Gardiner waved his hands vaguely in the air and said, ‘I hope you know how to do all this. Takes me all my time to switch the damn machine on.’
‘Leave it to me,’ said Steven.
The message went out to the people on the database at 8.45am and Steven returned to the Home Office after thanking Gardiner for his cooperation, adding, ‘I hope I won’t have to bother you again, Sir James.’
‘Always glad to help my country,’ said Gardiner with an uneasy smile.
Nerves were beginning to fray when it got to ten o’clock without any sign of a reply but then Steven’s computer bleeped to herald an incoming message and he clicked it open. The sender was a man named Eric Pope, which Steven read out aloud so that the others could start checking the name against the database. The message read, ‘Worried about having missed mail. Last communication received 2nd September confirming date of exercise. Is there a problem?’
‘He works for Scottish Water,’ announced Dorothy Jordan, who was first to come up with the man’s details.
For a moment they all looked at each other in silence then Hamilton murmured, ‘Bloody hell.’
‘I’ll have the troops see what they can come up with on Pope,’ said Macmillan. He left the room to brief the regular Sci-Med support staff.
It was twenty minutes before the next message came in. ‘From a David Innes,’ Steven said, reading out the sender’s name. The message read, ‘Understand exercise going ahead as confirmed on September 2nd. Please advise of any change or update.’
‘What exercise?’ muttered Steven.
‘If we ask, they may get suspicious,’ said Alan Deans.
‘Innes works for the Nationwide Building Society,’ said Charles Bristow.
‘A building society?’ exclaimed Dorothy Jordan and Alan Deans, almost in unison.
‘Search me,’ said Steven, returning to his screen as the computer beeped yet again.
This time the e-mail came from a man named John Curtis. Dorothy ran the cursor down the list on her screen. ‘Diamond Security,’ she said. ‘Scottish area supervisor.’
The message read, ‘Last message received 2nd September, requesting suspension 8am — 6pm, on day of exercise. Please confirm.’
Macmillan came back into the room saying, ‘Pope is a middle manager with Scottish Water. He has wide responsibilities for their operations. The Scots haven’t privatised water yet so we couldn’t narrow it down any further area-wise.’
‘Damnation,’ murmured Steven. ‘Where does that leave us? A water-board manager, a building society employee and an area supervisor with a security firm.’
‘Some kind of hit on a building society?’ suggested Hamilton without much conviction.
‘The water connection worries me,’ said Dorothy Jordan.
‘Me too,’ agreed Steven. ‘In spite of what you said about dilution problems with bugs.’
‘These people will be waiting for replies,’ Deans reminded them.
‘Can you deal with that?’ Macmillan asked Hamilton. ‘Simple confirmation, I think. We can’t risk asking questions at this stage.’
Hamilton nodded and took Steven’s place at the computer as a young woman came into the room and handed a piece of paper to Macmillan. Her body language suggested that she knew Macmillan was going to be pleased. Macmillan read it and raised his eyes briefly to the ceiling before saying, ‘Building Society Man, Innes, is actually Major David Innes: he’s an officer in the Territorial Army.’
‘Now the word “exercise” starts to make sense,’ said Steven.
‘Curtis mentioned “suspension” in his message,’ said Bristow. ‘He could be talking about suspension of security measures supplied by his firm…’
‘While Innes and his men carry out an exercise,’ said Steven.
‘In an area with some connection to Scottish Water if Pope is involved,’ said Macmillan.
‘It’s my bet that Innes has organised this as a genuine military exercise,’ said Steven after a few moments thought. ‘And if that’s the case, he would have to have filed details with his superiors. It’s the army way.’
‘That’s something we can check,’ said Macmillan, leaving the room again.
‘Contacts have been reassured,’ said Hamilton getting up from the computer.
‘You’re sure they’ll think the message came from the same source as the enquiry?’ asked Steven.
‘Trust me,’ smiled Hamilton. ‘God, I’m knackered.’ He stretched his arms in the air and let out a big yawn. It set everyone else off.
‘I could sleep for a week,’ said Dorothy, rubbing the back of her neck.
‘You’ve all done well,’ said Steven. ‘We’re almost there. Why don’t you take a break while John tackles the MOD.? I’ll monitor the screen in case any more messages come in.’
‘You must be just as tired,’ said Dorothy.
‘I’m carrying the can for this if it all goes belly-up,’ said Steven. ‘That gives me more adrenalin.’
Alone in the room, Steven swivelled round in his seat and put his feet up on the table. It was something he would not normally have done. His tie had long since been discarded and successive buttons on his shirt had been opened to allow the flat of his hand to rest on his chest. The stubble on his chin was beginning to itch and a shower was beginning to seem like the most desirable thing on the planet. For the moment he made do with yet more black coffee while he waited to see if anyone else on the database would make contact. His eyelids were starting to go together when Macmillan came back into the room.
‘Most unlike the MOD to be so efficient,’ he said. ‘Here it is.’ He waved a handful of paper in the air. ‘A summary of the entire exercise. Where is everyone?’
‘I suggested they take a break,’ said Steven.
‘Get them back, will you.’
Luckily only Dorothy Jordan had left the building. Steven found her outside, arms crossed, looking down at the pavement as she walked slowly up and down, apparently deep in thought. He apologised and told her that Macmillan needed everyone back.
She responded with a nod as if too tired to say anything and followed him back inside.
‘The exercise we’ve been hearing about is to take place in the Loch Ard Forest in Scotland,’ announced Macmillan when everyone had reassembled. ‘I think maybe we need maps…’
Hamilton took his cue and sat himself back down at a computer to start typing in instructions.
‘Loch Ard and its forest,’ continued Macmillan, ‘are part of the Forestry Commission’s Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, which comprises some 50,000 acres of mountains, lochs, forests and open rough country. For the purposes of the exercise, Major Innes and his men are charged with hunting down three armed and dangerous terrorists who will be on the loose in the forest, intent on damaging water board installations in the area.’
‘Maps for everyone,’ announced Hamilton, collecting several sheets of paper from the printer beside the computer and handing them around.
After a few moments study, Deans asked, ‘Is Loch Ard used as a reservoir?’
‘Looks too small,’ said Macmillan but we’ll check that out.
‘Maybe that’s what would make it attractive for a field trial,’ said Dorothy Jordan. ‘It would get round the dilution factor.’
‘Strange,’ said Steven. ‘There’s an aqueduct marked on the map but its position with regard to the contour lines suggests it isn’t carrying water from Loch Ard… I’m not sure I understand it. There’s no water to the north of it; in fact, the ground rises quite steeply to the hills north of Aberfoyle.’