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12M

p3

For Ever My Love

By

Nicholas E. Speke

 

Synopsis

Our story begins with a schoolboy’s confused dreams of greatness, days at college and university, a natural leader, respected by his fellows, always at the sharp end of’ any school activity. He graduated with honours and had to leave all this behind him with high honours as he went out into the real world to take his place.

Many opportunities came his way, he decided one day that he had to do something for a career so he chose the army and became a cadet at Sandhurst Military College where his natural leadership qualities came to the forefront.

After graduation from there he joined the Royal Irish Rangers and rapidly reached the rank of Captain. He served in Germany, Belize, Africa and Iraqi. After that he was seconded to the Diplomatic Protection Service, here he was noticed by M 16 they told Steve that they needed men with his qualities, It didn’t take much for Steve to join them.

This was another turning point in his life; the rest of the story is full of intrigue. sheer guts and determination, after various tough-training courses, then he was posted usually undercover, the first being Scotland after routing the ungodly. He served with the British Embassy in Washington and had many a brush with death.

Then it was out into the desert where he worked undercover to bring to an end a cruel greedy ruler and brought peace to country, it was here that he that he met a fellow agent a women called Ann who later became his wife.

Ann’s job was to mix with the village people dressed as an Arab and collect information. Steve fell head over heels in love with her, however she was sent on a mission somewhere and he never saw her for some months.

Ann was a vibrant young woman, he was going to miss her. He tried to shut her out of his mind so he could concentrate on his own mission and so he worried constantly about her security.

Eventually Steve was posted back to London, it was whilst being briefed for anther mission in New Zealand that he met Ann again, this time she was going with him. Their cover story was that they were new settlers deciding where to settle in that country. In New Zealand they went on many successful missions in that beautiful land.

Then they were recalled to the United Kingdom on completion of their mission and were used in a training capacity by the security services, now bored with service life they decided to resign from the service.

MI 6 was very reluctant to let them go, but paid them off in the end. Steve and Ann got married at a local registry office then bought a property in the Lake District, they wanted to lead a normal life and forget the past.

But MI6 never forgot them.

 

Mystery, beauty in the Emerald isle, and later.

The old Landrover made its way slowly up the mountain track to where the tarmac became loose shingle. Maintaining the road had been left to the locals who came along after the winter snow’s with shovels, it was their job to fill in the potholes. Nice neat bungalows

could be seen some distance away on either side of the road.

The old Landrover, grateful for the descent picked it’s way carefully between green fields, then the driver paused to admire the scene that opened up half a mile or so in front of him. He could see a beautiful sandy beach surrounded by rocky outcrops opening to the sea. A group of women were waiting on a small jetty.

 To complete the picture a number of colourful fishing boats were coming in with their catch. The driver switched off the engine and waited, taking in the scene before him.

After a few minutes he got out of the Landrover, moved to the side of the road stretching his arms as he breathed in the sea-air. It was as if he had been driving for a long time. Bending down he grasped some heather before bringing it to his nose and inhaling its perfume.

That done he got back into the Landrover and reached into the glove box for a packet of Benson and Hedges. before realising that he had made a pact with himself last week to stop the filthy habit. The doctor had warned him about his health and his lifestyle. reluctantly he shut the glove box and put his hand back on to the steering wheel.

He waited, watching a small coastal freighter approaching the jetty, he would just have time to meet it if he left now, the engine burst into life. The driver engaged low gear and the old Landrover well rested now, made its way downhill and came to a stop right next to the gangway. The driver waited patently. Suddenly he was rewarded by the appearance of a young woman clutching a small boys hand, she never noticed him, for her attention was given to a seaman who was roughly handling her luggage.

“That was them all right” muttered the driver to himself, he got out of’ the Landrover and went towards them, the woman cried out “Daddy, Daddy”, picking up the little boy she hurried toward him, then there were tears, lots of them. The seaman put the trunks in the back of the Landrover then helped his daughter and grandson into the vehicle. There was plenty of talking to be done but that would have to wait for now, putting the vehicle into low gear he drove back the way he had come.

For Steve Cochran the yearn for adventure had come to him at an early age. At high school, daring pranks were just an everyday occurrence for him. He was often called into the Headmasters office to be lectured about this or that. That gentleman usually let him off for he saw in Steve Cochran something that made real men, he likened him to those men who made history and did their bit to change the course of the world.

Also he was a brilliant student who had the respect of his fellows. After the head had finished with him he would return to his class with a straight face and would give no explanation for his absence. His days at school passed quickly enough for him for there was an urgency about him, it was as though he had more important work to do.

 Then the time came for him to move up to university. So what was he going to do, he thought a lot about politics, and decided that politicians were all hot air and a waste of  public money. He thought of many subjects one of’ his girl friends Marie St John suggested that he read business management, at the same time learn to fly all sorts of aircraft, so he did just that and many other things as well.

Steve found that he had a natural flare for mountain climbing and deep sea diving, and spent what time he could in Scotland. After graduation he became very bored he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life. It was then that he decided to join the army, and went to Sandhurst Military College.

He excelled in just about every thing and was described as a model cadet after graduation Steve Cochran was posted to Northern Island as a Second lieutenant with the Royal Irish Rangers where he quickly rose to the rank of Captain.

Steve served in Germany, Belize, Africa and Iraq, before returning to London were he was approached by the diplomatic service, then M16. The latter seemed more exciting, besides they had increased his salary and his pension. what had he to lose? M16 welcomed him with open arms they said they needed men like him.

Steve Cochran liked the flattery that they gave him at the interview., and they gave him seven days to make up his mind. M16 had booked him into the officers club in Great Marylebone Street. Then they sent a taxi for him. 15 minutes later the Taxi pulled up outside an old fashioned building. It reminded him of a town hall somewhere. On entering, a tall grey- haired porter met him and asked his name, he pointed to reception then took possession of his luggage.

Steve Cochran made his way over to reception. The carpet was new he noticed, but the furniture was as old as the hills. He rang the bell on the counter and  after a while a man came out from behind a screen. He was perhaps in his fifties a huge walrus moustache covered his cheeks he was obviously very proud of it. an ex RSM he supposed. He was sure of it when the man spoke he was all authority. Extracting a letter from a neat folder beneath the counter he said “ Ah yes, Mr. Cochran we are expecting you.” he paused then passed a key on a plastic tag to him.

The porter was at his elbow by this time, he said, “Follow me please sir”. The lift took them to the third floor, this part of the building was all brand new. They had made a good job of it as well, the porter assured him that the ground floor was to be done shortly. Meanwhile everyone had to make the most of it, he wanted a tip, he got one then quickly disappeared shutting the door behind him.

Steve explored his quarters, there was a full drinks cabinet in the corner of the room. and a lovely bathroom. The view from the bedroom window looked out over a small park to some tennis courts. The street below was empty and very still except for the wind blowing some newspapers along the kerb. Then he noticed a tramp who was pushing an old pram full of junk before him. He stopped to pick up the scattered newspaper then sat down on a bench opposite to read it.

 Steve was disturbed by a knock on his door so he made a mental note of’ this activity out on the street. He answered the door, a young lady stood there he was pleasantly surprised as he had the impression that only the ‘old’ worked here and he told her so. She smiled at him and gave him a card that told him about meal times, and a menu, then she told him that he could order via the house phone. Steve watched her wiggle her way down the corridor until she disappeared round a corner.

The officers club boasted an excellent bar, so after dinner that’s where he went. He could see that the other guest’s appeared to be civil servant types. Over hearing some of the conversation they thought that they were very important people. He hadn’t got time for this sort of act and turned his mind to other matters. He had another pink gin then decided to go for a stroll outside before bed.

The tramp was still there except now he had the newspaper over his face and he appeared to be fast asleep. As soon as Steve had passed him the tramp came to life keeping his quarry at a safe distance he followed, leaving his pram behind. The newspaper continued its wind-swept journey along the gutter. After a few minutes the tramp took a mobile phone from among his rags then dialled a confidential number he spoke rapidly for a minute then replaced it amongst his rags.

Some instinct made Steve look back, the road was clear. All the same he had a strange feeling that he was being followed, turning the next corner he stood behind a buttress to an ancient church and waited. Soon the tramp came hurrying along but he couldn’t see his quarry so he broke into a run. Steve grinned and returned to the officers club the way he had come, he went into the bar and ordered a pink gin, then sat at the bar indulging in useless chatter with the barmaid who had just appeared.

Bored with this, he said goodnight to her and went up to his room. Without putting the light on he went to the window, the tramp had returned to his perch on the seat. So he went to bed without putting his light on hoping that the tramp would believe that he hadn’t come in and that he had indeed lost his quarry. Next morning the tramp had gone, his discarded newspaper had been caught up in a rose bush opposite Steve went out to retrieve it.