Episode 4

Kelvin was taken through secluded corridors at the airport to avoid the crowds, not wanting to draw attention to what was happening.

The plane hadn't arrived yet and wouldn't for about another hour.

The airport escort met with with Kelvin's aide in a private airport lounge area were told to make themselves comfortable.

"Would now be a good time to go over the statement we've prepared?" said the aide, approaching him with some handwritten, but clear, notes which had clearly been thrown together in the last hour or so.

"How much time have we got to keep the lid on this, Mike?" he asked the aide.

"I've been speaking with the consul. The Egyptian government are still dealing with the aftermath. It's chaos there. Reports are intermittent and unclear. There's no indication they know who's involved let alone whether its...your son."

"Let's be thankful for small mercies, then. Once he's here he can answer for things at our pace, in our way, rather than left there to god knows what kind of treatment."

"Kelvin. I know this is going to be difficult are sure you want to be the one handling this? You could leave yourself wide open..."

"Your concern is noted, Mike. I'm the best option for handling things though. Especially if things deteriorate. As long his name is kept out of the channels then there should be nothing for anyone to pick up on."

"Leaks?"

"Well, we can't control those can we? Such is their nature. We've got our response there though in case something does get out. The chance of there being someone in the chain who doesn't like what's going down is real but unlikely."

Kelvin took the handwritten sheets, "I'll let ou know when I'm done."

"Anything else?"

"Not yet. Thanks."

As the aide started to move away Kelvin had another thought.

"Mike, wait! Do you know whether this has filtered further than the direct chain of 'Need to Know'?"

Hesitating his colleague responded, "About twenty minutes ago the PM's secretary called me for an update as he wanted to take some info into an emergency meeting. I didn't really have anything to tell that he probably wasn't getting from his own people."

Kelvin drew a sharp breath. "Cabinet briefing."

Mike nodded in agreement.

"Okay. The PM's not going to be able to hold onto this much longer for me. There'll be too many arguments in that room to use this against me. This is going to get ugly before that plane touches down. The only thing in our favour is that it's the middle of the night."

"Kel, We need to get on..."

The two men parted and Kelvin moved over to the window looking over the runways. He stared up into the black night that was held at bay by the airport lighting.

The preceding hours had weighed heavy on him already. Now he wondered what kind of world his son would touch down in.



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