London Euston Tower
12 Noon
April 18th
Jack Fulton watched the midday news in the screen banked room. It was a horror story of failure and foolishness.
The BBC news was awash with bodies and massed armed security. The Manchester Arndale bomb alert, news of the morning, and the subsequent alert at Manchester Airport was eclipsed by the Gatwick high security alert, which, with the added drama of the shootings, was the main story. In addition footage of police at Hamilton Race track removing the body of the truck driver, grisly scenes of the covered body removed from the refrigerated van in Inverness and police divers bobbing near a boat on the Moray Firth as a crane pulled a taxi, bleeding seawater, up and around to land were only eclipsed by the sight of the wrecked traffic police Volvo pursuit car buried nose down and police struggling to lift a bagged body up the wet muddy sides of Beech Bottom Dyke.
When it came to Glasgow Buchanon bus station there were pictures of blood on the floor and interviews with witnesses. The news reader turned to screen.
“These suspects are leaving in their wake a trail of bodies. Security services have accounted for two of the five hunted men whose aim and objective is as yet unknown. We are expecting a statement from Tarquin Robinson Home Office Minister, within the next ten minutes, we’ll bring you that live when it begins.”
Fulton was pulled from his entranced viewing of the news by the ring of his phone. Shadz, Jaz and Tony had finally landed, after obvious delays, at Gatwick. Jack told them to get to Euston and report to him in his office.