Free Everything to Lose by Gordon Bickerstaff Page B

troopers under her wing before, some burdened with very heavy baggage and she got the best out of them when it was needed.
    She saw no reason why Shawlens would be any different. The weak ones always get into trouble they can't handle. At least the flat sharing would keep Shawlens close to her. Give her a chance to intercept Barscadden's men before they hit Shawlens. With luck catch a live one and maybe a lead to Barscadden's new location.
    "Oh by the way," she said.
    "What?"
    "The beard makes you look ridiculous. It'll have to go."
     
    * * *
    The entire briefing was watched on a monitor in a separate ante room by two Special Forces troopers, Sergeant Antonia (Toni) Bornadetti and trooper Scott E Bradwood. They had served with Zoe Tampin before and were well aware of her expectations. The briefing enabled them to get good eyeball and voice-check on the other team members without giving up their identity.
    Toni was an attractive and rugged thirty-six year-old woman and still as fit as she had been when she was eighteen. She looked like the twin sister of Michelle Rodriguez who plays Letty in the 'Fast and Furious' films. Some of her SAS mates call her Trudy after Trudy Chacón the combat pilot from the James Cameron film 'Avatar'.
    Her black shiny hair was shoulder length when it was not tied in a knot at the back of her head. Her Mediterranean skin was lightly tanned and blemish-free. She was five foot seven and her weight at 65 kg hadn't changed since the day she joined the Army. She was lean, muscular and very capable of looking after herself. Many times she had been asked why she was in the army when she should have been in the movies.
    During the hill phase of training at Sennybridge on the Brecon Beacons they nicknamed her the Duracell Bunny because of her power to keep going no matter what. She did her four mile run in thirty minutes and her two mile swim in ninety minutes. After each one she stood up straight and fresh as a daisy. Her mates said she had a pocket nuclear reactor in her pants. She was a true adrenaline junkie.
    Scott was six years younger, two inches shorter and heavier than Toni. His six-pack was morphing into a two pack and his movement was sluggish because he spent much less time keeping fit and toned. Scott was very good on the tech side of operations and that involved a lot of time sitting down with computer equipment and monitors.
    He struggled with his weight and went through cycles of painful exercise sessions to shed the pounds. Someone should have told him that the human body has very little space to store carbs. The stores fill quickly and when full, the energy from further intake of carbohydrate isn't wasted. It's converted to and stored as fat and the body has huge capacity to store fat.
    When the Lambeth Group briefing finished they waited in the ante room for Zoe Tampin to join them and complete their briefing.
    "So did you ask her out?" Toni asked.
    "Who?" Scott replied.
    "You know who. The Colonel's daughter Moira."
    "Yes."
    "Don't be frightened of her old man."
    "I'm not."
    "I'll expect a full and detailed report," Toni said.
    "In your dreams mate."
    "Come onnn Scott. I introduced you to Moira, you owe me."
    "No chance."
    "She'll sink her nails right into these love handles," she said nodding at his waistline.
    "Leave it out."
    "Where are you taking her?"
    "Come on Sarge let's talk about something else."
    "If I had a date I'd tell you all about it in glorious 3-D."
    "I'm not talking about her."
    "Why not?"
    "It's private, alright."
    Scott fired a menacing look at Toni to say he'd had enough badgering about his date with Moira. When Scott looked back at the monitor screen, Toni smiled at him.
    "Which one of the academics will get into trouble first?" Toni asked.
    "Morgan."
    "I think it'll be Shawlens. Want to bet?"
    "What do I get if I win?"
    "I'll buy two tickets for the next Man United European game. If you lose you tell me all about your date."
    "Boss," Scott said as he stood to