TWENTY TWO
In the midst of the chaos that reined from the crowds and the police Hussein and Ahmed managed to escape from the panic that was around them. Hussein and Ahmed watched as panic spread.
Hussein watched as one of his explosions erupted and exploding debris ripped apart one of the protesters left arm sending blood gushing everywhere. He collapsed to the floor in agony. The groans from him were heartrending.
Another man at the front of the crowd just a few yards from Akbar had his faced smashed in as a panicking police officer battered him with his truncheon bringing the man crashing onto his knees. He was battered about three feet into the crowd by the police officer. He died a few minutes later. This signalled to Hussein and Ahmed that they had better get out of the crowds and away from the chaos before it was too late.
Consequently, Hussein and Ahmed turned away and battled through the crowds thrusting and pushing their way past protester after protester. As they moved through the crowds, they could see some small groups starting to organise some order in the chaos that was around them. Other groups were grabbing whatever they could find around them to defend against the Police that were angry and fighting to gain control of the day’s events.
They were able to dodge and weave their way through the crowds and finally got out of the chaos in one piece. Once away from the main area both men casually and calmly walked down from the riots escaping before the police had a chance to react and close the area off and everyone in it.
A few minutes later Hussein and Ahmed jumped onto bikes, which had been paced, by Mohammed and Akbar the previous day. The two men quickly took their clothes off revealing cycling shorts and t-shirts and cycled off as though they were on a leisurely cycle around Arthur’s Seat.
To any observer they looked like two friends cycling around Arthurs Seat as many of the tourists did each day. A few minutes later, they were at the bottom on Salisbury’s Craig’s. There they dumped their bikes on the ground. A few minutes later, both men were sprinting up to the middle of the cliffs. The sheer drop would kill any man if he fell over the edge. The caves had been formed out of some primeval earthquake that rocked the area several million years ago. A few minutes later, they were at the top of the cliffs. For a brief moment, they looked down at the skyline of the city with its great architecture and stood there in sheer wonder at the view before them.
Hussein pulled out his iPhone. He then selected a saved number. A second later the mobile phone number he had been given was connected too. The two men search around the Craig’s until they could hear the sound of a phone ring. They rushed over to the source of the sound of the ringing phone that came from the ground. Standing above the vibrating sound both men began to pull away at turf on the ground. A few minutes later both Hussein and Ahmed were able to lift up a Russian shoulder launched anti-tank rocket propelled grenade launcher.
Placing four rounds of ammunition on the ground Hussein and Ahmed quickly got into the loader/launcher position.
Hussein loaded the first rocket. Ahmed then switched his target onto the police helicopter flying over the crowds. He fired the first rocket. A great plume of smoke erupted from their launcher. A small baseball bat sized rocket shot out of the launcher hurtling itself up into the sky. A few seconds later, it smashed into the cabin of the helicopter flying above them. It erupted into a great ball of fire and flames bringing the helicopter and its crew crashing down onto the Scottish Parliament below.
Hussein loaded another rocket. This time Ahmed fired a rocket at the rear of the Exhibition Centre where the Chinese President was celebrating his daughter’s graduation. The rocket ripping open the rear delivery doors. Another rocket was fired at the roof of the building bringing glass and debris crashing down on the trapped dignitaries.
The last rocket was fired at the police control tower just to the right of the Scottish Parliament. The rocket reduced the tower into a ball of fire killing all in the building.
Dropping the weapon both men fled along the Salisbury Craig’s and away towards their escape vehicle in the car park below Arthurs Seat car park.
As they approached the vehicle, both men changed from their run to a walk. Neither wanted to attract too much attention because they were sure that the police would be all over the area following the second attack. As the approached, their car Hussein pressed the remote key unlocking the car. All indicators flashed off and told both men where their escape car was. They then jumped into their car. A few minutes later, both men were driving away. They unceremoniously drove out of Arthur’s seat car park and towards the Commonwealth pool before driving south towards the Edinburgh by-pass and the park and drive car park that stood to the South of Edinburgh.
Hussein and Ahmed were relieved that Norman had arranged for the car to be in the car park and was sticking to his word.
A few metres from the car park the two men then parked their car in a small lay-by. There they covered the front of the engine in petrol and pushed the vehicle with the engine still running down a cliff. The vehicle rolled off the cliff and smashed down onto the ravine erupting into flames upon impact.
Hussein and Ahmed then walked off to the local car park on the other side of the road. In the centre of the car park, they found their car. Seeing the car Hussein and Ahmed walked across the park. Happy to have survived. They smiled at each other for the first time in hours.
‘Well I cannot believe we got away with that’ said Hussein.
‘Do you think the other two got in alright’ said Ahmed.
‘Who cares, as long as I get my money from Norman? That’s all I care about!’
Ahmed nodded his head in agreement.
‘I just want to get out of this hell hole ‘.
He turned the key to start the engine. They both looked at each other with a knowing smile. It was the last thing both men saw. That second a bomb exploded erupting the car and both men in a great ball of flames.
Norman and Tony had decided that this was the best way to silence the men and ensure no one knew their involvement in the attack.