Storiesonline.net ------- Bird Song by Scotland-the-Brave Copyright© 2007 by Scotland-the-Brave ------- Description: Terrorist attack against the world creates an opportunity for young romance and courage beyond measure. Codes: MF mf mF ff PostApoc rom teen non-con inc voy interr ------- ------- Chapter 1: It all began quietly The outside of the building gave no clues as to the high tech facility that was housed within it. The walls looked like any other ramshackle Arabic affair, sun bleached, cracking, dusty and likely to collapse under a strong wind. As the sun began to pull itself above the sand filled horizon, the man climbed from behind the wheel of the modern four-wheel drive jeep and made his way to the door of the single storey structure. As he approached, two men materialised as if from nowhere, their robes purposely chosen to help them blend effortlessly with the landscape. Each of the men held a genuine AK47; the weapons' characteristic 'banana' shaped magazines and clunky appearance belying their deadly efficiency. The guards nodded wordlessly at the man and allowed him to pass through the door of the house. Once inside, the man made his way to a room in the exact middle of the house. In the centre of the room there was a square shaft, obviously housing an elevator. The man used a key to call the lift and pressed the button inside to descend. Fifty feet below the desert's surface, the door of the lift opened and the man stepped out into a brilliantly lit room of all white, so white it glared even more than the desert sun the man thought. He walked over to a bench and began to remove his clothes, folding them neatly before placing them in a locker. He made his way through another door into a shower area and proceeded to thoroughly scrub himself all over in the powerful jets of hot water, using the special soap from a dispenser mounted on the wall. When the man had finished showering he left the shower on the opposite side to that which he had entered. He found himself in a cramped compartment and he struggled slightly to pull on the sterile all-in-one suit that hung there. The suit was also white, probably that colour so any contamination showed up easily. The man knew the possible contaminants he was working with would not show up against any background. No, these contaminants were beyond the scope of the human eye to pick up. A face mask finished off his work outfit and the man left the cubicle and entered a series of further compartments, each one designed to filter and remove any remaining trace of the outside world and atmosphere. Finally he entered his workroom. The room was cool; pleasant enough to allow him to remain there for the twelve-hour shift he would put in. There was a continuous hum coming from the units that kept the environment sterile and a desk carried a range of computer equipment. He made his way over to the precision manufactured work station - a glass bubble that had sleeves built into it to allow safe handling of the range of glass culture dishes contained within. The glass also had powerful microscopes built in so that the samples held in the dishes could be examined. The man inserted his arms into the sleeves and immediately fell into the rhythm of concentration necessary for this work, his head lowering until his eyes were looking through the lenses of the microscope. His long years of experience allowed him to move the glass dishes with the bacteria easily enough despite the gloves that his hands were now in. He felt he was close to a major breakthrough, had felt that for weeks now. He examined the virus under the microscope and smiled grimly at the amount of growth in the culture dish since the previous day. He believed this was the one, this was the strain that would satisfy his masters and achieve what they wanted. Now all he had to do was grow enough of it to begin the live tests. ------- The souq was extremely busy. It sprawled along one side of the narrow street, the side that offered most protection from the intense heat of the sun. The stalls carried all manner of goods - from fresh fruit, figs, vegetables and eastern spices to rugs and intricately carved wooden sculptures. A vendor was doing a brisk trade doling out thick, steaming black coffee in small cups and older men in flowing white robes stood around drinking, smoking and sharing their gossip. Further along, the squawking of chickens could be heard coming from a number of cages behind another hooked nose, olive skinned Arab. He was calling out what a great bargain his fowl were and how Allah himself had blessed them so they tasted better than any chicken that had gone before. A beggar was tugging at the sleeves of passers by, imploring them to be merciful before god and to spare him some money. A policeman approached from behind and swung the long, polished stick he held, striking the beggar two heavy blows across his shoulders. "Get up, you miserable excuse for a man!" the policeman screamed, his face showing his anger. He hustled the beggar down the street, pushing him roughly through the crowds until they were past the edges of the market. A police van was parked here and the beggar was thrown unceremoniously into the back and the door locked behind him. The policeman climbed into the van and started the engine, turning the air conditioning in the cab up to full. He pulled into traffic, but instead of heading for the local police station or the municipal gaol, he headed in the opposite direction and out of town. After twenty minutes of driving on the poorly maintained road, the police van pulled off onto a track that wound its way into the wilderness. The going was much slower now, as the driver had to pick his way carefully or risk damage to the vehicle. It was only fifteen minutes later however, that a cluster of tents appeared and the van drew up beside a pair of modern jeeps. "Salam aleykum," the policeman said as he climbed down from the van's seat. "Waleykum salam," replied three men dressed in traditional Arab robes, AK47's slung loosely over their shoulders. "I have another for you," the policeman informed them, as he walked to the rear of the van and unlocked the doors. The beggar was groaning, the intense heat in the non air-conditioned rear of the van having added to the pain of the beating he had received from the policeman's stick. He was dragged from the bed of the van and across the ground towards one of the large tents and his hands were tied tightly behind him before he was flung inside. "We have enough now Salim, your job is over and you shall receive Allah's blessings. Al Qaeda will not forget your service my friend. Now, we need to transport all of them before anyone begins to ask questions," said the tallest of the men. The policeman nodded his understanding and returned to his van, swinging it round and driving back the way he had come. Meanwhile the three 'tribesmen' opened the rear doors on both of the jeeps and began to drag the occupants of the tents out, packing them tightly together into the vehicles. There were fourteen men in all, a mixture of beggars and petty thieves that the policeman had picked up over the past week. "We will return in two days," said the tall man. "I will be at my brothers, he is coming to help me take the tents away," the other replied. He watched as his two companions opened the doors in the front of the jeeps, laying their rifles on the seat before climbing in and starting the engines. With a final wave they left the tents behind and headed out even further into the wilderness. The drivers made two stops to let the men have a minimum amount of water, but other than that it was eight straight hours of driving through alternatively rocky and sandy desert. At last the little cluster of houses came into view, built around an ancient well that still carried sweet, cool water. As before, when the man had approached the house, armed guards materialised and they moved forward to help usher the captives towards the doorway and then hustled them into the lift. The beggars and thieves were forced through the shower room at the foot of the lift shaft and finally into the first of the air locks that led to the sterile workroom. The door was locked behind them, ominously with the guards all on the other side of the door. As the guards quickly used the lift to return to the surface, the flotsam and jetsam from the marketplace saw nothing else to do but continue on through the various air locks until they emerged into the workroom. The workstation and all of the computer equipment had been removed from the room and all that was left in their place was a pile of blankets, some canisters of water and two live chickens. A CCTV camera had also been installed and the blinking red light announced to the men that they were being watched. ------- On the surface, inside another of the buildings, the man watched the screen in front of him as the ragged and unkempt beggars and thieves entered his former workroom. He wondered how long it would be before hunger overtook the men and forced them to catch and eat the chickens. He didn't think it would matter as the virus that the birds carried would hopefully infect them whether they ate the chickens or not. That was what this live test was all about after all. The man was a virologist and he had been recruited and funded by Al Qaeda to work on creating a biological weapon to use against the great Satan and their lap dogs. The man hated the Americans with a vengeance and considered it an honour to have been chosen for this important work. He had examined a number of different possible options for the weapon including Ebola and Anthrax, but had ruled out both of these. Ebola offered the prospect of a high percentage of fatalities for those who were infected but it degenerated too quickly when it ran out of new hosts. There were also difficulties in truly establishing a way of making the virus airborne; the most effective way of ensuring it passed quickly from one person to another. He had discounted Anthrax quickly because he didn't think the mortality rate was high enough. Eventually he had begun to seriously consider another option, one that the west was already working itself up into a frenzy about - bird flu. Al Qaeda had bankrolled the building of the underground facility and all of the equipment necessary for him to take forward his work. He had been experimenting for just over a year, trying to find a way to genetically modify Asian bird flu so that it would mutate into a form that would allow it to infect humans and to pass between humans. Asian bird flu - or more properly HPAI A(H5N1), highly pathogenic avian influenza type A(H5N1) - was highly contagious amongst bird populations and had even been known to leap from birds into other animals. It also had a very high mortality rate. The virologists used terms such as epizootic and panzootic (an epidemic in animals over a wide area) to describe bird flu, but as yet there greatest fear - that bird flu would infect humans and become a pandemic - had not come to pass. The man hoped that his work was going to make the pandemic a reality. He had modified the bird flu by splicing it with a more common strain of flu that affected humans. The chickens in the workroom had been confirmed as being affected by the injections he had administered and he was now waiting to see whether they successfully infected the men who had been locked up with them. He had also developed an effective vaccine against his bird flu and he planned to spread this around his Al Qaeda comrades if this test proved successful and the virus was as deadly as he intended. ------- The chickens lasted only one hour before the beggars and thieves were tearing them apart and fighting amongst themselves for scraps of the meat. Raw chicken is dangerous at anytime, but the men were unaware of just how lethal a cocktail they were fighting over. Consuming the infected flesh just helped the virus to infect their blood quicker than it otherwise might have. Within hours the fourteen men were all showing symptoms of flu. By the second day it was clear that what was going on in the workroom was something much worse than simple, common flu. Some of the men had blood streaming from their noses, others from their ears, while some were coughing and vomiting up thick gouts of blood from their stomachs. Ugly black lesions began appearing on their skin and it was clear that their breathing was becoming very difficult indeed. The man sat at his screen for five days, only taking short naps as he watched the fourteen men succumb to what he had created. By the evening of the fifth day all of the men in the room were unconscious and lying on the floor. Their lack of food had severely weakened their bodies and the virus had ravaged through them. Internal bleeding in the mucus membranes of the stomach and intestines had further affected them and finally, bacterial pneumonia had set in. The man knew that all fourteen would be dead by morning. He smiled grimly as he had his confirmation that his hard work had paid off. He had created a strain of bird flu that was just as deadly as those currently in existence, but this one would infect and pass between humans. "Allah be praised! Soon the Americans and their allies will feel the prophet's wrath!" he muttered to himself, a look of madness in his eyes. ------- Ali Bin Salid looked at the woman, girl really, lying on the hotel bed. Her name was Shafiq, a Jordanian by birth and she was beautiful. The fact that she was currently naked with her hands rubbing urgently at the gash of her sex only added to her allure. He took in her small high breasts as they jiggled with her exertions. Her skin was a light olive colour, her nipples a darker, almost chocolate brown and currently as hard as diamonds due to her excitement. Her hair was a lustrous black, so black it almost seemed blue, and the sparse strands covering her freely lubricating pussy showed that black was her natural colour. She was perhaps five foot seven, but weighed in at barely one hundred pounds. The training she had undergone at the Al Qaeda camp in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan had left her body lean and hard. Shafiq's dark brown eyes smouldered at him as she strummed her clit with one hand and jammed two fingers of the other hand repeated into her juicy slit. "Don't make me wait any longer Ali, please, give me what I need," she whined. "Patience my little dove, patience. Anticipation will only make the eventual act that much better. You have been given to me as a reward in this life to let me taste just a fraction of what my martyrdom will ultimately bring," he replied. Shafiq continued to saw at her hard little nubbin, groaning deeply in her throat as her heat rose higher. Ali knew that she got off on the tension and danger associated with being an Al Qaeda operative. She also responded like a nymph to the control and power that he had as a senior figure within the organisation and leader of this cell. In fact she seemed to be perpetually horny and he had never had so much sex. At last the sight of her and the scent of the rich, heady musk coming from her were too much to ignore and he eased himself forward onto the bed. His own tightly muscled body was also impressive and, naked, his cock was already hard and ready to give Shafiq what she so obviously craved. Having left her to create her own foreplay, he slid between her legs and lined the head of his cock up with her opening, pushing her fingers aside. "Yesssss, Ali, yeeesssssss," she screamed as he let himself drop forward, his toned body driving his tool deep within her. There was something stilted about the act, the religious beliefs of both the participants perhaps making themselves known and acting as a dampener. That was relative however, as both were caught up in the need to climax, to achieve their release. They may not have been indulging in the small intimate touches, kisses and exchanges that might normally be expected to be present, but they made up for that with the frantic energy of their coupling. "Ali, Ali, harder, faster, deeper, oh give me everything, give it to me, give it to me!" "Ugghhh, Uggghhh," Ali grunted as he tried to give her what she wanted. Shafiq's legs were spread wide as Ali pounded into her as fast and as hard as he could. At the height of their passion a shrill tone screamed out in the hotel bedroom, Ali's mobile phone. With the will of a true fanatic, a confirmed fundamentalist, Ali immediately withdrew his cock and rolled over athletically and snatched up the phone, thumbing the button to answer the call. This phone had never been used and had been purchased and kept charged for this one call alone. The fact it had rung was enough to get Ali and Shafiq's pulses racing. "Bird song," the voice on the other end of the line said and then the connection was cut. Ali rushed to get his clothes on. He gave Shafiq a meaningful look as he quickly unzipped a bag and withdrew another two mobile phones. He left the room and walked along the hotel corridor to the bank of lifts. Taking a lift down to the foyer, he crossed the plush reception area and out into the street. Walking along Riyadh City's King Fahad Road, he surreptitiously removed the SIM card from the phone that had taken the call and dropped it into a litterbin. Several hundred yards further along the street he dropped the phone into a second bin as he passed it. Saudi Arabia was considered safe territory by Al Qaeda. Birthplace of Osama Bin Laden, there were plenty of sympathisers to help with the little things that they needed and provided security and easy access to money and equipment. He made his way into the Al Deerah Souq and pulled one of the new mobile phones from his pocket. He thumbed the speed dial and listened, waiting for the phone to be answered. The connection took some time to click in but eventually he heard the tone that confirmed the target phone was ringing. After barely two rings the phone was answered. "Hello?" said a voice in English. Ali responded in the same language. "Bird song," he said and then broke the connection. He knew that those two words were even now causing consternation in England, as the cell there now knew that something big was about to begin. Walking round the marketplace he repeated his previous actions to dispose of the SIM and the phone separately. This second phone had only been used for this one call and would never be used by the cell again. He walked around the souq for a further fifteen minutes before pulling the second of the new phones from his pocket and hitting the speed dial. Again there was a delay while the phone connected before he heard the target phone begin to ring. Once again the phone was answered almost immediately. "Huh?" the voice said, clearly American. "Bird song," Ali said and then hung up. Now the excitement has already spread to America, Ali thought as he religiously went through the process of stripping and disposing of the SIM and the phone once more. He began to make his way back to the hotel, using glass-fronted stores to check behind him to make sure he was not being followed. When he had ascended back up to the room he smiled at Shafiq. "Pack, we need to be in Zahedan, Iran tomorrow morning. Now it really begins, the non believers have only months to live, they just don't know it yet," Ali said to her. He was pleased to see that she was excited rather than scared. The westerners didn't know what they were in for. ------- Chapter 2: The opium trail James MacLaren hunched forward over the keyboard and screen of the computer in his bedroom. The bedroom door was locked to avoid any unwanted intrusions and there was a good reason for that. James was doing something he shouldn't be and he knew he would be in big trouble with the other members of his family if he was found out. He had recently turned fifteen and was what might be called a geek if he lived in the US. Here on his father's farm on the very western outskirts of Glasgow, he was merely regarded by his peers as a shy, highly intelligent boy, somewhat spoiled owing to his family's wealth, but interesting because of the things he had already managed to achieve in his short life. Already pushing six feet tall, he was well built and solid through helping his father around the farm. His father's love of toys and gadgets had allowed James to learn how to fly a small plane and he had even soloed on his father's small helicopter. He had learned to drive when he was twelve and was expert in both his father's jeep and also the range of farm vehicles that were used at various times of the year. When all this was allied to his higher than average intelligence, he kind of proved to be too much competition for other boys his age to contend with and they responded in typical adolescent fashion by shunning him. James' family consisted of his father - also called James, which led to the son being referred to as Jamie - his mother, Avril and his younger sister Laura. It was fourteen year old Laura that was the focus of his attention at that moment and she was the reason he was doing something he shouldn't. Jamie had little luck with girls at school. The fact that other boys didn't accept him into any of the social groups somehow seemed to make it difficult for girls to agree to go out with him. Despite the fact that he was physically attractive and intelligent to boot - normally qualities that would have the girls flocking round - he was politely told no whenever he had asked a girl to a movie or a school dance. They were always nice about saying no, but after a series of rejections, Jamie had stopped asking. With no other outlet for his raging teen hormones, Jamie had turned to the females closest to him. His mother was still only thirty-three and was as trim as a teenager. Her 34b breasts and long, long legs and tight ass had fuelled many jerk-off sessions for the young man. His mother was just simply hot. She had short blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. His sister Laura was well on the way to matching her mother. She was five foot six and already had a chest that equalled the older woman. Jamie fantasised over both of them and rubbed his cock raw some nights. As much as he thought about the two females in the house, he had never thought about actually doing anything with either of them. His mother and father would literally kill him if they even suspected what he was thinking, let alone if he ever tried to act on his thoughts and desires. He had stumbled over Laura's MSN address when his mother had asked him to bring down his sister's dirty washing. Laura had forgotten to turn her computer off before going to her Girl's Guides meeting and although it had gone into hibernation, when Jamie bumped into her desk as he gathered up the dirty linen bag, the screen had sprung to life. He memorised the address with the idea that he could play a trick on his sister and have some innocent fun. He created himself a MSN account under an assumed name and gave himself the screen name Highlander. The first time he had connected with Laura he had intended to simply chat and try to embarrass her a little. He was surprised that she had opened up to him so quickly and he discovered she was having just as hard a time of it at school as he was. She had asked where he had got her address and he had fudged it by saying that someone at school had shared it with him, remaining vague as to who that was. Laura had apparently been impressed by the fact he was an older boy and his chat was relaxed and easy-going. She had found herself so comfortable that she began sharing some quite emotional issues with him and he found himself changing his position. Sassy14: You know, you really seem to understand what I'm going through, how I feel. Highlander: I think I do. Guys can be real assholes, we're so much more insecure and need to act tough to try and hide it. All you need is a little bit more self-confidence. I'm sure you're really pretty and will do fine, you just need to find a way to build up your own self-belief. Sassy14: But I'm so shy I'll never be able to even talk to a boy. How can I ever improve my confidence without getting over that hurdle? Highlander: There must be a least one boy you can talk to, that you're close to. If there's one, you can use him to help boost your self-confidence. Sassy14: Well there might be one, but what would I have to do to improve myself? Highlander: Well, try teasing him a little and see how he reacts. You know, wear something a little sexier around him and try to get him to notice you as a woman. If you can get him to notice you that way, you'll get a real kick out of it and it will do your confidence the world of good. All women do that kind of thing, you know, develop their seduction technique by teasing. It's only natural. Sassy14: I don't think I could do that. What if he got the wrong idea about me? What if he thinks I'm just slutty? Highlander: Well, is he likely to think that way about you? Is he safe, would you feel threatened in anyway if you did turn him on? Sassy14: No. He would never harm me and I know he would never try and take advantage of me. Highlander: Well there you go then. If he's safe you can tease him a little and check out his reaction to you. I know you are going to be so pleased when he gets hard looking at you, he'll be putty in your hands and you'll feel far better around the guys afterwards. Jamie gulped as he read back the last message he had sent Laura. He thought he had perhaps gone a little too far. Things had changed from just having a bit of fun to offering his little sister sex advice. He glanced down as Laura's reply appeared. Sassy14: I'm gonna have to think about what you've said. I'm not really sure I could do what you're suggesting, but I promise I'll think about it. I can see what you're getting at, but it's a big step to take. I don't think I've got the nerve to do it. Laura signed off soon after that, telling Highlander she hoped he would message her again soon. The next day Jamie had noticed Laura looking at him differently. He returned her look and was surprised when she blushed and turned away. "What's that all about?" he thought. An hour or so later he was stacking bales of hay in the barn when he heard Laura behind him. "Need a hand with that?" she asked. He turned and found himself gulping. Laura had changed her clothes since they had exchanged looks and she now wore a little white halter-top and skintight white short shorts. She was looking at him curiously, her head down slightly so she was looking through her fringe a little. "Holy shit," he thought, don't tell me the only boy she is close to is me? The last thing I meant was for her to dress sexy and tease me for fuck sake. Now what am I going to do?" Before he could say anything, Laura began to help lift the last few remaining bales. As she bent over, her shorts pulled even tighter against her body and Jamie was treated to the sight of surely the world's most beautiful ass. As Laura bent over yet further he could clearly see the crease of her sex beneath the thin material. He reacted as any hot-blooded male would - his cock filled with blood and he had a raging hard-on inside his jeans. Like many insecure young boys, Jamie religiously measured his cock every month and knew he had a very respectable seven and a half inches. There was no way he could hide the obscene bulge in his crotch and as Laura took that moment to glance over her shoulder, her face flushed as she stared at it. The look seemed to last forever until at last she turned away and made out she was busy with the hay. "Come on lazy-bones, help me get this last one up onto the stack," she said, her voice sounding a little breathless he thought. When they had safely stacked the last bale she gave him a brilliant smile and walked out of the barn. Jamie watched and knew he wasn't imagining the slight sway to her hips, the little wiggle of her ass, as she walked away. His suspicions were confirmed when she glanced behind her to see if he was watching just before she turned at the barn door. When she saw he was, she gave him another smile and then was gone. ------- Cultivation/manufacture of the quantities of the virus that were required took some months. During that time, Ali Bin Salid was training the teams that would be responsible for taking the virus on the first stage of its journey. Ali was also in charge of the overall plan for how the virus was going to be delivered and then released. He had flown to Zahedan, in Iran, with Shafiq and they had met some local sympathisers who helped them over the border into Afghanistan. The training camp they were using was in a remote and mountainous region of Afghanistan. It was no coincidence that the area was at the heart of poppy growing and the production of a large percentage of the world's opium. From the Afghan opium came the heroin that blighted so many lives in the west, a fact that pleased the Al Qaeda operatives who managed production no end. Ali however, was interested not in the drugs, but in the well established smuggling routes and contacts that allowed the heroin to get into places like America and the United Kingdom. He planned to use these same routes to move the virus. Ali had three teams; each made up of six people. Two in each team would carry the packages with the virus in them and the other four would provide effective protection until the deadly vials were delivered. One team was targeting the US, one the UK and the last one was aiming for mainland Europe. His plan called for Al Qaeda cells that were already established to release the virus at all of the chosen locations simultaneously. Ali hoped that this would ensure the maximum impact and hamper any attempts to isolate and contain the outbreaks as they began. The virus had been delivered and it sat on the desk in front of him. There were six polystyrene packs, each containing 12 vials and one aerosol dispenser. Ten vials contained the virus and the remaining two contained the vaccine that had been developed. Ali had decided on this split so that two packages would be going to each location. That way even if one of the team carrying the virus was somehow lost or captured, there was still a chance for the other to get through and complete his mission. As well as physical fitness and weapons training, the teams had been undergoing intensive briefing on what to expect in the countries they would be heading to. The briefing was detailed, covering even the smallest aspects of day to day life so that the teams would be able to move about without raising suspicion. Things like the local currency, public transport, shopping and basic civic freedoms were rehearsed until they were all familiar with them. For the last two days the teams had been split up in different blocks within the camp. Ali had them each memorising details of the cells they were to contact - names, addresses and methods of contact. This information was so important it could not be written down, but would have to be kept in their heads. ------- The first team had already departed from the camp. They were en route through the mountains, making their way towards Iraq. The plan was for them to use their contacts to pass through Iraq and into Turkey. Once they crossed into Turkey, the established drugs couriers would arrange for them to be concealed in secret compartments specially built-in to several articulated lorries. They would split up into two groups of three and using two lorries would increase their chances of getting through. The lorries would take them onwards to Germany where they would begin the final preparations for releasing the virus. The second team would have a much longer and more difficult journey. They would be heading for the oil terminals of the Arab states and would be smuggled onto two separate tankers bound for the US. They would have to use their initiative to get out of the oil terminal and into the US interior, but that's what they had trained for. The final group was heading for the Algerian coast overland. Arrangements had already been made to have them picked up by two fishing trawlers and the plan called for them to be landed on the remote coasts of Scotland. One group of three would land on the West Coast and one on the East, again to maximise the chances of succeeding. Shafiq was leading this team and Ali spent a final night alone with her in the camp, fucking her almost to a standstill as her nerves proved an effective aphrodisiac and she continually begged for more. Al Qaeda's intelligence - fed through the Iranian Revolutionary Guard - let them know when it was safe to be outside in the camp without the West's satellite surveillance observing them. They used that information to time the departure of the various teams, Ali calling for the prophet's blessing on them all. Each of them had made video-recordings with their messages of bile towards the US and the UK, condemning them for their actions against Islam and for siding with the hated Jews. Shafiq's team had a long and hazardous overland journey ahead of them. They would need to cross over into Iran, cross Iraq and into Saudi Arabia and then negotiate the border into Egypt. The final leg of their route would require them to navigate the entire breadth of Libya before they could enter Algeria and head for the port of Oran on the Mediterranean coast. Iraq would be the most dangerous with the allied forces deployed there, but there were sufficient Al Qaeda sympathisers in all of the other Muslim countries to ensure any danger would be minimised. ------- In the MacLaren household the family were completely oblivious to the deadly threat that had just left the mountains of Afghanistan heading in their direction. However, everything wasn't as normal as usual in their lives, or at least in the lives of Jamie and Laura. Jamie was once again locked in his bedroom and he was IM'ing his younger sister. He was desperately trying to think of a way of reversing the series of events he had started through his previous session with Laura, but he was unprepared for her latest revelations. Sassy14: Hi, Highlander. Highlander: Hi yourself, Sassy. Sorry I didn't message you last night but I was busy. Sassy14: I did it, I did it, I took your advice and I did it, Highlander: Whoa... slow down, Sassy. What did you do? Sassy14: I dressed up sexy and teased a boy just like you suggested! Jamie couldn't believe how excited Laura was with what she had done. It was clear from her words and the speed with which she was typing that she was really into this. He continued to think frantically of a way he could get her back to normal, he seemed to have unleashed a monster. Highlander: Oh, okay. What happened? Sassy14: I put on my tightest halter top and last year's shorts and teased him by bending over so he got a really good look at my butt. Highlander: Did he react? Sassy14: God, did he ever. His thingy got really hard in his pants. It was huge and he had a strange look in his eye. I got soooooo hot! My panties were wet, soaked through, when I saw what I had done to him. Only yards along the hall from his sister, Jamie gulped at both her language and her admission that she had been so excited by dressing up for him and seeing how hard she made him. This was nothing like the shy girl he knew and loved, this was a side of her that had remained hidden until now. He glanced down to see that she had typed a further message. Sassy14: Hey, Highlander, why don't you and I go out? Laura's suggestion came out of the blue. Jamie realised that his advice about how to build up her self confidence already seemed to be working, but there was no way he could go out with her of course. Once more he had to think quickly. Highlander: I see your self-confidence is already improving! Asking me out on a date no less, my you have come a long way in a short space of time. The reason I didn't IM you last night was because I was out with my girlfriend. I think I would like to go out with you, but I couldn't go behind her back. I hope you don't take that the wrong way. Sassy14: Just my luck, I find what seems like a keeper and he's already taken! But that's okay, in fact it could be quite neat. I can give you advice about what girl's like and you can continue to be my mentor when it comes to boys! Jamie groaned to himself before replying. Highlander: Yeh, that would work. I'm completely clueless when it comes to girls. If I live to be a hundred I don't think I'll ever understand them. I don't seem to be getting anywhere. Sassy14: You're probably trying too hard and going too fast. Most girls I know would be willing to do things with a boy, but only if the boy did the right things. Jamie grew more interested when he read those words. Highlander: What kind of things do we need to do then? Sassy14: Well to start off with you need to establish a relationship, you need to demonstrate that she can trust you. If a girl thinks you're only after one thing then she won't be interested. You have to invest something of yourself before you'll make any progress. Even then you need to set the mood. Girls do like guys that take charge, but we also need to feel you can be tender and sensitive when the situation calls for it. Try just gentle and innocent touches at first until you are both more familiar and comfortable with each other. Jamie couldn't believe he was getting advice on how to make out with a girl from his little sister, but he could see that what she said made some kind of sense. Highlander: I can see that you've thought about this. I think I can see what you mean. Sassy14: Okay, my turn now. If I can't go out with you, I'm just going to have to continue to tease the boy I am close to. What else should I do with him? Jamie couldn't believe she was asking him this. He had fully intended to try and dampen the whole teasing thing down, but now she was almost handing him the chance of a lifetime. Highlander: That depends. How far do you want to take things with this boy? Are you just going to tease him or do you actually want something to happen? There was a long pause before Laura responded this time and Jamie realised that she was having to think about this really hard. After a few minutes her response appeared and he almost lost it. Sassy14: I do feel safe with him, but I don't think I'm ready for anything physical to happen between us. I did get really turned on teasing him though and I think I would like to take things a little further. It was so hot seeing how he reacted to my body, I think you can tell that I really got off on it. I... I had to rub myself after I saw his thing had gotten all hard. Before Jamie could respond another message from Laura appeared. Sassy14: Oh god, I don't believe I told you that! I am burning up with embarrassment. Highlander: It's okay. Masturbation is perfectly normal and healthy; we all do it I promise. When you say his thing, you mean his cock don't you? Sassy14: Oh that is so dirty and I can't help getting excited thinking about it as a cock! Jamie felt himself getting rock hard in his pants as he read Laura's words. His resolve to try and calm things down was flying out the window as his little head took over. Highlander: Well that's what it is. When you say you wanted to take things a little further what do you mean? Sassy14: I think I want to let his see a little more. I don't want it to go too far, but maybe I could flash him or something. My boobs aren't that big, but maybe I could loosen a few buttons and let him see down my blouse? Once more Jamie couldn't believe what he was reading. His little sister was thinking about letting him see her boobs! He took a deep breath before responding. Highlander: That will drive him crazy! Listen, big boobs aren't to everybody's taste, maybe you're boy is one of those who prefer them smaller. You'll have to figure out how to do it without appearing too obvious and you'd better be prepared for him to spring a woody! Sassy14: Well, isn't that the whole point? Isn't that why I'm doing it. I really would like to see his hard cock - there I used it, cock, cock, cock! Jamie was now so hard that he knew he would have to relieve himself. He wished Sassy14 luck with her next move and told her he would IM again soon. After signing off he crawled onto his bed and jacked-off into a paper hanky. He exploded after only a few seconds in the most intense orgasm he had ever experienced. The amount of come was too much for the hanky and some leaked out onto his stomach. He had to reach for another hanky to clean up the dribbles that had escaped. ------- Shafiq's group followed the opium trail to Algeria, using all of the drugs contacts and other Al Qaeda operatives and then they holed up, waiting for nightfall and the trawlers that would take them to the UK. ------- Chapter 3: The final leg Shafiq gazed out of the window of the white house, down the hill to the harbour of Oran. She and her team had arrived in darkness, but now the sun was up and she could feel its heat already beginning to build up. The house was nestled just below the cliff that formed the natural anchorage, a cliff that rose to a peak on her left as she gazed out onto the Mediterranean Sea. The rock was arid, dry, with some low growing brush along the clifftop. The village proper was further back atop the higher ground above the cliff. She picked out the low warehouses and the grain silo that hedged the harbour's edge. It was easy to count the fishing trawlers and smaller pleasure cruisers that were tied up inside the man-made breakwater that ran for over four thousand metres and virtually enclosed the harbour. The water was a clear Mediterranean turquoise blue and she knew that, come nightfall, she and her team would be boarding two of the trawlers to begin the final leg of their journey to the UK. Her nerves made her fidgety and kept her on edge. She knew the voyage would be a time when they were at some risk, the UK fishery protection ships could easily pick them up if they spotted anything that looked suspicious or out of place. Shafiq had been assured that the trawlers were fully licensed to fish in the areas they were headed for and that there was no reason for anyone to question why they were there. She continued to return to the window throughout the day, staring at the narrow winding road between her and the harbour, as it followed the contours of the Algerian coastline. Oran had several jetties piercing out into the harbour and Shafiq absently watched the cargo ships being unloaded by the dockside cranes. She wished the waiting was over, this was always the most difficult part, the most nervous time for her. At last, as darkness fell with the suddenness of the Mediterranean, she roused her team and ran through the arrangements for contacting each other once they made landfall in Scotland. They gathered together and observed prayers to the prophet before silently following their guide down the slope towards the harbour and the trawlers that awaited them. It was almost an anticlimax as they boarded the boats and one by one the trawlers nudged their way out of the harbour and into the open sea. They saw no one and raised no interest at all. At first there was nothing to see, but gradually they became aware of the lights along the Spanish Costas, the tourist hotels and apartments a seemingly endless, gaudy display of western waste and greed. The trawler Shafiq was on sailed Southwest down the Mediterranean Sea, heading for the narrow straights of Gibraltar and out into the Atlantic. The captain swung his vessel round, steering almost directly Northward. She could see little in the darkness but Shafiq had studied her maps well and knew they would run parallel with Portugal and up past the Bay of Biscay. She made her way below decks and unslung the small rucksack she had carried, placing it on one of the narrow bunks in the cabin that would be her home for the next six or seven days. How long would depend on the winds and tides. Shafiq felt a momentary sense of vulnerability. She was heading into what she believed to be 'enemy' territory and she was unarmed. All weapons had been left behind in the house in Oran, as it was considered too risky to have them on board the trawlers. The Al Qaeda cells in the UK would provide them with handguns; weapons that couldn't be traced back to the Middle East. Shafiq crawled into the bunk and pulled a blanket over herself. The amount of nervous energy she had used up throughout the day now took its toll and she immediately fell into an exhausted sleep. ------- Jamie had avoided IM'ing his sister for the past couple of days, believing that he was already getting too deeply into the mire. He was conscious of Laura continuing to look at him oddly when they were close together and he hoped against hope that he not completely ruined his relationship with her. Three days after his last MSN session with her, his memory of the detail was beginning to fade and he felt he had dodged a bullet. When Laura called to him from her room, he thought nothing of it and walked in to see what she wanted. "Jamie, I'm trying to finish my computing homework, but I'm really stuck with some of these problems. Could you help me please?" she pleaded with him, a pout on her lips. "Sure sis, budge over and let me see what you're stuck on," he replied. Laura wheeled her computer chair sideways a little to her right to leave some space for Jamie to pull up the chair that stood in the corner of her bedroom. Jamie wondered why she had shuffled to her right as that put the mouse too far away from him to reach comfortably. When he sat down on the chair he began to go through the various questions Laura said she was having difficulty with. He had to reach across her to scroll down with the mouse and as he did so he happened to glance to his right. "Shit!" he thought, "now I know why the little minx moved to that side." Women's clothes button up on the opposite side to men's and by moving to her right, Laura had ensured that Jamie would be able to see right inside her blouse. She had loosened the top three buttons and the blouse gaped slightly, giving a tantalising view of the swell of her right breast. Jamie gulped and tried to keep his eyes off of Laura and on the computer screen instead. "Is she doing this on purpose?" he asked himself, "god, I didn't think she would go through with it." Jamie couldn't help himself. When Laura leaned forward slightly, pointing to something on the screen, he knew her blouse had fallen open a little more and the gap drew his eyes like a magnet. He could now see most of her right breast and as Laura got slightly more animated in her frustration to solve the problem he watched as her little pebble-hard nipple was exposed to his view. The moment seemed to be frozen in time. He heard a quiet moan and realised it had come from him. Laura looked towards him so see what was wrong and he hurriedly glanced away from her chest and looked once more at the computer. His cock was rock hard in his pants and uncomfortably constricted in its current position. "Jamie, what's wrong? Don't you know the answers to these problems?" Laura asked innocently. "Um, yeh. They're pretty basic sis, I'm surprised you can't answer these without help," he managed to reply, letting her know that he suspected she had set him up. Laura ignored him and leaned forward again towards the screen. Once more Jamie's eyes were drawn to the flesh that was revealed. He could feel beads of sweat break out on his forehead and his mouth was suddenly very dry. He returned his attention to the screen and quickly worked through the answers to the questions Laura had claimed to be having difficulty with. He stood and turned away from his sister, trying to hide the lump in his trousers from her as he hurriedly tried to exit the room. "Oh, thanks big bro!" Laura cried and leapt up to give him a hug. As her arms went round his neck and her body brushed up against his, he thought he might faint with embarrassment. He managed to disentangle himself and quickly left her room. He didn't see the broad smile on Laura's face as she thrilled at the effect her little display had had on her brother. She waited thirty seconds and then crept down the hall and pressed her ear to the door of the bathroom she shared with Jamie. Laura heard her brother grunting and she had a good idea what he was doing in there. She rushed back to her room closed and locked her bedroom door and lay back on her bed. Once again her exhibitionism had made her very horny and hearing her brother masturbating, probably with thoughts of her in his mind had her hotter than ever before. She knew she would need to do something to alleviate the intense feelings between her legs. She unzipped her jeans and pushed them and her panties down her thighs until her fingers could easily access her sex. "Oh boy, my pussy is absolutely drenched," she thought, "I can't believe I did it, I really let my brother see my boobs. Oh this is so hot, his cock - oh I love that word, it's so nasty - his cock was rock hard and so big." Laura's memory of the look on her brother's face as he stared inside her blouse at her bare breast and the lump that had formed in his trousers, the lump she felt up against her stomach when she had hugged him, fuelled her arousal and she frantically rubbed her little pleasure button. "Oh god, oh god, I wonder if he's thinking about me as he's playing with his big cock right now?" she thought. That thought kicked her feelings up another couple of notches and she nipped her bottom lip between her teeth as she rubbed herself faster and faster. She imagined herself dropping her hand to feel the hard bulge in Jamie's trousers. She imagined she was with him in the bathroom and it was her hand that was rubbing his cock. That was enough to push her over the edge. Laura felt the biggest climax she had had in her life wash over her in great crashing waves and she gasped out loud, unable to stifle her moan of pleasure. ------- The team heading for mainland Europe had split into their two sets of three as soon as they reached the warehouse in Hakkan, just over the Iraqi border into Turkey. They would travel though Turkey, cross the Bosphorous at Istanbul and into Bulgaria. Romania and Hungary would be next before they passed through Austria and into Germany. The entire trip would be around two thousand miles, with their ultimate goal Frankfurt, and they would be cooped up in the hidden compartments the whole time. This kind of smuggling was used to ferry drugs and even people into Europe. The compartment couldn't be very big otherwise customs officers would be able to detect something was amiss. That meant each group of three would be living virtually on top of each other. They had food and water with them and containers and zip-lock bags to take care of their human waste. The estimated time for the journey was thirty-eight hours and each individual was enough of a fanatic to think nothing of spending that length of time in these conditions. If that was what was required in order to strike a blow at the West then so be it. ------- Aboard the two oil tankers that carried the team targeting the US, each group of three had been allocated a cabin away from the rest of the crew. The captain expected them to perform low-grade manual labour throughout the voyage and the team members were grateful for something to take their mind of what lay before them. As well as putting in a full shift like the rest of the crew, the fanatics also used the huge deck space of the tankers to maintain their peak fitness. They ran races against each other and performed a dizzying number of press-ups, squats and crunches. The real crewmembers knew better than to enquire who they were and what they were doing aboard. The less they knew, the better and perhaps ignorance would keep them safer too. Food was delivered and left outside their cabin door so they didn't need to mix any more than absolutely necessary. All of their allotted tasks kept them isolated from the rest of the ship. ------- The next week was one of torture for Jamie and absolute delight and wicked pleasure for Laura. Every time their parents were out of the house she never missed an opportunity to tease her brother somehow. He had been treated to a view down her open blouse as they shared the chore of washing up dishes in the kitchen sink. She made sure to bend over in front of him frequently as she tidied up the sitting room, and she had even dropped her towel as she passed him in the hall coming back from her shower. That had been the most erotic moment of Jamie's young life so far. Laura stood like a statue for some seconds, dressed only in her little cotton panties, before she gasped as if in shock and quickly covered herself up. Jamie had tugged himself three times straight with the vision of his sister in his mind. Laura was just as bad and her own actions and Jamie's reaction had her constantly aroused and wet every time she exposed herself. Jamie had completely lost his urge to try and restore his sister to the way she was, his hormones overriding his concerns and the frequent sight of Laura's beautiful little breasts too tantalising to give up. He had also begun to put Laura's own advice into action and she was totally unaware of what he was doing. At every opportunity he made sure to indulge in gentle touches. When he was passing her a bowl or a cup he would let their hands brush against each other. When he stood behind her at her computer, as well as looking down her blouse, he covered her hand on the mouse with his own and guided the cursor round the screen. His other hand would be lying gently on her shoulder. Laura missed what he was doing, but it was having the subconscious effect that she herself had predicted it would when she had chatted with Highlander. After almost a week without IM'ing, Jamie locked his door and booted up his computer. He checked to see that Laura was online and then sent her a message. She responded immediately and they began to chat. Sassy14: Hi big guy, where have you been? Out with that girlfriend of yours? Highlander: Some, but I've been snowed under with schoolwork too. Just wait until you get into your standard grade studies, everything ramps up a couple of gears and the homework is brutal. Sassy14: How do you know I'm not already doing that? Highlander: LOL, I checked your profile and I guessed the '14' in your screen name refers to your age. Sassy14: Smart Alec! Do you want to hear about my progress since we last IM'd? (I} Highlander: You bet. Are you living up to your screen name yet? Have you become a sassy girl? Sassy14: Well I think so, but judge for yourself when I tell you everything that's happened in the past week. I don't know how I managed to bring myself to do it, but I flashed my boobs at the boy I've been teasing. Highlander: No way! Sassy14: Way! And not just once either. I've let him see down my blouse virtually every day this week and I even dropped my towel and let him see me in just my panties. Man, he's been hard as a rock constantly and I think he's started masturbating thinking about me. Jamie stared at the screen. Laura suspected he was jacking-off thinking about her, picturing her naked breasts. Something else occurred to him. Laura wasn't being careful enough in what she was sharing with Highlander. It was clear from what she had written that she had to have daily access to the boy she was close to if she was flashing him so often. Her biggest mistake however, was telling him that she had dropped her towel. There weren't many situations where she would be able to do that other than at home. If he really were a stranger he would pick up on that. Jamie managed to put Laura's suspicions about him to the back of his mind and instead focussed on exploring the mistakes that she had made. Highlander: Sassy, how well do you know this boy? Now there was a pause before Laura responded. She was clearly trying to figure out why he was asking this question now. Sassy14: I know him pretty well I guess. I told you I trust him and that he is safe to tease. Why are you asking about him? Highlander: Well, it's just that you said you see him every day and you also said you flashed him by dropping your towel. That sounds like he lives with you. "Oh god, thought Laura to herself, "I've really messed up. How could I be so stupid? Now Highlander suspects I've been flashing a family member. How do I get myself out of this one?" Laura thought quickly and came up with an idea. Sassy14: Don't be daft. I think your imagination is running away with you. I just happened to be at the pool when he was there and the perfect opportunity presented itself in the changing area. I see him every day just about because he's in my year and so in most of my classes. Highlander, I think you might be a little bit kinky. Were you imagining me flashing my brother or my dad? "Good save little sis, that was quick thinking," Jamie thought. Highlander: Sorry Sassy, I know your brother and you certainly wouldn't be flashing him. I don't know where that came from. Sassy14: Hold it right there buster! You think I don't know why the other guys at school talk about my brother like that? Highlander: well you have to admit he is a bit of dweeb. Sassy14: take that back right now or I'm going to end this chat and never speak to you again!!! Highlander: Okay, okay. Jeez, I didn't mean to offend you. I take it back. Sassy14: The problem with you and all the other boys at school is that Jamie intimidates you all and you try to cover it up. Highlander: No way! Sassy14: Way! He's already six foot, he's 'cut' because of all the work he does round the farm. He can fly a plane or a helicopter, and can drive jeeps and tractors. Oh, and he's a pretty good shot with a shotgun. Add to that the fact that he is so smart and he's sensitive and caring. What's not to be intimidated about? Jamie sat back from his computer, stunned. Was Laura right? Were the guys at school really shunning him because he intimidated them? He would never have thought such a thing on his own, was far too modest to even consider it. But, now someone else had said it all, he could see there could be some truth in it. Had his little sister hit on the root cause of all his problems? Neither could he believe just how highly she thought of him. He was smiling broadly to himself and his heart seemed to expand to take up all the available space inside his chest. "Thanks for the boost little sis," Jamie said out loud. Highlander: you know, from the way you've just described him I think that maybe you should be flashing him. It sounds like he's your ideal man, the one you've been describing for me. Maybe you should try something with him, man that would be sooo hot! Sassy14: Highlander, you're sick! I couldn't possibly do anything with my brother. Highlander: I bet he thinks you're hot, I bet he thinks you're a real cutie! Sassy14: LOL, enough already, you really are one sick puppy. If I didn't know better, I'd say YOU were getting off on that idea. Come on tell me about your progress with your girlfriend. Have you been putting all my advice into practice? The chat turned to Highlander's lack of progress with his non-existent girlfriend. Jamie certainly wasn't going to tell Laura that he had been using her advice against herself! After a few more minutes they sent their goodbyes to each other and signed off with promises to IM each other again soon. "Phew," thought Laura, "that was close. I'm going to have to be much more careful in future. Highlander really seemed to get off on the idea of Jamie and I doing something together, but I could never do anything physical with Jamie. Could I? No, absolutely not. Never going to happen." But the thought had been planted and unconsciously, Jamie's campaign of gentle and tender touches over the past week had begun to weaken Laura's resolve about letting him touch her. Her hot imagination when she was thinking about him stroking his cock was also almost beginning to condition her to it happening. The more she thought about it, the more aroused it made her, the less of a no-no it was becoming. ------- The trawler captain had brought his boat as close in to Scotland's West Coast as he dared. Shafiq and her two companions were helped over the side and into an inflatable dinghy. There was still four miles before they reached the shore and Shafiq wasted no time in gunning the outboard and steering the dinghy towards landfall in the UK. If the captain had his reckoning right, they would land close enough to allow them to hike to Ullapool. Ullapool was a big enough town to have decent public transport links and that would help take the team to Glasgow, where she would make her first rendezvous with a UK based Al Qaeda cell. The other group of three would be landing on the East Coast and would head for Edinburgh where there was another established cell. While Shafiq contacted cells in Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and London, the other team would travel to Edinburgh, Leeds and Birmingham before joining up with them in London to make the final preparations. Shafiq had had lots of time to think while lying in the cramped bunk in the boat's cabin. She had identified a significant flaw in Ali's planning. Although she was carrying ten vials of the deadly virus, she had only been supplied with one aerosol. How was she supposed to enlist the other cells and plan a timed release throughout the country with only one aerosol? She was racking her brains, trying to come up with a solution to that as she steered the inflatable into a small beach at a place her maps told her was called Clashnessie. Her two companions made short work of dragging the dinghy up the beach and into the thick undergrowth that started not far from the shore. She knew she would get one of the UK cells to pick the boat up to avoid raising any alarms. The hike to Ullapool took six hours and Shafiq halted her team in some dense scrubland on the outskirts of the town. "Rest now my brothers. We will time our arrival in this town for early morning and have only a short wait for one of the buses that travel from here to Glasgow," she said. Her companions said nothing; they simply lay on their sides and tried to get some sleep. Shafiq also lay down, but her mind was still trying to come up with a solution to the aerosol problem. She shivered in the cool night air, cursing this excuse for a country and its miserable climate. ------- All three of them were undoubtedly nervous the next morning, but they hardened themselves and no one looking at them would have been able to tell. Their nerves proved unwarranted as the trek into town, the purchase of tickets and boarding the single deck bus, all turned out to be exactly as they had rehearsed it. They took seats towards the rear of the bus, alongside the emergency exit and looked out the window as the bus drove along the sea front and past the little Ullapool harbour. The journey seemed to take forever as the bus stopped off at every little town it came to on its journey south. There were even stops in the middle of nowhere and Shafiq wondered who would use such stops? The route took them through Inverness and then along the banks of Loch Ness down to Fort William. There was a halt at Fort William and the bus driver informed everyone that they would have time to go into the nearby stores to get themselves some lunch. Shafiq was nervous once more and would have preferred the journey to continue uninterrupted. This had not been part of their rehearsal. In the end she thought it would look more suspicious if they didn't get off the bus like all of the other passengers. Half an hour later she breathed a sigh of relief as the bus moved off once more, following the A82 road all the way to Loch Lomond and then across the Erskine Bridge and onto the M8 Motorway for the last few miles into Glasgow's city centre. The final stop for the bus was at Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station and Shafiq and her companions disembarked with the last few remaining passengers. She had trained and rehearsed exhaustively for the next thing that had to be done. Her studies of a street map of Glasgow while she was in Afghanistan now stood her in good stead and she was able to lead the way directly to a Carphone Warehouse store. Purchasing a mobile phone had been rehearsed and rehearsed over and over. Ali had even managed to get his hands on a grainy video of someone actually completing the transaction in such a store. Shafiq felt reasonably confident therefore when she entered on her own and completed the transaction. Once she came back out of the store she led her companions down Renfield Street until they found themselves on the banks of the River Clyde. They turned left and followed the river south until they came to a large park known as Glasgow Green. Once they were safely deep into the park, Shafiq turned on her new mobile and registered for her service. She dialled the number from memory and waited for her call to be answered. "Hello?" the voice on the other end of the call answered hesitantly. "Bird song - 36 29 75 C," she replied and then immediately disconnected the call. Her code was enough for the Glasgow cell to know that someone important was in their city and where to pick them up. Shafiq walked around the park and rid herself of the SIM from the phone and then, separately, the phone itself. Once more the phone had only been used once. Shafiq smiled to herself as she thought of the nervous excitement that would be rushing through the members of the Glasgow cell. The smile broadened as she realised that her attack on the American lapdogs in the UK was getting close to a reality, very close. ------- Chapter 4: Release Shafiq and her companions sat on a park bench for thirty minutes to give the members of the Glasgow cell time to arrive and pick them up. When they walked to the entrance to the park, a black cab moved down the road and pulled in beside them. "Get in. Hurry, we can't hang around," said the driver of the cab. "I'm sorry, we didn't order a cab," Shafiq responded. "Shit! Okay, bird song. Now, get in, quickly," the driver urged. Shafiq relaxed when she heard the code words and climbed into the back of the cab. Her companions quickly followed. The driver was scanning the scene around them, alert for anything that looked out of the ordinary. Satisfied that no one was watching them, he indicated and pulled back into traffic. Shafiq could see him looking at her in his rear view mirror. She knew he must be nervous. The fact that she knew the number to call to contact the cell made it clear she was an important person in the Al Qaeda organisation. Shafiq had been a little surprised to see that he was white and clearly European by birth, perhaps even a native Scot. Organisation is perhaps something of a misnomer to describe Al Qaeda. It was in fact a very loose association of radicalised Islamic groups. All of these groups had been trained at one time or another however, and it was at that point that contact arrangements were made. Few expected the contacts to ever be used and Ali's call, quickly followed by Shafiq's, had stirred excitement in the members of the Glasgow cell. "Just drive around while we talk," Shafiq said, "what should we call you?" The driver nodded to show he understood and would comply. "Just call me Assam for now," he replied. "What do you have planned for us?" she asked next. "I have a safe house arranged so you can meet the other members of my team. I planned on taking you directly there to get you off the streets and relatively safe for the time being," he replied. "No. I don't want to meet any other people. We will communicate through you, no one else. Has the safe house been used before?" Shafiq questioned him. "Only once, last year we allowed some teenagers use it before they flew to Pakistan for training," Assam responded. "Then we can't use it, too risky. Do you have access to somewhere else that hasn't been used before?" she queried. The driver remained quiet for a few moments while he thought about her question. "There is a place, but we have been saving it for ourselves in case of emergencies," he replied at last. "You won't need it after this mission has been completed I can assure you. I think you should take us to this emergency place of yours so we talk about what I want you and your team to do," she all but ordered him. Once more Shafiq felt herself being scrutinised in the rear view mirror. Assam said nothing as he continued to glance at Shafiq, considering her demand. Finally, he nodded once again and then seemed to turn his complete concentration on the road and the traffic around them. Assam navigated the taxi through the one way system of Glasgow's streets until he joined the M8 Motorway and crossed the River Clyde via the Kingston Bridge. The passengers in the rear were surprised when he took the very next exit off of the Motorway and into the Pollokshields area of the city. Although virtually alongside the major arterial route, Pollokshields had more of the look of a leafy suburb. The streets Assam drove down were wide and the houses on either side, substantial, red sandstone affairs. The black cab swept into the driveway of one of these houses and they were immediately hidden from the street by the mature hedging and trees. The garden was huge and Shafiq nodded to herself in approval. They would have plenty of privacy and the approaches to the house through the garden would be easy to monitor. Assam jumped out of the cab and quickly opened the door of the house, ushering them in while he scanned the neighbourhood. "I'll have to leave you for now. The taxi parked outside will look suspicious so I need to get rid of it and return in something more in keeping with the surroundings," he said. "We need weapons. Can you provide them?" Shafiq asked. Her two companions eyed Assam hopefully, as it seemed Shafiq wasn't the only one feeling vulnerable while unarmed. "I'll see what I can do. I should be back within a couple of hours and you can tell me about this mission that you have planned," said Assam, "keep the door locked when I leave and don't open it for anyone but me." ------- Assam was as good as his word and less than two hours later a Honda CRV jeep pulled up in the driveway of the house. Shafiq and her companions watched anxiously from behind the drawn blinds until they recognised him getting out from behind the wheel. He walked to the rear of the jeep and opened it up, pulling a large holdall and several plastic carrier bags out of the trunk before locking the vehicle. "I've brought some things for you and some food to keep you going," he said to them when he entered the house. All eyes were on the holdall for the moment, although the mention of food had reminded them that it had been some time since they had last eaten. Assam opened the bag and brought out three handguns. All three were Browning Hi-Power guns, a little scratched and worn, looking as if they had been well used. He handed the weapons to each of them and could see some of the tension visibly drain out of them as they weighed the guns in their hands. "Good, we have all used this weapon before. What magazines do they have?" asked Shafiq. "They've got standard magazines in them plus a round in the chamber. Here, a spare mag for each of you too," replied Assam as he handed over the spare clips. "I can promise they are all well maintained and in good working order." "Twenty-seven rounds each, if we need more than that our situation will be pretty helpless anyway. You have done well my friend, I'm sure the prophet will reward you," said Shafiq, "what else do you have in your bag?" The holdall proved to contain a complete change of clothing for each of them, non-descript, everyday stuff, that would certainly help them blend in. Assam also reached into one of the Tesco plastic bags and withdrew basic toiletries for them to use. He had bought these and the food, as he wasn't sure just how long his visitors planned to stay. "I suggest you keep the weapons in your rucksacks rather than in your pocket or tucked into your waistband. The UK public is paranoid about terrorists after the London bombings and the recent attack on Glasgow Airport. When the police ask the good citizens to be on the alert, I'm afraid they take it seriously," Assam said, "there's enough food here to keep you going for two or three days." "That won't be necessary my friend, we will leave tomorrow. There is a timetable in place and we need to stick to it. Come, let me explain what we need you to do," said Shafiq. There was a dining room with a large table in it and they gathered round that so that Shafiq could explain what their mission was and the part she wanted the Glasgow cell to play. "Have you heard of bird-flu?" she asked. "Of course. The scientists are constantly going on about it and the risk of a pandemic if it ever makes the jump from birds to humans," Assam replied. Shafiq put the package containing the vials full of the deadly virus on the table in front of her. "We have given nature a little helping hand and now that jump has been made," she said, as she opened the package to display the vials. "There is enough of the human bird flu virus here to wipe out the entire population of the UK." Assam immediately grasped what they intended and his face went white as the blood drained from it. His eyes flicked frantically from face to face and could see steely determination in their eyes. He gulped as he came to the realisation that he and the members of his team would in all likelihood succumb themselves to the virus if it were released. "We are ready," he said firmly, "all of us accept the possibility that we could become martyrs in the name of Islam." Shafiq smiled at him, pleased with his demonstration of both fortitude and belief. "Fortunately that won't be necessary," she said, as she held up one of the vials containing the vaccine. "This is a vaccine that will protect you and the members of your cell from infection. You see, we don't just want to strike a blow by killing many westerners, we want you and the other cells here in the UK to take control in the aftermath and enforce an Islamic state on what's left. You need to bring enough syringes so that you can fill one for each of your team and ensure they are administered before you handle the virus. The vaccine will take three days to be effective so you must inject it as quickly as you can." Assam was stunned at the magnitude of what the organisation was planning and the role he and his brothers might play in it all. "How and when?" Assam asked. "As to the 'how', that is a problem at the moment. You see, we only have one of these and we need ten," Shafiq said, as she held up the aerosol. "Ha, that's not a problem. Women in this country buy dispensers for their favourite perfumes; they're called atomisers. I'm sure they would work adequately to dispense what you have there," Assam said excitedly. Somehow the nineteen-year-old Shafiq had never heard of such a thing and she looked at Assam doubtfully. Her companions looked at her a little nervously. She hadn't shared her concerns with them and this was the first they had heard that there was a possible hiccup in their plans. "The other part of the 'how' is simple and involves little risk. I believe at the heart of this city is a square, George's Square?" Shafiq asked. "Yes," Assam replied, looking at her quizzically. "Where does the virus come from and what are there in abundance in George's Square?" Assam's eyes lit up with the dawning of what she was suggesting. He smiled as he silently agreed that it would be simple and risk free. "I see you have figured it out. The virus needs many hosts if it is to grow and spread rapidly. The many pigeons and other scavenger birds in the cities will be an ideal way of making that happen," Shafiq said. "The 'when' is planned for two weeks today at exactly eight-thirty in the morning, just when there will also be thousands of men and women passing through this square on their way to work." "We can be ready far quicker than that!" Assam asserted, a fanatical gleam now in his eyes, as he fully understood how simple the plan was and its likelihood of success. "No, there are other pieces to this jigsaw and it must be two weeks today at that time," Shafiq said firmly. Assam was keen to demonstrate his idea for dispensing the virus was feasible and he made a quick trip into the city centre to purchase two of the atomisers he had described. When he returned he filled one container with water and showed Shafiq how it worked. "And you say that the women of this country use these to spray themselves with their expensive perfumes? How fitting that it will be the tool of the western whores that will be the instrument of their deaths!" Shafiq laughed evilly. ------- Jamie was sitting in his bedroom staring out of the window at his family's farm. He knew his hormone driven body was pushing him to suggest things to Laura that he shouldn't. He kept promising himself that he wouldn't let things get out of hand, she was his little sister after all and he loved her. For the past week he had been acutely aware of her becoming increasingly physical with him. It had started tentatively at first. He felt Laura brush her chest against his back when they passed in the hall and he thought nothing much of it. When she had let her left breast rest against his arm while he was helping her with her homework, he started to have suspicions. He believed his suspicions were confirmed when he felt both of her breasts against his shoulder and neck as she came up behind him to look over his shoulder at what was on his computer screen. Although Laura's flashing had been toned down a little in favour of this more physical teasing, it hadn't stopped altogether and his mind was in a whirl with all of the visual and tactile stimulation. Jamie made a firm promise to himself not to let things go too far. So far it was really just innocent fun and they were both using it as an avenue for draining off their sexual frustration in the absence of other opportunities. "I'm going to be strong about this. I love her as a sister and can't let anything spoil that. I promise that I will stop encouraging her - both in person and through the internet," he thought to himself. His promise made he felt a weight lift from his shoulders that he hadn't even realised was there. That realisation in turn re-inforced the line he was now determined to follow. ------- Assam returned the next morning and Shafiq carefully filled six syringes from one of the vials of the vaccine. She then handed over two vials of the virus and reiterated her warning about the importance of the timing for the release. Assam had driven to the house in the black taxi once more and Shafiq and her companions crammed into the back with their rucksacks so that he could drive them to Glasgow's Central Train Station. None of the three looked back as they exited the taxi and entered the station. They were professionals and they expected the Glasgow cell to be the same. Inside the station, Shafiq went to the ticket office and purchased three tickets for Liverpool. After she had the tickets she waited until five minutes before their train departed and then made her way to a public phone. She inserted some coins and once more dialled a number from memory. The phone had barely begun to ring when it was answered. "Hello?" "Bird song," she said, "I need to speak to one of your visitors immediately if that's possible." There was a pause on the other end of the line before she heard the voice of one of her other team members. "I'm sure that you have already worked out that there is a problem. Ask your hosts about perfume atomisers," she said and then hung up. ------- The train journey passed without incident. The conductor on the train had politely informed them that they would need to change trains at Preston to get to Liverpool. Three hours later they left the train and stared up at the destination board to find out which platform the Liverpool train would leave from. Preston Station is almost Victorian in age and it had clearly seen better days despite the attempts at renovation. Shafiq and her companion climbed the stairs from their platform and used the pedestrian bridge to cross and wait for their connection. Things went just as smoothly in Liverpool and then Manchester as they had in Glasgow and, by the end of the week, Shafiq was making the final leg of this part of the mission, from Manchester to London. All three of them had been taking it in turns to monitor twenty-four hour TV news to catch any hint that anything had gone wrong - either here in the UK or with the other teams who were targeting the US and mainland Europe. So far, everything seemed to be going according to plan. The two halves of the team were re-united in a 'clean' safe house in London. Things had gone just as smoothly all the way down the East Coast. Making arrangements to vaccinate the London cell was now the last thing to do before the virus was finally released. As a bonus for Shafiq, her team had only given the Manchester cell one vial and so had one spare. She was determined to play an active part in the release herself and this vial would allow that. The London cell was bigger than the others, with ten team members. Eight vials had been planned for release in the UK's capital and with one now spare the total would be nine. This was intentional, not only because of the size of London, but also for two other reasons. Bringing London to a halt would all but cripple the UK. It was the centre of government and the financial heart of the country. Striking it hard was therefore essential to disrupting the command and control structure of Britain. The second additional reason was that London was also served by Heathrow Airport. Although only the third busiest airport in the world (despite its own claims to be the busiest) it did boast the highest number of international travellers of any airport around the globe. Almost seventy million passengers passed through Heathrow each year and that volume of traffic would hopefully spread the virus to those parts of the world that had not been targeted. Al Qaeda knew it would be days before the virus was identified and by then hundreds of thousands of 'carriers' would have entered other countries along with their deadly infection. ------- On the morning of 21 July, at eight-thirty am, the cells throughout the UK released the virus. In Glasgow, the cell had decided to buy more atomisers and all six members of the cell were at different locations across the city. One walked round George's Square, spraying occasionally. Another walked along busy Sauchiehall Street doing the same and likewise along Argyll Street. The two train stations, Central and Queen Street as well as Buchanan Street Bus Station were targeted too. The pattern was repeated in Edinburgh with Prince's Street and Prince's Street Gardens hit first. Next was Waverley Train Station and then Lothian Road. Leeds, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester suffered a similar fate and no one noticed anything out of the ordinary. In London, the usual suspects were marked down for attention. Trafalgar Square was obvious, as was Hyde Park. Two members of the cell were tasked with spraying outside all of the main government buildings along Whitehall and the green outside the Westminster Parliament. The date ensured that the Prime Minster would be in London, as it was the day for his weekly press briefing. Other cell members were spread out to all points of the compass. Parks in the north - at Tottenham, in the West - at Shepherd's Bush and Notting Hill, in the South - at Dulwich, and in the East - at Woolwich, were all sites where the virus was released. Shafiq spent the hour between eight-thirty and nine-thirty travelling on the famous London underground. She alighted at the busiest stations and pretended to be applying perfume as she walked along the platforms completely crowded with commuters. She rode the elevators into all of the mainline railway stations and did the same. By nine-thirty the deed was done and all of the Al Qaeda operatives were back in their safe houses simply watching the news channels and waiting for something to happen. ------- Chapter 5: The nightmare begins 07:28am, 24 July The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, swept into the room to chair the meeting of the emergency COBRA committee. The committee's name, while sounding impressive, was quite simply derived from the name of the room in which it met. The room was the Cabinet Office, Briefing Room, A - so COBRA. The room itself was actually quite Spartan, the tables and chairs old, battered and stained and the large clocks that showed the time in different places around the world cheap, but functional. A bank of screens recessed into one wall gave the committee the ability to videoconference with others around the world. The membership of COBRA wasn't fixed, instead, sensibly, it changed depending on what the emergency that presented itself was. Deciding who should be present was largely down to the civil servant who was the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office. Today, apart from the Prime Minister and the civil servants, the room contained the head of MI5, the head of the armed forces, the Secretaries of State for the Home Office and the Department for the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the Government's Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO). Looking down on the tables from one of the videoconference screens was Professor Ian Pinnington, the leading microbiologist in the UK. "Ladies and gentlemen, my thanks for making the meeting at such short notice. Shall we get right down to business?" said the Prime Minister, the Scottish accent clear in his deep voice. It was the Chief Scientific Officer, Sir Anthony Prior, who spoke next. "Prime Minister, we have begun to receive reports of some dead birds being found. The reports are not confined to one location as we would normally expect, but rather they're coming in from a number of parts of the country." "And the cause of death, Anthony?" the Prime Minister asked. "As yet unknown Prime Minister, but we suspect bird flu. Even as we speak our laboratories in Scotland, the Midlands and here in London are conducting tests," the CSO responded. "If I might interrupt, Prime Minister?" came a voice from the videoconference screen. Ian Pinnington didn't wait for permission, but instead began to voice his expert opinion like a man who was used to being listened to. "The chances of bird flu appearing in a number of locations at once is highly unlikely, in fact I would say it's all but impossible for something like that to happen naturally. If this is indeed bird flu then the labs must check the strain to see whether it's the same in each location. If it is, then I'm afraid this outbreak may well have been triggered by someone deliberately." "Thank you Ian. Anthony, I'll leave it in your capable hands to see the tests are completed as quickly as possible and the results compared just as Ian suggests. Now, what actions do we need to take?" asked the Prime Minister. To an outsider it might have appeared strange that this question was directed at the civil servants rather than any of the Secretaries of State or other very senior and expert people in the room. "I would normally suggest we treat this as we have other outbreaks of bird flu and the recent foot and mouth incidents," said the Permanent Secretary, " a full ban on the movement of all livestock, exclusion zones in place around the worst affected areas and an immediate cull of any birds within the same areas. "But, as the affected areas include the centres of some of our largest cities, that's just not feasible Prime Minister. I'm afraid there is little we can do by way of preventative measures and we're left with doing what we can to avoid large-scale panic. I think we need to play down the size of the issue and use some smoke and mirrors to deflect attention away from the worst of it. "I advise that we throw up some very visible exclusion zones and conduct some culling - all for the benefit of our friends in the media. That will give the public at large something to focus on and reassure them that their government is taking measures and is in control. While this might sound dishonest, I think such an approach is completely justified to avoid massive civil unrest. "Your Press Secretary has prepared these 'lines to take' for use with the media, Prime Minister. A media briefing has been scheduled for ten minutes time downstairs," finished the Permanent Secretary, Sir John Cash, as he handed round copies of the agreed statement that would be shared with the media. "Thank you John. I agree, the last thing we need is mass panic. Now, is there any need to draft in additional resources to help clean up the dead birds as quickly as possible? What about our emergency contingency plans, is there anything I should be invoking?" asked the Prime Minister. "I think the environmental officers from the various councils should be able to cope, Prime Minister. No need to call in the army just yet," joked the Home Office Secretary of State. "There are no specific emergency plans to cover this. While it will make a big dent in the farming industry and therefore the economy it's still only some birds and animals after all." "Okay, I want to know as soon as the results of the tests come back and I need to be kept informed if the situation worsens. Derek, check my diary and cancel any non urgent appointments for the next two days," ordered the Prime Minister, looking at his own Private Secretary. "Ladies and Gentlemen, you all have a copy of the press statement, please remain on message and don't ad lib. Okay, let's go meet the press." Gordon Brown was a very experienced politician and he exuded an air of calm as he took questions from the assembled media. Cameras from all the main news channels were there, as were the journalists from the print media. The Prime Minister stuck to the lines given to him by the civil servants, playing down the scale of the outbreak, advising that the cause was as yet still not confirmed and reassuring everyone that all necessary measures were already being taken to contain the problem. "Prime Minister, there has been speculation that this is an outbreak of bird flu. Can you comment sir?" asked the reporter from Sky News. "As you say Brian, that is merely speculation at this time. Can I also remind you that bird flu has not progressed to the point where it can infect humans? Let's get that on the record before any one starts to get worried shall we?" replied the Prime Minster, smiling. "Prime Minister, are we likely to see any culling?" asked the BBC reporter. "Thank you George, there will be some culling in those few areas we believe are the source of this outbreak. I have also called for an immediate ban on all movements of livestock around the country. I would emphasise however, that these are purely precautionary measures at this stage and sensible to ensure this doesn't spread." The press conference carried on for ten more minutes before the Prime Minister judged that he had given them enough. He thanked them for their time and left the room briskly, his Private Secretary and protective detail at his heels as he made for his official car. ------- Shafiq was rudely shaken awake by one of her team members. She looked at the clock beside the bed and saw that it was not yet eight o'clock. She looked at her companion for an explanation. "It has begun," he said simply. Shafiq threw the bedclothes off and quickly pulled on her jeans and a fleece before darting through to the sitting room of the safe house. The TV was tuned to Sky News and the banner that scrolled across the bottom of the screen read Breaking News: suspected bird flu outbreak. She threw herself down on the sofa and concentrated on what the reporter in the studio was saying. "Now to breaking news. Reports are coming in of a number of suspected cases of bird flu across the country. Sky News understands there has been a meeting of the emergency COBRA committee this morning to discuss the situation. That meeting has broken up in just the last few minutes. We can cross now to our reporter on the scene in Whitehall, Brian Callaghan. "Brian, what can you tell us?" The screen changed to show a man standing outside the Cabinet Office building on Whitehall, a large microphone in his hand. The legend at the bottom of the screen read Sky News: Whitehall, Reporter Brian Callaghan. "Andrew, I can tell you that a number of dead birds have been found in locations around the country. As yet the cause of their death is not known and scientists from the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs are conducting tests. I suspect we are going to see some large scale culling of birds throughout the day at the sites where these outbreaks are believed to have started. "A ban on the movement of all livestock throughout the country has already been put in place and today is another bleak one for Britain's farming communities. A few moments ago I asked the Prime Minister about the measures the government were putting in place. Here's what he said." The screen changed again, this time to show the Prime Minister responding to questions at the press conference. Shafiq was not surprised at the way the hated UK Prime Minister was trying to play down what was happening, but she frowned in anger anyway. Her frown turned into a grim smile as he boldly went on the record to state that bird flu couldn't spread to humans. "Just give it a few days and I think you'll be proven wrong infidel!" she thought to herself. The news report had moved on and was now showing footage from a helicopter over a site that was described as being in the West Midlands. On the ground were police and other vehicles and the camera picked out the plastic tape that was being used to warn the public not to enter the area. Numerous figures could be seen in white jump suits that had hoods covering their heads and white breathing masks covered their mouths and noses. A bowser was parked up and some form of chemical or detergent was being sprayed on anything that moved, particularly the wheels of vehicles. Over the top of the footage a reporter was explaining that this was one of the sites suspected of being a source of whatever was killing the bird population. As the picture came back to the presenter in the studio and moved on to another news item, Shafiq cursed at the TV. She knew this remote site had nothing to do with the outbreak, but represented more lies from the British government as they tried to fool their own citizens. ------- At the MacLaren farm, the family was also gathered round the TV, watching BBC News 24. The outbreak had had an immediate effect on the farm as all livestock movement had been suspended. It was likely that the European Union would already be processing a ban on all British livestock and meat products crossing the channel to mainland Europe and that would hit James MacLaren's income from the farm hard. James had been up since five o'clock that morning working on the farm with two of his labourers. His son, Jamie helped in the evenings and at weekends, but on schooldays he was allowed a lie-in. When he had been driving round the farm he had noticed quite a few dead birds and he had returned to the farmhouse immediately to alert the authorities. A nameless voice on the other end of the telephone advised him that someone would call at the farm to remove the birds for routine testing and not to panic. "Patronising git!" James thought to himself, "do I sound as if I'm panicking? Bureaucrats! Someone should take this guy out and make him do some real work for a change." The existence of the dead birds and the ban on moving livestock were two very good reasons for Jamie and Laura to be kept off school and so all four of the family were following events on the TV. Jamie could see his father was looking puzzled as the reporters described developments so far and clips were shown of a farm in the Scottish Borders that had been quarantined and where there was a cull of livestock in progress. The phone in the farm began to ring constantly as friends of his father, themselves farmers, rang to find out if he knew anything other than what was being shown on the TV. As an officer for the Scottish National Farmer's Union, James was often in the know before others. To a man all of the other farmers confirmed they too had discovered a large number of dead birds on their farms and James was trying to square what he knew with what was being described on TV. So far only two sites had been included in the coverage and there had been no suggestion that the outbreak was significantly more extensive than either the reporters or the politicians were letting on. James turned to his wife and two children to voice his growing concerns. "You know, something doesn't add up here. I've had farmers from as far afield as Aberdeen and Galloway on the phone this morning and they're all telling the same story. In every location there are dead birds in the hundreds. None of that squares with what is currently being reported and even the Prime Minister sounds awfully complacent," James said. "What do you mean dear?" his wife responded. "Well, the official line is suggesting that this is isolated to a couple of incidents. They're showing footage from two sites, one in the West Midlands and one in the Borders and they're describing them as the source of the outbreak. It doesn't seem likely to me that an infection could get all the way from the Borders to Aberdeen without anything being affected in between. Besides, I just need to look out of the window and I can see dead birds lying around. Why are the government and the media playing this down so much?" he asked. "Maybe they're trying to avoid mass panic dad," Jamie suggested with some insight. All four of the MacLaren's stopped talking and turned back to the TV as something about the tone of the reporter's voice suggested new developments. "We're going to break off from that report on the situation in Iraq to cross over to our Political Editor for an update on the suspected bird flu outbreak. Adam, what can you tell us?" "Sally, we're being flooded by calls and e-mails from BBC viewers who are all casting significant doubt on the bird flu situation as described by the government. There are an increasing number of reports coming in from seven major UK cities that indicate the scale of the number of dead birds being found is much, much higher than official figures suggest. Of equal importance is the fact that these locations have to suggest that the possibility that these outbreaks are isolated or linked to only a small number of sources must be questionable." "Adam, where are these viewers calling from?" "Sally, we've had hundreds of calls from Glasgow, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham. If what our viewers are telling us is accurate then this almost begins to look as if the government has been caught trying to fabricate a cover up. I've been trying to get an official response from the Prime Minister's press officer, but most unusually he's not available for comment. In all my time in this job that's never happened." "Adam, how bad could this be? What are the implications of this?" "Well, if these reports are accurate we could be looking at a large proportion of the UK's bird population being wiped out. That would mean a huge hole in our food chain as well as an incalculable effect on British ecology. These birds form an important part of nature's hierarchy - they feed on insects and are in turn the diet of other animals. Who knows what the eventual cost of that could be? Then there's the impact on the chicken and turkey industry, that could have a disastrous impact on our economy." "Adam, if this really is on that kind of scale, should we be worrying about a cross-over into humans?" "No Sally, the scientists are quite clear that there is little danger of that even if this is confirmed as bird flu. The risks we face are so small as to be insignificant." "Adam, thanks for the update. We'll return to you if there are any further developments. Now, let's return to that report from Iraq." ------- Shafiq and her team were still glued to Sky News. Here too there were viewers contacting the station to cast doubt on the government's version of the situation and there was growing speculation about how bad the outbreak was. Her smile was growing broader at the panic that was already evident and that was before there was even a hint that the infection could affect humans. She watched as Sky News trotted out a range of talking head 'experts' to share their views on what was going on and what the implications were. None of them suggested bird flu could make the leap from birds to humans, but she knew that was all about to change. ------- The MacLaren's were still tuned to BBC 24 News and there was an eerie mood in the sitting room. All of them knew the potential impact on the farm and their way of life if things were as bad as the speculation was now suggesting. ------- 14:17pm, 24 July Prime Minister Gordon Brown wished President Bush luck and heard the President reply in a similar fashion as they ended their short videoconference. The Prime Minister waved at his Private Secretary to signal that it was time to let the others enter Cabinet office Briefing Room A for another COBRA meeting. As they filed in it was clear that this was the same cast as had been present barely six hours previously. None of them had expected to be back so soon and they wondered what the Prime Minister had been doing in the room before they were admitted. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for making yourselves available again at such short notice. As is increasingly the case these days, the press and media seem to be driving events rather than the establishment. It seems clear to me that this outbreak is far bigger than I have previously been informed. Anthony please bring us up to date and then consider your position please," the Prime Minister opened, his words something of a bombshell in the room. The Chief Scientific Officer gulped, but to his credit he squared his shoulders and did as he was asked. "Prime Minister, we can confirm that the bird population has already been badly infected the length and breadth of the country. I concur with the view that Ian Pinnington expressed this morning, this couldn't have happened naturally. This is a deliberate act. I can also confirm that the birds that have been tested have shown positive for bird flu. This is not the same strain we have seen previously - H5N1 - it's similar in make up, but it seems to have mutated in some way. I can only apologise Prime Minister for keeping the scale of this from you earlier. I will of course tender my resignation with immediate effect," ended Sir Anthony Prior. "Apology accepted Anthony and don't be so hasty. You're still the best man for the job, possibly even more so in the circumstances we're facing. Learn from this and move on," said the Prime Minister. ------- 14:21pm, 24 July "Dad! Dad! Something else is happening," shouted Jamie who had remained in front of the TV. James came running into the sitting room and joined his son on the sofa. Avril and Laura also rushed to see what was now going on. BBC News24 had interrupted their international news round-up abruptly and the MacLaren's had a sense of foreboding. "We interrupt our international bulletin to bring you sensational breaking news," said the anchorman. "The Arabic TV channel, Al Jazeera, claims to have received a video tape from Al Qaeda. The tape is reputed to show Osama Bin Laden making a statement that claims Al Qaeda has released a strain of bird flu into several countries in the West, a strain of bird flu that can infect humans. "Al Jazeera are reporting that the UK, America and mainland Europe have been targeted. In a cruel twist, Al Qaeda also claim to have provided Islamic nations with a proven vaccine for the bird flu to ensure Muslims are protected against infection. "An internet web site, purporting to be the voice of Al Qaeda, is also reporting the same information over the world-wide web." The MacLaren's looked at each other, concern, and worry written on their faces. Enough had been broadcast about the possibility of a pandemic and the likely impact if bird flu could infect humans, that they had an idea of the significance of what they had just heard. ------- A civil servant bustled into the COBRA room and hurried to the Prime Minister's side, bending to whisper in his ear. "Sir John, please turn on the news channels," ordered Gordon Brown. Everyone in the room grew quiet as the various channels reported in their own ways the sensational news. "Derek, please ask the Chief Medical Officer to join us. I think we might need his advice now," asked the Prime Minister. "My friends, it seems that our news channels are ahead of our intelligence services once again," he looked pointedly at the head of MI5 across the table. "I fear that the evidence that the outbreak of bird flu could not have happened naturally lends credence to what Al Qaeda are claiming. I think we need to begin thinking about what we do if our citizens begin to contract the virus." The occupants of Cabinet Office Briefing Room A flicked their attention between the screens and the breaking news and the Prime Minister and his grave words. When Prime Minister Gordon Brown sneezed unexpectedly all eyes were suddenly on him. ------- Chapter 6: Response? All of the attendees at the COBRA meeting were staring at the Prime Minister. The news channels were blaring out the claims of Al Qaeda biological attacks, the release of a strain of bird flu that could infect humans, and Gordon Brown had sneezed. The Prime Minister gazed back at them calmly. "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't think this is the time to lose our cool. It would seem we have a lot of work to do. Now, I suggest we take a comfort break to give the Chief Medical Officer time to join us. Anthony, some tea and coffee would be nice," he said. Around the room, people stood to stretch their legs, some taking the opportunity for a quick trip to the toilets and the Permanent Secretary signalled to a junior civil servant to go and fetch the refreshments. As they helped themselves to coffee another man entered the room. He was slightly stooped over, aged in his sixties, with white hair and glasses. He would have stood around five foot ten without the stoop and his frame was still lean and wiry, despite his age. This was the government's Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sir Alec Grayson, once a leading cardio-thoracic surgeon. "Alec, welcome. Grab yourself a coffee, we're just about to reconvene," said the Prime Minister. Just as the meeting was coming to order, each of the attendees now with a cup of strong coffee in front of him or her, the Prime Minister's Private Secretary approached him and bent to whisper in his ear. The Prime Minster looked thoughtful for a moment and then clearly made a decision. "Have them put her through on the screens now Derek," he said. The Private Secretary scuttled back to his seat and held a blackberry up to his ear, giving instructions to whoever was on the other end of the line. The level of noise in the room began to rise once more as people began to speculate on what was happening now. Within minutes however, their questions were answered when one of the screens flickered and then displayed the head and shoulders of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. "Madam Chancellor, forgive me for being presumptuous. I'm assuming your call is about the situation with bird flu and thought it appropriate to speak to you immediately. As you can see I have my experts gathered around me and we are discussing that very issue and what we can do. I hope you don't mind speaking with all of them present?" "Not at all Prime Minister, I am just about to join a similar meeting here in Berlin. I believe you have already spoken to President Bush, I've just finished speaking to him too and he confirmed for me that the reports about outbreaks in the UK are accurate. I can also confirm that the news reports you will have been monitoring are true. We are experiencing a massive outbreak of bird flu right across Germany and it seems there is nothing we can do to halt it. So far there have been no reports of any spread of the virus into the population as Al Qaeda seem to be predicting." "I'm just about to ask my Chief Medical Officer when we might expect to see the first signs of people with the virus if indeed it has mutated and is able to infect humans," said the Prime Minister. He paused and looked at the CMO and Sir Alec took a breath before replying. "The virus would show up in birds much quicker than in people, Prime Minister, simply because of the smaller body mass and the physiology involved. However, given the numbers of dead birds we are seeing I'm assuming the virus was released several days ago. Normal incubation would mean the first signs could be showing in humans later on today or possibly tomorrow. The elderly and infirm might be the first to display symptoms, as their bodies defence systems will already be weak." "It is a frightening prospect. Anyway Prime Minister, I will not intrude upon your meeting any longer, I just thought it was important to let you know the position here. I will now go and meet my experts too. Good afternoon," said the German Chancellor, her face drawn and tired looking. Once the German Chancellor had signed off the Prime Minister called COBRA to order once again. "Okay folks, you've heard the CMO's assessment. I want ideas on what preventative action we can take, what plans we can set in motion to avoid this turning into a disaster." The CMO interrupted him. "I'm sorry Prime Minister, I've not made myself clear. Given the scale of the impact, both in terms of numbers of birds and the geographical spread, there is nothing you can do now to prevent it. If the virus can infect humans it already has and we are simply waiting for it to incubate. You probably should take steps to close down all international travel so that we aren't running the risk of exposing other countries that are not yet infected, but other than that there's nothing. "We can't immunise because we don't have a vaccine. There's no known treatment that will kill the virus once it has been contracted. In theory a total lock down will ensure anyone who has not yet been exposed to the virus will remain clean, but again, how could you do that effectively in all of our major cities? Could the armed forces enforce a complete curfew, marshal law? How would people get food if they couldn't leave their houses? It's just not feasible." The Prime Minister's shoulders slumped at this. He had been bracing himself for the possibility of a major disaster, but to be told there was nothing he could do to limit its impact, that he was basically impotent, was a crushing blow for a man used to wielding power and getting his own way. "Alec, what are we facing?" he asked at last. "It depends on the just how virulent this strain is," replied the CMO, "if it has a similar profile to bird flu then we could see as much as 80% fatalities. With a population of just over 60 million, that could translate into 48 million dead. The sheer scale of his words caused silence in the room. The Prime Minister paled and it was almost as if he was crumpling from the inside he was so visibly deflated. Again it was a credit to the man's courage that they could all see him recover immediately from his momentary lapse and he pulled himself together. "I can't believe all the time, energy and resources we have pumped in to emergency planing are all coming to nothing," the Prime Minister said sadly. "Home Secretary, how long to close down all international travel?" he asked. "We could probably achieve that in a matter of an hour Prime Minister. There are emergency codes that we can use. They weren't designed with this in mind, but they'll work just as effectively." "Okay, do it please," he ordered. "Prime Minister, I have to caution against such a move, without any explanation for it, it's bound to spark a panic," the Home Secretary objected. "I think you're underestimating the British public, I'm sure they will know precisely why we are taking this step and they will rally round. We also have a responsibility to try and safeguard other countries if we can. We are citizens of the world and although the CMO is telling us we can do nothing for our own countrymen, we might be able to do some good for others." "Prime Minister, there are other practical matters we need to discuss. If this does turn out to be a human pandemic we are going to very quickly find things grinding to a halt. People who fulfil vital roles are going to be missing. Public transport will fail, no deliveries to supermarkets, failure of energy and water supplies. The National Health Service will be swamped with the sick and a good percentage of the NHS staff will themselves be sick and unable to treat anybody. If there are a large number of deaths then there will be a secondary public health issue from the number of bodies," said the CMO. The way he was able to rhyme all these things off so dispassionately was a mark of his medical training, but the reaction of the others in the room was not as stoic. "Yes CMO, I can see what you mean. Haven't we worked up some scenarios on this? It seems we have been talking about the possibility of a flu pandemic for years now, surely we have undertaken some modelling?" asked the Prime Minister. "At that level of fatalities it all becomes something of a pointless exercise Prime Minister. There aren't enough people left alive to sustain anything by way of a reasonably sophisticated society. No army, no police service, nothing but the complete breakdown of society as we know it. Not even enough people to clean up the dead, there would be just too many bodies. So we haven't gone too deeply into it," replied the Home Secretary. "Sweet Jesus, whose decision was that? That's simply defeatism and I won't have it. I want contingency plans drawn up by all government departments immediately. If this comes to pass it might well be the case that a large percentage of our population will not survive, but again, let me stress; we still have a responsibility to those that will. "Everyone of us in this room might perish, but we can still do the best we can to serve the British public. Even those infected would surely have a few days before they succumbed? Much could be achieved in that time. I want plans for recovery of as many bodies as possible and a way to fight secondary health issues from dead bodies. I want plans for switching as much of our utilities to run automatically, for as long as possible. "Even if our worst nightmares come to pass I want the British survivors to have every chance. Make it so ladies and gentlemen and do it quickly. The sheer authority of the man had returned. His ability to inspire and motivate was evident as all round the room the meeting attendees had changed from pale, anxious and fearful to purposeful, energised and ready to try and make a contribution. "Prime Minister, I have to ask this question, however difficult it might be." The voice was that of the head of the armed forces, General Sir Gerald Aitchison. He continued. "If this is a deliberate act, one that could result in the scale of casualties the CMO suggests, it will rank as the single most devastating attack on this country ever. What response are we planning to make?" The Prime Minister focussed his attention on the General and considered him quietly for a moment. "What would you suggest General?" he asked at last. "We in the armed forces always prefer diplomatic solutions Prime Minister, but in this case that is obviously not an option. I think our citizens might expect us to respond in equal measure to the damage that could be inflicted on the UK," he replied. "Am I to take it that you are suggesting the use of our nuclear capability General?" the Prime Minister asked. There was a collective intake of breath around the room. Many of those present - the Chief Scientist, Vet and Medical Officer were certainly not used to such discussions and this was way over their heads. "Yes Prime Minister," the General replied unabashed. "And who do you suggest we target General?" That question gave the General pause for thought. It might have been of concern that he hadn't already considered this and indeed the Prime Minister took note of that and wondered whether, if he survived, he would need to make some changes at the top of the armed forces. "It's clear that this attack has come from the Middle East Prime Minister and that is where we would aim our strike," the General responded eventually. "General, listen to yourself! This act has been perpetrated by a terrorist organisation. An organisation I might add that does the Islamic tradition a great disservice. The Qu'ran preaches tolerance and urges believers to succour the weak and less fortunate. "To our knowledge there is no culpability that can be ascribed to any of the sovereign nations of the Middle East, although I will accept there are major doubts about Iran. In that context are you suggesting we simply launch a nuclear attack on the Middle East in general? Should the governments and citizens of those nations suffer because of Al Qaeda?" "But the broadcasts have made it clear that Al Qaeda have supplied the Islamic countries with stocks of a vaccine to ensure they will survive this," argued the General. "I repeat, the Islamic faith is not defined by these fanatics General. We have our own experience of religious intolerance in Northern Ireland. Would you blame the entire Catholic or Protestant communities for the atrocities perpetrated by the paramilitaries?" asked the Prime Minister in a steely voice. The sense of Gordon Brown's argument got through to the head of the armed services and his head dropped in embarrassment. "I discussed this possibility with the American President just before this meeting began. We both agreed that, morally, we could not consider such a course of action, it is out of the question. I will not target the millions of peaceful, reasonable people of the Middle East," the Prime Minister concluded. There were collective sighs of relief around the room and the talk returned to the more positive and energetic subject of what little they could do to prepare for the worst. ------- 22:54, 24 July There was a sombre mood in the MacLaren household. The family had taken it in turn to monitor the TV news throughout the day. Jamie was worried about the situation, but was also relieved that it had significantly affected his sister and he was no longer being subjected to the teasing and touching that had been growing in intensity over the past few weeks. No one from the council had turned up at the farm to recover the dead birds as had been promised and James assumed that the fact the problem was far worse than had been previously admitted meant that the environmental officers were unable to cope. By now the family had watched as the news channel had reported the closure of all airports, ferries and cross channel rail links and they knew that the government was responding to the possibility that the Al Qaeda claims about the virus were true. There had obviously been a great degree of syndication between the world's news channels, as they also watched footage of similar scenes showing dead birds in Germany and the US. Similar bans on international travel were also reported in those countries and there could be no doubt that Al Qaeda had released the virus as their video and web site described. "Okay kids, I think you've watched enough, time for bed," said James. "Aw dad, come on! Let us watch it a bit longer, this is important stuff," complained Jamie. "The country is still going to be here in the morning no matter whether the Al Qaeda claims are true or not," his father replied. Jamie and Laura resigned themselves to having to go to bed and stood and wished their parents good night. At the top of the stairs, before they separated to go to their respective bedrooms, Laura turned to her brother and flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Oh Jamie, I'm really scared. What's going to happen to us?" she asked. "Hush sis, it's going to be alright. Mum and dad will make sure we're okay and I'll always be here to look after you too," he replied. It was clear to Jamie that this hug was altogether different to what Laura had been indulging in over the past few weeks. This was a genuine need for comfort and reassurance from her big brother, not some kind of teasing or attempt to test out her feminine whiles. He melted into her and tried to give her all the reassurance he could. At last they drew apart and made their way to their rooms, trying to banish the concerns from the news broadcasts so they could sleep. ------- Shafiq and her team were growing in excitement as they watched the escalation in the response from the various governments. They knew they had completed the initial phase and they needed to do nothing more than to sit back and wait for the full impact to take effect. There was a smug satisfaction to be gained from watching the disarray of the governments and infidel population. "We need to discuss our initial thoughts about what we will do in the aftermath of our victory," Shafiq said, "we must plan to ensure we establish an Islamic, Sharia state." "We have all the contact details for the cells that will be alive, protected by the vaccine," said one of the team members, "will the mobile phone network still work?" asked one of the team "We have to assume that it will quickly degenerate so I suggest we need to make our arrangements with the others before that happens," said Shafiq. The team agreed and they began to discuss possible options for communication with the cells if the network did go down. They all agreed that something needed to be set up within the next few days before it was taken out of their hands. ------- 07:37am, 25 July Another COBRA meeting was in progress. The principals had basically shredded their calendars, discarding all meetings and engagements on the basis that the current crisis was clearly of a higher order of priority. "CMO, could you please give your update first?" asked the Prime Minister. "Well Prime Minister, we can't be sure at this early stage, but we're already getting reports of flu-like symptoms across the country. As I suggested, the elderly and infirm are the first groups to show signs. It's not absolutely confirmed yet, but I'm afraid the indications are that Al Qaeda's claims are genuine and we do face the degree of fatalities that we discussed yesterday." "And there is really nothing we can do to help those infected?" asked the Prime Minister again. "I'm sorry, but no Prime Minister." ------- 15:52pm, 25 July The MacLaren family was still glued to the TV coverage and becoming increasingly worried at what they were seeing. The news reports were now describing unconfirmed suggestions that there were already cases of bird flu amongst the population. They all jumped as the phone rang in the corner of the sitting room. James picked up the phone and the family listened to what he had to say. "Hi mom, how are you both doing?" he asked. The family looked on, hearing only one side of the conversation. Both grandparents on their mother's side of the family had already passed away and Jamie and Laura deeply loved their surviving grandparents on their father's side. "Okay, mum, I'll come out and see you. I'm sure you're both fine, don't worry. No, I'll see you in about twenty minutes." When James hung up the phone, the family looked at him expectantly to find out what was wrong. "Grandma is worried because they both feel as if they have symptoms of flu. They've been watching the news and that has fuelled their worries. I'm going to go round and try to reassure them," said James. "I'm coming with you," said Avril, and immediately began to rush around preparing herself. Once their parents had left, brother and sister cuddled on the sofa, worried about what was going on. Jamie could see that Laura was really anxious, not only for herself, but now for their grandparents too. "Don't worry sis, I'll always look after you," he said as he hugged her tightly within his strong arms. ------- Chapter 7: Ring, a ring of roses James MacLaren and his wife arrived at his parent's house and rang the bell. James' father, David, opened the door and they could both see immediately that there was something wrong with him. They pushed past into the house, Avril fussing over her father-in-law, and found his wife, Ivy, lying on the sofa covered by a duvet. If anything she looked worse than her husband, her skin pallid and her eyes looking sunken in her face. Avril busied herself putting on the kettle and looking in the medicine cupboard to see if there was anything that would help alleviate the symptoms the elderly couple were experiencing. When she couldn't find anything she told her husband and his parents that she was going to nip out to the local pharmacy. James sat on the edge of the sofa, taking his mother's hand in his and stroking it gently. "It's going to be okay mum, we'll look after you. You'll be back on your feet in no time," he said. His mother turned her head to look at him, tears suddenly leaking from her eyes and running down her cheeks. "Son, we've been following the news just like everyone else and we know and accept what's happening. You shouldn't really have come round and exposed yourself and Avril to what we've got, I tried to tell David not to phone you." "Weesht mum, if he hadn't phoned I would have been really upset. I'm sure what you have isn't all that bad and Avril will soon dose you up with something that will make you feel better," James replied softly. ------- 23:47, 25 July Gordon Brown looked round the room and then turned to his Private Secretary. "Derek, where's the Chief Medical Officer?" "I'm afraid he's unwell Prime Minister and his wife advised that he can't join us tonight," the civil servant responded. The Prime Minister was surprised. He knew the CMO was in his sixties, but hadn't considered him to be in any way weak or in the category the CMO himself had described as being most at risk. Just then the door opened and Sir Alec shuffled in. "Forgive me for being late Prime Minister, my wife took a lot of persuading that I was fit enough to come. She's still a practising doctor and it's murder sometimes trying to get her to put her stethoscope away. I hope no one feels I am putting them at risk by being here, but I thought you might need my advice in the present circumstances." "Not at all, I'm pleased you could join us Sir Alec," replied the Prime Minister, shocked at the change in the appearance of the CMO since only a few hours before. The meeting got underway with the Permanent Secretary passing round a variety of papers that had been hastily prepared by the various Whitehall departments of government. There was a dizzying number of proposals put forward for actions that could be taken if it turned out that a high percentage of the population succumbed to bird flu. Local council services, it was suggested, should use their labour to prepare mass graves that could be quickly utilised to help clear up dead bodies. Liaison officers should be appointed to work closely with the military to ensure there would be sufficient manpower to cope for as long as possible. Pharmaceutical companies were to be urged to make the most common drugs used when people had flu available and to do so free of charge. It was proposed that all power stations be fully stocked with fuel where necessary and they should be switched to automatic running. Simple instructions on how to keep them running at their most basic level, instructions that any man in the street could follow, should be drawn up and placed as an advert in newspapers and on the internet. Emergency legislation would allow the government to compel building companies to provide heavy construction vehicles that would be used to ensure roads were kept open. Another suggestion was that public service broadcasts should be recorded advising people of key things to consider. These would cover things for those who contracted flu and were likely to die - such as not unnecessarily burdening the NHS - but also for those who might survive, such as the priorities for keeping a functioning society going. The Prime Minister was in his element. He listened to each proposal, considered its merits and didn't hesitate to take decisions. "Yes. Yes, do that immediately. No. Yes. Definitely not. Yes, but make sure there are no inherent safety risks." The meeting ran on for three hours leaving all the participants exhausted apart from the Prime Minister himself. The stress and pressure of the situation and the work that had to be done seemed to be acting as fuel for the man and he seemed ready to start another arduous day without any rest. The meeting broke up and most of them headed for their official cars and hopefully their beds. The Prime Minister took a moment to draw the CMO aside. Sir Alec had lasted the meeting, visibly wilting throughout, but determined to see it through and his advice had been extremely valuable on some of the proposals. "Alec, my heartfelt thanks for dragging yourself here for this meeting. You set an example for all of us with your fortitude," he said to the CMO. "I'm simply doing what I can Prime Minister. There is perhaps no finer thing than being able to do something for your fellow man. What is it they say - it's better to give than receive? - a simple cold is not going to stop me doing my job." The Prime Minister couldn't help but smile as the CMO underplayed the possibility that he had fatal bird flu by referring to it as a cold. He put his arm around the man's shoulders and gently led him out of the briefing room. ------- 06:42, 26 July Jamie rolled over and then flinched as he bumped up against something in his bed that shouldn't be there. His eyes opened and took in the sight of his sister's pretty face lying on the pillow next to him. They had waited up until after midnight before their father had phoned to tell them both he and their mother were going to stay with their grandparents for the night. Jamie had comforted his sister and suggested they try and get some sleep. It appeared as if Laura had been unable to sleep and she must have crawled in beside him at some point during the night. He slipped out of bed without disturbing her and took his clothes with him into the bathroom to get washed and dressed. He thought it might be a good idea to make a full breakfast and get Laura to eat it, setting her up for the day. Most of the fixings were available in the fridge and he soon had the grill going with bacon, sausage and black pudding. He set a frying pan on the stove and began to fry potato scones and them melted some butter in a pot and sliced mushrooms into it to begin cooking. The combined smells of the breakfast must have woken Laura because she traipsed into the kitchen not long after Jamie had began cooking. Her hair was tousled and her eyes still sleepy, as she walked up behind her brother at the stove and gave him a hug. "Thanks for being the best brother in the whole world," she said. "Is that breakfast for me?" "I thought it was important somehow that we both start the day right," he replied. Laura was surprised that she actually had an appetite, but the smell of the bacon cooking had triggered her hunger and she felt her mouth watering. The phone rang and she ran to pick it up. Jamie heard her side of the conversation which was mostly just a series of 'uh huh', 'okay' and finally 'let us know what's happening'. When Laura returned to the kitchen she let him know that their parents were going to remain at their grandparents for the time being. "I guess grandma and grandpa must be pretty sick if they're both staying there," Laura said. "I'm sure they'll be fine with mum looking after them. You know what she's like," Jamie reassured her. Jamie cracked a couple of eggs into the frying pan and quickly cooked them before then serving up the cooked breakfast for both of them. While he was putting the food on the plates, Laura turned on the TV on the breakfast bar and used the remote control to tune it to Sky News. Jamie smiled. Their parents were very traditional and would only watch BBC news, convinced that it was the most balanced and responsible in its reporting. Jamie and his sister preferred the livelier Sky News and would watch it when their parents weren't around. Both the teens sat at the breakfast bar and began to eat their breakfast. Not surprisingly the news was focussing on the ongoing story of the bird flu outbreak and its consequences. They had tuned in part way through a report and now listened as the voice-over explained what they were seeing. "... and the scenes here at this Accident and Emergency Unit are being repeated at NHS Hospitals throughout the country. Record numbers of people have been turning up through the night in the hope of being treated." The scene showed an Accident and Emergency waiting area packed with people, the vast majority of them elderly and, as the camera panned round, a queue of people stretching out into one of the hospital's corridors... The headline that was scrolling across the bottom of the screen read: St James' Hospital, Leeds "Mark, are all these people there for the same reason? Do they all actually have bird flu?" "Sally, every one that I've spoken to has claimed to have flu, of course there's no way of confirming that short of having their blood analysed, but the people themselves are convinced they have it." "What is the hospital doing for them Mark? How are they being treated?" "Well that's causing quite a fuss Sally. I've spoken briefly to the medical team here and they tell me there's basically nothing they can do for any of these people. They're offering advice like stay in bed and keep warm, drink plenty of fluids and take paracetamol. Some people haven't reacted well to that and I can tell you that hospital security is now permanently standing by to deal with any trouble." As the reporter said this, the camera panned once more to show two burly hospital security personnel standing within the waiting area. "Mark, what are the doctors there telling you about the prognosis for these patients?" The camera now came back onto the face of 'Mark', the reporter. "Well Sally, I know this is a bit hard to believe, but the doctors here are warning each patient that there is a strong likelihood that this flu could be fatal. I mean, we've all heard the stories about bird flu before, but the doctors here really seem to believe what they're telling people." Jamie leaned over and turned the TV off. He felt it wasn't something he wanted to see and hear while trying to digest his breakfast. It was also too much of a reminder of the situation with their grandparents and the last thing he wanted was Laura focussing on that. He quickly realised he was too late. "Grandma and Grandpa are going to die aren't they?" she asked quietly. Jamie knew it was pointless lying to her. "It's possible sis," he replied, "the way they're talking about this bird flu its pretty nasty stuff and they are forecasting a high percentage of people who catch it will likely die." He stood up and brought his sister into his arms, feeling the dampness as she buried her face in his neck and began to cry. ------- Shafiq and her team were tuned in to the same Sky News channel as Jamie and Laura had been watching. The footage of the packed hospitals was simply confirmation that the virus was spreading to humans as predicted and they felt it would only be a matter of time before the dying began and the toll began to mount ever higher. She decided it was high time she began to contact the UK Al Qaeda cells and set up plans for meeting up with them once the impact of the virus had been fully realised. "I'm going out to use some public phones. Don't open the door to any one but me. I should only be about an hour," she said, pulling on her jacket and making sure she had enough change for the phone box. There was a public phone at the corner of the road that the safe house stood on, but she ignored that as being too close and instead walked into the nearest underground station and took a tube to Paddington Railway Station. She picked out a phone and put some money in the slot before dialling a number from memory. As usual the phone was answered very quickly. "Hello?" "Bird song," she said, and before she could say anything else the person on the other end of the line began jabbering away excitedly about how their plans were working. "Not on the phone, even if it is secure!" Shafiq interrupted harshly. "We need to agree how we are going to communicate after the full impact of the virus has been felt. Memorise this number." Shafiq recited the number for her mobile phone. "If the mobile phone network stops working I want you to make your way to the entrance to Central Station at 11:00am each Friday morning. Keep doing that for at least four weeks. If I don't contact you within that time it's unlikely I ever will," she said. She confirmed that Assam in Glasgow had understood her instructions and had memorised her mobile number then hung up. She repeated this performance five more times, using the underground to move to a fresh public phone each time. By the time she had finished she knew she had a way of contacting all of the UK cells when she needed to and was pleased with herself as she made her way back to the safe house. ------- Stocks of the vaccine against bird flu had been shipped to various locations around the Middle East. On the day the virus was released, the governments of each country were advised where the vaccine was so that they could begin a hasty programme to inoculate their populations and keep them alive. Although many Middle East governments were appalled at what Al Qaeda had done, they wouldn't turn their backs on the vaccine, as they knew they had a duty to their people. There was significant collective anger and shame however, most moderate Muslims knew what had been done was completely contrary to the Qu'ran and the teachings of the prophet. The overall feeling was that Al Qaeda had gone too far once more. The hierarchy within Al Qaeda had argued about whether any vaccine should be made available to Iraq. Some were concerned that the American and British troops stationed there would get their hands on the vaccine and would survive in sufficient numbers to be a problem in the aftermath. Eventually it was decided not to take that chance and with that decision they sentenced the population of Iraq to their deaths. Hospitals and health centres throughout the Middle East had been open 24 hours a day to vaccinate everyone who wanted it. The queues stretched for miles, but the doctors and nurses worked quickly and efficiently. There was however, one flaw in Al Qaeda's plans. No one had told the operatives who stockpiled the vaccine that it needed to remain refrigerated or it would quickly be of no use. Although virtually every country managed to vaccinate their entire population within three days, it was all to no avail and would provide no protection whatsoever. The start of the virus in the Middle East, and in other countries around the world, was slower, but it would eventually prove to be just as devastating. As Al Qaeda had predicted and planned for, the source of the fresh outbreaks was passengers who had travelled through Heathrow Airport and had picked up the virus before the UK government had moved to close the airports down. The eventual death toll would be even higher than it would have been if the US and the UK had targeted the region with nuclear weapons. ------- Jamie and Laura had to fend for themselves for the remainder of the day. They spent some time revising their school work to make up for not attending, but took a break at lunch time when Laura prepared them some sandwiches and milk. After lunch they checked the news once more and found if anything things seemed to be getting worse with more and more people swamping hospitals and health centres. They both agreed it really was getting very scary indeed. They heard nothing more from their parents until their mother made an appearance just as they were trying to decide what to have for their evening meal. "Hi you two, I'm sorry we seem to have abandoned you, but your Grandma and Grandpa are really very poorly and can't be left on their own. I've just popped in to get a change of clothes for your father and I. If Grandma and Grandpa don't improve by tomorrow night I promise your father and I will split the responsibility so that one of us can be here at all times. Now, have you been eating?" Avril asked them. The teens reassured their mother that they were getting on fine on their own and that yes, they had been eating when they should. Both of them were worried by how tired their mother looked. She almost looked as if she was the one who should be being looked after rather than the one doing the caring. They shared a look as their mother dashed round packing clothes into a small bag. "Jamie, could you take that out and put in the car for me please while I try and find something for your father and I to eat from the freezer?" Avril asked. Jamie dutifully took the bag out to the car and met his mother as she came bustling out with a carrier bag filled with some kind of frozen food. Avril kissed his cheek as she passed and told him to look after his sister. Laura could see something was troubling him as soon as he walked back into the sitting room. "What's wrong Jamie?" she asked. "When I opened the car to put the bag in, there was already something in there. Mom must have just bought two of those mattress protectors things, you know, the plastic sheets that go on a bed. That can only be for Grandma and Grandpa and if they need that kind of thing they must really be in a bad way," he told her. Laura knew what Jamie was describing and she agreed things would need to be bad if they were required. She started to fret anew about her grandparents and whether they were going to recover. Jamie decided to follow his mother's example and search the freezer to see if he could find anything for them to eat. He found several packets of scampi and thought they would be ideal with some oven chips. Turning on the oven, he soon had everything laid out on a baking tray and he set the timer for twenty minutes. After they had eaten, Jamie tuned the TV to the movie channel and began to flick through to find something light for them to watch. He settled on a re-run of that old classic the Blues Brothers and pulled his sister close beside him on the sofa, hugging her to his side with one arm and feeling her head rest on his chest. They watched the movie to the end, laughing in the right places even though they had both seen the movie a number of times and then they decided it was probably time to turn in for the night. As they reached the top of the stairs Laura stopped and turned for a hug. "Would it be alright if I slept with you again tonight Jamie? I really couldn't get to sleep last night and it felt much safer in with you," she whispered in his ear. Jamie could see no reason to refuse her. There was nothing in it after all, nothing but a brother comforting his sister and giving her something to hold on to while things around her were starting to get scary. ------- Chapter 8: A pocket full of posies The next two days were difficult for Jamie and Laura. The situation in the country was deteriorating as more and more of the population developed symptoms of bird flu and they watched it all through the intrusive eyes of the hungry TV cameras. Closer to home it was clear that their grandparents were going down hill fast and their mum and dad were now taking it in turns to stay with the teens at least overnight. Laura continued to sleep with her rock of a big brother, but the strain of having to be brave for both of them was starting to tell on Jamie. 19:18, 28 July Avril shuffled into the sitting room and basically collapsed onto the sofa, having just returned from her latest shift looking after her husband's parents. Jamie and Laura moved quickly to bracket her and hug her tightly. They relaxed their hug just as quickly when they heard their mother give a deep groan of pain. "What is it mum, what's wrong?" Jamie asked. He looked at his mother and could see the pain in her eyes, etched into the expression on her face. "I'm afraid your grandmother passed away this afternoon, she..." That was all that Avril managed to get out before she was wracked with deep sobbing and tears flooded her eyes. The two teens looked across their mother at each other. They had been fearing the worst for several days now, but preparing yourself for something like this never prevents the hammer blow you feel when it actually happens. They both let their own grief out and joined their mother in tears. Jamie was the first to stand up, making his way into the kitchen to put on the kettle. When all else fails, a good cup of tea was always the answer and he made three mugs and brought them into the sitting room. His tears had dried up and as he looked at his mother he was worried by what he saw. As is sometimes the case, the human body can do wonderful things, endure amazing hardship without giving in. Avril had been so focussed, so single-minded on doing everything that she could for her husband's parents that everything else had been excluded. Her body had refused to give in to the symptoms of bird flu that she herself was subject to. Now, with her focus no longer needed and her body given the chance to relax, the flu was starting to hit her with a vengeance. It was clear she was running a high-grade fever and that she was utterly exhausted. She couldn't even raise her hand to accept the cup if tea from Jamie and he put it back on the tray on the low coffee table. He raised his hand to his mother's forehead and felt the scalding heat radiating from her skin. Jamie knew right away what the problem was and he gulped at what it meant. "What is it Jamie? What's wrong?" Laura asked, with concern. "I'm afraid your brother has just been trying to confirm his suspicions that I've got bird flu too sweetheart," her mother managed to get out. Laura's mouth gaped open in shock and her eyes grew big. Jamie was suddenly immensely proud of his little sister as he watched her suck it up and her face became set and determined. "What do we have to do for you mum?" she asked. "The best thing to do is probably to get me to bed dear. After that, try and get me to continue to take in as many fluids as possible. Dissolve some pain killers into water and try to feed me that. I'll need to be given bed baths and the sheets will need to be changed as I'm liable to sweat a lot and we can't let the sheets remain wet or that will make things worse." It had been quite an effort for Avril to say so much and she now sagged back against the sofa. Jamie slipped one arm behind her knees and the other round her back and lifted her easily. Laura followed behind as her brother carried their mother to their parent's bedroom, depositing her on the big double bed. "Leave the rest to me Jamie, you go and prepare some of your sports bottles with cold water and put them in the fridge. Do as mum said and try and dissolve some paracetamol in one of them," said Laura, ushering him from the room so she could take care of her mother and get her into the bed. Before taking care of the water, Jamie lifted the phone in the sitting room and dialled his grandparent's number. It took a fair number of rings before it was answered and he heard his father's voice on the other end of the line. "Hello?" "Hi dad, it's Jamie. I thought I'd better let you know that it looks like mum has flu now as well. Laura is trying to look after her," he said. There was a sigh on the line. "I know son, you might as well know the worst of it. I've caught the damned thing too. I'm not as bad as your mother, yet, but I can feel my joints aching and I'm beginning to burn up. You're grandfather won't last much longer I think, so I'll probably be back home tomorrow and we can talk about what we can do. For now, look after my girlfriend for me son." Jamie couldn't help break into a smile at his father's reference to his wife as his girlfriend, which was probably what his father had intended. They said their goodbyes and Jamie made his way to the kitchen and took several of his sports bottles out of the cupboard, filling them with water. He found some liquid paracetamol and measured three teaspoons full, pouring into the water bottle and shaking the bottle to mix the painkiller and the water together. He put both bottles into the fridge to cool. When Jamie made his way back to the door of his parent's bedroom, he knocked and heard Laura tell him it was okay to come in. He found his sister sitting on the bed holding a cold facecloth to his mother's forehead. Somehow Laura had managed to undress her mother and get her into a nightgown before covering her over. "Dad said we've to take good care of his girlfriend," Jamie told them both and was pleased to see that that brought a smile from Laura and his mum. ------- The Al Qaeda team was all gathered round the TV in the safe house. They had noticed the frequent changes in personnel on the Sky News channel and had assumed that this was because journalists were beginning to come down with the flu. Currently the channel were showing a talking heads feature on the 'crisis', with experts giving their studied opinions and sharing their knowledge in lay man's terms. "Professor Smith, just how bad are things likely to get?" asked the Sky anchor. "Well Gail, from everything we're seeing I'd say there is no way to avoid this reaching pandemic proportions and most probably a category five pandemic," the Professor replied. "And what exactly does that mean in simple terms?" she asked him next. "A category five pandemic could mean it's worse than Spanish flu pandemic that struck around 1918. That one is estimated to have been responsible for between 50 and a 100 million deaths worldwide. "With the world's population now much larger, population centres much denser, it could be much worse than that. Today's globalisation means that the virus can spread around the globe easier and much quicker than would have been the case back then too. "A particular characteristic of the Spanish flu outbreak was that it killed many more younger people than other flu epidemics. We normally expect younger people to be fitter and healthier and therefore much more able to fight this kind of thing off. This time it seems the virus is behaving much more like we would expect - it's the elderly and the infirm who seem to be succumbing to it." "Do we have any idea how long it will last," asked the journalist. "There's no telling Gail. The virus is capable of mutating and therefore people who haven't contracted it yet, might succumb to it in its mutated form at another time. The Spanish flu pandemic ran for over a year." Shafiq and the members of her team were smiling broadly as they listened to the scale of what they had achieved against the West. The TV reports had made it clear that already things were beginning to break down, as people couldn't make it to their places of work. Public transport was grinding to a halt and basic services were patchy at best. Schools had all been closed and all large gatherings had been banned - no football matches, no concerts, cinemas closed down and restaurants were all shut. ------- 21:47, 28 July The Prime Minister was clearly tired and in a lot of pain as he fought to shake himself and chair yet another COBRA meeting. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said, his deep, powerful and Scottish accented voice, belying how weak and ill he looked, "I think it's time for a brief update from each of you round the table please before we move on to what our next steps are going to be. Alec, could we start with you please?" The government's Chief Medical Officer looked even worse than the Prime Minster, but he too was a tough old bird and after a few deep and wet sounding coughs, he began his update. "I'm afraid it's all bad news Prime Minister. Of those confirmed as having the flu there has been a hundred percent fatality rate. That's far higher than anything we've ever seen before. I've had people trying to identify infection rates and from the analysis so far it appears as if the virus is attacking the entire age range equally as bad. There is one possibility, a slight one, but there might be a group in the thirteen to sixteen age group who seem to be free of the virus. My people think there might be a correlation with a group who received their MMR vaccinations separately as opposed to the preferred method." Everyone in the room knew what the CMO was referring to. A doctor had published a paper suggesting that the combined Measles/Mumps/Rubella (or MMR) vaccination was associated with health problems, most notably Autism, and that had sparked a panicked reaction amongst some parents. Although the medical profession as a whole had tried to reassure the public that MMR was perfectly safe and indeed safer than having the vaccinations separately, a group of parents had opted to pay for private medical providers to vaccinate their children for each illness individually. The doctor who had published the paper had eventually been struck off and it was ironic that the action of that group of parents could now possibly be responsible for their children surviving this worldwide health crisis. "Are you suggesting that the entire population is likely to be wiped out?" the Prime Minister asked. "Current modelling is suggesting 99.9% fatalities Prime Minster," the CMO ended bleakly. This was earth-shattering news, worse than any of them in the room had thought possible. They looked at each other, aware that all of them had perhaps only days to live. "Okay, so be it. Let's make sure all the plans we discussed the other day are put into practice shall we? Home Secretary, I want the newspaper adverts run before the newspapers close down. The same for the public information broadcasts that have been recorded, I want them running as frequently as possible. Derek, set up a broadcast for me. I want to deliver some final messages to the British public before I'm unable to do so." ------- 10:00am, 29 July All of the main TV channels had been trailing the fact that the Prime Minister was going to broadcast live to the nation at exactly 10:00am. Throughout the UK everything stopped so people could listen to what their elected leader had to say. Jamie had surfed to the BBC web site and was burning the broadcast onto CD. The screen showed a still picture of 10 Downing Street and then slowly faded to show a head and shoulders view of Gordon Brown. Even though the make-up artist had tried, the grey pallor of the Prime Minister's skin was still clearly evident and he coughed occasionally. "Fellow Britons, I wanted to take one final opportunity of speaking to you all, to deal with the terrible situation we are all facing. "Before I do that however, it is my sad duty to inform you that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second passed away late last night and that her son has assumed the throne. Prince Charles, as he has been known, has decided that he will be crowned as King James the Third of England and Ireland and King James the Eighth of Scotland. Historians amongst you will recognise the significance of his choice and, as a Scotsman, I would like to thank him from the bottom of my heart for such a warm gesture at a time like this. I would like to ask you to join me in a minutes silence as a mark of respect for a Queen who has served our country with great distinction over a long number of years As the minute passed, the Prime Minister coughed and winced, clearly in some pain. He began to talk again. "Our country has been the subject of a cowardly and despicable attack, perpetrated by terrorists who shame the good name of Islam and the prophet Mohamed. On behalf of my government I can only apologise for failing to prevent that. It is an unpardonable dereliction of duty and I will carry the responsibility and guilt for that with me when I inevitably succumb to the flu symptoms that I'm already suffering. "The government's Chief Medical officer, who sadly also passed away earlier this morning, has advised me that for those contracting bird flu, the fatality rate is 100%. If you have it, I'm afraid you are not going to recover. "The virus has spread round the world and most of the planet's population will die. Al Qaeda's claim that they had ensured the safety of the Islamic nations has proven to be false and Muslims around the world are already beginning to die too. "Some of you will survive however. The vast majority of the survivors will be teenagers. The medical profession has identified a group of people, those who did not receive the combined MMR vaccination as children, that the virus doesn't seem to be affecting. They can't explain why this might be, but it means that an estimated 60,000 out of our total population of over 60 million will come through this. "The people of this proud nation have always shown themselves to be at their best in the face of adversity. In the trenches during the Great War, at Dunkirk and through the blitz, even during the more recent terrorist attacks on our country. The main reason I am speaking to you this morning is to appeal to that same spirit. "60,000 of our youngsters are going to survive this attack and I'm asking that the rest of us to do all that we can to make sure they have the best chance of rebuilding our society, rebuilding our great country. "We in the government have set in train plans that will give these youngsters every advantage we can. We are trying to make sure the utilities remain on as long as possible, even if there are no staff to run the power stations. We will try to keep the main infrastructure - our roads and motorways - clear so that they can move around. We have prepared mass graves throughout the country so that we can as far as possible remove the threat of secondary health issues from the bodies of the dead. "The Chief Medical Officer was still doing everything he could to serve the public late into the night last night, despite his suffering. I'm asking you to make a final sacrifice for the young men and women that will be left standing. I'm asking no less from each of you than what the CMO gave. Please continue to do your job, to volunteer, to help see the plans we have set in train succeed. I know you will be in pain and suffering badly from the flu, but I'm asking you to ignore the pain and do your bit one last time. "To the young people who will remain I say this. Be proud of your heritage. Remain true to the principles of this great nation and you won't go far wrong. Be brave..." He broke off as coughing took hold of him again, but once more he steeled himself and shook it off. "Be brave, be bold and rebuild as best you can. Rebuilding will be a worthy and lasting monument to all those who will not be with you." The Prime Minister broke off once more as his body was shaken by a paroxysm of coughing and blood began to leak from his nose and mouth. Without managing another word he slumped forward and the watching nation witnessed aides rushing on camera to try and help him. The broadcast was cut very quickly after that, leaving no one in any doubt that, on top of the death of their monarch, they had just witnessed the death of their Prime Minister. There was no other single thing that Gordon Brown could have done to completely redeem himself in the eyes of the population and to virtually ensure that, to a man, they would all heed his words and put in one last effort. To have dragged himself in front of the cameras, to have endured the pain so that he could deliver those final messages - with dignity and still with authority - to have expended his last breath in the service of the country, here was the mark of a man. ------- 10:33, 29 July The door of the farmhouse opened and James MacLaren rejoined his family. His father had passed away during the night and the manner of his passing was still haunting the big man. James had spent the morning burying both his parents, a job no child should have to suffer. He made his way through to the kitchen, intent on finding some pain killers to ease his own growing aches and pains and was tackled by his son on the way. Jamie hugged his father tightly; at last able to break down himself now that the real man of the house had returned to shoulder the responsibility he had been trying to take on himself. "Where's your sister?" his father asked. "She's upstairs looking after mum," Jamie managed to get out. "Okay. Go take a seat and I'll make us a cup of tea," his father said as he freed himself from the hug. Laura came downstairs when she heard her father's voice. She too ran to hug him and held on as if her life depended on it. "Hi Angel," he said, stroking her hair, "miss me?" "Oh dad, of course I missed you." Once the tea was made, James quickly checked on his wife and then joined the teens in the sitting room. They asked about grandpa. "I'm not going to spare you both 'cause it's likely you're going to be exposed to something similar very soon with your mother and I. Grandma went downhill really quickly. Fortunately for her she was mostly out of it due to her fever, but she was bleeding from her ears and nose and lost control of her bowels too. Her breathing grew more and more difficult and we knew there was no point in trying to get her to a hospital, we'd seen the news programmes. "Grandpa was coughing up blood, thick blood, and after a couple of days he too couldn't get up out of bed. There was also blood coming from his back passage and it was clear he was in a lot of pain. There was nothing I could do for him and it was eating me up just watching him wasting away in front of my eyes." Jamie and Laura were growing more and more distressed at the description of how their grandparents had suffered. "I know, I warned you it wasn't going to be pretty." "Did you see the Prime Minister earlier?" Jamie asked, desperate to change the subject. His father hadn't watched the broadcast so Jamie set up his recording to let his father watch it. "What a brave, brave man. Right up to the end he was trying to serve his country, trying to do his best for each and every one of us. It makes me proud that he was a Scotsman. "Well, for you two that's maybe the best news you're going to hear for a while, because your mother insisted we pay to have your shots administered separately. It looks as if you will both be safe from the virus at least," their father said. "Dad, what did he mean when he said Prince Charles has made a warm gesture?" Laura asked. "Angel, you should know you're history better. The Kingdoms of Scotland and England were united by the act of union in 1707, but one monarch sat on both thrones as early as 1603. That first monarch was James the Sixth in Scotland, but he was the first King of England to be called James. So, he was James the First and Sixth, First of England and Sixth of Scotland. When Queen Elizabeth came to the throne in 1952 she was the first to drop the tradition of recognising both Kingdoms. She was the first monarch of Scotland to be called Elizabeth and therefore should have been known as Queen Elizabeth the First of Scotland and Second of England. "Instead, she chose to drop the convention and insisted she would be known as Queen Elizabeth the Second. There was uproar in Scotland at the time. It was as if the monarch was snubbing our country. In going back to the old way, Prince Charles has tried to make amends for that. He's probably only got days to live himself and to have thought about this while everything else is going on says something about him as a man too," Laura's father explained. James asked his two children to join him round the dining room table to discuss the situation they were all in and to make plans. From what the Prime Minister had said, he knew that Jamie and Laura were going to have to fend for themselves in a few days and he wanted to pass on any pearls of wisdom he possibly could to help them. "I'm sorry that I'm not going to be here for you both, but we need to face up to reality. That's lesson numbers one, don't let yourselves go into denial, don't let yourselves wallow in self-pity. Face up to things and get on with it. "Lesson number two is think about security at all times. There's no way of second guessing what the situation will be after the rest of us are gone. It might be very dangerous; there might even still be terrorists around. When things break down history tells us that the strong survive. But there will be mean spirited people, you've seen them yourselves, bullies, people who want to take things by force rather than work for them. Jamie, you know where the army barracks are, my advice would be to wait until the adults are all dead and then take what you need to defend yourself effectively. Your duty is to protect your sister at all costs and then try and build outwards, find others you can trust and try to do what Gordon Brown was urging. "This farm is too close to Glasgow and therefore potentially dangerous. I would suggest you try and set up somewhere where there is likely to be fewer survivors and then gradually work your way closer to the population centres if you can build up a force of like minded people. Find a remote farm and think about how you can defend it. Better yet, set up on one of the larger islands off the West Coast. It's unlikely that terrorists would go so far out. "Lesson number three. Food is going to be vital, but you don't know what fresh food, particularly meat, is going to be fit to eat. Again, Jamie, you can fly planes and helicopters and I suggest you use that to stockpile canned and dried goods. Look for the big distribution centres and go there to get what you need. There's an ASDA/wal-mart warehouse not far from here. "Lesson number four is that things are going to be tough. You're going to find yourselves at low points. Plan for that and move on, you need to be strong - mentally as well as physically. You are both smart, smarter than most kids your age. Use that, use your brains. Rely on each other, support each other. Remember, blood is thicker than water and be there for each other when you need it most. "Final lesson for now. Don't be too trusting, too quickly. Once you find friends you can really trust, stick by them. "Now Angel, you can leave looking after your mother to me from now on. She is my girlfriend after all," James finished up, pleased to see his weak joke had once again succeeded in bringing a smile to the faces of his children. ------- After the first few deaths in the Middle East, things began to crack. Already shamed by Al Qaeda's actions, the ruling royal families and parties were hell bent on making the terrorists pay. The failure of the vaccine brought the first fringe supporters out of the woodwork, only too keen to tell the authorities what they knew of Al Qaeda. From there the ruthless, often brutal, interrogation of operatives brought governments throughout the region closer and closer to the top of the organisation. It would only be a matter of time before all of them, Osama Bin Laden included, were caught and slaughtered. ------- Shafiq's personal mobile rang as she was watching the news channel in the safe house. She had taken great pleasure from the theatre of watching the UK Prime Minister dying on the selfsame screen, but now she scrambled to answer the phone. "It's Ali, do not return to the Middle East. It's not safe for you here, we are being hunted down like dogs and I don't know how long I've got." She didn't have time to respond to her one time lover before he severed the connection. Shafiq sighed and sat back on the sofa. She had thought the words of the UK Prime Minister were disinformation, a lie, a trick. But, if what Ali had just told her was true, then perhaps the vaccine hadn't protected the Middle East. That made her begin to worry about her own position. Was she protected? ------- Laura and Jamie peeked through a slight gap between their parent's bedroom door and the doorframe. They could see their father on the double bed, his wife's head cradled against his chest as he gently stroked her hair and whispered to her. "Oh Avril my love, please don't you leave me too. We promised each other, please don't leave me. Oh god, I still love you so much, as if we had just met. You've not aged a day my love, please fight for me, stay with me." The two teens couldn't take any more and they crept away, tears stinging their eyes at the sight of their big strong father brought so low. There was no need to ask the question this time, Laura simply followed her brother into his room and he didn't say a word. A desolate wail woke them both in the middle of the night. Jamie looked at his digital alarm clock and saw that it was just after 4am. "No Avril, no! Please! Oh dear god, no, not my lovely girlfriend, please!" they heard their father's broken sobs. They hugged one another closely, guessing that their mother had just passed away and shared in the tangible grief that they could feel coming from their father. ------- 09:26, 30 July Jamie and Laura were quiet and withdrawn as they sat in the kitchen waiting for their father to emerge from his bedroom. It was clear their guess from the night before was accurate and their mother was no longer with them. They both stood as James came down the stairs, his wife cradled in his arms. He made his way through the kitchen, heading for the back door and Jamie rushed to open it for him. "Please excuse me for seeming to ignore you guys, I have a job to do," their father said, as he eased the body of his wife out of the door and strode across the farmyard. Laura had burst into tears when she had caught sight of her mother's body. Her dad had dressed her in one of her prettiest dresses and was obviously going out to lay her to rest somewhere. Seeing the body was so final, removed all doubt, and the young girl crumpled. Once more Jamie tried to be strong for her, moving quickly to her side and enfolding her in his arms. They heard what sounded like the farm mechanical digger start up, the digger used for clearing ditches and the like. Half an hour later there was a loud report. Jamie recognised the sound of a shotgun blast and reacted immediately. "Hide sis and don't come out until I get back." He ran out of the back door and then began to make his way more carefully to where he thought the gunshot had come from. He peered cautiously round the corner of the barn and saw where his father had dug up a patch of earth at the edge of their little orchard. There was a mound of dirt standing proud of the grass and he edged forward to see what was going on. The digger was partially obscuring his view and he had to make his way round it before he could see into the grave his father had dug. What he saw caused him to turn, fall to his knees and retch onto the grass. After a few minutes he managed to control his heaving and turned to peer once more into the grave. His father had laid his wife in the bottom of the grave and had obviously planned to try and spare his children any further trauma. On the empty side of the grave, two props held up a board laden with soil, the soil that Jamie had seen from the corner of the barn. A shotgun lay by the side of the grave and Jamie's father's head was mostly missing. His father had clearly planned to take his own life and expected his falling body to dislodge the props so that the soil would tip into the grave and cover both himself and his wife's bodies. That would have avoided either Jamie or Laura having to witness the gruesome sight of James' decapitated body. Unfortunately, his father had miscalculated the strength of the props and they hadn't been knocked out. Instead, his father's body had bounced off them and he now lay partially covering his wife. Jamie could see a small posie of flowers clutched between his mother's hands, which were clasped across her chest. There was also a scrap of paper there too. Steeling himself, he lowered himself into the grave and took the scrap of paper, bringing it up so he could read it. Avril my love, together again, now and for eternity He clambered back out of the grave and into the digger, making short work of covering his parent's bodies. He parked the digger where it normally sat and made his way back to the farmhouse, trying to school his features before he faced Laura. "Laura, it's me. Come on out," he called. His sister crawled out from behind the sofa and stood up, fear in her eyes. "What was it Jamie? Where's dad?" she asked hesitantly. Jamie took both her hands in his and pulled her gently onto the sofa. He quickly decided some white lies were in order and he described what their father had done, making out that the plan to knock out the props had worked and that all he had seen were his father's boots. Laura immediately began wailing again, pummelling her little fists against her brother's chest. "Why? Why did he have to kill himself? We need him, we've never needed him more," she cried. Jamie was struggling to hold it together himself, but he battled the tears for his sister's sake. "Laura, dad has just watched his own mother and father die, die in a horrible way. He had no time to get over that before he had to nurse his wife as she died too. He knew he was going to die himself, he had flu and would only have lasted another few days. He knew how we would need to look after him. The way he did this makes it clear he was trying to make sure we didn't have to watch the same thing as he did. He was sparing us that pain and making sure he had his wish to be beside mum. Here, look at the note he left in the cab of the digger." Laura tried to read the little scrap of paper, but her tears were too much, so Jamie read it aloud for her. "I've finished filling in the grave and they are together now. We need to do what dad said and get on with it sis," he said, as he hugged her to him. ------- Chapter 9: Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down 13:41, 2 August Sky News continued to report on the rising death toll, thousands became tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands and then millions. The scale was simply to big for the brother and sister to fully get their heads around. The deaths were also kind of meaningless to them - they were numb, still in shock and the deaths that really mattered had happened here on the farm. Jamie found himself humming a school playground song from his early years. "Ring, a ring o'roses A pocket full of posies Atishoo. Atishoo, we all fall down." The song was about the Black Death or plague that had swept from Asia to Europe and Britain in the fourteenth century, also killing millions of people. He stopped humming as he realised what the tune was and what it signified. Eventually the news reports stopped, and only public service broadcasts were shown. These seemed to be running in a continuous loop and Jamie and Laura guessed that there was no one left alive to man the TV studio. It was a frightening thought for the two teens that all of the adults could be dead and they were now on their own. They basically just existed for three days after their father had taken his own life, moving round the house almost in a trance as their grief and fear consumed them. It was Jamie who at last tried to break the depression they had slipped into, deciding it was time to take his father's advice and just get on with it. "Sis, I'm gonna take the Range Rover and drive a little way into town to scout things out. We're going to have to venture out at some point. Remember what dad told us, we need to be brave and carry on. That means finding food, finding somewhere safer to live and eventually meeting up with other survivors." Laura's face took on an anxious look at the thought of Jamie going out. She had lost everything in a crushing; shocking few days and her biggest fear now was that she would lose him too. His words reminded her of the discussion they had had with their father however, and she knew they would need to face the world, or what was left of it, sometime. She squared her shoulders bravely and nodded to him. "I'll get a coat and come with you," she said. Jamie knew she needed to remain close to him right now. He wasn't happy about taking her on his first scouting trip, would rather have an opportunity to ensure there was no immediate danger before exposing her to any risks. Her response, her look and her body language made it clear that leaving her behind wasn't an option. "It might even help her start to function properly again," he thought. He suddenly had an idea. "Sis? Sis?" he called for her. "What is it Jamie?" she asked as she returned to the room. "Look, how about if we compromise? I'm worried about taking a risk with you coming along. No, wait," he said, as Laura started to argue immediately. "I'll go up in dad's helicopter and take a quick look round, then if it's safe we can drive in and have a closer look?" Laura could see this was probably a wise move and she would be able to see the helicopter the whole time Jamie was up in the air so she relaxed a little and agreed he should do it. ------- It took Jamie half an hour to prepare the helicopter and perform all of the checks his father had schooled him in. He started the engine and heard the twin rotors whine and engage. The helicopter was small, a two-seater Robinson R22, which had cost his father £60,000 second hand. Minutes later he was lifting off and gaining altitude. He had already decided he would only go up a few hundred feet to make sure he had a good view of what was below him on the ground. His biggest worry at that height was electricity pylons and he kept his eyes peeled as he piloted the helicopter south and east so he could sweep the streets in the immediate area. He flew a pattern over the streets and houses for ten minutes, but saw nothing out of the ordinary, nothing was moving. He didn't want to stay up longer than necessary, as he knew Laura would be worried so he headed back to the farm and set the helicopter down gently. Laura ran to hug him once he had shut the helicopter down and secured it. He told her that everything looked quiet, eerily quiet and that he felt it was safe to drive into town for a closer look. Jamie fetched the shotgun and made sure it was loaded and that he had spare shells in his pocket. When Laura returned from grabbing her jacket and saw what he was doing, she was reminded once more that their world had changed out of all recognition. Only a few days ago it would have been unthinkable to drive into town with a loaded shotgun on the passenger seat. Laura got in the back seat of the Range Rover and Jamie in the front with the shotgun beside him. He started the engine and checked the fuel gauge automatically before putting the Rover in gear and easing it away from the front of the farmhouse. He drove smoothly down the narrow lane that led out to the main road and even indicated to show he was turning left towards Glasgow. Jamie's eyes were everywhere looking for possible danger. Both the teens were surprised the road was so clear and that there weren't more bodies lying around in the streets. "Why are there not more bodies Jamie?" Laura asked eventually. "Well, think about it sis. If you're suffering from flu you're more likely to be in your bed than walking about. If everyone knew they were going to die they probably wanted to be where they felt most comfortable and safe." This kind of made sense to Laura and she accepted it. Jamie remained cautious and drove slowly round the local area looking for any signs of life. Other than three dead bodies they saw nothing. At last he decided to drive to the local Wal-Mart store to see whether it was still stocked. The car park was deserted and he pulled the Rover close up to the front doors of the store. Jamie opened his door and picked up the shotgun before jumping down onto the ground. Laura joined him and together they walked towards the entrance. Although it was something they had seen hundreds of times before when visiting this supermarket, it was still a surprise when the automatic doors swished open in front of them. "Well it looks like the electricity is still on. That's handy as we probably wouldn't be able to see anything if the store lights weren't on," Jamie said, "grab a coupe of trolleys sis, we might as well stock up on stuff while we're here." He pulled two trolleys from the long line in the trolley park for himself and they entered the store. "We should only take canned and dried goods and nothing too exotic, stick to staples," he suggested. It was spooky to be walking round such a large supermarket with no one else there. Normally this store would be bustling with shoppers, but now the aisles were deserted. Jamie walked up and down choosing what he wanted carefully. He soon had one trolley filled to the brim and he wheeled it over to the exit in preparation for their departure. He then relented on his own advice to Laura and picked up some frozen steaks and tossed them into his second trolley. Laura meanwhile was in her element. She had gravitated to the clothing section of the store and was browsing through the lingerie, indulging in that therapy used by women the world over - retail therapy. Picking out some white silk underwear sets, she placed them in the bottom of her first trolley and moved on to see what else she could find. Jamie made his way to the hardware section and picked up a couple of heavy torches and plenty of batteries that would fit them. He carried on until he came across a display of laptop computers and a selection of software. These items sparked an idea in the boy's head and he loaded two laptops and several software packages into his trolley. Once she was happy with her clothing selections, Laura began to cover them up with groceries so Jamie wouldn't see them. She piled tins of salmon and tuna into the trolley and then packets of rice, pasta and instant potato. When she had filled her trolley she made her way to the exit and made a start packing what they had into the Range Rover. In the process she managed to hide her clothing stash in the back seat where Jamie wouldn't see it. Returning to the store, Laura picked up a copy of each of the top twenty DVDs, figuring there would be no TV to watch so a film might be a welcome diversion. Showing her practical side, she also stocked up with a number of large bottles of disinfectant. The threat of infection arising from decaying corpses would probably make this useful. They had been in the store for just under an hour and Jamie felt they had stocked up enough for now. Laura had packed everything into the Rover and it was sitting noticeably lower with the weight of the goods now crammed inside. They got into the vehicle, Laura once more in the back seat, but now surrounded by tins and bags of food. Jamie drove cautiously back the way they had come, but once more their journey was uneventful. ------- Once the adults were all just about gone, Shafiq felt the threat against her teams was also gone. Now, as the only coordinated, trained and armed force, she was well placed to have her run of the country. To her amazement the mobile phone networks had continued to work and she wasted little time in contacting each of the teams around the UK and explained what steps they were to take now. She gave the same instructions to each team and also shared the contact numbers between them all now. The need for keeping tight security was now past and it was more important that the teams worked together and didn't blunder into each other. "Remember, the vast majority of the survivors are teenagers so we have a massive advantage. Our duty is to round up as many of them as we can and convert them to Islam. Their stupid Prime Minister was half right when he said rebuilding was going to be important, but we will rebuild this country as an Islamic state. All survivors must accept the Islamic way," she told the various teams. Shafiq's view was that they should round up the survivors as a priority. Their conversion to Islam needed to begin immediately and she was determined that there would be no opportunity for groups of kids to band together to form any kind of organised resistance to her plans. The best way to avoid that was to indoctrinate them as quickly as possible. Non-believers would not be tolerated as they could cause problems later. She was also thinking about what her other priorities should be as part of the rebuilding efforts. Food production would be important, as would health. There was probably enough stockpiled fuel to last them for a long time yet. Another priority would be to train some of their new converts to establish a larger security force ------- In other countries around the world, some attempts were being made to quarantine those confirmed as having bird flu in an effort to stop its progress. Government advisors knew it would be a losing battle, but in those nations where preparations were better - Japan for example - anti-retroviral drugs were being given to as many of the population as possible. Of course, the country needed to have stockpiled the drugs in anticipation of such a disaster for there to be enough to go round, and not many had had such foresight. Other problems awaited those who managed to avoid catching the virus. The absence of bird life meant that insects were thriving. Illnesses that were spread by insects were destined for a dramatic increase in the near future. Throughout the Middle East the race was on to see which country could find and slaughter the highest number of Al Qaeda operatives. The main prizes at stake were of course Osama Bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri. The net was closing and it seemed likely that the organisation would be completely wiped out before the virus managed to dispose of those that were hunting them. ------- Following Shafiq's phone calls, Assam and the Glasgow cell had made contact with their counterparts based in Edinburgh, a team they hadn't even been aware existed before. Assam had called a meeting of his own people and they began to plan how they would carry out their task of rounding up the surviving teens and what they would do with them when they had them. It was agreed the large mosque on the south side of the River Clyde would be an ideal centre for indoctrinating the young men and women into the ways of Islam. Assam also ordered his team to begin to stockpile weapons and ammunition for the future as they began their sweeps looking for survivors. A map of Glasgow and the surrounding area was laid out and they worked on marking zones and agreeing who would search which area. Assam decided it would be best to start searching the further out areas first and move in towards the city centre. Two pairs would go out, one to the west of the city and one to the east. ------- Jamie and Laura had emptied the Range Rover and piled the foodstuff in the spare bedroom on the ground floor of the farmhouse. The steaks had gone straight into the large chest freezer. Laura managed to sneak her clothing into the house and upstairs to her bedroom without Jamie noticing. When she returned downstairs she saw Jamie lugging two large boxes into the sitting room. "Jamie, I was wondering why you took up so much room in the Rover with those. Why do we need two more computers? We've already got good computers," she quizzed him. "We've both got very good desk-top computers sis, but we'll be leaving the farm soon and they'll be a pain to try and take with us. I thought I could transfer all of our stuff onto these laptops and then we can take them anywhere. I also had an idea when I saw this." Jamie held up a software case that had 'Dreamweaver' on the front. "This is the software we use in computing studies at school for building our own web sites. The Internet still seems to be working perfectly and I thought one way we might be able to make contact with other survivors would be to create our own survival web site that they can contact us through. I'm also going to start a blog so people around the world can see someone is still going strong," he said. "Won't that be dangerous? Won't it give anyone who might be a threat an idea of where we are?" his sister asked. "I'll be careful what I put on the blog and make sure I don't give any clues that would help people find us," he responded. While Jamie busied himself setting up the laptops and transferring all of their programs and personal data, Laura tried once again to phone round all of her friends. She continued to hold out a fond hope that some of the other teen survivors would include her close friends. Her hope was fading fast the longer she went without being able to contact them however. With Jamie working on her computer, she busied herself going through the DVDs, sorting them and then thinking what to prepare for their evening meal. She settled on making some pasta with frozen vegetables and tinned tuna and started the kettle boiling for the pasta. Jamie put together a very basic web site using the Dreamweaver software. His thinking was that it didn't need to look attractive, just function appropriately as a way of communicating with others. He named the web site Surviving in Scotland and included a hyperlink to his e-mail address. He was just finishing up when Laura called upstairs to let him know that food was ready. He was pleased their trip out seemed to have brightened Laura's mood, she was a different girl to the one who had been moping about earlier. He joined her at the kitchen table and wolfed down the fantastic pasta she had made, complimenting her on her culinary skills. After eating, Jamie picked out the Simpson's Movie to watch and they sat on the sofa cuddled together, laughing at the antics of Homer and his family. They really enjoyed the movie and agreed it was a good end to a much better day. "I'm going to turn in sis. Thanks again for dinner," Jamie said as he pulled himself up from the sofa. "I'll be up after I've washed the dinner dishes," Laura replied. Laura had continued to sleep with her big brother and he hadn't complained, recognising she still needed the comfort of having him close. There had been no problems between them and he felt increasingly comfortable with the arrangement. That was all about to change. Half an hour after he had stripped down to his boxers and crawled into his bed, the bedroom door opened and Laura entered. She had already changed into her nightwear and what she had on took Jamie's breath away. Her normal habit was to wear a T-shirt and keep her panties on, but tonight she had on a pair of French cut knickers that moulded to her butt and crotch, the legs curving to display her rounded ass cheeks beautifully. Instead of a T-shirt she had on a matching white silk camisole top that did nothing to hide her diamond hard nipples. Laura gave Jamie a shy smile as she slid in beside him and wished him good night. He felt the need to turn on his side away from her, to hide the fact that his cock had grown as hard as steel at the sight of her. Laura cuddled up to his back and he felt her glorious, silk encased breasts burning the bare skin of his back. Neither said another word and soon Jamie believed his sister had fallen asleep. He found it more difficult to get to sleep himself, as he was acutely aware of her hard nipples pressed against him. Eventually he did manage to drift off, but not until he had endured an hour of exquisite torture. He made a mental note to have a word with his sister about her choice of sleepwear. ------- 05:36, 3 August Jamie came awake slowly and with a smile on his face. He was used to rising early, as there were often chores to do around the farm. This morning there was something different and his still foggy brain was trying to determine what it was. He was aware that his cock was hard and that it seemed to be wedged in something, something that was soft, warm and silky. He came fully awake and nearly lost it. His cock was pressed in between his sister's firm ass cheeks and she was unconsciously pushing back against it. He also realised that his right arm was in between Laura's side and her arm and his hand was cupping her right breast. He could feel Laura's hand over his own and her nipple was hard, scalding his palm. Jamie tried to ease back away from his sister, appalled and embarrassed at what he was doing to her as she slept. As he pulled his groin back it was as if Laura's butt was stuck to him with superglue because it followed him, maintaining the contact with his rock hard staff. He tried to move his hand from her soft, firm breast and felt her hand trying to keep him there. Eventually he managed to wiggle his hand free and he quickly rolled over and got out of bed. He snatched up his clothes and ran for the bathroom, dressing quickly and then making his way to the kitchen. He sat at the kitchen table and held his head in his hands. "What the hell are you doing you muppet? Groping your own sister, that's sick. She's probably still traumatised by everything that's going on and you think it's appropriate to put your greasy paws all over her and rub your cock against her ass?" He heard his sister moving around upstairs and a few minutes later she joined him in the kitchen. He found it difficult to look her in the eye and busied himself making some scrambled eggs for them both. He put four slices of frozen bread into the toaster and then filled the kettle and turned it on. "Jamie, why did you run away? I was enjoying having you so close to me," Laura said. "I'm sorry sis, I just had to get up." "You were already up from what I felt," she giggled. Jamie turned at last and she saw his face was flushed with his embarrassment. "Um, I'm sorry about that Laura," he mumbled. "Don't you like my boobs? Are they too small?" she asked next. If anything Jamie's face grew even redder as he realised she had caught him groping her. "Look I'm really sorry sis, I didn't even know I was doing it and I stopped as soon as I woke up. Honest." "It wasn't you, it was me. I put your hand there. I needed to be closer to you, to feel you holding me," she said with a broad smile on her face. Laura was really getting off on seeing her big brother squirm so much. "You put my hand there? You mean you were awake all the time and you were trying to get me to grope you?" he asked, "what the hell were you playing at? I'm your brother for god's sake." "Jamie, I've lost my grandparents and my parents in the last week. It looks like I've lost all of my friends, even my MSN friends like Highlander. The only thing I have left is you and I want to feel you as close to me as possible. You didn't answer my question by the way. Don't you like my boobs?" Her response was the last straw for Jamie. He was also still under a lot of stress himself given what he had been through. Now that his sister had admitted she had purposefully placed his hand on her breast, he found himself absolutely blowing up. He had been berating himself for groping her, but it had actually been her all along. "Laura, it might have escaped your notice, but I've been through exactly the same fucking things as you have, but I haven't let it make me act crazy like you seem to be doing. Oh, and by the way Highlander's fine, he's right here." Laura took a step back in the face of her brother's anger then his words registered in her head. "What do you mean Highlander's fine?" she asked quietly. "I'm Highlander, it's been me all along Sassy14!" he shouted at her. "No, that can't be true," she replied. "It was me, the teasing, the flashing it was all me!" Laura heard his words. She realised he couldn't know the details he did unless what he was saying was true. "You bastard! How could you, you absolute bastard! I HATE YOU!" she screamed and ran from the kitchen. Jamie heard the front door slam a few moments later. "Fuck her!" he thought," I was behaving myself and it was her who was trying to get me to grope her." ------- Laura ran all the way to the main road, but then she had to slow down as she struggled to catch her breath. She turned right and headed back towards where they had been the day before, subconsciously deciding to make her way to the Wal-Mart store once more. Forty five minutes later she had still not reached the store, it hadn't seemed all that far when they had gone there in the Rover. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost seven am. The exercise had helped calm her down somewhat and she was thinking more rationally. She admitted to herself that her reaction had as much to do with her own guilt as it had Jamie's deception. She was feeling guilty because she now knew Jamie had known what she had been doing. He had been aware that she was teasing and flashing him on purpose and she felt that she might die. She also realised she didn't hate him. She still felt the same way about him, despite the awful trick he had played on her. She loved her brother. Just as she reached the Wal-Mart she thought about the things that their father had said to them. She knew she was already going against his advice by letting this situation get to her. Only this morning she couldn't bear to have Jamie more than a few feet away from her and now in her anger she had abandoned him. She had just made up her mind to return to the farmhouse immediately when she heard tyres screeching and a Honda CRV jeep came careening into the supermarket car park. Before she could even think of running, or screaming, Laura found herself grabbed by two men and her hands were pulled behind her back. One of the men slipped a nylon/plastic tie over her wrists and then pulled it tight to secure her. The other man bundled her into the rear of the jeep, as she cried out and tried everything in her power to get them off of her, kicking her legs out and wriggling frantically. She was easily overpowered and a few moments later she felt the vehicle driving off. ------- Jamie pottered about the farmhouse, angry with himself for blurting out the truth about his chats with Laura on MSN. When she hadn't returned two hours later he started to really worry. After another half an hour he couldn't take it any longer and he jumped into the Range Rover and gunned the engine, speeding down the lane and onto the main road to try and find his precious sister. His dad had only been gone a matter of days and already they had both ignored the advice he had given them. He drove around for several hours until he noticed that his fuel was getting low so he pulled into a gas station. When he unscrewed the cap from the tank and put the nozzle of the pump into the opening he found that pressing the lever on the pump had no effect. He kicked the pump in frustration, but then thought about it a bit. He made his way inside the kiosk and heard the 'beep' behind the counter. When he leaned over the desk he saw a flashing light on a board and he pressed it once. The beeping stopped and her returned to the forecourt. This time when he pressed the lever on the pump he could hear the fuel going into the tank and saw the numbers on the pump display begin to spin round. Once the tank was full, he resumed his search for his sister. Jamie's search lasted all of the afternoon and by that time he was getting frantic. With no success he decided that the helicopter might be a better option. When he pulled up in front of the farmhouse he hoped against hope that Laura would already be back, but his hopes were dashed, as he found the house empty. He forced himself not to rush in his pre-flight checks and twenty minutes later he had the helicopter up in the air and was conducting a systematic search of the surrounding area. The low fuel warning forced him to call off his search eventually and he returned to the farm. He made sure to re-fuel the helicopter before heading into the farmhouse through the back door. Jamie opened the fridge, but then decided he wasn't hungry and he made his way to the sofa in the sitting room. He couldn't believe his stupidity seemed to have lost him his sister and he felt the weight of that on his shoulders. ------- Chapter 10: Home alone Laura continued to scream at her abductors from the rear seat of the jeep. The man in the passenger seat turned and pointed a rifle at her between the two front seats. She could see his black eyes glinting with anger and she knew her time was up. That thought had just gone through her head when the man lunged forward, jabbing the muzzle of the rifle hard into her belly. The air whooshed out of her and pain exploded through her body. "Shut up you little whore!" he screamed at her. With the pain and lack of oxygen it was impossible for Laura to make any other noise at that moment other than whimper. She was relieved when the man turned round once more to face the front. Laura found that the brutality of what was happening to her had the opposite effect to what she might expected. If someone had described something like this involving her she would definitely have said she would be terrified. Instead she found herself calming and her brain started to function more clearly. The clarity allowed her to realise that she needed to make sure she didn't make any false moves, if she did, her very life might be on the line. She tried to estimate how long the journey in the jeep took so that she would have some idea of roughly where she was. She was sure she'd read that in some book of Jamie's. She was counting up to sixty repeatedly and keeping track of the number of times she did it so that when the jeep came to a halt, she reckoned they had been driving for around thirty-five minutes. The chances were therefore that she was somewhere in Glasgow City centre. The glimpses of buildings passing that she managed to see from her prone position backed that up. When the back door was opened and she found herself being dragged from the seat, her suspicions were confirmed. She recognised the mosque that was in front of her, as the family had driven past it many times. She knew it sat on the south bank of the River Clyde. The fact that she had been brought to the mosque also gave her some other intelligence she realised. It was very likely that she had been picked up by some of the terrorists who had been involved in starting this whole despicable attack on her country. Laura was prodded into moving forward towards the entrance to the mosque and then brought to a halt and told to take of her footwear. "I can't take off my boots with my hands tied behind my back," she advised. One of the men pulled out a sharp looking knife and proceeded to cut through the plastic tie that bound her hands together. Laura gasped as the blood rushed back into her hands and fingers. She hadn't realised just how badly her circulation had been cut off. She clenched and unclenched her fists and waved her hands around to try and quell the feeling of pins and needles that she was suddenly experiencing and then bent to remove her boots. Once her footwear was off she was pushed forward once more. She passed through a highly ornate archway and found herself in an equally ornate and much larger hall. There were around a hundred other teenagers already gathered in the hall and she was thrust in their general direction. The group was a mixed one of boys and girls, but they all had one thing in common - the look of shock and fear on their faces. It was clear these young people were struggling to come to terms with everything that was happening around them. Laura knew that if they had been rounded up like she had, then that would have been just one more shock on top of the loss of family and friends they must all have suffered. A different man entered what Laura now guessed must be the place where the Muslims said their prayers. Like the two men that had grabbed her, he was dressed in traditional Muslim clothing - baggy trousers and a long flowing shirt over the top of them. Unlike the other two, this man looked white and British she thought. "Can I have your attention please boys and girls?" the man called loudly. Laura immediately noticed that several of the teens around her bristled at being called 'boys and girls'. The term annoyed them despite the circumstances they were in. "Please quieten down and listen to what I have to say," the man called out. "You are fortunate enough to have survived the virus outbreak and as our own Prime Minister said before he passed away, now you have a responsibility to help rebuild our country. "You will all convert to the Islamic faith as a first priority. Lessons on the Qu'ran will begin for all of you immediately. Once your studies have progressed satisfactorily we will discuss with you what role in our rebuilding will best suit you. "For the time being you will be based here in this holy mosque. I have to warn you not to try and run away - there really is nothing else out there and your best hope of continuing to survive is to accept Islam and work with us from now on. "Open your hearts to the prophet and work hard at learning and observing the lessons of the holy book. Therein lies your ultimate salvation. Food and blankets will be available for you within the hour." With that the man turned and left the prayer hall. All round her Laura heard nervous whispering amongst the teens. She was unsure how she felt about what the man had said. She was clear that she had no intention of converting to become a Muslim. She was a confirmed member of the Church of Scotland, a Christian and she fully intended to remain so. The new found calmness and clarity that had come to her told her that she would have to put on a convincing act to the contrary however. ------- 21:43, 3 August Jamie was in a quandary. He didn't want to give up the search for his sister, couldn't live with himself if there was any hint that he had abandoned her. While there was a chance of finding her safe and well he had to keep up the search. His problem was that if she had been picked up by a hostile group it was altogether possible that she might tell them where he was. Remaining at the farmhouse could therefore be dangerous for him. But if Laura was still free the farmhouse was the only place she could return to and if he left it she wouldn't know how to contact him. To stay or go, that was the question he now faced. "I'll keep looking for two more days and then I'll have to accept that Laura's not coming back," he thought to himself, "I'll sleep in the barn so that if anyone comes I'll have the chance to escape and if Laura comes I won't miss her." He felt better for reaching this decision. If he had lost his sister it would be just one more huge blow, but he knew that he would somehow carry on. The decision taken, he immediately began to gather up all the things that he would need to make a stay in the barn more comfortable. He put on the kettle to make a flask of coffee and rummaged around in his bedroom cupboard until he found his sleeping bag. The loaf he had used that morning for toast was now fully defrosted and he used the bread to make up some sandwiches, wrapping them in clingfilm. He put everything into a rucksack, which he slung over his shoulder before lifting the shotgun with his other hand. He closed and locked the back door behind him and made his way over to the barn. The huge structure was almost empty, as it was too early in the year for the hay to have been harvested, baled and stored away for the winter months. There were still a few bales up in the loft and he climbed the ladder with the intention of using these to stave off the worst of the draughts that would inevitably blow through the barn. Jamie dumped his rucksack on the floor of the loft and laid the shotgun beside it. He made a quick assessment of his position recognising that he had to make sure he had clear lines of sight to the farmhouse and the approaches to it. He also had to ensure he had an escape route that he could use, hopefully one that would keep him concealed so his presence wasn't discovered. He found the best spot for watching the house and dragged the bales of hay over to create a little nest for himself. The hoist for raising loads up into the loft held a sturdy rope that would allow him to get out of the barn quickly. He tried using it a couple of times to make sure it would work if and when the time came that he had to leave in a hurry. He also realised that it would be useful to have his binoculars with him so he returned to the farmhouse to get them. He climbed up into the loft once more and made himself comfortable for the night. He ran over his plans for the next day, where he would go to look for Laura and how he would need to be extra careful, particularly when returning to the farmhouse. He knew there was a risk of someone hiding in the house while he was out searching and he would need to be cautious to avoid being ambushed. Full darkness fell and Jamie realised watching the approaches to the house was impossible. He decided he would have to rely on his sharp ears and pulled the sleeping bag around himself before drifting off to sleep. ------- The white man had been true to his word and not long after he had left the prayer hall the two men who had captured Laura came in with two huge pots of something steaming hot. They had a woman with them and she carried several large plastic bags containing sliced up bread. Laura looked at the woman. This was the first time she had seen her and her appearance took her breath away. She was quite simply stunning. She looked to be about five foot five tall, was slim and willowy and had black hair that shone brightly as it cascaded down to the middle of her back. She was clearly Asian or Middle Eastern in origin and her olive skin and fine features were a canvas to showcase her large deep brown eyes. Laura guessed her age to be perhaps nineteen and she felt there was something different about the woman. Two queues were beginning to form in front of the pots and the two men left the prayer hall and returned with stacks of plastic bowls and spoons. They began to dish out bowls of what seemed to be some kind of lentil based soup and the woman dished out bread to go along with it. As Laura got closer to the front of the queue she was in, she found herself staring at the young woman, unable to pull her eyes away from her. The woman must have sensed the scrutiny somehow and her eyes rose to lock with Laura's. She felt a shiver run down her spine and she could swear the woman's lips twitched ever so slightly in the hint of a smile. The smile came and went so quickly that Laura couldn't be absolutely sure and the woman's head dropped as she concentrated on her task once more. She tried to think quickly. The possibility of having an ally amongst the terrorists could be a huge advantage and she wondered how she could achieve that. When Laura reached the front of the queue, she took her bowl of soup and reached out for a slice of bread. She ensured her fingers made contact with the woman's hand as the bread was handed over and when the woman's head came up to look at her, she smiled shyly at her. The woman returned her smile, but had a questioning look in her beautiful brown eyes, as if to ask what was going on. Laura turned quickly and made her way over to a quiet corner to eat her soup. She kept her eyes on the woman and could see her searching the hall with her eyes, trying to locate something. Laura hoped the woman was looking for her. When the woman's eyes alighted on her she stopped her search and in doing so confirmed for Laura that it had been her the woman was interested in. When everyone in the hall had been served with soup, the two men took the large pots away, presumably to a kitchen somewhere close by, Laura guessed. The woman crossed the hall, heading in Laura's direction. When she stood over her, she spoke and her accent was a Glasgwegian one. "What's your name?" she asked quietly. "Laura, Laura MacLaren," she replied. "Pleased to meet you Laura MacLaren, I am Fisah" the woman said and then turned and left the hall. Laura was pleased with how this had gone. She sensed that the woman liked her for some reason, had picked her out of all the teenagers that were here and Laura's response had somehow begun to cement that. Perhaps Fisah was lonely? Maybe she was the only woman amongst the terrorist group and she was desperate for some female companionship. Laura was determined to cultivate a friendship with her if she could. ------- 07:30am, 4 August "GET UP! ALL OF YOU, GET UP NOW!" The loud screams woke Laura from her fitful sleep and she rubbed her eyes to clear them, sitting up. The teenagers in the hall had all been issued with a blanket the night before and told to make themselves as comfortable as possible on the floor of the prayer hall. Laura had found it difficult to sleep on the hard floor, but she must have drifted off eventually. She remembered wishing she was back cuddled up beside her big brother in his comfortable bed. Now she had been rudely awakened and she staggered to her feet like all those around her, bewildered at what was going on and why the three men at the front of the prayer hall were screaming at them. For the first time Laura noticed that all three had rifles in their hands and they were gesturing with them towards the teens. Laura decided this looked even scarier than some of the things she had endured in the past few weeks. She followed the other teenagers as they were ushered towards the exit of the mosque. The other three members of the Al Qaeda team were outside facing them as they emerged into the coolish early morning air. Fisah was one of the three and she too held a rifle. Laura made eye contact with her, but the woman's face was set and grim and she gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Another team member, one that Laura had not seen previously, was also armed with a rifle and the third was the man who had spoken to them all the night before. He had a pistol held by his side. Beside the three operatives, their hands tied behind their backs and their eyes blindfolded, were five teenagers. As she was jostled slightly from behind, Laura could just see that four of the teenagers were boys and one was a girl. She wondered why they had been singled out and why they had been tied and blindfolded. Glancing over her shoulder she could see that the three men who had ushered then out of the prayer hall had now taken up positions to cover the entire group of teens and they had their rifles at the ready. She gulped. "Thank you for gathering together this morning," said the man with the pistol. Laura guessed he was the overall leader of the terrorists. "I did warn you last night that you would all need to convert to Islam and that none of you should try and run away. All of these people you see before you have made it known that there is nothing that would make them convert and three of the boys tried to get out of the mosque last night. As you can see their attempt was futile. I can see that I have to make an example of these five, an example that will make it clear to the rest of you that I will not tolerate disobedience. Let me also make this clear. There is no room in our new Islamic Britain for non-believers. Failure to convert will result in only one outcome." Assam (for that was who it was of course) stopped talking and walked behind the nearest of the boys. He forced the boy down onto his knees and then calmly brought his pistol up and shot the boy in the back of the head, execution style. The boy was dead instantly and his body flopped to the ground on its side. He moved to the next boy in line who was clearly now shaking like a leaf. "Please god no!" the boy pleaded. "Your problem is you're praying to the wrong god infidel," Assam replied passionately. Laura's knees were shaking and she was having to gulp in air to keep herself breathing. She saw the second boy forced to his knees and the front of his jeans suddenly stain a darker colour of blue as he lost control and pissed all over himself. Again she watched as the man raised the pistol, his face devoid of any emotion. She turned her head away at the last second, but still jumped when the report of the shot crashed out. The piteous cries of the girl who was last in line now reached her too, and she shuddered as she tried to comprehend what must be going through the minds of the three remaining blindfolded teenagers. She glanced at Fisah and saw that she was staring ahead to avoid having to witness what was being done. The last of the men moved to help the one with the pistol force the third boy to his knees and held him there as the pistol came up once more. Laura forced herself to watch, to watch and let her own subconscious internalise what would happen to her if she put a foot wrong. When the pistol fired she clearly saw the boy's head buck forward and then back. A fine spray of red blood appeared for a second in front of him as his body slumped forward. When she glanced along the line she saw the last boy was already being restrained in readiness for his execution and the girl was trembling all over. Her chin was forward, tight against her chest and her shoulders were bobbing up and down as her body was wracked with terrified sobbing. "Fisah, hold the girl!" the man with the pistol ordered. Laura saw Fisah flinch at the command and have to take a moment to gather herself before she complied. She slung her rifle over her shoulder and grabbed the now screaming girl by the shoulders, forcing her down onto her knees. Her eyes met Laura's and it seemed as if she was pleading for forgiveness for playing a part in this callous and heinous crime. Once more Laura forced herself to watch as the last boy and then the girl were dispatched with single gun shots. Having completed his demonstration of brutality, Assam holstered his pistol and turned to face the assembled teenagers once more. "I will not hesitate to do my duty just as effectively if there are any more of you who will not join the prophet or try to cause trouble in any other way. Mark my words and let this be an inspiration to you in your studies to become good Muslims." ------- Surprisingly, Jamie managed a good nights sleep in his sleeping bag inside his little hay nest. He awoke and checked his watch, noting that it was 05:52. He sat up and spent twenty minutes just letting his eyes sweep slowly across the lane and the farmhouse. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary and he was pretty sure things were all clear. His thoughts the night before had suggested it would be safer, and he would be able to cover more ground, if he continued the search for Laura today in the little Robinson helicopter. He was going to spend two hours up in the air this morning before returning to give the machine a rest and refuel. While he was waiting for the helicopter to cool down he planned to have something to eat and to use the Internet to begin to search for a suitable base further away from Scotland's central belt. That had been his father's advice - somewhere away from the main population areas (what was left of the population anyway) and therefore probably away from the main base of operations of those who might be the most dangerous now that society had collapsed. At first the helicopter sweep found nothing new, no sign of Laura and nothing moving. He kept at it for two hours, moving closer to Glasgow itself and was just about to head for the farm when he caught some movement out of the corner of his eye. He swung the helicopter round and saw a jeep driving down one of the streets below. The jeep halted and he saw two figures emerging from it. He was dropping lower to try and see more, when one of the figures raised something in his hands and Jamie heard something clang against the body of the helicopter. He realised he was being shot at and took immediate evasive action, violently swinging the helicopter away to the west. If confirmation was needed that there were dangerous elements out and about, he now had it. Jamie thought quickly and piloted the helicopter away in a direction that wouldn't lead whoever was shooting at him to the farm. Only when he had flown several miles further did he set a course for the farm, his adrenaline now slackening off and the shock of having been shot at kicking in. He set the helicopter down and had to sit for a while before he could bring himself to get out and make his way to the farmhouse. If nothing else, this confirmed his father's advice about the danger of remaining in the central belt. Of more concern was the implication of his brush with the jeep for Laura. Had she fallen foul of the same people? He turned to his computer with new urgency to find an alternative place to go. Something tickled away in the back of his head. There was something about a place in the highlands, a place he vaguely associated with security, but it wouldn't come to him. He did a google search for estates in Scotland and scrolled through the hits. One in particular caught his eye and his memories came back. Skibo Castle was in the far north, Sutherland in the highlands. He remembered that Madonna had married her husband Guy Ritchie there and there had been significant security to keep out unwanted guests. He clicked on the google images of the castle and was immediately impressed by its size and grandeur. The castle was now in effect a luxury hotel and Jamie thought that the combination of accommodation, facilities, including kitchens and dining areas, would be perfect for building up a community. After wolfing down some soup, Jamie looked at some maps to fix in his mind where Skibo was and decided to go and have a look at it. He fired up the helicopter and then piloted it towards the north and slightly east. He used large landmarks to guide him and kept the helicopter at close to its maximum speed and within an hour he was in the area that the castle should be. He picked out the turrets from several miles away and over-flew the castle and grounds to try and identify any dangers. There was no movement below him and he figured that the arrival of a helicopter, given the current situation, would definitely have brought any survivors running outside to see what was going on. He felt it was safe to land and take a closer look. ------- Chapter 11: Friend and Ally 17:12, 3 August By chance, Laura happened to be close by Assam when the two terrorists who had grabbed her came running into the prayer hall. Assam had been talking to Fisah and Laura was trying to remain close to the woman in the hope of getting to speak to her again. Laura was sitting on the floor pretending to read the little, green-covered book that she had been given. The book was an English version of the Qu'ran and a copy had been given to every teenager in the hall. "Assam! Assam, a helicopter, we saw a helicopter!" one of the men said excitedly as they both ran up. "Are you sure you haven't been smoking that water pipe of yours again Hadij?" Assam replied. "No, it was real. We both saw it and Mushtaq thinks he might even have hit it," Hadij replied. Assam looked at Mushtaq for confirmation and when the second man nodded, a huge grin on his face, Assam raised his arm with lightening quick speed and slapped him across his right cheek. Mushtaq howled and raised his hands to the inflamed skin of his face. He looked at Assam in bewilderment. He had thought he would receive praise, but instead his leader seemed to be angry with him. "Fool! If it is true that there is a survivor who knows how to fly a helicopter why would we try and kill him as soon as we first see him? How many people are left that have that skill do you think? How many?" Assam was now right up in Mushtaq's face, his spittle actually landing on the other man's skin as he shouted at him. At the mention of the helicopter Laura couldn't help but gasp. She knew the odds were that the terrorists had spotted Jamie. When she looked up, Fisah was watching her and Laura knew she had caught her reaction to the news about the helicopter. She cursed herself inwardly. This was exactly the kind of error that she had been warning herself against making. Laura turned her attention back to Assam. "We must have this man on our side. A pilot would be useful in many ways and we must persuade him to work with us. Where did you spot the helicopter? What was it doing?" Assam asked. Hadij quickly unfolded a map and pointed out where they had encountered Jamie. "We could see it for some minutes before we got close," said Hadij, "it seemed to be flying a search pattern. Perhaps he's looking for something, survivors maybe?" "Perhaps. How are our new recruits coming along, the special ones?" Assam asked, turning to Fisah. "It is too early to say, give me a few weeks with them and I think they'll be useful. It's all too much for them still," she replied. Laura wondered what they meant by 'special' recruits. She glanced around her at the teenagers who had been rounded up so far. Their numbers seemed to be swelling all the time and she estimated there were now close to two hundred boys and girls in the prayer hall. As she looked, something occurred to her. None of the teenagers was of Asian or other ethnic origin. She knew Glasgow had quite a large Asian community and even quite a sizeable Chinese population, yet all of the teenagers here were white. She wondered if the 'special' recruits were surviving teenagers who were already Muslims? "We need to break off our sweeps for survivors and concentrate on this pilot," said Assam, "he must be our priority." Laura began to get worried for Jamie. It was clear that the leader of the terrorists was hell-bent on capturing her brother and was dropping everything else to achieve that. The fact that he was intent on capturing rather than killing Jamie was of some small comfort. ------- He had landed the helicopter on the impressive lawns that surrounded Skibo. He had noticed a large ornamental lake and numerous lodges dotted about the grounds. Jamie now approached the impressive castle cautiously. [http://www.carnegieclub.co.uk/index.php?sectionid=68&parentid=1 for views of Skibo] He made a full circuit of the extensive building, but saw nothing to alarm him. Finding himself back at the main entrance he walked up the steps and through the front door. Inside it was apparent that no expense had been spared on decorating and furnishing the luxury hotel. In front of him a sweeping staircase with ornate wooden banisters rose upward to the upper floors and a massive stone archway split balconies that ran on two sides. He wandered around the ground floor and found a large dining room, a bar, several public rooms, a huge kitchen with all of the equipment one might expect for a well appointed restaurant and finally the sports area. The sports area included a gym, a spa which included a swimming pool, sauna and plunge pools. The more he saw, the more he was coming to the conclusion that Skibo would be an ideal base for him to work from. A leaflet at the reception announced fishing, shooting, quad bikes, off-roading, tennis and even archery. If he was successful in hooking up with other survivors, a set-up like this would be absolutely perfect. Plenty of accommodation, the huge kitchen and dining area and with the large flat lawns all round the castle would make it easy to spot anyone approaching. That would make it easier to maintain security. Of course, the fact that the castle was in remote Sutherland, in the far north of Scotland, made it unlikely that any dangerous groups from Glasgow would ever come anywhere near it. Jamie climbed the staircase and began to investigate the bedrooms. He was staggered by the opulence, the sheer size of them and how well fitted out they were. The beds were all four posters. The bathrooms had huge claw-foot baths. There were TVs and DVD players and even points to hook computers up to a broadband connection. The view out of the windows was of the highland mountains and Jamie couldn't help but grin to himself as he stared at their majesty and grandeur. "Yes, I think I'd like to live here. Who wouldn't give their right arm to wake up and look at that every day?" he thought to himself. He counted sixty rooms and even found a laundry room, obviously necessary given the amount of sheets and towels that the hotel would use. Again he realised that he hadn't even considered the logistics of something like laundry when he had been thinking about gathering together other survivors. "I need to sit down and figure out what else a large group of people will need," he thought, "I also need to act on what else dad told me, I need to start to gather some weapons for protection." He sat down at the desk in the bedroom he happened to be in and used the hotels headed notepaper to begin to draw up a list for himself. Food - where is there a large supermarket or distribution warehouse close to Skibo? Weapons - where is the nearest army camp? Energy - check the hotel's energy sources. Generators? Fuel? Could I rig up some wind turbines? Check for a nearby supplier. Medical supplies - nearest hospital? Helicopters - could I fly a military helicopter? Where is the nearest airforce base? Survivors - should I be more proactive and start sweeps in the helicopter to try and pick people up? He stopped thinking and reviewed what he had written so far. He could see that he was going to be busy. His thoughts about whether he would be able to fly a military helicopter were driven by his knowledge that the Robinson was too small. It was only a two-seater and wouldn't be any use for lifting anything heavy either. He had visions of the huge Chinook helicopters that the British Air Force used. Those things could carry tons of stuff and would be invaluable in getting the things he might need out to this remote castle. Jamie checked out the hotel's energy source before returning to the little helicopter. He found it had generators as emergency back up and he checked to see what fuel they used. He also picked up a copy of the local phone directory as he left the reception area of the hotel. The directory would allow him to look for the local facilities he was interested in and help him identify whether he would be able to get what he needed without going too far from the castle. Pleased with himself for thinking of Skibo and finding it so perfect for what he wanted, he climbed back into the helicopter and prepared to return to the farm. ------- 07:22, 5 August Laura had only managed to have very brief conversations with Fisah over the last few days. Progress in gaining the woman's confidence was therefore frustratingly slow. She was sure that Fisah was open to friendship, her words and gestures, even her body language when they were close, all suggested that. Laura knew she was racing against the clock. It would only be a matter of time before the adult, armed, terrorists tracked down Jamie and captured him. That hadn't happened yet, despite the fact that Assam had left only Fisah and one other guarding the teenagers so he could concentrate his efforts on Jamie. Laura volunteered to help Fisah and Mushtaq serve up breakfast to the other teenagers and she kept up light conversation with Fisah as they worked side by side. Mushtaq completely ignored her and that suited Laura just fine. She hadn't forgotten how cruel he had been when he and Hadij had captured her at the Wal-mart store. Once breakfast had been served up, Laura saw her chance to again try to talk to Fisah, when Mushtaq took the large pot that had held the porridge back to the kitchen. "Fisah, I could tell you weren't happy about being involved in the execution the other day. How did you get mixed up with these psychopaths anyway?" she asked, in her haste having to take a very bold approach. Fisah bristled for a second at Laura's words, but then her shoulders slumped and she turned to look at the young white girl. "It's difficult to explain Laura. I was young, I was appalled at what the US and Britain were doing to Muslims around the world. It made me angry, a righteous anger that demanded I do something to strike back. My brother was already involved with some a group and he arranged for me to go to Pakistan to be trained. "I never stopped to think about what kind of atrocities I might be asked to become involved in. In my head it was just a faceless enemy of Islam and the excitement of being in a covert organisation was almost like a drug. "I didn't know just how bad the virus would be, honestly. If I had known I couldn't have helped to release it. I'm a junior doctor you see, I was training at the Southern General Hospital, my second year as a Senior House Officer." Fisah broke off her explanation as Mushtaq re-appeared, but when she saw him wander to the back of the prayer hall she obviously felt it was safe to carry on. "When I saw what was happening on the news I was ashamed and the guilt was terrible. By then I was in it up to my neck and there was nowhere else to go. You've seen just how ruthless Assam can be. He'd be twice as bad with anybody from his team if he ever suspected we weren't fully behind him." "If there was somewhere else to go, would you try to leave?" Laura asked, being bold once more. Fisah scrutinised the young girl's face closely, looking for something. She must have found what she was looking for, as in the next breath she showed she was willing to at least explore the possibility. "You know who the helicopter pilot is, don't you?" Fisah asked. Laura instinctively knew she had to gamble. There was a time and a place to gamble and she thought this was it. The risk was that Fisah would help the terrorists find out where Jamie was, but Laura thought that it must be close to the time when Jamie would leave the farm anyway. "He's my brother and I believe he could help us both escape, maybe even help some of these others too. It really is going to be hell for them here isn't it?" she asked. Fisah nodded her agreement and her face grew sad as she flicked her eyes over the other teenagers. "Assam will brainwash them all. He is determined to see Britain become an Islamic state and he won't let anything or anyone get in his way," Fisah replied, "do you have a way of contacting your brother?" Laura nodded. She knew she could simply phone Jamie, but the number would give his location away to some extent. She was still trying to be as cautious as possible, despite the fact that she was convinced Fisah was genuine. "I can contact him if you can get me access to a computer with an Internet connection," she responded. Fisah nodded to show she understood, her smile also showed that she recognised the girl's caution and approved. "We must act quickly before Assam catches him. Warning him that he is being hunted is the first priority. I think I know how to do this," Fisah said. ------- Jamie was preparing to leave the farmhouse for good. He had approached cautiously when returning from Skibo, but found the farm deserted. After another night sleeping in the barn, he had spent the previous day sweeping the area again in the forlorn hope of finding Laura. Twice he had spotted vehicles moving below him and he could have sworn they tried to keep up with him, almost as if they were trying to follow him. As he had before, he took avoiding action and flew in different directions to ensure he gave no clues as to his base. When he had bedded down in the barn for his third night, he admitted to himself that there was now no hope of finding Laura and his own position was growing increasingly dangerous. He decided that he would pack up what he needed in the morning and move to Skibo. Packing was relatively quick, as the Robinson wouldn't take very much. He decided to check his web site before he left, to see whether anyone had tried to contact him. His heart raced when he saw that he had seventy-two unread e-mails. Just before he clicked on the button to open his inbox, he saw his MSN icon blink at him in the bottom right hand corner of the computer screen. He clicked on the icon to open up MSN and then his heart almost stopped. Sassy14: Highlander, I sure could use your help. Jamie couldn't believe his eyes. He knew there was little doubt this was Laura, who else would know her screen name and also know his MSN address? He remembered to be cautious however, it was possible that someone had captured Laura and had somehow extracted information from her as to how to contact him. He had to be careful, but even the remote possibility that he could get his sister back was worth a risk. Highlander: Boy am I ever glad to hear from you, where are you? How can I get to you? Sassy14: Not much time just now, captured by terrorists and they have spotted your helicopter. Four of them are hunting you right now, as they are desperate to get their hands on a pilot. I suggest if you haven't already done so you get away from the farm. I'll try and contact you again tomorrow at the same time. Highlander: Thanks for the warning. I've found the perfect place for us. Just hold on, I will come and get you. Sassy14: I never doubted you. Got to go, love you, bye. The IM connection was broken. Jamie sat for only a second or two; tears of relief and concern mixed together rolling down his cheeks. Then he was all action. He packed up both of the laptops and took a last quick look round the farmhouse. He still locked the back door behind him as he left and then he ran across to the helicopter and started it up. Perhaps it was the sound of the rotors that drew them, he didn't know. All that he was aware of in that second was a Honda CRV Jeep racing up the lane towards the farmhouse. "Forgive me for doing this dad, but I'm sure you'll agree there's a time and a place to follow safety procedures and this isn't it," he thought to himself as he skipped the checks and urged the helicopter into the air. He glanced below him and could see two men waving up at him. It was clear they were trying to indicate that they were friendly and that he should return to the ground. "Fuck off!" he thought to himself and then laughed out loud. The figures grew smaller, as his altitude increased and he once more had the presence of mind to set off in the opposite direction to where he was really heading. Once he had flown south for several miles he took the helicopter east for another few miles and then turned and began his run back to Skibo. ------- Fisah had told Mushtaq that she needed someone's help to sort through more blankets for any new arrivals. The terrorist had shrugged his shoulders in disinterest and returned his gaze to the teenagers in the hall, particularly the girls, Fisah noticed. She shuddered as she read the lust that was growing in the man's eyes and she knew he would eventually crack and try to help himself to the young flesh that was around him. Her realisation of his nature was just one more re-inforcing factor in her determination to help Laura and to try to get away from the group. She made a mental note to tell Laura that. Fisah led Laura out of the hall and back to the room that she occupied. The room was sparsely furnished with just a table and a bed, but on the table sat a laptop computer. The computer was surrounded by medical textbooks, which made it clear that Fisah was still studying. Laura wasted no time. She sat at the table and opened up MSN. She was disappointed to find that Jamie wasn't online and she explained the problem to Fisah. "We can't hang around in here long. I told Mushtaq that we were going to sort through some blankets," Fisah said. "Let's do that and I can come back every five minutes or so to see if he's online," Laura suggested. Fisah smiled. This girl was quick, she thought. She agreed that was a good idea and led Laura to a storeroom towards the rear of the mosque where they began to unpack several large boxes of blankets. "We can probably make this last an hour before Mushtaq becomes suspicious. He won't leave the others in the hall on their own, so the only risk is if someone returns from the search for your brother. That's why I didn't think it was a good idea to remain in my room. At least this way we have an excuse for you being away from the rest." Laura made the trip back to Fisah's room four times before she almost jumped for joy to see that Jamie was online. She quickly IM'd him, passing on the warning that he was being hunted by the terrorists. Her heart was almost bursting when he asked how he could come and get her and she desperately wanted to tell him. In the end common sense won out. She knew she would need to spend some time with Fisah planning their escape before she could ask Jamie to help. Instead she just advised him to get away from the farm and then she told him she loved him as she severed the IM connection. Breaking the connection was one of the hardest things she had ever done. She had lost her brother for three days and the comfort of being back in touch with him was massive, so great that there was a worry that if she broke the connection now, she would never hear from him again. She tried to put such negative thoughts to the back of her head. Jamie wouldn't be caught and he would come to her rescue. In all her life her big brother had always been there for her. ------- Chapter 12: The great escape(s) 07:12, 6 August Jamie had elected to spend the night in the honeymoon suite at Skibo Castle. All of the bedrooms in the hotel were plush to say the least, but the luxury of the honeymoon suite was something else again. He'd snacked on the nuts and crisps that he had found in the mini-bar and then relaxed in the Jacuzzi that the suite had. The powerful jets of water helped soothe his tired and rigid muscles, allowing him to realise the constant tension he had been living with for days now. Feeling truly relaxed for the first time in nearly two weeks, he fell asleep in the huge four poster bed as soon as his head hit the pillow. Jamie had always been able to make himself wake up at the time he wanted. It was as if his body had an internal alarm clock and if he told himself he wanted to wake up at 05:00am, he would do. His eyes opened and he glanced at the bedside clock, pleased to see he had woken at precisely 05:01am. Almost on the money! He sat up and stretched, before getting out of the very comfortable bed and snagging his clothes as he headed for the bathroom to perform his morning ablutions. He realised he would need to think about getting himself some fresh clothing as he eyed the pile of jeans, shirt, socks and underwear he had been wearing for three days now. "God, I must stink like a hog," he thought. He ran a bath and climbed into the warm water, scrubbing himself all over before then just lying back and soaking for a while. He suddenly remembered the seventy-two unopened items in his e-mail inbox that he had forgotten to look at the day before. The excitement of IM'ing with Laura and then the close shave with the terrorists had pushed the e-mails out of his head altogether. Now he scrambled to his feet and pulled the plug from the bottom of the bath so it would drain. He wrapped himself in one of the hotels huge fluffy, white towels and dried himself vigorously. Jamie held his well-worn boxers up to his nose and winced at the ripe smell that came from them. He decided getting some clothing would need to be a priority today. Once dressed, he made his way back into the enormous honeymoon suite and crossed to the desk where he had left his laptop the day before. He plugged in the power cable and then connected to the hotel's wireless broadband service. When he input his username and password to access his e-mail account, he found that he now had one hundred and two unopened messages. He felt the excitement of the previous day return and began to open the e-mails one by one. Dear Highlander, I am pretty much on my own in the town of Crianlarich. All of the other people in the town have died from the virus and I admit I'm missing my parents the most. There's plenty of food still in the town's shops and supermarket so I guess I'm doing okay on that front. I don't really know what to do with myself. I did see the Prime Minister talking about rebuilding, but I don't know where to start. Where are you? Are there others out there? Could we maybe meet up? I hope you get this message and reply, as I'm feeling a bit lonely and to be honest I'm scared. All the best, Kenny Jamie re-read the first e-mail. He knew the town of Crianlarich, having driven through it with his parents a number of times. It was known as the gateway to the West Highlands and he could picture the small town centre in his mind. He dashed off a quick reply to Kenny to let him know he had received the e-mail and that he was working on a plan to bring survivors together. He suggested the boy hang in there a little longer and warned him about the terrorists in Glasgow, just in case Kenny decided to head for the big city. The other hundred or so e-mails were very much in the same vein and Jamie began to work through them, replying to every one in much the same way. He hadn't determined how he was going to screen people who contacted him yet and knew it would be foolhardy to simply turn up to meet them without knowing if they were genuine or not. His messages therefore offered encouragement and the prospect of meeting up, but nothing more concrete at this stage. He had answered perhaps twenty or so e-mails when his MSN icon began flashing and his heart started to beat quicker with the thought that Laura was contacting him once more. He clicked on the icon and opened up a dialogue. Sassy14: Hi Highlander, I hope you're still safe and free! Highlander: Hi yourself. I'm fine, but it was close yesterday. If you hadn't warned me I might well have been caught. Where are you? Sassy14: I was grabbed by two of the terrorists who released the virus about an hour after I left the house. They're rounding up as many of the survivors as they can find and holding us at the mosque on the south side of the Clyde. Highlander: Stormed out of the house more like. Your face was like thunder. Forgive me yet? Sassy14: Don't remind me, I was such an ass and of course I forgive you. Highlander: How many terrorists are there? Sassy14: There are six in the original cell, but they're training new people right now. I guess there are over two hundred teenagers being held here and the terrorists are forcing us all to convert to become Muslims. They're planning on Britain becoming an Islamic state. It's awful. The leader executed five people our age right in front of the rest of us the other night because they refused to convert. He said it was to teach the rest of us a lesson. Highlander: How are you able to get access to a computer? Sassy14: One of the terrorists is a woman (well a girl really) and she doesn't like what the others are doing. We've made friends and she's letting me use her laptop. Highlander: Can you trust her? Sassy14: Definitely, she's as horrified at the scale of what they've done as we are. She was nearly sick when the leader executed those people the other night. Highlander: When can I come and get you? Sassy14: Fisah and I are working on a plan. We don't want to leave the other survivors behind, so we need to some up with a plan that lets all of us escape this place. Highlander: Don't take too long, I miss you and want you back as soon as possible. Sassy14: Aw shucks! That's nice. Believe me, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. Hopefully I can IM you with a plan at the same time tomorrow. Stay safe, love you. The connection was cut before Jamie could reply to Laura's final message. He thought about the information she had given him, even pulling up the log and re-reading each of the messages she had sent. An idea occurred to him. "Surely it couldn't be that easy?" he thought. Excitement and adrenaline coursed throw him as the idea began to crystallise in his head. "Could I do it? Have I got the bottle? Jesus, for my little sister I think I could do anything. Come on Jamie, just do it!" His mind made up, he thought about how he would go about it; the things that he would need to do to pull it off. It would be a busy day and he decided fresh clothes would have to wait after all. ------- Laura disconnected from MSN and closed the laptop down. Fisah was standing looking over her shoulder and she had followed the exchange with Jamie. Both she and Laura had flushed when Jamie had asked if she was trustworthy, but she had relaxed when she saw Laura's response to the question. "So, we need a plan?" Fisah asked. "I don't want Jamie taking unnecessary risks," replied Laura. "Of course. I could just walk out there and shoot Mushtaq. That would be the easiest plan and would mean all of the survivors could leave. There are only three drawbacks. One, I don't think I could shoot someone in cold blood. Two, we don't know when Assam and the others might turn up and if they appeared at the wrong moment it would be a disaster. And three, there's nowhere for everyone to go." Laura looked at the beautiful woman. She shuddered as she thought about whether she could shoot someone and had to agree with Fisah, she didn't think she could do it either. Perhaps in the heat of the moment, but not premeditated. "We have to think of a way of getting him out of the picture. That's the key. I guess we'll have to do it soon as well. If Jamie's abandoned the farm then Assam and the others will soon grow tired of looking for him and return. Then we'll have four more to worry about," Laura said. "If only he didn't always have that rifle with him, he seems to hold onto it like a comfort blanket," said Fisah, "we'll have to get back to the main hall. Mushtaq will be growing suspicious. Both of us can think about this and try and come up with an answer. I'll try to get you alone after lunch." They returned to the prayer hall just as Mushtaq was ordering the teenagers to assemble for morning prayers. He had them each place their prayer mat on the floor and face east and then led them in a basic prayer from the Qu'ran. For the remainder of the morning Laura racked her brains to come up with a way of taking care of Mushtaq so they could all get out of the mosque. She wondered if there was a lock on the kitchen and whether Fisah could lock him in there. Even if there was, it wouldn't take him long to shoot the door open with his rifle she thought. She wondered if Fisah had access to any drugs and if they could perhaps knock him out that way? That was something to ask Fisah later. The morning seemed to drag interminably, but eventually it was getting close to lunchtime and Mushtaq gestured to Fisah that she should begin preparations for feeding the teenagers. "YOU! DOWN ON THE FLOOR NOW!" screamed a voice. Laura turned and gasped. It was Jamie. He stood in the doorway to the prayer hall and he had some kind of rifle in his hands. The rifle was currently nestled firmly against his shoulder and was aimed at Mushtaq. The terrorist hesitated for a second and then began to swing his own weapon up and round towards where Jamie was standing. Laura watched as Jamie's rifle bucked and there was a slight flash at the muzzle. The next thing she knew, Mushtaq was crumpling to the floor, a large red stain appearing in the centre of his chest. Laura made a beeline for her brother. "Jamie, Jamie! Oh thank god you've come!" she wailed as she threw herself at him. Jamie pushed her off without looking at her and walked forward slowly towards Mushtaq's body. He nudged the body with his boot and then bent to check for a pulse. Only when he was sure the terrorist was dead did he finally acknowledge his sobbing sister. "I had to come sis. I couldn't bear to think about you being held by this scum for a minute longer than necessary. Come on, we need to get out right now." "So, this is the pilot then?" came Fisah's voice from behind them. Laura and Jamie turned to find Fisah standing there with her own rifle in her hands. Jamie couldn't believe he had been so stupid as to have let his guard down before they were out and away. "Jamie, this is Fisah. She's the one that's been helping me," said Laura, unaware of Jamie's concern. "Pleased to meet you Jamie, or should I call you Highlander?" Fisah said, as her rifle dropped to hang by her side and she extended her hand to shake with him. Jamie's breath came whooshing out. He hadn't even realised he had stopped breathing while he had been staring at the woman. He absently raised his arm and shook her delicate hand. He was amazed at how soft it felt and he was stunned by how exotically beautiful the woman was. He shook himself, as he realised he must be staring at her like a little puppy-dog. "We have to leave now, right away," he said forcefully. Jamie turned and looked at the hundreds of teenagers who were still in shock from his entrance and the shooting of Mushtaq. "Listen all of you. You don't have long to get away before the others return. You'll have to look after each other. There's no shortage of vehicles out there and plenty of fuel still in the petrol stations. Stick with someone who can drive and get out of Glasgow as quickly as you can. I think your best bet is to make for Argyll and the West Highlands. If you can find access to the Internet do a search for 'Surviving in Scotland'. You can contact me there," said Jamie, "now, let's get as far away from here as quickly as we can." He grabbed Laura's hand and pulled her towards the exit just as the crowd of teenagers came to life and also began rushing in that direction. Immediately outside the door, Jamie dragged Laura to a waiting BMW series 5 car and jumped into the driver's seat. Fisah followed, as did two girls from the crowd. "Neither of us can drive, can we come with you?" one of the girls asked. "Just hurry up and get in!" urged Jamie. Fisah sat up front with Jamie and the two girls joined Laura in the back seat. Once they were all in, Jamie raced the engine and pulled away from the mosque with a squeal of tyres. He turned left and joined the main road that led towards the southside of the city. "Where are we going? How did you do it? How did you know what to do?" Laura fired a series of questions at her brother. "I thought that it might be relatively easy if there were only two of the terrorists guarding you. I had to rely on your judgement that Fisah was on our side and wouldn't try to stop me. By my reckoning that meant I would only have to deal with one person. "I flew over the farm and searched the immediate surroundings. Once I spotted two jeeps, one at the farm still and one driving along Dumbarton Road, I was pretty sure the other four terrorists were still occupied searching for me. At that point I was sure there really was only going to be one man to deal with and I decided I had to try it," Jamie said. He felt arms come around his chest from the back seat, as his sister tried to hug him. It was only a matter of minutes before they reached the Mount Florida area of the city and Jamie steered the BMW left and into the car park outside Scotland's national football stadium, Hampden Park. He drove close up to the doors and stopped, jumping out and leading them inside the stadium, through the tunnel and eventually onto the pitch. In the centre circle stood a Lynx helicopter. "Where did you get that?" shouted Laura. Jamie turned and grinned. "I decided to trade up," he replied. He led them running across the football pitch and slid the door to the helicopter open to allow them to climb inside. He climbed in himself and buckled himself up before starting to go through his pre-flight checks. When he pulled the Lynx up into the air, the noise lessened slightly, but it was still impossible to hold a conversation. Instead the three girls and Fisah looked out of the windows as Jamie swept over the area surrounding the mosque to see whether the remainder of the teens had made good their escape. Some could still be seen trying to get away on foot, clearly having been unable to hook up with another teenager who could drive. Jamie was most worried about these, but he didn't feel he could risk setting the helicopter down in these streets, as he was still relatively unfamiliar with its handling and dimensions. Some vehicles could be seen moving away, heading for the nearest entrance to the M8 Motorway just as Jamie had advised. The quickest route to the West Highlands lay along the M8 and over the River Clyde via the Erskine Bridge. Jamie now chose to fly along above the M8 to make sure the route was clear of any dangers. Once he was sure the escaping survivors wouldn't encounter any trouble he turned the Lynx northward and cranked it up to a cruising speed of just on one hundred miles per hour. Less than an hour later, Jamie started to descend and he flared the Lynx in a not too shabby landing. He shut down the rotors and helped the girls and Fisah down onto the ground before leading them into the hotel. He explained his thinking behind using a hotel as their base. "When you think about it, it's ideal. Plenty of accommodation, big kitchens, bedding, towels and a laundry room that's big enough to handle our needs. If we gather a significant number of survivors we're going to need all the room we can get," he said. Laura hugged him and complimented him on his thinking. Fisah agreed too and the two new girls were bubbling with excitement. Jamie eventually thought it was time they introduced themselves to each other and he told the girls his name was James MacLaren and that Laura was his sister. The girls gave their names as Christine Cummings and Debbie MacDonald. Laura could see they were eyeing Fisah suspiciously and she moved to try and reassure them. "This is Fisah. I know you've seen her as one of the bad guys up until now, but it's been Fisah who has been helping me plan our escape. If it hadn't been for her, Jamie wouldn't have known where we were and he wouldn't have been able to come to our rescue," she explained. Christine and Debbie still looked unconvinced, but they did shake hands with Fisah. Jamie suggested they all have something to eat before he gave then a tour of the hotel and its facilities. He led the way through to the cavernous kitchens and opened a large double-door fridge to get the fixings for a basic meal. He opted for bacon and eggs with some sausages thrown in for good measure and, for speed, he placed two frying pans on one of the large cookers. When he turned on the gas under the pans, it lit automatically and he soon had everything frying away nicely. There were several large stacks of plates at the end of one of the preparation tables and he lifted five of them and set them out in readiness for the cooked food. After eating, they took the time to stack the dirty dishes in one of the industrial sized dishwashers - another thing that would come in handy they all agreed - and Jamie gave them the nickel tour. He let them all select the bedrooms that they would use as their own during their stay and left them to settle in. Laura insisted that she was going to be staying as close to him as possible, which meant moving into the same room as him, and Jamie didn't have the heart to refuse her. As soon as the entered the room he indicated, she threw herself at him and hugged him. Her face was once more pressed into the hollow between his shoulder and jawline and she was kissing his neck while she was murmuring her thanks for being rescued once more. Jamie was shocked given all that had happened, the events that had led to him nearly losing his sister, to feel himself responding to the feel of her hard young body up against his. He felt the blood rush to his cock and as it filled and hardened he felt his sister press herself even more firmly against him. Laura raised her head from his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "That's not the first time you've reacted to me like that. Now I know you were encouraging me to show myself to you, you've admitted that," she whispered. Jamie watched her sensuous lips move as she spoke to him and then he saw them moving closer to his own. He couldn't resist and as he felt their soft, velvety touch, he moaned and let himself sink into the slow, gentle kiss. Laura's tongue emerged to tentatively lick the length of his lips and then Jamie felt her gently nip his bottom lip between her teeth. The sensations, the feeling, the emotion of the kiss were indescribable. When Laura broke off the kiss, he could see that she had been just as deeply affected. Her skin was flushed and her eyes were wide in amazement at what they had just shared. The intensity probably scared them both equally and, without a word being said, they separated and both of them tried to start a conversation to avoid having to deal with what they had just felt. They laughed at trying to talk at the same time and Jamie told Laura she should go first. "You haven't told me everything yet. Where did you get the rifle? Where did you get that boss new helicopter?" she asked. Jamie filled her in on all of the details of how he had spent his morning. The first port of call had been to take the little Robinson helicopter to the army base at Fort George where he had managed to find the Lynx and also a veritable arsenal of weapons and ammunition. He had practised with the Lynx until he was confident he could handle it well enough and then he had searched for a suitable location for another element of his plan. He re-told the story of checking to identify whether the terrorists were away from the mosque before deciding it was worth taking the risk to attack and try to rescue her. He had already determined that he would land the Lynx at Hampden Park as the only place he could think of where the helicopter wouldn't be noticed easily. "The rest, as they say, is history," he ended with a smile. "Don't gloss over having to shoot that man Jamie. You were very brave, I still can't believe that you came for me," Laura said. "I love you sis and I couldn't leave you there." "I guess I'm only now realising just how much you love me Jamie and it makes me feel safer somehow. You've always been there for me and maybe I've taken it for granted, but today showed me just how much you love me and it makes me all mushy inside." Jamie could see things going downhill rapidly again and he changed the subject once more. "You obviously love me too because you haven't commented on the stink from the clothes I'm wearing. Why don't we get the others and go down into town to try and rustle up some clothes?" he asked. "Clothes shopping! Now that's an easy way to get into a girl's heart bro'. You won't have to ask us girls twice," Laura replied excitedly. Jamie grinned and wondered what he was letting himself in for. He left Laura and went down the hotel corridor to make the same suggestion to the others. He knocked on Fisah's door first and when he explained what he wanted to do she was all for it. Jamie could see her face light up at the prospect too. He suggested meeting up in reception in fifteen minutes time. Walking further down the corridor, he knocked on the door of the room Debbie had staked out. There was no response and he thought he could hear moaning coming from behind the door. Concerned, he pushed at the door and was surprised when it opened. He walked into the room and then came up short. Debbie and Christine were both on the double bed. The girls were naked, with Christine on top of Debbie as they shared a passionate kiss. The moaning was coming from Debbie and Jamie guessed the reason for it was to do with the fact that one of Christine's hands was between Debbie's legs, clearly rubbing her excited sex. From where he stood he had an unobstructed view of Debbie's pussy glistening with juices, as Christine's fingers alternately pushed into her slot and then rose to gently rub over her erect clit. Debbie had her eyes screwed shut, but Christine sensed his presence and turned to look at him. Jamie could see the lust written large on her face and almost felt scared at the predatory look she gave him. "Mmmmm, care to join us Sir Galahad and receive your well earned reward?" asked Christine. Her words alerted Debbie, but when she looked up and spotted Jamie, she too assumed a hungry look and her tongue emerged to lick her lips in anticipation. "Ah, I really would like to join you, but not because you think you owe me anything," Jamie managed to get out, "I really came in to say we're going into the town to get some fresh clothes." "We'll pass this time, we've been waiting for an opportunity to do this for nearly a week now and nothing is going to get in our way," Debbie said. Jamie's mouth opened in amazement as he watched Christine spin herself round 180 degrees so that the girls were in the classic sixty-nine position. Once more he had a great view as Christine peeled Debbie's lower lips apart and her little pink tongue darted out to begin to pleasure her friend. From the noise Christine was making while tonguing Debbie, it was obvious that she was receiving a similar treat at the other end. He was mesmerised by his first ever sight of a woman's pussy, as Christine's tongue drilled over and over between Debbie's swollen labia. "Em, I guess I'll see you later girls," Jamie said as he reluctantly backed out of the room. He collected Laura and they made their way downstairs to meet Fisah at reception. "Where are Debbie and Christine?" she asked. "Oh, they're tired I guess," said Jamie, as he led them outside to the jeep he had parked there earlier. ------- Chapter 13: A tale of two cities Jamie couldn't be sure, but he felt that Fisah was flirting with him. If she was, it was admittedly subtle and Laura hadn't picked up on it. If she did, Jamie expected her to get annoyed at her new friend. Of course, he knew he was very inexperienced at these things and could well be absolutely wrong, but there were little things, Fisah would drop her head a little and look at him through her long black lashes, almost shyly. She was constantly brushing his arm and shoulder with her hand, Jamie recognised the 'small touches' that Laura had once described to him on MSN. And she didn't miss an opportunity to give him the benefit of her dazzling smile. Jamie, Laura and Fisah had taken the Toyota Land Cruiser parked outside the hotel and driven into the nearby town to try and find some clothes. Jamie had quickly managed to find himself some jeans and casual shirts, but the girls were not to be rushed. What followed was virtually a fashion show, as Laura and Fisah tried to outdo each other in winning Jamie's approval. They had found a small but well stocked boutique and tried on numerous outfits, not bothering with the changing room. Jamie was treated to constant views of both girls in their underwear, as they picked out dresses and other garments to try on. After nearly two hours of being teased mercilessly, the girls declared themselves satisfied and Jamie found himself acting as a packhorse to lug their choices back to the Toyota. As they drove back to the hotel the girls were still flushed with the excitement of their shopping experience and they chattered non-stop until he pulled the land cruiser to a stop. Jamie announced that he was going to spend a little time on his computer before hitting the sack for the night. He thought Fisah looked a little disappointed with his decision, but she didn't say anything. ------- Assam was in a towering rage. He had lost Mushtaq and more importantly he had lost the hundreds of survivors they had worked so hard to round up. He had ordered Hadij to immediately go back out and begin to pick up as many survivors as he could while he himself checked on the status of their special teenagers. Laura's guess as to the nature of these 'special' survivors had been bang on. Assam now had around sixty Muslim teenagers, mostly of Pakistani parents, but born here in Glasgow and they were being trained to become additions to his force. Most of them had never held a gun before and some were traumatised and shamed by the scale of the atrocity that had been carried out. Assam was working hard to indoctrinate them into hating all things western and accept that their true destiny was to help him establish an Islamic Britain. The Muslim teens were based on the campus of Stirling University. The grounds were extensive with woodland, ponds and University buildings dotted in amongst fantastic scenery. When Assam drove into one of the main car parks at the University, he heard the sound of gunfire. He parked up and made his way towards the giant sports complex, finding a large group of the Pakistani youths gathered round the firing range. He watched for a while, pleased with the numbers who showed distinct promise in their accuracy. He interrupted their practice to speak to them. "I have an urgent need of your services my brothers and sisters," he said. Assam explained how difficult it was gathering up the white survivors and keeping them secure for long enough to indoctrinate them and get them to convert to Islam. He was pleased when more than a dozen of the teenagers - all boys - volunteered to help immediately. "Pack your things and get ready to come back to Glasgow with me," he told them. As he made his way back to his jeep, he pulled out his mobile phone and made contact with his opposite number in Edinburgh. "It is Assam, how are things going on the East Coast?" "Better than I could have hoped," replied Nasser al-Nawah. "How many have you picked up?" Assam enquired. "I've already got over four hundred. We've based them on the Napier University campus on the outskirts of Edinburgh," said Nasser. "I'm having a few teething problems here in Glasgow. We've identified a pilot whose been flying a helicopter and I've been trying to get my hands on him. While I've been busy with that there was a mass breakout and I've lost over two hundred that we'd picked up. I'm having to start over again, but now I've got some extra help from some of the Muslim kids we've found." "Maybe it's time we met up to discuss plans for the future?" suggested Nasser. "Good idea, how about Harthill Services? That's about half way between us," Assam suggested. They agreed to meet there the following day and Assam ended the call. He had been thinking of ways of accelerating progress with the surviving teenagers and had decided to use the range of techniques that had proven successful in some African countries. There, they had managed to brainwash countless thousands of children and had turned them into soldiers for their tribal wars. He knew the tricks - such as sleep deprivation, the use of white noise etc - and he was going to start using the same approaches with all those he picked up. ------- Jamie had worked for a solid hour answering more e-mail on his laptop. More had come in since he had last checked and he now had nearly two hundred people to correspond with. Some of the most recent e-mail was from teenagers who had escaped from the Glasgow mosque and they now checked in to the web site as he had told them. His replies were all in the same vein as before - hang on and he would try and find a way to bring them together. Laura came into the bedroom and said that she was tired and ready for bed. It had been an exhausting day given the excitement of the escape and then the intensive shopping she had thrown herself into. As she was getting ready for bed she surprised him. "Jamie, I think Fisah really likes you. I mean what's not to like, but I think she was impressed with how brave you were in coming to my rescue. She said she wished she had a brother like you to look after her." The surprise for Jamie was in the way Laura was telling him this. He had been sure Laura would instantly get jealous if she thought Fisah was interested in him, but it appeared not. With Laura's next statement he was even more surprised. "She asked me if I would mind if you were together and I told her I could live with it." Jamie gulped. Did she mean what he thought she meant? "You mean, together as in 'doing it'? Like, sex?" he asked nervously. "Of course silly! What else would I mean?" Laura laughed. "Isn't this a bit sudden? I only met her today and she is quite a bit older than me," Jamie replied. "Yes, but things are all different now. There aren't many people left and the vast majority of them are our age. Fisah doesn't have much choice in terms of the age of possible partners and the old values about waiting are all out the window," Laura explained with some maturity. "I still think it's all a bit sudden," Jamie repeated. "I think you're just nervous. You've never had a real girlfriend have you? Fisah's waiting in her room for you. Why don't you go to her and lose your virginity. She really is a beautiful woman, probably the most beautiful I have ever seen. You should count yourself lucky she's chosen you." Jamie couldn't disagree with Laura's assessment of Fisah's looks, she was stunning. He could also see the sense in some of her arguments about societal norms now being completely different. She was right, the thought of perhaps losing his virginity was making him very nervous, but there was still a nagging concern in the back of his head too that Fisah was pushing things really fast. "Well bonehead, are you going to keep the beautiful woman waiting?" Laura pressed. He shrugged and left their bedroom, making his way to Fisah's room. He knocked on the door and heard Fisah tell him to enter. When he saw her his mouth grew dry and his tongue seemed to have grown to twice its normal size. Fisah was standing beside her bed wearing a satin two-piece pyjama set. Jamie didn't remember her picking this out in the boutique, he was sure he would have registered something so sexy. He was rooted to the spot as she crossed the room and put her arms up and around his neck. She read his nervousness and tried to help him overcome it by drawing him down into a sultry kiss. He could taste her breath, traces of honey and something spicy, and his senses returned as he felt her little tongue flick into his mouth. Fisah heard and felt him moan from deep down inside himself and she let her hands gently stroke the back of his neck and head, encouraging him to deepen the kiss they were sharing. She could feel his physical response against her belly and she pressed herself tighter to him so he was more aware of both her and his state of hardness. Jamie was lost in the kiss, not as lost as he had been with the kiss he had shared with Laura, but there was no denying Fisah knew what she was doing and that he was holding a very beautiful, and apparently ready, woman. He felt one of her hands moving to take his own and she brought it up to her left breast. The sensation was incredible and he knew it would stay with him for a long time. The fleshy mound was soft and yet firm at the same time. He imagined it was similar in size to his sister's, the only other breast he had held. With Laura there was always something to hold him back, the guilt of feeling the way he did about his own sister, the sense that he was responsible for her wellbeing and the belief that he had somehow engineered her feelings toward him through the bogus MSN meetings. With Fisah there were no such barriers and he was able to let himself go. Still, at the back of his head, there was something not quite right about what was going on. Fisah's hand was urging his own to massage her breast and to play with the hard nub of her aroused nipple. Jamie obliged and it was then his turn to hear the exotic woman groan with pleasure. He was aware of her beginning to back towards the bed, leading him with her and then easing them both gently down together. She had maintained their first kiss the whole time and Jamie felt no need to end it any time soon. They were soon side by side on the bed and Jamie continued his new love affair with Fisah's sensitive breast. He felt her hand glide over his hip and dip towards the hard lump in the front of his pants, the same soft hand he had felt when they had touched earlier in the day. Fisah's arm straightened and the tension he felt increased as she bypassed his cock and instead began to lightly trace her fingers along his inner thigh. The Asian goddess broke their kiss at last and used the hand that had been holding his head to urge his mouth lower, towards the hard point he could now see poking through the satin material of her top. He knew what she was looking for and he let his lips close around the hard little peak, using his teeth to gently nip the bud and feeling his excitement rise as she responded by taking a sharp intake of breath. He let his teeth continue to worry her nipple through the sensuous material and, given his inexperience and excitement, held himself on the edge of coming without any actual physical stimulation to his rock hard cock. Fisah could feel Jamie trembling and she guessed he was feeling something of a sensory overload. He was young and Laura had confirmed he was still a virgin, so she had expected this. She moved to try and ensure he enjoyed this as much as possible. Jamie was surprised by Fisah's sudden aggressive move and he felt himself pushed onto his back as she unzipped his pants and pulled his hardness out into the open. The sensation of her warm, wet mouth engulfing the head of his cock was too much and he began to fire his juice frantically almost immediately. He thought it was never going to end and he could feel Fisah swallow over and over as she tried to deal with the volume of his cum. Eventually his cock stopped bucking and all that remained was the feel of her tongue continuing to stimulate the sensitive spot on the underside of his cock-head. Jamie felt as if he had been dragged through a wringer. Never had he cum as hard as that and he was still somewhat dazed as Fisah slid upwards and put her arms around him once more. When she kissed him, he could taste the saltiness of his own spend still on her lips, but despite that, he let himself drown once more in the feel of her velvety lips. They hadn't spoken a word since she had called out to tell him to enter the room, but she changed that now. "You're big and you taste wonderful, I'm going to enjoy feeling you fill me up, but it's your turn to help take me to that special place. Let me teach you how to make a woman feel good," she said. He lay back as Fisah sat up and began to remove her satin pyjamas. He blushed as he noticed the damp stain over her left breast where he had suckled her almost like a new-born. When her breasts were bared for the first time he drew in his breath at how perfect they looked. Fisah raised her butt and shimmied out of the pyjama pants, revealing her sex to his hungry eyes. He could see the nap of her pubic hair as it grew outwards from the lips of her sex. Juices glistened on her mons, making it clear that she was already excited by what they had been doing. When she lay down, now completely naked, she smiled at him and tugged his arm to bring him closer to her. Once more she urged his head down to her breast and this time he enjoyed the sensation of closing his lips over the bare flesh of her skin and hardened nipple. Jamie spent ten minutes alternating between her firm mounds, Fisah holding him in place when his excitement urged him to drop lower. At last she allowed him to leave her breasts and he began to kiss a trail down her stomach and abdomen towards her greatest treasure. Jamie had an idea what he had to do from reading stories on the Internet. He wasn't repulsed by the idea of using his mouth on her; in fact he was looking forward to the experience and taste. Fisah's thighs spread to allow him full access to her charms and he felt her musk flood his senses through his nose. His first swipe with his tongue was tentative, a half-hearted lick to enable him to sample the oily, slick juice that was leaking from her. That first taste was enough to convince him to fully commit himself to the act however, it was an amazing combination of flavours and he knew he was immediately hooked. He felt Fisah begin to writhe as he really began to get into the oral stimulation. He couldn't get enough of her essence and his tongue slipped between her nether lips and thrust into her passage as far as he could force it. He knew the theory and he was now trying to learn the practical. His fingers were also busy and he felt Fisah jerk uncontrollably as he rubbed over the hard nub of her excited little clit. Jamie alternated, letting his lips, tongue and teeth tease her nub while his fingers thrust into her pussy. He felt the contours inside her and let his fingers follow them. They curled upward around the bulge of her hard pubic bone and he felt a rough spot that dipped behind the curve of that bone. When his fingertips rubbed across the rough, knobbly spot, he heard and felt Fisah react almost violently and he knew he was doing something right. He concentrated on rubbing the spot at the same time as he swiped his tongue over the little nub that had emerged from under its hood and it was only seconds before Fisah screeched, her hips thrust upwards from the bed and her thighs tightened painfully around his head. Jamie was worried about being able to ever draw another breath until Fisah's thighs eventually relaxed and he drew in some air. He peppered her clit with soft kisses before raising himself until he was lying full length upon her. His cock was once more painfully hard and, despite the fact that Fisah seemed in something of a daze, he raised his upper body on one stiff arm and used his other hand to line his cock up with the entrance to her swollen pussy. His first thrust forward was at the wrong angle and he felt himself ride up and over her sex. Fisah drew a sharp breath as his cock slid over her already sensitive clitoris. Jamie drew back and lined up again. This time when he pressed his hips forward he felt himself slip past the tight ring of her sex and the constriction of the walls of her sheath clutched at the sensitive head of his staff. He paused for a second to savour the feel of her, and couldn't believe anything could feel better. Instinct took over and Jamie began to push himself deeper into Fisah's copiously juicing slit. He set a rhythm and eased himself forward and backward, thrilling at the friction and how it felt. Fisah was clearly enjoying it and her arms and legs tightened around him. "Yeeessss Jamie, do it, do me, harder!" she moaned. He took her at her word and began to increase his speed and the force with which he was driving into her. The feelings drove him on; nothing had ever felt this good and he was flying on a high-octane sexual fix. His hips became a blur and Fisah was moaning continuously as his bigger than average cock hammered into her again and again. "Fuck, yeeeessss, yeeeesssss, aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" she squealed, as she climaxed once more. Jamie didn't stop at her climax, he continued to jack-hammer into her, senses awash with the stimulation to his cock and drunk on the feeling of being able to cause such a beautiful woman to respond to him in this out of control way. She was bucking upwards again, trying to maximise the contact between her sensitive clit bud and his pubic bone. He found if he ground against her when he pushed fully home, she squeaked with enjoyment and he concentrated on doing that with every thrust. Their coupling lasted for a full two hours and when at last Jamie couldn't get himself hard again he found Fisah had lapsed into sleep. He held her close, feeling her regular breathing raise her chest against him. Once the sexual high began to leak away he found there was a hollowness to his feelings. There was no doubt he had enjoyed losing his virginity and the manner in which that had happened, but there was definitely something missing from the experience. He felt the need to slip from Fisah's bed, gather up his clothes and make his way back to his own room. He could barely make out Laura's form beneath the duvet on his bed and he dropped his clothes before slipping in beside her. Jamie couldn't resist leaning forward to kiss his sister's sleeping form on the lips. He turned away from her and cradled his head on his bent arm and promptly fell asleep. Laura had been unable to sleep as she lay in bed thinking about what her brother might be doing with Fisah. She had sensed his reluctance to commit to anything sexual with her, but she had already decided he would be the one to take her virginity. With a woman's intuition, she knew that it would be easier to persuade him to sleep with her if he had already disposed of his own first time experience and she had been willing to sacrifice to make things happen. She tasted the tang of something on her lips from his kiss and realised it must be Fisah's juices. The recognition that Jamie had performed oral sex, that sometime soon he might do the same for her, was hugely erotic and Laura felt her own sex begin to leak. She couldn't stop her hand reaching out to caress his hip and drop to clasp his limp cock. The fact that she could feel the flaky residue from his coupling with Fisah was not in the least a turn off, quite the opposite in fact, and she thrilled when she felt the residual fluid coming from the end of his cock. She hesitantly brought her fingertips to her lips and savoured the taste of her brother. The taste alone was enough to push her over the edge into a crashing orgasm of her own. Her thighs were clenched tight and she bit down on her bottom lip to keep herself from moaning loudly. ------- Jamie awoke as normal around 05:00am. Despite the sapping session with Fisah, the discipline of working the farm made sure he woke at his normal time. He felt his gorgeous sister spooned up against his back, but he forced himself to roll over and get up. "I'll go down to the kitchen and get ready to make breakfast for everybody," he thought. He made his way to the kitchen and decided porridge would be the best option. He measured out the oats and milk required for five and then put the kettle on and sat back to wait for the others to wake up. He sipped a cup of coffee and then heard someone walking through reception. Jamie stood and headed for the kitchen doors. He caught the rear of a figure heading for the hotel entrance and hurried to catch up. When he turned into the reception area he recognised Fisah sweeping out of the door and into the grounds. He wondered why she was up so early and slowed a little to let her get ahead to wherever she was going. Once Fisah had disappeared from view of the hotel door, Jamie slipped outside and followed her. He was intrigued, as she walked towards the hotel gardens and he crept alongside an ornamental hedge to keep out of her view. She stopped out of sight of the hotel and fished a mobile phone out of her pocket. He edged closer so he could hear what she said. "It's Fisah. Just shut up and listen to what I have to say. No Assam, stop it! I couldn't avoid Mushtaq being killed. My thoughts were that you wanted to get hold of the pilot more than anything else. I have not deserted my beliefs, I remain as true to Islam and the prophet as ever." She paused to listen to something Assam was obviously saying. "Assam, I had a choice to make. Try and capture him or go with him and see what he has already built up by way of an alternative to our plans. I have him in my thrall already. He is sexually inexperienced and I'm sure I've snared his interest in me. We can pick them up whenever we want, but I suggest you let me play this out to see what advantage I can gain. It seems he has a web site that's set up to try and bring survivors together. We might gain a bonus from that if I play things right. "Look, trust me! I've not lost my belief in our cause. I'm close to being able to control him. You want him and no doubt you'll want him compliant. Let me make him my little puppy and then we can set him to work," she said. Jamie was feeling nauseous, how could he have had sex with this woman? She was making out that he was a poodle, completely in her control. How wrong she was. "Give me another full day. I've told you where we are, now let me gather whatever else I can before you come rushing to the capture. You should treat me very roughly when you do get here so I can claim I'm still on their side. That will help me continue to control him." Jamie had heard enough. His instincts about Fisah's attraction to him had been absolutely right and he had a heavy feeling in his stomach. He quietly crabbed backwards and made his way to the hotel entrance. 13:26, 7 August Assam sat in his jeep in the car park at Harthill Service Station. The services were midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh on the M8 Motorway. He watched as a Dodge truck drove into the car park on the opposite side of the Motorway and two men got out. He indicated to Hadij that they should do likewise and they made their way to the covered pedestrian bridge that spanned the four-lane road. Handshakes were exchanged when the four men met on the south side of the bridge. Nasser identified himself and introduced his companion as Ahmed. Assam introduced himself and Hadij. With the pleasantries over they made their way over to one of the fast food restaurants that would previously have catered to travellers. They picked a booth and sat down together to share their plans for the future. "I'm intrigued by this pilot that you say you have encountered," said Nasser, "he would be a valuable resource to have." "I know that, why do you think I spent so much time and risked losing my captives searching for him? Most of these kids have few usable skills and there are no teachers to train them. But, I think I have him in my grasp," replied Assam. They shared details of how they could indoctrinate the survivors and talked about what their priorities should be for future developments ------- Chapter 14: Porkies Jamie sat and simmered in the hotel kitchen. He felt unclean, used and a complete fool. His instincts had told him something wasn't right about Fisah and her very quick and sudden need to have sex with him. The kiss he had shared with Laura had been soulful and somehow pure, despite the fact she was his sister. With Fisah it had been nothing but lust and teenage hormones. Now he had overheard her admitting that she was trying to use sex to control him, to help make it easier to capture him and anyone who happened to be with him. He thought furiously about what to do about the situation. He had most of the day to decide, as he had heard Fisah ask whoever was on the other end of her phone call to wait until later before they came to pick them up. He realised he would need to try and act as if he was completely unaware of Fisah's treachery. Worse than that, she would expect him to be acting like a lovesick puppy after what they had shared the night before. Jamie decided he would be better back upstairs in his hotel room before Fisah herself returned to the hotel. If she discovered he was awake and up, she might be concerned about the possibility he had overheard her. He also thought it was only right that he tell Laura what he had heard. He turned off all the lights in the kitchen and quietly made his way to the stairs. It wouldn't do to use the lift, Fisah might notice and guess that someone was up. When he was back in his room he saw that Laura was still sleeping, one arm flung out over the side of the bed he had occupied earlier, as if searching for him. Jamie shucked off his clothes and rejoined his sister, easing her arm back over onto her side of the bed. His movement must have partially roused her or perhaps her senses were still active while she slept and she was subconsciously aware of his presence once more. She half turned in her sleep so she could spoon up to him. Her firm little butt wriggled as it settled against Jamie's groin and incredibly, given the situation, he felt his manhood responding immediately. Even while dreaming, Laura somehow seemed to be aware of what was now pressing up against her rear. Jamie felt an imperceptible friction as her butt began to rub ever so slowly up and down against him. She sighed in her sleep, it sounded like a happy sigh he thought and he gave himself over to the moment, wrapping one arm around her to hold her close. Laura's upper body also wriggled a little until Jamie's hand was over her right breast and then she stopped moving, almost as if she was satisfied that she now had what she wanted. He wasn't unaware that this was exactly the position he had woken up in almost a week before in his own bed. This time he didn't freak out and run, instead he let himself enjoy the sensation of holding his beautiful sister so tenderly and he felt himself drifting off to sleep. Laura came slowly awake and smiled to herself at the wonderful feelings she was experiencing. It took her a few moments to realise that Jamie was gently massaging her breast and that his cock was hard up against her butt. She pressed herself harder against his maleness and focussed on the sensations the dual contact she had with him were generating. "What a wonderful way to wake up in the morning," she thought. She suspected the feelings couldn't last however, and when she felt Jamie stir, she fully expected him to pull away from her immediately. When his hand wasn't removed, but if anything became more purposeful in its stroking, she was surprised. When she felt his lips lightly graze the sensitive skin of her exposed neck she shivered in delight. "You know I really love you sis," he whispered in her ear, "the only people we can truly rely on now are each other." There was something in Jamie's words that struck a discordant note with what he was doing and Laura picked up on it. The mood was broken as she sensed something had happened, something was wrong. She pulled herself away from his embrace and sat up. "What's happened?" she asked. Jamie was amazed at her perception. He tried to think if he had given her a clue that something had happened, but couldn't see what would have alerted her. "Maybe it's true what they say, women are smarter than men," he thought to himself. His own mood returned to what it had been earlier and he too sat up to tell his sister what he had overheard. "Fisah is stringing us along," he said. "That's impossible!" Laura replied. "I'm afraid not. I was in the kitchen this morning about 05:00am and I heard someone going out of the hotel. When I followed I could see that it was Fisah. It seemed a bit odd for her to be going out at that time in the morning so I followed her into the gardens. She used a mobile phone to contact someone." Laura's face had grown pale. A tremendous sense of guilt was suddenly washing over her. If Fisah really was playing a game, it was her fault for telling Jamie he could trust her. Had her gullibility put them in danger? "What did she say?" Laura asked, almost reluctant to hear his reply. "She told whoever was on the other end where we are. I don't think any of this was pre-planned because it seemed as if she was trying to explain herself, almost as if she was in trouble at first. She said she couldn't do anything to stop that other guy being killed. Then she said that instead of just capturing me right away, she felt it might be more valuable to find out if there were anymore survivors with me," Jamie now added. "But all the things she told me. Her shame at what she was involved in, her training as a junior doctor, even her reaction to the executions. She can't be that good an actress," said Laura. "She's a fanatic Laura. Think about it, she's been acting a role probably for years, working as a doctor while at the same time plotting to kill as many people as she could. Fooling us would be pretty easy in comparison to that," Jamie suggested. Laura could see there was sense in what Jamie said, but she was still finding it difficult to accept it. "But she slept with you." Laura stopped at that, as a fresh wave of guilt hit her. She had practically pushed her brother into Fisah's clutches. "I heard her say that she was using sex to try and control me. She even told the other person to treat her roughly when they come to pick us up so she can continue to pretend she's on our side. She's a very good actress Laura, Jesus, she even said that she had to eat bacon so she didn't appear like a fundamentalist," Jamie cursed. "What do you mean? What's wrong with eating bacon?" Laura asked. "Muslims can't eat pork, it's forbidden. In fact they can't eat anything that isn't halal, I forgot that," said Jamie. "I still don't know what you mean," replied Laura. "Their food has to be slaughtered in a particular way. Prayers are said over each beast and it has its throat cut so all the blood is drained from it. But pork is just forbidden altogether, it's considered unclean. The fact she ate that bacon is another sign of just how much of a fanatic she is. She's willing to eat pork without batting an eyelid and she's willing to use her body without a second thought if it helps her cause." "So you're telling me that her interest in you is all an act?" Laura asked. "Laura, I heard what she said. She obviously doesn't have a problem enjoying it, and there's no doubt she did - a number of times - but she's trying to use sex to control me," Jamie replied. "Jamie, what are we going to do?" she asked, clearly now very anxious again. "Don't worry, I won't let them catch us. I'm already thinking of a plan. In the meantime, don't tell Christine and Debbie. It will only get them worried and they might give the game away. We're both going to have to act as if nothing's wrong too." "Gosh, I don't know if I can carry that off," Laura said, a frown tightening her face. "We have to sis, come on, we can show her we can act just as well as she can." Jamie swung his legs out of bed and dressed for the second time that morning. He couldn't resist pausing to watch Laura's firm young body as she emerged from under the duvet. She too was wearing a satin two piece pyjama set and the memory of the night before soured his viewing enjoyment. He turned and left the room to make his way downstairs. ------- Assam had assembled a team to help him go and capture the pilot. He had three of the Pakistani teenagers, all armed, in his jeep with him. Hadij followed on behind with another three teenagers in a similar jeep. From what Fisah had told him, eight armed men should be more than enough to do what was required. The roads were clear and he was travelling at over eighty miles an hour, anxious to get this over with and have the pilot in his control. ------- Fisah detected a slight atmosphere at breakfast. She was sure Laura was being a little stiff with her, but put it down to belated jealousy about her sleeping with her brother. Jamie seemed hyped up, almost over the top in how he was treating her this morning, but again she put that down to his reaction to his first sexual encounter. She smiled inwardly. He had performed extremely well for a first-timer, certainly well enough to have given her three orgasms, one of them as good as anything she had experienced before. "What have we got planned for today?" she asked. "I thought we should go back into town and begin to gather up whatever food we can, all the tinned stuff and any dried food that won't spoil. It's possible that we will have others joining us soon and we might have quite a few hungry mouths to feed," Jamie suggested. Debbie and Christine nodded their heads in agreement, as they spooned hot porridge into their mouths. "Sounds like a good idea. I like the thought of having more people around," said Laura, "we'll also need to start thinking longer term about what all of us are going to do if we're to rebuild our country." Her words gave the other two teenage girls pause for thought. They hadn't really been thinking beyond living for today and the thought of being part of trying to rebuild a country was mind boggling. Where would they start? Jamie had found a couple of trailers in the service area of the hotel and he hooked them both up to four wheel drive vehicles so they could haul as much food as possible back to the hotel. He drove one jeep and Fisah the other. Their first stop was the medium sized supermarket in the town and they systematically began to strip everything from the stock room first and then began on the shelves in the shop itself. They made two trips each and emptied about half of the shop's goods, piling them into the hotel's stockroom, before tiredness overtook the girls and Jamie took mercy on them by calling a halt. He asked if they would prepare them something to eat while he made one last trip. He watched Fisah, his sister and the two other girls make their way back inside the hotel and then he drove off, turning in the opposite direction to the town centre. ------- Assam halted his Honda and allowed Hadij to pull alongside. "We'll leave the vehicles here and approach the hotel on foot. Fisah told me the pilot is in room fifty-two on the second floor. Remember, we need him alive," Assam warned all of them. The crept up the drive and tried to use what cover was available to skirt round the hotel so they could make their final approach from the rear. Assam slipped through the rear doors and paused for a full two minutes to listen. He heard nothing that would suggest anyone was on the ground floor of the hotel, but he made his way cautiously through to the reception area anyway. Once he was satisfied that the coast was clear he returned and signalled the others to join him. "My watch shows 19:22, I'm going to give you exactly two minutes to take your team up the stairs and I'll take mine up in the lift. We storm his room at 19:25 on the dot," Assam told Hadij. The other terrorist nodded and led his group of three teenagers quickly up the stairway. Assam led the way to the lift and pressed the button for the second floor. The ascent was quick and relatively quiet and soon the doors were swishing open. Assam entered the hotel lobby and glanced towards the entrance to the stairs. He saw that Hadij and his group were already in place. He motioned to them to stay where they were and glanced at the closest door numbers to gauge which direction room fifty-two was. He turned to his left and led his team of three silently down the corridor. Once he reached room fifty-two he motioned to the teenagers to take up a position on the right hand side of the door. He nodded to let them know he was about to make his entrance and then raised his boot to smash the door open. He rolled into the bedroom, away from the door, and immediately raised his handgun. Assam swept the room, but it was clear that it was empty. Just then he heard a scream from further down the lobby and he turned and dashed back out to see what was going on. The teenagers pointed to a door two down on the opposite side of the corridor and Assam indicated they should take up the same positions. He repeated his manoeuvre, kicking in the door and throwing himself forward in a diving roll. He felt something wet and slimy on his shoulder as he landed and rolled over. His gun was up once more, but it wavered at what he saw and then he was knocked off of his feet. The floor of the room was covered in thick red arterial blood. Fisah was tied spread-eagle fashion on the bed. She was naked and the severed head of a pig was sitting beside her head on the pillows. Fisah was unable to reach the grizzly totem and her eyes were wide in unabashed terror. The blood on the floor was obviously the blood from the pig that had once been attached to the head on the bed. A second pig, this one very much alive was rushing wildly round the room, the scent of its erstwhile friend's blood driving it frantic. It was this pig that had knocked Assam over. When he assimilated all of the information that suddenly assaulted his senses, Assam too screamed. He realised he was covered in the blood of a pig, an unclean animal. He rushed to the shower stall in the room's bathroom and leapt under the showerhead to try and cleanse himself of the foul beast's blood. As he felt the warm water spray over him he decided that the pilot was as good as dead for this. It didn't matter if he had a very scarce ability, this was the ultimate insult and Assam was raging. Once he had the worst of the blood off, he pulled a sharp knife from his belt and returned to the room. He cut the ropes tying Fisah to the bed and then beat a hasty retreat out of the room. The remaining live pig had by now rushed past the frightened teenagers and was running up and down the corridor. Assam levelled his gun and fired three shots into the beast and its legs collapsed under it. Its momentum carried it forward a few more feet before it lay still. Fisah rushed past Assam and the boys into the room on the other side of the corridor. The teenagers' eyes lit up with excitement as they watched the naked beauty flash past them. They could hear the shower in the room come on and ten minutes later; Fisah re-appeared dressed in a hotel robe. "You said you had him under your control!" screamed Assam in her face. "If this is your idea of things being under control I'd hate to see it when they're in a mess! Find some clothes and go with Hadij. I'll deal with you when we're back in Glasgow." Assam's plans were short lived however, as none of the teenagers would travel with Assam, believing both Fisah and him were unclean. All six of the boys packed themselves into one of the jeeps with Hadij and Assam was forced to take Fisah as his passenger. His rage burned unabated at the embarrassment and shame that he was being subjected to. "I will find and kill this little bastard if it's the last thing I do!" he promised himself. ------- Jamie searched two vacated farms before he found what he was looking for. His own experience on the farm helped him know how best to round up two reasonably big pigs, both of them hungry having clearly been on their own for some time. If left alone they would die a slow death and that made him feel better about what he was going to use them for. His father had warned him against eating any livestock in the immediate aftermath of the virus outbreak, but he had another use in mind for these two porkers. He swapped the trailer he had used for emptying the supermarket for the farm trailer that stood in the yard. That was more suitable for transporting livestock. Once he had his two pigs safely in the trailer he drove back towards the hotel. He passed a signpost for the town, which declared it was Aviemore and he brought the land cruiser around to the rear of the hotel. With his rifle in his hands he entered the hotel and found the others in the dining room preparing to eat. Without hesitation, Jamie walked up behind Fisah and clubbed her across the back of her head with the stock of his weapon. All three of the girls screamed at his violent assault and Fisah's head slumped to the side. "She's sold us out. We need to get away from here before her friends come to pick us up," he said for Christine and Debbie's benefit. "Help me get her upstairs." They dragged Fisah's unconscious body into the lift and took her to her room, Debbie and Christine still a little shocked. Jamie used a knife to cut off all of her clothes, exposing her lovely olive coloured body, the body that had brought him so much enjoyment the night before. He cut the rope tiebacks for the curtains and used them to tie her spread-eagle fashion on the bed. Once he had Fisah secure, he returned to the trailer and manhandled one of the pigs out and into the hotel. He managed to herd it into the lift and took it up to Fisah's room. She was starting to come round and it took her a few moments to make her eyes focus, but when she did she screamed loudly when she recognised the animal he had with him. Eating bacon was clearly one thing, having a whole pig near her was another. Jamie held the pig between his knees and grabbed its head with one hand while he slashed its throat cleanly with the knife he held in the other. Thick arterial blood began to shoot from the wound immediately and if anything Fisah's screams became louder. Downstairs, Laura and the other two girls looked at each other anxiously, worried about what could be making Fisah scream so loudly. Upstairs, Jamie sawed away with his knife until he managed to sever the pig's entire head from its body. He let the animal's body drop to the floor and crossed to the bed with the head hanging in one hand. He carefully placed the gruesome chunk of pig down on the pristine white pillows beside Fisah's head. He could see the terror written on her face and then he watched as her eyes rolled up inside her head and she fainted. Jamie quickly brought the other pig upstairs and pushed it into the room with the unconscious woman. He raced back downstairs and told the girls to grab what they needed as it was well past time to leave. "What did you do to her?" asked Debbie. "I promise you I didn't touch a single hair on her head. Muslims consider pigs and pork to be unclean. Since Fisah has been telling us porkies, I thought there would be some poetic justice in introducing her to two little pigs," he said. "Where are we going to go now?" asked Laura. "Where I always intended we would go. This place was just a staging post to make sure Fisah was really on our side. It's certainly served its purpose," Jamie declared. "Well where are we going then?" Christine asked, looking a little confused. "Skibo castle," replied Jamie with a gin. All three of the girls had heard of Skibo of course and they knew its reputation for luxury. Broad grins broke out all round and they rushed off to pack up what they wanted to take with them. Jamie set out to start his pre-flight checks on the lynx. He thought it might be an idea to hop over to the Air Force base on the way to Skibo to top off his fuel tanks. Once the girls were all buckled in, he wasted no time in putting the lynx into the air. Only when they were actually off of the ground did he breathe a sigh of relief in the knowledge that they had dodged another bullet. He smiled grimly to himself at the thought of the other terrorists finding the present he had left behind. Refuelling didn't take too long and it was only a half-hour later that Jamie brought the helicopter in over the grounds of Skibo castle. The girls were peering out of the windows, their excitement written clearly on their faces. He flared the lynx down onto the lawns and started the shut down procedures. As soon as the skids hit the lawn, the girls were unbuckling and jumping from the helicopter. They bent double to avoid the rotors and ran for the hotel's entrance. Jamie followed a few minutes later and found them still exploring the ground floor. He laughed when he saw their faces, as they ran from room to room, exclaiming at the various facilities and the opulence of the place. He took Laura by the hand and led her upstairs, Debbie and Christine following behind. He opened one of the bedroom doors and ushered the girls inside. "You can share this room if you want," he told Debbie and Christine, "you, my beautiful princess, can come with me to see where you will be living." He left the two girls to squeal over the sheer size and luxury of their room and pulled Laura across the hall to the room he had already staked out for himself. He led her inside and stood behind her, arms around her waist. Laura took in the fabulous décor, furnishings and all mod cons. "It's the honeymoon suite. I thought you might like it," he whispered in her ear. "Oh Jamie, it's wonderful. Wait a minute, did you say it's the honeymoon suite? Does that mean what I think it means?" she asked. She turned within the circle of his arms to face him and offered up her lips for a kiss. Jamie obliged, letting his tongue gently trace her mouth. "It's like I said back in Aviemore. Dad was right, we can only truly trust each other right now. Sleeping with Fisah was good, exciting, but even when I was doing it there was something missing. I love you Laura, and it was the absence of love that made what Fisah and I did just sex. I guess it was even worse than just sex when you think she was only doing it to try and capture and control me. I've decided I need you, if you'll have me that is." Laura's squeal and the boa constrictor hug she gave him were answer enough and he let his head drop to kiss her again, pouring his feelings into it and feeling never more alive when he heard her moan her approval. ------- Chapter 15: Love and Hate The weeks of teasing and the more recent increase in physical contact between brother and sister had built the sense of excitement and anticipation. Laura felt as if her legs were going to give out under her as they seemed to have turned to jelly. She relied on her brother's strong arms to keep her upright and loved the feeling of security that washed over her. Jamie's mouth covered hers and their kiss was everything a girl could ever dream of. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she felt his tongue teasing her mouth and her hard nipples ached with the need to be given some attention. She knew her panties were sopping wet with her juices and she had never been so aware of every nerve ending. "I want our first time to be very special and I want to set that up for you sis, but I think we both need to do something to commit to each other now," Jamie whispered in her ear. Laura couldn't seem to find the power to speak so she just nodded in response. This was it, Jamie was going to touch her, there were no games any longer, his intentions and her longing were fully out in the open. She felt him bend and use one arm behind her knees to swing her legs off of the ground, picking her up easily. She almost felt she could float over to the bed without any help from her strong brother and if anything her heart was beating even faster. Jamie laid her gently on the four-poster bed and then eased himself down beside her. Laura felt his lips teasing her own once more and she moaned again. Her whole body was shaking as she felt Jamie's hand begin to unbutton the blouse she was wearing. She suddenly wished she hadn't worn a bra, as that would delay the moment she felt his hand touch her bare skin. His cock was hard and she felt it pressing into her thigh. Jamie was being careful to go slowly and gently, almost worshipping his sister. Laura was already at fever pitch and wanted nothing more than for him to tear her clothes off as quickly as he could. She strained to try and press her breasts into his hands, but he avoided her efforts and raised her up so he could remove her blouse from her shoulders and arms. While he had her back off of the bed, he adroitly popped the catch on her silky bra and eased the straps down her arms to at last reveal his prize. Jamie gazed at her little mounds in awe. He had of course seen them before, as she had teased him by flashing. He had even had his hand on one of them twice, but there was something different this time, something more deliberate and breathtaking. Laura could see the wonder in his face and she too knew something was different. Jamie's words about making a commitment suddenly made sense to her. She too knew he had seen her breasts before and had touched them, but now there was the promise of something more between them, a sense of an ultimate consummation. She really did feel as if they were committing to each other somehow and the emotional high of that drove her arousal higher. The sense that he was worshipping her was suddenly underlined when, instead of moving his hands to her chest, his head dropped and she felt the glorious feeling of his lips circling her right mound, her erect nipple in his mouth. She had felt her breasts in dire need of attention since this had begun and now she thrilled to the new sensation of having a mouth on her for the very first time. Her breathing was coming in gasps and her hands were in Jamie's hair, holding him in place lest he dare think about moving his sweet mouth. Laura now appreciated the fact that Jamie had taken it slowly. There was nothing that could beat this feeling she thought, nothing in the whole world. If he had rushed, she certainly would still have enjoyed it, but this was oh so special, a moment she would never forget as the feeling seared into her brain, the moment her brother first made love to her. While he might not penetrate her this time, this was still making love she thought; nothing else could describe it. Jamie paid equal attention to both of her proud little mounds and welcomed her vocal encouragement. After ten minutes he tried once more to move his head down her body and had to struggle against her tight grip on his hair. Eventually his intentions filtered through to Laura's overloaded synapses and she almost grew rigid at the thought of what he planned to do. Her grip lessened and he was able to kiss down her flat stomach towards the waist of her pants. Jamie's mouth trailed from left to right across her belly and his hands were busy lowering her zip, snapping the catch on her pants and tugging the garment downwards. Laura raised her hips to let him pull her pants down her thighs and he sat up momentarily to pull them completely off of her legs. He lowered himself back onto the bed and his tongue began to trace a line up her inner thigh. Laura was by now whimpering with her desire and arousal, her legs parted to give him all the access he needed and the anticipation was almost killing her. Jamie's nose was filled with the musky aroma coming from her sex. He could see just how saturated her panties were and the glistening juice already coating the soft skin of her thighs. He felt drawn to her centre, to that musky smell and he lowered his head until he could draw the gusset of her panties into his mouth, squeezing her juices into his eager mouth. He used one hand to pull the material aside and let his lips and tongue taste her source for the first time. He felt Laura respond by thrusting her hips violently up against his mouth and keening loudly. He paused for a second. "Umm, sis, I've never done this before so you'll have to help me, tell me how to make sure it's special for you," he said. Laura panted, trying to draw breath so she could answer. "Oh god Jamie, if it gets any more special I might spontaneously combust, just keep doing what you're doing, it's perfect" she managed to get out. Jamie looked at her sex. It appeared swollen and heavy, more juice streaming from her. He dropped his head and let his tongue swab up every molecule of her fragrant, oily lubrication. He could hear Laura's appreciation, especially when he ventured upwards to where his Internet reading suggested her clit was located. He knew he had found it when Laura reacted like she had been struck by lightening. He focussed his attention on the sensitive little nub and soon had her climbing to her ultimate satisfaction. "Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhh, Jamie, Jamie, oh go brooooooooooooooooo!!" she wailed. Her hands were gripping the duvet and threatened to shred the material. Her head thrashed from side to side and her legs were jerking spastically. Jamie felt himself on the very edge. Even the contact of his boxers and pants on his cock was too much stimulus, without any friction and he frantically grabbed the front of his trousers, trying to pull them away from any contact with his boner. He was too late and he felt his cum shoot again and again into his underwear. His 'accident' didn't stop him from continuing to lave his sister's hard little teen nub and she quickly lost herself in her own climax. "God, Jammmiieeeeeeeeeeee!" she wailed. Jamie felt his head crushed, as Laura's thighs contracted around him and he worried about being able to breathe. After a few moments he felt his sister relax and he sucked air into his lungs. Laura's breathing began to calm down and she locked eyes with her brother. "That was simply incredible, but now it's your turn," she said. Jamie raised his hips from the bed to display the large damp patch on the front of his trousers. "Ah, I don't think I need a turn sis, I kinda lost it there I was so excited," he said. Laura could immediately see what he meant. She didn't see it as a failing, didn't even think for a second that he was somehow lacking. Instead she took it as a compliment. Her hunky brother had been so turned on by her little fourteen-year-old body that he had come before she even touched him. She couldn't wait for Jamie to set up the main event. She grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up the bed so she could kiss him. She felt the urge to pull him on top of her so she could experience the culmination of what needed to happen, what was destined to happen. Instead she controlled herself, Jamie had been setting the pace and he hadn't been wrong so far, she could wait and go along with him. "Mmmm, you don't know just how much I love you," she crooned. "I think I've got an idea," he responded, "If it's anything like what I feel for you, I think we're going to grow old together." Laura's smile couldn't get any wider as she savoured his statement and she lowered her lips to his. ------- Once he had cleaned up and changed his clothes, Jamie couldn't get his mind off of his sister ad her hot body. He decided to try and do something to distract his train of thought. He hadn't checked his e-mail for a while and thought now was a good time. He logged on to his e-mail account to check for any new messages from the Surviving in Scotland web site. He was slightly dismayed to see that there were fewer replies to his own e-mails than he had hoped. Of the nearly two hundred initial messages he had sent, only fifty had given rise to another message. He thought about that and hoped it didn't signify that those survivors had been picked up by the terrorists. There were two things about his e-mail that brought some real excitement however. The first was an e-mail that claimed to come from HMS vengeance and the second was he had two messages from different people in the US. He quickly minimised the screen for his e-mail and opened a Google search window. He typed in - Wikipedia and HMS Vengeance - and hit the return button. His search brought back quite a few hits and he clicked on the first link. The Wikipedia article contained lots of information, the most significant of which told Jamie that the Vengeance was one of the UK's nuclear submarines. He read that it carried sixteen Trident II ballistic missiles and that it was manned by fourteen officers and one hundred and twenty one enlisted men. Its base was given as Her Majesty's Naval Base at Faslane, on the Holyloch on the Clyde. Jamie didn't know much about nuclear submarines so the article was informative to say the least. He thought about it and assumed that those on the vessel could have survived if they had been submerged when the virus was released. The article didn't tell him how air was filtered or how long the submarine could remain under the water. He decided it was time he opened the e-mail. Once he had brought his e-mail account back onto the screen, he double clicked on the message and read it through. HMS Vengeance unable to raise any military installation in the UK. Need information on state of country and whether safe to surface and return. Who are you and where are you? The message had the name Christopher Mexford, Captain, HMS Vengeance at the bottom. Jamie thought about his reply. He didn't care if this was genuinely from a Royal Navy submarine; he had learned his lesson and wasn't giving out any details of his whereabouts to anybody. It seemed the Captain had been cut off and didn't know how bad the virus attack had turned out to be. Jamie assumed his communication with the Ministry of Defence must have been limited while underwater and then cut off altogether as the UK's military were all struck down. He began typing his reply, giving details of the appalling death toll and advising the Captain that only some teenagers seemed to have survived. He also let the man know that there were still terrorists around and that they were currently rounding people up and trying to get them to convert to Islam. Jamie remembered that he had recorded the Prime Minister's broadcast onto CD-ROM and he attached the file to his e-mail so the Captain could see it. He finished up his reply by adding that he had no way of knowing whether the virus was now gone and whether it was therefore safe for the crew of the submarine to surface and come ashore. The size of the clip caused the e-mail to take an age before the message confirming it had been sent appeared on Jamie's screen. He clicked again to re-enter his inbox and highlighted the first message from the US. It claimed to come from 'Jack' in Houston, Texas and Jamie couldn't believe what he had written. Hi there Highlander, really feel for you and your country. If what we're seeing on TV news is true, most of Britain has been wiped out. Reports here are suggesting the same thing is spreading round the world too and the US and Canada will be the only ones to escape. It seems the terrorists tried to do the same to us here, but for once our no good Government wasn't caught with its pants down and they caught a terrorist cell in the act if you know what I mean. Seems the rag-heads had a vaccine with them that protects against the virus they've made. The US staged some fake footage to show thousands of dead birds to make it look like the virus had been released here, but at the same time the Government were manufacturing vaccine and making sure we were all protected. The President has been on live TV to say he spoke to your Prime Minister to try to warn him and offer the vaccine. Seems that by that time the virus had already been released in your country and there was nothing that could be done to help. The terrorists are being held somewhere secret so ordinary folks like me can't get our hands on them. The President has promised that they will be brought to trial for what they've tried to do. I sure hope it's in a State that still carries the death penalty, cause that's what these fuckers need. Anyway, I just stumbled across your web site and couldn't pass by without sending you a message of support. Best of luck, Jack. Jamie sat back in his chair and stared at the words on the screen in bemusement. This guy was claiming that the US and Canada had escaped the virus. Could that be true? He remembered seeing some clips on the news that showed the scenes in America. Could the US Government really have faked all that? He concentrated on the computer screen once more and opened up his second message from the US. This one was from Don in Virginia. Highlander, my ancestors all originated from Scotland and I admit to being fascinated by the history of your country (I can't really claim it as mine, although I do feel there's something in my blood that still makes it feel special to me). I came across your site while searching for other stuff about Scotland on the Internet. I've visited the Highlands twice and been to the area where my folks claim to come from (Lochaber) it sure is beautiful. If what they're saying on our news is true; terrorists have all but wiped the British population out, so I was surprised to find you're alive and trying to do something to rebuild your country. I want to wish you all the best and hope you succeed in doing that, I really would like to visit Scotland again. The thoughts and prayers of this American are with you. Godspeed, Don. This second message didn't say anything about the situation in the US, but Jamie could read between the lines. The way Don 'spoke' it was clear his sympathies were with Britain and surely if America had been devastated the same way he would have mentioned it. Again he wondered if it could really be true that the US had escaped. Could they really have manufactured enough vaccine to treat the entire US population before a bird or a visitor from somewhere else in the world carried the virus there? Jamie remembered the news had reported all international travel had been closed down in the US at the same time the UK airports had been shut. He guessed that might have made sure the threat to the US was reduced for long enough to allow them to vaccinate their people. The thought that there were millions of Americans and Canadians still alive was a massive comfort to him. "Surely they'll help us? We've always had a special relationship with America and Canada. Surely they'll send emergency aid?" he thought. Jamie also realised that, if the US had escaped, it might be really important for the Captain of the submarine to know that. He called up the message from the HMS Vengeance once more and sent another reply, attaching the two US e-mails rather than re-typing everything that was in them. Once he had done that he closed his e-mail account and went to find his sister to share his news. ------- Assam had yet to decide what to do with Fisah. She had to be severely punished in some way for the shame he had suffered. He had thought of simply killing her, but that would have been too quick. He wanted her to really suffer. An idea came to him and a smile appeared on his face. "Yes, that would be perfect!" he thought. Things had gone better in the past few days for Assam and his followers. Using the Pakistani teenagers had vastly increased the manpower he had at his disposal and the number of survivors he had picked up had rocketed. Hadij informed him that most of those who had escaped previously had now been recaptured. Assam told Hadij to pick five of the escapees at random and to have then executed in front of the rest. He had warned them what the penalty would be and while he didn't want to slaughter them all, an example had to be made. Assam now had over two thousand teenage survivors to deal with and he was finding the logistics of that difficult to manage. He now had four different camps set up, each under the command of one of his original cell, supported by twenty Muslim survivors. While that didn't seem like a lot of men to deal with so many survivors, the teenagers were largely cowed by what they had been through and the vast majority of them were proving easy to handle. Troublemakers were quickly identified and magically 'disappeared'. While things were going better rounding people up and beginning to indoctrinate them, there were still a number of things bothering Assam. The biggest thing on his mind was plotting his revenge on the pilot. Fisah had informed him that his name was Jamie MacLaren, so he now had a name for his intended victim. First of all he had to track down where he had gone of course and Assam had ordered all of his people to interrogate those they captured to try and find some clue as to where he was. So far all they had managed to unearth was a web site that had an e-mail link. This boy, this Jamie, was proving himself to be intelligent as well as brave and Assam's anger deepened at being unable to get his hands on him. He realised that he hadn't considered the power of the Internet, just assuming that it would all have crashed and he had decided he needed to rectify that immediately. A team of four of the Pakistani boys had been hand picked to begin to monitor the worldwide web. A room was being set up for them and Assam expected everything to be ready for them to begin their work in a matter of hours. One of the web sites they would monitor was 'Surviving in Scotland'. Assam hoped Jamie MacLaren would make a mistake with the blog that he knew the site contained. One slip up might just lead to his capture and Assam prayed to the prophet that the boy would get too smart for his own good. He now had his men going out further afield to try and pick up survivors, but still continued to sweep through Glasgow itself too. It was these sweeps that had reported something else that was bothering Assam. His men continually reported they were coming under small arms fire in a particular area of the city around the West End. Assam knew he couldn't afford to let any organised resistance establish itself and he was mulling over how to deal with this threat. He still didn't have enough trained men to mount a show of force unless he pulled in all of those currently guarding the survivors. He knew he couldn't afford to do that so for the time being he had ordered his men to watch the West End closely and keep him advised of anything out of the ordinary. The biggest headache he had, other than the logistics of indoctrinating all those he had rounded up, was thinking about how he was going to start rebuilding. He had already sent out a team to ensure the utilities remained on line. Without electricity and water things would go downhill rapidly he thought, so these had been his first priority. The UK Government had been very helpful in that regard with the public service broadcasts that were still playing on the news channels. Basic running of power stations and water plants were two of the videos the government had made and Assam's men were now using this helpful information to keep the show on the road. The government had also ensured fuel had been stockpiled at each coal-fired power station and Assam's men had reported that there was enough to keep them going for a while. He knew that, as more of the survivors converted, he would need to task some of them with finding fresh supplies of coal. He sat back and allowed himself to think about Jamie MacLaren once more. He began to daydream about all the things he would do to the boy when he captured him. ------- Chapter 16: Finding some friends Jamie found Laura taking an inventory of the various foodstuffs they already had at Skibo. Her plan was to help Jamie identify the best types of supplies so that his next trip to a supermarket distribution centre would be more targeted and give them all some variety in their diet. She could see that Jamie was excited as he approached her and she smiled just to have him closer to her. "Laura, you're never going to believe this, but I got an e-mail from the Captain of a nuclear submarine and two from people in America. It sounds as if the Americans managed to catch the terrorists that were carrying the virus there and the government vaccinated all their people. Isn't that fantastic news?" he asked. Jamie was a little puzzled that Laura didn't seem to be getting as excited as he was at the news that the US had survived the virus attack. "Well bully for them," Laura said. "But don't you see, if they've all been vaccinated, they can send US troops to come and help us. They'll even be able to supply experts that can get us back on our feet - doctors, engineers, teachers even," Jamie continued to enthuse. "Jamie, I'm really pleased all those Americans are safe, I really am, but as for them coming to our rescue, I don't think that's such a great idea," Laura replied. Jamie looked at his sister quizzically. "Laura, are you mad or something? Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" he asked. "Just think about it Jamie. As I see it, part of the problem with these Islamic fanatics was down to how they perceived US foreign policy. It always looked like America was meddling in the affairs of just about every country in the world. They were everywhere, too big and too powerful, they couldn't stop themselves. It was always a case of - the US has been invited by the government of... - but even I could see that the government of a small country really didn't have any option but to agree to what the US wanted. "I know they're Britain's allies and friends and I'm fully behind that continuing. I just don't think we should be depending on them too much. Britain, or what's left of us anyway, should try and sort things out on our own first, stand up for ourselves. We shouldn't run to our big brother the first time somebody hits us in the playground. Don't you think so?" Laura finished passionately. Jamie was quite literally stunned. He knew his sister was smart, but he had no idea the fourteen-tear-old had such a well developed sense of international politics. How had that happened? His own more simplistic analysis told him she was wrong however. How could a bunch of teenagers without any training possibly defeat fanatical terrorists and then somehow re-build a whole country? It was clear they needed a lot of help, adult help, expert help. Laura's plea for them to try and stand up for themselves struck a chord with him he had to admit, but the scale of the task was just too huge to consider trying to do it without help. Laura changed the subject. "What about the submarine?" she asked. Jamie explained that he had received an e-mail from the Captain of the HMS Vengeance and this news seemed to excite Laura a bit more. "Well that's different. They're British and trained for war. Now they could make a big difference," she said, "if they come ashore they would be more than capable of taking care of the terrorists for us. There's bound to be engineers and other professionals in the crew too." "The problem is sis, we don't know if it's safe for them to come ashore and we've got no way of finding out. Remember, these guys haven't been vaccinated like the Americans and Canadians. I'm not even sure the Captain will even risk making the attempt," said Jamie. "But they have to. It's their duty to defend their country!" Laura exclaimed. "No commander is going to risk his forces unless it's absolutely necessary sis. The Captain would be foolish to expose his people to the virus if it's still around." "But we're kids. We're being attacked by terrorists and we're on our own, they have to come and help us!" Laura whined. "I'm not so sure sis." It was Jamie's turn now to change the subject. He told Laura about the falling number of e-mails he was receiving from other teenagers who had survived and what he thought that meant. His suspicion was that the terrorists were getting more successful at rounding people up and the numbers still free and able to contact Jamie were falling rapidly. "Well we need to start rescuing people right away," his sister said. "It's not quite that easy sis. Remember we took a chance with Fisah and look where it got us. I've been thinking about how we can pick people up without running the risk of including someone who will tell the terrorists where we are," Jamie replied. He could see Laura had registered his point and appreciated the potential risks in just flying round picking people up without any form of screening. "Why don't we find another hotel here in the north and set people up there? You know, the same principle you used so that you had time to test Fisah. At least if we bring people into the highlands it will get them further away from the terrorists," Laura said. "Doh! Why didn't I think of that?" Jamie said, "of course we can do that and you're right, the important thing is to get them out of reach of Fisah and her crowd." Jamie thought that this was so important that he should start looking for a suitable spot right away. He kissed his sister and told her he was going to go out and look for another hotel immediately. ------- 04:21, 14 August Assam led the group of twelve heavily armed teenagers quietly through the streets of Glasgow's West End. The attacks on his patrols had continued, if anything they had grown more intense and he decided it was time to investigate who was behind them. He still couldn't afford to commit a large force to the task so, instead, he had chosen to do a recce in the early hours of the morning when most people would be asleep. They were all dressed in army surplus gear and even had cam cream covering their faces. Assam's eyes were constantly moving, as he hunted the streets for likely places where a group might hide out. They were now walking down the street where his patrols had been attacked four times already, so he had a fair idea whoever was to blame must be close by. A small red glow suddenly caught his eye up ahead and he motioned with his arm to stop those behind him. They pressed themselves close to the wall of the tenement building they were passing. The glow flared once more and Assam realised there was someone in front of him smoking a cigarette. "How utterly dumb!" he thought to himself, "you're about to find out that the warnings on the packet are all to true, smoking really does kill." He whispered to the teenager next to him, telling him that he was going to go forward and deal with whoever was on the end of the cigarette. He told him to warn the others and then he was off, crabbing across the street and into the shadows on the other side. The teenager slipped down the line of his companions pressing his mouth to each ear as he passed on the message that Assam had spotted someone and was even now creeping up on him. All eyes strained to pick out the fiery tip of the cigarette and to try and spot Assam. The cigarette was easy, but there was no sign of their leader. Suddenly they saw the red spot tumble to the ground and a small shower of sparks appeared as the lit end of the cigarette hit the ground. Assam was able to make out the outline of the person smoking as he crawled along the pavement in the darkness. As he got closer, he was even able to dimly make out the facial features when the cigarette flared as the person drew in the acrid smoke. He was now only ten or twelve feet from what he could now see was a Chinese youth. As the youth turned to look to his right, Assam rose and closed the remaining gap quickly. One arm circled the boy's head from the left, the hand closing over his mouth. Assam's other arm swung round the boy's head from the right, his sharp combat knife lunging for the exposed throat. He felt the explosion of breath against the palm that was covering the youth's mouth and also the warm wet blood that began to pour from the slit flesh. His training ensured Assam did not miss the main artery in the neck and he only had to hold the boy for a few seconds before he felt him grow limp, the sudden loss of blood causing him to lose consciousness. He lay the body down and watched the blood continue to drain out of him; it looked like thick black oil in the dim light. Assam grabbed the Chinese youth by the scruff of his neck and dragged him further off into the darkness. He could dimly make out his own force creeping forward to join him; some of them looking decidedly pale at the sight of the body before them. He ignored them and turned to examine the building the Chinese boy had been standing in front of. There wasn't much to see. It was one of many small city centre hotels that had flourished in the West End before the virus had taken away their clientele. The building was on four storeys and had a double door for an entrance. Assam knew it was too risky to attempt entering the hotel before he had more intelligence on what he was up against. He grabbed the body again and quietly led the way across the street once more and stealthily entered another of the small hotels. Once he had all of his force inside the building, Assam dumped the Chinese youth's body and asked for volunteers to remain behind to watch the hotel opposite. He was pleased to see all of his Pakistani youngsters were eager to be chosen and he singled out two. He led his volunteers up a flight of stairs and they picked out a comfortable room for the surveillance to begin. Assam advised the pair that he would return with others to relieve them at around the same time the next day. It was a simple job to find an exit at the rear of the hotel and Assam led the remainder of his force through the kitchens and into a loading bay. They entered the back door of another building opposite and made their way through it and eventually into the next street over from where they had been. Assam continually looked back over his shoulder to make sure he would remember the building when he returned the next day. With any luck his surveillance team would be able to gather enough intelligence to allow him to deal with this threat properly. ------- Jamie had picked out the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness as the ideal staging post for any survivors he picked up [http://www.hotelreviewscotland.com/hotel.asp?ID=585 for details of the hotel]. He had circled the hotel to make sure it was safe to land and then set the helicopter down on the extensive lawns at the rear of the building. Again the accommodation was luxurious, nowhere near on the scale of Skibo, but very comfortable nonetheless. He spent the next couple of hours gathering supplies from nearby Inverness, where there were ample sources to choose from. Once Jamie felt he had enough provisions to keep a large group going, including plenty of fuel for the hotel generators in case it lost power from the national grid, he flew to the nearby army garrison and loaded up weapons and ammunition. He wanted to make sure any survivors he brought to Inverness would be able to defend themselves and begin to build up their skills with firearms. Something told him that it was inevitable they would be involved in some kind of conflict in the future. He took a break in mid afternoon and made himself some soup to eat before selecting a room in the hotel for himself and setting up his laptop. His first message went to Kenny in Crianlarich. Kenny's last message had told Jamie that he had narrowly avoided being picked up by what he believed was a terrorist patrol. He had been one of the first to e-mail the Surviving in Scotland web site and somehow Jamie felt a growing responsibility for him. Jamie e-mailed him now and asked Kenny if he had an MSN account. He was surprised to get an instantaneous reply - obviously Kenny was remaining very close to his own computer. With the boy's MSN address, Jamie wasted no time in IM'ing him and advised him to make his way into the nearby glen. It was perhaps a sign of the youngsters growing desperation that he didn't for a second question why Jamie was asking him to do that, he simply replied with an 'ok'. Jamie spent another fifteen minutes e-mailing a number of the other survivors who had contacted them, leaving instructions for them to make their way out into the open while remaining reasonably close to their towns and villages. He made a careful list on the hotel's notepaper of the places he would need to fly to and then dashed back to the Lynx. His idea of getting them out into the open was a simple one. Flying over them in the helicopter would allow Jamie to make sure there were no traps waiting for him. It would also allow him to land and pick up the survivors quickly. A number of quick 'in and outs' was what he was hoping for. Thirty-five minutes later he was approaching Glen Falloch and easily picked out a boy who was jumping up and down, waving his arms frantically. Jamie grinned to himself. This had to be Kenny and he had managed to avoid the terrorists long enough for Jamie to get to him. He circled the boy quickly to make sure everything was clear, then let the Lynx drop low enough for Kenny to haul himself in. Jamie turned to the boy and looked him over. He looked about fourteen, with a thin, wiry build and an unruly mop of blonde hair. His eyes were blue and at that moment they were stinging with Kenny's tears. Jamie wasn't sure if they were tears of joy or of relief that he was now with another survivor. He watched as the other youth brushed his eyes with the back of his sleeve and then he too began to grin like a fool. Jamie pulled the Lynx back into the air and headed for Fort William, the next location on his list. Almost two hours later, Jamie had rounded up six more survivors, four boys and two girls. He was heading for his last pick up, where he expected to find four more. This last stop was on the outskirts of Inverness itself and he was pleased to find the people he had e-mailed had all gathered. Once more he circled to make sure there was no hidden danger and then he lowered the helicopter to allow the newcomers to climb aboard. The helicopter was quite crowded now and Jamie thought it was fortunate that they only had a few miles to fly before he reached the hotel where he would set this group up. The four teenagers he had just picked up were surprised when the helicopter began to descend again so quickly and, when Jamie allowed the Lynx to settle on the ground this time, all of them realised this wasn't a pick up, but something more substantial. Jamie shut down the helicopter and led his group of eleven survivors into the Drumossie hotel. There was a large and comfortable sitting area beside reception and he let all of his new friends find a seat before talking to them. "Okay folks, this is going to be your new home for a while. I've stocked up on everything you'll need for a few months and I'm going to leave you to figure out who's sleeping where, how to use the kitchens and the laundry and generally agree amongst you how you're going to work together. Leave room eleven free, that's where I sleep when I'm here," he said. The survivors were all still very excited at meeting up with others and all wanted to talk at once. They hadn't been able to speak over the noise of the helicopter and now it was like a torrent trying to get out. At last they realised they couldn't all talk at once and Jamie pointed to a girl on his right. The others grew silent to let her talk. "Umm, my name is Samantha. Who are you and what do you mean you use that room when you sleep here? Where else do you sleep?" she asked. Jamie had thought of another layer of cover to try and safeguard his true base at Skibo. He realised if he was successful in his plan to rescue as many survivors as he could, no one hotel would be big enough to hold them all. He therefore planned to set up another couple of locations and he would tell the people at each one that he was rotating his time between them. He just wouldn't mention Skibo Castle until he was absolutely sure it was safe to do so. "I've set up three other hotels just like this one so that there is plenty of room for more survivors," he said now. "My name is Jamie MacLaren, I set up the Surviving in Scotland web site and I'm trying to get as many people safely away from the terrorists who started all this as I can." A boy on his left put up his hand to indicate he wanted to speak. Jamie nodded at him. "How many people have you rescued so far?" he asked. "Oh, my names Stuart." "Well Stuart, I've been in contact with over two hundred survivors, but you guys are the first ones I've picked up. I think the terrorists are widening their search for people and some of those who e-mailed me at first might have been captured. The enemy seem to be mainly basing themselves in the central belt, around Glasgow and Edinburgh. That's why I've brought you all so far North, it should be safer here." Another boy held his hand up and again Jamie nodded. "My names Tom. What are you planning to do?" he asked. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel somebody needs to face up to these bastards. Remember, it was these guys who released the virus in the first place and killed all of our parents and everyone else. The captured my sister and I had to rescue her. She told me what they did to her and others they had picked up, so we know some of what they're planning. They're rounding up survivors and brainwashing them into converting to Islam so they can establish Britain as an Islamic state. Those who refuse to join them are being executed. I for one intend to try and fight back and see if I can help more survivors escape. It's up to each of you to decide for yourselves what you want to do. I've already brought weapons here for you to practise with, but you don't have to do that if you don't want to," Jamie finished. "I can shoot, I've been an army cadet for the past year and had quite a bit of training. Count me in and I'll even help train anyone else who is up for it," Stuart now offered. "Excellent!" said Jamie, pleased at this unexpected bonus. He could see that there were still some unconvinced faces in the room, but he knew there was a lot for people to take in and think about. He added to that by now telling the group about his contact with the submarine and the Americans. These revelations had the people in the room all trying to chatter at once again and Jamie held up his hands to try and quieten them. ------- 03:57, 15 August Assam and two teenagers slipped through the front door of the building and crept through to the rear exit. He crossed the space between this building and the hotel where his surveillance team was hiding and all three of them hurried into the hotel's kitchens. They made their way upstairs and tapped lightly on the door where Assam had left his first two volunteers. The door was opened and he could see the white teeth of the youth who was grinning at him. Over by the window, the second volunteer was focussed on the hotel opposite and he didn't even turn to acknowledge Assam and the newcomers. Assam held a whispered conversation to find out what intelligence the team had gathered since he had left them here the night before. "What have you learned of the infidels my brother," he asked. "They are all Chinese and that has made it difficult to determine how many there are. They all look the same to us. Our best estimate is that we have seen more than twenty at different times during the day." "Have you been on watch the whole time?" Assam enquired. "Yes, we have taken it in turns to sleep so we didn't miss anything. They don't appear to be heavily armed and they don't go very far from the hotel. We have only seen a few handguns. I think they're frightened of what they'll find or of what might find them if the wander too far. Mostly they have only gone out foraging for food by the looks of it." "You have done well and I have brought two new volunteers to take your place. Come, I'll get you back to base and you can get something to eat," Assam told him. Already the terrorist leader was thinking about how he could deal with this group. It was unlikely he would have any chance of getting them to convert given their heritage and he relished the opportunity of testing out his new young Muslim shock troops in a live fire operation. It would be good experience for them and tell him something about their nerve. If this group of Chinese was only lightly armed it should be a cinch he thought. ------- 19:41, 15 August Lee Chan was sitting at the computer he had set up in one of the hotel's bedrooms. He had stumbled across the Surviving in Scotland web site quite by chance after entering a Google search with those exact words. He scanned down the blog from someone calling themselves Highlander and recognised a lot of what was there. There could be no doubt that this guy had had a run in with the terrorists, the details he shared on the blog matched what Lee and his friends had experienced over the past week or so. Lee's group had come together quickly after the first adults began to die. The use of herbal and other forms of homeopathic medicine was common amongst the Chinese and even though Lee and the others had been born and brought up in Glasgow, their parents still followed many of the old traditions. For that reason many of the Chinese babies were not given the MMR vaccination. When the Prime Minister's broadcast had mentioned teenagers in that category were likely to survive, the already sick parents began bringing their teenage children together. There were in fact forty-two of them in the hotel, proving that Assam's new recruits had been right when they had said they couldn't distinguish one Chinese from another. Their report to Assam vastly underestimated the number of people holed up in the building. Lee decided it might be worthwhile to try and make contact with this Highlander to see whether there was somewhere safer for them all to go. The frequency of the patrols by the terrorists was increasing if anything and he didn't think he and his friends would be secure at this present location for much longer. He clicked on the hyperlink for the e-mail address and began to compose a message. He explained about the group he was with and the close shaves they had had with the terrorists recently. He moved on to ask some questions about what the Surviving in Scotland web site hoped to achieve. ------- Jamie made his return to Skibo, relatively pleased with his day's work. Okay, he had only rescued eleven people, but it was a start. Laura, Debbie and Christine were all waiting for him in the reception area of the hotel and he was delighted with the hugs he got from all three girls. He noticed Laura giving the other two a funny look as if to question what they thought they were doing, but Debbie and Christine laughed it off. The girls had prepared some tinned food for an evening meal and Jamie suddenly realised he was very hungry indeed. He joined them in the hotel dining room and enjoyed their company over the Irish Stew. Debbie had even managed to master how to use the bread-making machine in the large kitchen and they had fresh bread to fill them up alongside the stew. He decided to check his e-mail while he digested his food and told the girls so, as he headed upstairs to the room he now shared with Laura. He soon had his laptop set up and logged on to his account. His surprise was immediate when a message popped up on the screen telling him he had exceeded his mailbox limit. He had never had this happen to him before and couldn't understand it. He couldn't remember what size his limit was. It was just a standard Yahoo e-mail account but he still thought he had an allowance that would allow thousands of messages. Another small pop-up appeared on his screen. Yahoo management recognise the importance of this e-mail account and have granted you an unlimited account size until further notice. Please click 'Yes' to activate the upgrade. Oh, and everyone here at yahoo is rooting for you! Jamie sat back in his seat while he continued to stare at the screen. The content of the pop-up made it clear that this was a very personalised message, not one of the countless system generated annoyances. He was once more surprised that his e-mail account seemed to have attracted the attention of Yahoo as a company and it seemed they somehow knew that the e-mail address was very important to him and what was going on - why else would the message end the way it did? He considered the pop-up for a few minutes more. Could it be a trick of some kind? Was it a potential virus? He couldn't imagine that someone could hack into Yahoo's systems and, even if they did, why would they single him out? The message wasn't a generic one; it was tailored to him and his circumstances. At last he decided that it was safe to click 'Yes' and he did so. The little egg-timer appeared on the screen to indicate something was happening and he had temporarily lost control of the cursor. Another pop-up advised that an upgrade was in progress. When it finished Jamie could see the normal start-up screen for his account. He gasped as he saw the message saying he had forty-three thousand, eight hundred and fifty two unread messages. "Holy fuck!" he said out loud. No wonder he had exceeded his mailbox limit. He clicked to open his inbox and began to browse the messages. Virtually all of them looked as if they came from the US and he guessed that somehow his web site had become a phenomenon in the States. When he opened up the first few e-mails, his suspicions were confirmed. They were messages of fulsome support from ordinary people in the US and Canada. Jamie was deeply moved by the content of the messages. Here were people saying he was in their prayers and swearing they were willing him to succeed. He felt his heart almost burst in his chest at the response of these people. It was humbling, uplifting, really bewildering. Another message caught his eye and he gulped as he realised it purported to be from the President himself. Son, I know things look bleak and you have been through an incredible trial of your fortitude. The United States and Britain have shown themselves to be indivisible allies and I am ready to send all the support our country can muster to help you put things right. Sit tight and don't worry, let your Uncle Sam come and put things right. Jamie felt the hair on the back of his neck begin to rise. The message was patronising, presumptious and completely overbearing. It seemed to be just like Laura had described, the US President was looking to take over. The message was so much at odds with the many individual and more sensitive messages from US citizens. Jamie realised it would be easy to be seduced by all the messages from ordinary people and simply gorge himself on all the outpouring of support. Instead, he forced himself to begin to quickly go through the thousands of messages to identify ones from others in the UK; these were the ones he needed to act on first he had decided. He suddenly stopped himself. This problem was going to continue unless he did something to sort it. He signed out of his Yahoo account and quickly went through the process of setting up a new e-mail account. He then opened up his Dreamweaver software and began to make some changes to the Surviving in Scotland web site. He left the original e-mail address for people around the world to use - after all it was the one with the unlimited mailbox size. Now he also added another e-mail hyperlink and made it clear on the web site that this one was for survivors to contact him. Jamie quickly uploaded the new version of the web site and then made a quick entry in the blog to thank all of the people who had sent messages of support. He listed the number he had received already and added that he hoped they would understand he couldn't respond to them all. He explained the addition of the extra e-mail link, making it clear he needed to be able to respond to UK messages quickly. Once he had made the alterations he logged in again to his account to check his messages. He browsed until he picked out the UK messages, again disappointed at the reduction in responses from previous correspondents. He was also disappointed that there didn't appear to be any further mail from the Captain of the HMS Vengeance. It took him more than an hour to flick through the messages twenty-five at a time. One message caught his eye and he opened it. The e-mail address showed the sender used the name Lee-C-Chan and he began to read the message. My name is Lee Chan and I'm in Glasgow. I can tell from your blog that you really have had trouble with the terrorists and I think I can therefore trust you a little, not much, but at least a little. I am a Scot of Chinese descent and that fluke of birth has led to me and the people with me surviving the virus. Our parents swore by traditional medicine and because of that quite a few of us didn't have the MMR vaccination and have therefore survived. There are over forty of us, all Scots, but from Chinese families. We are coming under increasing pressure from the terrorists and I'm worried that we won't be able to stay in Glasgow for much longer. What I want to know is, what is this web site meant to achieve? Are you trying to set up resistance to the terrorists? How many of you are there? Where are you? Oh shit, theyre here I can hear gunshots downstairs they msut be here oh fiuck I can hear them storming the rooms their coming up sthe stairs going fomr room to room I have to try and hide beforte they get me I'm scaread. The message ended without a signature. Jamie guessed that the sudden deterioration into typos and the lack of punctuation was due to Lee Chan's panic and fear. He felt the tension in his own body, almost as if Lee's words on the screen had transported him into the room with him, aware of the gunshots and the feeling the fear. ------- Chapter 17: Up periscope 19:59, 15 August Assam knew he would have to hit the hotel before the Chinese teenagers became too unnerved at their missing friend. He watched the front of the hotel from across the street where his surveillance team had been based and was pleased to see there was no one keeping watch on the entrance. "Too easy, it's like taking candy from a baby," he thought to himself. He had a combined force of twenty heavily armed men and teenagers with him and he planned to storm the hotel and take the Chinese down. His last minute observation of the hotel's front door gave him no cause for concern. Raising his gaze to take in the windows of the building, didn't suggest anyone was watching the street either and he decided to launch his attack without further delay. He turned to his troops and repeated the instructions he had given earlier. "Okay, teams one and two are with me. We'll sweep the rooms on the ground floor. Two men to each room and the signal is 'clear' when a room has been fully neutralised. Spray the white paint on the wall beside each the door of each room you clear. "Hadij, you're leading teams three and four. Straight in and up the stairs to the first floor. Don't stop for anything on the ground floor, leave that to us. The same routine for your teams, pair off and start to clear the first floor, room by room. Once we clear the ground floor we'll join you and make the assault on the floors above. Questions?" Assam asked. He looked into the faces of his team and could see that a few of the teenagers were showing signs of nerves. That was to be expected, this was their first action and the adrenaline would be coursing through their bloodstream. He was confident they would perform okay. "Well, no point in waiting around any longer. Let's go, go, go!" Assam burst from the door of the hotel they had been sheltering in and raced across the street. He had armed his teams with Heckler and Koch sub machine guns and he had his slung tightly over his shoulder and gripped in front of him. A flick of his wrist opened the door to the hotel and he crashed inside, the rest of his men close behind. He knew that speed and constant movement were the key to these kind of situations, so he tried to take in his surroundings as he moved forward, aware of Hadij and his teams charging up the stairway to his left. The reception hallway had six doorways leading off it, one a set of two full-length glass doors. Assam raised his boot and viciously smashed the doors open. He and his partner darted inside and immediately started firing their HK MP5 sub machine guns in short, controlled bursts. The room was a TV room and it contained six Chinese teenagers. They didn't stand a chance. Caught completely by surprise and all but unarmed, they barely had time to rise from their chairs before the 9mm slugs began to tear into them, spinning them like rag-dolls. Assam had schooled his teams to aim for the chest. The movies might show this kind of thing and suggest head shots were the thing to go for. He knew differently. The head was a much smaller target and there was too much risk in going for that. Two shots in the chest and then one to the head once the victim was down and not moving was what he had taught them. It took a matter of seconds to take the occupants of the room down, Assam revelling in the look of shock and terror on the Chinese faces. He quickly joined his partner in administering the single shots to the heads of the fallen and then changed the clip in his HK before shouting 'clear' and exiting the room. His partner pulled a can of spray paint from a pocket in his fatigues and daubed a white cross on the wall beside the doorframe. Gunfire sounded from the other rooms in front of him and from the floor above as Assam moved forward once more. There was one room left to clear and he raced towards it, crashing the door open and rolling in fast. A quick look around told him that this was the kitchen and that it was empty. A chorus of 'clear, clear, clear' sounded behind him and he knew the ground floor had been taken care of. Racing back the way he had come, Assam glanced at the faces of his teenage troops and was pleased with what he saw. Their skin was flushed as the result of their nerves, but it was their eyes that told the story. Assam saw the bloodlust and fanaticism written there and he knew he had bred a new and formidable force for Allah. By the time Assam reached the first floor with teams one and two, Hadij and his men had cleared the rooms and were waiting to climb to the floors above. So far not a single shot had been fired against them. That changed as they sorted themselves out and began to make their way up the stairs to the next floor. Assam and his men hugged the walls as they climbed, but it didn't stop a Chinese teenager from peering round the wall on the landing above and shooting one of the teenagers with a handgun. Assam and the leading people in his team returned fire and the 9mm rounds tore into the Chinese youth. His head ballooned and his body shuddered as the bullets impacted. A fine spray of blood seemed to hang around him as he dropped to the floor and Assam was conscious of the thump, thump, thump of his own man as he tumbled down the stairs. There was no further armed resistance, but Assam was surprised as they continued to find and kill Chinese teenagers as the last two floors were quickly cleared. He realised his surveillance team had seriously underestimated the numbers they were facing and he thanked the prophet that his opponents hadn't been better armed. ------- Laura found Jamie sitting in front of his computer with his head in his hands. She rushed over to him, worried about what was wrong. "Jamie, what is it?" she demanded to know. In reply, he merely pointed at the screen. Laura looked over his shoulder and read Lee Chan's message. She gulped as she realised she was probably reading the last words he would ever write. She glanced at the time the message had been sent and took in the fact that this latest atrocity had taken place barely minutes ago. Her arms went round Jamie to try and comfort him a little. "I'm sorry bro, but we might as well get used to things like this. I've seen their leader up close and he is ruthless, probably insane. All we can do is try and save as many as we can until we're ready to fight back," she said quietly. Jamie nodded and visibly shook himself. "I know, you're right sis, but it still takes some getting used to. So many have already died and these nutters are still out killing more. It just doesn't make any sense." "What about other survivors, have you had any more e-mails? What about the submarine?" she asked, trying to get his mind off of the carnage that Lee Chan's message suggested. "There are a few e-mails from survivors, but nothing from Captain Mexford. Oh, and I've received a few more e-mails from our friends in the US and Canada." As Jamie said this he closed Lee's e-mail so that Laura could see the count of the number of messages in his inbox. She gasped in surprise at the total and looked at her brother. "Where have they all come from?" she asked. "I think word is getting around the States about our web site. I've had to add another e-mail link to try and stop messages from survivors being swamped by other stuff. Here's the best bit though," he said, as he clicked on the message from the US President. Laura read the words and took in the logo at the bottom, which depicted the President's seal of office. "Why, the patronising arsehole," she exclaimed, "that's exactly what I was getting at earlier. Who does he think he is? Where does he get off telling us what's best for us?" Jamie actually had to laugh at his sister's righteous indignation. "Easy sis, calm down. You know, I'm beginning to think you might be right about trying to sort things out ourselves first. Messages like this one do tend to get you annoyed don't they?" The enormity of what was happening around them seemed to close in on the two youngsters and they readied themselves for bed in silence. Jamie spooned behind her with one arm round her and they lay quietly until they fell asleep. ------- There was a mood of celebration in Assam's camp following their success against the nest of Chinese teenagers. His newly blooded troops walked around with their chests puffed out and they soaked up the envy and adulation of their friends who hadn't been selected for the raid. Assam led the celebrations and addressed the entire group of survivors to praise his force and urge others to follow their example. ------- Captain Mexford sat in the commander's chair on the bridge of HMS Vengeance and he mulled over what his next steps should be. The second e-mail he had received from Highlander changed things quite a bit, an intact US and Canada needed some thinking about. Laura would have been delighted to know that the Captain's inclinations tended to side with her argument about seeking US help. Yes they were Britain's strongest allies, but to ask them to intervene on British soil just sounded wrong to him somehow. "Britain should be seen to fight her own battles," he thought to himself. He was agonising over his responsibility. He knew there were British kids being taken captive by terrorists, some of them were being executed and it was his sworn duty to defend them. His problem was not knowing whether it was safe to go ashore without verification that the virus was no longer able to infect his men. The news about the US introduced another option - he could sail to America and have his men vaccinated to safeguard them before dealing with the terrorists. That would take time however, and that time would expose British youngsters to further danger from the terrorists. That was the dilemma he was trying to deal with. He could go ashore now and risk catching the virus. Even if that happened, he would still have four or five days to do something about the terrorists before his men would succumb to the effects of the bird flu. Those days could mean the difference between more British kids being saved from execution and the terrorists continuing to have free rein. He reached his decision. "Plot a course for Faslane, take us home Coxswain," he said. He lifted the handset for the submarine's communication system and addressed his crew. "Now hear this, now hear this. This is the Captain. You all know what has happened to our country and that there are perhaps thousands of teenagers who have survived. Those kids are being preyed upon by the very terrorists who carried out the heinous attack in the first place; those kids have no way of defending themselves. "I feel we all have a responsibility to do whatever is in our power to protect the survivors, but I have no way of knowing whether it is safe for any of us to go ashore without contracting bird flu. "There is an option to make for the US and have ourselves vaccinated before we try and take the terrorists on, but that will expose Britain's youngsters to weeks of exposure to the enemy. "I have decided the best course of action is to try and do both, so I am asking now for volunteers to make up a shore party. The party will be small, I'm thinking of something around twenty. We will put these men ashore at Faslane and then the boat will sail for the US to ask for some of the vaccination our American allies have. "Before anyone asks, I have considered simply asking the US to send troops to get us out of this mess. I have decided against that course of action for the present and I hope you will agree with me that Britain needs to continue to be seen to fight her own battles. "Volunteers for the shore party can make themselves known to their watch officers. That is all, Captain out." Mexford turned and felt the eyes of all those on the bridge examine him. He was pleased to see pride in those eyes; it seemed his men agreed with their captain and the decisions he had arrived at. ------- 08:53, 16 August The hull of HMS Vengeance broke the surface of the Firth of Clyde and the sea water drained from her flanks as she levelled out and continued to sail towards her home base. Her two GEC turbines propelled her at just under sixteen knots and she was around twenty minutes from berthing. Captain Mexford had been delighted when he was told that every single member of the crew had volunteered to go ashore. He had suspected that would be the case, but it was nonetheless a matter of pride that his crew felt the way they did. He had selected the names of twenty of them - risking the wrath of those who were passed over. He chose only those who had no children of their own. While it was a remote possibility, if those with children had the chance of being reunited with their offspring, he wanted to keep that chance alive. He had asked his logistics officer whether it would be possible to protect the men going ashore - Nuclear Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare suits seemed like an obvious option - but had been told that would severely limit mobility and leave the men disadvantaged in any fighting they might be involved in. He had insisted however, desperate to give his men every chance to survive. He estimated he could make the round trip to the closest US Navy base - Newport RI - in ten or eleven days, if he ran his turbines near their peak capacity without burning them out. He was backing his men to be able to remain in the NBC suits for that length of time and to still be able to do some damage to the terrorists while wearing them. He had served with these men for two tours and had every confidence in them. The biggest problem was how to get the men ashore without compromising the air inside the submarine and it was decided the only way to do that was to let the men out through the forward hatch while the Vengeance was submerged. Mexford knew that would be hazardous while they were in the NBC suits, but he couldn't come up with am alternative. In the event the process went without a hitch and the Captain watched through the periscope as the shore party made for the Quayside in an inflatable. He didn't linger at Faslane long after he was assured the men had landed safely. "First Officer, set your course for the Newport Naval base in Rhode Island if you please," he ordered. "Aye, aye skipper." ------- Jamie spent the first part of the morning trying to contact the latest survivors who had made contact with him, setting up a further round of pick-ups for that day. If all went well he would be able to bring in a further twelve, but he recognised it was slow work and the numbers were still very small indeed. If that was depressing, what he found when he began to go through the US and Canadian e-mails was a revelation and had him both excited and hopeful. Many of the messages were from expatriate Brits, many of them Scots, living and working in America and Canada. The tenor of these messages was very similar; these people wanted to return to help rebuild the country of their birth and take on the terrorists. Jamie was reminded of an old saying - that Scotland's biggest export was its people. The nature of immigration in both countries meant that all of these people were qualified professionals, the very kind of people the country now needed - teachers, doctors, engineers, you name it, the list was endless. The one sour note was that all of the messages made it clear that the US and Canadian Governments were not allowing anyone to leave their countries. "Laura! Laura!" Jamie called. His sister heard the urgency in his voice and rushed into the room from the bathroom. "What is it? What's wrong?" she asked anxiously. "Look at this. There are thousands of Scots and other Brits in America and Canada who want to come back to help. All the skills we need to help us, but the governments won't allow them to return," he said. He scrolled through some of the messages to give Laura a flavour of the messages. "But that's ridiculous," Laura exclaimed, "isn't that illegal, like kidnapping?" "I don't know, I'm no legal expert. I guess if they've legally shut down the airports it's kind of academic anyway, as there's no way they could leave even if the government let them." ------- Once they had landed the shore party took their time to gather together things that would be helpful from the various stores in the Faslane base. They had access to an impressive arsenal of weaponry to choose from. All of the team selected Heckler and Koch MP5SD suppressed sub machine guns, Browning HP handguns and stocked up on G60 'flash-bang' stun grenades. Moving around was cumbersome in the NBC suits and little did the shore party know that their immersion in the waters of the Clyde had actually compromised the suits and they were in fact affording absolutely no protection whatsoever. They persevered with them, believing they were effective, but the last vestiges of the virus were even now attacking each of them. The team was led by a petty officer, Trevor Stevens, and he was at his wits end with the cumbersome and constricting nature of the suit. "Oh fuck this!" he said. He began to pull the NBC suit off and the others watched him in amazement. "Look, if we're going to do any good against these bastards, we're going to have to be able to move and move fast. We're exposed to the possibility of dying every day so what's the difference in this? I don't know about the rest of you, but I want to do the best I can for these kids. I know I'm not going to be able to do that with this monkey suit on." One by one the others began to peel off their NBC suits too. Their risk hadn't increased at all, but that didn't detract from the bravery involved as they didn't know that and thought they were exposing themselves so they could do their job more effectively. "Right," said Petty Officer Stevens, "how do we find the terrorists? Ideas please ladies." There was a general discussion, with the consensus being that the terrorists would be based around Glasgow and Edinburgh. The best they could come up with was to try and pick off one of the enemy's patrols and interrogate them for information. Four jeeps accommodated them as they drove out of the Faslane gates and headed towards Glasgow. They had been driving for barely fifteen minutes when they turned a bend in the road going through Dunbarton and saw a four-wheel drive vehicle heading towards them. The driver of the lead jeep didn't hesitate; he yanked the wheel over and rammed the other vehicle off the road. Seamen poured from the other three jeeps and dragged the occupants of the 4WD vehicle out onto the road. The captives were stunned and in shock from the collision and Stevens began firing questions at them before they could recover. "Where is your base?" he screamed. The man he was asking was groaning and holding his arm tightly to his chest. Stevens stomped his boot down on the arm and asked his question again. ------- Chapter 18: Tangos 22:47, 19 August Petty Officer Stevens was motionless amongst the scrub, as he watched the comings and goings in the building opposite him. He and his shore party had been watching four different sites for almost two days, logging what they saw and discussing plans for an assault. All twenty of the seamen had admitted to each other that they were starting to feel what they thought might be flu symptoms and they were determined to free as many of the teenagers held captive as they could before the virus could take hold of them. They had also witnessed two executions and that had provided additional motivation if any was required. The terrorists they had ran off the road had provided information about this camp, the basic details of how it was run and the numbers of enemy troops they might come up against. The survivors were split across four accommodation blocks with perhaps one hundred in each. They didn't know it, but Assam had copied the example of the Edinburgh cell and was using university campuses to house those he had rounded up. Observation had told them that the survivors trained with weapons each day, but the weapons were handed out and taken back after the drill. This told them that the terrorists still didn't fully trust the teenagers and were concerned that the weapons might be turned against them. That was encouraging for Stevens, as it indicated the teenagers had not been brainwashed or 'turned' as yet. He wriggled slowly backwards until he was deeper into the scrub then rose to a crouch and scuttled away to join the rest of his team. "Okay, it looks as if there are only four or five hard core tangos allocated to each building. I'd say we're pretty evenly matched on numbers, but most of the enemy are teenagers themselves. I vote we quit delaying and get in there before any more of the survivors are executed or we get too sick to function," he said. He was gratified to see nods of agreement all round. He made them all test the throat mics and earpieces one last time to make sure they could communicate with each other effectively. "Synchronise watches. I make it 23:01 exactly. Harry, you lead team one and take the furthest away building. Frank, team two and take building three. Mark, team three and take building two. You four come with me and we'll handle this one. We've seen that lights out is at 22:30 so the good guys should all be in bed. Make your approach at 23:20 exactly so we're all going in together," he ordered. Stevens sat for ten minutes to allow the other three teams time to get in position then he led his small group forward to the edge of the scrub. There was a lawn to cross before they could reach and enter the accommodation block where the survivors and their captors were. Stevens knew they would be exposed crossing the lawn and thought this might be the most dangerous stage of the operation. He motioned to his team and began crawling forward, keeping as low to the ground as possible. Several minutes later all five of them were prone at the base of the wall of the accommodation block. No alarm had been raised and they were now shielded by the shadow thrown out by the building itself. Stevens took one last glance into the face of each of his companions and then crabbed forward again towards the entrance. He raised himself up and cautiously peered through the glass panel in the door. He pulled back and held up one finger to indicate there was a guard inside the door. Pointing to the left, he indicated which side of the passage inside the door the guard was stationed. Finally he pointed to the member of his team on his left and then the door to indicate he should open it. The seamen nodded and crouched in readiness. Stevens tapped his shoulder and he gripped the door handle and swung it outwards. The Pakistani teenager looked up in surprise as the door swung open. A black clad figure stepped through the entrance and then he felt a white-hot, searing pain in his chest. Stevens stepped inside as soon as the door was opened. His Heckler and Koch spat twice in a classic double tap, the phfft, phfft of the suppressed weapon barely louder than a normal conversation. He watched as the youth slumped to the floor, his hands clutching his chest. Stevens ignored him and led his team deeper into the accommodation block. Two of his team split off and motioned they were heading upstairs to clear the floor above. Stevens nodded and indicated to his remaining two team members to stick with him. The last thing he wanted was any kind of friendly fire incident. They crept down a corridor they hoped would lead them to where the remaining terrorists were. The noise of music reached them and Stevens listened until he was sure which direction it was coming from. It was unlikely the captive teenagers would be allowed to play music after lights out so the chances were the noise would lead them to more of the enemy. He heard a whisper in his earpiece. "Upper floor clear, two more 'Tangos' down. Making our way back downstairs." Stevens eased down the corridor on the balls of his feet to keep the noise down. He spotted a slightly open door and realised the music had grown louder as he advanced down the hallway. He could feel his two companions close behind, as he inched along the wall and up to the door. Stevens lowered himself to the floor and slowly peered round the doorframe and into the room. A quick glance was enough to tell him that there were two terrorists sitting at a table drinking something out of mugs. They were armed, but their weapons were lying on the table. From his quick glance he had recognised them as standard SA 80 British infantry rifles. Stevens raised himself and turned holding up two fingers to let his two companions know how many bad guys were in the room. He then held up his thumb and first two fingers, counting down from three to zero. As his thumb dropped, he burst forward into the room, his sub machine gun already levelled and ready. The terrorist facing the door tried to stand and grab his weapon at the same time, but didn't manage either. Two 9mm slugs caught him high up on his chest and then a third hit his chin, shattering the bone and flesh into bloody ruin. The seamen behind Stevens had quickly stepped into the room behind him and both fired their weapons at the remaining terrorist with his back to them. The Pakistani teenager's body flopped around like a puppet on a string as numerous rounds slammed home. Altogether he took eight 9mm bullets and he was dead before his head crashed down onto the tabletop. Once more the degree of violence wasn't matched by the noise from the suppressed weapons. "Team leader, I think we've cleared the ground floor. Proceed to sweep the sleeping areas with caution," Stevens whispered into his throat mic. They began to move from room to room to check for any other 'Tangos'. Each room held four beds so they had to clear fourteen before they could be sure no further terrorists remained. The two men who had cleared the upper floor looked sheepish and admitted they hadn't swept the upstairs bedrooms. Stevens gave them a hard stare and then led the way back to the stairs, moving upward cautiously once more. They checked each room carefully, but found only sleeping survivors until the very last room on the floor. Stevens gently turned the door handle and pushed the door open, his weapon at the ready. A rotting smell assailed his nose and he felt himself fighting to hold back a sudden wave of nausea. He flicked the light switch on and then swung round quickly to vomit on the floor of the corridor. The rest of his team peered into the room to see what had caused their leader to heave. Having been warned that something wasn't right they were a little more prepared for what they saw, but it was still a sickening sight. The remains of a naked woman lay tied to one of the beds in the room. She had clearly been repeatedly beaten and if the black encrusted blood around her crotch and asshole were anything to go by she had also been savagely raped, probably countless times. Her once beautiful body showed bruising all over it and there were even what looked like deep bite marks on her breasts. The bite marks has festered badly before the woman had died. Her face showed signs of being viciously bludgeoned and where the rope that tied her to the bed cut into her wrists and ankles, there were further deep wounds. It wasn't hard to imagine her trying to tear herself free as she was assaulted over and over again. The seamen were hardened veterans, but even they had never seen anything as bad as this. The woman was clearly Asian or Middle-Eastern in origin and they wondered what had led to her being treated like this by her own kind. ------- Assam was annoyed, as he couldn't raise his team on the accommodation site on the SouthWestern edge of Glasgow. His anger at this shortcoming was replaced by a growing grim smile, as he thought of a good reason why the men there weren't responding. He had given them Fisah as their plaything, a reward to them for the exercise against the Chinese and her punishment for his shame at the hands of the helicopter pilot. No doubt they were taking it in turns to have their fun with her. ------- Jamie had been dismayed as the numbers he was picking up all but dried up altogether. The past two days he had only managed to recover five and four, dropping these off in Inverness to join the twenty-three already there. At first he began to wonder if his second e-mail link on the web site wasn't working, but when a solitary e-mail arrived he knew it was. This message was also something of a shock. It claimed to come from someone calling themselves Bird Song2 and the content allowed Jamie to guess who that was. Highlander, rest assured we will meet up at some point in the near future. I will find you and when I do, I have a plan for your long, slow and painful death. Already I have thousands of your countrymen converting to Islam and training to be my army. It won't be long now before I come for you with these troops. Prepare yourself infidel and enjoy life while you can. Bird Song2 Jamie pondered the pen name. It was strange that it had a '2' in it and that suggested that there was someone more important - a Bird Song1 as it were. He had just assumed that Assam was the leader of the terrorists, this might indicate he wasn't and that intelligence could be important. "I think you've just made a mistake my friend," he thought. If anything the number of messages arriving in his original e-mail box had grown each day. He was still much moved by the messages of support from the US and Canadian people and angry at the numbers of expatriates who were being denied the opportunity to return to the UK. He used the US President's own message, hitting the 'reply' button, and carefully composed a message to him. Mr President, My thanks for your gracious offer of aid in this difficult time for my country. Before he died, our late Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, urged those of us who survived to rebuild our proud nation by sticking to the values and principles that Britain has always been known for. It is in that spirit that I have to decline your offer. We will deal with the remaining terrorist threat in the UK by our own means and work harder than we ever have before to get our country back on its feet. To that end there is one service that you and the United States could perform to help us. I have received thousands of messages from expatriate countrymen of mine, all of them desperate to return to the land of their birth in this its most urgent time of need. Yet your government, sir, is preventing that from happening. These people are the very resources that Britain needs to rebuild. I have been contacted by doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, the list goes on and on. I urge you, sir, to allow these people to return. On a different matter, I have been moved to tears by the heartfelt messages of support I have received from countless thousands of your countrymen and women and from the people of your close neighbour, Canada. These are ordinary citizens who have taken time to write words that make your very heart swell in your chest. The encouragement these messages bring is of great comfort to those of us who have survived and help stiffen our resolve to come through what we now face stronger than ever. Sir, I will keep every single message I receive as testament to the ties that bind our nations, as a record of how your citizens once again stood shoulder to shoulder with ourselves. Once again Mr President, I urge you to let the British people return from the US and Canada and leave us alone to sort out our own problems. Yours respectfully, Highlander (aka James MacLaren) Jamie felt much better for having gotten all that off of his chest. He just didn't think it was right that his countrymen, who were desperate to return, were being denied that opportunity. All of those he had picked up so far had looked at the President's previous message and were unanimous that they didn't want US armed forces landing in the UK. Having sent his message, Jamie turned to the preparations for a surprise for Laura. He had found all of the fixings for a gourmet steak dinner and he was planning on an intimate evening for them both. Laura had always loved his Gaelic steak and when he had discovered the frozen filet in the hotel's walk-in freezer, the idea of the perfect night for his sister started to take shape. He had managed to get Christine and Debbie on their own and had confided his plans to them. Both girls were excited and wanted all of the details immediately. They were able to suggest a few additional touches from a woman's perspective, touches that would help make the night one she would never forget. The girls had made themselves scarce and Jamie was now in the kitchen getting all of the ingredients ready. He had already selected a table in a quiet corner of Skibo's plush dining room and it was decorated with soft candles and a spray of red roses. Now he began to create his dish. Garlic, chopped onion and long life cream joined sliced potatoes in an oven for Dauphinoise Potato. The remaining vegetables unfortunately had to be cooked from frozen, but he had carrot batons and broccoli and cauliflower. The filet steak was now on the griddle to cook and he was putting the finishing touches to the base for them and to the sauce. He placed a square of toast on each plate and carefully built up a bed of haggis on each. Checking the sauce - beef stock, finely diced onion, bouquet garni and whisky - he saw that it had reduced to just the right consistency, he drained the liquid through a sieve and tasted it, adding a little seasoning. The steaks went onto the haggis beds and the potatoes and vegetables were carefully spooned onto the plates and then the sauce was poured over the top of the medium rare beef. Jamie called up the stairs for Laura to join him for dinner, as he carried the plates into the dining room and set them down on the table. Laura appeared in the doorway just as he finished lighting the candles and he could see she was on the verge of tears. "What is it? What have I done wrong?" he asked, puzzled. "Nothing stupid, it's perfect," she replied with a small sniff. "Why are you ready to cry then?" he asked. "Boys, you just don't get it do you. I'm happy silly," she answered. He held her chair for her as she joined him at the table, her eyes lighting up as she saw what he had prepared. He watched her take in the roses, the candles and the bottle of red wine that he had found in the hotel's wine cellar. "It's perfect Jamie. I can't believe you've gone to all this trouble for me. The least you could have done was warn me so that I could have fixed my hair and found something decent to wear," she said. "I promised you a special occasion, remember?" he asked. Her eyes narrowed at his words and her cheeks flushed bright red as she realised what he was getting at. "You mean tonight? Are we going to... ?" "If you still want to," he replied. Laura was out of her chair in a flash and he found himself being soundly kissed by an excited fourteen-year-old. When she came up for air she responded. "I hope that's answer enough for you, but you could have saved telling me that until after we'd eaten. Now I won't be able to concentrate enough to really appreciate what you've made," she said as she re-took her seat. "Women! Is there any way we can ever make them totally happy?" Jamie laughed. He poured half glasses of wine for them both and made a toast. "To the most beautiful girl in the world, who I love more than life itself. To the girl I have pledged myself to for as long as we both shall live. To what we are about to share together." He raised his glass and clinked it against hers, letting the sweet chime of the thick crystal ring out in the quiet dining room. They began to eat the fine meal, both of them savouring the combination of flavours. Despite what she had said moments before, Laura was most certainly able to do the food justice and she repeatedly complimented him on his skills in the kitchen. "If your bedroom skills are anywhere close to this I'm in for a treat," she giggled a little nervously, but clearly eager to find out. Now it was Jamie's turn to blush and she smiled as she saw him redden. It was still a lot of fun to tease her big brother. They shared another half glass of wine after they had finished the meal. Jamie had some further surprises in store that he hadn't shared. His call for Laura to join him had been the signal for Debbie and Christine to slip into the honeymoon suite and complete some final preparations there, before Jamie and Laura finished eating and returned upstairs. A couple of heavy thumps from upstairs was the signal from the girls to Jamie that they had completed their tasks and he was free to head back to the honeymoon suite whenever he was ready. He rose and took Laura's hand in his, helping her up from the table. They could both feel the effects of the wine and he decided to leave it behind as he led her through the dining room and over to the stairs. "Time for my dessert," he said with a grin. Jamie let Laura enter the honeymoon suite first. He peered over her shoulder and saw the first of the things that the girls had done. A single long-stemmed red rose lay on the white pillow on the four poster bed. The rose had a small tag tied to it with a simple 'I love you message' from Jamie. Beside the bed, on the nearby dressing table, were fluffy white towels, face cloths and a bowl of hot water. These would come in handy to help the teenagers freshen up after their lovemaking. Cold bottles of water were on the bedside cabinet to replenish their fluids. Everything looked just right. "Why don't you go into the bathroom and see if there's anything interesting in there," he said. He waited an agonising twenty minutes before Laura returned. When she did finally appear she took his breath away. The girls had told him it was important for a girl to have nice underwear to show off for her man. It made her feel extra sexy they had told him and they had supplied a white satin ensemble that hugged, pinched, flaunted and made her look sensational. He caught a waft of a musky perfume that the girls had also left in the bathroom for Laura and he could see she had quickly used the styling gear too, shaping her hair delightfully. Now that she stood before him in high-cut panties and camisole, it was clear she was very nervous. He could see she was chewing at the inside of her cheek as she waited for him to comment, afraid perhaps that he wouldn't like what he saw. "Sis, you've never looked more beautiful," he managed to get out, as he crossed to enfold her in his arms. He could feel some of the tension drain out of her at his words. "No you don't buster, Debbie has given me some advice for tonight. I already owe you something from the last time. Debbie says it will help what's to come later last longer too. So lie back and let me take care of that big, hard thing I can feel poking me in the stomach," she said. Laura unsnapped his pants as she pushed him backward onto the bed. She pulled his pants and boxers off without further ado. Jamie had never been harder and he could see she was fascinated now that she had uncovered him and had a close up view of his cock. She reached out tentatively to touch him, but grew more confident as her fingers closed around his girth. Jamie thought he was going to explode right then and fought to hold it off. He watched as Laura's head dropped towards him and her sweet, sensuous mouth opened to take her first taste of his manhood. The feeling as her lips brushed over the sensitive head was exquisite and when he felt the warm, wet softness of the inside of her cheek graze over the same spot, he couldn't take any more stimulation. Laura felt the steely hard cock buck in her hand and suddenly her mouth was being inundated with his salty cream. She swallowed as fast as she could, savouring her brother's essence. The realisation of what she was doing, who she was doing it with and what was even now in her stomach was an amazing thrill for her. She felt herself on the edge of cumming herself and quickly cleaned her brother's cock off. "Mmmm, I think I could really get to like that," she said. "Isn't it supposed to get soft now?" Laura asked the question because Jamie had stayed hard. "I might never grow soft if you always look like you do now and treat me to what you've just done," he replied. "You're turn now." "No Jamie, I'm very ready, feel," she replied. She pulled herself up the bed and took his hand, lowering it to the front of the white satin panties. Jamie could feel just how wet she was and he realised what she was saying was true. He sat up and removed the soaking garment almost reverently. When her little mound was revealed it was so alluring he almost tried to go down on her anyway, despite her protests. Laura sensed what he was feeling and stopped him by pulling him between her legs. "Please Jamie, do it now, stop making me wait. I need you now bro, please do it?" Jamie kneed her thighs a little wider and took his cock in his hand. He rubbed the head along her little slit, lubricating it with her juices. When he positioned himself at her entrance he could feel how tight she was and his cock was already aware of her hymen. "Baby, this is going to hurt a bit. If I could do anything to stop that happening I would, but there's no way to avoid this." "Jamie, I know. Just do it already!" He pressed forward and felt her barrier resist. He angled his hips backward and then thrust forward, feeling the membrane tear and his hard staff slide in a few inches. Laura gasped and he held himself still inside her. "Ow, that hurt," she groaned. "Shhsh, I did warn you. It will get better from now on, I promise," he replied. It was just as well Laura had taken the edge off because he felt close to climax again already. The tight grip on his cock was something he had dreamt of and he was no longer holding still to spare her pain, but rather to keep himself from cumming too soon. "It's okay Jamie, push in further," she said. "Um, I've got a slight problem with that sis," he replied. Laura read between the lines and once more she was delighted at the effect she had on her brother. The feeling of how she attracted and excited him, of her body reducing him to this, was incredible. "We've got all night and every other night for as long as we live Jamie. Please do it for me?" Jamie started doing logarithms in his head as he pressed forward. He felt the walls of her channel grudgingly part before him and inch by inch he penetrated her centre. At last he was all the way in and they both felt him nudge up against her clit. Jamie heard her draw in her breath at the contact and he realised she was as close to the edge as himself. That knowledge somehow gave him more control and he began to saw in and out of her slowly. "Faster my love, faster," she panted. Jamie was torn, he really wanted this to be special and memorable for her and that called for restraint he thought. Her continued demands got to him however, and he started to increase his pace and rhythm. Soon she was gasping and her finger nails pierced the skin on his back. "Yes bro, yes, yeessssssssss!" He tried to bump her sensitive clit on each stroke and bit down hard on his own lip, hoping the pain would prolong his staying power. He was surprised when his sister screamed at him. "Fuck, fuck, Jamie, oh I'm gonna, I'm gonna... it feels incredible baby, aaahhhhhhhhh, yeeesssss, yeessssssssss!" He felt the walls of her tight pussy grab onto his pistoning cock and he couldn't hold back any longer. At that last second the word 'contraceptive' popped up in his head, but there was no holding back. He felt himself spurt again and again deep inside her and she responded by wailing even louder, her legs gripping him and holding him in place. Laura seemed to come round first and she stroked his face as he lay atop her. "Beautiful, it was beautiful Jamie. You've made me a woman at last." "I'm sorry I didn't last longer," he said, "I'll try harder next time." "Any better and I don't think I'll survive," Laura said with some passion. Youth being what it is, they made love twice more during the night, each time lasting longer than the last. Laura's enthusiastic screams let Debbie and Christine know that she was enjoying her first time and were also in danger of giving Jamie a swollen head. The towels, hot water and cloths were pressed into service a number of times and the bottled water was very much appreciated. After their third successful coupling, Jamie was content he had given her a night to remember. ------- Chapter 19: Things can only get better 07:30, 20 August The choice of the honeymoon suite as their 'home' was obviously appropriate, as brother and sister were as close and attentive as newly weds the next day. Laura was clearly in pain from her defloration and the number of times they had made love, but it was like a badge of honour to her, a sweet pain, a well-earned ache. She had her man and she wouldn't change anything about her first time with him. Every twinge she felt as she walked around reminded her of how he had felt inside her, how her insides had melted and how high her passion had climbed while she was under him. Debbie and Christine giggled at the lovebirds and how they were behaving around each other. Jamie couldn't stop fussing over his sister. He cuddled her, brought her treats and generally just kept within feet of her for most of the day. Laura enjoyed the attention and the feeling of love and security she got from her brother and never wanted it to end. She was aware however, that he had other responsibilities and eventually she forced herself to remind him of them. Jamie returned to their room and began to set up some more pick-ups. There weren't many and again he was disappointed in that. One e-mail message to the UK address did perk him up. The e-mail address leapt out at him and he hovered the cursor over the message as quickly as he could. Hi Highlander, I'm in Fort William. All of the people I was with were murdered, but I hid in a closet and somehow the terrorists missed me. I've never learned to drive but it's amazing what you can do when you're forced into it. I took a car from a garage forecourt and drove it to Fort William, not even sure what gear I was in, but thankfully there was nothing else on the road. I'm sure I've knackered the car, but I'll pick up another one when I move from here. Hope you're still okay. Lee Chan Jamie was delighted that he had been wrong about Lee Chan's fate. He was still cautious, fearing a trap, but he sent a reply right away. Lee When are you ever going to learn? You should stay away from big towns and cities, that's where you'll be at most risk. Get out of Fort William and continue to go north, into the wilderness. I'm glad you made it out and I'm sorry about your friends. You've survived so far, don't be stupid now. Highlander ------- Petty officer Stevens had decided it was too risky to try and move the survivors during the night. He had set up a rota so that his own men were patrolling the campus to warn them of anything untoward and had tried to grab some sleep. The teenagers were largely unaware of their changed circumstances and he would deal with that when it was light. When the youngsters started to wake, he was alerted by his team and told them to bring all of the survivors out onto the lawns. He made sure his men first made it clear who they were and where they had come from and released the store of weapons so that each teenager was armed. Once they had all gathered he addressed them. "My name is Petty Officer Trevor Stevens. I'm from the HMS Vengeance one of the UK's nuclear submarines. We came ashore three days ago and hoped the virus would have worked itself out by now. That's not the case and I'm afraid all of my team are on a downhill slope. The captain and men of our boat couldn't stand by and watch what was happening to you, so we volunteered to test out whether the virus was gone and to try to rescue some of you. "We've dealt with the terrorists on this site, but there are others and myself and my men probably don't have long to live. The best we can do is to try and get you away to somewhere safer. We need to do that quickly while we still can and before other terrorists come to see why their friends are not responding to their calls. Gather up what you need to take with you while my team searches for some suitable transport," he told them. Stevens sent his men out to a nearby bus depot. That was the most obvious way of transporting the teenagers he thought. It didn't take them long to return with seven single-decker buses capable of taking all of them away from the site. There were four hundred and seventy six youngsters and Stevens insisted they take their rifles with them. "You need to keep your weapon with you at all times from now on. If you don't, consider yourself either dead or captured again. I know you have all had some training in using the rifles, as we've watched you drill the past few days. Just make sure you remember to keep the safety on until you need to use them," said Stevens, as they began to file onto the coaches. Stevens retained one of the naval jeeps at the front of their column and one at the rear, both had GPMGs on pedestal mounts and they would serve to protect the buses - punching through anything coming towards them and stopping anything chasing their tails. The convoy headed out to the M8 Motorway and on towards the Erskine Bridge to make their way northward. ------- Jamie had dropped in at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness to see how his little band of survivors was getting on. Later he planned on flying south to try and spot Lee Chan and pick him up. Stuart, the teenager who had been an army cadet, brought him up to date on how his attempts to train the others was coming along. "Most of them are already quite good, only two have got no aptitude for shooting at all," Stuart told him. "Excellent, if only I could find more. I'm afraid we're not going to do much with thirty against thousands," Jamie replied. "Listen Jamie, is there any chance we could drop by the barracks today. There are some things that you didn't get when you stocked up on arms for us. We need radios, mines and some anti-tank weapons wouldn't go amiss," Stuart said. "Sure, I was heading out to look for someone, but we can drop in and pick up what you need," Jamie replied. It didn't take them long to make the quick hop to the Fort George camp and Jamie helped Stuart load a handcart with the items he wanted. He loaded up six Javelin anti-tank weapons and a stack of H4855 Personal Role Radios (PPR). A second trip was required to load up with spare batteries and HEAT rounds for the Javelins and Stuart changed his mind about the mines when he spotted some 51mm mortars. The claymores could wait for another trip he decided, as he loaded a dozen of the mortars and also added a few cases of different types of ammunition for them. "Okay, that's enough for now," Stuart said. He was like a kid in a candy store as he looked around at all the ordnance and weaponry. Jamie could see the other boy looking longingly at a row of Armoured Personnel carriers that were parked neatly. "I'll bring you back some other time if you want to try and take one of them," Jamie said as the heaved the handcart back to the Lynx. "Hey Jamie," Stuart said, "how accurate are you with the TOWs?" Jamie looked at him quizzically. "The missiles," Stuart explained. "Oh, I don't know, I've never tried to fire them. To be honest I wouldn't know how," Jamie responded. "It's pretty easy, I've watched a couple of times when I was allowed up while we were on an exercise. I'll show you," Stuart said excitedly. Jamie could feel the difference in the helicopter's performance with the heavy load it now carried and he had to make some adjustments to how he flew to accommodate that. Once they were up, he took them out over the Moray Firth to safely try firing one of the helicopter's missiles. Stuart talked him through the use of the targeting system and how to fire a missile. For his first effort, Jamie wasn't really bothered about aiming at anything; he simply wanted to experience what it felt like to launch, to feel the effect on the Lynx. He fired the TOW and was surprised that it had no effect on the Lynx at all, not even a slight shudder. He didn't realise that a small charge was used to boost the missile away from the helicopter before the rocket motor ignited, but he realised something was different when the rocket flared and shot forward. He glanced over at Stuart and saw that he was concentrating on the guidance system. The TOW wasn't a 'fire and forget' weapon and needed to be guided to its target, that's what Stuart was doing. As Jamie watched, the missile exploded into the choppy water and Stuart turned with a large grin on his face. Jamie decided it would be handy to keep Stuart with him as he conducted his search for Lee Chan. He swung westward and headed for the Fort William area. He used the familiar sight of Loch Ness and Loch Lochy to help him navigate - paralleling the A82 road. It was a relatively short journey, only twenty minutes and they would be closing on the town of Fort William. The town sat in an 'elbow' created by confluence of Loch Eil and Loch Linnhe, with the manmade Caledonian Canal connecting them to Loch Lochy. Just as they reached the foot of Loch Lochy, perhaps seven or eight miles from Fort William, Stuart waved frantically and pointed down to his left. Jamie shifted the Lynx over slightly so he could get a better view of what Stuart was pointing at. He saw a line of coaches with a jeep in front and another at the rear. He brought the Lynx closer so they could see better. The convoy stopped and they could see men in the jeep at the front pointing up at them. Jamie risked moving closer so they could try and identify who was in the buses. They could both see row upon row of young faces staring up at the helicopter, most of them frightened looking. Stuart pointed out the way the GPMGs on the jeeps were swinging to follow their flight and he indicated to Jamie that he should pull away. "They don't look like Muslims!" Stuart shouted over the noise of the rotors. "I don't care, I'm not taking any chances!" Jamie replied. "Let me set up a pair of the radios and then set me down where they can't see you!" Stuart shouted. "We can't afford to lose you either!" Jamie shouted back, shaking his head. "But if they're friendly it will really boost our numbers and our chances!" Jamie thought about that for a second and then he began to look for a likely place to set the helicopter down without the column of buses and jeeps being able to see them. "Listen, if you wave for me to land I'll take that as a signal they're bad guys. I'll only come down if you make a signal to wave me off. Baddies wouldn't allow you to wave me off, okay? If it looks like there's going to be trouble, run, run as fast as you can and get somewhere the vehicles can't follow so I can pick you up!" Jamie shouted as the Lynx began its descent. Stuart was hurriedly setting up two of the PPRs, leaning across to jamb a set of headphones onto Jamie's head. "Can you hear me?" he asked, speaking into his own mic. "Roger," replied Jamie. He didn't hang around, but gave Stuart seconds to jump down from the Lynx before he was fighting for altitude again. Stuart hadn't taken any weapons with him. His thinking was that if the people in the coaches were friendly he didn't want to make them nervous and if they were bad guys he didn't want to be slowed down with a weapon. Jamie kept his distance and watched Stuart standing in the middle of the A82 road, waiting for the convoy to approach him. It only took minutes before the lead jeep appeared round a bend in the road and immediately pulled to a stop. Jamie could see the pedestal mounted machine gun trained on Stuart and he wondered how his new friend was feeling right now. "Stuart, I don't like it," he said into his mic. "Negative," came Stuart's reply. "What have you seen?" Jamie asked. "The guys in the jeep are wearing naval uniforms. I don't think they're terrorists," replied Stuart. Jamie could see him begin to walk towards the jeep; his hands held high to show they were empty and in a gesture designed to show he was in no way a threat. One of the jeep's occupants jumped out and trained a weapon on the advancing boy and then walked forward to meet him. Jamie watched as Stuart knelt and then lay face down in the road and the man from the jeep crouched to frisk him. Once the man was satisfied Stuart really didn't have any weapons, he allowed him to stand once more, taking several paces back to ensure the boy couldn't lunge for his weapon. A conversation was obviously taking place and Jamie nervously kept the Lynx far enough away to make it unlikely the GPMG would be a problem, but close enough to watch what was going on. He checked his fuel and saw that he would need to top up before he returned to Skibo that night. When he looked down again he saw Stuart waving his arms in the universal sign to warn someone off. Jamie bit his lip. He had a big decision to make now. Did he trust Stuart's judgement? Was this a risk worth taking? He decided it was and brought the Lynx round and began to descend towards the road. He flared the helicopter and let the skids hit the tarmac, but didn't kill the rotors as he watched Stuart, the man beside him and the jeep. The fact that no one had fired on him was a positive point he thought. He held his breath and began to shut the helicopter down. No one had moved he saw, as he jumped down from the Lynx and began walking forward. He could see the barrel of the large machine gun on the jeep and no longer had to wonder how Stuart had felt with it pointing at him, as he was feeling it now himself. As he neared the jeep, the man covering Stuart spoke up. "So, you're Highlander?" he asked. "Who are you?" Jamie asked, ignoring the other man's question. "I'm Petty Officer Trevor Stevens from HMS Vengeance I believe you've exchanged messages with my captain, Captain Mexford," Stevens replied. Jamie breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nothing the man could have said was more guaranteed to convince him that he was amongst friendly forces. There was no way the terrorists could know about his exchange with Captain Mexford. "How did you get here?" Jamie asked, his tone now more relaxed and friendly. Stevens began to explain what had happened over the last few days and how they had rescued the teenagers who were on the bus. Jamie's face fell when Stevens told him that all of the shore party seemed to have bird flu and didn't have long to live. His initial joy at realising they now had trained military personnel to help them was now dampened with the knowledge that they were going to be cruelly taken away from them again. ------- Assam's mobile phone rang and he held it to his ear. "Hello?" he said. "Bird Song," said Shafiq from her London base. "How are things with you?" he asked her. "It's difficult," she replied. "London is so big and there are a lot of wild teenagers here. A high proportion of the survivors seem to be of Afro-Caribbean origin and they are well armed." "We're doing okay. I've made contact with Nasser in Edinburgh and we appear to have rounded up most of the survivors in the central belt. We're managing to keep the power and water on and I think we've got the wild dogs under control too. Weapons training is also going well," he said. "If things are going so well up there, I might need your help to take control here. We might not have much time though, have you been following events in America?" she asked. "Yes. It seems we have taken care of the lapdog, but the great Satan has been unharmed. I'm worried about what they will do," Assam said. "I think we've got a few weeks yet. They'll want to gather intelligence about what the position is in all the other countries around the world before they commit themselves. We have to make the most of the time we have so we're stronger when they do come," Shafiq replied. They agreed to keep in touch and Assam told her that he would prepare vehicles in case she wanted him to come south to support her. When the call was ended Assam leaned forward to put his phone on the coffee table in front of him. He almost jumped up in surprise, when the phone rang again immediately. "Hello?" he said, as he answered the call. "We have a problem," he heard Hadij say. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I've come to check on the Paisley site as you asked and it's empty. Our men are here, but they're dead. The only indication of what's happened is a pair of jeeps that have British forces' roundels on them. They're not the normal green colour, these are dark blue," Hadij informed his leader. "Navy," Assam said, recognising the different livery for the vehicles. Something important popped into his head. "Of course!" he thought to himself. "Faslane! The home of the UK's four nuclear submarines. Is it possible one of them was at sea when the virus was released? Shit! What about the Trident missiles?" "Hadij, I want you to take your team to Faslane and check it out. It's possible one of Britain's nuclear subs has put in an appearance. Be careful, I don't want to lose any more personnel," Assam ordered. ------- When Stevens found out what Jamie and Stuart had on board the Lynx, he immediately changed his plans for the teenagers he had rescued. With the kind of weapons they would have at their disposal, it would make more sense to remain at Fort William and set up defensive positions. The Javelins in particular would be very useful if some of the teenagers could be trained to use them. Jamie agreed. "There's going to come a point when we have to stop running away. I agree with you Trevor, now is the time to make the beginnings of a stand. Fort William is actually a strong position to set up in. It should be relatively easy to establish some positions to cover the road. The high ground around here also makes it easier to set up observation posts to make sure nobody is sneaking up on the town," he said. "I guess it will make finding food and accommodation much easier too," said Stuart. It was agreed that they would turn back and make plans to fortify the town. As Jamie turned to head back to the helicopter, Trevor Stevens pulled Jamie aside. "Jamie, you seem to have your head screwed on pretty good for a young man. My men and I have had ample time to realise what the bird flu is going to do to us. I don't want your attention split by having to look after us, so I've decided to speak to my men and suggest we return to Faslane tonight. There was another sub docked at the base when we came in and I think it would be fitting for us to spend our last days onboard. I've got a feeling that it would mean a lot to the men," Trevor said. Jamie immediately felt disappointment. He had been hoping to have the benefit of the seamen for a few days more to help them set up their defences. Once he swallowed down his first reaction he could see sense in what Stevens was saying. The last thing the surviving teenagers needed was another reminder of the last few days of their parents and friends. His own experience with his grandparents and parents came back sharply and he felt his stomach clench. "Trevor, you and your men have already performed bravely - in coming ashore at all, and then by rescuing all these people. I think I understand your motives and can see why you want this. If your men agree, I'll cover for you so you can slip away quietly," Jamie replied. "Thank you, this means a lot to me," Stevens said. "I feel as if we're letting you all down, but I can't think of any other way of going." Jamie and Stuart re-boarded the Lynx and Jamie confided what he had agreed with Trevor. "Man, that's shit, absolute shit!" said Stuart. "I know, but he's right. We don't want to watch him and his team die in front of us, I'm afraid the training and defences are going to fall on your shoulders. I think it's probably best if I move the survivors from Inverness here as well. They're not going to do much good where they are and they're isolated," Jamie said, as he was going through his pre-flight checks. Stuart quailed for a second and then seemed to grow in stature. "Okay, I'm up for it. They've set a good example haven't they? We can't let them down now. They rescued everybody and we need to take the chance they've given us. I sure wish they were going to be around though," he said. Jamie quickly moved the helicopter into the centre of town and he and Stuart unloaded much of its cargo. A further flight allowed Stuart to pick out the best site for covering the A82 as it approached Fort William and they dropped down to unload some weaponry here too. Once that had been accomplished, Jamie took them back to the town and set the helicopter down once more. The buses had arrived and teenagers were milling around the car park, excited as they watched the Lynx come down. "Trevor, it would be really helpful if you and your men could scout out the best sites for defensive positions," Jamie said loudly. The teenagers around him thought nothing of it and Jamie winked at Trevor to let him know this was his cue to leave with the shore party. He gave them twenty minutes and then called the hundreds of survivors to gather round him. He leapt up on the bonnet of a car, looking very dramatic with the majestic sight of high Ben Nevis behind him. "Umm, guys, can I have your attention please!" he shouted. The teenagers quietened and pressed forward to hear what the helicopter pilot had to say. Being able to fly the Lynx had already granted him an elevated status amongst them. "My name is James MacLaren, also known as Highlander. Some of you might be aware of my web site 'Surviving in Scotland'," he said. This announcement raised a buzz in the crowd making it obvious that quite a few of the survivors knew about the web site. "I was in the mosque when you rescued us!" a voice shouted out from the crowd and a good number of others called out to say they had been there too. "Well, this time I hope we can work together to keep you out of the grip of the terrorists again," he shouted. "We should start out in the right way with each other. I have to tell you that Petty Officer Stevens and his men haven't gone to look for defensive positions. He approached me earlier and confirmed he and his men have all got bird flu. The last thing he wanted was to waste away in front of you all and he said he and his men would go back to Faslane, to spend their last hours on one of the subs they have spent so much of their lives on. "I know, I know, I was disappointed too. But these brave men have given their lives to rescue you and I think it's only right that we let them choose the manner of their passing!" he shouted. "We owe it to them to make the most of the chance they've given us. Stuart here will take charge of organising your defences and I'm going to go and pick up some additional hardware to help with that. Now, the town is a tourist destination so there's plenty of accommodation, room for everybody. Find yourself a place to stay and let Stuart help organise you in terms of duties and scavenging for food etc. "We will take our country back and that will be a fitting tribute to Petty officer Stevens and his men," he finished. As he jumped down from the car he heard them respond with an emotional cheer, a roar, an affirmation that they were going to fight back. ------- Hadij and his men had taken up positions where they could observe the naval base. Nothing seemed to be moving. They were close to the point where they were going to enter the base to explore, when they heard the sound of vehicles approaching. A jeep and a single-decker bus came down the road towards them and Hadij acted immediately. He gave orders to let the vehicles come parallel with their position and to then open up with everything they had. He had fourteen men and teenagers with him and their SA 80s threw streams of lead at the two vehicles. The driver of the jeep took a round to the head and he lost control. The jeep swerved across the road and collided with a lamppost, steam appearing from the engine compartment. The other occupants of the jeep were thrown out and onto the road. The amount of lead that poured into the bus was awesome and not surprisingly, the driver was fatally wounded here too. The coach crashed into a shop front and came to rest. Hadij has his troops out quickly to take control of the situation and secure any survivors. Amazingly, eight of the shore party were still alive, seven on the bus and Petty Officer Stevens lying on the tarmac of the road. The terrorists dragged them roughly together and Hadij began to question them. "Where have you just come from? Where is your submarine?" he barked. The seamen were in shock and couldn't have answered if they tried. That made no difference to Hadij and he used his rifle butt indiscriminately, lashing out at the remaining shore party members. When he didn't get any answers, he told his men to bring the captives with them and led the way into the base. Hadij wasn't stupid and he could identify a submarine as well as the next man. He also understood his leader's instructions. When he saw the hull of the submarine berthed in the dock, he knew what advantage it might represent in terms of the nuclear warheads and he ordered his men to take the surviving seamen on board. He didn't notice that this was HMS Vigilant, and had no way of knowing that this wasn't the sub the men he had captured had some from. There were a number of rotting corpses on the sub and he told his men to look for suits that would protect them and allow them to remove the bodies. There were few rooms with locks on them on the sub and the shore party found themselves deposited in the captain's and the first officer's cabins. They sat groaning from the impact of the crashes they had suffered through and the blows from the butt of Hadij's rifle. Half an hour passed and then Hadij returned. He dragged Stevens out of the captain's cabin. The way the other men had looked to Stevens for guidance and re-assurance had singled Trevor out as the group's leader. Now he was dragged roughly to the bridge and subjected to further violence. "Where is the rest of the crew?" demanded Hadij. Stevens considered the question and thought there was no harm in giving a reply. "We're all that's left. We put on NBC suits before we surfaced, as we didn't trust the air. The rest all caught flu," he managed to gasp out through the pain in his ribs. "You will show me how to launch the Trident missiles," Hadij said firmly. Trevor shook his head immediately. A boot lashed out and he felt fresh pain explode in his ribs. "If you don't tell me, I will kill you all one by one. There will be a weak link and someone will break," Hadij said. Again, Trevor shook his head sadly. How stupid was this guy he thought. They were all going to die in a few days anyway; there was no real threat involved in what the man had said to him. He was dragged back to the captain's cabin and thrown roughly inside. Trevor had spotted the fact that the sub was hooked up by its cable to the external power source. He knew that was delivering power to the boat and had come to the conclusion that the terrorists weren't very bright. They might be fanatical in their devotion to their cause, but he wasn't impressed by their attention to detail. The captain's computer was sitting in front of him and he fired it up, letting it open in general auxiliary mode so he didn't need to know the captain's password. He quickly navigated to the 'Surviving in Scotland' site and clicked on the e-mail link. Ambushed on the way back to Faslane. Terrorists in control of HMS Vigilant. Trying to get us to teach them how to launch the Trident missiles. Too stupid to know about the overrides and control procedures. We won't let you down. Keep safe and do what you need to do. Stevens Trevor closed the computer down just as quickly before any of the terrorists had the chance to catch him passing on messages. Like all seamen, he was well versed in Morse code and he now began tapping on the wall between the captain's cabin and that of the first officer. That allowed him to let the men in the other cabin know what the terrorists were up. The only member of his party that knew the procedure for launching the missiles was himself and he knew he couldn't launch without another officer to confirm the sequence anyway. The last thing he wanted was to let the terrorists know that. It was just feasible that they could have found several of the launch keys and he didn't want to run even the slightest risk that he might give them useful information. Once he had finished his Morse code message he dropped his trousers and began to twist the legs until they formed a thick braid. He turned to one of the other men in the captain's cabin and handed the braid over. "We know what they want and I'm the only one who can give them a clue. Let's take that chance out of play. Use this and put me out of my misery," he said. The man was a veteran, but he still blanched at his officer's request. "I can't," he said. "For fuck's sake man. I'll be dead from flu in a couple of days anyway, you'll be doing me a favour!" Stevens screamed at the man. "Please? I don't want to risk not being able to stand the test that's coming. If they torture me there's a chance I'll break" Reluctantly, Ordinary Seaman Joshua Matthews reached out to take the twisted and screwed up trousers. He crossed himself quickly before looping the braid round Trevor's neck and twisting the two ends together. He looked away so that he couldn't see his officer's face as he slowly asphyxiated. ------- Chapter 20: The tide starts to turn Jamie was dog tired by the time he landed the Lynx back at Skibo. Once more the three girls waited in the reception area to welcome him back. Laura seemed far more at ease this time when Debbie and Christine hugged and kissed him passionately. Her position with Jamie was assured, of that she had no doubt and now she just smiled at the antics of the other two girls. The girls had waited for him before eating again and he joined them to wolf down some instant mash and tinned burgers. He brought them up to date with everything that had happened and the girls grew excited at the thought of nearly five hundred survivors now on their side. Jamie excused himself to go and check his mail for the first time today. He made his way wearily upstairs to the honeymoon suite and sat at the desk where his laptop was waiting. He fired it up and waited for the operating system to do its business. He clicked on explorer and then pulled down his favourites and clicked on his Yahoo link. His first port of call was the UK account, to see whether he had any more survivors to pick up. He was disappointed at the prompt telling him he had only three messages. While the volume was poor, the impact of the messages was something else. He saw the e-mail address trevor-p-stevens@yahoo.co.uk and clicked on it first. Trevor's message made him groan out loud. How many knocks were he and his country going to have to suffer? Laura entered the room as she heard his groan and looked over his shoulder. She too gasped as she read the short, terse message. Jamie felt a responsibility and he hit the back button and searched for Captain Mexford's e-mail message. He clicked on reply and typed a message to Trevor Steven's captain. Captain Mexford, I have had the honour and privilege to meet twenty of your crew, led by Petty Officer Trevor Stevens. Sir, they are all brave men. It is my sad duty to inform you that all of the shore party contracted bird flu. That didn't stop them mounting a raid and rescuing almost five hundred survivors. The Petty Officer and his men didn't want to hang around wasting away in front of the rest of us. I agreed when he suggested they return to Faslane to spend their last hours aboard a sub that is berthed there. Tonight I received an e-mail from Trevor, telling me that he and his men were ambushed at the base by terrorists. I don't know how he has managed to get access to a computer to send the message, but he says he is being held on HMS Vigilant and the terrorists are trying to get him to divulge the launch sequence and codes for the Trident missiles. I have to tell you Sir, that this stuff is scary. We've been facing one disaster after another and it really wears you down. Anyway, I have faith that Trevor won't give them what they want. I felt it was my duty to let you know what has happened to your crew. I'm also aware that you have sailed for the US to have the remainder of your men vaccinated. It is my hope that you will return quickly. We need all the help we can get. Yours James MacLaren The second message shouldn't even have been in this account, as it was clearly from the US President and Jamie had asked everyone in the US and Canada to use his original e-mail account so that this new one would be uncluttered. It was typical of the view he was forming of this man that in his arrogance he felt that request didn't extend to him. Jamie clicked on the message to open it, Laura still peering over his shoulder. Son, just what age are you? Your rejection of US help shows all the intelligence of a five-year-old. You clearly don't know what you are dealing with and I have no option but to ignore your suggestion that the survivors in the UK can take care of the remaining terrorists without outside help. The reason the expatriate citizens of the UK are not being allowed to leave the US is that they are now naturalised Americans and I have a duty to safeguard them as I do with everyone else in my country. They each made their decision and now they come under the protection of the United States. I repeat that we only want to help one of our longest standing allies and we will send troops to the UK soon. Keep yourself safe until we get there son, it would be nice to meet you one day soon. POTUS Laura clearly finished reading the message before her brother and she couldn't stop herself. "Why that pompous, arrogant asshole!" she cried. "Who does he think he is?" Jamie laughed at her reaction. "Only the President of the most powerful country in the world sis," he replied, "but I agree, he is arrogant, isn't he?" Jamie closed the message and scrolled down to the third message in his inbox. This one was from gaz457@hotmail.co.uk. He opened it and was once more surprised by what it contained. Highlander, I hope this reaches you and that there are people out there still fighting for freedom. My name is Gary Ferguson and I'm one of hundreds of people who have been picked up by terrorists in and around Edinburgh. We are being held in the Dreghorn army barracks and we have all had to pretend to convert to Islam. Every day is full of weapons training, study of the Qu'ran and prayers. It would be funny really if the situation wasn't so serious. How these guys think we will ever think of ourselves as Muslims and accept an Islamic state is beyond me. I don't think they're the brightest, that's for sure. I'm a bit of a computer wiz and they've got me setting up kit and monitoring the Internet, that's how I came across this site. It would be really good to have a sign that we're not alone, something to keep hope alive. Anyway, have to go now before someone catches me doing this. Good luck, Alba gu Brath. Gaz Laura saw that Jamie had grown quiet and depressed by the content of this last e-mail. "What's wrong Jamie?" she asked him. "Well, don't you see? It sounds as if there is another terrorist group working in Edinburgh. There are more of them. How are we ever going to take them all on? Maybe the President is right, maybe this is too big for us to handle on our own," he replied. "We just need some of the expats to come back and once Captain Mexford returns we'll have support from trained men," Laura said, trying to cheer him up. "What does Alba gu Brath mean?" "It's Gaelic for Scotland the brave," he told her. Jamie closed Gaz's message and saw that he had received a reply already from the HMS Vengeance. Opening the message he received yet another hammer blow. The fact that Laura had just used the Vengeance as one of their hopes for the future made it worse. Highlander (or Jamie, I'm not sure which you prefer?) My heartfelt thanks for news of my crew even if the news itself was hard to deal with. I'm proud of what they managed to achieve in the short time they had. Brave men indeed. News on our return is also not good. I'm afraid the US has impounded my boat and we are confined to the submarine. We have been vaccinated, which is no small comfort to us all. Don't take any undue risks and keep safe Regards Mexford "That's the last fucking straw!" Jamie bellowed. Laura jumped back at the sudden violent outburst. She watched as Jamie called up the President's message once more and hit the reply button. Mr President, Thank you for your latest message. I have to repeat my previous response Sir, we do not wish any help from the US other than that you allow our countrymen to return to our aid. I understand that your forces have impounded the only military unit we have available to us and I would ask that you immediately release HMS Vengeance and her crew to return to the UK. Sir, stopping these men from doing their duty can only be viewed as an unfriendly act towards the UK and I urge you to reconsider your actions. I am not bound by any security laws in your country and feel it only right that others out there see the policy you have adopted. For that reason I am uploading our various messages over the past few days to the 'Surviving in Scotland' web site. Let me end by thanking the good citizens of the US and Canada yet again for the thousands of messages of support that continue to come in. This young boy is at least old enough that he can tell the difference between their genuine, heartfelt support (for which I am eternally grateful) and your political game playing. Good day to you Sir. Highlander He minimised his yahoo account and called up the software so he could upload the messages between himself and George Bush to the web site. Once he had achieved that he told Laura that he was exhausted and was going to turn in. He apologised for not having the energy to make love to her, but she was secretly relieved, as she was still sore. They washed and brushed their teeth before snuggling together in the four-poster bed. Laura was content with his arms round her and they both fell asleep quickly. ------- 07:12, 21 August The next morning Jamie was up and about early. He planned to take the survivors from Inverness to Fort William and get them settled there. He would also stop off at the barracks once again to load up with more hardware for the town. He had a quick breakfast with the girls before heading out to the Lynx. His head was mulling over an idea that he had woken up with and it brought a smile to his face. He had asked the girls to work on part of the idea but he would need some technical help as well. He hoped there was at least one person in Fort William with the nous to do what he wanted. Loading up the helicopter was a far slower job without help and it took him several hours. Next he took the opportunity of making the hop to the Air Force base to refuel the helicopter. Once he completed the refuelling, he took the Lynx up and headed towards Fort William. The armaments didn't leave any room for people so he decided to make the trip to the Drumossie Hotel later. Moving the survivors there would take a number of trips he knew, so it looked like being another busy day. It didn't take him long to reach Fort William and he looked down on Neptune's staircase as he set the Lynx down in the same car park he had used the day before. Stuart materialised and waited for him to shut the helicopter down. A few others also gathered round and Jamie press-ganged them into unloading the helicopter. "Stuart, I've had a couple of ideas, but I need some help. First off, I think it would be useful to do a skills audit to find out what the people here in the town can do to help us. I'm sure there will be lots of people with at least a fundamental ability at something. The second thing is what gave me the first idea; I need some technical help with another idea. Can you try and find me someone who is a bit of techno-geek?" Jamie asked. "Consider it done," Stuart replied. "I've already identified someone who is a wiz with anything electronic or computer based. What do you need him for?" When Jamie outlined his plan, Stuart couldn't help laughing out loud. "Oh man, I've got to come with you for that. I wouldn't forgive myself if I missed out. When?" he asked. "I've got to bring the survivors here from Inverness and that will take two trips. If you could have your technical wizard gather what he needs we can do it after that," Jamie replied. Stuart was still grinning like a fool at the prospect of what Jamie was planning. He went in search of the teenager who would do the work required, while Jamie started up the Lynx once more for the first trip to ferry the other survivors. Jamie had dropped off half of the survivors from Drumossie and was heading back for the remainder when he saw something curious below him. A blue saloon car was heading slowly up the A82, just a few miles outside of Inverness. He could see blueish white smoke coming in great billows from the exhaust and he guessed the car was being driven too fast in a very low gear. That gave him an idea who the driver might be. The Lynx dropped lower and Jamie glanced over to see the Chinese youth who was trying to drive the car. He pulled ahead and set the helicopter down gently to wait for the car to catch up. He jumped down onto the road and approached the car, which turned out to be a Volkswagen Passat. The car door opened and the Chinese boy came out. "You wouldn't be Lee Chan by any chance?" Jamie asked. The Chinese boy's face showed his surprise at a complete stranger knowing his name. "Who are you? How do you know me?" he asked once he had gotten over his surprise. "I'm Highlander," Jamie said. A look of disbelief now crossed Lee Chan's face. "By the looks of the smoke coming out of the car, you need a lift," Jamie said. "Actually, you might be surprised at where I'm going to take you." After a brief stop to pick up the remainder of the survivors, Jamie returned to the Air Force base and they exchanged the Lynx for another the exact same. Jamie wasn't sure about how much maintenance the helicopter would require and he didn't know enough to overhaul it. So, the next best thing was to take one that hadn't put in the flying hours he had recently. Lee Chan recognised Fort William as Jamie brought the helicopter down into the car park. When the Lynx's rotors eventually grew silent he challenged Jamie. "Why have you brought me back here? I left this place after your last message two days ago. You said it wasn't safe." "It wasn't safe then, but now there are five hundred other survivors here with some heavy duty weapons to defend the town in case of attack," Jamie replied. He introduced Lee to Stuart and Stuart in turn introduced a teenager with straggly long hair and wire rimmed glasses. "This is your technical expert Jamie, meet Ronnie Brinks," Stuart said. The teenager seemed shy and wasn't very talkative. He made for the Lynx and began to work on it rather than talk to the others. An hour later he indicated the helicopter was ready and he showed Jamie and Stuart what to do. They climbed aboard the Lynx and Jamie took her up again. This time he headed south and east. Only half an hour later and they were flying over Glasgow. Jamie nodded to Stuart and the other teenager pressed a button. Immediately the blaring sound of bagpipes filled the skies above the city. The set up was on a loop and played Flower of Scotland, the Black Bear and Scotland the Brave. Jamie had remembered this from the film Apocalypse Now where the helicopters had ridden into battle with Wagner blaring out. After reading the e-mail from Gaz, where he had mentioned he yearned for something to keep hope alive, this was the idea that had come to him. After circling Glasgow for a while, Jamie took them east towards Edinburgh and they did the same thing. When they circled over the Dreghorn barracks, they could see teenagers jumping up and down, waving up at them. Jamie wasn't finished yet however. He landed the Helicopter at Skibo to pick the girls up. Stuart was stunned at this location, but helped load what the girls had with them. A quick hop brought them back to the Air Force base and they all worked to prepare the next stage. Jamie and Stuart strapped themselves in to the Tucano training aircraft and they taxied out onto the runway. Jamie was careful as he took the plane up to speed and lifted off. A long white banner streamed behind them with large blue lettering painted onto it by the girls. The slogan was a well known one - coming as it did from the film Braveheart. You'll never take our freedom! the banner screamed out. The little plane was considerable quicker than the Lynx and they were soon circling over Edinburgh once more, proudly flying their banner. Once more the teenagers on the ground waved up at them as they flew over, both in Edinburgh and in Glasgow. Satisfied that they had given the survivors captured by the terrorists a lift, they returned to the Air base and Jamie brought the Tucano in to land. ------- The fly past by the helicopter and the plane had a much more immediate and dramatic effect across the central belt than Jamie could guess at. All of the teenagers on the ground were buoyed at the clear evidence that there were still some people out there opposing the terrorists. At the Dreghorn barracks the reaction was particularly vigorous. The stirring music and the defiant message on the banner stirred something deep inside the teenagers here, amongst them the same Gary Ferguson who had e-mailed Jamie the day before. A group of fifty captives happened to be on the firing range going through drills with their SA 80s and, as the small number of terrorists guarding them were distracted by the plane trailing the banner overhead, they turned on their captors. There were five fanatics overseeing the drill, one adult and four Asian teenagers. Fifty rifles turned on them almost in unison. From there, the now rampaging teenagers scoured the camp for other terrorists and liberated their fellow survivors. After all of the terrorists had been rounded up and locked up in the barracks guardhouse, the teenagers looked around at each other trying to think what to do next. Realisation of what they had achieved was starting to really sink in and they were stunned. Gaz was busy typing a message to Highlander to share the news of the liberation of Dreghorn and to thank him for the part he had played in it. ------- Jamie dropped Stuart off back at Fort William to continue his work there. He and the girls returned to Skibo, satisfied with how the day had gone so far. Better news was awaiting them when they got back to the castle and Jamie checked his e-mail. All three of the girls stopped their preparations for dinner when they heard Jamie's excited whooping upstairs. They rushed to the honeymoon suite to see what was going on and found Jamie actually dancing round the room, punching his fist wildly into the air. He picked each of them up; hugging and kissing them as he twirled them round and round. "Jamie, stop! Stop!" squealed Laura when it was her turn. "Stop, I'm dizzy!" Her brother put her down and pointed to the computer screen, continuing his mad dance around the suite. The girls crowded round the desk and read the e-mail from Gaz. "But Jamie, it says it's all down to you, the music and the banner we made," said Laura. "Can it be true that there's really nearly eight hundred armed teenagers holding Dreghorn barracks?" Jamie managed to calm down a little, enough to speak. "I think so sis. I'll take some people from Fort William tomorrow and check on things. By the sound of what Gaz is saying, the need a little guidance on what to do next. That sounds like a job for Stuart." Debbie and Christine retreated from the room to head back downstairs and resume making dinner. Jamie pulled Laura into his arms, his excitement at the e-mail now translating into a different kind of excitement altogether. "How are you feeling sis?" he asked her. Laura knew immediately what he was asking and she felt herself beginning to lubricate just at the thought of making love with him again. She decided to answer in the manner she had answered in the dining room and pulled his head down for a smoking, sultry kiss. His hands roamed over her back, his fingers showing their strength, as they massaged the muscle groups on either side of her spine, across her shoulder blades and over her shoulders. Laura groaned as Jamie's fingers bit deeply into her flesh and then she felt him move one hand to the front of her blouse and begin to unbutton it. He used both hands to shrug the blouse off of her shoulders and then she felt the catch on her bra released. When Jamie took a step back, she let the straps of her bra slide down her arms and then posed for him, her firm little mounds on display. Perhaps the weeks of flashing and teasing him had unleashed a latent vein of exhibitionism in Laura. She felt her arousal soar as she watched him eye her breasts, a mix of lust and love shining in his eyes. Christine and Debbie had turned at the door on their way out only to see the brother and sister kiss. The kiss was so hot that they couldn't resist peeking on the pair a little longer. The left the room and pulled the door almost shut, Debbie dropping to her knees to see through the gap and Christine crouching behind her. They could feel the connection between Jamie and Laura and were themselves intoxicated by what they were seeing. Christine let her hands drop over Debbie's shoulders and down the front of her T-shirt, gently cupping her breasts. Debbie's hands lowered between her own legs and she felt how wet she was down there. Jamie's lips fastened on Laura's left nipple and he suckled on her. He felt his sister's hands undoing the button on his trousers and then his zip was lowered. "Remember what the girls told me bro, I need to take care of you first so you last longer," she panted as her dainty, soft hands pulled his length from his now open fly. "We'll do it together," he managed to reply. They parted and finished undressing quickly before adopting the classic sixty-nine position on the bed. Jamie was on his back and he found himself staring up at his sister's sweet little pussy, entranced with how beautiful it looked, how her lips had thickened and lubricated with her need. His tongue came out and he tasted her little girl nectar just as he felt her hot mouth cover the head of his staff. He tried to concentrate on her folds and the small, hard nub of her clit to keep his mind off of the wonderful sensations she was creating. He let his tongue lick the length of her sex and began lashing the sensitive knot of nerve endings as it peeked from its hood. Jamie felt Laura thrust her pelvis down, as she tried to increase the pressure and friction from his tongue. At the same time her head was bobbing up and down quicker and quicker. Christine had seen enough and wanted to indulge in a little oral treat all of her own. She pulled on Debbie's shoulders until the other girl fell backward onto the carpet in the hotel hallway. Christine assumed the same position as the brother and sister lovers, swinging one leg over Debbie's chest and backing up so her panties were directly over her friend's face. She quickly skinned Debbie's panties down and off of her legs and then used her tongue to part the lips of her sex. She felt Debbie pull her own sopping wet pants to one side and begin to return the favour. Both the girls were close and it didn't take much before they were pushing each other over the edge. The climax they shared was enough to leave them both drained and Christine slumped onto her side in the hallway. By the time they had recovered their breath and peeked through the gap in the door, Jamie and Laura were kneeling on the bed, Jamie's cock glistening with his sister's juices as he rhythmically thrust in and out of her. "Oh Jamie you feel so big baby, sooo big inside me," Laura gasped. Debbie and Christine looked at each other and licked their lips. Laura was right, he was big. "Oh fuck, I want to feel that," Debbie groaned. Jamie picked up the pace a little, holding onto Laura's hips to steady himself. "Uuugggghhhh, fuck me big brother, fuck your sister, fuck mmmeeeeeeeeee!" Jamie responded to his sister's dirty talk and his hips almost became a blur as he pounded away with short, hard strokes. "Aaahhhhhhhh, yes, yes, like that," Laura moaned loudly. "Yeeessss Jamie, yeeesss, fuck me, fuck me bro. Oh god I can feel it. Aaaahhhhhhhhhh!" As she felt Jamie cum in repeated and surprisingly strong jets inside her, Laura also surrendered to her climax and she screamed out the joy and ecstasy she was feeling. ------- Chapter 21: A diplomatic reminder Jamie had an internal debate with himself the next morning as he ate breakfast. Skibo was an absolutely fabulous location, but it hadn't worked out as he had planned things and it left him and the girls kind of isolated. He now wondered whether it might not be better to move down to Fort William to be with the others. He decided it was only fair to ask the girls what they thought. "Girls, I've been wondering. Do you think we're too cut off here at Skibo? Maybe it would be better if we were working alongside the others at Fort William?" he asked them. He was surprised by the force of their response. All three were dead set against the idea, believing that they should maintain Skibo until after the terrorists were all out of the picture. They indicated that there was no knowing when someone could turn out to be a traitor or a 'plant' amongst the Fort William survivors and they felt far more comfortable with the idea of Jamie being with them at Skibo each night. Jamie shrugged his shoulders at what seemed like a pretty thin reason for remaining isolated. He told the girls what his plans were for the day. He wanted to pick up Stuart from Fort William and make a trip to the Dreghorn barracks to visit the teenagers who had liberated themselves. Gaz's message indicated the need for some organisational skills and Jamie knew Stuart would be in his element. He kissed each of the girls before he set off, once more finding Debbie and Christine vying with his sister to demonstrate their affection for him. As a result of the three passionate hugs he found it difficult to walk comfortably out to the Lynx. ------- "Okay you two, what are you playing at with my brother?" Laura asked, but not unkindly. Debbie's face grew red and Christine giggled nervously. "I'm serious you guys. What's going on here?" Laura repeated. The two girls looked at each other and nodded. "We watched you both last night, we couldn't help it, it was so hot," said Christine. "We, ah, we got a little carried away ourselves it was so hot and the thing is, we really wanted to feel Jamie inside us too. He looked so big and you were obviously enjoying what he was doing. We got a bit jealous," said Debbie. "You must be kidding! Are you asking me to share Jamie with you both?" Laura asked, disbelief in her voice. "Would that be so bad? I mean, there's a need to try and rebuild the population somehow. Haven't we all got a responsibility as girls to get pregnant as soon as possible?" asked Christine. "But I thought both of you were gay. Why are you suddenly interested in Jamie?" Laura asked. "See! You're making our point for us. We just grew close when we were trying to comfort each other when we were in the mosque. Neither of us has ever thought of a girl before, but the situation probably did some funny things to us. When we saw Jamie's, err, cock, we knew we were normal and we both wanted to feel what you were feeling," said Debbie. Laura was taken aback at the obvious depth of feeling from the other girls about Jamie. She still didn't feel threatened in any way and, in a strange kind of sense, she understood their need. She was acutely aware of how she relied on Jamie for her security, how she was felt his maleness was somehow an anchor in the turbulence of everything she had been through. It wasn't a surprise to her that the other girls would be feeling something similar. There was something else that she was curious about however. "Emm, what does the girl, girl thing feel like?" she asked the other two. ------- When Jamie arrived at Fort William to pick up Stuart he found the town very organised already. All of the survivors had found accommodation and Stuart had already begun the skills audit that Jamie had suggested. He told Jamie it had been a fairly easy job to allocate people to different roles so that they could have some order in their lives. The teenagers had been split into four main groups - defence, food scavenging, power and water. Stuart explained how he was insisting that every teenager continue to practice daily with their weapons and a firing range had been established on the quayside overlooking Loch Linnhe. Rotas had been drawn up so that the defence force worked shifts to make sure they had plenty of sleep and remained alert. The skills audit had already thrown up some potentially useful people. Stuart had found someone else who had some experience of flying, admittedly she hadn't flown solo yet, but she had the fundamentals down. There was no shortage of teenagers with technical expertise to match that of the 'geek' who had fixed up the sound system on the Lynx the previous day. Stuart had also found several other people who had been army cadets and he had immediately put them in charge of the weapons training. Three boys had quite a bit of experience of mechanics, having pottered around dismantling and re-building car engines and various household appliances. There was even the son of a Church of Scotland Minister who knew the bible backwards and was happy to lead church services. "Perhaps the best find of all though," said Stuart, "is your friend Lee Chan. He claims to be a strategist." Jamie actually laughed at this. "Some strategist. I mean he was nearly wiped out along with the entire group he was with. That's hardly strategic," Jamie replied. "He said that himself when he told me he was a strategist, but the problem was that none of the group would listen to his advice. He's studied strategy and is heavily into war gaming. He keeps going on about the 'Art of War' apparently it's a book written by some geezer called Sun Tzu or something," Stuart explained. "Well, there might be an opportunity to test out his abilities today," said Jamie. "I really came to pick you up to come with me on another little trip." "Where to this time and what are we doing?" Stuart asked, his interest piqued. "You're not going to believe this, but after we flew over Edinburgh and Glasgow yesterday, the teenagers at the Dreghorn barracks turned on their captors. They killed seven and 'arrested' eighteen more. According to an e-mail I got last night, there are nearly eight hundred heavily armed teenagers now in control of the barracks and they don't have a clue what to do next," said Jamie. "You're joking!" exclaimed Stuart. "Nope, we now have around thirteen hundred survivors on our side," grinned Jamie. The two boys went in search of Lee Chan and explained to him what the situation was. Lee was just as excited as they were and agreed that he would like to go with them to the barracks. The trip to Edinburgh was a short one and Jamie approached Dreghorn with some caution. From what they could see on the ground there was no sign of anyone who looked remotely like a terrorist, but just to be on the safe side, Jamie dropped Stuart and Lee outside the camp and then took the Lynx up to watch what happened. When he saw Stuart make the same sign to wave him off, he knew that it was safe to land inside the barracks and he took the Lynx down once more. It looked as if the entire population of the barracks had come out to meet the pilot of the helicopter that had flown above them playing music the day before. Jamie was hoisted up and tossed over and over into the air. He was red with embarrassment over the way the teenagers were treating him as if he was some kind of hero. Eventually his shouting led to him being set back down on his feet. Jamie turned slowly in a full circle, taking in the expectant faces all around him. He gulped as he realised all of these people were waiting for him to speak, to tell them what to do next. As he began to speak the crowd fell silent so they could all hear him. "Listen, the people who deserve all the credit for what happened yesterday are all of you. No one else took the initiative; no one else took on the terrorists for you. You did it all by yourself. Now that you've freed yourselves we need to consider what to do next. That's why I've come today, to try and help you think about where you go from here," he said. "That's easy. We follow you of course!" someone shouted from the crowd. There was immediate acclaim for this suggestion and the crowd cheered over an over again. "My thanks all of you for you're confidence in me. I can assure you I'm just a teenager like the rest of you, but we will try and come up with some plans. The first thing is that I think you should all stay together and probably on this site. There's good perimeter security and access to plenty of weapons and ammunition. Stuart here will be able to help with some basic organisation on how to beef up your security. Now, if there are already some leaders amongst you I suggest you let us spend some time thinking about what else we can set in train." It was surprising just how well Jamie's suggestion went over with the crowd. It was almost a relief that someone was taking the problems away from them, taking the difficult decisions away. The fact that he sounded confident and seemed to know what he was talking about was more than enough to re-assure them all. Half a dozen people gravitated towards the centre of the crowd where Jamie was standing alongside Stuart and Lee Chan. These were apparently people who had already been providing leadership to the others around them. Jamie, Stuart, Lee Chan and these new found 'leaders' made their way to one of the planning rooms in the barracks and Jamie led them in a brainstorming exercise on the way ahead. "Okay, what is it that you think you want to achieve?" he asked the Dreghorn leaders. "We don't know," one replied. "We were hoping you might make some suggestions." "One of the things we're doing at our base is a skills audit," Jamie replied. "We've already found we have people with very useful skills. Stuart will be able to help you with the continuation of the weapons training as well." "What about the situation with others?" asked Gaz. "I know there must be other groups of survivors out there. Can we do anything to help them?" "I think we need to make sure your training is good enough before we think about taking on the terrorists," said Jamie. "I'm also not happy about the idea of one group of survivors fighting another. How would you feel about having to fire on you're fellow Scotsmen?" "I think the most important thing is to gather intelligence on what the other groups are up to. Sun Tzu tells us of the importance of information from spies," Lee Chan spoke up. "What do you mean Lee? Are you suggesting that we send people out to be picked up by the terrorists so they can feed us information?" Jamie asked. "That's exactly what I'm saying. We need more intelligence before we can decide what to do," Lee added. "We need to intensify the training," said Stuart. "The sooner we're ready to go up against the terrorist, the better. Our countrymen are suffering even as we speak." This was an emotional and impassioned contribution to the session, but Lee calmly disagreed. "No, think about it. These guys managed to liberate the Dreghorn barracks by using their weight of numbers against the enemy. It might be just as easy at the other camps where survivors are being kept. Jamie, you just asked the question how would people feel about firing on their countrymen. Perhaps there is a way of dealing with this where that won't be necessary," said Lee. Lee Chan proved his claim to be a strategist that afternoon and Jamie realised his initial assessment had been harsh. The group continued to discuss various possibilities for taking down the terrorists until the mental effort exhausted them. ------- When Jamie eventually arrived back at Skibo he was very tired. The girls were waiting for him, but he didn't appreciate the subtle change in the way he was greeted by all three. His hugs and kisses were as passionate as before, but there was now another undercurrent that Jamie missed. He joined the girls for dinner and then went to check on his e-mails. When he opened his UK account, there was a sinking feeling of disappointment, as no messages of any note were there. Despite being dog-tired, Jamie forced himself to open up his other account and began to go through some of the thousands of messages that had been received. As he scrolled down them he spotted one that had the heading 'Ambassador to the United States of America'. He quickly opened it and read a short message. Dear Highlander, Please find attached a letter from the British Ambassador to the United States of America, Sir David Manning. Jamie noticed the little paperclip symbol that signified the e-mail had an attachment and he clicked on it to open the file. His Adobe acrobat software started up and he saw that the file was a.pdf file. When it opened he found he was looking at a scanned version of a letter. It had the embossed symbol of the British Diplomatic service, complete with coat of arms. Jamie actually laughed out loud at this and Laura joined him to see what had caused his laughter. "Jeez, in the midst of all this, the diplomatic service are still sticking to protocol and writing formally," he chuckled. Both he and his sister began to read the letter. Dear Highlander, I have read with interest your exchanges with the President of the United States and also what is going on with the survivors in the United Kingdom. I have to say that you have created quite a phenomenon here in the US. Our embassy in Washington, our consulates in Boston, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Seattle, Miami and Orlando have all been swamped by expats demanding guidance on how they can give up their American citizenship. There have been thousands of them, driven by the US President's response to you as to why they are not being allowed to return to the UK. Things go further than that though. The same consulates have been struggling to cope with the scale of US citizens asking for visas to come to the UK. Without exception they are citing their reasons for travel to the UK as to help rebuild the country. So, you have created quite a stir. I do have to take you to task though about a number of aspects of what you have done. The diplomatic corps was developed for a good reason. Matters of national importance require careful consideration and the application of cool judgement when dealing with other countries. Language and protocol are all important. As an ordinary citizen, you should not be engaging in dialogue with the President directly, it is most extraordinary and to be avoided. An example of the potential difficulties is the use that you made in your last message to the President of the phrase 'an unfriendly act'. In diplomatic circles, that phrase has a particular meaning and is only one stage removed from declaring war. I hope you now realise the folly of you corresponding directly with other governments and I urge you to conduct any such dialogue through the diplomatic corps in future. Yours Sincerely Sir David Manning British Ambassador Jamie and Laura looked at each other. It seemed incredible that Jamie's web site was creating such a reaction and even more surreal that he was being verbally spanked by a diplomat. ------- Chapter 22: Affirmative action "Can you believe this guy?" Jamie asked his sister. "I mean, the world's population has been massacred by a bunch of religious fanatics, the American President is playing fast and loose with UK citizens and UK military personnel and this guy pulls me up about my language?" "I must admit, it does seem a little strange, but he's a diplomat remember. They try and play everything down and always use euphemisms and temperate language. He's used to dealing in world politics Jamie and, as he says, in that kind of theatre, language can be all-important, Laura replied. "No, I'm sorry that just doesn't cut it for me," said Jamie. Laura saw the frown on her brother's face, she had seen that look many times before and it usually meant he was determined to achieve something or someone was about to get it. Now she watched as he clicked on the reply tab and began to type a response to the Ambassador. Mr Ambassador As a citizen of the United Kingdom I would like to ask you what you did today to further the interests of the country you are supposed to serve? Did you bring the full weight of your office to bear to try and make President Bush back down and allow British citizens to return to the UK? Did you express your outrage that, when this country is at its lowest ebb, another government has impounded the only military unit we have? Something tells me that the answer to these questions is no. Instead of acting on those issues you have chosen instead to berate me for my language. Here's language for you Mr Ambassador - get off your ass and do something for the UK! I put it to you, Sir David that the reason your embassy and the British consulates have been so busy is because the people in the street agree with me that the US's policy on these matters is just plain wrong. Our countrymen are patriotic, the Americans and Canadians no less so. The expats have families and will have made friends amongst the people of the countries they now call home. Those friends believe their government is doing these people a disservice. The UK and America does have a special relationship, but somehow, you sir, and the politicians, seem to have missed the fact that the special relationship exists in the hearts and minds of the ordinary people as well as the governments. That explains the increase in visa applications. The ordinary people of the US want to help in any way they can, to make their own small contribution. I expect you and your staff to try and make sure that they are successful in that. Mr Ambassador, I'm fifteen-years-old. I'm trying to provide leadership to hundreds of teenagers; most of us scared out of our wits. I'm trying to keep them safe from a bunch of terrorists who have already shown the depths to which they can stoop. I've already had to kill a man. I'm currently planning on capturing or killing some more. Please give those of us left in the UK all the help you can rather than fall back on all your diplomatic baloney. The time for picking your words carefully has passed. The time to stand up and act is here. Show us you're a man, a patriot and not just a bag of wind. Yours Highlander When Jamie finished typing he turned to see his sister had tears in her eyes and she simply threw her arms around him in a hug. "Hey there. What's wrong sis?" he asked softly, as he stroked her blonde hair. Laura sniffled and composed herself. She drew her head back to look into his eyes. "Nothing fazes you does it? You're dealing with the US President, an Ambassador; hundreds of frightened teenagers and a posse of terrorists and you're just getting on with it. Your message to Sir David sums up exactly how I feel, they're the words I wish I could have thought of when I read his letter. The messages you've sent to the President express just what I want to say to him, but I could never do that. Mom and dad would be proud of you, as you didn't even use bad language, despite the provocation. Somehow you seem to have grown up. You were always smart, but this situation is bringing the best out in you and I think you're very brave, brave beyond measure. It's easy to see why Debbie and Christine love you too," Laura said. "What! Now just hold on there. What does that mean?" Jamie asked. Laura realised she probably shouldn't have just let slip what she had done, but her feelings for her brother had let her get carried away. She was determined now to explain what she had meant. "I love you Jamie. I've suffered a hell of a lot over the past few weeks, enough to make me an absolute wreck. But I'm coping because you're there, like a rock, to make me feel safe and secure. It's no surprise that others who feel so alone, so frightened, see the same things as I do. I can't blame them for feeling the way they do. We talked after you left this morning and they both admitted they had watched us last night and that led them onto confessing how they feel about you," Laura said. "That's just plain crazy, I've only known them for just over a week," Jamie said. "But look at all the things you've done in that week Jamie. Debbie and Christine feel safe with you around, they feel as if things are going to get better. I take it back; you're not that smart after all, at least your emotional intelligence is way below average anyway. The girls want to share you with me," she said. Jamie was stunned. He was also very disappointed. Didn't Laura really love him after all? If she did, why would she be talking this way? "I thought you loved me?" he said sadly. "Stop right there mister!" Laura said with a hint of anger, her cheeks turning pink as blood suffused them. "I love you more than anything else in the world right now. What makes you think I don't?" she asked. "If you really loved me you wouldn't be talking about me being with other girls," he replied, as if she wouldn't be able to refute the logic of his statement. "Jamie, I don't see your point. I love you with all my heart and sure it would be nice to have a conventional relationship, you know, just the two of us being faithful to each other. It may have escaped your notice, but we're not in a conventional situation. First off we're brother and sister and shouldn't have the kind of relationship we're having anyway. Secondly, the world is a very different place to what it was a few weeks ago. Debbie and Christine are reaching out for love too, for comfort, for security. Not so long ago I was where they are now and I can't deny them the opportunity to feel even a little of what I feel when I'm with you," she replied. "Are you seriously suggesting that you'd go along with them on this? Are you saying you would share me with them?" he asked. "Yes, and maybe it won't only be sharing you with them. Maybe I'll be sharing me with them too," she replied and blushed at what she was admitting. Jamie couldn't believe it. His sister who had been a virgin until this week was now entertaining the idea of a multi-partner relationship, and even seemed to be excited by the prospect of girl/girl sex. This couldn't be happening. Suddenly his focus was brought back to the room when he felt Laura rubbing the front of his pants. He realised he was painfully erect and she had noticed. "It seems at least one part of you likes the idea," Laura said with a grin. "No Laura, stop it. That thing might be thinking with its little head, but I'm not. I don't think this is right at all. I need some room and time to get my head straight," he said. Laura frowned as her brother removed her hand and stood to leave the honeymoon suite. "Oh shit! Have I pushed things too far? Is Jamie right, should I be thinking only of us being faithful to each other? No dammit! What I said to him is true. Debbie and Christine are suffering and they need to have Jamie to fall back on as well. I know he loves me best and I don't feel threatened by the others. He's just going to have to realise he's finally wrong about something because I will win this one." ------- Hadij had been in a towering rage when his men had discovered the dead body of Petty Officer Stevens. His immediate response was to take the seven remaining seamen out onto the quayside and force them to their knees. "I've had enough of your delays and stubbornness. This is your last chance to tell me how to launch the missiles!" he screamed at them. Each and every man looked him in the eye, but said nothing. Hadij marched up to the first of the submariners and held a pistol to the back of his head. "Tell me!" "Oh just hurry up and pull the trigger," the man replied. The report of the browning going off sounded impossibly loud to the other men on their knees and they watched as their fellow crewmember's body slumped to the damp concrete of the quay. "You see! I am not playing games! Tell me or I will execute each and every one of you!" Hadij continued to scream. When none of the remaining men responded, he walked up and thrust his angry face into that of the next in line. His spittle flew out and landed on the man's cheek as he shouted at him. "You! Tell me now or your time on this earth is over. By the prophet I am serious. Tell me!" Still none of the seamen said a word and Hadij stood and pointed his weapon into the face of the man, pulling the trigger and ending his life. The bloodlust was on Hadij and he walked to the next man and shot him without a word. It was only after he had shot the fourth seaman that it dawned on him that shooting them all would mean he had no chance of getting the information he needed. With some effort he controlled his rage and told his men to take the last two back below deck. ------- Assam knew that he now had control of one of the UK's nuclear submarines. He had spoken to Hadij and had urged his man to get the details of the launch procedures as soon as he could. Having control of the Trident missiles changed things somewhat with regard to the Americans he knew and he had contacted Shafiq to make her aware of the new position. Shafiq was excited at his news and they discussed how they could possibly let the Americans know they had the weapons. It would only act as a deterrent to the US if they knew the threat existed. Once they managed to communicate what they had, Shafiq was confident they wouldn't have to worry about the US sending troops in after them. A nuclear launch would be something they would want to avoid at all costs. She believed Assam had just secured their position and it was now just a matter of time before they subdued and then converted the remaining survivors, making the UK an Islamic state. Assam was sitting mulling over how he was going to communicate the fact that they had taken control of the submarine. He also allowed his thoughts to drift to James MacLaren - there was still some unfinished business there that he was going to take great delight in rectifying. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. "Of course, the boy has his own web site. If I e-mail him and tell him about the missiles, he's bound to put something on his stupid site. I can frighten him even more and hopefully pass my message on to the Americans in one move. Brilliant!" He strode through to the room where the computers had been set up to monitor the Internet and ordered one of the boys working there to call up the 'Surviving in Scotland' site. Once the site appeared on the screen he took the boy's chair and clicked on the e-mail link. A blank message panel appeared and he began to type his message to the helicopter pilot. I haven't forgotten about you boy and my plans for your death have grown more satisfying if anything. Now that I have one of the UK's nuclear submarines under my complete control, I can turn my attention to finding you. Your little stunt yesterday, with the helicopter and the plane had no effect. What did you hope to achieve? Whatever you were trying to do it failed and I am now turning my forces loose to track you down. Prepare to die. Assam hit the send key and knew he would have to wait to see whether the pilot fell in with his plans and posted the information about the nuclear submarine on his web site. In the meantime he would do as he had written and organise some search parties to go out and hunt the boy down. He would give them clear instructions not to alarm the boy until after he was sure the required web site entry appeared. ------- Jamie took a stroll round the grounds of Skibo Castle, ignoring the light drizzle that was falling. His head felt as if it was full of broken bottles and he was unable to concentrate on anything at all. Laura was only part right, he was coping with the different things that were coming at him, but some of his outward confidence belied just how scared he was at times. If the truth were told, part of the front he was putting up was about making sure his sister didn't see just how scared he was. Laura had shaken him badly with her revelation about Debbie and Christine and that probably explained part of his extreme reaction. He was now trying to go over what she had said, trying to make sense of her apparent acceptance of brining others into their relationship. He fully understood how Laura had come to rely on him and the feeling of safety and security that she got from him. That was a responsibility that he was taking very seriously indeed. He could also see that Debbie and Christine might also need the same feeling of safety and security, but didn't see why that had to come from him, indeed couldn't see why Laura would want it to come from him. There were many other survivors that the girls could choose from, so why him? He realised that it would have been better after all, healthier, to have moved them all to Fort William. Remaining at Skibo kept the two girls away from potential partners and left them looking only at him. He regretted agreeing with Laura and the others that they would stay here, as that could only make the current situation worse. He really didn't feel the need to have a relationship with anyone other than his sister. In fact, having only just come to terms with losing his own virginity, the prospect of having sex with other partners was actually quite daunting. He did have to admit to himself that the thought of his sister involved in girl/girl sex did have some appeal, but only as a fantasy, not in reality. He tried to focus on what to do about his position and eventually decided that he would continue to refuse to even think about a relationship with the others. Instead he would take matters head on and offer the idea of moving to Fort William once more - pointing out to Debbie and Christine that they would have opportunities to find partners there. With that decided, he felt better and turned to head back towards the castle. He avoided Laura and the others and returned to his room to check his e-mail once more. The only message of note was from the terrorist he knew was called Assam. Nothing in the message was news to him and he refused to believe the line about having 'complete control' over the submarine. There was no doubt in Jamie's mind that Trevor Stevens would have held out from divulging any of the secrets about missile launch procedures. He considered the message however and thought there might be some advantage in it for him and the other survivors. If he released this information without disputing the terrorists' claims, then it might give the US President pause for thought. It might change his determination to send US troops to the UK. Jamie called up his content management software for the web site and posted the information that the terrorists had taken control of a nuclear submarine. He didn't realise that in doing so, he cleared the way for Assam to tell his men that they could kill the pilot on sight. ------- Jamie's offer didn't go down very well with any of the girls. Debbie and Christine immediately felt rejected and withdrew into themselves. Laura could see what was happening and she was angry with Jamie. She managed to corner him alone in their room and let him know how upset she was. "I can't believe you could be so heartless. You don't seem to get it, do you? Debbie and Christine aren't just looking for a boy, any boy. They both want you. They've made their minds up about that and nothing you can say is going to change that. Now on top of losing all of their family and friends, of being left alone in a world turned upside down, of being captured by terrorists, you have compounded their insecurity by rejecting their love. How could you?" she rounded on him. Jamie was taken aback by the obvious depth of feeling in Laura's outburst. "Look sis, I'll do anything you want, but just don't walk out on me again. You know what happened the last time we had an argument and you stormed out," he said. "But that's just it, you won't 'do anything I want'. I want you to give Debbie and Christine what you give me, Safety, security and love. Why is that so difficult? I know there's enough of you to go round Jamie, you've got a big heart," she continued, relentless in pressing home her case. "You know it sounds like you're just trying to get rid of me. Am I that bad?" Jamie asked. Laura could see that he really was hurting now. At last his tough outer exterior was beginning to crack a little and she knew she was pressing too hard, too fast. She hugged him now and pulled his head down to her shoulder. "Never Jamie, I'm with you now and for always. We've promised each other that. I don't know how I can explain it any better than I have. I do love you more than anything in the world and I'm so proud of you too, but can't you see there are two other girls who feel the same way as I do? I really think we can make this work between us. I suspect you don't understand Debbie and Christine's motives in this - it's not about sex for them, although I know they would jump at the chance. They love you Jamie, can't you find it in your heart to love them just a little back?" All this was whispered gently into Jamie's ear and she could feel him just shake his head in response. Laura wasn't sure what that meant, but she thought she had said enough for now. At least he wasn't trying to get away from her, if anything his hug became tighter and she let herself enjoy the feeling to the full. ------- 14:56, 24 August The next few days had a few awkward moments at Skibo. Jamie tried to keep himself busy, visiting Fort William and Dreghorn so that he was away from the girls for a fair chunk of the day. While he was away he was running Laura's words through his head and trying to make some sense of them. He admitted to himself that he did suspect Debbie and Christine's motives. How could they have grown to love him in just over a week? He was sure this was merely sexual for them and he in no way wanted to jeopardise what he had with Laura over some silly crush the girls might have. Trying to take his mind off of his own personal problems, he threw himself into the planning and organising at Fort William and Dreghorn. Stuart's skills audit had turned up a number of other former army cadets and they had volunteered to go out and try to get themselves picked up by the terrorists. The hope was that they could infiltrate some of the other camps around Edinburgh to gather intelligence. Stuart and Jamie had discussed how they would communicate with the cadets, but all agreed that it would be too dangerous to even try and take a mobile phone. All three would have to rely on somehow getting access to a phone or a computer to pass on information; they would need to wing it. There were handshakes all round as the three boys prepared to leave. Their weapons were left behind and they slipped one by one out of the gates of the barracks and onward into the streets of Edinburgh. That had been two days ago. Now Jamie and Stuart left deputies continuing to organise the defences at Dreghorn and they themselves flew towards Fort William to monitor progress there. They were still perhaps twenty-five miles from the town when they spotted three four-wheel drive vehicles heading north on the A82. There was no need to take a closer look to try and identify whether these were friend or foe, as rifle fire began to stream from the vehicles up toward them. Jamie banked the Lynx quickly and took them out of danger. He took the helicopter behind a range of hills and circled out of sight, coming round behind the enemy vehicles. "Time for you to try your aim with the missiles!" he shouted at Stuart. The other boy grinned widely and immediately focussed his attention on the weapons system. Jamie took the Lynx down low until he was only thirty or forty feet above the road. This stretch of the A82 twisted and turned and Jamie used all of his skill to throw the helicopter from side to side as he followed the tarmac ribbon. Suddenly the four-wheel drive vehicles were there in front of them and Stuart fired one of the TOWs. Jamie held the Lynx steady as his friend guided the missile down to its target. Stuart didn't aim for the rear-most vehicle, but for the one in front, hoping that if he hit it, there was a chance those following would crash into the wreckage. As soon as the ball of orange flame signified that the missile had hit its target, Jamie pulled the Lynx up and away from danger. He circled round and approached cautiously to see what damage had been done. The first vehicle was a twisted, burning wreck and the second in line had indeed crashed into it. The third jeep was nowhere to be seen and when Jamie zipped over the crash sight, they both caught a blur of movement heading back down the A82. The Lynx soon caught up with the retreating vehicle and Stuart loosed another TOW, showing his aptitude by guiding this one directly onto the target too. The last remaining terrorists were consigned to history as the missile tore through the flimsy aluminium of the jeep's skin. Shaken and coursing with adrenaline, but pleased with their attacks, the boys completed the journey to Fort William. The palls of smoke were visible from the town and they were overrun by teenagers wanting to know what was going on. Jamie left Stuart to explain and monitored the Lynx's systems. Once Stuart had set plans in train to alert the various defensive positions, he rejoined Jamie and they took the helicopter back up and set course for Skibo. ------- Jamie secretly hoped that taking Stuart back with him would prove to be a diversion for Debbie and Christine. If he couldn't take the girls to Fort William, perhaps he could bring some of Fort William to Skibo and tempt them out of their crush. It was clear his attempt was doomed to failure from the start however. The boys described the contact outside of Fort William and how they had dealt with it. Jamie recounted the message from Assam and put forward his suggestion that this was a party out looking for him. The response of the girls was nothing if not demonstrative, it was almost as if they had discussed and planned how they would deal with such a situation. The two girls hung back to allow Laura to grab Jamie and express her appreciation for his latest act of heroism, before stepping back and letting Debbie and Christine do likewise. Stuart was left in no doubt as to where the girls' interest lay and he grinned at the thought of what his friend faced dealing with three teenaged girls. Jamie was disappointed that his ploy hadn't borne fruit and excused himself to make his normal check of his e-mail before they all ate together. The past few days had brought little of any note in his messages, but tonight was different. He had a number of e-mails of some importance. As he flicked through them he didn't realise just how much his life was about to change. What was about to unfold before him would have been fantasy at any time, but given everything he had already been through, it was going to blow his mind and leave him unable to stand up. The first message was from one of the cadets that had bravely gone out two days before. He was already installed in another camp and reported that he believed it wouldn't take much to replicate the liberation of Dreghorn at this new site. The second message was from POTUS and Jamie paused before opening it, his experience suggesting he needed to try and calm himself before reading what the most powerful man in the world had to say to him. Highlander We've been monitoring your site and can now see that we were absolutely right to impound the submarine Vengeance. The world cannot be exposed to the threat of nuclear attacks and we are therefore justified in keeping the UK boat from sailing freely. If you have any other intelligence you need to share it with us so we can take care of this for you. I know you're a bit riled at me, but you have to understand that that can happen, it's a natural reaction at your age. You need to try to see the bigger picture and help us to help you, rather than just go off in a mood. POTUS Jamie was so enraged by the message that he knew he couldn't respond right away. Instead, he clicked on the message that was about to change his young life forever. It was a message from the British Ambassador to the United States. Highlander Can I first of all thank you for reminding me of my duty. It was with a deep sense of humility that I realised the accuracy of your words and it does crusty old farts like me a lot of good to have a reality check sometimes. My choice of language now is purposeful, recognising the truth of your response, actions are far more important than words at this moment in time. I have tried to engage the US State Department over the last three days, but to no avail. I would now like to invite you to join me in a private dialogue face to face. My technicians have set up an encrypted video link that will allow us to speak 'face to face'. It is important to keep in mind that your end of any conversation we have will be open, while mine will not. I hope, despite my failings, that you will take up the offer of this conversation. The immediate prospects for our country depend on it I believe. The message then gave instructions on how to connect to a web cam conference. Jamie sat back for a second to collect his thoughts. Was this just another attempt by the 'establishment' to drag him into their net, their way of doing things? Eventually he decided that he had nothing to lose and he followed the instructions to connect to the private web cam. He was surprised when the connection was made and Sir David Manning was already sitting there, waiting for his call. He clicked on the message button and spoke up. "Mr Ambassador, can you hear me?" he asked. "Highlander, or Mr MacLaren, yes I can hear and see you just fine. Can I start by reiterating my thanks for your wake up call the other day?" "Mr Ambassador..." "Please, call me David, and I hope you will let me call you James?" Manning replied. "It's Jamie, not James," he replied. "Okay, the first lesson you've taught me is that I need to drop all the diplomatic flimflam and get right to business, so here goes. I've spent the last three days trying to do what you suggested I should be doing, making some progress for the UK. I'm afraid I've made little or no headway. The US State Department has made it clear that I have no status. Without a recognised UK government, the court of St James has no standing. To put it in words of one syllable, I'm getting nowhere." "But that's outrageous!" Jamie replied. "There are thousands of UK citizens over there who need representation. Some of them will be holidaymakers and not subject to the thin excuse that the President has resorted to. How can they justify shunning you?" Jamie asked. "No government, no diplomatic service, I'm afraid," responded Manning. "I've had my people look into this and there is a potential solution, it's radical and I'm not sure how you'll react to it." "Does it help us get our people across the Atlantic?" Jamie asked. "I think it does, but we can only try it out and see what happens," said Manning. "Okay, you've got me biting," said Jamie. "I hope you're sitting down," said Manning. "The US is hot on democracy. They know that the age of being able to vote in the UK is eighteen and none of your survivors is of that age. The President therefore thinks the UK is sunk. No government and no one able to vote to establish a new government." "From where I'm sitting I've got to agree with President Bush," said Jamie. "Don't be so hasty, Highlander," said the Ambassador. "I've been determined to make up for my gauche approach earlier and I've had as many of my people as I could spare on this problem. There is a potential solution." "I'm not with you Sir David," said Jamie. "Jamie, my people have confirmed that there is nothing that can allow the survivors of your age to vote for a government. Age bars you and without a change in legislation that can't be avoided. It's a circular problem, you're too young to vote for a government and without a government, you can't change the legislation. However, there is one legitimate way we can change things," said the Ambassador. "I'm listening David," Jamie said. "Well, I'm not sure if you're aware of the history of the British crown?" "I know quite a bit, my parents tended to focus on parts of it," Jamie replied. "Well, my people tell me that there is a strange element to the Scottish crown. The Scottish monarch is the King or Queen of Scots, not of Scotland. That apparently recognises that it was the people who theoretically selected and confirmed the Scots monarch. I'm told that there is no need for there to be a royal bloodline, indeed there are many precedents when the lords selected the one from amongst them that was most likely to deliver security and prosperity. My staff tells me that there is no age limit that applies to such a vote. So, in theory anyway, the survivors in Scotland can legally select and appoint a King or Queen. If that was done you would have a constitutional monarchy, a form of government accepted around the world." "Are you suggesting that the survivors in Scotland should vote for a monarch and that the result of that would have to be legally accepted?" Jamie asked. "I know it sounds incredible, but my staff say it's legitimate. Once Scotland does that, you would have a government, I would be accredited again and could perhaps have more of an influence with the State Department. ------- Chapter 23: Tin opener Jamie felt his head swim with the implications of what Britain's Ambassador had just said. It took him some time before he could marshal his thoughts and respond to the figure he could see on his computer screen. "Let me get this straight, you're saying that the surviving teenagers can just select someone to be the King of Scots and that person would legally be the King? The rest of the world would have to accept it? What kind of powers would such a person have?" he managed to get out at last. "Indeed, yes that person would de facto be the monarch and the remaining governments would be legally bound to accept that at least. My staff tell me there are no grounds for a legal challenge. Whether they would go along with it in policy terms is another matter and that's what we're looking to test. As to powers, the constitutional monarch would have absolute powers to make the law of the land, carte blanche, so it would be quite a responsibility," Sir David replied. "And you're suggesting that I should be this new monarch?" Jamie gasped. "I don't see anyone else showing the initiative that you have so far, but if there are others that you feel would be more suited then I'll leave that up to you and the other survivors to decide. To vote, people need to be resident in Scotland, free and of sound mind," said the Ambassador. "Sir David, I need some time to think about all this. To say I'm feeling a little bit numb would be an understatement. Can I continue to use this link to contact you?" Jamie asked. "Of course. I won't remain here myself, but someone will always be here and they will be able to contact me immediately if you need me. Don't take too long Jamie, I really believe we need to do this if we are to have any chance of re-asserting diplomatic pressure on the governments of the US and Canada," he replied. "I promise I won't dither. I'll get back to you today," said Jamie as he closed the connection. He sat in the honeymoon suite for ten minutes just trying to gather himself before he went back downstairs to join Stuart and the girls. All of them could tell by his expression and body language that something had happened. It was his sister who enquired first. "Something else has happened, what is it Jamie?" she asked. Jamie seemed to come out of the daze he was in at her question and it was almost as if he was noticing for the first time that he had actually come downstairs and they were all in front of him. He looked back over his shoulder at the stairs as if to question why he couldn't remember walking down them and then looked back at his sister and the others again. At last he found his voice. "I think we all need to take a seat before I tell you," he said. His words had an ominous ring and the girls and Stuart began to look worried at whatever news he was about to share. They moved into the comfortable public room of the castle and each took a seat in the plush armchairs. Jamie told them of the conversation he had just had. "I received a response to my e-mail from the British Ambassador to the United States. He invited me to join him in a web cam meeting," he said. Laura, Stuart, Debbie and Christine still looked worried and were on the edge of their chairs. "He advised me that the US State Department were refusing to even speak to him on the basis that he had no status. Apparently their view is that the UK has no government and therefore the diplomats have nobody to represent." Jamie paused as if needing to gather himself to share this next part. He looked into the faces of the other four before continuing. "Sir David said that his staff have been working hard to come up with a solution to the stance that the US government have taken. He believes they have found one. Apparently the Scots crown is almost unique in that it's not based on land ownership, but rather the support of the people. It's the 'King of Scots' not the 'King of Scotland'. The Ambassador told me that there are numerous precedents in our history where the people - well the lords actually - decided who the next King should be. "In some cases there wasn't even a blood link to the previous King. The lords just selected the strongest amongst them; the one who they felt would be able to lead best. Sir David said that the survivors in Scotland could legally choose a King and simply appoint him and that would be binding. "Once that's done, Scotland would have a constitutional monarch and therefore a government and the diplomats would be accredited again," Jamie said. The others simply stared at him, mouths hanging open. It was Stuart who found his voice first. "This is all a joke, right?" he asked. "No joke. This person would really be the King and would have absolute power to determine the laws of the land," Jamie replied. "And the Ambassador is suggesting we should do this? Is he suggesting who the King should be?" Laura asked. Before Jamie could answer, Stuart spoke first. "Well Jamie of course. Isn't that obvious? Who else is there?" he said. "But what about the royal family?" Debbie asked. "They're all gone and the Ambassador's staff have told him whoever is selected as the next King doesn't need to be related to the old royal family anyway," Jamie replied. "But, you can't be the King," Laura said hesitantly. "Laura, you haven't been listening. Scotland's history shows us that the people can select whoever they want to be King. If the survivors choose to select Jamie then he will really be the King. I say we should go for it," said Stuart. "If it helps make the US release the expats and the submarine, I think it's worth a try." "Stuart, don't be so hasty. Once this is done it will be binding," said Jamie. "That's nothing to worry about. The King will only have absolute power so long as the people want him to. Remember your history Jamie, the parliamentarians took the King's powers away from him when they disagreed strongly enough. Being King will only grant you authority so long as the people are willing to follow you," Stuart replied. Oddly this statement seemed to re-assure Jamie. The thought of the awesome responsibility of being King would bring had been a huge weight hanging over him. Stuart's words were a comfort as Jamie knew the other boy was absolutely right. It would be a simple matter for the survivors to dispose of any King who wasn't doing a good job. He shook his head as he realised he was actually thinking of going through with this crazy plan of the Ambassador's. "We'll need to think of some way of communicating all this to the people at Fort William and Dreghorn and then actually have a vote of some kind," said Stuart, dropping into his organiser mode. "There's something else I want to do before that," said Jamie. "What?" Laura asked. Jamie looked round at the other four once more and then told them what he had thought of doing. "Fuck yes!" cried Stuart. "That's a great idea, let's get to it right now." The girls looked much less enthusiastic, but Jamie saw his sister nod in agreement with his latest plan and he knew she was supporting his decision. What he was now suggesting helped put the dizzying thoughts of becoming King out of his mind and he grinned at Stuart as they both jumped up to seize the moment. ------- Hadij looked a mess. He and his team had been on board the submarine for five days now, five days on bare rations and without much in the way of personal hygiene. The last of the shore party had died from the virus the day before, without giving Hadij any clues as to how the nuclear missiles might be launched. Losing the last seaman seemed to have drained something out of the fanatic and the angry phone call he had taken from Assam hadn't helped matters. He had found a small safe in the captain's cabin and his last hope was that there was something inside the safe that would give him the control over the missiles that he so badly wanted. Part of Hadij's training at the remote camp in Pakistan had been on handling explosives and he had scoured the naval base for the materials to try and blast the small safe open so he could get at its contents. He had found what he needed and now he was just putting the finishing touches to the very small charges required to take the safe's door off of its mountings. He retreated from the cabin and connected the wires to the trigger. He knew the trigger had sufficient power to activate the detonators and he took a breath before pressing the button. Immediately Hadij knew something had gone wrong. The whole submarine shook violently and he was thrown off of his feet and into the bulkhead. He lay on the floor, his head ringing and watched as smoke and flames crept towards him. Still disorientated from the blast that had knocked him over, he tried to make sense of the fact that floor of the submarine seemed to suddenly be at an angle. He tried to push himself up and found it difficult to stand normally. Hadij's senses began to recover from the shock and he realised the floor was indeed angling away from him. He couldn't understand why his little charges had had such a massive impact. As his hearing slowly began to return, he could swear that someone was playing 'Scotland the Brave' outside the submarine. He had just decided to go and investigate what was happening when another blast caught the sub and knocked him off of his feet once more. ------- Jamie raced the Lynx navy variant low over the Firth of Clyde towards the Faslane naval base. Beside him, Stuart could hardly keep still in his excitement and Jamie laughed at his friend's nervous antics. The idea to attack the submarine had come to him when he had witnessed the impact the TOWs had had on the terrorists' jeeps. Stuart had shown just how accurate and devastating he could be and Jamie felt he would be more comfortable with the potential threat of the sub removed. He had spotted the navy version of the Lynx at the air base, with its torpedoes slung on its sides. It was perfect for an attack on the sub and he was delighted when Stuart confirmed he could arm the torpedoes and fire them. He was sure all of Trevor Stevens' team would be dead from the virus by now and even though he was sure the terrorists wouldn't be able to fire the Trident missiles, removing the possibility would mean one less thing to worry about. A quick e-mail exchange with Captain Mexford had given him an idea of where they should try and hole the sub while still avoiding doing damage to its nuclear reactor. The last thing he wanted was a radiation leak, but the Captain had assured him that standing orders were that the reactor would be completely closed down while the boat was berthed. Finding the sub had been easy enough and Jamie didn't waste time in making his approach run. He didn't want to give the terrorists any time to take avoiding action or to return fire, so he simply flicked the switch to engage the music system. Scotland the Brave blared out and he headed directly for the sub. He saw the first torpedo drop away from the Lynx, but then lost sight of it until he banked and brought the helicopter round in a tight circle. The path of the weapon was now visible as it streaked towards the sub and a huge fountain of water rose high up in the air as it struck the hull and exploded. By sheer coincidence, the torpedo had struck the sub at the exact moment that Hadij had blown the charges on the captain's little safe. Jamie lined up for a second run and he glanced across at Stuart to see he was smiling at his success with the first torpedo. He gave him a thumbs up and then concentrated on his course. The bow of the boat was already at an angle, as the weight of water rushing in through the damaged bow brought it out of the water. The head of one of the terrorists appeared at the top of the conning tower just as Stuart launched the second torpedo. Once more Jamie lost sight of the torpedo, but he did see the lone terrorist scrambling from the boat, aware that another attack was underway. The second weapon struck the already crippled submarine and a second massive explosion ripped her hull apart. Jamie took the helicopter a safe distance away from the boat and he and Stuart watched as it filled with water and slowly began to slide under the surface. In a surprisingly short time it was all over and there was no sign that the sub had ever been there. The terrorist who had made it out of the conning tower was nowhere to be seen either and they assumed he had taken cover. Satisfied with their efforts, Jamie headed back to exchange the helicopters once more. ------- Two black Hawk helicopters skimmed low over the surface of the Bristol Channel and the River Severn, past Cardiff Bay, and onwards heading for the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) at Cheltenham. The choppers carried a team of US Special Forces and NSA communications experts and their mission was to link the GCHQ technology back to the US so they to begin to try gather intelligence and pinpoint where the terrorists were throughout the UK. That information would be required by any forces the US sent in to take the terrorists down. ------- Stuart persuaded Jamie to make a stop on the way to exchanging the helicopters. Jamie thought it was dangerous and he approached their destination with some caution, circling overhead to try and make sure there were no terrorists in the area. Once he was satisfied, he dropped down and Stuart hopped out onto the esplanade of one of Scotland's most well known landmarks, Edinburgh Castle. Once his friend was on the ground, Jamie took the helicopter up once more and waited for Stuart to do what he had to do. Minutes later he could hear the wailing of an alarm, even over the noise of the helicopter, and he immediately took the Lynx back down. Stuart came running out of the Castle, almost tripping over what he was carrying, and pulled himself into the Lynx. Once he was in, Jamie wasted no time in lifting off again and this time he made for the air base, taking the Lynx out over the sea to take the most direct route. He couldn't help but glance over at what Stuart was now cradling in his lap and between his knees. It was difficult to believe that his friend had just raided the Crown Room in the castle and had taken the Honours of Scotland Scotland's Crown Jewels. There was the ancient crown of the realm, the sceptre and the sword of state sitting only a foot or two away from him. Jamie admitted to himself that he hadn't been sure about taking the jewels, particularly as Stuart was talking about having them for his coronation. That was guaranteed to get Jamie embarrassed. Now that they had them though, Jamie was glad. He didn't want them for himself and was still squirming at the thought of using them, but taking them away so that the terrorists couldn't steal them seemed somehow symbolically important to him. When they landed at the air force base, Jamie had a chance to look at the jewels more closely. The crown was formed from a main circlet of gold with a series of four arches rising to form the main structure. The gold was finely wrought, inset with a variety of gemstones and the red velvet material used was also inlaid with pearls. There were hammered gold oak leaves for decoration and the rim of the crown was softened by ermine fur. He knew the crown was old, very old, dating back to the sixteenth century. Beside the crown was the sceptre, made from silver gilt, crystal and pearls. Again the craftsmanship was incredible, with many Christian designs on the head. If anything the sceptre was older than the crown, dating back to the fifteenth century. Next was the sword of state, its handle made from silver and again etchings showing Christian symbols and images of St Paul and St Peter. Jamie's history lessons told him that the sword dated back to the very early sixteenth century. He touched them reverently, with some awe, and Stuart too now fully realised what they had just done. He had grown quiet. "What are we going to do with them?" Jamie asked. "I told you, we're going to use them in your coronation," said Stuart. "Don't be daft! Anyway, no one is going to be crowned until after we get rid of the terrorists from Scotland," Jamie now added. "I think you're missing the point Jamie, by becoming King you help bring that moment closer. Not only will it help the diplomats bring pressure to bear on the US President, I think it will also do something to help our fellow survivors turn against their captors. I've been thinking about that and I've had some ideas." ------- When they arrived back at Skibo and showed their treasures, the girls were excited and amazed at what they had done. Laura immediately wanted to see Jamie with the crown on his head, but of course he refused to entertain such an idea. In retaliation for his stubbornness, she started a conversation about how the King was going to be chosen. She knew that would keep him feeling uncomfortable. "So how is this going to happen?" she asked. "How's what going to happen?" Christine asked. "The selection of the King of course," replied Laura. "I think we need to have two votes, one at Fort William and one at Dreghorn. What do you think Jamie?" Stuart said. Jamie wouldn't allow himself to be dragged into the conversation and instead headed for the hotel's kitchen to start making something for them to eat. Stuart took the opportunity to enlist the girls in his plans for the next day. When they heard what was being asked of them they were more than happy to agree. Jamie prepared a quick meal - omelettes made with powdered egg and tinned ham and mushrooms. The entire crowd enjoyed the simple food and Jamie left them downstairs as he went to check his mail. He was getting apprehensive about accessing his account now; as the messages he had been receiving recently had all been the harbingers of significant issues he had to deal with. Once the operating system had fired up, he opened his account and scanned the messages in his inbox. There was another e-mail from the same cadet as the before, this one asking whether he should take the chance to encourage a revolt if the opportunity arose? Jamie was worried about casualties and urged caution unless a situation arose that was clearly one where the teenagers would win out. There was another message from POTUS and he had purposefully avoided opening it first. He hadn't yet been able to bring himself to answer the President's last message. Now he clicked on the e-mail and digested President Bush's latest offering. Highlander Our satellites have picked up an attack by a helicopter on a UK submarine at the Faslane naval base. That raises two issues. First, you claimed that the Vengeance was the only military unit available to you, but that's clearly not the case given the precision employed by the Lynx helicopter. Second, the terrorists are running free wherever they want, unchecked by you. Let me repeat, you need help. POTUS This time Jamie had no reservations about responding right away. Mr President Once again your approach and language defies belief. I piloted the helicopter and the terrorists on the nuclear submarine have been taken care of. So, on your first point, I have been completely truthful, we have no other military units. On the second point, I have helped liberate hundreds of survivors in the last few days and also dealt with the possibility of a nuclear attack, taking that off of the agenda. Contrary to what you say, the terrorists are being squeezed all the time and my original message that we would deal with this ourselves is being borne out. I see no grounds for US armed help at this point in time and repeat my message that we don't want that. Highlander ------- Chapter 24: To be a King Jamie composed himself for a few moments after sending his latest message to the US President, and then he activated the icon that took him into the video link with the site the British Ambassador had set up. The Ambassador wasn't in the room on the other end of the camera, but there was a man in a suit and he confirmed that the Ambassador had left strict instructions that he was to be summoned if Jamie made contact. He had to wait for only a few minutes before the business-like Ambassador bustled into the room and took a seat behind a stout wooden desk. "Jamie, good. You promised me an answer today and I hoped you would keep to your word, time really is of the essence," opened Sir David. "Yes Mr Ambassador, sorry. Yes, David. I promised you an answer. I admit it hasn't been an easy decision to make and probably my friend Stuart has convinced me more than anything else has. If doing this helps free those still being held by the terrorists sooner, if it helps you to get the fully trained adult expats released so they can come to our aid, then so be it. I'll do it," Jamie said. "Excellent Jamie, excellent. I know it must seem daunting, but what you're about to do is the biggest service perhaps a man could do for his country and his fellow citizens. I can see that you aren't underestimating the sacrifices that you will have to make otherwise you would have made your decision sooner. Once again you've demonstrated remarkable maturity. I do believe Scotland is about to find herself with a monarch she can be proud of. Now, some practicalities," Sir David continued. "It is essential you make some kind of formal record of whatever process you use to achieve the selection. You need to have something that will stand up to scrutiny, something that nobody can refute. I suggest you act on this quickly now, your Majesty." Jamie could see a little smile play on Sir David's lips as he threw in the honorific at the end of his statement. The title jolted Jamie and he began to feel a sense of unreality creeping over him. He mentally shook himself. If he was going to do this he would need to make a better job of it than that, letting one word shake him so much was not an option. "Thanks you, Sir David, but I think you'll find that in Scotland we prefer 'your Grace' rather than Majesty," he responded. Jamie was pleased to see that his reply had wiped the smirk from the diplomat's face and that the man actually gulped. Perhaps he was going to do all right at this monarch business after all. "Indeed, my apologies your Grace. I hope all goes well tomorrow for you. Please let me know when I can present myself to the US State Department as being gainfully employed once more," said the Ambassador. "Of course Sir David. Now, I have some preparations to set in train, I hope you will forgive me," said Jamie. The diplomat nodded and Jamie broke the connection on the computer. He heard Laura entering the room and took a break so he could stand and give her a hug. "I'm afraid I've got some things I need to work on, probably for another couple of hours," he told her. "What things?" she asked sleepily. "I've agreed to do this, to become the King and there are things I need to do to prepare for that. If everything goes well, this time tomorrow night you'll get to sleep with the King of Scots," he ended with a laugh. Laura seemed to find this funny too and she chuckled along with him. "You carry on and do what you need to do, I'm tired and ready for bed," she said, giving him a kiss and heading for the bathroom. Jamie resumed his seat in front of the computer and began to type away at a furious pace. He wasn't even aware when his sister returned to the room and crawled into the big four-poster bed. When Laura woke up several hours later she could see through her tired eyes that Jamie was still working away on something. She smiled to herself and felt her eyes closing once more. ------- 6:52 27 August Jamie had always appeared confident, organised, and intelligent. The next morning his sister and the others could see that there was something else about him now too. It was as if something had transformed him overnight and now there was a quiet air of authority, of control. It was almost tangible and she and the others were a little taken aback and even found themselves getting nervous in Jamie's company. Jamie noticed something was wrong and called them on it over breakfast. "Okay all of you, what gives? You've been walking round me this morning like I might bite you. What's going on?" he asked. Stuart, Debbie and Christine looked at Laura, obviously hoping that she would speak up as they felt unable to. She lowered her eyes, looking into her own lap and spoke quietly. "There's something different about you this morning, something I've never seen or felt from you before. It's kind of scary," she managed to get out. "Rubbish!" said Jamie. "I'm exactly the same person I was when you went to bed last night." "Uh, Jamie, no you're not. Laura's right, there is something about you. You almost seem to be radiating power or something, you know, you just seem to have a feel of... I don't know... authority, yes, that's it, authority," said Stuart Jamie looked at each of them as if they had two heads, this was just stupid. He admitted to himself he did feel good this morning. All the writing he had done last night had somehow helped settle his doubts and he felt ready for what they were going to do today. Could that have resulted in him appearing different? Could the realisation that he was about to become King have changed him already? He vowed to take this as a lesson and make sure any changes were for the better. "Look guys, perhaps you're just reacting to what we're planning to do today. Perhaps the change you feel is actually inside yourselves, not me. Perhaps the realisation that we're going to try and make me the King of Scots and what that means has finally hit home to you," he said. "I promise you all that I'm not going to change, far from it. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I stay exactly the same Jamie MacLaren," he told them. He could see them looking between each other and it was almost as if a light went on inside each of their heads. Jamie was spot on. They realised that each of them had been beginning to act around him as if he was already the King. Jamie could see there was relief at this realisation and his sister actually got up to hug him. "You're so smart big brother. I'm glad you spotted that before it became a problem between us. I certainly don't want you to change and it would be awful if I couldn't act normally around you," she said. The other three agreed with her and the mood round the breakfast table was immediately more relaxed and more like it normally was. Once they had finished eating and the dishes had been loaded into the dishwasher; Jamie handed each of them a printed sheet of paper. "Here's my plan for the day and the preparations each of you will need to help me with. You'll see we've got a busy day ahead of us so I suggest we get on with it," he said. Within the hour all five of them were ready to head for Fort William, the first port of call on Jamie's itinerary. The journey in the helicopter was without incident and they were soon landing in the car park at Fort William. Once the Lynx's systems had been closed down theyjumped down from the helicopter and walked towards the little group of survivors that had gathered to watch their arrival. One of the group filled Jamie and Stuart in on another incident that had happened along the A82. Yet another party of terrorists had tried to reach Fort William, but one of the defensive posts that had been set up had taken out the lead vehicle with a Javelin anti-tank weapon. The defenders had poured a stream of fire down onto the other vehicles and they had beaten a hasty retreat. "It's almost as if they know we're here," said one of the group. "I think you'll find that the A82 is the only road they can use if they want to get out of the central belt on this side of the country," said Jamie. "It doesn't follow that they know any survivors have set up in Fort William, but that won't last for long if they keep finding themselves attacked in this area." Stuart and Jamie headed off to set up the next part of Jamie's plan and the three girls went off to happily fulfil the objectives that Jamie had set them. The boys commandeered a car and scouted out a suitable location and then Stuart left Jamie and went in search of Ronnie Brinks, the techno-wizard. Jamie entered the large auditorium of the Fort William theatre and up onto the stage. He had thought about Sir David's words about making sure he had a formal record of what they did and he had decided to make a show of it all. He planned to broadcast the events of today live on the 'Surviving in Scotland' web site so the whole world could see if they wanted to. He had his laptop with him, but he needed techo help to set up the necessary interfaces that would guarantee good quality coverage of all the proceedings. For the moment he pulled up his web design software and redid the 'Surviving in Scotland' home page so that it was basically a full screen where the video footage would play with a box of scrolling text underneath. He typed in the text that would continuously play in a loop at the right time. You are watching the survivors of Scotland selecting a monarch. The survivors have decided they want some form of government restored and this is the only legal way of achieving that. This is not play acting, but very real in a legal sense. The person chosen will be the legal King or Queen of Scots. He next composed a message to appear immediately on the larger black box where the video would eventually appear. Live at 11:00 am GMT - Action from Scotland He uploaded the new homepage and opened up an Internet browser to see what it looked like to anybody who visited. He was pleased with how it looked. He had left the two e-mail links at the very top of the screen so that people could still send messages, but the area where the video would play looked large enough to make a good visual impact. By the time he had finished his work, Stuart had returned with Ronnie and he began to work quietly but intensely to set up a broadcast quality camera and all the necessary leads and wires that would link the output onto the web site. Jamie was amazed when everything was done in only half an hour and he was able to test it out and see that it all worked. He had allowed two hours for this part and now found himself with time to spare. "Stuart, could you start getting word around Fort William that we need all the survivors here at 11:00am please? We'll need to make arrangements for those on guard duty to be relieved so they can come and vote too. I'm going to take Ronnie and another camera rig and set up the technical stuff at Dreghorn. I'll be back by around 10:00 if all goes well," Jamie said. He could see that Stuart was still wearing a goofy grin and was really getting into what they were doing. It was as if he was getting a rush from the whole proceedings. ------- A short hop in the helicopter brought Jamie and Ronnie to the Dreghorn Barracks. It was a fine morning with the late August sun shining down on Edinburgh as he flared the Lynx on the parade ground and helped Ronnie carry the kit they needed to set up. Several of the teenaged leaders in the camp came up to welcome them and Jamie let them know he was planning a special event. "I've got a number of ballot boxes in the helicopter, could somebody grab them and bring them along to the main camp theatre please?" he asked. Willing hands grabbed the ballot boxes, boxes that Jamie had unearthed in the local government offices in Fort William. Once again Ronnie performed his magic quickly and Jamie was able to test and confirm that the camera would be able to broadcast good quality footage to the web site when it was required. There was nothing left for him to do here. He had confirmed that there would be no hints from the video footage that would give the location away. He had confirmed the proceedings would be recorded and simultaneously broadcast to the world at large. Just before leaving to return to Fort William he asked the barracks leaders to make sure all of the survivors were assembled in the theatre for 14:00pm. They looked at each other; curious as to what Jamie was up to, but agreed they would make it happen. Jamie thanked them and said he would see them all later when things would become clearer. It was just after 10:00am when he arrived back in Fort William, glancing anxiously at his fuel levels as he brought the Lynx in to land. He saw that he would need to refuel before returning to Edinburgh in the afternoon, but calculated there would be plenty of time for that. Now that all of the preparations had been made, Jamie had nothing to distract him and he felt nerves clutching at his insides. His stomach was fluttering constantly and he felt as if he needed to visit the toilet every five minutes or so. He took to pacing up and down on the stage of the theatre, glancing up into the auditorium as people began to enter and take seats. He saw Laura motioning to him from off stage and walked over to her. "You need to calm down a little," she said. Jamie almost pulled away as his sister unzipped his pants and pulled his soft member into view. Her sensuous lips wrapped themselves around his staff and she began to lick and suck on him. It didn't take much of that to get him hard and soon his sister was bobbing up and down delightfully on his sensitive organ. He closed his eyes and threw his head back at the sensations she was creating, steadying himself by placing his hands on her shoulders. He was almost unsettled when Laura moved and he felt other hands on him, a different set of lips wrap themselves round his staff. His head jerked and he looked down to see that Debbie had taken Laura's place and she was working her mouth on him with vigour. Her face showed how determined she was to make this good for him and he couldn't stop her even if he had wanted to. Laura still knelt beside the other girl and she looked up at her brother with a smile at having got her way after all. It wasn't long before Jamie felt himself nearing his climax and he gave Debbie a warning. She was not to be denied her prize however, and if anything she redoubled her efforts until she felt his staff tremble and throb as his juices pulsed and shot into her mouth. Jamie's hands gripped Debbie's shoulders tighter as his climax surged through him. He felt his knees tremble and his ass cheeks clenched and spasmed as he fired his essence into her sucking mouth. When he came back to his senses he looked down to see her smiling and licking her lips, obviously pleased with herself. "I'm sorry to break up the party," said Laura, "but I think you're on Jamie." He heard Stuart announcing that James MacLaren wanted to speak to them about an important matter. His nerves had all drained away with the powerful climax he had just experienced and he zipped up his fly as he walked back onto the stage. He looked out over the faces of nearly five hundred survivors and tried to focus and remember the words he had written the night before. "Our Prime Minister tasked us with rebuilding our country and that's what we're going to do. To make our chances of doing that realistic we all know we need expert help, adult help. We also have the small problem of the terrorists who remain and the need to free the other survivors that are still being held captive," he started. "I want to talk to you today about what we need to do to begin the journey that will lift our beautiful, magnificent country off of her knees. I'm sure many of you will have been following events on the 'Surviving' web site and know that the US President is blocking many of our countrymen from returning to help us. I want to take advantage of the fact that we are broadcasting live today to thank all of those in the US and Canada that continue to send messages of support. "They need to understand how much that means to us and the best way to make sure they do is for all of you to show your appreciation." Jamie paused once more to let the crowd express their emotional thanks to the ordinary people of North America. He let this go on for five full minutes before he held his hands up and started again. "Today we have the opportunity of doing something that will hopefully make life more difficult for President Bush. Today fellow Scots, we are going to select a new monarch for Scotland - a new King or Queen of Scots." He had to stop as the auditorium erupted with excited voices all talking and shouting at once. Jamie paused and let them enjoy the excitement of the moment. He glanced across at the computer screen that had been set up on the stage and saw the video stream that was going out around the world. He waited several minutes and then held his hands up and called for quiet. "The first King of Scots is widely accepted as being Kenneth Mac Alpin who united the various parts of our land - Dalriada, Alba and Strathclyde - that was in the year 848AD. Our unbroken line of Kings and Queens is probably the oldest in the world and it is our duty to see that continue. In past times our countrymen have been known for achieving great things, overcoming huge odds, often showing bravery beyond measure. Now it is out turn. Our turn to show our mettle, our turn to create our own little bit of Scotland's history, our turn to stand up and be counted in our country's cause. "When people look back they might consider us to be the generation that lost its childhood. We have all had to grow up quickly given what we are facing. I say that's wrong. Sure we are having to take on more responsibility than would normally be expected of people our age, but I say we are more than up to the task. We have not developed the cynicism of the older generations; we have not developed the grasping materialism of the mega-rich or the conniving of the politicians we can all remember. "No, we can prove to ourselves that there is a better way, a way to create a society that looks after one another, that encourages entrepreneurialism and responsibility, that is built on the innovation and creativity that only the imagination of youth can conjure up. We can nurture the innocence and honesty that we still possess, we can enjoy the fun of being young and carefree while shouldering the burdens that we now have to face. We have the opportunity to grab the disaster that has overtaken our land and turn it into a fantastic opportunity. "You are all Scots, free and of sound mind. In front of the stage here there are ballot boxes, paper and pens. I want you all to consider who you want to be the King or Queen of Scots and then write the name on the paper and put it in the ballot box. Consider well, this is real and the result will determine who your next monarch will be. Consider what that person will have to do. Rid our country of the remaining terrorists, stare at the US President and make him blink first. Lead us in freeing the other survivors who are probably being held captive throughout the UK and set in train the real re-building that our country needs. "If we show the faith of our patron Saint - he gestured to the blue and white St Andrew's Saltire cross. If we show the courage of the lion on our other national flag - he gestured at the red lion rampant on the yellow background. We can do all that is required of us. Now is the moment each of you can create history, choose wisely, choose wisely for Scotland." When he finished talking their was not a sound in the theatre, you could have heard a pin drop. His words had gripped them, caught their imagination and they were even now considering the enormity of what he was suggesting. One girl in the crowd found her voice. "Is this real? Are we really choosing a new monarch? Is it legal?" she asked. "All good questions," Jamie replied. "The British Ambassador to the United States and his staff say that it is and that by choosing a monarch we can bring pressure to bear on the US president to release the expats so they can join us." There was a kind of pregnant pause as everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to do. That was Stuart's cue to stand and make his way down to the stage. He picked up a piece of paper with a flourish and wrote on it before posting it into the ballot box. He turned to face the rows of faces and called out. "What are you waiting for? You heard the man, it's time to select our next King." It was as if his actions and words burst a dam and the teenagers all began to push towards the ballot boxes to register their votes. It took forty-five minutes for the votes to be cast. Jamie left the theatre and Stuart, Laura and Christine followed him to the helicopter. He was so fired up he didn't notice that Debbie had stayed behind. He quickly went through the pre-flight checks and lifted off. Debbie gulped nervously as she stepped out onto the stage of the theatre. "Can I have your attention please?" she called out. "We are still broadcasting and I need ten of you to help sort and count the votes 'live' so the world can see things are being done properly. The proceedings at the second vote will be shown on the large screen now being set up behind me and we won't announce the results of our vote until after the second one has been completed." A large plasma screen was wheeled out behind her and it showed the theatre and the teenagers milling around. Volunteers came forward and the ballot boxes were emptied and a count begun. ------- Jamie paced back stage of the main auditorium at the Dreghorn. He wasn't nervous this time and actually smiled when his sister approached him and once more sank to her knees and reached for his zipper. Perhaps the sensation robbed him of his recent memory for he was surprised when the feel of Laura's mouth changed and he looked down to see Christine eagerly bobbing up and down on his hard cock. The look in her eyes told Jamie there was nowhere she would rather be right now and he let himself savour the feelings she was generating. It took longer this time before he felt himself shooting rope after rope of his man juice into Christine's mouth, but her enjoyment of it was a mirror of Debbie's. Jamie heard Stuart announce him and he pulled Christine to her feet, kissing her soundly before zipping up and walking onto the stage. He looked over the massed ranks of teenagers gathered in the main hall of the Dreghorn barracks. Many in the crowd of nearly eight hundred had already watched the proceedings at the first vote, but that didn't matter as he began his speech. If anything the response in Fort William had roused Jamie and he delivered the same speech but with far more passion this time. He started again by calling for appreciation of the US and Canadian supporters. The video stream on the 'Surviving' web site had switched to proceedings at Dreghorn, the count at Fort William having been completed. The video picked up the acclaim of the Dreghorn crowd for the support from across the pond. Jamie then launched into the same speech he had delivered at Fort William. When he was finished there was the same silence as all around considered what was going on, what they were involved in. Christine had purposefully refrained from voting in Fort William so that she could play the role that Stuart had in the first vote. She led the way and voted first, calling on the hundreds of others to follow suit. The voting took longer here, as there were more people, but an hour later it was over. Stuart took the stage and called for people to come forward and count the votes. Once the count was concluded he stood in the centre of the stage and looked into the camera. "The count at our other centre was concluded some time ago. I'm obviously not going to tell you where the locations are, as we are broadcasting live, but we can cross now to hear what the result was." Debbie's face appeared on the large plasma screen, it was clear she was nervous at performing this role. "Thanks Stuart. We've counted the votes here and of the total of four hundred and eighty four votes, I have to tell you that there is a unanimous vote for James MacLaren." "Well how about that?" said Stuart. "I think we're about ready to report the count here too. Gary? Gary Ferguson, do you have the figures?" Stuart asked. Gaz stood up and the camera zoomed in on him. The total number of votes cast was seven hundred and seventy three. I can now confirm that all of them are for James Maclaren," said Gaz. Of course, Stuart had roped the girls in to his plans the night before and part of that was how to orchestrate the counts. He had also arranged for them to make sure there were plenty of Saltires and lion rampants available for the survivors. Now the cameras picked up the teenagers at both sites going wild, waving their flags and dancing around with the excitement of what they had done. The camera focussed on Stuart once more, as he had instructed. "We have done a momentous thing and all that remains is to 'crown' our achievement. Sorry, but the pun was intended. Where are Neil MacInnes and Rory MacDuff?" he called out. Two boys made their way forward to the stage. Jamie heard a grating noise and looked round to see several teenagers dragging an ornate throne onto the stage. Following on was Laura with a royal purple cloak trimmed with ermine and he frowned at what was obviously planned for him. "It is a historical fact that the MacDuff family has always had the right to place the crown on the new monarch's head. We have with us today Rory MacDuff to perform that duty. To perform the holy anointing with oil, we have Neil MacInnes. And as a backdrop we have a soundtrack from Ronnie Brinks," said Stuart. The music was Highland Cathedral and as it played Stuart grabbed Jamie and took him over towards the throne. He let Laura put the cloak round his shoulders and then pushed his friend down onto the throne. He motioned to those who were hidden offstage and a procession walked on with the crown, sceptre and sword borne before them. Neil MacInnes was swinging a small vessel that was full of incense. Rory MacDuff moved to pick up the Scots crown. Stuart spoke once more. "We the Scottish people do hereby choose and anoint James MacLaren as our monarch. Like Prince Charles, he has decided to be crowned as James VIII. I now call on you to witness his coronation." Neil came forward and anointed James' brow with holy oil. He paused to allow Rory to place the crown on Jamie's head and then he moved forward once more. He dipped his finger in the vessel and covered it with oil, daubing it on Jamie's forehead in the shape of the cross. "In the name of the father, the son and the Holy Ghost, I pronounce thee King of Scots. Your life henceforth has no meaning other than the succour of the Scots first and foremost," Neil intoned. "Let the power of the Lord fill you and sustain you as you seek to discharge your responsibilities. I confirm you as James VIII." Jamie sat for a second, drinking in what was happening around him, than he stood, his cloak and crown resplendent. "So be it. You have chosen," he said gravely. "Now the work begins!" ------- Chapter 25: Legal or illegal? Jamie was keen to hook up with the Ambassador, Sir David Manning as quickly as possible after his coronation. The sooner the diplomatic efforts to release the expats began the better. He brought the helicopter in to land at Skibo and mentally stopped himself from rushing through the shut down procedures. Once he had completed what he had to do, he jumped down onto Skibo's rapidly growing lawns and joined his sister and Debbie and Christine. Stuart had remained at Dreghorn to review how training was progressing. Jamie eyed his sister and the two girls as they walked towards the hotel's entrance. He had allowed both Debbie and Christine to perform oral sex on him during the day and the values that his parents had instilled in him meant that he now felt something deeper towards them. His brain had to rationalise the acts by creating a sense of being closer to the girls. Such an intimate act had to mean some kind of bond, his mind now decided after the events. Unconsciously he drew Debbie and Christine closer to his side as he walked and Laura tried to hide her little smile of triumph. Jamie left the girls to look out something for dinner and took himself upstairs to check his messages. Both e-mail accounts were swamped with messages, the US and Canadian messages all much the same - Go Jamie!! - and the UK ones giving a better idea of what was happening across the country. It seemed the actions of the day had played well with the viewing audience and if anything the strength of feeling behind what Jamie was doing had grown. Jamie clicked on the little square to minimise his e-mail accounts and brought up the link to the web cam site that connected him to Sir David Manning. He clicked on the link and waited while he was connected. When the screen logged on to the camera he saw another 'suit' sitting behind Sir David's desk. "Hi, I wanted to speak to Sir David," he said. He saw the suit snap himself upright at the sound of Jamie's voice and turn toward the camera. "Ah, I'm sorry your Grace, the ambassador isn't here right now. He's gone to the State Department and asked that you be told he will be available at 22:00 your time. That's in just over two hours." "Thanks you," said Jamie, "I'll be here then." He clicked to exit the site and began to go through some of his e-mail. There was another message from the teenager who had infiltrated the terrorist set up at Herriot-Watt University on the western outskirts of Edinburgh. Jamie could sense the enthusiasm and urgency in the boy's message to him, the real nervous energy that must be coursing through the boy's blood. Highlander I didn't get to see it myself but the camp here is buzzing with news that the SIS web site showed Scotland choosing you as our new King. Fucking far out man! My wee heart is beating nineteen to the dozen, we've got a King and I'm in here plotting the downfall of the wankers who are trying to subdue our country. What do I call you now? Is it your majesty or something? LOL. The teenagers here are ripe for overthrowing the terrorists and today's events have if anything brought them closer to the edge. I'm sure the terrorists know the mood in the camp, it's almost tangible, at fever pitch. If I don't do something soon to lead these people it will surely just boil over itself. They really are that worked up already and your coronation has caught the imagination. There is a feeling that they're missing out on events, on what Scotland is doing and they want to be part of things. I'm not joking when I say Herriot-Watt is ready to explode at any minute. What do you want me to do? Sinky Jamie looked at the words. Ian Sinclair - or 'Sinky' - was a brave 'man' to have volunteered to go into the lion's den and now the teenager was telling him that it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep a lid on the growing fervour of the survivors in the camp he had been taken to. Something would need to be done soon to orchestrate events before the survivors went off half-cocked and were slaughtered by the terrorists. He pondered on his new status as the King of Scots and knew it was up to him to show leadership. What did it mean to be the King? Now there was a question. He knew he would have to set an example to others, but beyond that he was determined to be as much himself as possible. Jamie glanced at the clock in the bottom right corner of his computer screen and saw it was time to try and hook up with Sir David once more. This time the crusty old diplomat's face stared back at him from the screen and Jamie greeted him. "Good evening Sir David, how are you? I'm guessing you must have watched today's proceedings on my web site," Jamie said. "Indeed your Grace, very impressive if I may say so. It hadn't occurred to me to do that, but a better record of events and demonstration that everything was done properly you couldn't ask for. If you will bear with me a moment, I'd like to hook up with Anthony Carry, the High Commissioner in Ottawa and Sir John Sawyers the Ambassador to the UN in New York. I think we all need to discuss our next steps." Jamie watched a technician enter the shot at Sid David's elbow and he hit a few keys on a keyboard that was out of sight. His computer screen suddenly split to show his own head and that of Sir David, but now two other heads appeared as well. "Good evening your Grace. May I be allowed to congratulate you on your elevation today? A remarkable moment in Scotland's history indeed and I found your words quite uplifting to say the least. But where are my manners, let me introduce myself. I'm John Sawyers, formerly the British Ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations." Jamie took in the well-groomed brown hair, cut with a parting on the left side of the man's head. The eyes that gazed at him were steely blue and Jamie imagined he would be formidable opponent across a negotiating table. "Good evening Sir John, it's a pleasure to meet you, despite the circumstances," Jamie replied. The other head showed a man with receding hair and a high forehead. His brown hair was going grey at the sides and he wore an avuncular smile. "And let me congratulate you too, your Grace. I'm Anthony Carry and until recently I was the British High Commissioner in Canada." "Pleased to make sure acquaintance Mr Cary," Jamie acknowledged "We all know each other of old your Grace. So, now we're all together and the introductions are over, we can share our news and decide what to do next. As inspiring as your selection and coronation were, unfortunately it hasn't had the impact that I hoped," Sir David said. "What do you mean?" Jamie asked. "As soon as I saw your coronation I made my way to the State Department to try and turn up the heat on the administration. They refused to see me and had a minor official tell me that things hadn't changed, I have no standing with them," said Sir David. "But that's stupid. Are they denying what happened today? Are they refusing to acknowledge that I am now King and Head of State?" Jamie asked. "Yes, they seemed to think it was just a bunch of kids play acting, you know, pulling some kind of stunt," the Ambassador replied. "What else can we do to get them to accept me?" Jamie asked. "Before we come to that I'd like to hear from Anthony how things are going in Ottawa," Sir David said. "Not as bleak as things seem to be with our American cousins, David. The Canadian government is at least talking to me, but they still believe it's best to have a ban on all foreign travel. One problem is accreditation. The government here hasn't said that they don't recognise you your Grace, but they haven't come out and said they do either. "Prime Minister Harper seems sympathetic, or at least he's making all the right noises. Of course, given public opinion and the real strength of feeling on this issue here, he would be a fool not to make the right noises. His popularity is taking a knock as it is, he's sliding in the polls and you know how that tends to affect politicians," said Anthony Cary. "Thank you Anthony. I think we need to regularise our positions somewhat. The US and Canadian governments can justifiably question our positions as things stand. Your Grace, would it be possible for you to officially appoint us and do so live on your web site? At least then we would have a little more legitimacy," Sir David said. "Of course I can Sir David. But what are the chances that the US President will pay any more attention to that than my coronation?" Jamie asked. "A good question your Grace, but I have some ideas I think we can use to help here. I believe what President Bush is doing is illegal, tantamount to kidnapping indeed. And I intend that we challenge him legally. "Tomorrow I'd like you to publicly declare Scotland as independent once more. The Act of Settlement of 1701 prevents you from taking up the throne of the United Kingdom, as it settles the monarchy on the descendants of James the I and VI. What you can do however, is claim the throne of the entire United Kingdom by force. I believe you said today that you planned on heading South to free survivors in England and Wales as well. So be it, claim the lands at the same time. After you declare your royal intentions to make Scotland independent, you also need to appoint us as your representatives. "John, I'd like you to register his Grace's position with the United Nations and force them to accept it. I believe our legal position on this is watertight and once the UN look into that and confirm today's events are perfectly legitimate, then the President will find it much more difficult to ignore us. "On behalf of the expatriates here in the US, and the HMS Vengeance I will exercise their rights under the First Amendment to lodge a petition against the administration's policies at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. I plan to call a press conference on the steps of the E Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on Constitution Avenue, to tell America what their President is doing and how we are fighting back. As you say Anthony, the way to hurt politicians is to shake their popularity. I'd like to see President Bush's face when he finds out what I've done," said Sir David. "Wouldn't my laying claim to the rest of the United Kingdom be seen as an act of war?" Jamie asked. "In normal circumstances, yes. But I'm sure that if you free the other survivors they won't see it that way and you will be accepted without challenge. It will require an Act of the Westminster Parliament to confirm you though and that will need enough people over eighteen years of age to hold an election. At least your claim will keep the US and Canadian governments guessing. Remember, the late Queen and her heirs are or were hereditary monarchs of Canada and other commonwealth countries and that will be causing them a constitutional headache right now," said Sir David. "I don't know about them, but this is all making my head swim. Are you sure we're doing the right thing here, Sir David?" Jamie questioned. "I can't think of another way forward your Grace. I know it's confusing, but just leave all the diplomatic mumbo jumbo up to us. You carry on doing what you're doing. Oh, and one other thing your Grace. I hate to ask this, but if there is a safe way of getting some footage of the terrorists onto your web site, something that would help make all of this more real for the ordinary people here, that might help turn the heat up too." "I think I might have something that will work," replied Jamie. "Anthony, you need to keep us abreast of any changes in the government's position in Canada. It might be worthwhile to forewarn the Prime Minister about his Grace's planned statement tomorrow. Knowing about it in advance will help with your bona fides too," said the Ambassador. The discussion wound down and they agreed to conference again at the same time the next evening. ------- President Bush was clearly not impressed with what he was watching. One of his aides had burned the images from the 'Surviving in Scotland' web site onto disc and he was seeing it for the first time. He now had a face for the teenager who he had been sending messages to. He listened to the speech the boy made and harumphed at the simplistic messages. "Who does this boy think he is? Winston Churchill? William Wallace?" The President turned to his White House Chief of Staff, Joshua D. Bolton. "Who does he think he's kidding with this act? No one could be stupid enough to believe that a bunch of kids could select a monarch just like that. If he's the King of Scots, I'm a horse's ass!" said President Bush. The Chief of Staff coughed nervously. "Actually Mr President, the Attorney General and his people believe what happened today might well be legal. Apparently there are a number of precedents for the Scots appointing their own King. So far we haven't been able to pick any holes in what he's done sir." "For crying out loud! If it's that easy, why haven't they been doing it before now?" President Bush asked. "That's what I'm saying Mr President, they have done, numerous times in fact. It just hasn't happened for six or seven hundred years that's all. I'm sure this other matter is related sir. We are receiving repeated representations from Sir David Manning to meet with the State Department. He was the British Ambassador Mr President," Joshua said. "You've just said it yourself Joshua. He was the Ambassador. I remember the stuffed shirt. Always dressed 'just so' and walking around like his shit don't stink like the rest of us! What is it with these guys the Brits send us? I'm sure he's a queer. What I know is that he's a former ambassador to a country that has no government. Reject all approaches," the President ordered. "Yes sir." ------- Jamie headed downstairs to see what the girls were up to. He had been in his room for over two hours and hadn't noticed the girls checking on him periodically. When they saw he was deep in conversation with some sombre looking men, they didn't interrupt him. Now he found them still in the dining room, having already eaten themselves. They had kept him some food and Laura went into the kitchen to get it. She set a plate of pasta in front of him and he began to wolf it down while he brought them up to date with what he had been doing on the computer. It had been a long and tension filled day and all of them were tired. Jamie took the time to stack the dirty crockery and cutlery into the hotel's dishwasher before following the girls upstairs. He entered the honeymoon suite and was brought up short when he found that Laura, Debbie and Christine were already in the large bed. He kept his eyes on them as he headed for the bathroom and almost walked into the wall instead of through the door. Jamie looked at himself in the mirror and considered what was going on. There was no way he was either in the mood or awake enough to do anything tonight and he hoped the girls weren't hoping he would consummate his relationship with them this evening. He washed his face and brushed his teeth and then joined the girls. Laura wiggled backward into Christine to create a space for Jamie to crawl into. He kept his boxers on and eased in between Laura and Debbie, feeling the soft girl flesh almost envelop him as they pressed up against him. The girls didn't try to push him and he was thankful for that, simply enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by those who loved him. "So, we get to sleep with the King of Scots, how good is that?" Laura giggled. Her comment started the other two girls off as well and Jamie couldn't help but find the situation funny too. He felt Laura's hand worm its way around his hip to gently hold his staff as she sighed and began to drift off to sleep. Jamie could feel soft breasts against his back and his chest and decided this was a good way for a King to go to sleep on his first night as a monarch. ------- 07:43, 28 August Jamie awoke and felt himself still cocooned within the riot of female flesh. He managed to extract himself without waking any of the girls and made his way downstairs. He mused about what his priorities were for the day, as there were a number of things that he needed to do. The first order of business was to make breakfast for himself and the girls and he was soon whisking up some powdered egg to make scrambled eggs. He found some UHT cream and added a little to make the eggs extra special. A little hint of seasoning and the eggs were ready to serve and he called to let the girls know. Jamie had also made some toast to go with the eggs and the girls showed how hungry they were by polishing off twelve slices between them. "Oh these eggs are super, what have you put in them?" asked Debbie. "You don't want to know how sinful these are," said Laura. "I do believe Jamie has added some double cream." "Mmmmm, worth the extra calories though. They're delicious," agreed Christine. "What's on the agenda today Jamie?" Laura asked. "I got an e-mail message from one of the guys who volunteered to be picked up by the terrorists. By the sounds of things, if we don't do something soon at Herriot-Watt, the survivors there are going to take matters into their own hands. I want to avoid casualties if at all possible and I've thought of a little ploy that we might be able to use. "I also promised the Ambassadors some support through another live broadcast on the web site. I think that's first on the list, so it's a quick trip to Fort William for all of us." They cleaned up and the girls waited patiently while Jamie completed his pre-flight checks, then they were off for the relatively short hop southward. Once they had landed at the town, Jamie set the girls a task and then went in search of Ronnie to make another video stream. The second person he asked told him where Ronnie was and he found the boy without difficulty. He explained what he wanted and Ronnie just nodded that he could do it. "If the cameras were rolling when you attacked those jeeps, I should be able to download those images if you want to play them," Ronnie said. "What are you talking about?" Jamie asked. "Attack planes and helicopters sometimes have cameras fitted so action can be reviewed later. I noticed that your Lynx has one and if it's set to automatic then the cameras will have recorded as soon as a weapon was fired. If your lucky you'll already have some film of the terrorists," Ronnie replied. Ronnie made short work of retrieving the recording from the Lynx and nothing would do but that Jamie wanted to see if there footage in the navy Lynx too. He fancied the idea of showing the attack on the submarine as evidence of their ability to fight back. The US President was already aware of it, but his countrymen weren't. It was also time to refuel the Lynx anyway. "There's probably kit at the Air Force base that's specially made to play these tapes, so it's a worthwhile trip just for that. I could probably convert it, but this way will be quicker," said Ronnie. They did indeed find what Ronnie was looking for at the base and they reviewed the footage from both helicopters. Ronnie quickly copied the clips over to Jamie's laptop for use in the broadcast and by the time he had finished; Jamie had refuelled the helicopter. Given they were so far north, Jamie decided to drop in at the Inverness barracks to have another rummage around the stock of weapons and other kit there. They found some kevlar body armour that would probably be very useful and Ronnie also came across a stock of NVGs (Night Vision Goggles) complete with headstraps. There was a box of batteries conveniently stored beside the goggles and the teenagers grabbed a dozen sets and the batteries. Once they landed back at Fort William, they made their way to the Theatre where Ronnie had left the camera set up from the vote the day before. It didn't take long for Ronnie to work his techno-magic and less than half an hour later he had things set up so Jamie could switch between a live broadcast and playing the footage from the helicopters Jamie prepared himself to talk live on the Internet once again. He sat on the theatre's stage and waited until Ronnie adjusted the camera and gave him a thumbs up. A quick glance sideways showed him the home page of the SIS web site, now featuring his head and shoulders. He was also preparing to record his broadcast so that it could be hosted on the site for people to click on whenever they logged on. He cleared his throat and began, glancing at his watch. "It's now 11:38 on the 28th of August and I'm broadcasting this message live. I'm also recording it so that people who miss the live show will be able to catch up with the message later. "I'm guessing there are a fair number of you who check this site frequently if the number of hits I get are anything to go by. Daily visits are averaging over forty million. It's quite nerve-wracking to broadcast live knowing I'm potentially reaching an audience of that number, even for a King," he laughed. "Anyway, to the point of today's broadcast. I've got a number of things I want to share with you. The first thing is that some of your governments are finding it a little hard to accept what the people of Scotland did yesterday. So far they have refused to recognise the legitimate government of my country - ie me. After yesterday's proceedings I am legally the ruling monarch in Scotland and Head of State. Today I am using the power vested in me by the Scottish people to declare Scotland to be an independent country once again. It has been over three hundred years since we ceased to be a sovereign nation owing to the Act of Union with our neighbours in England. Today that sovereign status is returned. "It shouldn't take your government and their constitutional experts too long to confirm that everything has been done legally and therefore to accept my position. I mentioned yesterday that my plan is to free the remaining Scottish survivors who remain in the hands of the terrorists. These are the same men and women who released the bird flu virus in my country. For those of you who don't know what this kind of scum look like up close and personal, here's a little taster." Jamie clicked to launch the helicopter footage and watched it roll. It was just like the grainy footage he had seen on news programmes during the gulf wars, but the missile attack on the terrorist jeeps was clear enough to make out what was going on and to see the returning fire. The scene cut abruptly to show the nuclear submarine coming closer to the camera and the explosion of a torpedo as it collided with the boat. The terrorist who had escaped could be seen clearly jumping to the quayside then the screen showed the sub begin to take on water and her bow lifted out of the water. As the footage ended, Jamie reappeared on screen. "Ladies and Gentlemen, as you can see the threat to us is very real. That was a nuclear submarine that they had taken over, but it now rests on the seabed and can't harm us. Those were real bullets being fired at me as I piloted the Lynx helicopter that fired the missiles into the terrorist's vehicles. Anyway, this isn't about boasting or anything. I just wanted you all to see that we're fighting back. "I also said yesterday that once we free our country, I plan on trying to rescue the survivors in the other areas of the UK. If we can manage that I intend to offer myself as the monarch of the other countries too." Jamie had thought about how to phrase this part of the broadcast. He decided he wasn't comfortable with Sir David's suggestion that he say he was going to take the rest of the UK by force. Instead he had come up with this much softer line of 'offering' himself as monarch. "Now on to the second matter I want to cover. I am hereby appointing Sir David Manning as Scotland's Ambassador to the United States with the full diplomatic privileges such an appointment carries. At the same time I'm appointing Sir John Sawyers as Scotland's Ambassador to the United Nations and Anthony Carry as either High Commissioner or Ambassador to Canada. There is some ambiguity about Canada's constitution with regards to the UK monarch and that's why I'm covering my bases there. He's one or the other. "As you saw, we're making a go of it against the terrorists, but we still need adults to help rebuild. I am making a personal plea to President Bush and Prime Minister Harper, as James VIII, King of Scots. Gentlemen, I believe you both to be patriots. Please consider the motives of the expatriate Britons who are trying to do their bit for their country of birth. I urge you to relax your positions and let my countrymen rally to our aid." ------- Shafiq was alerted to the new broadcast on the SIS web site by one of her team. She sat in front of the computer and watched this boy 'King' showing off to what remained of the world's population. When the footage showing the submarine being sunk rolled, she was furious. Assam had given no indication that their insurance against the Great Satan had been stripped from them. This was a disaster, there was nothing to stop the Americans from landing and wiping them out. She reached for her mobile and called Assam. "Hello," came a voice on the other end of the connection. "Bird Song," said Shafiq, the anger in her voice still evident. Assam had also been alerted to the broadcast on Jamie's site and he had been fully expecting this call. "I don't know how the infidels managed it, Bird Song, I was going to update you this evening. My men have scoured the naval base for more missiles, but so far we have found nothing," he said in a rush. "You told me you had everything under control, even offered to come south to help me. What other losses have you suffered?" Shafiq asked. "None, I am still on top of things here. Training is going well and thousands of survivors have already begun their conversion to Islam," he replied. "Fool! We will need more than a few thousand teenagers to defeat the forces the Great Satan will throw against us. You must find more missiles, it is our only hope," screamed Shafiq into the phone as she broke the connection. She sat for a few minutes to control her anger and her breathing before using her mobile phone to check in with each of the other cells. ------- The signals from Shafiq's mobile were picked up by the NSA technicians at GCHQ in Cheltenham and relayed to the US. Her calls had been too short to get an accurate triangulation on the recipients of the calls, but the technicians were able to pinpoint the cities she had contacted. The length of time she herself had been on the phone did allow them to identify where she was within a few metres and this information was also relayed back to Washington. ------- Chapter 26: Time for bed Tangos Jamie and the girls landed at Dreghorn and were met by Stuart. While Jamie had been making his broadcast, the girls had completed the task Jamie had set them and he now had a delivery to make. There was another matter to take of first though and Jamie knew he had put it off long enough. "Stuart, how many of the terrorists do you have locked up here in the guardhouse?" he asked. "Eight in total. There are two adults who we think must have been part of the original virus attack and six Pakistani teenagers who joined up quickly," Stuart replied. "Okay, it's time to deal with them," said Jamie. None of the survivors was calling Jamie 'your Grace' and he was relieved about that. He wanted to remain as normal as possible for as long as possible. "What do you mean, 'deal with them'," Stuart asked. "You'll see, come on we need to gather our fellow survivors together," Jamie replied. It took some time to gather the various groups from around the barracks and get them into the main conference area once more. As they settled down, Jamie went to the lectern at the front. ""Bring the prisoners in front of their jury," Jamie ordered. There was a pause of ten minutes or so while a group of the teenaged survivors went to carry out his command. The terrorists were marched into the conference room and turned to face the crowd. "Can I have your attention please? Do any here bear witness to the fact that these people are either terrorists who were probably behind the virus attacks or have been willing co-conspirators in rounding up survivors and executing those who resisted?" Jamie called out. There were hundreds of shouted confirmations and every hand was raised in the room to show that all felt able to so swear as witnesses. "Have you anything to say in your defence?" he asked the two men and six teenagers. His question was met with stony silence and sneers from all eight of the captives. "How do you find the accused?" he asked the crowd. There was no wild screaming, no sense of a lynch mob, but the message was clear in the unanimous shout of 'Guilty'. "So be it. None of the accused denies the charges levelled at them. I have thought long and hard on what it is to have been chosen as King. I think it is my responsibility to take hard decisions, to show leadership. Someone needs to do that. Last night I agonised over one such decision. It was not an easy one to come to terms with and to be honest I'm not sure I'm happy with the conclusion I've come to. That's the nature of hard decisions I suppose. "What is he talking about you're asking yourselves? Well, here it is, if we continue to be successful in overturning the terrorists we are going to have to deal with those we capture sooner or later. These eight are only the first I have to decide what to do with. "These people thought nothing of murdering our parents, friends and families. Those who joined them after the virus attack have taken great delight in their status over the rest of us and have joined in executions. I have thought about what their fate should be and have decided. As monarch and Head of State the power to make new laws is entirely in my gift. Today I have decided that Scotland will reintroduce the death penalty. I further propose that those terrorists we capture or who give themselves up should be questioned and then executed. There was an immediate swell of noise in the conference room as neighbours turned to each other, exclaiming over James' announcements. He glanced at the terrorists and saw that several of the teenagers amongst them looked considerably paler than they had moments before. "Can you really do that, make new laws I mean?" someone shouted. "Yes, I can. Now I want each of you to think hard about this. Is anyone uncomfortable with what I plan to do?" Jamie asked them. "Are we going to execute all Muslims?" one girl asked. "No, only those that have actively joined the terrorists," replied Jamie. He waited to see whether anyone was going to raise an objection to the re-introduction of the death penalty, but there was absolute silence in the room as the survivors looked at each other. It was clear they well understood the gravity of what he had decided to do, but none of them disagreed. "So be it. I need fifteen volunteers to form a firing squad," Jamie said. He was astonished to see virtually every survivor in the room raise their hands. "I am going to choose fifteen seat numbers at random. If the people sitting in those seats are willing to play their part then they will join me to form the firing squad." He paused to confirm that everyone thought this was fair. When no one objected he rattled out fifteen seat numbers and watched as the occupants all rose to perform their duty. The prisoners were marched out of the conference room and taken towards the firing range. The hundreds of survivors followed along behind to act as witnesses. The eight terrorists were lined up and Jamie and his volunteers checked their rifles. Eight of the rifles had been loaded with blanks and eight with live rounds. Jamie allocated a pair of survivors to each terrorist and they all lay down to steady themselves and take aim. No one amongst them would be able to say for sure whether they were the ones to fire live rounds. That way none of them would know whether they had killed the terrorist they were aiming at. Jamie hoped they could take some small comfort from that. There were no grief counsellors here. Before he could give the order to fire, one of the Pakistani teenagers broke down and cried out that he would co-operate. Jamie halted proceedings and called for the boy to be brought forward. The youth began to blurt out details of where all of the other survivors were being held and how many terrorists and co-conspirators were active at each site. When his outpouring ran down and he was simply looking at Jamie with fear in his eyes, Jamie gave the order to return him to his spot in front of the firing squad. "You can't do this, I've told you everything. You can't kill me!" the youth screamed. Jamie felt his nerve starting to slip in the face of the frightened teenager pleading for his life, but he hardened himself and lay down to join the others. Sixteen SA80 rifles pointed towards the terrorists, waiting for Jamie's command. "Ready. Take aim. Fire!" he called. ------- The US intelligence agencies were already poring over the electronic 'take' from Cheltenham. The terrorists who had been caught before they released the virus in the US had been interrogated and although they hadn't given away much, one thing they had disclosed was that the operation had been code-named 'Bird Song'. The fact that the woman who had originated all of the calls had referred to herself as Bird Song was being seen as a sure indication that she was the leader of what was going on in the UK. The locations where the calls went to were also looked at - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham - and analysts suggested it was a fair bet that there were terrorist cells in these cities. The duration of the calls had not allowed their technicians to triangulate and accurately locate the cells, but they had pinpointed Bird Song's position and it was in the heart of London. The content of the calls was also examined microscopically by CIA analysts, but the only points of interest they highlighted were Shafiq urging Assam to find some Trident nuclear missiles and the reference to the possible numbers being trained by the terrorists. Frantic activity was set in train to identify whether there were likely to be any missiles stored at the Faslane base. All this intelligence was shared with those who 'needed to know' and within hours it was being shared with President Bush. His advisors suggested it would be worthwhile to continue to simply monitor the network to see whether they could pinpoint the locations of the other cells. Once the question was answered about missiles at Faslane they could decide whether to send in the Special Forces teams already in the UK. ------- Some enterprising expatriates were not simply sitting back and accepting what the US and Canadian governments were doing. Their desire to return to the UK was strong and these were determined men and women. One group had secretly managed to make their way past minimal perimeter security at Fulton County Airport, near Johnstown, New York. Leading the group of twelve was Don Falls, an executive with ExxonMobil, the integrated oil and gas company. Don, originally from Edinburgh, had been one of a party of eight who had just taken off from JFK airport when the US imposed the ban on international travel. He had been travelling in the company's private jet, a Bombadier BD-700, en route to Aberdeen in Scotland. Air traffic controllers had ordered the jet to land at the nearest airport available and that had been the little public airport at Johnstown. Don knew there was a good chance that the jet, fully fuelled, would still be sitting waiting for some enterprising group to try and use it to reach the UK. He had gathered a small number of his friends and the company pilot and put his plan to them. All of them had agreed immediately that they would try and take the jet. Getting into the airport had been surprisingly easy and the little group's excitement grew as they began to believe they were going to succeed. The airport had a single runway and the Bombadier was still standing exactly where it had stopped to allow its passengers to disembark. No one was hanging around; it was straight up the stairs and into the Bombadier, the pilot wasting no time in going through his pre-flight checks. Inside the jet there was seating for up to sixteen passengers and Don and his friends took seats, strapping themselves in for take-off. When the plane's wheels left the tarmac all of them cheered - they were going home. Their excitement was short lived. Since 911, the US military and the Air Force in particular were ever vigilant. Within seconds of the Bombadier taking of, a flight of F16 Flying Falcons had been scrambled and they raced to intercept the jet. With each of the deadly fighters bristling with missiles, the Bombadier's pilot accepted realities and announced over his intercom that he was taking the jet back down to the ground. They had been airborne for barely eleven minutes. In hindsight Don would kick himself for not thinking about the US Air Force. Others were more successful. All along the US and Canadian eastern seaboard boats and yachts of all descriptions were trying to escape navy and coastguard detection, as they tried to sneak out into the Atlantic. The American news media lapped it up and their helicopters actually hampered the efforts to stop the expats from getting away. ------- Like everyone else in the US, Sir David Manning had watched some of the news coverage of his countrymen trying everything they could to get back to the UK. He shook his head at some of the images showing small boats and their owners risking their lives to try and cross the Atlantic in such flimsy craft. The courage of these individuals re-inforced his determination to do all that he could to change the President's policy. The newly appointed Scottish Ambassador to the United States, flanked by embassy officials, made his way to the ambassadorial limousine and settled back for the relatively short trip to the courthouse on Constitutional Avenue. He arrived to a media scrum; his office having tipped-off all of the usual suspects about the Ambassador's movements and the fact that he would be making an important statement. "Sir David! Sir David! Can you tell us why you are here today?" screamed the horde of journalists. "I'll make a full statement after I've been inside," Sir David called back to them, as his staff surrounded him and rushed him up the steps and into the courthouse. Filing the papers prepared by his legal team was relatively short work and half an hour later he strode back out to stand on the steps to read his prepared statement. "I'm sure you will all have seen the latest broadcast from his Grace, James VIII of Scots, accrediting me as his Ambassador. He has instructed me to commence legal action to free his subjects and clear the way for them to return to help him rebuild his country. "Today I have lodged a petition against the administration with regard to its policy of forbidding people travelling to the UK. I have also filed charges of kidnap and abduction against the administration. "You ladies and gentlemen of the press are well aware of public opinion on this matter. You have witnessed the extraordinary courage of teenagers taking on armed terrorists and, to a man, to a woman, US citizens want to see those children given the assistance that they need. "His Grace has made it clear that he is not asking for military help. He believes this battle is for his own countrymen to fight and his countrymen have made it clear that they want to fight alongside him. It is time to put a stop to the need for brave men and women to risk their lives sailing across the Atlantic in boats that have not been built for that purpose. "You have been reporting on that amazing exodus and I'm sure you will agree that people shouldn't have to go to such lengths to return home in this extraordinary time of crisis. Of course we have parallels in our history, like Dunkirk during World War II, but that was only the English Channel, not the Atlantic Ocean. "I know that there are still many US citizens alive today who have fought alongside UK forces in many conflicts around the world. They will understand King James' wish to deal with this situation internally and the will of the Brits to fight their own battles. "Finally, my colleague Sir John Sawyer is right now making representations at the United Nations in New York to try to achieve the same ends that my actions here today are intended to achieve. Thank you for listening to me." No sooner had he stopped talking than a barrage of questions was being fired at him. "Sir David, is it true that the President is refusing to acknowledge your appointment?" cried one reporter, sticking a boom mic under the Ambassador's nose. "That's correct. The US State Department tells me I have no accreditation, despite his Grace's broadcast of my appointment. I know everything that has been done so far is entirely legal so I am at a loss to explain the administration's position on this." "What pressure can Scotland or the United Nations bring to bear on President Bush?" called another. "Well many, if not all, of the representatives at the UN are in the same position as the UK. Their governments are gone and they are left with little or no influence other than the status of the UN as an organisation. There is no recourse to economic pressure because the economies around the world have basically ceased to exist. That is why King James has asked that we take the legal action we have commenced today," Sir David responded. "Is it possible that Scotland could declare war against the US?" yet another journalist asked. "Don't be ridiculous! Scotland still regards the United States as a valued ally, that is why his Grace is puzzled at the President's continued resistance to what we are asking. Surely it's not too much to ask that our countrymen be allowed to return home?" "Sir David, the White House is claiming that these are all US citizens and he has a duty to protect them. What do you say to that?" "The British Embassy and our consulates throughout the United States have been swamped with people looking for advice on how to change that status. I have to emphasise that all of these people feel pained, resentful even at being forced into such a situation. They love America and don't want to give up their citizenship. However, if that's what it takes to go back and help the old country that's what they'll do. Can I also point out that those same consulates are also being swamped by Americans asking for visas so they can go to the UK too," Sir David told them. The Ambassador felt he had given them enough and turned to make his way back to his limousine for the journey back to the embassy. Some of the news stations had broadcast the statement live and President Bush was already being advised of the new turn of events. ------- Across town, at One First Street, the Chief Justice, James Roberts, had watched the statement and he was already on the phone trying to contact the eight Associate Justices who with him made up the Supreme Court of the United States. Ironically given the situation, the Supreme Court was sometimes known by the acronym SCOTUS, and was the highest judicial body in the US, heading the federal justice system. The Supreme court normally acts as an appellate court, considering cases based on appeals, and even then after a case had been heard in a District Court and also considered by one of the thirteen circuits of the United States Court of Appeal. What was a lesser known fact was that the Supreme Court also had an 'original' jurisdiction and could hear a case before it was considered by a court at a lower level in the justice system. One such circumstance where this jurisdiction applied was any case involving an Ambassador or another State and Sir David Manning's statement had alerted Chief Justice Roberts to just such a situation. The Chief Justice had no difficulty in getting agreement that this case would be one for the Supreme Court to take on. His next duty was to inform the President, the man who had nominated him for his position. He lifted the phone once more to phone the White House. The number he called was a very private number and he was put through immediately to POTUS. "Mr President, it's James Roberts. I just wanted to give you a head's up. The Supreme Court will be hearing the petition and charges lodged by Sir David Manning. I'm afraid in the circumstances there is no other option. Article (iii) of the constitution makes that clear. I can't even buy you some time by letting it take its time through the lower courts, this one bypasses them. We'll be considering the initial terms of his action tomorrow." "Are you sure about this Jimmy?" the President asked. "Absolutely Mr President, there can be no doubt," Roberts replied. ------- For the next task of the day, Jamie had to wait for darkness. He had flown over the Herriot-Watt University campus before dusk with Stuart beside him and they had pinpointed where the firing range had been set up. Now they were in a jeep heading along the Edinburgh City bypass making the short drive to the University. They were both dressed as Trevor Stevens and his team had been, all in black, with body armour on and the suppressed Heckler and Koch MP5s as their weapons. They had worked out how the throat mics worked and also had a set of NVGs each. Jamie had the little present the girls had made up during the day stashed in a pocket of his trousers. They stopped well short of the campus and hid the jeep out of sight, melting into the extensive woodland around the University. Both of them turned on their goggles and immediately they were afforded a view of their surroundings in an eerie, ghostly green and grey canvas. Jamie and Stuart found the going difficult at first, as the goggles affected their depth perception and it took a few minutes of stumbling over before they adjusted. They took their time, moving very slowly and carefully through the trees, unsure as to whether there would be sentries out patrolling. It was a painstaking forty minutes to cover perhaps four hundred yards before they could see the outline of the firing positions signifying they had reached the range. Jamie crawled forward and used a hunting knife to cut a square of turf out of the ground directly over where a prone rifleman would lie when practising. He carefully scooped out some earth and dropped it into a plastic zip-lock bag before stuffing it in his pocket. He removed another zip-lock bag; this one containing the Mandrax sleeping pills that the girls had ground down into a powder and placed it in the hole he had dug. The square of turf fit snugly over the bag and Jamie took a last look to make sure it wasn't obvious and them crawled back to the trees. Both of them were just as careful making their way back to the jeep and approached it cautiously just in case it had been discovered and someone was waiting for them. They sat watching the vehicle for twenty minutes, looking for any signs that it was being observed before they turned off their NVGs and climbed into the jeep. When Jamie and the girls eventually returned to Skibo that night he was extra careful setting the Lynx down in the darkness. Before turning in he sent an e-mail message to 'Sinky'. Sinky I think you're right. It's time to move. I've left you a little present that might make things easier. Make sure on your next trip to the firing range that you get the first firing point. I've left you some ground down sleeping tablets under the turf and I'm relying on you to pick it up. It would be good if you could arrange to drug whatever the Tangos drink at night so most of them are out of it. If you can do that, I'll lead a team in to take out any that remain and liberate you all. It will be important for all of the survivors to remain in their rooms so we know that anybody walking around is fair game. Let me know when you've got the stuff and when you want us to come and get you. Good luck, I hope it goes okay. Highlander All of them had adopted the term 'Tango' to signify a terrorist. It came from the NATO phonetic alphabet for the letter 'T'. Trevor Stevens and his team had used the term and Jamie and the others had picked it up. Once Jamie sent the e-mail, he got himself ready for bed. It was clear that the girls were keen to play tonight. He could see that they had discussed this amongst themselves and by the looks of the way Debbie was nervously biting her bottom lip, he was sure that he was expected to take her virginity without further delay. ------- Chapter 27: Leading 05:51, 29 August Jamie woke early, the years of helping out around his dad's farm having instilled a love of the early morning in him. He lay between the girls and thought back to what had happened the night before. Christine had followed the advice she had given to Laura, pouncing on him and taking his already hard staff into her mouth. She was intent on taking the edge off for him so that her friend Debbie would have a better, longer-lasting experience for her first time. Her oral technique had been exquisite and. still relatively inexperienced, Jamie had quickly felt his arousal soar. When he had looked to the side and took in the sight of his sister and Debbie licking each other's little pussies, it had been enough to send him over the edge and he had climaxed into Christine's eager mouth. The erotic sight of Laura engaged in girl/girl sex kept him hard as steel, but he had to wait patiently while the girls reached their own mutual finish. No sooner had Debbie cried out her orgasm however, than Laura was helping her straddle his hips and she held Jamie's cock upright so Debbie could lower herself slowly onto him. Debbie had re-assured Jamie that she had already lost her hymen while sharing toys with Christine, so she didn't think she would feel any discomfort. The fact that Laura had already helped fully lubricate her sex would also make it easier on her. Debbie hadn't factored in the size and girth of his swollen member however, and she had gasped as she tried to take it inside. She had never tried to get something that big and fat all the way into her little channel and it was clear she was indeed finding it hard going. Laura and Christine had supported their friend and provided vocal encouragement, but wisely Debbie had taken her time, pausing frequently to try and get used to being so full, so stretched. "God, it's huge," she had moaned. "I'll never get it all in and if I do I'll be ruined for life." Her actions belied her words as she continued to bear down on him and Jamie felt himself advance inch by inch. He had been surprised to see a single tear escape from Debbie's left eye and had watched it roll down her cheek. "Are you okay Debbie? We can stop if you want, I can see it's hurting you," he had said. "No way! Don't you dare, I just know it's going to be worth it," she had replied hotly. Debbie was nothing if not determined and she had continued to press down until she had all of him lodged inside her. Jamie's eyes nearly popped out of his head again as he had watched Christine and Laura suckling on the other girl's orange sized breasts, doing their best to take their friend's mind off of the pain. The attention seemed to help, as a few minutes later Debbie had felt able to lift herself up before settling on him again. That had begun a hesitant and slow build-up to a steady rhythm and before long the young girl had been bouncing energetically on his hardness. "Oh god, oh fuck, so big, aahhhhh, sssoooooo good!" Debbie had begun to chant. Jamie remembered steadying her with his hands on her hips as she tried to keep herself upright so the other girls could continue to suck and nip at her hard nipples. It had proved too much however, and Debbie had eventually had to fall forward, supporting herself on her arms, her hands firmly planted on his chest. That position had allowed her to rock backwards and forwards, not raising herself off of his cock too much, but grinding her hard clit roughly against his pubic bone. He had been surprised when Debbie had screamed out her climax not long after that, surprised because he knew she had cum not long before with Laura. He had not been close himself and took the opportunity of flipping her over onto her back so that he could take over the control of their coupling. Debbie barely had time to crest the wave of her orgasm when she had felt him speed up and begin to lengthen his strokes. Jamie smiled to himself as he remembered the continuous wail that had come from her as she lost all grip on reality, her pleasure rendering her senseless. When Debbie had become limp beneath him he was at first worried, but Laura and Christine reassured him that she had just fainted. He had withdrawn slowly from her tight, velvety passage and found himself being dragged across the bed by his sister. Even though Debbie's juices still glistened on his hard cock, Laura had grabbed it and positioned him at the door to her own over-excited sex. Jamie had not needed a second invitation and he had thrust forward powerfully. Laura had responded, meeting his thrust with one of her own until their pubic bones banged together. He had felt a hand between them and looked down to see Christine teasing his sister's clit with her fingers. That combination - his repeated powerful thrusts and Christine's relentless rubbing and nipping of her hard clit bud - had Laura in ecstasy very quickly indeed. The contractions he felt around his staff as his sister climaxed were enough to send Jamie over the top too and he felt himself buck repeatedly inside Laura as he filled her with his own offering. Now he smiled again at the memories of how they had shared with one another. Then a further thought jumped into his head. He had been so caught up in heading for bed the night before that he hadn't really checked his e-mails. He also realised he had missed the planned videoconference with the ambassadors. He decided that couldn't be helped and that he would check his mail now and send them a message explaining why he hadn't showed up. At least he was clear that setting plans in motion to free some more of the teenagers took priority over speaking to the diplomats every day. Laura stirred beside him and he bent to give her sleepy face a gentle kiss. "I love you sis," he whispered in her ear. He was pleased to see the broad smile that grew across her face as he slipped out of bed and headed for a quick shower. After brushing his teeth and climbing into some clothes, he sat at the desk where his laptop was still set up from the night before and he booted it up. As was his normal routine, he checked the e-mail account for UK messages first. There were sixty messages waiting for him according to the yahoo counter and he settled himself to begin working through them. The first twenty or so were all from other survivors elsewhere in the UK who had now stumbled across his web site. It was clear from the content of these messages that the terrorists were thinly spread in England and apparently non-existent in Wales or Northern Ireland as the teenagers there were shocked at what he was having to deal with in Scotland. The next few e-mails made it clear however, that there were other terrorist cells, as the messages described how the senders had managed to avoid being picked up by armed groups driving round. These messages said that they recognised the tactics used by the people Jamie described on his web site and they thanked him for his warnings. They also indicated that something was going on in particular cities and Jamie saw a pattern emerge. The e-mails where teenagers said they recognised what he had been through all came from five English cities - Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London. He stored that piece of information away for future reference. If at some point he was able to make his way south to help his English neighbours, he had a good idea where he would need to go. Two thirds of the way through the mail he came across a message from Sir David. The message was short, telling Jamie that he knew he must have been busy to have missed their meeting. He had attached an MP4 file and his message suggested Jamie might be interested in viewing its contents. The Ambassador signed off by suggesting they videoconference each evening, other priorities permitting and he therefore hoped he would speak to Jamie that night. He clicked on the attachment and a message appeared asking him whether he wanted to save the file or open it. He checked the box to open the file and clicked on the 'ok' button and watched as Realplayer opened and a video-stream began to play. Jamie watched some American news coverage showing various attempts by expatriates to leave the US to return to the UK. He was amazed at how small some of the boats were that they were using and wasn't altogether sure they would last the journey across the Atlantic. Nevertheless, the sight of how determined people were to make the journey filled him with pride and he almost had a tear in his eye as he watched them. There was a change in the stream and suddenly Jamie was watching Sir David giving his statement outside the courthouse in Washington. He was slightly embarrassed to hear the Ambassador giving him credit for making a legal challenge to the US administration - after all, it had been dreamed up by Sir David himself. He wasn't sure whether this counted as 'spin' and therefore should be something that he chastised Sir David for. Jamie was determined not to fall into the bad ways of the politicians he could still remember vividly. It had been the continual spin that had left the electorate distrusting and suspicious of all politicians and Jamie wouldn't fall into the same bad habits. The remaining e-mails were mostly from more survivors from other areas of the UK and he was able to go through the fairly similar messages quickly. The last message in his inbox was timed at 23:13 on 28 August and Jamie was surprised to see it was from 'Sinky'. He hadn't expected Sinky to get his own message until today, but it appeared as if the teenager had somehow had access to a computer the night before and had received Jamie's message and replied immediately. Jamie clicked to open the e-mail. Highlander I like it!! I should be able to pick up your present tomorrow morning and I'm pretty sure I can have the majority of the tangos asleep by about this time tomorrow night. I'll pass the word around that all of us need to stay in our rooms every night from now on so I don't give the game away that you might come for us tomorrow night. You need to be quick, as feelings are running very high. Two more boys were executed here today and that was nearly enough to blow the lid off of the place. Looking forward to seeing you soon and thanks again for the help. Sinky Jamie knew that the planned raid on Herriot-Watt would need to take place that night. He had asked Stuart to pick out the survivors at Dreghorn that he felt would be most up to the job. They had decided on an assault force of twelve, small but hopefully effective. If Sinky managed to drug the terrorists they should be able to pick-off any that remained active with a squad that size. ------- Ian 'Sinky' Sinclair was up early and ready for weapons practice in the first group of the day. Fifty teenagers were marshalled and marched out to the firing range where they were each given an SA80 and told to pick a firing point. The numbers watching over them had grown, as more and more Pakistani teenagers were trained and deemed fit to take an active role with the survivors. Today there were twenty 'guards' overseeing the drill. Sinky drifted over to the first firing point and sidled up behind the boys and girls already gathered there. "I think this morning you're all going to have to let me go first," he said. The other teenagers in front of him looked at him quizzically and appeared as if they were going to refuse his attempt at queue jumping. "Don't ask, but it's important. Try and keep the tangos attention on something else," he said as he moved forward with his rifle. The survivors' nose for trouble had improved dramatically given all that had happened to them recently and they knew Sinky was up to something. On the basis of what he had said to them, they all knew that it was something that was aimed against the terrorists. Any thought of stopping him from taking the first go from this point on the range vanished and instead two of the boys staged a fight between themselves to distract the terrorists who were watching over the drill. As the two closest Pakistani teenagers ran over to break up the fight, Sinky quickly located the square of turf and rolled over on his side slightly to cover himself. He palmed the zip-lock bag and slid it inside his shirt. By the time the fight had been broken up, Sinky had begun to fire his rifle down the range at a target. No one had seen the youngster retrieve the drugs Jamie had left for him and the next stage of the plan to liberate Herriot-Watt had been completed successfully. ------- Jamie finished the e-mail and brought up his web site software to post an update on the SIS blog. He made an entry with that day's date and began typing. A lot has been happening since I updated the blog last. Having been selected as King of Scots, I have proclaimed my first changes in the law of Scotland. I have declared Scotland as an independent country once more and have re-introduced the death penalty in our country. The first was a source of immense pride for me, to see our ancient country once more a sovereign nation, independent, free. The second was a difficult decision to reach, but after much soul-searching I believe no other punishment fits the crimes that the terrorists are responsible for. That was my main motivation in re-instating the death penalty, to deal effectively with the terrorists and those who are supporting them when we capture them. Already the first executions have taken place. We have liberated two terrorist camps and none of those running them has been allowed to live. In the first camp all the 'tangos' were killed in the assault to free the survivors. That action was one undertaken by some very brave Royal Navy personnel. In the second, eight were taken prisoner and yesterday we tried them and found them guilty. I'm not that proud to say that I personally formed part of the firing squad that carried out their execution, but someone needs to do it and I cannot exclude myself from the difficult jobs. I've seen some of the news coverage from the US and can't believe just how determined people are to get back to the UK to help. That has been a great lift for all of us and I only hope all of those who have set sail will make it across the Atlantic. If only the US government would change its policies these men and women wouldn't need to take such a risk. I can only say they are immensely brave and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Get home safely, please. More raids are planned to free others from the terrorists' grip. I know they monitor this site and I'm not worried about letting them know we are coming after them or that they face the death penalty. My message to them is that their time is coming to an end. We have a famous message from Scotland's history to reflect on and I'd like to give the tangos a little history lesson now using the sentiment expressed in the Declaration of Arbroath almost seven hundred years ago. In that declaration, in the year 1320AD, the people of Scotland made it clear to all who wanted to listen that they would rather depose their King and choose another if that King chose to accept the rule of the King of England. Their words went thus: "... for, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself..." Our countrymen expressed themselves well in those days and the words could almost have been written for the situation we are in now. I, as the present day King of Scots, know that the people will replace me if I do not do all that I can to secure Scotland's freedom once more. My fellow survivors pledge no less than what our ancestors did all those years ago - their very lives for that self same freedom. Alba gu Brath! Highlander He sat back and considered what he had written before uploading it. Was it really a good idea to warn the terrorists that they were going on the offensive? He decided it was, let the tangos start to live in fear for a bit. The main reason for the message wasn't actually to warn the terrorists, but to give those who were being held captive continued hope that someone out there was thinking of them and planning to try and rescue them. Jamie sincerely hoped his message would bring them some comfort, some renewed pride in the land they were born to. By the time he had finished his blog and shut down the laptop, the girls had roused themselves and were washing and dressing. Debbie was clearly feeling some discomfort from her night, but like Laura she was almost embracing the pain as a continuing reminder of what they had shared between them. She was receiving absolutely no sympathy from the other two girls who were in fact sniggering at her discomfort. Jamie walked up to Debbie and pulled her into a hug. "Just ignore them, they'll grow up one of these days," he said, "how are you feeling this morning?" Debbie took this opportunity of maintaining the moral high ground. "I feel the best I've ever felt, fantastic. Last night was wonderful, thank you, thank you all." As she said the words she let a broad smile cover her face and it had the effect she had been looking for. Laura and Christine stopped their sniggering as they realised what Debbie was getting at. They were all together now; a group and they had shared something special, something that was beyond immature teasing. Immediately contrite, Laura and Christine joined Jamie in hugging Debbie tightly. ------- Most of that day was taken up by Jamie and Stuart running drills with the other ten teenagers picked out to make up the assault force. They were unused to the bulky body armour and it took them some time to adjust their movements to take account of the additional weight and what that did to their balance. They also had to get used to the Heckler and Koch MP5s to make sure they would be able to use them to maximum effect. Jamie was surprised that Stuart had selected two girls to be part of the team, but their performance in the drills left him in no doubt that they were in on merit and he decided he was glad they were on his side. All twelve took a break at lunch time to have something to eat and rest up before the next exercise that Stuart had set up for them. Stuart pulled Jamie aside and dragged him over to one of the administration blocks to show him something that he had had someone working on while they drilled. "What do you think of this?" he asked Jamie. Jamie picked up a single A5 sized piece of paper from a large bundle and looked at what had been printed on it. He was amazed to see it contained his own words from the blog that very morning, making it clear they were going over to the offensive and reproducing Jamie's butchering of the Declaration of Arbroath. He looked up to see Stuart with tears in his eyes. "Your words were just so beautiful man, I couldn't resist. I've been thinking about a leaflet drop for days now, but couldn't come up with the right message. Somehow you managed to express everything I've been thinking and I knew I had to make sure that all of the survivors got the chance to read them. There are fifteen thousand copies there and I thought we could maybe take a break and do a little distribution." The Pakistani teenager from the day before had spilled details of where all of the remaining camps were, so Jamie knew they could drop these messages down on all of them. He was surprised but delighted at the impact his words seemed to have had on his friend and his hope that they might bring some comfort to those who remained captive now didn't seem so forlorn. He grinned his agreement and both of them began to lug the boxes out to the Lynx. It had taken only an hour or so to drop the message over each camp and then it was back to Dreghorn to resume their drills. In the afternoon, Stuart had them practising an assault on a building. They had on respirators and used flash-bang grenades to help clear the place room by room. Six or seven repeated attempts at his type of assault had them reasonably proficient. The SAS they weren't, but Jamie hoped it would be good enough for the handful of tangos that weren't knocked out by the sleeping powder. Eventually Stuart called a halt and told the entire team to get something to eat and then to rest until it was time for the assault proper. They planned to make their approach to Herriot-Watt for slightly later than Jamie had suggested to 'Sinky', having agreed later would be safer in terms of the sleeping powder taking full effect. They now had seven hours in which to rest before the planned 'jumping-off' time of 01:00. Jamie spent most of that time sleeping. He had been surprised at being able to sleep, but a number of tiring days, topped off with the hours of drilling and exercising for the assault had really taken their toll. The girls woke him up at 22:00 with the offer of food and a reminder that this was the time for his videoconference with the ambassadors. Nerves left him unable to even consider eating so he sipped some bottled water and set up his laptop and the little web cam so he could check in with Sir David, Sir John and Anthony. Once windows had fired up and he was sure he had a decent broadband connection, he clicked on the shortcut to open up Sir David's site. He could see the three others already there and heard part of a conversation that was already taking place. When they noticed he had joined them they stopped talking and Sir David welcomed him warmly. "Your Grace, good evening. It's really good to see you and I'm glad you could join us," he said. "Yes, Sir David and my apologies for missing our conference last night, I was kind of busy setting up what I'll be doing tonight," Jamie replied. "Nonsense your Grace, one of the benefits of being monarch is never having to apologise," Sir David chuckled politely. "Well that's one privilege I'm not going to avail myself of. My parents taught me how to recognise right from wrong and to apologise when I was in the wrong. That's not going to change anytime soon," Jamie responded. "Well said your Grace!" interposed Sir John Sawyers. "Quite right too, a monarch needs to be able to say sorry as much as the next man. Very refreshing!" "Can you share with us what was so urgent last night your Grace?" asked Anthony Carry from Ottawa. "You might have seen on the web site that we plan to go on the offensive to free our fellow survivors. Last night we set in train the first steps and tonight I'm leading an assault force on one of the terrorist camps," Jamie answered. "Your Grace! I must protest!" burst out Sir David. "You cannot risk yourself so, losing you could ruin all. Do not put yourself into danger like this!" "I'm sorry Sir David, but I can't ask others to do what I'm not willing to do. You will have seen on the web site that I forced myself to be part of the first firing squad too. Now you see the manner of the person you have urged to take on the crown of the Scots, I lead by example." The ambassadors could see from his face that he would not be persuaded to abandon his plans. None of them had been in a conflict and they couldn't comprehend what it must feel like to be waiting to put yourself in harms way as this fifteen-year-old was apparently about to do. They also knew that it was very bad form to disagree with your monarch so they desisted. The looks on their faces made it clear however, that they weren't pleased with his plans. "Your Grace, I found your words on the blog most uplifting, almost made me wish I had some Scottish blood in me myself. I'm not sure that it was wise to alert the terrorists to your plans though, particularly if you plan to act on those words so quickly. Surely the terrorists will be ready and waiting for you?" asked Sir John. "As my Ambassador to the UN you have been accepted into the bosom of the Scots, you're an honorary Scot Sir John and I'm glad you liked my words. For myself I felt they lacked much of what the original Declaration of Arbroath has. Still, they might serve their purpose. That message wasn't for the terrorists; rather it was for the survivors who are being held captive still. I was trying to send them a message of hope that someone was working for their freedom, that someone hadn't forgotten them. This afternoon we dropped leaflets with the words on all of the remaining terrorist camps so all the survivors would have a chance to read my message." "God's truth! That's brilliant. I'm beginning to wonder who is advising who in terms of your newfound role, your Grace," said Anthony Carry. "What have you guys been up to? I saw your statement and the news about the expats taking sail, Sir David. Thanks for those clips, but what else has been happening?" Jamie asked. "Well, I'm not sure this is good news, but I'm informed that the Supreme Court has intervened to consider the legal case that I've put forward," said Sir David. "In one way that's good because it shows they are taking your position and my position seriously, but the Chief Justice was appointed by the sitting President so it might not be in our favour. At least it means the process should be quicker than it otherwise might have been." "Why is that important? The Supreme Court stepping in, I mean?" asked Jamie. "They only do that in exceptional cases your Grace. The US constitution states that they may do so in cases involving an Ambassador or another State, so that tends to suggest they are lending some credence to your own legitimacy," he replied. "What about the UN and Canada?" Jamie asked. Before the others could respond, Stuart appeared behind Jamie. "Jamie, what are you doing? It's time to rock 'n' roll," he said. Jamie looked at his friend and then back at the web cam. "I'm sorry gentlemen, but it seems it's time for me to put on my cam cream and free some of my subjects," Jamie said. He could see the three faces shocked that he had been speaking to them so calmly this close to making an assault on the terrorists. They managed to recover quickly enough to respond. All three said the same thing. "Good luck, your Grace and be careful!" "We can be available to conference after your, ahem, engagement, your Grace," added Sir David. "I'm not sure what kind of state I'll be in, but I appreciate your need to know what's going on so I'll try Sir David," Jamie replied. "I understand your Grace and I can't ask for any more. Good luck once again." ------- Jamie had picked up more NVGs on his way south that morning after they had agreed how many would be on the assault force. They had agreed that they would start out early so the other members of the team could get used to wearing the goggles before the assault and he had forgotten the change in their starting time. That was why Stuart had had to come and get him. Now two jeeps were racing down the Edinburgh City bypass on their way to Herriot-Watt and the atmosphere inside each of the vehicles was extremely tense. In Jamie's jeep, one of the boys let off a huge, noisy fart, as his bowels reacted to the nerves and that served to break the tension. Everyone laughed, probably more than they would normally, and the boy was subjected to some ribald comments. It took only fifteen minutes to reach the edge of the campus and the two jeeps were driven off road and into thick underbrush. Jamie and Stuart had already demonstrated how to use the NVGs and each of the team members now turned on their units and tried to cope with the change in their depth perception. It was now 23:16 and the boys allowed their fellow force members ten minutes walking around before they split into two teams and began to make their way through the dense woodland. They had figured it would take about the same amount of time as it had the night before to make it to the campus buildings and that would still give them an hour to observe what was going on before they made their assault. As before it was an eerie scene looking at the woods through the NVGs. The others took their lead from Jamie and Stuart, moving slowly and placing their feet carefully on each step so that they made no noise, snapped no twigs. It was close to 24:00 when they reached the edge of the woods and could see the various campus buildings through their goggles. ------- Chapter 28: Some you win The two teams split up and individual members began to spread out to circle the dormitory buildings. There were three in all, relatively close together and that allowed all twelve to keep in touch with their throat mics and earpieces. One of Stuart's team had come equipped with a special army video camera that could film what was going on in low light. Jamie had learned the value of marketing and he hoped to get some further footage for the SIS web site. Half an hour later, they were sure they had identified all of the tangos who were up and about still. There was a pair stationed outside the door of each accommodation block, while a further ten appeared to be patrolling, again in pairs, their weapons held loosely across their chests. The NVGs allowed Jamie and his teams to pick their opponents out easily. "Stuart, you and your team will need to take out the patrols. If I do it I'll be in plain sight of the tangos guarding the doors," Jamie whispered into his mic. "Roger." Jamie chewed the flesh on the inside of his cheek for the next twenty minutes. Stuart only had four others and a cameraman with him and he needed to take out ten terrorists without alerting anyone. He found his palms were sweating and there were beads of perspiration on his forehead too. When it came, Stuart's quiet voice in his ear was startling. "Strike ten tangos. I'm going to lead my team round to my left, your right, and come up behind the last dorm building. Suggest you edge round and use the cover of the first building to get closer to the guards there." "Roger. Moving," Jamie replied. He moved cautiously to his own left and motioned for his team members to close up. Once they had circled far enough to be out of sight of the terrorists at the dorm building doors, they scuttled quickly across the grass and hugged the side of the building. Jamie led the other five slowly back to the corner of the building and allowed his head to peer round to the front. The three accommodation blocks were slightly staggered, so he could only see the two tangos in front of the building he was sheltering against. Jamie was conscious that it wouldn't be long before the terrorists became suspicious or alarmed when they noticed the patrols were no longer circling. He knew they couldn't delay their assault for much longer, but he had realised a major flaw in their plan for this next part of the assault. He motioned for his team to take off their NVGs and pull on their respirators "In position," he whispered into his throat mic. "We need to deal with the middle block too. I'm detailing two of my team to circle back round and take up positions to assault the tangos there. Suggest you send one of yours to do likewise." "Roger." Despite the position, Jamie smiled at how few words Stuart was using. He tapped two of his team on the shoulder. They had heard his words to Stuart and knew exactly what he wanted. They moved quickly but quietly back the way they had come so they could take up a position to assault the middle block. A few minutes later Jamie heard a voice in his earpiece. "Three in position." Jamie guessed that meant that the member of Stuart's team had joined his own pair. He realised they had slipped up by not agreeing call signs for the individual team members. There was no time to rectify that now. Jamie felt his mouth suddenly very dry indeed as he prepared to give the command that would launch the assault. "Team leader. Go on my mark. Flash-bangs first. Three, two, one. Go! Go! Go!" Jamie whispered urgently. He already had one of the flash-bang stun grenades in his hand and he wasted no time in lobbing it round the corner towards the two terrorists. As soon as he heard the grenade explode he rushed round the corner, his Heckler and Koch at the ready. He could still feel the last of the shock wave from the blast and could see both of the tangos were down. He focussed on one, firing two short bursts of 9mm rounds into the prone body. He heard the suppressed cough of another of his team dealing with the other tango and then something thudded between his shoulder blades and knocked him over. As Jamie fell forward he registered the echoing sound of an un-silenced weapon, which was immediately answered by more of the distinct coughs from the team's MP5s. "Team leader is down. More tangos inside the block. Repeat, team leader is down, more tangos inside the building." Jamie heard the voice of one of the girls in his team through his earpiece and he realised she was talking about him. "Fuck! Is he okay? One of you stay with him. The rest of you secure the building before this all goes down the shitter." Jamie recognised Stuart's voice. ------- The girls were huddled together on the bed in the quarters Jamie had used to grab some rest earlier. They comforted each other while they waited and prayed for Jamie's safe return. "Why does he have to play the big tough guy all the time?" Christine asked, close to tears. "You're reading him all wrong Christine. Jamie was really scared about going out tonight, but he won't ask anybody to do something he wouldn't do himself. So he's trying to lead by example," Laura said. "Please god, don't let anything happen to him," whispered Debbie. ------- "I have to admit the boy has two big brass ones. Are we sure he's not from Texas?" joked the President. He was referring to the updated material on the SIS web site. "If his position as monarch proves to be a sham though he's got no legal basis for what he's done and surely he's guilty of murder and has just confessed that to the world?" queried one of the President's advisors. "After what his country's been through, what he's probably suffered personally, I don't see that anyone will be rushing to arrest him," answered another. "Mr President, why don't we just let his people go over there and help him? Why does it have to be our troops who do the clean up?" The President looked at the man who had asked this question. He knew that there were many people in the country who were asking the same thing, a good number of them on his staff. He was surprised that none of his so called advisors could see the problem that he could see and decided it was time to share his wisdom with them all. "Well Charlie, that's a real easy one to answer. You see, if I let all these Brits go home, who is gonna be next? Apart from the US and Canada every other country in the world is in much the same shit as the UK. Okay, they've got some terrorists to deal with as well, but every other country has been reduced to a handful of kids. "Do we let the Irish, the Dutch, the Germans go? What about the Mexicans or the Chinese? How many people do you think will want to go back to their country of origin to see what rich pickings there are or to help rebuild? "If we let them all go what'll that do to the US economy and our way of life? Will the country even be able to keep functioning if all of these people leave? I don't think so. Sure in time we could probably get things back on their feet, but how long would it take us? No gentlemen, if we give in to the Brits we'd open the floodgates and I'm not prepared to do that," the President ended his lecture. ------- Jamie hauled himself to his feet and looked round to see an additional two tangos lying outside the door to the dorm building. One of them had a pistol close to his outstretched arm and Jamie paused to kick it away. His team members looked relieved to see him on his feet and he moved to take the lead and enter the block. "Team leader preparing to enter block one," he spoke into his throat mic. "Hallelujah!" Jamie couldn't help but grin inside his respirator as he heard the single word response from Stuart. The front door to the block was open and he could see the passageway beyond the door was clear. Jamie moved forward cautiously, his weapon once more levelled in front of him. The flash-bangs and the un-silenced gunshot had obviously woken quite a few of the survivors and several heads peered out of doorways as he paced down the corridor. Jamie and his team were of course dressed all in black and with respirators, body armour and MP5s they were a frightening sight. The heads soon disappeared and doors were closed. He continued forward until he reached what looked like a large dining hall. A quick examination confirmed this room was clear and the team retraced its steps until they came to a set of stairs that led upward. Each member of Jamie's team hugged the wall and peered up the stair well as they began to climb. Turning the bend in the stairs, they could see the entrance to the next floor and they proceeded towards it. Jamie tapped one of the team and indicated that he should remain on the stairs to cover their rear. He led the other two into a corridor that mirrored the one below. There were perhaps twenty odd doors facing onto the corridor and all of them were shut. Nothing seemed to be moving and Jamie hoped that meant all of the remaining tangos were sleeping their drug-induced sleep. They found the same situation on the floor above. Jamie and his team removed their respirators and started at the far end of the corridor. They began opening doors, one of the team throwing the door open while another two covered the room within. The occupants were cowering in fear but were obviously not tangos and not asleep. The team re-assured them and ushered them out and towards the stairs. The same procedure was used to clear each room until they found one with two obvious Pakistani's sound asleep. Plastic ties were used to tie the hands and feet of the two suspected tangos and the team moved on to the next door. By the time they had reached the end of the corridor they had found one more room containing drugged terrorists. Jamie warned the team to keep up their guard, mindful that they could become complacent given how well clearing the top floor had gone. He needn't have worried, as they managed to clear the next floor without incident, only finding one room with sleeping tangos. By the time they had cleared the ground floor there was of course a large number of teenagers outside in various states of undress and still clearly nervous about what was going on. The ground floor had no further terrorists and Jamie reported his block clear. "Team leader, block one clear. I have six, repeat six captured tangos and four down," he said. "Block three is clear. I've got three tangos down, six sleeping and one who surrendered," came Stuart's voice. "Block two clear. Four tangos down and five captured," came another voice over their earpieces. "Okay, round up the survivors and bring them round to block one," Jamie ordered. It took a few minutes for the others to shepherd the now liberated teenagers over to join those that had been housed in the first accommodation block. Once they had all gathered, Jamie addressed them. "Where is Sinky?" he called out. "Here!" came a voice and Sinky stepped forward. Jamie walked up to him and shook his hand, thanking him for putting himself in harms way to help these others. "Listen up all of you. I'm Highlander or King James VIII if you prefer! Consider yourselves liberated. I need you to arm yourselves and prepare to take a walk. There's no way we can stay here, it's to easy to attack," Jamie called out. "The University has a couple of old buses parked not far from here," came a voice from the crowd. In the event it took six trips to move all of the teenagers from Herriot-Watt to Dreghorn in the buses. On the first trip, the girls were at the barracks gate to welcome Jamie back and he assured them he was okay. Those already based at Dreghorn began to wake up and stumble out to see what was going on and a party atmosphere started to build as more and more teenagers arrived to swell their ranks. Each bus trip was flanked front and rear by Jamie and Stuart's teams in their jeeps to provide cover, until at last everyone had been transported. Jamie and Stuart delegated the job of getting all of the newcomers settled and gathered up their teams and sought out one of the de-briefing rooms on the army base. The girls followed along and no one objected to that. Lee Chan also appeared and tagged along. The room they found had a chiller stocked with bottled water and various cans of soda and Jamie started handing out drinks. "Could someone get one of the base technicians so we can see whether we've got any useful footage?" Jamie asked. "Wait, King or no King, would you mind explaining what happened to you? I definitely heard a call 'team leader down'. What was that all about?" Stuart demanded. Jamie stood and unbuckled the kevlar vest he was wearing. In the centre of the back plate there was clear damage and when Jamie shrugged out of his black top, they could all see a livid bruise forming between his shoulder blades. "I guess I got lucky," Jamie said. The girls gasped at the signs that Jamie had been shot and they pressed forward to surround him in a group hug. "I'm okay, I'm okay," he reassured them. Jamie could see the quizzical looks of the others in the team at his treatment at the hands of the three girls. He shrugged as if to say it was nothing to do with him and simply enjoyed the feel of all the female flesh surrounding him. A member of the team slipped out and came back a few minutes later with another of the teen techno-wizards. Jamie asked if it was possible to play any images captured by the video camera through his laptop. He had remembered promising to try and conference with the ambassadors after the assault and he now wondered if he could let them share in any images they had captured. The technician said that he thought that would be possible and Debbie rushed off to retrieve Jamie's computer. The briefing room was equipped with all the necessary power and computer links and they were soon ready to roll the footage. Jamie decided to review it before trying to hook up with Sir David and the others. They all crowded round his computer screen as the video began to run. The images were once again grainy, but now they had the added ghostly green tinge typical of low light devices. The first frames showed Stuart and his team taking out the terrorist patrols before the assault on the buildings. Jamie remembered just how nervous he had been after giving Stuart the order and he hadn't seen what happened. He watched closely now and saw just how easy the take down had actually been. The terrorists were casual and sloppy. Stuart had let the first pair pass his team's position before he and another member stepped forward and fired short bursts from their MP5s into their backs. Another two team members could be seen darting out to pull the weapons away from the fallen terrorists and then drag their bodies into the woods. The reactions in the room were mixed. Laura and the other girls, together with Lee Chan and the techno-wizard, were shocked at what they were seeing. The reality that they had just witnessed two people being killed brought home for the first time just how serious and deadly the night's assault had been and how much danger all of the assault force had faced. Most of the members of the assault force on the other hand wore grim smiles at the evidence of their success. There was no wild celebration, just satisfaction at a job well done. The footage had continued to roll and showed Stuart and his team repeat the take down four more times, each time ridiculously easy. The camera then panned to follow the team crabbing their way across the lawn outside the first accommodation block and out of sight behind it. It was clear that the cameraman decided to change his position at that point, as the images began to bounce around quite a bit. It was still possible to see Jamie and his team scuttling across the lawn to the side of the building and then the cameraman found a spot that enabled him to cover the front of all three buildings. From the new vantagepoint the terrorists outside each of the front doors were clearly visible, as were Jamie and his five team members. Moments later, two of Jamie's team began backing up and the camera caught them disappearing round the rear of the first block. A few minutes passed and then the camera picked up three figures creeping along to the corner of the second building and pausing in readiness for an assault. There was no sign of Stuart's team, which suggested they were waiting at the far side of the third block. The moment when the flash-bangs were thrown was clear and the flare of the grenades wiped out any chance for the camera to pick up images. By the time the images came back, the scene already showed all three buildings under assault. The teams could be seen firing down into the bodies of the terrorists who had been guarding each doorway and then two more terrorists could be seen bursting from the door of block one. The flash from the muzzle of the terrorist's pistol flared hugely on the screen, but it was still possible to see Jamie going down before his team quickly despatched the two new arrivals. Despite the fact that they knew Jamie was okay, the girls held their breath until they saw him pulling himself to his feet on the screen. The rest of the footage merely showed the bodies lying in front of each of the three doors until the first of the rescued teenagers began to pour out of each building. Jamie told the technician to transfer the footage across to his laptop only to be told that had already been done. He clicked on the shortcut to link up with the Ambassadors and saw that Sir David had a stand-in waiting for his call. He asked the 'suit' to let the Ambassador know he was on the line and a few minutes later Sir David could be seen sitting down behind his desk. He asked Jamie to hold a few minutes while he tried to raise Sir John and Anthony. Finally all of them were on screen, Jamie looking somewhat at odds with the diplomats due to the black streaky camouflage cream that still covered his face. "I'm glad to see you back in one piece your Grace," said Sir David. "I take it your evening went well?" "Thanks Sir David, and yes, things worked out okay. I've got a little video of events if you gentlemen are interested in watching?" Jamie asked. The ambassadors watched the footage of the assault and when it was over they were almost speechless. Could that really have been a group of fourteen or fifteen-year-old teenagers liberating hundreds of others from terrorists? "Was the man who was shot badly injured?" Sir John enquired. "That was me and no, I'm fine. I was wearing a kevlar vest," said Jamie. "Your Grace! That's exactly why I didn't want you risking yourself. That could have been a disaster for Scotland," cried Sir David. "But I'm fine and the job got done," Jamie responded. "Of course, there's still the little matter of seventeen terrorists tied up back at Herriot-Watt to deal with." ------- The American news channels had picked up on Jamie's update on the SIS site and there were a range of talking head shows discussing the legality of what he had done. The more liberal shows were severely criticising the fact that he was openly admitting to the re-introduction of the death penalty and also claiming to have already executed a number of terrorists. "Well Larry, I for one think this is terrible and our government shouldn't be standing by and letting it happen," said one commentator. "Sure Ben, but that's somewhat at odds with what people on the street are saying. We sent Marsha out this afternoon and couldn't find a single person who was willing to criticise this boy who is calling himself King James. Here's what Marsha found." The screen changed to show a glamorous blonde with a microphone out on the busy streets of New York. She approached a number of people and asked them if they were aware of the SIS web site and what their opinion was of Jamie's actions? The channel showed three of the responses, two from men and one from a middle-aged woman. All of them strongly backed Jamie and what he was doing, the woman even going so far as to say she visited the web site three or four times a day to keep abreast of what was happening in Scotland. "I'm praying for those brave kids," she said, "I sure do hope they come through." "So, there you have it Larry. The people of New York are fully behind King Jamie. I believe our city has really taken to him. Back to you in the studio." "Those views from downtown New York recorded earlier by Marsha Kibble," said the anchor. "Now, in association with American Airlines, here's Sandy with a weather report." "Thanks Larry. The breaking weather story today is the category four storm moving northward through the Gulf of Mexico... ------- Chapter 29: Some you lose 08:30, 30 August Jamie woke with a nagging, throbbing pain in his back. He tried to ignore it as he let his brain wrestle with the issues he still faced. If the Pakistani teenager had been accurate, there were still four camps holding captive survivors, two in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh and he needed to come up with a plan to liberate them as soon as possible. He was also thinking about all of the expats sailing across the Atlantic in their various sized boats. He had no way of knowing how prepared they were for bumping into armed terrorists and was wondering if he should be trying to do something to orchestrate where they all came ashore. What he could do about that he had no idea so far, but he felt it would be important nonetheless. Another issue that had been rattling around in his head was that of the Faslane naval base. The submarine had been sunk and that was fine, but at least one of the terrorists had escaped before the boat had gone down. Jamie was worried about what else might be at the naval base. He didn't know, for example, whether back up Trident missiles were stored there and if they were, whether there was any delivery mechanism other than the submarines? He realised that such a possibility couldn't be ignored and he would need to investigate the base as quickly as he could. The final issue he was wrestling with stemmed from an e-mail he had received in the UK mailbox linked to the SIS site. He could still picture the short message clearly in his head. Highlander We're scared. There are seven of us, all Scottish Muslims, and we're trying to stay out of the hands of the terrorists. Many of our friends have already been taken. Can you help us? Kalif Jamie's problem with this was that he couldn't tell whether the message was part of a trap, a way to try and set him up. He was battling hard to try and stop himself from condemning all Muslims because of what had happened. He had been friendly with one or two Muslims at school and knew a little about their faith from his studies. His awareness led him to believe that most Muslims were decent people and that he shouldn't tar them all with the same brush as the terrorists. What to do then in response to this message? He hadn't responded to the e-mail while he gave himself some tome to think and perhaps take some advice from those around him. With that thought he eased himself out of bed and went to take a wake-up shower. His eyes felt slightly gritty due to lack of sleep, as it had been almost 02:00 before they had returned to Skibo. The jets of water worked their magic on him and he turned the showerhead until he had the most powerful setting and then let it pummel and massage the aching spot on his back. It was one of those strange moments where you deliberately give yourself pain and welcome it because you know it's making things better. Jamie let a single, deep groan escape his lips. Once he was dressed, he made his way down to the hotel's kitchen and rummaged around to find something for breakfast. He found a huge canister of pancake mix and turned on the griddle to heat while he measured the correct quantities and whisked up a batch of batter. Once he was happy the plate was hot enough, he began to ladle small quantities of the batter onto it and was soon cooking up eight pancakes at a time. By the time the smell of freshly cooking pancakes roused the girls, Jamie had cooked three batches and had a plate stacked full of them. As the three girls wandered into the kitchen, dressed only in the big fluffy hotel robes, Jamie announced breakfast was ready. He had found a bottle of maple syrup and jars of blueberry and strawberry preserve to go with the golden pancakes and a fresh pot of coffee had just finished percolating. Between them they carried plates, the coffee and the food into the dining room and ate as they discussed what plans Jamie had for the day. ------- Chief Justice John Roberts swept his gaze round the conference of his fellows and let out a sigh. Although the senior amongst the nine people in the room, he was in fact the youngest and in some cases by quite a margin. The senior statesman of the group was John Stevens, a Chicagoan by birth and close to ninety years of age. Appointed by President Ford in 1975, he had over thirty years experience on the Supreme Court while the Chief Justice had a mere two. The only woman currently part of the august group was Ruth Ginsburg, a slight, bespectacled woman with her hair pulled back austerely into a bun at the back of her head. Born in New York, Ginsburg was the first ever Jewish woman member of the Supreme Court and she was, along with Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, regarded as its most liberal. "Well for once we actually have to do a little work for ourselves," said Roberts to none of them in particular. He was referring to the fact that the Supreme Court seldom exercised its 'original jurisdiction'. Mostly the cases they considered were appeals, cases where there was a question of constitutional law or federal statute. That meant that considerable legal argument and counter argument had usually already taken place before a case reached them and their job was to consider whether any failing existed in law with the judgement of the lower courts. Exercising original jurisdiction called for the Supreme Court to also consider questions of fact, as well as conclusions of law. That was not a normal role for them and their staffers were going to have to take on far more of the initial casework than would be the case with most of their work. "Given the seriousness of the situation and the urgency, I'm suggesting we hear this as quickly as we can. I know we're out of season (the Supreme Court normally hears oral arguments between October and April), but will you agree to hear legal arguments tomorrow?" he asked them. "Will our people have enough time to pull together the necessary briefs?" asked Clarence Thomas, the only black Associate Justice. "The issues are pretty straightforward. So straightforward, as you know, that normally we wouldn't even entertain the idea of considering them as the answers appear clear cut, Clarence," said Roberts. "Congress passed a law forbidding international travel, so the administration is well within its rights to stop these expatriates from travelling. With an Act of Congress in place, I can see no breach of the constitutional right to travel. "And it's the President's right, through the State Department, to decide whether or not to accredit diplomats. We all know that's settled federal law: Ambassadors are not official until they have been granted diplomatic or consular status by the receiving national government. I'm sure we can all quote US v Kostadinov from the early eighties to back that one up." "I wouldn't be so quick on that one John," said Ruth Ginsburg. "I would want to consider carefully the authority of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and weigh that against the federal judgement." "Well, we can argue that one Ruth. So far as I can see the only unusual aspect to what we need to consider is the status of the boy calling himself King James. You know, my daddy always taught me that it was important to learn something new every day and I've made my quota for today already. I've learned that Scotland has a completely separate legal system to England, although the laws passed by the UK Parliament take precedence. Even the structure of the courts and the officers that run them are different in Scotland and England. How about that? "The staffers are quite excited at wading through the Scots and UK law to try and unravel the legality of this appointment. It's certainly something different for them, a law geek's idea of heaven," said Roberts. A quick vote with a show of hands confirmed that the Justices would give Ambassador Manning and the administration half an hour each to make their arguments the next day. They all accepted that they had a long night ahead of them to review the material their staffers were putting together, but that was nothing new for them. ------- "We can confirm that there are Trident missiles stored at the Faslane naval base, Mr President," said the Army Chief of Staff. General George William Casey Jr. was not surprisingly a career soldier, the latest in a notable line of Caseys who had served their country with distinction. His last command before taking up the post of Chief of Staff had been almost three years with the multinational force in Iraq. Now he was the bearer of bad news, as the possibility that terrorists could get their hands on nuclear weapons was a frightening one. "General, I want those missiles taken out of harms way and I want it done yesterday," said President Bush. "Consider it done sir. I've got an assault force standing by on the Stennis ready to roll immediately," the General replied. The USS John C. Stennis was the flagship of the JCS Battlegroup that consisted of the carrier, four destroyers, two guided-missile frigates, a guided-missile cruiser and a combat support ship. It had been from the Stennis that the Blackhawk helicopters had flown the Special Forces and NSA technicians to Cheltenham. Currently the battlegroup was steaming around the Atlantic off of the coast of Southern Ireland and as the General had said, another Special Forces team was ready to make the trip to Faslane at a moment's notice. "Mr President if you authorise the mission and sign the order, I'll notify the flag officer of the Stennis that he has a go," said General Casey. Always prepared, the General turned to his aide who produced the mission order already made up for the President to sign. The President signed the order with a flourish and the General saluted on his way out of the oval office. ------- Aboard the Stennis the communications officer delivered the orders to Admiral Drew MacColl and he in turn called for the team leader of the Special Forces to launch the planned assault. Within ten minutes of President Bush signing the order, a pair of Blackhawk helicopters were in the air heading for the Firth of Clyde. ------- Assam was down to having only one of his original cell left, the one who had escaped from the sinking submarine, and was relying heavily on the Pakistani teenagers he had trained up. Jamie had shot one of his team at the mosque, another had died after he and a Pakistani teenager had been interrogated by Petty Officer Stevens when their jeep had been run off of the road and Hadij had gone down with the submarine. Leaving his two remaining camps guarded solely by Pakistani 'conscripts' was dangerous he knew, but the importance of finding more of the Trident missiles was such that he decided he would need to lead the hunt himself with his last cell member. The two terrorists from the Glasgow, bolstered by twelve of the Pakistani teenagers, loaded into three jeeps and headed out along the M8 towards the Erskine Bridge and Helensburgh. ------- Jamie dropped the girls off at Dreghorn and told Stuart about his concerns over the Faslane base and the possibility of there being more Trident missiles. Stuart agreed to join him for a quick fly-over to check out the base and see whether there were any terrorists there. The flight took only twenty minutes and they barely missed spotting Assam and his little convoy of jeeps on the way. Jamie circled the base cautiously, his eyes flicking from his instruments to the base below as he kept his concentration on spotting anything that might be a danger to the Lynx. He was using his peripheral vision; acutely tuned to even the slightest movement outside, but it was movement inside the cabin of the helicopter that caught his eye instead. Jamie had spent quite a bit of time in the air in the past few weeks and hadn't come across anything else in the air in all that time. He berated himself now for having lost his discipline. He had not been checking his radar as frequently as he should have been and now the movement that had drawn his eye proved to be a pair of spots indicating that there were two other aircraft heading towards them. Jamie slapped Stuart's arm and the other boy stopped his own scanning of the buildings on the base to turn and see what was up. Jamie pointed to the radar and Stuart knew immediately what the two blips signified. "Try to raise them on the radio," Stuart said into his mic. Just then another movement caught the corner of Stuart's eye and he turned to see three jeeps heading towards the gates of the base. "Shit, Jamie, look. Tangos!" Stuart cried. Jamie looked to his left, past his friend's body, and saw the jeeps. He swung the helicopter round and headed towards the vehicles to confirm that they did indeed hold terrorists. A rifle appeared out of the passenger side window of the lead jeep and that was enough to confirm to Jamie that the jeeps contained hostile forces. Before the helicopter got too close, he swung it away once more. "You try and raise the aircraft and I'll keep an eye on the tangos," Jamie said. He immediately heard Stuart trying to hail the pilots of whatever was making the blips on the radar. This is the King of Scots, King James VIII in a helicopter over Faslane naval base calling unidentified aircraft approaching. Please identify yourself and hold your position. Do not, I repeat do not approach any closer," Stuart said, a little breathlessly given the situation they were in. Jamie and Stuart waited for a response, but there was nothing. Stuart tried once more. "Please identify yourself and cease your approach. There are hostile forces in the immediate area. I repeat, this is the King of Scots, please identify yourself." ------- Inside the Blackhawks there was consternation. They had picked Jamie up on their radar from some distance away, but there had been no contact until they were barely ten miles away from the naval base. When the pilots heard Stuart's voice tell them who was on the aircraft over the base and asked them to identify themselves, they were at a loss as to what to do next. All of them had been following the SIS web site closely, both for intelligence, but also because they were impressed with how the teenaged survivors were conducting themselves, how they were fighting back against the odds. The ranking pilot switched channels and hailed the Stennis to seek advice. "Codeword fork hunter1 calling Stennis - we are being hailed by someone who claims to be the King of Scots in a Lynx. I repeat, we are being hailed by the King of Scots. Be advised that he's informing he's over the Faslane base and there are hostile forces in the area. From seeing this guy's tactical footage, if he is in a Lynx he's likely to be armed with TOWs and we know he can use them. How do you wish me to proceed over?" Inside the command and operations room on board the Stennis this message caused just as much consternation as it was inside the Blackhawks. Admiral MacColl had never been faced with what could be an armed monarch of what was a friendly country before. Normally a man very sure of himself and decisive in action, for the first time on active service he was stumped as to what to do. Should he abort the mission? "Comms, get me a COMUSFLTFORCOM immediately," the Admiral ordered. MacColl needn't have bothered. The Commander of US Fleet Forces Command was at that moment listening to all of the aircraft carrier's communications and had heard the nature of the situation the assault force was faced with. He lifted a phone out of its cradle and punched a single digit, speed dialling a direct line to the White House and the Commander in Chief of all US Forces, President Bush. "Oval Office," came a voice at the other end of the line. The Commander knew this was a ranking military advisor and he wasted no time in sharing the nature of the dilemma the Special Forces team faced. "Hold Commander," the voice told him. President Bush looked up to see what the excitement was and the advisor spelled out what was going on. The President's overwhelming concern was to stop the Trident missiles from falling into terrorist hands, but he was brought up short by the choice facing him. "What are our options Colonel?" he asked the advisor. "I can only see two sir. One, we go ahead and if the Lynx gets in the way we take it down, or two, we break-off from the mission," the Colonel replied. "No Colonel, I will not sanction firing at the boy. I want the mission to proceed with caution. Tell them to work round the boy, but to get the job done," ordered the President. The Colonel grimaced. This was the worst of all options and he had purposefully not offered it to his Commander in Chief. Tying the assault force's hands behind its back like this could potentially prove to be a significant handicap for the mission. "What are you waiting for son? You've got my orders." ------- It only took a few minutes for the approaching aircraft to come into sight and Jamie identified them as Blackhawk helicopters. He could pick out the ESSN addition with extra fuel tanks and guessed the choppers had come a fair distance. Swinging the Lynx away from them and then back round ninety degrees, he was able to pick out the US Air Force markings on the side of each helicopter. Jamie sighed with relief. Identifying them as Blackhawks had been a fair indication of who they were, but seeing the markings confirmed things for him and he felt much more comfortable. "Stuart, they're US Blackhawks, we can relax," he said into his mic. Jamie turned his attention back to the three jeeps and took the Lynx round to give Stuart a clean shot at them with the TOWs. "Let's take out some tangos! He screamed into his mic and laughed when he saw the grin on Stuart's face. His friend launched one of the TOW missiles and focussed on the guidance system, taking the weapon down to its target. ------- "Missile launched! Repeat, Missile launched!" someone screamed in the lead Blackhawk. The gunner manning the 6 barrelled minigun on the side closest to the Lynx immediately opened up with his gun, blazing almost 6,000 7.62mm rounds per minute towards Jamie and Stuart. "Dammit! Cease-fire! Hold your fucking fire!" screamed the pilot when he felt his 'copter judder with the minigun's fire. What idiot did that?" ------- Jamie felt the minigun rounds impact with the body of the Lynx and Stuart yelling. He only had time for a quick glance at his friend before he had to focus all his attention on the controls of the helicopter, which were suddenly not responding as they should. Alarms were blaring at him and he knew Stuart had been hit by something as his glance had allowed him to see the blood on his shoulder. He could see he was losing power and tried to take the Lynx up as high as he could. "What are you doing Jamie, take her down!" Stuart screamed at him. "Negative, there are tangos down there. I'm going to try to keep her up until we're clear." Jamie and Stuart couldn't see it, but there were flames and smoke coming from the Lynx's main engine and it was whining badly. The alarms sounded even louder and Stuart looked across at his friend trying everything he knew to adjust the trim and pitch of the helicopter without any real control. "It's been a pleasure knowing you man," Stuart said and then turned his attention to the radio. "Mayday, mayday. This is Jamie and Stuart. We've been hit by a US Blackhawk over Faslane and we're going down hard. I repeat, we've been hit over Faslane and we're going down hard." Jamie was surprised at how calm his friend sounded, but he couldn't dwell on it as he fought the plummeting Lynx. ------- "Fork hunter1, this is the Stennis - you're not going to like this, but your orders are to proceed with caution and complete the mission. Under no circumstances are you to fire on the Lynx. I repeat, under no circumstances are you to fire on the Lynx. Is that clear, over?" "Shit!" said the pilot. "This is fork hunter1. Too late I'm afraid, we've just shot up his ass. He's going down hard and in flames." There was silence on the radio as all of those in the command and operations room on the Stennis digested his words. "That's a clusterfuck fork hunter1," said Admiral MacColl. ------- Despite being closer to Fort William than Edinburgh, the mountain ranges blocked reception of the radio message from the Lynx to the town. At the Dreghorn barracks, the teenager manning the radio listened as Stuart tried to get the aircraft to identify themselves. He followed the chatter between Jamie and Stuart and then looked at the radio set in disbelief when Stuart broadcast the message that they had been shot down by Americans. He dropped his headset and rushed from the radio room to try and find somebody with authority. ------- Jamie fought the Lynx, his feet manoeuvring the pedals almost like he was dancing. Despite his best efforts they landed hard, with a spine shuddering crash. Stunned, he still had the presence of mind to shut down all the systems before thumping the release on his harness and reaching across to do the same to Stuart's. He pulled the videocassette from the camera and slid it inside his tunic. Jamie kicked the door of the helicopter open and dragged his friend out with him. They both took in the flaming engine and leaking fuel and broke into a run for the nearest building. Jamie pushed the door of the building open just as the fuel tanks blew. The blast threw them both inside and into a wall, knocking them out. ------- "Take out the tangos fork hunter2, I'll see if there's anything I can do for the Lynx, said the pilot of the first Blackhawk." He was still half a mile away when he saw the Lynx explode and felt his helicopter buffeted by the shock wave. The pilot assumed the other helicopter had blown up as it crash-landed and he circled to take a look at the wreckage below. There was no way anyone in the Lynx could have survived such a blast and there was no sign that anyone might have managed to get out. He shook his head sadly; he had been rooting for Jamie as he had followed events on the SIS web site. "Fork hunter1 to Stennis - no survivors from the Lynx, assault on the terrorists underway." The Commander of US Fleet Forces command heard the message and immediately lifted the phone by his right hand once more. He hit the speed dial button and waited for the military advisor on the other end to pick up. When he heard the response he passed on the news. "Tell the President that the boy was taken down. One of our choppers took him out and he crashed. No survivors were identified," he said with a heavy voice. He hated fuck-ups, particularly on his watch and particularly when they involved having to 'fess up to the President. ------- Lee Chan and the girls tried to get the radio operator to calm down and speak a little slower. They had gathered that something had happened to Jamie and Stuart, but the teenager was so excited that he wasn't making himself clear. "Okay, stop! Take some deep breaths in through your nose and let them out slowly," said Lee. They waited while the boy tried to calm himself. "Now, start at the beginning and take us through what's happened," Lee said. The teenager took another couple of steadying breaths and then managed to control his speech. "I was just monitoring their frequency and I heard Jamie say there were two unidentified aircraft approaching Faslane. Then Stuart shouted that there were some tangos on the ground. I heard Stuart tell the aircraft who was in the Lynx and asking them to identify themselves. He told them not to come any closer and that there were hostile forces in the area. "Then I heard Jamie say to relax as they were US Air Force Blackhawks and then the next thing I heard was Stuart sending out a mayday and saying they had been shot down by the yanks and they were going down hard," finished the boy. "And they definitely asked the others to identify themselves?" asked Lee. "Twice, Stuart asked them twice and repeated the information about who was in the Lynx as well," the teenager replied. "You say Jamie said they were US Air Force Blackhawks, are you sure?" Lee asked next. "Absolutely, I remember thinking I recognised the name from that film, you know Blackhawk Down - I went to see that, it was a good movie." "And Stuart's mayday definitely said they had been shot down by the Americans?" Lee queried. "No doubt about it. He repeated that bit again as well," said the radio operator. By this stage the girls were in tears and in danger of becoming hysterical. Lee tried to calm them down. "Look, we don't know what's happened. They could be perfectly fine; Jamie's an excellent pilot. I'm sure they're safe. The best thing we can do for them is get someone to check out the naval base and get the ambassadors onto the US administration," he said. Laura physically and mentally pulled herself together. Lee was right, Jamie could be fine and losing it wasn't going to help him. Debbie and Christine took their lead from her and all three began to calm down a little but they were still sniffling. "Laura, do you know Jamie's password for his computer?" Lee asked. "I'm sure I do, I see him type it in often enough. Why? She asked. "I want to try and contact Sir David and let him know what's happened. Perhaps the Americans know more and can tell us if Jamie and Stuart are okay," he replied. Jamie had left his laptop at Dreghorn when he had dropped the girls off and they now retrieved it and took it back to the same room they had used the night before. Lee set it up and then let Laura type in the password. When windows booted up, Lee clicked on the shortcut he had watched Jamie using and waited until the system connected. They could all see a man in a suit sitting behind the desk on the other end of the conference call and Lee asked if it would be possible to speak to Sir David. The 'suit' didn't recognise Lee and he asked who he was and how he had gotten access to the web cam? "Look, I'm on King James' computer and I need to let the Ambassador know something important has happened," Lee told him. The mention of Jamie's name seemed to galvanise the suit and he rushed off to fetch the Ambassador. Lee and the girls waited a few minutes before the Ambassador appeared. Sir David looked tired, almost as if he had been sleeping, but he was soon all business and wide awake when Lee began to outline what seemed to have happened and explained that he had Jamie's sister with him. "But where did these Blackhawks come from?" Sir David mused. "No don't bother to answer that, it's kind of obvious. So you want me to ask the administration whether they have any information about His Grace and his friend? I can see the logic in that. If they shot him down they were obviously there and should know if the King is okay. Let me make some calls. Stay on the line if you want, I know how worried you must be." It took Sir David forty minutes before he re-appeared. The girls in particular were very anxious at the length of the wait. "I'm sorry I took so long, but I was shunted around the State Department before anyone would speak to me. I rather fancy it was only when I said that His Grace's sister was waiting to hear news of her brother that someone decided they could share anything. "They have admitted that there was a US mission to Faslane today, but will neither confirm nor deny that His Grace's Lynx was even in the area. I'm afraid that sounds like bad news," Sir David said. "Why's that Ambassador?" Lee asked. "Well, for one thing, they've come clean about the attack, which is unusual. By not going on the record about the Lynx I think they're covering themselves and leaving wriggle room, plausible deniability I think they call it. They know that we know the Lynx was there. How else would we know to ask the question about the operation? I think they're sending us a coded message that His Grace is dead." Lee thought Sir David was not living up to his trade as a diplomat. How could he be so blunt? He could have left some of this out and certainly spared the girls who were now once again in floods of tears. "I'm going to call a press conference and share this with the US media. Are you absolutely sure about the sequence of events Lee?" he asked. "No doubt Sir David. The radio operator made it clear that Stuart repeated the key events twice on the radio to avoid doubt. I'm pretty sure that US forces shot down the King of Scots." ------- Chapter 30: Return of the King "Hold on Sir David," Laura said. "I'm thinking that we shouldn't be so hasty in publicising what we think has happened. There's a lot at stake here. There are thousands of teenagers here who are looking to Jamie to lead them and thousands of others holding out the hope that he's going to liberate them from the terrorists. I think the balance of advantage here lies in keeping this quiet for now." The Ambassador considered the young girl's words and realised she had a fair point. He was too remote from what was going on in Scotland to have fully considered the impact of Jamie's death on the survivors. "Besides, there might be another interpretation of how the State Department have responded. Why would they even talk to you suddenly when they've been giving you the cold shoulder so far? And to go so far as to share what is probably classified information with you, isn't that a big leap from how they've been acting over the past few days?" Laura asked. "I admit I was surprised when they shared the information with me," Sir David replied, "but what other interpretation could there be?" "You're the career diplomat, aren't you supposed to be the expert here?" Lee joined in. "Apparently not. It seems His Grace's sister is doing a far better job than I am. The only thing that might fit is if the State Department was authorised to give me the information as a conciliatory gesture. That might indicate that there has been a terrible accident rather than an attack that was sanctioned, or ordered," said Sir David. "Perhaps they don't know what has happened to Jamie?" Laura suggested hopefully. "Perhaps," said the Ambassador, belatedly realising the young girl needed something to cling-on to. ------- The second Blackhawk - code named fork hunter2 - had watched as the TOW fired from the Lynx somehow managed to take out one of the terrorist jeeps, despite the fact the missile was no longer being guided. Neither of the US helicopters had missiles loaded owing to the need for the extra fuel tanks so they were left with their miniguns. Of course they were still formidable weapons in the hands of the gunners. The 7.62mm rounds sawed through the thin metalwork bodies of the two remaining jeeps, jeeps built for domestic use and therefore carrying no armour. Assam and four of his teenagers managed to scramble from the wreckage and took cover in nearby warehousing. The team leader of the SF team on the Blackhawk signalled to the pilot that he wanted to be dropped on the roof of the building, but the pilot waved him off. There was no way he was risking taking his 'copter that close to hostile forces. Instead he wheeled away and dropped down two warehouses over to let the SF team jump out the ground. No sooner was the team out of the helicopter than the pilot was urging his machine back up into the relative safety of the skies. Normally, Special Forces missions in Europe would be the province of the 10th Special Forces Group (SFG) whose 1st battalion was based at Boeblingen, near Stuttgart in Germany. However, the 1st battalion had been wiped out by the virus attack on Germany and although the 2nd and 3rd battalions were based at Fort Carson, Colorado, a decision was taken to send the Green Berets of the 7th SFG instead. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 7th SFG normally had responsibility for action in South America and the Caribbean, but now they were at Faslane in Scotland. One ODA (operational Detachment Alpha) had been assigned to baby-sit the NSA technicians at GCHQ in Cheltenham. A second ODA was leading the current assault. The ODA had twelve team members, a Captain, a Warrant Officer and a range of specialist sergeants of various classes and seniority. The twelve had been split between the two Blackhawks so the Warrant Officer who had jumped from fork hunter2 had five men with him. He led his men at the run towards the line of warehouses immediately in front of them. His first order of business was to hit the enemy as quickly and as hard as he could. The last thing he wanted was to give them a chance to settle, think and prepare themselves for an assault. He wanted to keep the momentum working in his favour. The black suited squad, all wearing the distinctive US military 'brain bucket' or Kevlar helmet, sprinted for the warehouse doors. There was virtually no pause as they quickly checked through the open doors and then ran for the doors on the other side of the shed. Their rubber soled boots made surprisingly little noise and their heads swivelled from side to side and up and down, looking for danger. The WO1 motioned for the team to slow down and take up positions on either side of the second set of doors and he glanced outside, quickly making sure the road between the warehouse they were in and the next one over was clear. A hand signal was all it took to have the five team members racing forward once more, the mix of Uzis and HKMP5s they had opted to use, braced and at the ready. All the team members knew the warehouse the tangos had gone into was the next one over and they moved forward through this second shed with much more caution. They passed an array of machine tools and soon were taking up position once again at the shed doors that led out onto a road. The WO1 peered round the edge of the door to take a quick peek at their target. What he saw through the open shed doors opposite were the four Pakistani teenagers who were drawing breath and thinking about what their next move should be. The Warrant Officer pulled his head back quickly, but not quite quickly enough. Assam was largely obscured from the Green Beret's view and he therefore believed he was only facing four tangos. Assam caught movement from the warehouse door opposite and recognised it for what it was. He sized up the odds in an instant and decided a sacrifice would need to be made if he was to escape with his skin in one piece. "Come, we can't sit around here. I think the helicopters were American, no doubt carrying soldiers of the Great Satan. We need to move. That way," he said, pointing to the warehouse opposite. All four of the teenagers responded without thinking. They looked up and down the road to make sure it was clear and then began to scurry across to the warehouse opposite, not noticing that Assam wasn't following them. The men of the 7th SFG couldn't believe their luck. They let the tangos reach the mid-point of the road and then stepped out and fired their weapons in unison. The teenagers danced like marionettes as the hail of lead thumped, thwacked and punched into their bodies repeatedly. It was all over in seconds, the Pakistani youths not managing to get off a single shot. The team covered each other as they emerged from their warehouse and crossed to confirm the tangos were all dead. The next order of business was to check out the shed they had come from. By this time Assam had slipped from the doors on the other side of his shed and was trying to put as much distance between himself and the American forces as possible. A thorough search of the shed showed that it was empty and the WO1 was convinced all the terrorists were accounted for. He didn't realise how much time had passed and was surprised to hear and then see his Captain and the other Blackhawk returning to circle over the base. "Cap'n, why don't you get the fly boys to settle their birds to conserve fuel. All the tangos have been accounted for down here and we'll need some time to check on the Trident situation," said the Warrant Officer into his radio. "Are you sure Wobbly-one? These are pretty expensive birds," replied the Captain. "I'm sure sir, bring 'em down and let's try and find these Tridents." The US Navy had supplied information about where the Trident missiles should be, so their search was relatively straightforward. It took less than twenty minutes to find the cavernous store that was blasted into the living rock and which was re-inforced with metres and metres of concrete and steel. The Green Berets were not surprised to find the store had a sophisticated locking system to control access to the missiles and they wondered anew at why the brass was worried. No one was likely to get into this store any time soon without encrypted codes and a way to defeat other security technology such as retinal scanners. When they radioed this information back to the Stennis they were ordered to set themselves up for a long stay defending the missile store. The Captain cursed, but immediately detailed men to set up defences and others to forage for food and water. ------- Aboard the Stennis Admiral Drew MacColl was not a happy camper. He had fought tooth and nail to prevent the flyboys and the Special Forces teams from ever getting near his carrier. It was an insult to ask the navy to play nursemaid and taxi for the other services. He had been told that time was of the essence and to simply get on and do what he was ordered to. As an Admiral, he wasn't used to such treatment. He knew that on occasion the navy hosted Special Forces missions, but it had never happened on one of his ships and he had first of all refused to let them onto the Stennis until a direct order arrived from the President himself. The order made it clear he was to sail that day and that the Chief of Staff of the United States military thought it was actually a good idea to have all the services represented for this mission. Now he was sitting in the command and operations room shaking his head. He hated to say 'I told you so' but now he had been proved right. Some trigger happy SF 'superman' had splashed the King of Scots and some of the shit that was even now hitting the proverbial rotating air cooler was bound to land on him. There would also be an inquiry, despite all the shit that was going on around them. Rules were rules and an inquiry would follow as sure as night followed day. "At least they took out the terrorists and confirmed the Trident missiles are secure," he thought to himself, "thank heavens for small mercies." ------- Stuart regained consciousness first, the pain from a wound in his shoulder brining him round. He groaned as he tried to roll over and realised that he was lying on top of Jamie. Pain flooded his body, from the wound, from the force of the crash-landing and from the impact with the wall he was up against. He struggled to pull off the flying helmet that Jamie always insisted he wear. It was a fair bet that the helmet had saved both of them from damage to their heads when they had collided with the wall. He paused for a moment to let the sudden feeling of nausea pass and then pulled himself up into a sitting position. A glance behind him showed the Lynx, or at least what was left of it. Stuart realised they had been very lucky that they had reached and opened the door to the building they were in. If they been out in the open and closer to the helicopter when it exploded, there was no doubt they would have been caught by debris and shrapnel. "Jamie! Jamie, wake up man," he called. When there was no reply he leant over and shook Jamie's shoulder. His friend twitched and then let out a groan. "Jamie, wake up. Are you all right?" Stuart tried again. Another groan came from Jamie's slumped form and then his arm moved. Moments later, Stuart could see the other boy trying to push himself up from the floor. Stuart continued to talk, hoping that would help in some way. "You've really got to practice those landings man, that was kinda rough," he said. He heard a strangled laugh from inside Jamie's flying helmet and then a gasp of pain. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts when I laugh, but then it hurts when I don't laugh as well," Jamie managed to get out. He turned himself over and rested his back against the wall that they had both cannoned into. It was clearly a struggle, but eventually he managed to remove his helmet and looked across at the other boy. "How many fingers am I holding up?" Stuart asked. "Twelve," replied Jamie, making the other teenager laugh in turn. "How far away from the base did we get?" Stuart asked, getting back to business. "Probably not far enough. Can you stand? We should probably try and find some transportation and get as far away from here as possible," Jamie replied. He pulled himself up, using the wall to help steady himself. He realised his body had taken some punishment over the past few days and was also concerned about the blood on Stuart's shoulder. He saw that his friend has also managed to get to his feet and they moved toward the door with their legs still slightly wobbly. Jamie looked off toward where the naval base was, but there was no sign of the American helicopters and no sign of any terrorists. "I think we need to look at the wound on your shoulder before we go much further," he suggested. "I beg to disagree. Let's get the hell out of dodge and then worry about patching me up. I'd rather put some miles between us and any bad guys, tangos and supposed allies," Stuart replied. A quick study told them that Jamie had set the Lynx down on a school playing field and the doorway they were standing in led to the boiler room. The wreckage of the Lynx was still smouldering and nothing remained of the housing for the TOW missiles. They both realised just how lucky they had been. "I think my sense of direction is still okay. The centre of town is that way and it's away from the base," said Jamie, pointing off to their right. "I don't know about you, but I don't think I could get over the fence," Stuart responded. Jamie looked more closely and saw what his friend was getting at. A perimeter fence enclosed the school grounds and he didn't fancy the idea of trying to climb it either. "Okay, let's try heading for the front and find the gates," said Jamie. It took them twenty minutes of walking before they came across a car showroom. Jamie went inside and easily found the key cupboard where the keys for all the new cars on the forecourt were kept. He went back outside to check out the cars and pick one so he could identify the right keys. He purposefully avoided choosing a jeep, opting instead for a brand new Fiat Punto. Memorising the license plate number, he returned to the showroom and snagged the set of keys that corresponded to the car. Jamie checked the fuel gauge once he had started the engine and was pleased to see that the car's tank was half-full of gas. There was still no sign of any impending danger and when they passed a pharmacy he stopped and ran inside, collecting some supplies to deal with Stuart's wound. The road signs directed Jamie to turn right if he wanted to pick up the road that would take them to Fort William. The A817 met up with the A82 just past a small village called Shantron. It was only seven or eight miles from Faslane to the A82 and as they came down a hill towards the more major road, the whole of Loch Lomond opened up before them. Jamie stopped the little Fiat and they stared across the loch to the Trossachs on the far shore. They could pick out the islands of Inchmurrin and Inchmoan in the middle of the Loch. The afternoon sun striped the surface of the loch black and silver and away to their left rose the heights of Ben Lomond. "Now there's a sight to take your mind off of what I need to do to fix you up," said Jamie, as he turned off the engine and grabbed the supplies he had picked up. He got out of the car and walked round to Stuart's side, opening the passenger door and crouching as he began to cut the clothing away from his friend's shoulder carefully. Something had clearly passed through the trapezius muscle, just to the right of Stuart's neck. He had been fortunate that it had missed his head, spine and all of his bone tissue. Jamie began to clean the entry and exit wounds and as he did so he suddenly burst into song. By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond Stuart joined in at this point and together they sang the well-known part of the song. Where me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond. O you'll tak' the high road and I'll tak' the low road And I'll be in Scotland afore ye For me and my true love will never meet again On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomond. Stuart fell silent, but Jamie continued to sing the verses, Stuart joining in for each chorus. 'Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomond Where deep in purple hue, the hieland hills we view And the moon comin' out in the gloamin' While there's heather on the hill shall my vengeance ne'er be still, While a bush hides the glint o' a gun, lad; Wi' the men o' Sergeant Môr shall I work to pay the score, Till I wither on the wuddy in the sun, lad! "What's it all about anyway? What is the high road, where is the low road?" Stuart asked. "You're kidding me right?" Jamie asked, a look of surprise on his face. "What?" responded Stuart, defensively. "You really don't know? It's a song about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites," Jamie responded. "There are actually two theories I think. One says it's two Jacobites who have been captured. One is going to hang, but the other isn't and the low road is the spirit road while the high road is the physical road back to Scotland from Carlisle. So the man who is to be hanged is saying his spirit will be back home before his friend's live body. "The second theory is that it's a song sung by a Jacobite's sweetheart on her way back from watching his execution in London. The Jacobites had their heads and limbs cut off and their body parts were carried by road through all of the main towns and cities by the road travelled by lords and gentry - the high road. The family and the sweetheart had to travel back from London using the peasant's road - the low road, which was slower." "How do you know all that?" asked Stuart. Jamie laughed. "Because I'm the King!" Jamie was pleased that the view and the song had distracted Stuart to the point where he had been able to clean and dress his wounds without his friend showing too much discomfort. He packed away the medical stuff and walked back round the car to the driver's seat. Jamie started the little Fiat again and put it in gear, continuing down the hill before turning left onto the A82. Their route now took them along the banks of Loch Lomond, through Luss, Inverbeg and Tarbet. Ben Lomond was growing ever larger as they drew nearer and then they were past it and they left the loch behind at Ardlui. The A82 continued northward through beautiful Glen Falloch until they reached Crianlarich, the same town that Jamie had rescued young Kenny. That seemed such a long time ago now, as so much had happened since then. Next they drove through Strath Fillan and Bridge of Orchy before the A82 passed through Rannoch Moor and into Glen Coe. All the way the purple heather was in glorious bloom colouring the mountains around them spectacularly. The three sisters towered over them as they passed through Glencoe and then they were driving alongside Loch Linnhe and closing on Fort William. They had travelled over seventy miles and hadn't come across another soul. They passed the wreckage of the jeeps that Stuart had taken out with the TOWs and then Jamie had to slam on the brakes as they saw and heard a line of machine gun fire cut up the tarmac in front of them. Both of them opened their doors slowly and got out of the car. "It's okay! It's Jamie and Stuart," came a voice from part way up a hill on their right. "Pass friend!" shouted one wag in the defensive position. The first thing they did when they entered the town was find the radio station so they could make contact with the Dreghorn barracks. Jamie had an idea that Laura and the girls would be worried and he wanted to make sure he assuaged their concerns as soon as possible. "Dreghorn, Dreghorn, this is Fort William. Any chance I could speak to Princess Laura?" Jamie asked. "Jamie? Is that you?" came the reply. "Yeh, but don't tell her. I want it to be a surprise." He had to wait about ten minutes before he heard his sister's voice come over the radio set. "Hello?" "Hi Princess, missing me?" Jamie asked. There was the sound of something thudding into something else and a scream at the Dreghorn end. Laura had dropped the handset in her excitement. ------- Sir David was not at all sure about making an appearance in front of the US Supreme Court, not in the present circumstances. If King James was dead then it changed everything. He was back to having no status at all, not even a semblance of one. It felt as if he was about to go through a charade and he wasn't sure he could carry it off. He decided that he had to go through with it while there was still a remote possibility that King James was still alive, as unlikely as that might be. The Ambassador made his way to his limousine, the embassy legal team with him. The trip across town to the Supreme Court building was a short one. It was an iconic building, across the street from the Capitol building on 1st Street. They climbed the steps and passed through the vast pillars of Vermont marble and into the building proper, making their way up to the first floor where the courtroom and conference room were situated. The Justices didn't keep them waiting long and as Sir David and his team settled themselves, the Chief Justice welcomed them, informing them they would have the customary thirty minutes to present their argument. He explained that one of their number had been appointed 'Special Master' to consider the fact-finding aspect of the proceedings. The Ambassador left everything up to his legal team, content to simply observe proceedings. "Okay gentlemen, you have the floor," said Chief Justice Roberts. "Our case is well founded we believe and rests on three main planks: 1. The selection of a new King is within the gift of the Scottish people as numerous precedents in Scots' history show. The free people of Scotland have chosen James MacLaren as their King and this has been achieved without coercion and in accordance with custom and practice in that country; 2. The Scots King, in the absence of a Parliament, is de facto the government of Scotland and therefore entitled to appoint officers, including ambassadors. The refusal of the Administration to accredit such diplomats runs contrary to international treaties and we would like to point out the acceptance of the United Nations of King James' appointment; 3. The Act passed by Congress on the 26 July to suspend international travel is clearly unconstitutional, restricting as it does the right of citizens to travel freely. For those expatriates who retain US citizenship this is a clear and flagrant attack on their constitutional right and a restriction on their liberty. For those who have given up their US citizenship, the Act of Congress and the constitution are largely irrelevant and as citizens of a sovereign state, they should not be detained any longer. That same situation applies to the HMS Vengeance and I would remind the Justices that she is King James' only military asset. From this introduction of less than two minutes, the rest of the time was taken up by the various Justices firing questions at the legal team and at the Ambassador himself. By the time it was over they all felt drained and the Justices' questions had given no hint or clue as to what their initial thinking might be. ------- Despite the abuse his body had suffered, Jamie was determined to drive on to the Air Force base to pick up a replacement Lynx. He had grown used to travelling in the helicopter and he realised things would be a lot more difficult without the use of one. He was also keen to make his way back to Dreghorn as soon as possible to see his sister and the girls in the flesh. He had an idea they would continue to worry until they saw him. Stuart offered to join him, but Jamie suggested his friend needed to rest and recuperate from his wound and from being shaken up by the crash-landing and the impact with the wall of the school. "Ah bullshit! You suffered from the crash and the explosion just as much as I did," Stuart replied. "But I haven't lost the blood that you have," Jamie said. "Pick out some drivers and I'll drop them off at the barracks in Inverness to bring you some of those APCs. If you can find Ronnie the techno-wiz, I can try and review what we got on the camera over Faslane too." The further drive took over an hour and a half, but Jamie was relieved to have made the trip when his eyes fell on the helicopters sitting waiting for him. Ronnie copied the tactical footage from the Lynx onto a new laptop Jamie had brought with him for just this purpose. He then dropped Ronnie and two drivers at the Fort George barracks and left them to choose a couple of APCs to drive back to Fort William. Alone in the helicopter for the first time in a while, he lifted off and set his course for Dreghorn and a return to the girls. ------- Chapter 31: Judgements 10:17, 1 September Jamie awoke with a splitting headache and what felt like low-grade pains all over his body. "Well you will go crashing helicopters and bouncing off of walls," he thought to himself with some humour. He glanced at the bedside clock and was surprised to see that it was so late. He had never been one for sleeping late and he guessed the strains of the past few days must have caught up with him. When he had landed at the Dreghorn barracks the day before, Laura, Debbie and Christine had insisted they return to Skibo so that Jamie could have some much needed rest and recuperation. He had resisted long enough to videoconference with Sir David, Sir John and Anthony Carry. After suffering the embarrassment of the reaction from the three experienced diplomats when they realised he was alive and well, he had listened to the news that the UN had accepted his position as King of Scots. He also heard about Sir David's experience appearing in front of the US Supreme Court. After that it was a quick flight back to Skibo Castle. He vaguely remembered the girls hustling him upstairs to the honeymoon suite. Had he dreamt it or did they really strip off his clothes and sponge his body down with warm cloths? Yes, they had done that before tucking him up in the big four poster bed. He was sure of it. If they had joined him later he hadn't noticed and there was no sign of them now. Pulling himself out of bed, he made for the shower in the hope that it would once again spark some life into him and ease some of the pain. His head seemed to pound worse when he stood up and he promised himself he would search for some Tylenol before he had breakfast. Once showered and dressed, he made his way downstairs and found the girls pottering about in the hotel's kitchens. When they saw him, they immediately began fussing. "Are you sure you maybe shouldn't just stay in bed for today Jamie?" Laura asked. "Why don't you let us bring you breakfast in bed?" added Debbie. "Is there anything in particular we can get for you?" asked Christine. "Quit fussing!" snapped Jamie, his head ready to explode. "Oh, somebody's gotten out of bed on the wrong side this morning," quipped Laura. "I've got a really bad headache and what I really need is something to fix that," Jamie replied. It never ceased to amaze him how women seemed to be prepared for most of life's day to day little emergencies. All three of the girls grabbed their bags and rummaged through them to find some Tylenol. He knew better than to ask what else they kept in those bags, instead thanking them and washing two headache pills down with some bottled water. "I don't really feel up to eating anything just now," he told them, "I think I'll just go and lie down again for a little while." The girls all looked a little worried and began fussing again like mother hens. Even if he hadn't been suffering with the headache, Jamie thought he would have made up an excuse to get away from them when they acting like this. Half an hour lying on the bed in the honeymoon suite was long enough for the pills to take effect and he felt significantly better. In an effort to avoid the girls a little longer, he decided to check his e-mail as he hadn't looked at it all of the previous day. Jamie turned on his laptop and watched it go through its start-up routine before opening an Internet connection and logging on to his e-mail account. The first thing he noticed in his in-box was the e-mail from Kalif that he hadn't responded to. It reminded him that he needed to discuss how to deal with that with some of the others. His experiences of the past few weeks had really raised his levels of suspicion and he wanted to make sure the message wasn't bait for another trap. Further down was a message from BilKazinski@mail.com Jamie clicked on the message and was surprised to see that it had been sent by the man who must have fired the guns that had brought the Lynx down. Highlander I realise you will never get this message, as the Green Berets have informed everybody that there were no survivors when your helicopter crashed. But I had to find some way to express just how sorry I am for making the mistake that led to your death. I had to find some way of getting it off my chest, even if nobody hears me or reads these words. I really can't explain how it happened. I've got years of experience behind me and have been in many combat situations - in the gulf and elsewhere. When I heard someone shout 'missile launched' I just instinctively started firing at the nearest target. Unfortunately that happened to be you. I've been following your story on the 'Surviving in Scotland' web site and it makes me feel even worse to know what you had already been through before today. You sound like a brave young man, a true patriot and your courage in standing up to the terrorists has been an inspiration - even to cynical old hands like myself. To be the one responsible for a mistake that has taken your life is eating me up inside. I have my own kids, one of them probably the same age as you and I couldn't feel any worse than I do now even if I was to lose one of them. I've been confined to quarters, grounded, and there will probably be an inquiry. I don't know what will happen to me, but to be honest I don't really care about that right now. I wish I could take it back, that I could rewind time and stop myself from firing the minigun. I know that I can't however, and I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life. There wont be a day goes by when I don't regret what I've done. I admit that I've cried, cried real tears of shame and regret when no one can see me. I am so, so, sorry and wherever you are I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I don't think I will ever be able to forgive myself. Gunny Kazinski Jamie was deeply moved. He could almost feel the man's grief, see the tears that he had cried. They were the words of a man privately expressing his regret in a way that he didn't expect anyone to ever see or read and Jamie set about replying right away. Gunny I realise you probably never expected anybody to read your words and that makes them all the more poignant. In the past few weeks I've found myself in some scary situations and I guess I'm starting to realise the fear and stress that people in the armed forces go through all the time. I know just how jumpy I've been when getting ready to fight, ready to fight with a loaded weapon in my hands and the intention of harming or killing another human being. What I'm trying to say is that I can understand how something like this could happen. Despite all your training and the years of experience you mention, you're still only human and we all make mistakes. I'm fine, nothing more than a few scratches and bruises so as you guys say on your side of the Atlantic - no harm, no foul, that's how I judge it. I forgive you for your mistake and I hope that helps you to forgive yourself. I also hope your kids are doing okay and that if there is an inquiry you come out of it okay. James R He couldn't explain to himself why he had used the royal signature - James R, as in James Rex - but it just seemed right all of a sudden. Jamie also thought there might be something else he could do for Gunny and he clicked on 'compose' to write another e-mail. Mr President Sir, despite my repeated messages to the contrary, I am aware that there are US forces in or around the UK. The presence of those forces almost cost me my life when one of your helicopters shot my own aircraft down yesterday. I want these forces removed, off of our land and out of our national waters. My previous messages were sent as a private individual, but now I'm giving you the same message as the King of Scots. I will not make the same plea with regard to my countrymen that I have before, but instead will let the legal processes in your country take their course. Finally sir, I believe the man who shot me down, Gunny Kazinski, made an honest mistake, in extreme circumstances and it would be my wish that he is not made to suffer any further. I have already forgiven him and I hope you and his commanders can do likewise. James R ------- 10:43, 1 September The Justices of the US Supreme Court had heard oral arguments from the Attorney-General's office and from Sir David Manning and his legal team the day before. The afternoon, evening and well into the wee hours of the morning they had then studied the additional research materials their staffers had put together and considered their judgement. Now they were gathering together for another conference to share their various findings and views. The Chief Justice turned to Associate Justice Stevens. "John, perhaps you can kick off proceedings this morning by reviewing for us what your appointment as Special Master has found in relation to the facts before us?" he asked. "Okay. As you know, I appointed Valerie MacKinsey, from Pearce Forest as the Special Master. I believe you all know her, a former chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court and she's worked with us in the past in this role. Valerie has looked at things on the basis of the three main elements of the petition we are considering, namely whether James MacLaren is the lawful King of Scots, what status such a king would have in terms of government and lastly the issue about freedom to travel. She's considered only matters of fact that I believe bear relevance to our considerations. Here's what she's found. He handed out a brief to each of them and them began to take them through it. "On the matter of whether James MacLaren is King of Scots I find as fact: According to the online records of the General Registers Office of Scotland James MacLaren is a resident in Scotland, born on 12th February 1992 in Glasgow to James and Avril MacLaren. The last recognised reigning monarch of Scotland is dead. All of the adults domiciled in the UK have died due to the bird flu virus. There is no remaining democratically elected government in the UK. There are precedents in Scottish history to support the premise that a new King can be selected from outwith the previous royal bloodlines. A vote was held in Scotland on 27th August to select a new King of Scots. The electorate was not coerced into voting. James MacLaren won the vote fair and square. A ceremony was held to crown James MacLaren as the King of Scots. The United Nations has accepted the legality of James MacLaren's appointment and recognises him as the King of Scots. The United States of America's Ambassador to the United Nations abstained on the vote to recognise James MacLaren's appointment. I do not find as fact: There is no evidence to show that all of the relatives however remote, of the previous royal family are dead. There is no evidence to prove that the vote held on 27th August allowed all of those eligible to take part. "With regard to the status of any King of Scots in terms of governmental functions I find as fact: Monarchical rule has a long history in Scotland - many hundreds of years before ever a Parliament was introduced. James MacLaren, calling himself James VIII, King of Scots, proclaimed a number of new laws - declaring Scotland an independent country and re-instituting the death penalty. James MacLaren publicly appointed Sir David Manning as his Ambassador to the United States of America, Sir John Sawyers as his Ambassador to the United Nations and Anthony Carry as his High Commissioner to Canada. The US Administration has refused to accredit Sir David Manning. I do not find as fact: There are no significant areas with regard to this element of the petition where there are questions as to fact. The main concerns on this matter are legal in nature. "And finally, on the issue of the right to travel I find as fact: The President declared a state of emergency on the 26th of July and on the same day an Act of Congress halted all international travel. Expatriates of UK origin want to return to the UK but are not being allowed to by the US Administration. Many thousands of former US citizens have given up their US citizenship in protest at not being allowed to travel. People trying to make their own way back to the UK - using private planes and boats - are being stopped by agencies of the US Administration. The nuclear submarine HMS Vengeance is being held by US forces at the naval base at Newport, Rhode Island. The Captain and crew of the HMS Vengeance have declared their wish to return to the UK. I do not find as fact: There is no evidence to suggest a good reason for a state of emergency to have been declared. Further, if anything the threat from other nations around the world is at its lowest in modern times, yet the state of emergency has not been rescinded." "Thanks John," said the Chief Justice, "questions? Challenge?" "John, what's the relevance of including the fact that the US Ambassador abstained in the vote?" asked Associate Justice Souter. "Well David, if the Administration were sure of themselves on this they could have used a veto and voted the resolution down. Valerie sees it as a sign that the Administration feels it's on shaky ground," replied Stevens. The findings of fact were much as the Justices would have concluded so it was no surprise that there was little challenge or debate. Only one other point was made. "John, I don't disagree with Valerie's point about the state of emergency, I can't see any reason why it hasn't been rescinded either, but why does she included a reference to it here?" asked Associate Justice Samuel Alito. Justice Stevens smiled before replying. "Okay, Samuel, I accept it's borderline whether that last point is fact or a matter of opinion. I guess Valerie couldn't resist including it as she thinks it has a major bearing on whether the ban on travel is unconstitutional," Stevens said. "Let's get down to that now shall we?" asked Chief Justice Roberts. He received nods around the room to indicate all of them were ready to begin discussing and debating the finer legal points and arguments. "The question of whether James MacLaren can be selected as King of Scots is a fascinating one. I find the precedents for what has been done are compelling and find myself convinced that the people of Scotland can legally select themselves a new monarch," offered Justice Kennedy. "Yes, I can see that Anthony, but as Valerie has pointed out in her findings, there might well be a surviving relative of the previous royal family. As far as I can see, the UK Act of Settlement of 1701 and the Act of Union of 1707 both establish the legal succession of the UK thrones. They make it clear that the succession passes to direct descendants of the Electress Sophia of Hanover. I'm guessing that means there would be a large pool of potential relatives, admittedly some pretty remotely connected," argued Justice Ginsburg. "I agree with Ruth and even if we got past that point, Valerie's other point is an important one. How can we be sure that there weren't large parts of a potential electorate disenfranchised? That would make a ballot null and void," suggested Clarence Thomas. "I think some of us are missing the point here," said Antonin Scalia. "Our job is not to try and consider UK and Scots law in fine detail. We are not here to give the Administration advice. We are here to provide legal checks and balances. I would argue that we only need to go as far as identifying whether it is possible for the Scots to choose a King. It is for our equivalents in the UK to say whether the full requirements of the law have been adhered to - whether such equivalents exist or not. I'm comfortable that the Scots can choose a King and am willing to cast my vote on that basis. "I suppose the real question that lies behind this part of the petition is whether this James MacLaren, as King, can tell the US President to keep his troops out of the UK. Again I say the answer to that is clear whether James MacLaren is King or not. If US troops enter UK territorial waters or actually land in the UK without an invitation or the permission of the UK government, it would be an invasion pure and simple. The president can't do that without support from Congress." That contribution brought the others up short. They could see that Justice Scalia was absolutely right. It was not the job of the US Supreme Court to pronounce judgements on the legal systems of other countries; merely to interpret circumstances as they affected the law of the US. Consideration of the finer points of UK and Scots law was not within their competence. "Antonin you make a strong case. I'm happy that we vote on the first issue. Our judgement should not be about whether James MacLaren has been lawfully appointed, or about the legality of the President sending troops to the UK, we can deal with that separately. Rather we should vote on whether it is legal for the Scots to choose a King from within their ranks," said the Chief Justice. "How say you? Is it legally competent for the Scots to so choose a monarch?" Having reduced the issue to a question where there was ample historical precedent, it was no surprise that the vote was 9-0 in agreeing that the Scots had the right to choose themselves a new King. "So it's up to others to question whether any of the late Queens relatives are alive and have a legal claim on the throne or to challenge the vote that selected James MacLaren?" asked Breyer. The others all nodded agreement. "Can we vote on the other question that Antonin has raised. Does the President have the authority to order troops into the UK without Congressional approval?" "I'm pretty sure he could if he felt there was a clear and present danger to the US, but there's been no suggestion of that so I vote no," said Justice Kennedy. The Chief Justice called for the vote and again it was unanimous - 9-0 saying that the President needed to go to Congress before he could send troops into the UK. "We come then to the second issue. If he is indeed the King of Scots, what powers does he have?" asked the Chief Justice. Antonin Scalia dived in first. "I think the same arguments apply. We are not competent to pronounce judgement on this. We have Valerie's finding of fact that a reigning monarch can have powers of law making and that again there is historical evidence of this being the case in Scotland. It is not for the Supreme Court to advise the State Department who they should give accreditation to or to advise the monarch of another country where the limits of his powers lie. "I would argue therefore the question before us is quite clear. Can the President refuse to accredit Sir David Manning? Our esteemed Chief Justice has already quoted case law in terms of US v. Kostadinov and for me it's clear." "But what about the Vienna convention of diplomatic relations? The US is a signatory and it could be argued that the convention lends weight to the US accrediting diplomats. I think we should remember this is one of our oldest, most staunch allies we're talking about," opined Justice Ginsburg. She could see that she had little support in the room though. The convention made it clear that diplomatic relations were established by mutual consent and it had little bearing on whether the President could refuse to accredit an Ambassador. The Chief Justice called for a vote. "On the issue of whether the President can refuse to accredit Sir David Manning, do we agree that the President is acting within his authority?" Ruth Ginsburg was surprised to see that Justice Stevens voted with her in rejecting the President's authority to accredit the diplomat. "Well I guess we've all been waiting to get to the main event. There's no doubt that this last one is most certainly within our competence to consider, the constitutional right to travel," said the Chief Justice. There was much more discussion and debate on this point with each of the Justices having a detailed contribution to make. It seemed as if they agreed that the state of emergency allowed Congress to pass the Act that it had, but their main concern then was whether a state of emergency was in fact justified. At the point of the attempted terrorist attack there was significant concern about national safety. Thereafter, with the loss of most of the adult population of the world, it could be strongly argued that there had never been less of a threat. That fact was causing the Justices a big problem. After several hours of debate Chief Justice Roberts called for two votes. "Can we vote please on whether the ban on international travel is constitutional?" The result was 5-4 in favour of the Administration and therefore the ban remaining in place. The final element that had swayed Anthony Kennedy had been an argument that said no one could say whether any foreign country was actually safe to travel to. Until intelligence was gathered on the conditions on the ground, how could the Administration allow its citizens to fly into trouble? "I think we agree we need a separate vote on the issue of foreign nationals, including those who have given up their US citizenship," the Chief Justice said next. "Do we agree that the Administration has no grounds to restrict their travel?" This time the vote was 7-2 with Justices Scalia and Thomas voting to support the president's right to forbid travel even to this group on the same grounds as the vote had been swayed for US citizens. There was no way to guarantee the safety of those travelling when they reached their destination and there was a duty of care on the President. Having finished their deliberations, consideration of a petition that broke all records for how quickly it had been dealt with; the Supreme Court had arrived at its decisions. ------- Lee Chan radioed Skibo to advise Jamie that a squad had gone back to Herriot-Watt to pick up the terrorists that had been captured and that a 'trial' had been held. The terrorists were found guilty of murder and the Pakistani teenagers working with them of treason and accessory to murder. Lee wanted to know whether Jamie was content that they be executed. He also mentioned that they had raided one of the main Edinburgh hospitals and had secured drugs with which to administer lethal injections rather than use a firing squad, if he agreed they should be dispatched. Jamie replied authorising the execution. He was unaware that it had been a day of judgements. Apart from his own judgement of Gunny Kazinski and the teenager's judgement of the terrorists at Herriot-Watt, he had yet to find out about the conclusions of the US Supreme Court. ------- Chapter 32: POTUS Once again the Chief Justice lifted the phone and carried out an act that at the very least would have been viewed by his fellow Justices, the media and the population at large as irregular. He connected with the White House and within less than a minute was talking directly to the President. "Chief Justice Roberts, what can I do for you?" asked POTUS. "It's more what I can do for you Mr President. It might sound unbelievably quick, but SCOTUS has reached a preliminary judgement on the petition filed by Sir David Manning. We will be posting a slip opinion on the Supreme Court web site tomorrow, but I thought you might appreciate a heads-up," said Roberts. "Well that's downright neighbourly of you John. I appreciate it," replied POTUS. "The key findings we will publish are: that there is ample precedent to show that the Scots people can select a new King; that the Administration is within its rights to deny accreditation to Sir David; and that so long as a state of emergency exists, the Act forbidding international travel is not unconstitutional. "I do have to say that the need for a state of emergency was hotly debate Mr President. The one thing that swayed the vote on that was the fact that no one can guarantee how safe other countries now are as a destination. With no governments or recognised military it's unclear whether any foreign country is now safe to travel to. "The one fly in your ointment sir, if I may be so bold, is that SCOTUS also voted and found that there are no grounds for the Administration denying travel to foreign nationals. The state of emergency argument doesn't stand up for that group," the Chief Justice concluded. "John, as I say, I really appreciate this, particularly those last points. The first two are somewhat academic as it seems our forces have already shot down and killed the boy who was selected as the King of Scots, his status and that of his Ambassador becomes somewhat moot," said President Bush. There was a moment's silence on the other end of the line as the Chief Justice absorbed this news. Then he spoke again. "Mr President, I'm afraid the last thing we voted on was whether the Administration had the authority to send troops into the UK. We agreed that it would require congressional approval to do so - King or no King. The UK is a recognised sovereign state and the Administration would need to be invited to send troops, otherwise it would need to be regarded as invasion sir. The only exception we could see to that would be if there was evidence of a clear and present danger to the US. I hope that whatever has been done so far is deniable sir, because once we publish our slip opinion, questions are going to be asked," said Roberts. The Chief Justice wound up the call fairly quickly after that, concerned about what the President had told him. The ramifications of illegally invading a country, the country of a trusted ally no less, and of killing that country's monarch, were alarming to say the least. He decided that for the moment he had to behave as if he hadn't been given that information, but he knew the shit was about to hit the fan. ------- POTUS was just as exercised by what he had heard from Chief Justice Roberts and he called for his White House Chief of Staff. Once Bolton appeared, the President cleared the room of all but the obligatory Secret Service detail before speaking to his advisor. "Joshua, don't ask me how I know, but the Supreme Court is going to publish its opinion on Sir David Manning's petition tomorrow. Its findings could put us in a world of hurt and we need to take action now to try and head of the worst of it," said POTUS. "Sir, I've got to tell you that your numbers are already tumbling badly. The people are not taking too kindly to how we're playing this whole thing with the UK, particularly the expats aspect. Our polls put you at an all time low. Why don't you tell me how it's going to get worse?" asked Bolton. The President paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. He hadn't as yet shared the information about Jamie being shot down with his Chief of Staff and that, allied to what Chief Justice had just told him, would undoubtedly give Joshua a hissy fit. "Joshua, yesterday a Special Forces team was dispatched to secure the Faslane naval base in Scotland. The advice I received indicated that there are Trident missiles stored at the base and I believe it is imperative to safeguard against terrorists getting their hands on them. We already have the example of them taking over a nuclear submarine at the base, although that was sunk. Electronic intelligence makes it clear they are actively looking for these missiles. "When the SF arrived at Faslane, the boy calling himself King of Scots was already there in a Lynx helicopter and a convoy of terrorists was just arriving at the base too. It seems the Lynx fired a TOW missile at the terrorists and one of the helicopters carrying the Green Berets opened up on it, bringing it down. Reports say that no one got out of the Lynx alive, so it appears as if the King of Scots is dead," the President said. His Chief of Staff's face had been growing increasingly pale as the story unfolded. "Oh god, this is going to go down like the proverbial lead balloon," he groaned. "Oh, it gets worse. Tomorrow the Supreme Court will publish its opinion on Manning's petition. They will say that there are grounds to confirm the selection of the boy as monarch is legal. While they will back our right not to accredit the Ambassador and to ban international travel, they will say we have no right to stop the expatriates from travelling. Worst of all, they will say that we have no authority to send troops into the UK without prior approval by Congress," said POTUS. Bolton had picked up on the President's reference to Jamie as 'the King of Scots' and had wondered why he was affording him that title. That had quickly been cleared up when the President had explained the Supreme Court findings in his very next breath. Now he knew the worst of it. The President had apparently sent troops into the UK illegally and while they were there they had killed a fifteen-year-old monarch. Things couldn't get any worse than this. "Mr President, this is all bad, very bad. We know the boy, sorry, the King of Scots has been playing really well with the American people. They love him, sorry, loved him. He played to all that they hold good - courage in the face of great adversity, a true patriot, wanting to stand on his own two feet and fight his own battles. Man, our people have been lapping this up. I'm afraid if it comes out that we have ended his life and done so while illegally invading his country - despite him warning us off I might add - I don't know if we can avoid the opposition looking for impeachment," Bolton said. Now it was the President's turn to look pale. "We need to come up with some damage limitation measures Joshua. I will not go down in the history of our country as a President who suffered the humiliation of impeachment," said POTUS. "To do that you need to give me something to work with Mr President," Bolton replied. "Well, there are a couple of aspects of SCOTUS's opinion that we might be able to use. They are likely to say that the ban on travel should stay because there is no way to guarantee that any foreign destination would be safe. They will not extend that to the expatriates, but we could perhaps use it to stall. They might also say that we wouldn't need Congress backing to send in troops if there was a clear and present danger. I'm content that the presence of Trident missiles at Faslane represents such a danger and that could be used to at least justify our presence." "Okay, we can work with that. I'm afraid the death of the King is a kicker though. I don't see how we can play that one. I would advise it's important to get your retaliation in first sir, before SCOTUS publishes its opinion. It has been a while since you addressed the nation, today might be a good day to put that right," suggested Bolton. Both knew that time was of the essence and staffers were directed to set up a live broadcast while POTUS and Bolton worked on a script. "Okay, you lead with an explanation about the travel ban and the danger of what might be waiting for our citizens at any destination they might be thinking of visiting. You make a concession by saying that you have decided to allow the expatriates to return to the UK, but only when you're sure it will be safe for them to do so. Currently there is no guarantee that planes won't be taken down by terrorists as they land. So - give them what they want, the right to go back, but stall them by saying we need more intelligence. "Now, King James has already opened up the Trident issue by showing footage of himself sinking a nuclear submarine. The public has been able to see that on his web site. So, that introduces the clear and present danger and you advise the nation that you have used that to direct troops to secure the Faslane base. "Here comes the difficult bit. We have to pitch this just right. You tell the nation that you accept the legitimacy of Jamie as King of Scots and confirm the accreditation of his Ambassador. You repeat your offer to help the thousands of teenagers still at risk from the terrorists and you add that US troops on the ground would speed up the point at which the expatriates will be able to return safely to the UK. Then you have to introduce the terrible accident that has led to King James' death. You have to focus on the major issue being the safety of the kids that remain, maybe we should add your regret that King James didn't take up your offer earlier as that would have allowed us to protect him," said Bolton. POTUS was nodding, concentrating on the key points he would need to deliver and getting the correct tone and facial expressions fixed in his head. "I still think you'll take a hammering in the polls, but at least there are no grounds for impeachment and we might just be able to turn things round if we can get troops in and clear up the terrorists. Maybe you could announce a package of aid to help the UK begin to rebuild in the aftermath of ending the terrorist threat?" Bolton suggested. The President liked this last idea and decided he would quickly come up with an impressive number with the Secretary of the Treasury. ------- A young staffer had been pulled in to type up the speech the President was planning to give and the White House Chief of Staff was dictating the words to her. In the briefing room, the US media were beginning to gather. Live broadcasts to the nation were still something of a rarity and they sensed something important was about to be shared with them. The President was announced and he strode into the briefing room and directly to the lectern bearing his seal of office. As he placed his notes onto the lectern, another senior advisor approached the Chief of Staff and whispered urgently into his ear. Bolton immediately approached POTUS and he in turn whispered to the President. "Mr President - you have mail. This is something you need to see at once," he said. The press were a little bemused as the President was rushed back out of the briefing room and a staffer apologised and informed them there would be a slight delay. POTUS stared at Jamie's latest e-mail and quickly read his words. He realised he had just dodged a bullet and immediately began making changes to the speech he had prepared. This changed everything. Without the need to announce the death of the boy King, the chances were he could turn this broadcast into a major positive announcement, one that could well help him turn his dip in the polls around. He smiled widely and saw that Joshua Bolton was also looking mightily relieved. President Bush returned to the briefing room and once more took his place at the lectern. He looked up to take his cue to confirm he was now broadcasting live and saw the various red lights blinking on the cameras. "Ladies and gentlemen, apologies for the slight delay. "My fellow Americans, I want to take this opportunity to talk to you about the terrible atrocity that has been visited on the world as we know it. Every country around the globe apart from the US and Canada has been struck down by terrorist attacks and the scale of those who have been killed is unimaginable. "The diligent efforts of our own security services is all that has stood between ourselves and a similar fate and I thank them for their work. "In these terrible times I know many of you, like me, have been following the incredible response of one young man to the awful predicament he finds himself. That young man is known variously as Highlander on his web site or by his given name of James MacLaren. Let me be the first to recognise him by his new title - James VIII, King of Scots. POTUS paused to allow the sudden excited chatter amongst the press to subside. It was most unusual for the President to be interrupted during a speech, but he smiled at them with his 'understanding' face on before beginning again. "The King of Scots has shown great courage. Great courage in standing up to the terrorists that remain active in the UK, some might say great courage in accepting the burden of responsibility that becoming monarch will surely bring. "As well as recognising his position, this morning I want to offer King James some tangible support. I am pleased to announce that the US has withdrawn its travel ban with regard to UK citizens. As soon as we can show that it is safe to allow these people to return we will let them. I know King James has been looking for this for some weeks and I hope our change in policy is of some comfort to him. "I would also like to repeat my offer of military support for the UK. US troops on the ground would surely bring forward the date when the UK citizens in this country will be able to return safely. To help improve communications between my Administration and King James, I can confirm this morning that the State Department has ratified the accreditation of Sir David Manning as the King of Scots' Ambassador to the United States. "King James has already dealt with one significant threat by sinking a nuclear submarine at the Faslane naval base, many of you will have watched the film showing the courage in great measure the King personally displayed in carrying out that attack. My fellow Americans, I have to say that the Faslane base, in my view, remains a clear and present danger to US security. There are Trident missiles stored at that base and even as we speak terrorists are actively trying to get their hands on those missiles. Because of that very real danger I have authorised US Special Forces troops to secure the base and the missiles. "I know his Grace will be upset at the presence of our troops, but I feel I have no other choice given the gravity of the potential threat. I am happy to be able to tell you that the Green Berets have been successful in eliminating a terrorist force that was at the Faslane base. They have secured the missile store and will now ensure no one can access what is a nuclear capability. "Finally, can I end this broadcast by telling you that America doesn't forget who her friends are. The UK has stood shoulder to shoulder with us in conflicts around the world. Today I can announce an initial package of $100 billion in aid to help with the extensive re-building effort that will be required to get our friend the United Kingdom back on her feet. King James, we want to help you sir." As soon as the President finished his prepared speech, the press followed the well-known pecking order for asking their questions and they were called one at a time. "Mr President doesn't the deployment of US forces to the UK require Congressional approval?" asked the first sharp-witted journalist. The President kept his smile firmly on his face as he answered. "I think you'll find that my authority extends to taking such decisions where there is a clear and present danger to the US and her citizens. I can't think of what could be regarded as more of a clear and present danger than nuclear weapons in the hands of terrorists," he replied. A barrage of other questions was fired at POTUS and he handled them all with ease. Then the President found himself put firmly and very publicly on the spot. "Mr President, Marsha Kibble, KYB New York. Sir, as you've announced that UK citizens are now free to travel and the only impediment is being able to guarantee their safety, I'm assuming that the submarine HMS Vengeance will be allowed so sail back to the UK immediately. The sailors who crew that boat are UK citizens and surely there can be no doubts about ensuring their safety?" POTUS couldn't see an easy way out of answering the question and he knew any hesitation would be seen as a sign that he wasn't in control of things. On live TV he wanted to avoid that more than anything else. "Marsha, the order to release the submarine is already being processed," he replied. The journalist smiled. She had had her moment and was sure she had just forced a concession out of the President. Quickly thereafter, POTUS wound up the briefing, anxious to avoid any further difficult questions. He swept from the room and made his way back to the Oval Office, his face now showing just how angry he was at having to concede the release of the UK submarine. He gave the order to make sure the submarine was released as soon as possible, knowing the press would be all over that decision and would watch like hawks to make sure he followed through on what he had said. Once that was in train he dropped down at his computer to compose a response to the remarkable young man who he had just acknowledged as the King of Scots. ------- Assam had managed to get himself off of the naval base and he crept through the woods and fields until he found himself on the edge of town. His first priority was to find a vehicle to get him away from the area and the US troops, but that was an easy enough task given the many cars and the absence of any population. He identified a Toyota jeep in the driveway of a house and when he entered the house the keys were hanging on a hook just inside the front door. It was as easy as that. Before starting on his journey he needed to make a quick call to make sure he wasn't heading into more trouble. He pulled out his mobile phone and called Nasser, head of the Edinburgh cell. "Hello?" "Bird Song," said Assam. "Who is this?" asked Nasser. "It's Assam. Look, my entire cell has been wiped out, Glasgow is a bust. The Great Satan has landed troops here in the west and I need somewhere to go. Are things safe on your side of the country?" he asked. "I've lost a few sites, but there has been no sign of Americans as far as I know. If you can make your own way here you're welcome to join me," offered Nasser. At GCHQ in Cheltenham, the conversation was recorded and the intelligence relayed to NSA headquarters at Fort Meade. Within hours the content of the conversation had been analysed and its importance passed up the line to those who needed to know. ------- Chief Justice Roberts watched the President's broadcast with some bemusement and not a little trepidation. His bemusement was caused by the President's references to the King of Scots and he realised something must have changed since he had spoken to POTUS. It appeared as if the King of Scots wasn't dead after all and the President seemed to have had a lucky escape. His trepidation was caused by the content of the broadcast. When the SCOTUS opinion was published it would look very much like the President had had prior knowledge of the Court's findings and he would have to prepare himself for some difficult discussions with his Associate Justices. It wasn't beyond the realms of believability that the Administration could have identified the weaknesses in their position and come up with the responses the President had just made however. He felt he would be able to argue that as being what had just happened and let himself relax a little. ------- 22:10, 1 September Jamie had been convinced to remain at Skibo all day, resting. He found it frustrating given all that needed to be done, but the girls were firm with him that he needed two full days away from any further excitement. He was making a final check of his e-mails before connecting up for his nightly videoconference with the Ambassadors. The first message that caught his eye was a follow-up message from Kalif. Jamie clicked to open it, knowing he had yet to reply to Kalif's first message. Highlander I sent you a message a few days ago looking for help. The patrols seem to have stopped, but we're still scared. We can see from your web site that you are helping others, please help us too. Kalif Jamie frowned. If this group was genuine, it was out there on its own and pleading with him for help. He knew he would need to do something soon, but still he was cautious and was determined to talk to others first. He also wondered whether there was any significance in the fact that the terrorists seemed to have stopped patrolling through Glasgow. If true, what could that mean? Another e-mail caught his eye and he realised he had a response to the message he had sent the US President. He thought it was important that he looked at this before speaking to the Ambassadors so he clicked to open the e-mail and immediately knew things had changed for him. Your Grace Let me start by congratulating you on your elevation to the throne of the Scots. Can I also say just how relieved and pleased I was to learn that you were in fact alive and well following the incident at Faslane? You might not be aware as yet, but my Administration has decided that the UK citizens here in the US who want to return to the UK will no longer be stopped from doing so. The only barrier to that is being able to demonstrate that they are not flying into a war zone. I believe if you would accept my offer of assistance that we can secure your country to allow that to happen sooner rather than later. Although it would appear as if you have defeated the terrorists in Glasgow, there are still active cells in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. With US help you could deal with the terrorists in those areas much quicker and with less risk to yourself. I'm sure I don't need to remind you, but as Head of State you now have a responsibility to think beyond your own needs and wants. You now have to consider what is in the best interests of your people, all of them. I would advise that your best course of action to protect them is to accept my offer. I have today ordered the release of HMS Vengeance and I hope she will soon be of some help to you. In addition, I have asked Congress to confirm an initial aid package of $100 billion to help the UK get back on its feet. The US doesn't forget who her friends are. Finally, I realise from your message that you are upset about the presence of US forces at Faslane. I must insist that due to the presence of Trident missiles, those troops remain to ensure such dangerous weapons do not fall into the wrong hands. The use of nuclear weapons makes the issue of Faslane one of greater significance than the sovereignty that you obviously hold so dear. I'm sorry, but the US troops must remain. Keep well. I will have the State Department speak to Ambassador Manning about the possibility of a state visit some time in the future. POTUS Jamie thought the President was nothing if not persistent. He could understand POTUS's nervousness about Faslane, but that didn't make him feel any happier about allowing US troops on Scottish soil. There were a number of other interesting points to consider in the e-mail, but he was already late for his conference. The fact that the President seemed to be accepting him as King and Sid David as his Ambassador alerted him to the fact that tonight's conference was possibly more important than usual. He was right. The Ambassadors and the High Commissioner were in a very positive mood following his very public recognition by the US President. Anthony Carry advised them that he had been called to meet with the Canadian Prime Minister for discussions about how Jamie's position might relate to his country. Sir David excitedly let Jamie know that the US State Department had already been on to arrange a formal exchange with him. It was as if the experienced diplomat had suddenly been given a new lease of life. "Your Grace, what about this of the American aid package? How do you wish me to respond to that?" asked Sir David. "Well, I don't want to seem ungracious Sir David, but my parents always told me that money doesn't buy you friends, not real friends anyway. Perhaps the US Government hasn't learned that, despite giving away countless billions of dollars over the years. What could we use the money to buy anyway? Who would we buy things from other than the US and Canada? No, I think once we have people back in the country, our priorities must be to get food production going and to husband all of the resources that are still lying around. I value the thousands and thousands of messages of support from ordinary Americans more than this aid package." "Okay, I think I agree with you. Leave it to me to find the right form of words that won't cause too much upset. There is another problem heading your way that I don't know how to deal with. The news channels here have been covering a big storm that had been brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm has shifted direction and that's pleased folks in the gulf states no end, but I'm afraid it might spell problems for those UK citizen's who are trying to cross the Atlantic in their own boats," said Sir David. "I've already been thinking about those folk. I don't want them blundering ashore and right into a terrorist group. This new danger just adds to the need to do something for them," said Jamie. After a general discussion about what steps they would need to take next, Sir David asked Jamie what his own priorities were. "Your Grace, what next for you? What priorities do you have over there?" he asked. "I'm afraid the girls are going to be upset with me Sir David. They've been trying to get me to rest for a few days, but the President's words have set me a new challenge. He's relying on there being doubt about the safety of people travelling back to Scotland to stall on letting people go. I want to liberate all of Scotland as soon as I can - both to see the other survivors free, but also so we can demonstrate that it's safe for people to return here," said Jamie. When he shared his plan with the girls over a late supper, he wasn't disappointed. They were adamant that he should spend another day resting and it was only when he played his trump card that they relented. "How would you feel if you were still being held captive by terrorists? Would you happy to know that your King was resting up while your liberty had been taken away? What sort of monarch am I if I'm happy to sit back and leave them languishing in captivity while I enjoy my freedom?" he asked. Jamie could see the girls beginning to weaken and pressed home his argument. The President of the United States has broadcast live to say that UK citizens can return, but only when it's safe. If we can free all of Scotland and do it quickly, then we can see the adults coming back sooner rather than later," he said. The prospect of having people around who were trained in the many things that the teenagers couldn't do for themselves was a prized goal and the girls could see that Jamie was determined to realise it. "Okay, okay," said Laura, "but if you're well enough to go charging off after terrorists, then you're well enough to take care of another responsibility you have been neglecting." Jamie looked at her quizzically and saw that his sister was looking pointedly at Christine. A smile grew on Jamie's face as he realised what she was getting at. He had been too busy, too tired and too sore to finally make love to the lovely Christine as yet and now he thought that it might be a pleasant night in the honeymoon suite. ------- Aboard the Stennis there was frantic activity as the 'go-to-hell' squad prepared to board the giant 'hurricane maker' helicopter. The go-to-hell squad was a squad of the US Marine Corps, so named because they were normally called into action when things 'go-to-hell'. The 'hurricane maker' was a Sikorsky Super Stallion, capable of carrying over thirty Marines and their kit. Its name came from the powerful down-draught from its rotors. Admiral MacColl had received new orders and they required the troops from the 7th SFG to return to the ship for briefing and redeployment. To replace them, the go-to-hell squad was loading up and heading for Faslane to guard the Trident missile store. The Super Stallion had by far the best range of any of the rotary wing aircraft on the ship and would be capable of making the return journey to and from Faslane easily. ------- Assam arrived at Nasser's safe house and was welcomed inside. It was only once he had reached the relative safety that the strain of the last twenty-four hours took hold of him and he sat in an armchair shaking. He had been very close to death several times, once when the helicopter had fired a missile and then when the US troops had closed in on the warehouse. "So my friend, tell me about the trouble you had through in the west. Was it the helicopter pilot again? He has been a nuisance to me also and I'd give a lot to get my hands on him. Apparently he is now referring to himself as the King of Scots, how ridiculous is that?" asked Nasser. "A lot of it was him, but there are US troops now as well. I don't know how long we'll be safe even here," Assam replied. "Where else have we to go my friend? There are no safe havens for us now," replied Nasser. "I for one don't want to sit around waiting for the troops of the Great Satan to come for me. I was thinking about heading south and perhaps trying to walk through the channel tunnel rail link to mainland Europe. It would be difficult for them to find us if we did that," Assam suggested. ------- 06:07, 2 September Jamie was first awake and felt surprisingly good considering what he had been through and on top of that the exertions the girls had managed to coax him into the night before. The strenuous workout had perhaps paradoxically helped ease his aches and pains. It had certainly been memorable and he smiled now as he thought of how they had all four shared each other once again. His sister, Laura, had been the one to take up the now customary duties of performing oral sex on him until he climaxed. This idea the girls had that they had to take the edge off for him before he made love for the first time, was not something he was going to discourage any time soon. The feel of Laura's soft lips and the smooth skin on the inside of her cheek was matched only by the sensation her tongue made as it swirled over the underside of his staff. When she began to slowly drop her head so that his length pressed further and further into her mouth, he had flung his head back and groaned appreciatively. The same head jerked forward suddenly when he realised she hadn't stopped pressing down on him and he felt the incredible sensation of his cock nudging the very entrance to her throat. "Oh god Princess, what are you doing? Oh god that feels amazing!" he groaned. He was so taken up with his sister's efforts that he didn't notice Debbie unselfishly preparing her friend Christine for what was to come. She had her head between Christine's parted thighs and was teasing her swollen pussy lips and erect little clit with her tongue. Jamie felt Laura pause for a second, as if steadying her nerve, and then she pushed down once more to take more and more of him into her throat. The tight constriction was one of the most incredible things he had ever experienced and he new he wouldn't be able to hold out long. Laura begin to bob up and down, taking him in deeply each time. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck sis. Gonna, gonna, gonna cuuuummmmm!" he squealed as he felt himself buck repeatedly and fire his juice into first her throat and then her mouth as she pulled off of him slightly. He had been amazed to see Laura then share a kiss with Christine and she made it clear that she was passing some of his offering into the other girl's mouth. Christine moaned her approval and when they broke the kiss the girl licked her lips suggestively. The eroticism wasn't lost on Jamie and he started to grow hard again just watching them. "Isn't it time that the King made his subjects happy?" asked Debbie with a snigger. "I think there are some subjects who need to be taught a little respect!" replied Jamie and he pounced on Debbie. Laura and Christine joined in gleefully and all three of them proceeded to tickle the girl unmercifully. "Pax, pax! She screamed breathlessly. "Please, I'm going to wet myself, please stop!" His lovemaking with Christine thereafter was slow and full of passion and feeling. She was the most experienced of the girls and not as tight as his sister or Debbie who had both been virgins after all. Nevertheless it had been a fantastic experience for them both, as Jamie pistoned slowly in and out of her while they stared deeply into each other's eyes. It might have been the missionary position they employed, but what resulted could not be described in any way as plain vanilla. The shared feelings and heightened emotions lifted the act to a different level of enjoyment. Laura and Debbie actually stopped pleasuring each other to simply enjoy watching the two of them together. After Jamie and Christine had shared a powerful climax, the other two girls had worked on Jamie to get him hard for a third time and then had shared the fruits of their labours. Christine had actually fallen asleep beside them and missed the last round of the lovefest. Now he headed for the shower and then downstairs to prepare for the day. Having convinced the girls the night before that he had work to do, he wanted to make an early start. If his suspicions were confirmed, there were two terrorist camps holding survivors in and around Glasgow that only had Pakistani teenagers as guards. Jamie felt that it might be easy enough to frighten these teenagers into giving up and he had a plan for trying that. He also needed to speak to some of the others about the e-mails from Kalif and decide what to do about those. Additionally, he needed to come up with something that would help the adults out in the Atlantic, possibly facing a significant storm. Finally, he had to think about Faslane. ------- Chapter 33: Plans After breakfast, Jamie and the girls boarded the new Lynx and Jamie took them to Fort William so they could check up on Stuart. He found his friend just as frustrated as he himself had been the day before, itching to get on and do something positive. "How's your shoulder?" Jamie asked him. "It's fine, really. I feel like a fraud, hanging around here when there's work to be done," Stuart replied. "Do you feel up to making a little trip?" Jamie enquired. Stuart's face brightened with the prospect of doing something useful. "Where?" he asked eagerly. "I was thinking about all of the adults who have set sail from the US and Canada. The last thing we want is for them to make landfall only to be picked up or killed by terrorists. I'm thinking that we need to establish radio contact with them and guide them in to somewhere safe," Jamie suggested. "That makes sense, but how do we do it and where do I fit in?" Stuart asked. "Well, we need to try and get our American friends out of Faslane and it occurred to me that the naval base will also have radio facilities. Why not kill two birds with one stone? You've now got three APCs and hundreds of armed people at your command here. How would you feel about leading a force back to Faslane?" said Jamie. "Your Grace, are you sure? Do we really want to antagonise the Americans?" Stuart replied. Jamie gave his friend a funny look, as he hadn't missed the fact that he had for the first time referred to him as 'your Grace'. "I see it the other way round Stuart. I've told the US President repeatedly that we don't want US forces in the UK, that we can deal with this ourselves. Yet he has disregarded us and landed troops anyway. I'm not suggesting we start a fight with these guys, I think we would come off a very poor second best anyway. No, I suggest we put on a show of force and relieve them of their guard duties. Do you think they would actually fire on us? On teenagers?" Jamie asked. "You don't know how hard people have been training here, I wouldn't be so quick to write them off. But if we're not fighting what's the plan?" "I think we really need to put on a big demonstration. The APCs will only hold about ten people each so how about you load up more people in some of the buses that brought them here in the first place? I'm thinking of about one hundred and fifty armed teenagers. Stop the buses short of the base and then let them march behind the three APCs for the last mile or so. "Take a white flag and ask to speak to the officer in charge. You tell him that the King of Scots has ordered you to secure the base and relieve him. You can even pass on my thanks for their assistance if you like, but make it clear we are taking over the defence of the base." "What if they refuse to leave?" Stuart asked. "Oh, I think it's an absolute certainty that they will refuse. I've got another element to this plan that I hope will win the day," said Jamie. Jamie asked Stuart about the audit of people's skills that had been carried out. "You know the skills audit we did, are there any people with experience of sailing boats?" he asked. "I think so, I'll have to check to make sure though," Stuart replied, "why?" "Well, if they've got experience of boats, they might also have experience of using radios to communicate with boats. I thought that might be a way of finding someone who could figure out how to contact the boats in the Atlantic once we have taken over the naval base," replied Jamie. With discussions about the mission to Faslane out of the way, Jamie asked about another idea he had had. "How long did it take you to print the leaflets we dropped the last time?" "Not long, we set up four printers and printed on A4. As the sheets came out of the printers I had someone tear them in half to get two A5 sized leaflets. Probably about an hour to get you five thousand leaflets. What do you have in mind?" Stuart asked. Jamie showed him a message he had composed on his own computer that morning. Stuart nodded as he read it. "I think this is a great idea. It hits all the right buttons as well. Do you want me to get someone working on this right away?" "That would be good. If we can get the timing right I'd like to drop them on the way to the Dreghorn barracks to see Lee," Jamie replied ------- "This is the Captain speaking. I'm sure, like me, you are itching to get back to blighty and settle some scores. I made a point of sharing the King's e-mails with you, so you could all see what a fine job Petty Officer Stevens and the other members of the crew did in the short time they had. It is my intention that the rest of us will contribute in a way that will honour their memory. Despite the crazy situation back home, I also want to remind you that the teenager known as Highlander is the lawful King of Scots and we will all treat him as such if we have the honour of meeting him. For now I want you all rested. I want all weapons ready for use and I want all of you to be nursing your wrath," said Captain Mexford. He replaced the mic in its holder and looked around himself. He was pleased to see the grim faces on his crew. When they landed in the UK they would certainly mean business. His day had started early. Having witnessed the US president's broadcast to the nation, he could have kissed the woman reporter who had put POTUS on the spot with regard to his boat. When the President had responded the way he did, Mexford knew he was going to be setting sail for the UK without much delay. Politicians didn't play around with the press very much and he knew the fourth estate would now be watching Newport to make sure the President followed through on his statement. Within hours he was invited to a meeting with the base commander and informed that provisions were being gathered to replenish the stores on the Vengeance before he sailed. There had been no animosity between fellow professionals and indeed the base commander had stood at the quayside to salute and wave him off. Now he was considering what his plans should be. The broadcast had made it clear that the Americans had a presence at Faslane, so for the present that seemed to rule that out as his destination. In theory he should be waiting for orders from the King and had e-mailed using the address he had before to try and find out if the monarch had a plan. ------- The Green Berets of the 7th SFG watched as the Super Stallion flared and landed on the Faslane heli-pad. Thirty-two marines of the go-to-hell squad wasted no time in disembarking and the First Lieutenant commanding barked out his orders to deploy them quickly. He made his way to the Green Beret Captain and they swapped salutes. "Lieutenant Carson reporting for duty sir. My orders are to relieve you and your men and see you heading back to the Stennis immediately." "Thank you Lieutenant, you're welcome to the duty, it's not something I was looking forward to anyway. It's kinda dull around here," replied the Captain. The Green Berets weren't going to be outdone by the marines and they showed how organised they were by loading up within a matter of minutes. The Lieutenant watched the big Sikorsky lift off, barely fifteen minutes after it had touched down. ------- Jamie and the girls flew over the four remaining terrorist camps on their way to the Dreghorn barracks. While Jamie piloted the Lynx, the girls dropped leaflets on each of the sites, two in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh. On the ground, teenagers caught the leaflets as the floated down on the breeze. The Pakistani teenagers in particular were exercised by what the leaflets had to say. It's over! The original terrorists that released the bird flu virus are all but gone and Scotland is once more free. To those teenagers who have deemed fit to join the lunatics who attacked our country, I say this: These men and women are a disgrace to Islam. Their actions are completely at odds with what the holy Qu'ran teaches and you should be ashamed of yourselves for being duped by these people. Have you missed the fact that these same people are responsible for wiping out millions of the faithful in the Middle East, in Africa and in places like Indonesia? Have you forgotten the fact that these fanatics are responsible for murdering you own parents and countless thousands of British Muslims? Join us now and we will show understanding and mercy - the mercy and compassion that the Qu'ran preaches. I give my word that any who hand over their weapons today will be spared and indeed welcomed into our ranks. Think about it. You have been conned and these people owe you just as much a debt as they do the rest of us. Defend your faith in the proper way, by abandoning those who have trodden the name of Islam and the prophet into the dirt and joining us to finish them off. It's over! Join us today and honour your faith! King James VIII At the two camps in the west there were no adult terrorists, none had been seen for several days. The words on the leaflet had a ring of truth therefore and the Pakistani teenagers were looking at each other and the hundreds of other survivors who stood around them. One Pakistani youth walked over to a small group of survivors and simply handed over his weapon. This act was almost like a dam being released, it allowed the other Pakistani 'guards' to follow suit and within minutes of the leaflets being dropped, both of the camps in Glasgow were free. In the east there wasn't such a dramatic response. Nasser still had two of his cell alive and one was stationed at each of the remaining camps Nasser controlled. These two were effective in making the Pakistani youths force the other survivors into gathering up and disposing of the leaflets. What they couldn't do however, was stop the Pakistani teenagers from reading the message on the leaflets or stop the doubt from creeping into the minds of these youngsters. The two adults were miles apart from each other, but their emotions were very similar. They were unnerved by the way the teenagers were all looking at them, even their so-called Muslim troops. It took all of their belief in their cause to keep them focussed on maintaining order. ------- When Jamie and the girls landed at Dreghorn he immediately sought out Lee Chan. He had already asked Stuart his opinion about the e-mail from Kalif and now he wanted to hear the views of the self proclaimed strategist. Lee urged caution, as had Stuart. He suggested Jamie respond to the e-mails by setting up a rendezvous, somewhere out in the open where no traps could be sprung. Jamie nodded his agreement. That had been what he was leaning towards himself, much as he had done with the first survivors he had picked up in the Lynx. He explained to Lee about the second leaflet drop and showed him a copy of the text. He was surprised by how Lee reacted. "This is good, but it needs to be backed up by another major success to make sure it works," said the Chinese boy. "What do you mean?" asked Jamie. "Well, you're claiming here that it's all over, that the terrorists are defeated. I think you need to demonstrate that somehow. If you manage that, then resistance will crumble amongst the Pakistani teenagers. You see, their role in all of this has been fuelled by the machismo of their culture. Muslim men are macho, tough and the terrorists gave them the opportunity of lording it over the white Scots, people who have looked down on them up until now," Lee said. "I think that's a bit strong," said Jamie. "What, you don't think there is any racism in Scotland?" asked Lee, "I'm of Chinese origin and before the virus attack I can tell you that I felt like an outsider." Jamie was brought up short. Was Lee right? Was there racism amongst his fellow Scots? He found the thought unpleasant, but if Lee was so adamant that he had felt it then he guessed it must be true. He made a mental note to try and address that in his role as King of Scots. "Let's get back to this idea of a demonstration. Do you have any ideas in mind?" he asked. "Yes. I go back to Sun Tzu and his teachings. Don't try and cut off the many limbs of the beast, for it will only grow new ones. No, cut off the beast's head, for therein lies the path to victory," Lee quoted. Jamie looked at the other boy and it was clear he didn't understand what Lee was getting at. "You need to take out the terrorist leaders, your Grace," Lee explained. Jamie frowned as he heard another of his friends lapse into calling him 'your Grace'. "Great, and how do you propose we do that?" he asked. "We know where the leaders' safe house is, the Pakistani boy told us before he was executed. So we isolate them and then assault the base and take them out. It would be best if we could actually capture it all on film so we could put that on the Internet. That would guarantee the maximum impact," said Lee. "And how exactly do we go about isolating them?" Jamie questioned. "The normal way Sun Tzu describes in the Art of War is to cut off their communications to their troops," replied Lee. Lee's words sparked something to make a connection in Jamie's head. "Of course!" he cried. "What is it your Grace?" "Is Sinky still around?" Jamie asked, ignoring Lee's question. "Yes, I saw him earlier. Do we need him?" "Get someone to find him and bring him here as quickly as possible," Jamie said. Less than ten minutes later the former 'spy' in the Herriot-Watt campus appeared and he had hardly taken his seat before Jamie was launching a question at him, clearly excited by something. "Sinky, how did the terrorists communicate with each other?" he demanded to know. "Mobile phones, your Grace," Sinky replied, showing that he too had learned the proper form of address to his King. "I knew it!" Jamie shouted. Both Lee and Sinky were by now a little bemused at Jamie's antics. "What is this thing that you know, your Grace?" asked Lee. Jamie realised he was not explaining himself. "President Bush sent me a message. He said that we had defeated the terrorists in Glasgow, but not in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and London. It struck me as odd that he was so specific, that he seemed to know so much about the terrorists and where they were. A pound to a penny the Americans have taken over GCHQ in Cheltenham and are listening in to the mobile phone networks! Everybody knows just how easy it is to eavesdrop on mobile phone conversations!" Jamie said triumphantly. "Okay, I can see some logic to that your Grace, but how does it help us?" asked Lee. "You've just said that we need to isolate the leaders from their troops. Don't you see? If we take out the mobile phone masts then they won't be able to speak to each other," Jamie said excitedly. "Granted that would work, but how in the hell are we going to be able to find all of the masts?" Lee asked. "The good old Internet. There are so many pressure groups campaigning to have masts removed because of fears about what they're doing to people's health. I'll bet there are web sites that list exactly where the masts are. All we need to do is google and we'll find them," said Jamie. "Brilliant!" said Lee. "Can I leave that in your capable hands?" asked Jamie, "it's time I was somewhere else." "Consider it done, your Grace," Lee replied. ------- Lieutenant Carson had been called forward by one of his sergeants to the Faslane base's gates. He had double-timed across the base, but came up short when he saw what was heading through the gates toward him. There in front of him were three FV432 British Army APCs and behind them were over a hundred armed teenagers. The Lieutenant snapped out of his daze and leapt into the gun emplacement that his men had established to cover the gates. "Who the fuck are they marine!" he screamed at the nearest man. "Sir, I don't know sir!" the man replied. Carson watched as the force passed through the gates and then stopped. The rear doors of the APCs opened and more teenagers piled out to join those who had been walking behind the armoured vehicles. The Lieutenant estimated there to be about one hundred and fifty armed teenagers in front of him. He was trying to assess their capability when he saw a white flag being waved and then, incredibly, all of the teenagers laid down their weapons and began to walk forward. Carson had never seen such a thing; his officer training at Quantico hadn't covered this. As they moved steadily forward, the numbers of teenagers began to concern him and he called out for them to halt. "Stay right where you are!" he shouted, "do not come any closer. We are armed United States marines and we will fire." Stuart gulped. He stopped, the white flag he was carrying fluttering above his head and he prayed that Jamie had calculated correctly that the US troops wouldn't fire on them. Pulling his shoulders back and wincing at the little lance of pain from his wound, he began pacing forward once more. The other teenagers around him took their lead from his actions and all began to walk towards the gun emplacement as well. "I am the representative of the King of Scots!" Stuart shouted out, hoping this would do him some good. Lieutenant Carson heard his words and knew they just made his judgement call even more difficult. He could see the men in the gun emplacement around him fidgeting nervously, waiting for an order. Perhaps the knowledge that the Scots King had already been shot down swayed him. Perhaps it was the fact that they were only teenagers and they had laid down their weapons. Whatever, the combination of factors led him to make a decision and he called out to his men. "Safe your weapons, do not fire. I repeat make your weapons safe!" Carson stood to watch the teenagers cover the last fifty metres before they stood in front of the marine's gun emplacement. "I welcome you to Scotland on behalf of his Grace, King James VIII," said Stuart, a little breathlessly. "Lieutenant Carson, United States Marine Corps. What can I do for you today?" "Actually, we're here to do something for you," Stuart replied. "Oh yeah, and what might that be?" Carson asked. "His Grace has ordered us to relieve you so that you can return to your ship. We are to take over guarding the Trident missiles," Stuart said. "Like hell you are!" snapped Lieutenant Carson. "I'm being serious sir, the King has asked me to thank you and the US military for helping to initially secure the base, but he is quite clear that we will now take over," Stuart replied, his voice almost cracking with the strain. Before Carson could fire off another retort, they all heard the noise of a helicopter and looked eastward to pick out the approach of a single Lynx. "Ah, I believe that must be his Grace now," Stuart said with some relief that he was going to be able to let Jamie handle this. Nobody spoke for the next ten minutes or so while Jamie landed the Lynx and shut her systems down. He hopped out of the helicopter, followed by the girls and walked over towards Stuart and the Lieutenant. "Your Grace, may I present Lieutenant Carson of the United States Marine Corps?" said Stuart. Jamie had read enough books and watched enough movies to know just the opening that was required here. "Semper Fi Lieutenant, I'm glad to make your acquaintance." "Ooh Rah!" replied several marines behind Carson automatically. "I really appreciate you and your men doing all the hard work for us and I'm a little embarrassed to arrive so late in the day," Jamie now added. The Lieutenant was well aware that Jamie had been over Faslane in his Lynx when the terrorists first arrived and that he was therefore now soft-soaping him. Carson's problem was that he had never been faced with a monarch before and he was really at a loss as to what to do. Like most military men, when faced with difficult or out of the ordinary situations, he fell back on what he knew, he followed his orders. "Your ah representative was just suggesting that you want us to leave, err, your Majesty. I have to tell you sir that my orders are to remain here and keep the missiles on this base away from all parties," Carson said. "In Scotland we use the honorific 'your Grace' Lieutenant. Scots Kings have never claimed majesty, merely that we are by the grace of god King. I realise you have your orders and I certainly wouldn't want to see you and your men in trouble, but I suggest you need to contact someone higher up your chain of command who can give you new orders, because you will be leaving this base. Stuart have your men move up to the missile store please," said Jamie. "Now hold it right there!" Carson yelled. "What seems to be the problem Lieutenant?" Jamie asked calmly. "You have no authority to approach those missiles sir!" Carson said. "I beg to disagree Lieutenant. What greater authority could there be, but to be King of the country that the missiles belong to. I am the King of Scots," Jamie said conversationally. "Sir, I don't care if you're the Queen of fucking Sheba, I take my orders from the Commander in Chief, the President of the United States and you will not approach those missiles!" The loud snick of the safety being removed from one hundred and fifty browning pistols brought the Lieutenant up short. "I really don't think you should talk to our monarch like that Lieutenant. As you can see, it gets the natives a little restless," said Stuart. The teenagers moved forward and disarmed the marines. Jamie then led the way toward the missile store, telling Stuart to keep the white flag waving. It was clear the marines around the storage facility were unsure of what to do. They could see their officer with Jamie, along with the marines who had been manning the gun emplacement. "Shoot the bastards!" shouted Lieutenant Carson. "I really don't think you want to do that guys!" Jamie shouted back. "I'm the King of Scots and I rather fancy your President would have something to say if you were to kill me." Lieutenant Carson realised the truth in Jamie's words and immediately acted to belay his previous order. "He's right. Make your weapons safe!" he called out. Jamie, Stuart, the girls and the other teenagers moved forward to enter the missile store. "Lieutenant, I suggest you contact base and ask for some transport out of here," said Jamie. Carson wasn't happy, but he was also keen to avoid a major incident. The thing he wanted most at that moment in time was exactly what Jamie was offering him, the chance to speak to someone higher up the food chain. It took some time, but eventually communications between the Stennis and even higher up the chain of command led to Carson being ordered to relinquish his duty of guarding the missiles. "I'm glad someone's seeing sense," Jamie said as Lieutenant Carson confirmed that a helicopter was on its way to pick up him and his men. A much more relaxed atmosphere broke out after that and the teenagers moved amongst the marines, acting much more their age and asking all kinds of questions of the veterans - where they had served, what action they had seen and whether they had killed anybody. ------- The SF Captain sat beside five of his ODA in the belly of the Blackhawk that was taking them into the heart of London. His WO1, together with the other half of his team was in the second Blackhawk that flew alongside his. They had barely managed an hour on board the Stennis before they were airborne once more and heading out on their latest mission. "At least this is a real mission," he thought to himself, "not guarding some fucking missiles." The pilots of the Blackhawks and the gunners, including Gunny Kazinski, were alert for any sign of danger on the ground as they brought the birds in to land in Hyde Park. The helicopters barely touched down before the Green Berets were out and into cover to allow the birds to lift off and get out of any potential danger. The Captain checked his map out of habit. He had memorised the route they would take and didn't need the map, but old habits die hard. He gave a hand signal and one of his troopers took the point and began to lead them through the park towards Mayfair and beyond that, Soho. They took their time, moving cautiously, as there were a small number of vehicles moving about. An hour later they were approaching their target, Berwick Street. The Captain waved them past and onto Wardour Street, the next street east and then they silently flitted through the houses until they entered a building from the rear, directly opposite the one they were interested in. Across Berwick Street, Shafiq and her cell were oblivious to the danger that had just moved into the neighbourhood. ------- Chapter 34: The tiptoe boys At the Faslane naval base, Jamie was scratching his head as he tried to weigh up the pros and cons of a new situation. The skills audit at Fort William had turned up seven teenagers who claimed to be fairly experienced with large pleasure boats. Each had had a father who was nuts about boats (and other large boy's toys) and the teenagers had spent a fair amount of time learning how to pilot and navigate the craft. When Jamie had asked Stuart where the skilled teenagers were, he had been directed further into the naval base to a dock where four Sandown class minehunters were berthed. The teenagers were swarming all over one of the vessels, pointing out various aspects to their friends and claiming they could sail the vessel easily enough. Hearing the claims, Jamie wondered if they were just bravado or if the boys really could handle the ships. They were relatively small in navy terms, just over fifty metres long. If the teenagers could pilot them, they might prove to be very useful in helping the adults who were out in the middle of the Atlantic, possibly about to be overtaken by horrible weather. His original reason for identifying these teenagers had been to try and find someone who would be able to use the radio equipment at Faslane to make contact with the expats. Now he was faced with another decision. Could they man the ships? What if they got into difficulty once they put to sea? What if the ships malfunctioned? Was it worth taking the chance of putting teenagers at risk to try and safeguard some of the adults in small boats? He came to the conclusion that it was worth taking the gamble. The teenagers seemed very confident in their abilities and Jamie had seen some of the US news coverage showing just how small some of the boats being used were. He didn't fancy their chances in the weather that was forecast. As King, he had a responsibility to try and look to the safety of all of his subjects. Jamie called to the teenagers and questioned them closely, satisfying himself that they were at least willing to make an attempt at sailing the minehunters. He asked what they needed and was told that more hands were required. It was agreed that they would take out one of the ships into the Firth of Clyde and see whether they could handle her. If that was successful, they would split the experienced teens between two ships and take them out to try and pick up some of the adults. Volunteers to help man the ships were plentiful, the survivors seeing this as something of an adventure not to be missed. Jamie watched as the lines were cast off and the first ship, HMS Blyth edged away from the dock and into open water. It certainly appeared as if the teenagers knew what they were doing and Jamie smiled as he saw the ship pick up speed as it moved further into the Firth. He had kept one of the seven teenagers ashore, the one who claimed to know most about ship to ship and shore to ship radios. When they made their way to the radio control room, the youngster took a few minutes to examine the huge array of equipment before seating himself and donning a pair of headphones. "I don't know what most of this stuff is for, but I recognise the basic stuff," the teenager said. Jamie was impressed as he watched the boy set himself up to begin to transmit. "What do you want to tell them your Grace?" he was asked. "Tell them to make for Faslane in the first instance. Let them know that I am concerned for their safety if they try and make landfall anywhere else. I'm not sure what information they'll be picking up so warn them that there is a big storm catching up with them from the west," Jamie replied. ------- The US SF team spent most of the afternoon and evening watching the building opposite. The street was quiet and there was no sign of movement. However, they had concluded which apartment the terrorists were using. The 'give-away' were the heavy curtains covering each of the windows to ensure no light could be seen from the outside. Now, as darkness fell, the ODA was moving further up Wardour Street before doubling back down Berwick Street and quietly entering the apartment building next door to their target. The Captain located the apartment that was directly adjacent to the one he believed the terrorists were in and his men set about their pre-arranged tasks. First, all of the furniture was moved silently away from the wall that was shared with the other apartment. A mirror was removed from the wall and carefully set aside. One of the team produced a razor sharp box cutter and made a deep cut in the wall at head height. The construction was modern and the skin of the wall was made from sheetrock, perhaps a quarter of an inch thick, tacked on to wood strapping. The box cutter sliced through the sheetrock easily and the sergeant soon had the panel completely cut out to expose the wooden frame and the brickwork it was attached to. Silence was essential. Even the slightest noise might be picked up by the terrorists on the other side of this wall. The Captain and most of the squad were sitting on the floor while they watched their colleague working away steadily. The sergeant pulled a hand drill out of a bag and very slowly began to bore into the mortar between two of the bricks. The need for quiet made it a slow and laborious job, but half an hour later he was able to gently wiggle the brick free and remove it from the wall, exposing a second layer of brickwork behind the first. The going was easier and quicker now that the wall had been breached. The pile of removed bricks grew steadily until a hole big enough for a man to pass through was created. The sergeant took a rest and another man took his place to begin to work on the second layer. The deconstruction continued all through the night and most of the next morning, until only the thin layer of sheetrock stood between the squad and the terrorists in the apartment next door. The communications expert on the team now moved forward. He too used a hand drill to bore a tiny hole near the floor. He set up a screen and then directed a thin filament camera into the hole. The camera had a fish-eye lens and the squad was able to see the weird, distorted image of the room in the other apartment on the little screen. The screen was monitored for another two hours until the ODA were sure there were only four tangos in the apartment. The Captain's job was made much easier by the fact that only one of the terrorists was female. Twenty minutes later and all four of the tangos were in the room. The squad formed up and the Captain tapped the point man on his helmet to tell him to go. The Master Sergeant punched his fist through the sheetrock and deposited a stun grenade. He stepped back and to the side to protect himself from the blast and then launched himself through the plasterboard and into the room. The Master Sergeant dropped to one knee as his Uzi spit slugs into the terrorist on his left. The squad member who had followed closely behind him dropped to his knee also and took out the dazed tango on the right. Another two members of the squad leapt through the hole in the wall and both pointed their mini Uzis at the last remaining man in the room. Numerous 9mm parabellum rounds tore into his body at close range and his dazedness turned to death in seconds. A fifth team member jumped on Shafiq and pushed her face down on the carpet. Plastic ties were used to secure her wrists behind her back. A fifth tango who had been sleeping for the past few hours and had been missed by the squad in their calculations, now burst into the room and loosed of several rounds from his Browning handgun. Three Uzis swung toward him and he was riddled with lead within seconds. One of the rounds fired by the terrorist had found its mark however, and the man who had tied Shafiq was rolling on the floor clutching his upper arm. The first two men into the room now moved forward, checked the tango in the doorway, stepped over him and then began to check the other rooms to make sure there were no more terrorists to deal with. The team's communications man was already calling in their pick-up bird and the rest of the squad now joined their colleagues. Shafiq was hoisted over one man's shoulder, as they all made their way to the roof of the apartment building to wait for the Blackhawks to come and get them. First aid was administered to the wounded trooper. A tourniquet was tied to slow the flow of blood and a field dressing applied, but he refused a morphine injection. The Captain was relatively pleased with how it had gone. His orders had been to capture the female alive and bring her out and that's what they had done. Apart from the one man wounded it had been textbook stuff. ------- 09:10, 3 September Jamie was pleased with how things had gone the day before. There were now two minehunters steaming out into the Atlantic to render whatever assistance they could to those coming from the US and Canada. They had also managed to make contact with nineteen different boats to pass on the message to make for Faslane. When he had checked his mail later on he had found a message from Captain Mexford and he had responded to that by suggesting the HMS Vengeance also make for the naval base. His videoconference with the Ambassadors revealed the fact that the Canadian Prime Minister had changed his position with regard to expatriates too, adopting the same stance as the US President. Jamie was now sure that if he could rid Scotland of terrorists there would be no excuses left for the leaders of both countries. His e-mail had also contained messages from the last two remaining terrorist camps in Glasgow, alerting Jamie to the fact that the survivors there had accepted the surrender of the Pakistani teenagers who had been guarding them. That left only two more camps, both in Edinburgh to deal with. Jamie had left Stuart to command the teenagers at Faslane and had returned to Dreghorn to see how things were progressing there. Lee Chan advised him that his idea about searching the Internet had worked perfectly and all of the mobile phone masts had been identified. Lee wanted to know when Jamie wanted to make his move against the terrorist safe house? In response, Jamie asked whether Lee had the house under observation. "Sure, I've had a team watching both front and rear for the past twenty four hours," Lee answered. "How many are in there, do we know?" Jamie asked. "We think there are six," Lee replied "How many masts?" he wanted to know next. "We have six to deal with and I have men stationed at each one," Lee advised. "Okay, are the guys from the team that liberated Herriot-Watt ready to go?" Jamie asked. "They're ready and I'll fill in for Stuart," said Lee. The team loaded up into four jeeps this time so they could take the additional weaponry that Jamie had decided would be needed. He kissed the girls and joined his team in the lead jeep as they pulled out of the barracks. The little convoy made its way down through Edinburgh's streets, eventually along South Bridge, North Bridge and then along Princes Street to the West End. They passed the private hospital and the zoo until they came to Clermiston Road. The hill here was a steep one and they climbed up to its brow before then heading down an equally steep gradient to Queensferry Road. Two of the jeeps pulled over and into the driveway of one of the large detached houses here while Jamie and the other jeep turned into Parkgrove Street where they parked in another driveway. The safe house was on Clermiston Avenue and Lee had a team in the house opposite keeping it under observation. Radio contact confirmed that the numbers in the house had remained as they were before. Jamie and Lee crept forward to have a look at their target. The house was like all the others in the street - a solid detached affair with two windows upstairs and two downstairs, all of them bay windows. The windows all had their curtains drawn and they couldn't see inside. Instead they crawled back to where their team waited. "Okay, take the masts down and tell the guys in the house opposite to keep their camera rolling," ordered Jamie. Lee turned to one of his team with the radio and passed on the orders. At six different locations around the city, the power to the mobile phone antennae was cut, leaving the whole of Edinburgh as a reception black spot. Jamie signalled to the four men tasked with starting the assault and watched as they crept forward to get into place. He checked through his throat mic to make sure the men at the rear of the safe house were in place and gave the order to go. "This is team leader, start the assault on my mark. Three, two, one. Go! Go! Go!" The four team members lying prone behind the small garden wall that fronted the house, sat up and raised their Javelins to their shoulders. At such a short range they couldn't miss the windows and an anti-tank missile crashed through each of them to devastating effect. The same was happening at the rear of the property. Once they had fired, the teenagers dropped back below the wall to avoid any debris when the missiles exploded and to escape the blasts. The explosions rocked the very foundations of the house and pieces of brick and glass scattered everywhere. As it settled, the Javelin launchers were discarded and Jamie and Lee led the members of their teams into the wrecked house. They burst through the front door with Jamie screaming what they were doing into his mic so the members of his squad at the back didn't mistake them for tangos. The house was already beginning to burn and it only took a cursory look into each room to confirm there was no one left alive. Jamie counted two adults and four teenagers, or at least what was left of them following the devastation the missiles had caused. With the fires really starting to take hold, he knew they were in danger and ordered his team to evacuate the house. Jamie knew that the video of the attack would make for spectacular viewing and he wanted to get it onto the SIS web site as quickly as possible. He hoped the remaining terrorists would recognise the safe house of their leader and know that the game was all but over. There was no way Jamie could know that he had actually taken out the leaders of both the Glasgow and the Edinburgh cells in the one attack. As they loaded back up into the jeeps his hands began to shake uncontrollably in a delayed reaction to the situation he had been in. He tucked them under his legs as he sat down in the front seat so that none of the others would see just how badly affected he was. By the time they arrived back at the barracks, his little attack of nerves had passed and he was able to oversee the conversion of the footage from the attack and load it onto his laptop. Opening up his Dreamweaver software, he uploaded the footage to the web site and made another entry in his blog to describe what the film showed. ------- The opinion of the Supreme Court was posted on their web site and picked up by the US media. The talking heads quickly focussed on the President's broadcast and how it had neatly pre-empted the Supreme Court's judgements. "It's been some time since the Administration got things so right," said one analyst, "if we didn't know better it would almost look as if they had prior warning of how the Supreme Court was going to go." "I don't think it was that hard to see how the Court would shake out and I think it made sense for the President to get his retaliation in first. You know, he does have some fine brains working for him," said another, unknowingly taking the potential heat off of the Chief Justice. ------- As Jamie had suspected, all of the remaining terrorists clearly recognised their leader's safe-house on the film on the SIS web site. They were in absolutely no doubt that they were now very much on their own. At one of the sites, the Pakistani teenagers turned on the member of Nasser's cell that remained with him, five of them gunning him down before then laying down their own weapons and leaving the camp to try and lose themselves in the city. They didn't quite trust Jamie's word that they wouldn't be executed and decided to take their chances going it alone. ------- After his nightly videoconference with the Ambassadors, Jamie checked his e-mail one last time before heading to bed. He was elated to find a message from a survivor in one of the last two remaining camps where terrorists were holding people captive. The e-mail made it clear that the camp had now been liberated, the final act being the gunning down of the adult fanatic by some of the Pakistani teenagers. Highlander You were right, it's all over. Tonight when I checked the SIS web site I saw the video of the attack on the terrorists' safe house. Awesome! Absolutely awesome man. Of course I had to let everybody else see it and when I saw the blood drain from the faces of the hard core I knew you had hit the right place. Seeing their base go up must have tipped some of our Pakistani friends over the edge because less than an hour ago, five of them shot the adult guy dead and then dropped their weapons and left. They've been holding us at the Western General Hospital, but now I can say it - we're free! It's a great feeling to have made it through the past few weeks and there is a massive party going on right now. We plan to stay here until we receive some kind of instructions from you on what to do next. The free Scotsmen (and women) at WGH Jamie smiled to himself in satisfaction. With this camp now liberated there was only one site remaining before all of Scotland was tango free. It might well have been the fact that he was caught up in the moment or maybe he was tired, as he made a serious mistake at that point. Calling up the correct software, he made another entry in the blog on the 'Surviving in Scotland' web site. Jamie wanted everyone to know just how close they were to cleaning up the last of the terrorists. The last remaining camp was at the Mary Erskine/Stewart's Melville private schools, which shared a large campus and he let the world know that that was all that stood between Scotland and the return of the expatriates from the US and Canada. The message on the blog was picked up by the survivors in the last camp within minutes of it being posted. Teenagers being teenagers, they saw the situation as being a challenge to them. There was no way they could remain captive while everyone else was free. Rather than wait sensibly for Jamie's psychological attacks to have their full effect, the teenagers decided it was time to act. The weapons they used for shooting drills were all locked up, but they armed themselves with a mixture of clubs from the sports department of the school - baseball bats, cricket bats and hockey sticks, as well as knives from the kitchens. The last remaining adult, Masood, had also seen the blog update and thought it spelled nothing but trouble for him and the Pakistani teens who were still loyal to him. Despite seeing the safe house being blown to pieces, Masood was fanatical and enough of a persuasive character to keep his teenaged supporters from giving in. Now he roused the boys and gave them orders to prepare themselves for anything. He explained the SIS blog entry and his belief that it might prove to be the spark that led to the people they were holding captive trying to do something. He had thirty-one Pakistani youths at his command and he sent twelve of them to barricade themselves in at the weapons store. "Shoot anyone who tries to approach, unless they say 'Bird Song'," he told them. The teenagers scurried off into the night, their own SA80s at the ready. Masood then spread his remaining nineteen throughout the accommodation block they had taken over. This block was where the private schools' teaching staff would have lived and it was probably too big to try and defend with only himself and nineteen others. He took comfort from the fact that any potential opponents were unlikely to be armed and they were just kids after all. They would probably run and hide when the first shot was fired. By now the crowd intent on liberating themselves had grown to nearly sixty boys and girls. The ringleaders knew that they had to have better weapons and were intent on leading the crowd over to the English Department where they picked up their rifles each day for drills. As the crowd rounded the corner of the building, rifle fire rained down on them without warning and several teenagers screamed as they crumpled to the ground. They scattered, some dropping down where they were, others rushing back the way they had come, but a group of around fifteen or so charged forward. The others, seeing their friends run straight towards where the firing was coming from, took heart and rallied. More teenagers took hits and fell writhing to the ground, but some made it to the doors of the English department and inside. The Pakistani teenagers were now nervous. They knew people had made it into the building and their attention was split between watching more survivors streaming towards them and worrying about being taken by those now behind them. As a consequence, more people made it to the doors without being shot and soon there was a group of thirty moving through the school. ------- The Mary Erskine/Stewart's Melville campus was only a mile and a half away from where the terrorist leader's safe-house was and Jamie had left the team in place to observe the remains of the now burnt out building. It was just possible that others would make their way there and the team had been left as a precaution in the hope of picking up other terrorists. Now the team heard the sounds of distant gunfire and knew something was happening. They radioed their intelligence in to the Dreghorn barracks. Jamie came awake to the sound of pounding on the door of the room he and the girls were sleeping in. He snapped up and hastily pulled on some trousers before opening the door to find Lee Chan in a state of some agitation. "The observation team back at Clermiston Avenue have radioed in to say they can hear lots of gunfire. We both know the last remaining camp is only a short distance away from there and I'm worried that the terrorists are killing the survivors," Lee blurted out. "Round up as many of the assault team as you can find. Tell them to pick up some more Javelins and meet me at the Lynx," Jamie replied. He dashed back into the room and finished dressing, quickly telling the girls what was going on. He stooped to give each of them a kiss and ran from the room, buckling his Kevlar vest in place as he moved. Night flying had been something he had been keen to avoid, but this situation sounded as if it was serious and something he needed to check out. Jamie decided he had to take the risk. Lee had managed to round up seven of the assault team and all of them crowded into the Lynx, two Javelin anti-tank launchers with them. Jamie took the helicopter up for the very short flight across Edinburgh and within minutes he was over the school campus. He used the powerful landing lights to pick out the rugby pitch and brought the Lynx down carefully. It was easy to tell where the action was taking place, as there was still gunfire sounding sporadically. Jamie and Lee led the others towards the noise at the run. He moaned in distress when they rounded the corner to see many teenagers lying prone on the ground. It was clear that they had paid a heavy price for storming the building in front of them. ------- The Pakistani teenagers who were on the ground floor of the English Department possibly suffered the worst fate. None of the survivors attacking them had weapons as yet and although they did manage to fire their rifles as they were overrun, they were basically clubbed and stabbed to death. The killing frenzy of the survivors was cranked up by the knowledge that many of their friends had been gunned down in cold blood and they didn't stop beating the Pakistanis until they were bloody pulps. Thereafter the survivors armed themselves and systematically scoured the building, leaving none of the Pakistani youths alive. By the time Jamie and his squad entered the block it was just coming to and end. "Have you got all of them?" Jamie demanded. "Who the fuck are you?" replied one of the now armed teenagers. "He's King James, now answer him!" shot back Lee. The youth gulped and looked a bit sheepish. "This is where the weapons are stored, but we think the leader and more of these Pakistanis are holed out in the block they normally sleep in," the now embarrassed teen responded. "Shit! Get some of your guys to keep firing out of the windows into the air," said Jamie quickly. "What for?" asked another survivor. "Because if the others hear the fighting stop they'll know you've reached the weapons and will be going after them next. We need to keep them off balance for a little longer by getting them to think the battle is still going on here," Jamie replied. A light went on as realisation dawned and half a dozen teenagers immediately began to fire volleys out of the windows of the English Department while others now streamed forward to arm themselves. Jamie, Lee and the relatively experienced squad then took point and began to move stealthily in the direction they were told the rest of the terrorists were. Jamie turned to see a large crowd following them. "What are you doing?" he asked. "We're going to finish what we started," said another of the ringleaders. "Look, I really appreciate the sacrifice that you've already made, but there's a better way to do this. A school this big must have a first aid centre. Why don't you do what you can for the injured and leave this last bit to us?" Jamie suggested. When he received grudging agreement he led his squad forward again. "Okay, I want four of you to get round there and cover the rear. Take rifles rather than the MP5s, as I don't want you in too close. You two, once they're in position I want you to light up the building with your Javelins then stand off and let Lee and I at them with the Lynx," ordered Jamie. Leaving his squad to get in place, Jamie and Lee raced back to the Lynx and readied themselves for the assault, indeed for what Jamie hoped was the last assault on Scottish soil. By the time the Lynx was in the air the squad on the ground were in place and they could clearly see the two Javelins streaking towards the accommodation block. The explosions shook the building and fires began immediately. Jamie steadied the helicopter to give Lee a good firing platform and the TOWs were fired one after the other. Lee guided the missiles to different points on the block and it was soon fully ablaze. On the ground, the seven squad members covered the front and rear, waiting for any of the terrorists who tried to escape the accommodation block. Two managed to get out and tried to make a break at the rear, only to be taken down quickly. It seemed as if it was all over until the front door burst open and a gruesome sight emerged. Masood was nothing if not fanatical and despite the fact that his clothing and even his hair were ablaze, he staggered out of the door, his weapon firing as he moved forward. The three squad members at the front of the accommodation paused momentarily, stunned by the apparition facing them. When the fiery Masood reached the bottom of the steps they snapped out of their daze and brought their weapons to bear, all three of them hitting the terrorist repeatedly. Still Masood managed to stager forward a few more paces before he fell face down and was still. When Jamie and Lee managed to land and make their way back to the English Department, the dead bodies were being lined up while the injured were being carried away to be given at least basic treatment. "How many dead?" Jamie asked someone who seemed to be directing things. "Thirty six so far," was the answer. Jamie vowed to himself then and there that he would see a memorial erected to commemorate the bravery of all of these teenagers. He was yet to find out that it had been his blog entry that had sparked the ill-fated assault in the first place and when he did he would feel the weight of guilt on his shoulders. As it was, his joy at seeing Scotland fully liberated was tempered by the losses. ------- Chapter 35: The law of unintended consequences As the men of the 7th SFG burst through the wall of the apartment in Berwick Street, the NSA technicians at GCHQ in Cheltenham registered a call from the location on a mobile phone. The call was connected to another source they had been monitoring, this one in Liverpool and suspected of being another terrorist cell. "Hello?" "There is no time, this is Bird Song. The Americans are here; they're in the apartment. It is time for 'apocalypse'. Let the others know." The connection was broken and the technicians looked at each other. All branches of the US security services worked on a strict 'need to know' basis, but it didn't take a lot of intelligence for the technicians to guess what was going on at that moment in London. The London site was the only one they had managed to pinpoint up until now and the very short mobile message they had just heard confirmed that the intelligence they had gathered was being acted upon. They relayed the latest recording off to Fort Meade and discussed its significance. "I guess our guys are taking care of some of the baddies?" said one of the technicians. "Sounds like it, I hope they give 'em hell. The phone call was certainly short and sweet. What do you think he meant - 'it's time for apocalypse'?" "I don't know but it didn't sound good." ------- The electronic 'take' from Cheltenham was processed very quickly at Fort Meade. In the post apocalypse world there wasn't a great deal of intelligence to analyse - mainly satellite imagery - and a team of NSA specialist had been dedicated to this task. It was a similar story at the CIA in Langley and for that reason, analysis reached the White House in record times. Stephen Hadley, The President's National Security Advisor, had the best guess analysis from both the NSA and the CIA within two hours of the mobile call having been made. He sat at his desk thinking, considering what he should tell POTUS. Hadley was of course well aware of the President's orders to 'lift' the apparent leader of the terrorists before the expatriates and the seamen from HMS Vengeance had time to reach the UK and the US had to withdraw its forces altogether. Now looking at the intelligence brief it seemed clear that the President's order and the action it had set in train might well lead to unintended consequences. If he read the language correctly, the message from the London cell was to begin to kill the remaining survivors rather than the plan that seemed to have been in operation up until then. Hadley was well briefed on the scenario where the terrorists were trying to convert survivors with the hope of creating an Islamic state in the UK. Now it appeared as if that plan was about to be dropped in favour of the fanatic Islamic fundamentalists indulging themselves in an orgy of teenage blood. Hadley made his decision and stood to make his way to the Oval Office. He passed through the various secret service checkpoints and was admitted with quiet efficiency. POTUS was behind his desk, wading through a pile of papers that were set in front of him. He looked up as the door to his office opened and raised an eyebrow at his National Security Advisor. As is often the case in these circumstances, when a subordinate is the bearer of bad news to a senior figure, Hadley wanted to try in some way to make his own task easier. For that reason he didn't immediately alert the President to the mobile phone call and its possible significance, instead he reported on the success of the raid to capture the head of the terrorists. "Mr President, a squad from the 7th Special Forces Group made an assault on the terrorist stronghold in London just over two hours ago. It would appear that the assault went well and the woman code named 'Bird Song' should even now be on one of USS Stennis's long range aircraft and on her way here. Only one casualty sir, one of the troopers took a round in his arm, but it's not serious and he should make a full recovery," reported Hadley. The President grinned widely, already thinking about the publicity he would be able to generate by putting the terrorist leader on display for the media. "That's great Stephen. Set it up so that I get to meet the team who made the assault at some point and I'd like a ceremony here at the White House to recognise the trooper who was wounded," said POTUS. "Ahhm, there is just one other small matter sir. Our technicians at Cheltenham picked up a mobile phone message from the apartment just as the assault was taking place. Here's what our analysts are making of it," said Hadley, handing over the brief he carried with him. With years of practice, the President quickly skimmed the intelligence brief and then handed it back to his advisor. "What am I supposed to make of that Stephen?" he asked. "Well sir, the analysts believe the call might well be a coded phrase that signifies a change in the terrorists' policy," replied Hadley. "Spell it out for me Stephen," the President ordered, his face losing its grin. "Ah sir, the message gives every indication of an order to begin to kill off the surviving teenagers throughout the country. It would seem as if our action to take out the leadership is something they have planned for and like all good fanatics they want to go out with a bang," said the National Security Advisor. "And what advice does the NSA and CIA have for me at this time Stephen?" POTUS asked, making the man in front of him squirm. "We are suggesting putting troops on the ground in each of the cities where we have registered mobile phone traffic between the terrorists sir. We should do everything we can do to avert the massacre of these kids that our assault seems to have kicked off. We should also do what we can to alert people over there that the terrorists might be about to change their tactics. Forewarned is forearmed sir," Hadley replied. "So, you're advising that I make a very public statement that covert operations by American forces seem to have had the unintended consequences of setting off a terrorist killing spree? A killing spree of largely innocent and unprotected children? I don't think so. No, instead I want all of our forces pulled out of the UK. That's what the King of Scots has been asking for and that's what he's going to get. Let's just see how they cope on their own. Anyway, the first of their expatriates should be reaching them soon, so let them fight their own battles, as they have been demanding. So far as we are concerned we were never at Cheltenham," said the President. "But sir, we'd be abandoning them to a bunch of highly trained fanatics. These kids have no way of defending themselves. I think that's morally wrong Mr President, it's certainly not what I signed up for," replied Hadley, amazed at what his superior was suggesting. "Those are my orders Stephen. When this Bird Song character arrives in the US we'll tell the media and the American people that we struck to remove the head of the terrorist organisation to try and help these kids. We will not say anything about knowing the cells up and down the country were in contact with each other or about the last mobile call mentioning the word 'apocalypse'. Am I clear on that?" asked the President, leaning forward so that he invaded Hadley's personal space and his face was thrust into the other man's. "Yes Mr President, you have made yourself perfectly clear," Hadley managed to reply. The National Security Advisor turned and left the Oval Office, his hands shaking with the anger he was feeling at his President's words and actions. The man was nothing but a bully and his orders were sure to condemn many young people in the UK to their deaths. ------- 10:19, 4 September Lee Chan had decided it would be worthwhile recording the aftermath of the battle at the Mary Erskine/Stewart's Melville schools for a number of reasons. It would a very poignant piece of footage recording the last act that resulted in the complete liberation of Scotland and it would be good to get that onto the SIS web site as soon as possible. That might speed up the point at which the US and Canada allowed people to travel. He also thought it would be fitting to pay a tribute to the people who had bravely given their lives in the last battle, to record for posterity what a group of teenagers had sacrificed for their country's freedom. Lee picked out several youngsters who had worked on their school newspapers and armed them with videocameras so they could move amongst those who had lived through events and record their stories. These youngsters were good and their peers were still so much in shock that they held nothing back when they were interviewed. It made for some harrowing descriptions and the scars of their ordeal were already evident on the faces that appeared on camera. Hearing the words haltingly describe how individuals had run towards the gunfire from the English Department, seeing the anguish on the young, innocent faces as they stared into the camera and woodenly told of people dropping to the ground beside them, listening to how they had used bats and sticks to overcome the terrorists, all made for very emotional and traumatic viewing. When Jamie watched the unedited film later that day at the Dreghorn barracks, the full impact of his fatal last blog entry the night before hit home. He listened, as teenager after teenager spelled out that they thought the message from their King was a clear one. They all thought he was urging them to take action to end the occupation of Scotland. They all saw it as a matter of personal pride, felt as if he was telling them they were letting the rest of the country down by being the last ones to be held captive. Time after time the message was clear. It had been Jamie's blog entry that had resulted in the teenagers storming the English Department and so in turn, as Jamie saw it, it was the blog entry that had resulted in so many of the teenagers dying. Tears streamed down his face as he forced himself to sit through all of the footage that had been recorded. The courage and valour of what individuals had done, the inspiration of the first group of fifteen who had continued their charge despite the carnage all around them, were lost to him as he could hear only that he had caused it all. When the last interview was over and Lee turned off the media player, Jamie stood and shuffled disconsolately from the briefing room. Lee saw the desperate look on his monarch's face and stood as if to go after him. "Leave him Lee, he will need to come to terms with this himself," said Laura, understanding immediately what her brother had taken from the film. "But I don't understand. Surely this is something to be proud of? The stories of bravery, what these teenagers achieved, are absolutely remarkable. Shouldn't we be having a celebration that Scotland's free?" he asked. "You obviously didn't see what Jamie saw in those interviews," replied Laura. "He believes he is to blame for the loss of life. Didn't you hear all of them saying that Jamie's blog almost goaded them into action? I'm afraid my brother is suffering from a guilt trip to end all guilt trips." Laura walked across to the window of the room and drew back the blackout curtain. She could see Jamie walking with his head slumped forward, heading in the direction of the Lynx. As she watched, he climbed aboard and seemed to go through his flight checks. Some minutes later the rotors began to turn and then the helicopter lifted up into the air and began to climb. She continued to watch the Lynx as it grew gradually smaller and smaller and then finally was lost from sight. She knew her brother and that meant that she understood that he would need to be allowed to work through this on his own. Laura had no doubt that his sense of duty and responsibility would help him come to the right conclusions. ------- Jamie had no real awareness of what he was doing. He completed the pre-flight checks automatically and had the Lynx in the air without conscious thought about why he had taken it up or where he was going. He returned to his senses to realise that he was over his father's farm and he was taking the Lynx down to land. Shutting the helicopter down, he made his way slowly towards the place where his father and mother lay buried under the ground and sat down beside them. Jamie let his head fall into his hands as he thought back over the various interviews he had sat through on the film. Looking down at where his parent's bodies lay, he couldn't believe so much had happened in the short time since they had succumbed to the virus. "Dad, mom, I have so messed up. If it wasn't for me those guys would probably still be alive. I guess I'm just not cut out for this much responsibility. Scotland is free but at what cost?" he said out loud. He didn't know what he was expecting, why he was talking to his dead parents. It was almost as if he was returning to seek advice from them as he always had when he had been in trouble before. "You couldn't know how the teenagers would interpret your words son. Remember when we spoke about you learning to fly or learning to shoot? What about the time when you were worried about being made captain of the soccer team? We spoke about taking responsibility, but it was responsibility for your own actions, not the actions of others." Jamie could swear his father was speaking to him even though he knew that wasn't possible. "But dad, it's different, I'm King now. People listen to what I say; they do what I tell them to. Last night was my responsibility," Jamie said. "Did you tell them to do what they did? Did you order them to rush the terrorists? Did you even hint at it? Son, people have got to be allowed the freedom to take their own decisions too. Even if you are King, you don't make the decisions on everything for everybody and you certainly don't have the exclusive rights on being a patriot. Those people chose to try and liberate themselves, they chose to fight for their country and yes, their choice resulted in the death of some of them, but that's not down to you." Jamie remained silent as he thought about the words that seemed to come from his father. "Son, think about the decisions you have taken, the orders you have given. I'm so proud of you for what you have achieved, the lives you have undoubtedly saved. Don't try and shoulder responsibility for everything, that's just not possible. Think about the progress you have already made and stay true to the values we taught you. I don't think you'll go far wrong. You've already shown you're a man and we're both really pleased with the way you're turning out. Even these moments of doubt show how much you care for others. Get back out there and lead your people, and son look after your sister." The words certainly helped lift Jamie's spirits. He could see the wisdom in what his father said and realised he was beating himself up too harshly. He wasn't going to stop being concerned about the impact of his actions and indeed would be more careful in future, but at least he could see that he wasn't responsible for what the teenagers had done the night before. "Thanks dad, thanks for being here for me as always. Somehow I knew you would be," he said. Jamie let his hand rest on the soil above his parent's bodies for a minute or two longer then sighed and stood up. Something else was intruding into his consciousness and he tried to focus on what it was. He turned his head from side to side looking and listening until a look of wonderment crossed his face. There, sitting on a branch not fifteen feet away from him sat a solitary Robin, chirping away at him as it cocked its head to the side. Jamie had been sure that all bird life had been snuffed out by the virus and the appearance of this little red-breasted avian was another uplifting moment, a moment to inspire hope for the future. He saluted the bird and made his way back to the Lynx. ------- The terrorist cell in Liverpool had suffered losses very soon after they began to try and round up surviving teenagers. The cause of the losses wasn't a gun battle, but surprisingly rabid dogs. Two of the cell had spotted movement amongst some houses and had left their jeep to investigate. A pack of previously domestic dogs, now wild through hunger, burst from cover and rushed them. Armed only with handguns, they had tried to defend themselves and even managed to kill a few of the pack. The weight of numbers and the ferocity of the attack was telling however, and the men were dragged to the ground and torn to shreds. As a consequence of the death of two out of the cell of six, and the natural caution the remaining members displayed thereafter, their progress in rounding up survivors was much slower than it had been in Scotland. Nonetheless they had managed to capture over three hundred and they had them stashed in a somewhat run down seaside holiday camp. After receiving the coded message from London, the leader of the cell, Shoaib Malik, turned his men loose. The lack of a concrete plan for what they intended probably saved many of the teenagers under their control. The four terrorists left their own accommodation and began to walk through the camp, firing on anybody they came across. The sound of gunfire and the terror of those fleeing from them, soon alerted the other teenagers to what was going on and a mass breakout took place. As it was, they managed to kill eighteen youngsters before they ran out of targets in the camp and then loaded up into a jeep to take their killing spree onto the streets. ------- Jamie arrived back at Dreghorn and the comfort of Laura and the girls. He wasn't long in loading them up and flying them all back to Skibo Castle. Debbie and Christine made themselves scarce, leaving Jamie and Laura alone to finish the job that his imagination and memories of his father had started. "Where did you get to?" Laura asked. "I went to visit mom and dad, where else would I go?" he replied. Laura wrapped him up in a hug. "And did they help?" Laura whispered in his ear. "They've never let me down yet and they didn't this time either," Jamie replied. "Oh? What did they tell you then?" she asked him. "Well, they reminded me that I'm only human and that people have to make their own decisions. Actually, they reminded me of all that we've achieved already and they told me that they were proud of me. Guess what else? I saw a Robin, a real live bird. Isn't that something?" Laura could feel the difference in her brother and she was relieved. Her touches changed from merely comforting to the soft caress of a lover. "Is there anything I can do to help relieve my King's tension?" she giggled. "Sis, you know how I called you Princess on the radio the other day? You do realise that if I'm legally the King of Scots then you are a real Princess?" "Oh, I think I like that idea," she replied, as her hands dropped to cup the cheeks of his rear. Jamie began to get the idea and turned his head to share a kiss with his real life Princess. The kiss deepened and their tongues came out tentatively to explore each other's lips. Laura thrilled when she felt her brother's hands slide up to cup her breasts and begin to stroke them, dwelling on her hardening nipples. She groaned into his mouth and Jamie's heart began to beat faster. Laura backed up until they both tumbled to the bed. Unclothing each other wasn't a rushed affair and each new area of skin that was revealed was subjected to soft, nipping kisses. Their treatment of each other was helping to raise the temperature in the honeymoon suite and by the time they were down to only their underwear; they were both breathing heavily. "Your Grace, would you please lick my little pussy?" Laura asked in a husky voice. "For you Princess, anything," he replied. He kissed down her abdomen and lower to the top of her thighs, pleased when she moaned aloud. His tongue came out to trace and tease the satiny skin at the top of her legs and he let his nose brush over the front of the white panties she was wearing. He could feel the moisture leaking from her already and the smell of her musk filled his nostrils. Jamie let his lips fasten onto the material of her underwear and he sucked the juices into his mouth before hooking a finger under the legband and exposing her pink petals. Laura's legs opened wider to give him better access and her hips thrust upwards to increase the contact between his mouth and her sex. As his tongue extended and licked the length of her slit, circling her clit, she thrust upwards again and urged him to lick her. "More, more your Grace. Use your royal tongue on my pussy, lick me." Jamie obliged and began to take quicker swipes with his tongue, letting it slip into the entrance to her sheath before returning to her clit once again then starting over to repeat his actions. "Yes Jamie, like that, like that," she panted. Unlike some of the stories he had read, Laura didn't reach a screaming orgasm within minutes and he used his tongue on her beautiful sex for more than fifteen minutes before he felt her arousal climbing high enough to signal she was close. "Oh god, yes, yes. Oh god!" Laura moaned. Jamie took her hard little nub between his lips, nipping it with his teeth and swirling his tongue to add to the sensations. "Jamie, Jamie, close, I'm so close bro, just a little more. Pleeeaaasssse!" He lashed her clit mercilessly then and felt her thighs closing to capture his head between them as she screamed her release. "Oh god, yeesss, oh god, aahhhhhhh, yeeessssssss, Jamieeeeeeeeee!" When her thighs relaxed enough to allow him to breathe comfortably again, he planted light kisses on her pussy lips and her over sensitive clit, helping her to come down gently. He was surprised when she regained her own breath and ordered him to mount her immediately. "Jamie, I can't wait. I need you in me now," she pleaded. From their slow and gentle beginnings, things had heated up to the point where Laura couldn't even wait to completely undress. Their coupling was hard and fast, Jamie thrusting into his sister as if his very life depended on it. The passion involved meant that things couldn't last long, and their mutual climax wasn't long delayed. Afterward, lying in each other's arms, they whispered words of their shared love. ------- Chapter 36: The return of the old firm 07:38, 5 September Jamie was completely back to his old self the next morning and in fact had risen early to go for a walk around the Skibo grounds. He listened closely as he went, anxious to hear the sound of any other birds that might have escaped the virus attack, but on this occasion he was disappointed. Returning to the hotel, he proceeded to make a huge breakfast for everybody and it was probably the combined smells of freshly brewing coffee and cooking bacon that brought the girls tumbling out of their beds. By the time Laura, Debbie and Christine made it to the dining room, Jamie had placed plates full of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, sliced haggis and hash browns. He had also found some frozen mushrooms and sautéed them in butter. To round things off he had made several racks of toast and had a huge pot of coffee with UHT milk in a jug. "Oh, I'm absolutely starving," said Laura as she began to fill a plate with breakfast goodies. "Yes, you certainly must have worked up an appetite if the noise coming from your room was anything to go by!" said Debbie with a leer on her face. "Aye, I wonder what they were doing Debbie?" teased Christine. All four of them quietened as the food took up their attention until Laura spoke again. "Do you have any plans for today your Grace?" she asked, this time without a trace of humour at using Jamie's title. "Now don't you start with that!" Jamie replied, giving her a scowl. "Your Grace, you're going to have to get used to it. You are the King of Scots and pretty soon the numbers of subjects you have is going to multiply as the expatriates start to return. I would urge you to take it more seriously and in fact, you should really already be planning what the priorities will be when you suddenly have access to a body of trained men and women. How are you going to begin the re-building?" Laura replied. "First of all I need to convince the US President and the Canadian Prime Minister that it's safe for flights into Scotland to resume," Jamie responded, "but you're right, I haven't given enough thought so far to what the priorities should be. It might be an idea to set up some kind of think tank to work on that." "Surely posting the interviews from the other night on the web site will be enough to satisfy the rest of the world that Scotland is now completely free of terrorists?" Christine queried. "I've thought of something else to add to that, something that the survivors might have some fun with too," said Jamie. After breakfast, Jamie went back upstairs to the honeymoon suite to do a little work on the SIS web site. He uploaded the interviews from the survivors of the 'battle of the two schools', this time avoiding the guilt that he had felt previously. Without that hanging over him, he was able to see the footage for what it was - an extremely emotional record of kids who had done a remarkable thing. He also made a blog entry describing what had happened and that he planned a memorial at the site of the brave deeds. He ended the message with an announcement of an event he planned for later that day. Once he was finished, he closed down his laptop and shouted at the girls to get themselves ready to leave. ------- Shafiq was smuggled off of the Air Force base in the back of a nondescript van and taken to a CIA safe house for questioning. She had not uttered a single word since she had been lifted from the apartment in London, instead simply glaring at her captors. She had made the mistake of spitting in the face of one of her guards and had a livid bruise on her cheekbone for her trouble. The trained CIA interrogators could tell within the first half an hour that they weren't going to break this fanatic down. They were even doubtful that the usual 'just within the rules' techniques would do any good - the sleep deprivation, keeping the prisoner on their feet for hours, constant noise in the cell - all of these wouldn't affect her they judged. "We could always try drugs," one operative suggested. "It's always a risk, some of them are trained to cope with questioning under drugs these days and there's no knowing whether anything we get from her would be reliable," his superior replied. "Risk or no risk, I can tell you that we're not going to get anything out of her by conventional means," advised one of the pair of interrogators. "Let's give it the rest of the day and tonight and see if she starts to crack." ------- 14:55, 5 September It had been something of a whirlwind day for Jamie and the girls. The first port of call had been Fort William followed by Faslane and then a stop at every camp where survivors remained. What Jamie had in mind went down very well with everyone and the logistic required to make it happen were immediately worked on. Once he had set everything in motion, Jamie took the Lynx over Glasgow and settled it down in the car park of Scotland's national stadium, Hampden Park. The girls and half a dozen other volunteers took over the catering facilities and began to prepare basic food for the event while Jamie went in search of the groundsman's store. Working out how to drive the sit on grass-cutter was easy enough and Jamie proceeded to trim the grass on the giant football pitch so that it was a playable length. He also mixed up some white powder with water in the specially made roller that was used to paint the lines on the pitch. The old lines were still just visible and he used them as a guide to mark out fresh ones. A quick dash in the BMW he had abandoned outside the stadium some weeks before took him to two other football stadiums in the city where he loaded up with replica kit, boots and even grabbed a massive trophy. That had all been earlier in the day and now it was nearing the traditional time for a football match to kick-off - 15:00. Jamie's idea had been to stage a Rangers v Celtic match at the national stadium. He saw it as a chance for the teenagers to have some fun after the weeks of despair and terror. It was also something that they could film and put onto the web site to show the rest of the world that Scotland was free of terrorists. Rangers and Celtic, Glasgow's 'Old Firm' had supporters in every corner of the world. They had been nick-named the 'Old Firm' because between them they had been established for hundreds of years and basically cornered the market in terms of football in Scotland - both revenue, but most importantly in terms of trophies won. Jamie knew the two teams enjoyed world-wide appeal and he hoped the sight of the familiar team colours would be something that many people in the US and Canada would immediately recognise and see the game as a sure sign that normality was returning to Scotland. Volunteers to play on both sides had not been difficult to find and now they came down the tunnel and on to the pitch. As they stepped out into the September sunlight, a rousing roar came from the stands and the players looked around themselves to see virtually all of the remaining survivors all gathered together to watch the match. Jamie estimated there were seven or eight thousand teenagers in the stadium and he made sure the techno-wizards who were filming panned round to capture the numbers of spectators. Somehow the techies had managed to work out how to broadcast the match live onto the Internet and Jamie had put a link on the Surviving in Scotland web site for anyone who was interested in following the event. Only months before, an occasion like this would have been completely different. Both halves of the Old Firm were very tribal with a rivalry going back over a hundred years. That usually meant a packed crowd of fifty or sixty thousands and a highly charged atmosphere, much of it fuelled by religious bigotry and sheer hatred of the other side. Today was altogether different. There was no animosity anywhere in the ground and an almost carnival atmosphere prevailed. As he took his time to look round the crowd, Jamie couldn't help smiling in satisfaction. It had been a good idea he decided. Jamie wasn't to know, but in the US and Canada, his earlier message on the blog announcing there would be a Rangers v Celtic match had aroused much excitement. There were official supporters clubs of both teams throughout North America, encouraged by tours by both teams to the US and Canada on a regular basis. In Boston, New York, Ontario and Florida, clubs were packed and large screens had been put up to show the game. Beer flowed and traditional songs were sung as the match kicked off. The result hardly mattered inside the stadium, it was more the symbolism of what was taking place - football was Scotland's national game and the teenagers were celebrating their freedom, their culture and the fact that they had prevailed. Indeed, the tension and noise inside the clubs in the US and Canada was far more 'edgy' as the watchers there got caught up in seeing the red, white and blue of Rangers take on the green and white hoops of Celtic. It was eleven teenagers against eleven teenagers, not twenty-two professional footballers, so the spectacle wasn't for the purist and the final result was 5-5. That didn't matter to the thousands in the crowd who gave both sides a standing ovation at the final whistle. Jamie got up from his seat in the traditional royal box in the stand and walked down the steps onto the playing surface. The figures of Kalif and five other Scots of Asian origin remained seated behind him having been found by Jamie that day. He had given them a place of honour for the match, the first Muslims accepted as free Scots since everything had begun. Jamie led Laura by the arm and Debbie and Christine followed behind. The two teams lined up and the captains for the day introduced Jamie and Laura to each of the players in turn. He paused to share a few words with each player before moving on down the line. Once he had shaken the hand of each of the players, Jamie called the two captains forward and presented the huge trophy he had brought to them both. The captains held the trophy aloft, almost as if it were a symbol of all that the Scottish teenagers had achieved in the past few weeks and the crowd went wild in celebration. ------- Another interested set of spectators in the US were gathered round a screen in one of the briefing rooms below the White House. POTUS and a group of his senior advisors watched the match play out and were impressed by the number of spectators that had somehow managed to gather together to watch in the stadium. At half time, the watching Internet audience was also treated to live footage of Glasgow Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport. The footage was accompanied by a commentary that made it clear both airports were ready to receive international flights. The message was clear and lacking in any attempt at subtlety - there is no reason for flights to be delayed any longer and we are expecting our people to be allowed to return. The second-half of the match kicked off. "You know, I've never quite managed to get my head round soccer," said Joshua Bolton. "D'ya want me to explain the offside rule Joshua?" asked the President. The White House Chief of Staff looked at his President in surprise. He would never have suspected that POTUS followed soccer, not in a hundred years. "Ahem, you do surprise me sir. I wouldn't ever have guessed that you were a soccer fan," he said. "I think we've seen enough gentlemen. I can see no further reason for withholding the right to travel to Scotland any longer. Let the airports schedule flights, but only to there, nowhere else as yet," said the President. ------- The stadium public address system came to life and a voice spoke to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen I'm sure you'll all agree that we have just witnessed a great game. Not one of the most memorable Old Firm games in terms of technique, but certainly historic in the great scheme of things. Now, if you will please be upstanding, I give to you King James VIII, King of Scots!" Jamie picked up a radio mic and turned to look at the assembled crowd as Scotland the Brave blared out over the stadium speakers. He waited for the tune to finish and then spoke to them. "My friends, Scotland is free once more and you have all played your part in that. We have suffered, we have fought and we have triumphed. Now comes the hardest part perhaps, now we have to rebuild. Today I am establishing a think tank to begin to consider what our priorities over the coming weeks, months and years will be. Today's match was as much about telling the rest of the world that it is safe for others to return to Scotland, as it was about celebrating our freedom and we need to prepare for those who will surely return. "I know it is a terrible thought, but this stadium probably holds over ninety percent of what is left of Scotland's population. We hold the future of our country in our hands. Ours is the mammoth task of re-establishing our society. Not in the image of the society that existed before. No, we have the chance to remedy some of the worst elements of the old order and we should be bold in seizing that chance. "I want you to show patience as you leave the stadium today. I have set up census stations at both ends of the ground and I would like to record details of all of us that remain. You will be asked to supply details of who you are and also whether you have any relatives currently living in the US or Canada. We will post this information on the Surviving in Scotland web site and do all that we can to put you in contact with your remaining family. "Finally, can I remind everyone that our neighbours in the other parts of the United Kingdom remain in the position we have been in for the past few weeks. It is my intention that we do all that we can to liberate those survivors as soon as we possibly can. I hope I have your support to do that." Jamie was interrupted by a loud roar as the crowd indicated their support without hesitation. "My friends, I know you are all rightly proud of your country. Today you should know that your country is proud of each and every one of you. Alba gu Brath!" It sounded as if it started with a single voice, but soon eight thousand young voices joined together to give a rousing rendition of the song as they filed down onto the pitch and began to queue in front of the two census stations that had been set up. At each station, six operators were sitting with a laptop in front of them. A very simple database structure had been established and the survivors began to share their personal details and indicate whether they had relatives abroad. ------- News travelled fast and there was chaos as expatriates tried desperately to get to the two airports that had been announced as having the first flights to leave for Scotland. Carriers began to worry about congestion and the potential for mid-air collisions. They weren't even sure there would be air traffic control to ensure safety over Scotland. Eventually word filtered down that flights would leave on the hour every two hours. The gap between flights would allow passengers to disembark and the planes to be refuelled in Glasgow for the return flight. The carriers thought this was ultra cautious and complained bitterly that they could cope with much more than this, but the Administration remained firm. It would be a safe and orderly exercise and people would just have to accept that. For the expatriates, the very fact that anything was happening was a welcome improvement. There is also something quintessentially British about queuing and most people were good-natured about it all, despite the lengthy delays. It was ironic that the first flights to leave would arrive in Scotland a full two days ahead of those expatriates who had risked everything by slipping out to sea in their pleasure craft to cross the Atlantic. One of the first to board a British Airways flight to Glasgow was Don Falls, the oil executive from Aberdeen, who had failed to make it in the Bombadier jet out of Johnstown airport. ------- Shoaib and the remaining members of his cell continued to drive round Liverpool looking for targets. They were at something of a disadvantage as they weren't that familiar with the layout of the city and had to use an A-Z street atlas to try and make sure they were covering all areas. That made their progress slow and gave the surviving teenagers ample time to move from housing scheme to housing scheme to keep out of their way. Several of the Liverpool teenagers had been following events on the SIS web site and had even e-mailed messages to Jamie to tell him that terrorists were also rounding up survivors in their city. These same people now e-mailed the site again to advise that the terrorists had changed tactics and were now murdering people indiscriminately. Highlander I wrote before to say that the terrorists were doing the same in Liverpool as they seem to have done in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Things seem to have changed. I've met several people who were rounded up and held in a camp. They were told they had to convert to Islam and help fight the infidels, but yesterday the terrorists turned on them without warning. They just opened fire on them, killing quite a few before the rest could escape. Now the terrorists are driving round Liverpool shooting anyone they see. It's not safe here and some of us are going to try and make it to Scotland. I hope you don't mind. Mikey ------- Jamie's nightly videoconference with Sir David Manning and the others alerted him to the fact that there were already planes on their way from the US. With the estimated flying time from the East Coast, the first flights could be landing anytime between 24:00 and 01:00 local time. "The President rescinded the banning order after watching your football match this afternoon your Grace. A master stroke might I add, most entertaining," said Sir David. "Just so long as it achieved what it was intended to Sir David. How many plane loads are we expecting, have you any idea?" Jamie asked. "Flights are being allowed to take off every two hours from two airports here. I assume they are headed for Glasgow International and Glasgow Prestwick," said the Ambassador. "Why such a big gap?" Jamie asked. "The carriers are worried about there being no air traffic control over there your Grace and they need to leave time for a turn round so they can come back for the next load of passengers," Sir David replied. Jamie could see the sense in that, but he was now left needing to arrange welcoming parties at both airports. It was going to be the middle of the night before the second 'Old Firm' meeting of the day - the return of the 'old' citizens of Scotland and elsewhere to the land of their birth. Once he had signed off from the videoconference, Jamie also checked his e-mail and found the message from 'Mikey' in Liverpool. He could see the content of Mikey's message was pretty ominous and he felt he had to do something about it. All of the news added up to a busy night for Jamie. He had to immediately use the Lynx to visit the various groups of survivors to arrange for some of them to prepare the two airports and also for Stuart to lead two of the APCs southward to see if he could pick up the survivors from Liverpool. Jamie himself chose to wait with the girls at Glasgow International Airport to welcome the first of the expatriates to arrive. He had also arranged another party of teenagers to take details of all of those who landed - names, whether they had relatives whose children might be amongst the survivors and most importantly of all, what skills they had to offer. At 00:26 the landing lights of an approaching plane could be clearly seen coming towards the runway out of the dark night and the waiting crowd grew quiet. The plane landed easily enough, despite the lack of guidance systems or even runway lights. It taxied to the end of the runway and then turned to make its way back toward the terminal buildings. Some of the teenagers waited with the usual mobile stairway and when the plane came to a halt they wheeled it forward and lined it up with the door of the aircraft. Jamie felt his now customary embarrassment when he was treated as the King of Scots by all of the adults who disembarked from the plane. When he explained the need to record their details, the adults could see the sense in what he proposed and happily took the time to register. ------- Chapter 37: Healing 00:38, 6 September As the five hundred or so expatriates lined up to begin giving their details, Jamie couldn't contain himself any longer. "Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?" he called out loudly. When he was happy that they had all stopped talking amongst themselves and were now waiting to hear what he had to say, he continued. "I'm afraid you are all going to have to get used to huge demands being made of you from now on. There are not many of us and we have a country to rebuild. For now though I am sorry, but I'm going to have to cut this welcome short. I need to know if there are any qualified medical staff amongst you, particularly doctors. You might not be aware of it, but the last battle for Scotland's freedom was fought last night and there are many wounded who need professional care. "If there are any medical people here could they make their way forward to me immediately please?" Jamie asked. Four people made their way forward and introduced themselves to Jamie. "Your Grace, I'm Fred MacAuley, honoured to meet you sir," said the first man, "I'm a cardio-thoracic consultant. "Ashleigh Ferguson, Your Grace, theatre nurse," said a tall willowy blonde. "Carter MacNeill, Sire. My specialty is in accident and emergency, anything to do with trauma and I'm your man," offered the third. "Your Grace, it's a pleasure to be here, my name is Michelle MacGregor. I'm a trained physiotherapist," said the last of the four. "I'm afraid you all need to come with me immediately. We've done what we could for the wounded from last night, but I'm afraid our medical expertise is very limited. The wounds that need treated go somewhat beyond what they taught us in the boy scouts to win our first aid badge," said Jamie. He turned to one of the teenagers who had accompanied him and asked that he make sure he snagged the bags of all four of Scotland's new medical workforce. He explained that he was taking them on to the Western General Hospital where the wounded from the night before had been transferred. Jamie led the way to the Lynx and he and the girls helped the two doctors, the nurse and the physiotherapist inside. Once everyone was strapped in he ran through his pre-flight checks and then took the helicopter up for the twenty-minute flight to the hospital. Like most hospitals, the Western General had a heli-pad and Jamie set the Lynx down gently on the large white 'H' that was painted inside a landing circle. Even before Jamie could begin his shut down routine, the two surgeons were out of the door of the Lynx and heading towards the main hospital buildings. By the time he and the girls had everything secure and had followed along behind, the change in the medics was remarkable to see. They had both come across as confident individuals from the first moment they had introduced themselves, but had been polite and deferential to him as the King. Now they were in their own domain and they were all business. "Take that one through to theatre immediately. You and you, follow nurse Ferguson and do exactly what she tells you. What do you mean you don't know where theatre is? Just follow the signs and be quick about it, this boy needs surgery now!" ordered MacAuley. "Who let these youngsters play with loaded weapons? You, hold his still leg for me, don't let it move no matter how loud he screams," said MacNeill as he began treating patients where they lay. "Don't just stand around your Grace, help move that one over there. She needs immediate help too or she's unlikely to make it," MacAuley urged his monarch. What followed was a blur of activity as the two medics sorted through the wounded, identifying the most urgent cases first and setting the order in which people would be treated. Jamie watched them in amazement as they took instant decisions about what needed to be done for each of the wounded. Two of the casualties caused the thoracic surgeon to shake his head and move on and Jamie guessed that he had concluded there was nothing that could be done for them. He wondered how that felt, to make a split-second decision not to treat someone because you judged your efforts were going to be more productive elsewhere, but in doing so know that you had just written off a life? Jamie decided his biggest contribution would be to take the helicopter to the other Glasgow airport to see whether there were any more trained medical staff amongst the passengers of the plane that had landed there. There had been sixty one wounded moved to the hospital and the two doctors would be hard pressed to treat them all. The wounds ranged from bullets to the chest or other areas of the torso, severe trauma cases where bullets had hit and shattered bone and more straightforward 'through and through' wounds that needed cleaning, stitching and dressing. Without trained nursing staff, the medics were getting frustrated at how quickly they could treat each patient and their frustration was beginning to manifest itself as they shouted at people to do things quicker. Jamie motioned to his sister and the girls and was surprised when they waved him off and indicated that they were going to stay on and help with the treatment of the wounded teenagers. He shrugged and left on his own to see whether he could find some more qualified help. ------- Shafiq swayed and her eyes fluttered shut once more. She flinched as she felt the bucket of icy water hit her front and her eyes snapped open. The infidels had kept her awake now for what seemed like weeks, but was in fact only just over thirty-six hours. The adrenaline and effects of shock from the violent raid on the apartment and her capture had undoubtedly drained her to the point where her body was completely exhausted. "Which group are you working for? Who do you report to? Where were you trained? How do you make contact?" The questions were fired at her for long periods, but she shut them out and refused to answer anything. Her interrogators had been eating, drinking and smoking in front of her and the sight and smell of the food was almost too much to bear. The smell of the cigarettes smoke reaching her nose was a difficult thing to ignore, but ignore it she did. Then they would switch tactics and another of the infidels would talk to her quietly, his voice soothing, encouraging her to think of herself, to end the pain she was enduring. "You have done enough now," came the voice, "you have proven your devotion to your cause and to the prophet, beyond doubt. Your words cannot harm anyone any longer, come, give yourself some respite. Tell them what they want to know and then you can rest." The sweet voice had almost reached her, but from somewhere deep inside herself the memory of her training surfaced and with sudden clarity she knew what the soft, soothing words were trying to do. She closed herself off from the effect of the voice and the interrogator could see from the change in her facial expression that his attempt had failed. "I was close!" he thought to himself, "very close. Perhaps a few more hours without sleep and she'll be ready for me." She had been left alone then for a short period, but any attempt to rest, to lie down or even to close her eyes was met by screaming from the guards at her door and ear shattering noise from a speaker mounted high up in one corner of the room. Now the questions started all over again. Deep inside herself, Shafiq began to feel her triumph build. They had now gone through this cycle four or five times. Although the order in which she faced the elements of the interrogation were changed slightly each time - she was sure she had been exposed to everything they could throw at her. Her belief that she had come through it all fuelled her ability to carry on resisting. Despite the cold water soaking through her clothing, she felt her eyes closing again and she swayed once more. She vaguely heard the door behind her open and then her arms were seized. Shafiq was aware enough to feel something prick her sharply on the inside of her right forearm and she cursed herself inwardly. "Fool! She screamed silently to herself, "you allowed yourself to become complacent! Now they are going to use drugs to try and loosen your tongue." She felt as if she awakening from a dream, listening to a soft, sweet voice, a voice she vaguely remembered from somewhere in her past. "Ah, Bird Song, I'm glad you're back with us, you had us all worried," said the voice. Her mind felt as if it was weightless, floating around inside her head from thought to thought and she struggled to try and focus. "Back from where? Why are they worried?" she thought weakly. "The mission has been a great success and surely Allah and the Prophet are smiling down upon you," came the sweet voice again. "The mission... the mission... yes, I succeeded in releasing the virus, I remember now," she thought. "You have killed millions of the infidels, sent so many unbelievers straight to hell," came the voice, its message somewhat at odds with the musical quality to its tone. "The voice, where have I heard the voice? Mission... I succeeded," her thoughts drifted. "All of the training we did together was worth it, worth it to see our plan succeed. Do you remember the training Bird Song?" Shafiq's drug fogged mind drifted back to the training camp in Pakistan. "Is that where I remember the voice from? The training camp in Pakistan was hard, but our training paid off," she thought. "We must report our success Bird Song, we need to contact base and let them know we have released the virus and it has taken the lives of the infidels. How do we contact base?" asked the voice. "Not the camp... where have I heard the voice? Do I report to the voice? I need to report to the voice... need to report that we have succeeded. Phone... where is my phone... I need to report to the voice. "Is the number programmed into the phone?" asked the voice sweetly. "Sweet voice... I report to the sweet voice... sweet voice... where did I hear it... sweet voice... sweet-talking me... NO!" The interrogator watched as Shafiq's face changed from its relaxed, drugged calm to being screwed up as if she was in pain. He knew that somehow she had managed to fight through the fog of the drugs to realise something wasn't right and now she was actively resisting his subtle suggestions. "You need to report the success of Bird Song, here's your phone," the interrogator said, handing Shafiq her mobile phone. "Sweet talker is an infidel... sweet voice is an infidel," thought Shafiq. The interrogator stood and signalled to the two-way glass on the wall behind him. It was clear that he was not going to get anything else from the terrorist, not from the way she was now responding. He knew that any further attempts would actually help re-inforce her subconscious ability to resist the future use of drugs. It was time to call a halt. ------- Jamie arrived back at the Western General Hospital with another doctor and three qualified nurses. As before, he hardly had time to set the Lynx down before the four medics were out of the helicopter and dashing for the hospital's entrance. When he made his own way in through the doors, he could see that much had already been achieved since he had been there earlier and there were far fewer wounded still waiting to be seen. The third doctor was already shouting at people to tell them what he wanted and he was almost running toward where the operating theatres were situated. Jamie didn't think he would be of much use in surgery so he made his way over to the nurses' station and asked the woman there if there was anything he could do. "Why, that's very considerate of you your Grace," the nurse responded, "Do you know, I think those that have come out of surgery and are awake would really appreciate a visit from their King. Everybody has been following events on your web site and I know that most already consider you a hero. If you could just spend a little time talking to some of them, I'm sure that would cheer them up no end." Jamie wasn't so sure about the reference to being considered a hero, but he felt the least he could do while the doctors worked flat out to try and save people was spend some time talking to the wounded. He was surprised to see that the nurse's words had been absolutely spot on. From the first moment he sat beside the first patient, he could see the teenager perk up and a large smile appear on his face. They talked about nothing of any great importance, just what the boy's hobbies had been before the virus had struck, but it seemed to have a marked effect nonetheless. When Jamie said that he needed to move on and speak to the next patient, the boy thanked him profusely and gripped his hand tightly. Jamie was deeply moved and his sense of responsibility settled a little easier on his shoulders at the thought that he could do good in this way. ------- Stuart had left 'Sinky' in charge at Faslane and had selected nine volunteers to help him man two of the three APCs they had brought south with them from Fort William. The vehicles were capable of a top speed of 50mph and they had sped further south, across the Erskine Bridge to get on the other side of the River Clyde and they had then joined the M8 Motorway. The motorway took them through Glasgow City Centre and beyond, joining the M74 and through Hamilton as they headed for the border with England. Each of the APCs had a roof mounted GPMG although at the speed they were travelling they were not currently manned. The M74 gave way to the A74 until they crossed the border with England at Metal Bridge. Less than a mile further on, the road morphed into the M6 and the two vehicles continued south past Carlisle, Penrith and through the Lake District. As they were coming down from the hills, they spotted a black car speeding northward on the opposite carriageway. "Stop!" shouted Stuart. His driver stamped hard on the breaks and the heavy APC slowed and then stopped. One of the teenagers quickly jumped up and manned the GPMG in case there was trouble. The driver of the approaching car, they could now see it was a BMW, slowed, but didn't stop. Stuart could see there were four or five teenagers in the car as it swept past and he waved out of the window at them. He thought there was a good chance that these were the people who had e-mailed the King and he was left wondering what to do next. He wasn't left like that for long however, as a few minutes later the black BMW came back towards them, now driving the wrong way down the carriageway it was on. The absence of any other traffic made that irrelevant, what was important was that they felt comfortable enough to return and investigate who was in the APCs. The car stopped fifty yards away and a youth emerged from the front passenger seat. "Who the hell are you?" came a thick Liverpool accent. "We're from Scotland. We're looking for somebody called Mikey who sounds as if he needs help," shouted back Stuart. "Well, you've found him," the boy replied. The teenager waved at the car and began to walk towards Stuart. He stopped with only the metal crash barriers that separated the carriageways between himself and Stuart. "I'm Mikey, are you the Highlander I've been e-mailing?" he asked. "No, Highlander is actually the King of Scots, but he asked me to come south and see if there was anything I could do to help you. It sounds as if the terrorists in your neck of the woods have really got a strop on. What did you do to upset them?" Stuart asked. Mikey laughed. He decided he liked the other boy's sense of humour. Stuart jumped down from his APC and the two boys reached across the barrier to shake hands. Another three teenagers got out of the car now too, judging that it was safe to do so. Mikey began to describe what had been going on in Liverpool over the past few weeks. His companions pitched in with snippets of information about what had happened to them too. "So, anyway, they just started shooting people. One minute they're trying to get us to learn the Qu'ran and convert to Islam and the next they're fucking shooting anything that moves!" said Mikey. "I was at the camp. All four of them came walking through and they had rifles. Anybody who was too slow or too stupid was cut down. Well, as you can imagine, we were out of there as fuckin' quick as our feet would carry us. People were pushing past each other and practically climbing on other people's backs to get over the fence," said another of the teens. "Then they started driving through the city. The four of them were armed to the teeth, even the driver of the jeep they were in was firing at us," said Mikey. "Hold on, hold on. Back up a bit here. Did you say that there were only four of them at the camp?" Stuart asked the other teenager. "Yeh, four of them. Fuckin' crazy fuckers." "And did you just say that all four of them were in one jeep?" Stuart turned to Mikey. "Yeh, but they're crazy and they've got guns," replied Mikey. "Well, we've got guns too, but we've also got something that they don't have. We've got armour plating," said Stuart, a broad grin breaking out on his face. "You mean, you mean you're gonna go to Liverpool and take them on?" Mike asked with amazement. "Why not? We've faced worse odds than that. With these two babies it will be a cinch. Do you want to come and watch or are you just going to drive away? The choice is yours, it's your city they're shooting up, your friends they're trying to kill," Stuart said. "Have you got room in those things for all of us?" Mikey asked. "Mikey, fuck off, there's no way we're going back to take on those fuckers!" the other teenager complained. "Rabbit, you don't need to if you don't want to, but I'm up for it." Mikey vaulted over the crash barrier and reluctantly his three mates followed suit. Stuart directed two of the others into the second APC and led Mikey and the reluctant Rabbit into the back of his. It was clear that the Liverpool teens were scared, but they were impressed by the confident manner of Stuart and the boys who were with him. The journey south recommenced and they passed the turn-off for Preston and Blackpool then Wigan before joining the M58 and heading for Liverpool. The motorway ran out at Sefton and the APCs passed the famous old racecourse at Aintree, as they neared Liverpool City Centre. "Now the trick is to find out where the tangos are," said Stuart. "Tangos?" asked Mikey. "The bad guys, the terrorists, we call them tangos," Stuart replied. "Just head for Lime Street, they'll have to go through there sooner or later. Are you really sure you can take these guys?" asked Mikey. "Sit back and watch the masters at work my friend, sit back and watch." They passed through Anfield and then Everton until at last they slowed near Lime Street Railway Station. Stuart signalled the driver of the other APC into one of the side streets and then proceeded to direct his driver to reverse their APC into a shop window and through it. Stuart jumped out and draped the material from the window display over the APC. He used some of the broken window frame to hold some of the cloth up to break up the outline of the APC. He stepped back to look at the effect and then moved back to make a few adjustments. Once he was happy, he made sure the GPMG was clear and had a good field of fire. Shoaib and his men had settled into a pattern. They drove round the city in a clockwise direction and continued to come across surviving teenagers. One area that they recognised the teens were drawn to was the city centre, particularly around the railway station. There was something about the station, perhaps the fact it signified travel and escape, that meant they normally found some targets there. The first warning Stuart and his gunner had was when they heard the GPMG on the other APC open up. Seconds later a green four-wheeled jeep came racing toward them. Mikey watched open-mouthed as the gunner opened up and the large rounds began to stitch holes in the jeep. The windscreen starred and the jeep careened off of the road and smashed into the stone pillar of another shop front. Steam rose from the crumpled bonnet and the sudden silence and the white vapour created an eerie scene. Stuart broke the silence as he jumped from the shop window and approached the wrecked jeep cautiously. He needn't have worried as all four of the terrorists had been taken care of by the GPMG fire. "Toast four tangos!" he called back to Mikey. The teenager shook his head at what he had just watched, impressed with how the other boys had handled themselves. ------- Chapter 38: Discovery 21:32, 7 September It had been a long day. Jamie and the girls hadn't slept at all, working through the night after meeting the first flight of expats at Glasgow Airport. Jamie had ferried medical staff from the airports to the Western General Hospital so they could treat the wounded from the 'last battle' and the girls had tried their best to be auxiliary nurses. Laura had been deeply affected by the experience. At first she had felt as if she was going to faint when she had to stand beside the surgeon, doctor MacNeill, and had looked at the bloody wound he was operating on. She had surprised herself when she had found she was able to fight her squeamishness and function reasonably well. Her contribution had been small admittedly, but she was proud of herself for playing her part. Although there were now three doctors, four nurses and a physiotherapist, they couldn't have managed to treat as many people as they had if others hadn't helped out. Her last thought before sleep overtook her was that the arrival of the doctors had surely saved a good number of lives that day. Without the doctors, the teenagers just didn't have the ability to do what needed to be done to remove bullets, fix shattered bones or even stop the internal bleeding that had been slowly killing some of the wounded. Jamie was dead tired too, but he had forced himself to stay up to have his videoconference with the Ambassadors and check his e-mail messages. He too felt proud of his achievements at the hospital. He hadn't joined in with the treatment of the wounded, but he had spent hours just sitting chatting with people post-op and it seemed to have done some good. His natural concern for others had made the task easy enough, but it was the reaction that he got from the patients that had really warmed his heart. He saw the heads of Sir David Manning, Sir John Sawyer and Anthony Carry appear on the screen of his laptop and he greeted each of them in turn. "Well you Grace, you have succeeded in securing the return of the first expatriates. I understand that twenty-two jumbos have already completed their flights. A magnificent achievement if I may say so," opined Sir David. "I'm not forgetting the part you played in all of this Sir David... "Please your Grace, you must drop this 'Sir David' nonsense," pleaded the Ambassador. "Very well, I haven't forgotten the part you played in this, all of you. It was your idea David, to see Scotland select a new King and you never gave up trying to put pressure on the US Administration. It seems incredible that in less than twenty-four hours we have more than doubled the population, almost eleven thousand adults have arrived today and we're still trying to come to terms with that," said Jamie. "And even more on the way your Grace," said Anthony Carry. "The Canadian Prime Minister has followed the policy of the US President and has announced that flights to Scotland can resume forthwith." Jamie's head swam at the scale of what he was facing. "If we're not careful, we're going to be swamped and it will degenerate into chaos," said Jamie, the tiredness evident in his voice. "What plans have you got in place for dealing with them your Grace?" asked Sir David. "So far all I've done is make sure we're capturing details of all those who're coming back and logging what skills they have. Other than that we've made it a priority to try and re-unite any adults who might be related to teenagers who have survived. We've identified housing for them too. Pretty soon I'm going to have to do much more than that and I've set up a think tank to help. I plan to review the database of new arrivals to try and identify people with skills that would lend themselves to joining that group," said Jamie. "A sound move your Grace. If I might be so bold, I would offer some advice. Over the past few weeks you have had the benefit of the terrorists to act as a kind of focal point to make sure everybody was pulling in the same direction. The threat hanging over all of you has been immense, but that has lifted now and I'm afraid people's natural personalities are going to rise once more to the surface. "Human nature is human nature and I'm afraid that you are bound to have some bad apples amongst your growing population. Indeed it might even be the case that some of those who have returned from the US have done so not to help rebuild the country, but rather to see what they can pick up for themselves. The current state of Scotland leaves it wide open to lawlessness and many of your subjects are still innocent and defenceless. "You are probably thinking that food production, power and water are all priorities. I agree that these things need to high on your list, but don't forget to also plan on some kind of defence force. Such a force might not just be about external threats, but also maintaining order internally too," said Sir David. Jamie considered the Ambassador's words. They painted a depressing picture, but he wasn't so naive as to think everybody in the country would be thinking of the common good. He made a mental note to act on Sir David's advice as soon as possible. "Thank you David, it's not a nice thought that there are people out there thinking about personal gain in these circumstances, but I can see you're right. I'll make sure we add that to our list of top priorities," said Jamie. "You also need to think about existing food and fuel stocks your Grace. If they are left lying around in shops and fuel stores, people will continue to help themselves and it will be the more enterprising who come out of things on top. Those less able will lose out and might well suffer as a consequence. I might hazard a guess that even now people are thinking about creating their own stockpiles to make sure they don't go short. If they do that it will be at the expense of others. "You might also wish to consider securing the vast amounts of weapons that people have access to. The UK has never had a gun culture and I'm assuming that you will want that to continue into the future. The longer you leave the weapons unsecured, the more likely that they will be in widespread circulation," added Sir David. Again Jamie could see sense in what the Ambassador was saying. He began to feel a little inadequate at the things he hadn't even considered yet and the scale of what needed to be done even before any rebuilding took place. "Are you suggesting that we try and centralise everything, introduce rationing? What about all the other goods that are lying around? I can think of any number of occasions over the past weeks when I have simply helped myself to a vehicle on a car lot without thinking about it," Jamie said. "At some point things will need to get back to some semblance of normality your Grace. Those kind of commodities might not seem like a priority right now, but they will become important further down the line. Take something like building supplies for instance. I'll bet no one is out looting for cement, but at some point the country is going to need raw materials like that and they will be in short supply. "You don't have any trading partners remember and even if you did, you have nothing much to trade with. The UK currency is worthless; it's not worth the paper it's printed on. No, you need to be thinking ahead of everyone else and making sure that none of the resources currently stored around the country either go to waste or are spirited away by unscrupulous elements. Oh, and you might want to think about securing the one currency that does still have some value - the UK's gold reserves." The discussions went on for another hour or so until Jamie could feel his eyelids drooping. The Ambassadors could see his tiredness clearly, even through the image generated by his little webcam. "Your Grace, we can see that you are tired. It must have been a long day," said Anthony Carry. "I'm sorry gentlemen, but I haven't slept in the last forty-eight hours. I spent most of last night ferrying doctors and nurses to the hospital here to treat the wounded and then most of the day just trying to cheer up patients after they had been operated on," Jamie explained. The Ambassadors marvelled again at the capacity for their young monarch to give so much of himself to help others. "Then we'll keep you from your bed no longer your Grace. I'm afraid there are many such busy days ahead," said Sir John. Jamie said his goodbyes and closed down the link. Despite his overwhelming need for sleep, he forced himself to check his mail. He was hoping for some kind of message from Stuart to update him on how he was getting on in the south. When he opened Yahoo he saw he had thousands of new messages in the overseas account and he clicked on a few to get a flavour of what people were saying. Virtually all of them were either continued messages of support from ordinary people throughout the US and Canada or messages from additional expatriates pledging themselves to be in the next wave of people who returned. Jamie closed down the overseas account and opened up the UK mailbox. He immediately saw that he had a message from Scottishsoldier@yahoo.co.uk and he smiled as he guessed who that might be. There was also another raft of e-mails from elsewhere in the UK, no doubt from other survivors in England, Wales and Ireland. He clicked on Stuart's message to open it. Your Grace Greetings from Liverpool! Good news to report. Found Mikey and returned to Liverpool to take care of the terrorist cell that must have been based here. Have to say these guys were not the brightest. Something seems to have made them flip and they had started randomly killing people. They made the mistake of all being in the one vehicle and were no match for the APCs. Glad to be able to report they are now toast and the surviving teenagers in Liverpool are relatively safe. There is a high death toll here from the past few days however, perhaps as many as two hundred killed before we got here. I'm thinking of staying on for a few days to try and help them get themselves sorted, but let me know if you need me back there. Almost feel as if I'm holiday! Stuart Jamie smiled at the typical, understated, and humorous way Stuart dealt with what was a very serious situation. He realised that was how the other boy dealt with the stress of what he was dealing with, reducing things to light hearted comments to cover up his nervousness and concerns. He fired off a quick reply. Top Scottish Soldier (General?) Glad to hear things have gone so well and that you're helping our English cousins. Hope you're enjoying your holiday - how's the beach? Don't hold back on those tangos now! About eleven thousand adults have arrived back in Scotland today already and thousands more are probably going to flood in over the next few days. We struck it lucky in that the first few flights had some doctors and we managed to save most of those who were wounded in the 'last battle'. I can afford to lose you for a couple of days, but probably no more than that, as I need people I can trust to help keep order as the population grows. Try and find out if there was anything in particular that sparked the tangos turning on the survivors there. We wouldn't want the same to happen elsewhere, as we might not be so lucky next time - although I suppose two hundred murdered is hardly lucky. Be careful my friend and I'll see you in a few days. We really need to sort out better communications if we are going to continue to head south to help people. James R Once he had sent his message, he closed down the laptop and almost crawled into bed beside the girls. He was so tired he didn't even take the time to wash and brush his teeth. ------- Shafiq blinked and dropped her head to try to avoid the worst of the glare coming from the lights and the flashes from the many cameras that were snapping her picture. She sat in a chair behind a desk; her hands still bound behind her. To the onlooking media and press scrum, she looked too normal to be the mastermind behind a series of actions that had decimated the world's population. What they saw was a slight woman of Asian origin, olive skin and jet black hair. Yellow bruising was still visible around her cheekbone and she seemed to be downcast and beaten. On either side of Shafiq there was a clearly armed 'suit' and beside the desk there was a lectern with another suit standing at it. "Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Mark Hapsberg and I'm with the Attorney-General's Office. I'm going to make a short statement and then I'll take some questions. "Following a planned mission on the 3rd of September, members of the US Special Forces neutralised a terrorist cell in London, UK and apprehended the mastermind behind the recent attacks around the world. "Code named Bird Song, we believe this woman planned the virus attacks not only in the UK, but in Germany and those planned for the US too. Electronic surveillance has provided evidence of her role in events and we took action immediately to take her into US custody. "She will be subject to military justice." Although he had said his statement was going to be short, the press were still surprised at just how short it was. Most of them had been holding out their little hand-held recorders to catch his words and now they paused momentarily to see whether he was going to say anything else. When it became clear the statement was indeed over, there was the usual shouting match as reporters tried to get their questions in first. "Mr Hapsberg, what is her name and where does she come from? What terrorist group is she a member of?" one voice rose above the others. "We only have the name 'Bird Song'. So far the prisoner has refused to co-operate with us and we have no further details of who she is. We strongly believe that she is a ranking member of Al Qaeda." "Sir, the King of Scots has made it clear he doesn't want US troops on UK soil. Did this mission go ahead with his approval?" called out another reporter. "This mission was authorised by the President and that's all I can say on that matter for the present," Hapsberg replied, clearly not comfortable answering this question. The press could smell avoiding tactics a mile away and they went for the throat. "So this was an unauthorised incursion into UK territory. Has there been any response from the King or his representatives?" came the next question. This was not the way the press conference had been planned. This was supposed to be a moment of triumph for the administration, the moment they showed that no one was beyond US justice and that the Administration would seek out terrorists wherever they were. Instead it looked like degenerating into an attack on the President's policies and in particular his continued insistence on doing what he liked, when he liked, on the soil of the US's most trusted ally. Hapsberg grew increasingly uncomfortable at the line of questioning and at the fact that he had lost control of the conference. "Mr Hapsberg, you don't seem to know very much about this woman. How can you be so sure that she is the one who masterminded this whole operation?" asked another journalist. "I have already indicated that we have electronic surveillance material that provides evidence of this woman's role in events. I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say anything further about that on national security grounds," he replied. Beside him, Shafiq's face was breaking out into a thin smile as she realised things were not going as the Americans had planned. She gathered that by holding out from giving them any information at all, she had made things difficult for them to show her off as a major prize. That knowledge was just one more thing to help strengthen her resolve not to break down under their attempts at interrogation. Buoyed by the effects of her resistance she now tried to make things even worse for her captors. "I am being subjected to torture! The infidels who captured me took turns at raping me! I am completely innocent and these charges are false!" she screamed out before the men on either side of her could subdue her. Her outburst caused bedlam amongst the press and they immediately began firing questions about her claims at Hapsberg. The situation was now well outside of his capabilities and he simply turned and left the room. Shafiq's guards pulled her to her feet and pushed her quickly from the pressroom in Hapsberg's wake, leaving the baying press types taking pictures of their retreating backs. It was clear what kind of headlines this episode was going to generate. ------- 09:06, 8 September When Jamie awoke that morning, late for him again given the full night without sleep, he found his head was full of the most fantastic ideas. Sir David's advice and words of caution had clearly been working in his subconscious as he slept and now he was remembering what he had dreamt about. There was just no way he was ever going to be able to cope with everything, there was just too much happening. He needed to form his own government, one that would leave the old order standing on its head. That was the only way to try and bring some order out of the chaos that was beginning to develop as more and more adults returned. It would be important to get things started before the adults began to try and re-assert themselves, began to try and recreate everything they were used to. "The old government used to refer to the economy as 'UK Plc', but if any public limited company was run as badly as the old public services, they'd be out of business in weeks. How was it possible that government departments all needed to ask you for the same information time and time again? Why was all the waste and inefficiency allowed to continue? In a real company, all the departments would need to function effectively together or heads would roll! I have a blueprint for how I want to shape my government. "The first thing I need is a Minister for Information Management. Not a Minister for Information like in the old days when that was really another name for Minister for propaganda or spin. No, what we need is a Minister who is focussed on modern technology and how to make it work for us. We've already got enough techno-wizards to fill a whole Department! Ronnie Brinks would do a great job and no need to worry about him making stupid speeches, I can't even get him to talk to me!" he thought. "And Stuart could be Minister for Wellbeing - that could cover security as well as other ideas to make people feel better about themselves and about the country. Health should probably come under that, but we need to make sure we don't let the doctors run everything. They're not the only ones with ideas about health services, nurses know just as much and they're not half as bossy or bad tempered. Stuart could probably come up with loads of schemes to have fun while improving public health. "Laura has already shown that she is good at the diplomacy stuff, but if Scotland is ever to go out into the world again it shouldn't be about building empires, but rather helping others to help themselves. No aid packages, no handouts, no 'come and live with us and we'll see you're okay'. No, it should be about giving advice to help people solve their own problems, in their own countries. She could be Minister for International Co-operation and Collaboration. "Lee has got lots to offer as well. He could be my Minister for a Modern Scotland. That would certainly give him plenty of scope to come up with his strategies. Rebuilding and things that used to be classed as 'the economy' could come under that and I could let Lee have free rein to think the unthinkable. Would it be possible to have a country without a currency or shares? No wages? Hah! He'll enjoy that. "I don't like it, but I'm not naïve enough not to recognise that I need a Minister for Intelligence. Sinky has already shown he's got an aptitude for that and I'll bet he would be up for it. "I need a Minister for Learning as well. Something needs to change and we have the chance to do it. Too many of the old school stopped education from changing the way it needs to change. Who cares about Shakespeare or Dickens? For those who love art and literature then it's always going to be there for them, but why have it as part of the curriculum? No, everything has to be relevant to modern life - including history. Everybody knows that history repeats itself, so history should be mandatory. His excitement was almost too much and he had to get up immediately and get started putting his plans in place. The girls grumbled and turned over, too tired to get up just yet. While Jamie was making breakfast he remembered his comment in the e-mail to Stuart the night before about improving communications. The obvious solution, especially given the numbers of people now arriving, was to use mobile phones. What worried him about that was that he was convinced the US was monitoring mobiles. "I need to get Sinky or Stuart to take a trip to GCHQ and make sure our American friends have left the premises, only then will it be safe to use mobiles. Actually, I wonder? If the Americans can use GCHQ to track down the terrorists, could we do the same and use that to find the other cells we need to deal with?" he thought to himself. ------- Chapter 39: Tut, tut! 10:12, 8 September Jamie considered his options. Sinky was commanding the teenagers who were securing the Trident missiles at the Faslane base and Stuart was still in Liverpool. He decided that the best option in the short term was to take the trip to GCHQ himself. There was a heck of a lot of things to set in motion, many more people to deal with and being able to employ mobile phones would make things much easier. He calculated that it would be a worthwhile investment of his time, despite all of the other demands. He rounded up some of the old assault squad and a few of the techies who were around the Dreghorn barracks for the trip. He judged that he had enough fuel in the helicopter to get them to RAF Lyneham, an air force base in Wiltshire, which was the closest he could find to Cheltenham. The flight south allowed Jamie to pass over Liverpool and he looked down to see if he could spot the APCs that Stuart was using. He circled the city centre for a few minutes, but couldn't pick them out and he knew fuel was at a premium so he had to move on. Jamie brought the Lynx over the village of Lyneham and looked for the air force base. He found it at the top of a hill, its three runways forming a stylised 'A' as they crossed each other below him. He dropped lower, looking at two giant Hercules transport planes that sat at the end of one of the runways. He spotted a fuel bowser and brought the helicopter round so he could land close by. The armed squad and the techies took the opportunity to stretch their legs as Jamie shut the Lynx down before refuelling it. He realised that Lyneham had to be the base for the RAF's long haul transporters, as he couldn't see anything that would support a fighter squadron. The refuelling took just over half an hour and then Jamie called for all of the teenagers to get back on board the Lynx. Lifting off, he headed south and west towards Gloucestershire, where Cheltenham was. Jamie wasn't aware that the Government Communications Headquarters complex was known as the 'doughnut' owing to its shape. The building was a perfect circle with gardens and a large artificial pool in the centre. He circled the complex, looking for any signs of trouble. Nothing seemed to be moving and nothing looked out of place. Surrounding the building were car parking areas, broken up by blocks with grass and trees and Jamie decided it was okay to set the Lynx down where there was space. The building was huge and he recognised it would be difficult to find the part that housed the monitoring stations. Jamie was surprised at the absence of what he had expected - there was no massive array of aerials or satellite dishes. He wondered how the electronic 'listening' was done and how it was fed to the site. A thought occurred to him and he led the entire team up to the main doors of the complex and entered. He made his way over to the reception desk and walked round to the 'business' side of it. A quick rummage turned up a schematic of the building with all of the various sections clearly marked. Jamie smiled at his good guess. He had hoped that the receptionists would have something like this to help them identify who to speak to when visitors arrived. A quick scan of the schematic identified where the monitoring stations were situated, on the third floor towards the northeast quadrant of the 'doughnut. Jamie led them in that direction. The building was an odd mix of open plan and cellular offices, with no apparent rhyme nor reason to it all. The schematic was a big help and ten minutes or so later they were in a large room filled with monitors and workstations. The first thing that caught Jamie's eye was the remnants of army style ration packs. Walking over, he picked up one of the packs and took in the distinctive US markings. "Well I guess that confirms what I've suspected all along, our American cousins have definitely been here," he said. "Looks like some of the 'puters are still on," said one of the techies. Jamie looked and saw that two of the monitors were displaying the windows screen saver. When he hit the space bar on the keyboard that seemed to correspond to one of the screens, the screen changed to display a small dialogue box. This computer is being used by n003628 and is locked. To unlock the computer press CTTL+ALT+DEL and enter your password. "Shit, I didn't think about system security. What do we do now?" Jamie asked the techies. "Well, if the Americans managed to get in, then I'm damn sure we can manage it as well. These government systems are programmed to lock themselves after there has been no activity for a few minutes. I think I can get round it. Let me work on this thing for a bit." The techie pulled a bag from over his shoulder and unzipped it to reveal a laptop. He soon had the laptop up and running, with various leads snaking out to connect it with the base station of the GCHQ computer. Jamie watched as the teenager started using some sophisticated software tools on the laptop and then decided it wasn't helping any, him looking over the boy's shoulder. He began to walk round the room, looking for anything else of interest. Apart from the used ration packs and the computers that remained on, there was nothing else to suggest who had been here and what they had been up to. "Okay I'm in!" said the techie. Jamie rushed over to see what would be revealed on the computer screen. "What is it?" he asked. "It looks like a automated monitoring system. Look, there's the number of the mobile phone that originated the last call to be recorded. That number is the reference number for the mast that routed the call and that one is the mast that it 'connected' to. Normally these are set up to record when certain words or phrases are used, but I guess whoever used it last has overridden that. There is so little traffic that they could afford to let the system listen to everything." "How does it work?" Jamie asked. "It's using voice recognition software and giving us its best guess as to what's said, but the call has been recorded and we can listen to the actual conversation by clicking on that little icon there," replied the techie. He moved the cursor with the mouse so it hovered over an icon with an ear represented on it. He pointed to a set of headphones that were connected to the computer's base station. "Put them on and I'll let you listen to this last message," said the techie. Jamie sat in the chair in front of the computer screen and pulled the headphones onto his head, settling the foam pads over his ears. He watched the other boy click on the icon and then he heard a conversation. "Where are you? "We're hiding out in the Nag's Head pub down by the river. Have you seen any of the fuckers today?" "Gary saw a patrol earlier this morning, but nothing since then. We've managed to find some weapons, loads of them, just where we thought they would be. You'll need to bring the others out here though, we can't carry everything." "It's too risky in the daytime. We'll wait until it's dark and then try and find you. Keep your phone on and make sure it's charged up." "Okay, see you later." The conversation ended. Jamie compared what he had heard to what was on the screen and could see that the voice recognition software had captured most of it accurately, but some of it was plain wrong. It sounded as if there was a group of teenagers somewhere trying to avoid the terrorists and get their hands on some weapons so they could defend themselves. He decided the accents he had heard were Yorkshire accents and that would perhaps put them in the vicinity of Leeds if they were having trouble with a terrorist cell. Of course, there could be more cells than he knew about or they could be widening their searches. "Can you identify where this call originated? Is there a log of all the intercepts?" Jamie asked. "I'm sure I can manage that and there's bound to be a log. Let me take a look," the techie said. The boy swapped places with Jamie and clicked on the reference number for the mast that had routed the call. The screen showed a small box with the reference number and the word 'Catterick'. The reference number for the mast that had 'connected' the call was the same and Jamie guessed that meant the call had only been local. He knew that there was a large army garrison in Catterick and he wondered if that was where these teenagers were looking for weapons. Jamie turned his attention back to the screen to watch the techie now look for a log. The boy was scrolling up the screen, but there was surprisingly little to see. "It looks like the log has been deleted," the techie explained. "Can you get it back?" Jamie asked. "Maybe, it depends on how they did it. Let me see what I can find," the techie replied. Jamie watched as the boy called up some other software on his laptop and started some kind of search. "Got it!" the boy said with excitement. A large file appeared and the techie clicked to open it. A much larger volume of calls were now available and he began to scroll through them. Something caught Jamie's eye. "Stop! Scroll back down a little. There, that one!" he said. Jamie jammed the headphones back onto his head and indicated that the techie should play him the recording. "Hello?" "There is no time, this is Bird Song. The Americans are here; they're in the apartment. It is time for 'apocalypse'. Let the others know." Jamie asked for the boy to play the recording again, it was very short and he wanted to make sure he didn't miss anything. "Hello?" "There is no time, this is Bird Song. The Americans are here; they're in the apartment. It is time for 'apocalypse'. Let the others know." He pulled the headphones off and asked the techie to identify the masts involved in the call. "The routing is through Notting Hill in London and the connection is through Liverpool," the techie informed him. Jamie had a bad feeling about this. He recognised the phrase Bird Song. The leader of the terrorists in Glasgow had sent him an e-mail signed Bird Song2 and he had wondered at the time who number one might be. "Scroll through them and try and find anymore that include Bird Song in them," he ordered the techie. Jamie considered what the call might mean. It appeared as if the Americans had attacked the terrorists in London. He had little doubt that the use of the word 'apocalypse' was a code word and that it was the use of that that had sparked the change in tactics in Liverpool. There was no sign that the cell in Liverpool had contacted any other cells though. The call had told them to 'let the others know', but it didn't look as if that had happened. He knew Stuart's intervention in Liverpool meant that it was never going to happen either. "I think the survivors in the other English cities have just dodged a bullet," he thought to himself. Just then a flashing icon in the computer's system tray caught his eye. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to the icon. The techie hovered the cursor over the icon and then turned to look at Jamie. "The system is relaying its information to somewhere else. There's an IP address here, but I've got no easy way of identifying where that is. If you give me half an hour or so I can probably trace it for you," the techie said. "There's no need for that, I've got a good idea where it's going. Can I send a message?" Jamie asked. "Sure, just type your message and then click on that button there," the techie replied. Jamie typed in Tut, tut! What have you been doing? and then clicked on the button the techie had indicated. "Cut the relay off and make sure it's really off," Jamie ordered. The techie right clicked on the icon in the system tray and highlighted 'close' before clicking again. Jamie watched as he hit CTRL+ALT+DEL to bring up the Windows Task Manager pane. Sure enough, the relay could be seen as a process in the window and the status showed it was still running. The techie highlighted the process and clicked on the button that said 'End Task'. The system closed the process down and this time it was really closed. "The bastards knew! They knew what the terrorists were going to do. That mobile call makes it pretty damn clear what was about to happen. We know the Americans had information that told them the terrorists were talking to each other. They must have pinpointed the leader and gone in to take him out and that sparked a message to start slaughtering the survivors. "The bastards knew what was coming and they didn't warn us. How could they fuckin' do that? Is there a way of copying that log across to my laptop?" Jamie asked the techie. He received a nod in response. "Do it!" Jamie ordered. ------- 10:37 (EST), 8 September The duty analyst at NSA Headquarters in Fort Meade sat upright in his chair as the latest 'take' from GCHQ scrolled onto his screen. He called for his section supervisor, his excited voice communicating the urgency. His supervisor ran up and looked down at his screen. He took in the words: Tut, tut! What have you been doing? "Shit, the links been cut," the analyst said. "Get it back!" the supervisor ordered. The analyst began moving his mouse and clicking on various buttons. "Negative sir, someone must have access to the source computer. We've been cut off permanently," the analyst said. "You mean there's someone inside GCHQ?" the supervisor asked. "Has to be sir," the analyst replied. "What about the logs? Would they have access to the logs?" the supervisor asked with concern. "Not if our guys deleted them and used our government standard package to shred the files," the analyst responded. That statement didn't worry the supervisor too much, as he was aware of the content of all of the 'take' from Cheltenham. He turned and made his way back to his own workstation. Lifting the phone, he punched in a number. "Who led the team that was at GCHQ?" he asked the person on the other end of the phone. The supervisor listened and then cut the connection before stabbing another set of numbers on the phone's keypad. "This is section supervisor Murray. Are you Collins?" "That's me," said Collins on the other end of the line. "When you left GCHQ what did you do with the log file?" Murray asked. "I deleted it of course," Collins responded. "Did you shred it?" Murray enquired. "There wasn't time for that, we were ordered to get out in a hurry," Collins replied. Murray could understand what Collins was saying. Shredding took quite a bit longer to do as it involved overwriting a file at least three times so that it was completely unrecoverable. Having gone public about the raid on London and parading the terrorist leader, the supervisor didn't think there was anything in the log that could cause embarrassment. He closed the conversation with Collins down and prepared a report to go upstairs as soon as possible. The fact that they were no longer getting electronic intelligence relayed from the UK was an important item to pass on. ------- The information that the NSA relay from Cheltenham had been severed reached the National Security Advisor, Stephen Hadley within two hours of the technician clicking the button on the Windows Task Manager pane. While the section supervisor at Fort Meade had been relatively relaxed about the log file, Hadley was far more exercised. He looked at the name of the man who had originated the update and then lifted his phone. "Murray," the voice on the other end announced. "This is Hadley. I've just received your update that the connection to Cheltenham has been cut. I need to know what happened to the log file for the period our technicians were there?" he asked. Hadley fully expected that the man would need to go away and do some digging before he could tell him what he wanted to know, so was surprised when Collins provided the information straight off the bat. "Yeh, I asked the same question. I've spoken to the team leader who was at GCHQ and he tells me they deleted the log file. Their orders were to get out of there quickly so they didn't have time to shred the file, but that doesn't really matter does it? I mean, there's nothing in there that can cause us any problems, at least not now that we've gone public about the raid," Collins suggested. Hadley simply agreed with the man and ended the call as if it had been routine. There was no reason to alert Collins to the fact that the content of the log file could spark a major incident that could be very embarrassing for the Administration. If the log was recovered and someone made sense of the final call from the apartment in London - they might be able to see that the US assault had given rise to a call for the massacre of the surviving teenagers. The fact that the President had chosen to try and cover this up meant that he had not given the teenagers any warning about what might be about to happen to them. Hadley thought it was time he let the president know that the chickens might be about to come home to roost. POTUS wouldn't thank him if this came out without any warning. For some reason Hadley found that he had a smile on his face. He hadn't been happy with the President's decision to cover this up and he almost had a sense that justice was about to be done. He phoned through to the Oval office to alert the Secret Service detail that he was on his way to speak to POTUS. Once through the various checks once more, he approached the door of the President's inner sanctum. The door opened before he reached it, a sure sign that his approach was being monitored all the way. Hadley entered and the door was closed behind him. "What can I do for you today Stephen?" POTUS asked. Hadley schooled his features to make sure his satisfaction didn't show as he explained the potential exposure to the President. "Mr President, our relay of electronic intelligence from GCHQ in Cheltenham has been cut. That strongly suggests that there are human assets at the complex. It's possible sir that the log file of all the recorded mobile calls might now be in the hands of other parties," Hadley advised. "Why wasn't it deleted Stephen?" the President barked. "Your orders were for the team to get out of Cheltenham quickly sir, the file was deleted, but not shredded. Shredding would have taken too long," Hadley replied. "Whose decision was that?" the President demanded. "The team leader is a man called Collins, but to be honest sir, it was your own order to get out quickly that meant they couldn't shred the file before they left," Hadley "I want his beating heart on a plate before the day's out!" the President screamed back. Hadley could see that the President was beyond rational conversation now and he turned to leave. "Where do you think you're going dammit! Your people got me into this mess Stephen, you're going to get me out of it or I'll be asking for your own resignation," the President said, his voice returning to a normal level, but the threat clear. ------- Jamie flew the Lynx over Liverpool once more on his way back north. He had left the techies and the four members of his assault squad behind at GCHQ to secure the complex. That would allow him to begin to use mobile phones to help improve communications between the burgeoning population. He had more success this time and was able to pick out the two APCs readily enough. They were parked outside a large hotel in the centre of the city and Jamie guessed Stuart was meeting with some of the survivors from the area. He looked for a place to put the Lynx down safely and saw a large open area close to the famous Liver Building. The presence of the helicopter had obviously been passed on to those inside the hotel, as a group surged out into the street and started to make their way towards where Jamie was settling the Lynx down. He could see that Stuart was at the front of the group and he smiled broadly to see his friend again. Stuart could immediately tell something was up when Jamie didn't start to shut the helicopter down, but instead jumped from it and crossed to speak to him over the continuing din from the rotors. Jamie could see the intense curiosity on the faces of the Liverpool teens as he walked towards them. No doubt Stuart had already told them that the helicopter pilot was in fact the King of Scots. "Your Grace, it's good to see you. We caught sight of you passing us this morning heading south. Up to anything interesting?" Stuart enquired. "Interesting enough to take you back to Edinburgh with me Stuart. What are you up to that can't wait?" Jamie asked. "Well your Grace, we've shared the need for starting to undertake a skills audit here and the guys I brought with me are set up to start training folk around here on how to shoot. Apart from that nothing much is going on that actually needs me here. If you want me I'm ready to go now," Stuart replied. "Good, do what you need to do and let's go," Jamie ordered. He allowed Stuart a few minutes to speak to the Scots teenagers he had brought south with him, telling them to continue the weapons training. Jamie introduced himself to the Liverpool survivors, including Mikey who had sent the e-mail messages to him. Within ten minutes Stuart was ready to go and the two friends said their farewells before boarding the Lynx. The onward journey didn't take long and Jamie settled the helicopter down at the Dreghorn barracks. Jamie indicated that he wanted Stuart to be present for the nightly videoconference later. "I'll share with you what I've been up to today and what I've found out when we have the Ambassadors with us. That will save me having to go over the ground again. Anyway, I've got some further reading to do before then," Jamie said. Stuart managed to swallow his curiosity and nodded to show that he understood. Jamie went off to find the girls only to be told that they were once more at the Western General Hospital, helping with the patients there. Instead he fired up his laptop and started working through the copy of the log file from Cheltenham. He went through each entry meticulously and took notes as he went. That way he was sure he would have his arguments well ordered before the meeting with the Ambassadors. ------- 22:00, 8 September The software connected up to the videoconference site and the faces of the three Ambassadors appeared along with Jamie's on the screen. The usual easy welcomes were exchanged between them, the routine of meeting like this having made them all comfortable with the arrangement. "Before we begin this evening, I'd like to share with you a live broadcast that was aired here yesterday, if I may your Grace?" enquired Sir David. Jamie agreed and they sat back as the news conference with Mark Hapsberg played on the screen. He focussed all of his attention on the woman whenever the camera pulled back to show a wider view. He listened to the questions and answers that were given and once more focussed on the woman when she started shouting about the treatment she had been subjected to. When the clip was finished, the four heads once more appeared on the screen. "It seems our American friends haven't had the success they hoped for with this. It has all the hallmarks of the Administration looking for a media success, but I'm afraid it backfired on them," said Sir David. "It all fits," said Jamie. All eyes turned on him, waiting for him to explain what he meant. "I took a little trip to GCHQ at Cheltenham today. The reason was to make sure the complex was secure so we could begin to use mobile phones to improve communications. Some of the communications I've received from the US President suggested to me that they have been monitoring mobile phones. He was able to pinpoint where other terrorist cells were and I thought the only way he could have done that would have been through some kind of electronic intelligence. "Anyway, what I found at Cheltenham was quite an eye opener. It seems as if our American friends have been monitoring mobile traffic for weeks. They are aware of the cells speaking to each other, there is a network of them and they all have numbers to call. "I'm guessing here that they were able to pinpoint the exact location of the London cell because so many of the calls originated from there and that would have allowed them to triangulate and get a precise fix. The calls weren't long enough to allow them to do that for the other cells. "It would appear that the US decided to take out the London cell. The log file of the monitored calls makes it clear that the overall leader was based there. I want to play you the most important call that was recorded," said Jamie. He made a few clicks on his laptop and the recording of the call made as the Americans raided the apartment played. "Hello?" "There is no time, this is Bird Song. The Americans are here; they're in the apartment. It is time for 'apocalypse'. Let the others know." Jamie played the recording for them again and then let the four faces come back onto the screen. He could see that the Ambassadors had figured out very quickly what the recording meant and they were stunned by the implications. "Your Grace, are you sure that the Americans would have heard this recording?" asked Anthony Carry from Ottawa. "Anthony, until this afternoon the recordings were all being relayed to the US. I've closed that down now. This log file was actually deleted and we recovered it, so there is no doubt that the US had this intelligence," Jamie replied. "But that is beyond belief! If they had this then the message is clear for all to hear. That was an order to begin killing the survivors! If the US also had the information that let them know that each cell could contact the others, then they must have known the potential consequences," raged Sir John Sawyer. "I believe the survivors in England have been very lucky," agreed Jamie, "for some reason the Liverpool cell didn't contact the others immediately and Stuart here has made sure they never will. It could have been much more serious however, as it is over two hundred teenagers died in Liverpool because of this. "The President knows he started this and yet he did nothing to warn us. The leader of the terrorists should be here facing justice, not in the US and I believe the President is guilty of a cover up," said Jamie. "Your Grace, I can hold a press conference immediately and leak this to the US media," suggested Sir David. "I have another approach in mind, Sir David, I'm beginning to get a feel for how these people work," replied Jamie. ------- 02:53 (EST), 9 September The shrill ringing of the phone beside the bed woke President Bush. He struggled to sit up and reached over to lift the receiver. "This had better be good," the President said into the phone. "I'm sorry Mr President, we have a situation that needs you attention sir. Could you make your way to situation room 'C' immediately sir," said the faceless voice on the other end of the line. POTUS clambered out of bed and began to dress in whatever came to hand. The Secret Service detail were waiting for him to emerge from the bedroom and surrounded him as they walked through the White House, making their way to the conference room that had been mentioned in the phone call. The occupants of the room gave the President some idea of the nature of the situation. The head of the FBI, the CIA and his National Security Advisor were all present. With no military people there, this was clearly not an issue of significant conflict. One glance at the large TV screen at the end of the room removed the need for him to guess any further. The news report showed a floodlit JFK Airport. A jumbo jet was featured and at the foot of the steps that led from it, a small group of black clad figures with weapons surrounded a teenager in a suit. POTUS heard the news anchor giving a commentary. "Incredibly, the teenager standing on runway 4 at JFK claims to be none other than King James VIII, the King of Scots. Many viewers will have been following his story on the Surviving in Scotland web site. "While the news in the last few days has been about the President's decision to allow people to travel to the UK, no one predicted that the King would take the opportunity of travelling the other way. "Airport security forces are stopping us from getting an interview with King Jamie and there seems to be some concern about the fact that he has brought his own armed guards." "Jim, has there been any indication from the White House that they were expecting a visit?" came another voice. "Mark, the White House are refusing to comment for the moment, which suggests they have been caught just as much by surprise as the rest of us." "Do we have any idea why King Jamie is here Jim?" "Mark, we have nothing from any official sources, but speculation here in New York is suggesting it has something to do with the press conference where the Administration paraded the leader of the terrorist group behind the virus attacks." "Jim, we're getting reports that many of the local population are flocking to the airport. It seems the King has quite a following amongst ordinary Americans." "Mark, the police are already setting up crowd control barriers here, anticipating quite a turn out now that we in the press have broken the story." ------- Chapter 40: To friendship Jamie had listened to Sir David suggesting that he hold a press conference to expose the US President's cover up, but an idea of his own had popped into his head. He would personally go and speak to POTUS. What had been done could have led to the slaughter of all of the remaining survivors across England. Jamie felt that was a good enough reason to want to look the man who had kept it hushed up in the eye. "No Sir David, I think I know how these people work now. It might be better if I was to make that state visit round about now," said Jamie. There was a pause in the discussions as everyone took in Jamie's words and thought about the implications. "I'm not altogether sure that would wise, your Grace," said Sir David. "Why, Sir David?" Jamie asked. "Well state visits take months of planning. Every little detail has to be considered and dealt with. Just making a request with virtually no notice at all isn't the done thing." The Ambassador replied. "No, Sir David, you misunderstand me. I'm planning to go now, tonight. I don't intend to 'make a request', but simply turn up. I'll hitch a ride on the next jumbo that's returning Stateside to pick up more of our people and surprise the President," said Jamie. "But your Grace, you run the risk of the President refusing to see you, you could end up looking somewhat foolish," said Sir John Sawyer. "What are the chances of that happening? I purposefully sent the Americans a message before we cut the link from GCHQ. A pound to a penny says the President has a fair idea I know what he's done. Do you really think he wants me to go public with this? I think he'll see me alright," said Jamie. "And what are you going to say to him if he does agree to meet with you, your Grace?" asked Anthony Carry. "The truth gentlemen, nothing but the truth and my mom and dad always taught me that I had nothing to fear from the truth," replied Jamie. The girls had returned from their shift at the hospital and when they found out what Jamie was planning, they demanded to be allowed to go with him. "Listen, I plan on this being a very short visit, only one day if I can get away with it. I really don't want to be away from here given everything that needs to be done. It's not going to be a fun trip I can assure you. A seven hour flight there and another back and only a meeting with the US President in between. I really don't think you should come," Jamie answered them. When he explained it like that, the girls' enthusiasm dropped off dramatically, but Laura still had something to contribute. "If you're going to meet with the US President, we need to make sure you look the part. Have you got time for a quick bit of shopping?" she asked. Jamie knew he had to be seen to let the girls have their way on something or else he would be in the doghouse for days. He thought Laura was probably right anyway, a sharp suit wouldn't go amiss and he agreed to a quick trip into Edinburgh on the way to Glasgow Airport. He gave Stuart advice on what to do while he was away. Jamie also rounded up the remaining members of the teenage assault squad to go with him to the US as personal protection. A quick stop off at Harvey Nichols allowed Laura and the girls to choose a suite, a couple of shirts and a snappy silk tie. Then it was off to Glasgow Airport and a hurried farewell before he boarded a jumbo that was already set for the return flight across the Atlantic. Jamie managed to get in a few hours of sleep during the flight and felt rested by the time the Captain announced they were starting their descent into JFK in New York. He knew Sir David would be checking with the airport and watching the US news channels to confirm his arrival before he contacted the US State Department. The last thing Jamie wanted was for the aviation authorities to refuse permission for the plane to land. Once the jet was on the ground and it had taxied close to the terminal buildings, the Captain alerted the tower to who he had on board the plane. The news brought an immediate order to halt the plane while the tower checked with someone in authority what they should do. A ground crew wheeled a set of steps up to the giant plane and as soon as the steps were in place, Jamie and his guards exited the jet and made their way down onto the tarmac. Jamie wanted any media that were around to have the opportunity to film his presence. He figures the more people knew he was in town, the less likely it was that the President would ignore him. He knew it was before 03:00 local time and that it would take a while for news of his arrival to leak out. In the meantime he enjoyed the fresh air and chatted with the boys on his security detail. Quicker than he thought a media presence became obvious. Jamie wasn't to know that there were freelance journalists who hung around JFK on the off chance that a celebrity might show up or that some other story would fall into their lap. The freelances had numerous sources on the airport's staff and they had been alerted to Jamie's presence within minutes of the plane landing. This story was potentially much bigger than they could handle and they had called their own contacts on the major news channels. The police and airport security moved quickly to stop anyone approaching the little party on the runway. They weren't particularly happy to see the boys surrounding Jamie all armed with HK MP5 machine guns, but weren't about to spark a major incident by moving to try and disarm them. Everyone settled in to wait for orders from above before they did anything else. As the first of the curious members of the public began to arrive at JFK, the authorities realised the potential for a huge crowd to gather and they rushed to put some crowd control measures in place. By the time the President had been woken and had made it to the conference room in the White House, there were already several thousand interested US citizens gathered outside the airport, hoping to get a glimpse of the King of Scots. ------- "Why is he here?" asked POTUS, looking round the room. "We have no idea Mr President. The best guess I can come up with matches the one the media is making - he has seen the press conference with the woman terrorist and he's come to take her back with him to stand trial in Scotland. Her worst crimes have been committed in the UK after all," suggested the National Security Advisor. Stephen Hadley was really struggling now to keep the smile off of his face. He had been very close to resigning his position when the President had ordered him to remain silent about the threat to the teenagers in the UK. Now the look of concern on POTUS's face was satisfying to watch. "Okay gentlemen, advice please?" the President asked. "We could just refuse him entry, after all he's unlikely to have a visa. I would have to caution against that though, I don't think it would play well with the public sir," said the White House Chief of Staff. "Joshua, if you haven't got anything better to offer, perhaps you should just stay quiet!" barked the President. "Actually, he does have a current visa. He was here on holiday earlier in the year with his parents and the visa is still current, I've checked," contributed the Director of the FBI. "Mr President, I suggest we try and make a virtue out of this. I think you should send your own personal helicopter to pick him up and bring him to the White House. Give him all the usual razzmatazz and trimmings. Make out to the press that this is a visit that has been planned secretly between you both and then give the boy what he wants," suggested Hadley. "Why would we give up the woman?" asked President Bush. "To tell you the truth sir, we've got nothing out of her and my people believe we are unlikely to do so. She's become something of a liability for us and it might be a blessing to get her out of the country," added the Director of the CIA. "The press conference backfired sir, and I can't see us getting any mileage out of the woman," agreed Joshua Bolton. "Okay, bring him here. I don't want him talking to any of the media before we've had a chance to meet. I want the full dossier on him before I see him. I want to know everything there is to know, from whether he wears boxers or jockeys to the colour of his politics," the President said. ------- The President's orders were quickly relayed to JFK and the Senior Agent in Charge (SAC) from the local FBI office approached Jamie and his security force. "Your Grace, my name is Fredrickson, I'm with the FBI. I have a message from the President, sir. He apologises for the fact that his personal transport isn't yet here to meet you and take you on to the White House and he's asked me to make sure you and your people are extended every courtesy while you wait. If you'd just like to follow me sir, we have a VIP lounge that's been put at your disposal," said the SAC, eyeing Jamie with unhidden curiosity. "Would it be possible to show some courtesy of my own by at least saying hello to some of these people, Mr Fredrickson?" Jamie asked. "I'm afraid not sir. My orders are to get you inside out of harms way and then to make sure that you get on the President's bird as soon as it arrives." The VIP lounge was very comfortable and there was plenty of food and drink available for Jamie and his companions. No one had tried to take the arms away from his teenaged security detail, but the SAC now addressed a potential problem. "Your Grace, I fully understand why you have a personal protection squad. I have to tell you though sir, they will not be allowed to enter the White House armed. We have our own security concerns and the Secret Service just won't allow your guys anywhere near POTUS," warned Fredrickson. "I fully expected that Mr Fredrickson, it won't be a problem I can assure you. I don't feel under threat in any way and I'm sure the boys here will be able to find something to keep them occupied while I'm meeting President Bush," Jamie replied. The wait in the VIP lounge turned out to be just over one and a half hours before the Presidential helicopter arrived and was refuelled. Jamie and his security detail were escorted back out onto the tarmac and over to the LockheedMartin US101. He paused to wave at the assembled crowd of interested citizens and assorted media before climbing aboard the helicopter. When the pilot took the US101 up into the air, Jamie was astonished to see temporary floodlights set up around the entrance to the airport terminal. The lights were there to help control the crowd that continued to grow, a crowd of some thousands already and he began to realise just how much of a celebrity he was becoming to the Americans. The flight to the White House took just under one and a half hours and Jamie peered down at the floodlit buildings and extensive lawns. He could also pick out the lights from the assembled White House press corps waiting to capture his arrival and a small party waiting at the edge of the lawn, presumably to officially greet him. As soon as the helicopter touched down, six men in suits rushed forward and advised Jamie's squad to leave their weapons inside the bird. Jamie nodded at them to let them know he agreed with this and they reluctantly laid their machine guns down on the floor. As each of them stepped down from the helicopter to the lush lawn, a Secret Serviceman came forward and frisked them thoroughly. "Ahmm, I'm sorry your Grace, but we need to do the same to you," the leader of the detail said. Jamie smiled at the man's obvious embarrassment and simply held his arms out from his sides to allow him to complete the body search. Once they were sure Jamie and his squad posed no threat, the leader of the Secret Service detail waved to the small group of people at the edge of the lawn and he spoke quietly into a small mic. Jamie saw the group start forward and he too now began walking. He saw out of the corner of his eye that the Secret Service detail had fanned out to provide a screen around them on the lawn. To his surprise, Jamie recognised the man at the front of the approaching group as the President himself. When he reached Jamie, he extended his hand to shake and with the practised ease of a politician, put his arm around Jamie's shoulder so he could turn him towards the press corps. Cameras flashed as the pictures of the first handshake between the US President and the King of Scots were captured. President Bush wore a large smile and pumped Jamie's hand vigorously. "Welcome to the White House your Grace," the President said. "I'm pleased to meet you Mr President," Jamie managed to reply. "Let's get you inside so we can talk properly and you can tell me what's so urgent that you had to fly across the Atlantic without any warning," said POTUS through now clenched teeth. Jamie simply nodded and kept pace with the most powerful man in the world, as they crossed the remainder of the lawn and entered the White House through a set of French doors. Nothing more was said as they trooped along a series of corridors and Jamie began to sense the animosity coming from the man walking at his side. "So be it! If that's the way he wants to play this then he might be in for a bit of a surprise," Jamie thought to himself. For once the security checkpoints in the corridors didn't stop anyone and it only took minutes before the little entourage entered the same conference room that the President had been in earlier. POTUS's interrupted sleep was catching up with him and he appeared tired and cranky as they took seats around the conference room table. "Can I start by introducing the other gentlemen here, your Grace. This is Stephen Hadley, my National Security Advisor. On your right is Joshua Bolton, my Chief of Staff. Beside Joshua is General Michael Hayden, the Director of the CIA and on my left here is Bob Swan Mueller III, Director of the FBI," said the President. Jamie stood and shook hands with each man as the President introduced them. The men were surprised by his formal approach and obvious good manners, but remained mute as they shook hands. "I must admit your arrival has taken us all a little bit by surprise your Grace. Normally there is a protocol that is followed for state visits. That protocol would certainly include some kind of request through the State Department," said President Bush. As if on cue, the doors to the conference room opened and Sir David Manning and another man entered. Sir David made his way directly to Jamie and bowed low before him. "Your Grace, it's a pleasure to meet you in the flesh at last. I'm glad your flight and arrival here have gone without incident." "Thanks you, Sir David," Jamie replied. "Mr President, I'm not sure if you have met Sir David Manning before? Sir David as you know is my Ambassador here. The President was just giving me a row for not following protocol as you yourself advised Sir David and I was just about to respond." Something in the way that Jamie said these last words alerted Sir David and he gave Jamie a hard look, as if to say 'don't do anything stupid'. "Indeed your Grace, it would have been better all round if you had at least let the President know you were coming to his country," Sir David replied now, cautiously. "Ah yes," said Jamie, "much as the US advised us when they entered UK waters with a major battle group. Much like they advised us when they flew troops to Faslane and shot me out of the sky and much like they advised us when they took over a government agency at Cheltenham and then used it to launch an armed assault in London." The Ambassador could be seen to gulp and almost appeared as if he would be physically sick at Jamie's direct assault on the US Administration. He was certainly not used to such plain talking in the diplomatic circles he usually moved in. "Why you little puppy!" barked the President, "just who do you think you are?" "I'm your worst nightmare Mr President. I'm a teenager with attitude. I'm a teenager whose parents taught him to always tell the truth and not to try and backslide by lying through omission. "I'm the legally appointed King of Scots with evidence that US forces shot me down over Faslane. I'm the Head of State of a country that has been the US's staunchest ally and I also have evidence that you sir, have not been acting anything like a friend should. You know that your raid on London sparked a change in the terrorist's tactics. You know sir, that a message was sent from the apartment in London even as your Special Forces attacked it. You were fully aware what that message meant and yet you didn't lift a finger to warn us of the consequences of your actions. "I'm the little puppy who is going to share all of that with the American people Mr President, that's who I think I am," Jamie ended his highly charged outburst. Sir David sat beside his monarch, his head in hands in despair at Jamie's language and attitude to the US President. Jamie could see the Secret Service detail in the room stiffen, their hands dropping unconsciously to their waists as if there was suddenly a threat in the room. The President actually had his mouth open in amazement that a mere teenager had the balls to talk to him like Jamie just had. It took only a few moments for the President to recover. "I did say he had two brass ones didn't I? Look your Grace, it's clear there have been some misunderstandings and certainly our communications need to improve, but I don't think there's any need to suggest we here in the US are anything but a good friend to the UK. And I use the term 'UK' advisedly here. May I remind you sir, that you are legally King of Scots, not of the United Kingdom. Cheltenham and London are both in England where you have no jurisdiction," the President said. "You're splitting hairs and you know it, Mr President. There has been no misunderstanding! You knew the terrorists were going to start massacring teenagers and you did nothing to stop that. You did nothing to stop that sir, because of the fact that it was your actions that sparked it off! And all for what? So you could parade the leader of the terrorists on US TV? A fat lot of good that did you!" said Jamie, not willing to back down an inch. "Your Grace, let's not get off on the wrong foot here. I've already announced a major package of aid to help the UK start its rebuilding. I really do think you'd rather have the US as a friend than an enemy," the President said, delivering a barely concealed threat. "I have no intention of having the US as an enemy, Mr President. My problem is with you, not with the untold thousands of Americans who continue to send me messages of support and encouragement. I wonder how long you'll remain as President once I've shared everything I know with those same Americans?" Jamie asked. He knew it was public opinion and the threat to the President's personal popularity that were his biggest weapons - the word impeachment was at the forefront of Jamie's mind. He knew it was that kind of threat that would get to the President and he had no problem using it now. Jamie looked the President in the eye as he said these last words and he could see they hit home. With one blink of the President's eyes, he knew he was going to get what he wanted. President Bush had blinked first. There was no remorse for Jamie, this was the man who had taken a decision that could have led to the death of hundreds, thousands possibly, of innocent teenagers. No, Jamie remained focussed and determined. As an experienced diplomat, Sir David was well used to 'reading' how a negotiation was going; he had made a career out of knowing when the other side was in trouble. He couldn't quite believe he was seeing what he was seeing. A teenager had just faced down the President of the United States. While it wasn't the way that he would have approached things, he had to admit that Jamie's tactics seemed to be working. "What is it you want from me? Have you flown over the Atlantic simply to be insulting? If so, you do your station and your country a great disservice," said the President. "I don't think I'm being insulting, but if the truth hurts so much, then so be it Mr President. I've been finding out recently what it means to have to live with the consequences of our own actions, what it means to shoulder responsibility. I want four things, well three really, but another specific thing needs to be incorporated into one of my request," Jamie replied. "Why don't you spell it our your Grace," POTUS said, almost resignedly. "First, I want to take the terrorist back to Scotland to stand trial of course. It was after all on our soil that she committed her worst crime and she is responsible for millions of deaths. "Secondly, I want to be allowed to speak to the American people. I promise you that I will make no reference to the incident over Faslane or the raid on the apartment in London. As a precaution, you can broadcast the address with a slight time delay if you want, so you can make sure I don't say anything I shouldn't. "The last thing I want is to take some live chickens back to Scotland with me. I really miss fresh eggs and we need to re-introduce poultry," Jamie said. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he made this last request and saw the reaction in the room to it. The adults obviously felt it was completely inappropriate for him to introduce such a silly request into such a serious situation. Jamie suspected that they were all thinking that this was just another sign of his immaturity. Of all the things his country needed, this was not a priority. His own view was the opposite. The absence of poultry was going to be a major issue for his country and he saw a quick way of addressing that. One of the things he had asked Stuart to do in his absence was to search through the database of new arrivals to see whether there were any vets and scientists who could test the livestock that remained alive. He was keen to find out whether the meat would be safe to eat and whether milk from cows would be safe to drink. When he had made the suggestion to Stuart it had occurred to him that there were no hens and that that was a serious matter. Testing the livestock was just another of the things that his country needed to do as part of their rebuilding. The advisors in the room had little to say to the President. Jamie's requests were straightforward enough and if granting them avoided bad press then it was something of a 'no-brainer'. "What about the specific thing you want?" asked Joshua Bolton. "I want to have Gunny Kazinski at the press conference when I speak to the American people," Jamie replied. "Who the hell is Gunny Kazinski?" asked Bolton. The President answered before Jamie could. "He's the guy who fired the minigun that downed the helicopter over Faslane. I believe he's here in Washington, as I've asked to meet with him," said the President. Jamie made it clear he wanted to settle matters and return to Scotland as soon as possible. Sir David began to see that the King's direct approach had been as much to achieve a quick resolution as anything else and his respect for the teenager went up a notch or two. He realised he had been too quick to judge and that Jamie's attack on the President hadn't been a youthful loss of control, rather it had been coldly calculated to achieve his ends as quickly as possible. The details of what would be required were agreed fairly quickly once it became clear that the President was willing to grant Jamie his requests. Despite the fact it was barely 07:00 local time, a broadcast from the lawns of the White House was quickly scheduled and Gunny Kazinski was pulled from his bed and ordered to wear his dress uniform in preparation for a meeting with the President. ------- Jamie had been allowed to retrieve an important item from the bag he had left on the President's helicopter. He was now ready to face the American media and he had been introduced to Gunny Kazinski. The gunner hadn't been prepared to meet the teenager he had shot down over Faslane, believing he was instead 'only' going to meet his President. Kazinski now stood with the small group of Scots teenagers who formed Jamie's security detail, as Jamie walked over to one of a pair of lecterns bearing the presidential seal. Jamie stashed something on the shelf built-in to the lectern and then prepared to make his speech. President Bush stood behind the other lectern, still unsure of what Jamie was going to say. Precautions had been taken to broadcast the speech with a time delay, just as Jamie had suggested, so POTUS knew that he had nothing to be concerned about really. That didn't stop him from being irritated about not being fully in control of the situation. Jamie saw the cue that told him he was now being broadcast and he swallowed, trying to gather some moisture into his suddenly dry mouth. "I know the American media are already speculating about my purpose for coming to the US at such short notice. I want to take some time this morning to tell the American people the whole truth." Jamie glanced at the President and saw that his use of the words 'the whole truth' had registered, as he had intended them to. He faced the cameras once more. "There were certain matters I had to discuss with your President that could only be dealt with face to face. I'm pleased to say that my meeting with President Bush was a productive one. As a consequence of our discussions, the President has agreed that the terrorist leader known as Bird Song will return to Scotland with me when I depart. "There was another reason for coming here however. Over the past few weeks I have been humbled by the countless thousands of messages of support and encouragement all of the survivors in the UK have received from you the American people. I believed that nothing less than a personal appearance and a heartfelt thank you from us would do to even try to explain how much those messages have meant to us. Tapadh leibh, taing mhór - that's 'thank you, thanks a lot' in Scots Gaelic. "There is another Gaelic word I need to use - càirdeis, that's friendship in English. Our friendship can only have been strengthened by how you have each of you responded to what we faced and we will not soon forget that. Rest assured you will be given a very warm welcome if you ever reach god's own country in the future. "Neither do I not forget that the US has suffered it's own losses. Many of your troops were stationed abroad - in the Middle East and elsewhere. You had diplomats in many countries and private citizens on holiday or doing business throughout the world, many of them indeed in the UK when the virus struck. All of them perished along with most of the world's population. America's dead should not be forgotten. "Before I left Scotland I ordered a new 12-year-old malt whisky to be named Càirdeis in honour of what we have shared. I brought the very first bottle with me and I'd now like to symbolically share it with you all." Jamie reached down to bring the bottle of whisky out from under the lectern. His six-strong security detail came forward, ushering Gunny Kazinski with them. Each of them had a cut crystal whisky glass in his hand and Gunny found one thrust into his hand too. "This is Gunny Kazinski. Just an ordinary American, but one of those that I have exchanged e-mails with. Today I'd like you to accept that Gunny represents all of the thousands of you who have never wavered in your support. Accept that he is standing-in for each and every one of you out there. On behalf of all of the survivors in Scotland, we seven who are with you today would deem it an honour if you would share the first drink of Càirdeis with us. We drink to friendship and to the memory of all those we have lost." With those words, Jamie opened the bottle and poured a generous measure into each of the glasses. He joined his security detail and they circled Gunny Kazinski and all raised their glasses in salute to him. "Càirdeis!" all seven of the Scots said in unison. "To friendship," Gunny managed to reply. They all raised their glasses to take a sip of the smoky, amber whisky and then embraced each other. At last Jamie managed to make his way back to the lectern, minus the bottle this time. It was clear he had shed a few tears. He wiped his face with the back of his hand and sniffled before he began again. "I guess I'm going to have to change the laws on the legal age for drinking alcohol when I get home. "Ladies and gentlemen, I've said what Scotland wanted to say to you all. Let me end this message of thanks by simply saying - god bless America!" Jamie turned and walked away from the lectern. He shook hands with Gunny Kazinski and nodded in the direction of the President before making his way to the helicopter. The assembled media, the grizzled, cynical American press gave him a standing ovation for his words and the sentiment they expressed. None had missed the fact that President Bush had been a mere onlooker throughout the entire proceedings. ------- The trip back to JFK was largely made in silence. Each of the Scots youngsters had been affected emotionally by Jamie's words and actions and they sat with their own thoughts. When the US101 flew over the airport, they could see the crowds had grown significantly. When the helicopter was spotted a huge cheer went up, a cheer so loud they could make it out over the noise of the rotors. Jamie had been informed that Bird Song would be delivered to him at the airport and when they crossed the tarmac to the jumbo that was pointed out to them, he saw her standing between two burly guards. Jamie's security detail had by now recovered their HK MP5s and they took over guard duty on the terrorist, as they all began to climb the stairs to board the plane. Jamie paused at the top of the stairs to wave once to the cheering crowd and then the door to the jet was pulled closed. (For those curious amongst you - càirdeis - the nearest pronunciation I can give is - kardace) ------- Chapter 41: It's not over yet Mr President Once again Jamie managed to catch some sleep on the flight across the Atlantic. The security detail kept a close eye on the terrorist and their monarch, politely heading-off those adults on the flight who approached to get a look at their King. When Jamie awoke he made a point of moving through the cabin, speaking to people and finding out a little about them. He seemed to have a natural ability to put people at their ease and get them to open up. Many of the adults had watched his broadcast on TVs inside JFK airport and they told him he had made them feel extra proud to be Scottish. They too were amazed at the support from their American friends for the UK, some of them even explaining that the Americans were almost as determined as they were to cross the Atlantic to help. By the time they landed at Glasgow Airport it was already 17:00, the five hour time difference working against Jamie. His security detail let all of the returning adults leave the plane before they hustled their prisoner down the stairs and onto the runway. Shafiq gazed around her nonchalantly, a fact that Jamie noticed and filed away. There was a hold up of half an hour while the chickens were unloaded from the plane and a small crowd had gathered, bemused by what was going on. Jamie just smiled and ordered that the chickens be well looked after until he could arrange for them to be moved to a new home. The Lynx was sitting where he had left it barely thirty-odd hours before and Jamie, his security detail and Shafiq loaded up for the short hop back to the Dreghorn barracks. When they landed, Jamie ordered Shafiq to be taken to the guardhouse meantime while he dealt with more important things. He made sure to say this loud enough so that she could hear how unimportant he considered her. Striding across the barracks' parade ground, Jamie asked that Stuart, Lee and Laura be found and sent to the briefing room they normally used for meetings and videoconferences. He arrived there first and quickly set up his laptop before opening one of the little fridges and opening a bottle of fresh juice. When the other three arrived they found Jamie slumped over, tiredness catching up with him, but he roused himself as he heard them entering the room. "How was the trip your Grace?" Stuart asked. "Well, I got what I wanted. Sir David had someone recording the broadcast I made, so you should be able to see it later," Jamie replied. "And they handed over the terrorist?" Lee enquired. "Yep, she's in the guardhouse here even as we speak. To be honest, I got the impression that the Americans were glad to get rid of her in the end," Jamie replied. "What did you give them in return?" Laura wanted to know. A huge grin suddenly appeared on Jamie's face. "I know it's going to be very hard for you to believe this, but I gave them nothing. I think they were so amazed that I would speak to the President the way I did, were so focussed on the damage a leak to their press would do, that they completely missed the fact I gave them no undertakings whatsoever. "The only thing I promised was that I wouldn't disclose anything during my broadcast. Perhaps they assumed that I meant I wouldn't disclose anything full stop, but I didn't give any such undertaking. That's one of the reasons I wanted you here. We need to discuss what we do now. Should we disclose what the President has done or not?" Jamie asked them. "Oh, I think there's a bit more to it than that," said Laura, "I've been doing some research on this while you've been away. I also found some of the adults on the database showed themselves as qualified solicitors and I've taken soundings from them too." "It sounds like you've been busy, Princess. Do you want to share with us what you've learned?" Jamie asked. "Well, it seemed to me that it was the President's actions that played a large part in many of the deaths in Liverpool. Nothing could probably have been done for the teenagers who were murdered in the camp, there just wasn't time to do anything to warn them. However, the deaths that followed over the next few days could easily have been prevented if the President had allowed the US security agencies to give us a warning. "In my book that makes him guilty of a number of counts of accessory to murder. We have some solid evidence here. The log file from Cheltenham makes it clear the US was aware of the communication. It would beggar belief if the President wasn't made aware of that message. We also have survivors from the camp in Liverpool who can testify to the sudden change in tactics by the terrorists. We even have an e-mail to you Jamie, which gives a clear time stamp of when the teenagers alerted us to the massacre that was taking place," said Laura. "I agree with all of that, but where does it get us?" asked Jamie. "I think, and the solicitors agree, that we have strong grounds to extradite the President and put him on trial in this country for his crimes," said Laura. There was silence in the room as each of the others looked at her as if she was mad. No one said anything for several minutes before Jamie broke the silence. "We do have strong evidence. I suppose we could also look to have officers of their security agencies testify in a court, but of course they would just refuse to appear and there's nothing we could do to force them. Are you telling me that the solicitors actually think there is some merit in this?" asked Jamie. "Not only that, when I told them all of the details of what has gone on, they were so outraged they demanded we do it. If you've never seen a lawyer hungry for blood, I don't recommend it," said Laura. "I'm all in favour Of the President being made to pay for his actions, but what is the likely response of the US if we follow such a course?" Jamie asked. "No idea," said Laura, "why don't we ask the ambassadors when you speak to them in your nightly videoconference?" "We can do even better than that, why don't I try and contact them now? It's still afternoon over there, it's worth a try, as I'd like to post something on the SIS web site quickly. If I leave it too long to spill the beans, it will look strange," said Jamie. Having already set up the laptop, it didn't take long to call up the software and click to make the link to Sir David's site. As had happened before, instead of the Ambassador there was one of his staff sitting behind the desk. Jamie asked if Sir David was available and the 'suit' disappeared to go and find him. Ten minutes later the Ambassador made his way in front of the web cam and greeted his monarch. "I wasn't expecting your call so soon your Grace, you can't have landed too long ago," the Ambassador opened. "There are some important matters that need to be discussed Sir David, nothing was really settled with the President this morning," said Jamie. The Ambassador looked somewhat puzzled. "But I thought you did splendidly your Grace, the President conceded everything that you asked for," said Sir David. "I admit I was taken aback by your tactics, as was President Bush I suspect, but they worked admirably." "Oh I don't mean that playacting," said Jamie, "I'm referring to how to deal with the release of the information about the President's actions and how they led to the murder of hundreds of survivors." "But your Grace, I thought you had agreed not to go public with these matters," said the Ambassador, clearly appalled at what Jamie was suggesting. "At no time during our meeting did I give any such undertaking Sir David. You were there, think back. If I had been asked to give an assurance that I wouldn't go public, I would have refused. The man needs to be exposed for what he did and it's my duty to do so. I believe it is particularly important for those who hold high office to be seen to maintain the highest standards. The American people do not deserve to be represented by a man like that," Jamie replied hotly. "And what do you hope to achieve by exposing the President in this way your Grace?" "Well, I will have the satisfaction of telling the American people the truth. I will be able to look the survivors in Liverpool in the eye and say that I have done what I can to see justice done for the friends that they have lost. Hopefully I will also have the satisfaction of seeing a man without honour removed from the most powerful position in the world," Jamie responded. "You mean you hope the President is impeached?" asked Sir David. "Yes, but even more than that we have been discussing the possibility of seeking to extradite President Bush to stand trial in this country as an accessory in the murder of the hundreds of teenagers who lost their lives in the south," said Jamie. "You can't be serious your Grace! Such a step would be unheard of. There was some talk about President Bush and Prime Minister Blair being charged with war crimes over Iraq, but that's all it was, talk. No serving President has ever been faced with such charges and I think you need to consider this very carefully before you do something you might regret." "My only regret Sir David, is that I won't have the pleasure of seeing the look on the man's face when he discovers that I have exposed him for what he has done. We have reviewed the evidence that we have and have taken some legal advice here too," said Jamie. The discussions carried on for some time longer, with the Ambassador urging Jamie to show restraint. He couldn't see what could be gained by Jamie releasing the information he had, while Jamie could only see that doing anything else would be virtually telling the President that it was okay to continue acting as he had been. "Sir David, I want your legal team to research the process for extradition from the United States to the UK. I want that information by the time we videoconference at our usual time tonight if at all possible," ordered Jamie. The Ambassador nodded his head in defeat and they wound up the conference. ------- Jamie asked someone to find Kalif and to tell him that he wanted to discuss something of some importance. The Pakistani teenager and his friends had been warmly accepted at Dreghorn, despite everything that had happened. "Kalif, I need some advice on how to deal with the terrorist leader. I'm pretty sure that the Americans have tried all of their techniques to get her to talk, but I wonder if our different situation might allow us to use slightly different tactics to get her to open up. Given the magnitude of what she has done I am determined to get her to crack. "This woman has resisted all of the Americans' efforts, and we still know virtually nothing about who planned the awful attack on our country. I mean no insult Kalif, but I need to ask you if there is anything that you can think of from your own culture, from within your faith, that might help get this woman to talk," said Jamie. "Your Grace, I am a Scot and a Muslim - in that order. What these fanatics have done is a source of immense shame and deep anger to me. The colour of my skin does not make it more likely that I will betray my country and my countrymen. I have suffered just as much pain at the deaths of my parents, family and friends as everyone else. I have lived through the past few weeks with the same fear of the terrorists as everyone else. "I would argue strongly that the fanatics cannot call themselves true believers. Islam, the holy book and its teachings would never countenance such a horrible act as the one that these lunatics have perpetrated. Yet they claim to be even more devout than the rest of us. "It is that unshakeable belief your Grace, that very fundamentalism that might give a clue as to where this woman might be weakest. I too have seen the video messages that suicide bombers have left behind. I have listened to their words about entering the gates of paradise as a martyr, beloved of the prophet. "The possibility that the paradise of Islam might be littered with such evil people is anathema to any real believer. I would do anything to keep such people from such grace and it is the threat that she might never achieve that final journey that could be an Achilles heel for the terrorist," said Kalif. "How would she be convinced to talk Kalif? I will not sanction physical torture, that way lies a sure path to being just as bad as the terrorists. Psychological pressure is another matter however. How do I get her to open up and tell us everything that she knows?" asked Jamie. "You need to find a way of making her believe you have the power to stop her entering paradise your Grace. That threat is likely to be the greatest fear she has ever had to face," replied the Pakistani teenager. ------- The techies and the armed teenagers guarding them were quite frankly bored. It had been fun having free rein of the Cheltenham complex at first, there were lots of gadgets and computers to check out, but it had all quickly become boring and routine. When words started scrolling across the screen of the computer hooked up to the mobile phone monitoring system, there was therefore great excitement - something was happening! The excitement turned to disappointment as the speech recognition software converted the call to words and the techies could see that their friends in Scotland seemed to have begun to use mobile phones to communicate with each other. While a significant increase in phone traffic would make the job of picking out any calls between the terrorists more difficult, freeing up the possibility of using phones had been the main reason for securing the complex in the first place. The techies shrugged and tried to focus on the job they had been given. "Hey, look at this one"" called one of the techies to his friends. Two other teens rushed over to look at the screen. "Hi, is that Gerry?" "Yes, Shona, is that you? How are you? Where have they put you?" "I was so disappointed when we were split up at the airport, I really enjoyed your company at JFK and on the flight over. I've been given a house in Bearsden. When I realised they were giving every household a mobile phone, I managed to the convince the boy who is co-ordinating things in my area to look for your name on his database so I could get your number." "I won't ask how you managed to convince him!" "Well he was only a boy. I'm afraid I rather took advantage of my assets to get what I wanted. The poor boy turned as red as a beetroot and his eyes were almost popping out of his head. Ha, ha!" "From what I can remember, you have plenty of assets to work with. I'll bet the kid won't be able to lie comfortably on his front for weeks!" "I was rather hoping that you might be interested in getting a little more familiar with those assets yourself Gerry. Where have they put you?" "Nowhere near as posh as where they have stashed you, but it's not far away. If you're serious, I could probably be in Bearsden in ten minutes. Why don't you give me a note of your number and your address. I might even be able to find us a couple of bottles of decent wine." The message concluded as the two callers shared details of their new addresses and Shona's mobile phone number. The techies were left in no doubt as to what these two were planning. The call had hardly ended when another message began scrolling onto the screen. "Hello?" "Bird Song." "Who is this?" "No names, I'm beginning to get nervous about security. Let's just say I'm your counterpart in Birmingham. Have you had any contact with Bird Song in London?" "Nothing for days now - what's happening in Birmingham, it's quiet here in Manchester?" "It's quiet here too. Don't you think it's funny that we haven't heard from London? I've tried the numbers for Glasgow, Edinburgh and Liverpool and I'm not getting any answers there either. I'm beginning to think that someone is on to us." "How could they be? There are only teenagers left, well at least that's the case here." "You've seen the stuff on the Internet I'm sure. This Highlander claims to have taken out the faithful in Glasgow and Edinburgh. It's possible he has started moving south." "That doesn't worry me. Like I say, they're only teenagers." "Teenagers who might have already defeated three of our cells. Do not be so complacent my friend." "What are you planning to do?" "Nothing just yet. I'm going to give it another few days to see if I can raise a response from London. After that I think I'm going to try and make for mainland Europe, there's plenty of room to get lost over there." "I'll try and contact the others too, let me know before you go. It might be a good idea if we stick together. There's safety in numbers." The call ended, but within thirty seconds there was a further call. Looking at the reference numbers the techies could see that the terrorist in Birmingham was contacting his counterpart in Leeds. A similar dialogue took place between the cells in these two cities and then everything went quiet again. "This is important, we need to pass this on to the King," said the techie who seemed to be in charge. "But they didn't really say anything, just that they were getting a little worried," said his friend. "I don't know about you, but I think that a nervous terrorist is a potentially more dangerous terrorist. Who knows what they might do before they try and split for Europe? We need to get a message to King James." ------- Jamie hadn't thought about taking mobile phones to Cheltenham with him, which was a significant oversight on his part. He was fortunate there weren't more serious repercussions to his mistake, but he was lucky and picked up an e-mail from the techies at GCHQ just before he logged on for the normal videoconference with the Ambassadors. He read the content of the e-mail and he grew concerned too. Your Grace We picked up some traffic between what we think are the terrorist cells in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds this afternoon. The tangos seem to be getting nervous about the fact that they haven't heard from London. They are linking that to their inability to get in contact with Glasgow, Edinburgh or Liverpool. It looks like they're getting ready to make a run for it - going to mainland Europe was mentioned in each of the calls. I thought you should know just in case the tangos decide to do something stupid before they leave. I'll let you know if we get anything else. Geekboy69 Jamie couldn't help but smile at the signature on the e-mail. His attention quickly returned to the message however, and he began to chew his bottom lip as he thought about what the terrorists might do before trying to get away. He set about sending a response, recognising the error he had made earlier by not establishing a quicker line of communication to GCHQ. Geekboy Thanks for the heads up. We should have established mobile phone communications for emergency messages like this. Note down this number 07796 777 000 - try and find a mobile. There's bound to be some lying around in the complex soon. When you find one give me a call to let me know your number. If you get anything more from the tangos let me know immediately. James R As he clicked on the send button, he looked up from his laptop and saw Stuart, Lee and Laura returning to the briefing room in anticipation of the videoconference. "Where are Debbie and Christine?" Jamie asked. "They're both doing a shift at the hospital. I'm going in in an hour or two," Laura replied. "What do you make of this?" Jamie asked, gesturing to the e-mail message that was still displayed on his screen. The others looked over his shoulder and read what 'Geekboy' had written. "It could be good news or it could be bad news, there's no way of telling," suggested Lee. "In what way?" asked Laura. "Well, they might just try and melt away quietly and that would mean that all of the teenagers in England would no longer be under threat. That would save us the job of hunting them down. On the other hand, they might go loco before they leave, you know, go on a spree like the bastards in Liverpool did," explained Lee. "My vote goes with the latter. There's no way these guys will leave quietly, they don't have it in them to do anything quietly. No, I think they'll go for the big demonstration of Allah's superiority over the infidels. I really think the survivors in England are in deep trouble," argued Stuart. "I'm inclined to agree with you, Stuart. I think we need to consider moving up our timetable for trying to free the English. It looks like we might only have a couple of days at the most before things come to a head," said Jamie. "But what about dealing with the American President?" asked Laura. "That's the one thing that's clearer now, the President just got a stay of execution," said Jamie. "Why?" asked Lee. "It's clear that the other terrorist cells are still unsure what's happened to Bird Song in London. If I put our evidence up onto the SIS web site they'll know immediately that the Americans are a threat and that their leader has been taken out. There's no way we can let them know that. We need to deal with the remaining terrorists before I can release the information to anybody else," said Jamie. The young King actually gulped as he realised he had been on the verge of making a huge mistake. If it hadn't been for the message from 'Geekboy' he would probably have gone ahead and posted the evidence about the mobile phone call during the US raid and he could see now that would have been a disaster. Once again he offered a silent prayer of thanks for having got lucky. "You need to do better than this, you can only get lucky so often. The sooner I can get others taking on some of the work so I've got more time to think, the better," he thought to himself. It was just about dead on time for making the connection for the videoconference and Jamie clicked on the appropriate buttons on the laptop to make that happen. They joined the site part way through a conversation and Jamie realised Sir David was bringing Sir John and Anthony Carry up to date with what had been going on. He didn't interrupt and simply listened to Sir David's factual account of the meeting with the President and then their conversation of earlier in the day with regard to the possible extradition. The other two diplomats grew noticeably agitated as the story unfolded and Jamie could see that they were very uncomfortable with what he wanted to do. Be that as it may, he was determined to see it through despite diplomatic advice to the contrary. Sir David finished his explanation and switched to addressing Jamie. "Good evening, your Grace. Thank you for bearing with me, I thought it was important to make sure John and Anthony were completely up to date before we start this evening." "That's fine, David. How are things progressing with the extradition?" Jamie asked. "Before I answer that, can I apologise for my behaviour earlier, your Grace. I really did forget my place. I was negative and obstructive, seeing only diplomatic problems arising out of what you suggested. I can see that John and Anthony are experiencing a similar initial reaction if I'm not mistaken. "When I had had time to think about what you said and what you wanted to do, I rather brought myself up short. I realise now that I was missing the most important point. The American President is culpable in this matter, he is directly responsible for the deaths of a good number of teenagers and he does need to be brought to justice. I accept that that is fundamental, your Grace, and I apologise for missing the point completely. I have my staff working flat out to try and find a solution," said Sir David. "Don't beat yourself up about it, David, it must be difficult to try and counteract decades of using the subtle tools of diplomacy in order to deal with a brash, cheeky and somewhat too direct teenager. A teenager who probably sees things too black and white into the bargain. I value your advice, even if I might not always follow it," replied Jamie. "That's very gracious of you, your Grace. Thank you. Now, onto the matter at hand. I'm afraid that despite the fact I have now come round to your way of thinking on this, the initial analysis is not good news." "How so, David?" asked Jamie. "Well, your Grace, the first hurdle to get over in terms of extradition is that we are talking about a sitting President. I understand that he would need to be impeached first before these charges could be brought against him." "But surely that would only apply in the US, under the US constitution and laws?" Jamie asked. "Indeed your Grace, let me continue. If we ignore that first point, the next difficulty is that Extradition between two countries normally only takes place when there is an agreed extradition treaty between the two countries. While the US and the UK had such a treaty, I'm afraid that the Americans can rightly argue that there is no such treaty in place anymore. You yourself heard President Bush take issue with the fact that you have no jurisdiction in the rest of the UK, your Grace. No, I'm afraid that extradition looks as if it might be out of the question," advised Sir David. "Keep working on it, David, something else has come up that means I wouldn't be able to share the evidence we have right now anyway. We have another couple of days to try and figure something out," replied Jamie. The rest of the discussion focussed on more mundane issues that they had to deal with. Sir David and Anthony Carry advised that there was no let up in the numbers coming forward looking to return to the UK. "I can see that you must be getting swamped, your Grace. By my reckoning you have received over sixty thousand expatriates already and the flow shows no signs of slowing down. It might be a good idea to freeze any further travel until you've managed to process the ones you already have," suggested Sir David. "That's the last thing I would agree to," replied Jamie, "it was hard enough for these people to be denied the right to return by the US and Canadian authorities, I'm not going to be party to doing the same thing. No, we'll cope somehow." ------- Chapter 42: If it looks like a pig and smells like a pig, it's a... 06:37, 10 September Laura had left shortly after the videoconference for a shift at the hospital. She passed Debbie and Christine who were just returning and there was some whispered conversation between the girls. Jamie raised an eyebrow questioningly, but as was the case sometimes, the girls simply ignored him. When he had got ready for bed, he had a good guess as to what the whispers had been about, as both the girls attacked him and they had enjoyed several hours of uninhibited fun. It was strange to share them both without his sister present, but they had re-assured him that they all had Laura's blessing. Now Jamie lay awake between Christine and Debbie, thinking about his priorities for the days ahead. He knew he would have to deal with the terrorist captive, but decided to leave that for another day. Letting her stew over what was in store might not be a bad thing. No, his first order of business had to be the survivors in the south. He realised Sir David's words of the night before were also important. If over sixty thousand expatriates had returned already and many more were on the way, he needed to invest some of his efforts in making sure his plans for government were advanced, so that everything didn't just descend into chaos. He was keen to try and do something to remove President Bush's ability to keep playing the UK card too. The lack of legitimacy in terms of his rule over the rest of the UK had already proved to be an issue several times and he wanted to fix that if possible. Getting up, he showered and dressed, leaving the two girls still sleeping. Jamie ventured out into the Dreghorn barracks in search of some breakfast and as he walked towards the mess, remembered he also had to make arrangements for his chickens! There were others already eating in the mess and he realised the camp had somehow been organised to deal with the needs of those who were based there. Snagging a plate, he shuffled past the large stainless steel serving dishes laden with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and everything else needed for a hearty breakfast meal. The smell of freshly brewed coffee also assailed his nose and he happily poured himself a large mug, adding what was probably UHT milk. That reminded him to find out how Stuart was getting on with testing the surviving livestock. Fresh milk would be a godsend, as he was sure he could taste the difference in the treated stuff. Jamie had just begun eating when Stuart arrived with his own plate piled high with unhealthy bacon and sausages. He joined his friend at the table and they ate for a few minutes in companionable silence. "I was thinking about how you were getting on with having the livestock checked out?" asked Jamie at last. "With the thousands of people who've returned in the past few days, we would have been very unlucky not to have found ourselves a vet or two. Actually there are over twenty of them and enough scientists to start an institute. The testing has already started and they've told me we should have the results within a week. All of the facilities they need are still in good working order and the scientists even said they would be testing soil to make sure the virus has fully degraded," Stuart reported. "Good. What we need now is for details of any trained military personnel. I agree with your assessment from last night. I think the English are in trouble and I would like to move people south today if possible to try and have a plan in place in case things start to go pear-shaped down there," said Jamie. "Funny you should mention that. I was looking through the database last night and came across some interesting people. There are three SAS troopers and to Special Boat Service guys, all of who were on detachment to America, some kind of training exchange between the UK and the US. There are numerous others with recent military experience and we could probably field a force of several hundred if we wanted to. "Don't forget that you have the HMS Vengeance if you want to use it and its men as well. The minehunters have brought their first expats into Faslane too, but by all accounts they'll need quite a bit of rest before they're any use to anyone. What were you thinking?" Stuart asked. "What I've been thinking is that I need to delegate more! I have some plans for establishing more of a government presence. If we're going to keep on top of the numbers coming into the country, then we need more people taking decisions. We need security, we need to control resources, we need to have effective logistics in place just to make sure we know how many people we've got and where we're putting them. I'd like you to become Minister for Wellbeing. "I see that post as covering internal and external security as well as some innovative approaches to keeping the population happy - that bit would definitely be up to you! What do you think?" asked Jamie. He could see his friend was a bit overwhelmed at his suggestion. He knew how he had felt himself at the realisation of just how much responsibility he was accepting when he agreed to become King. Now his friend was wrestling with the same concerns, the same doubts about his own ability to cope with that. "I was thinking about appointing a few other ministers as well, all of them teenagers. I don't want us to slip back into the ways the country was run before and I think we have the energy and the ideas to make something better. Do you remember the speech I gave at Fort William, when I said we had something more to offer? I really believe that. "We need to make sure that we don't have all of the adults going off in the huff though, so we'll have to find positions for them too, advisory position, second in command positions. If we give them positions that allow them to fully contribute, but where we continue to have the final say, it might work. You could appoint somebody like Captain Mexford as your commander for external security and maybe these SAS men could fill in to cover internal security? What do you think?" asked Jamie. Jamie's enthusiasm fuelled Stuart's own excitement. He did remember the speech at Fort William and how he had responded to the words at the time. He also thought for a moment about some of the things that he had achieved over the past few weeks and realised that he had already been shouldering significant responsibilities. Jamie was making it clear that he wouldn't have to do this on his own and that was re-assuring. He also came to the conclusion that he would be proud to continue to serve his country in whatever way he could. "I'll do it," he said with conviction. Jamie's face lit up with a huge smile. "Excellent, I couldn't think of a better man for the job. Your first task is to take over the planning and execution of raids into Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Use whatever resources you feel you need to make it happen with the least risk to our people and the English teenagers. Take as many of the trained adults as you feel necessary, no problem," Jamie said. "Well, there's nothing like getting dropped in at the deep end!" laughed Stuart. Jamie could see his friend's focus had already shifted to thinking about all that he would need to set in train to carry out the raids. He finished his own breakfast and wished Stuart good luck, suggesting they get back together to review his plans before Stuart headed south. Jamie spent the rest of the morning speaking to Lee about the role he envisaged for him in his new government. He also talked to Sinky over the radio to ask him to take on the intelligence brief and finally got together with Laura when she returned from her shift at the hospital. Laura was just as surprised as the other teenagers when Jamie suggested she become the Minister for International Co-operation and Collaboration. "I think you'd be really good at this, Laura. You seem to have a natural instinct for it from what I've observed. Just think, all of our relations with other countries would be down to you, complete control over how we help others to begin their own rebuilding," Jamie suggested. "But we haven't even begun to rebuild our own country yet Jamie. It will be years before we can even think about helping others, by then the Americans will have moved in and taken over the world! You're not telling me that the US won't have already moved into the Middle East, Nigeria and anywhere else where there are oil reserves?" she asked. "I think that's bordering on the cynical, Laura. I'm sure the US will be doing all it can to help others, just like they've offered us a massive aid package. There's little doubt that the US also has an imperative to secure fuel, but that's not what's in the hearts of the ordinary man and woman in the street. I can't bring myself to believe that," said Jamie. "I'm not talking about ordinary Americans, Jamie. That's exactly my point. America is run by big corporate organisations, the politicians are controlled by donations and funds and that all comes from business. I think you're right that the population at large would instinctively be in favour of doing what they can to help - gosh, the e-mails you get are evidence of that if any was needed. Unfortunately they are not the people setting American foreign policy," Laura said. "You see, that's just what I mean. You're more politically aware than most adults I've ever spoken to. You'd be great doing this job. Just think about it for me, will you?" "Okay, I'll think about it, but there's something to be said for the satisfaction of doing something more tangible and immediate - like nursing at the hospital today for instance," Laura replied. ------- 14:12, 10 September Stuart hunted Jamie down after lunch to share details of his plans for heading south into England. Jamie was surprised to see that Stuart had opted for a small team of only eight people to go. "I thought you told me we had hundreds of trained military personnel to choose from now? Why are you only taking eight?" Jamie asked him. "Sometimes less is more, your Grace. The more people we take, the bigger the logistical issues, the more difficult the command issues become and the more people there are to get injured or killed. "I think this team will work just fine, particularly given my secret weapons. This isn't meant to be an exercise in fighting force with force, there are too many innocent bystanders around - collateral damage I think they call it in modern warfare - this will reduce the risks. "I've got three SAS troopers, two SBS men, two of our original assault squad and Kalif. What more do I need?" asked Stuart. "Okay, tell me how you're going to do it?" said Jamie. "First of all, you won't need to fly the helicopter this time. We've now got any number of pilots to choose from and I thought you had more than enough on your plate here to worry about. Laura also promised me twenty quid if I kept you out of the fighting from now on," Stuart joked. "I wouldn't be surprised, she understands why I do it, but she's never happy about it," replied Jamie. "Okay, here's my plan. We chopper south, with the first port of call Manchester. We drop off two of the Special Forces guys to start to gather intelligence and size up the opposition. We drop off two more Special Forces at Birmingham to do the same and then the rest of us make for Leeds. "Once we've got a fix on where the tangos are based we use our secret weapon," Stuart teased. "Okay, okay, I'll bite! What's the secret weapon?" Jamie asked. "One of the SBS guys is Indian by heritage, he looks Muslim and could pass for an old looking sixteen-year-old. Our plan is that once we know where the terrorist bases are, Kalif and the SBS guy simply walk in and try and join up. If they get close enough in they can spring a trap - hopefully disarm the tangos - and then the rest of us can simply mop them up. "You should see the SBS guy, your Grace. He's slick, very impressive. Not as good as the SAS guys perhaps, but I reckon he could take out a whole cell of tangos on his own. Anyway, what do you think?" asked Stuart. "I don't know, it all seems pretty basic. Are you sure it will work? What if Kalif and the SBS guy don't get close enough?" Jamie asked. "We think they won't be able to resist a couple of true believers. If they do, we'll just fall back on a covert approach and assault. We're taking the necessary kit with us to do that if we have to. "The thing to remember with these things is the simpler they are, the fewer things there are to go wrong. It will be fine, the Special Forces people are more than happy about it," Stuart said. Stuart didn't hang around long, explaining that given the intelligence they had, they wanted to set things in motion as quickly as possible. Every hour might be vital to the English survivors, as there was no way of knowing just how long the terrorists would hang around waiting for news from London. Jamie planned on just getting round some of the new arrivals, dropping into Glasgow in the Lynx, and also dropping into the hospital to visit with the patients there too. He asked Laura if she was interested in going, but she cried off, tired after her shift at the Western General. ------- No orders had been given on what to do with the expatriates as they arrived in Glasgow other than to make sure their details were logged into the computer databases so there was a central record of the skills that were becoming available. Necessity is the mother of invention however, and some of the enterprising teenagers had taken it upon themselves to identify areas of housing to allocate to the newcomers. Their thinking had been simple, to try and keep people as close together as possible. That would make the jobs of communicating and feeding them easier they had thought. Those areas with the nicer and newer housing were chosen first and so far there had been no complaints. Jamie met with a committee of six teenagers who seemed to be running things. They had split responsibility for housing, transport, food and communications between them, with a couple always spare so that people could get some rest. The flights were every two hours, twenty-four hours a day, so it was gruelling work and Jamie could see that all six of them were dog-tired. "Listen, you have all done an absolutely fantastic job so far, shown great initiative. I promise that I'll get others to help you now that I know how much is involved. This afternoon I was hoping to simply meet with some of our new arrivals, just to say hello and welcome them back," Jamie said. A guide was found for him and he shared a jeep ride out to one of Glasgow's suburbs. The girl who was his guide had a laptop with her and she was able to tell him all the details of who had been allocated which house. He spoke to a teacher and a husband and wife team of lawyers. He welcomed them and assured them that they would soon have plenty of work to do. All of the newcomers were impressed that the King had gone out of his way to visit them. The third house they stopped at had been allocated to a pharmacist called McDade and Jamie and his guide wandered up to the front door and rang the bell. They couldn't hear movement inside the house and no one came to let them in. "Hello! Hello, is there anybody home?" Jamie called out. When there was no reply he tried the door handle and found it turned and the door opened. He made his way cautiously into the house and then stopped in surprise at what he found. There was one adult in the main living room, sprawled over a large three-seater settee. Two teenaged boys lay on the floor. All three of them were completely out of it and the reason was quite clear. The various components of a junkies kit were lying around - needles, a length of rubber tubing, spoons, candles and the little bags of brownish/white powder that Jamie had seen many times on TV. "Bastard!" Jamie exclaimed. "What is it, your Grace?" asked his guide, concerned at the scene and his outburst. "I think it's heroin. Get on your mobile and get some armed people up here from the airport," Jamie ordered. The girl rushed back out to her jeep and he could see her through the window making a call on her mobile. When he saw that she wasn't returning to the house he sat on one of the vacant armchairs and took in the entire scene with a depressed expression on his face. The girl had obviously had her wits about her because when help arrived it was in the form of an ambulance and another jeep, this one filled with armed teenagers. As soon the message had come in that there was an emergency and that the King was involved there had been no shortage of volunteers to rush to the scene. Once it became clear that Jamie was in no danger, things calmed down and the adult and the two teenagers who were still spaced out were loaded up into the ambulance, an armed guard getting in with them. Jamie ordered his guide to follow along behind them as they rushed through the city. The closest hospital to Glasgow Airport was the Southern General Hospital and it had been there that additional medical personnel had gravitated as they arrived back in Scotland. The ambulance zoomed its way underneath the River Clyde, through the Clyde Tunnel, and was almost at the doors of the hospital in no time. Jamie's guide parked her jeep and told him she would wait to find out whether he needed a lift back to the airport. He made his way into the hospital and checked with the medical staff as to the condition of all three of the heroin users. He was told that their examination had only just begun and that he would have to wait to find out. The wait was almost an hour before he was informed that all three were in as good a condition as could be expected. Jamie ordered armed guards to remain on station and also asked that the three be brought to Dreghorn the next day once the effect of the drugs had completely worn off. With that organised, he returned to his guide and made the journey back to Glasgow Airport. He didn't let the events of the afternoon stop him from dropping in at the Western General Hospital on his way back to the barracks, spending two hours with the various patients. Once more it was clear his efforts were appreciated and his time with them was somehow uplifting. Despite their injuries, none of them had any regrets about having stormed the English Department during the last battle and Jamie was proud of all of them. After his return to Dreghorn, he felt exhaustion creeping up on him again and he decided to forego the videoconference for once, instead heading for bed. Laura joined him for a few hours, enjoying the cuddles and he wasn't even aware when she left to go to the hospital and Debbie and Christine took her place. ------- 08:48, 11 September Kalif was a nervous wreck. The Indian SBS man, nicknamed 'Sally' for some strange reason, was doing his best to calm the teenager down. "Breathe deeply through your nose. That's it, in through the nose and let it out slowly through your mouth. This is a piece of cake. Just let me do all the talking and make sure you stay on my left and slightly behind me. That way you'll leave my action hand free." The breathing exercises seemed to work for Kalif and although still looking pale, at least he was able to function without shaking like a leaf. The pair walked towards a house in the Withington area of the city, facing onto the Fog Lane Park, on Parkville Road. The two SAS men had followed the few vehicles that were out on the roads and in a reasonably short time they had identified where the terrorist cell was. They had spent most of the evening and night, hidden in the park, observing the comings and goings at the house. When they were satisfied they had the right target; they called Stuart and confirmed the details. The short helicopter ride from Leeds had delivered Stuart and the remaining members of the team. Now Kalif and Sally were carrying out the approach they had talked about, an approach that they hoped would allow them to enter the lion's den without the lion savaging them. While they were still over a hundred yards away from the house, they were spotted and it was clear that they had guns trained on them. "In through the nose and slowly out through the mouth," Sally whispered out of the side of his mouth. A man came out of the front door of one of the houses in the street and stopped to wait for their approach. "Who are you?" the man asked. "Who is asking?" Sally replied confidently. The man was surprised at Sally's tone. "We're the ones in charge here," the man said. "Good, we've come to the right place then. We want to sign up to control the infidels for the greater glory of the prophet," Sally said. The man looked them both over sceptically. "Where are you from and where have you been?" he asked. This was one of the weaknesses of the plan Stuart had come up with, but they had worked on a cover story. "We come from Bolton. For the last couple of weeks we've been chased by infidels and barely escaped with our lives. When we reached the outskirts of Manchester we got caught up with a crowd of the non-believers and we heard that there was a group hunting them. At first we thought they were going to kill us, but they didn't have the courage and we managed to get away from them. For the last two days we've been hiding and following jeeps and they eventually led us here. We want to join up, we're sick of being the ones who are hunted. Now it's time for us to turn the tables on the Christian zealots," said Sally. The terrorist was obviously impressed by the story and decided they seemed legitimate enough to be allowed into the house. Mistake number one was believing the story. Mistake number two was not searching Sally and therefore letting him enter the house with a Browning Highpower pistol in his waistband. Mistake number three, the final mistake was the man turning his back on Sally once they entered the house. He moved so fast, Kalif wasn't sure if he had actually been able to follow what happened. Before he knew it, the tango was on the floor unconscious, the pistol having cracked his skull with a dull thud. Sally wasn't sure about how many were in the house or where they might be - upstairs or downstairs. He moved cautiously forward and entered the sitting room. Moving much quicker, he crossed the room and scooped up the weapons lying on a low coffee table. He slipped them behind the sofa out of the way and whispered to Kalif to cover the other doors on the ground floor. Once he was satisfied that Kalif was going to be okay, Sally began climbing the stairs. He kept his feet to the very outside of each tread to avoid any creaking, but still managed to make his way up at a good speed. Kalif let his eyes flick from door to door as he tried to do what Sally had asked him. He heard a thud upstairs, followed by the sudden and loud sounds of gunfire. The shots echoed loudly inside the house and Kalif jumped with fright, his gaze shifting nervously to the stairs, worried about who might descend them. It was only when he saw Sally coming down the stairs once more that he realised he had been holding his breath and it came out in a whoosh. Sally smiled as if nothing out of the ordinary had just taken place. "Three upstairs. I took one in the hall the same way as this one and then had to use the gun on two more," he said. Sally pulled a mobile from his packet and hit a speed dial button. "This is ratcatcher, rats accounted for, make your approach. Use caution, as there were only four and there could be more." Minutes later the front door burst open and the two SAS men came barrelling in. The first one into the house bent to check the tango that Sally had 'clubbed'. When he felt a pulse he stood and fired a double-tap into the prone figure with his HK MP5. Both of the men scouted each of the downstairs rooms and then made their way upstairs. Kalif heard a double, muted cough and assumed correctly that the second terrorist that sally had only knocked-out had now been executed. ------- Jamie spent most of the morning questioning the two teenagers who he had found doped up on heroin. He was determined to get to the bottom of what had been going on in that house the day before. "Okay, tell me again. What did he say to you?" Jamie asked. "We were only there to deliver him a mobile phone. He hadn't been at home when we called the first time. He already had the stuff out and was obviously going to use it," said the first teenager. "He made it sound so good. He told his that we could escape all the pain of the past few weeks for a little while, escape the fear and the loss we both felt at the death of our families," said the second boy. "But if you'd never tried drugs before, why did you agree to try it yesterday?" Jamie asked, puzzled by this. "Well, he told us it was a one-time only thing. No need to worry about getting addicted with just one hit was what he said." "Yeh and he kept talking it up, saying we could forget everything for a little while. So we agreed." Jamie could see that the two boys weren't the brightest and the Pharmacist had somehow talked them into sharing his drug-induced escapism with him. He had hammered questions at both of the teenagers for several hours and the story hadn't cracked once. Eventually he was satisfied that it had all been down to the adult in this case. The database had the man listed as Derek McDade, previously resident in New York and a Pharmacist to trade. He had no other information to work with other than the report that had come from the hospital. The doctors indicated that McDade had been using for some time if the state of his veins was anything to go by. The amount of heroin found in the house was far more than would have been normal for personal use and Jamie assumed the man was a prospective dealer. He asked for the two boys to be taken out and for McDade to be brought in. "It's my belief that you brought a substantial quantity of heroin into Scotland when you returned. You wilfully talked two boys into taking heroin for the first time in their lives and I can only believe that you intended to set yourself up dealing drugs in this country. What do you have to say for yourself?" Jamie asked, sternly. "Fuck off! Who do you think you are kid? Sure I brought some smack with me, sure I talked the boys into having a hit. So what? What are you going to do about it?" McDade asked. "So, you're not denying it?" Jamie asked. "Fuck off!" McDade said again. Jamie asked for him to be taken away and locked up again. He knew what he was going to do with McDade, but his next test was bound to be much sterner. He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time. Standing, he left the building and walked towards one corner of the barracks where a group of teenagers had already gathered. When he reached them he looked down at the rectangular hole that had been excavated. "Who is doing what?" Jamie asked. "I'm cutting, he's sewing," said one boy, pointing out another. "Okay, let's do this," said Jamie, clearly unhappy with what was about to take place. One of the teenagers put his fingers to his mouth and gave a piercing whistle. In response a group of four guards emerged from the guardhouse and began to hustle the terrorist woman towards where Jamie was standing. When she was alongside what was quite clearly a grave, he spoke to her. "I know you can speak English so you get one chance to talk before we do this," Jamie offered, without much expectation. Shafiq looked at the teenager with disdain, but said nothing. Jamie nodded and the teenager gave another whistle. The sound of a diesel engine reached them and a forklift truck rounded a one of the accommodation blocks. The forks were several feet off of the ground and carried something. Shafiq affected disinterest, but couldn't take her eyes off of the truck as it moved closer. Her eyes grew wider when she realised what it was carrying. Jamie had guessed that the woman wouldn't know about what he had done previously with Fisah and the pigs. He could see the sight of the dead pig on the forklift was already beginning to unsettle her. He watched her, as she was unable to tear her eyes away from the dead beast. The truck reached them and drew parallel with the grave. Jamie remained silent and let the teenager with the wickedly sharp knife stride forward. The tines of the forklift extended the pig's body over the grave and the teenager sliced the beast's throat open with one whip of the blade of his knife. Gouts of pig blood cascaded into the open grave and the teenager stood back to allow it to drain completely. Shafiq's face looked as if it was her blood that was draining into the hole in the ground, her face was deathly pale. Once the pig's throat was only leaking the odd drip or two, the forklift reversed and the driver deposited the body onto the ground. The teenager with the knife set to work with what looked like practised strokes, stripping the skin from the dead beast. It took fifteen minutes for the skin to be completely removed from the carcass and during that time no one spoke a word. The teenager laid the skin flat out on the grass and stepped back. The second teenager stepped forward and the large needle, threaded with thick twine, was clear in his hands. Jamie now spoke for the first time in over half an hour. "Just so you know, you are responsible for the death of most of the population of this country. You are responsible for the deaths of my mother, my father and my grandparents. I want you to die a terrible death. I want you to burn in the very fires of hell. I want to make it clear to you that you will not be entering the fabled paradise that seems to be so important to you and your faith. "We are going to sew you up in this pig skin and then bury you alive. Your dead body will be forever tainted, unclean and you will not enter the afterlife that you have dreamed of. You will be cursed," said Jamie. His voice had remained calm and flat throughout and somehow that seemed to get to Shafiq more than if he had been ranting at her. She felt herself being grabbed and now she really did start to struggle to escape. The teenagers dragged her to the ground and face down onto the still bloody pigskin. The flayed edges of the skin were pulled tight around her and the boy with the needle began to stitch the edges together. By now Shafiq was screaming her agony for all to hear. Once the skin was securely in place, the teenagers lifted her and dropped her unceremoniously into the grave. Nobody said anything as another boy lifted his shovel and began to throw dirt over her. The images flitting through Shafiq's mind were terrifying her. Her nostrils were full of the smell of the pig blood that had drained into the grave. Her arms were pinned to her sides and she couldn't stop dirt from entering her eyes and mouth. It all multiplied and each element of her ordeal fed the next, spiralling upwards until her spirit broke. "I'll talk!" she screamed. ------- Chapter 43: Lessons learned The two SAS men took up station outside the house while Kalif and Sally remained inside. They knew that both the Glasgow and Edinburgh cells had been based around six adults each, so the fact that only four adults were accounted for here in Manchester left them potentially with two tangos still to find. The wait wasn't long. Thirty-five minutes later, a jeep turned into Parkville Road and came towards the house. The street was deserted apart from the approaching vehicle and as it drew level with the gate to the safe house, The two SAS troopers opened fire on it. One of the troopers was concealed on the opposite side of the road to the safe house, just within the fringe of the park. The second was in the driveway of the house immediately next door to the safe house. Their positioning was intentional; giving them as it did diagonally crossing fields of fire. The crossfire was devastating and the jeep shuddered to a halt, stalling as the driver died instantly from the slugs that tore through his skull and he lost control of his feet on the clutch and accelerator. The bursts of fire continued until there was no sign of movement from inside the vehicle. The SAS man on the park side of the road came forward in a crouch, his weapon shouldered and ready for the first sign of trouble. He jerked open the rear door first and quickly checked the two Pakistani teenagers, who were slumped over, blood issuing from numerous wounds. Satisfied that they were both dead, he moved to the front of the jeep and did the same with the occupants there. Finding both dead, he pushed the driver across and on top of the passenger and hauled himself into the driver's seat. Re-starting the jeep, he twisted the wheel and drove the vehicle and its dead, deep into the bushes of the park. Sally and Kalif shared the disappointment at the fact that there had been only one adult tango in the jeep along with three Pakistani teenagers. That meant there was still one at large and they would need to hang around Manchester until they had dealt with him. The concern was that at any moment the leaders of the cells in Leeds or Birmingham could try and make contact with this cell. If another cell suddenly dropped out of contact, that could result in the remaining ones panicking and making a run for it. ------- Jamie was sitting alone in the lounge of Skibo Castle. After questioning the terrorist leader - a woman he now knew was called Shafiq - he had sought escape from his demons. Taking the Lynx to Glasgow Airport, he had loaded up his chickens and flown them north to Skibo. Jamie had remembered seeing a quite extensive chicken run while he had been taking a walk and assumed that the castle had endeavoured to produce its own eggs and poultry at one time. Releasing the chickens into their new home, he had watched them scratch around in the dirt until he realised they were looking for food. It didn't take him long to find the store of grain that had probably been used for the last chickens to occupy the coop and he threw handfuls over the wire fence. After that he had wandered indoors and flopped down into one of the comfortable armchairs that were spread around the lounge area. He wasn't particularly proud of what he had done with Shafiq and mentally he was trying to rationalise his actions. The terror the woman had felt was all too real, tangible in her screams, in the rigid posture of her whole body, but most noticeable in the haunted look in her eyes. He had purposely set out to achieve exactly that, believing, rightly, that it would break her and loosen her tongue. Now he was wondering how he could have conceived of such a thing, never mind stood by while it had been carried out. Was he becoming a monster? He shuddered at the thought and tried to think of what Laura would say. Once Shafiq had started to talk there had been no stopping her. One of the teenagers had brought a mini tape recorder and had turned it on to capture everything that was said. It was just as well, because Shafiq's information came out in one continuous stream until she collapsed exhausted and still petrified. Jamie had nodded at the last of the original party of teenagers who had stood beside the grave and the boy had stepped forward, a syringe full of some chemical in his hand. The lethal injection had been administered while Shafiq was unconscious, still inside her pigskin straightjacket, and then she had been rolled back into the grave. He had walked away with his head down before the teenagers had even begun to shovel the earth to cover her body. The fact that she had admitted playing a key role in the planning and execution of the virus attacks should have helped salve his conscience, but strangely it didn't. The information she had given should have given him a new focus to concentrate his attention on, but it hadn't. Her death should have allowed him to achieve some sense of closure, but he couldn't. Jamie's mind drifted to what else he had to do today before he was finished. There was another distasteful duty to perform and he knew he had to gather himself, steel his nerve and shake of the doubts and self pity he was experiencing. "You've done nothing to be ashamed of son, you're doing what has to be done and mom and I are proud of you for showing you have the courage to see it through. Take comfort from that son, we love you and so does your sister." Jamie knew he was imagining his father's voice once more, but 'hearing' it and listening to the words it said were of great comfort when he needed it most. He realised that subconsciously he had been worrying about what his sister was going to think of him and the actions he had ordered. That was clearly a major part of what was nagging away at his insides. His head jerked up as another flash of insight came to him. He realised that he had only been faced with shouldering the responsibility he had for a few short weeks, yet already it was weighing heavily on him. How did someone like the US President feel taking decisions that were several orders of magnitude beyond what he had experienced? How had that man managed to do that for so many years? Faced with constant unnamed threats from every disaffected group around the globe, how had the President kept mind, body and soul together? That realisation led to another revelation, another truth. While he still believed his thoughts about a teenaged approach to government and the politics of running his country had lots of merit, its conception was idealistic. He had also been judging the other man from a position of naivety and callowness. "How would I bear up under the stresses and strains of six years making decisions that affected the world as a whole?" he asked himself. No, he had been brash and immature. He had been applying the values and morals imparted to him by his parents, but when they had given those lessons, they hadn't been trying to get him ready to shoulder the burden of running a country, merely to face the day to day trials of a normal life. His thoughts and experiences over the past weeks had made it clear for him that sometimes that wasn't enough, for some people, life's decisions, judgements and their consequences were on an altogether grander scale. President Bush hadn't deserved the treatment he had so arrogantly thought up and put into practice when they had met. Jamie was unsure that if he was tested in the same way, whether he would be found wanting. That doubt, that question mark in his head, told him that he had reduced things to a much too simplistic level. He sighed and gave himself a mental shake. The only way to find out if he would pass the test or what Laura really felt about it all, was to get back to Dreghorn and find out. His next major challenge required him to be back in Edinburgh too, so he picked himself up and made his way back to the helicopter. His mobile phone rang constantly as he flew the Lynx back to Edinburgh. Jamie ignored it. Even if he answered the phone - a potentially risky act given he was flying - any conversation he had wouldn't get him where he was going any faster. He flared the helicopter and settled it down on its place on the parade ground of the Dreghorn barracks and lost himself in the routine of shutting the systems down. Once he had finished, he pulled his mobile phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. It showed that he had six missed calls and the little clock blinked to tell him that it was 19:51. Jamie keyed in the numbers 121 to access the phones message service and listened to six separate messages from Stuart. It was clear his friend wanted to speak to him urgently and Jamie hoped it wasn't to deliver bad news. He had programmed in a selection of mobile numbers, one of them the phone Stuart had been issued with, and he opened his address book, highlighted Stuart's name and pressed the call button. His call was answered immediately. "Hello? Is that you, your Grace?" "Hi Stuart, sorry I didn't answer earlier, but I was up in the Lynx," Jamie replied. Jamie found it difficult to make out what Stuart was saying. He could hear a lot of noise in the background and wondered what was going on. "What's happened?" Jamie asked, his voice automatically getting louder to compensate for the noise he could hear at the other end. "Mission accomplished, I'm on my way home!" Stuart shouted from his end. Jamie thought he must have misheard. "Say again, I thought you said mission accomplished?" Jamie queried. "I did! All done and dusted. I should be with you in about an hour's time," replied Stuart. "Okay, I'll see you then and well done!" shouted Jamie. When he disconnected the call he looked at the time on his phone once more. Stuart had been away for only twenty-seven or twenty-eight hours yet he seemed to be saying that he had dealt with three terrorist cells, in three different cities, in that time. That couldn't be true, could it? ------- One of the things that Jamie had asked his growing army of techies, now augmented by adult versions, to do was try and figure out how to work the TV and radio broadcasting facilities. He recognised that using the SIS web site had proven to be effective in reaching people, but being able to broadcast around the country would be more effective yet. The techies had succeeded, largely down to the experience of some of the returning expatriates who happened to be veterans in the broadcasting industry. For the first time since the virus attack had claimed all of the UK's adults, something more than public information was now going out over the air. Jamie planned to broadcast live to Scotland to update the growing population on recent events. A trailer had been running in between the programme repeats that were now showing. The trailer simply said that the King of Scots would be broadcasting live on this channel. No time and no date were given, as Jamie had been keen to give Stuart a chance to deal with things in the south before he appeared. That calculation had been on the basis that he intended to share the evidence he had gathered about the decisions President Bush had taken. He knew he could only do that once the threat to the English teenagers had been removed. Now, with his newfound insight following his soul searching at Skibo, Jamie knew the thrust of any broadcast would be significantly different. He still wanted to wait for Stuart to return, as the details of what he had been up to would undoubtedly feature prominently in the messages Jamie wanted to communicate. He had a thought and pulled out his mobile once more. He hit the redial button and quickly had Stuart back on the line. "Listen, don't make for Dreghorn, make for the BBC studio in Edinburgh. I'll meet you there," shouted Jamie. "No problem, see you there," Stuart replied. Jamie found that Laura was rested after her shift at the hospital and he sat with her for a few minutes, sharing his guilt over what had been done to Shafiq and also what he was about to do this evening. "Jamie, I know how much this must be hurting and I have never been so proud of you at the way you refuse to shirk the responsibility. I admit the methods with this Shafiq were brutal - at least in a mental sense - but the Americans had probably tried all of the 'accepted' methods and got nowhere. I don't think the ends necessarily justify the means, but you got the job done. More importantly, the fact that you do feel so guilty about it is sign enough that you didn't enter into things lightly. "No one is going to think any worse of you for this, believe me. I certainly don't, if anything it makes me love you even more," Laura said with absolute conviction. "You might not say that when I tell you what else I thought about when I was at Skibo this afternoon," Jamie responded. He proceeded to tell Laura about his 'epiphany' and how that had changed his views on the President's actions and decisions. He almost had his thoughts from that afternoon burnt deeply into his memory and was able to repeat virtually word for word the process he had gone through. Laura sat quietly and let him get it all out. Even when he had finished talking and was looking at her anxiously, trying to gauge her response, she thought about her reply. She could see how important this was to her brother, how much her own views meant to him. She looked at his anxious face and knew that she could never let him down. "Jamie, I guess I didn't realise just how difficult it is to be the one everyone else turns to, to make the decisions. They way you describe it, I can see we have been very naïve in our thinking. If you want to change what we do about this, I'll support you all the way. No one else is in your position, so we can't feel what you're feeling or fully understand the way you're thinking. Well, no doubt President Bush can empathise, but the rest of us can't. "I can see the logic in what you went through in your head this afternoon and I'm just glad that I don't have to deal with that kind of pressure. I know I couldn't cope with it. "As for what you're going to do tonight, I trust you to get that right too. I suppose knowing that we all trust you to come up the proper decisions, or the best way of solving each problem is part of the pressure you've been talking about. Well, I'm sorry my love, but that's just how I feel. I've got every confidence in you and you get my vote every time," said Laura. Jamie put his arms around her and hugged her hard. Laura could swear she saw some of the tension draining out of the tight muscles in his shoulders and neck. She hoped that was true. Now that she had a better understanding of what his role was doing to him, anything she could do to ease the pressure was going to be her life's mission from now on. "Do you want me to come to the TV studio with you?" she said into his ear. Jamie just nodded in reply, enjoying the hug, the contact with his sister too much to think about breaking away from her just yet. Laura for her part enjoyed the feeling that she was somehow supporting her brother, her brother the King of Scots. ------- By the time Stuart's helicopter landed in the car park of the BBC studio, Jamie and Laura had already arrived and Jamie was in make-up. Stuart waved at the rest of the team as the helicopter lifted off once more to make its way to the Dreghorn barracks. He made his way inside the studios and was directed to where Jamie was. One look at his friend's face warned Stuart not to make any jokes about the make-up situation. He took the cup of coffee that was offered to him and sat waiting until Jamie was able to talk to him. The make-up artist continually urged Jamie to stop frowning, as it was making her job much more difficult. "I know you don't like it, your Grace, but believe me it's necessary for the lights and the cameras," the girl said. Stuart turned his head away so that Jamie wouldn't see the grin on his face. Laura did catch him however, and they both covered their mouths to stifle the sniggers they felt trying to get out. At last Jamie was finished and the make-up artist removed the cloth cover she had draped over his shoulders, allowing him to get up from the chair. Once again Stuart and Laura had to turn away to hide their grins at Jamie's appearance. This time he couldn't miss their reaction and he suddenly found himself laughing at the absurdity of it all. When Stuart and Laura heard him, they turned their heads back toward him and joined in. It was clear that here were three people comfortable in each other's company. Jamie calmed down first and asked Stuart to talk him through how things had gone in the south. Stuart shared the details of the approach to having all three cities under surveillance at the same time and then talked through how his 'secret weapon' of Kalif and Sally had worked ridiculously easily at each of the three locations. "The actual fighting took only minutes at each safe house. Kalif and Sally were just too irresistible to them and Sally is quick man, bloody quick. Anyway, your Grace, I think we can claim that the UK is completely tango free!" cheered Stuart. If anything, Jamie's smile was even wider than his friend's. "Stuart, this is a huge thing that you and your team have achieved and to have managed it with such little fuss and in such a short space of time is a miracle. How many prisoners did you take?" Jamie asked. For the first time, Stuart's grin slipped and a troubled look crossed his face. Jamie realised that this was one of those occasions where a question was best left unanswered and he quickly changed the subject. This was another lesson in the difficulty of running a country, the responsibility that you had to shoulder. "Given how quick you were, I don't suppose we have any estimate of what kind of support each of the locations is going to need to help them try and bring some order out of the chaos?" he asked. It was a stupid question really, but it was the first thing that had come into Jamie's head as a way of papering over the pregnant pause caused by his previous question. Stuart jumped on the question with a look of thanks at his friend and monarch. He realised that Jamie had quickly picked up on his unease about the question of prisoners and had changed the subject to avoid the need for an answer. "I've got some ideas about what we should send them. It will be a bit like Liverpool, so they'll need some basic guidance and we'll advise them to start slowly. The difference now is that we can allow some of the adults to return closer to where they're actually from rather than keeping them all in Scotland. We should be able to open up other airports as well, but I think we should continue to register people as they return to the country. "Keeping track of numbers, locations and particularly skills is going to become increasingly important. That kind of information will be necessary for calculating food and fuel requirements, for any elections that you plan to hold and for identifying the skilled people that will be required for certain jobs," said Stuart. "I agree, let's open more airports, but continue to record entry details. Actually, it would be even better if we could capture the details before people fly out of the US or Canada. That way we could immediately direct people to the right planes and to the right airports in the UK," said Jamie. "That makes sense. Now, are you going to tell me why we're here and why you're painted up like a prozzie?" asked Stuart with another snigger. Jamie frowned momentarily at the suggestion he looked like a prostitute with too much make-up on, then laughed again at his friend's teasing. "We've got the TV broadcasting again and I was planning on talking to the nation to give them an update. I was hoping to do that after you had sorted things in England and now I can. I'd like to announce you as Minister for Wellbeing at the same time, on the back of this success no one's going to argue with your appointment. I'd like you to at least be on screen so people can see what you look like. Perhaps you need to have some make-up?" Jamie said with an evil grin. An adult wandered over toward them and advised Jamie that it was time to move through to the studio where the live broadcast was going to be filmed. Jamie, Laura and Stuart followed him down a corridor and into a brightly lit TV studio. Three seats had been set up behind a wooden desk and Jamie indicated that Laura and Stuart should take a seat on either side of him. Directly in front of them was some tiered seating for a studio audience. On Jamie's left was a boxed in area that contained twelve seats and to his right a solitary seat out on its own. "Your Grace, you need to give us a ten minute warning about when you want to start. That will allow us to change the message currently being broadcast to alert viewers you're going to speak. The techies have also come up with a text message to all the mobile phones that have been issued that will alert the owners to the broadcast as well. A ten minute warning will allow folks to get in front of a TV set." "Okay, do that now. I'm ready when you are, in fact, I'd really like to get this over and done with," Jamie replied. The crewmember walked off quickly to change the message and have the text message sent. "What's with the set up?" Stuart asked while they were waiting. "Something came up while you were away and I want to deal with it quickly," replied Jamie enigmatically. Stuart raised an eyebrow, but Jamie just shook his head at his friend. The ten minutes seemed to fly by and in no time at all the crew member was back and he was counting down to the point where the broadcast would be going out live. Jamie saw the telltale red light blink on the large camera that was pointing at him and he knew he was on. "Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening. For those of you who don't know me, my name is James MacLaren, recently selected by the survivors in this country as King James VIII, King of Scots. "I'm sure most of you are aware of the main events here in Scotland over the past few weeks, events involving great bravery by many, events that led to the liberation of Scotland. "Tonight I want to update you on three major developments if I may. "Firstly, I have decided to create some of the framework of government necessary to establish good order as our population grows. I have two of my newly appointed Ministers here with me tonight. "Can I introduce our new Minister for Wellbeing. Stuart here has many qualities that recommend him for such a post. He was the man who fired the missiles that sunk the nuclear submarine at Faslane. He has taken out terrorist jeeps with TOW missiles and was part of the assault team that liberated one of the camps holding surviving teenagers. But Stuart has even more than that to be proud of himself for. In the past thirty hours, Stuart has led an assault force consisting of only eight other members and together they have cleansed England of the remaining terrorist threat. "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight I can say that the UK is terrorist free. That is a momentous thing to be able to say and much of it is down to this man." Jamie paused to reach over and unashamedly hug his friend. "Today the terrorist leader known as Bird Song was also executed and we can feel satisfied that she has paid for her crimes. "The second major development is perhaps best communicated by using a film clip that was captured this afternoon in Glasgow. I'd like to share it with you now." Jamie watched a monitor set into the desk he was at. A clip of film showed a teenage boy sitting in a room. The door opened and a teenaged girl entered. There were squeals and the boy and girl hugged each other. While they were still hugging, a door opened on the opposite side of the room and an adult entered. He stopped, clearly unsure of himself. "Uncle Gerry? Uncle Gerry, how did you get here?" squealed the girl and she abandoned the boy and rushed over to hug the man instead. The clip ended and Jamie saw his own face on the monitor alerting him that he was back live. "Lucy and Ian Mulholland are brother and sister. They were split up when the worst impact of the virus allowed the terrorists to begin capturing people off of the streets. Today our databases helped re-unite them for the first time. The databases allowed us to do a little more than that though. They identified one of those who had returned from the US was Gerry Mulholland, Lucy and Ian's uncle on their father's side. "I have to say that I had a tear in my eyes when I saw the first 'family' come back together. I hope we see many more such memorable and touching moments in the weeks ahead. "The third thing I want to cover is an evil thing and I wish I didn't have to sully the joy of what I have already shared with you by mentioning it at all. Burying our heads in the sand is no way to deal with this issue however. "Yesterday when I was out meeting some of the people who had arrived back in Scotland, I came across a man who had smuggled a large quantity of heroin into Scotland with him. I believe he talked two young men into taking heroin for the first time and I further believe he was intent on dealing heroin to others. "Perhaps it is because I am young, I don't think so. I have always believed that drug dealing is a crime worse than murder. At least with murder there is a victim and an ending. Families might suffer, but it is not a long drawn out process of watching their loved ones wasting away before their eyes. Those addicted to drugs are individual crime sprees, as they try to fund their habits so the effect on society is much more widespread and iniquitous than a murder. "For all of those reasons I believe it is right that I extend the death penalty to those found guilty of drug dealing. "Tonight, in front of you all, I intend to have a trial of the man I found yesterday. The names of the audience here tonight have all been put inside this drum and I want someone to draw twelve names out to form a jury." The names were drawn and twelve members of the audience came down from their seats and entered the little boxed off area to constitute a jury. This was of course all news to Stuart and he was watching the proceedings with keen interest. "Bring in the accused," said Jamie. McDade was led in by armed guards and placed in the solitary chair. "Can you please confirm that you have been offered legal representation, but have refused?" asked Jamie. "It's you again. Who do you think you are this time, Rumpole of the Bailey?" McDade snarled. "Were you offered legal representation?" Jamie persisted. "Stuff your lawyers, this is a sham!" McDade shouted. "I'm going to take that as confirmation. Mr McDade, you were found in possession of approximately two kilos of heroin yesterday, is that correct?" Jamie asked next. "I don't know what you think you're going to achieve here squirt, so I'll help you speed things up. Yes, I had two kilos of heroin, yes I tricked two teenagers into shooting up for the first time and yes, I planned to deal drugs to gather as much of the jewellery and other valuables that are lying around in abandoned houses as possible. There, are you satisfied? Fat lot of good it's going to do you!" McDade snarled again. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have just heard a confession from the accused yourselves. Do you wish to retire to consider your verdict?" Jamie asked. The twelve men, woman, boys and girls whispered amongst themselves and one of the teenagers answered. "Your Grace, we don't feel the need to retire. The accused's confession seems straightforward. He is under no duress and volunteered his confession. We find him guilty by a unanimous vote." "Very well, thank you. Derek McDade, you have been found guilty of possession of heroin with a declared intent to supply. It is now my duty to pass sentence on you. Even if you had shown some remorse, the changes that I have recently announced would leave me no other option. The fact that there is not an ounce of remorse in you, makes my job easier however. Derek McDade, I sentence you to death. You will be taken from this place and the sentence will be carried out by the application of a lethal injection before the night is out. "I truly hope this sends a signal to anyone else stupid enough to think about following a similar path. There will be no leniency in my Kingdom for those who peddle the misery of drugs. Take him away," ordered Jamie. McDade had been sitting bemused by what was going on around him. Jamie's words at last percolated through into his brain and he started thrashing around and screaming as he was dragged from the studio. Jamie ended his broadcast, his face set and grim. ------- 16:57, 14 September Jamie sat in front of his laptop in the honeymoon suite at Skibo. He was waiting for the clock to tick round to 17:00. The past few days had been a whirlwind of logistics and organisation as Jamie and his ministerial team tried to bring changes about. Some of the returning adults had headed south and England was starting to recover its skill base just like Scotland. Jamie had thought long and hard about his epiphany of a few days before and had thought of a way to try and make amends. He had sent an e-mail to POTUS two days before. Mr President Many thanks for your very kind note celebrating the complete liberation of the UK, it meant a lot, believe me. That's not why I'm writing today however. I want to unreservedly apologise for my behaviour when we met in the White House. Events have taught me a lot in a very short space of time and I hope I am at last growing up. I say I hope so, but only time and my future actions and decisions will prove whether I am maturing or not. The point is sir, that you taught me a very valuable lesson, only I didn't realise it at the time. I foolishly obsessed on your decision not to alert us to the phone call made from the apartment in London. I could only see that decision from my own point of view, not from yours as the President of the United States. I was flushed with my own self-importance; it was my duty to save Scotland. How pompous, what an ass! I couldn't see that, likewise, your duty is first and foremost to the US's interests, not mine. I have had to take some very difficult decisions in the past few days and then had to live with the consequences. I am starting to get a sense of just how difficult, how tough, that is. I realised that you have been making far graver decisions, on a much more regular basis, for years now. That was a humbling realisation I must admit, and you have my admiration sir. I still feel I made the right decisions when I refused to accept US help and to decline your offer of an aid package. I don't have much else to be proud of myself for though when I think back to my language and behaviour in your home. I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive me. If not, I hope you will not hold my actions against the people of the UK. I would understand if you refused, but I would like to ask that we share a videoconference on the 14th of September at noon your time. I hope you agree. Once again, my apologies and thank you for my most valuable lesson yet. Highlander Jamie glanced up at the clock on his laptop once more and saw that it was 17:00. He clicked on the software that Sir David had shared with him and found himself looking at a split screen showing his own image and that of President Bush. "Mr President, firstly can I thank you for being gracious enough to agree to this videoconference. Secondly, can I apologise again? I know I did that in my e-mail, but I hope I'm also man enough to do so now that we are face to face as it were." "Your Grace, don't be so harsh on yourself. These past few weeks would have overwhelmed most men. I remember my first weeks and months in office and how it affected me mentally. I think it's only those of us who have to lead a country, those of us who shoulder the responsibility for the vital decisions affecting our country, that can ever begin to comprehend how difficult that is. You're doing fine, in fact better than fine. Your country has every right to be proud of you." "As I said Mr President, you're being very gracious and I appreciate that. I wanted this meeting for two reasons. The first should be arriving at your door right about now," said Jamie. He could see the President turn his head as someone walked into the room he was occupying. Jamie smiled as he heard Laura's voice. "Mr President, I'm very pleased to meet you. I bring a gift from my brother, King James. It's his wish that you share this before he talks about another matter." President Bush returned on camera, a bottle of Càirdeis malt whisky and a glass in his hand. Jamie picked up a bottle of the same whisky from the desk in his room and they both poured themselves a measure. "Càirdeis!" said Jamie. "To friendship, your Grace," replied the President. ------- 19:52, 29 October The squad flitted through the rocks above the village. It had taken weeks of observation, both satellite and with assets on the ground, to identify this target. Afghanistan was just as depopulated as the rest of the world (apart from the US, Canada and increasingly the UK) so it had been relatively easy to track movement. It had been more difficult to confirm that one of the occupants of the village was Ali Bin Salid, the man who had launched the entire Bird Song attack. The SF Captain still wasn't happy about having two cuckoos in his squad, but his commanding officer had made it clear he had no say in the matter. He fully intended to keep both of them well to the rear when the assault was launched however. The squad settled down and waited for darkness, resting weary limbs and conserving energy. Several hours later, NVGs were strapped on and they began to close in. Jamie and Stuart knew that they were being shuffled to the rear, but they didn't mind that much. To be here at all was the big concession Jamie had secured from the American President for sharing the information he had extracted from Shafiq. They watched as the green berets closed on the village huts and then the firefight started. As with all 'contacts', things rapidly became chaotic and fragmented. One of the green berets had clearly been assigned as a minder and he was so focussed on watching them that he had his back to the action. Jamie and Stuart both saw a shadowy figure slip up the wadi toward them and they tightened their grip on the familiar HK MP5s they carried. Their minder picked up on the change in their attitude and began to turn round. The figure was almost on top of them when Jamie and Stuart both fired short bursts from their weapons. The man who had been trying to escape crumpled and the Green Beret fired nearly a full clip into him for good measure. ------- 06:39, 30 October The morning sun was just climbing over the hills and the assault squad was trying to identify their target amongst the fallen Arabs. Jamie and Stuart sat smugly. They had been present at all the briefings and they had already identified that the man they had killed in the wadi was Ali Bin Salid. "Now that's what I call a text book joint operation," said Stuart, Scotland's Minister for Wellbeing. "Yes, but I don't think we'll hear the end of it. Perhaps we should just let the green beret claim the credit?" suggested Jamie. "Good idea, you owe them one," laughed Stuart. ------- Above the grave of James and Avril MacLaren, a male and female Robin tweeted at each other. (Rumpole of the Bailey is a day time TV show in the UK based at the Old Bailey, one of London's most famous courts. It is crusty, dated and full of ham acting!!) ------- The End ------- Posted: 2007-09-13 Last Modified: 2007-11-08 / 03:47:14 pm ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------