by Meg Buchanan
“I was expecting something bigger,” he says.
“Things change.” Now she’s tugging at the belt buckle with her other hand. Henry ignores her, leans the rifle against a tree. One less person who can shoot back. By putting his rifle down, he’s made the odds better.
Ela has to move with him. She holds the belt with her free hand. Gives a vicious tug.
Henry shakes his head at her, like she’s starting to get bothersome. I move a bit, so I can see Charlie better. He’ll be the first to get shot now. Ela measures the distance between her and the rifle with her eyes. I see her decide it’s too far for her to get it with Henry holding the end of the belt.
Then she carefully moves her wrist to check if the belt’s loose enough yet for her to slip her hand out. Henry sees her do it and tugs on the other end to tighten it. The buckle bites into her skin.
Charlie grunts and shines his torch around the clearing. Stops at the cairn we made. “What’s that?”
“A pile of rocks. It’s in front of the cave.” Ela rubs at her wrist. But it looks like she’s really working at getting the buckle loose again. That’s good. When I make my move, she needs to be able to get away from Henry fast, so he can’t use her as a shield. I move a bit further around to get a clean shot at Charlie and then at Henry without risking hitting Ela.
Henry looks at the mound of dirt and pile of stones lit up by the torch. “We’ll have to come back tomorrow if we’re going to shift that. We need to bring some gear with us,” he says to Charlie.
Charlie nods in the gloom. Then Henry moves again and stares at Ela tethered beside him. “We can’t do anything about the cave at the moment, so we’re going to have some fun.” He puts his torch down on the stones.
He grabs Ela by her free wrist. Pins it behind her back.
“Let. Me. Go.” She hits him hard with the other hand. The belt buckle cuts his cheek.
“Fuck.” He shakes his head, lets her wrist go, then touches his cheek. He checks his fingers and sees the blood. “You’ll pay for that.” He looks over at Charlie. Charlie’s been watching from the side-lines. “Get over here,” says Henry.
Chapter 29
CHARLIE MOVES OVER to Henry and Ela. He grabs Ela by the shoulders and holds her. Now they are in a little cluster.
I still can’t risk shooting anyone.
“Right.” Henry lets go the end of the belt and walks away in a direct line between me and Ela and Charlie. “You two are going to put on a little show for me.”
Still can’t shoot them without getting Ela. I ease around a bit further. See Ela gauge how far away the rifle is again. Then Charlie leans his gun against the tree beside Henry’s.
Henry picks up the torch. He takes Charlie’s and positions both torches on a rock, so they shine on Ela and his brother with the waterfall in the background. He sits on the rock, pulls cigarettes out of his pocket and lights up. He breathes out the smoke surveying the scene.
“Now turn her around, and slowly undress her.” He waves the cigarette at them as if directing a scene. They’re playing the same game as they played with Katie. Like they’re making a Vid without the camera.
I aim at Henry’s head. Charlie turns Ela around and starts to undo the buttons of her dress. She shoves him hard. But he just smirks and brushes her hands away.
I move the rifle enough, so Charlie is in my sights. But Ela is too close to him and keeps moving.
“Make him stop,” she orders Henry, and shoves at Charlie again.
“He can do what he likes,” says Henry. I get him in my sights, but Ela is in the direct line of fire again. “As long as you can still walk when he’s finished. There’s a mine shaft waiting a bit higher up, and I don’t want to have to carry you there.”
He takes another pull on his cigarette and then proves he does care how Charlie does things. “No, undo the dress all the way. Slowly – it’s more interesting that way.” He’s back in his role of movie director. The blue smoke curls away from his mouth as he watches Charlie.
Charlie leers. He grins as if he has played this game before and likes it. Henry gives the directions. He follows them.
From Henry’s comment about the waiting mine shaft, I figure they mean to kill her. I’m tempted to shoot him now, but there is still a chance of hitting Ela as well.
Henry leans forward watching. The two rifles are sitting ignored only two metres away. Ela tries to pull away, but Charlie pulls her back.
He bends down a bit further breathing hard. I need a distraction right now. My brain screams at Ela. Hit Charlie now!
And she does. Hard. She brings her knee up and gets him right on the nose and floors him. I hear the bones breaking.
He falls back onto the stones holding his nose and swearing through blood and gristle. Then Ela launches herself at their rifles.
Charlie is roaring threats and struggling to get up.
I move towards Henry.
Henry leaps up to stop Ela. The butt of my rifle crashes down on his skull. He falls to the ground like a sack of meat.
I put my boot in the middle of Henry’s back to make sure he can’t move, aim my rifle at his brother, just as Ela grabs the first Ruger.
She picks it up. It’s all clumsy the way she handles it, but she’s serious. She looks like she’s planning on doing some damage. She holds the rifle the way I taught her, jams in the bolt, puts the butt against her shoulder, aims at Charlie.
“Move again and you’re dead,” she says. It’s all competent enough to keep Charlie still and watching her warily. He squints like the light from the torches is blinding him. He’s probably able to make out the shape of his brother lying on the ground and me standing on Henry, aiming across the clearing.
Then he looks across at Ela, stunned. I can almost hear him thinking, so much for ‘Sweet and Elite’.
“Are you all right?” I ask Ela.
She nods. “I’d almost given up on you.”
“Keep covering Charlie, so I can take care of Henry.”
Ela nods. I just hope she can hold it together until we get the situation under control. Though I don’t think I need to worry. The rifle doesn’t even waver. I decide on a bit of insurance for her. Whistle and almost instantly Monsanto comes bounding into the clearing like a puppy let out of a cage.
He runs up to me. I nod at Charlie and order, “Hold!”
Mon changes instantly. His hackles go up. His ears go back. He bares his teeth, growling deep inside his throat. He slinks towards Charlie and circles him.
I can feel Henry start to move under my boot. I know I have to neutralise him fast. He’s the most dangerous. If he regains consciousness before I get him tied up, he could still be trouble.
With Charlie’s attention fully on the dog and Ela, I take my chance and hit Henry again. He relaxes on the stones. I kick him to make sure he’s right out. I’ve seen the Vids where the villain is faking unconsciousness. I look around for something to tie him up with and remember the belt dangling from Ela’s wrist. I go over to her.
“What’s this?” I start to undo it.
“Don’t even ask.” She sounds fierce and moves her hand enough so I can get at the buckle. She still doesn’t give Charlie any hope of escaping without a bullet in him.
I take the belt off her wrist and walk towards Henry, checking for any sign of movement. I stand beside him keeping away from his arms and legs. Then kick him in the side again, just to be sure.
No reaction still.
I straddle him and grab both his arms. Wrench them around behind his back. Tie them together with the belt, pulling it as tight as I can. I’m not worried about circulation. Only that Henry won’t be able to get loose.
I roll him over. Put my arms around his body and haul him to sitting position then lean him against the rock cairn. I intend asking Henry a few questions when he comes to.
I check Monsanto and Ela are keeping Charlie under control. They’re doing well. Monsanto circling Charlie, and Ela aiming the Ruger real stea
dy. Charlie is watching them both, holding his bleeding nose but making no effort to move.
I turn back to Henry and survey my handiwork. Henry’s head lolls forward on his chest. Mouth slightly open. Blood running down the side of his face. But he seems to be breathing. I need to tie up his legs too. The last thing I want is him making a lunge to escape and managing to hide in the bush. I’ve enough respect for Henry’s hunting skills to know that if he gets away he’ll be hard to find, and dangerous.
I go across to the Ruger still lying on the ground. Lean my gun against a tree and take the sling off the rifle, unload it, take the bolt out, put the shells and bolt in my pack. One less weapon that can be used against us.
I use the sling to tie Henry’s legs just in time. Henry is starting to groan slightly and trying to move. He’s regaining consciousness.
I consider hitting him again. It would give me a lot of pleasure, but I want to talk to him and need him conscious for that.
I go back to Ela, I shrug out of the Swanndri as I walk across the clearing and take the rifle she’s holding off her. I keep it pointed at Charlie, and hand her the Swanndri.
“Put this on so you warm up.” I wait while she does up the buttons on her dress. Then she gets into the Swanndri. She turns up the cuffs, so they don’t fall over her hands.
“What now?” Even with the coat on, she’s shivering a bit. Maybe stopping for a chat with the Willises isn’t a good idea.
“When I’ve got them tied up, we’ll get out of here.”
She goes and gets my rifle and covers Charlie again. “If there’s any problem, I’ll shoot it,” says Ela.
I slide the bolt back on the Ruger Ela was using. Unload it, take the sling off. Stroll across to Charlie, holding the unloaded rifle loosely in my hand.
“You have a choice,” I say to him. “You can take off your belt, crawl over by your brother and then lie on your stomach with your hands behind your back, so I can tie you up, or we can do it the other way.”
He starts with the, “Fuck off, Fraser.” All those F’s are pretty difficult with a broken nose. I lift the Ruger planning on using the butt on his head the way I did with Henry.
Charlie shuts up, takes off his belt. Crawls to his brother and lies down.
I tie him up. Sit him up. And there they are sitting side by side, trussed up like pigs. I relax a bit. I line up the two torches, so they shine directly on my prisoners. Monsanto has already positioned himself just away from them and is watching intently. I know he’ll warn me if either of the Willises move.
Henry starts to groan. Mon growls and bares his teeth.
Henry shakes his head, groans, and vomits down the front of his t-shirt.
He tries to move his arms and legs. When he can’t, he opens his eyes enough to glare at me. He looks uncomfortable, like the belt’s cutting into his hands, and he isn’t feeling well.
I watch him struggle. He eyes me. Charlie’s the stupid one in this pair. Henry’s got enough brains to be planning to try and stay alive by now.
What is the next step? Can’t really see them walking out at gun point. Don’t really want to shoot them now Ela is safe.
“I told you to keep still.” I move the rifle again.
The Willises keep struggling. “You won’t shoot us,” says Charlie, like he’s reading my mind. “You’re too scared of going to jail.”
“Take your chances if you like.” I hold the rifle more deliberately. “I know a few mine shafts too. You’d just vanish.”
Ela glances at me as if she’s wondering how long I was watching her and Charlie and Henry. As if she would have felt a lot better if she’d known I was there.
“That’s when I turned up. I was trying to work out how to attack both of them at once, and then you hit him.”
There’s a long pause. Nobody moves or says anything. I’m still sure Henry wants to get out of this alive, and he knows I’ve seen enough to work out their plans for Ela. Probably remembers the whole Katie saga too.
He stays still and quiet. He’ll remain that way for exactly as long as we have a rifle aimed at him. After that his priorities will change.
I stand up and put Henry’s and Charlie’s rifles over my shoulder. It’s time to go. “See you later.”
“You can’t leave us here.” Henry struggles against the belt holding his wrists.
“It’s a lovely night.” I pick up one of the torches. “Enjoy yourselves.”
Ela puts my rifle over her shoulder, and we walk slowly to the edge of the clearing. A good imitation of a casual stroll from both of us. Then I turn and look back at the Willises. Not a pretty sight.
Chapter 30
ELA AND I START WALKING down the creek bank with Monsanto following. Mon keeps looking back at Charlie and Henry as if not sure what’s going on. I can hear Henry and Charlie cursing and struggling behind us.
Once we’re far enough away, and they won’t hear us, I start moving faster. All the pretence of a leisurely walk back to the Land Rover disappears.
“What was that all about?” Ela’s hurrying to keep up.
I slide down a bank then stop. I hold the torch and the rifle straps with one hand, hold her hand with the other to help her down the bank. Those little shoes she’s wearing weren’t made for walking through the bush.
“Just buying time.” Ela half-slips, half slides down the bank. “I couldn’t risk moving them. Didn’t want to shoot them.”
“Why not shoot them?” When she’s on flat ground again, she brushes the leaves and dirt off the Swanndri. I’m a bit cold. Never remember to bring a spare coat.
“Do you want it back?” she asks.
“No, I’m fine. Really? You wanted me to shoot them?” And she actually has to think about that before she answers. So much for Sweet and Elite.
“Okay, shooting them probably isn’t a good idea. Tempting though.” We start moving again following the beam of the torch. I keep hold of her hand to keep her close. “What will they do?”
“I think they’ll get loose.” A fern frond brushes the barrels of the rifles then bounces back.
“What then?”
“Fitzgerald can look after them.”
“Are we going to the pub now?” Ela’s still struggling to keep up with me. I remember the bloody little shoes and slow down a bit again. The track is narrow and rough. It’s a balance between keeping Ela on her feet and moving fast enough to make sure Charlie and Henry don’t catch up with us.
“Yeah, we’ll go to the pub. Warn Mum what’s going on. Then I need to find Fitzgerald and talk to him again.”
“Why have you been talking to Fitzgerald?” asks Ela, walking fast beside me, nearly jogging and puffing a bit as she talks.
“Lucinda’s sick. I needed a doctor. I figured he’d know who to call.”
“How sick?”
“Really crook.”
“Is she going to be all right?”
“Don’t know yet.” We get back to the Land Rover, throw the gear in and shut the back as soon as Monsanto’s inside. I turn to Ela. She’s watching me. Looks exhausted now. The bruise on her cheek is black in the moonlight.
I put my arms around her, lean against the back of the Land Rover. Pull her closer, her arms slide around my waist. She tucks her head under my chin.
I hold her tight. I can’t believe how close I came to losing her. But right now, the first priority has to be to get out of the camping ground fast.
“We’ve got to keep moving,” I say into her hair. “I have no idea how long it will take the Willises to get free.”
Ela nods, and I let her go. She goes around the Land Rover, opens the door of the passenger side and gets in. I get in the other side. Doors slam, and we leave at the speed of light. I slow down when we’re well away from the camp, start driving back to town a bit more normally.
“Charlie hit me,” Ela says when the trees aren’t flashing past quite so fast.
“I heard that. It was on the Com.”
“I’ve neve
r been hit before. It was terrifying.”
I reach over and touch her cheek. It feels hot, must be sore.
She pulls her head away a bit. “It still hurts.”
“Sorry.”
“You could kiss it better.”
“Not funny. I shouldn’t have let the Willises get to you.”
“It was my fault,” says Ela. “I should have listened to you.”
“What happened? Why were you at the house?”
“I was already at Jacob’s when you made the call, so I thought I’d put the food in the fridge before I went to find you.”
That’s Ela, not too great at doing what she’s told.
“You were supposed to go back to the pub.”
“Yes, that is what I was going to do, but I went inside first, and Henry and Charlie were already there. The house was all the way it should have been, except Henry Willis was sitting at the table, big and dark and menacing. He was smoking a cigarette and looking at the fake map. The rifle was on the table in easy reach.”
“I should have been there. You shouldn’t have been alone.” I have to change gear and go around a corner.
“Does Fitzgerald know about the raid to rescue Lucinda?”
I can see her face reflected in the glass watching the dark flash by.
“Yeah.”
“How did he take it?”
“Not good.”
“Is that an understatement?”
I nod.
“Does Jacob know too?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“That’s not good,” says Ela.
“No, the fallout from this is going to be interesting.” I flick a glance at her, wave my hand at her cheek and her damaged wrist. “And that.”
“I’ll protect you.” She looks over at me and grins.
“I’m going to need it.” I change gear again, slow down, stop at the turn off to the main road, pull my Com out of the glove box, hand it to Ela. “Text Fitzgerald. Tell him you’re safe. We’ll have service now.”