Manchester
10 a.m.
April 18th
Cobb had a ten minute start on the chasing DIC. Once he was outside the Arndale Centre Cobb made his way two hundred metres up the High Street to the cash machine and stole one hundred pounds from the account using the card and pin. After he binned the card he walked two streets to the taxi rank. He was worried, but knew they didn’t have a description matching the way he looked. Cobb took the lead cab in the line and flopped in the back.
“The airport please.”
“Sure enough what time’s your flight?”
“Ten thirty.”
“Blimey you’ll just make that. Minimum check in time’s ten minutes.”
“An extra twenty pounds if you get me there in the next twenty minutes.” Cobb said breezily. The adrenalin of his close escape was beginning to give him a buzz.
“You’re on lad. Buckle up eh?”
The big white saloon pulled away with the direct power of all automatics and Cobb leaned back and relaxed for a moment. It wasn’t over yet but he’d been in tighter scrapes than this.
Outside the Manchester Arndale centre it was mayhem, fire engines, armed police and press were all over the place. The DIC three exited the building and they all stopped and looked at the chief inspector in a huddle with armed police and men in suits. All the men in the power huddle turned to look at them. The chief inspector gave them the darkest of looks.
“Let’s get our own car shall we.” Tony said suddenly.
“Let’s.” Shadz said and opened his cell phone and dialled the local DIC watcher.
It was ten past ten when they drove away to the airport with the local DIC watcher telling them that the next London flight was at ten thirty. He floored the accelerator and headed for the airport.
In the car, buffeted by the turns, Shadz had the laptop running. The satellite phone setting gave him clear signal, even on the road. Tony was on his phone and Jaz on hers.
“Yes. We’re civil service. Can you hold the London flight until one of our people gets to you?” Jaz said and she paused waiting for an answer from Manchester airport security.
“Yes his name please” Tony asked the police man on the other end of the line, looking at Shadz who’s hands hovered over the laptop which was showing the airport booking system, which they had been able to access with DIC technical help.
Tony looked at his watch. Ten past ten. He prayed they’d get the name, hold the flight and get there in time.
“Talk to Chief Inspector Phelan. He’s been working with our team…” A pause. “We’re national Security.. top level… name…” Jaz looked desperately at Tony. He looked back and nodded gravely. “We’re called DIC. Our members are elite, armed and carry a diplomatic pass.” She paused and waited for an answer.
“The name is Joe Milton…” Tony exclaimed.
Shadz began scrolling the names, there it was.
“He’s booked on the ten thirty flight!” Shadz exclaimed.
“You will. Brilliant! DIC personnel will be there in about twenty minutes. Can you call the airport security and armed police to get to the plane… Okay then put me through please.” Jaz said smiling at the other two.
Cobb’s taxi driver had broken the speed limit getting to the airport, it was near enough twenty miles, but they were there by twenty past ten. Cobb overpaid the taxi driver, entered near the W H Smiths and took the lift to check in. This was the tricky bit, but he knew these pass holders were on his trail and he had a badge and plan.
Jaz stared at the un-scrolling road ahead talking to the chief of airport security.
“Yes please go to check in and wait, yes go armed and wait for one of our people to get there. We carry diplomatic passes with the right to bear arms. Yes. Thank you.”
“Better get ready.” Tony took his Sig out and checked the action.
“How many times do you have to whip that thing out and cock it?” Jaz asked. Shadz looked at Tony and laughed.
“Just checking and you’d better check yours too, both of you.” Shadz stopped laughing.
“Sorry Tony. Just nervous, you know.” Shadz said a little embarrassed.
Cobb approached the check in desk just in time. There was a smiling well manicured girl at the desk.
“The seat’s booked in the name of Joe Milton” Cobb said smiling.
She looked at her booking terminal and keyed in the name. The confirmed booking in for the flight was flagged up in security who radioed the men who were already on their way to the desk. They had been watching the screens, but no-one matching Cobb’s description, with or without glasses had been spotted.
The girl gave Cobb a suspicious look as he handed her Wally’s DIC pass as Identity.
“It’s my boss’ name he booked it early this morning for me.”
The girl looked at the official government pass and then looked past him. Cobb turned to the direction of her gaze and noted airport security and armed police heading his way from the left. He was ready for this. He held onto the badge. He felt the silent PSS 6 shot pistol hard against his stomach, tucked into his wait band. He had two left in the magazine and a full six shot clip in his pocket.
The armed police drew and pointed their weapons at him. The girl slid beneath the level of the desk and crawled away. People around ducked behind seats and moved away, though still watching with horrid fascination. Terrorism was all over the news.
“Hands in the air no sudden movements!” One of the policemen loudly commanded.
Cobb turned around holding the pass up.
“Are you armed?”
“Yes and you’re meant to be helping me.” Cobb said calmly watching their eyes.
The policeman approached, two circled Cobb still pointing MP5’s at him.
The officer asked “Where’s the weapon.”
Cobb nodded down with his head. The policeman took the PSS pistol. Cobb waved the pass slowly raising his eyebrows. The policeman took it. He flipped it open and looked it over, noted the right to be armed, looked at Cobb’s face, the hair, the general look.
“Wait a minute you the DIC man?”
“Yes!” Cobb smiled. He had a feeling this would happen. So that’s what they were called. He’d never heard of them before, perhaps they were new like the U. S homeland security.
“Why didn’t you say?”
“Waiting for the right moment, you know, always tricky with these gun situations you know.”
“Right.” The policeman said seeing the sense of Cobb’s calm compliance.
The airport security chief came running up, he had seen the pass and gun handed back from a distance.”
“You the DIC man?” the security chief asked. Cobb nodded “Your man checked in and he’s on the plane do you want it stopped?” The security chief added.
“No not now. I’ll get on with him and follow him. He may lead us to his cell.”
“Good thinking. There’s just time to get you on the flight. I’ll make sure there’s a seat.”
Cobb tasted DIC’s VIP treatment as he was rushed through the security control and made it to the door of the plane which was being held for him. He noted its closing and the jet engines firing up as the Easyjet A320 Airbus began to taxi. He was shown to his allotted seat and passed his booked seat on the way. He couldn’t help but smile, but as he sat down he knew that in an hour they’d be waiting for him in London. He had an hour to find a plan to get off the plane at Gatwick and get away.
After the plane had taken off the DIC team had arrived and Tony had been in the middle of an angry ‘why couldn’t you have done as we asked’ rant at the security chief when he was told in a slow controlled voice that a DIC man had got onto the plane. After some confusion the truth emerged and red faced the DIC team were taken to the security centre. In the security office Jaz was staring at the CCTV screen looking for all intents and purposes at the figure of Wally at the check in desk surrounded by security.
“He had the badge you described. He was armed as described and he wasn’t in any way ruffled or troublesome.” The security chief, a big man with a close shaved head and sharp focussed pale blue eyes stood arms folded, a look of self satisfied confidence on his face.
“But he’d checked in for the seat in the name of Joe Milton.”
“We didn’t know that. When we got to the gate he was there. When we drew weapons the check in girl ducked and got out of the way. As far as we were able to tell the one who booked in the name of Milton had got on the plane already and the man with badge was following”
Tony laughed harshly.
“My god these guys are good. Some front he’s got using Wally’s pass. He must have got a wig.”
“Wigs Up North is best. My uncle got his there.” They all looked at a big build armed policeman at the back of the room.
“I bet it’s near Gun Street right.”
“That’s right Reddenhill Road.”
Tony shook his head again and again. Shadz walked in looking grim.
“Jack is not happy. We’re booked on the next flight to Gatwick, which by the way is on full alert. The pilot knows he has an armed assassin on the plane and they’re ready for anything.”
“When’s our flight?”
“Half an hour and we have to check in early. Weapons and technical stuff to go in the hold by the way”
“Okay let’s go.”
When they had left the security chief looked at the policeman.
“Who the hell are DIC?”
“I’ve never heard of them?”
“I checked with the home office and they said they’re top level secret wouldn’t say any more about it.”
“Well they aren’t that good I mean they cocked this right up.”
“You certain they did?”
“Well they didn’t check to see if their dead operative’s pass was missing did they?”
“Good thinking. Hopefully that puts us in the clear if he hijacks the plane.”
“You think he will?”
“Well he must know they’ll be waiting at Gatwick for him. What’s he going to do jump out over the Midlands?”