“You can have who you want and what you want. This is our number one priority.”
“In which case, right now,” he said, picking the book up. “I’ll go find Richard and David, and we’ll get started.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Troy made most women swoon but not Angel. With her, it was the other way around. She knew he would do whatever she asked. They had struck up a relationship soon after The Ark had left port on its final cruise. He worked as the head of security for an oil tycoon and his wife. He was so highly regarded and trusted that rather than being given one of the lower deck rooms where most employees resided, he was gifted a suite.
He was South African by birth and had been in the military for a short time then went to work for one of the world’s biggest arms manufacturers before finally becoming Lyle Brannigan’s personal protector. He knew and guarded all the tycoon’s biggest secrets. He headed the team that protected Brannigan’s family, and his chiselled chin, wide shoulders, suntanned skin and thick head of black hair with distinguished grey flecks running through it had women’s hearts racing. He had become one of Angel’s playthings for a while, but then she had tired of him despite the fact he had fallen for her in a big way.
He had regaled her with stories of his life and achievements. He told her about how he had scaled Everest, Kayaked down Banana Falls, and spent six months leading a fleet of tall ships around Europe in one of the biggest exhibitions of its kind. He had led a remarkable life, or so he tried to make her believe. But Angel had been told lots of tall tales by men who had tried to win her favour. Rarely had she believed them, but when it turned out that she had an opportunity to put one of Troy’s claims to the test and it rang true, she developed a new respect for the man.
Now Troy led a fleet of six tall ships for Angel. When fuel began to dwindle to dangerously low levels, it looked like all hope was lost on board The Ark. When they happened across an exhibition fleet in Plymouth, Angel decided to test Troy’s metal. He had become her right-hand man, training crews to sail and do whatever tasks were required to make sure life aboard the luxury cruise ship stayed as comfortable as possible for the millionaire and billionaire inhabitants. Brannigan was happy to release him from his services as he was one of a growing number of people who arrived at the conclusion that Troy might be the one man who could save them all.
Angel reached the loading dock to find the door already open and the gangway in position.
“Will this take long? I hate being down here. It’s so grimy.”
“Do I need to remind you it was you who wanted the meeting and, trust me, you wouldn’t want this meeting on board The Ark,” Troy replied.
“You don’t need to remind me of anything, sugar, let’s just get this over with.”
Troy waited by the exit and chivalrously let Angel step onto the makeshift bridge first. She gripped the two handrails with all her strength and tried not to look down as the waves lapped a few metres below. When she reached the other side, two burly crewmen took hold of her hands. She recognised them as former crewmen on board The Ark, and they both nodded respectfully as they helped her onto the deck.
The movement of the water was much more noticeable on board the Manticore, and it took Angel a few moments to stop the queasiness in her stomach.
“Let’s head below then, shall we?”
“If we must,” Angel replied. Even when something distasteful was her idea, she always protested and had a face like she was sucking on a sourball. It helped maintain the image that she was just an innocent and all the bad stuff, the dirty and dark deeds were on someone else.
“We’ll go to my cabin first, for a quick chat,” Troy said as they went below deck.
“A chat, Troy. That is all we are going for, mind.” They entered, and Troy locked the door behind them. Angel sat down at a writing desk while her host poured them two drinks. “Nice little place you got yourself here,” she said as he handed her a glass.
Troy looked around the cabin. “It serves its purpose. How are you, Angel?”
“Sugar, how I am depends very much on what you’re going to tell me.”
A momentary sadness swept over Troy’s face. He had hoped for a little warmth … a little something from Angel, but it was clear that he was nothing but a hired hand. He produced a map and flattened it out on the desk. “There,” he said, pointing to a village.
“Lonbaig? Well, that looks tiny.”
“It’s not just the village.” He pointed to two more points on the map. “Here and here are the only routes in or out. The village is the hub, but it’s the whole coastline. I had spotters across there before our attacks. They told me they’d seen all sorts of planting operations and building going on. They’re developing it, growing it. Whoever lives here knows the geographical significance of the place.”
“Spotters?”
“Who do you think I am? Do you honestly think I would just launch an attack without finding out what I was attacking first?”
“Well tell me, Troy, how did that work out for you this time?”
“They were more resourceful than we expected, that’s all.”
Angel’s eyes narrowed a little as she looked at her host. “And houses? There are enough houses?”
“Plenty for what we need,” Troy replied. “This is it. This is our one chance to finally have a base, settle down.” He finished his drink and poured another. “You want a refill?”
“No. I want you to stop wasting my time and tell me how this is the answer to all of our prayers.”
He downed his second drink, and this time the sound of the glass slamming onto the desk made Angel jump a little. A smile unlike any she had seen before crept onto Troy’s face. “I don’t believe for a second you haven’t thought about this up until now, but I know you, Angel.” He filled his glass again. “I know you better than you think. You’re clever. You want me to say this as if it’s my idea, but it’s been your idea all along.”
“I don’t think I care for your tone.”
“I don’t think I care what you care.” He took another sip from his glass and let out a long breath. “The Ark is a floating tomb. Most people on there don’t have any skills that will help in this new world. Hell, I’ve been on hunting trips with a lot of them and the animals had to be drugged for them to make a kill. They might be big men and women around the board room table, but out there they’re like newborns. Without me and my kind to protect them, they won’t last a week.”
“What are you saying?”
Troy shot to his feet, picked up his glass and flung it across the room. It smashed against the wooden wall and the remaining thick amber fluid drizzled down the oak panelling. “No more games, Angel, you know goddamn well what I’m saying.”
“Calm yourself, Troy, I won’t be spoken to like—”
Troy yanked her from her chair and pinned her to the door. She let out a stifled scream, and his face neared hers. She could smell his whisky-soaked breath and realised that he’d probably been drinking before she had arrived as well. How many times had this happened to her before she became the darling of the religious right? She had left that life behind; she had left those men behind. She brought her knee up hard and connected with Troy’s testicles. As he started to double over, she pushed forcefully with both hands, and he fell backwards, banging hard against the floor. She turned and had the door half open when Troy shouted, “We were always your escape route.”
She paused, opened the door a little wider then closed it again. “I don’t know what you mean,” she said weakly, pressing her forehead against the thick wood.
“Oh, don’t play the innocent southern belle with me, sweetheart. That’s not the you I fell in love with.”
Angel’s mouth dropped open a little in surprise. She always knew Troy had feelings for her, but love? She turned around to look at him as he struggled to get to his feet. “I—”
“You want me to say it? Fine, I’ll say it. Since the second we set sail from Texas and you re
alised that this was the end of times you’ve been looking for an out. You thought that filling your life with hedonistic pleasure, screwing every man with a nice smile would be enough, but you soon realised that you were on the ship of the damned, surrounded by people you despised. Oh sure, you could relate to the workers, the grease monkeys, the bodyguards, the lower echelons of The Ark’s society, because that’s where you came from. But the ones who expect to continue living the life of luxury, the ones who expect things to be different for them, even when the world outside has gone to hell, you hate them as much as I do.”
“They’re not all like that,” she protested weakly.
“Yes, they are. And the cracks are already beginning to show. That palace has been on the waves for nearly three years now. It’s nothing short of a miracle that you’ve kept it going so long, but I know how the supplies are dwindling, how the special reserves have run dry. I know there’s a thin veneer of tranquillity, but underneath panic is setting in. Me and my fleet have brought you food and supplies. We’ve kept The Ark chugging along for months now, but you and I both knew that the second we found somewhere to escape to we were going to abandon ship and the plans didn’t include your husband or his overprivileged friends. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I understand why you wanted him keeping in the loop; we needed to throw some bones to them so the mutiny didn’t begin until our plan was in motion. But—”
“That’s—”
“True. Every last word of it.” A smile broke through Angel’s steely gaze realising there was little point in keeping the pretence up any longer.
“So this is the place?” she asked weakly.
“This is the place.”
“Then sober up, Troy. We’ve got work to do.”
chapter 9
It was late afternoon when Wren and Wolf began their journey home. Wren had done the only thing she knew how to do when things went bad. She had tried to hone her skills, to train, to better herself so if she was ever faced with a situation like the previous day again she would be prepared.
It was at times like this that she missed her sister the most. They had always been there to support each other when this frightening new world had become too much. She loved her grandad, but he did not understand her as Robyn did … had.
Wolf happily walked by Wren’s side, always vigilant, always protective. Barring yesterday, there had been little to fear in Safe Haven since her arrival but now... She looked at her German Shepherd and smiled appreciatively. “You’d have taken them down, wouldn’t you, boy?”
Wolf cocked his head to glance up at her then returned his eyes to the treescape ahead. Wren knew these woods as well as anyone, and it was not long before the tall pines became a little less dense and finally broke, giving way to a view of the shimmering sea.
Today had been unusual. Today, she had not returned with bags full of mushrooms or wild garlic or hazelnuts or any of the delights she and Sammy often brought back. Today had been about familiarising herself with her crossbows again. Once she started the target practice, she soon fell back into the swing of things.
The two of them made their way to the road and followed it towards home. A motor suddenly interrupted the calm. “Need a ride?” Mike asked, pulling up beside them.
“I’m sure that line used to work for you in Yorkshire, but not here I’m afraid.”
Mike broke into a smile. “That’s pretty quick for you. Have you been practising that one?”
“Of course. I spend my life thinking of funny things to say just to impress you. It gives me a purpose.”
“I thought something would have to. So, do you want a lift or not?”
“No thanks. I’m enjoying the walk.”
Mike nodded. It was another warm day, and there were few places in Britain more picturesque. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. It’s just a nice day, and I’d prefer to—”
“No. I mean after last night.”
“I’m as okay as someone can be after something like that.”
“If ever you want to talk, I’m here.”
“Talk to you? You want to be my therapist?”
“I haven’t met a therapist yet who I haven’t wanted to punch. No, I was thinking more as a friend.”
“So, you want to be my friend?”
“Well, I figured you should have at least one. Y’know, other than Wolf.”
“And I should pick the psycho with a short fuse and a penchant for beating the crap out of people who piss him off? You think I’m that hard up?”
Mike laughed again. “Well, the offer’s there if you change your mind.”
He was about to release the handbrake when Wren blurted, “How are Beth and Annie?”
“Not great.”
“Who’d do something like that?”
Mike turned off the engine and climbed out of the car, walking around to the passenger side and leaning against the bonnet. “I thought after everything you’d been through you’d be beyond this.”
“Beyond what?”
Mike crouched down and began to stroke Wolf. “Beyond being surprised by what levels people can sink to.”
“I…” She broke off and turned away, doing her best not to cry.
Mike stood up and eased her back round towards him. “What is it?”
“It was a close thing last night. Sammy and me, we could have been finished.”
“But you weren’t.”
“Yeah, but it was a close thing, and…”
“And what?”
“It’s hard, Mike. Even for a community like ours. As well organised as we are, as well prepared as we are, it’s hard.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t. My sister being out there, facing all of this, it scares the hell out of me. There’s part of me that knows she can deal with anything and there’s another part that…”
Mike gently wiped the tears from Wren’s face with his thumbs. “Listen to me. You and I are very similar in lots of ways, Wren.”
“If you’re trying to make me feel better, that’s not a great way to start.”
Mike laughed, and Wren smiled despite her tears. “We don’t accept defeat. We always fight and carry on fighting even when most people think it’s a lost cause. We both understand the reality of what it’s like out there, but you and I will never give up, no matter what the odds. I’m guessing Robyn will be the same, and that’s why you should never give up on her. Yes, there are a lot of shitty people out there. It’s dangerous, it’s scary, and it’s tough, but provided you keep going, there’s always a way, there’s always hope.” Wren sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “Nice. Which finishing school did you go to again?”
Wren sniffed and stuck her middle finger up. “The Edinburgh College of Screw You!”
“You’ve been hanging around with Jules, haven’t you?”
They both smiled. “Thank you, Mike.”
“For what?”
“When I talk about my sister to most people, I can tell they’re just humouring me. They don’t believe she could still be out there after all this time, but when I talk to you, I don’t feel that way.”
“Wren, if your sister is half the person you are, then she’s still out there somewhere.”
“Y’know, as far as psychos go, you’re by far my favourite.”
“Wow, that might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Don’t get used to it; I’m having a weak moment.”
Mike stepped forward and hugged her tightly. At first, she went rigid; then she reciprocated, placing both her arms around him. “Sometimes, when people say things are impossible, it’s because they don’t have the guts to face what needs to be done to make them possible. You do and Robyn will too.” He released his grip and got back into the car.
Wren remained standing there, watching the vehicle disappear out of sight. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was thumping fast in her chest. Eventually, she broke her gaze from the road and looked down at Wolf. “Sto
p looking at me like that.” The German Shepherd just tilted his head and made a high-pitched whine. “Don’t play innocent; I know what you were thinking. I don’t like him that way.” Wolf tilted his head the other way and whined again. “Oh, shut up.”
✽ ✽ ✽
Angel watched Noah get ready in front of the dressing room mirror. She felt little but sickness and revulsion for him now and wondered if, had this apocalypse never happened, she would have run out on him. She had just come out of the shower and lay on the bed, naked, a large bath sheet beneath her to make sure she did not get the duvet wet. She still had a great body, and most men would not have been able to resist the temptation, but Noah was not most men. He saw past the outward good looks of Angel. He saw her for what she truly was.
“Why do you still bother with all this?” she asked, meeting his eyes in the mirror.
He was halfway through knotting his tie, and he stopped suddenly. “If I had now until the end of time, I could not make you understand.”
“Oh really? Try me.”
He swivelled around on his chair and looked at her. “You and I have done an awful lot of bad things in our time, honeybunch. Things that have probably carved us a nice little cradle in hell next to the devil himself.”
“Oh my! Well, aren’t you just becomin’ like a poet in your old age?” she said with a mocking smile on her face.
He smiled too, bitter and condescending. “I’m becoming … have become a lot of things. I’ve become wiser. I know when to give up on lost causes too.” He turned back around to the mirror.
“So go on, shug. Impart this wisdom on your wife. After all, that’s what marriages are all about … sharing.”
He picked up the Bible from his dressing table. “Decades ago, this used to mean something to me, but the more I preached from it, the less it meant until it became nothing but a meal ticket. More than a meal ticket, it became a massive enterprise. We expanded and franchised and became incorporated up the wazoo. We got phone lines and websites and feet on the ground doing nothing but collecting donations in return for eternal salvation. And did I believe that’s what those people would get? Hell no. I came to believe in nothing but making more and more money. This,” he said, waving the Bible up and down like a bird flapping its wings, “was just a means to an end.”
Safe Haven (Book 6): Is This The End of Everything? Page 8