by Peter Hoole
As Caleb began weighing up his options, Darcy spoke.
“He’s fine” she said bluntly.
Caleb looked over at Zach. Indeed, the serum had done most of its work. The pain he had previously felt had visibly dissipated.
The cocky Colonial had even developed a small smile.
“Thank you.” He said to Caleb.
“Just shut up.” yelled Caleb, louder than he intended.
No doubt the gun shot had already alerted any enemies in the area, and any additional yelling and noise would only make their discovery less problematic.
But then, something happened that surprised all of them, most of all Zach.
Darcy, realising the Englishman was still in pain, walked over to him. With little hesitation, she raised her right leg, and brought it down with such force that Caleb was sure he heard a noise.
Darcy stomped on Zach’s leg, right on top of the wound that Adam had created.
Again, Zach screamed out in pain.
The serum had not quite completed its work, and Darcy took full advantage.
“Don’t assume that because we saved you, we want you alive.” said Darcy with a menace she had never exhibited before.
After letting out his anguish, Zach breathed deeply. Then, with the anger that was evident back at the cabin, turned his attention to Darcy.
With malevolence in his tone, he looked at Darcy and sputtered.
“I am going to kill you.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Caleb was more disturbed by the comment than Darcy.
She took it in her stride.
Of course the Colonials were going to hate them, to want to see them dead.
But considering they wanted everyone dead, Darcy decided it was not practical to take the insult personally.
But Caleb was not as pragmatic. He still remembered what Zach had said in the cabin, and the ferocity with which he said it. He had only one goal, to kill Darcy. And for Caleb, that was frightening.
But, fortunately, they still had the advantage. Zach was in their keeping, and as long as that was the case, Caleb knew he could subdue any threat Zach may pose.
Darcy’s action in stepping on Zach’s wound also had another affect.
Adam, after seeing what Darcy did, slowed his resistance to Caleb’s hold. It was as though Darcy had demonstrated that she was willing to hurt them as much as Adam was.
Sure, Adam still wanted them dead, but a painful existence was just as good in his eyes.
For now, at least.
Caleb felt Adam relax under his grip.
“You good?” Caleb asked.
Adam nodded his response.
Caleb was willing to act on little faith, and let the burly Australian go.
As Caleb predicted, Adam did not attack. He shrugged off Caleb, and moved towards his weapon on the ground.
Though Caleb was sure he would not attack, he still kept an eye on him.
Adam grabbed his gun, and held it across his body, in a relaxed pose.
The same could not be said for Zach, as the Colonial lay on the ground, still writhing in pain.
Darcy had not removed her foot from the wound.
For some reason, this seemed to prevent the serum from doing its work.
Darcy, confident her foot was all the protection she and the others needed, looked over at Caleb.
“What now?” she asked.
It was a simple question, but a simple answer did not present itself.
Several moments passed before Adam spoke.
“I know the area, but without my people,” he began, “They were the only people I knew I could go to in a situation like this... the only people I’d trust.”
Caleb looked at Adam, whose face had deteriorated with emotion. The anger he felt had been replaced by grief.
Darcy looked at Adam as well.
Now was the right moment for her to console him.
She removed her foot from Zach’s leg, and made her way the few metres back towards Adam.
Again, she put her hand on his shoulder.
This time, her actions did as they were intended. They caressed his shoulder, his arm and his back, soothing him.
As Darcy comforted Adam, Caleb watched Zach.
Almost as soon as she had removed her foot from his injury, Zach’s disposition changed. The wound had again started healing, and he seemed somewhat calmed by the effect.
Caleb, knowing Zach could pose a threat once he returned to full health, approached him with his weapon raised.
As he approached, Caleb pulled a cable-tie from his pocket.
Then, after rolling Zach over with his boot, Caleb reached down, and dragged Zach’s arms behind him.
The binding of his hands caused the Englishman some discomfort.
Once he was sure Zach was secure, Caleb rolled him back over.
Zach, lying on his back with his arms and hands pinned underneath, remained silent.
He had already been beaten, had his jaw broken, shot and tortured in the past few hours. It was not his intent to bring any further injury to himself by talking.
Caleb, keeping his weapon trained on Zach just-in-case, again looked to Adam. Darcy’s comfort had helped, but Adam had not fully recovered.
Caleb doubted if he would ever fully recover.
“We should head back to the cabin.” Caleb said.
“Back there?” asked Darcy, “William and his men will be there.”
Caleb nodded in agreement, but he knew it was their only option.
“We can’t outrun them Darcy.” He said, “and we need transport. The only transport we can get to are the SUVs back at the cabin. And if we get back there fast enough, we just may be able to get away before William and his men have a chance to regroup.
Darcy nodded.
Caleb looked to Adam for his agreement. It came quickly.
“Right then. Lead the way, big guy.” Caleb said to Adam.
***
“Nothing to report, Sir.”
“Well… they haven’t vanished into thin-fucking-air have they?” and exacerbated William asked, “Keep looking.”
William was frustrated. It had been some time since the American and his companions had escaped, along with his de facto leader.
“They could be anywhere. And there aren’t enough of us. Can we just wait for the drone?”
William considered the man’s excuses.
And after a few moments, that’s what he considered them to be - excuses. But rather than lash out, William chose another tack.
“When we find him… and you know we will find him… would you prefer me to tell him you wanted to wait?”
The man looked down, and immediately shook his head.
Williams words had had their intended effect.
“He has given you this extraordinary gift,” William said, referring to the serum, “So the very least you can do is find him.”
The man again nodded, this time a little more sheepishly.
William gave him a moment, but when he did not move, William spoke.
“Off you go then.”
The man ran back into the bushland where William had last seen Caleb, Darcy, Adam and Zach.
As William watched him disappear into the brush, his phone rang.
“Hello, John.” William said as he answered, trying to sound as calm as possible.
“Have you found him yet?” asked John.
“Not yet… but they couldn’t have gotten far.”
“Keep looking. It is Zach we’re talking about. And the others. They’re the only ones that know about our plans. We cannot let them escape.”
“I understand, John.” said William, “What shall I do with them once I find them?”
John did not answer immediately.
In order to get the answer he wanted, William tried to respond to the question himself, “Do you want me to kill them?”
Again, silence from John.
The lack of response irritated William.
If they were the only ones that knew the plan, and of the Colonials existence, then killing them was the best play.
After several moments silence, William opened his mouth about to speak. But he was interrupted.
“No. Do not kill them. We need them alive.”
William could not believe what he had heard. All his training had taught him to eliminate threats as soon as he believed they existed.
“Take no chances” he remembered James and others saying.
“What of the risk, Sir?” William asked, “What if they escape again.”
“William. We need them alive. We need to find out what they know and who they have told. If more people know, then we need to silence them, too. Besides, there are other elements you may not be aware of.”
William was again irritated. He thought he had worked his way into the inner circle, into a position where he would be told everything.
This was clearly not the case.
“What other information?” he asked, his irritation obvious.
John didn’t answer his query, “Just keep them alive, and bring them in. Once you have them, find out what they know and who they’ve told.”
“But, what if they escape?”
John added some menace to his voice
“Well, William,” he said, “You better hope they do not!”
Chapter Forty-Three
Their pace had slowed as they approached the clearing. More than once, Caleb had questioned his decision to go back.
Logically, the best tactical move may have been to run – to get as far away as possible. But the alternative of moving back to the cabin also had its merits.
Caleb knew William was well trained, and no doubt would also see the advantages in running away. So Caleb felt that returning to the cabin may provide a small element of surprise.
One of the main issues Caleb had was that he was unsure of how well the cabin and the vehicles would be protected. Sure, he and the others had managed to take care of the initial team William had used, but there was no way to know exactly how many back up people William had on site.
Or how many were on the way.
There had been at least two other survivors, at least of the initial attack. But as they had made their way back to the cabin, they had dealt with two Colonials.
The first was quite easy, and Caleb took little time in applying a choke hold that rendered their pursuer redundant.
The second was a bit tricker. He had obviously had a bit more training. But, after a few whack to the back of his head, he was less of an obstacle.
Caleb knew they could have easily shot both men as they tracked them, but did not want to give way their position through a gun shot. As such, the takedowns were riskier, but provided less of an issue in the long term.
After several minutes of softly walking on the dry leaves and scrub, Caleb, Darcy and Adam reached their destination.
Unfortunately, what Caleb saw did nothing to improve his frame of mind.
It seemed that William was more organised than he had hoped, and there were at least a dozen Colonials in the vicinity around the vehicles.
They were set up just as Caleb would have done.
There was six or so at the perimeter of the area, each scanning around the surrounding bush.
The rest formed a tight circle towards the middle. Again, they had their weapons pointed outwards, acting as a second line of defence should the perimeter be breached.
And in amongst them, walking around checking the area – was William.
It was apparent that, even though they would be able to surprise the Colonials, it would not do a lot of good.
They would be shot within seconds if they attacked.
So they had to be a bit more considered in their approach.
They could try and flank the area, hoping to take them out one at a time. But, with Adam not quite himself, and Darcy with such little training, Caleb figured that approach was more dangerous than acceptable.
As he tried to think, Darcy whispered to him.
“Caleb,” she said softly.
Caleb turned to her, not knowing what she was going to say. He nodded, as though asking her to continue.
“I have an idea.”
***
William grew concerned.
It had been too long since he sent the men out to find the Americans. They should have reported in by that stage, and he was equally as annoyed with their lack of discipline as he was with their apparent tardiness.
He looked down at his watch.
Fifteen Minutes.
He looked around at his team. They had spread as he had ordered, and were focused on the surrounding bushland.
There was little or no noise in the area, save for a light breeze and the occasion song of a bird.
The near silence made William feel uneasy.
He looked towards the west when the soft quiet was broken. A thud shocked him into turning around.
The man that was stationed there had disappeared.
William grew concerned, signalling one of the soldiers in the middle to advance on the fallen man’s position. The soldier took two steps, before another of Williams men disappeared from site.
Panic set in for William, but he knew he still had the advantage. He could not show he had trepidations, or his men may start to doubt themselves.
He ordered the man advancing to step back into line, which he did.
Now, there were four covering the outer of the site, with the others remaining in the middle.
William knew the tactic had been to draw people out, and he smiled that he had not fallen for it.
“Oh, come on, Captain.” William said mockingly, “You don’t think I’m going to fall for that, do you?”
William waited for a response, a smug smile strewn across his face. He knew the threat would be gone soon.
Chapter Forty-Four
Caleb too had a smile across his face. Darcy’s plan was not to draw people out, but merely to clear a little space for what he truly intended.
Adam had been swift in his movements, making his way through the bush from the first target to the next with little difficulty. And, just as easily as he moved he was able to dispatch them both with little fuss.
As Caleb planned, William kept the formation in place, ensuring that they still had some element of surprise.
Caleb was holding on to Zach, his arm wrapped around his neck. Darcy had squatted next to them.
They had made their way to the middle of where Williams’s two men had been, in the hope that William would not have weapons trained on them.
“Are you gonna behave?” Caleb asked Zach.
Zach gave no response. Given the circumstances, that would have to be enough. Caleb slowly released his grip, enough that Zach could feel the greater freedom, but not too much that he could escape if he wanted.
The more he released his grip, the more assured Caleb became that Zach would not run off. And, with Adam and Darcy pointing their weapons at him, Zach would have been a fool to try anything.
“Just give me a reason, mate” Adam said, as though reinforcing Zach’s predicament.
Zach stood slowly, eventually becoming visible to William and his men.
William was silent.
Caleb knew he had his attention.
“Before you try anything…” Caleb began, “There are three guns pointed at his head. If I even think you’re doing something I don’t like…”
Caleb fired his weapon, his aim precise enough to graze the back of Zach’s head. The shot was close enough that a puff of hair flew off of Zach’s head.
It was also close enough that William felt the need to speak.
William knew he was in a bind. He had no real desire to see Zach live. After all, he was one of few Colonials higher than him in the pecking order. It was more the fact that there were so many witnesses.
William knew he had to play the part… for now.
William raised his arm and wave his me
n to lower their weapons.
He could see the panic in Zach’s face.
He knew it shouldn’t, but the fear on his new leaders face brought William a level of satisfaction. He had always felt some resentment towards Zach and John. They were not like James.
James was a strong, powerful and their rightful leader. Now that James was gone, William felt that it was not Zach, nor John, nor any of the other Colony leaders that were the right one to lead them.
William felt that only he was worthy of succeeding James.
But, now was not the time to make that happen.
“Alright Captain,” William said with some resignation, “You can show yourself. You will not be harmed.”
Caleb smiled.
His plan had had the desired effect. He could sense from Williams’s voice that he now had the advantage, an advantage that could get Darcy and him to safety.
Caleb knew what he wanted.
“William.” He said, his voice filled with authority.
“Yes” came the Englishman’s reply.
“We want out.” Caleb said, “Me, Darcy and Adam.”
William was not pleased. To allow them to leave would further endanger the plan.
“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen, Captain.” replied William. “You and your girlfriend know too much.”
It was not the answer Caleb had hoped for, but it was not the answer he was willing to accept.
Caleb fired his weapon, straight towards Zach.
The bullet burst into Zach’s shoulder, blood flying. The force of the shot was enough to knock Zach to the side.
Zach doubled over in pain.
“STAND UP” ordered Darcy, knowing what Caleb was trying to achieve.
Zach did as he was told, though the pain made it difficult.
“Now, I know you guys will survive that, William.” Caleb said, before he paused for effect, “But I know you don’t survive shots to the head. And I don’t need to tell you where the next one’s going, do I?”
To emphasise his point, Caleb stood up. He was now visible to William, and his men. So he was not completely risking his life, Caleb stood directly behind Zach and looked over the Colonials shoulder at William.