Tested by Fire by David Costa (the little red hen read aloud TXT) 📗

followed Mohammad keeping fifty yards between them. April Grey stayed in the BMW parked near the entrance to the NCP car park and Joe Cousins sat in the car on the Peters Street side of the Square. Looking to his right he could see the front door of The Great Northern Tower Apartments and looking straight ahead he could see the disappearing figure of Tourist One followed by Steve Harrison.

Mohammad had stayed in the apartment to have another cup of coffee and listen to the radio. The fact there was still no signal on anyone’s mobiles didn’t bother him. He’d been living in the north-west of England for far too long to let what was a regular occurrence such as the loss of a mobile signal bother him. When he left and turned right at the front door of the building, he felt the fresh air on his face and realised the temperature had lifted slightly and the sun was breaking through the clouds with a little heat reaching the ground where he walked.

It’s going to be a nice day, he thought.

Steve Harrison watched Tourist One cross the street and head towards St Peters Square where he entered the newsagent’s and bought a copy of the Daily Express. He then walked to the security tents leading into the Conference at the side of the Midland Hotel.

‘He’s heading back into the Conference, what do you want me to do?’ asked Harrison.

It was Broad who spoke first, ‘Stay close to him.’

Reece spoke next, ‘Stay close, Alpha Four, but if he makes any move that looks suspicious, take him out, for good if necessary.’

‘Understood,’ replied Harrison.

Steve Harrison closed the gap to around five yards and followed him through the security area. When Mohammed reached the body scanner, Tourist One showed empty hands and raised his arms to allow the metal detector to be swept over his body by the security guard. Harrison moved to the side of the scanner queue and showed his ID to the security officer before moving through to follow Tourist One.

Turning left, Mohammad entered through the rear door into the Midland Hotel. Harrison kept up a running commentary of their progress through security and as he followed Tourist One into the long corridor towards the front reception and lounge area of the hotel which was buzzing with the loud conversation of conference delegates.

Tourist One found a seat on his own and opened his newspaper. Harrison walked past him and sat at a table where two men were already seated and in conversation. They didn’t pay any attention to Harrison but continued talking and making notes in their notebooks on the table in front of them. Harrison noticed that even though Tourist One had opened his paper he wasn’t reading it. Instead he was looking over the top of the paper his eyes moving around the room. Harrison had seen this ploy used by armatures the world over in his years as an MI5 watcher, to try to identify security forces or enemy surveillance.

Harrison leaned slightly forward as if he was involved in the conversation of the two men sitting with him.

After twice checking the room, Tourist One folded his paper and checked his watch. Harrison could see the large clock above the reception desk it was 8.55 a.m.

‘All stations, Tourist One is looking for opposition and checking his watch, still sitting in Midland.’

‘Roger, Alpha Four, it looks like he might be on a time schedule,’ replied Reece. ‘So be ready to move in if needs be, I’m still with the caretaker so now that we only have two in the building, we’ll get ready to move here when we get backup but will remain ready to move if we have to.’

‘Alpha Control to Alpha Four, I’ll let the Gold Command know you’re in the area and have them watch our friend on the CCTV system ready to back you up should you need it,’ said Jim Broad.

‘Roger, Alpha Control, I’ll keep you updated,’ replied Harrison.

‘Alpha Control to all call signs. Local mobile signals are being unblocked at 9 a.m. After that, GCHQ will keep a close ear on anything from our friends.’

‘Thanks, boss,’ replied Reece. ‘Things could start to be interesting now especially when they find they cannot contact the Irlam team.’

In apartment C12, Lyndsey heard her phone bleep indicating she was getting a signal again. She checked the screen but there were no messages, just a screen showing the network had been cleared and her phone was working again. Almost at the same time Costello noticed his phone light up for a few seconds as he had it on silent, he now knew he was back up as well.

Costello was leaning across the table looking through the scope on top of the rifle. He’d zeroed-in on the rear door of the Midland Hotel. At 9 a.m. on the dot Mohammad walked out of the hotel and stopped on the steps where he stood still for a few moments with a newspaper folded under his arm. He then walked across the square towards the Conference Centre. Costello followed him for a few seconds before swinging the scope back on the doorway.

‘Mohammad feels OK, he kept the paper folded,’ said Costello.

‘Wait a second.’ Costello held his left hand in the air as he continued to look through the scope. A man had just walked out of the door and he was looking in Mohammad’s direction. There was nothing strange in this but the fact he appeared to be talking to himself at the same time alerted Costello’s senses.

‘I think he could have a tail. A guy just behind him seems to be having a conversation with someone using a concealed mike. It might just be someone using a mobile phone now that they’re up and running but I don’t like it.’

‘I don’t like it either,’ said