by S G Read
‘That makes them all as bad!’ Clem complained and screeched to a halt for Ray to get out.
‘I’ll talk about it later, okay?’
‘Okay.’ Clem answered and sped away.
‘Any news?’ Will asked from his vantage point, he was watching for wild dogs.
‘They had to relocate because a power station went up in smoke but they have settled out of harms way and we will arrange something with them soon.’
He walked on to James who was still nursing a sore head. ‘Take some supplies and drive to the M3, you can take a map. Keep out of sight and just watch for a convoy going down but make sure they don’t see you.’
‘The clan?’
‘Yes I have tried to send them on a wild goose chase and I just want to know if they took the bait.’
‘What do I do when they have gone past?’
‘Come back here and tell me!’
‘Okay I’m on my way.’ James said and walked over to his car.
‘I should take Clem’s car, it is smaller, less likely to be spotted.’
‘Okay Ray.’
Ray returned to helping the others. They worked on and reached the road that led up the house, they stopped for lunch then, it was a lot quicker with the digger although the holes they made with it were large. The cement lorry with its load spinning slowly round followed along waiting to fill in each hole when they needed filling. They used wood to hold the upright where they wanted it and then they moved on.
When they drove back to the house for something to eat, they down the road and congregated in the television room after they had eaten, to talk.
‘We heard from the Welsh contingent, they had to relocate but they are ready to go now so we have arrangements to make. Anyone here able to knock up a code we can use over the radio?’
‘Ralph junior will do that for you!’ Ralph senior replied. ‘He’s good with codes.’
Ray turned to Ralphy. ‘Are you willing?’
‘I have done one already, shall I explain how it works?’ Ralphy answered.
Ray thought for a few seconds. ‘No. Don’t say a word about it. We will pick four who will know the code and no one else must know. That way if someone is captured they cannot divulge it under torture.’
‘I don’t like the sound of that!’ Will declared.
‘What, not knowing?’ Ray asked.
‘No; the torture!’ Will answered.
A ripple of laughter ran round the room.
‘Just don’t get caught then.’ Ray replied.
‘So four will know how to translate the code and pass on the message.’ Brian asked.
‘Yes and Ralphy, he will know. If all of them get caught Ralphy will work out a new code and implement it straight away.’ Ray answered.
‘Now that the Welsh are back on track for an attack, when are we going to go up and kick the clans butt?’ Ralph senior asked.
Everyone knew why he was asking.
‘I have sent James out on an assignment; I let him take your car Clem.’
‘So I saw. I assumed you told him to take it, so I didn’t make a fuss. Where’s he gone?’
‘To the M3 to see if the clan, well Jamal; takes the bait and sends men to the Isle of Wight to try to find you. When they have gone through, if they go through and James gets back. I will send two men off with a map and the code firmly implanted in their head to contact the Welsh. They will take a radio and they will let the Welsh know they are at the meeting point which they will arrange and the Welsh will go and meet them. As soon as they have the code we can plan without the clan knowing our every thought.’
‘Sounds good to me.’ Richard declared. ‘I am only sorry there aren’t more from our lot. Too many willing to sit on the fence.’
‘Before we go I want the fence right round the house and up to the front wall That means we can start working the ground ready to plant whatever we can plant at this time of the year. So let’s get to it!’
They ran the uprights to the other side of the road in line with the farthest wall and turned the corner. Jethro and Tosh started on a tower at the back corner of perimeter wall, the one that did not already have a tower built next to it. As they did it they started the wall on that side of the house.
They had already taken the next two towers up as high as they could in one day. One tower stood between the second tower and the houses, the last tower was where the fence turned left. The wall ran on outside the fence and they planned to fix the wire to the outside of the tower as it passed behind the house but to the inside corner where it turned left.
As darkness approached they moved back to the first tower and laid more blocks on it. It became obvious that the dogs were more likely to attack in the dark but they worked on until they had used up the mortar in the wheelbarrow. They refused to waste it despite the dogs getting closer and closer. They drove back with a pack of dogs howling and yapping behind their vehicles. At the gate a barrage of light suddenly swept over the area and the dogs were caught out in the open. Guns roared and the dogs were either killed or fled, allowing them to open the gate, drive in and close it again safely.
‘Pesky dogs!’ Will said when he walked into the house.
‘Well done Will for making us bring those big lights.’ Ray declared.
‘You know me, I’ll collect anything!’ Will retorted.
‘Those dogs will have a feed tonight.’ Jacob declared. ‘Should mean they won’t bother us too much tomorrow.’
He was right. They did not see a dog the next day, they had been fed and were asleep somewhere. The towers progressed and as light failed they were finishing of the third tower to support the next bit of fencing. They thought they would finish the two other towers the next day and the Whole area fenced the day after.
As they returned to the gate a car came speeding down the road towards them with its lights on. The gates remained close and the men in the cars by the gate waited until the car stopped. James appeared in front and gave the signal for the gates to open. James drove in first then the others followed him inside.
Ray hurried up to the car. ‘Did they go by?’ He asked in the window.
‘Yes and they had a tank!’ James answered.
‘A tank?’ Ray echoed.
‘Yes a tank, quite a modern one I think.’ James replied.
‘Did I hear you say a tank?’ Will asked.
‘You did.’ Ray answered. ‘Come inside and tell us all about it!’
They parked the cars and everyone flocked inside to find out what had gone on.
‘I just parked out of sight and sat there watching the motorway from where I was.’ He started, when he was settled in a chair. ‘I thought it was safer than risking being surprised by a dog when I was out of the car. I heard a clanking noise and saw a tank go down the motorway with about twenty men with it in other vehicles. When they had gone past I hurried back to tell you lot.’
‘What now?’ Jacob asked.
‘Now we send out two men with the code to meet the Welsh before they come back up the motorway.’ Ray answered. ‘My idea worked in two ways. One we know he is really serious about getting his hands on our Clem. Two, we know they have at least one tank and they may have more!’
‘What can we do about a tank?’ Kevin asked.
‘Apart from making sure we keep well away from it I have no idea.’ Ray answered. ‘But I am open to suggestions!’
‘You blow its tracks off and brew it up!’ Billy answered. ‘It’s what I used to do in my game when I was out of anti tank bombs.’
Donna went to scold him for speaking but Ray held his index finger up to stop her. ‘So why do you blow off a track?’
‘So’s it can’t go along any more. With only one track they go round in circles!’ Billy answered. ‘Don’t you know anything?’
‘Obviously not enough about tanks.’ Ray answered. ‘So how do we blow a track off?’
‘I usually use a mine or a limpet mine if I am near enough!’
Ray looked about him. ‘If we can stop the tank getting back and kill the men as well we will do a good days work but how do we do it. They might come up the way they went down on the same lane!’
‘We could coordinate with the Welsh!’ Ralph senior suggested.
‘Yes we must send them the code and talk to them about it but before the tank comes back up.’ Will suggested. ‘Who has a good memory?’
‘Laura has.’ Hetty replied. ‘She has a photographic memory and she can fight.’
Laura nodded in agreement.
‘Good, all we need now is a man to accompany her who also has a good memory.’ Ray replied.
‘I’ll go.’ John declared. ‘We need the help they can offer.’
‘Good.’ Ray replied. ‘Better wait until morning before you go, see Ralphy in his room and learn the code. Ralphy can teach two more after you have gone.’
‘We’ll leave at sun up.’ Laura declared. ‘I want to kick that clans’ bottom!’
They sat and talked before they went to bed and were all up to see the two, who now knew the code, off in the morning. Hetty said a tearful goodbye to Laura and the two set off to find the Welsh. The idea was for them to go to the services on the other side of the bridge at Bristol, contact the Welsh themselves and wait. There would be no chance of the clan getting there first, even if they wanted too. It sounded plausible but getting back over the bridge had to be as soon as possible in case the clan tried to close it.
As they drove away Ralphy heard a young voice over the radio.
‘This is the Kent settlement who are you?’ Ralphy asked, not recognising the voice. ‘I am David. Men came to our settlement. They killed a lot of the men and took the rest away with them; they killed the older women and took all the young ones. We were lucky to escape.’
‘How many of there are you?’ Ralphy asked knowing that the clan would be listening as well.
‘Six.’
‘I’ll get back to you, stay near the radio.’ He ran out to where the others were, the gates had just closed. ‘Trouble!’ He gasped to Ray.
‘Where?’ Ray asked, ready to chase after the two who had just left.
‘The clan raided the East Anglian settlement. Wiped it out apart from six children who were hiding. They say they took all the younger men and the young women, killed all the old women!’
‘We have to go help!’ Kevin said immediately.
Ray thought for a few seconds. ‘It seems odd that they left the radio working and a generator there.’ He said quietly. ‘I agree you must go back and help the children but I think that is what the clan expects. If they found out where you crossed the first time, they will have a trap waiting for you!’
‘Kevin is right, we have to go,’ Jacob retorted, ‘but traps can work both ways!’
‘Take what you need and go when you want to; do you want anyone to come with you?’ Ray asked.
‘No the four of us will be able to sneak through easier than a larger group but thanks for the offer.’ Jacob answered.
‘There are six children there.’ Ralphy added. ‘But I didn’t ask where they were or anything as the clan was probably listening.’
‘There will be ten of us when we come back then!’ Kevin declared. ‘Let’s saddle up!’
‘You might find these useful in a pinch.’ Will declared and held out two hand grenades. ‘They were lying about after we blew up the other lot.’
There was another emotional farewell and the four drove off in one of the clans jeeps.
‘Let us get to work then!’ Ray said when they were out of sight. ‘We can put up the fence between the second and third tower while you finish the fourth tower, then we start on the gates.’
They finished the fourth tower but instead of continuing with the tower on the other side of the settlement Jethro and Tosh chose to help with the gate towers. They out of felled trees to make the supports out of and more to make the gates.. By the end of the day they had built the gates and they had built the towers. They had the gates standing up connect to the towers with hinges, although the whole lot was supported to make sure that it did not fall down while the concrete round the tower supports set off.
Laura drove off with John. They had their map and when Laura tired of driving John took over. They cut across country as James had done, steering clear of the M25 and M4. It took longer that way but it was better than running into the clan! On a good day they might have made it to the bridge in two hours but across country and stopping to check out things as they went, took time. It took them five hours to hit the M5, and then they turned up it. They reached the M4 and turned on to it and finally drove onto the bridge. There was not a soul to be seen when they drove across it and pulled into the services. They took time to fill up with fuel for a quick getaway before they contacted the Welsh settlement.
‘Hello Welsh settlement.’ Laura said and waited.
After repeating it she had her answer.
‘Dai here, who is that?’
‘I am Laura, I have John with me and we are at the services by the bridge at Bristol to meet with you but the clan will be listening so can you get a move on?’
‘We are on our way, sit tight!’
‘How will we know it is you?’ Laura asked.
‘Oh, you’ll know alright.’ Dai answered.
An hour later a car arrived. It had a big daffodil painted on it and they were all waving leaks.
Laura walked out to where they stopped.
‘I take it you are the Welsh lot!’ She said and held out her hand.
‘We are, Laura. Okay boys put the leaks away now we can have them for supper when we get back. You can follow us Laura but you won’t be able to go back across the bridge. We will take you to the mainland by boat and you will have to find transport when you get there.’
Laura waved, John drove out from his hiding place and stopped to pick her up.
‘Follow that car full of Welsh people.’ She ordered.
Jacob drove back the way they had come, not racing but driving carefully.
‘So how do we go about this?’ Kevin asked from the back seat.
‘Do we use the tunnel again?’ Jason asked from beside him.
The scuba gear was in the boot. They had decided to collect it from the tunnel so that they could use it again should it prove necessary.
‘If I was them, I would wait for us to come out of the tunnel all wet and with out guns wrapped up and then shoot us down.’ Richard answered.
‘They will be looking for a boat landing as well.’ Kevin added.
‘So we use the tunnel then,’ Jacob declared, ‘but we go through when it is dark. We sneak out through the darkness and make good our escape.’
‘What if we make them think they have killed us;’ Jason declared.
‘How?’ Jacob asked.
‘We send a car into their guns with one of those hand grenades in it!’ Jason answered.
‘Might work.’ Richard agreed.
‘It might throw them off the track long enough for us to get the kids and high tail it back to the Kent settlement!’ Jacob declared.
They drove on.
The Welsh drove round a few roads to make sure no one was following and then drove down to their new settlement in another part of Wales.
‘A good place to grow things.’ Laura said when she climbed out of the car stretching as she did.
‘We thought so Laura.’ Dai declared. ‘Come and have something to eat.’
‘I think I need the little girl’s room first.’ Laura replied.
‘Edie will show you where that is.’ Dai answered and pointed to a woman who was obviously called Edie.
After eating a good meal they set about teaching a number of the Welsh the new code, it was not an easy task and not to be written down. They would not be going home until the morning and then they had to cross the estuary by boat.
Jacob stopped at Laura’s house but it was obvious that someone had been there; it was burnt to the ground.
‘A load of morons.’ Jason complained.
They stopped at a garage, not to fill up with petrol but to hide the car.
‘If they found the house we have to assume they found our car.’ Kevin declared.
‘Yes, so we have to take another one, they can’t be watching them all!’ Jacob replied.
The waited until the light started to fail.
‘Is there a moon tonight?’ Kevin asked.
‘I have no idea.’ Jason answered. ‘Do either of you know/’
The other two shook their heads.
‘We’ll find out through.’ Richard added. ‘If there is it will sure make it interesting coming out of the tunnel!’
As darkness fell they approached the tunnel mouth in their wet suits, carrying their weapons and their shoes. They slipped into the water and swam to the other side of the Thames. There was still enough light to see when they arrived and they could see no one but still waited until it was completely dark. They dropped their cylinders into the water, out of sight, so that they were ready to move out when it was dark enough.
When it was completely black, they stepped out and walked as quietly as they could across the gap between them and the nearest cover, a low wall. They knew when they reached the wall because Jason found it with his foot. Normally it would have gone unnoticed but it was dark and there were no other noises.
‘What was that?’ A voice in the darkness asked. ‘Did you hear anything?’
‘I might have.’ An answering voice replied. ‘When you are listening out for something your ears start to play tricks on you, well mine do anyway! Turn the light on.’
The four men dropped to the floor and hugged the wall they were next to, as the area they had just left was bathed in light.
‘Who turned the light on?’ Another voice called.
‘We thought we heard something!’ The first voice called back.
‘Well can you see anything?’ The voice asked.
‘No!’
‘Well turn it off again! We don’t want to tip our hand do we? We know they reached Dartford our lookout post told us.’
The light went out again and the four lay where they were until their eyes became accustomed to the darkness. Jacob rose to a crouch and walked on, making sure not to make any more noise. The other three followed, using the smell of the wet suit in front of them as a guide. They kept going along the wall and they knew they were approaching the place they had heard the other voice. Their guns were still wrapped in plastic and to unwrap them would make too much noise. The sound of falling water told them they were near the next group but they kept going. The wall seemed to go on forever but they could not afford to try to climb over it, for fear of either making a noise or meeting someone in the dark.