by S G Read
‘Nothing here!’ He said and dropped back down into his seat. ‘Let’s get back for the first fight.’
‘The match is first.’ The other man argued.
‘Then let us get back for the start of the match.’ The first man declared. ‘Come on let’s go.’
‘What about that road?’ The second man asked.
‘It doesn’t go anywhere, just to the bus garage and a few houses!’ The first man argued.
‘But someone might be hiding up there and watching us!’ The second man declared.
‘Well if they are, good luck to them, I want to see the match and the fights, got it?’
‘Got it Bruce.’
They drove away without going further down the road. Ray watched and his apprehension turned to a smile.
‘If only you knew Bruce.’ He murmured.
‘Talking to yourself now is it?’ Dai asked.
‘Actually I was talking to Bruce.’ Ray answered.
‘I hope he didn’t hear then.’ Dai replied. ‘One more hour and the match should start so I hope we don’t see any more patrols.’
Chapter 12
Suddenly they heard gunfire. Not loud and very local but from the road which the patrol had just driven up.
‘Who the hell is shooting?’ Dai asked.
‘Can’t be Jericho’s lot and it is not the bridge sentries, they are miles away so it is either an unknown third party or a pack of dogs.’ Ray answered.
‘I didn’t hear any barking and if we can hear the gunshots we should here the barking or the whimpering when the have been hit!’
‘So either they died instantly or it wasn’t dogs. There is nothing we can do to find out at the present but when we move out we should keep our eyes open for blood or bodies.’ Ray replied.
The firing stopped and the normal silence returned. Birds flew and landed as they did before the plague had descended but now there were more of them than the humans, especially as now there were so few cars to kill them.
The men returned to their waiting until the appointed time for the kick off came. Their intelligence had told them the game always kicked off dead on three o’clock on Saturday. Only once had it been late and the cause was shot at half time, a replacement came on in his stead for the second half. Now they are all ready to go well before three o’clock.
Three o’clock came and went and even though they were in no position to hear the kick off, they all assumed that the game had started.
‘Let’s move in.’ Ray announced.
Twelve people mounted bicycles ready to go and Ray walked down to address them.
‘You know what this is all about. If we can get the women and children out or most of them we can really go to town on any clan members who are not dissuaded by the posters, if we are able to drop the posters on them at all. You have to be very quiet and invisible. You have the positions we want you to take up, ready to get the women and children away if it does happen. Whatever happens the clan will end its reign today even if it does cost the lives of some innocents. Just be very careful we do not know all the clans secrets but I hope we have an ally inside the stadium and perhaps more than one.’
He climbed on his bicycle and they all rode off, one after the other following a specified route but alert in case they ran into a clan patrol. Everyone was hoping they were all inside watching the football match and not on the lookout for intruders into their area. In places they had to lift their bicycles over obstacles and when they did, a gallant gentleman lifted Clem’s and Laura’s for them. When they got as far as they could get on the bicycles then parked them ready for a quick getaway, in case they needed them. Now they moved forwards on foot, keeping behind what cover they could until they reached the primary school next to the stadium.
‘So far so good.’ Ray declared. ‘The people who say it are right; once you know how to ride a bike, you never really forget how to do it.’
They moved out one by one except for the thirteenth man who rode back to tell the drivers to bring up the coaches and the ambulance to the arranged meet. The women and children would walk down to where they were waiting to take them away and get on board. When the coach was full it would leave under an armed escort as far as the airport where the rest were waiting to take charge of it so that the armed escort could return for the next coach. Ralph would be in the ambulance looking after any wounded, if he was needed, or fighting to get his wife back if he was not.
The group by the school looked at the stadium trying to spot sentries but they could not see anyone not even on the main gates which were closed. One man was sent forward and when he reached the side of the stadium without any trouble the others moved forward one by one to the same place before moving to their allotted places. Clem moved forwards to the side of the stadium and when the other three in her team were all there they moved round to the back of the stadium to try to find the place where they could get the women and children out. They walked slowly and carefully to where the window they were told about with the lorry blocking it was supposed to be. There was no lorry but there were several windows low down. Unfortunately but they had all been fitted with thick bars to stop anyone getting through them. There was another set of windows higher up but they were only reachable off a ladder. To get everyone out and down a ladder would take far too long. They moved along to the windows and after making sure no one was looking out of them they tried the bars but they were well fitted and not likely to be removed except by attaching one to a coach and driving it away, something they could not afford to do.
‘Now what?’ Clem asked but the noise inside the stadium rose as one team was obviously close to scoring and her three assistants could not hear what she said. ‘Now what?’ She asked louder to overcome the noise.
‘Get a ladder?’ One replied at the same level but as he spoke the noise died.
They flattened themselves against the wall to be out of sight of anyone investigating the voice but nothing happened. The saw and heard no one.
Jericho drove slowly into the area and looked around. In the end he broke into a building and climbed to the top window to spy on what was happening. He saw their other team arrive at the primary school and slowly move into position. Will came puffing up the stairs.
‘This any good?’ He asked.
‘You tell me.’ Jericho answered.
Will walked over to the window then walked into another room but soon came back.
‘Some one to home?’ Jericho asked.
‘Yes, and how.’ Will answered. ‘If I stayed in there I would be throwing up all the time let alone catching something pretty nasty! Here will have to do but I can’t cover Clem’s lot.’
‘James has already moved out to do just that.’ Jericho informed him. ‘You just mother those you can see.’
‘What is Terry doing?’
‘The last I saw of him he was dragging his way through the undergrowth trying to make sure he was within striking distance when it all goes down.’
‘Let’s hope it doesn’t kill him.’ Will declared and dragged a chair over to the window to sit on.
Matilda walked down to the sea life centre. To make sure no one was about she took a round about route, stopping when she rounded a corner and waiting to see if anyone else moved. She caught sight of someone and walked on fingering the pistol but in her pocket. When she reached the next corner, she hurried round it and took up a position from where she could take on whoever came round the corner but no one came. She waited quietly with the pistol in her hand.
‘Do you think I would come round that corner when you are waiting to shoot me?’ Billy asked from behind her.
It made Matilda jump but instead of telling him off, she smiled. ‘Did you show yourself on purpose?’ She asked.
‘Of course so you would wait here and I could sneak up on you, through a short cut I found!’ Billy answered.
‘Well done Billy but remember it won’t always be a game.’
‘I know Matilda but it is for no
w and I know you aren’t being followed.’
‘Good let us go, so you lot can eat this food I cooked while it is still hot.’
Billy took a long sniff at the food. ‘Smells good but that could give you away Matilda.’
Matilda took a sniff from where she sat and she could smell the food. ‘That it might, I need to make sure it is sealed up next time. Come on you sneaky little person, we’ll go and feed the hungry mouths.’
They walked to the sea life centre and found Donna in the middle of delivering Felicity’s baby.
‘Feed the others.’ Matilda said and thrust the basket into Billy’s arms before helping Donna.
Billy stood watching.
‘Do as I told you Billy!’ Matilda said sharply and he walked away with the basket. ‘Close is it Donna?’
‘Very close, her waters broke just now out of the blue and she went straight into labour.’
Ten minutes later a loud wailing filled the air and everyone knew a new life had begun today.
Donna left mother, baby and Matilda together and sought out Ralph’s note on his anti plague serum. If the baby started showing symptoms it would be up to her to try to save it.
Clem looked about but she could see no one and the upper windows were still closed. ‘That was close!’ She said quietly as the stadium was quiet at that time. She walked away from the wall, looking as she went but could still see no one.
The others followed and stopped where she did.
‘A ladder is no good.’ Malcolm declared. ‘It would take too long.’
The noise in the stadium rose again and as it did Malcolm crumpled in a heap. The man next to him, Earnest crumpled shortly afterwards which caused Clem to look round and then toward the windows. A man was leaning out with a rifle in his hand and he was aiming at her when she turned. When he saw her face he hesitated and Clem took a quick shot at him but it careered off the wall next to his face making him flinch. He quickly aimed again and pulled the trigger.
Ray moved to where he could see the main gates. They were unlocked, obviously ready for patrols to come in without bothering the men who should be on sentry duty. He crept closer to look inside and saw no one about. It was a shame that the women and children were still inside or they could go in shooting but he retreated back to where he came from and saw James signal him. Ray ducked down just in case and a patrol jeep came tearing across the grass and slewed to a halt by the gates, the passenger pulled the gates open and the jeep drove in with the passenger following, leaving the gates open.
Ray gave James the thumbs up but saw the look on his face and where he was looking. From where Ray was squatting he could not see what James could see but knew it was bad as James broke cover to run round the other side of the stadium.
Jericho saw James go and looked where he looked with disbelief, the stadium was getting noisier so he could not hear what was happening, he could just see the bodies laying there and hoped that they were just injured.
After she fired and missed Clem did not move and saw the rifle point at her, she fired again but missed, moving as she did. The rifle fired but instead of the pain she saw the ground in front of her erupt and looked at the man. He seemed to crumple and slowly leant out of the window before he fell to the ground. A three pronged spear was sticking out of his back. Jericho’s men moved in to help the fallen men, carrying them away to the ambulance while Clem walked to where the assassin lay with the spear still in his back. She looked up to see a large black man standing at the window.
‘You must be Carlton.’ She called up to him. ‘Do you want your spear thingy back?’
‘Yes please young lady.’ Carlton called down in a genteel voice.
Clem had to put her foot on the dead man’s back to pull the spear out, and then threw it up to him using both hands. Carlton caught it with one hand and took it inside.
‘Thanks for intervening.’
‘My pleasure.’ Carlton replied. ‘I have to say I really enjoyed doing that.’
‘Which window are we using?’ Clem asked.
‘This one.’ Carlton answered.
‘So we need a ladder then?’ Clem replied.
‘No that would take too long to get them all out, park something under the window that they can drop down onto and then climb down off.’ Carlton answered.
‘I’ll see what I can find.’ Clem replied and walked off after giving him a little wave.
The two fallen men were gone now and no one else was visible except James who stood there shaken but thankful that Clem was uninjured.
‘Hi James, we need a bus or lorry or something.’ Clem said as she walked by and he followed, he was not letting her out of his sight again, while the battle was still being fought.
Clem walked away looking for something that would do the trick. When she found a fish and chip van which looked the right height and had a lower front for the escapees to slide down onto before they dropped to the floor she felt happier. The keys were in the rear door as though someone was trying to open it when they died but there was no sign of any body there. She started the engine and drove it across the grass and flower beds to get it to the right place as quick as possible. She parked it under the window and a woman dropped onto its roof as soon as she stopped. The woman slid down the front as Clem jumped out of the van.
‘Keep to this side and walk to the end.’ She said when she saw the woman stand by the front of the van. ‘And no talking. Someone will tell you where to go when you get to the end.’ Clem said it with so much authority that the woman immediately moved closer to the wall and walked away.
‘One!’ Clem said quietly with satisfaction.
Another woman dropped down onto the van they slid to the floor. She saw where the other woman was going and followed.
‘Keep in.’ Clem called after her and she moved closer to the wall.
There was a procession of women and children dropping down after that and Clem made sure they went where they were supposed to and kept close to the wall. Some women help the children out before they moved on to get to safety themselves. There was a continuous stream of women and children coming out the window helped by Carlton and his friend until the two gladiators had to go and fight during the halftime interval. With the half time whistle the stream stopped. The window closed and those who were walking away hurried just a little more to be out of harms way.
Carlton and Barnaby walked out onto the grass to a loud cheer and began their choreographed fight. It was like a Jackie Chan film but with weapons and real blood when it was drawn by mistake. It was all as close to the real thing as they could make it to thrill the fans and this time it was Carlton’s turn to lose. Barnaby stood over him, his short spear raised for the death blow awaiting Jamal’s ruling. Jamal held his hand out with his thumb turned down for a few seconds and heard the boos at his decision, which is why he did it. Suddenly he turned the thumb upwards and in a gesture meant to reassure those watching he added his second hand with the thumb up. He liked their fights as well!
Barnaby helped Carlton to his feet and they walked off together, they were certainly a lot more tired walking off than when they walked on to the grass. The teams ran back onto the pitch ready for the second half as the two men staggered off. Carlton and Barnaby kept going and as soon as the second half started the stream of escapees started to flow again until there were no more to come except for Carlton and Barnaby.
Clem climbed up on the van.
‘Are you coming?’ She asked.
‘Hell no.’ Barnaby declared. ‘We have a chance to fight someone who we really have no qualms about killing.’
‘But you might die.’ Clem warned.
‘If we do we do!’ Carlton replied. ‘We have to make sure Gareth comes out of this in one piece, we owe him that!’
‘And there will be the end of match girls to try to get free.’ Barnaby added. ‘They have to wait to see who wins and then go in to entertain the winners.’
‘Do you want any guns then?’ Cl
em asked.
‘And hide them where?’ Carlton answered.
Clem looked at his almost naked body with his muscle bound physique. ‘I see what you mean but you could hide them somewhere as back up. That three spear thingy is okay at close quarters but a gun can reach a lot further and quicker.’
‘We already have one gun and we can easily get more, you look after yourself young lady.’ Carlton replied and closed the window.
Clem was torn between deserting her post to see how the two men who had been shot were and staying put and somehow sending a message to the others to send in the balloons. The answer arrived in the form of James.
‘Just the person!’ Clem said as a greeting and gave him a big kiss. ‘Take a message to the others to send the balloons over.’
‘But’- James started to argue.
‘Just do it. And if you think you are going to save my life again, dream on! Someone else has just done it for you. Off you go and come back carefully I don’t want anything happening to you as you are going to be the father of my babies.’
‘Babies?’ James spluttered. ‘How many do you want?’
‘It isn’t me is it!’ Clem declared. ‘If you haven’t noticed there is a chronic shortage of people at the moment so it is up to us to help out as much as we can, now scoot!’
James walked off following the same route the women had taken even though he had not seen them go, it just seemed the safest route. Clem chose a spot to hide and wait for the next development; whether it was from the leaflets and posters or more evacuees sent out by Carlton and Barnaby.
Will saw James break cover and followed his progress to make sure no one interrupted him until he was out of sight then he returned to watching the others but no one was moving inside or out. He could hear that the game was still playing inside, through his open window. He saw another patrol coming from the other direction with two women in it and trained his telescopic sight on the two women. Their hands were tied and they had a rope round their necks to link them together. The last thing they wanted was more women inside to get out so he squeezed off two shots and watched both men in the patrol fall to the ground. Two men from the Welsh contingent suddenly rose out of nowhere and freed the women. They pointed which way they should go then watched them hurry away before dragging the bodies out of sight and hiding again.