London 10 Downing Street

 

Lat = 51 degrees, 30.2 minutes North

Long = 0 degrees, 7.7 minutes West

 

Monday 16th November 1987

Eleven-hundred hours

 

The Everest group were seated around a table, present were; Jonathan Troy head of MI5, Pierce Evans head of MI6, Sir Richard Evans head of the British army, Admiral Sir Robert Fox head of the Royal Navy and Sir Toby Percival Head of the Royal Air force.

Strayker and the Prime Minister sat quietly as the group read through Strayker’s proposal.

Jonathan Troy head of MI5 was first to speak, “this proposal makes a lot of sense however; I feel uncomfortable with the fact that we will be sending to all intent and purposes assassins to deal with this issue”.

The Prime Minister stood up and looked at each individual around the table, “terrorism is a menace that needs to be fought wherever it occurs,’ she paused for effect before continuing, ‘enduring success never comes easily to an individual or to a country to quote Walt Whitman. It takes struggles in life to make strength; it takes fight for principles to make fortitude; it takes crisis to give courage and singleness of purpose to reach an objective.”

“Let us go down in history as the generation which not only understood what needed to be done but a generation, which had the strength, the self-discipline and the resolve to see it through.”

Everyone in the room new the lady was not for turning once she had her teeth into something.

“I have decided to act on Strayker’s initiative the Operational Strike Commands main objectives will be to conduct short duration strikes and other small-scale offensive actions to inflict maximum damage and harm on designated personnel and materials, and where necessary rescuing our fellow countrymen when they fall into harm’s way. Their remit will be worldwide.”

The Prime Minister paused for effect before continuing.

“The bottom line is any terrorist organization that threatens the safety of the British Isles, peoples, assets or its colonies will be hunted down and dealt with no courts and no juries. These operations will be strictly covert with only the people in this room knowing of Strayker’s missions; I expect your full cooperation with this new venture.”

She looked around the room looking at each individual in the room.

“Now unless anyone has any objections I suggest that we let Strayker set the wheels in motion, and that we reconvene in exactly one month’s time when Strayker can bring us up to speed, that will be all gentlemen.”