“Okay, but what has he said about these chemicals? Even with the blackmail, etcetera, I can’t believe many people would go along with this, knowing the purpose was to launch a chemical attack!”
“Exactly – I don’t think he would. We’re friends, so I’m sure he would have come to me in those circumstances. He was told that the purpose was to mix the chemicals into our products in order to prove that there is a way to refine and reduce harmful emissions. The idea was to get the chemicals into the system across multiple refineries and then go public as the group’s assertions were proven.”
“Err, Don, hi. My name is Rob. Something I don’t quite get is how Cameron was to get these chemicals into your refining process. Surely he’d need help, which means that there are others involved.”
“Rob, hi. You’ve anticipated my next point. I asked Cameron the same question. His role was simply to get the chemicals into a specific store and then let his handler know to inform another insider. What that individual’s role in the process was supposed to be, we don’t know, but again, I cannot see that individual doing the supposed mixing – none of our processing engineers would ever come to the stores and start pushing barrels of chemicals about. In any case, the refining process is both automated and so tightly controlled and regulated with so many people involved across multiple shifts that what he was told just isn’t possible! He and I both know that!”
“Which all points to the fact that there is at least one other person on site, someone who has access to the stores, who now has possession of these chemicals and is able to manufacture some sort of chemical weapon,” Gurning observed.
“Exactly,” Don agreed. “I’ve asked for a list of all employees with access to those stores. What I don’t know is how complicated it is to create a chemical weapon – there won’t be many with the technical know-how.”
“Oh, don’t underestimate people,” David cut in. “Don’t forget the ease with which people can be trained. The thing that still bothers me, however, is the sheer quantity of chemicals that has been delivered. So unless your colleague was going to smuggle weapons back out, there’s going to be one helluva’n attack in a relatively small area!”
Following a few moments’ silence, Gurning decided it was time to be doing something, instead of simply talking. “Well, there clearly remain too many questions, and time hasn’t slowed for us. Don’t forget, David, we don’t know that this Cameron person smuggled the quantity of chemicals you’re talking about into Fawley. There could be multiple cells that have been distributed elsewhere as well. That said, this is an important lead. I want Laura, Rob and David to fly down to Fawley immediately. Take a helicopter from Battersea, question Cameron and those with access to the stores, and start some investigations. Work with detectives from Southampton.”
“It’d be great to have some help,” Don commented. “This is way beyond me! Just one thing, you mentioned ‘flying’ down here – you can use our helipad.”
“Will do. See you soon,” Laura answered, before cutting the call. Looking around the table, she then added, “We’d better get going!”
“Lucky I keep a bag at the office!” David remarked, grinning, as they all stood. “It’s not as though I can dash home to collect my belongings – unlike you locals!”
41
An hour later the three companions emerged from their London taxi and strode towards an oval-shaped building and the Battersea heliport reception.
A few minutes later, with a whine of the electrics and engine, the rota blades started spinning. Then, with the typical shuddering of a helicopter, they rose gently into the air, swung round, and headed west along the Thames out of London before turning south towards Southampton.
Less than an hour later they landed at Fawley to be met by Don as a heavy mist drifted in from the sea. As they were landing the summoned convoy of police vehicles cut through the early evening traffic, blue lights flashing. With sirens blaring, they charged past yet another roundabout, attracting the attention of occupants in their rooms at the roadside hotel.
One of those occupants was Nikki. Scowling, she watched the convoy stream past with an intuitive concern, and her guts tightened with that empty feeling of knowing that something had gone horribly wrong. I haven’t heard from Cameron, which is unusual and now this! I need to go!
Nikki threw her most prized possessions into a small bag and calmly walked out of the hotel to her rental car, carrying only a small bag as though going out for the evening. The last thing I need is a nosey hotel employee asking why I’m taking luggage out before my due departure date! she thought as she walked. Within just a few minutes Nikki had joined the heavy traffic heading away from Fawley, eager to disappear. It’s started and deliveries have started! We’ve done it, regardless of what they do!
* * *
Don and Fawley Refinery’s senior management team met Laura, Rob, David and the local agents and police in the main boardroom.
“Thank you for this welcome; however, we don’t have time for management conversations,” Laura announced firmly, primarily addressing Don, ignoring the ‘suits’ that had lined up to meet them. “We understand that one possible accessory to criminal activity has been identified. I need to interview him immediately. We also understand that the allegations that chemicals were to be added to the refining process is not possible.” Laura looked along the row of suits, appreciating the vigorous nods. “We also need to work with your relevant teams to identify other suspects, where the chemicals are now, and whether there is a bomb factory on-site. The suspect has implicated others, and we need to find them! This site is at serious risk. I don’t want to call for an evacuation, but will do, if necessary!”
Keen to assert his authority, the CEO decided it was time for his contribution. “We have already cleared the Operations Project Room for you, giving access to the full details of the refinery.”
“Thank you,” replied Laura. “That sounds helpful.”
“That’s great!” Don whispered to Laura. “The Project Room is an exact duplicate of the Operations Centre with details of the entire refinery. It’s where we model all projects and every change to understand intended and unintended implications before implementation. The complexity of this place is immense.”
“Good,” Laura remarked, following Don who led everyone to the large room, packed with technology. One huge wall was covered in a digital representation of the refinery, showing in real time all of the activities being undertaken. A massive boardroom table was positioned to one side for a project team to gather round for meetings, while the centre of the space was full of consoles where operators could manipulate the activities involved in the refining processes – from a theoretical perspective – to see what would happen.
“Okay, listen-up everyone,” Laura commanded. “If what we’ve been told is correct, we don’t have much time. Don, you and I, plus a detective, need to interview the suspect. Everyone else needs to work with Don’s team to take this place apart and find those chemicals and anything else that is out of place.”
“Laura, that sounds fine, in principle, but can you tell us anything about these chemicals? We have so many in this place that it’ll be tough to tell one from another!” Don commented.
“Damn! Of course. David can brief the team as best as possible,” Laura said. “But we don’t have much to go on except a few photos of what we found.”
* * *
“Are you up to this?” Laura asked Don as they walked the bland corridors to his security office. At Don’s perplexed expression, Laura elaborated. “You mentioned that Cameron is a friend. This questioning will be hard, tough. We need answers.”
“Oh. No issue with that! I will stay in the background and only jump in if there are factual inaccuracies about the refinery. There are thousands of lives at stake.”
Satisfied, Laura said no more. When Don unlocked the door to his office Cameron had not moved, head bowed and in his hands. He looked up with red eyes as the small group entered – he had clearly been crying. Good. Hopefully, this won’t be too long or hard after all! Laura never enjoyed interrogations; they necessitated an approach she didn’t like – a hard, uncaring attitude towards the individual. But in her line of work, it was a necessity.
“So, Cameron. I’m from MI5 and am accompanied by a detective from Southampton Police,” Laura started, sitting down in Don’s desk chair. “You’ve had quite some time to think since informing Don of your stupidity – and it looks as though you have been. So, I need everything – and quickly!”
Cameron looked at Don, who remained impassive. Looking back at Laura, he sighed. “I’m an active member of CEFA – Clean Emissions For All – which has many oil companies as sponsors.”
Laura glanced at Don, who nodded his confirmation. “As mentioned during our earlier call, it’s some sort of lobby group that provides independent assurances that we are investing appropriately to reduce emissions.”
Turning her attention back to Cameron, Laura urged him to continue, “And?”
“Well, over the last year or so, some at CEFA have been saying that the oil companies have too great a representation in the organisation and aren’t exploring all avenues. Most disagreed with them; they are a small minority. Anyway, I worried that such divisions were bad for CEFA’s reputation, so I kept asking them for evidence and what else could be done. I started spending more time with them, even though they’re not really my type.”
“Cameron!” Laura interrupted sharply. “We don’t have time for your life story!”
“I’m trying to explain!” the broken man retorted harshly. “Anyway, one evening, a couple of the women stayed on drinking with me once the others had left. One thing led to another and the three of us ended up in bed. A few days later, when we repeated the liaison they asked if I could help them. A process to cut emissions had been discovered, they said, but the oil companies didn’t want to know. They therefore wanted help to initiate the process secretly and prove it to the world.”
Cameron sighed deeply. “I didn’t like the sound of that and said as much. In any case, I said I was the wrong person and that we shouldn’t meet again.”
“Then what?” Laura asked.
