Swan acknowledged and agreed the plan. ‘Does anyone else know that I am going to be snooping around in there?’
Barnett shook his head reassuringly. ‘No, I thought it best to keep it low profile.’
Swan relaxed in his seat and stared out at the bright yellow fields of rapeseed that paralleled the road.
Inside the perimeter fence, Jim Lewis drove the yellow painted soft top Land Rover idly along the Brinton runway. He noticed a mass of long black necks and brown bodies ahead and as he approached, the Canadian Geese began to flutter their wings. Jim turned on the siren and drove slowly towards them with roof mounted amber lights now flashing.
One by one, the geese took to the air and formatted on each other. He stopped the Land Rover and watched as the flock formed a perfect ‘V’ on the lead bird. They circled that part of the Brinton airfield a few times, and Lewis watched them cautiously as they gave signs that they were going to set down on the dew ridden grass again.
As they came past the Land Rover, Lewis turned on the sirens again and this time, the geese climbed higher, with the lead bird bringing the V around in larger circles, flying straight across the airfield and beyond the perimeter fence. Lewis checked them as they disappeared from view, looked at his watch and got out of the Land Rover. He reached back into the cab for his packet of Woodbines and lighter on the dashboard and lit one, then leant on the door, taking in the cool early morning breeze as he puffed on his cigarette.
After a few minutes, he dropped his finished cigarette butt and stamped on it, then opened the door of the Land Rover, climbed in and started the engine. He put the vehicle into gear and turned the steering wheel. His destination was over to the other side of the airfield, to Crash Gate Number Four.
Howard Barnett swung the A40 around the bend and approached the perimeter of the Brinton complex. He drove a hundred yards along the perimeter fence, and then slowed the car, pulling into the left and into a lay-by. Swan looked at the two yellow gates in front of him with its red sign mounted on each one.
Brinton Aviation Limited
Crash Gate 4
Keep Clear
Emergency Vehicle Access
Howard Barnett got out of the car and raised his hand at Jim Lewis standing behind the gate, smoking another Woodbine. ‘Morning, gents,’ he greeted, cigarette still in his mouth.
Barnett gave him a mock salute. ‘Morning Jim, I think you know Mr Swan?’
Lewis nodded his head in recognition. He nodded, placing the key into the padlock on the gate and opening it slightly enough for a man to walk through. Step right this way, sir,’ he requested.
Barnett turned to Swan: ‘Good luck Alex,’ said the Chief Designer, shaking his hand.
‘You, too, Howard. I am sure I will see you later on.’
Swan turned and walked through the small gap between the gates.
‘Thanks Jim,’ said Barnett as Lewis closed and locked the gate.
‘No problem, HB. I just hope it’s all worth it in the end.’
Swan turned to Lewis. ‘If I find what I’m looking for Mr Lewis, then it will be, I assure you.’
The two men then climbed into the Land Rover and headed for the main buildings, while Barnett got back into his car and drove back along the A594 to the main gate, showed his pass to the duty security guard and drove up to the reception building and parked his car in his designated parking bay, then walked inside.
He was greeted by the security guard. ‘Good morning, HB,’ said a uniformed Bill Wright, sitting at the reception desk.
Barnett walked over and found his clock card, put it into the machine and placed it in the pocket on the wall. ‘Bill, I want to run a fire drill at ten o’clock. We haven’t had one in a while and to meet the new government safety regulations, we need to do one.’
Wright smiled. ‘Right you are sir, I’ll set the alarm of at ten.’
‘Thanks Bill.’ Barnett walked through the doors and headed for his office.
In the vehicle garage, Lewis presented Swan with a Brinton work overall. ‘You’ll look a lot less conspicuous, and a lot less like Double O Seven, if you wear this, sir.’
‘I agree with you, Jim.’ Swan took the overall and changed, reaching into his jacket pockets to pull out the camera and a few other affects, then hung his jacket up on a hook in the office. He turned to Lewis. ‘Do I look the part now, Jim?’
‘Champion, sir. Just like all us other Brinton employees.’
The telephone on the desk rang and Lewis went and picked up the receiver. While he did this, Swan quickly pulled Gable’s revolver from his jacket and placed it into the left pocket of the overall.
‘Garage,’ said Lewis, and listened. He then handed the receiver to Swan. ‘HB for you, Mr Swan.’
Barnett spoke to Swan informing him of the time for the fire alarm.
He put down the receiver and turned to Lewis. ‘HB says the alarm is set for ten o’clock.’
Lewis looked at the clock on the wall. ‘In that case, we’ve got time for a brew. I’ll just put kettle on.’
At a few minutes to ten, Bill Wright retrieved the roll call sheets from the filing cabinet behind the reception desk.
In the garage, Swan stood opposite Lewis and looked at his watch. Iinside his office on the mezzanine of The Magic Box, Barnett sat nervously, nursing a cup of coffee. He looked at the wall clock. Then, when the fire alarm rang out, filling the complex with shrill horn blasts, he put down his cup and walked outside.
In a few moments, every inhabited area of the complex had disgorged their contents of personnel, as they made their way to their designated assembly points.
In the garage, Alex Swan prepared himself.
‘This is it then, sir,’ said Lewis excitedly over the sound of the alarm.
The two men watched through a window as the emergency doors of the assembly hangar opened and people filed outside.
‘There’s Maitland,’ Swan shouted, as he recognised the tall Kentuckian.
‘Those other blokes with him are also American,’ added Lewis.
Swan noticed that there was no sign of Brannigan. He mentioned it to Lewis.
‘Oh Mr Brannigan’s not ‘ere sir. I overheard him yesterday saying to June, our canteen girl who fancies him, that he was going down to London for a few days.’
They watched as Maitland led his entourage around to the front of the building. ‘Right sir, this way, we have no more than twenty minutes tops,’ informed Lewis.
They exited the side door of the garage and walked to the assembly hangar, quickly disappearing inside.
The assembly areas were now full of crowds awaiting their designated Fire Marshals to conduct the roll calls, lots of cigarette smoke filling the air around them. Although smoking was usually not permitted during a real fire evacuation, word had soon spread that this was in fact a long overdue practice drill.
Bill Wright walked along the crowds with his clipboard and searched out his duty team. One by one, he checked with each that the personnel on their lists were present. Once satisfied, he moved to others to do the same.
Swan and Lewis walked down the side of the hangar, keeping within the yellow walkway areas marked out on the concrete floor until they came to a set of green rubber doors. On the doors was a temporary stencil in yellow print with the words:
Restricted Area — GK Personnel Only.
Lewis turned to Swan. ‘This is it, sir. I’ll wait for you here, and keep an eye out.’ He patted Swan on shoulder.
Swan pushed the door and walked through. On the other side, he saw that he was now in a long corridor that had a staircase at the end. He walked over to it and cautiously, descended the stairs.