First Response

MARYLEBONE (4.06 p.m.)

The Sky News presenter was a young Asian woman with too much make-up. Faisal Chaudhry shook his head in disgust. She was a Muslim by the look of her, so why wasn’t she covering her head? The only reason he was looking at her was because he wanted to know what was happening around London. According to the woman, three hostages had just been released from the Southside shopping centre in Wandsworth. The picture then cut to a shot of the childcare centre in Kensington where a group of small children had been let go earlier.

‘Does this mean you’re letting us go?’ asked the man that Chaudhry had handcuffed himself to.

Chaudhry shook his head. ‘No one’s going to be allowed out until the prisoners are released from Belmarsh.’

‘What’s so important about them?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Chaudhry.

The man frowned. ‘Why don’t you know? You’re doing all this and you don’t know why they’re important?’

‘Just shut up,’ said Chaudhry. He glared at the staff and customers, who were all sitting on the floor by the toilets. ‘And you lot, keep texting. Hashtag ISIS6. Tell everyone that if the six prisoners aren’t released, this pub will be destroyed with everyone in it.’

‘What’s your name? I’m Kenny.’

‘Faisal.’

‘You’re Al-Qaeda, right?’

‘I’m a Muslim.’

Kenny nodded. ‘My girlfriend’s a Muslim.’

‘Like fuck she is,’ spat Faisal.

‘Her name’s Nura. It means “light”.’

‘I know what Nura means.’

‘She was born here, mind, but her parents were born in India.’

‘And they’re Muslim? You sure? Not Hindu? They’re not the same.’

‘I know they’re not the same. I’m not stupid,’ said Kenny. ‘Muslims don’t eat pork but they’ll eat beef and stuff. Hindus won’t touch beef because of their cow thing. Nura’s family are Muslims. They pray to Allah and all that. I’ve been to their mosque and everything. Might even convert, you know.’

‘You work in a bar. You can’t be a Muslim and serve alcohol.’

‘Nura’s parents drink wine. They’re good people.’

‘And they’re okay with a kafir going out with their daughter?’

‘Why not?’

‘Then they’re not true Muslims.’ Chaudhry scowled. ‘No true Muslim would let their daughter associate with an unbeliever.’

‘Like I said, they’re cool.’

Chaudhry saw movement outside the windows and he pulled Kenny with him as he went to see what was happening. It had been almost four hours since any traffic had gone by. There had been shouted commands through a loudspeaker, telling everyone to clear the area, but after another hour it had been quiet outside.

He bent double as he approached the leaded windows. ‘What is it?’ whispered Kenny.

‘Shut the fuck up,’ said Chaudhry. He peered through the glass. Two policemen dressed in black were crouched behind a car, their rifles trained on the pub. To the right, another two armed police were looking down on the pub from an office window opposite. Chaudhry backed away, almost bumping into Kenny.

‘Why don’t you let a few hostages go, like that guy did at Southside?’ said Kenny.

‘No one’s being released until the ISIS soldiers are free,’ said Chaudhry. He sat down at a table in the middle of the pub. Kenny pulled up a chair and sat down next to him.

One of the waitresses, a young blonde girl, raised her hand. ‘Sir?’ she said.

‘What?’ barked Chaudhry.

‘Everyone’s getting thirsty. Can I hand out some bottles of water and soft drinks?’

Chaudhry’s first instinct was to say no, but then he realised how dry his mouth was. ‘Okay, but move slowly. And, remember, if anyone tries anything we’ll all die.’

The girl stood up and went behind the bar.

‘I could do with a beer,’ said Kenny.

‘What?’ said Chaudhry.

‘A beer. This is a pub — don’t sound so surprised.’

Chaudhry laughed. ‘You’re fucking mad,’ he said.

Kenny shrugged. ‘It was worth a try.’

Chaudhry waved at the waitress. ‘Bring me a water, and a beer for this idiot.’ He shook his head. ‘Some Muslim you’re going to be.’