Number Four was on the wire at the slaughterhouse.

The first three snatches had gone off without a hitch - smooth as silk. Each team had snatched a target each, and the targets were in the back of the vans bagged up, terrified and wondering what was going on.

The targets acquired were; Willis, Robert; McCann, Alan; and Johnson, Benjamin.

Next three targets were; Hills, Mark; Pinder, Colin; and Jackson, Ian.

The snatch team’s mode of operations was straightforward and designed to avoid drama. One officer would stay in the van. Two officers - plain clothes - would go to the target’s residence. In this case they informed the targets that they were from the regular police, not State Security. They were following up on the disappearance of Tony Wilkes - ‘a coworker of yours?’ - A body had been found in the river, and they needed someone to identify the remains - ‘would you mind helping us out comrade?’.

The people in the People’s Republic are not accustomed to denying police requests. In the first round of snatches the targets had been happy and willing - ‘we just have to head over to the hospital morgue, it won’t take long’. This reassured the targets that they weren’t going to a police station. So they said - ‘of course comrade, poor Tony. Such a nice fellow.’ - and they would get dressed or ready. The snatch squad would be friendly - ‘Thank you so much for your help comrade. Comrade Wilkes lived alone, and he doesn’t have any family in this district. As soon as we can have the body identified, we can arrange for the body to be transferred to his family and they can make the proper arrangements. Such a sad tragedy.’

The target would walk to the van and the one of the snatch team would say - ‘I will ride in the back with you comrade - keep you company’ - and they would walk round to the back of the van. One of the snatch team would open the door, and climb in - and the other snatch team member would taser the target. The snatch team member inside the van would then pull the target inside the van, and the other snatch team member would climb in the back. They would bag the target by placing them in a burlap sack which had a hood, long sleeves, and a strong zipper up along the back. The target would have the sack pulled over their head and their arms placed inside the sleeves. The zip would be closed and a strap passed through, between the target's legs and fastened to the back of the sack. The long sleeves were crossed over so the target would be hugging themselves, and then secured at the back. It was hot and itchy inside the sack. The target’s ankles were secured with nylon restraints. And then that was that - target bagged. If the target put up a fight after the first taser hit - they would get a couple more. This - in People’s state security parlance - was known as a warm package.

‘How we are looking, comrades?’ - Number Four said over the wire.

‘In position and ready for green’ - Said the driver of team 1.

‘Ready for green’ - Said the driver of team 2.

‘Ready for green’ - Said the driver of team 3.

‘Please confirm target codenames: Hills is Goldilocks; Pinder is Tom Thumb; and Jackson is Robin Hood.’

‘Roger that’ - all three teams replied.

‘Let’s keep it nice and clean comrades. No drama. Let’s get the targets in the van and bagged, and then we have just two more little piggies each before bedtime - cleared for green’ - Number Four sat back and drank some cold tea. He had been on plenty of snatches before - and it was rare for there to be any drama. When men with badges knocked on your door, the people did what they were told.

‘Keep me updated comrades’ - Number Four spoke over the wire. He didn’t expect a reply. When the snatch team went in for a target there wouldn’t be any communication unless there was drama or the target had been bagged.

‘Any chance I can get a fresh cuppa?’ - Number Four shouted out of the operations control room.

One of the officers came in and asked - ‘milk and sugar?’

‘Just milk please comrade, I am sweet enough already.’

Number Four leafed through the personnel files of Goldilocks, Tom Thumb, and Robin Hood. Goldilocks and Robin Hood seemed pretty standard prole fare. They would have their night in the cells and get a few rounds of tough questioning. He didn’t expect much from either of them. But Tom Thumb looked interesting. Number Four had run the names through records and found that Tom Thumb had had some run-ins with the regular police, and had even provided Operations with information on a big unregistered shipment of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate makes bombs - big bombs. The Unit had blown up the wheat storage facility seven months ago with an ammonium nitrate bomb.

The officer came in with Number Four’s tea - ‘Thank you comrade.’

The snatch operation had been live for 11 minutes.

‘Control - this is Tom Thumb, do you copy?’

‘Tom Thumb this is Control- what is your status?’

‘There is no answer from Unit 2C control - we are going to try the door, over.’

‘Roger that Tom Thumb - keep me posted.’

The snatch team tried the door handle. Click.

‘Control this is Tom Thumb - we have access.’

‘Roger Tom Thumb.’

There was silence for about 2 minutes.

‘Control - this is Tom Thumb, do you copy?’

‘Tom Thumb this is Control- what is your status?’

‘I think you better get down here Control- Tom Thumb is tango down.’

‘Control this is Goldilocks - do you copy?’

Number Four sat for a moment in silence.

‘Control this is Goldilocks - do you copy?’

Number Four snapped back to life - ‘ Goldilocks this is Control- what is your status?’

‘Goldilocks is in the bag - over.’

‘Roger that Goldilocks - move to the next target and await instructions.’

‘Roger that Control.’

‘Tom Thumb this is Control- do you copy?’

‘Control - this is Tom Thumb - we copy.’

‘Tango is down? - Can you confirm?’

‘Control this is Tom Thumb - confirming tango is down. Cold package - over.’

Fuck! Thought Number Four.

‘Control - this is Robin Hood. Do you copy?’

‘Yes Robin Hood - this is Control. What is your status?’

‘Robin Hood is in the bag.’

‘Roger that Robin Hood. Move to the next target and await further instructions.’

‘Roger that Control.’

‘Tom Thumb - this is control. What are the circumstances of the tango down?’

‘Control, this is Tom Thumb. S.G.W. to the head - no signs of a disturbance.’

‘Roger that Tom Thumb. Secure the scene - and no one is to leave the building. Detain all visitors as well.’

‘Roger that Control.’

Number Four picked up the phone in the operations control room. He dialed three digits and waited…

‘Hello Number Three...yes...yes...no...big drama...yes...in the command room...yes...okay.’

Number Four sat back and waited.

Number Three walked into the command room - ‘Drama on one of our ops?’ He asked.

‘Mr. Colin Pinder - one of the targets of “Operation Greater Good”. Lives at Unit 2C, 73 Stadium Crescent. Known work associate of Lancelot. Found dead at his residence by the snatch team - just now - with a single gunshot wound to the head. Mr. Pinder had previously provided information to Operations about a large unregistered shipment of ammonium nitrate’ - Number Four waited for Number Three to process.

‘Well that is dramatic - any signs of a struggle?’

‘No - the scene is secured’

‘So let me get this straight - the kempeitai gets a tip off from Bedivere that Lancelot is meeting a Unit commander, the Unit commander escapes, Lancelot gets slotted by the Kempeitai, the Kempeitai go down to the docks and sniff around, Bedivere disappears, and then one of Lancelot’s coworkers - who is also a snout for the Kempeitai - ends up with an extra hole in his head. I think we should head over to 73 Stadium Crescent and have a look for ourselves, comrade.’

The car pulled up outside the tenement in the shadow of the decaying stadium. Number Three and Four climbed out of the car and walked across the road to the building. The snatch team driver was standing at the door.

‘Evening comrade’ - said Number Three.

‘Evening sir - no one has been in or out.’

‘Good. Wait here.’

Number Three and Number Four walked up the stairs to the second floor. The two other snatch team members were waiting outside the door.

‘Evening comrades’ - said Number Three.

‘Evening sir - no one has been inside except us.’

‘Good. Go knock on some doors, comrades. See if anyone saw or heard anything.’

Number Three and Number Four put on black latex gloves. Number Three turned the handle and opened the door. The two men walked into the unit and closed the door behind them.

‘The door was unlocked when the team got here, Number Three.’

Number Three said nothing. He peered into the dirty bathroom, and then walked into the main room. Colin Pinder was still in his chair - two juicy mangoes on the table in front of him. His arms were by his side, and his head lolled back. Number Three inspected the bullet wound in Colin Pinder’s head, and then the back of his skull which was blown off.

‘Two mangoes, and two glasses’ - Number Three said.

‘Door was unlocked.’

‘Seems Mr. Pinder had a friend over for mangoes and whiskey - quite a lovely treat’ - said Number Three - ‘But then it all seems to have gone to rat shit...’

Number Three looked at the ashtray and then at the two finished cigarettes. ‘Double Happiness, filtered and Chinese. Mr. Pinder’s I believe’ - said Number Three - ‘But you don’t have a filter - and you are not Chinese’ - Number Three reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of tweezers. He picked up the unfiltered cigarette, and sniffed it. He held it out for Number Four to sniff as well.

‘Turkish’ - said Number Four.

“I want this scene sealed and full forensics carried out. Secret service eyes only, use our people’ - said Number Three, putting the Turkish cigarette back in the ashtray - ‘I’m taking the car back to the slaughterhouse to speak to Number Two.