White Night

  WHITE NIGHT

  By JJ MARSH

  Get your free copy of prequel Black Dogs, Yellow Butterflies when you sign up for the mailing list.

  See back of book for details.

  Copyright

  White Night

  Copyright © 2020 by Prewett Bielmann Ltd.

  The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address below.

  Cover design: JD Smith

  Published by Prewett Bielmann Ltd.

  All enquiries to admin@jjmarshauthor.com

  First printing, 2020

  Kindle Edition:

  ISBN 978-3-9525191-6-5

  Paperback:

  ISBN 978-3-9525191-7-2

  Chapter 1

  Demonstrations were not unusual at this time of year. For one thing, the weather was more conducive to getting out onto the streets. No matter how passionately people supported or opposed a cause, temperatures of -15° plus wind chill off the Baltic Sea tended to keep them indoors in winter, voicing their discontent in bars or on the Internet.

  Today, however, the summer had blessed Helsinki with a warm breeze, weak sunshine and long hours of daylight. People were on the march, placards held aloft: ‘OUR COUNTRY, OUR FUTURE’, ‘No More Nuclear’, ‘LokiEn = GREED!’, ‘Protect Our Environment!’, ‘NO WAY, BOOMERS!’, ‘There Is No Planet B’, ‘Say No to Neljä’ and multi-coloured flags fluttered in the breeze. Chanting slogans, banging drums and blowing whistles, the protestors dressed in bright clothes filled the streets with noise and colour. It was a good-natured affair, with pushchairs, dogs, children on their fathers’ shoulders and several heavily pregnant women in the centre of the throng. A large number of those at the front of the march were teenagers and children of school age. The occasional police officer stood inside the line of barricades, observing the slow-moving procession or directing people towards the public toilets. Photographers crouched beside the pavement or scrambled up lampposts to get a meaningful shot, and a TV news crew kept pace with the leaders.

  Similar marches had taken place in Turku, Tampere and here in Helsinki two weeks earlier. No one expected any trouble. As the marchers closed on the object of their ire, the atmosphere changed. Smiles morphed into frowns and sing-song slogans became angry demands. The police presence was still very much in the background, but outside the headquarters of LokiEn, a barricade encircled the forecourt of their huge glass building at the top of the broad steps. Around fifty members of a private security firm formed a human wall right behind the physical barrier. All wore sunglasses.

  The sight of such heavy-handed protection appeared to enrage the crowd. The leaders stopped marching and a furious debate took place. Police officers spoke into their radios and expressions of concern emerged. Eventually, two people stepped away from the crowd and approached the cordon. A young man and woman strode up the steps towards the centre of the barrier and addressed the man in the centre. Whatever request they made was instantly denied. He shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. The young woman tried again, holding up a document of some kind. The security guard shrugged and leaned away to look over her shoulder. Voices from the crowd grew louder, shouting, ‘Let them through!’ ‘We have a right to speak!’ Earnest gestures from the young man seemed to indicate a plea for reason, but the security guard merely folded his arms.

  The girl whirled around to the crowd and lifted a megaphone. “They refuse to let us deliver our report. This petition, signed by hundreds of thousands against the modular nuclear reactor, represents our legal right to protest, to defend our future. Why won’t LokiEn listen? They cannot ignore us. Our politicians cannot ignore us. We will not be silenced! We DEMAND to deliver our report! We DEMAND to be heard!”

  A huge roar went up from the crowd and a swell of movement rippled to the front. People surged forward in support of their representatives and the police mobilised fast to try to come between them and their antagonists. A big man with dreadlocks stormed forward and took the papers from the teenager, heading right for the middle of the cordon. He was followed by around ten assorted activists who loosely assembled into a V shape to counter the U formation of the security team. A scream rang out and a uniformed guard shoved the big man to the ground. Police officers tried to force their way through the crowds but a sense of outrage galvanised a disparate collective into a furious mob. Fists flew at the barriers and one guard lifted a cosh to smack against someone’s head.

  Sirens blared and officers came running from all directions, trying to push back the mass of bodies. A woman with a bloody nose fell and her partner helped her up. Placards soared over the heads of those at the front line, aimed at the heads of security guards. Riot shields appeared and a line of police penetrated the battle, putting themselves and the physical cordon between the warring groups. The security firm retreated inside the building. Officers formed a uniformed barricade outside. Ambulances drove into the square to tend to the wounded.

  As the first crew ran towards the injured lying at the base of the steps, an elderly woman diverted them. “There’s a man over here! He’s hurt ... not breathing! Please come. He hit his head. He’s not breathing.”

  Two crew members followed her to the edge of the steps where a middle-aged man lay awkwardly on the steps, his head facing the bottom and a long-lens camera under his chest. The medics knelt to attend to him as the woman continued her repetition of what had occurred. “They pushed him, you see, and he was off balance. He fell and hit his head.”

  The female paramedic stood up. “Can you come with me? We’ll need to take a few details.”

  “Yes, of course. Is he going to be all right?” The woman clutched her arm. “He’s not ...?” Her eyes filled with tears.

  “Come with me. You did the right thing in letting us know. There, now, don’t upset yourself. There’s nothing you could have done.”

  She guided the woman in the direction of the ambulance. Her colleague covered the man with a tarpaulin and radioed to base. When he finished the call, he became aware of a sudden silence. The sobs and shouts of the crowd had subsided to a shocked hush, all eyes staring at the tarpaulin.

  A police officer materialised by his side. “I’ll get this area cleared and put up a cordon. Is that one of the protestors?”

  “Don’t think so. Looks like a journalist to me. Poor sod.”

  Chapter 2

  VALO: The only independent news site to shed light on the truth

  Journalist killed at protest march

  HELSINKI: The authorities have named the man who died amid Saturday’s violence as 43-year-old Juppo Seppä, a freelance photographer from Espoo. His death is being treated as accidental. Seppä suffered a severe head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene. He leaves behind a wife and seven-year-old twin boys.

  Shocking scenes

  On Saturday 13 June, teenage climate activists charged the headquarters of LokiEn, the energy giant responsible for the newest of Finland’s existing nuclear power facilities and the long-awaited Neljä modular reactor plant at Kolkko. Initially peaceful, the protestors gathered at Pohjoisesplanadi at 10.00 and marched towards the LokiEn offices on Senaatintori to deliver a petition. When refused entry, a small group of young people at the head of the march attacked the security guards protecting the building from malicious damage. Fighting broke o
ut around 11.00 and over twenty people were seriously injured, several of whom are still in hospital. Police struggled to control the violent disorder, during which many of the marchers were seen to throw their placards at officers’ heads. So far fifteen people have been arrested and there may be more to come, according to a police spokesman.

  ‘We are examining CCTV footage of the incident to assess why and how a peaceful demonstration turned into a civil disturbance. There may be more people we wish to speak to.’

  Marches against the concept of new nuclear modular reactors built close to urban areas have previously taken place in various cities, including Helsinki, but this is the first time the young activists have disturbed the peace and sparked violence. Questions are already being asked about how to contain potential disruptive elements and protect the public next Saturday, when the new plant is due to open. The high-profile ceremony will be attended by senior politicians, the three chief executives of the companies behind the joint venture and most assuredly a small but vocal group of objectors.

  There is no doubt these young people feel strongly about their beliefs and have a right to express them. The tragedy is that an innocent bystander had to lose his life in order for them to be heard.

  COMMENTS

  HariV: These kids have been brainwashed and don’t even understand the facts. Send them back to school until they learn what they are talking about.

  This comment has been deleted by a moderator because it does not meet our standards

  TruFinn: Little swine! If my kid tried to join them, I’d lock her up.

  LennonAgain: There’s no evidence the young people started it. Why didn’t LokiEn let them deliver their petition? It’s not like it will make any difference.

  MrMobile: @LennonAgain – they may not have started it, but they certainly participated. Have you seen the TV footage?

  OhLordi: @LennonAgain – if it won’t make any difference, why did we bother signing?

  This comment has been deleted by a moderator because it does not meet our standards

  UrsiMinor: Why do they object to the new reactor? Don’t they learn in school how important nuclear energy is to this country? Or should we still be dependent on Russian gas?

  Ergmann: @UrsiMinor Bitching about energy sources is what got this guy killed. Grow up.

  HansUp: I will be at the opening ceremony and I will not take any crap from a bunch of ‘woke’ millennials.

  MobileFoam: Someone needs to stand up to the atomic whores! The rest of the population are duped. Go Warriors!

  Comments on this article are now closed

  “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen and thank you for your patience. My name is Detective Sahlberg of the Helsinki Police Department. As promised, I have a statement for you regarding the unfortunate events of yesterday morning. We have made a total of nineteen arrests, all of which are concerned with public disorder offences. We will not release the names of any of these nineteen unless charges are brought. I would like to stress that no one is being held in connection with the death of Mr Juppo Seppä.

  The second reason for calling this press conference this evening is for another very serious matter. Two of the protestors leading yesterday’s march are officially missing and we are concerned for their welfare. We would like to locate them as a matter of urgency. Valpuri Peura, aged sixteen, and Samu Pekkanen, seventeen, represented Gaia Warriors, the central organisation behind the protest. These two were given the responsibility of delivering the petition. Neither has been seen since. If you look at the screen behind me, you will see recent photographs of Ms Peura and Mr Pekkanen. If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these young people, it is essential you contact the police on this number. Now I would like to allow the parents of Ms Peura and the mother of Mr Pekkanen to address you all. Mr Peura.”

  Journalists rustled and shifted to get a better look at the distressed father. He appeared startled to find himself the centre of attention and turned to the detective, who whispered in his ear. The man scanned the faces and fixed on the camera directly in front of the podium. He cleared his throat.

  “Valpuri, please come home. You are not in any trouble, far from it. Your mother and I are so proud of you. You stand by your convictions and we love you for that. We want you to come home because we are worried about you. If you see this, or if anyone watching knows where Valpuri might be, I beg you, please contact us or the police. Please.”

  The man sat down, clutching at his wife’s hand. The commissioner leant forward to address the woman at the end of the row. She got to her feet, white-faced and trembling. But her voice was strong enough to make everyone pay attention.

  “My son is seventeen years old. He is caring, generous, sensitive and principled. He is a wonderful person. I ask you, all of you, help us find him. Someone knows where he is. You must tell us what you know. He is all I have. Samu, I love you. Come home.”

  The woman’s presence transfixed all faces so the moment she sat down, comforted by Mrs Peura, the journalists seemed to wake up, transferring their attention to their keyboards, notepads and phones. The police detective thanked them and the press conference was over.

  Chapter 3

  Heikki aimed the remote at the screen, switching it off just as a talking head came on to analyse the events of the weekend. Karoliina opened her mouth to tell him to leave it on, until she became aware of how peaceful the kitchen was. It was vital to keep abreast of developments, in particular public opinion. And what better bellwether of public opinion than the media? At the same time, the urge to shut out the world, just for a few hours, overcame her. Her husband crossed the kitchen and opened the fridge, taking out the bottle of wine. Without asking, he refilled her glass.

  Using her fork, Karoliina scooped up the last few leaves of salad and chewed them without tasting. Her mind bounced and rebounded like a monkey in a cage, desperate to do something although she had no idea what. Heikki replaced the wine and came to sit opposite her at the breakfast bar.

  “It’s not your fault, you know,” he said. “Not the journalist, not the missing kids, none of it. This has nothing to do with you. It’s all on the demonstrators.”

  Karoliina dropped her fork with a clatter. “Don’t be so naïve, Heikki. This has everything to do with me and LokiEn. What the hell do you think they were demonstrating about in the first place? We have to present an official response, at the very latest by tomorrow morning. That response will need to be coordinated and agreed upon by the other two CEOs. You can imagine how smoothly that is likely to go. I should call them tonight.” Her voice was weary.

  Heikki reached across the table and smoothed her forehead with his thumb. “It’s Sunday evening. You can’t do anything tonight. Contact them first thing in the morning and decide on a plan of action. But I say again, this is not your fault.”

  “Not all of it, no. Nevertheless, I am responsible for dealing with the fallout. We made some mistakes and we have to acknowledge that.” She shook her head impatiently. “This is not the time for recriminations. Now is the time to act. There are three things we need to do and time is of the essence. Top priority is finding those kids. I need to call the police and offer any support I can, while making a public statement of concern. Nothing I can do will bring that photographer back, but I can make a gesture of sympathy and offer some kind of financial assistance to his widow. Then we have to face the fact that next Saturday is going to be a powder keg and we have to do something to mitigate that. It might even mean calling off the opening ceremony if those young activists are still missing.”

  “Karoliina! You can’t do that! For one thing, the consortium wouldn’t let you. Next Saturday is a major milestone in the history of Finnish energy production. No more reliance on coal or wood to heat our homes.” He drained his wineglass.

  “Yes, thank you. I’ve read my own press releases.”

  “The point is, the whole country will be celebrating.”

  She gave him a sardonic look. “T
he whole country?”

  Heikki pulled a face of disgust. “Apart from a handful of raggedy-arse protesters, yes. Most right-thinking people know how important this plant is, not just for Finland’s future, but the whole of Europe. You can’t let a couple of muddleheaded kids spoil something you’ve been working towards for almost a decade. Let’s face it, they’re probably shocked that their violent actions led to someone’s death and they’ve gone underground out of shame. I’d be very surprised if there were anything like the scale of protest we saw today. They’ve learned a lesson. Pity someone had to die to teach them.”

  The doorbell rang and Karoliina pushed back her chair, glad of the interruption. She hated it when Heikki started talking like a tabloid.

  He looked at the doorway. “Are you expecting someone?”

  She shook her head, brushing the crumbs from her shirt. “Yes and no. I’ve made no appointments but it’s only a matter of time before the police turn up asking questions. I’ll see who it is. Thanks for making dinner, by the way.” She took a last sip of wine and arranged her face into professional mode as she walked down the hall to the front door. The porch light was on but Karoliina could see no figures awaiting admission. She hesitated a moment before opening the door. Outside, there was no one on the porch, on the path or either side of the doorway. She looked at the street which was empty of vehicles. The island was silent apart from the distant buzz of a motorcycle. She was about to retreat inside when something at her feet caught her eye. An envelope bearing her name: Karoliina Nurmi.

  It wasn’t the first time Karoliina had received anonymous post and she was well versed in how to deal with it. She left the envelope on the mat, returned indoors, walked past the kitchen and into her study. She found the drawer she was looking for instantly and retrieved a pair of rubber gloves and a re-sealable plastic bag. When she emerged, she saw Heikki standing at the front door.