Christmas Breakin
By: George Wallace
Tags: Fiction, Fiction Writing, Short Story

It was Christmas Eve, and all was quiet. Ian, the security guard, sat in his usual office; it was nine pm. Nothing stirred or moved anywhere. Ian is a security guard at Government Communications Headquarters, commonly known as GCHQ, an intelligence and security organisation responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the United Kingdom’s government and armed forces.

Why me thought Ian to himself, why did I have to draw the short straw and end up working on Christmas Eve? I go home at eight am on Christmas Day. Go to bed, get up at six o’clock, have my Christmas lunch, and I am back here at nine o’clock again for Christmas Day night, just when everyone has filled their faces all day, they are having a great time, and I am stuck here in my lonely office. Well, the pay is good triple time for three days. That will pay for the holiday next year if this stupid virus goes away. Ian flicked through all the channels on his television. There was a good film on Sky at ten o’clock that will keep me amused for three hours.

Just as Ian settles down to watch EastEnders, a light started flashing on one of the consoles. What this is impossible; the lucky gits all went home, there is no one in the building apart from me. Ian went to look at what was flashing; it was a safe in one of the secure rooms. This is a pain; why do these things happen just when you want to watch a good film, and I wanted to see who Ian, my namesake gets into bed with tonight. I have watched all the episodes, and now I have to investigate this stupid flashing light.

Grabbing his coat and the torch, Ian pulled the coat on; it was a cold night tonight, at least the sky was clear. All the stars were out twinkling at him. Ian let himself into the main building and climbed the stairs to the first floor. The building was deserted; everyone was at home sitting in front of the telly watching EastEnders, and here is me checking out for a mouse probably chewed through a cable.

Ian walked along the long corridor to room A58. The warning light was flashing outside of the door. Ian took out his mobile phone and rang Kenneth, the heads of Security. The phone on the other end rang five times, then stopped. Ian rang again. On the second ring, a gruff voice replied

‘This had better be good. I was watching EastEnders, and it had got to the good bit.’

‘Kenneth, I wanted to watch EastEnders, and I am in the main building looking at a door with a light flashing outside. I need you to call out Richard to open this door and shut off the alarm; I am going back to watch the end of EastEnders.’

Ian ran back to his room in the outer building to see the river Thames showing as EastEnders finished. Damn it; I will have to wait for the Omnibus version now. Ian made himself a cup of tea and settled down again. He knew that Richard would not belong; he only lived two miles away.

Sure, enough, after ten minutes, a car drew up outside, and Richard got out.

‘Evening Richard, sorry to get you out on Christmas Eve,’ laughed Ian.

‘Come on, let us go and see what the problem is, then we can both watch the film on Sky.’

Richard and Ian made their way to the door with the flashing light A58.

‘This looks serious,’ said Richard, punching in the code to open the door. ‘The light means someone has been in the secure safe. Keep me covered with your pistol, just in case.’

Richard opened the door and walked into the room A58. There was no sound for five minutes, then Richard walked out of the door, looking shocked.

‘I will have to open the safe and check the contents; the warning is coming from there.’

Richard went back into room A58 and looked at the safe, pulled out the codes book, and pressed the keys after getting the combination for the safe. There was a loud click. Richard turned the handle and opened the safe and peered inside.

The contents were scattered everywhere. Something or someone had been in the safe.

Richard gradually emptied the contents of the safe, creating piles of paper on the desks. Each bit of paper was examined as it was removed until Richard got to the last bit of paper; it was folded, which was strange; everything was flat as per the local instructions.

Richard picked up the folded paper and stared at it. He opened the first fold; there was nothing written on the paper. Richard opened the next fold again, nothing. Then on the final fold, Richard opened the paper to find a message written in red ink. Happy Christmas. Santa Clause was here, OK.