Free Bodyguard: Target by Chris Bradford

us
how?’
    ‘No, but I’ll teach you what
to do if you spot one,’ replied Bugsy as the first slide of his presentation
appeared on the widescreen display. ‘The ruleof the Four Cs:
confirm
,
clear
,
cordon
,
control
.’
    Charley picked up her tablet and began
to input the meaning of the Four Cs into her class notes. Blake smiled at her and
winked, confident he could rely on her notes. Charley smiled back.
    ‘A bomb can be hidden in a suspect
car or truck, dropped in a waste bin or left at the roadside. It can be disguised as
a rucksack,a rubbish bag or even a mobile phone. Whatever it is that arouses your
suspicions, first you must
confirm
those suspicions.’
    ‘Isn’t that going to be
dangerous?’ asked David, his question more a statement of fact than a matter
of concern. To Charley, David appeared a strong silent type. She knew little of his
past, but he always acted in the same calm and unhurried manner, whetherchilling
out in the common room or under fire during a training scenario. It was as if
he’d seen it all before, or had seen a great deal worse in his life and was
numb to it.
    ‘Well, it certainly doesn’t
mean giving the suspect bag a kick, let alone opening it!’ Bugsy replied.
‘Any suspect itemsmust be considered booby-trapped. So,
for starters, switch off any mobiles.’

    ‘But that would prevent us calling
the authorities,’ Blake pointed out.
    ‘True, but radio waves are often
used to trigger remote-control bombs. You don’t want to accidentally set it
off yourself!’ Bugsy explained. ‘Next, establish who the item belongs
to. If you can’t find the owner, then the item is a threat. Whether your
Principal is the intended target or not makesno difference. Bombs are
indiscriminate killers.’
    ‘So if we believe it’s a
bomb we
clear
the area?’ asked Charley, looking up from her
notes.
    ‘Absolutely.’ Bugsy nodded.
‘Trust your gut instinct and clear to a safe distance, quickly and without
panic. In Hollywood movies, you see the hero outrunning an explosion. In reality no
one can outrun an explosion. One secondeverything is normal and the next second
everything is destroyed. The biggest killer can be the blast wave and what’s
contained in it, shards of glass and debris, so you need to reach a sheltered
location.’
    ‘What about the other two
Cs?’ asked David.
    ‘Once clear, you can call the
emergency services and hand over responsibility for them to
cordon
off the
area and
control
the situation. Even if the suspect item turns out to be
harmless, it’s better to make sure your Principal is safe than risk being
blown to bits!’
    Bugsy picked up a brown padded envelope
from the desk and waved it in the air.
    ‘Don’t forget your friendly
mailman or courier,’ he saidwith a grim expression.
‘Letter and parcel bombs are a favoured device for terrorists,criminals and
those with a grudge. Traditionally explosive or incendiary, nowadays they can be
chemical, biological or even radiological.’
    ‘A nuclear letter!’
José grimaced. ‘I’m not handling anyone’s mail.’
    ‘Wise decision,’ agreed
Bugsy. ‘Any attempt to open one might set it off. But as a bodyguard
you’re responsible for all aspects of your Principal’s safety. Thereare
a number of telltale signs to look out for – the Seven Ss, to be
exact.’
    On the display, the presentation
bullet-pointed
Size
,
Shape
,
Sender
,
Stamp
,
Seal
,
Stain
and
Smell
.
    ‘
Size
,’ began
Bugsy. ‘The letter needs to be big enough to house the components, so will be
at least five millimetres thick, weigh over fifty grams and may feel unusually heavy
for itssize.
Shape
– the package could be lopsided or lumpy,
indicating possible batteries or switching systems.
Sender
– check
the postmark. Where did it come from? Is the origin unusual? Is there a return
address and can it be verified?
Stamp
– is there one? Or was it
hand-delivered? There may even be extra postage since the last thing the perpetrator
wants