Tammy:Deathtrap - Part 9 "Tea & Sympathy"

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 Deathtrap collaboration with Alecia Snowfall  

Part
 
Nine

 

"Tea & Sympathy"

 

 
Monday 21st November 2016(continued)
 

"It's for you."

Tammy hadn't heard the office secure phone ringing, Karen was holding the secure phone's handset.

"Err, hello?"

"Let the police handle it, Tammy."

"Handle what, Jenny?"

"The incident at your old school, you are not their personal protection unit."

"I have a sense of duty, you wouldn't understand that?"

"Really, Miss Smart?"

"Okay, what's going on up there?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

"It's Templeton, isn't it? Was his house broken into last night?"

"Tammy, drop this immediately. I can't protect you if you continue this line."

"Jenny, I can't just sit here? My parents are up there."

"And your father has just told you that you'll not intervene."

"How did you know that?"

"You were being monitored."

"Hang on, Jenny, what gives you the right?"

"Tammy, if you can't accept this then perhaps your future lies outside the intelligence services?"

Tammy put the handset down, she didn't like where that conversation was going. Karen was, meanwhile, busy at a terminal on the far side of the office.

"I think I'll go home."

"Okay, Tammy, don't forget your box?"

Her security box was on the floor in front of the safe. Tammy reluctantly put it away before letting herself out of the building. She'd reached her car when her phone rang.

"Yes, Dad, what's going on?"

"It's all over, Tammy, I'm on my way home."

"What happened?"

"I'll tell you at home."

It was barely ten thirty when Tammy pulled up at home, just behind Richard's car. By the time she walked indoors, however, he was already on the phone and the study door was shut.

"Coffee, Tammy?" Pru held the kitchen door open.

"Sure, Pru, how was your break?"

"I had a week in Cornwall, the weather was kind and it was relaxing."

"Yeah, it's a different lifestyle, I haven't been there for a while."

"It was last Summer, I booked your flights. Any plans to go back?"

"Not right now, Pru, apparently I'll be doing a course at Easter but that's over four months away and I have no idea where it'll be."

"Perhaps a few months of being 'ordinary' will help?"

"Are you kidding? I can't do 'ordinary', but right now I don't know what I can do." Tammy ran out of the kitchen and straight up to her room, slamming the door shut. Her eyes were streaming by the time she landed, face first, on her bed.

Tammy woke, hearing a tapping on her door.

"Yeah?"

"Are you decent?"

"Yes, Dad, but I need a wee. Come in."

Tammy first checked the mirror in her bathroom before making use of the porcelain seat.

"What's up?"

"I don't know, Dad, I really don't know. I wanted to help today but I ended up in an argument with Jenny."

"She phoned a short while ago, she wanted to know how you were."

"Why doesn't she just use the camera in this room, or whatever monitoring device is here?"

"I'm sure she hasn't a camera in your bedroom."

"She knew that you'd called me, and what you said!"

"Where were you?"

"Caithness Marine."

"Which has CCTV?"

"Yeah."

"There's your answer, Tammy,"

"That still doesn't explain why she wouldn't answer any of my questions?"

"Maybe she couldn't."

"I can't see why not, I'd guessed most of it."

"Really?"

"Yes, Dad, I think Carl Templeton was attacked?"

"No, Tammy, he left the school several weeks ago, not long after your careers day."

"Oh."

"He was a supply teacher and he asked to be moved, it caused us a bit of a problem."

"So what happened this morning?"

"Two men stopped their van well inside the gates and walked towards the main building. Janet didn't like what she saw so quickly locked the office door, then radioed for the school gates to be shut before telling Mike Thompson what was going on."

"Oh, what time was this?"

"Just as first period was starting, the corridors were empty. The Head operated the fire panel in his office and shut all the fire suppression doors in the main building while Janet phoned the police."

"What were they doing?"

"It seems they had been told we did a bank run on a Monday morning and that there would be a substantial amount of cash ready to go."

Tammy laughed, "I'd love to know where that cash comes from!"

"Indeed, the school handles very little cash."

"What happened when they realised they couldn't get it?"

"The ground staff started to surround them so they ran back to their van, just as the first police car arrived at the gate."

"Were the guys known?"

"The police are interviewing them, but Janet didn't recognise them."

"So I couldn't have done anything?"

"That's right, Tammy, how about some lunch?"

---

Tammy was back in her room, having found time for a gentle swim after lunch. She was trying to relax but the business with the Templetons wasn't making sense, and it still stunk. The cyber attacks were a different matter, but she didn't know anyone, except Dave Brown, who was working on it.

If she hadn't hacked the Information Commissioner's database herself then she might even doubt that the cyber attacks had actually happened.

She wanted to vent her doubts and dialled Dave Brown's number - which was now unobtainable.

"Bugger!"

She resisted an urge to throw her phone across the room, just.

Tammy knew she needed help, especially if she couldn't get hold of Dave. The question was; where to get it?

"Where can I get answers without going through Jenny?" Tammy asked aloud to her reflection in the mirror.

In the background was the open wardrobe, with some of her shoes lined up neatly. Dead-centre were the pair of black heels she had been given for her birthday.

"KERRI!" Tammy almost screamed and dove for her desk drawer.

When she'd received the gift, Tammy had kept the return address off the packaging. With a smile of triumph, she entered the address into Google. Her face fell immediately.

On her screen was a link to wikipedia; 'P.O. Box 1142' was one of a number of secret internment facilities commissioned by the United States with the goal to exploit the German scientists recruited as part of Operation Paperclip along with planning escape and evasion activities of American POWs in Europe and now only a historical site.

Tammy face-palmed. "I should have known! Now what? How do I get in touch with someone who doesn't exist? It's not like I can ring up the American Embassy and say 'I would like to speak to an American agent that uses the alias Kerri Emerson, please.' Damn. Why didn't I ask better questions than about guns and drinks? DRINKS!"

Tammy dug into her business card collection and found the one that was most useful, then dialled. It was answered on the second ring.

"Wade." A pleasant voice answered.

Tammy smiled. "Marcus, Tammy Smart. I could do with a bit of help, please."

"Oh? What have you gotten yourself into, this time? You don't need me to bring the lads about do you?" The S.A.S. Captain asked with a chuckle.

Tammy had to laugh. "No Marcus. I just need a few minutes, on a clean line, with dear Uncle Sean."

Marcus Wade replied. "Done, but I'd enjoy dinner with you when you're back."

Before Tammy could reply a gruff older voice greeted her. "So Tammy. What're you into now?"

"Well 'uncle', I need to get in touch with my friend that we drank with. I seem to have lost her number. Would you happen to have it?" Tammy asked.

Sean MacTaggart became serious. "That's a big favour to ask, Lass. You are going to owe."

"I'm pretty much looking after myself these days. I really need this favour." Tammy answered.

Sean sighed. "Okay then. I'll see what I can do. Just go about yourself as usual."

"Thanks Uncle." Tammy said.

Sean huffed. "Typical. All Lovey, when y' be wantin' somethin'. Might jus' send Wade up there anyway. Give y' a hobby."

Tammy laughed as the call was disconnected. If her mother had thought having the Colonel around was stressful, she would certainly go over the edge if Marcus came calling. Even more so, if he weren't alone.

Her laptop pinged with an email, although the return address looked like a random set of numbers. The instructions were plain.

Tammy, Open this link and wait.

Going against all common sense regarding unsolicited emails, she did as asked.

She felt a cup of tea would be good and went down to the kitchen. By the time it had brewed, she wanted something to nibble on as well. The morning's Scotsman sat on the counter and she casually paged through it. Two cups later she returned to her room and almost fainted.

Tammy & Iron Dolphin

Tammy clicked on 'Dive In'. The dolphin disappeared and her desktop came back then a video window opened.

"Hi Tammy. What's up?" The American Agent she knew as Kerri Emerson asked.

"Hi Kerri, I've two problems. Firstly, what do you know about the data heists from British Universities?"

"We were brought in as some of the data related to US students who were in London, but we've identified the guys behind it."

"That was quick?"

"They made some mistakes and it was easy to track them."

"So who is he?"

"He is actually a she, Sharon Gainsborough."

"Shit!"

"You know her?"

"I was on a course with her last year, I had my doubts then."

"Well, we don't have her yet so you should remain vigilant."

"Where is she?"

"Unknown, she was in London until a few days ago but hasn't appeared online anywhere since Saturday morning."

"Okay, so that's over?"

"Focus Tammy, she's sold the database to a load of folk and your name and address are in there!"

"Damn!"

"Look, just be careful. You said there was a second problem?"

"Yeah, I feel like I'm being locked out of everything, no-one's being clean with me."

"I don't want you to reveal operational information so I won't ask for specifics, but I think I have enough to make a few discrete enquiries. If I see anything relevant I'll contact you."

"Thanks Kerri."

"Keep safe, Tammy."

Tammy's laptop screen cleared and then the familiar 'Shutdown' screen appeared, clearly there would be no record of that conversation.

She waited for it to restart then commenced an attack on her coursework.

 
Wednesday 23rd November 2016
 

Tammy hadn't heard back from Kerri yet, but she hadn't heard from anyone else, either. She spent Tuesday working on her studies, the full course title was BA (Hons) Sociology & Criminology and an email from one of the tutors had sent her looking for texts and background information. She had no time to fret about intelligence matters, or to visit Caithness Maritime.

It was mid afternoon when her mobile rang, she didn't recognise the number.

"Hello Tammy, it's Lucy."

"Oh, hello, what can I do for you?"

"I'm afraid I won't be available for the play."

"Lucy, I need you. What's happened?"

"Nothing."

"Really? Is it Tom?"

"Yes." She almost whispered her response.

"Lucy, please tell me what happened?"

"I can't, it's easier if I just leave?"

Tammy took a deep breath, she wasn't used to dealing with other peoples' issues.

"Please Lucy, I can't understand what has happened unless you tell me, or would you rather tell your uncle?"

"Uncle Iain, he wouldn't understand, he's too old."

"So?"

"Look, Tom asked me out yesterday when he saw me in town and we agreed to meet at the Wine Bar off the High Street. He said it was by way of apology."

"Did you go?"

"I was a fool, a bloody fool. He stood me up, I was waiting there for an hour."

"No messages?"

"No, but I found out later he was playing pool in a pub over in East Thurso."

"Okay, that's unfair and tantamount to bullying. Let me deal with Tom on Saturday, but I want you to stay, Lucy, please promise you'll be there?"

"I will, thanks Tammy."

"Take care, Lucy, don't say anything to Tom, right?"

"Sure."

Tammy was out of her depth, she knew very little about relationships and wasn't in a hurry to improve her knowledge.

She stared at her coursework but had lost her train of thought, ironically she had been working on an essay on the causes and effects of bullying.

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Comments

Kudo Glee

Alecia Snowfall's picture

*smacks the kudo button, gleefully with a sledgehammer* DING!
Can Tammy do the same to that Tom guy too? bet that would solve the problem!

quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall

* Kudo decimation*

I’ll see your sledgehammer and raise you a 10 ton pneumatic hammer

Where's the story?

Signed in and immediately clicked on part 9 of Tammy:Deathtrap by Shiraz. Everything came up as expected including the Kudo button but there is NO story! I signed out of BCTS and signed back in then tried again but had the same result. Has the story been withdrawn by the author?

A very perplexed Sarah Ann

Just the servers

Podracer's picture

Sometimes the latest stories don't appear though there may be new titles - just come back later if that happens to you.

"Reach for the sun."

It's not just the latest stories.

WillowD's picture

There have been times when I've seen a number of stories that used to be there suddenly have 0 words for a while.

This happens when some of the servers get out of sync with each other. It eventually clears up again.

Favours

Tammy needs to start earning favours, not owing them. I hope her gamble pays off and doesn't get her in to more trouble.

Tammy's life

Podracer's picture

Like one of those flicker comics; you know, lots of pictures in a stack, you flick through them with a thumb to animate a figure. Except the pictures aren't sequential, any minute now she's going to say "Hey! Stop a minute - go back a bit, I thought I saw something.." but it's too late.

"Reach for the sun."

the Iron Dolphin.

dani4familyfun's picture

Glad to see the connection with the Iron Dolphin again, although it was short.

Dani4FamilyFun

Needs to learn how to do nothing

Jamie Lee's picture

Once again, again, Tammy thinks she has to get involved and not sit on her thumbs. She needs to learn that she can't get involved in everything no matter the desire. She also needs to learn how to do nothing, absolutely nothing until she's contacted.

Plus she needs to understand that if she's not to be involved it's because they don't want information getting out or are trying to keep her safe.

Now that the data from the school is out, Tammy better keep a very low profile. Stay out of town, don't tell friends anything, and simply chill. She may live longer that way.

Others have feelings too.