by S G Read
Meanwhile Giles was fighting to break the codes and get into the files. Everything he tried failed but he kept going, making notes as he went and trying something else. Ray paced up and down until Giles told him to stop doing it or go away. He walked off, unable to stand still. It was another hour before he was called back.
‘I’m in.’ Giles reported.
They watched the last three weeks of information bit by bit. Finally the reports of people being ill and then dying started. Then the report centred on an attack on the first person to die. He had complained of being mugged. He was knocked unconscious in the toilet but nothing was taken. When they examined him, the only thing they found apart from the bruise on his head was a small wood which was bleeding on his arm. Now they connected it to the man’s death and started a vigorous investigation into the attack. Footage from the video cameras were scrutinised to see who had been in the area at the right time. Slowly they settled on to one man and the watchers saw the picture, his name was Jamal Malick.
‘So that is Jamal.’ Ray said quietly, pleased at their progress.
Barry squatted behind a low wall watching the approach road. The men on the bridge were out of sight, anyone coming this way on patrol would not see them and the men on the bridge would therefore not see the patrol. There was no movement on the road for the first hour, then he heard an engine approaching. The other three men straightened up and moved so that they could sort out any clan members who dared to get near. Their car was well hidden amongst other crashed cars. Barry had lifted the bonnet to make it look the part in case anyone came and was well pleased he did. He held up his hand until the men were closer. He looked carefully at them before he lowered it and they all started shooting. Barry had assigned targets to the other three assuming that it was a four man patrol. He arranged it so that the man the person was aiming at was in plain sight and not shielded by one of the others. All four men died very quickly, the jeep they were driving swerved and came to rest against another abandoned car. Barry raised his hand again and all shooting stopped. No one moved or spoke as they listened in case another patrol was following. It remained as quiet as it had been before the patrol arrived. Barry noticed movement in the back of the jeep and kept his hand up, trying to see who or what it was. He waited what seemed to be an eternity to the others before he signalled them forward and moved himself.
In the back of the jeep the found a girl of about Clem’s age, she was tied hand and foot. They pulled her upright and untied her.
‘Who are you?’ Barry asked.
‘I am Lillian Galbraith.’ The girl answered.
‘I’ve heard that name somewhere.’ Barry replied.
‘You should have.’ Peter Reims answered; he was another A303 member who was there to help. ‘Giles name is Galbraith.’
‘That’s my dad’s name?’ Lillian declared.
‘Maybe you should take Lillian here to the control tower Peter, to see if we have a result.’ Barry exclaimed. ‘We can hold the fort while you are gone.’
Peter backed the car out after closing the bonnet and drove Lillian to the control tower.
‘Jamal was also sought about another two similar attacks,’ Giles replied, ‘but he went to ground.
The authorities sought him out but he had time on his side. They all died and he is still alive.’
‘Well his time is running out now.’ Ray retorted. ‘I want you to make a report with pictures and all the information in it. I want a picture of Jamal and I want to let all his followers know just what part he had in the plague. There has to be some of them who lost a loved one who will turn against him. I want turmoil inside while we come in from the outside. They might even save us the job of killing him!’
‘Set the enemy at each others throats just before we go in and kick their arses!’ Giles replied. ‘I like that. I did have visions of them hiding behind the women they have in there!’
‘So have I Giles, so have I.’ Ray declared. ‘We also want to know all we can find out about Upton Park! How many doors, sewer pipes etc. You name it we need to know about it!’
‘That won’t be on this computer.’ Giles retorted. ‘We need to go into a few houses in London and find a West Ham supporter preferably with a computer.’
‘They don’t have to be in London.’ Ray replied. ‘We will do it in the area I used to live, there were a few mad football fans there. There has to be at least one who liked West Ham.’
‘Careful my brother supported West Ham before they all died and he died.’ Giles retorted.
‘Death can do that for you. I was all set to be a dad for the first time when this plague took them both, so I definitely want a bite out of Jamal when we get our hands on him.’ Ray replied. ‘You might well get your wife back but I won’t! All I can get is the satisfaction that the person who brought the plague into this country dies and then the satisfaction of getting this country going again!’
Clem walked in. ‘I found the keys to a car on a man and another lap top. Shall I find the car it fits we are getting low on storage space?’
‘Take someone with you.’ Ray answered. ‘I would hate it if some dog took a bite out of that lovely backside!’
‘I’ll take Will with me.’
She walked away to find Will and they both went out in search of the car the keys fitted. In the car park among the cars they found the partly eaten remains of a woman, her handbag was nearby so Clem looked in it for keys. When she found them she tried the cars nearby she found one they fitted.
‘It will do in case we don’t find the one these keys fit.’ She exclaimed and they walked on.
In the next line of cars; one of the nicer cars had the keys hanging out of the lock. Clem put the other keys in her pocket.
‘Why don’t we use both, the 303 mob will want to take some of the stuff we have found.’ Will suggested.
‘Okay, I’ll drive you back to the other one!’ Clem replied.
Clem drove back to the other car and Will jumped out. Clem waited until he had it running before she drove away and he followed.
As they stopped, Peter drove up with his passenger. Will and Clem both peered in to see who it was but they did not recognise her.
Peter jumped out and opened the door for the girl.
‘Where is Giles?’ He asked.
‘In the main control room fighting with the computers, why?’ Will answered.
‘I got someone here he might like to meet.’ Peter answered and ushered her inside.
Intrigued the other two followed. As they met others on the way, they saw the girl and chose to follow. By the time they reached main control room, everyone was following although they did not know why. Giles was loading files on to a storage disc when they arrived. They were all there in a group, slowly they moved to one side and Lillian was visible.
Giles stopped in mid movement. Looked and looked again before he started running across the room. Lillian, seeing that it was her father, started running as well, her arms opened wide.
The embrace lasted a long time and the tears flowed even longer, until they turned to the others.
‘I would like to introduce you to my daughter Lillian.’ Giles said trying to wipe away his tears.
‘Nice to meet you.’ Ray answered. ‘One down loads to go. I take it you had company Peter?’
‘Yes a patrol jeep. We killed them and Lillian was tied up in the back.’ Peter answered. ‘I’ll go back and keep watch with Barry again.’
Ray nodded and Peter left them to it. They were all wondering why she was in the back of the jeep but Lillian was in no state to talk about it.
When they finished loading the cars, they were each given a disc, so that they could try to print out propaganda leaflets. The A303 settlement took one of the extra cars to save them from being cramped on the way back, as they not only had a lot of things they were taking but they also had Lillian to take as well.
Ray watched them drive away. The others waved as they drove away and were soon dots on
the horizon.
‘Time we went.’ Ray announced. ‘Have we got everything?’
‘I reckon.’ Will answered.
‘Do you want me to lead on the bike again?’ Jericho asked.
‘Yes please Jericho and get the others ready to go.’ Ray answered.
They drove back the way they had come with Jericho in the lead. Soon Jericho was joined by Barry and his team, they dropped in behind Jericho. The men on the bridge joined in behind the rest and they cut across the M4, to go back the way they had come. They deliberately did not go down the M25. It was a longer journey going the way they chose but they were fairly sure they would not meet any opposition on the way home; they had done enough for now.
The day started to grow dark as they drove and soon it was raining heavily, the first really heavy rain since the plague and Ray wondered if it might wash it all away. He smiled at the silly thought, this was a well planned attack and rain would not get rid of it. He wondered if
Felicity’s baby would be automatically born with immunity like its mother, or whether it would get sick straight away, or possibly when they came back from such a soiree! He made a mental note to ask Ralph if it was possible to make some sort of antidote or inoculation against it!
The rain continued until they were nearly home, then the sun showed its face for a little while before it was due to plunge below the horizon. They stopped at the wooden gate and signalled. The gate opened and they drove up to the other gates, looking about just in case it was some sort of trap. Jake and Jeremy were out on the plough and waved as they drove by, now they could relax. The sooner the clan were knocked for six the better!
Inside, the children who were still up did not move until the story of their outing was related in every detail, save for Clem’s method of distraction. Jake and Jeremy came in when it was too dark to do anymore safely and they had to hear what had gone on but by then the children had all gone to bed. Brian rigged up one of the lap tops and loaded the disc Giles recorded. They had also borrowed a printer and paper to make their version of the propaganda leaflet. Brian read it all a few times, made adjustments here and there then printed off one copy. Ray read it and passed it on. When they had all read it, they discussed it in detail. They made a few minor alterations and then it was printed again, this time they all thought it was as good as they could get it. Anyone who had lost a loved one and was supporting Jamal would hopefully think again, some might even try to end his life, as he had their loved one. Overall there would be chaos inside the stadium, while they moved to get the women and any children out. Once this was done they could have a stand up, all out, fight!
The printer printed the posters until the colour cartridge ran out. Tomorrow Brian needed to go and get in some supplies for the printer or another printer, which ever came along first!
That night after he had switched of the light in his room, all Will could see was Clem, walking away from him across the bridge in her socks and trainers. Not a bad thing to sleep on.
Ray woke to the sound of the tractor; Jake was ploughing the lawn inside the wall ready for planting. Ray looked to his right and saw the East Anglia four running wire from the tower on the right of the compound along the line of telegraph poles and then stapling the wire to them with gas staple guns. It made the job a lot quicker but they needed more wire. Ray looked to his left out of the window and saw that the outside of the wall between the first two towers was finished. He dressed and walked downstairs.
‘Everyone is up early this morning.’ He said as Donna brought in more food for the breakfast table.
‘Yep. Jeremy and Jericho have gone off to get more poles, they used all there was. Jethro and Tosh are building the next wall to free off that wire. They thought you might go off with Clem James and John to get some more wire.’
‘Oh they did, did they? I suppose I mustn’t disappoint them.’ As he ate his breakfast he was joined by Clem and James.
‘Don’t those two farmers sleep at all?’ Clem complained.
‘Shall we take them back where we got them from?’ James added.
‘Farmers are early risers and usually early to bed.’ Ray answered. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Like a log.’ Clem answered. ‘All that humping tired me out?’
‘I thought you said you only walked towards them!’ James retorted.
‘All that carrying of stuff down to the cars tired me out, stupid!’ Clem declared. ‘Honestly, be nice to them one day and they think you are private property. You can think that when we get married James Hancock.’
‘We have to find a priest first.’ James answered.
‘No, Ray can do it. You know, like the captain of a ship!’
‘Doesn’t the captain of a ship have to try the merchandise first?’ Ray asked.
‘Dream on.’ Clem retorted. ‘And we certainly won’t be getting wed until the clan are history!’
James smiled but said nothing; he liked the idea of marrying Clem.
They found John feeding the hens and they were soon able to drive off to find fencing. The yellow pages came in useful again and they drove from place to place looking for fence and taking the fence, when they found some.
Chapter 8
Brian set off to find a printer, he made notes from the yellow pages, took a gun and a copy of the disc, in case the printer they found was too big to bring back. Will stood outside waiting for him.
‘I’ve been sent as your bodyguard.’ He announced.
‘Do you want to drive?’ Brian asked, aware that his driving was not top notch.
‘No, I can’t stand guard and drive at the same time.’ Will answered good naturedly.
Brian drove out the second gates and they sat there to make sure nothing went inside before they closed, then he drove away up the road. He did not drive fast but he drove quite well. They drove up to Sevenoaks where Brian had found more than one printing firm. They stopped in a garage for a street map and followed the map to one printing firm. Will opened the door carefully, so that it could be sealed up afterwards. While Brian looked at the machine Will brought the little generator inside. This printing machine was far too big to move but it would do the job. They started the generator and Brian turned on the printer. He inserted the disc and set it up as he wanted it, loaded in the paper and started printing. It did the job quickly and very well but they wanted a lot of copies to flood the area with the leaflets. At one point Brian looked up and saw two young men by his car.
‘We have company.’ He whispered.
Will looked where he was looking. ‘Give me time to get in a good position and then go out and talk to them. Any problems scratch your ear and I’ll drop them where they stand.’
‘The only problem with that it, as soon as I get out there my ear will start itching!’ Brian replied.
Will walked to the stairs and two more young men stood there armed with guns. The two had no chance. They were both disarmed and marched away.
When Ray decided to drive back the lorry was piled high with rolls of fencing, not all the same but who cared. They stopped on the main road where the poles crossed; they had left room for two towers there to hold the gates they would have to put over the road.
They rolled off enough wire to reach there from where it stopped then drove round following the line of the posts dropping off rolls of wire when they thought the last roll would run out. When the lorry was empty Ray looked at the layout to guess how much more they would need.
‘At least another lorry load.’ He complained and they went up to the compound for food.
Everyone stopped for lunch and they all sat round the table talking. Just small talk. Brian had not reappeared and until the leaflets were printed, they would not be going up to the clan again. When they did it would be mob handed. The Welsh would be there, the A303 would be there and any group they found between now and then who were willing to fight would be there!
Will and Brian were driven to a farm and taken into the farmhouse where another yo
ung man sat there like a king on his throne.
‘What have we here?’ He asked.
‘We found them in the printers.’ A young man answered. ‘Do we kill them?’
‘What were they doing in the printers?’ The young monarch asked.
‘Printing!’ The same young man replied.
‘Very good Trevor but I didn’t think they were there for a tea party! What were they printing?’
‘I don’t know!’ Trevor answered.
‘Well, leave them here and go and find out.’
‘Why?’ Trevor asked.
‘Because I am the leader here and you do what I tell you to do.’
‘Alright I’ll go and get some of the things they printed Gareth, keep your hair on!’ Trevor left them where they stood and walked away.
‘You just can’t get the staff.’ Gareth complained.
No one asked Will and Brian any questions and they were not invited to sit down, they just stood there until Trevor returned. He thrust a leaflet into Gareth’s hand. Gareth passed it to his attendant who read it, then read it again. He whispered into Gareth’s ear
‘Nice to meet you two.’ Gareth declared immediately.
‘But they’re clan!’ Trevor exclaimed.
‘Did you read the thing?’ Gareth asked.
‘No, it’s just some clan guff.’
‘Read it!’
Trevor read it. ‘So!’
‘Well that makes them on our side and nothing to do with the clan!’ Gareth retorted. ‘Give them their guns back!’