The Ultimate Decision

By George Perham

If it wasn’t for the situation of rare criminality by a postman caught stealing postal items he was meant to deliver there would never have been even an inkling that sensor operated aerosol containers brimming with deadly Plague Germs of a highly terrifying consequence once in Terrorist hands had entered the country undiscovered via the mail service.
These aerosol containers of death had got past parcel inspection on arrival in the country being very similar to those already imported and on supermarket shelves when seen through x-rays. The signed content note on the parcel just read ‘Veterinary Supplies’, which to the observer operating the x-ray screen gave the contents credibility of legal import.
Post Office Officials in the processes of collecting the stolen goods had seen the sensor type aerosols in an open parcel. On opening the plain plastic outer covers in examining just what actual veterinary products they were regarding legality it revealed the triple red banding clearly marked on each aerosol and a large red lettered warning in Arabic. There was no Manufacturer’s name. None present could read Arabic however it was very obvious the contents were of a highly dangerous nature and nothing like legitimate veterinary products.
After a request for help with analysis of the contents the sensor aerosols were picked up by a security detail from VIRTIGO Labs. VIRTIGO Labs, a high security government establishment, was involved also with highly secretive ABC Warfare experiments with antidotes and vaccines and had the right lab equipment to safely open the aerosols to check the contents under extreme high security surrounds.
After analysis the aerosols had been found to contain ultra new, spliced, brain destroying Plague Germs manufactured from the marriage of Rabies, Bird Flu and an airborne Naegleria Fowleri. VIRTIGO Labs realizing immediately the Terrorist aspect had alerted the Anti-Terrorism Unit and very urgent investigations had begun. A total clamp had been ordered also by the Anti-Terrorism Unit on the discovery as it was not something wanted out in the public arena. The news would cause terrible panic.
Now the hunt was on for the Terrorists and even more important trying to locate any more imported sensor Plague Germ aerosols before they could be used successfully by the Terrorists in their planned Jihad.

• Language: English
• Publisher: George Perham
• Release date: Mar 16, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476051550

George Perham

Some of the more interesting work the author has been involved with over the years as a government agent, security officer, pig shooter, opal miner and gold prospector gives him a wealth of real experiences to draw from when writing novels. Hobbies include fishing, oil painting and published, short story writing. He resides in Perth, Western Australia with wife and children. “Welcome to the Real World, Comrade!”, "Bones on an Atoll" and "The Ultimate Decision" are first of what will be several ebooks, ibooks.

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The Ultimate Decision

By George J Perham

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by George J Perham

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work. It is after all the author’s only livelihood.

Fiction

The story that follows is purely a work of fiction. While real geographical locations have been used the characters, scenes, their conversations and events that occur are mostly the product of the author’s imagination. The story while mentioning real Jihad Terrorist Groups and those of imagination does not in the main otherwise relate to any real people living or dead, past or present. Liberties have been taken with Australian Anti Terrorism Laws and Australian Homeland Security Crimes Acts and those Laws and Acts used in the story are completely fictitious even though they may be similar in content to current Australian Anti Terrorism Laws and Australian Homeland Security Crimes Acts. Interrogation techniques used in the story are also completely fictitious.

CHAPTER 1

Sometimes pure luck favors us in the most unusual and unexpected ways. In this case if it wasn’t for the situation of rare criminality by a postman caught stealing postal items he was meant to deliver there would never have been even an inkling that sensor operated aerosol containers brimming with deadly Plague Germs of a highly terrifying consequence once in Terrorist hands had entered the country undiscovered via the mail service.

These aerosol containers of death had got past parcel inspection on arrival in the country because they were very similar to those already imported and on supermarket shelves when seen through x-rays. The signed content note on the parcel just read ‘Veterinary Supplies’, which to the observer operating the x-ray screen gave the contents credibility of legal import. The address on the parcel was to a factory unit in the Perth industrial area of Salago, Western Australia. Fast response then had found a totally empty unit with the Lessee vanishing into anonymity. Personal details of the Lessee taking up the lease were a dead-end also being totally false. The Real Estate Company managing the rental on the Unit for the owner had done the business over the phone. The keys for the Unit had been picked up by a Courier as arranged. The first three months rental that was still in force along with a bond had all been paid earlier in a cash parcel dropped into their overnight inbox with a request the receipt was to be posted to the Unit. The Unit had been empty a long time so normally expected scrutiny of the Lessee wasn’t bothered with. When they were told it was a Company involved in Veterinary Supplies that was good enough for them. They didn’t even remember which Courier Company driver it was they gave the key to. There were quite a number of Courier Companies in Perth as well as private operators.

It was obvious that when the parcel had not arrived on the days expected the apparent recipient/s would not have even considered their postman had stolen the parcel instead contemplating the item had been discovered by authorities at entry and decided on a very rapid escape.

When the errant postman’s home had been raided there had been many postage items found that he had stolen over a period of some five years. Amongst all the items were many still in their original boxes and wrappers. Any items that were useless to him he had piled up in a corner of a spare bedroom. Luckily for some owner’s, names and addresses still on boxes and parcels meant they would be finally delivered. Also luckily for the postman and many hundreds of thousands of people he hadn’t given this particular deadly parcel more than a cursory look after opening it. Then having no further interest in it threw it on the pile. Then later, Post Office officials in the processes of collecting the stolen goods had seen the sensor type aerosols and curious of the contents opened the plain plastic outer covers in examining just what actual veterinary products they were. That revealed the triple red banding clearly marked on each aerosol and a large red lettered warning in Arabic. There was no Manufacturer’s name on the aerosols either. While none present could read Arabic and just what the wording said it was very obvious it was a strict warning the contents were of a highly dangerous nature and nothing like legitimate veterinary products.

The aerosols were put into a high security container for safety and then after a request for help with analysis of the contents picked up by a security detail from VIRTIGO Labs. VIRTIGO Labs, a high security government establishment conveniently based just north of Perth, was involved also with highly secretive ABC Warfare experiments with antidotes and vaccines a high priority and had the right lab equipment to safely open the aerosols to check the contents under extreme high security surrounds as a precaution.

On examination the aerosols had been found to contain ultra new, spliced, brain destroying Plague Germs manufactured from the marriage of Rabies, Bird Flu and an airborne Naegleria Fowleri. VIRTIGO Labs’ Virologists had not even been aware such a horrifying spliced germ existed. They were able to identify the signatures of the germs making up the final spliced germ, however till further tests had been done on monkeys they had no further information yet on how the Plague Germ would progress as an infection.

These Plague Germ aerosols having a warning in Arabic on the containers had to have come originally from one of several anti-West, Middle Eastern countries that had their own highly secret ABC Warfare installations. It was known several had Germ experimentation high on their agendas.

After VIRTIGO Labs had analyzed the contents of the aerosols realizing then the Terrorist aspect they had immediately alerted the Anti-Terrorism Unit and very urgent investigations had begun. Because of the seriousness and high security now required Post Office Officials then had been told only that the aerosols contained registered illegal chemicals for killing fleas and ticks. Just what the sensor aerosols contained was not something the Anti-Terrorism Unit wanted out in the public arena. The news would cause terrible panic.

During the initial investigations a back trace on the parcel showed it to be a post box pick up so no joy there regarding the sender’s identification in any way at the receiving post office via CT Cameras. A common ball point pen had been used to sign the contents label and supposed contents. The signature was just an intentional scrawl and useless for handwriting identification and senders address used found an empty Paris lot. The parcel had come from Paris, France, but obviously it hadn’t originated from there. Posting from Paris made the parcel look even more legitimate as there were several large well known veterinary drug companies there supplying to the World.

Knowing the contents of the containers were intended to be used in a Terrorist attack, when and where were the next questions? The parcel postage date was fairly recent so when and wherever the attack was planned it was still possibly in the future.

The arrival date of the parcel into Western Australia had been too late for the Queen’s visit and CHOGM. That meeting of Commonwealth Heads of State, to be held this time in Perth, Western Australia, had already been and gone with little trouble over the fortnight. Security had been extremely high and possibly a hard target for Terrorists anyway. Terrorists liked nice easy unsuspecting targets where security was mostly nonexistent.

A check then on coming events, first in Western Australia then Nationally found numerous occasions however none of any great significance over the next couple of months.

While the deadly parcel had been addressed to a Western Australian address it didn’t necessarily mean there was a Western Australian target involved. The target could be anywhere within Australia. In fact it was more than likely the case that the target wasn’t Western Australia. By having the parcels sent to the Western Australian address if ever discovered on entry it would throw off the investigations if their true target was in the Eastern States. Terrorist weren’t stupid and as soon as you thought they were and became complacent was when they struck hard right under your nose.

Another huge worry on the discovery was whether other parcels had arrived through the mail previously. If they had undetected it was possible the suspected Terrorist Cell could have a lethal horde of germs already. A check of postal records did show two previous parcels to the same address recently; however it wasn’t absolutely conclusive they had held the same contents. The postman was of no real help either. He had been taken to the address on the parcel with the hope he might be able to memorize a description of the recipient/s of any earlier parcels he delivered swearing the parcel of concern was the first and only parcel stolen from that address. No luck there. He had taken no real notice of any person when handing over his paperwork board for a signature. Dark haired, about 180 cm, was as good as it got. The postman was made to pore over photos of suspected Terrorists but again with no luck.

At this point the investigation had bogged down a little and the case had landed in Jack Craddock’s lap as a specialist on Terrorism to oversee any further continuing investigations.

Jack was till recently the head of Counter Terrorism, ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organization.) before being seconded to the newly formed Anti-Terrorism Unit. The new Anti-Terrorism Unit was made up of people seconded from various Security and Secret Services, also officers from the SAS, along with officers from the AFP (Australian Federal Police) and State Police, all who specialized in various investigative regimes and Intelligence gathering. The Anti-Terrorism Unit also had their own specially trained TRG Squad from experienced officers who had volunteered and were found fit to join the new Unit. This TRG Squad would be called on once physical arrests were to be made.

Jack had after taking over the case and under a Top Secret heading immediately notified other Australian Security Departments such as ASIS (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organization) DSD (Defense Signals Directorate) JIO (Joint Intelligence Organization) and one other that can’t be mentioned here, with a description of the aerosols, the terrible danger and for them to be on the lookout. All needed to be able to recognize the aerosols if they ever came across them by chance in their own investigations on other matters particularly if foreign nationals were involved, although the suspected Terrorist Cell could even be from second generation Australians as happened in Great Britain with the Buses and Underground Train’s attacks. They were fanatical fundamentalist Muslims however borne in Great Britain. Jack also instructed in the communiqués that a total clamp on the discovery was in place under his authority and not even government members were to be told at this stage. It must not get out into the public arena.

The Anti-Terrorism Unit itself would have to be immediately informed of any information these above establishments may come across via new legislation coming under Australian Homeland Security Crimes Acts that had been revisited and added to for the purpose. There were now very stiff penalties of a mandatory nature of ten years in jail regardless of who you were or what organization you came from if it was found you had kept any information on Terrorists secret. Australia had learned a lot from 9/11and the lack of cooperation between American Security Services prior to that tragedy. It was natural for any Security and Secret Services to want to keep their own secrets however it was now clear just how dangerous that could be. When it came to Terrorism full and open cooperation was paramount in its defeat thus the newly formed Anti-Terrorism Unit as a central collective Intelligence establishment.

Normally such horrible germs discovered within the aerosols would find their way into missile heads stockpiled for possible future use. These sensor operated aerosols were even more insidious as there would be no warning missile blast to don gasmasks and protective clothing if suspicion that Chemical or Biological Weapons were being used in such conflict depending on the foe and what was known of their capabilities at the time. Instead the sensor operated aerosols could be smuggled into a country in a pre-emptive strike and once activated positioned where they would look innocent enough within their covers and the sensors would react every time people walked by. Placed in busy city centers and popular stores or places of big events where literally thousands of people could pass them unaware they had triggered a light invisible mist of highly contagious and extremely deadly Plague Germs.

Jack now needed to know urgently if there were more than the numbers of aerosols discovered. Four in all so far in the parcel. Such information was now extremely important for the sake of the Australian population.

A Team had been quickly selected by Jack from available specialist personnel to help heavily investigate the germ aerosol matter further and he had arranged for a Virologist from VIRTIGO Labs to visit their complex to give him and the new Team a full run down on the deadly germs, just what they were, how they infected people and basically what to look out for. The Terrorists themselves could become contaminated if any of the containers became damaged or opened while in their possession. That is if they did have anymore. An unknown situation for the time being, however it couldn’t be left to chance.

Jack’s newly put together Team was made up of the following personnel; Marty Lonsdale, a specialist in IT, also a linguist with fluency in several Middle Eastern languages, formally of the Australian Federal Police with lots of experience with foreign illegal’s and refugees entering into Australia. He would be searching immigration registers, airline and ship’s passenger manifests and the internet for suspect names and clues; Tom Parkinson, formally a Murder Squad investigator of the Victorian State Police, an Inspector who had lots of work experience on location statistics and the possible profiles and habits of suspects being searched for. Until seconded he had worked on gangland killings throughout Victoria involving many different Nationalities with great success; Ronald Harris, ex Australian Secret Intelligence Service who had longtime contacts overseas with other Secret Intelligence Services from the West also parts the Middle East, Asia and Israel. He’d work on getting any possible update Intelligence on known Terrorist Groups who may have sent a Terrorist Cell to Australia; Roger Parsons, a specialist in makeup and undercover work who also could speak fluent Arabic. Roger had recently brought down a large foreign drug cartel after infiltrating the group as a trusted member. Roger now an Inspector was formally a Sergeant in the N.S.W. Drug Squad. It was hoped he might be able to infiltrate suspected extreme fundamentalist Mosques to get information once they had some inkling of just what State or general location the Terrorists might be in now. The Terrorists would need a ‘safe house’ and a like minded Imam or Ayatollah would possibly be who they would head for. With makeup Roger really looked like an Arab. The last but certainly not least member was Brett Branson, ex SAS Major, who had extensive experience in Intelligence concerning the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and other Jihad Groups in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Iran. He also was very fluent in Arabic and some local dialects. He would work very closely with Marty Lonsdale. His experience would be invaluable to the Team. While it was not a big Team regarding manpower this was only one of several cases that the Anti-Terrorism Unit was currently working on or had now finalized. It would however make up the shortfall by very intense investigations.

Just outside of Jack’s glass partitioned office on the second floor of the Anti-Terrorism Unit’s new complex was an Operations Room complete with a large long whiteboard, a number of TV monitors on a wall and a large electronic World map that with a few keyboard strokes could be changed to country, State or suburb. The map then used could be fed critical information from planted trackers, GPS emitters and electronic information that would light up in their GPS positions and show any movement. For tracking it was ideal. There were also several furnished partly partitioned offices all complete with computers, phones and filing cabinets. This is where the Team would work when not out on outdoor surveillance. There were another two operations rooms within the complex similarly set up, one currently being used by another Team working on a case. Periodically each Team Commander like Jack would check the main hard drive to see what entries had been downloaded by other Team Commanders updating what they were working on. This was done in case there was an overlap or Intelligence gathered in other cases that had pertinence regarding their own case. The main hard drive became a pool of Intelligence information that at times could be extremely helpful.

The Anti-Terrorism Unit’s new complex also had special cell like interview rooms for interrogation along with a motor pool all below the ground floor with a vehicle lift up and down from the ground floor level. Once the lift was up there was no escape possible just walls without exit doors. The complex building itself was set well back into a hillside just outside of Canberra. It looked ominous with its polished black granite facade and very tall receiving tower. It looked as seriously dark as the necessary work being carried on there.

No public entry was allowed into the complex or its grounds. The large signboards at the turn-off road to the property said so in an indubitable manner. There was a double 3 meter high chain mesh fence with rolled razor wire on top that extended right around the perimeter of the 10 hectare property that was regularly patrolled day and night. The only entry road was guarded 24 hours a day at two 500 meters apart gated guard house entries housing chosen squads of fully armed SAS Soldiers who were usually returned veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan and who had previous experience there at check points. If you weren’t invited with an ok from within you just didn’t get in regardless whether you were the Prime Minister of the country or anyone else of normally accepted importance. The Guards had instruction to use lethal force on any unauthorized attempts at entry. It was of course to stop Terrorists getting near the complex itself and blowing up the place. Lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan. No outside private vehicle was allowed to enter the grounds and any legitimate visitors were transferred from their vehicles left in a car park and into one of a number of armed jeeps on standby at the first gated entry. Any unauthorized vehicle getting past the first gated guard house would be a target for either a guided rocket from a launcher or 50 caliber machine guns.

All authorized visitors would be heavily screened at the forward guard house and given an ID tag to wear while within the complex grounds and building. Just taking the tag off within the grounds or complex a visitor could find himself/herself with the muzzle of a gun to their ear. None of this possible drama was expected to actually occur, however because of the seriousness of the work done at the complex all possible contingencies had to be covered.

The phone in Jacks office rang and he picked it up to answer. It was the forward guard house asking for authorization of entry for a Professor Henry Jacobs, Virologist from VIRTIGO Labs. He had been checked out by the guard house and found to be legitimate via a call to VIRTIGO Labs confirming his appearance via computer link and business at the complex.

‘Yes. I’ve been expecting him. Bring him to the complex and I’ll meet you on the ground floor,’ Jack told the guard then hung up the phone.

Jack then got up from his desk and went out of his office into the operations room.

‘Listen up everyone. We’ve got a Professor Jacobs, a Virologist from VIRTIGO Labs coming to fill us in on those aerosol Plague Germs. So if you can all grab a chair and make yourselves comfortable at the front here, I’ll go down and bring him up.’

Jack then left and went down to the ground floor to await the Professor’s arrival in the Jeep.

When the Professor arrived Jack saw straight away the serious look on his face. The Professor was about 60 years old, around 179 cm tall, slightly stooped with grey hair and long boney white fingers and looked very much like a Professor with his black horn-rimmed glasses and carrying an aluminum attaché case on his lap.

Jack offered an outstretched hand as the Professor alighted from the Jeep.

‘Jack Craddock,’ Jack said, introducing himself.

‘Professor Jacobs,’ the Professor offered with a smile in reply and shaking Jack’s hand.

‘The investigation Team is ready in our operations room for whatever you can tell us about those Plague Germs Professor,’ Jack told him now.

The Professor tapped on his attaché case.

‘I’ve got a DVD that will explain a lot,’ he replied, his face serious again.

Jack waved away the driver and the armed guard in the jeep then took the Professor up to his operations room where the Team were seated waiting and chatting to each other.

Jack then introduced the Professor to them all with his full title.

‘I’ll leave it to you to handle this in whatever way you want,’ Jack then told the Professor. ‘If there’s anything you need just let me know,’ Jack added helpfully.

‘Thank you. I’ll talk about the Plague Germs first then if I can have a DVD player and monitor you will be able to see the results of experiments we did with