CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Hollis was busy on the phone, he made vain attempts to pack his things for his pending office move but the phone just kept ringing, from the chancellor to the deputy Prime Minister, the world had gone mad. MI5 and Scotland Yard receiving critical information on public crime began to fan out questioning lawyers, bankers and government ministers. The French, American, Chinese, Russian, German ambassadors to name a few tussled on the phone for an Audience with the Prime Minister. The phone in the cavern on Foulness Island rang constantly but there was no one there, even the switchboard was deserted, the elite were busy somewhere.
Hollis then received an unexpected audience, from SIS headquarters Vauxhall Cross an ageing and distinguished gentleman requested a meeting from Hollis’s outer office and Hollis received him immediately. Stanley Faversham was a young officer straight from Sandringham when he joined the Special Operations Executive at the beginning of the Second World War, a member of what was referred to as the ‘Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ Churchill’s secret army. His experience and background was an overwhelming factor in his appointment as Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee. Direct from a meeting still underway at Vauxhall Cross, sent to discuss pending disaster brought on by a flood of information poised to bring down the western banking and industrial system. The committee were sure the unknown source was elite intelligence officer John Stanton, they had experienced the same attacks when attempting to neutralise Stanton in recent times.
Faversham was spritely for his age, a firm believer in good diet and regular exercise he enjoyed his early morning brisk walks along the Thames before heading off to work. Years of experience was carved into the lines on his face, his sagging jowls and white hair. Experience of early life was always present wearing a tailored khaki shirt with epaulets, a large brass polished buckle on his belt and tailored brown trousers reflected perfectly in his mirror polished boots. He had a distinct bouquet of boot polish and dry cleaning fluid, standing rather than sitting he first apologised to Hollis after initial congenial greetings. “We are terribly sorry about Brannigan, the event has turned opinion within the committee in favour of Stanton. Rather like echoes of the past when Sir Francis Drake may be a pirate one day and a privateer fighting for the survival of the realm the next.”
Hollis wore a stone face listening with interest, he as well stood facing Faversham behind his desk. “Go on.”
“Stanton is busy bringing down the banking and industrial system, he knows where the might lye’s. The moral fabric of the rich and governing powers is about to take a tumble, no public will tolerate the conduct of some of these so-called prestigious members of society. The financial system is so embedded to kill it off will trigger a global war.”
“I fail to see Stanton’s public involvement but an attempt on Bella Fonteyn’s life was a ridiculous move, the rampant assassination of operative Brannigan has failed to curb the elites attack on misguided members of society, in fact it appears they have turned evil. They have awakened a sleeping giant its out of my hands and yours.”
“Ah, but we support the preservation of Stanton and his covert operation. I’ve never meet the man face to face but patriots of this quality are rare, one with as much gathered power as Stanton unique. We have western powers begging to stop the information leaks, the policing organisations developed in the nations of power are currently turning on those that pay them for the privilege and supply the money to support their effectiveness. The investment in global communication has become their own nemesis, they claim whoever is doing this is a traitor and should be brought to justice. The public do not agree as we can see by talkback media, Stanton leaked the Brannigan murder and the public are turning on government. Stanton is a very wise man, I would like to shake his hand one day.”
“May come sooner than you think, he’s been standing behind you for the last minute or so.”
Faversham turned around with a look of surprise. “Good lord,” he offered his hand to Stanton, he shook it firm but briefly. “You heard what I said.”
“Some of it,” Stanton bypassed directing his conversation to Hollis. “Sir, I tender my resignation from MI6. My services can be purchased for ridiculous sums of money on par with payments recently made by Middle Eastern powers, there I will find Polaris and destroy it before it becomes reality.” He looked at Faversham. “If it does then we’ll all have a problem.”
“Nobody has any idea how to contact you,” said Faversham.
“Hollis will be here shortly, he holds the key so look after him.”
“He’s rattling the bucket down at Vauxhall Cross, some people standing to attention down there at present I tell you,” commented Faversham.
“Get back there and turn on the perpetrators of this ridiculous demonstration of greed, don’t tell me you don’t know who they are because I know you do. Brannigan had a dossier under his arm that indirectly leads to his killers. I’m going to hold the information trail but should the misguided cross the line again information will continue to bring them down perpetrated from a source they have no chance of finding let alone stopping. If I fail to put a code in a my system every twenty four hours the information trail starts automatically, it progresses from public figures, to government figures then heads of state going further up the line every day, an insurance policy that favours no one. I’ll deprive them of money then life if that fails to work, perhaps the techniques applied to Bella Fonteyn and Captain Brannigan are the only things they understand, they understand money no doubt that’s what has festered this confrontation.”
“I’ll get back to the meeting, mission accomplished here, this will please enough people to get something done, if you’ll excuse me.” Stanton stepped to one side and watched Faversham shuffle from the office bidding them both farewell at the door and closing it softly behind him.”
“You trust that man sir,” asked Stanton.
“I have no idea but what options are available, they have to act in the context of political and public pressure.”
“I’m sorry things ended like this sir.”
“Don’t concern yourself John, without you, Bruce and Bella I would have no one, I would surely be dead, now I become a necessity through indirect association as does Hurst, our safety is assured.”
“Trust no one sir, I would like permission to leave for the last time sir.”
“Go, with my blessing and may god speed.”
Stanton opened the bookcase. “It was the attempt on Bella and the previous attempts on my wife if you were wondering. Mothers do not belong on the front line they are to precious.”
Hollis nodded and smiled. “A nation can be judged on how it treats its women.”
“I do this in the name of the mother. All of them.” The bookshelf closed and Stanton vanished.
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