by A. D. Winch
The tickle in the back of his throat was making his need to cough almost impossible to contain. One small noise could give them away, and he tried desperately to breathe through his nose to suppress the coming cough. It wasn't working. He looked upwards and spotted a drying-up cloth hanging from a cupboard door. Without considering how clean it was, he stuffed it into his mouth until he could barely breathe and then coughed. His whole body spasmed as if he was having a fit, and then the need had passed.
At the entrance to the driveway, the two agents stood surveying the street. They looked left and right, trying to locate the three targets. On the other side of the road, they saw a movement between two cars and heard a noise. They walked past a campervan and crossed tentatively. As they reached the path, they saw a fox scurrying off into the distance.
"We've lost the targets," Agent Pequot said, touching his ear. "Are you able to locate them?"
Agent Hoover gazed at his screens. They had been unable to cope with the sudden flashes of light and had tried to balance the brightness automatically. By the time this had been achieved, the three targets had vanished.
"Negative," Agent Hoover answered. "Stay in position, in case White King and Black Queen come your way.
Eric and Ursula stood in the room next to the gardener's store. It still smelt of earth, fertilizer and fermented wine, and it had remained untouched since the last time they were there. A faint glow came through a small window near to the ceiling. It cast light on spades, forks, and hoes that hung from the walls above vats for wine and dirty sacks. On the floor was an old scythe that Eric picked up.
"A weapon!" he said, swishing it above his head like a sword.
Ursula shook her head. "It will slow us down. Concentrate for a moment. First, we need to confirm that we are in danger. We need to use our instincts."
They both focused and could feel that they were being hunted.
"Where are they?"
Both of them focused again. Similar images flashed in their mind's eyes – there were views of the villa from the front, from the park and from the vineyard behind. The wooden door that led from the storeroom did not appear in any of the images.
Ursula walked slowly around the small room, and her leg brushed against a metal pedal. Four bikes leant against the wall, almost hidden under sacks.
"Great!" Eric said excitedly. "I'll take the trial bike, and you take the BMX."
"Let's go," Ursula replied, and they dragged the bikes towards the door and ran outside with them.
The stone terrace was wet from the rain, and as they jumped onto the bikes, the tyres slipped. They pedalled towards the steps but did not attempt to slow down as they reached them. Ursula cleared the first few and then bumped down the remainder. Eric did the same, and they entered the dying vineyard. The OSS agents had spotted them, but they were far enough away to give the children a significant head start.
Eric tried to pedal ahead of Ursula, but she was too quick and zig-zagged through the vines at a speed that impressed him. She headed towards a metal fence that surrounded the vineyard. It was slightly shorter than them both, but they approached it rapidly hoping to find a way out. Unless they could find a ramp of some description, they would have to turn around and find another route.
Ursula saw an object lying on the floor less than thirty metres in front of them. Light from lamps in the park beyond glinted off the shiny metal. As they neared, she saw that it was a wheelbarrow that had been left upside down. Ursula aimed for it. As her bike's front wheel reached the slope of the barrow, Ursula pulled upwards. The BMX flew off the wheelbarrow and launched her into the air. She rose and rose, clearing the wire fence easily.
Eric attempted the same, but both he and his trial bike were heavier. As he hit the barrow, it jolted forward before sending him upwards. He failed to reach the same height as Ursula. His front wheel cleared the fence, but his back tyre clipped it. The collision threw him forward, and for a fraction of a second he feared that he would be thrown off. Desperately, he pulled the handlebars up and managed to right himself before landing on the path in the park.
Agent Hoover watched White King and Black Queen escape the villa and immediately informed the Agents to return to their motorbikes and to pursue. As long as he kept the two targets in his sights, he could manoeuvre Team Moro towards them.
Eric and Ursula reached a wide road with a tram track down the middle. A night tram approached, lighting up the lanes on either side as it trundled past.
"How are we going to get to the airport?" Ursula shouted across at Eric while they both pedalled hard. "You know Prague better than me."
"I have an idea," Eric replied.
In front of them, the tram stopped near to a train station. Eric jumped his bike across the tram tracks. He headed towards the station building and onto the first platform.
An enormous floodlight lit the quiet scene below, but there was not much to illuminate. A labourer on the third platform had rested a ladder against the platform roof and was walking underneath it. Occasionally, he looked up at the crumbling plaster and made mental notes about what else he had to do to make it safe before the first commuters arrived.
Beside him a diesel engine, at the head of a long line of wagons, came to life and shattered the peace with a thunderous belch. Two workmen in reflective orange overalls appeared from behind the engine with large hammers. They walked beside the coal-filled wagons, hitting the brakes and checking the couplings.
Ursula looked at the digital timetable above her head. The first passenger train was not due to arrive until after five.
What are we going to do now? she thought, looking around for options.
Eric did not have time to answer. Both he and Ursula suddenly felt that they were in danger. Nothing was said between them, but Ursula immediately cycled off down the platform. She jumped her bike down onto a railway track and then up onto platform number two. Eric was right behind her.
From platform two, they did the same onto platform three. They proceeded to the far end; the furthest distance from the moaning engine and the station building. Two black-clad motorcyclists drove onto platform one and instantly caught the attention of the workmen. The two working on the wagons shouted across to their mate. Bicycles were allowed in the station, but motorbikes were not.
Shaking his head, the labourer trudged across the rails towards the motorcyclists as they got off their bikes. They did not remove their helmets and marched towards Eric and Ursula.
The labourer intercepted them on the rails between platform two and three. He pointed at the motorbikes and gesticulated that they had to be moved. The motorcyclists ignored him and tried to push past. Instantly, the two workmen abandoned the wagons and jogged over with the large hammers still in their hands.
A loud honk from the engine made everyone jump, and very, very slowly it began to move.
"Quick," said Ursula and cycled up to the ladder as she read Eric's thoughts.
"Get up!" Eric shouted at her.
Ursula climbed the ladder and leant over the roof. Eric lifted the BMX and the trial bike up to her, before joining her.
"This is a bad idea," Ursula told him as they got on their bikes.
The wagons bumped and screeched as they slowly pulled away from them.
"It's better than the alternative," Eric replied, looking across as the two agents drew guns on the workmen.
Ursula didn't need persuading further. She pushed her feet down and pedalled hard above the platform. After a few seconds, they ran out of roof. There was a gap of a few metres before the next one. As she reached the edge, she pressed down strongly on the handlebars and then quickly lifted. Her bike rose into the air, cleared the gap and dropped onto the other roof. Eric landed just behind her, and bits of plaster fell onto the platform. They continued over the rooftops and caught up with the last few wagons. Below them, the two agents were fruitlessly running along the platform, trying to find a moment to shoot.
Eric and Ursula were onto the
last roof, cycling side by side.
"This is a bad idea," Ursula repeated but it was too late to turn back.
"Ladies, first," Eric laughed, and dropped behind her. He was feeling alive and exhilarated.
The end of the roof was fast approaching, and they were in line with the last wagon.
"Now!" Eric cried.
They both veered left and launched themselves off the roof. The bikes flew through the air and headed towards a pile of coal in the last wagon.
Ursula landed on the black lumps, and the BMX wheels sunk into the heap. There was a clang beside her as the frame of Eric's trial bike came down on the side of the iron wagon. Eric was thrown over the handlebars and face first into the coal.
"My nuts!" he croaked, turning onto his front and placing his hands between his legs.
In spite of his obvious discomfort, Ursula giggled.
"I'm glad you think this is funny," Eric squeaked, knowing deep down that he had reacted in the same way to similar accidents he had witnessed.
The words left her mouth involuntarily, and she asked, "Do you want me to rub them better?"
Eric half-heartedly threw a piece of coal at her and despite the pain, began to smile.
The train had left the station and the agents behind. It was another victory for them.
Agent Hoover had started to expect that they would never catch Black Queen or White King again. This latest setback was, therefore, met with a reluctant shrug of acceptance. He consoled himself with the fact that the hunt was not over yet, and the targets were still in his sights.
He instructed all but two of Team Moro to pursue.
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***
Chapter 14 – Losing the Tail
Agent Hoover relayed the direction of the train to the agents. It was easy to follow as the track ran parallel to the road.
When the train stops, he thought, the targets will have to get off and then we'll get them.
The diesel engine approached a bridge that spanned both a road and then a wide river. Black Queen and White King stood up. They moved their bikes and stood astride them; carefully balancing their rear wheel on the side of the wagon.
A line of vehicles queued up under the train bridge, waiting for the traffic light to change from red to green. Sticking out below the bridge was a bakery truck. When their wagon was directly above it, Eric and Ursula threw themselves and their bikes forward. They cleared the brick wall beside the rails and fell over three metres onto the rear roof of the truck. This time Eric had 'no accident.'
The truck driver heard a bang and instantly thought that a car had crashed into the back of him. He looked in his wing mirror, but the nearest car had yet to react to the green light. As there had been neither shunt nor smash, he assumed that it was nothing to worry about and continued on. He was already late for his first delivery, and the last thing he wanted was further delays.
Eric and Ursula lay down on the truck roof and held onto their bikes. They looked around at the early morning traffic. There were few vehicles but amongst them were four motorcyclists, and each of them was glancing between the truck and the roads ahead.
"They're not going to stay there," Ursula told Eric, sliding towards him on her stomach. "At some point, they'll come for us."
"And when they do, we attack."
As Eric finished speaking, the truck pulled off the road by the river and onto a cobbled street leading into the old town. Eric and Ursula were shaken around and clung to the edge for fear of being thrown off.
The truck stopped in front of a bakery, and the driver got out. He walked to the back and checked to see if there was any sign of damage from the earlier bang. Reassured, he opened the rear doors. Inside, he found a selection of loaves, rolls and cakes, and he carried them into the bakery.
At the end of the street, the four agents watched and waited. A few minutes later the driver reappeared, closed the door and pulled away. Team Moro followed as he drove back to the river road and headed towards a bridge.
"Intercept when an opportunity presents itself," Agent Hoover ordered.
The truck turned onto the empty bridge, and the four agents accelerated towards it. A large metronome ticked above them on the hill opposite. Two agents squeezed their motorbikes into the gap between the truck and the kerb, forcing the driver to curse and to steer towards the centre of the road. On his outside, two other motorcyclists appeared. The truck was surrounded and had a motorbike by each of its four wheels.
Eric and Ursula looked down and without exchanging a word, they simultaneously pushed their bikes off the roof and onto the rear motorcyclists. The bikes smashed into the agents' helmets, onto the motorbikes and then fell in front of them. One motorbike crashed into the side of the truck and slid onto the road. On the other side, the motorbike bounced over the kerb and into the bridge's stone wall.
The two agents parallel to the driver's cab glanced over their shoulders but did not stop to help. They kept pace with the truck as it came off the bridge and accelerated.
"Two down, two to go," Eric cheered.
A traffic light in the distance changed to red, and the driver slowed down.
"One each, then," Eric confirmed, after reading Ursula's thoughts. Following her lead, he stood up until it looked as if he was surfing.
The moment that the lorry stopped, both children jumped down onto the stationary riders. They landed behind them and pulled the agents off the motorbikes and onto the ground. Eric's agent stood up shakily but did not stand for long. With the pain from earlier still a recent memory, Eric landed a karate kick right between the agent's legs. A loud cry of agony rang out and then he fell in a heap, swearing loudly at Eric as he tried to get his gun. By the time he found it and was able to hold it steadily, Eric had ridden away on his motorbike.
While Eric was fleeing, Ursula was having considerably more problems. Her rider had been unseated but jumped up again unhurt.
"You're brave," said Agent Barbary and smiled beneath the helmet's visor.
As he removed his revolver, Ursula spun and kicked the gun out of his hand. She followed with a kick to the agent's head but only succeeded in bruising her foot on the helmet.
"Hey stop!" yelled the truck driver in Czech, jumping down from his cab. "I've called the police."
He walked behind Agent Barbary and tugged on the agent's leather sleeves. In the second that the agent turned and tried to shake him off, Ursula ran back to the motorbike and jumped on. She put it in gear, turned the throttle and wheel spun away. The agent tried to block her path but was forced to hop backwards when it was clear that Ursula wasn't going to stop.
The four agents struggled to get the remaining two bikes started, and by the time the engines came to life the targets had gone. Two agents sat on each bike, and they limped away.
Ursula continued to turn the throttle and worked quickly through the gears until she reached Eric. He was moving slowly up the hill, struggling to keep the bike moving. It was revving loudly as Ursula pulled up beside him, and it was clear that he had been unable to change gears.
"It's not working properly," he said, pressing the brake, but the truth was that he had never ridden a motorbike with gears before.
"Get on the back of mine," Ursula told him, as she stopped.
Eric hesitated and looked at her. He wasn't happy about getting on the back of a bike ridden by a girl, and he feared for his safety.
"Get on!" Ursula repeated, more forcefully than before.
Eric swallowed his pride, sat astride the rear of the bike and reticently placed his arms around her as she sped off.
Agent Angel had entered the surveillance room at Agent Hoover's request. He looked at the screens.
"Goddam!" he muttered. "I'm losing my patience. Why haven't we just shot them?"
"There hasn't been a clear shot, yet," Agent Hoover replied.
"Well, when there is, let Team Moro know – shoot to kill."
Agent Angel placed his hands on his hips
and breathed deeply as the anger flowed through his veins.
"I've finally lost my patience, Hoover. If we shoot to kill, we can mop up the pieces and dissect them before they decompose."
The two agents at the villa had found nothing but fall leaves. They slowly drove past the campervan and were beginning another circuit. Agent Hoover summoned them to join the pursuit of White King and Black Queen. He had the targets on screen, and it was easy to follow them on the empty morning roads. They were more important than the man known as Alexander, the elf and Schwarzkopf.
Andrea heard two motorbike engines and inferred the agents were leaving. After a further five minutes, she stood. Alexander helped up Johan, and the two men sat down on the chairs in the rear of the campervan as Andrea drove off towards the airport.
As they neared the outskirts of Prague, Andrea parked the campervan on a tree-lined road. They all got out and walked below the trees and down narrow alleyways until they reached the bus stop. In a few minutes, the airport bus would arrive, and they would finish their journey. They were convinced that they had escaped the agents on the ground and hoped that they had not been tracked via satellite. They needn't have worried. Before they even left the villa, the only images that Agent Hoover and Agent Angel were interested in were those of White King and Black Queen.
Ursula zoomed past parked cars and overtook the early morning traffic with ease. The motorbike was much heavier than her bike had been, and the engine was bigger, but it was similar to drive.
"Head for the airport. Follow my directions!" Eric shouted at her above the sound of the engine.
Why are you shouting? Ursula thought. You don't need to shout. And we are not going to the airport. We'll be leading them straight to our plane out of Prague.
She tried to think of different possibilities to escape the OSS and then it came to her.
Do you know any tunnels?
Yes, Eric thought. There's one not far from here.
Then direct me.