Working as a police officer in Mexico-Chapter 1834 - 800: Identity Doesn’t Matter, Being Non-Stick Matters!
Capítulo 1834: Chapter 800: Identity Doesn’t Matter, Being Non-Stick Matters!
The person on the screen raised their right hand, clenching it into a fist: “For all the oppressed Scottish souls since Edward I! For Stirling, Bannockburn, Falkirk! For every Scottish family whose land was seized, whose sweat and blood were drained! We will continue to fight until the last inch of land is free, until the last English soldier rolls out of our homeland!”
Then, the tone suddenly shifted, even carrying a hint of… bizarre sentimentality?
“And Charles, you hypocritical coward. The whole world has seen you crawl in the mud like a lame wild dog. This is the essence of your Windsor family — beneath the glamorous robes, there is only filth and fear. Think of Diana, think of the true people’s princess persecuted to death by your cold system! She was the rose of England, yet she withered in your conspiracies. And you, still pretending to mourn? Bah! We are her admirers! Today’s action is also a little interest collected for Princess Diana!”
This is where the video ended, with a total length of 1 minute and 47 seconds.
The editing room was silent. Several young editors looked on, dumbfounded.
“What… what the hell is this?” an editor stammered.
Allen Mackie put down his coffee can, his eyes flickering with a professional, almost fanatical light: “What is this? It’s an exclusive! It’s a bomb! It’s a nuclear bomb that could blow our ratings past the BBC!”
“But, editor-in-chief, this is obviously…”
“What is it? A terror proclamation? So what!” Mackie interrupted him, “The Scottish independence organization claims responsibility for the Crown Prince attack, and they dragged Diana into it! Do you know how big this news value is? The whole United Kingdom, no, the whole world will be watching! Prepare to broadcast immediately! Put it in the 6 p.m. evening news headline, no, can’t wait, interrupt with a broadcast! Right now!”
“But the police and Military Intelligence Five people are on their way, the Communications Bureau might also…”
“Let them come!”
Mackie waved his arms, “Do you understand press freedom? We have a responsibility to let the public know the truth! By the time they come, the news will have already been aired! By then, the audience will only remember that it was ITV who got the exclusive! Hurry! Prepare the narration script, find political analysts, find historians, find SNP people for reaction interviews! We’re doing a full special report!”
“Then… this disc itself?” the technician pointed to the ordinary CD-R disc lying quietly on the table. It was encased in a cheap plastic case, with two words written in black marker: “Gift. From the Scottish rebels.”
“Keep it safe, that’s evidence, and our badge of honor.” Mackie grinned, “Make a copy, no, make three, lock them in the safe. The original, when those officials come, we can ‘cooperate with the investigation’ to show it to them. But broadcast, it has to be now!”
Five minutes later, ITV Scotland’s program was interrupted from its regular programming to insert an emergency news intro.
The host appeared on screen with a serious expression: “Good evening, we interrupt the regular program to bring you an emergency news report. We have just received a videotape claimed to be sent by the ‘True Scottish Freedom Army’ organization, which has claimed responsibility for the attack on Prince Charles that occurred this morning in Edinburgh. Here is the video content, please be advised the footage may be disturbing…”
Then, the 1 minute and 47 seconds video was broadcast in full.
The effect was like detonating a nuclear bomb.
The ratings curve skyrocketed, the phone switchboard was overwhelmed by calls from viewers, and ITV’s news website visitation surged to a halt.
Social media, though mainly Usenet and early forums in 1996, saw related discussion posts erupt like a volcano.
All other media — BBC, Sky News, major newspapers — were caught off guard and scrambled to follow up, demanding ITV provide a copy of the video or grant broadcast rights.
ITV was in the spotlight for a time, with Allen Mackie pacing the editing room excitedly, continually taking congratulatory calls from senior executives at the London headquarters.
Meanwhile, in London, 10 Downing Street and Buckingham Palace presented a different scene.
The Communications Bureau indeed called ITV, but as Mackie had predicted, it was too late. The Prime Minister raged at the Culture Minister in the office, while the Queen’s private secretary at Buckingham Palace called the BBC president directly, questioning “why the national broadcaster didn’t get this exclusive, but ITV did?” — the implication and pressure in their words made the BBC president break out in a sweat.
But more serious was the political upheaval caused by the video content itself.
…
London, MI6.
Graham had watched the ITV broadcast, his face gloomy enough to drip water. Seated before him were the head of Military Intelligence Five, the head of the anti-terror department, and the hurriedly arrived Minister of Internal Affairs.
“Fake.” Graham stated unequivocally.
“What?” the Minister of Internal Affairs asked.
“That person in the video claiming to be from the ‘True Scottish Freedom Army’. We’ve monitored all separatist organizations in Scotland for decades and never had this name. It’s made up. The accent is wrong, it’s a deliberately mimicked Highland accent, but the vocabulary and tone give it away, it sounds more like someone from Ireland. The content is nonsense — avenging Princess Diana? Diana’s death fostering sympathy among Scottish separatists? Nonsense! They would be glad for any misfortune befalling all the English!”
“But the public will believe it.”
The head of Military Intelligence Five said bitterly, “Especially that last part about Diana. You know, her popularity in Scotland exceeded even that in England. Linking the Crown Prince’s attack with her will stir up emotions in some people.”
