36

Initial briefing

Safe house

Stockton lane

Richmond, Virginia

USA

Lat = 37 degrees, 33.2 minutes North

Long = 77 degrees, 30.0 minutes West

Sunday 17th September 1989 (Next day)

Zero seven thirty hours EDT

By zero seven thirty hours, everyone was up, had helped themselves to the food from the kitchen, and were enjoying their respective meals.

Max was standing with a coffee in his hand, enjoying the fresh air and the beautiful canopy of the clear blue-sky above him, on the large terrace area the comprised on one side of four Roman style pillars that supported a wooden open style framework that had ivy growing over it.

The terrace area was surrounded on two sides by steps leading down onto the large garden area at the rear of the property.

The garden area had well-kept lawns interspaced with two main block-paved walkways one of which had several smaller ones spurring of it at right angles into the lawn areas.

There were numerous trees that were in full foliage with what appeared to be bird boxes attached to them, this created a very private environment.

A female voice behind interrupted his focus, “you know! During the winter months you have a clear view of the James River over the back,” Tracy Morris came alongside him and stood looking out across the gardens.

“Who’s place is this Tracy?”

“It belongs to my father’s brother and his wife; they are away in Europe for a month, lucky for us hey?”

“It’s a hell of a place, what does he do print money?”

Tracy let out a laugh and replied, “No; he is a surgeon and a very good one at that, he has a private practice here in Richmond.”

Max drained his coffee and said, “Time to get down to our work, shall we?”

Max turned and with his left arm beckoned Tracy to return to the house.

Back in the kitchen area, the teams had just finished clearing up as Max and Tracy came in.

Max said, “right everyone grab a chair we have work to do.”

The Kitchen had a long breakfast style bar situated down the centre of the room, with numerous foldaway style chairs that the men used.

Max had given the two teams a full briefing about their operation back at Hesters copse before their flight out of the UK.

“Firstly we will conduct two twelve hour surveillance and recon shifts on possible warehouse locations, Roy your team will have the first shift zero ten hours, Vas you have the night shift twenty two hundred hours. Tracy suggestions as where we can start?”

“Your Intel package states the truck was last seen on route 95 heading south between routes 295 and 64, that places it between the areas known as Chamberlayne and Joseph Bryan park.”

Tracy paused as she retrieved a large ordinance style map, unfolded it and placed it on the breakfast bar; with a pen, she circled the area.

The teams had now stood up gathering around the breakfast bar to obtain a better look at the map.

Tracy then drew a long elongated oval shape to the south of her first marking and said, “This area is the main warehousing area for Richmond, and it stretches from the Gambles hill area here on the west side along the north side of the James river over to Lower Rockets on the eastside of the river. Approximately five miles long and two miles wide.”

Max said, “That’s a hell of a lot area to comb through! I suggest we start on the west side up here on Gambles hill from the I-301 and slowly work our way to the other end. The warehouse in question will probably have very little activity around it but is sure to be guarded, probably covertly. I will ask GAIL to have our satellite do some pass overs of the area we may get lucky.”

Max looked down at the map and said, “It would appear we are about 5 miles from the Gambles hill area Tracy?”

“Correct Max, should take no more than ten to fifteen minutes.”

Max then used a pencil, divided the area vertically within the oval shape, into twelve zones from left to right, and numbered each one.

“I suggest we use this grid as our search criteria, no more than a day on each section, any questions?”

Tracy said, “Do you want me to take the first team out there?”

“That would be good Tracy, Roy I suggest we use three vehicles, firstly do a cruise of the area and see if anything stands out, also look for high-level observation points to scan the area from above. Once you are familiar with the area set up three OP’s with twenty minute check -ins, Roy I want you on the ground in a vehicle with Tracy, any questions?”

There was none, Max said, “Okay get your equipment together we have fourteen days to crack this.”