Chapter 1: Something Every Parent Dreads

It was Thursday evening, and Lewis was in Sheffield on a break from university with Ella. He had just seen Major Edward, who he knew was in Military Intelligence, being abducted by two heavies. He had immediately rung the emergency number the Major had given him in the past.

As the phone was answered, Lewis said, ‘This is Lewis, I have an urgent message. Major Edwards has been taken prisoner by two heavies. I believe at least one of them is armed. I’m in Sheffield on Norfolk Street. The three of them are walking two hundred yards ahead of me heading east.’

‘I’m keeping them in sight. No, they have no idea.’ Lewis answered, when the voice asked if they knew they were being followed. ‘Stay on the line,’ the voice told him, ‘Help is on the way, please take great care.’ ‘Ok.’ Lewis replied.

A few minutes later the same car that had dropped the two men off, pulled up just in front of them. ‘A car is picking them up.’ Lewis said into his phone. He gave the colour and the registration number, even though they couldn’t see it from that distance.

Lewis was looking round as he spoke. Just as the car up ahead was pulling away from the kerb, he saw a car pull into the kerb near him on the yellow lines. The driver didn’t look much older than Lewis. As Lewis headed towards him, another young man came rushing out of a shop, intending to get in the passenger seat.

Lewis flashed his police station access card at the driver. ‘Police,’ he said, ‘I’m commandeering this car and yourself to rescue a kidnap victim. Ella, get in the back with the other gentleman.’ he called. As soon as the back door was shut Lewis told the driver to pull out.

He pointed out the car up ahead. ‘Follow that car,’ he said, ‘But don’t overtake any of the cars in between us, we don’t want them to know that they’re being followed. More police are on the way to intercept them.’

‘This is just like being in the movies,’ the young man in the back seat said, sounding very excited. The driver seemed to be coping well and maintained his distance. ‘I’m now in a car, four cars behind them.’ Lewis said into his phone.

‘We are still on the same road and just passing the junction with Millenium Square.’ ‘Help is three minutes away,’ the voice said. A few minutes later Lewis said, ‘We’ve just crossed over the junction with Surrey Street, and we are still on Norfolk Street.’

‘Armed police will intercept them at the next crossroads.’ the voice told Lewis. ‘Please stay in your vehicle.’ ‘As soon as you see any activity up ahead, pull into the side and stop.’ Lewis told the driver. ‘It should happen at the crossroads up ahead.’

All eyes were fixed on the car they were following. As the car was approaching the crossroads, they suddenly realised that there was no longer any traffic coming down the other way. Just as the car ahead reached the crossroads, three cars appeared.

One came tearing out of the left side junction and stopped across the front of the target car, which only just managed to stop in time. Another two cars came shooting out of the opposite side road, nose to tail. One shot past the target car and swung in to block behind it. The other one blocked it in by positioning itself alongside, between the other two.

As soon as the first car stopped, two armed policemen had jumped out and raced over to the target car. Two more joined them from each of the other two cars. All six of them held guns pointed at the car. The two heavies got out, one each side, hands held high in the air.

They lay down on the ground and were quickly handcuffed, searched and put into one of the unmarked police cars with an armed guard. The driver was then called out. He too had his hands in the air. After lying down in the road, he was also handcuffed and searched.

Then he was put in the third car, also with armed guard. All the handcuffing and searching was done with a gun pointed at them. Then the Major got out. He also put his arms in the air, moved away from the car and lay face down in the road.

He was also handcuffed and searched. ‘Why is he being handcuffed?’ Ella asked. ‘The armed police are a local unit,’ Lewis explained. ‘They don’t know who he is, so they never take chances. Once they’ve removed his gun and confirmed who he is, he’ll be released.’