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

he came quietly, and the Tango Team are taking him to the hanger as we speak. CCTV showed the woman who shot April go into the NCP down the street but then we lost her.’

‘If she’s as smart as we think she is, she’s long gone but we can make a search through the car park and down to the train station. Lockwood, can you get your people to the station and continue to check the CCTV?’

‘You still have priority when it comes to these people, Mister Reece, and to tell you the truth, you’re welcome to them, but we’ll help you look for her. In the meantime, we’ll have SO19 clear the apartment,’ said Lockwood.

Reece was pleased that at last he seemed to get the whole idea that the SG9 team were not the bad guys.

The three SG9 agents headed to the NCP car park, Reece in front, followed closely by Harrison and Cousins. The car park was like any other, large and cavernous, and there was no sign of the woman they were looking for. They continued to walk down to the Deansgate rail and tram station, still no sign.

‘Alpha One, this is Alpha Control, come in, over.’

It was the voice of Jim Broad.

‘Go ahead, Alpha Control,’ replied Reece.

‘David, we’ve been checking all the CCTV in your area through our live feed here. We have the woman in the scarf entering the NCP on foot but not leaving on foot. However, we do have a Ford van, similar to the one we were looking for, leaving the car park shortly after the shooting but we lost it heading towards the city centre. We’ve put out a stop with caution alert to all police in the area, but she may be well gone by now.’

‘Understood, Alpha Control, we’ll take a final look around the station area then come back to you for a debrief.’

‘Roger that, Alpha One. See you soon.’

The further search produced nothing and the three SG9 agents returned to the hanger for the debrief to Jim Broad.

It soon became clear that with the two dead terrorists in Irlam and Costello in Deansgate Lyndsey was now on the run and keeping her head down. It didn’t take them long to interrogate Mohammad and get the full details of what the terror group had been planning. It appeared he was a willing talker and not as brave as he thought he was.

‘Any word on April?’ asked Reece.

‘I’m sorry, David, she didn’t make it. She died in the ambulance without saying anything. She lost too much blood. Mary stayed with her all the way, she’s at the hospital now,’ said Broad.

‘Now that we have everything under control here, I’m off to the hospital to pick Mary up.’

 

 

Chapter Sixty-six

The Prime Minister and Sir Martyn Bryant had listened quietly when Sir Ian Fraser briefed them concerning the morning’s activities.

‘On the whole, your team have done a fantastic job, Sir Ian,’ said the PM. ‘I mean, tracking these people down to completely breaking up their plans, not to say anything about killing three and capturing one. Of course, we must remember the brave SAS soldier who lost his life and your dead agent.’

‘It’s hard to lose anyone, but she was one of our best and will be sorely missed. Her family will never know the true sacrifice she made. They never knew she was one of our agents, only that she was attached to the police in some capacity. And of course, we must not forget the regrettable loss of the caretaker, Mister Williams.’

‘Of course, Sir Ian, and the fact that this woman who you believe to be Lyndsey escaped,’ said Sir Martin Bryant.

‘Yes, that’s the only downside, that, and the sad death of our people and the innocent civilian. We have an all-ports bulletin out with her description and I’ve instructed our agents and stations around the globe to find out where she is, but she knows all the tricks to keep her head down and has many friends in the Islamic world who will give her protection, but she’ll stick her head out of her hiding place again and we’ll be ready.’

Peter Brookfield held his hand up to take over the conversation.

‘I’ll be addressing the Conference shortly. All I’ll be saying is that our security services have prevented a terrorist attack in the streets of this city. I won’t be specific on what the target was and that’ll remain our secret. In the meantime, Sir Ian, I want to thank you and your agents for the great service they’ve done for our country. They were truly tested by fire and have come through with flying colours. Please pass on the thanks of a grateful nation. I’ll see you at the next Intelligence Committee meeting with Sir Martin in London next week and maybe you’ll have some more news on this Lyndsey woman.’

 

 

Hurghada, Egypt: Two Weeks Later

Reece and Harrison had arrived at the Egyptian Airport of Hurghada on a tourist flight from London Gatwick. The taxi to the 5-star Hilton Hotel resort in the city took fifteen minutes. The hotel itself overlooked the bay at the southern end of town.

Jim Broad had briefed Reece the day before in the SG9 office in London. As a result of the SG9 operation in Manchester and the follow up, they had sent full-face photos of Sharon Lyndsey to all European, Middle East, and Far East security agencies to look out for and report back to London.

Three days ago, MI6 had received a report from its embassy spook in Cairo that a woman they believed matched the photo and description of Sharon Lyndsey had travelled to the Hilton Hotel Resort in Hurghada after crossing the border from Sudan.

She seemed to like Hilton Hotels, thought Reece when he heard. The photo taken of her at