Claire listened and watched the feed on her AR glasses as more footage came through. She was surprised initially to see and hear that the buildings occupants were refugees rather than some criminal or foreign group like she had assumed, realising now that things would be a little more complicated than going in guns blazing and aggressively securing the facility. She listened as Alan explained to them the situation, that the refugees were refusing British forces access on the grounds that they were scared of being evicted and removed from the area. While on one hand she couldn’t blame them, wanting to get away from the chaos of the cities or the now remote and abandoned countryside – but she couldn’t help but wonder what on earth they were thinking, occupying a solar tower when there was a power blackout and refusing to allow engineers to access it. Through their selfishness they were denying power to countless of others, obviously ignorant to the bigger picture and the repercussions their actions were having. 

She listened as Pathfinder spoke, suggesting that they send Winterbourne into the refugees to make sure that when they did move their key assets were out of the picture. It made sense to her, but why just stop with one man? In her mind it made sense to if possible get the majority of them on the inside before they struck, being able to coordinate a quick and hopefully ‘bloodless’ strike, removing whatever ‘leadership’ elements they had. Pathfinder continued to speak, suggesting that things would go much much easier if the refugees were being offered relocation and some medical care, but Clare had a sinking feeling that if the government was in a position to do that then they would have already tried to. 

She decided not to voice her concerns, Alan would answer regarding that one soon enough she was sure. The man turned to her and asked “Ashia, you're our wheel-woman. Got anything that can fit all of us, or are we going to need to 'procure' something?”

She shrugged as she replied “Nothing parked out front if that’s what you mean” sounding a little shorter than she’d intended “but there is a rather appropriate looking bus at the station just through what’s left of the shopping centre across from the church.”

She thought for a few moments before she said “I think that we will probably be on our own for this mission” pausing for a few moments for Alan to either confirm or deny her suspicions “but I think that we would be best to get most of us inside their compound if we can. To strike all at once and try and incapacitate whatever leadership element they have. If their ‘boss’ is held and all the other key areas are locked off to them then they will have little choice. Once it’s all secure we get the boys with their uniforms and trucks to move in and start getting rid of these squatters?” 

She looked at each of the team to see what they thought before adding “I mean if we could convince them all too just up and leave for the good of the country then that’d be wonderful, but people just don’t think as clearly as they should in these kind of situations. I’ve seen civilians just like this lot attacking armed men with nothing other than rocks and sticks, being gunned down by the hundreds when situations like this turn bad.” 

Her mind flashed back to the Doha struggles, when the absolute monarchy of Qatar and its holdings had been systematically stripped down and purchased by a corporation fuelled and funded by the now vastly powerful Saudi Arabia. The entire country was blockaded and all supplies and provisions became rarer than life itself, people killing each other for scraps of food or anything that would lessen their suffering. The night after she had driven a supply truck through the blockade, a feat that was only possible due to the sacrifice of hundreds of young fighters, the following day the cooperate ‘army’ of mercenaries had moved to occupy the capital building in Doha itself. 

Starving and angry people had attacked in the thousands almost before being driven back under a hail of fully automatic fire, blood and bodies filled the streets in what felt like only a few moments. She shuddered at the memory, and silently hoped that they were able to resolve the issue without any bloodshed.