Hi all. I'm so sorry about not putting up this chapter sooner, but I thought no one was reading this story. Please email me at thehaydster@yahoo.com.au . The more emails, the faster the next chapter comes out.
ON WITH THE STORY
We eventually woke up at around eleven the next day and wandered off to lunch at noon. The dining hall was abuzz with news of the attack. Most of the guys were shocked about the attack, and surprisingly the sportos were in that camp. I guessed they rallied behind their supposed `ex-friends' regardless. They later explained to Tim that Bob had blown his top at them when one of them hinted that Alex and Ryan deserved it. Bob had supposedly explained the scene in all its gruesome detail, so they were behind Alex and Ryan fully.
After lunch we were called to the principal's office. Mr. Johns pretty much said that he was proud of us agreeing to help out, even though that he knew we would be in danger. To avoid tipping university security off, all communication with the police would be through him, as uni security had access to college phone logs. The executive senate of the university had called an emergency meeting at 3 that afternoon, and we were requested to attend. He also outlined the plan the police had. I went white, but both Tim and I still agreed to be in it. If any questions were asked about our visit to the Chancellory, we were going to the chancellor's office to request an overhaul of security.
Somehow Tim and I managed to be awake and alert when we arrived. Once we entered the boardroom we were introduced to Detective-Sergeant Conrad of the Tactical Response Squad who would be heading the sting operation. He told us to call him Jim. We were also introduced to Sir Ramsey, the chancellor and a few of the other bigwigs of the uni.
Once we were all seated comfortably, Jim stood up and started to address us all.
"Gentlemen, we are assembled here to discuss the attack on Mr. Mathers and Mr. Tanner, and the role which university security played in it, due to action and/or inaction. Mr. Mathers has confirmed that he tore a badge belonging to a member of campus security during the attack. That badge has been catalogued as evidence.
The emergency call point near where the attack occurred had been deactivated that evening. According to your security procedures, this can only be done by the head of campus security. This indicates a much higher level of complicity than previously suspected. Plainly, the head of campus security is involved in some way, beyond any doubt." Jaws dropped around the table.
"We have a plan to gather incriminating evidence against all people involved in this. Unfortunately, this plan is dangerous. I will outline the plan if you so wish, and then you can decide whether to approve it"
Sir Ramsey, still sounding a bit stunned, told Jim to go on.
"Very well. The commissioner of the federal police has given me carte blanche as regards resources for this operation, so we intend to do nothing by half measures. Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Carter have agreed to participate, and we commend them for this. We intend to plant surveillance equipment in the campus security offices and vehicles, we also intend to tap in to all campus security monitors, so we see what they see. Also as soon as anything goes offline, we will know about it, but we will still have feeds from all their equipment.
As campus security is armed, and we cannot disarm them without raising a large amount of suspicion, we will need to use firearms ourselves. In essence, Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Carter will announce that they are boyfriends and then will follow a predetermined route at all times. This route will be monitored by police with parabolic microphones, and more importantly, by police marksmen with laser sighted rifles. These police will be on the rooftops. Other plain clothes police will be hidden along the route to lend assistance on the ground. I won't mince matters; the police must have clearance to shoot to kill without warning shots if necessary. In essence, as soon as Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Mathers are attacked, they will press the nearest emergency call point, which will be active. As soon as all attackers have emerged, the police on the ground will attempt an arrest, covered by the snipers on the rooftops. That is the plan, and I am asking the university to take a risk approving this, but it seems the only way to be sure to catch all the perpetrators."
Sir Ramsey spoke up first. "One flaw I see in this plan, although I cannot see any solution is the chance that it will be discovered that Timothy and Daniel are not boyfriends, which will tip off the conspirators that there is a sting operation."
I blushed deep red here, but Tim kept calm and replied "Sir, Daniel and I are boyfriends, so there is no problem there."
Jim continued, saying "For the plan I have explained, we need full access passes for all of my men, and a few men in university maintenance that can be trusted."
Sir Ramsey looked around the table, and everyone nodded. With that he stood up and stated, with a grim look on his face, "Detective-Sergeant Conrad, the executive council of University Of Australia gives it's full approval to the previously outlined operation by the federal police. I will arrange for all access passes to be provided and will inform a few of my personal friends in maintenance that they may be asked to do some unusual tasks, and to keep it quiet."
"Thank you, Sir Ramsey. Mr. O'Toole and Mr. Carter, I would like to have a private word with you in a minute."
After everyone except Sir Ramsey and Jim (Detective-Sergeant Conrad) had left, we all sat around one end of the table, and once again Jim began to speak. "The details of this mission are top secret, and are only to be known to the four of us, with the exception of the men in my team. Even young Mr. Mather and young Mr. Tanner only know that something is being done about their attack." Jim pulled a map out of his pocket and pointed out the route that we were to take, and where his men would be. He also had times that we needed to be at certain places. If we had not been seen at a certain place and time, or if we deviated from the set route, the police team would go into full alert and protect us at all costs. It was reassuring to know that our safety was the main priority, not catching the attackers.
We were instructed not to come out until we were given the word that everything was ready, but we were to adapt to the route they had marked out for us immediately.
The very next day Tim and I started using the route that had been mapped out for us. There was very little difference between the route we normally used and the route that we had to follow. The next few days were very uneventful, with one exception.
On Wednesday morning we received word that Ryan was awake and was being questioned by the police, but we could see him after that. As soon as we walked into ICU we were greeted by Alex, who was bouncing off the ceiling, knowing that his boyfriend was going to be OK. I heard the nurse at the desk grumble to herself "If he gets any more hyper I'll sedate him".
Eventually we were told that Ryan was able to have visitors. Alex was able to calm down enough to follow the nurse to where Ryan was, but then rushed to him and kissed him on the lips. Ryan kissed back just as passionately. Tim and I just stood there, waiting for them to finish. Eventually when they broke apart Ryan noticed us and blushed, as did Alex.
Ryan had been told about his father, but he didn't seem overly shocked about it. He told us that he wasn't surprised, but as far as he was concerned, Mr. Mathers was no longer his father. He also said, while blushing furiously, that he intended to be Mr. Tanner if it becomes legal in Australia.
We chatted with Ryan for a while about nothing in particular until the nurse came to shoo us out. When she tried to get Alex to leave he flatly refused and when Ryan insisted that he was better for him than any medicine the nurse let him stay.
We were also contacted on Monday morning and told that everything was in place, and that we were to come out. I can tell you that a lot of jaws dropped when we walked into the dining hall holding hands. One of the sportos got up from their table and walked over to us. I felt Tim tense up when this happened.
"So, you two are...?"
"Boyfriends, David? Yes we are" Tim replied.
"Well, this is unexpected, but we heard what happened to Ryan and Alex. No one deserves that and if anyone even looks at you the wrong way, let us know. You have our support"
We were flabbergasted, but very happy, as the entire college should accept us if the sportos do, as they are the trend setters. We had breakfast acting normally and surprisingly enough, everyone else at our table acted the same except for one guy who changed tables. He got a lot of glares for that, however.
Nothing really happened until Thursday. We were surprised that nothing was happening, but Jim Conrad assured us that his men were on guard and were keeping an eye on us. Thursday evening we were walking home in the dark from a late lecture. As we passed the dim light of an emergency call point five men wearing black balaclavas and armed with knives stepped out of the shadows.
Write if you want to hear more. Actually, please email me anyway.
thehaydster@yahoo.com.au