Candles. They haven’t got any electricity left.
Toby winced as one of the men grabbed his arm. At the end of the hall, sitting in a large wooden throne was an even larger man.
That must be the General! What a size he is! And what is he wearing?
Toby was thrust forward to fall at the foot of the throne. He stared up at a very strange sight. The huge ugly man had on a pillar-box red military uniform emblazoned on the chest with dozens of badges, insignia, and a whole rainbow of coloured strips of cloth, like those given as medals to war heroes.
Bet he’s never even been in the army!
Huge silver epaulettes hung from the General’s shoulders and slung across his body was a silk tasselled lanyard in brilliant white. He wore a large peaked hat, which was also covered in badges. He looked like he was about to go on parade.
Wow! What a sight! Think he fancies himself as the dictator of Scotland!
“So what do we have here?” snapped the General, gazing down at Toby as if he had just crawled out from under a stone. Toby could now see that the man had a large scar down one side of his face that pulled his right eye down as if it were half closed. It gave him an almost funny look, but Toby wasn’t laughing; the General looked mean.
“It’s Mr Tennant’s son, sir,” said the thickset man who had now removed his balaclava to reveal an ugly trout-like face. He puckered up his flabby lips and squinted at Toby. “He’s the one that got away when we kidnapped his dad and sister. Then he caught up with us at Fort George and set the dogs on us. And after he’d led the dogs’ attack he scarpered in McNaught’s speedboat.”
“Well, boy? You led dogs to attack my fort!” yelled the General. “Do you realise that attack has cost me our foothold in the north? How am I going to rule Scotland if every time we set foot outside New Caledonia, my men get set upon by wild dogs? And it seems you are their leader!”
“WHAT?” Toby gathered himself together. “I never led the dogs anywhere. They were led by Cerberus, coming from Aberdeen. And Fort George wasn’t your fort anyway. Your men stole it from the families living there. And come to think of it where are those people? AND WHERE’S MY DAD AND MY LITTLE SISTER?”
By this time the men were laughing at Toby as he stood up with his chest puffed out trying to look as tall and menacing as possible.
Someone cuffed him on the back of the head and he fell back down.
“Don’t dare speak to the General like that!” cried the trout-face, lashing out at Toby with his boot.
“So, what can you tell me about your dad, then?” asked the General, leaning forward to fix Toby with a belligerent stare from his lop-sided eyes.
“I’m not telling you anything,” stammered Toby.
“Oh, but you will. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to that sweet little sister of yours, would you?”
“You wouldn’t hurt Sylvie?”
“I won’t have to if you just tell me what your dad’s job was. You see, we need people with knowledge to help run my new country. We must have scientists, doctors and engineers – people with skills so that we can build a new world. But I need power! We can’t exist forever foraging for the scattered fuel dumps that remain. I need someone to design me some way of making electricity, and I think your dad might just be that someone.”
“Why? What makes you think that? My dad was an —” Toby was just about to tell when he realised that he had fallen right into the General’s trap. “I’m not telling you. If he wouldn’t then neither can I!”
“Please yourself, laddie! I’m going to enjoy this. You and your dad – sooner or later one of you will talk. We’ll see whose pips squeak first, shall we?”
There was a chorus of agreement from the men who then roared with laughter.
Please don’t let them torture me! I mustn’t tell them about the bunker and that Tom and his men are about to attack at any moment!
24. The General
Toby lay curled in a tight ball on the floor, anticipating a sharp kick from one of the raiders. Suddenly the General leapt to his feet clutching his head. He towered over Toby, his huge frame dwarfing everyone around him.
Crikey! He must be about seven feet tall. No wonder they’re all scared of him.
“QUIET! I must have quiet! Ah! My head!” he screamed, in obvious agony. The men hurriedly backed away.
This isn’t the first time he’s done this, judging by their reaction. What’s the matter with him? One minute he was ok and the next he’s a screaming monster.
The General slumped back into his throne and sat rocking back and forth, cradling his head in his hands, and gesticulating for everyone to leave him.
Toby stayed still; he’d had an idea.
“I can help you,” he stated bravely, uncurling and standing up. He took a step towards the throne.
“Get away, lad!” barked the Captain, who had just joined them. “The General doesn’t need your help.”
“Please yourself,” said Toby, shrugging and trying hard to look nonchalant.
What am I thinking of? I must be mad! If this doesn’t work, I’m dead.
“Shut up!” yelled the Captain, yanking Toby away by his shoulder.
“Don’t shout,” moaned the General. “Let the boy tell us how he can help.”
“Well, in truth, it’s not me exactly,” started Toby hesitantly. This plan of his could easily go wrong. “I happen to know that you have a talented doctor here and her son, who is a gifted homeopathist. I’m sure they will be able to help you.”
“Oh, are you now?” grunted the Captain, sarcastically. “And what’s a ho-mop-path-ist?”
“Don’t show your ignorance!” the General hissed at the Captain. “I know what a homeopathist is! I’m an educated man, for god’s sake! Just as well I am! We’d still be cowering in the caves if it had been left to you!”
Toby turned to the Captain; he needed to get him on his side for this to work. So he explained quietly, “They’re like a natural healer. I know they can help ’cause I was dying once of a septic hand and Jamie made me medicine from herbs and plants and I got better straight away. His mum saved my sister, who was dying of red fever.”
That’s a bit of an exaggeration. Hope he goes for it.
“Is that right?” said the Captain, sneering. “And how do you know these people are here?”
“I’ve seen them,” said Toby, hoping that Jamie’s mum was with Jamie.
“What you waiting for? Go and fetch them here, now!” the General snarled at the Captain.
“You’d better come with me,” the Captain ordered Toby. “We’ll see if we can find these miracle workers!”
The Captain dragged Toby outside and across the large yard to a door, which he unlocked and swung open. In the darkness before him, Toby could hear the murmurings of someone; lots of someones. The Captain shone his torch into another hall, flashing it over rows of blankets lying on the floor. Peering out of the makeshift beds, blinking in the torchlight, were the shocked faces of women and children. Some cried out with fright, while others stared out sullenly; one of those was Jamie’s mum.
“Hurry up and find these people that are going to cure the General! He doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” snarled the Captain. He strode off down the hall to inspect the other prisoners.
“Katie?” Toby couldn’t stop himself from yelling out. “Katie, it’s Toby. Is Jamie with you? And where’s Sylvie?”
“Toby? Toby is that you?” called a familiar voice. A blonde head stuck up from underneath a pile of blankets.
“J-J-Jamie?” Toby’s voice broke with relief.
From under another pile of blankets a tousle of brown hair stirred and a small pale face peeped out. “Tobes? Is that really you?”
“Sylvie? Sylvie! Yes! – It’s me, Toby!” He gasped with amazement as a small figure stumbled towards him. He picked her up in his arms and hugged her tight, unable to speak, while tears of relief pricked his eyes.
“Oh, Tobes, I’m SO pleased to see
you!” sighed Sylvie, wrapping her arms around his neck. “The bad men here are horrid, and one big monster man is really really horrible and was shouting at Dad and me, and —”
“Where’s Dad?” Toby anxiously asked her.
“I don’t know, Tobes. We were together until we got here and then, after the monster man had shouted at us, they took him away on his own.”
Toby put her down and took her hand tightly in his.
“They haven’t hurt you have they, Sylve?”
“No, they were a bit rough but I’m ok. I just kept thinking that you’d be here soon to rescue us – and here you are! I knew that you would come. I am very hungry, though!”
“Good, well I’m here now but we need to find Dad, and fast. Here, I’ve got some cereal bars in my pocket. Take one. They’re a bit fusty but it’ll stop you being hungry.” Toby pushed the squashed packet into Sylvie’s hand.
Jamie came stumbling towards him, grabbed him in a big bear hug and burst into tears.
“It’s so good to see you!” Jamie stuttered. “Sylvie and I knew you would come!”
“Don’t,” mumbled Toby, “you’ll start me off, and we don’t want him to see us crying, do we?” He nodded towards the Captain who came striding up to them.
“So,” snapped the Captain. “This is your ‘gifted’ whatever-he-is. Looks like a cry-baby to me. I hope you’re right about him. The General doesn’t like being disappointed. And come on, you – if you’re the so-called doctor.” He motioned for Jamie’s mum, Katie, to come too. She quickly pulled on her clothes and came over, giving Toby a big hug too.
“We’re so glad to see you, Toby. We’ve been really worried about you. How on earth did you manage to find us here?” she said.
“Shut up!” interrupted the Captain. “And get a move on!” He roughly pushed them out of the door and locked it behind him. Toby managed to pull Sylvie out of the door with them in the darkness.
“She’s not coming!” barked the Captain.
“She is,” Toby yelled back. “Or else your General doesn’t get treated by these two.” Toby nodded towards Jamie and his mum who both look puzzled. As they returned to the Great Hall he whispered the bare bones of his plan to them. All they had to do was try to treat the General. He had no idea of what they should do after that.
Standing in front of the General’s throne, Toby took a good look at Jamie and his mum. They were dressed in filthy blue boiler suits that were much too big for them and only emphasised how thin they had become. They both looked hollow-eyed and tired, their grey faces smeared with mud.
Don’t suppose I look that good either. But they look starving. Sylvie doesn’t look too bad but she hasn’t been here that long.
“So, what is the matter with you?” declared Katie, defiantly marching up to the General. He was still slumped in his throne, clutching his head. “Looks to me like you’ve got a migraine,” she stated loudly. “Are you seeing flashing lights? Do you feel sick?”
“Yeah, all of those,” he muttered back. “And keep your voice down, my head’s splitting!”
“Jamie, have you got any of those dried pachu berries left in your rucksack?” She turned to her son, who was grasping tight onto Toby’s arm.
“Umm, oh, I don’t know. Yes, I think so…” he muttered, looking petrified.
“Go and fetch them then. Go on – now!” she ordered. Toby smiled to himself. Katie was great. If she was scared she certainly didn’t show it.
My mum was like that, too – really stood up for me when I needed her to.
Toby wasn’t sure of the next part of his plan. His first priority had been to get to Jamie and his mum and check they were all right. He hoped that they could cure the General of whatever was wrong with him, and then maybe he would let them go out of gratitude.
“I’m afraid that these migraines will keep coming back…” Katie was saying.
Don’t tell him that! We’ll never get away.
“…if you don’t look after yourself better. Don’t drink red wine, avoid rich foods, don’t get too stressed, and don’t read in a poor light for long.”
“Huh! I like my food,” grumbled the General. “And I’m not giving up my red wine. All I want from you and that kid of yours is to make the pain go away.”
“Right, well, in that case I shall give you some strong painkillers. We’ll mix them with dried pachu berries. That will take the pain away, and stop you feeling sick.”
“Then get on with it!” howled the General, nursing his head.
Toby waited anxiously with Sylvie while Katie followed Jamie to fetch what they needed from their bags, back in the Palace Hall with the makeshift beds in it. He watched as they mixed up a pink potion of gooey liquid in a mug and gave it to the General.
“You don’t expect me to drink this muck, do you?” he cried.
“You can rub it on your baldy head for all I care,” retorted Katie. “But if you want that pain to go away, you’ll slurp down every last drop.”
Toby chuckled. Katie had real fighting spirit.
The General pulled a face like a small child being made to take his medicine, and swallowed the contents of the mug.
“So, can we go now?” asked Katie. “One good turn deserves another.”
“No chance! You’re going nowhere, and anyway, how do I know that this isn’t some rubbish you’ve given me?”
“Or poison?” suggested the Captain.
“You don’t,” said Katie. “You’ll just have to trust me.”
“I don’t trust anybody. You’re going nowhere. Throw them back in with the others. And put him in the dungeon with the other one,” growled the General, pointing at Toby.
That was a rubbish plan.
One of the raiders grabbed Toby by the scruff of his jacket collar.
“Tobes! Don’t leave me!” screamed Sylvie as one of the raiders grabbed her and started to drag her out of the Great Hall with Jamie and Katie.
“Don’t worry, Sylvie. I’ll find you! Go with Katie and Jamie!” Toby yelled back, his stomach churning.
Stupid of me to think there might be honour among thieves.
25. Sending a Signal
Sylvie, Jamie and Katie were hauled across the dark yard, while the Captain dragged Toby back towards the guardhouse.
“You better pray that your mates’ medicine works, else you’re up for the high jump, too!” barked the Captain, pulling Toby down a flight of steps to a small wooden door. He unlocked it and threw Toby inside.
Toby waited until the Captain’s footsteps disappeared into the night, and then pulled out his torch. Giving it a quick wind-up, he shone it round the dank smelly cell in which he found himself.
“Hello?” he called out. There in the corner lay slumped a figure dressed in dirty jeans and an “Edinburgh Rocks” sweatshirt. The figure groaned and moved.
It couldn’t be Dad, could it?
“Dad?” Toby crouched and put his hand out.
“I’m not your dad. It’s Captain Bill Gallagher to you, son,” croaked a voice.
“Bill? From the bunker? What are you doing here? I thought you were leading an attack?”
“Well, I didn’t get very far, did I?”
“What happened?” In the excitement of finding Sylvie and the others, Toby had forgotten all about the impending attack by the soldiers.
“I got given away by some stupid dog that was hanging around the cemetery. It was following me – wanted to play! When I tried to shoo it off, it started yelping and the guards heard it.”
Strange – a friendly dog? Couldn’t be one of Cerberus’s pack, then.
“Are you hurt?” asked Toby. He could see that the soldier was lying at a funny angle.
“My leg – must have twisted it when those guys jumped me. I was supposed to give a signal to the others once I had got in. My mission was to open the back gates for them. There’s no chance of that now.”
Toby pulled his rucksack from under his jacket where he had been hiding it.
“I might have something in my bag to help with that,” he nodded towards Bill’s leg. He set the torch down so that it shone on the rucksack, and started to empty it.
“What’s this?” he exclaimed, pulling out a battered, dirty brown teddy bear.
“Ha!” scoffed Bill. “That’s going to be a lot of use, isn’t it?”
Toby could feel himself going red.
“Hang on, that’s not my teddy. This can’t be my bag. This is Tash’s rucksack. They must have got muddled up somehow at the bunker.”
Toby threw all the contents onto the floor and rummaged around. Tash’s bag had all sorts of stuff in it. He picked up the penknife and the hacksaw. Maybe those would be useful? Could he file the lock off the door?”
“YES!” he cried out, unearthing a bunch of metal key-like objects from under a tin of tuna. “Tash’s skeleton keys! I’d forgotten she had these!”
“Hush!” whispered Bill. “And where did you get those from? They’re really rare.”
“Never mind that, let’s get out of here, now,” whispered Toby. He pocketed the penknife and the hacksaw and made for the door. Bill pulled himself up slowly.
“I think I’ve broken my ankle. You’ll have to go without me. What’s the plan?”
Toby thought for a moment. He didn’t have a plan, he just wanted to find his dad and get them all out of there.
“Em… I’ll go and get Jamie and Katie, then I’ll… I’ll think about it as I go along,” he stammered. This didn’t look good. Bill must think he was an idiot. “I know, why don’t I first go and open the back gates and give the signal, then at least your plan can be put into action? I can go back after that for the others.”
“You? You open the back gates? How are you going to manage that? You’re just a scrawny wee kid.”
“I don’t know, but we haven’t got much choice have we?”
Just a kid? I’ll show him who’s just a kid.
“Ok, you’re right there,” sighed Bill. “We haven’t got many options at the moment, have we? So, take a right out of here and go through the north gate – it’s like a tunnel that comes out into an area called the ‘nether bailey’. You’ll go by a row of old buildings on your left. Head straight across the grass, keeping the north wall on your right and you’ll come to a metal gate in the wall. It used to be blocked up but the raiders have opened it so the workers have easy access to the fields.”
Black Tide Page 16