by Vance Huxley
While he waited for replies, Harold spent time on the gardens, gun repairs, helping Patty to master her new sabre, and sparring with Wamil both with and without weapons. Harold sparred with a blade and a stick, and Wamil agreed that the combinationmade him harder to kill. With a smile, she also admitted he ‘killed’ her closer to evenswhen using a stick as well. After watching Wamil with her knives, Patty and Doll found three fit and limber volunteers to learn.That became easier once Liz produced three sets of practice weapons, just un-tempered steel so she didn’t use much charcoal. Harold looked forward to seeing aKatari with a real blade.
Harold had just finished unarmed combat practice with Wamil when Hazel caught him in the street. “Harold, Harold.” He smiled because that meant she’d got over her latest embarrassment, over him seeing her kissing Alfie.
“Yes Hazel.”
“There’s a woman trying to run over the fields, Bess says she looks in a bad way.” Harold’s smile died and he ran to Bess’s guardhouse, number six, as fast as possible.
“Here, have a look.” Harold took the binoculars from Bess. The young woman, dressed in rags, seemed to have trouble running, stumbling and limping even after she’d cleared the rubble. As some of the gardeners moved to help her, she fell down. The first people reached her, and then one of them fell.
A radio crackled. “Crossbow or bow from the ruins! Who’s on duty with the rifle?”
“Billy. I’ve already called for him.” Bess took her finger off the radio button.”That’s a bit far for him, Harold. Unless you are taking it?” As she spoke, Billy came in carrying a two-two rifle.
Harold ignored the proffered weapon. “That’s well over half a mile from here, too far for that rifle. Run out to the Annex, Billy. You’ll still beoverthree hundred yards away and probably won’t touch the crossbowman, but try. If you get near it’ll make him duck. Remember, use the firing slots and shoot and duck just in case.” Out in the fields everyone near the woman had dropped flat.
The radio buzzed. “Harold? I’m on the way.” Emmy didn’t mention rifles on the air.
“Go to the Annex and wait. Don’t do anything yet.”
The phone rang, Casper from the gatehouse. “Harold? There’s three GOFS, two Barbies and a Hot Rod inside the walls at the moment. And the two Hot Rod spies up the road of course.”
“Put the visitors inside Orchard Close into the overnight house and explain.If they crack one curtain to peek, promise I’ll shoot them all. I don’t want them seeing who shoots and what weapon they use.” Harold tried, but couldn’t think of an answer to the Hot Rod spies. “I don’t know what to do about Caddi’s watchers,except hope they don’t use radios. Broadcast that, they’ll be listening and might keep their gobs shut.” Harold hoped so.Whoever was out there would be listening,so any radio reports the Hot Rods sent home would go to them as well. “Send a runner to ask Demon toget dressed for trouble and go to the Annex.” Casper agreed and rang off.
Harold spent a few minutes getting his own rifle and thinking about what had happened, and it didn’t add up. The men with crossbows were suicidal against a good rifle, unless they had backup, and what did they hope to achieve by killing gardeners? Patty called by on her way to the Annex,with a big wrapped bundle as well as her two-two so she’d understood the message. Harold explained quietly without anyone else hearing. “You might need both your rifles, but only use the two-twofor now because this stinks. There’s more to it.Whoever is out there has to have backup soremember, shoot and move.” Patty didn’t waste time, setting off at a run.
Haroldused the phone again to call the gate, asking Alfie to bring the 303.That took a few minutes because Alfie’s leg still wasn’t up to running. As Harold waited,a two-two started shooting from the Annex. Just as Alfie arriveda second small rifle started up, then after a couple more shots a deeper note joined in.
Harold handed his radio to Alfie as he arrived with the 303. “That wasn’t Emmy’s rifle. Ask who fired what, and if the person with the two-two is all right.”
Moments later Bethany’s voice answered. “Someone is out there and he shot clean through a loophole! He missed, er,the person on our rifle is all right.” A two-two cracked again to punctuate that andmoments later the other two-two fired. “Billy is trying for the crossbows, while the other one is now trying to hit the riflebut it’s a long way away. Too far for a two-two I’m told.” Patty must be hinting through Bethany that she wanted to open up with the Winchester.
Alfie passed Harold’s instructions on by radio, becausePatty’s bullets would be getting close and he didn’t want the whoever to know it wasn’t Soldier Boy shooting. “Get a bad girl on the phone in the Annex. Until then keep trying with the two-two.” Harold swapped weapons with Alfie,before sending him out to the Annex with the Blaser and instructions.
He called the Annex on the single telephone connection, and Bethany answered. “What’s happening?”
The strain showed in Bethany’s voice. “We think there’s only four,all with crossbows, hidingin the edge of the rubble. They’ll be lucky to hit anyone in the Annex since that’s over three hundred yards away, butthey’ve got eight of our gardeners and thewoman pinned down. Patty wants permission to shoot the bastards.”
“Tell Patty not yet but she can try to kill the rifleman, even if it’s a long shot for a two-two. She’s to duck and move after every shot and I’ll speak to her in a minute. Tell Billy to keep taking shots at the crossbows with the two-two to keep their heads down, but duck after every shot.”
“All right Harold. Emmy is here now.”
“Hello Harold. I can’t see him, the sniper, even from an upstairs window. He’s chosen agood place, about six hundred yards out, in the rubble among the houses we’re still demolishing.I can’t nail him from the smoke because there isn’t much, and anyway he keeps moving. I could kill the crossbowmen? They’re hiding just beyond the saplings, where they can reach some of the gardeners and that refugee, but they’re in plain view from upstairs.” It all came out in a rush, because Emmy wanted to nail someone, anyone.
“Calm down, Emmy. Don’t shoot at all unless you have a clear shot at the rifleman. They’ll know about our big rifles but I’d rather keep them guessing where they are. Billy and Alfie shoot well enough to get close and keep the crossbows pinned with the two-twos. Give me a minute.” Harold thought quickly, then went through the situation with Emmy.
The fleeing woman had to be a decoy, but maybe not a willing accomplice. She’d crawled into one of the buried baths used to store water, but had a crossbow bolt in her back or leg. The gardeners were all laid flat and crawling to get behind barrows, carts, greenery, or into a garden pond or bath. At least three were carrying pistols but weren’t close enough to hit anything. Two had crossbows and were duelling with the attackers.
“Emmy, Alfie is bringing the Blaser. Do you want to use that or your sniper rifle?”
“I’ve used it before, and I’d rather have the four extra quick shots using the clip if I get a chance. Who uses my rifle if I use the Blaser?”
“Patty can. She’s not used to it, but she’s only got five shots for her baby and it isn’t as accurate with only a peep sight.” Harold thought about it. “Can you get Patty on the phone? Take a couple of shots with the two-two while I talk to her? Be careful, someone out there is a good shot. When shegets back,go upstairs and lay for the scroat. I’m going to stalk him if he’s stupid enough to wait.Try not to shoot me by mistake, but be ready if anyone with a rifle breaks cover.”
“Good hunting, Harold.”
When Patty came on the phone, she cursed fluently without breaking the rules. “He’s got a better rifle than me, Harold. Why can’t I use my baby? Can I use that rifle you took off the General’s sniper?”
“Yes to some of that because he’s here to kill me, Patty. We need to set him up.”
Patty didn’t sound convinced. “He was shooting at me a minute ago.”
“But nobody knows where I am, so he shot at a shoote
r. How near do you reckon you got with the two-two?”
After a pause, Patty replied in a quieter, thoughtful voice. “I winged one of those with the crossbows.I’m not sure how much damage it does at that range, but I used a special.”
“Then it will have penetrated and done some damage. As far as the gangs or even most people in here know, how many people can shoot like that with a small rifle?” Patty didn’t answer. “Billy will be getting close, but not as close as youdid, and everyone knows about me and my two-two. When did the rifleman open fire?”
Despite his own conclusions,Harold still hopedhe might be wrong, but Patty’s reply scotched that. “After I shot the bloke with the crossbow. In fact, if I hadn’t moved after the next shot like you keep telling me… Crap!”
“Billy had already taken a few shots without reply. This bloke waited to fire until after youhit a partially hidden man with a two-two at three hundred yards.” Harold sighed, because until he’d put it like that he hadn’t been sure.
Patty sighed as well, in exasperation. “I can’t see him so how are you going to kill him?”
“I can’t from here. He’ll have different spots sorted out and will move from one to another, or I would. If we send out a lot of people to flush the bastard, he’ll kill a few and then be gone. I need to get out there and flank his position without him realising I’ve left.”
OncePatty worked it out, Harold could hear the anticipation in her voice. “So if I keep shooting at him, and getting near? He’ll think it’s you, until it’s too late. With the sniper’s rifle and scope, I might even hit the sneaky little git.”
“Good idea. Use the sniper rifle,slowly and as accurately as possible. Save the Winchester for five rounds rapid, covering fire or if the group run.Aim where he shoots from,but if the crossbow users try to move out, kill one to pin them so he’ll wait. Shoot and move bloody fast because otherwise he’ll get you.” Harold paused, then realised he hadn’t told Patty everything.”Emmy won’t shoot unless she gets a clear chance at the rifleman.”
Sheer exasperation coloured Patty’s answer. “How do I shoot at him if I’m ducking? I need to see the smoke.”
“Good point.” Harold thought about it but Patty had already got there.
“If I roll sideways and get my eye to a crack on the bricks, will the smoke hang long enough to be spotted?” There were periodic slits, just slightly larger gaps between bricks but lined up through the wall to see without being seen. A few widenedtowards the rear for a rifle barrel.
“Then find another place to shoot from and try to hit the spot. Keep him convinced that I’m accurate but shooting at the smoke, so he’s still got a chance of getting me.” Harold immediately thought of one problem. “Ask Bethany or someone else to spot for you through a crack in the wall, well away from you, in case you take too long.Make sure nobody looks over the wall. Fire nice and steady. If his info is good, he’ll think you are tempting him for the other rifle, which you are.”
“Then if she gets a chance, Emmy can empty the damn Blaser into him. Sorted.” The next part came out with definite venom in it. “Now kill him. At least two of the gardeners have crossbow bolts in them, and without that rifleman I could kill the swine that did it.”
“I’m gone.” Harold put the phone down and called the gatehouse. “Casper?”
“Hang on.” Moments later Casper came on the phone.
“Casper, wait by the main gates with shotguns, crossbows and twenty fighters. If this goes wrong, charge the bastard.Use shotguns for covering fire. Shoot, dash and drop. Rinse and repeat until you get close.” Harold hesitated before explaining why it would be urgent, in case Casper objected to him taking the chance. “I’ll be out there and I’ll need you to drive him away, stop him finishing me off if I’ve been hit.”
“You’re going out there, right where he wants you? Why the hell would…” Casper paused, thinking it over. “Because it’s the only way, and only you can do the sneaky bit. Okay, we’ll do dash and drop but I’ll bring thetankround so we can get closerfaster. Don’t worry, if you’re only wounded we’ll get you and might kill a few as they run.”
“Cheers.” Harold put down the phone, checking over the 303 and the three full clips before heading to the end of Orchard Close.He left through the terraced houses, crawling quickly but carefully along the tarmac between two rows of potatoes. If the attackers had infrared,he hoped they’d be concentrating on the shooters. Behind him he could hear the two-twos pinning the crossbows, and the steady exchange as Patty and the sniper fired towards each other’s smoke. Hopefully she’d keep her moves random, and the muzzle far enough back he wouldn’t spot her before she fired. If Patty moved as soon as she fired, he’d never correct fast enough for a hit. Harold fervently hoped not, because he’d asked her to risk it.
The continuing exchange between Patty and the rifleman confirmed that hewasn’t trained as a sniper, or any sort of military shooter. The attempt to kill Harold had failed,so the man should pull back and wait for another opportunity. Harold had plenty of time to think, because he had another half mile to go and some of it would be on his belly.
As he reached the ruins to the north, a short scream sounded on the heels of the sniper’s shot. Harold clicked his radio, just once, and two clicks came back. Despite more cries of pain, whatever had happened hadn’t altered the plan.Whoever had been hit wasn’t Patty or Emmy. Patty impressed Harold, still keeping to her instructions instead of killing a crossbowman as payback. Emmy had done just as well, because the temptation to shoot at least one must be almost unbearable. Harold rose to his feet and began to run, crouched over with the 303 held across his body and a round up the spout.
*
Seven or eight minutes later the shooting still continued. The rate had slowed, as both shooters tried to tempt the other to take a better look. Harold looked cautiously around the next row of houses and saw movement. He eased back a bit, sighed, and went down on his belly again. He had to keep well clear toget past whoever this was without being seen, at least far enough to kill the sniper. Patty fired, but a long silence followed. She’d got him! Then another thought hit Harold and a chill went down his back. If Patty thought so and stuck up her head to have a look? The silence continued until Harold began to wonder.
After what seemed an age Patty fired again, and the reply came almost immediately. Now Harold worried if Patty had been careless, thinking the man might be wounded or dead? Her next shot came as a relief, or he hoped that Patty fired it. The two rifles continued their duel, with the two-twos firing now and then as well, while Harold wondered again who this man was. Probably someone who’d been a club shooter or a deer hunter, sticking with a plan that had worked on other occasions? He couldn’t be a local or someone would have talked about him.
Haroldsaw movement straight after he heard the next shot. Got him!A few moments later he saw someone moving, but the man held a crossbow as he headed towards Orchard Close. Harold mentally drew in a slow crawl around the intervening partially demolished housing towards the shooting, avoiding the direction the man went.Within minutes Haroldcould see the legs and ass of a man who must be a flank guard. He was tempted to shoot the bloke through the legs, to panic the attackers and flush the sniper, but decided against it. If the sniper held his nerve he might still get away. Harold crept on.
*
Harold finally caught a glimpse of his target. The sniper changed position after another shot,but unfortunately Harold could only see a leg once he settled. That would cripple and pin the rifleman, but there were others out here as well. If they were trying to kill Harold, the wounded shooter might get his chance.The man fired again as Harold closedsohe peeked quickly to see where the bloke went. Perfect.He’d hiddenjust over a hundred yards away. Next time he moved, Harold would be ready.
Even as he slid the big old rifle forward Harold heard a shout from his right! Damn, he’d been too eager and forgotten to check his flanks. Harold turned his head to see a man stood on the rubble, pointing
. “Here! With a bloody rifle!” The man started to raise his crossbow,less than twenty yards away, then ducked a little as Patty took a shot. It must have been aimed at the sniper, because the man straightened and raised the crossbow again.
Harold glanced around for cover but there wasn’t any sohe tried to beat the man to the shot. Rolling up and almost into a sitting position, Harold twistedto bring thelong barrel round but he’d be too late. As he moved the Winchester sounded, firing as fast as Patty could crank the lever. The crossbow man flinchedeven as he fired, looking towards Orchard Close instead of his target.Harold jerked as an impact on his chest and sharp pain told him he’d been hit, but the crossbow man dropped his weapon and staggered sideways before falling out of sight. A glance down showeda crossbow bolt jutting at an angle from Harold’s jacket, but it hadn’t gone deep enough to put him down immediately. Harold twisted, still sat up, lookingfor his original target.
The sniper had been caught between two rifles, undecided, but now hetried to do the same as Harold had and get off his shot first.The depression in the bricks that concealed the sniper worked against him now, he had to sit up to turn whereas Harold only had to swivel his hips. Harold already had the 303 to his shoulder, but took a snapshot rather than waiting and giving the manany chance. The butt kicked hard and Harold worked the bolt. His first shot clipped the target, knocking the man back whilehis arm and rifle swung up to one side. Harold took time to aim the second shot properly, putting the big bullet into the sniper’s chest. The man flopped back and his rifle clattered down into the rubble.