by M A Comley
***
Lorne searched the immediate area for a taxi rank. There has to be one around here, surely!
Relieved when a silver Mercedes taxi pulled up, she ran to the front of the queue and flashed her warrant card. “Sorry, it’s a police emergency.”
The disgruntled man helped his bemused wife out of the backseat of the car and objected under his breath.
Lorne gave the couple another apologetic smile then hopped in the back of the car. “Fairoaks Airfield. I need you to put your foot down; I’m on a mission.”
“Right you are, love. Never been asked to do anything like this before,” the driver in his thirties replied in a strong cockney accent.
Lorne couldn’t help but smile at his response. If people’s lives hadn’t been at stake, she would probably have enjoyed the day’s adventures. As it was, she was getting tired and frustrated about being a pawn in Warrior’s ludicrous game. She glanced out of the window as the car sped away; Tony was standing on the kerb, thumping his fist against his good leg. With no other taxis in sight, she realised the chances of him keeping up with her were minimal. She was on her own again. I’m sorry, darling. It looks like this one is down to me from now on.
***
Warrior watched the last of the hostages being loaded into the back of the lorry. He had a firm grip on Charlie. Her look of disgust and open desire to throttle him didn’t go unnoticed, either. “Why? Let them go. At the end of the day, isn’t this really about me and my mother?”
He had to admire the girl’s guts and astuteness. “Shut up. It’s not all about you. Well, in a way it is, but ultimately, there’s thirty mill of goods sitting in there. You’re an added bonus if you like.” Charlie raised her leg and stamped on his foot. Warrior tightened his grip with one hand and slapped her around the face with the other. “Feisty little shit, ain’t you?”
“I have my moments. I’m not scared of you guys. I’ve been in tighter fixes than this and come out of them unscathed. I can tell what a crap setup this is. You haven’t got a clue what you’re doing. Your men couldn’t even take the police helicopter down. And talking of the police, you really think they won’t attack this place with armed men soon? Are you nuts? Or just plain stupid?”
“You’ll get what’s coming to you, bitch. For now, I’m under strict orders not to hurt you, but the boss said I could do what I like to you once you’ve been delivered to your final destination. I might even let the other guys take their turn with you, too, as punishment for being so lippy.”
Charlie tilted her head back and laughed. “You think that threat is going to scare me?” She looked inside the lorry at the terrified faces of the women and children tied to their seats. One by one, the women turned away. It didn’t concern Charlie; she’d been in the same situation before and had grown in stature since her time under the Unicorn’s confinement. Her willpower and survival instincts would see her through the ordeal; she was confident about that.
Warrior leaned towards her and shouted in her ear, “It should effing worry you, girl. If you thought the Unicorn was bad, he was an absolute pussycat to my men. You’d be well advised to shut up and just enjoy the ride for now, because we have a different form of ride in store for you later.” He laughed, and so did the men around them.
Charlie looked at him, her eyes narrowing in anger. “Words are cheap,” she taunted.
The remark earned her another slap before Warrior ordered her to get in the vehicle. Sneering, Johnny tied her roughly then ran his hands down her neck and over her breasts. He tweaked her nipple. Charlie refused to cry out in pain. She needed to keep up the pretence that the men didn’t frighten her. Displaying some of her mother’s spirit was the only way she was going to get out of the scenario alive. I’ll make you proud of me, Mum. Once all the hostages were restrained, the men locked the back of the lorry. In the darkness, the children began to scream and cry out for their mothers. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Charlie asked, “Is everyone all right?”
One voice replied, “Yes, barely. No thanks to you.”
“I’ve been in a similar situation before. I assure you being carefree and feisty is the only way for us to survive this.”
The woman who had spoken before snorted. “I think you’re wrong, young lady. Your foolishness is likely to get you, and us, killed in the process. Now shut up. Don’t try and drag us into your ridiculously naive plan. I think I speak for all of us. Don’t I, ladies?”
“You do. I want no part of your outrageous plan,” said one of the other women, then a little voice in the corner agreed.
Charlie shook her head. “Fine. That suits me. But you have my word on this, ladies. I will get out of this fix alive.”
“We’ll see,” the first woman replied coarsely.
Well that was unexpected. Looks like you’re on your own in this, Charlie girl! She shrugged her acceptance as the lorry pulled away.
***
Sean pointed at the lorry below. “They’re leaving. Shit! Where are the reinforcements?” He rang the station, and Katy picked up.
“Where are they? The kidnappers are getting away.”
“Shit! I’ll get onto them ASAP. They assured me they were on their way. I’ll get back to you in a mo with an update, boss.”
Sean disconnected the call. “Wonder where they are heading. Damn, I didn’t see the lorry back there, did you?”
The pilot shook his head. “They could be heading anywhere. I think we should still keep our distance just in case they open fire on us again.”
“Agreed,” Sean replied before he answered his ringing mobile. “Katy? What did they say?”
“There was some kind of hold-up with one of the teams. I again specified the urgency, and they’ve assured me it’s all in hand and that they’re on their way.”
“Well, it’s going to be too late. The lorry is already five minutes ahead of them. I’m not privy to their route, so have no idea where to send them. Jesus, this is a logistical nightmare.”
“You’re not wrong there. Can you continue to follow them?”
“We’ll do our best with the fuel we have.” Sean looked over at the gauges on the dashboard, and the pilot pointed at the fuel gauge. “We’ve got about half a tank.”
“What about if we set up some kind of roadblock? Will that help?” Katy suggested.
“It might if we knew what direction they were heading in. At the moment, the lorry is still making its way down the country lanes. The main road is coming up about five miles ahead. We’ll know more then. Standby, Katy. I’ll call you back when we reach it.”
The pilot weaved in and out and circled the lorry, keeping his movements erratic in case the gang opened fire again. Once they reached the main road, Sean called the station again. “Katy, it looks to me like the lorry is heading for the M25. Which direction it takes then, I have no idea.”
“Great! They couldn’t be heading for that motorway at a worse time. It’s almost six, and the rush-hour traffic will be building soon. It won’t be long before it lives up to its tag of being the world’s largest car park.”
“Yep, my thoughts exactly. If only we could figure out a way of cutting it off before the lorry reaches it.”
“I hear you, boss, except going down that route could endanger the hostages’ lives.”
“I’m aware of that, Sergeant. I’m just fed up with sitting back and letting this gang walk all over us. Aren’t you?”
“Of course I am. There’s no point us falling out about this. What do you want me to do at this end? If I were running the show, I’d hold off trying to intercept the lorry. Gather all the relative teams and form a convoy, ready to set up a rescue attempt once the vehicle has come to a standstill.”
“Okay, we’ll do things your way. Notify all the teams, including the ARTs, to remain on standby and give them our location, Katy. I’ll be in touch soon.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Lorne surveyed the view of the passing countryside, thankful that she didn�
��t have a chatty driver bombarding her with inane conversation. She felt strangely relaxed in spite of the stress she’d dealt with for most of the day. Every now and again, she took a hopeful glance out of the back window to see if there was any sign of Tony. There wasn’t. She drummed her fingers on her knees and wondered what lay ahead of her. The squeal of tyres tightened her stomach, and she prepared herself for the impact.
Once the white van hit the side of the car, the taxi driver shot out of the vehicle, and with his fists raised, he threatened the other driver. Lorne jumped out of the car and inserted herself in between the angry men. “Stop it. Accidents happen.”
“Nice touch, lady. Not to my bloody taxi, it doesn’t. It’s frigging new! I’ve only had it a week. Look at it—it’s a write-off!”
Lorne cringed when she turned to examine the damage. “Hardly, but it’s not in good nick, granted. Look, I’m sorry to rush you, but I need to get to the airfield.”
The driver curled his lip and looked at her with contempt. “Are you effing kidding me? How do you propose I take you? In that?”
“Well, yes.”
The driver shook his head and mumbled under his breath as he walked back to the driver’s door. “Stupid woman hasn’t got a bloody clue!”
Lorne didn’t know whether to laugh openly at the man’s chuntering or slap the cuffs on him for insulting a police officer.
The driver returned, holding a pen and paper in his hand. “I want your name and address.”
Lorne pointed at her chest. “Mine? Why?”
“You’re a witness to the accident, a valuable one at that, given what you do for a living.”
“Before I do that, I want to know if you’ve requested a replacement cab?”
“Yep, it’s all in hand. The other driver should be here within fifteen minutes.”
Lorne flung her arms out to the side. “What? Nothing sooner?”
“Nope, take it or leave it, lady. Make up your mind quick if you want to leave it, and I’ll get onto the control room again.”
She shrugged. “Doesn’t look like I have a lot of choice, does it?”
“That’s right.” He held his pad up and stepped in front of the other driver. “Come on, hand ’em over. I want your name and address and insurance details.”
“Ah,” the driver of the white van said, “I haven’t got insurance. I was going to pay for it this weekend when my wages have come through.”
“Shit! So you’re uninsured and someone has let you loose on the road without you knowing your highway code. Is that it? Christ, this day just keeps getting better and better.”
Think yourself lucky, mate! You should see what my day has involved thus far.
Out of the blue, the van driver whacked the taxi driver in the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
Lorne cursed under her breath and dipped her hand in her pocket to retrieve her cuffs. “Not a smart move, buster. You’re under arrest,” she told the van driver.
“Shit! You’re a bloody copper? What for?”
“Assault.”
He held up his hands in resignation. Lorne looked around to find somewhere she could secure the man to until uniformed officers arrived. In the end, she hooked one end of the cuffs to the steering wheel of the van and the other one around his wrist. By then, the taxi driver was beginning to stir.
He glanced up at her and rubbed his jaw. “I hope you’ve arrested him?”
“I have. Let’s just all remain calm until help arrives, eh?” Lorne pleaded.
“Have you rung the station?”
“Not yet. Do you have a mobile I can use?”
Puzzled, he said, “Are you telling me you don’t carry a phone with you?”
“It’s a long story, one that I’d rather not go into if you don’t mind.” Lorne held out her hand for his phone. He slapped it into her open palm and muttered something incomprehensible. Her mind went blank as she struggled to remember the number of the station; otherwise, she would have called Katy. Instead, she dialled 999. “Police please, there’s been an accident.” She gave the woman on control her location and a brief outline of what had occurred.
“I see, ma’am. We’ll get a car out there ASAP.”
“Great. Emphasise the need for urgency, if you will. As soon as another cab arrives, I need to leave the scene immediately.”
“I understand, ma’am.”
She spent the next ten minutes warding off scowls from both men until finally a patrol car arrived to take care of the two men. Not long after that, a replacement taxi turned up. The new driver tried to get into a conversation with the other taxi driver, but Lorne flashed her warrant card and asked him to get on the road right away.
The driver tried to squeeze information out of her about how the accident had happened, but Lorne remained quiet, silently begging him to hush. She regretted not continuing her journey with the other driver.
“How long will it take us to get there?”
“It depends on the traffic. Rush hour is upon us. Between thirty and forty minutes. In a hurry are you?”
“Yes, you could say that.”
“Maybe you should carry one of those police blue lights in your pocket.” He laughed at his own joke, but ceased quickly when Lorne grunted her annoyance at the quip.
Yep, it’s going to be a long journey now!
***
“Hi, Katy. It’s Tony. We’ve lost Lorne. She gave us the slip, I’m guessing under instructions, at the pier.”
“Damn. That’s not good news, Tony. Things are accelerating pretty damn quickly.”
“Shit! In what way?”
“The gang are on the move. Sean’s tailing them for now, but his pilot is being forced to use more fuel to try and dodge another attack.”
“Right. Well, rather than staying out here, twiddling our bloody thumbs, you tell us what to do. Where do you want us? It’s your call, Katy.”
“I don’t know what to suggest. We’re all in limbo until we know what’s going on with the lorry. I have two ARTs trying to track it down, plus Sean up in the chopper. Seriously, I think it would be best if you try and locate Lorne yourself.”
“How the heck are we supposed to do that, Katy?”
“I know; it was a stupid comment. She’s out there, cut off from us. It sucks big time.”
“You’re not wrong. I have an idea. Let me make a call, and I’ll get back to you.”
Tony disconnected the call and immediately dialled another number.
“Who are you ringing?” Joe asked.
He winked at his partner and held up a finger, telling him to wait a moment. “Hi, Carol. How are you feeling now?”
Joe tutted and shook his head. He was a total sceptic.
“A lot better now my head has stopped spinning. Any news, love?”
“First of all, we know where Charlie is. We believe she’s with the other hostages.”
Carol gasped. “Oh my, that’s not good news.”
“I’d rather be inclined to disagree with you there, Carol. The likelihood of the hostages being hurt is minimal, I’d say. I could be talking nonsense, of course—we have no way of telling how it will pan out once the kidnappers have got their hands on the ransom money they’re demanding.”
“Okay, what about Lorne? Is she safe?”
“That’s really why I’m ringing you. We’ve lost contact with her. It was an intentional strategy from the kidnappers. I hate to ask this when you’re feeling so fragile, and I’m aware how much energy channelling your spirits takes out of you, but we’re desperate, Carol. Can you see if you can give us some form of clue where to look next?”
Carol fell quiet for a moment. “I see a long, long stretch of road. No traffic, just tarmac.”
“Okay, I guess that rules out the M25 then.”
“There’s really no need for you to worry about her. She’s in safe hands.”
“At this exact moment maybe. She got a ride in a cab. Who knows where that cab will lead her and who’ll be awa
iting her arrival at the other end?”
“That’s not what I’m picking up, Tony. Hush a second...”
Tony tapped his foot on the pavement and swayed gently back and forth as if Carol’s om mantra were putting him under a spell. Joe clicked his fingers in front of Tony’s face. Tony snapped out of his trance and held the phone away from his ear until Carol spoke aloud.
“Don’t laugh when I say this—you know how this works. Pete is watching over her; he’ll ensure nothing bad happens to her. I have no ill-feelings about this. Yes, she’s in danger, but he’ll ring her with a shield of protection. Sam is there in the background, too. However, Pete is the one who has been handed the task to watch over her from above.”
“That’s all very reassuring, Carol. I appreciate what you’re saying. Now, can you home in on a location? This road, does it lead to a deserted warehouse perhaps? Is that why it’s empty?”
“It’s all rather fuzzy still—my head, not the visions. Let me try and focus more.” After a brief pause, she added, “There is some kind of huge building. I can roughly see the outline. Perhaps it is a warehouse after all. I’m sorry I can’t add more, Tony. I truly am.”
“You’ve done really well, considering you’re recovering from a bump on the head. We’ll find her. I’ll start searching the map now for possible locations. I take it this road is still in this area, the London area?”
“It’s hard to say. I think so.”
“Thanks, Carol. I’ll keep you informed.”
“Please do. I’m praying that Charlie and Lorne remain safe and that their feistiness doesn’t land them in hot water.”
“I’m hoping that too.”
Tony ended the call and peered over Joe’s shoulder. His partner had already pulled up Google Earth on his mobile.
“The problem is the size of area we’re dealing with,” Joe said.
“I know. It’s all we have to go on, mate. A long straight road...”
Joe looked at him, and in sync, their eyes widened. They both shouted, “A runway!”
Tony rang Katy again. “Katy, we have an idea where Lorne might be heading. I just rang Carol, and she told us that Lorne would end up on a long stretch of road with nothing on it. There would also be a huge building in sight. Well, I immediately thought of some kind of disused warehouse, but now Joe and I think we should be looking for a runway.”