North Sea Hijack

Rufus Excalibur ffolkes, an eccentric cat-loving counter-terrorism consultant, is hired by Lloyd's of London to design a contingency plan for protecting insured North Sea installations. He begins assessing vulnerabilities and developing a strategy to retake the platforms if they are attacked. Time: Months before the crisis. Place: London.

Months later, the North Sea supply ship Esther takes on board a group posing as reporters who will visit the Jennifer platform. The group intends to use the visit as cover for a later attack. Place: Esther. Time: At sea.

Lou Kramer leads the hijack and seizes control of Esther, trapping the crew as the plan unfolds. He breathes intimidation into the operation and positions the ship for a high-stakes ransom. The hijack triggers a tense crisis that will test every contingency.

Kramer and his gang attach limpet mines to the legs of the Jennifer platform and its drilling rig Ruth, threatening to explode them unless paid £25 million. They broadcast the ransom demand to the British government, leveraging the platforms' vulnerability. Place: North Sea. Time: During the hijack.

Esther's crew attempts to resist the hijackers, but their countermeasures are thwarted by Kramer’s vigilance. Two crew members are killed in the ensuing struggle. Place: Esther. Time: During the hijack.

The Prime Minister and her advisors consult Lloyd's about the ransom and the insured platforms. The CEO informs them about ffolkes, who is hired to neutralize the terrorists and retake the installations. Place: London. Time: In the aftermath of the hijack.

ffolkes travels to the Jennifer platform undercover as the aide of Admiral Brindsen, who has been assigned to supervise the operation. He begins coordinating from within, leveraging his unconventional methods. Place: Jennifer platform. Time: Before the assault.

ffolkes asks the admiralty to stage a fake explosion to distract Kramer and buy time to carry out the assault on the gang. The ruse is intended to mislead the hijackers without tipping them to the counterplan. Place: Esther. Time: During planning.

A plan is devised to have Brindsen and ffolkes brought aboard Esther to neutralize the leaders from inside while other team members board from underwater. The dual approach is designed to outmaneuver the gang and prevent detonations. Place: Esther. Time: During operation.

Kramer suspects the inside man and has ffolkes removed from Esther, undermining the planned internal takedown. The mission loses its element of surprise, forcing a revised strategy. Place: Esther. Time: During operation.

With the original plan compromised, ffolkes persuades the Prime Minister to authorize a ransom helicopter to drop a bomb on Esther if the team fails to act in time. The threat of an aerial strike increases pressure on the terrorists. Place: Esther. Time: During operation.

ffolkes makes a daring underwater approach to Esther to confront the gang and disrupt their plans, moving against the terrorists from below. He swims to the ship and initiates action against the leaders. Place: Esther. Time: During operation.

Despite some mishaps, ffolkes manages to thwart the detonators’ activation and leaves Kramer for dead as the threat to Esther is neutralized. The immediate danger to the platforms is prevented. Place: Esther/Platforms. Time: Late stage.

Kramer, mortally wounded, makes one last attempt to blow up Jennifer. He is stopped by ffolkes and dies, marking the end of the direct threat. Place: Jennifer. Time: Final moments.

Following the mission’s success, ffolkes is rewarded for his service. He receives three kittens named Esther, Ruth, and Jennifer in honor of the platforms and the crew. The whimsical detail underscores the mission's personal symbolism and closure. Place: London. Time: After the mission.