Everything to Lose Page 7

  She saw no reason why Shawlens would be any different. The weak ones always get into trouble they can't handle. At least the flat sharing would keep Shawlens close to her. Give her a chance to intercept Barscadden's men before they hit Shawlens. With luck catch a live one and maybe a lead to Barscadden's new location.

  "Oh by the way," she said.

  "What?"

  "The beard makes you look ridiculous. It'll have to go."

  * * *

  The entire briefing was watched on a monitor in a separate ante room by two Special Forces troopers, Sergeant Antonia (Toni) Bornadetti and trooper Scott E Bradwood. They had served with Zoe Tampin before and were well aware of her expectations. The briefing enabled them to get good eyeball and voice-check on the other team members without giving up their identity.

  Toni was an attractive and rugged thirty-six year-old woman and still as fit as she had been when she was eighteen. She looked like the twin sister of Michelle Rodriguez who plays Letty in the 'Fast and Furious' films. Some of her SAS mates call her Trudy after Trudy Chacón the combat pilot from the James Cameron film 'Avatar'.

  Her black shiny hair was shoulder length when it was not tied in a knot at the back of her head. Her Mediterranean skin was lightly tanned and blemish-free. She was five foot seven and her weight at 65 kg hadn't changed since the day she joined the Army. She was lean, muscular and very capable of looking after herself. Many times she had been asked why she was in the army when she should have been in the movies.

  During the hill phase of training at Sennybridge on the Brecon Beacons they nicknamed her the Duracell Bunny because of her power to keep going no matter what. She did her four mile run in thirty minutes and her two mile swim in ninety minutes. After each one she stood up straight and fresh as a daisy. Her mates said she had a pocket nuclear reactor in her pants. She was a true adrenaline junkie.

  Scott was six years younger, two inches shorter and heavier than Toni. His six-pack was morphing into a two pack and his movement was sluggish because he spent much less time keeping fit and toned. Scott was very good on the tech side of operations and that involved a lot of time sitting down with computer equipment and monitors.

  He struggled with his weight and went through cycles of painful exercise sessions to shed the pounds. Someone should have told him that the human body has very little space to store carbs. The stores fill quickly and when full, the energy from further intake of carbohydrate isn't wasted. It's converted to and stored as fat and the body has huge capacity to store fat.

  When the Lambeth Group briefing finished they waited in the ante room for Zoe Tampin to join them and complete their briefing.

  "So did you ask her out?" Toni asked.

  "Who?" Scott replied.

  "You know who. The Colonel's daughter Moira."

  "Yes."

  "Don't be frightened of her old man."

  "I'm not."

  "I'll expect a full and detailed report," Toni said.

  "In your dreams mate."

  "Come onnn Scott. I introduced you to Moira, you owe me."

  "No chance."

  "She'll sink her nails right into these love handles," she said nodding at his waistline.

  "Leave it out."

  "Where are you taking her?"

  "Come on Sarge let's talk about something else."

  "If I had a date I'd tell you all about it in glorious 3-D."

  "I'm not talking about her."

  "Why not?"

  "It's private, alright."

  Scott fired a menacing look at Toni to say he'd had enough badgering about his date with Moira. When Scott looked back at the monitor screen, Toni smiled at him.

  "Which one of the academics will get into trouble first?" Toni asked.

  "Morgan."

  "I think it'll be Shawlens. Want to bet?"

  "What do I get if I win?"

  "I'll buy two tickets for the next Man United European game. If you lose you tell me all about your date."

  "Boss," Scott said as he stood to attention.

  Zoe Tampin marched into the room. She sat down with the two SAS soldiers seconded to MI5 and went over communications, logistics and other resources that would be required. They talked about the few Lambeth Group backfires they had worked on in the past.

  None of them knew Shawlens or Morgan. She reminded them that Shawlens was a target and their primary task was to protect him. If possible take one of Barscadden's men alive for interrogation.

  "I hate this babysitting crap, it's a waste …," Scott started.

  "Shut it," Toni snapped before Zoe could react.

  Zoe gave Scott a sideways look and he felt it like a death ray piercing his brain.

  "I think you'll find that babysitting in Hampshire is better than sitting in an Afghan hospital bed with a massive hole in your belly," she forced the words through her teeth.

  "Right boss."

  "I hope so Scott because if Shawlens gets barbequed under your nose. I'll personally rip out your liver and serve it with onions in the mess. AM I CLEAR?" she bellowed.

  "YES BOSS."

  Scott's expression conceded the error of his thoughts. Zoe reminded them of the op at Ardwell Bay and the fact that Barscadden got away in a small submarine. Barscadden's vast empire was built on intimidation, murder and theft. Gavin Shawlens together with Emma Patersun were the main instruments that brought down the high and mighty billionaire.

  Toni and Scott knew part of the story and in particular the killing of six Special Branch officers by WRATH in a failed attempt to rescue Emma Patersun. There was wild speculation in the Special Forces community as to why Special Branch didn't call for SAS backup to help overcome WRATH.

  They didn't know, so Zoe told them in confidence, that pregnant Emma Patersun and her sister Donna were murdered when their home was razed to the ground by arson. Zoe told them Emma Patersun was Gavin's childhood sweetheart and the violent loss had put Gavin Shawlens in a state of melancholic limbo.

  They agreed that as far as Barscadden was concerned his revenge was only half complete. They discussed how Barscadden might attempt to kill Gavin Shawlens and how they would prepare. Zoe told Toni and Scott to shadow Gavin Shawlens when he was out of her sight.

  She warned them he was not thinking straight so they should expect him to make mistakes. They accepted Shawlens shouldn't be in the field with a troubled state of mind but the Lambeth Group needed his expertise. As they gathered their briefing papers Zoe pointed an accusing finger at Toni.

  "By the way Sergeant we're not done by a long chalk," Zoe said to Toni and smiled.

  "Any time any place boss, you name it, I'll deal with it," Toni replied with a smirk.

  Zoe and Toni were like two big girl guides always trying to outdo each other. In their last challenge they went river sledging in the Scottish Highlands to race against each other. Lying flat on a plastic sledge they skimmed at high speed down a rapid white-water river course.

  Toni won because Zoe caught a 'play wave'. It’s a section of water where the rock formation forces the current to turn upstream. It's dead water so you have to paddle by hand out of it. The whole of the Highlands heard Toni's WOOHOO YEEHAH echo when she reached the end of the course first. That put the score at 7-5 in Toni's favour with first to reach ten the winner.

  Loser chooses the next contest so Zoe made her choice. She said the next event would take place at the Warcop Tank Training Area, in Cumbria. Zoe's chosen contest; parallel parking a 62 tonne Challenger main battle tank, against the clock, best of three. Both of them have ridden in a Challenger battle tank before but parallel parking. That would be a new experience.

  12

  University of South England, Hampshire

  At nine in the morning the Attenborough Building was heaving with excited students sheltering from the heavy rain pelting down outside. The glass wall panels of the entrance where fogged with condensation. As Gavin Shawlens navigated his way around huddles and clusters of students in the foyer he saw
a portrait of Sir David Attenborough high up on the wall looking over them.

  As he stepped around students to climb the stairs he wondered how Sir David might describe the chaos then the immortal Attenborough 'Life on Earth' voice popped into his head … and so, the eager young gibbons have gathered in their hundreds, at the mouth of this spectacular cave of learning, for the old gibbons to show them the ropes.

  When he arrived at the Department of Sports Biology office on the second floor the corridors were crammed with streams of students looking for lecture room numbers, looking for staff, looking for timetables, looking for laboratory rooms and a myriad of other things that are new at the start of a semester. Many of them were clutching a piece of paper that needed an academic signature for the next step in their registration process.

  Gavin Shawlens had experienced similar new semester chaos many times at the University of Kinmalcolm. He navigated queues, clusters and 'lost' students wandering around, to reach the Head of Department's office. He raised his voice over the melee of student chatter to introduce himself. The HOD's secretary had to raise her voice to tell him that her name was Kate as she guided him to the HOD's office. The name on the HOD's door was Professor A. H. R. Wood.

  "Dr Shawlens in you come. You found us alright," Alastair Wood said as he shook Gavin's hand with a finger-crushing grip.

  One by one he introduced his senior staff; Professor John R Russell, Professor Brian S Bartlett, Dr Keeley J Hughes and Professor Kevin R Buzzwall.

  In turn they all exchanged business cards and took turns in crushing Gavin's fingers except for Keeley Hughes whose handshake was firm but comfortable. A crushing handshake was obviously a requirement for promotion in this Department. Gavin was glad he started the business card exchanges because there was too much name and title information to absorb.

  The HOD's room was large with expensive furniture a grand conference table with twenty-four leather-covered chairs bearing the University crest on the back. Gavin took a seat opposite Professor Wood and his staff, who sat in a row, so it felt like a job interview.

  The grand room, the suits, fancy titles, superior attitudes and high-brow introductions were intimidating but Gavin Shawlens in his usual casual clothes had seen this behaviour many times before and saw it for what it was - imposing nonsense.

  "Call me Keeley," she said with a friendly face as she handed her business card.

  "Sorry about the pandemonium outside," Alastair half-apologised with a hand gesture.

  "It's good to see plenty of students. Recruitment at Kinmalcolm is down three percent this year. Panic." Gavin said.

  "We're introducing an electronic registration process to cut down the paperwork. Just a few teething problems," Keeley said.

  "We have that at Kinmalcolm. Unfortunately," Gavin said with a tragic look.

  "You're not a fan then?" Keeley asked.

  "It's fine for students on set degree programmes with few options. Less good for students who want max choice in a cafeteria degree system. The module pre-requisites come into play and crash the system. You end up sitting down with the students to register them manually," Gavin said.

  "We fixed that by eliminating module pre-requisites," Brian said.

  "We did that, it's a nightmare. Last month I had a meeting with a student who failed my level three biochemistry module. Her exam answers were poor because she didn't do my level two module that underpins level three," Gavin explained.

  "How did that happen?" Brian asked.

  "The max choice system allowed her to take a level three biochemistry module never having done any biochemistry before."

  "That's not good," Brian said to Alastair.

  "The new registry system allowed her to enrol for the module without pre-requisite passes in level one or level two," Gavin said.

  "You should sit down with Gavin and gain a better insight into these systems," Alastair said to Brian.

  Gavin and Brian nodded to each other to acknowledge they would meet up.

  "Gavin's purpose here is to facilitate greater research collaboration with Kinmalcolm University," Alastair said to his colleagues.

  "A key criticism of our last RAE was that we didn't have enough international collaboration. So new links with Scottish Universities will strengthen that corner," John said.

  Gavin Shawlens spent the next thirty minutes discussing how he would match-up potential collaborations with research teams in Kinmalcolm and in other Scottish Universities.

  He talked of short-term exchanges of research staff, students and research technicians, of joint development of a programme of training and studies for postgraduate research students.

  He promised joint applications for major equipment and project grants, engagement with industry for knowledge transfer. He offered to share intelligence on how best to prepare a top class submission for the next RAE.

  Alastair Wood and his staff were impressed with Gavin Shawlens. Alastair gave Gavin a confidentiality agreement to sign to make sure that Gavin couldn't steal any of their research results or ideas. Gavin looked with surprise at the document but signed anyway.

  The group were joined by Professor J. Lee Kwan and he escorted Gavin on a tour of the Department's research facilities. He showed Gavin to his office and laboratory. He introduced Departmental staff, research students and technicians they met as they walked around.

  When the tour was over Gavin sat down in his new office and smiled as he looked around. He went into the den of lions and told them a good enough story to allay their concerns. They seemed impressed with his pitch and he sensed no suspicions or doubts. He felt confident they had no idea what he was going to do to them.

  * * *

  "What do you think?" Alastair asked his colleagues.

  "I've looked him up. BSc and PhD in biochemistry at Heriot-Watt University before moving to Kinmalcolm University. He's a research star, well known, his research is cited as world class and from what we've just heard he knows what he's talking about. I think he could be useful," John said.

  "I don't doubt he's a top researcher or that his work is excellent. I want to know what he's doing here," Kevin said and thumped the table.

  "Well I told you that Dianne, our esteemed Vice Chancellor, called me into her office and told me Gavin Shawlens was coming to beef up our research collaborations. She said I was to give him full support," Alastair said unconvincingly.

  "What's bothering you?" Brian asked.

  "I didn't like her attitude. When we get an award or a new grant her attitude is gracious, charming, often celebratory with a glass of sherry. She makes me feel like I've won a watch. When she told me Shawlens was coming here, her attitude was cold, matter-of-fact, no negotiation. It was not a prize. When I said we didn't have a spare office for Shawlens. Snap! An office was made available," Alastair said.

  "Maybe Dianne thinks our next RAE is going to be poor," John said.

  "Or she's had wind of something else," Kevin said.

  "What else?" John asked.

  "I know the chemists are shitting bricks because their research isn't even nationally recognised. Closure is high on their cards," Kevin said.

  "I don't think we have anything to worry about. I've spoken to a couple of people who know Shawlens and they say he's a typical unmarried academic nerd with his head firmly set in a bucket of enzymes. He's not a business hatchet-man type," John said.

  "He brought his technician. Surely he's here to do research," Keeley said.

  "He may have a brain but apparently he's useless at basic lab skills and that sort of thing. So his technician does it all for him," John said.

  "What an arsehole," Kevin said.

  "Exactly," John said.

  "Well I don't care what our VC wants. Shawlens is not poking his nose around my labs. I have commercial projects starting to bear fruit. I don't want any distractions," Kevin said forcefully.

  "Well then make an appointment and tell her how you feel about this imposition," Alastair said.

&
nbsp; "If Shawlens becomes a nuisance then I will see her and I will tell her to get him out of my hair," Kevin said.

  "Maybe we should give him some teaching to keep him busy," Keeley said.

  "Good idea Keeley. Can you organise some final year tutorials?" Brian asked.

  "Give him the social inclusion group," John said.

  "Group E, okay," Keeley said.

  "Just keep him away from my research team," Kevin said.

  "Let's keep his head in his own research bucket," Alastair said.

  "Where are you putting him?" Brian asked.

  "Kevin has moved his students out of K416 so I've put Shawlens and his technician in there. It's isolated so they will be on their own most of the time," Alastair said.

  "John can you ask Shawlens to give a research seminar? So everyone will have a chance to know who he is and what he's doing here. It will make it easier to keep tabs on him," Alastair said.

  "No problem," John replied.

  "I think we should tell all the staff and research students that Shawlens is some sort of research inspector and that they should be guarded about what they tell him," Kevin said.

  "Is that really necessary?" Keeley asked.

  Alastair Wood was unsure about this ploy. If word got back to Vice-Chancellor Dianne Mesholey there would be trouble. He allowed his colleagues time to discuss the pros and cons. Then Alastair suggested that some well placed rumours with a few research students would be better for raising caution rather than a direct comment from senior staff.

  13

  Department of Sports Biology

  Everyone in the Sports Energetics Research lab froze when Professor Kevin Buzzwall suddenly launched a loud and aggressive rant. Jonathon, one of Kevin's postdoctoral research assistants, was on the receiving end. Kevin started to list all the weak points in a research grant application Jonathon had written. The rant was cut short when the Department secretary Kate rang through to the internal phone in the research lab.

  "Speak up. What do you want?" Kevin demanded.

  "Professor Buzzwall there's a call for you in the office, Dr Kremova," Kate said.