2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent) by Robert Storey

and showed him the footage that had been broadcast around the world.
    ‘This has been very damaging to the GMRC’s reputation,’ Sanderfield concluded.
    Clearly the man’s talents lay in stating the blindingly obvious, Joiner noted. He gave Sanderfield a withering look before walking over to watch the BBC news crew on a video wall. Secured in separate holding cells, the team of two awaited their fate. The cameraman had his head in his hands while the woman of the hour, Jessica Klein, paced around her small room like a caged animal, occasionally staring up at the camera that filmed her movements.
    Joiner knew the broadcaster was well liked by her many viewers and even within the upper reaches of the UK establishment. People believed what she said. The British Prime Minister had even referred to her as a ‘national treasure’ on a couple of occasions. This support had evidently given the news anchor a false sense of security and emboldened her to take such an ill-advised step against the GMRC.
    However, a five minute speech by one woman could only do so much damage. The problem now was how to react and to how to quell any further rants that might spout from her mouth. Joiner knew they were nearly at the stage when such concerns would no longer be a problem. In a few years’ time they could even have just let it go altogether, but as it was they needed to deal with it, with her.
    ‘Options?’ Joiner asked one of his agents, testing his subordinate’s acumen.
    ‘Profile the target,’ the agent replied after a moment’s pause. ‘Determine past indiscretions. Work up possible scenarios to discredit them.’
    Joiner nodded. ‘What about elimination?’
    ‘A last resort.’
    ‘Is it?’
    The agent looked at Joiner, unsure if his director was testing him again or proposing a serious solution.
    ‘You can’t just kill her,’ Sanderfield spoke up, visibly shocked at the suggestion.
    Joiner turned to look at the man as one might look at a bug on one’s shoe.
    ‘Can’t?’ Joiner said, his voice cold and flat and yet loaded with a threatening challenge.
    Sanderfield, suddenly realising who he was talking to, swallowed nervously.
    Joiner looked meaningfully to his aide, Debden, who acted as required.
    ‘Take your people and vacate this room immediately,’ Debden told the Population Control manager as he ushered him away. ‘Your services are no longer needed.’
    Sanderfield and his team scuttled from the interrogation suite, leaving the intelligence agents alone with their director.
    ‘Sir,’ another agent said, ‘surely killing them will cause more problems than it solves; the damage has already been done, has it not?’
    ‘Of course it has.’ Joiner removed his glasses and polished the lenses with a cloth. ‘No their deaths would not alter anything. But we need to make sure they – or more specifically, she – cannot cause the GMRC any more bad publicity.’
    ‘We could permanently relocate her to one of the subterranean bases,’ Debden suggested as he rejoined the group.
    Joiner shook his head. ‘No, she would be too much of a liability to have running around inside the system. We will keep her under twenty-four hour surveillance and discredit her with a subtle finesse. We will need to get creative on this one. Laying it on too thick with multiple infractions will appear too convenient, but infidelity or sexual deviance will be too weak or implausible. Dig up what you can on her family and her past. There will be something we can use. If not, run an audio-visual study on her and we can then make sure there is. A basic profile work up won’t be necessary as we already have every top employee within the media fully documented. Everything we need is at our fingertips. Make it happen.’
    ‘Yes, sir,’ his men replied in unison, then went their separate ways to carry out his orders.
    As Joiner watched the two prisoners once more he took out his phone and spoke in a command. ‘Call UK Prime