Danger Signal

Dramatis Personae

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Air Marshall WilsonRAF

Andrew DaleMark Dale’s brother

Angela WilliamsTeacher at St Luke’s Junior and Infant School

Arthur ShawOwner of a flying school

Beauregard JamesonLieutenant 7th Air Cavalry

Bob Miller Flight Officer RAF

Bret CutlerMajor in US Airforce

Captain LiThe Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Chun Soo Hwa South Korean Special Forces

Colonel Brecht7th Air Cavalry

Derek BrodiePolice Detective Sergeant

Diane Mathews Police Detective

Drew DavidChief of Staff

Eddie MuellerJoint Chief of Staff

Emil FaulknerPupil

Frank HallMD Mobile Army Surgical Hospital

General QuiThe Democratic People's Republic of Korea

General SammsUS Infantry

Gerald PenburyAccountant

Gianni CyprianoCIA Operative

Grace MayfieldHeadmistress of St Luke’s Junior and Infant School

Horatio BraithwaiteMedical Examiner

Janet Forrester Fleet Admiral of the Hancock Carrier Force

Jeremy DalePilot

John Wing HaChinese ambassador

Judkin WilliamsThief

Kenneth MercerScience Teacher

Kim Jong IlLeader of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Kin San JungDiplomat of The Democratic People's Republic of Korea

KowalskiRadio technician 7th Air Cavalry

Kwai LinNorth Korean Teacher

Lee WilliamsSocial Worker

Louisa DenbyPamela’s half sister

Mai Tak WanCommandant of Kabuto

Mark DaleJeremy’s father

Mrs IslePaul’s mother

Mrs TateKevin’s mother

Naomi WattsFlight officer RAF

Pamela DaleJeremy’s mother

Paul KanesUS President

Peter TruemanMinister

Pilot Officer TrottTrainer

Rudolf HickmanPorter

Samuel ReubenUS Air force General

Sergeant Kyle7th Air Cavalry

Silvia DawesPamela’s colleague

Squadron Leader SmithRAF

Stanley DaviesPolice Superintendent

Stella MurrayHospital Facilities Manager

Tony BinghamPolice Detective

Wendy Frieda LeechHeadmistress of St Luke’s Junior and Infant School

William H. CarterMajor USAF

Wing Commander Foster RAF

Wing Commander StudleyRAF

Winslow FranksMajor 7th Air Cavalry

Danger Signal

Chapter One

This way Jerry.

The tow-headed boy rushed into the family sized car and copied his mother as she drew her seatbelt in an exaggerated fashion across her waist and fastened it at her side. Go on Jerry belt up son!

His brown eyed stare hardly left his mother’s face as he fumbled with his seatbelt only to have it stop at midpoint across his diminutive six year old body, exasperated he said, It’s stopped!

Pamela knew that he had snatched his seatbelt rather than gradually drawing it and patiently demonstrated again, Draw it like a sword only more slowly Jeremy.

Taking in his mother’s advice he pulled the black ribbon of nylon more fully and engaged the plug in the red enclosed socket at his side then said, Hey.

Well done Jerry, gold star.

This was Jeremy Dale’s first excursion out of his child seat and he had high hopes that his mum and dad would notice that he was a big boy now.

Jeremy’s father Mark climbed into the car and sat in the driver’s seat and turned his head beaming a ready smile at his son.  He ventured an aside to his doting wife, They grow up so fast. Before he nodded and said in an exaggerated tone, Well done Jeremy, you can be my co-pilot.

Aye aye captain, said his son comically as he gave a somewhat relaxed American type salute in response. Mark Dale was a commercial pilot flying freight across the European routes and his uniform though darker than Royal Air Force blue could not be in any way construed as nautical.

Pamela Dale was extremely happy in her life; experience had taught her that love and satisfaction were rare occurrences in a relationship.  She had been a nurse dealing with trauma issues and her ward had often fielded amputees and coma cases.  One such case, Andrew Dale’s head trauma admission caused by a motorcycle accident, had been unique, not because of his rapid recovery but due to his handsome visitor Mark.

Pamela Denby or Staff Nurse Denby had been staggered by her feelings of guilt, she was on duty after all yet she felt warmly attracted to this friendly younger brother of her patient.  She hovered nearby and was finally introduced to Pilot Officer Mark Dale, the celebratory atmosphere was bubbling dangerously into an impromptu party because Mark had just been awarded his ‘wings’ and this cheerful news was infectious; it was good for the patient and Pamela had covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a smile.  The handsome pilot noticed her expression and lit up the room with an engaging smile of his own, We must celebrate, he told his brother and included Pamela with a sweeping gesture in her direction.  Caught off balance Staff Nurse Denby lost her footing and stumbled toward the bed and Mark had grabbed her around the waist to steady her, they both said, Sorry in mutual embarrassment and Pamela, in an effort to suppress further blushes looked down at her fob watch and murmured, Visiting ends in seven minutes gentlemen."

Both of the brothers turned and watched her slim figure as she strode with urgent yet measured steps out of the ward on some unspecified errand.

Andrew looked obliquely at his younger brother, Shall I ask her out on your behalf bro?

Don’t be daft Andy, that knock on the head has made you soft.

Andrew winced as he shook his head still bruised from his motorcycle accident, Not a bit of it, that’s the first time she’s cracked her face old boy and it happened during your visit.

Mark looked nonplussed, Andy don’t do anything rash.

But Andrew saw through his bravado and decided on a course of action, Alright brother I’ll just mediate, nothing more, you know, just in case she brings you up in conversation sometime.

Visiting hour was soon over and as Mark turned to go Staff Nurse Denby betrayed a look in his direction while she tried to absorb herself in a list of patient’s statistics; she clutched the clip-board in her hand and she thought to herself, There’s something about a man in uniform.

Later in the hospital canteen Pamela joined her colleague Sylvia for an enervating drink of coffee.  Sylvia watched her friend sit and scoop her coffee cup into her hands, the body language wasn’t much different but there was a furtive almost coy look about her, "Why Pam you look flustered.

Shaking her head a smile escaped from her lips, It’s nothing.

Her friend disagreed, Oh no? It’s a man thing I’ll bet.

Pamela looked down then raised her head and faced her questioner, Not quite...

Over the following months Sylvia reflected on this sudden change in Staff Nurse Denby’s personality of late.  Back in their student days when they shared a room in the nurse’s block Pam Denby had been wild, almost bubbling over with high jinks and merriment.  She’d come close to failing a couple of assignments outright and then one dark evening in late November she returned from a shopping errand having been attacked by a knife wielding thug.  Fortunately she had been saved by a group of students on their way to a party who had disturbed her assailant and left her shuddering with fright.  Sylvia had immediately told matron and the police were duly informed.  After a sympathetic hour of questioning the interview concluded and that was the end of the debacle but it had left its mark on Pam.  Dry eyed and staring into nothingness she decided to knuckle down and cocoon herself in her work.

From being an average student nurse Pamela Denby matured overnight and became a committed learner thriving on ‘well done’s’ and scoring distinctions in her assignments.  Senior nurses observed this new found dedication in this up and coming student and mistook it as a reflection of their lectures, from then on she was earmarked for promotion.

Pamela Denby’s meteoric rise from student nurse to Staff Nurse was feted by her assessors not only for the content of their teaching but also for their foresight in recognising her abilities.  Little did they know that the catalyst for change in their star pupil’s progress was the fear of death at the hands of a demented maniac.

Andrew Dale was as good as his word and occupied his time as a matchmaker.  During his two week recovery he kept a weather eye on this stunning brunette, he regaled her with tales of his younger brother’s ‘daring do’ and texted him daily.  Mark also visited his brother and was brought up to speed with feigned disinterest but eventually conversation between Pamela and Mark turned to friendliness and they kept in touch, eventually meeting up for dates in crowded bars or restaurants.  It was over a month of such rendezvous that Pamela at last raised her face to his to be kissed and this he did tenderly; lifting the veil of fear that had kept her a prisoner from her feelings for so long.  She looked into his opal-green eyes and felt his straw coloured hair wondering for the first time what he would be like as a trusted lover.

Sometime later Sylvia Dawes and Pamela Denby’s shift coincided and they shared a table over coffee again.

So how are you getting on with his parents?

Reasonably well, his father’s stone deaf and his mother’s a dear despite her age and infirmity.

Always the medical assessment Staff Nurse Denby before the personal impression, joked Sylvia.

Pamela revealed another smile and agreed, "They are getting on a bit but they accept me as part of the family and I’ve been a guest at their home.

So you’ve stayed over?

The halted look and dropped jaw gave Pamela a tongue in cheek expression and she demurred to follow the thought process through to its one and only conclusion, Yes I have and no that’s none of your business.

Well what’s holding you back are you waiting for him to propose to you?

He already has, it’s just that I’m not too sure who will be my bridesmaid.

Sylvia jumped up in her chair and exclaimed, Me! Me!

They held each other’s hands and grinned cheerfully until tears slowly rolled down their cheeks.

The wedding was held in the rural parish church in the Dale family’s home village.

Pamela Dale nee´ Denby looked stunning in a figure hugging white Saxon dress with a rounded V shaped collar and wide sleeves, the final touch was a simple floral halo of flowers that adorned her hair.  The groom’s father gave her away and the groom’s brother, Andrew performed as best man of course.  The ceremony was well attended though the bride’s side of the seating was bereft of family attendance because she was adopted and had found it difficult to include her blood relative, a mother who had no wish to be contacted.

The late June climate was stifling but the happy couple shared a moment of serenity when they signed the marriage register in the privacy of the vestry and admiring eyes watched as the bride and groom emerged finally to return down the aisle as Mr and Mrs Dale.

Well wishers smiled as they passed and joined them for wedding photographs at the side of the church.  Confetti was tossed and naturally Pamela’s bridesmaid and best friend Sylvia caught the bouquet as soon as the bride launched it over her shoulder.

A spectator watched with bated breath as the happy couple ran up to the awaiting white, beribboned Rolls Royce and the groom assisted his new bride into the vehicle.  The spectator’s sunglasses hid her features for there was foreboding in her heart because she could see only tragedy ahead for them both...

When’s your departure time Mark?

14:00 hrs, it’s a consignment of garden produce to Frankfurt am Main.  I should be returning by 16:00, possibly earlier.

Good, telephone me as soon as you return and I’ll pick you up.

Absent mindedly Mark said, Okay, as his mind concentrated on the flight ahead and he drove the car down through the familiar route to the airfield.

He wore his white short-sleeved shirt and dark blue tie with his regulation I.D. clipped conveniently to his breast pocket.  His dark blue trousers and black, highly polished shoes simply complemented the rest of his uniform; his cap lay bagged inside the car’s boot and his polythene shrouded tunic was hanging from a hook above the rear passenger door and revealed captain’s rings around the sleeves; and for those who needed further convincing a his name was sowed in golden thread immediately above the breast pocket: Captain Mark Dale.

Pamela Dale was planning to work part-time shifts in her old role of staff nurse now that Jerry was firmly set in at school and made a mental reminder to make the telephone enquiry later that morning.

Sitting next to her husband in the passenger seat she was hoping to get something special in for dinner, it was a bank holiday and she was looking forward to sharing a cosy long weekend with Mark and Jeremy of course.

Louisa Denby was Pamela’s half sister, they were the result of being sired by two different fathers yet they shared the same mother.  Strangely it was through her mother that Louisa had inherited the gift.  It was no secret that Louisa Denby had the gift of second sight in the commune that she had once stayed in.  It scared many away and she was stereotyped as one of the oddities in a community fraught with travellers and poets.

She had upped sticks repeatedly over many years suffering the butt of ignorance and discrimination for what she perceived as a natural occurrence as harmless as being left-handed or as useful as a multilingual interpreter. 

Her talent for seeing into the future could be likened to travelling on an astral road in a car looking at fleeting images ahead whilst keeping an eye on the rear view mirror and seeing the past.  Her first glimpse of her step sister’s startling episode with the knifeman had made Louisa literally quake in fear on her behalf.  She had tasted the vitriol of his bestiality as he waited to pounce on her kin.

It was the family likeness that had first brought it to her attention in her zoned out state, a fleeting glance ahead and then a feeling of being sucked into a whirlpool to a time in a dark alley in the near future where a murderer waited to carry out his dirty deed but the alley’s damp stillness was interrupted by a gaggle of students who Louisa felt sure would unknowingly save her life.  Then another time and place appeared in her reverie, far into the future to witness a new episode in her sister’s life, one which included her. 

Ever since that fateful day when Pamela had been attacked as a student nurse in an alleyway one dark November evening Louisa had been prescient to see the likely future take place and anticipate the needs of the vulnerable.  It had been the reason for her presence at her step sister’s wedding, she had not taken part in it, disguised in sunglasses she had been a mere spectator confirming events taking place that she had witnessed many years before as a medium.  She had seen the face of the baby two weeks before it was conceived and again it was the family resemblance that had drawn her inextricably to it.

Slowly and carefully she had made her application to the adoption agency register as a ‘next of kin’ referral, not unlike an insurance policy in case anything went wrong.

The silver Ford E Max was a hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicle with medium to good mileage capability and only the quiet whirr of the electric wheel motors revealed any sound at all to the Dale family as the car was driven onto the A road of duel carriageway that joined the short stretch of motorway leading to Castleton Airfield.  Jeremy sat with his legs splayed on the seat as he was too short to sit with his legs on the floor.  The sun was too bright to watch the screen enclosed in the rear of his father’s seat so he looked up and watched the lamp standards pass by until he was in a dreamlike state, then he heard a voice in his head, Keep looking Jeremy keep looking my child.

Work on that stretch of road had been completed that very morning, but the clean-up crew responsible for ensuring that the carriageway was clear for traffic were on the highways department’s lowest bid list and they had done a poor job.  Consequently a passing van rode over a piece of gypsum and a loose bolt from its roof rack bounced onto the road.

When the E Max approached the motorway at 73 miles per hour the nearside tyre was immediately speared by the bolt and a catastrophic steering fault occurred as the tyre valve fractured at its root and two thirds of its circular rubber form went flying out from behind it.

Temporary bollards divided the opposing fast lanes and the E Max veered across the central reservation and into the path of an articulated lorry in the central lane.  Mark Dale felt immediately at a loss to protect his wife and family as the vehicle careered