Free Everything to Lose by Gordon Bickerstaff

Mansole was on the University judo team so Gavin will join the judo club.
    Rolley will go in as himself to the Department of Physics as a visiting lecturer. Look for any issues outside of Sports Biology that might shed some light. Jemard was a star cyclist so Rolley will join the cycling club.
    Elaine is already in place in the HR Department and will ensure that your legends stand up to any scrutiny. Elaine will have full access to all personnel and backroom files. Any questions?" Alan asked.
    "What's this about Christine? I wasn't told I needed Christine," Gavin asked and his face reflected concern.
    "Zoe will go in as Christine Willsening. Christine is named on many of your research papers so her credibility as research support is good," Alan said.
    "It'll be fun. I haven't played with test-tubes since school," Zoe said to Gavin but he didn't look happy.
    "I'll need to double check with Christine and make sure she doesn't have friends or colleagues at U.S.E."
    "Elaine has already prepared the ground for your arrival," Alan said.
    "I'm in HR as Ruth Winters, deputy director, with a fully backstopped twenty-year legend of experience in academic human resources. If you run into any trouble just call HR and ask for Ruth. In your folder you will find a legend for each member of the team. Thoroughly familiarise yourselves with each other. Let's not have any identity slip-ups please," Elaine said.
    Zoe smiled. She knew that Elaine was talking to the two academics.
    "You'll find allocated accommodations in your folders, plus credit cards and the usual contact details. Any questions at this point?" Alan asked.
    "Given these disappearances. Are there any risks I should be aware of?" Rolley asked.
    "Unlikely but keep to your check-in protocols and I will know when anything is wrong. Keep sharp and you'll be fine," Zoe said.
    "Well ladies and gentlemen we kick off immediately. Hampshire is a lovely part of the world. Let's make sure it stays that way. Keep your SEM mobile glued to your hip and report regularly," Aden-Brown said as he rose from his seat.

 
    11
     
    Home Office , Whitehall , London
     
    Zoe Tampin was five eight, slender, athletic-looking, intelligent and ambitious. That much Gavin Shawlens deduced during the briefing. What he didn't know about the forty-three year old was that Zoe was an ex-army captain who had joined the OTC at her University and went on to receive the coveted Sword of Honour at Sandhurst as the best officer cadet.
    With ease she can deadlift eighty kg. Roughly what a soldier might weigh minus kit. Her favourite pastime is a 5K Colour Run where runners wear white at the starting line and coloured powder is thrown at runners as they run past to produced multicoloured finishers.
    Captain Tampin had served with the SAS in Bosnia and more recently on Special Forces operations for MI5 and MI6 at home and abroad. Her CO wrote about her; Zoe Tampin protects her troop like a lioness protecting her cubs ; powerful , determined , completely ruthless .
    Zoe had proved herself in combat and she was accepted as combat hardened. She was powerful in dealing with the stress of imminent danger and her concentration over long periods was second to none. Many times her troop had faced the white of the opposition's eyes and she had led them through hell and back.
    More than two hundred soldiers told their mates that they were alive and in one piece because of Zoe Tampin's leadership under fire. Men and women under her command call her DP which stands for Diana Prince (alias of Wonder Woman).
    Zoe had smashed the hardest glass ceiling and showed the pencil generals the unique skill set that women have to offer in the multi-dimensional fight against 21st century terrorism. She formed and led a special operations unit of women, W Troop. Still a small attachment compared to the number of men in Special Forces, but against a strict background of no drop in standards, her select group of female troopers had proved themselves