Three Faces of West (2013) (42 page)

“Apparently he was a penetration agent.”

“What?!”

“Deep cover planted into a situation and then takes on the role as if they were living it.”

“But that’s all Cold War stuff.” Replied Jack,

“Doesn’t mean to say it still doesn’t happen. Do you think we don’t have a home or foreign network either?”

Jack saw it made sense, “What will the Americans do next now that we have killed one of their own?”

“Nothing. What can they do? Acknowledging his existence means compromising their own network. I don’t think even the Americans will risk doing that.”

Jack then tried to probe further, “There’s something I don’t still understand.”

“What?”

“Who were Bruenstein’s men? Who was it that I tracked in the underground tunnels and who we fought in the docklands?”

“We’re still verifying that.” Replied Harvey, “We think they were home grown terrorists, recruited from the criminal underworld gangs that permeate this city. Operation Moonlight and Sunshine before it will be closed and declared a success.”

Staring out across the city landscape, the street lights began to glow, the buildings twinkling in the evening twilight,

“Can anyone ever really be trusted? I know now how John felt in the earlier stages of the investigation.”

“Look that is the intelligence community all over. Everything is connected to everything else; it’s not safe, nor necessary to know who our contacts or handlers are. Just do the job, follow your instructions, that’s all.”

Jack shrugged. He understood, but Harvey could clearly see that he didn’t agree. A slight pause ensued before Harvey came closer to reveal one last piece of information,

“Jack, I’m going to share something with you. What I’m about to say is classified, bound by the Official Secrets Act do you understand?”

Looking his superior in the eye, he nodded, Harvey carried on,

“You mentioned Cold War stuff. Well back in the 1970’s the USA and the Soviet Union signed a number of treaties named SALT, there were two, SALT I and SALT II, the second one signed between President Carter and Leonid Brezhnev in 1979.”

“Yes I’ve heard of them.” Replied Jack, Harvey continued on,

“By 1987, the two nations established a further treaty, the INF or Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed between President Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in December of that year, ratified the following May. It was designed to control and reduce each other’s nuclear arms stockpiles, prevent any potential escalation to World War III. The last thing anyone wanted at that time was the Warsaw Pact and NATO hurling nuclear bombs at each other.”

“Yes I remember the INF treaty. What’s this got to do with anything?” West replied as Harvey continued straight to the point,

“When the USSR collapsed in December 1991 following on from the failure of the Soviet Coup in August that year, the entire Russian stockpile of nuclear weapons was placed under strict control by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA. They registered and oversaw the decommissioning of the Soviet arsenal, which was still substantially bigger even after all the treaties. All of these nuclear warheads were taken out….except four.”

Jack turned fully toward Harvey, he knew what he was about to say,

“What?!!”

“That’s right. The IAEA are aware of the whereabouts of all but four. These were not registered, and subsequently disappeared. Three of them plutonium and one uranium; each with an explosive yield of around 150,000 tonnes of TNT, about the same as the atomic bomb the Americans dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. So somewhere in the world there are four old nuclear warheads, and to this day nobody knows where. Call it bad management if you like-‘

“That’s an understatement.” Jack cut in again,

“Can you imagine what would happen if one of those things ever got in the wrong hands? Any legitimate target could be taken out, thousands, even millions wiped out in an instant, thousands more infected with radiation burns and poisoning. Just because the Cold War never descended into the Third World War it doesn’t mean it could never happen.”

The revelation was stark to Jack, he could see now that the threats never really had gone away. Harvey spoke on,

“You see that’s why we are so vital in this business. We are the thin line between those who want to kill us and those who we swore to protect. As I said it really is a thankless task, nobody knows we are here, yet the public absolutely relies on us. We vow to protect the innocent and it is a mandate we have to stick through whatever the cost, even if it is our lives.”

Jack looked at Harvey and smiled,

“Look Jack, The conversation we’ve just had, everything I’ve just told you is secret. You are never to repeat it understand?”

“Yes, perfectly. What conversation?”

“Good, then I’ll leave you. I trust you are still fit for active service, so I’ll see you in Thames House tomorrow.”

“You will.” Assured Jack as Harvey walked away to his car leaving Jack to return to his thoughts. The city lit up causing a faint glow throughout the skyline,

“What was that all about?” He heard a voice behind him say. Turning round just as John arrived to join him, “Anything I should know about?”

“Nothing important, just a few words of encouragement.”

The two men spent a few moments looking out over the capital,

“Close run thing at one point.” Remarked John,

“Yes. But we got there in the end.” Said Jack,

“King’s Cross will be refurbished and reopened in a few weeks. I think they were looking for an excuse to renovate.”

Jack smiled, “Yes I suppose so.”

“How about a drink? I know a fabulous little all-night bar.” Asked John,

“We have work in the morning.”

“Oh come on. I’ll buy you a brandy.”

Jack was tempted, “Actually I’ll have a beer or two. I think the people are safe for a few hours don’t you think John?”

They began walking down the hill toward the main road, “Yes…I think they’ll be alright.”

For now everything was safe and secure once more. It was a great relief.