Stan Mason - Stopping World War Three

‘Then why keep designing new weapons?’

The jeep pulled up smartly outside the small dismal building which housed the Brigadier. ‘It’s been a pleasure meeting you, sir,’ he declared, climbing out of the jeep before saluting me smartly. ‘By the way, I have a nephew who’s very keen on computers. Do you think you might be able to put in a good word for him?’

‘I’d be delighted, Brigadier,’ I told him, handing him my business card. Tell him to contact my secretary. I’ll see what I can do.’

I got into my car again and drove to the main gate. The sentry waved for me to stop to examine my identity card again, once more comparing it with my photograph. Then he searched the interior of the car, the boot and the bonnet once again before waving to his colleague to raise the barrier. I drove away from the weaponry division feeling as though I had just escaped from a maximum security prison. I dared not think how I would feel when I tried to break in!

I got into my car again and drove to the main gate. The sentry waved for me to stop to examine my identity card again, once more comparing it with my photograph. Then he searched the interior of the car, the boot and the bonnet once again before waving to his colleague to raise the barrier. I drove away from the weaponry division feeling as though I had just escaped from a maximum security prison. I dared not think how I would feel when I tried to break in!

I stopped the car a sort distance away and looked back. The complex appeared to be impregnable from the outside. Woe betide any unauthorised person who actually managed to intrude past the sentry gate into the interior for that was where the security system really came into its own. However, it was Penny Smith and Tomar Duran who captured my thoughts at that moment. Had she killed him in Crete or were they both playing some kind of a game? If Duran’s gun was filled with blanks it was likely that our doubles were still alive too. If so, the police in Crete would have found only one body in that valley… Chedda, the pilot. In the absence of any other bodies, they would have assumed that he was on a solo flight. Why then did they arrest me. Perhaps, afterwards, when all the bodies had disappeared, they allowed me to escape because there was no evidence against me. That seemed to be a sound reason why someone left the cell door open in the prison and no policemen were around.

When I returned to my office, Penny seemed to be highly agitated. ‘You have a visitor but I’m not sure you wish to see him. It’s Primar.’

I went behind my desk and sat down. Primar was sitting there chewing on the end of a matchstick. ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked cheekily. ‘Have you plucked up enough courage to do business without your bodyguard?’

He smiled at me easily. ‘This is England, Jason,’ he replied. ‘That sort of thing doesn’t happen here. We’re all decent fellows, don’t you know.’

‘Tell me honestly, Primar, which side are you really on? That’s what I want to know. And I want you to tell me about Jan’s abduction!’

‘Why does anyone have to take sides? People always do so when they watch football matches being played, or for a particular horse race where they always want one of them to win… or the side of some political or religious cause. Why do they feel so strongly about choosing a winner when it’s beyond their control?’

‘Only you would know the answer to that one, Primar!’ I snapped. But I want to know what’s happened to my wife.’ I picked up a paperweight from my desk and held it as though ready to throw it at his head.

‘Oh come on, Jason!’ He laughed at the threat. ‘We’re not really going to indulge in histrionics, are we? Not in your office. ‘I’ll explain what happened to your wife in a moment but let me ease your mind by saying that my information is that she’s perfectly all right.’

I laid the paperweight down on the desk. ‘You want something from me or you wouldn’t be here.’

He took a deep breath, almost a sigh of frustration. ‘You know what I’m after. You were almost beaten up for it in Israel.’

‘How could I have obtained the plans.’ I remonstrated. ‘I’ve been back in this country for less than twenty-four hours!’

‘But you’ve been to the weaponry division. I know you’ve been there because everyone knows.’

I stood up and walked towards the window staring down at the city streets. ‘What’s it all about, Primar? You’ve got to come clean and tell me what’s going on!’

‘I thought that Commander Yasood would have given you all the information you need.’

‘He told me all about the cause and his opinion of the future based on past history. What bugs me are the other matters you seem reluctant to discuss. Let’s start by talking about Chedda.’

‘I told you. I’ve never heard of Chedda.’ He flicked the matchstick neatly into the waste-basket nearby and felt in his pocket for another one.

‘We both know you’re lying,’ I accused bluntly. ‘Let’s have the truth for a change. Then I might be able to help you.’

He stared at me for a long time chewing on the end of the matchstick before conceding. ‘Okay,’ he began. ‘Perhaps we can do a deal. You give me the plans and I’ll tell you about Chedda.’

‘Chedda first!’ I was very adamant not to lose the advantage.

He sat back with his legs stretched to the full, placing his hands behind his head. ‘Chedda’s my cousin. We were brought up together… like Esau and Jacob in the Bible. We were always at loggerheads. There was never any brotherly love lost between us. He knew I belonged to the 21st Century Crusaders and put every obstacle he could find in my way. I was originally chosen to form the British end of the organisation and recruited your secretary to assist me. Chedda drove a wedge into that one. He found out the name of the Commander and declared I was unfit for the task, lying about my past and present activities. He pulled all the skeletons out of the cupboard as evidence of his claim. So someone else got the promotion and I ended up a pariah.’

‘Well that rings true,’ I intervened. ‘Schmuel Musaphia denied you’d formed the British end.’

He chewed on the matchstick a while longer. ‘Chedda found out that you were important to me. I believe he diverted you at

Stanstead Airport that morning and took a bomb with him on the plane. He intended to parachute into Crete leaving the plane on automatic pilot to fly to Israel with the bomb on board. Before it reached its destination, it would have exploded ditching your bodies in the Mediterranean so that you’d never be found. Then Chedda would have the laugh on me for losing out. But, for some reason, the bomb went off early.’

‘That’s not consistent with what happened,’ I countered. ‘When we were over Crete, he said he was going to land and started to reduce height. If what you say is true, how do you account for that?’

‘I don’t know the details because I wasn’t there,’ he reacted firmly. ‘The guy was crazy. Who knows what he had in mind? All I can say is that he was out to kill you to spite me. That’s the way it’s always been with him.’

‘And what about the incidents in Crete? Tomar Duran, for example. Commander Spring… our doubles! You know all about that.’

‘I know only of the situation in Britain and Israel,’ he insisted. ‘Only those two countries. Crete is not within my jurisdiction.’

‘All right. Tell me where my wife is!’

‘That’s simple, Jason. When I saw her an hour ago, she was opening the door of your house with her key.’

I leaned over the desk and took him by his shirt front pulling him towards me. ‘Don’t play games with me, Primar,’ I hissed angrily, ‘or I’ll knock the living daylights out of you! Remember, there’s just you and me now!’