Read Online 2041 Sanctuary (Dark Descent) by Robert Storey - Free Book Online Page B

to her, some even clapped while others merely nodded to her in grim recognition of her personal sacrifice for their lost colleagues. Jessica’s face was set and steely when she banged open the doors to the executive offices. Following her arrival at the room designated for the hearing, she didn’t have long to wait before being told to go in.
    Jessica stood up and prepared herself for what was to come.
    A woman from Human Resources gave her an encouraging smile. ‘Good luck, Jessica.’
    Jessica nodded to her, opened the door and went inside. A lot had changed since she had last been at work. It seemed the senior management team had undergone a rapid transformation of personnel. She only knew one of the four people present and none of them showed the support she had witnessed on the way up. This was likely due to the fact that one of the four, and the only one she did recognise, was not a BBC employee at all but an MP from the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office.
    ‘Ms Klein,’ the Member of Parliament said, after Jessica had taken a seat opposite the disciplinary panel, ‘thank you for coming here today. You understand the gravity of your situation. Shall we begin?’
     
    ♦
     
    The Human Resources receptionist leaned forwards, perched on the very edge of her chair, straining to hear what was being said in Jessica Klein’s hearing, which had sounded heated from the outset. The occasional swear word and raised voice was easily discerned as emanating from the well-known newsreader as she fought her corner with an expected vigour.
    When the duration of the meeting neared the one hour mark, a sudden barrage of swearing and shouting erupted from the room. This time it wasn’t just Jessica’s voice to be heard. The receptionist, however, still couldn’t make out the gist of the exchange and in her eagerness to find out what was going on she rolled her chair closer. At which point the door to the room flew open, making her jump in surprise.
    Jessica Klein stood bristling with fury in the doorway and looked back into the office. ‘—well you know what you can do with your job!’ Jessica bellowed at her tormentors. ‘You can stick it up your fucking arses, you pathetic, snivelling wretches. I hope you and the GMRC are happy with this cover-up. The blood of all those journalists is on your hands now as you are all a party to this shit!’ Jessica’s finger, which pointed accusingly at the people in the room, shook with enraged tension, an emotion mirrored in its owner’s face.
    The receptionist, who had stood up, gawped at the scene unfolding before her. The former renowned BBC presenter heaved the door closed with an almighty effort. The heavy fireproof door smashed into its frame with a loud bang, sending it rattling in its hinges and near tearing it from the wall. Jessica Klein, dishevelled yet defiant, all but flew out of the office leaving a deathly silence in her wake. The receptionist watched for some time to see if anything else was about to happen, but all was quiet once more in BBC Broadcasting House. The show was over and yet another BBC icon had made their last bow.
     
    ♦
     
    ‘I’m surprised you didn’t punch him,’ her husband said as Jessica relived her experience with him.
    ‘Believe me, I felt like it.’ Jessica poured herself another glass of wine and took a long draught. ‘That smug piglet-eyed MP’s face really got my fucking dander up. The piece of shit is totally a GMRC puppet and the bloody idiots now in charge of the BBC might as well have cunt written on their foreheads.’
    Evan nearly choked on his drink at his wife’s unexpected use of the C word. Jessica rarely used profanity and when she did it was only ‘shit’ or ‘bugger’. To hear her curse like that was a queer experience for him.
    A melodic undulating ring tone drew Jessica’s attention to her bag, which sat perched on the central worktop in the kitchen. Taking out her phone she saw she’d received a text message