by S G Read
‘Well once the wall is built no animal will get inside but the rest of the wall is going to take a while.’
‘And we have to find a lot more blocks!’ Jethro declared.
‘There is that as well but I will worry about it if I survive the attack on the clan!’ Ray replied. ‘Barry wants the fence outside the wall removed so that no one can climb up it so I think that is next on the list.’
Many hands made light work and two went to each pole to remove the staples and free the wire, then the same machine which drilled the holes pulled the poles out. The poles were loaded on a lorry and brought back into the settlement for storage. The wire was rolled up, after a struggle, then the digger lifted each section on to the same lorry and that was taken inside for storage.
‘At least the only weak points are where the fence and the towers meet and they are both outside the inner gate and the compound, so we will know if anyone comes in that way by seeing them on the towers cameras.’ Barry declared.
‘Good, now we turn our attention to the attack.’ Ray replied. ‘When Bradley comes we need a coach here, is anyone getting one?’
‘James and Clem said they would bring one back.’ Will answered. ‘I wonder how many dents it will have on it.’
‘They have the whole road to drive on.’ Jericho replied. ‘Surely that is enough?’
‘I hope so but I have never driven a coach before either so I cannot say too much!’ Ray answered. ‘We also need to plan this canteen or building new houses in the settlement where people can live as they used to, with what ever supplies we have for them.’
‘It is more economical for a few to cook a load of food than each place cook enough for the people who live there.’ Laura replied as she removed another broken nail from her fingers. ‘And we will need more supplies to keep us going over the winter.’
‘That can be left until after the fight though.’ Will declared. ‘The clan are bound to have supplies. Those we can share out between the settlements.’
‘You talk like we have already one.’ Jericho replied.
‘There is no room for thoughts of failure, we either win or I won’t care, as I will be dead!’ Will replied.
‘Keep that thought all through the battle and we will be okay.’ Ray declared.
‘What about tents or caravans?’ Laura asked thoughtfully. ‘They don’t take much time to make into living quarters.’
‘Caravans would be good.’ Ray cried. ‘Why didn’t I think of them?’
‘Sounds like we need the yellow pages again.’ Will declared and they all headed for home, to where the book should be.
It was not there of course but they did manage to track it down and find a fairly local caravan sales yard. They could have gone for others in nearby houses but they did not know what they would find in them. The mini bus, two lorries and the van drove away to collect caravans.
Clem and James stopped for a meal with Matilda and Otis with Otis complaining about his garden all the time, until Clem whispered into James ear.
‘Why doesn’t he do something about it then?’
‘That is simple.’ James answered out loud. ‘If he tends his garden the clan will see that if they pass by and they will know there is someone living here. So he cannot do anything about the weeds until we sort out the clan.’
‘And when are you sorting out the clan?’ Otis asked.
‘That is why we are here. We fight the clan on Saturday and we are going to bring some women and all the children down here for safe keeping in a coach. We have to take the coach back with us. I was sent down to warn you about the arrival of the children and to ask where we should put them.’
‘How many children?’ Matilda asked.
‘How many? They didn’t tell me that. There were four with Donna, two came with the East Anglia mob and they went back and got six more. I think twelve children and four women with me and Bradley driving.’
‘You drive a coach.’ Otis declared. ‘Did you have a licence to drive a lorry then?’
‘I’m fourteen Otis’-
‘Fifteen now.’ Clem corrected.
James thought about it. ‘Yes fifteen, so I can’t even drive a car by the old rules but they don’t exist anymore. Nowadays you do what you can and what you have to, which includes wiping out the clan.’
‘Amen to that.’ Matilda exclaimed.
‘So when you come to get the kids afterwards I can start working on my garden again?’ Otis asked.
‘Yes you can but we need somewhere to park twelve noisy children a coach and four women, one very pregnant.’
‘The sea life centre will keep them out of sight but we will have to put a few beds in there for them to sleep on.’ Matilda answered. ‘And we will need a special bed for the pregnant woman. When is it due?’
‘When was it due?’ Clem answered. ‘It is still coming but Ralph did not induce it whatever that means.’
‘It will be just my luck that it comes along when we are driving them down here!’ James declared.
‘There is a coach park just up the road where you should be able to find a coach but you might have to drag some bodies off one.’ Otis added. ‘You go back and we will get everything ready here for when you get back with the children.’
Otis walked up with them and they found a coach with just the driver on it. He was dumped onto the ground. James cleaned the seat as well as he could then started the engine. It took him ten minutes to work out what went where and what did what but after that time, they were on their way, James in the coach and Clem following behind in the car with Otis waving as they went.
The others went mob handed to make sure they had the muscle and tied the caravans to the back of each vehicle except the lorries. They had two caravans tied to them in line. The lorries drove slowly so the caravans did not tip over when they turned corners with the rest following in case they were needed to pick up or disconnect any caravans, which did tip over sideways. They drove in a slow motorcade but no one minded as long as they managed to get the caravans to the settlement. As they approached the gates opened and they were able to drive right through, Ray saw Clem close the gate behind them and jump into her car. The motorcade turned onto the garage forecourt where the caravans were untied, put into place and the feet lowered. Clem stopped to help them.
‘Did you get the coach Clem?’ Ray asked while they worked.
‘Mission accomplished Ray.’ Clem answered with a salute to go with it.
‘Good, did you fill it with fuel?’
‘Yes Ray.’
‘Then it is all go for tomorrow then.’
‘Yes. I can’t wait to get that Jamal.’ Clem declared.
‘You might die.’
‘I will hardly worry if I am dead, others might but I will be dead.’ Clem replied.
‘There will be a lot who miss you.’ Ray warned.
‘There will? I know about James but he will soon find someone else.’
‘What about Will, he is waiting for you to do your party piece again to keep his heart racing.’
Clem laughed. ‘I never thought of the others, I suppose I will miss any of them who don’t come back, especially Laura, she is really something!’
With the last caravan in place they returned to the compound for a good nights sleep except for Clem, she was writing letters just in case she did not come back. In Will’s letter she put a photo of herself in her birthday suit, just to perk up his ticker! She sealed them, wrote names on the front of them and left them in a pile to give to Felicity in the morning: She was going with the children as she was in no condition to fight, especially as the baby was still hanging on in there. Ralph had told her what to look for as symptoms of the plague, if the baby showed symptoms, she had to administer the serum on the second day or lose it.
Morning came and they were busily carrying out last minute preparations out to make them ready to leave in the evening. The Welsh had been in contact but not the rest of the 303 contingent, they did know when and wher
e though so Ray hoped they would turn up. The coach was made read for its cargo and the caravans had the beds made up ready for anyone who came, it gave them thirty six more beds. The midday meal was a sit down full three course meal as by the evening meal they would be well on their way. Ray said grace, to include a prayer for the forthcoming battle, and then they all ate but this time it was in relative silence. They were all thinking of the battle. Bradley arrived during the meal and was soon eating with them. The others unloaded more posters and leaflets then returned to the food.
After the meal the men who were leaving loved ones said their tearful goodbyes, those who were leaving friends said their goodbyes and the convoy drove away leaving James and a few others who were to escort the children to Hastings and hopefully safety. James followed and closed the gates behind them, waving until the whole convoy was out of sight before he drove back to the compound, he was missing Clem already. They were to leave for Hastings at first light and as soon as they were there, James would be on his way to London via Dartford and the QE2 Bridge.
The team drove away, one cut across country toward the west and one cut across country towards the east. Jericho and his team would reach the boat before the others would rendezvous with the Welsh and 303 groups, if the 303 group actually arrived. One man also went up to Sevenoaks to contact the group up there, they had knowledge and Ray wanted them to take out any other fixed patrols on the M25.
Jericho left his Harley in the garage in the compound for safe keeping and they were all in a mini bus. They all had weapons in their hands in case they ran into trouble and sat watching every new open space or crossroads for hostile forces but the saw no one. They arrived at the boat in good time. The minibus stopped as close as it could to the gangway which led down to the boat after Barry scouted round the whole area to make sure they were not walking into trouble. They had to do that as one of the walking wounded could not actually walk very far at all and for speed they ended up carrying him down to the boat on a chair. There had been talk of him not coming but he was adamant that he was going and was quite happy to bring up the rear or even keep watch from the car they were going to drive to the stadium.
Jericho parked the minibus in a garage and locked the door again to keep it out of sight of passers by. He walked down to the boat and checked it out for fuel and to make sure it did not have a flat battery. Timing was crucial, they needed to be going down the Thames as the tide turned in the middle of the night, they had night vision glasses to help them steer a safe course. When they were close enough they had to turn engine off and they would drift along with the incoming tide, using whatever they had managed to bring with them to keep on course.
‘We can’t go yet.’ He announced when he had run all the checks he wanted to. ‘So can you keep watch up top Will, until it starts to get dark then come down so that we can start out?’
‘I can do that but I’ll choose different place this time that one has some nice memories and I wouldn’t want to spoil them.’
‘I know just what you mean.’ Jericho replied as Will walked up the gangway.
The other group drove onto the M3 and then cut up onto the M4 avoiding the M25. They stopped short of the appointed meeting place and pulled off the road to keep watch. They drove straight into another group who had obviously done the same. Laura walked straight over and greeted them like long lost brothers and hackles which had risen were smoothed down; on both sides.
‘How are you Peter?’ Laura asked when she reached him.
‘I was fine until they took Sheila, now it seems I have to get her back.’
‘Well you are not alone, the Welsh are coming as well as us and we intend to kick but!’ Laura replied. ‘Come and meet our Mr. King.’
Slowly everyone was introduced to everyone else and Clem found herself stared at again.
‘So who told you lot?’ She asked without asking anyone specifically.
They all pointed at John.
‘I might have known.’ Clem declared giving John a glare.
‘It just slipped out while we were talking.’ John remonstrated.
‘Do we wait here or go onto the meet?’ Ray asked his opposite number, now Peter as Charles had been taken by the clan.
‘We will outnumber anyone we meet so we should go in a few at a time with the rest ready to charge.’ Peter answered.
‘Sounds good to me but this time we will show the pennants we agreed on.’ Ray replied. ‘We nearly started shooting.’
‘So did we!’ Peter replied. ‘If it wasn’t for Laura anything might have happened.’
‘And our attack would have been history!’ Ray complained. ‘We all have itchy trigger fingers!’
‘I’ll go to the meet with a pennant and wait for the Welsh to show, you can all come in together when we let you know.’ Laura suggested.
‘We?’ John repeated.
‘I thought you’d want to come along.’ Laura declared. ‘Besides I need you to come back here and let them know it is alright.
‘So let’s go then but make sure the pennant can be seen!’ John ordered. ‘It’s better than sitting here wondering but make sure you don’t open fire when I drive back in here!’
The decision was taken out of Ray’s hands and the two drove off to go to the meet. They drove straight to it and stopped in the middle of a supermarket car park. Laura climbed out and sat on the bonnet.
‘Think they will be long?’ John asked as he too climbed out and sat on the bonnet.
‘I doubt it! They are probably watching us as we speak.’
A few minutes passed and a car drove into the car park. It drove round the perimeter and then up to where the two sat watching.
‘You are wasting petrol Dai.’ Laura said caustically when he stopped nearby.
‘Just making sure all was well.’ Dai answered and climbed out. ‘I’ll send Mafanwi back to get the others.’
‘Good, I’ll send John back to get the rest. We have already met up with the 303 mob, nearly shot each other up.’
‘Would have been a good start.’ Dai answered.
Mafanwi climbed out of the car. ‘I have a better idea.’ She declared. ‘You two go and get the cavalry while Laura and I catch up on all the gossip.’
‘Some things never change.’ Dai complained and got back into the car.
John did the same and Laura vacated the bonnet to let him drive away. The two women did not move far, they had a lot to talk about.
Ray watched the two drive out and the two groups faded into the trees to wait. When John drove back and gave the all clear signal they all came out.
‘Follow me back and remember these are our allies!’ John called.
They followed John who drove straight back and met the others approaching. He waved but did not stop until they were all on the car park. Now came the introductions. Everyone met everyone else if they had not already met them. If they knew them then they met like true friends and hugged.
Ray outlined the plans to all who were there listening intently; those who were on sentry duty would have it explained to them later. For now all they could do was to wait until in was nearly dark.
Jericho looked at his watch for the last time, held up his arm and started the boat. He looked up the gangway and saw Will walking down carrying his rifle. Will put the rifle on the boat, untied the ropes and climbed aboard. Jericho eased the boat forward and out into the deeper water before he opened the throttle. It was still light but he knew that by the time he reached the mouth of the Thames it would be getting dark. He turned the boat round and headed for the narrow channel between the island and the main land. It was a risk, there might be clan members about who might start shooting but he thought is was worth the risk and chugged on. They passed through the narrow strip where the old bridge still stood, without any trouble and headed into the wider body of water. There was no way of hurrying; they were going as fast as the boat would, without blowing a gasket, now it was just a matter of waiting.
As it
grew darker the mouth of the Thames came into sight and Jericho steered into it keeping to the left side of the river, hopefully away from prying eyes and ears. They chugged along with it getting darker and darker.
‘When do we turn of the engine?’ Will asked worried that someone would hear them.
‘We have a long way to go yet Will; don’t worry I will make sure they don’t hear us.’ Jericho answered. He put on the night vision glasses and looked about. ‘These things are great.’ He turned the wheel and took them out into the middle of the Thames, then slowly eased her nearer the right hand bank.
Half an hour later he cut the engine and let her drift. Men had their poles and other things to help steer the boat while they drifted but the tide dragged them along at a good speed. Will put on his glasses and peered at the bridge as it came into sight. He could see two men sitting on it and aimed his rifle at them just in case but the men were not really interested in the river although they had night vision glasses themselves: They seemed intent on something else. The boat slowed and drifted under the bridge with the rifle trained first on one then on the other until Will could no longer see them.
‘So far so good.’ Jericho whispered. ‘Wait here while we go up and sort out the sentries.’
Will and Jericho disembarked, Barry chose to go as well.
‘I’ll make sure no one has any nasty surprises.’ He said quietly in the darkness.
The other two made their way quietly up the side of the bridge until they could hear noises. There was a struggle going on, with voices egging one man, named Joe, on. The noises from the other person suggested it was a woman or girl but they did not speed up; they were no good to her dead!
Slowly they closed on their quarry: When they were close enough they risked a look. Two men were taking advantage of a young women but she was struggling and not giving up easily. Two other men were watching. Will slid his hand into his pocket and fished out his silencer. Jericho watched as he screwed it in place. He pointed to the two men watching and slid his hand across his throat, Will nodded and took aim. He waited as Jericho crept closer to the two men who were intent on sex and got himself into what he thought was a good position. When Jericho signalled, Will took aim and with two quick shots killed the two onlookers. He gave Jericho the thumbs up and Jericho moved forwards with Will covering him. The two men had not noticed the two watchers sinking back into their jeep and carried on with what they were doing. One pulled of the woman’s pants with a flourish and yelled with glee, brandishing the pants to the two in the jeep. He saw they were not watching and stopped in mid flourish. Will shot him where he stood and when the other man dove for his gun Jericho jumped on him and his knife did the rest.