24
Strayker’s home
Wells road
Bromley, Kent.
Lat = 51 degrees, 24.3 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 3.1 minutes East
Tuesday 12th September 1989. (Same day)
Zero six eleven hours BST
Strayker was in his twenty by five meter indoor swimming pool doing a lazy but powerful crawl stroke; he had just completed fifty lengths when his butler Bentley entered the pool area.
Strayker had not noticed him until he reached the other end of the pool and turned for the return length; he completed the length and stopped.
Bentley came over with a small towel and handed it to the Major, who quickly wiped his face area.
Bentley was first to speak, “sorry to interrupt your morning swim sir, Vince has just called and has asked for you to ring him back at ICIS.”
“Thank you Bentley, I will have a quick shower, you can have my breakfast ready in fifteen minutes.”
“Certainly sir.”
Twenty minutes later Strayker was sitting eating his breakfast, starting with porridge, two rounds of toast with marmalade on, a yogurt, fresh orange juice followed with an Earl Grade tea.
He reached for the phone and dialled the number for ICIS after four rings Vince’s familiar voice answered, “good morning major!”
Strayker replied, “How did you know it was me Vince?”
“Part of the updates I have implemented, that now show caller I.D.”
“Is that for everyone within our group Vince?”
“Yes including those on the Everest committee, all the team leaders and also number 10.”
“So; I presume you have some updates for me Vince?”
“Yes sir, we have identified the man from the CCTV image at the phone booth, and have a tracked the cargo truck to its last known place from the highways traffic cams; however we lost it after that point.”
“Okay Vince shoot with the man’s name?”
“His name is Sydney Carter and he works for the CIA.”
Strayker processed the information for a moment before replying, “What have you been able to find out about him Vince?”
“He is thirty-nine years of age and has been in the service of the CIA for the past ten years and is a single man, prior to that he was a member of the United States Army 3rd Special Forces group or commonly known as green berets out of Fort Bragg North Carolina. The 3SFGA is theoretically oriented towards all of Sub-Saharan Africa with the exception of the Eastern Horn of Africa.”
“Where was the last sighting of the truck Vince?”
“Last sighting was on route 95 heading south into Richmond Virginia, between routes 295 and 64. We lost it there due to several traffic cams around that area being shut down for maintenance,” replied Vince.
Strayker had a smile to himself and said, “Very interesting that Vince, what would be the chances of the truck arriving at the area where the traffic cams are just so conveniently shut down for maintenance?”
“It seems too much of a coincidence sir.”
“Okay Vince, I want a full Intel package on everything we have, and have several copies ready within the hour. I will have Corporal Edwards my driver come down and pick them up.”
“I am on it now sir.”
Strayker replaced the phone, spent a few moments reflecting on the conversation, and then phoned Downing Street.