 'borrowed' new undies from Tammy.

Tammy's phone rang, although this time it was a secure call.

"Hi Tammy, I'm back from Cornwall and just had a nap."

"Hi Suzie, sorry but we're in Paris and hoping to get back later but first we're picking up mum and dad in Geneva."

"Get back soon please, Angela's trashed the kitchen! She said that she had a bodyguard last night but he left at ten saying he wanted to get the tube home and he wasn't expected back?"

"That was DI Edmunds. You could call him and ask why he wasn't there this morning?"

"I think I can guess, see you later Tammy?"

"Sure."

They had time to walk to a nearby boulangerie for a couple of croque monsieurs and tidy the apartment before their cab arrived. Tammy's phone rang again as they pulled away from the kerb.

"Your mum agrees, it's time to go home."

"Check out of the hotel and get yourselves over to Geneva airport, business terminal."

"Understood, how long will you be?"

"Two hours, maybe a bit longer. I'll have to refuel somewhere."

"That's just enough time for your mum to get ready!"

"I'll tell her you said that, Dad!"

The call ended just as they reached the Tunnel du Landy so Tammy put her phone away.

"What did he say, Tammy?"

"Something that females would find quite offensive and possibly even divorce material!"

"Oh."

The same driver had collected them and, this time, only charged Tammy thirty Euros for the return trip. She added a €5 tip regardless.

Once inside the Business Terminal, she booked her flight-plan to Geneva but first decided to fill the tanks, that would reduce the time they spent in Switzerland.

Richard rang whilst she was waiting to taxi. Tammy put it on speaker to keep her hands free.

"Your mum has changed her mind, she's sitting in the lounge and chatting, plus the hotel has a special menu for tonight that she says she doesn't want to miss, apparently it's a festival day here."

"Great, I'm waiting for permission to taxi and we have no frocks."

"Take your time in Geneva and I'll get you both a bed for the night, a double room?"

"Yes, but tell mum it's a twin if she asks, just in case she's going to have an issue."

They were in the air ten minutes later and climbed quickly under direction from the local ATC. Once auto pilot could be engaged Tammy grabbed her phone and, using the plane's wifi, searched for frock shops in Geneva. One concern was that the shops were due to open that day and might still be open well after five in the evening.

She managed to find a recommended place called 'Jupes & Plus'. She emailed to ask that the shop was open for the pair as an emergency? There wasn't an immediately reply and Tammy had to put her phone to one side when she was contacted by Geneva ATC for her finals. The descent into Geneva had come up quicker than Tammy had thought.

They were short of time so, once on the ground, Tammy skipped topping up the tanks and the pair made a beeline for the bus into the city centre. Her phone had pinged with a suggestion that the pair arrived before 6.30pm, they made it by two minutes. Given the hurry, they'd agreed on black as the main colour of their evening outfits so that would restrict their choices, and the time required.

"Ah, bonsoir, etes-vous MMe Smart?"

"Bonsoir, c'est moi-même et MMe Staines. Comme j'ai dit au email nous voudrons en urgence quelquechose en noir pour ce soir au restaurante en Lausanne."

"D'accord, suivez moi."

The range wasn't extensive but the pair added another LBD to their collections. Fortunately the store also had a selection of lingerie so they added that to the ongoing pile. A change of clothing for the following day was also needed .... Tammy left there several hundred Euros lighter, having no alternative than to use a card and thus more evidence of her travels. At least the manager felt it had been worth her while to open late.

They picked up the local metro and rode the thirty or so minutes into Lausanne. Tammy hadn't been here for several years but still remembered the way to the hotel Angleterre et Residence located on Place du Port.

Tammy checked them in. "Miss Smart and Staines."

"Ah, room 35. Your parents are in the bar."

Tammy decided they would leave the parental units alone and head upstairs. There wasn't time to wash hair but a mutual shower did wonders for Tammy's attitude. They went for minimalistic, understated, face paint before heading back down towards the bar. They were intercepted in the lobby.

"Oh, there you are!"

"Good evening mum."

"We'll be late for dinner!"

It was eight in the evening but Tammy wasn't rushed. "Drink in the bar first, I haven't had a drop since Christmas eve."

Richard hadn't left the bar, but rose to greet his daughter and future daughter-in-law.

"Lovely as ever. What are you having?"

"A Chablis, I think? Maisie?"

"A glass of that beer, a large one?" She pointed at the 6% local beer.

Richard caught the barman's attention to place the order, then they waited quietly until the drinks were brought over to them. Richard was looking at her strangely and Tammy wondered if her father was having trouble forming the right question. She had her glass in her hand when he next spoke, almost whispering..

"Is the world safe?"

Her glass returned to the table. "To be honest, no, it'll never be safe, Dad, and I think you knew that. However, the actions of a few honourable people have averted more mayhem and ensured that two, probably more, criminals will face justice."

"So what's your reward?"

"The thanks of faceless people in odd places and the love of my Maisie, that will be enough for me."

"Good, I had a horrible thought you were in this for the glory?"

Tammy now took a long sip as she decided on her response.

"Dad, there's no glory, just pain and suffering; that's how it has to be. At any time I believe that I'm working for glory is the moment that I must finish, must leave, walk away."

"That's a bit deep. Have you seen a shrink?"

"I think you'll find that my mental health is monitored continuously."

"That seems scarily strange and appropriate?"

"Correct."

Tammy decided that the questioning had to end before they were overheard. "Shall we join mum?"

The dinner was good, although Maisie wasn't entirely certain what the dishes were and, as it was a set meal, there wasn't a menu to aid them. When Richard tried to return to his earlier topic, Joan gave him a hard stare and the table went silent.

That, however, meant that the meal was slightly rushed as there was little interruption. When they rose to return to the bar Tammy made her apologies.

"Sorry, but we've had a very busy couple of days and I'm, er we're, exhausted. Goodnight."

Her statement was entirely true as sleep came quickly.

 
Thursday 28th December 2017
 

Breakfast was a mostly quiet affair.

"What time do you want to leave, Dad?"

"Nine? We'll get a bus to the airport?"

Joan objected. "No, book a Taxi."

Richard shrugged. "I'll ask the desk to arrange it."

That gave them an hour. "Mum, it'll be a bit of a squeeze in Suzie's car back at North Weald. If you can just take essentials in your small case, we can leave the large case in the plane?"

Joan had headed back to her room without answering Tammy so the girls went up to pack their limited clothes and toiletries, the frocks from the previous night would be creased during transit but they'd get them to a dry cleaners once back in the UK.

They returned to Geneva Airport almost without incident, their driver went to drop them at the main terminal.

"My plane is at the business terminal."

Loading the luggage took some time, Joan changed her mind twice as to which seat she wanted.

Once in the cockpit Tammy and Maisie slipped on their headsets whilst Richard and Joan strapped themselves into the rear seats. Conversation across the plane during the flight was minimal, almost nil, but the girls up front probably wouldn't have heard anything from the passenger compartment regardless.

Auto pilot was engaged as they left Swiss airspace but Tammy's attention didn't waiver and her headset remained over her ears. Her sixth sense told her that trouble was ahead.

They landed just after lunchtime and Tammy was thankful that, so far, the return journey had been largely without incidence. Fortunately the car was still parked airside by the business terminal, where Tammy had left it two days earlier. With the tower's agreement she taxied the plane to a spot close to the car then phoned Suzie to let her know they were back.

Outside it was damp and that seemed to seal the cloud of doom that had emanated from a rear seat once Tammy finished her call and turned around. Richard unlocked then opened the door but, despite the earlier request, Joan pulled all her bags off the plane and demanded they went into the car first. "I don't want anything getting damp and I don't know what I might need for the next few days."

She then took Richard's bags off the plane and instructed him to start loading the car. Tammy had to rummage in the plane before she found the keys and simply handed them to her father without comment, receiving a small shrug in response.

It was clear there was only room for one of the girls, and none of their bags, so they opted to stay. Tammy needed to post-flight and write up her log, although what could she say? Would the CAA ever query her flight plans for those few days?

Suzie arrived half an hour later to collect them.

"Mum's in a mood, what did you say?"

"I asked her to be sensible with her suitcases, that's all. How's the kitchen?"

"It's fine now, my sister simply doesn't know how to organise herself. I gave her some advice and she's coping better. Have you seen how much laundry there is?"

"No, but I can guess. We had almost no time off!"

"I had to stop her shoving a gorgeous frock into the machine, she said she wore it to the ballet but might have spilt wine on it?"

"I have some photos somewhere, surely she remembered that they have to be professionally cleaned?"

"We're talking about Angela here."

"Perhaps a little gentle guidance will help?"

"Already on it, Tammy, already on it. Now what are you doing?"

"Can you drop us in the High St then take the bags back to the house?"

"Why?"

"It's gone two and I really don't want an argument over a late lunch. The pub serves food all day, feel free to join us?"

"I had a tuna jacket two hours ago."

They finished loading the car then arranged with the local agents to stow the plane in a hanger; refuelling could wait.

The George and Dragon wasn't busy when they arrived so they found a table in a quiet corner. They both had a menu in their hands when Tammy's phone rang.

"Yes, Kevin?"

"Where are you?"

"Off duty."

"Not as far as I'm concerned. I heard you were flying back so jumped on the tube to give you a briefing. Your mum virtually slammed the door in my face."

"Come around to the High Street, we're in the George and Dragon. The two of us are having scampi and chips, what do you fancy?"

"Put me down for the same."

Tammy turned off her phone and suggested Maisie did the same then placed the orders at the bar. Kevin arrived ten minutes later, but first ordered a beer at the bar.

"That was quite a stunt you pulled, Tammy."

"Sorry, Kevin, I don't get what you mean?"

"Arranging Sophie to deliver a dopey Penny Lavoska into Paddington Green police station yesterday afternoon?"

"I had nothing to do with whatever that was."

"So where have you been?"

"Collected my parents from Lausanne after a day in Paris."

"You get around?"

"If truth be known, it was to get away from my sister."

"Angela?"

"Yes."

"I understand, completely."

Tammy had given Maisie a few hard stares to suggest she kept quiet and, so far, it had worked. Their plates soon appeared so munching took over.

Kevin was finished first. "Well, Sir Thomas came and congratulated everyone on the job this morning, so you'll get a thanks from him at some point. Emily's a bit pissed though, what did you say to her?"

"Nothing, but I guess she ended up as a team of one just as the endgame played out?"

"Ouch, she's not used to working on her own, her usual job is pushing chess pieces around and being kept in every loop?"

"Now she knows how I feel!"

"So where were you?"

"Like I said; Paris, sorting a logistical matter, then Geneva. We flew into Paris yesterday morning and spent the day in the apartment that I own. We flew late afternoon into Geneva to collect my parents but my mother decided to stay a further night in Switzerland so we took a suite in the same hotel."

Tammy smiled at Kevin who was finishing his beer.

"Well, you deserved some family time, does anyone know the names of the team who collected the woman?"

"I've no idea."

"Fair enough, there's a round of debriefings going on but I guess you'll be excused that?"

"That sounds about right, Kevin."

The girls finished their drinks and decided it was also time to go. "Would you mind escorting us home?"

"Are you in danger?"

"If my mother's still around, yes!"

 
Friday 29th December 2017
 

Unsurprisingly Tammy and Maisie had received a summons to Richmond House the previous teatime and were due there before eight thirty that morning. That meant quietly escaping the house at seven in order to take the tube into Central London, Suzie had gone ahead to Thames House as usual and the house was left very quiet at that hour.

There was hardly anyone in their carriage when they boarded at Epping. They walked forward before taking a seat then Maisie looked around before speaking.

"Tammy, are you flying your parents home?"

"Right now, I'd happily fly my father back, but as for Joan....I really don't know."

"It's not my place but did she take Angela's side?"

Tammy sighed. "Yes, apparently a national emergency was not a good enough excuse to leave my sister on her own, and it was also my fault Suzie was sent away over Christmas."

"She wouldn't talk to me."

"Don't take it personally, I couldn't have a civil conversation with her."

"How long will she keep the attitude?"

"No idea. She's been distant since I moved out."

"That was a few months ago, has your dad said anything?"

"No."

"So what's your plan for the weekend?"

"How about we do New Years Eve down here? I'll have a word with Suzie."

"Why not a hotel?"

"I doubt we would get a booking right now, plus all our kit is back at the house. I think, if Suzie's okay with it, we will stay there."

They were approaching Loughton and any privacy was about to disappear when Tammy saw how many were waiting on the platform. She had picked up a copy of the free paper 'Metro' at Epping but was now scanning the carriage for trouble whilst Maisie scanned the pages.

"Apparently a trawler captain has been arrested for allowing his nets to snag some undersea cables off Wales."

"Such irresponsibility."

"And an unknown vessel snagged cables in the English Channel but the Coastguard are on the lookout for a rogue boat."

Tammy continued to discreetly watch the carriage. "Deplorable."

"A separate article says a trawler was towed into Ramsgate after putting out a mayday! An otherwise unknown anarchic environmental campaign group took responsibility for the devices that took out the air traffic control centre, apparently it was their fight against the carbon that's produced by flying."

"Of course. Let me guess, the perfume deaths were blamed on some government conspiracy?"

"No, a woman has been arrested in France and will be brought back to the UK for questioning. Her motives are unknown, it says."

"A trawler captain, a woman, and a bunch of manic tree huggers are to blame for everything that happened?"

"So it would seem, my dear."

Tammy sighed. "The public are outraged that their Christmas streaming will have been disrupted, but thankful that the culprits have been found. They won't look any deeper, why should they?"

They arrived at the office in Richmond House a few minutes after eight, only finding Sophie with a coffee.

"On your own?"

"No, Emily is here, but she's trying to find out where you've been."

"What did you say?"

"I showed her a copy of my report."

"What? Shit!"

Emily walked into the office with a very disturbed look on her face.

"We've been called to appear for a meeting at Thames house. We have ten minutes."

Maisie looked up. "All of us?"

Emily scowled. "We are all going. Myself, Sophie, you, and Tammy. I think there's some explaining to do!"

Everyone collected bags and coats then followed Emily out. Just getting onto the street took a few minutes and the ten minutes allocated wasn't enough.

Suzie met them inside the building and took them up a couple of levels then down a hall to a door. She knocked and stood back, allowing Emily to take the lead. The door opened from the inside and a suited man nodded.

"DI Keane. They will see you all now." He gestured for them to enter then closed the door on his way out.

"Ladies, come in and be seated." Sir Thomas stood and greeted them.

They had barely sat when the door opened and Sean MacTaggart walked in.

"Apologies, I was held up at Security." MacTaggart grumbled.

Tammy and Maisie had immediate stood and saluted.

"As y' were." The big Scot returned their salute, then shook hands with Sir Thomas and took a seat.

Sir Thomas addressed them. "This meeting is Top Secret and the contents may not be discussed outside of this room. Understood?"

All uttered "Sir."

"Good. There was fine work from this group, however there are some issues in the reports."

"I believe all the reports are accurate, though there is some confusion." Emily said.

Sir Thomas picked up a document and looked over to Sophie. "DI Grieve; you stated in your report that there was a fourth, yet undetermined, member of the team that went to 'procure' Miss Lavoska."

"Yes Sir. A woman joined us at the airport before take-off. I believe her to be American. Though, I have no idea as to her identity." Sophie stated.

Sir Thomas set the page down. "I'm afraid the report is inaccurate. The team tasked with apprehending Miss Lavoska consisted of only three members; yourself, Sergeant Staines and Lieutenant Smart as Officer in Charge; Task Force Claymore. Claymore being a temporary element within Special Operation Force Broadsword. Colonel MacTaggart, here with us, is in charge of Broadsword. Colonel?"

MacTaggart stood. "Thank you Sir Thomas. DI Grieve, I understand military procedures and protocols are a bit alien to you and I'm sure you are rather confused as well DI Keane. I'll clear that up, this was not a Police operation and the normal protocols did not apply until Ms Lavoska arrived in that cellblock. Any report is subject to military vetting and most certainly marked Top Secret.

"DI Keane, to answer a few of your concerns, Lieutenant Smart does not have a convenient pigeon-hole like most personnel. She does hold the rank of Lieutenant, but can also be regarded as a private contractor. Given her non-traditional status, she is able to operate in various circles, some of which are outside our regular military fields. There are also times when she has access to specific intelligence, other times she does not. She has attachment to the Security Service and therefore able to operate in country. She also has NATO status, which allows her to operate outside our country."

Sir Thomas took over. "Furthermore I did read that you did have questioned the Lieutenant's integrity? I'll lay such concerns to rest, Tamara Smart's allegiance is without question. In fact, there has been occasion to which our own allegiance has been under question more than hers. She was assigned to your team for her abilities to move within both civilian and military aspects, which were deemed essential to conclude this aspect of the investigation. There is no question that the judicial and military decision to involve Miss Smart has been proved quite correct. I should add that her access to certain intelligence, that you did not have, brought critical results."

"You mean those boats?" Suzie asked.

"Precisely." MacTaggart nodded. "Lieutenant Smart had previously been tasked to observe those boats. That intel was overlooked by all others in the know. Not her, she remembered and brought them back to attention. Also her capacity as a pilot, she and her plane are able to go various places with little to no undue attention."

Sir Thomas looked to Sophie. "Such as emergency airfields in neutral countries."

Sophie sighed, it seemed the secret runway wasn't as big of a secret as she had thought, and that designation had caused her trouble when writing her report, which was seemingly about to be shredded with malice.

"Sir Thomas, if I may?" Tammy interrupted and received a nod. "That airfield was made by the Americans back during the cold war. Its purpose was for emergency landings of their strategic bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Later on, all NATO members were made aware of its existence for the same use of their own aircraft of such classification."

Tammy was glad she had asked Kimberly about it whilst en route to Switzerland. Sir Thomas wanted to chuckle, she knew more about it than he did. Though she had conveniently left out that the only way to use the field, was by asking the Americans.

"Lieutenant Smart, with her NATO clearances, was able to use that airfield. I take it you now are beginning to understand the value she added to your team?" The Colonel asked Emily.

"Er, yes." Emily replied.

MacTaggart grinned at Tammy. "Smart does have certain attraction to trouble. She can find it, most times it finds her. Either way, she has been able to get through it and cleared up more than one mess."

"I'll spend the rest of the day determining the praise to insult ratio on that Colonel." Tammy quipped back.

Sir Thomas did chuckle. "I believe it's to your favour this time."

"Huzzah." Tammy commented.

"Speaking of favour, do not forget to file your refuelling invoices. I understand there were two, and possibly a third is outstanding? Submit the first two before day's end." Sir Thomas instructed then turned back to Sophie.

"DI Grieve, please resubmit your report, minus the unsubstantiated activity of suspected Americans. Ensure any existing copies, paper or digital, are destroyed forthwith. All that needs to be recorded is that our American allies merely lent us specific technical support. The CIA and NSA, although they did kindly offer assistance, were strictly hands-off in this matter."

Sophie sighed. "Yes Sir."

Sir Thomas smiled. "I'm certain you'll all be thrilled to know that letters of commendation are being added to your files. I'm not certain as to who, but there may be some wage adjustments as well. Please pass that on to Mrs Young as she too, was included on this team."

Suzie looked hopeful at that news, as did Maisie. Emily looked to be mulling over asking questions and Sophie was trying to conceal her upset at having been told off.

"I believe that concludes the general aspects. The work put forth by this group is quite appreciated. You may all return to your normal duties and postings." Sir Thomas said then added. "Lieutenant, please remain, Sergeant Staines if you would wait outside, please?"

"Yes Sir." Maisie said then stood and saluted the Colonel and followed the others out.

When the door fully shut, Tammy was waved to sit closer.

"That went well." Sir Thomas commented.

Tammy sat down. "Sophie and Emily aren't thrilled."

"An eye will be kept on them for a while. Nice gift-wrap service." Sean chuckled.

Sir Thomas shook his head. "Miss Lavoska was quite upset when whatever drug that was wore off. She was none too thrilled about a certain bruise as well. I presume your efforts?"

"She slipped." Tammy dead-panned.

Sean smirked. "Sure she did, Lassy. And you tried to stop her fall with a rifle butt but she smacked it with her head, aye?"

"Aye, Colonel. The poor, clumsy, woman." Tammy drawled.

Sir Thomas shook his head at the pair. "I see. Moving on, Tammy I'm sure you have at least two main things on your mind?"

"Yes Sir. I am concerned for Kevin." Tammy stated.

Sir Thomas nodded. "You may lay that to the side, DI Edmunds is back to full status and duties. Fully cleared."

"Kevin is a good one." Tammy reminded.

Sir Thomas assured her. "The right people know. I'm sure you now want to ask about Miss Gainsborough."

"I heard she attempted a second escape, and it didn't go well for her." Tammy said.

MacTaggart laughed. "That'd be putting it mildly!"

"Indeed. Never the less, the French have grudgingly agreed to let us have her under a European Arrest Warrant given that we have a prior claim. A team from the Extradition Unit will be escorting her back next week." Sir Thomas informed her.

Tammy snarked. "In a straight-jacket and pet carrier?"

Sir Thomas stared in minor surprise then consulted a paper. "Not quite. Handcuffs and leg restraints will suffice."

MacTaggart just chuckled. Tammy put all of her charm into a smile.

"Moving on. I commend you on the results you brought us. I dare say our mystery guest was quite heavy handed. The implication is, her real purpose was to keep you from such work. That I can't say I approve of the method, I do understand the reasoning behind it." Sir Thomas remarked.

Tammy took her time to respond. "The way it was presented to me, by yourself Sir, was that I should refrain from any actions pertaining to Lethal Outcome. Defend or Die is one thing, and that concept I have no trouble processing, but I am not a choice for assassination. That was my instruction and, as it happens, I am in agreement with that methodology. To be honest, I felt very safe and confident with our guest."

Sir Thomas resigned himself to the facts. "There is no arguing success. No matter how chilling the means, the ends justified them this time. Colonel, you seem to be on better terms with the other gentleman in command than I. Perhaps you could convey our sentiments. Tammy, we are grateful for their limited involvement."

"I understand Sir Thomas, some things aren't exactly cricket. I remain steadfast Sir; I am loyal to my own country but my place is with them." Tammy said firmly.

MacTaggart spoke up. "Well that's something to come up. You do remember Lieutenant Colonel Wells?"

"Yes Sir, from the other night." Tammy nodded.

"His turn at escorting Royals on Holiday is coming up again. The Royals will be visiting the Caribbean." MacTaggart said.

Tammy thought then realized. "Sir Branson's island, Nekker Island, I believe?"

The big Scot nodded. "Aye. Not far away is another private island. They've let us station there before, we got on well. You and Staines will be assigned to go along. The owner of the island is a man named Rodrick Mason. Ex-SEAL with the U.S.Navy, now a private charter pilot. He has a shady reputation, but it's just cover. He does a lot of favours for the U.S. He does an occasional for us as well. We respect his privacy, he pretends to charge us the proverbial arm and leg. You don't mind Easter in the tropics, do you?"

"I'll be sure to pack my sunglasses." Tammy grinned.

Sir Thomas closed the file. "That's it then. Continue on with you regular activities, Tammy. Do be sure reports are filed accordingly. Submit your fuel invoices through the Colonel for this Operation. Your wages will be coming from Broadsword also."

"Yes Sir." Tammy said then stood up. A nod to Sir Thomas and salute to MacTaggart and Tammy was on her way. Her smile was genuine as she went out the door.

"What now, Maisie?"

"I take it that we have been relieved?"

"Apart from submitting those receipts, yes."

"Can we be tourists for the rest of the day?"

"Sure, I doubt anything can go wrong?"

"And I thought I was the one called 'trouble', Tammy?"

The girls collected weapons half an hour later after also submitting an interesting overtime claim. They headed out onto the street, Tammy turned her phone back on.

"Where to, Maisie?"

"Buck House?"

"Her Majesty will be in Sandringham, I think."

"I know, Tammy, but I bet there will be a load of overseas tourists down there hoping for a glimpse of her anyway?"

"That doesn't strike me as exciting?"

"Maybe, but one of my training guides was all about profiling. I want to work out which ones are out to cause trouble?"

"It's two days before New Years Eve, we're in the capital, and you want to go profiling? Maisie Staines, what are you on?"

She giggled. "Come on, Tammy, loosen up!"

Once on Parliament Square they took Birdcage Walk towards Buckingham Palace, the pavements were relatively clear and the only real traffic were the ubiquitous London Cabs. Tammy took out her phone and called Suzie.

"Do you mind if Maisie and me hang around for a few days?"

"I though you were taking the others home?"

"After being treated like I was, no way! You know it was my fault you ended up in Cornwall and Angela was on her own!"

"I heard, but couldn't get a word in edgewise. It was strange being in Cornwall but Heather's great to be with, it almost didn't feel like work!"

"Don't forget to claim for it!"

"Already done. And stay if you like, any ideas for New Years Eve?"

"Embankment fireworks?"

"Really? It's a load of hassle and you don't see much more than if you watch it on the TV!"

"I've never seen them, but I guess it's a bit late for tickets."

"True, how about a restaurant?"

"We'll be lucky to get a table anywhere, Suzie? Ah, I think I know the place."

"Okay, got the boss bearing down on me, have to go. See you later?"

"Sure."

Next call was from her father.

"Where are you?"

"At the bottom of The Mall."

"Your mum wants to go home."

"Tell her to book a flight."

"What? You said you would fly back so we could do Hogmanay in Thurso?"

"Maisie and I will be staying in London for the next few days."

"It's at times like this I wish I had a licence to fly that plane."

"Best book some lessons then?"

Tammy killed the call. She hadn't wanted to be rude to her father but knew Joan had prompted him to make the call. Tammy had no hard feelings and hoped he'd see her side of it, although the same wouldn't be said for her step-mother. She was having trouble with this side of Joan, given her previous submissive role when married to George. Was it the freedom, travel and money that had brought this on?

The girls held hands as they observed the few tourists near the palace gates. Suddenly a few flakes of snow started to fall and they could hear the excited chatter near them.

"It's as if they've never seen snow, Maisie!"

"It doesn't snow much down here, but I thought you were from London?"

"I never seemed to spend any time down here, I was either at school or staying in a hotel somewhere on the planet. I remember doing Christmas in Japan one year and New York the next."

"You make it sound boring?"

"It was, Dad was in meetings much of the time and I was stuck in the hotel room, so I never got to see the cities."

"Oh, so where do you want to go on holiday this year?"

"Somewhere warm where there's no insurrection?"

"Like a tropical island?"

"Yes, but we have a working trip to one of those coming up."

"I'm sure there's plenty more available, we can get married on a beach?"

"Yes, Maisie, but I'm assuming I'll be talking to my parents again by then, and I have a feeling they would want to be there?"

"And I'll want my Dad involved?"

"Indeed, but not in the adjacent hotel room!"

----

An Epilogue will follow.
 

Have you read Snowfall's story "The Station's Late Nite Princess" ?
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Part 2 of Tamara's Trials is now available on Kindle
 



Book 12: Deja Flew     Epilogue

 
 
Note: This is a work of fiction but a number of real people, places, and institutions are mentioned in fictitious circumstances. In short it's a story!

 
Wednesday 3rd January 2018
 

It was bitterly cold outside but the girls were padding around in onesies, with no intention of going anywhere. It was approaching midday and they'd almost caught up with their laundry. Thirteen days away had generated a large pile of used clothing but little had been laundered as, frankly speaking, Tammy hadn't trusted Angela to look after the washing machine.

Several dress bags needed to go to the dry cleaners but that could wait for a day or two, it was unlikely that they'd get an invite to a formal event before the weekend.

"Coffee?"

"Hmm, yes, Tammy."

"Good, I need to make a couple of calls, can you bring my mug up to me please?"

Tammy made a quick exit from the kitchen but wasn't fast enough as Maisie managed a swipe at the disappearing backside. Upstairs she first called the offices of Doherty & Hughes, asking to be put through to one of the partners.

"Good morning Miss Smart, how can I help you?"

"I understand you handled the probate for Kirk McDuff?"

"Possibly?"

"He died under suspicious circumstances in 1987."

"Ah, the goldsmith?"

"Correct."

"I see, but I may not be able to assist?"

"Oh, that would be a shame. I'll give my usual solicitor, Jeremiah Smith, a call and ask the Sheriff's Court to sort this out?"

"I didn't say that I couldn't help you, Miss Smart, only that I may not."

"Semantics, Mr Hughes, nearly cost you a great deal of money and had the potential for your professional standing to diminish?"

"My apologies, Miss Smart, for any misunderstanding. Perhaps we could meet to discuss this further. It would require some time to retrieve Mr McDuff's file from the archive."

"I have some documents which are pertinent, could we meet at my home, which was Mr McDuff's business premises and home? How does next Monday afternoon sound?"

"I'd prefer to meet here?"

"I believe you'll be well compensated for your time and the location is relevant."

"Understood, shall we say two thirty next Monday?"

"Perfect."

Her next call was to her own solicitor, Jeremiah Smith.

"Happy Hogmanay Miss Smart."

"And to you, I wonder if you're free for a meeting next Monday afternoon?"

"I believe that's possible, perhaps you can give me some background? I'm not aware of any ongoing issues?"

"Of course, I'll put an email together for you."

Tammy wanted one more person to attend but that couldn't be done straight away, the timing of that call was very important.

She opened up the email she'd already written that morning and checked it before sending it to Jeremiah, being careful not to give too much away. The last thing she needed was for her solicitor to insist on a referral to the courts, although Mr Hughes' attitude could have forced that route being taken.

Her coffee mug was soon empty so she wandered back down to empty the washing machine, tranferring most of that load into the dryer. Tammy was very aware that their electricity bill would be bad all year around as they didn't have anywhere outside they could dry the laundry. She'd considered building a drying room but that wasn't a definite plan for the time being. The best they could do was to place an airer on the step outside the rear entrance, that was usually reserved for easily creased items such as bedding. With the ice outside, that was simply not an option today.

Tammy took a walk down to the basement to check all was well. The beach scene that Kate had lovingly painted now just reminded her of the time she'd been on Ram's Rock Island, where her swim suit had dried in minutes. Was the offer of Easter in the Tropics just a throwaway suggestion or had the Scottish Colonel been honest with her?

She had, perhaps, two months to get the tan sorted, plus she could lose that recently gained inch around her midrift? Maybe her priorities needed adjusting? The protection of her uniform meant nothing if it couldn't be worn, now she had extra incentive to get her weight back under control.

Tammy now had an exercise bike in the office and was using it, but that had limited benefits. They hadn't swum since mid December, for one reason or another, and had not kept to any sort of diet plan. In short, she was not anywhere close to peak fitness. She walked up two floors to the bathroom and stepped onto the scales.

"Damn!"

Maisie put her head around the corner. "Ready for a refill? What's up?"

"I'm out of shape, and that won't do."

The pair hit the stairs, heading for the kitchen.

"Winter fat?"

"No, a lack of control over Christmas. We have two months to get fit and beach ready."

"Beach? Are you booking our wedding?"

"I was talking about work, we'll be part of the security detail on this Royal jaunt to an island near Florida."

"And?"

"I'll be judged unfit for duty unless I fix myself. You had a time going up that rope, as did I, so you'd best be ready."

"Well, yes. It was cold, I had a bundle of stuff on me and I'm still afraid of heights."

Tammy shook her head. "I had more on me than you and had to work to get up there."

"By the way, the postman arrived whilst I was downstairs. One for me - I'm registered!"

"Oh, personal trainer?"

"Yes! That means I can push you around."

"No you can't!"

"I'm the one who's qualified and you, Miss Smart, are not. You will follow my regime to get back to fitness!"

Tammy kissed her. "Fair enough."

"Anyway, going back to this trip, we haven't been given any instructions yet, have we?"

"Not as such, Maisie, but keep April clear, all of it, heck, the back end of March and the first week of May too! That gives us six clear weeks starting today to get in shape. My guess is that our speed and stamina will be tested before we go out there and immediately on arrival."

"So, I suggest we make time for the pool?"

"Yes, as many days as we can, plus a strict diet. We have until tonight to edit that grocery order, right?"

"Yes, I guess you want to change it?"

"Yep."

"Okay, I'll grab your diet sheet and go through the order. Meanwhile, how about hitting the water this afternoon?"

"I'm busy."

"No, Miss Smart, you are not busy!"

"Okay, but I flew back yesterday and it was late before we got home, especially as we had to drop my lil' sis off."

"And why didn't we fly back on New years Day?"

"You know damn well; we got drunk!"

"Yeah, shame we didn't get a ticket for the main event on the river?"

"It was a good crowd in the Speakeasy bar and only a ten minute walk back to the house."

"I didn't know Angela could drink?"

"She can, but not often, but at least she managed to walk unaided."

"I thought several times she was going to drop us, Suzie too, in the shit? Forgive me, but Angela is a security risk."

"I know, but she's my sister, which is why we tell her as little as possible. She knew we were involved, but not what we did. Have you spoken to your father recently?"

"Just now, we need to see him?"

"He can come up here?"

"Really, Tammy? Not until the Spring, he couldn't cope with the snow."

"Okay, how about a weekend away next month, and he joins us? Somewhere South of here?"

"He'll expect us to book everything."

"Really?"

"He's pretty awful at things like that, which is why Army life suits him."

Upstairs they could hear a phone ringing, Maisie set off as did Tammy. It was Tammy's cellphone, the encrypted section.

Tammy unlocked the subscreen and hit speaker. "Hello?"

"Afternoon, Tammy." A female voice greeted.

"That's the woman we heard over the radios?" Maisie whispered to Tammy.

Tammy frowned at Maisie, but answered. "Morning to you, Ma'am."

"It's been confirmed that you and your fiancée will be included with the entourage." Kimberly stated.

Tammy understood she was referring to the Royal holiday. "Yes."

"Your schedule is being adjusted. The two of you will travel on your own via commercial transport and precede the Guests by a week."

"Understood. Are we part of an advance team and do we have an official purpose?"

"Somewhat and yes. The reason you will be on site is business. KT Flight is one of the sponsors for the TT racing team, Butterfly Racing Innovations. BRI will be participating on Isle of Man in the Experimental Class. You'll receive tickets and passes to attend that as well."

Tammy smiled. "That should be fun."

"A racing sponsor? Isn't that very expensive?" Maisie asked.

"I believe that's already been settled, yes?" Tammy hedged.

Kimberly replied. "Yes. Administrative details remain."

"How long will we be occupied?" Tammy asked.

Kimberly answered. "Seventeen days. The schedule for the Guests is eight days. Entourage is scheduled for twenty days. More details will be provided closer to departure."

"Yes Ma'am. Anything else?"

"Thought I heard a bathroom scale scream recently." Kimberly asked.

Tammy winced. "The holidays weren't kind. I'm already dealing with the matter."

"I hope that includes listening to your personal fitness advisor. You have a regimen, get on it."

"Damn."

"That is all." The call disconnected.

"What about this racing thing?"

"I met the owners of a racing team. It isn't a real racing team, they just do it for fun. I own a company so I can be on their sponsor list. I get free advertising, so there's a legitimate business connection. More important, it'll be fun." Tammy said.

Maisie seemed to digest that, but went back to the other topic. "What about this holiday thing?"

"Okay. Royals go on holiday, you know that. Sometimes they go out of the country, you know that too. So when they go, they have protection go with them. That's the Entourage, you and I are being included so we get a 'working holiday' in the tropics. The excuse we give people is that I have to finish the process of becoming a sponsor for a racing team. It's that simple." Tammy explained.

Maisie shook her head. "Nothing is ever 'that simple' with you."

"The joy of the self-employed." Tammy smirked.

An hour later they were at the fitness centre. Tammy managed three miles on a running machine and almost a mile in the pool, but not comfortably. The look of self-disgust was evident in the mirror as she dried her hair to leave. Their bikes were outside, she added three miles to the day's tally before she was satisfied with the punishment.

 
Monday 8th January 2018
 

"What time is your Dad coming here, Tammy?"

"Anytime soon, he was told to be here well before two."

"Didn't he have a meeting at the school this morning?"

"Finance committee, but they're done by lunchtime. So long as he's home by four he won't be missed."

"Oh, doesn't she know he's coming here?"

"No, especially as Joan's still not speaking to me."

"I guess she'll be busy as it's the first day of lessons?"

"That's the plan." Tammy sighed, at least she didn't have to live in the same house as Joan any more, heck she wasn't even calling her 'mum'. Angela's decision to fly back with Tammy and Maisie hadn't gone down well either, but Angela was now on a residential placement in Berwick so well out of harm's way.

"I've prepared lunch."

"Let me guess, salad?"

"Yes. You won't want anything heavy, we're in the pool later."

"Okay, let's eat then get everything ready."

"Yes, Boss."

Richard arrived several minutes late.

"Your mum decided she needed to see me at two, concerning a student."

"At least you're here. Did you bring everything?"

"Yes, plus copies for the briefs. Are you certain this is the best way to do it, Tammy? You could have just let Jeremiah handle it?"

"I know but I have a feeling that the money, minuses everyone's expenses, would be transferred to the Crown the same way this building was."

"At least the other property was protected."

"Indeed. Coffee?"

"Sure."

"Let's head downstairs, there's a coffee pot down there."

Jeremiah Smith was the next to arrive and Maisie escorted him to the basement.

"I don't believe you let me know that you've moved, Miss Smart?"

"Ah, my apologies, but you always write to me at the office?"

"Indeed, but this was a business purchase, and wasn't specified as residential?"

"I changed my mind and kept it, but the shop is still available for commercial use."

"I see."

Angus Hughes arrived just after two fifteen, having first gone to the shop door in Princes Street, but by twenty past they were all sat around the table. Maisie wasn't at the table but was within listening range, aided by some technology..

Tammy opened, after introducing everyone around the table. "Firstly, thank you all for coming here. My aim is to uncover some truths surrounding Kirk McDuff's death, albeit thirty years later."

"Miss Smart, surely this is a matter for the Procurator Fiscal, if you have new information?"

"Indeed, Mr Hughes, but would the court appreciate a few random papers relating to a closed case or perhaps a researched and legally assured file?"

"Point received, Miss Smart."

"Perhaps," Jeremiah Smith offered, "it may have been pertinent of me to brief you on Miss Smart's approach to legal matters, although I doubt she would have appreciated that?"

"Indeed Jeremiah. Now, Mr Hughes, did you bring the will?"

"I did, and I have made a few copies."

"Thank you."

The Last Will & Testament of Kirk James McDuff wasn't very long and was typical of the kind of will a person in their twenties or thirties would make, being clearly low on details. Tammy made a mental note to update her own once this meeting was out of the way.

The will had been made shortly after Kirk had lost his parents, replacing an earlier version, and included the salon his mother had owned and managed. A codicil on the salon had stated that it should be left in the control of the current manager, so long as the business was a going concern. In that respect, although ownership had passed to Kirk, he let the business run itself. Upon his passing the codicil had applied and the building ownership had also been transferred to the manager.

The jewellery shop and residence was another matter. These had been included in an Annex that had been attached to the will but not witnessed or certified.

"Why wasn't that attended to Mr Hughes?"

"A regrettable oversight."

"You didn't answer the question, who handled it?"

"I don't believe I should answer that?"

Tammy looked at Jeremiah but continued by herself. "That, Mr Hughes, would make me imagine that there was something potentially fraudulent going on? Or perhaps you have a perfectly sensible answer you can share."

"I hope, Miss Smart, you're not accusing me of something?"

"Not directly, and not yet, Mr Hughes. I should point out that my assistant is recording this meeting so we all have a clear record of what was discussed. I believe total transparency is needed in order to avoid any future questions. Right now it's an historical question that could have a great bearing on matters."

Hughes took a look at Jeremiah Smith but all he caught was a half smile.

"Are you a law student, Miss Smart?"

"No, I'm a student of criminality plus I've worked in several criminal investigations with the Metropolitan and Scottish Police. I'm also not afraid to use the courts to ensure rogues are removed from society and the innocents of this world are fairly treated. Would that be a fair assessment, Jeremiah?"

"Indeed, Miss Smart, albeit edited somewhat?"

"You noticed? I wouldn't wish to scare anyone."

"Quite."

They both turned to look at Mr Hughes.

"I see. Hmmm, the error with Mr McDuff's will was attributed to George Smith when he was employed as a clerk."

"The same George Smith who was captain of the shinty team locally?"

"I believe so."

"When was the error noticed?"

"After Mr McDuff's death. Mr Smith no longer worked with us and denied it was his error."

"What were the consequences of the error?"

"Mr McDuff's fiancée would have inherited this property."

"Was this brought to the attention of the Procurator Fiscal?"

"No."

"Was the fiancée informed?"

"No."

"So your firm's error cost her this property and the contents?"

"Yes, although the Inland Revenue, as HMRC used to be called, took a percentage of the assets to cover an outstanding tax liability."

"Jeremiah, was that legal?"

"Yes, but only because of the circumstances surrounding this case, where the Crown would receive the assets."

"Okay, Mr Hughes, who was the executor of the will?"

"I was."

"Jeremiah, is there a statute that allows fraud to be prosecuted after thirty years?"

"No, Miss Smart, there's no statute of limitations in the UK and that includes Scottish Law, however you would still need to convince a Sheriff that there is a case to answer. I believe it is possible to create such a case based on the information available today."

"Thank you. Now, Mr Hughes, we could have a problem?"

"In relation to?"

"The funds that were found in an account under Mr McDuff's name."

"Funds? But a search was made?"

"I'm sure it was, but I guess his fiancée wasn't asked? No, of course not?"

The solicitor shook his head.

"So we have a problem, I would like this money to go to the fiancée, as Kirk would have intended, but the court direction is that it should go to the Crown. That issue is one of your own making, is it not?"

"I dispute the inference. I'd be happy to handle any funds, of course?"

"With respect, no. Until I'm satisfied that it can be disposed of appropriately, no-one has access to those funds. That, for information, includes myself."

"You haven't obtained the money?"

"No, it remains in an account that I discovered. Dad?"

Richard hadn't, at this point, said anything other than introduce himself as a retired banker and a governor of St Andrews School.

"Tammy asked me to speak to Credit Suisse on her behalf, having identified the account as belonging to that bank."

"They have an office in London?"

"They do, but I am familiar with the senior staff in Zurich and Geneva, and since I was spending Christmas in Lausanne, this was easy for me."

"How would you know their people, and wouldn't this be a breach of banking code?"

"I was the International Director for a major UK bank, under those circumstances I can ask some questions, but there's limits."

"Such as?"

"In this case I could establish firstly that the account existed and secondly who had access. I could not ascertain how much was in the account or details of any transactions. I have only been told that the account is not empty."

"I see."

Tammy thanked her father and continued. "You see, Mr Hughes, we have not broken the law or misled anyone. We do not know how much is there, indeed the amount is irrelevant."

"Perhaps?"

"Please don't attempt to sway me on that point, Mr Hughes, the issue here is one of rights, obligations and inheritance. The sum matters not one iota."

"I see. Mr Smart, you said you checked who had access?"

"I did, I'm informed that apart from Mr McDuff one other person was allowed access."

"Who would that be?"

"Sandra Reagan."

"Oh."

Tammy took over. "Indeed, if the annex to the will been shown to the court then this would be a very simple matter of having the lady present her papers to the bank. As it stands, the court would seize the account."

"In which case, the law prevails."

"Really, Mr Hughes? I hope you know that I own a commercial property agency? I took the liberty of checking the sale of this property in late 1987 and compared that to the sum deposited with the court. There was a discrepancy of fifteen thousand pounds."

"Are you certain?"

"I am."

"I'm afraid I didn't bring that information with me to check."

"It matters not. Let me be clear, I would like for the lady to fully inherit that which is hers, and to do so without the fear of the court challenging her rights. To that end you will make amends with the court. To assist those ends I will ask Jeremiah to lodge this account information with the Procurator Fiscal. I suggest, Mr Hughes, that you work fast as I would like to finalise this in two weeks."

"Two weeks? That's impossible."

"Perhaps you should hire a decent solicitor then?"

The meeting broke up soon after and Tammy had Maisie stop the recording. "Save that and email it to Jeremiah please."

Tammy suggested Richard followed her up to the office once the visitors were off the premises.

"Is she still moaning, Dad?"

"No, but you upset her."

"Sorry Dad, but she tried to set Suzie and Angela on me. I know Christmas didn't go as intended but there's no way we could have predicted what happened?"

"Your mother seems to think that you could have stayed with Angela and declined to take part."

"I was told on that first day that they would have found me and insisted I took part, better to do it willingly perhaps? I don't think Suzie complained about being in Cornwall, and Angela helped her clean the house when she got back."

"I hear you, but I still don't think she understands. How come you were in Paris when the air traffic control centres were still officially down?"

"I had special permission, in fact it was a request from someone very, very, senior."

"The Prime Minister?"

"According to what I was told, yes."

"I worry about you, Tammy."

"I know, Dad, but I can cope. Oh, don't make any plans for Easter as Maisie and I will be away."

"Somewhere warm?"

"Knowing my luck, no!"

"Okay, but best keep out of her way for another week or so."

"Will do, dad."

 
Tuesday 9th January 2018
 

Tammy had spent an hour of the previous day in the university but hadn't actually achieved anything as none of the lecturing staff had been available.

She went for a coffee as usual and found Ben Franklin waiting for her.

"Good Christmas?"

"Eventful, family problems."

"Oh, didn't you say you were going to London?"

"Yeah, we saw some of the trouble but kept away from it."

"Good, I had visions of you getting involved?"

"I learned a while back, Ben, when to step back and let others handle it."

"That wasn't the case when I first knew you?"

"Maybe, but I'm older, wiser and engaged to be married. My outlook has changed."

"I hope you're still planning to finish this course?"

"Of course, I mean yes."

They'd walked towards the room they were using but stopped talking as others were nearby. Before she went into the room Tammy spotted her would-be bike thief. He was talking with a pair of boys and didn't see Tammy take a picture. She quickly posted it on Facebook with the text "Bike thief!" then turned her phone onto silent mode.

"Good morning everyone and happy new year. This semester we're looking at how courts and the justice system work. I hope everyone submitted their homework on time? I haven't checked it yet so there's a deadline of five o'clock this afternoon for those who have been otherwise occupied."

Tammy couldn't see many faces from her back row seat but guessed more than one hadn't bothered, these were probably the same students who had barely made it into the second year of their degree course.

"Part of this term's work will involve attending courts for hearings, not just criminal cases. You will be needed to write a summary of the hearing, but bear in mind some of the information you hear will be sub judice or privileged. There is also the issue of how to behave in a court room, I will prepare a handout for you and allocate hearings to each of you. Be advised that if you are ejected from a court, I will know. Similarly if you decide to skip a hearing and copy from a newspaper article, then I will know."

A question and answer session followed and Tammy rapidly lost interest in the juvenile issues being raised. Tammy did hear that she'd receive her hearings list the following day, and wondered how many she would be disbarred from? She racked her brain for current court cases that affected her and, as it stood, couldn't think of any. It was way too early for the Gainsborough or Lavoska cases to get to trial, and she wondered whether Christianne Armaud would be offered a deal? Tammy could, in theory, be called to give evidence in each of those cases.

"How many of you have been inside a court room for a trial or a hearing?"

Tammy raised her hand.

"If you were a witness or in the public gallery put your hands down."

Tammy realised what Ben was doing but clearly the others were slow on the uptake. Three of the students had been in the dock.

"Okay, so about half of you have relevant experience. Let's take a look at the type of courts that you might encounter in Scotland, and the types of cases that are held there."

Tammy refilled her coffee requirement at break and walked outside with the pot to check the bike racks. At Maisie's insistence she'd biked to the university that morning, keeping to the cleared paths. She had a better chain with a good padlock now, having decided that a combination lock was a bad idea.

She checked her phone and was mildly surprised by the response to her posting. So far she had ten comments, although two were promising violence for making a false allegation. She propped herself against a wall, out of the way, and waited. Her prey came out and squatted down beside a couple of bikes. Tammy started to video it and moved closer, stopping the recording as she walked past. She quickly uploaded it as a comment to her own posting, without adding any words.

Inside she found one of the site security guards and pointed out of the windows, then showed him the video. The guard used his radio to give a description.

"I didn't want to confront him myself, in case he turned violent."

"Don't worry Miss, we have enough, there's been a spate of bike thefts from the campus since the autumn. Can I take your name?"

Tammy handed him one of her business cards. "All my details are there."

"We'll ask you to send that video to us, with a statement."

"Of course."

She finished her coffee and tossed it into a bin before returned to the classroom for the second session of the morning. She also deleted her posting from social media, job done.

There appeared to be some confusion amongst the students sat across the room from Tammy, with one or more glance in her direction. Ben waited for things to settle down, but eventually had to take control.

"Whatever it is, it can wait."

The session continued, but at times Ben was struggling. Tammy was pleased he called an end to it at midday, she quickly sent Maisie a message.

"A word please, Miss Smart?"

"Sure, Ben."

"I kept hearing your name from the group to my left?"

"I apprehended a bike thief during the morning break. My guess is he's an acquaintance?"

"How would you know he was a bike thief?"

"I caught him trying to take my bike from outside the printers just before Christmas. I gave chase to make sure I had a good view of his face. At break I found him outside messing with some of the bikes. I took a video and showed it to campus security."

"I see."

"I was upset that he had a go at my bike, but I wasn't going to let him take someone else's."

"I thought you said you didn't become involved any more?"

"No, I said I knew when to step back, this wasn't such a time. Regardless, it's out of my hands now."

"Have you supplied your details?"

"Yes. If you don't mind, Ben, I have a hospital appointment."

She found Maisie outside, plus a police car. Tammy located her bike then put it into the back of their van.

It was a two hour run to the Raigmore in Inverness but they had a 3pm appointment. Tammy hadn't driven to the hospital herself so couldn't give Maisie directions, although she didn't have any trouble finding it.

Their appointment was in the out-patients clinic and, as usual, it was running late.

"Ah, please take a seat Mss Smart, it's been a while?"

"Nearly three years, Dr Wright. This is my fiancée Maisie Staines."

"I see, when is the wedding?"

"Possibly not until next year, it's still on the to-be-decided list."

"Okay, now your question caused a flurry of activity and not all of it was supportive."

"I hope that the Hippocratic Oath applies?"

"To us doctors and consultants, yes, but not so the technicians and managers. To be frank, the issue was with the managers."

"Was?"

"Yes, one manager instructed that your testes be destroyed."

"Name?"

"Sorry, no, especially as she was unable to achieve her wish."

"Okay, but the original question was whether or not my testes existed and if so, whether it would be possible to extract sperm?"

"Indeed. One was taken to a lab for slicing, checking for cancer under the microscope. The other was immediately frozen in case it was needed for lab work later."

Tammy breathed a sigh. "So one exists, frozen?"

"Yes, it was transferred to Glasgow Royal Infirmary on the request of a Professor Roberts."

"Julian!"

"Indeed, I take that you know him?"

"I met him for the first time in Thurso back in 2014, we flew him from Glasgow for the evening. I saw him at his offices several times after that."

"Good. I suggest you speak to him regarding the next step?"

"I will. If you come across that manager, by the way, let them know that my solicitors are Smith, Smith and Smith, and I will happily see her in court."

"I doubt you'll come across them, Miss Smart."

"I hope you're right, Doctor."

As they walked back to the van, Maisie was back into her questions.

"Does this mean I can become pregnant?"

"Not yet. First I need to call or write to Professor Roberts and ask him if he'll release the tissue. They it needs to be thawed to see if there's any living sperm. As of this moment, I'd say there's less than a twenty five percent chance of viability."

"So what can I do?"

"Remind me, when we get home, to contact Professor Roberts!"

 
Wednesday 10th January 2018
 

Tammy's morning at the University went, mostly, without incident. Ben handed out the court assignments and explained;

"Each of you has a list of six to do. Some of those are known cases on known days, others are just a court and a time, you get pot luck. I've given you six court appointments each, I want reports from four of those appointments."

Tammy could hear moans from the far side of the room but ignored them as she looked at her own offers. One stood out, a High Court case in Glasgow a couple of weeks into the future. There were scant details on the sheet in front of her. Another one was in Inverness and the remaining four were at Wick Sheriffs Court. Clearly Ben was setting up several of the students to fail, assuming they had a similar mix of venues.

She looked again at the Glasgow hearing and searched the courts website for the court listings for the relevant day:

An appeal against an extradition order was slated for 23rd January at eleven o'clock. The case was R v Gurolski.

She decided that would do, the Inverness case was a week later but that could wait. The main thing was she only had to attend Wick Sheriff's court twice. One of the cases listed there was a Fatal Accident Inquiry, but she favoured a couple of pick & mix days.

Ben caught her as she walked to the bike rack.

"I hear there's increased car park and bike rack security?"

"Really."

"And the police found six bikes being stripped down at his house."

"Figures, although I had never seen him riding a bike."

"Indeed. Are you going to take the Glasgow case?"

"The case is largely irrelevant, but I might be able to tie that into an appointment. I have little wish to bump into the others more often that I have to. Did they all get Glasgow dates as well?"

"No, a few had Aberdeen but each had at least one Inverness date. I figured you might fancy a trip South."

"I hope it isn't seen as favouritism?"

"I'll publish the list and let them swap, but I doubt you'll get any offers for a two hundred and seventy mile trip and an overnight hotel stay?"

"No expenses?"

"No, but I have a few bus permits for Wick for those with restricted finances."

Tammy unchained her bike and cycled home, the long way. Maisie was out so Tammy switched the kettle on but didn't wait for it to boil before hitting the stairs up to the office. She called Professor Robert's number at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, reaching his secretary.

"I'd like an appointment with the Professor?"

"Private or NHS?"

"Private."

"There are some free appointments next month, would you like the dates?"

"No, I'll be in Glasgow on the twenty third of this month and can see him that morning or the previous afternoon? I'll be travelling from Thurso and I don't make the trek very often."

"I see, I recall the Professor once did a consultation in Thurso by helicopter?"

"That was me, just over three years ago, my father arranged the flight."

"Ah, let me speak to the Professor. Sorry, what's your name?"

"Tammy Smart."

A minute later a different voice came on the line.

"Miss Smart, how is womanhood treating you?"

"Pretty good, Professor."

"You would like to see me? I wouldn't have thought you needed my services any longer?"

"It's my understanding that you put one of my testes into safe storage after my sudden orchidectomy?"

"I did, that was a few years ago."

"I'm wondering whether the tissue would be viable for IVF?"

"That's outside my area of expertise but I can see why you came to me."

"Indeed. If not you, then who?"

"Leave that with me, Miss Smart. One question though, who is the intended recipient?"

"My fiancée."

"I'd suggest she be made available. I'll be in touch with you."

"Thank you, Julian."

"No trouble, Tamara."

She heard a noise downstairs and caught sight on a monitor of Maisie in the kitchen. It wasn't long before the girl arrived in the office carrying two coffees. Maisie was wearing sportswear bearing a new logo.

"When did it arrive?"

"Yesterday, but I wanted to surprise you."

"How was your client?"

"Not difficult, a new mother who wants to get back into shape and has issues with male trainers."

"Is your website up"

"Yes, I enabled msfitness.uk yesterday."

"Good, your ongoing task is to make sure I get fit enough to pass a few tests!"

 
Friday 19th January 2018
 

Tammy found herself at Wick Sheriffs Court for a pick and mix day, although none of the cases had been listed when she'd checked the previous lunchtime. She'd arrived for the afternoon session and spotted one of the other students scurrying away. The first case up was her bike thief.

She was ready to give the day a miss but the accused wasn't in court, there was an application to transfer the case to a different court in Inverness, this was approved without any issues.

Next up was one of the students she'd seen with her bike thief. She didn't catch his first name, only that he was a MacDonald. He had the misfortune of visiting the bike thief with a supply of narcotic substances whilst the police were conducting their search.

As this was a second offence for the same crime, his case was also transferred. He was, however, bailed pending that hearing. Tammy's connection to the first case was tangible but thankfully her presence hadn't contaminated the hearing. So far as the second case was concerned, she had supplied the original photo of her thief, one that included MacDonald, to security and guessed that had also been passed onto the police - but did that make her a part of the prosecution case?

The third case was an application for probate to be re-opened, and as the persons involved entered the court room she knew this was an opportunity for her to cross the line, whether or not she wanted to. She decided to stay.

"Is Miss Smart in the Court?"

Reluctantly she looked over the rail of the witness gallery. "Yes, your Honour."

"Please approach the bench."

She exited into the lobby then re-entered the court.

"I take it you weren't called to be here?"

"No, your Honour. I'm here to observe cases as part of my undergraduate course."

"Will you be willing to answer a few questions to expedite matters?"

"Of course, although I haven't prepared and I'm not represented."

"In which case I can not insist on you taking the stand, but you are free to leave or to refuse to answer and I suggest we restrict this to fact finding?"

"That's acceptable."

"Good, could you take the stand?"

"Am I under oath?"

"No, this is fact finding, Miss Smart."

The procurator fiscal chose his words carefully.

"How did you come across the information that a Swiss bank account existed?"

"I bought Kirk McDuff's former house last year and it was in dire need of renovation. As a part of that I did a top to bottom search of the house for anything that wasn't already known. That's when I found a safe behind a panel. When the safe was opened I found an envelope, this contained a reference number which I recognised as a Swiss Bank account number, one with Credit Suisse to be exact."

"How would you know this?"

"My father was the International Director for a High Street bank until three years ago, I used to spend the summers travelling with him as a personal assistant."

"I see. How were you able to confirm your hypothesis?"

"My father had already decided to spend Christmas in Lausanne, on the banks of lake Geneva, so offered to confirm with the bank that the account did exist and that it was in the name of Mr McDuff. This much was supplied to Mr Hughes just over a week ago."

"There was a second name on the account?"

"Miss Sandra Reagan."

"Are you familiar with this lady?"

"I am, she's my hairdresser."

"Under that name?"

"No, Sandy Smith."

"Will you benefit from this account?"

"No, not at all."

"Do you know how much is in the account?"

"Err, yes, but is that relevant?"

Tammy earned a glare for her comment. She quickly continued.

"Let me put it another way. If I announce in this court what the value of the account is, then the account holder will be inundated with demands for money. It matters not whether it's three hundred, or thirty thousand pounds, she will suffer if the value of the account is recorded in open court."

The Sheriff responded. "Indeed, Miss Smart. On the grounds that you were able to obtain that information about the account, could you have used back channels to empty the account?"

"With a full audit trail, yes."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because, without the agreement of the court, that could be the Crown's money. It would put myself and, more importantly, Mrs Smith, in a very difficult position."

"Very astute, Miss Smart. Could you, for my purposes, write down the account value?"

Tammy did as asked and passed it back.

"Ah, I see."

"That was over three weeks ago, it will have gone up since then."

"Indeed. Prior to buying the house were you aware of Mr McDuff?"

"No, Sir."

"Do you intend to submit any finders fee?"

"No."

"Do you expect to earn anything from this endeavour?"

"No, in fact I expect to be out of pocket."

"So you have no pecuniary interest?"

"Not in the standard sense, no."

"So, again, why did you insist on this coming to the court?"

"Because a mistake, an expensive mistake, was made on Mr McDuffs probate in 1987. I do not believe that this error should be allowed to continue even if thirty years has passed."

"So you are seeking natural justice?"

"Correct."

"Are you seeking to overturn anything that had already passed probate?"

"No, I feel that should be left as it is."

"Indeed. You may step down."

Tammy took a seat in one of the witness seats whilst Mr Hughes now took the stand, to explain his own involvement. The Procurator Fiscal wasn't impressed.

"At best, Mr Hughes, you failed to supervise a clerk and failed to check the papers before submitting them? At worst it was a deliberate oversight, verging on fraud?"

"At the time I was quite distracted."

"You can recall that from thirty years ago? At which point did you realise what had happened?"

"About a month after probate was lodged, when I re-opened the file during the sale of the main property and the transfer of the salon to Miss Reagan."

"Why not issue a correction?"

"HMRC were involved."

"Did you have any tax issues at the time, Mr Hughes?"

"Yes, I didn't want HMRC to investigate."

"So you failed to supervise, failed to check and after the error was found you decided that you should protect yourself?"

"Yes."

"And in the process Miss Reagan lost a property that would have been hers?"

"Yes."

"How much did the property sell for?"

"Thirty thousand."

"What could it have done for?"

"Up to thirty five thousand, no more."

"And your fee?"

"Fifteen thousand."

"That was rather steep, especially for 1987?"

"Err, yes."

"Did you settle your tax affairs after that?"

"I did."

"Oh dear. I believe you have incriminated yourself."

"I know."

 
Monday 22nd January 2018
 

Tammy and Maisie flew into Glasgow late morning and rode the airport bus into Buchanan Bus Station before lodging their bags at the Millenium Hotel. There was no time for lunch before they continued their journey to the Royal Infirmary.

They followed the signs to the Fertility Clinic and checked in with the reception. There had been a discussion the previous evening about what to wear. Tammy was very aware that her image, Maisie's image, could make a lasting impression before they'd even explained what they were after.

The freezing weather in the Highlands meant they had both gone for a jumper over trousers and sensible boots, common sense having outweighed any other reasoning.

It was about ten minutes before they were called into a room for their consultation.

"Hello, I'm Doctor Angela Hyde."

The girls introduced themselves.

"Can you explain in your own words what it is you would like?"

"I, we, would like you to extract sperm from my frozen testicle and then implant it into Maisie so we can have a child."

"That concurs with the information I have. I must say from the outset, your case is not unique, but is certainly rare. Professor Roberts included a useful summary for me, Miss Smart."

"Julian is a dear friend, Dr Hyde."

"I don't know him personally, but in this case he had managed to paint a very positive light."

"I see, does that imply that someone else has tried to stop us from having a child of our own?"

"Not as such."

"Please, Dr Hyde, I would like to know if there is anyone who wishes us to fail in our endeavour?"

"It isn't appropriate for me to name anyone. Let me just reassure you that I don't believe there is an ethical bar to your treatment."

"That is helpful, but I sense a caveat?"

"Correct, there is no guarantee that any sperm survived or that the process will result in pregnancy."

"What would you say the chances are?"

"I don't believe putting a percentage on it. Firstly we have to see whether the sperm is viable."

"Indeed, and you require my authority?"

"We do. You must also accept that there are absolutely no guarantees here."

Tammy turned to Maisie before answering. "Of course we do."

"Miss Staines, how do you feel?"

"I would like to carry Tammy's baby, our baby. More than one if possible?"

The Doctor reiterated the process then produced prepared paperwork and explained it before asking both to sign. "There's nothing in this agreement that I haven't told you, but without it we can't proceed."

"When will we hear if my sperm is okay?"

"It could be a few weeks before one of our technicians checks to see whether there are viable sperm in the frozen tissue. We'll let you know and arrange an appointment."

"How will you proceed?"

"In this case I believe a form of IVF will be best, in which case we'll want to extract some eggs from you, Miss Staines. Are you taking the contraceptive pill at the moment?"

"I was on the injection until November but haven't used anything since. I've had one normal period and I'm due another any day now."

"Good. We'll need to inject you with a fertility drug and then wait thirty six hours before collecting the eggs. We would then introduce a single sperm to each egg using Intracytoplasmic sperm injection. We'll implant one or two that are viable."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"We repeat. Bear in mind that the fee covers one cycle of treatment only."

Tammy answered. "Fortunately that isn't a problem."

"The next question is when did you want to proceed?"

"We're both away at Easter for work, so it's probably best to wait until we're back?"

"Indeed, going anywhere nice?"

Tammy answered. "We're waiting to hear, it's either the Isle of Man, Florida or the Carribean."

"Oh, if you don't mind me asking, what's the business?"

"I'm sponsoring a team in next year's TT races, but they're based in America. Right now we don't know which of us is going to fly over to sign the contract?"

"Well, that sounds exciting, can you say which team it is?"

"Sorry, but that's a commercial secret. I'm just hoping we'll have an incident free race!"

"Well, good luck with the racing. As for the IVF, we'll be in touch soon."

Tammy and Maisie stopped at the reception where they settled the invoice for the first round. Holding hands they skipped out of the door. Maisie stopped in the carpet and pulled Tammy close to her for a kiss.

"Thank you, Tammy."

"You're welcome."

Lunch had been skipped but it was mid-afternoon when they walked into the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre. Maisie gravitated towards a children's clothes display in one of the store windows.

"Later! My stomach is moaning."

"It's not a cheat day."

"Maybe not, but ......"

"How about just a coffee or a hot chocolate and a bun? Then we'll eat properly tonight?"

A couple of minutes later, via more window shopping, they were in Caffé Nero. Talk was limited as there were other customers adjacent to the pair.

"Are we doing the right thing, Tammy?"

"The baby?"

"Yes."

"I think so, It's just that you will be the one that gets the treatments, the discomfort, carrying it ...?"

"Her."

"Her?"

"I want a girl."

 
Wednesday 24th January 2018
 

"How many of you have attended a court hearing yet?"

Ben searched the room for the ones who didn't have their hands up.

"Julie, why not?"

"I didn't feel well, I was sick."

"How many more court dates do you have?"

"Five."

"Okay, try to do four of those. Ivan, what about you?"

"I couldn't, I was in court."

"What for?"

"Driving without insurance."

Ben turned to those who had put their hands up and asked a few before reaching Tammy.

"I've done two so far, yesterday I was at the High Court in Glasgow for an appeal against an extradition order. Last Friday I was in Wick all afternoon and ended up in the witness box."

"Were you called?"

"No, and I didn't know what the cases were, it just happened that the Sheriff asked if I was in the court. It only took a couple of minutes."

"Can you say what it was about?"

"It was about probate, beyond that I shouldn't say as the Sheriff ordered part of the case transferred."

At the coffee bar Ben caught up with Tammy. "Probate?"

"Yes, it's an old case concerning my house that was never resolved properly. I had my solicitor make some enquiries."

"But you were in the court?"

"By chance, yes, purely by chance."

"How did yesterday go?"

"Pretty boring, the applicant wasn't in court as he's in detention pending his flight tomorrow. It was mostly just legal argument over a very minor point of law that I doubt he had any chance of winning. It was a tiny court, I was in the same one three years ago."

"I suggested you wouldn't waste the trip to Glasgow, did you find something else to do?"

"Yeah, a consultation for IVF at the Royal Infirmary."

"Oh."

"By the way, I suspect Julie's pregnant."

Tammy was home after the morning session finished. Outside wasn't pleasant so she set out to do an hour on the bike in the office.

This was followed by the nearly-forgotten relationship report that had been requested, or even demanded and was now overdue. It was pretty standard practice for security-cleared personnel starting, or ending, a relationship but for Tammy this was new.

Where to start?

She decided to open with how a simple military arrangement had turned to friendship, and then mutual reliance. Tammy first wrote that she was new to this, so hadn't been watching for any signs. She quickly removed that last section and started again, it wasn't clever to show any signs of weakness when dealing with matters of national security.

It was the act of saving Maisie that initiated the relationship, she wrote, but that hadn't been the intention. The investigating officers had seemingly put the final nail in the coffin of Maisie's traditional army career and that had, hopefully, been to the benefit of the Security Service.

She finished the report and decided she'd left enough that Maisie would remain her assistant, or a fully fledged intelligence agent in her own right. Tammy re-read it, fixed a typo then sent it.

Whilst that dealt with the domestic tasking, where would that leave Maisie when Tammy was working with her cousins? They knew her, could trust her but equally knew Tammy's foibles. Maisie was almost a complete unknown, the most they had were remote observations and a copy of Maisie's military record. Tammy wondered one last negative thought before she shut down the computer, what if Maisie didn't meet Dannigan's, or Lyssa's, requirements?

The other question caught her as she shutdown the laptop, how would Dannigan, and MacTaggart, cope with the news that Maisie was going to be carrying a child? Of course, nothing they said indoors, except the bedroom, was private so maybe one of her masters already knew? Even if they did, was it their concern, yet? This was a life decision with consequences far beyond the walls of their home.

One other thing, however, was still bugging Tammy. She really didn't have the time but picked up the secure phone to call Suzie at her desk.

"Hi Sis, how's things now?"

"Fairly peaceful, Tammy, I guess you're after something?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"Your first call since you arrived back home?"

"Oops, my bad! By the way, Joan's still not talking to me."

"I had mum on the phone a few nights back, she didn't mention you or Maisie once."

"Fair enough. Hmm, have you heard anything about a guy being detained in the UK following Lavoska's arrest?"

"That's a bit vague? I know of several people being rounded up."

Tammy couldn't say any more without breaching mission protocol, even with her sister.

"Never mind, thanks Suzie."

"Bye."

Tammy put the phone down and wondered what she should do next. Her mobile chirped; she unlocked it to read the message:

Make no further enquiries

She picked up her overnight bag and headed for the door.

 
Thursday 25th January 2018
 

Sandy had shut the salon at lunchtime on Wednesday as usual but the lights weren't going off.

"I expect to find this place sparkling when I get back!"

She'd allowed them Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning to conclude the annual deep cleaning, but wasn't going to help this year.

Tammy had collected Sandy at two, along with Sandy's overnight bag, for a ride over to Wick Airport. That had been followed by an uneventful flight into Zurich.

"Okay, you still haven't told me why we're here, Tammy?"

They were taking breakfast in the Novotel, just the two of them. At Tammy's suggestion, both were in frocks for the day.

"I asked you to trust me, right?"

"Yes, but now I'm nervous."

"Okay, as I said to you, we have an appointment in half an hour at a building about one kilometre away. Please bring your papers with you."

"This is ruddy cloak and dagger stuff! Is it legal, Tammy?"

"Oh yes."

"Does this have anything to do with that letter I had from the Sheriff's Court about Kirk?"

"In a small way, yes."

"You know I didn't like that solicitor but I didn't have enough money to get one of my own, it was enough that I took over his mum's salon, she took me on as an apprentice when I sixteen years of age."

"When did he propose?"

"Christmas eve 1986, I had just turned eighteen."

"Oh, so you lost him the next year?"

"My world fell apart. It was five years before I had another relationship."

"Let's see if we can't fix some of that? Come with me, in an hour we can fly back if you want?"

"We've come this far, even if you haven't told me why?"

Tammy hailed a cab outside the hotel for the short ride around to Credit Suisse Tower. Their appointment was on the eighth floor with the dormant account section.

"Miss Smart and Mrs Smith to see Herr Bernoulli."

"Ja, bitte eine Minute, Fraulien."

Tammy wasn't disappointed by the short delay as a man approached the pair not long after they'd taken a seat.

"Fraulien Smart? Welcome to Credit Suisse, and you must be Frau Smith? Please, please, come with me."

Tammy had been forewarned by her father they would be seeing the manager, Herr Bernoulli was in charge of the section. They took seats in his office, around a low table, then waited whilst coffee was poured.

"My father sends his greetings Herr Bernoulli."

"Danke. I met him just after Christmas, ja, he looked very well. Are you following him into banking?"

"No, property and law."

"Good trades, but you'll need a good bank?"

"Indeed, but we're here to discuss a different matter?"

"Ah, ja, the account you queried. We sent several letters but nothing was returned."

"Unfortunately, there was some bad legal advice plus no-one knew of this account."

"How did you become involved?"

"I bought the property and found the account number in a safe, which hadn't been opened for thirty or so years."

"And you recognised it?"

"Yes. That's when I started to research Mr McDuff."

"Ah, Das gut, do you have the papers?"

Tammy had a copy of Kirk McDuff's death certificate, and the newly re-certified will. Separately Sandy produced her passport and her marriage certificate.

"So you were Sandra Reagan?"

"I was, many years ago."

"In which case I'm satisfied all is in order and that you may now have sole control of this account."

"How much is there?"

"In round numbers, more than three hundred thousand pounds sterling."

"Three ... hundred ... thousand?"

"Correct."

Tammy and her father had fibbed to the solicitor two weeks earlier, Richard had been told the value of the account but that wasn't to be disclosed. Tammy, at least, was prepared for the account value. The account was gaining interest daily and had added a thousand or so since Richard's visit, when it stood at £315,081.46.

"Three ... hundred ... thousand. Tammy, is this real?"

"Yes, Sandy."

"What do I do with it?"

"I suggest you transfer some to your personal account and leave the rest here. You'll need to update your name and address details but I'm sure Herr Bernoulli has a team member who can help?"

"Nein, come over to my desk and we'll do it now."

They left the building twenty minutes later and Sandy had gained ten thousand pounds in her personal account.

"What am I going to do with it?"

"That's entirely up to you, Sandy."

"I might have the salon refurbished? Maybe a holiday?"

"Where to?"

"I haven't been to Glasgow for a while."

"Why not somewhere warm?"

"I'm not sure. Look, Tammy, I don't want to be ungrateful, but how the hell did you pull this off without anyone gossiping?"

"Bankers don't gossip."

"Okay, but the other question is, is it legal?"

"Yes, one hundred percent legal."

"Is it too early for alcohol?"

"Definitely, for me, I'm flying later today. Remember?"

Sandy laughed. "You did look great in that white suit! Really professional."

Tammy winked as they entered a café. Tammy ordered a coffee while Sandy indulged a glass of wine to celebrate. On the flight home, Tammy began thinking about the gold bar sitting in the safe. Perhaps it might be a good idea to exchange it for legitimate bullion of an ingot or coinage. The outstanding question was how to exchange it, safely and legally?

Tammy dropped Sandy back at the salon so she could see how the cleaning had gone on, they'd gained an hour on the way back so it was just gone one thirty in the afternoon. The salon was dark and clearly deserted so Sandy went in search of her employees.

"I hope they didn't find the tip jar and decide to drink it?"

Tammy parked the car and walked towards the Castletown Hotel, finding Debbie in the bar.

"Oh, mum?"

"Yes, I'm back. Now, I thought you'd be working?"

"We finished half an hour ago. I treated everyone to a drink as a thank you."

"Well done, I'll make sure you all get paid, of course. Now, Debbie, I need a makeover."

"You?"

"Yes, daughter."

"A glass of wine first?"

"I suppose so. Tammy, will you stay for a drink?"

"Yes, but not wine!"

She also resisted the temptation to compare the coffees she'd had in Zurich that morning with the drink delivered by the Thurso barman. It probably wasn't a fair comparison, but at least the espresso machine was working properly; maybe Tammy could suggest a change of the beans used?

"So where did you go?"

"Tammy took me to have a look at something, it was an interesting hotel break."

"Where?"

"That's not important."

Tammy disappeared to the loo briefly and found Sandy deep in conversation with an old friend when she returned to the bar, so she took the opportunity to slip out and drive home. She found Maisie in the basement lounge.

"Quiet day?"

"Yes. How did it go?"

"Successful, I'll have to update Jeremiah."

Tammy flopped onto a bean bag.

"Don't get comfortable, we have a dinner invite."

"Really?"

"Yes, Cathy expects us at half past five."

"Damn, what's the time?"

"Just gone three fifteen."

"You should have let me know!"

"About the invite? Could you have got back here quicker?"

"Er, no, maybe."

"So, Tammy, we have two hours to get ready."

"Was there a dress code?"

"It's Burns Night."

"Oh shit. Oh, my parents will be there!"

"Good."

Tammy made visual threats of violence against Maisie but dashed upstairs to find a suitable frock, before diving into the shower.

She found Maisie in the bathroom.

"What are you wearing?"

"I have an outfit, it's a surprise."

"Okay, but when did the invite arrive?"

"Yesterday lunchtime."

"But?"

"Your father told me last week, so I had a chance to do something about it."

"Damn you, Maisie Staines!"

A taxi delivered them to the large house.

The girls' coats were taken by Thomas, Tammy was in a white frock with a tartan sash whereas Maisie was in a genuine Black Watch dress uniform complete with a sgian-dubh.

"The Mistress is in the lounge, Miss Smart, Miss Staines."

"Thank you Thomas."

Maisie took Tammy's arm and escorted her into the lounge. They found Cathy, plus the family.

"Good evening Tammy, Maisie."

"Hi." Tammy acknowledged everyone in the room then the girls took a seat.

"Do I get the feeling I've been stitched up, Cathy?"

"Just like a traditional haggis, Tammy."

"Damn, and my fiancée was involved too?"

"She was instrumental!"

"I guess my parents are expected?"

"Indeed, but we tried to make certain you were here first."

"Your mother would be proud of your manipulative skills, Cathy."

"Indeed, I would like you to propose a toast in her memory tonight?"

"I'd be honoured. Tell me, did Harriet need that boarding room?"

"No, I'm told Harry and Harriet live at home still."

There was a noise behind her, Tammy rose to greet her father, followed by Joan. Richard shepherded them into the dining room.

"I'm sorry, mum, I guess I wasn't the best daughter I could have been?"

"No, Tammy, it was my fault. I forgot that you, Angela and Suzie are all independent young ladies and have your own way of doing things. Your father had to explain that to me. I understand you flew back from Zurich this afternoon?"

"Yes, I was righting a wrong."

"I had a very happy Sandy on the phone telling me that, but she wouldn't tell me why? Your father also knew, but wouldn't tell me?"

"Sorry, but you won't get anything from me either. The matter is confidential, although it required some input from Dad for which I'm grateful, otherwise no-one else is involved. What I've done is sorted out a miscarriage from three decades ago that I couldn't just ignore. It would do no good to publicise that."

"You feel strongly about that, righting a wrong?"

"I do, I use the same approach when my country asks me to help."

"Your name wasn't in any of the news reports?"

"It shouldn't be."

"But, recognition?"

"That would prevent me from working with them again. My service, my abilities, depend on me keeping in the background."

"Does that mean you stay safe?"

"Yes, in principle." Tammy guessed that the full reply wouldn't help.

"But sometimes you're in danger?"

"There's a greater risk of being in a road accident or tripping in the street."

"I suppose so."

"What matters is not going into a situation without training, that's the difference between walking away and being carried away."

"How does Maisie fit into that?"

"She had a fiery baptism over Christmas but she coped well and is now out of basic training. Most of the time in the future she'll be watching my back."

"Won't that affect your relationship?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Are you going to put yourselves in danger again soon?"

"No, there's nothing planned. Has Dad told you we'll be out of the country at Easter?"

"Yes, but he wouldn't say why?"

"Because I didn't tell him. All you need to know is that it's a babysitting job and I know the place well."

"That reminds me, you said there's a way you and Maisie could have a child?"

"Yes, but we're waiting for the consultant to get back to us. It might not happen in the end, although we're not in a hurry."

A gong sounded, Tammy hugged Joan then took her hand. "Let's rejoin the others, Mum."

Tammy started the meal with a tribute to Elsie as the soup was being put on the table.

"It hasn't been said often enough or loud enough that Elsie MacPherson shaped all of us in a way that we can't always see. How often do you ask yourself the question 'what would Elsie say'? How often do you wish she was here, available for you?

"I've had good cause to ask myself that very question several times recently and I suspect I'm not alone.

Tammy looked around the table then looked directly at Cathy.

"Elsie's impact was different for all of us, but together we have a memory of a remarkable woman, one who still shapes our lives - perhaps without us even realising. Please, raise a glass to Elsie."

"Elsie!"

Tammy sat, a tear was in her eye. The only person at the table who hadn't known Elsie was her fiancée, that needed to be resolved somehow.

--

FIN