by Vance Huxley
When they came back,Mercedes stood up and smiled. As soon as Harold sat, she parked herself on his chair arm, swinging a leg over his, soHarold placed his hand on her ass. Mercedes raised her eyebrows so he gave a little squeeze. “Cheeky, you didn’t even ask.” Harold tensed slightly but the muscles on Mercedes’ ass said hi to his hand. “Warm enough?”
Harold shuffled in the chair, as if checking the seat. “Lovely.”
She pouted,slowly stretchingher other leg over Harold’s before taking hold of Harold’s wrist.With a mischievous smile, Mercedes took his hand on the fun trip, slowly, round to her opposite hip and partly onto her thigh, right up to the edge of the denim. “I didn’t mean your seat.”
“Oh, sorry. This is lovely and warm,” Harold squeezed gently. “But I think I could get it hotter.”
The flicker in her dead eyes suggested that Mercedes liked that idea, or maybe remembered the last time Harold had tried. “I’m sure you could, if we ever get the chance without all this boring business interfering.”
“Speaking of which, if you pair can quit playing grab-ass long enough, we’re supposed to be sorting out a price for that gear out there against my repairs.” When Harold looked, Caddi didn’t seemannoyed,so he still found Mercedes and her teasing funny. Harold could see why, because her thigh muscles started massaging his handwhile he tried to negotiate.
Harold set into the spiel, stressing that plain knits with cheap wool weren’t much use to the Orchard Close knitters. Caddi knew that and didn’t care.The senior Hot Rod gang members, including Caddi, all worethick Orchard Close knitwear. Patty poured on the cold water, sneering at both the quality and uses. From her little smile, Mercedes recognised the setup. Caddi probably did too. Eventually Patty admitted it could be useful for plain scarves and blankets for kids, before passing the decision to Harold as being well over her pay grade.Harold looked over at Caddi, who laughed. “You pair should be on the stage as a double act. I’m sure we can find some way of sorting out some cheap wool.”
Mercedes chose right then to lean over and slide her hand into Harold’s back jeans pocket. He avoided the bra-flash but she stayed a bit closer when she sat back up, andHarold felt the hem of her shorts under his fingertip. He moved his hand back up her thigh.Mercedes pouted so Harold smiled and slid his hand down again, stopping just short of the hem. “Oops. Nearly touched somewhere really delectable.”
Caddi smiled broadly because he’d caught on to the bra game. His smile widened, turning into speculation as Mercedes answered. “Then maybe it’s time for you to try somewhere else, ‘Arold. Now what would class as ‘delectable’?” Since the captured hand had already tried her ass and her thigh, both normally considered off-limits, Harold didn’t feel confident about making any suggestions. “I know!” Mercedes squeezed his hand gently for a moment while her thigh said goodbye.
“I’d rather live to remember afterwards?” Harold squeezed to return the goodbye.
“I think you’ll remember.Now be very careful, ‘Arold. Straying up or down could be painful.” Too true, because Mercedes moved closer so she couldslide Harold’s hand right round her waist until it lay flat on her belly. “Nobody has ever told me if this is delectable. You must hold it firmly, and let me know later.”
True because under her rules anyone who’d tried to touch her there, or most places, or even put an arm round her, had bled and sometimes died. Mercedes patted the back of Harold’s hand while her tummy muscles said hello to his palm. Harold wondered if the woman had independent control of every individual muscle.Enough to be bloody distracting, Harold found out, because he kept wanting to return the gentle massage.Harold’s own people were laughing as well now. They weren’t aware of the lethal side but recognised a bit of a wind-up and some full-on teasing. Nobody realised just how far the teasing went under Harold’s hand.
The negotiations took most of the afternoon because Caddi enjoyed bargaining. The haggling git probably enjoyed boot sales before the Crash, and this time hehad a lot to haggle over. For once, Harold didn’t care how long it took. He enjoyed hugging Mercedes, and the little games they played, even if it made negotiating harder. Eventually the other loot and gear came off the second pickup and into Orchard Close, this time mainly charcoal and beer making supplies. The negotiations finally wound downeven if Mercedes didn’t.
Orchard Close would be making a delivery of yeasts for both bread and beer in return for some of the goodies. The verdict from Harold’s brewers and Pippa the baker, when they saw the results from the Mansion, were unanimous. The two yeasts had been mixed up or some other mould had got in there, and both were ruined. Between that, the firearms and the radios, Caddi came up short of goods in the end. He paid part of the shortfall in coupons there and then.
A handcart full of cheap, thin wool would come the other way to make up the balance,with a dig that Harold could use it in the knitting machine if he got it working. Caddi wasn’t stupid and knew Harold wouldn’t have traded for a totally ruined machine. The thin wool could be bought in the Marts so Caddi wasn’t too worried about letting some go,not if it put fresh bread back on his breakfast table. He had different priorities on a winter morning to most of his subjects, andtheir warmth wasn’t one of them.
Despite spending several hours with weapons pointed at him, Caddi seemed to have enjoyed himself. He’d bargained hard, but without his usual nasty edge or the foul language, and even made a couple of clean jokes. By the time he left, everything on the pickups had been traded. Caddi laughed and joked on the way to the gate, about how well Mercedes had distracted Harold. Harold hoped he’d not been stung too badly. Patty and Sharyn would no doubt berate him about it if he had.
From the wayCaddi looked at Harold and Mercedes,the gang leader might be truly curious about what was going on.Until nowHarold had wondered if Mercedes had been setting him up for a hit. Now all he had to worry about was if Mercedes wanted to kill him for her own reasons, or actually fancied him, or possibly both. At leastCaddi didn’t seem upset about whatever he’d come up with. The Hot Rod warlord wasn’t the only curious one now. A good few Orchard Close residentssawMercedes snuggling into Harold while they walked to the gate.She had toso Harold’s hand could wrap right round her, and she could keep her hand in his jeans pocket.
As they reached the gate, Mercedes slid Harold’s hand across and down onto her hip beforeswinging herself round to face Harold. This time his hand got the fun trip without an escort. Harold was sure on the bloody commando bet again, andthe slow smile and arched eyebrows meant the realisation must have showed.Did Mercedes want him to know? “So which bit was the most delectable, ‘Arold?”
“Oh no. To make a proper comparison I’d need a private session,just so that I wasn’t distracted. I can definitely confirm that everything I’ve touched up to now has been smooth, firm, and truly delectable.” Harold hoped that the long slow flickering in those dead eyes meant she realised when and what he was talking about. He sure as hell remembered!
Mercedes had remembered as well. “Maybe that could be arranged. After all it’s nearly dark, ‘Arold. I thought we might get to stop overnight?”
Harold didn’t have to fake regret, because he’d love to say yes. “I wish, but Caddi likes to have you tucked away safein the Mansion at nights.” Too damn true he did. Caddi wouldn’t want his deal broken while the arse wasn’t looking.
“Wouldn’t I be safe here, ‘Arold?” From the look, Harold thought hemight not be.
It was out of his mouth before he’d thought about it. “Yes, but I might not be.” Harold let the laughter from the rest die down a bit. “It’s a pity I’ve only got a single bed, so there isn’t much room.”As soon as he said it, Harold wished he’d kept his big mouth shut.Caddi was always trying to find out Harold’s sleeping arrangements and partners.
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, you’d be surprised how little room I might need with the right man, but I’ll bear that in mind. Just in case I’m allowed a sleepover.” Mercedes leant forward and up, an
dher lips firmly but briefly touched Harold’s before she settled back with a smirk. “Just keep thinking about that, Soldier Boy.”
She turned around, sauntering off while the rest laughed and followed her. Mercedes slid the coat back on after pointing at her shorts and giving an extra wiggle. Watch this, and think about that? Harold might be having some interesting dreams because as she kissed him, Mercedes stuck her tongue between his lips! It felt like an electric shock, too fast for Harold to react. Once again Mercedes had broken her rules in plain view, but without letting anyone else know.
Mercedes seemedto be slipping out of control, fraying the edges of her deal without actually outright breaking it. Harold wondered if he’d find her on his doorstep one morning, and hoped Mercedes brought Caddi’s ears with her. A live Caddi wouldn’t care about consequences; he’d bring every last Hot Rod and flatten Orchard Close regardless of collateral.
The crowd of spectators broke up, most of them laughing about the teasing. A good few were making comments about the shorts and stockings, and wondering how Mercedes got away with it around the gangsters. As expected, Sharyn wanted to know why Mercedes had been acting like that, but Harold refused to discuss it. To be honest, he didn’t know.
Unexpected Visitors
Four days later, the first refugees from the war between Caddy and the Murphies arrived in Orchard Close. Doll called Harold down to the Embassy, thehouse used for meeting visitors, to meet the first pair. One of the women started talking as soon as they were seated. “There’s a gang war over where we live, between the Murphies and the Hot Rods.”
“We know. Who did your street belong to?” Harold had to be careful because if they’d run from Caddi, that broke the treaty.
“The Murphies. This morning the five Murphy men guarding our streets were deadin alleys or empty houses.” The speaker shudderedbefore carrying on. “Including the nasty sod in charge. The ones I saw all had their ears cut off and were carved up.” She glanced at the other woman. “That had to be the Hot Rods. We didn’t want to wait for a vicious bastard like that to turn up so we came here. We’ve heard about the Hot Rods and women.”
The other woman spoke up. “There’s talk the Murphies are losing.We don’t fancy what might happen next. The Murphies are arses but it had all settled down, if you know what I mean?” Harold nodded. Once the gangs were set up, some of them were content to take their cut and let the folk who lived in their patch get on with life.
The muttered “unless the bastards wanted more women” from the first woman meant settled down had a different meaning to some.
One thing puzzled Harold.The two women had trekked across the whole Hot Rod or GOFS territory to get here. “Why did you come here instead of a neighbouring gang?”
The first woman smiled confidently. “We heard a strong rumour yesterday, about a place over here next to the bypass. Someone said an orchard.”
“Orchard Close, that’s us.” Doll sniggered, glancing towards the rear of the building. “We evenplanted a real orchard.”
“This is the place then. Is it right it isn’t run by a gang?” The woman looked from Doll to Harold, definitely confused because both were armed like gang members.
“We have gangsters, but not as you know them. Doll, take them for a drink in the canteen and give them the rules please. If they agree, get the girl club to collect them and explain everything.” Harold paused as a thought struck him. “We’ll need a bigger girl club if those sort of rumours are starting.”
Two hours after the first pair of refugees arrived, a young woman turned up from the same street. Doll took her off to be introduced to the girl club.
As soon as he heardthat a third refugee had arrived, Harold collected a work party outsideOrchard Close, on the fields. “From what I was told this morning, we could have a sudden increase in refugees.”
“Cripes, how big are you expecting Orchard Close to get, Harold?There’s nearly a hundred and sixty of us according to the coven, and that’s all we can take.” Tilly, a gnome and Riot Squad member, hesitated before she continued.”Your Tessa and little Eddie took the last empty house, so the latest refugees will be sleeping in lounges and dining rooms.”
Harold ignored the ‘your Tessa’ part. He pointed to the six big detached houses standing halfway across the cultivated strip, over three hundred metres from the walls. “I once thought of knocking them down to clear the field of fire across the fields, but we saved them for storage. Now I think we’ll need them to live in.”
Tilly turned to Harold, suddenly looking hopeful.”How many refugees are you expecting, because those houses have five or six bedrooms each. Maybe some of the residents can spread out a bit?”
“If people are going to live in those houses, what do we do with all the food and salvage already stored in there?” Fergie frowned, inspecting the big houses and then looking around. “I wouldn’t fancy living outside the walls.”
“We could start up another girl club, then the blokes will be keen enough to live there? That might also suck in a few raiders, crossbow target practice.” Tilly grinned at the hopeful expressions on a couple of the trainee Demons. “Or put the single men out here, a boy club so we know where to find them?”
Harold shook his head in mock despair. “Calm down you lot. If we clear any ruins within seven hundred yards of them, out on the other side of the gardens, that’ll stop scroats getting near. The bricks can be barrowed back to build walls.” Several people groaned, because barrowing bricks to build walls seemed to be a continual job. “I’ll sort out some sort of alternate storage.”
“Aren’t the walls big enough?” Louie squinted across the fields. “That’s a hell of a distance if we’re knocking down ruins and carting the bricks in. Over half a mile. Three quarters?”
“I meant new walls, around the houses. At the moment they’re not much over three hundred metres from the ruins. Casper can build a new wall, out from Orchard Close to each side and right round them.” Harold turned to Tilly and Bethany, both gardening gnomes.”Then they’re inside the defences, and the bit between without houses becomes a protected garden for Emmy’s baby plants. What do you reckon, Sweet Gnome?”
“That’s bribery to get the gnomes on your side.” Bethany adjusted her hat. “But since you called me sweet, I’ll forgive you.”
“I don’t mind.” Henry, one of the single men, smiled and glanced at the women. “As long as we can have a dance as a reward.”
“At the end of the month. It will be a big dance if we’re welcoming a lot of new people.” Harold would chase Caddi’s spies away and close the gates to visitors, as usual, to keep Caddi guessing on numbers. “Save a little bit of energy for that, but not much. The new refugees will be runningfrom a gang war. They’ll sleep anywhere to start with, but I want to get them into permanent accommodation as soon as possible.”
“Fair enough. I remember how that feels.” Henry spat on his hands, picking up the handles of a barrow. “Let’s be at it.” Two score men and women followed,headingfor the ruins beyond the houses. Harold took Casper, Rob and Finn to inspect the actual houses,and work out what needed doing. It wouldn’t be an overnight job.
All the windows had been covered in ply to stop pilfering, butnow those on the perimeterwould need bricking up the same as the ones around Orchard Close. Finding alternate storage for everything inside the houses stumped them for a while, because Casper cried off trying to build load-bearing walls. He wasn’t confident about actual bricklaying with mortar, as opposed to long stacks of interlocked bricks to make low, thick walls. Rob came up with a solution, sectional garages and sheds. Anything wood had probably collapsed or rotted, but there’d be plenty of concrete ones and maybe a few plastic sheds out in the ruins.
Finn wouldneed a new, heavy duty supply cable to bring electricity from Orchard Close, buried deep so nobody hit it with a fork. The electrician expected a lot of minor problems from dampness as he connected each one up. Unfortunately, that would take him away from the win
dmill project.
After some discussion on how far Finn, Rob and Charlie had come with the project, Harold decided they could leave it for a while. Not completely, he wanted a small demonstration as soon as possible. That would prove the theory, and encourage the scavengersbefore Harold sent them back out for more wire and bits for dynamos. Meanwhile, the scavengers would provide extra labour for clearing ruins, to give a clear field of fire from the new accommodation.
Rob, the plumber, had an easier job. There’d be no argument about composting toilets because the sewers under these houses had already been sealed to store water for the gardeners. He agreed to put in a bidet by each toilet, to cut down on the gross factor. That wouldn’t take long, nor would fixing the small leaks that always appeared when houses were left empty for a couple of winters.
With water and electricity, the houses would be habitable. It would take longer to build a decent wall but Patty had the answer. She’d move her Demons into the first one fit to live in, which would clear some accommodation in Orchard Close proper. In her opinion, if some scroat tried to kidnap the women it would be excellent weapons practice. Or as Casper put it, “May all and any gods take pity on the fool that breaks in.”
*
The very next day the gate guard phoned for Harold. “This one is your call,” Emmy told him. “A young woman with a little girl, but she might bring trouble.”
Harold had her brought into the Embassyto make it official.At first glance the small Asian woman didn’t look like trouble, nor did her four-year-old daughter, and justfor a moment he thought it might be an April Fool’s setup. A quick exchange told him her name, Ruhika, that she preferred Ru, and didn’t want her daughter, Gulab, to hear her story. The bloodstained kitchen knifeEmmy put on the coffee table might be the reason, and banished any thoughts of this being a joke. In stark contrast, thebags of clothes, the coupons, the sheath knife on a belt and the aluminium baseball bat all looked pristine.