11
The Assassins
On Sunday I had arranged for some of my friends to come and visit me after I had been to my local gym for a session with my allocated personal trainer John. During my work out when I was using the rowing machine I glanced towards the door and to my astonishment one of the assassins that I had seen sneaking off the plane a few nights ago was in my gym. As bold as brass, there he was, Harry Howler.
“What the heck is he doing here?” I thought.
“Up to no good, I expect, I’d better warn someone”
I watched him walk across the room towards the changing rooms. I was still in a dilemma as to what to do when Becky Dark, another known assassin also walked into the gym. This was getting serious I thought, I am definitely out of my depth. I decided to hold fire and observe. Harry Howler was soon out the changing room and was speaking to one of the personal trainers. Becky Dark walked straight over to the stepper once she was changed into a pink track suit. She looked quite feminine and dainty in her outfit. You would never know that according to the newspapers she would snap a person’s neck with her thighs. I was still staring at Harry Howler when, John my personal trainer came over to me and suggested that I change machines. Another personal trainer came over to chat whilst I was on the tread-mill hanging on for dear life. I was obviously looking to John as though I was struggling.
“Do you want to go down stairs and try something a little easier?” John suggested.
I could see that John was the sort of guy I could be great friends with, but unfortunately our friendship would have no time to develop as he had already planned to move up to Cumbria to be with his girlfriend.
I was down stairs with John discussing what exercise machine we should use next when suddenly there was an almighty bang from upstairs. The noise was so loud that it sounded as though it was the supersonic boom from a Concorde. People were screaming and trying to flee. People downstairs sprinted towards the fire escape, people from upstairs crawled down the remaining stairs dazed and burnt. Some people were obviously trapped upstairs as we could hear people screaming and trying desperately to smash the double doors at the entrance to the gym. Through the chaos the din of an alarm sounded and an authoritative voice spoke over the tannoy –
“There is a terror alert, please go to your nearest exit.”
The noise we had heard was obviously a bomb rather than any other unintentional explosion. I tried to shout to John for help but over the screams and now the added noise of the alarm he struggled to understand what I had to say. He was also distracted by other people trying to ask him questions and giving reassurance to them that everything would be all right.
Then a team of paramedics carrying stretchers came in to help the injured. They were quickly followed by the police. We were helped out of the gym by one of the police officers and I was checked by one of the paramedics while John, once he knew I was safe went back inside to help others to escape. As the paramedic shone a small torch into my eyes to check my responses I looked over his shoulder at the dramatic scene unfolding around me. The bomb squad had just arrived with their dogs. As they were unloading their equipment I noticed that one of the bomb squad was carrying a really odd shaped pole with a strange triangular funnel on the end, something they obviously used to gather forensic evidence. I was certain that the bomb attack had been at the hands of Harry Howler and his accomplices. I was also sure that I had seen Harry leave the gym after supposedly finishing his gym routine a split second before the blast. This was all planned, I was sure of it.
The paramedic checked me over and found nothing wrong with me other than being covered in brick dust. I was one of the lucky ones I was sure several people had died or at least been seriously hurt. I left the area where all the ambulances were parked and began pushing myself back towards the gym. I was pretending to be curious so that I could have a look at the damage. I looked around as close as I dared, mindful that any minute I was likely to be escorted out of the area for my own safety. A policeman suddenly put his hand on my shoulder. I span around expecting to be greeted with a dressing down for poking my nose in where it wasn’t welcome but to my astonishment he said -
“I am arresting you on suspicion of trying to blow up the gym. Anything you say will be taken down in writing and maybe used in evidence. It may harm your defense if you say anything that you later rely on in court.”
He then quickly handcuffed me.
“Now get in the van.” He ordered.
I wanted to shout out with all my might that I was innocent but I couldn’t form the words, I was dumb struck.