Authors: Ken McClure
Tags: #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Medical, #Suspense, #Thrillers
The Trojan Boy (42 page)
Circumstances prevented Avedissian from lingering on the
thought that this was the moment that he had imagined
many times over since Harry's death, the moment when he
would confront Bryant face to face. He said, 'Kell and two
others are already inside. The
IRA
took over a handicapped children's home in Norfolk and travelled with the official
party.'
thought that this was the moment that he had imagined
many times over since Harry's death, the moment when he
would confront Bryant face to face. He said, 'Kell and two
others are already inside. The
IRA
took over a handicapped children's home in Norfolk and travelled with the official
party.'
Bryant paled visibly. He said, There are over six hundred
and fifty people inside. They are all over the place . . .’
and fifty people inside. They are all over the place . . .’
Avedissian said, The O'Neills know Kell's men. They can
help.’
help.’
'Come with me!' ordered Bryant as he turned on his heel and hurried back to the Land-Rover.
The vehicle swept into the grounds of Crookham with
Avedissian and the O'Neills aboard as the strains of the
National Anthem drifted over the coloured marquees an
nouncing the arrival of the Royal Party. 'What school was it?'
demanded Bryant.
Avedissian and the O'Neills aboard as the strains of the
National Anthem drifted over the coloured marquees an
nouncing the arrival of the Royal Party. 'What school was it?'
demanded Bryant.
‘
Trelford House
...
in Valham.'
Trelford House
...
in Valham.'
They drew up outside a long caravan and Bryant jumped
out to run inside. He returned with a sheaf of papers and got
on board again. 'Trelford were listed to park in sector "F"' he said to the driver. 'Take it easy, we don't want to scare them.'
out to run inside. He returned with a sheaf of papers and got
on board again. 'Trelford were listed to park in sector "F"' he said to the driver. 'Take it easy, we don't want to scare them.'
'They were in the school minibus,’ said Avedissian over
the driver's shoulder as he drove towards sector ‘F’ at a
steady pace.
the driver's shoulder as he drove towards sector ‘F’ at a
steady pace.
'Then it may have the school markings on it,’ said Bryant.
Bryant held his handset to his mouth and started issuing
orders to unseen men, suffixing every instruction with the warning to act naturally.
orders to unseen men, suffixing every instruction with the warning to act naturally.
'I've seen it,’ said the driver calmly, keeping his eyes
straight ahead.
straight ahead.
'Where?' asked Bryant.
'Up to the right with its rear doors towards us. It's white
with the school name on the side.'
with the school name on the side.'
'Well done,’ said Bryant softly. 'Drive past and nobody
look directly at it!' Bryant spoke into his radio again.
look directly at it!' Bryant spoke into his radio again.
They drove casually past and Bryant said, 'Pull up behind
the trees.’ The driver made a right turn and parked so that a
clump of trees stood between the Land-Rover and the mini
bus. There were people in the bus,’ said Bryant. 'Everyone
else is down by the house for the walkabout
...
If Kell is still
in the bus it could be a mortar attack
...
All they would have
to do is fling open the rear doors and start firing . . . We're
going to have to take it out.'
the trees.’ The driver made a right turn and parked so that a
clump of trees stood between the Land-Rover and the mini
bus. There were people in the bus,’ said Bryant. 'Everyone
else is down by the house for the walkabout
...
If Kell is still
in the bus it could be a mortar attack
...
All they would have
to do is fling open the rear doors and start firing . . . We're
going to have to take it out.'
'But the children inside the bus . . . ' said Kathleen.
'We've no alternative,’ said Bryant.
'You could get the royals out of here!' said O'Neill.
'It's too late. Kell would start firing as soon as he suspected
something was wrong.'
something was wrong.'
The others conceded the point.
Bryant used his radio to ask if people were in position. Two
voices confirmed that they were.
voices confirmed that they were.
'Murray, can you see anything?' Bryant asked.
A burst of static was followed by a voice saying, 'I can only
see one man in the van with the children . . . and it looks
like . . .one, maybe two women.'
see one man in the van with the children . . . and it looks
like . . .one, maybe two women.'
The other two may be down on the floor,’ said Bryant.
'Jackson! If these van doors should open let them have it!'
'Jackson! If these van doors should open let them have it!'
'Understood,’ said the voice from the handset.
'We've got it covered,’ said Bryant quietly to the others in
the Land-Rover. He checked the ground between the minibus
and the edge of the garden where the children were waiting
for the royal walkabout and saw that it was clear. There was a
fifty-metre grassy slope leading down from where the
vehicles were parked to the lawn of the house. Avedissian did
the same but felt distinctly uneasy. 'Something is wrong,’ he
said.
the Land-Rover. He checked the ground between the minibus
and the edge of the garden where the children were waiting
for the royal walkabout and saw that it was clear. There was a
fifty-metre grassy slope leading down from where the
vehicles were parked to the lawn of the house. Avedissian did
the same but felt distinctly uneasy. 'Something is wrong,’ he
said.
The O'Neills looked at him and Bryant said, 'What do you
mean?'
mean?'
‘
This isn't it. This isn't what Kell meant.’
This isn't it. This isn't what Kell meant.’
'What are you talking about?' demanded Bryant.
'Kell had something other than a mortar attack in mind,
I'm sure of it. He was too cocky, too sure of success, and he
was . . . more involved.’
I'm sure of it. He was too cocky, too sure of success, and he
was . . . more involved.’
'You're not making sense,’ said Bryant.
'I think I know what you mean,’ said O'Neill. 'All that
business with Nelligan, saying that it was going to be like old times again, as if Kell was actually going to be doing some
thing, not just coming along for the ride.’
business with Nelligan, saying that it was going to be like old times again, as if Kell was actually going to be doing some
thing, not just coming along for the ride.’
'What could he possibly do?' asked Bryant.
'I don't know,’ confessed Avedissian. 'Ask your man if he
can see the other two in the minibus yet.’
can see the other two in the minibus yet.’
Bryant called Murray and got a negative reply.
Avedissian looked down at the crowd on the lawn with
growing apprehension. Rows of handicapped children
waited with their nurses, attendants and teachers to meet the
royal group as it made its way slowly along the line in the
sunshine of the late afternoon. A party of blind children carrying Union Jack flags was at the head of the queue.
Avedissian looked down at the crowd on the lawn with
growing apprehension. Rows of handicapped children
waited with their nurses, attendants and teachers to meet the
royal group as it made its way slowly along the line in the
sunshine of the late afternoon. A party of blind children carrying Union Jack flags was at the head of the queue.
Avedissian looked down the line to the more severely physically handicapped in their wheelchairs and invalid carriages, some growing restless with the wait and being
reassured by their nurses. He suddenly saw the nightmare that was about to come true. 'Kell's not in the minibus!' he
hissed. 'He's down there in the line
...
in his pram!'
reassured by their nurses. He suddenly saw the nightmare that was about to come true. 'Kell's not in the minibus!' he
hissed. 'He's down there in the line
...
in his pram!'
There was pandemonium for a moment in the Land-Rover
as everyone realised that Avedissian had to be right.
as everyone realised that Avedissian had to be right.
'Hold it!' shouted Bryant. There was sudden silence. 'If that's so we've got to get him out of the line. It's our only chance. Any attempt to divert the royals and he will open
fire.'
fire.'
'We've got to find him first!' said Avedissian getting out of
the vehicle and looking down at the throngs of people. 'We
have to get down there.'
the vehicle and looking down at the throngs of people. 'We
have to get down there.'
'Wait!' said Bryant. He turned to the driver and said, ‘The
glasses. Quick!'
glasses. Quick!'
The driver handed Bryant a leather case and Bryant said to Avedissian, 'Use these! If Kell is in his pram he must have an
attendant. See if you recognise anyone!'
attendant. See if you recognise anyone!'
Avedissian handed the glasses straight over to O'Neill who
put them to his eyes and started scanning the line-up on the
lawn. As the seconds passed anxiety grew to an almost unbearable level.
put them to his eyes and started scanning the line-up on the
lawn. As the seconds passed anxiety grew to an almost unbearable level.
'C'mon . . . c'mon,' whispered Bryant.
'There!' said O'Neill. 'I can only see his back, but it's
Nelligan. He's wearing a white coat and standing behind
what could be Kell's pram
...
I can't see for sure, there's
someone in the way. He's beside that bunch of older kids in
invalid carriages at the far end.'
'There!' said O'Neill. 'I can only see his back, but it's
Nelligan. He's wearing a white coat and standing behind
what could be Kell's pram
...
I can't see for sure, there's
someone in the way. He's beside that bunch of older kids in
invalid carriages at the far end.'
Bryant snatched back the glasses and pointed them in the
direction O'Neill had indicated. ‘The big man?' he asked.
direction O'Neill had indicated. ‘The big man?' he asked.
‘
That's him.'
That's him.'
'He's near the very end. If Kell intends waiting until the royals are right beside him we have a few minutes left.'
'He may not,' said Kathleen.
'Knowing Kell, I think he will,' said O'Neill. 'It would
appeal to his sense of the dramatic.'
appeal to his sense of the dramatic.'
'How do we get him out of there?'
Bryant was sweating visibly. 'We'll have to go in there and
pull him out,' he said.
pull him out,' he said.
'But the moment you approach him
...
I mean he must
have an automatic weapon in his hands under the covers,'
said Avedissian.
...
I mean he must
have an automatic weapon in his hands under the covers,'
said Avedissian.
'If we can take the big man out we can get to Kell from
behind. All we have to do is turn him away, destroy his field
of fire.'
behind. All we have to do is turn him away, destroy his field
of fire.'
'I can get to him,' said Kathleen. The others looked at her.
'Get me a nurse's uniform, quick!'
'Get me a nurse's uniform, quick!'
Bryant radioed for a uniform and got a question in reply.
'You stop the first one you see and bring her here!' he
snapped. 'And get Miller up here!' While they waited he radioed to the other units and withdrew most of them from
covering the minibus to redeploy them in the area behind
where Nelligan and Kell were situated. 'Keep down and do
nothing!' he added.
'You stop the first one you see and bring her here!' he
snapped. 'And get Miller up here!' While they waited he radioed to the other units and withdrew most of them from
covering the minibus to redeploy them in the area behind
where Nelligan and Kell were situated. 'Keep down and do
nothing!' he added.
Another Land-Rover drew up beside them and a puzzled
nurse was abruptly persuaded to part with her uniform.
Kathleen hurriedly donned the cape and adjusted the cap.
'How do I look?' she asked.
'You'll do,' replied Avedissian.
'Who is going to deal with Nelligan?'
nurse was abruptly persuaded to part with her uniform.
Kathleen hurriedly donned the cape and adjusted the cap.
'How do I look?' she asked.
'You'll do,' replied Avedissian.
'Who is going to deal with Nelligan?'
'Miller is,' said Bryant, indicating the man who had arrived in the other Land-Rover with the nurse. 'Go to it!' He put his radio to his mouth again and asked for someone called Dell.
The fireworks set up for the staff and television crew party
later
...
if you hear anything that sounds like a shot, set them off
...
That's what I said, set them off.'
The fireworks set up for the staff and television crew party
later
...
if you hear anything that sounds like a shot, set them off
...
That's what I said, set them off.'
Bryant told the driver to circle slowly round behind the
disabled children at the far end of the lawn and stop about
thirty metres behind the line. Kathleen and Miller were
almost up to the edge of the crowd. Kathleen saw Miller put
away his radio and bring out an evil-looking knife which he
immediately slipped up his sleeve out of sight. He saw
Kathleen looking at it but did not say anything. 'All you have
to do,' he whispered, ' is turn Kell's pram round a little
without him suspecting anything. Turn him away from the
royals!'
disabled children at the far end of the lawn and stop about
thirty metres behind the line. Kathleen and Miller were
almost up to the edge of the crowd. Kathleen saw Miller put
away his radio and bring out an evil-looking knife which he
immediately slipped up his sleeve out of sight. He saw
Kathleen looking at it but did not say anything. 'All you have
to do,' he whispered, ' is turn Kell's pram round a little
without him suspecting anything. Turn him away from the
royals!'
'You deal with Nelligan and I'll turn Kell,' said Kathleen.
Kathleen left Miller and moved to the right through the
crowd so that she was some ten metres to the right of where
Kell was positioned and slightly behind his field of view. She
could not see him at all, for the hood on his pram had been raised to prevent any close scrutiny from those around him.
Nelligan had positioned him beside the carriages of two
severely handicapped albino teenagers who were being
similarly protected, but in their case from the sunlight.
crowd so that she was some ten metres to the right of where
Kell was positioned and slightly behind his field of view. She
could not see him at all, for the hood on his pram had been raised to prevent any close scrutiny from those around him.
Nelligan had positioned him beside the carriages of two
severely handicapped albino teenagers who were being
similarly protected, but in their case from the sunlight.
As she saw Miller move up through the crowd behind
Nelligan, Kathleen said in a loud voice, as if she had some
official role to play, 'Can everyone see? It won't be long now.
Perhaps if we move these chairs just a little to the right. . .'
She moved the carriage nearest to her and found the child's
nurse helping her automatically. The desire to comply with the wishes of apparent officialdom spread up the line and
Kathleen saw Miller take his chance. Nelligan keeled over
backwards without a sound but people in his vicinity began
to fuss about the man who had "fainted".
Nelligan, Kathleen said in a loud voice, as if she had some
official role to play, 'Can everyone see? It won't be long now.
Perhaps if we move these chairs just a little to the right. . .'
She moved the carriage nearest to her and found the child's
nurse helping her automatically. The desire to comply with the wishes of apparent officialdom spread up the line and
Kathleen saw Miller take his chance. Nelligan keeled over
backwards without a sound but people in his vicinity began
to fuss about the man who had "fainted".
Kathleen saw immediately that Kell must know something
was wrong and rushed towards his pram. She reached it in
time to see the muzzle of an automatic weapon appear from
inside it. 'No you don't!' she cried as she flung herself at the pram and pivoted it round on its back wheels. A burst of fire tore harmlessly into the air as Kell pulled the trigger. People
screamed and scattered in all directions.
was wrong and rushed towards his pram. She reached it in
time to see the muzzle of an automatic weapon appear from
inside it. 'No you don't!' she cried as she flung herself at the pram and pivoted it round on its back wheels. A burst of fire tore harmlessly into the air as Kell pulled the trigger. People
screamed and scattered in all directions.
Kathleen, who had fallen to her knees with the effort of
turning the pram, fought to regain control of it as another
burst of fire from Kell cut down Miller who rushed up to help
her. As she realised that Kell was struggling to turn the gun
on her she pushed the pram away from her as hard as she
could, but it only got as far as Nelligan's prostrate body. The
force that she had imparted to it, however, was sufficient to
tip it forwards when it hit Nelligan's feet so that Kell's legless
torso was thrown out on to the ground. He fell, still holding
his weapon, and rolled over to fire at Bryant's men who were
approaching across the open ground.
turning the pram, fought to regain control of it as another
burst of fire from Kell cut down Miller who rushed up to help
her. As she realised that Kell was struggling to turn the gun
on her she pushed the pram away from her as hard as she
could, but it only got as far as Nelligan's prostrate body. The
force that she had imparted to it, however, was sufficient to
tip it forwards when it hit Nelligan's feet so that Kell's legless
torso was thrown out on to the ground. He fell, still holding
his weapon, and rolled over to fire at Bryant's men who were
approaching across the open ground.
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