Beautiful Creatures

by Lulu Taylor

  ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ he demanded.

  ‘Please,’ she said, rushing up to the desk and grasping the edge of it with both hands, ‘you have to help me. You’re the only one who can. We don’t have long.’

  Max’s assistant came in, red-faced. ‘I’m sorry, Sir Max, she pushed right past me, I didn’t have time to stop her.’

  ‘That’s all right, Bettina.’ Max flicked his cold blue gaze back to Octavia, taking in her flushed face and her air of distress. ‘I know Miss Beaufort. She can have a few moments to explain exactly what’s she’s doing, bursting in here like this.’

  ‘Very well.’ The assistant went out rather reluctantly, closing the door behind her.

  ‘You’ve got five minutes,’ Max said abruptly, standing up.

  ‘Okay. Okay.’ Octavia took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. She had to explain this as best she could. She knew there was only one chance. ‘I know we haven’t had the best start. You think I’m a spoilt coke-head – though I promise you, I don’t touch drugs – and I think you are rude and arrogant, but I think we need to give each other a fresh chance. You see … I’m in trouble.’

  ‘Really?’ Max had walked to the window and stared out at the park opposite. Now he turned round to face her, a slight smile twisting his lips. He was wearing the most perfectly cut suit she’d ever seen. It showed off his broad shoulders and long legs. ‘Well, it can’t be money. You’ve got plenty of that already. Is it business? Has that boy you’re sleeping with finally shown his true colours?’

  She shook her head. ‘It’s nothing to do with Ethan.’

  ‘It had better not be illegal,’ said Max, his face hardening. ‘You say you don’t touch drugs and I very much want to believe you …’

  ‘For Christ’s sake, it’s nothing like that!’ she cried out, frustrated. ‘I need you to help rescue someone – my sister – who’s being kept prisoner against her will. Please, please …’ Tears rushed to Octavia’s eyes again with the force of her emotions. ‘I know you don’t like me, but I’m begging you. I can’t think of anyone else who can help.’

  He stared at her, bewildered. Then he gave a half laugh. ‘Okay. This is going to be worth listening to. And, I have to admit, you have some balls coming here. Go on then. Sit down and tell me everything.’

  Fifteen minutes later, Octavia had told him most of the story and explained why Nick Falcon thought a rescue was the best option.

  ‘We’ve got to get her out of there as soon as possible,’ Octavia finished, sounding breathless again. ‘And I know you have a helicopter and can pilot it … and Ethan said you were in the army once.’

  ‘That was a long time ago, but yes, I have had experience of rescue missions.’ Max was sitting at his desk again. He picked up a pen and ran it idly through his fingers, frowning. ‘But this sounds extraordinary.’

  ‘It’s true, I promise. Nick Falcon, our investigator, will verify everything and supply proof. Please …’ She leant forward, beseeching, her eyes wide. ‘Please help me rescue my sister. I know you can help me.’

  ‘This is incredible.’ Max looked down at his polished desk top and laughed quietly to himself. ‘I can’t believe this, but I think I’m actually going to do it. Christ knows why. I must be crazy.’ He looked up at her. ‘Okay, you know what? This is serious. If a young woman is being held against her will, it’s a matter for the police. But I take on board everything you’ve said. This Otto sounds like a prize shit. He might be dangerous. Is he likely to be armed or to want to hurt your sister? Perhaps you should consider getting the police …’

  ‘No, no police, not unless it’s absolutely necessary,’ Octavia pleaded. ‘Don’t you see? We could swoop in there, surprise him, grab her and be gone before he even knows what’s happening.’

  ‘Do you intend to go in alone?’

  ‘Nick will come too. He’s used to dealing with low-lifes and violent types.’

  ‘I’m quite handy with all of that myself, which is lucky for you,’ remarked Max, getting to his feet while picking up his telephone. ‘Bettina? Can you check my diary for this afternoon, please – and ask Roger to prep the helicopter, will you? I’ll need it brought from the hangar to Battersea early tomorrow morning.’ He waited for a moment and listened while Octavia tried not to stare at him too anxiously. ‘Okay. Thanks.’ He put the phone down. ‘I’ve got an important dinner tonight, one I really can’t pull out of. It’s at Downing Street and can’t be missed. But it does make more sense anyway for us to leave at dawn tomorrow.’

  She was slumped back in with relief. She’d feared he wouldn’t believe her or would accuse her of being a fantasist – but he obviously took her seriously and grasped the urgency of the situation. She was grateful and impressed by his attitude.

  ‘All right. Whatever you say.’ It was hard to wait so long when she was itching to get going, but Octavia could see his point. ‘Thank you, Max, thank you so much!’

  She stood up, rushed over to him and gave him a hug. His body was tough and well-muscled; he smelt deliciously of sandalwood and lemon. He stood quite still, obviously startled by her embrace, then put one hand on her shoulder. ‘Well, you’re obviously in trouble. I never turn down a genuine request for help.’

  She pulled away, suddenly shy. What am I doing? He can’t stand my guts. ‘I … I … I appreciate it. I’ll pay any costs involved.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. But I’m afraid we won’t be able to take Ethan.’

  Octavia stared at him, realising that she hadn’t given Ethan a thought in the course of the whole crisis.

  ‘The helicopter seats four,’ Max explained, ‘and we’ll need a seat for your sister on the return journey. It’ll be you, me and this Falcon character.’ He looked amused again. ‘I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but I’ll see you at the helipad tomorrow morning at four-thirty. Don’t worry about anything else. I’ll make all the arrangements. Oh, and bring your passport.’

  ‘You deserve a little treat, my love,’ Otto said fondly, in the tenderest voice he’d used with Flora since their wedding day. ‘You have been very well behaved.’ He looked searchingly at her face.

  They were lying together in bed. He had already performed his ritual with her. The blessing of it was how quickly it was over. Now she could sleep, and think about the excitement of the following day. She was leaving the castle, at last! Finally she would get the chance to see the outside world again. It was ironic how much she’d once feared going out – now she was desperate to see other people, to get some sense of life going on beyond this place. She craved some noise, some movement – anything to put an end to the desperate loneliness of being a prisoner.

  She knew they were leaving mid-morning the next day to drive the few hours to the airport. From there, they would take a first-class flight to New York, arriving early in the morning US time.

  Otto reached out one hand and pushed a wisp of hair away from her face. ‘Please don’t let me down, Flora,’ he murmured. ‘I wouldn’t want to have to instigate harsh measures against you. You’ve come so far already. You really have made wonderful progress! Let us enjoy our little trip. And if it goes well, we will have many more.’

  ‘Yes, Otto,’ she replied meekly, wishing with all her heart that tomorrow had already arrived and they were in the car, making their way down the mountain and towards freedom.

  66

  Octavia nestled into her padded jacket. It was a cold morning and still dark, though dawn was beginning to show in the distant line of gold in the sky. She had dressed for travel and ease of movement in a pair of jeans and walking boots. She had no idea what would face them at the end of their journey, after all. Would they be able to find a landing place near the castle? Max assured her that he had scouted out the terrain on Google Maps and the satellite imagery showed a patch of bare land to the east of the castle that he estimated would be big enough to land on.

  Ethan knew nothing of what they were doing. Why hadn’t she wanted to tell him?
Perhaps it was because he would have insisted on coming too, though she suspected that would have been more to do with being close to his beloved Max Northam than actually wanting to help Flora. Octavia could sense her feelings towards Ethan changing, perhaps because of the way he had reacted to the news of Iseult. She’d seen a different side of him then.

  Iseult was still lying sedated in hospital but she was recovering well, they said, and they were going to begin the process of bringing her round soon. Roddy had been warned that she would need strong painkillers for some time and that her bandages would remain in place for weeks. But the main thing was that she had survived the operation and so far there were no complications.

  ‘Hey.’ It was Nick Falcon, offering Octavia a steaming cup of coffee. She took it gratefully and sipped the hot, milky liquid. ‘Your pal is a useful guy to have around, isn’t he? Always good to have your own helicopter, I guess. Plus he must have got us a flight plan into Germany and out again.’

  ‘I expect Max can do anything,’ Octavia said, as she wrapped her chilly fingers around the paper cup. ‘Are you ready for this?’

  Nick nodded. ‘Ready for anything. I’ll do whatever it takes to get your sister out. But that’s all I’ll say for now.’

  Octavia felt a sudden stab of apprehension. This whole thing was dangerous. Someone might get hurt. I’m not going to think about that, she told herself. It’s all going to go just fine, I know it. But what if Otto had guards at his castle? What if there were heavies, and what if they were armed? She had a mental vision of a bloody gunfight, bodies sprawled motionless on the floor, Flora staring up at the sky, glassy-eyed, her face smeared with … No. Octavia shook her head. Max won’t let that happen.

  At that point he came striding over to tell them that they were cleared for departure in ten minutes so should get strapped in.

  Octavia and Nick crossed the helipad and she climbed up into the back seat of the helicopter. She settled herself, belted in and put on her headset.

  ‘Let’s get outta here,’ Nick said, his drawl crackling through the earphones. ‘It’s time to rock ’n’ roll.’

  Max took his seat and set the propellers whirring above them. The powerful engine roared into life as the blades began to spin. Max adjusted his instruments, spoke to air traffic control through his mouth piece, and a second later piloted the aircraft upwards. It lifted off the ground then rose smoothly until they were higher than the surrounding buildings and looking down at the grey city, still sequined with streetlights. Then, with a tiny dip, they were off, heading out towards the west and the sea.

  Flora was up at first light and in the bathroom, preparing herself for the journey ahead. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Several months of living with Otto was written in her face, she felt, along with the effects of Marthe’s cooking. Flora knew she had lost even more weight despite the relentless diet of potatoes, noodles, rice and pasta accompanied by lots of heavy meats and boiled vegetables. She ate just enough to keep her strength up but her appetite, always delicate, had almost disappeared under the strain of her existence and she took pleasure in exercising the little control she had over her life, pushing away the platefuls only nibbled at while Marthe urged her to eat. Otto didn’t care much either way, she suspected.

  Apart from her slightly sunken cheeks, she had dark circles under her eyes and an expression of weariness. Her eyes themselves seemed deadened, as though some kind of vital light had been extinguished.

  She washed quickly, cleaned her teeth, then dressed. She needed something easy for travelling – she thought for a minute and decided on jeans and boots, along with a silk shirt and a grey cashmere tank. That should keep her comfortable. Her bag for New York was already packed, with some smart outfits suitable for the Carlyle hotel. Perhaps Otto would let her buy some things when they were over there. It had been so long since she’d done any shopping. She laughed quietly to herself. What would Octavia think? No shopping … and who would ever have thought that I’d miss it?

  She took one last look at herself, bundled her hair back into a ponytail and went downstairs for coffee and a slice of toast.

  The journey seemed to take forever although the lightening sky showed that time was passing as relentlessly as usual. Max kept them abreast of their position, pointing out the first glimpse of the French coast and the mountains they were passing over. Octavia knew that Bavaria was in southern Germany; it was going to be a long trip with two refuelling stops there and back that would take up precious time. With each stop, they’d have to be cleared by air traffic control, perhaps inspected by customs and have their passports checked.

  Both outward stops went smoothly, and only one airfield bothered to check their documents, and even then in a cursory way. The three of them spoke very little, each concentrating on the task ahead. They made good time. It was getting close to mid-morning when they flew over Bavaria.

  ‘Only a few minutes more and we’ll be there,’ Max told them. The day was bright and clear and the countryside below them looked exquisite: dark forests, purple mountains and sweet little towns that seemed like something from a fairy tale of long ago.

  ‘You okay?’ Nick said, turning round to Octavia. She nodded. He was all in black including a pair of aviator shades, and looked like he might be some kind of secret agent or Special Forces member. They had sketched out a basic plan for what they would do but he said it was important to be flexible. ‘Our primary aim is to get Flora,’ he explained, ‘we may have to think on our feet. What I want you to do is stand well back and stay out of the way. Let me handle it, okay? I’m trained for this kind of thing.’

  Octavia had agreed. She’d be there for her sister once they were safely back on board.

  ‘Right,’ Max said. ‘I think we’ve got a visual. Can you see it? Look at one o’clock.’

  They peered out of the windows. Nick saw it first, patted Octavia’s arm and pointed. On top of a mountain stood a sprawling stone castle, one side of it covered in scaffolding and blue plastic. It appeared to be deserted. The helicopter was approaching it swiftly and Octavia saw that Max was heading for a piece of ground that seemed both empty and large enough for them to land. There was nothing to stop them – no cars or vehicles visible. How do they get around? she wondered as she gazed down. Is Flora really in there? Are we truly close to each other again? She thought she could feel her sister’s presence but it was a weak sensation, as though Flora were somehow less than herself. We’ve got to get down there now, she thought, the feeling suddenly urgent.

  Just then, she saw the front door of the castle open and two people emerge carrying bags. She knew instantly that they were Otto and Flora. They walked across a stretch of concrete towards a garage, and Otto went to unlock the padlock that secured the door.

  ‘There they are!’ Octavia cried urgently. ‘What’s he doing? Are they going somewhere?’ The next moment Otto and Flora disappeared inside the garage. ‘Stop them!’

  ‘Stay calm,’ ordered Max, concentrating hard as he manoeuvred the joystick. ‘I’m bringing us down now. Don’t worry.’ He positioned the aircraft above the landing area. ‘When we land, you’re going to have get out while the rotors are running. There won’t be time to get them going again, so for God’s sake keep your heads down as you get out!’

  He began the descent. Octavia could see that it was extremely tight. On one side was the castle wall, and on the other the close-packed branches of the pine forest. Max’s judgement was going to have to be centimetre perfect to land them safely. As they hovered above the stretch of ground, the pine branches waving furiously in the wash of air from the propellers, a car emerged from the garage with Otto driving and Flora in the passenger seat next to him.

  As soon as they were out of the garage, Otto looked up at the helicopter, his expression angry and worried. He stopped the car, obviously unsure what to do for a moment, watching as Max gently brought the aircraft down to touch the ground with a tiny bump. Even before they’d landed, Nick had opene
d the door and was leaping to the ground then racing towards the car. As soon as Otto saw him coming, he revved the engine into life, roared the car forward as though he was going to attempt to hit the man running towards him, then a second later, spun a round in a right turn. It was obvious now he was going to head for the gate and the road leading down the mountain. If he made it, they couldn’t possibly catch the car: it would be impossible to pursue it in a helicopter.

  Octavia gasped and fumbled with her seatbelt straps, struggling to release the buckles. Max turned round and snapped them open with a practised movement.

  ‘I’ll be here ready to go,’ he said. ‘But hurry! Head down, don’t forget.’

  She jumped out of the helicopter, keeping her head low as the blades sliced the air above her, and began to follow Nick. She’d been able to catch one glimpse of Flora’s shocked face as the car hurtled towards them but it had disappeared as Otto swung the vehicle towards the gate.

  ‘Stop them!’ Octavia screamed as Otto skidded the car to a halt, ready to accelerate into the road. Nick kept running towards the car, pulling a pistol from his jacket as he went. Otto put his foot down and the car wheels spun on the gravel then began to turn inexorably. Just as they gathered speed, Nick lifted his pistol, took a split second to aim and fired. A tyre burst with a loud bang and the car careered over to the right, out of control. It veered back and forth as Otto fought to correct it then hurtled straight for the side of the concrete garage.

  ‘Flora!’ cried Octavia, just as the car hit the wall with a sickening thud. She ran as fast as she could, aware that the bonnet had concertinaed against the unyielding surface, but Nick was there before her. He raced to the passenger side, tugged open the door and checked Flora.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Octavia heard him say.

  There was a pause and then: ‘Y-yes.’

  Tears sprang to Octavia’s eyes. Just the sound of that soft stammer made her want to weep. She realised she’d been dreading never hearing it again.