TEXT: THE SONS OF ERIN
  An Adventure Scenario for
  Millennium’s End
  There is an uneasy truce between the army and the IRA in the run-up to Easter..... until the
  Sons of Erin launch a rocket attack on the car of James Cavendish MP, Minister for Northern
  Ireland. But who are the Sons of Erin? And was the Minister their real target?
  Written by Mark Baker
  
  The Sons of Erin page 2 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Initial GM Notes
  This is a scenario for experienced Millennium's End players. A well balanced team is essential
  for completing the adventure. Investigative and Forensic skills are more important than tactical
  ones, although the scenario can end with a combat situation.
  In this assignment, maintaining client confidentiality is even more important than normal for a
  Blackeagle operation. A number of parallel investigations of the incident are being conducted
  by various groups. The Close Protection Unit is trying to determine if there is a breach in their
  own security. MI5, in its terrorist counter-intelligence role, is working to identify The Sons of
  Erin and their relationship to the IRA. Both the Metropolitan Police and Special Branch are
  working to identify and locate those responsible for the attack, and there is every possibility that
  their paths will cross that of the operatives. This would be a potentially embarrassing situation
  to all parties involved. If it came to light that a Blackeagle cell was investigating the attack, it
  would certainly lead to speculation by the authorities about whom the operatives are working
  for.
  This is a two-edged sword: having to progress cautiously means that the investigation is likely
  to be slowed for the operatives; but they may also be able to monitor the progress of the official
  inquiries, and use that information to jump ahead in their own investigation. It is also possible
  for the cell to work in collaboration with the police or Special Branch if the operatives own
  investigation comes to the attention of the law enforcement agencies. In this situation, they
  should always remember client confidentiality and the good reputation of Blackeagle.
  The Sons of Erin isn’t a short scenario and is likely to take more than one gaming session to
  complete. With the time limit imposed by the client, it is recommended that a single day of
  game time correspond to one gaming session.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 3 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  The Assignment
  It was an unusual start to the assignment. The call from Blake at the Octower had been curt, as
  though the senior cell leader for the London office of Blackeagle/Blackeagle was having trouble
  holding his temper in check. His summons back to the office for a briefing on a new assignment
  had been urgent, but he had given no details over the telephone even though the line was
  scrambled. Suffice to say that any call to an off-duty cell indicated exceptional circumstances.
  When you arrive at the Octower, Blake greets you personally in the lobby and escorts you
  through to the administrative office rather than his own, glass-walled office. To prevent any
  prying eyes? You note in passing that it is Patterson, the office L&P assistant who is manning
  reception, and there is no sign of any other administrative personnel around. Hell! There’s no
  sign of anyone from the other cells based in London, though some operatives must be in the
  office. There’s always at least one cell on call, working security in the building.
  As soon as the door is closed, Blake starts.
  “I assume that you have all been keeping up with the news while you’ve been
  on leave!”
  The Senior Cell leader doesn’t give anyone a chance to reply before continuing.
  “For those of you who’ve been out of touch with the real world for the past two
  days, the IRA broke their six-month cease-fire yesterday with a rocket attack in
  the East End of London, killing the Minister for Northern Ireland. A high court
  judge and a Close Protection agent also died in the attack. Sinn Fein has since
  disavowed the incident and admits no knowledge of either the phone call to
  RTE that preceded the attack, or the Sons of Erin who have claimed credit for
  the incident. The press is speculating that they’re a new splinter group from the
  Provisional IRA. The reports this lunchtime suggested that Brigid Connor, an
  official spokesperson for Sinn Fein, who was elected to parliament in the 1996
  election, is currently having urgent talks with the Deputy Irish Minister.”
  He then proceeds to give you a preliminary briefing, detailing the events of the previous day,
  before introducing you to the client.
  “At midday, a news journalist at Radio Telefis Eirran, the Irish broadcasting
  agency received a phone call from someone that he recognised as being a
  senior member of Sinn Fein. The caller included known codewords in the
  preamble to prove his identity, then read a statement indicating that the IRA
  were concerned with the slow speed with which peace talks were progressing,
  and as a result the cease-fire was considered officially ended.
  “The journalist duly faxed a transcript of the call to Downing Street, and the
  Prime Minister summoned his Irish Minister to discuss this sudden and
  unexpected turn of events. James Cavendish, the minister in question, had
  been dining at a restaurant in Docklands at the time with Lady Karen Althorp, a
  senior High Court judge, discussing the case of three terrorists whose conviction
  for handling explosives was currently under appeal. When he received the
  summons they both set out back toward central London, she returning to the
  Inns of Court, he to Downing Street.
  “As the car passed through Stepney, it was hit by a rocket, initially identified as
  an RPG-7. Despite its armour plating, the car was almost completely destroyed
  by the blast. All three occupants were killed instantly.”
  He pauses, as though to give you time to commit the details to mind, or perhaps steeling
  himself for something repugnant. His knuckles are white, and there is a tension in his voice as
  he concludes:
  “Our client wishes us to find who was responsible for the murders. I’ll introduce
  you to her now.”
  Blake then takes you through to one of the regular briefing rooms where you see Michelle
  Levadieu, the office legal aide, conversing with a tall red-haired woman. Her face is
  recognisable from the news — Brigid Connor, Member of Parliament and a Sinn Fein
  spokeswoman in London. Now the reasons for Blake’s restrained anger become clear. Having
  served in Northern Ireland, he has little tolerance for the IRA or their political wing. Connor
  
  The Sons of Erin page 4 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  must have presented some pretty conclusive evidence that the IRA was not involved for him
  even to consider meeting her face to face, let alone accepting her as a client. Following the
  formal introductions, he and Michelle leave you alone with the client.
  Connor’s voice when she speaks is a surprise. The media is not permitted to broadcast the
  actual spoken words of those associated with the IRA, so they get round this by dubbing over
  with an actor’s voice, typically with a broad Ulster accent. Her real voice has a home-counties
  accent, with only the faintest hint of an Irish brogue. Her briefing adds little to what the cell has
  already been told by Blake.
  “We know as little about ‘The Sons of Erin’ as the Anti-Terrorist Squad do — to
  all intents and purposes, they never existed prior to this incident. Our own
  people in both the North and the Republic have been trying to track down who
  they might be, but with no success. We suspect that they are still in Britain, but
  don’t have the resources to hunt for them here, especially with the restrictions
  imposed on Irish members of the community in the past twenty-four hours.
  “No member of Sinn Fein made this statement to RTE. With the delicate state
  of negotiations between ourselves and the Irish and British governments, we
  would do nothing to upset that balance. Given the deterioration in relations
  between Britain and the Irish people over the past twenty-four hours, the
  situation will be irrecoverable within another three days.”
  Conor will offer £40,000 for the cell to discover the identities of those responsible for the rocket
  attack. If it is the work of a splinter group from within the IRA, then no action is to be taken
  against them directly. This is a stipulation of the contract. She makes it quite clear that they will
  not go unpunished, without actually saying so. If the terrorists are not IRA members, and the
  cell can provide proof of this, then she is prepared to pay a bonus of £20,000; and isn’t
  concerned what becomes of the assassins. The proof would then be handed over to the British
  government, and the terrorists would become their responsibility. She is prepared to negotiate
  up to £50,000 with a £25,000 bonus, and an initial up-front payment of £20,000, but cannot go
  any higher than that. However, the operatives do have a deadline. Unless they have made
  significant progress within sixty hours, the contract will be terminated and the balance of the fee
  will be forfeit.
  Conor also wants regular progress updates, at least twice a day, and gives the cell leader the
  number of her cellular phone.
  Why has an off-duty cell been called in? Because of the potential political ramifications of the
  assignment, and because Blake is acting against established Blackeagle/Blackeagle policies in
  accepting a contract from a known terrorist organisation. (The connection between Sinn Fein
  and the Provisional IRA is flexible at best.) This contract can't be run through the books in the
  normal fashion.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 5 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  The Real Scoop
  The Sons of Erin don't exist: they are the creation
  of a radical group of extremists within the right
  wing British Patriotic Front who want the ceasefire
  broken, and to see full martial law and the return
  of Internment imposed in Northern Ireland. To
  them, killing the traitorous minister that originally
  negotiated the truce as a means of provoking a
  strong government reaction was an ironic bonus.
  What they don't realise was that they were being
  manipulated by agents of The Disciples (see
  sidebar) who have infiltrated the organisation. F7
  Branch of the Security Service (MI5) reported on
  the split from the BPF and the reasons for it
  several months before, and it subsequently come
  to the attention of The Disciples. Acting on their
  behalf Steve Edwards approached the splinter
  group. He quickly established his credentials,
  describing his tours of duty in Northern Ireland
  and indulging in a spot of ‘paddy bashing’.
  Edwards, of course, was an assumed identity, that
  of a former corporal in the Parachute Regiment
  and ex-mercenary who had been killed in the
  attempted coup in Belize in 1996. The man
  calling himself Edwards (real name unknown)
  acts as a field agent for The Disciples.
  In due course, the opportunity arose to use the
  group as a weapon. The Disciples weren't
  interested in the Irish Minister at all: he was just
  the bait for goading the BPF splinter group into
  action on their behalf. The real target for the
  attack was the Lady Justice, Karen Althorp. In the
  Spring of 1998, she had been commissioned by
  Parliament to report on the accountability of the
  security services. Somehow, a series of leaked,
  secret documents that did not officially exist had
  come into her possession, and many of the
  questions raised by them were leading her too
  close to uncovering the existence of The
  Disciples.
  Karen Althorp 
  was 
  having 
  an 
  affair 
  with
  Cavendish, the Irish Minister in the Cabinet.
  Although the press was aware of this relationship, neither party was married, so printing the
  story was of no interest to the papers. Nor could The Disciples use it to blackmail or discredit
  her. However, if she was to have an ‘accident’, especially if it did not seem as though she was
  the target, the parliamentary inquiry could be manipulated. They would be able to determine
  her replacement, recommending someone that they could control, and the incriminating
  documents would disappear. The time had come to use their anti-Irish weapon.
  Accordingly, Edwards convinced the BPF splinter group that the liberal voices in parliament
  would be neutralised in any vote to introduce radical new anti-terrorist legislation if the IRA
  committed an atrocity that shocked the public. Such an atrocity didn’t seem likely with the
  current IRA ceasefire seemingly secure, so he suggested manufacturing an incident.
  The Disciples
  The Disciples are a Star Chamber, an
  inner cabal of senior civil servants, high
  ranking military officers, members of the
  judiciary and security services, even the
  church, who wield enormous influence in
  government. But the Disciples aren’t just
  lobbyists, each with their own individual
  agendas. They are the inner circle of a
  small, secret society that believes in the
  pre-eminence of the British Empire as a
  world power.
  Their goal is the restoration of a Britain
  even greater than it was at the peak of
  its imperial might under Queen Victoria.
  To achieve this, they manipulate all
  shades of the political spectrum, playing
  them off against each other, using this
  smokescreen to cover placing their own
  appointees into positions of influence
  and power.
  For the conspiracy theorists among you,
  what you’ve always believed is true. The
  Illuminati do exist. The Disciples are the
  power behind the throne, the puppet-
  masters, the true rulers of Britain.
  The operatives aren’t going to discover
  the existence of The Disciples in this
  assignment, but they may unearth a few
  clues to their existence. They should be
  left with the feeling that there are still
  questions unanswered. Where did the
  Sons of Erin learn about Cavendish and
  Althorp’s movements? How were they
  able to breach the Close Protection
  Unit’s security? Who is Steve Edwards?
  
  The Sons of Erin page 6 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Edwards, as the only man in the group with
  military experience, planned the attack and acted
  as co-ordinator. He was joined by Adrian Hopkins,
  a taxi driver; Henry Cairns, a electronics repair
  engineer; William Finn and Denis Boyle, both
  Ulstermen working in London, one as a ticket
  inspector on the London Underground, the other
  unemployed; and Edward Friel, a sound engineer
  with a local radio station.
  Friel was responsible for engineering the taped
  statement by Martin Adams, using material from
  old interviews with the Sinn Fein spokesman
  borrowed from the Reuters archive. He used his
  home studio equipment to create the composite
  tape, and purchased the phone used to send the
  message to RTE.
  Two cars were used in the attack: both stolen the
  day before, a Ford Transit van parked at Reading
  station, and a Volvo estate from outside a
  Canterbury supermarket. Denis Boyle and Adrian
  Hopkins were responsible for this piece of
  larceny.
  The five members chosen to attack the vehicle
  had been informed of the timing for the attack,
  and which route the car would be following, but
  had no knowledge of where this information had
  come from. In fact, Edwards determined which
  route would be used. When Mark Liddell, the
  Close 
  Protection 
  agent 
  driving 
  for 
  James
  Cavendish, radioed Central Despatch for a secure
  route his signal was intercepted, and he was
  directed toward the ambush site.
  Staking out the prearranged route just up the road
  from the Austin Secondary School, Henry Cairns (dressed in appropriately nondescript but
  official looking green overalls) had opened up the traffic light control box while Denis Boyle
  kept watch from the pedestrian crossing for the arrival of the car. William Finn handled the
  RPG from the back of a Ford Transit van driven by Edward Friel and parked opposite the
  school entrance. Adrian Hopkins waited in the Volvo with the engine running. As the ministers
  car came in sight, Boyle signalled the others and then returned to the Volvo to arm himself.
  Traffic was light at that time of day, and Cairns only had to let one other car through the
  junction before switching the traffic lights to red.
  With the Bentley stopped at the lights, Finn kicked opened the rear doors of the van and fired
  the RPG. As the van doors opened, the CPU driver realised the threat, but barely had time to
  react. He tried to pull away, to swing round the corner out from the line of fire. His efforts were
  of no avail as the rocket struck. With the echoes of the explosion still ringing, Boyle hosed the
  burning wreck with fire from a MAC Ingram M10.
  It was at this point that things ceased going according to the plan. Cairns too should have
  emptied a magazine into the wrecked car from the M10 that he carried in his toolbag, but he
  had been caught in the explosion and lay bleeding and unconscious on the pavement. (The
  police were aware that one of the terrorists had been injured, but didn’t release this piece of
  information to the press.)
  Realising what had happened Boyle picked up his colleague and carried him to the car. Then
  both vehicles sped off to the East, heading back through Barking and Dagenham, and across
  the Dartford Bridge. On route, Friel made a second call to London’s Capital Radio, again
  playing a pre-recorded message from tape claiming responsibility for the attack in the name of
  The Sons of Erin.
  The Leader and the Pawns
  Steve Edwards is a professional in the
  game of terrorism and ‘dirty tricks’, but
  the other members of the group are
  strictly amateurs. Although Edwards has
  planned the assassination, and put the
  group in contact with the arms dealer
  from whom they purchased the weapons
  and RPG7, he has avoided leaving a trail
  that would lead the police back to him.
  The only time he dirtied his own hands
  was when he drugged and tortured Phillip
  Jameson, the despatcher with the Close
  Protection Unit, to extract the details of
  radio frequencies procedures. Although
  Edwards left some of his own blood in
  Jameson’s apartment there are no clues
  to tie the incident back to him. Once he
  knows the result of the attack, he will
  vanish without trace.
  Edwards doesn’t care what happens to
  the others, as long as the Judge is killed
  in the attack, and it does not appear that
  she was the primary target.
  In the absence of Edwards, Friel has
  taken on the role of de facto leader of the
  group. The Sons of Erin will sink or swim
  on his decisions. His knowledge of attack
  and evasion techniques is no better than
  any of the others, derived largely from
  films and television.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 7 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Back in Docklands, Steve Edwards remained at his station until he heard the news reports
  about the attack and was sure the victims were dead before disappearing. With his mission
  accomplished, he didn’t care what happened to his stooges.
  The two cars drove off from the site of the attack along different routes, but met up again when
  they reached the M25. From monitoring the police frequencies, Friel learned that the Volvo had
  been noticed driving erratically and at speed by a beat policeman, and led the other car to an
  underground garage in Dartford.
  When the two vehicles stopped the terrorists realised how badly Cairns was hurt, and Friel
  made one further phone call to a colleague in the British Patriotic Front, Richard Mayfield, who
  advised them on a doctor that could be counted on to be discrete. Dr Moore did what he could
  for Cairns, and then the group took the Ford Transit and drove to Norlands Farm where they
  are now hiding out waiting for Steve Edwards.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 8 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Timescale of Prior Events
  Day 1
  12:00
  The Sons of Erin, claiming to speak for Sinn Fein, make a telephone call to
  the headquarters of RTE in Dublin. Codewords are used to authenticate the
  message as an official IRA statement.
  12:10
  A full transcript is faxed to Downing Street, and a copy of the recording
  transmitted electronically almost immediately afterwards.
  12:25
  Sinn Fein are informed about the statement by a sympathiser at RTE and
  start their own investigations into who the Sons of Erin might be.
  12:35
  James Cavendish, attending a working lunch with Lady Justice Karen
  Althorp, is informed of the statement. The two cut their lunch short, and
  drive back into London together (he to join the Prime Minister at Number
  10, she to return to the Inns of Court).
  12:53
  Stopping at a set of traffic light, their car is hit by a rocket attack killing
  them both together with their driver.
  13:10
  A telephone call from the Sons of Erin to London's Capital Radio claims
  responsibility for the bombing.
  13:15
  First media reports of the attack
  13:25
  The Prime Minister publicly condemns the breach of the ceasefire and
  demands an explanation from Sinn Fein.
  13:42
  The Volvo used by the terrorists is abandoned in an underground car park
  in Dartford.
  Friel contacts Richard Mayfield, a friend in the BPF, asking for the name of
  a discreet doctor that they can use to treat the injured Cairns.
  13:45
  Sinn Fein make a statement denying all knowledge of the incident, but
  indicate that the British Government's unwillingness to actually sit down at
  the negotiating table might have provoked a splinter group to take matters
  into their own hands.
  14:05
  The terrorists take the wounded Cairns to Dr. Myers.
  14:40
  The RUC are re-issued with automatic weapons. Stop and Search is
  reinstated in Northern Ireland.
  Subsequently the Met starts to pull in known and suspected IRA
  sympathisers in the London area for questioning.
  17:25
  With Cairns patched up by Dr. Myers, the terrorists continue round the M25
  in the Ford Transit as far as Norlands Farm to await the arrival of Steve
  Edwards.
  Day 2
  07:15
  Brigid Connor requests urgent discussions about the escalating situation
  with the new acting Minister for Northern Ireland.
  08:40
  Over breakfast, Connor makes her first contact with Blackeagle over a
  cellular phone so that her call does not appear on any records.
  09:00
  Blake starts his own investigation into the Sinn Fein statement.
  12:10
  Evading both her bodyguards and the Special Branch escort, Connor slips
  out of the hotel to an arranged pickup point, from where she is taken to the
  Octower.
  15:30
  Blake contacts members of the cell to call them into the office.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 9 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  The Action
  Remember that there is a time limit for this assignment and keep the clock ticking on the
  operatives.
  1.
  Analysis of the IRA Statement — John Blake still has a few contacts in the Irish
  Republic, and has already received a copy of the taped phone call to RTE. It isn’t the
  original of course, but an electronic copy together with a copy of the transcript faxed to
  Downing Street. Analysis of the recording will reveal that the voice was that of Martin
  Adams; but the message it contained was faked, a composite built from a series of
  recorded appearances by the Sinn Fein spokesman. The cuts on the tape are easily
  discernible through good audio equipment — such as can be found in Patterson’s
  forensics lab — especially notable is where several different syllables have been
  spliced to generate a single word. It should also be noted that RTE recorded the
  message directly onto digital media, yet the hiss of the tape motor is clearly audible.
  Transcripts of both statements (that made to RTE, and the second call to Capital
  Radio claiming responsibility) can be found in the Handouts section of this document.
  2.
  The Telephone Shop — Blake has already had the recording analysed, else he would
  never have considered meeting Brigid Connor. He has also learned from his contacts
  in the Irish Garda that the call originated from a cellular phone bought at a
  communications store in Hammersmith the day before. Should the operatives decide
  to follow this lead, the police have already been down the route ahead of them as the
  store owner will inform them. The man who bought the phone was generally
  nondescript: about 5’11” and heavy build; clean-shaven and all his hair shaved; and
  with a local accent. He wore jeans, a green jumper and a black, leather jacket. His
  only distinguishing feature was the tattoo of a bird on the inside of his right wrist. The
  telephone he bought was of a type using pre-paid cards (he bought £50 of calls in
  advance), and the man paid in cash.
  3.
  Source of the Voice — Surprisingly, the voice on the recording is genuinely that of
  the Sinn Fein spokesman Martin Adams. (Perhaps not so surprising, given that the
  journalist at RTE recognised the voice over the telephone.) Although the statement
  
  The Sons of Erin page 10 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  was a composite, created from a series of recordings, this means that it could not
  have been doctored from his appearances on television or radio. At least, not in the
  UK where the media is not permitted to broadcast the actual spoken words of those
  associated with the IRA. If it was created from British media sources, it could only
  mean that the person who created the tape had access to original recordings such as
  those found in radio or television news archives.
  4.
  Use of Code-words — The two codewords used to identify the caller as being a
  genuine spokesman for the IRA were considered authentic by both RTE and the
  government. Although a number of people on both sides of the conflict (as well as
  independents such as the television and radio stations contacted) would know the
  significance of using these phrases, it is a fairly limited number.
  5.
  News Gathering Agencies — Whoever created the taped message not only knew the
  codewords that would authenticate the message, but also had access to original
  recordings of Martin Adams. It isn’t a good idea for the operatives to try approaching
  agencies to find who might have access to this type of material. Not only are there a
  large number of agencies (television, radio and newspapers all record such interviews)
  and a large number of employees in each who have access to archive materials, but
  news agencies also love to investigate anyone that shows an interest in their
  activities…. Especially if it might be connected with the story of the moment. Any
  attempt to seek information on those who have been accessing interview materials
  with Adams should be at a Diplomacy or Acting roll of –25. There are other methods
  than the direct approach, of course, but it is very easy for the operatives to get bogged
  down in a long and fruitless search, with a high risk of attracting unwanted attention.
  Unless they stumble on the right agency quickly, this is potentially a dead end.
  6.
  Bodyguard procedures — Those familiar with body-guarding or close protection
  work might consider the apparent procedural mistakes made by the driver, Mark
  Liddell. Why did James Cavendish share a car with Karen Althorp? Why was there no
  backup car with the Minister? How did the terrorists know where he was, and which of
  several possible routes the driver might have taken between the restaurant and central
  London?
  7.
  The Ristorante Capri — The Ristorante Capri, home of Southern Italy’s finest cuisine
  and newly opened on a boat moored alongside Canary Wharf, was the site of the
  deceaseds’ last meal. The cuisine has already been rated five-star by food critics; and
  it attracts a fairly exclusive and glamorous clientele, an image that the owners are
  trying to nurture.
  Police are trying to prevent unauthorised access to the site at the request of the
  owners, but parties who have booked a table have access to the restaurant. Asking
  questions of the waiters over a meal isn’t considered strange: a number of police
  officers on the investigation took advantage and ate there (on expenses of course)
  during the early stages of their investigation. The staff there are so used to official-
  looking guys questioning them about the incident that a simple Diplomacy or Acting
  roll will provide answers to any of the operatives’ questions – unless they look like the
  journalists that are also hanging around.
  Those same journalists will, of course, attempt to interrogate anyone appearing to
  have official police business on the premises, and can detect a lie at twenty paces.
  Operatives beware.
  8.
  Cavendish and Althorp — The answer to the first question may come from checking
  with contacts at the Close Protection Unit (CPU), or even with newspaper contacts.
  The official story is that the two were discussing the appeal hearing of three IRA men
  jailed on explosives charges. However, a bit of digging provides a rather different tale.
  Cavendish was having an affair with Karen Althorp. Although the press was aware of
  this relationship, neither party was married, so printing the story was of no interest to
  the papers. The restaurant staff can also confirm that, although this was supposedly a
  business lunch, the two seemed very close.
  The GM can use this opportunity to reveal rather more about the Lady Chief Justice
  and her role in her report on the accountability of the security services. A general
  background history of both the victims is provided in the Handouts section of this
  
  The Sons of Erin page 11 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  scenario.
  9.
  Liddell’s Radio Call — The Close Protection Unit has no record of the driver calling
  for a secured route prior to setting off from the restaurant; but according to the police
  statements, eyewitnesses there remember seeing him speaking on the car radio just
  before his passengers got in. Even if the operatives don’t have any access to the
  police inquiry, they can learn this just by interviewing the restaurant staff themselves.
  Of course, the operatives don’t have access to the CPU’s Central Despatch records,
  and trying to get that information could prove extremely hazardous to the assignment.
  They are in the midst of a major investigation at the moment to discover how their own
  security was breached. Any attempt to access this information through contacts at the
  unit should be at a Diplomacy or Acting roll of –40. Don’t even consider hacking into
  their computer systems for access to relevant information at the moment: that would
  require a networks roll at –15 to locate the Unit’s systems, and a security roll at –80.
  10.
  Pirate Radio — So how were the terrorists able to prevent the bodyguard from
  contacting central despatch?
  The Bentley Azure that Cavendish used as his official government car was equipped
  with a Racal Cougarnet secured radio transceiver. This system uses a series of
  ‘Talkthrough’ stations to provide a full communications network. Static radio
  transceivers are configured to access a specific Talkthrough station, though this
  connection can be dynamically modified depending on the circumstances. Any
  transmission from a mobile unit is picked up by the nearest Talkthrough station which
  passes the signal on through the other Talkthrough stations on the net until it reaches
  its destination. In doing so, it reconfigures that route through the network so that it will
  know where to ‘look’ for that mobile unit again until its position changes. The system is
  frequency agile and digitally encrypted for security.
  To bypass the system, a ‘pirate’ would need to know the range of frequencies and the
  encryption key being used. Edwards had been provided with this information, together
  with the details of the code-phrases used by the Close Protection Unit.
  Knowing the locations of the nearby stations on the network, Edwards generated a low-
  power jamming signal across the appropriate frequency range to block signals
  between the car and the genuine Talkthrough stations. This signal was being
  transmitted randomly for a fraction of a second and many times each second, so it
  sounded more like static than jamming. Once Liddell could no longer communicate
  with central despatch, the ex-mercenary configured his own ‘alternative’ Talkthrough
  station, working on the same frequency range, to look as though it was a part of the
  network to the transceiver in the car. He was then able to intercept the signal, inform
  Liddell which route he was to use on his way back to Central London (using the
  appropriate code-phrases), and assure the driver that a backup car was on the way to
  meet him.
  Naturally, the central control for the Close Protection Unit was concerned that their
  own signals weren’t acknowledged by Liddell. CougarNet is supposedly capable of
  detecting jamming attempts, and raising an alarm; but they had received nothing to
  indicate that this was the case. When they tried to contact him, all they could hear was
  static. Having been informed of the threat posed by the supposed Sinn Fein
  statement, they immediately despatched backup vehicles to the Minister’s last known
  location, but arrived too late. Liddell, the Minister and the Judge had already left the
  restaurant and were on their way through Stepney.
  11.
  Phillip Jameson — Any approach to the Close Protection Unit should be made with
  caution, but the operatives may find a way of discovering that the CPU Controller
  responsible for Despatch on the day of the attack, Janice Renfrew, was a stand-in. The
  operative who should have been on duty that day, Phillip Jameson, had phoned in sick
  shortly before the start of his shift.
  Careful checking of records will reveal that Jameson has lived in a small apartment in
  Hammersmith since his divorce two years ago. If the operatives pay him a visit, they
  will find the place locked and in darkness. Should you wish for a plan of the flat, you
  can use the Garden Apartment map from the Millennium’s End GM’s Companion.
  Physical security is average. The alarm system is state of the art, but isn’t turned on.
  Breaking in will reveal that a struggle took place there, perhaps two or three days ago.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 12 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Furniture has been knocked around the room and a broken photograph of Jameson
  and his ex-wife lies near the window. There are blood stains on the carpet - two
  different blood groups: O- (matching that of the body in the bathroom) and AB+.
  The operatives will find a body tied to the toilet seat in the bathroom, almost certainly
  that of Jameson from the photographs. His throat has been cut, so there is a lot of
  dried blood around. The sleeve of his shirt has been rolled up, a shoe-lace tied about
  his upper arm, and there are bruises from two needle marks visible. Any guesses
  where Edwards got his information about radio frequencies, routes, radio jargon, etc?
  Characters with Medicine and Forensics may be able to determine that Jameson died
  at least eight hours before he phoned in sick to the CPU (if they are aware of that
  fact).
  Should the cell investigate Jameson’s apartment during the day, allow them about an
  hour and a half at the flat to discover any secrets it may hold. If the operatives visit the
  flat during the night, then they will have until about 07:00 to do any detective work they
  wish. At that point, armed members of the CPU will arrive as they follow their own
  investigation, and it is not a good idea to be caught by them alongside the body of one
  of their men. Unless the operatives are very careful, they will be some traces of their
  presence in the apartment. Leaving their own fingerprints behind would not be a good
  idea.
  12.
  Visiting the Site — At some point, the members of the cell should visit the site of the
  attack. The area was closed off for most of yesterday afternoon as the police forensics
  team combed the area for a better understanding of precisely what had occurred, and
  for any leads. However it has now been reopened, and operatives will be able to spend
  some time here trying to piece together the order of events and see if there are any
  leads that they themselves can glean. A plan of the area is provided in the Handouts
  section of this document.
  13.
  The Austin School — The nearby Austin School was on its lunch break at the time of
  the attack and everyone there heard what was happening at the traffic lights. Some of
  the pupils and a few of the staff even saw the explosion. Police have already
  interviewed everyone here, and determined that no-one saw the perpetrators.
  Operatives entering the school to try and question pupils or staff will be asked to
  provide identification that authorises them to be on the school premises. If they cannot
  do so, the headmistress (Theresa Masters) will call the police. Similarly, police will be
  called if they attempt to pester pupils as they arrive in the morning or finish for the
  day.
  If the operatives are present at the site during a break period, they might occasionally
  notice one or two of the pupils sneaking through the gates and across the road to the
  bus shelter for a few minutes, and then back to school.
  14.
  A reluctant eyewitness — One eyewitness to the explosion who never came forward
  to the police was Adam Phillips, a young drug dealer whose 'turf' was the Austin
  School and who had been plying his trade just outside the school gates during the
  lunchtime break. While the police teams are on the scene he has been avoiding Austin
  Street, and staking out his business beyond the back gates of the school. Now that the
  police have gone, he is in his usual location in the bus shelter.
  The young dealer is only a small fry in the world of drugs. Mainly he just sells grass
  and E’s to the kids from the school. He doesn’t have an enforcer or even carry a
  weapon, relying on his knowledge of the back streets to run away from any trouble.
  This isn’t a contested turf, penny-ante dealings with school-kids isn’t worth fighting
  over, so there never has been any trouble and Phillips has grown complacent. He isn’t
  particularly fit, so the operatives should have no problem apprehending him, and he’ll
  gladly answer any questions (other than those about his business dealings) if he thinks
  it will get him free.
  At the time of the attack, Phillips saw someone in green overalls working on the traffic
  light control box as the target approached the lights. When the terrorists fired their
  RPG, the man in green overalls was partly caught in the blast. As they made their
  getaway, heading South across the river in a green Volvo estate, they took the
  casualty with them. Phillips even managed to get a partial licence plate on the Volvo,
  
  The Sons of Erin page 13 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  N ??? PGG.
  15.
  Police Records — It is probably not a good idea for the operatives to make direct
  inquiries to any of their police contacts. Questions about this particular investigation
  will almost certainly raise eyebrows (Diplomacy or Acting rolls at –45) and draw
  attention from unwanted quarters such as Special Branch.
  However, there are ways of accessing police information without drawing unwanted
  attention. Questions can be phrased in a more general way, so that the information
  required is just part of the answer. Of course the operatives need some clues that will
  allow them to determine just what information is of value and what isn’t; and some
  topics (such as asking about RPG7s) are still taboo subjects because they’ll raise all
  kinds of alarms.
  An alternative is to monitor police radio. Again, there will be a wealth of irrelevant
  information, and most of the investigation isn’t being conducted over the airwaves, but
  some useful titbits can be gleaned this way. For example, the operatives can learn that
  police are still hunting for a green Volvo estate, registration N 893 PGG, reported
  stolen and last sighted yesterday near the Dartford Bridge. Police are unsure whether
  or not it was one of the vehicles used in the terrorist attack.
  16.
  Register of Stolen Vehicles — Unless the operatives have at least a partial license
  plate, the police records of stolen cars will be of little value to them. With a partial
  licence number, and the type of car used, the characters can try using whatever
  means at their disposal to access the database of car registrations at the Driver and
  Vehicle Licence Centre (DVLC) in Swansea, or the Police National Computer (PNC).
  From either source, they can verify that the Volvo used (full registration N 893 PGG)
  was stolen the day before its use in the attack from outside a supermarket in
  Canterbury. From PNC sources, they can also learn that it was sighted at 13:20 on the
  day of the attack by a constable patrolling on foot near the Dartford Bridge. He noted
  that it was being driven erratically and at speed, heading southward across the river.
  Suspecting a connection with the terrorist attack, the aerial support unit and patrol cars
  in the area were despatched to intercept it, but arrived too late to find anything.
  17.
  Abandoned Car — The green Volvo that the terrorists used was abandoned in a 24-
  hour underground car park just South of the river in Dartford when they all transferred
  to the transit van. The ‘Sons of Erin’ aren’t professionals, and though they wiped prints
  from the dasboard, the controls and doors of the car, there is a wealth of forensic
  evidence left in the vehicle.
  At this point, the operatives own investigations can leap ahead of the police if they
  locate the car before the authorities do. Police are poring over footage from traffic
  cameras hunting for the vehicle, while beat bobbies and patrol cars are searching the
  streets. Unfortunately, none of the cameras in this area are capable of identifying a
  number plate automatically, so the authorities are relying on sheer manpower to give
  them a break. Of course, there is nothing to suggest that the car has been abandoned,
  so it isn’t a primary line of the investigation. And such is the volume of camera
  images, and possible locations where a car might have been hidden that it will be
  some days before the car is located.
  If the operatives are hunting for the car in Dartford, looking in likely places where a
  vehicle might have been abandoned, then you can give the cell their lucky break. Let
  them find the car quickly. Alternatively, if they have been keeping in regular contact
  with Brigid Connor as per her instructions, then they should have informed her of their
  hunt. Connor will mobilise the Irish community in the area to search as well, letting the
  operatives know when the vehicle has been found. Even if the operatives haven’t
  been keeping her updated with their movements, or told her the registration number of
  the vehicle, the IRA have monitored police frequencies for many years now, and will
  be aware of the police interest in this vehicle.
  There are a number of useful leads in the car when it is found:
  The launcher for the RPG7 is locked in the boot of the vehicle. This weapon still has a
  serial number on it, and a check on the Blackeagle databases (or those of other
  appropriate agencies) will reveal that it was part of a shipment from an East German
  
  The Sons of Erin page 14 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  dealer in transit to Haiti. End User certificates for the batch were obtained by Peres
  International Trading.
  Blood on the rear seat (group A+) from Cairns’ injuries, show that he was seriously hurt
  and would definitely have needed medical attention. Searching hospital records for
  any victims from an explosion will draw a blank, and would certainly have been
  reported to the police. However, written on a scrap of crumpled paper in the ash tray
  (perhaps the terrorists were trying to burn it) are the words ‘Doctor Moore’. A check in
  the phone book will show a Dr. Moore running a clinic in Dartford not far from the car
  park.
  18.
  A Discreet Doctor — With one of the terrorists injured by the blast, his colleagues
  tried to find medical help for him. Dr. Moore was recommended to them by one of their
  British Patriotic Front colleagues, Richard Mayfield, called by Friel when he realised
  that they needed access to a doctor who wouldn’t report the incident to the police. Dr.
  Moore has helped members of the BPF before, conveniently forgetting to report
  stabbings and shotgun injuries to the police.
  However the operatives approach Dr. Moore he is easily browbeaten, and will quickly
  lose his composure revealing everything he knows. Unfortunately, this isn’t much. Two
  men brought the victim into his surgery, while two others kept watch outside. They
  may have been armed with pistols, but he couldn’t say for certain. The injured man
  was the victim of an explosion and suffering from third degree burns as well as
  wounds from the shrapnel. He removed the shrapnel, patched up the wounds and
  applied a salve to the burns, but his recommendation was to take the man to a hospital
  for specialist burn treatment. He believes that the victim was called Henry, and one of
  the others was called Adrian. The Doctor had no idea what the group had been doing.
  Nor did they say where they were going when they left, and he didn’t ask.
  Dr. Moore believed that he was helping members of the British Patriotic Front rather
  than IRA terrorists. They were recommended to him by a BPF acquaintance, Richard
  Mayfield. Mayfield actually called the doctor to warn him that he would be receiving
  some business within the next few hours. Currently out of work, operatives can get
  Mayfield’s address from the phone book.
  19.
  Richard Mayfield — Richard Mayfield, fellow member of the British Patriotic Front,
  would be shocked if he knew what his colleagues had been doing. In fact, this is the
  easiest way to get him to reveal what he knows. ‘Paddy bashing’ is one thing, even the
  occasional shooting, but the thought that BPF members should stoop to assassinate a
  Member of Parliament and a High Court Judges is not something that he would
  countenance.
  If asked about Dr. Moore, he will readily confess that he received a call from one of his
  acquaintances, Edward Friel, asking him if he knew of a discrete doctor in the London
  area, preferably to the south-east. He doesn’t have Friel’s address, only a phone
  number for a mobile (one familiar to those operatives who’ve been checking on the
  calls to RTE and Capital Radio). He does know that Friel recently started a company in
  collaboration with a number of other BPF men, Boadicea Industries. A quick check will
  reveal that Boadicea Industries was registered with Companies House two weeks ago,
  and has a business address at Norlands Farm near Heathrow Airport.
  20.
  Interview with an Arms Dealer — The number of illicit arms dealers that have
  access to advanced weaponry such as rockets in the UK is limited, and Blackeagle
  have files on most of them. A scan through the database will reveal details of three
  dealers who have been linked to shipments of RPGs in the past three months.
  Note that a copy of this list can be found in the Handouts section of this document.
  Hektor Wolk
  Hektor Wolk is a German national who has made his home in London. By profession an
  advertising salesman, he got into the arms business after he started selling space for
  Jane's, the publisher of military reference books.
  Wolk was arrested in 1986 by US Federal Customs for attempting to purchase $320m
  worth of aircraft, tanks and missiles for sale to Iran. Though the case never came to trial,
  he hasn't ventured into the big leagues since; but still maintains a respectable living from
  smaller deals.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 15 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Stephen Thomas
  A London-based lawyer, tall and slim with distinguished silver hair, Thomas lives in
  Norfolk Crescent in London's West End with offices in nearby Clarendon Place. An
  American by birth, he comes from a wealthy New York family and is well known on the
  London social scene.
  Thomas is a broker rather than a dealer. He acts as a negotiator between buyers and the
  actual dealers for a 10% commission of the full purchase value.
  David and Solomon
  Greenberg
  Israeli brothers, living in the Camberwell district of London, who run Peres International
  Trading from a warehouse on the South Bank. Peres has contacts in a number of
  countries across the world who will put their name to End User Certificates, giving
  overseas sales a degree of legitimacy.
  Most of their merchandise is bought and sold outside of Britain, but they aren't above
  selling small arms locally.
  Of course, no arms dealer is going to just hand over his records for examination, even
  to Blackeagle operatives. Confidentiality is a hallmark of their trade, necessary if they
  intend to stay alive. A number of options are available, however, to access this
  information.
  Breaking and entering is perhaps the most obvious approach, but time may be a
  problem here. There are three dealers on the list. Which one, if any, sold the RPG
  used in the attack on the Minister’s car? Furthermore, there is no indication of whether
  Thomas or the Greenbergs keep their records at home or at their business premises.
  At least Hektor Wolk works from home. Then there is the small matter of security,
  which will undoubtedly be the best that they can buy.
  Subterfuge might be a better approach, perhaps a guise as inspectors from the Board
  of Trade, or the Foreign Office over minor discrepancies in the paperwork for a recent
  shipment to Indonesia. The Blackeagle database holds enough details of each dealers
  officially recorded shipments for some creative bluffing, especially if backed up by
  genuine-looking ID. Of course there is always a possibility that inspectors might
  discover something they shouldn’t, but both Hektor Wolk and Thomas will open their
  (legitimate) records if the operatives seem genuine. Only Peres International will insist
  on verifying their credentials to breaking point.
  The best approach perhaps, is to run the bluff over the phone (ensuring that the call is
  made from an anonymous number). Inform the dealers that you (the Foreign Office)
  wish to inspect their records concerning a discrepancy between an End User
  Certificate and the ship’s manifest for one of their legitimate dealings of RPGs. Wolk
  and Thomas will agree without hesitation, but it will be clearly audible in David
  Greenberg’s voice that he has misgivings.
  21.
  Peres International Trading — Once the operatives know which dealers are trying to
  hide details of their trade in RPGs, they can try and access the records for Peres
  International. For all practical purposes, this has to be achieved through straight-
  forward breaking and entering.
  A plan of the Peres warehouse is provided in the Handouts section of this document.
  Security there is good, and the human guards will be especially alert if the operatives
  have scared the Greenberg brothers through a direct approach earlier. A more subtle
  phone call, such as described above, will not have alarmed them unduly.
  Like many companies that trade in restricted or illicit commodities, records are kept on
  paper rather than as electronic copies. The company does have a small computer
  network linked to the Internet, but this is primarily used for keeping themselves up-to-
  date with the latest information on military technology. The cell may attempt to hack
  into the network (network roll at –10, security at –40), but it will reveal nothing of
  interest.
  The official records are kept in a combination-locked cabinet in the main office, but
  they detail only the legitimate dealings of the company that can be shown to auditors
  or government officials. There is no reference to RPG 7s in these documents. The real
  records are secreted in a safe in the inner office, hidden behind the photograph of a
  Cruise missile launch.
  These reveal a number of shipments from a batch of RPGs. Most of the weapons
  have been sent overseas to Haiti, South Africa and Malaysia; but a single unit was
  delivered to a client in the UK last week, together with two MAC Ingram M10s (9mm),
  three Beretta 92Fs and eight boxes of 9mm parabellum hollowpoint ammunition. The
  
  The Sons of Erin page 16 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  buyer was a company, Boadicea Industries, with a delivery address in Wapping.
  A quick check will reveal that the Wapping address is a dead letter drop, a warehouse
  that specialises in providing a delivery address for other businesses. However,
  Boadicea Industries was registered with Companies House two weeks ago, and has a
  business address at Norlands Farm near Heathrow Airport.
  22.
  The Irish Community in London — The operatives may consider seeking out any
  contacts they might have among the Irish community in London. This is not a
  productive approach. Given that all IRA suspects and sympathisers in the metropolitan
  district are being rounded up for questioning by the police and Special Branch, most
  people with any potential knowledge of terrorist activities are likely to be in a police
  cell somewhere. Those that remain at large aren’t going to appreciate being hounded
  further. Moreover, no-one the operatives could meet among the Irish community
  knows anything about the attack or The Sons of Erin.
  23.
  Reuters (London) — If the operatives want to continue their analysis of the taped
  message sent to RTE, they may eventually consider visiting the Reuters archive as an
  alternative to the more traditional (and inquisitive) news agencies. Checking on those
  who have withdrawn materials on Martin Adams from the archive over the past few
  months (ignoring those who have accessed the library since the bombing) will reveal
  only a few names.
  Note that a copy of this list can be found in the Handouts section of this document.
  Catherine Atkinson
  CNN Research
  Borrowed : 16
  th November 1998
  Ref 11968-2437-16A — Video footage of Martin Adams of Sinn Fein
  speaking to the UN in October 1998.
  Returned : 19
  th November 1998
  Michael Baron
  London Times
  Borrowed : 3
  rd February 1999
  Ref 73873-5667-45J — Transcript of a speech by Martin Adams
  (Sinn Fein) to the Dublin Students Union in April 1994 entitled ‘The
  Ballot Box and the Armalite’.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Edward Friel
  Thames Radio
  Borrowed : 11
  th March 1999
  Ref 45342-7585-13C — Audio tape of speech by Martin Adams in
  New York in September 1997, ‘Barriers on the way to Peace’.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Jeffrey Osborne
  London Evening
  Standard
  Borrowed : 23
  rd January 1999
  Ref 56328-8464-61F — Audio tape of interview with Martin Adams
  for the Washington Post on ‘The Stormont Conspiracy’ dated 6
  th July
  1998.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Victor Touzain
  Le Figaro
  Borrowed : 8
  th December 1998
  Ref 45237-7142-31A — Photographic negative of Martin Adams with
  Brigid Connor taken in London on 22
  nd April 1997.
  Returned : 14
  th February 1999
  A quick phone call will eliminate most of these suspects from the inquiry. Catherine
  Atkinson has been working on the big corruption case in Washington since February.
  Michael Baron is currently unavailable. Jeffrey Osborne is at the present moment in
  Downing Street with a horde of other reporters hoping to get a statement from the
  Prime Minister on the recent terrorist attack. He was in the Newspaper office when the
  attack occurred. Victor Touzain has been in Paris since Christmas.
  Edward Friel phoned in sick three days ago, and calls from the offices of Thames
  Radio to his home number have remained unanswered. It won’t take much subterfuge
  to obtain his home address from the receptionist at the Radio station.
  24.
  Edward Friel — Edward Friel lives in a small, two-bedroom apartment in a block of
  flats in Acton. The flat itself is all locked up, and no-one answers the bell. Use one of
  the Tenement plans from the Millennium’s End GM’s Companion as a map of the flat
  if you want a schematic. Physical security is poor, though there is an alarm.
  Operatives searching Edward Friel’s home will find the missing tapes of old interviews
  with Martin Adams in in the second bedroom, which has been converted into a home
  
  The Sons of Erin page 17 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  recording studio. A large Union Flag hangs from the wall in the living room, and there
  is British Patriotic Front literature in both the living room and main bedroom. Perhaps
  most interesting is a box of business cards in the name Edward Friel, Communications
  director for a company called Boadicea Industries with a business address at Norlands
  Farm near Heathrow Airport.
  Should the operatives choose to do so, there is enough evidence here to pass back to
  Brigid Connor and she would consider the assignment satisfactorily completed.
  25.
  Norlands Farm — The terrorists are still hiding out at Norlands Farm waiting for Steve
  Edwards to reappear, not knowing that he has already assumed a new identity and is
  relaxing on Martinique after a successful mission. Although they should now have
  enough evidence to pass back to Brigid Connor, should the operatives wish they can
  see the assignment through to its conclusion and assault the farm. Norlands Farm is
  located amid the isolated lakes and marshes just to the North-west of Chertsey, near
  the junction of the M25 and M3. A map of the grounds and plan of the farm are
  provided in the Handouts section of this document.
  If the operatives spend time observing the site, perhaps with microphones rigged to
  catch the conversations going on inside, they will learn that the terrorists are nervous.
  They are expecting to have heard from someone called Steve Edwards before now.
  They are also worried about Cairns, whose condition is worsening.
  Shortly before dusk, Hopkins will leave the farm to get some cigarettes and
  newspapers from the newsagents in the village of Thorpe, about 1 ½ miles down the
  road from the farm. Unless the operatives stop him, it will take about twenty minutes;
  just over an hour if the Ford has been immobilised and he has to walk. If he doesn’t
  return, then the others in the house will suspect that he has gone to the police, and
  decide to move elsewhere. This is difficult if Hopkins has taken the van, and they will
  send Boyle out to boost a car from somewhere. Regardless of the success or failure of
  Hopkins’ cigarette hunting mission, they are planning to leave at about 06:00 the
  following morning for somewhere further away from London and police activity.
  Assault on the Farm - If the operatives are working in collaboration with the police at
  all, and inform them of the location of the terrorist hideout, then their target will be
  warned by their monitoring of police frequencies and attempt to flee before the
  authorities arrive. If the operatives assault the farm (or the terrorists as they flee in the
  van) in collaboration with the police SO19 unit, use the NPC Stereotype Cops from the
  Millennium’s End GM’s Companion.
  The terrorists are armed with two MAC Ingram M10s (9mm) and three Beretta 92Fs,
  with nearly 370 rounds of hollowpoint for these weapons. Remember that these men
  are not professionals. If cornered they will try to fight their way out until they realise
  that it isn’t as easy as movies portray, whereupon they will try to surrender (but by that
  time it will probably be too late).
  
  The Sons of Erin page 18 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  The Players
  Adam Phillips
  Phillips is a young kid, only seventeen himself, who sells grass and Es to the pupils of the
  Austin Secondary School in Stepney. Seduced by the glamour of the drug scene as portrayed
  in film and the media, as yet he doesn't have the courage to step deeper into the shadows. He
  has never needed to fight for his turf - the pickings aren't enough to attract other dealers to the
  area - and his own suppliers don't seem to expect much more from him (yet), so business is
  easy.
  He enjoys the 'cachet' that it gives him with a certain segment of society. To the kids that buy
  from him, he is a big man with money and a car; and he has no problems getting the girls he
  wants.
  Outwardly he is very sure of himself and tries to act hard; but faced with a serious threat or with
  paying the consequences of his actions, he would quickly cave in and reveal himself as little
  more than an insecure kid.
  Dr. Moore
  Peter Moore is uncomfortable with the occasional patient he treats who doesn't want police
  involvement. Despite his reluctance to do so, he has a reputation among the criminal fraternity
  of South-east London for being discrete, and a substantial 'under the counter' business for
  which he is well rewarded.
  The doctor comes over as a nervous man with a stammer. He is easily cowed (which was how
  he got into the business of 'under the counter' doctoring), and the merest threat will have him
  telling the operatives everything he knows. Most of his clientele are East-end gangsters and
  wouldn't consider his reporting on terrorists as a breach of faith, so it would not be damaging to
  his business.
  It is the money that justifies his work, and he uses it to fund the services of his clinic among
  those too poor otherwise for proper treatment. Drug rehabilitation programs and private
  operations, Dr. Moore uses the money to pay for whatever is needed by his proper patients.
  Should the local NHS trust ever request a full audit books he would probably be struck off, but
  he has an arrangement with a local accountant who ensures that the clinic records will not be
  scrutinised too closely.
  Richard Mayfield
  A racist and long-standing member of the British Patriotic Front, Richard Mayfield will
  deliberately snub any member of the cell that is not British. Any retaliation (physical or verbal)
  by those non-British operatives will result in snide comments about 'reverting to type'. Until he
  learns why the operatives are questioning him, he will be aggressive and belligerent.
  When he discovers about the involvement and Friel and his colleagues with the terrorist attack,
  he will try to distance their actions from the British Patriotic Front. The BPF does not condone
  the murder of government ministers or judges. He will gladly reveal everything he knows about
  Friel and his colleagues in an effort avoid their activities reflecting badly on the BPF.
  David and Solomon Greenberg
  The Greenberg brothers are both well past retirement age now, but still doing business. They
  started life helping run guns to the fledgling Israeli state during the British blockade of Palestine
  following the Second World War. Later they did it for the money; but now it is purely for the
  thrill.
  Since the end of the blockade of Palestine they have been very careful to avoid trouble in their
  home country. With the sale of the RPG7 to The Sons of Erin, they realise that they are likely
  to come under some scrutiny. The purchasers were obviously amateurs, more impressed with
  the image of the MAC Ingram M10 than its fire capacity, and that made them likely to make
  mistakes. The brothers will be very cautious in any dealings with the operatives, denying all
  knowledge of the rocket sale.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 19 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  David has a good head for business but easily flustered, while Solomon is more wily, more
  talkative and has a better understanding of their customer base. It is David that manages the
  books and all the administration while his brother handles the purchasing and sales.
  The Investigators
  With so many other, overlapping investigations in progress, it is almost certain that the
  operatives will come into contact with one or more of the following characters.
  Emily Richardson
  If the operatives draw too much attention from the press, it will be Emily Richardson that
  follows the story. She has been intrigued by Blackeagle/Blackeagle for some years now, ever
  since one of the London cells rescued her and a number of other hostages trapped by
  mercenaries in a private bio-chemical research centre after a failed 'hostile takeover' by a rival
  company.
  Emily wants the opportunity to write about Blackeagle's exploits in a positive light, as she will
  be at great pains to explain to the everyone. She considers all the operatives as heroes,
  fighting against the crime and corruption that pervades everything in London, and wants to use
  the tales of their heroism to inspire others. In that regard she is a young idealist.
  Unfortunately she will not take 'no' for an answer. Once she learns that the operatives are
  working for Blackeagle (and all it takes is for her to overhear a name or recognise a face from a
  photograph), she will dog their footsteps throughout the assignment.
  Peter Douglas — MI5 (C1) Protective Officer
  Peter Douglas is heading the Close Protection Unit investigation into how their own security
  was breached so easily by the terrorists. Now in his mid-thirties, and (probably) past his peak,
  Douglas is heading toward a desk job in the next few years (not something he is looking
  forward to).
  Although his hair is prematurely grey, Douglas should not be taken lightly; he is trying to prove
  to his seniors that he should remain on active duty rather than a purely investigative role. That
  being said, he is an excellent investigator with the ability to extract a great deal of information
  from a minimum of clues, and to link disparate sources of evidence giving him an accurate
  view of the overall situation. He is also deadly in a fight.
  Douglas is an arrogant man, confident in his own skills. He will not be impressed by a
  Blackeagle cell involving themselves in his investigation, especially if he runs into them after
  learning that one of his staff has been murdered. He is aware of Blackeagle's successes in
  close protection work, but considers them 'showy freelancers' - only one step away from being
  mercenaries - and believes their reputation is over-rated. His attitude toward the operatives will
  be aggressive and he won't think twice about roughing up anyone that falls into his hands in an
  effort to learn who they are and what they know.
  Tony Quentin - Detective Inspector, Anti-Terrorist Squad
  DI Quentin is currently overstressed and overworked and doing what he does best, hunting
  down terrorists. The murder of the Northern Ireland Minister caught everyone by surprise, there
  had been no intelligence from any source to indicate that any attack was being planned. Now
  Tony Quentin is under pressure to get a quick result and mobilising all the resources under his
  control.
  Quentin's investigation will be systematic and thorough. In such a high-profile case, he has the
  full resources of Scotland Yard at his beck and call, together with the intelligence gathering of
  MI5 and the Special Branch. Brusque and direct, he expects the truth when he asks a question
  and can sense a lie or half-truth.
  He doesn't have time to deal with freelancers invading his investigation, and will ensure that
  any operatives caught involving themselves in the case soon see the inside of a cell for as long
  as he can reasonably hold them. Ordinarily that would be 24 hours, but in a terrorist case....
  
  The Sons of Erin page 20 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Geena McDonald — Detective Inspector, Special Branch
  Inspector Geena McDonald is acting as liaison between the police investigation of the terrorists
  and Special Branch. Only recently promoted, she is determined to make a good impression by
  excelling in this role. Ordinarily she comes over as talkative and slightly scatter-brained, but
  don't be fooled by this. Anyone that ends up being interrogated by her will learn not to
  underestimate her. She has the uncanny sense of recognising a lead that hasn't yet been
  followed up, and any evidence of the operatives own investigation would draw her attention.
  If the operatives do find themselves in a police cell, it will be Geena that interrogates them. A
  petite, black woman, she can still convey a very real sense of menace when she needs to. She
  will agree to collaborate with the operatives, but only if they guarantee keeping her fully
  appraised of everything they are doing. She won't insist on their revealing the client's identity,
  but will try to discover this from the most co-operative or weakest members of the cell. If forced
  to guess she would probably be right, and may try bluffing the operatives to get a confirmation.
  The Terrorists
  The Sons of Erin
  If the operatives decide not to mount an attack on the Norlands Farm, they will never actually
  meet the terrorists. However, their statistics and combat skills are given here should the
  operatives choose to assault the Farm.
  Adrian Hopkins
  Henry Cairns
  William Finn
  Denis Boyle
  Edward Friel
  Int
  32
  Sen
  24
  Int
  42
  Sen
  38
  Int
  36
  Sen
  46
  Int
  40
  Sen
  44
  Int
  48
  Sen
  50
  Agl
  53
  Cor
  42
  Agl
  45
  Cor
  38
  Agl
  37
  Cor
  36
  Agl
  44
  Cor
  40
  Agl
  55
  Cor
  48
  Con
  38
  Str
  42
  Con
  42
  Str
  48
  Con
  28
  Str
  38
  Con
  41
  Str
  53
  Con
  52
  Str
  62
  Per
  44
  App
  36
  Per
  26
  App
  28
  Per
  48
  App
  52
  Per
  36
  App
  48
  Per
  44
  App
  32
  Bra
  41
  Wil
  40
  Bra
  33
  Wil
  38
  Bra
  55
  Wil
  46
  Bra
  62
  Wil
  62
  Bra
  51
  Wil
  50
  Perception
  28
  Perception
  32
  Perception
  48
  Perception
  50
  Perception
  58
  Base Speed
  15
  Base Speed
  14
  Base Speed
  13
  Base Speed
  14
  Base Speed
  15
  Dam. Rating
  5
  Dam. Rating
  5
  Dam. Rating
  4
  Dam. Rating
  5
  Dam. Rating
  6
  Mass Factor
  1.1
  Mass Factor
  1.0
  Mass Factor
  1.0
  Mass Factor
  1.0
  Mass Factor
  0.8
  Skill Rolls:
  Aim
  16
  18
  26
  28
  26
      Autofire
  24
  26
  38
  43
  38
      Smallarm
  26
  34
  41
  43
  44
  Armed H-to-H
  34
  24
  20
  26
  28
      Swing
  49
  36
  30
  39
  42
  Drive
  32
  16
  27
  20
  22
      Automobile
  48
  24
  40
  30
  28
  Hiding
  36
  48
  38
  44
  30
  Unarmed H-to-H
  36
  30
  34
  38
  46
      Dodge
  54
  45
  49
  57
  56
      Punch
  51
  45
  51
  57
  69
  Weapons:
  Weapon
  Speed/
  Roll
  Speed/
  Roll
  Speed/
  Roll
  Speed/
  Roll
  Speed/
  Roll
  DF/
  DD
  Damage
  Type
  Punch
  15/51
  14/45
  13/51
  14/57
  15/69
  1.0
  Impact
  Beretta 92F
  14/40
  13/48
  12/55
  13/57
  14/58
  20
  Hyd Shk
  MAC Ingram
  M10 (9mm)
  9/39
  8/41
  7/53
  8/58
  9/53
  20
  Hyd Shk
  Note that Cairns is still in severe shock (treat as an impairment effect of halving all actions),
  and unlikely to participate in any fight.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 21 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Maps and Handouts
  Transcript of the call to Radio Telefis Eirran
  You may not recognise my voice, but you will recognise that Sinn Fein is the Official Voice of
  the People of Ireland in the struggle for unity. This short statement is a Moderated Reaction to
  the bigotry of Whitehall.
  The British government has consistently put obstacles in the way of the move
  towards peace and has refused to listen to the voice of the people of Northern
  Ireland. The demands of The Sons of Erin are just. Political prisoners
  incarcerated in the Maze and other internment centres must be recognised as
  such, or released. British forces of occupation must be withdrawn. Disarmament
  must begin among the terrorists of the UFF and the UDA. Despite the peaceful
  gestures made by Sinn Fein and the Provisional IRA, these simple demands
  have been ignored. Now it is once again the time for active resistance. From
  twelve o’clock today, those who would oppress the people of Northern Ireland
  must face the consequences of their actions.
  This ends our statement.
  Note – Codephrases used to authenticate the message are underlined and highlighted in blue.
  Transcript of the call to Capital Radio
  You don’t need to know who this is, just that I represent the people of Northern Ireland as a
  Guardian of their Liberties. I have a statement to make to the British Government:
  The Sons of Erin have taken the first step in removing those obstacles to peace
  in Northern Ireland. The latest architect of tyranny has been eliminated. At
  midday today an armed service squad attacked and killed the British Minister
  for Northern Ireland. As the man responsible for the continued armed
  occupation, he was a legitimate military target.
  This ends our statement.
  Note - Codephrase used to authenticate the message is underlined and highlighted in blue.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 22 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Background on James Cavendish MP
  Born :
  Dawlish, Devon
  12th August 1956
  Educated
  :
  1968-1975
  Sir Arnold Fowler Grammer School, Exeter
  1975-1978
  Imperial College, London
  B.Sc. Political Science
  Marital Status :
  Widower
  Children :
  None
  Active member of the Students Union and University Labour Club at Imperial College.
  Member of CND between 1975 and 1987. Special Branch reports that he provided financial
  support for the protestors at Greenham Common. Charged with damaging property at Rosyth
  Naval Dockyards in 1979 (among protestors who pulled down a fence) but insufficient
  evidence for a prosecution. Worked in the administrative office for the MSF Union in
  Manchester between 1980 and 1985. Active in local party politics throughout the period.
  Married Elizabeth Weston 16th July 1980. Stood as Labour candidate for East Cheshire in
  1983 General Election but lost to the Liberal Democrats. Elected as Labour MP for
  Middlesborough in 1989. Retained his seat in the 1992 and 1996 elections. Wife Elizabeth
  died from a pulmonary embolism after a hysterectomy in 1993. No children. Shadow Minister
  for Legal Affairs, 1994-1996. Minister for the Environment, 1996-1998. Northern Ireland
  Minister, 1998-1999.
  Background on Lady Chief Justice Karen Althorp
  Born :
  Reading, Berkshire
  17th March 1961
  Educated
  :
  1973-1980
  Kendrick School, Reading
  1980-1984
  Manchester University
  B.A. Law
  Marital Status :
  Single
  Children :
  None
  Employed as a junior by Taylor, Cartwright & Ellison of London. Specialised in criminal law.
  Mainly represented clients in legal aid cases. Accepted to the bar, 1988. Accepted as a
  partner in the firm of Watkins, Larson & Althorp, 1989. Queens Councillor, 1993, the youngest
  woman to take the silks. Appointed as court judge to the Circuit of East Anglia, 1996. Part-
  time lecturer in Law at the University of East Anglia, 1996-1998. Appointed to the High Court,
  1998. On the House of Commons commission to investigate racial inequality in the armed
  forces, 1996-1998. Headed the House of Commons commission to investigate the
  accountability of the security services, 1998-1999. Never married, no children.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 23 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Site of the Attack
  The Minister's car was travelling from Ristorante Capri in the Docklands towards Central
  London when it was stopped at the traffic lights by the Residential Home. The Ford Transit was
  across the lights, while the Volvo was parked down the side road to the left. Both escape
  vehicles left tyre marks on the road as they fled the scene.
  Blood stains are still visible on the pavement where Henry Cairns was caught in the blast as he
  closed up the traffic light control box.
  The bus shelter where Adam Phillips has staked his turf is marked outside the gates of the
  Austin School. In warmer weather, he hangs out in the park opposite.
  Arms Dealers working in the London Area
  Hektor Wolk
  Hektor Wolk is a German national who has made his home in London. By profession an
  advertising salesman, he got into the arms business after he started selling space for Jane's, the
  publisher of military reference books.
  Wolk was arrested in 1986 by US Federal Customs for attempting to purchase $320m worth of
  aircraft, tanks and missiles for sale to Iran. Though the case never came to trial, he hasn't ventured
  into the big leagues since; but still maintains a respectable living from smaller deals.
  Stephen Thomas
  A London-based lawyer, tall and slim with distinguished silver hair, Thomas lives in Norfolk
  Crescent in London's West End with offices in nearby Clarendon Place. An American by birth, he
  comes from a wealthy New York family and is well known on the London social scene.
  Thomas is a broker rather than a dealer. He acts as a negotiator between buyers and the actual
  dealers for a 10% commission of the full purchase value.
  David and Solomon
  Greenberg
  Israeli brothers, living in the Camberwell district of London, who run Peres International Trading
  from a warehouse on the South Bank. Peres has contacts in a number of countries across the
  world who will put their name to End User Certificates, giving overseas sales a degree of
  legitimacy.
  Most of their merchandise is bought and sold outside of Britain, but they aren't above selling small
  arms locally.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 24 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Peres International Trading
  Normal access to the warehouse is through the sliding doors. The visitor will then find himself
  facing a second sliding door, with stairs up to both the right and the left. There is always a
  guard at this entrance, who will verify the visitor’s credentials and then direct him through the
  door to the shooting areas or up the left stairway to the offices.
  The lower floor consists of a shooting range, a mock village with pop-up, human targets, and a
  weapon storage area. The walls are thick stone and sound-proofed. There are no windows.
  Upstairs are two offices, and a rest area for the guards. There are windows in each office, all
  barred and fitted with bullet-resistant glass. Contrary to fire regulations, there is no fire escape.
  This breach of local regulations is permitted because of the nature of the business and the
  security that it entails.
  During the daytime, there will always be two guards on duty; while at night there will be three.
  Typically, one will always be in the rest area while another patrols the catwalks. Use the High-
  End Grunts stereotype from the Millennium’s End book, but armed only with the Glock 19 or the
  Walther PP.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 25 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  Material borrowed from the Reuters Archive
  Catherine Atkinson
  CNN Research
  Borrowed : 16
  th November 1998
  Ref 11968-2437-16A — Video footage of Martin Adams of Sinn Fein
  speaking to the UN in October 1998.
  Returned : 19
  th November 1998
  Michael Baron
  London Times
  Borrowed : 3
  rd February 1999
  Ref 73873-5667-45J — Transcript of a speech by Martin Adams (Sinn Fein)
  to the Dublin Students Union in April 1994 entitled ‘The Ballot Box and the
  Armalite’.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Edward Friel
  Thames Radio
  Borrowed : 11
  th March 1999
  Ref 45342-7585-13C — Audio tape of speech by Martin Adams in New York
  in September 1997, ‘Barriers on the way to Peace’.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Jeffrey Osborne
  London Evening
  Standard
  Borrowed : 23
  rd January 1999
  Ref 56328-8464-61F — Audio tape of interview with Martin Adams for the
  Washington Post on ‘The Stormont Conspiracy’ dated 6
  th July 1998.
  Returned : Still outstanding
  Victor Touzain
  Le Figaro
  Borrowed : 8
  th December 1998
  Ref 45237-7142-31A — Photographic negative of Martin Adams with Brigid
  Connor taken in London on 22
  nd April 1997.
  Returned : 14
  th February 1999
  
  The Sons of Erin page 26 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  The Norlands Farm
  Norlands Farm has been empty for some years now. The Farmhouse and its barn are run
  down, the grass in the orchard is high, and the fence broken in several places. Everything
  about Norlands suggests an air of decay.
  The main approach to the building is a gravel driveway running through the old orchard. This
  leads to the barn, with its broken down doors, in which can be seen a white Ford Transit van. A
  gravel path leads to the main building. Off the driveway, the gardens are overgrown.
  Surprisingly, none of the windows in the house are broken although some are cracked and they
  are all covered with a layer of grime
  The land around the farm is largely open marshland and lakes, broken by a maze of small
  streams and ditches that criss-cross the area. It is easy to approach the building on foot without
  being seen, but the occupants would notice any cars along the main road, especially at night.
  
  The Sons of Erin page 27 of 27 ©1998 Mark Baker
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Millenniums End/Millennium's End The Sons of Erin.pdf