“I left it in Tactical, in the panic. I’ll go and get it.”
“Thanks, mate.”
“What are we going to do, Andy?” he asks. “We seem to be stuck up here with the enemy at the gate?”
“I think I have a possible plan. I’ve got to make a phone call to see if it’s viable, which I’m about to do now, then I’ll fill you all in, okay?”
“Yes, of course, I’ll go get the M4.” Stan has a look of some relief as he gets up, but I just hope it isn’t misplaced.
Emily is looking tired again already and is leaning against Stacey, who appears drained. She hasn’t been able to get hold of her parents for an hour or so now and is worried sick. I go over to them and tell them I am just going to make a phone call over by the windows.
Colonel Reed answers almost immediately.
“Colonel, any news on my son, Josh?” I say, getting straight to the point.
“Nothing concrete, I’m afraid, Andy. We haven’t had contact with his battalion for over two hours, they last reported that they were holding out at the Tower of London and were still guarding Tower Bridge, but their lines were scattered. Sorry, it’s not more positive. If I get any further information, I will contact you of course.”
“Thank you for trying, Colonel, please do contact me immediately if you hear anything.” My feelings of disappointment and worry worsen.
“Now, has Sir Malcolm got the files, Andy?” the Colonel asks eagerly.
“Sir Malcolm is dead, Colonel. He has shot himself.”
The Colonel gasps.
“Bloody hell! We needed those files, we were counting on them.” The Colonel sounds quite distraught, though expresses not a word of sadness to hear about Sir Malcolm. It seems the stress is getting to us all, eating away at men’s morals.
“I know where they are, Colonel, but can’t access them.”
“Where are they, Andy?”
“They are here, you just need to come and get them, Colonel and us.”
“What are you talking about? You aren’t making any sense, man.”
“Colonel, the files are either stored on Sir Malcolm’s computer or in his safe. I can give you both but if you want them, the price is getting us out of here and into a safe location out of the infected zone.”
“That’s impossible, Andy. No one is allowed out of the quarantine zone, you know and can understand that.”
“Bullshit, Colonel! I know very well you can get us to a safe area, you will already have a controlled quarantine area set up outside the infected area for personnel deemed worthy. Well, we have just joined that list. If you want the files, that is.” Again, I call the Colonel’s bluff.
“Hold,” the Colonel says, and the line goes quiet.
A minute passes, then another. I didn’t expect an immediate answer; the Colonel will be going up the chain of command for a decision, and I have to admit I’m nervous, waiting for that decision.
The line crackles.
“How sure can you be that the files are there?” the Colonel asks.
“100 percent Colonel. Sir Malcolm didn’t keep work-related files outside the office, he told me that himself numerous times. They are either on his computer or in his safe,” I tell him, overstating my confidence considerably.
“Agreed, then. I can have a Lynx there at 18:00 hours. Can you get to the roof?”
“It won’t be easy, but we will be there; you need to send two helicopters and some C4 though. There are too many of us to fit in one helicopter with a safe.”
“Two? Well, there is no way I can spare two and why the C4?”
“Two Lynx at 18:00 hours. That is the deal. I’m not leaving anyone behind, and we need the C4 to free the safe from the floor so one of the helicopters will have to wait while we do that, so make sure it is well fuelled,” I insist.
The Colonel again puts me on hold, but this time only for a few seconds.
“Okay, Andy. Agreed, be on the roof at 18:00 hours. Don’t keep them waiting, and you’d better be right about the information.”
“We will be there, Colonel.”
“Oh, and Andy? Well played.”
The line goes dead—but that went better than I could have hoped for. We need to get moving, however, and figure out the best way to get onto the roof because the stairs aren’t an option. I already have an idea though.
By the time my conversation with the Colonel is over, both Stan and Catherine, who is now dressed in jeans, t-shirt and Converse trainers, are back with the group. That’s ideal as I can tell everyone at once.
Walking back to the group, everyone is looking at me in anticipation; they have obviously guessed the importance of the call I’ve just made. My face must be giving away my relief, because I can see all their faces change, a look of hope crossing them. On my way, I pick up the holdall from the floor.
“Good news,” I start, “we are getting out of here if all goes to plan. The army is sending two helicopters to pick us up from the roof at six o’clock, it’s just gone five-fifteen now,” I tell them, looking at my watch. “So, we need to prepare and get onto the roof as quickly as we can.”
There are sighs of relief from everyone and some smiles, including from myself. Emily, still half asleep, even gains some energy and smiles broadly at me.
“How did you manage that?” Catherine asks.
“We have something they want. Sir Malcolm’s files, which I managed to convince them are definitely either on his computer or in his safe.”
She looks confused. “How on earth are we going to get onto the roof, if we can’t use the stairs?”
Dan answers this question. “We break through the ceiling, right, Boss?”
“Right, Dan, I suggest we do that above the safe so we can winch it up from one of the helicopters. Now we aren’t out of this yet; there are risks. The door to the roof should
