The Minder

Nine months later, we welcomed our son Colin. See, I told you" strong swimmers.

I decided to do an online distance education security and IT management course. Jane offered her full support. Michael happily agrees to give me time off work when required. With my previous MI5 work prerequisites, I only need eighteen months of full-time study to complete the course. Even with my work commitments as estate security head, I graduate with a diploma.

A recent attack on an Opposition Party MP by a self-proclaimed Islamic State sympathiser prompts Michael to stand for his father's old seat in parliament on an anti-terrorism platform. As a result, he gained much attention and support from his constituency and won the seat.

A year later, The House of Commons is divided on supplying Army Tanks and Arms to Ukraine. The vote is deadlocked, and Michael has the deciding vote on the following day in parliament.

Later that night, security guard Jim alerts me that unknown persons have entered the estate manor house. I try to contact Jim again, but the system goes down. However, as I live nearby, I can be on the scene quickly.

The intruders disabled the night security guard and turned the power off the security system, cutting cables as they went. Quickly capturing Michael and his family, they confiscated all their mobile phones and herded the family into the kitchen.

The leader explained they would release Michael so he could attend the Ukraine vote in parliament tomorrow. Only then would they leave them in peace. First, however, Michael must vote against the supply of Arms to Ukraine or lose his family.

Three miles down the road, I pack my kit with two silenced guns, extra magazines, a knife for good measure, rope, a balaclava and my Pad. I slip on my vest and black jumper and finally put on my gun harness.

I wake Jane and inform her the manor house has been broken into by unknown persons, possible terrorists, with unknown intentions. I need to get there as soon as possible.

She asks, "But how will you get in?"

I reply, "There is a very high tree branch I'll use to get over the fence and rappel down. But before I go, I need your help to distract the terrorists. It is something simple. As soon as I leave, slowly drive over to the estate's front gates and park behind the stone wall with the car angled towards the gates, that way you're completely out of sight. When I text you, 'GO' turn on the car lights and start flashing the high beam all the while while pressing the horn. Do this for ten seconds only, then drive immediately home...Okay?"

"No bloody way am I putting the children in danger, Jason, find another way!" came Jane's angry retort."

"There isn't any, if I use a flashbang or trigger the alarm system it will alert them, I need them distracted for ten seconds, making them inquisitive. Remember the estate gate is some 250 yards from the house. At night they won't even be able to see the car let alone know who's in it. I'm trying to save the lives of four people here, people we know well." replied Jason.

Nervous about her part, I hug her and say, "So pack Rose and Colin in their car seats and stay ready for my text." I kiss her goodbye, and she tells me to return safely.

Getting over the wall is easier than I thought, and I quickly make my way to the back of the manor. Stepping up to the security room window to see Jim, the house security guard, has been shot in the head, his body lying on the floor. Most of the security equipment has been smashed, and patch cables cut.

Retrieving my Pad, I log wirelessly into the house security system. While the damage stopped external access to the security system, I can still log onto the battery backup camera switcher wireless output only by being this close.

Viewing the cameras, I ascertain that all the family has been herded into the kitchen, and there are cable ties around their wrists and ankles.

There are three intruders. They wander around the room, occasionally looking through a split in the curtains at the front gate. I quickly determine the leader is wearing a white baseball hat.

I slip through the backdoor down the short hallway using my key, stepping into the darkened pantry. I need to reduce the number of terrorists and do it quietly. Wrapping a tea towel around one of my silenced handguns barrel to help muffle the pop of the silencer.

I fling a small pebble down the floor hallway away from the kitchen entrance. It quickly catches the leader's attention, who directs one of the terrorists to head into the hallway. As he passes by, I shoot him in the back of the head, catching him before he hits the floor. Dragging him into the pantry. A quick view of my Pad shows they were not alerted to the shot, and they remain sitting quietly with occasional glances at the hostages.

Acting quickly, I remove my balaclava and slip on the deceased terrorist coat and hat. Then I text Jane, "GO." Five seconds later, I hear a distant car horn. Another quick look at the Pad shows Jane's efforts are not in vain. The intruders are both distracted, looking out the window.

With two guns, one in each hand, I race down the hallway into the kitchen and fire my weapon, hitting the second in command in the back of the head before he even turns around. My second shot milliseconds later hits the leader in the right shoulder, incapacitating his gun hand - my next two shots are to each thigh. He drops to the floor, screaming in Russian. I walk over to the now moaning man and club him into silence.

I turn to a stunned Michael and his family and quickly remove my disguise. They immediately started cheering. However, it's short-lived. I only cut their leg ties and put them in my pocket. Michael gives me an inquiring look.

I say, "I can't cut your hand ties. You have to do that yourselves to maintain the appearance of hostages."

Michael understands and grabs my hand with his two, shaking it with a big smile.

"I knew you wouldn't let us down, Jason."

I replied, "All in a day's work. I'm glad there were only three of them."

Michael quietly asks, "But why only injure the other one?"

"As they were speaking Russian, MI5 will become involved, and they will aggressively question the leader to find out who put them up to it," I tell him. "Michael, the police cannot know I was here. After you get free, call the police and alert them to the night's events. And this is what I want you to tell them."

Gathering the family around, I explain, "They will question you - tell them the truth. When you get to the shooting, tell them what you saw. One of the terrorists shot the other two and left by the back door. I was never here at all, so stick to the same story. And stay in this room until they get here. Okay?"

They all nod, happy to keep it simple.

I pull Michael aside and quietly say, "When the police arrive, be on your mobile to me, berating me for not being here. Doing this will help establish my alibi."

He nods, then asks, "What about Jim?"

All I can do is shake my head, but Michael understands.

***

Epilogue:

A month later, I was called in to visit the head of MI5. The director discloses it took a day of questioning before the terrorist leader revealed who had paid him. The leader's instructions were to hold the family hostage so Michael Egilston could vote against the bill to supply Arms to Ukraine. When Michael returned to the manor house, he and his family were to be killed. MI5 confirmed Boris Semenov-Brown hired the ex-KGB ring leader with money from the Russian mafia. I had my suspicions. By then, Brown and three of his high-ranking team had hastily disappeared, and it was suspected they were in Russia.

Two years slipped by, and word got out of Russia. Boris Semenov-Brown and two of his team were found shot to death in a roadside attack. The Russian mafia seemed happy to deal with Boris for smuggled goods, but not when he started poaching into their territory.

Boris's wife inherited the fifteen pubs and quickly sold them for forty-five million pounds. She purchased a sizable seaside estate in the South of France and moved in with her daughters and their spouses.

THE END.

*Royal & Sons Jewellers from Don't...Don't You Want Me.

Your votes and comments are appreciated.