Chapter 6
Caden
“So what have you found?” I ask Dbag as he sits down in the booth across from me.
“All kinds of shit, Ice. Wait until you see.” He pulls his laptop out of his bag and sets it up on the table.
Turning his laptop toward me, he says, “There’s been a lot of shit happening in Ireland over the last year. Things were quiet for a while, but it seems as if the violence is starting to get worse.”
“What makes you think that?” I honestly thought that the IRA—or real IRA, or whatever—had disbanded years ago. I had a hard time believing that this was still an issue in Ireland.
“The news,” he says.
“Show me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Fuck yeah, I’m sure. I don’t want any fucking surprises, Dbag.”
I start to read the news snippets he shows me:
Security is high in London ahead of the G8 summit in Northern Ireland. Riot police stand guard as protests start. This G8 summit in Northern Ireland presents a security nightmare as IRA rises again.
British Police to Patrol Coastal Waters for G8 Summit in Northern Ireland
"Dissident" Republicans, also known as splinter groups, have grown in size and impact since the peace process saw the end of the Provisional IRA. They are responsible for a wave of bombings, shootings, and threats. Their goal? To use armed resistance to force Britain’s withdrawal from Northern Ireland.
New IRA Develops New Kind Of 'Crude But Very Effective' Pressure-Plate Bomb
These bombs are being used against police officers in the Londonderry/Derry area.
March 2016
Vincent Ryan Shot Dead – A Declaration of War.
April 2016
Explosives linked to the New IRA found in Dublin
June 2016
A Five-Man New IRA Hit Team in Dublin – it is reported that this hit team was seen in Dublin’s north inner city looking for two leading rebels. Sources say the squad from the North spent several days and nights searching for their targets.
December 2016
In Cork City, former leader of the IRA southern commence, Aiden “The Beast” O’Driscoll, was shot and killed in the street by two masked gunmen.
DUBLIN – December 2016
Two gunmen ambushed and killed a former top figure in the Real IRA splinter group in the southwest city of Cork, the first slaying of its kind in four years in Ireland, police and witnesses said Wednesday.
“Holy shit, Dbag! What the fuck?” I can’t believe that all this is still going on and that my family is involved.
“Oh, there’s more,” he says as I continue to read.
January 2017
The New IRA Attempted to Kill A Police Officer in North Belfast Using an AK-47
February 2017
A Bomb Explodes in the Driveway of a PSNI Officer’s Home.
March 2017
A Roadside Bomb Exploded as an Armored PSNI Vehicle Passed in Strabane. The New IRA Claimed Responsibility for the Attack.
April 2017
A bomb was left outside the gates of a school – the New IRA is suspected.
June 2017
The Gardaí Siochana found 6kg of semtex in Dublin city believed to belong to the New IRA.
“Gardaí Siochana?” I ask.
“The national police service of Ireland.”
“Semtex? Is that what I think it is?” I ask, not sure I really want to know the answer.
“Plastic explosives.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Just then, Ryder, Doc, and Rebel join us. Rebel sits next to me and Doc sits next to Dbag. Ryder pulls up a chair at the head of the booth.
“What’s going on?” Rebel asks.
“Dbag was just showing me some of the recent shit that’s been going on in Ireland,” I say, indicating my displeasure.
“I was afraid of that,” Rebel replies sheepishly.
“What the fuck, Rebel? You knew all this shit was going on and you neglected to tell me!”
“I didn’t want you to say no.”
“You know I can fucking say no now, don’t you? What the fuck is happening to you? You’re turning into a fucking pussy. You know better than this.”
He shakes his head because he knows I’m right. I have no idea what the fuck is wrong with him. Ever since his family has been brought into the picture, he is like a different person.
It’s quiet at the table for several minutes and then Rebel breaks the silence. “So, are you saying no?” he asks.
Fucker. “No, I’m not saying no. Not because I want to do this or that I even think what we’re about to do is right. The only reason I’m doing this is because you are my brother, my cousin, and my friend. You’ve never asked this club for anything and I can see this is important to you.” He looks at me relieved until I add, “But don’t you ever fucking leave me hanging with just my dick in my hand again. You want something from me, you tell me everything and hold nothing back. You got it?”
“Yeah, I got it.”
“Good.” Turning to Dbag, I say, “Got anything else?”
“Yeah.” He hands me several pages of typed text. “Here is all the intel I have found on the British Security Forces and the British prisons in Northern Ireland.”
I scan the list quickly. Several things stand out, but there’s tons of information scribbled all over the page. Does he really think I have time to decipher this? “Care to explain?” I ask.
“Sure, boss. I did a lot of digging into the British Security Forces and what I’ve found is that half of all the top IRA men and women work for these security services. The IRA has a network of informants in public agencies such as social security offices and vehicle licensing departments.”
“You’re shitting me.” I look over at Rebel and say, “How the fuck do you people know who to trust?”
“Hell if I know.” Rebel shrugs.
Dbag continues, “After the Troubles, it was discovered that the IRA’s head of internal security also worked for British intelligence. Apparently one in every four IRA members is an agent for the British, rising to one in two among senior members.”
“Fuck! And the prisons?” I ask.
“There are only two that are relevant to us: HMP Magilligan in Londonderry and HMP Maghaberry in Lisburn. There is a third, but it’s a juvie.”
“Reb, you know anything about these prisons?”
“Dbag is right, the juvie is definitely out. They would never take my parents there, even if they thought it might be a good place to hide them since the prison would be unlikely. Bringing adults into a juvie prison would draw too much attention.”
“And the other two?”
Dbag steps in. “Maghaberry is a high-security prison, mainly housing adult males with long-term sentences. Prisoners are located in both separated and integrated conditions. Although it is not widely known, my expert digging did find that this prison also holds individuals sentenced and convicted of crimes against the crown, such as IRA members.”
Dbag continues, “Magilligan is a medium-security prison housing shorter-term adult male prisoners. It also has a low-security area for such prisoners who are nearing the end of their sentence.”
“Reb?” I ask.
“My gut tells me Maghaberry. I think we start there.”
“Do you think they’re being held there?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. But I think that is our starting point.”
“Ok. We go with your lead on this, bro.”
“Thanks, man.”
“So, we done?” I ask.
“Yep,” Ryder and Doc reply.
“Ok, boys. Enjoy the rest of your day. See you tomorrow at the house. Hawk is taking us to Buffalo.”