Chapter Thirteen

The Dobermen

It was a cold, rainy day in East Bank Plaza. A small gathering of dissidents was taking place, demanding justice for Thomas Murphy at the Old Country memorial and they were being watched closely by Anna and a small team of Operators. Shiels, Owens, Moriarty and Campbell were all stationed in the square. These were Anna’s Dobermen. They were there to gain info on a man called Dale Moorehouse who was a senior dissident and believed to be the man that Fleet, Kennedy and Murph rendezvoused with in the park. They obtained the information from a man who was arrested at the riots for causing catastrophic injuries to a member of the police in the midst of all the violence and was given an amnesty deal right the way from the top of the CIB if he could identify the man who was seen meeting with the three conspirators. The days events past by mostly uneventful with the crowd dispersing at five o’clock. Shiels believed he identified Moorehouse from the crowd and proceeded to tail him out of the park and down Lynch’s Street, the most dangerous street in the city. It was a street that was rife with crime with illegal bartering, violence and displays of nationalism everywhere. Shopfronts were unanimously in breach of naming laws, with family names proudly displayed. People were smoking tobacco and gambling openly. Almost everyone had their faces covered in various ways. Shiels continued down the street, maintaining his distance. The figure he was tailing was talking to lots of people on his travels, forcing Shiels to feign interest in various items on the illicit open market stalls as he went. The other three Operators were stationed ahead, having made their way through the various side streets parallel to Lynch Street. Shiels heard one, then another pedestrian address the figure by his first name, Dale. The figure entered a run down looking shopping mall and went up an escalator to the upper level. Shiels got Owens to follow him through the shopping centre and proceeded to the opposite exit. Anna was observing the events through their Lenses and was desperate to pick up Moorehouse. As Owens got to the top of the escalator his Lense cut out. “We’ve lost visuals and comm’s with Owens. Moriarty, Campbell get in there!”. Anna’s instructions contained more emotion than usual. She was on edge and didn’t want lose her chance of nabbing Moorehouse. “Owens! Report back!”