Sellers The Porcupine Man

1. Auflage 2016
ISBN: 978-3-99048-352-7
Verlag: novum pro Verlag
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 112 Seiten

Dr Deakin and Professor Quigley, working within a government laboratory near Cambridge, discovered that it was the aim of MI6 with the support of the CIA, to assassinate all leaders of ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram by means of their patient, Leonard Selby, code named 'The Porcupine Man'. Following Selby's ingestion of poisonous substances in a suicide attempt, a deadly virus developed within Selby's bloodstream that finally manifested itself within a lesion on his right palm. When Dr Deakin and Professor Quigley decided it was their duty to expose this project as amoral they discovered that it was impossible, due to the intense security in the complex This book details the various ramifications and interwoven situations surrounding and resulting from the manipulation of Leonard Selby, 'The Porcupine Man', and the final incredible denouement.

Peter M. Sellers was born in 1932. He was educated at The Hulme Grammar School, Oldham, Lancashire. His favourite activities are antiques and woodland management. He is a Chartered Surveyor with forty-six years' experience within a major Civil Engineering PLC company, followed by five years as Scottish and Northern England Consultant to the Denham Syndicate at Lloyd's Underwriters. He was engaged as visiting lecturer by Manchester University for five years on Civil Engineering law and contract procedure. He operated his own company for fifteen years, advising and acting for construction companies involved in claims and disputes. He is married to Margaret and has two children. His only other two literary efforts were in self-publishing, including the first ever book written recording the history and manufacture of glass ornaments made from dumped glass entitled ,'Victorian Dumps, Paper Weights, Mantel Ornaments, Doorstops & Whimsies 1820-1914' which was followed by 'The Anatomy of a Construction Company, 1934-2006'.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Sellers, Peter

Leseproben

Chapter 2

SWALLOWING THE FLY

I have no need to remind my listeners that we are all aware that the world is experiencing volatile and dangerous times.

Commencing with the New York, Twin-Towers disaster, there has been further turmoil in Afghanistan, Iraq, Aden and Syria involving Boko Haram, Isis and similar movements and organisations, not least the previous attacks on the United Kingdom by the al-Muhajiroun organisation.

Consequently, the pressure on our own and allied governments to control and if possible incapacitate these organisations by removing their leaders has increased dramatically.

These movements have already killed, and are continuing to kill the innocent, making whole populations homeless as well as incurring the West and their Allies in enormous costs, both materially and financially.

It is accepted that all democratic countries together with many neighbouring countries and regimes, that are threatened by these organisations and rogue states, controlled by their ruthless and extremist leaders, would clutch at any possible solution that could lead to the elimination of these rogue leaders without the need to invade and become embroiled in unpopular extended campaigns, as exemplified by the disastrous Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

Invasions to fight and defeat these sects, by employing troops on the ground, are still politically abhorrent, in view of the hard lessons still being learned, not least through the catastrophic state of affairs that has emerged following the Iraq debacle and to a lesser extent, Syria and Afghanistan.

Uprisings by militants, each with their own agenda, have exacerbated the spread of chaos and mayhem throughout many neighbouring regions which were previously peaceful, thriving and reasonably tolerant to other religions.

The consequence is that an urgent solution to defeat these rogue organisations had to be urgently found, and the Professor and I unwittingly became embroiled in providing the solution which was then adopted by a lunatic faction within the establishment, headed by this aforementioned Colonel Thorpe which, if actually implemented, could have disastrous and unforeseeable consequences.

George Deakin paused in order to adjust the position of the microphone, at the same time wiping some slight perspiration from his brow and take a deep gulp from his now warm mineral water as he continued his narrative …

… It was just over a year ago, following a short but very intriguing introductory telephone call requesting a meeting, that I received a caller at my London flat … a lone man standing upon my door step turned out to be the aforementioned Colonel Thorpe.

Even at our very first encounter Colonel Thorpe exuded a disturbing and sinister presence … heightened by his thin sallow face and piercing eyes surmounted by sleeked back, black hair.

After I had taken charge of his Burberry rain coat and fringed long silk scarf, embellished by a series of small red shields presumably denoting some University College, my visitor sat down in the nearest easy chair.

Without even asking my permission to smoke, The Colonel carefully placed a black cheroot in a short silver-ended amber holder, finally igniting the cheroot with a flourish using a somewhat ostentatious and expensive gold DuPont lighter.

His well-cut fawn jacket, with gold-linked white shirt cuffs protruding slightly from the sleeves, spoke with an elegant good taste that only a bespoke tailor could produce and, together with the well pressed and elegantly cut slacks, polished black elastic sided shoes he presented himself as a well-dressed, rather vain, man of the establishment.

Pocketing his lighter, leaning back into his chair and drawing deeply on the glowing cheroot, Thorpe then explained that he had heard, on the scientific grape vine that my current overseas research contract was nearing completion and that I might be seeking a further challenging position within the pharmaceutical industry.

A Government department was urgently seeking a man with my qualifications and experience to join a vitally important research team which was currently engaged on top secret and ground-breaking work, aligned to my own specialist area concerning tropical diseases.

He explained further that there was already a small hand-picked research team operating under the direction of a Professor Raymond Quigley.

Thorpe remarked that he was certain that, due to my being engaged in similar work, I would be fully aware of the Professor’s reputation.

Professor Quigley now very urgently required a colleague, with my own particular specialised knowledge and expertise, to act in the very important role of his Deputy and Personal Assistant.

Immediately, this Colonel Thorpe had my unswerving attention … the very mention of the name Professor Raymond Quigley was, as most if not all of my listeners must surely be aware, is synonymous with the most highly regarded and renowned scientist in the field of tropical and associated diseases, having already been recognised by being honoured by the award of two Nobel Prizes for his service to science.

Throughout the course of our meeting the Colonel was extremely secretive and non-committal, to the point of annoyance, emphasising that whilst I was the Professor’s first choice for the position, due to its very sensitive nature all details would need to be discussed on a person to person basis with the man himself.

I must readily admit that my ego was flattered beyond belief to believe that Professor Quigley had even heard of my work and moreover, that such an eminent scientist wished to discuss my working so closely with him on what appeared, based on the very minimal information so far released by the Colonel, to be a very significant project.

Vainly trying to disguise my enthusiasm I readily agreed with Colonel Thorpe that he should contact the Professor without further delay to arrange a convenient time and place for the Professor and me to fully discuss the precise nature of the project and, more importantly, what was to be my own particular role.

The venue, proposed by Professor Quigley and immediately accepted by me, was the Colonnade Hotel, a quiet but luxurious hotel in Maida Vale, situated within the area of London’s Little Venice.

I was quite familiar with this hostelry, having regularly stayed at the Colonnade, during my visits to the capital.

In fact, during one of my stays, I had some interesting discussions with the Manager and my long time historical interest was stirred by his disclosure, that when the Colonnade Hotel was originally a nursing home, it was the birth place of the Bletchley Park genius Alan Turing, instrumental in the cracking of the Enigma Code during the Second World War.

This fascinating information certainly explained the unusual dimensions of the hotel lift, designed to accommodate the hospital’s long wheeled stretchers during their passage to and from the various floors.

Coincidentally, I later discovered that the Professor had also stayed at the Colonnade once or twice to meet with fellow scientists visiting London, which probably explained why he had mentioned the hotel as one of his alternative venues?

True to his word, I received an email from Colonel Thorpe the next day to confirm that he had booked two single rooms, in the names of the Professor and myself, for the following Friday night to enable us to discuss all relevant matters regarding the potential post at Cambridge, in a convivial and relaxed atmosphere.

On the appointed evening, around 6.30 pm, I paid off my taxi and walked into the Colonnade’s well lit and welcoming reception area and asked for the Professor by name at the desk and was duly directed towards a table at the far corner of the lounge, where the venerable Professor was already seated, complete with an opened bottle of Chardonnay languishing within an ice bucket.

One glass had already been filled from which he had taken a few sips and seeing me approach he poured some of the wine into the remaining glass.

Shaking my hand and beaming a welcome he beckoned the porter to take my coat and bags to the deluxe single room previously reserved for me for that night.

I was somewhat relieved to find that Raymond Quigley who, with his well-worn Harris Tweed suit and brown well-polished brogues, projected the bearing of a country gentleman, was also endowed with a pleasant and unassuming manner, which I warmed to immediately. It soon became obvious that his easy-going veneer concealed a very sharp and perceptive intellect and that he was making a special effort to put me at my ease.

Momentarily, excusing himself, the Professor walked over to the hotel Manager, who was leaning over the reception desk arranging some files, and engaged him in a private conversation whilst I gently stroked the purring hotel cat, which had made its presence known by continually brushing against my trouser legs … a cat, well known to patrons as the venerable and aptly named Mouse.

Continuing to stroke the soft warm marmalade fur I sipped my chilled wine with...