by Vance Huxley
“Maybe it depends on the diamond?” Harold put a hand behind Mercedes’ head and very carefully, very gently, kissed her bruised and split lips. When Harold pulled his head back he saw the first bit of warmth in her eyes and a real smile, small as it was. Harold smiled right back. “Hey, I thought it was ‘Arold? I sort of like it now, when you say it.” It was the first time Harold had admitted that out loud, but he was done with pretence right now.
“In that case ‘Arold, will you please wash the rest of the shit off? Because if I have to remember hands on me, I’d like them to be yours. I’d just got to like that and now it’s all spoiled.” She sighed, looking towards where her scraped knees jutted out of the bloody foam. “No point in stockings now. All that work gone to waste.” That didn’t make sense, so Harold let it slide.
“Wash you? Of course.It’s the least I can do now I’ve got you in my burrow.” Mercedes glanced up at that, a searching look, then relaxed and smiled a little at whatever she saw.
“I can’t hop yet, and my fur is still a bit grubby?” Harold washed her until Mercedes felt clean and that took another bath, run while Mercedes sat in the chair wrapped in big fluffy towel. He lifted her out again and dried her hair, and then the rest of her because Mercedes refused to do it. It had to be ‘Arold’s hands, but now a hint of her wicked smile had come back when she said that. Harold opened the first aid box Tessa or Sharyn had placed near the chair. He put a big dressing over her shoulder blade, and several smaller ones and plasters over other cuts, then picked up the small heap of clothes.
When he tried to help Mercedes into knickers, she refused with a giggle. A real one which made Harold’s heart skip a bit. “I don’t need them under a nightie.” Her face fell a little. “Not your Christmas present. Not yet.”
“I’ll ask Sharyn and Tessa.”
“Haven’t you got something that will fit? I’d like that.”
Harold opened the door to find Sharyn waiting on the landing and explained. She went down to his room, coming back with one of what Harold called his posh shirts, one with a collar and buttons. “I remember what you said about nightwear on your visits.” She glanced at the door, towards Mercedes. “How is she? Do we need Lenny?”
“Start with Patricia.She might not be keen on a bloke just now.”
Sharyn’s face tightened and she nodded once. “I’ll get her.”
Mercedes managed a smile when she saw the shirt and insisted that ‘Arold did up the buttons. He had to practice for if he wanted to check the action in the night. When Harold carried Mercedes back downstairs, he foundeither Sharyn or Tessa had put on clean bedding. He laid her down gently, helping Mercedes to turn so she wasn’t laid on her shoulder blade. With a sigh,Harold put on hisSoldier Boy persona, explaining that he had to make sure that if any arsehole came for her it was fatal. He showed Mercedes the pistol.Her Killer Queen personaopened it to check the loads,testing the weight on the hammer and trigger. Her gentler, warmer eyes returned as the weapon went back in its pocket.
Mercedes had already dropped into a doze as Harold quietly exited. He told Sharyn and Tessa what had happened, enough so they weren’t curious and didn’t need to ask. Both women promised that one or the other would be outside the door, and nobody except Patricia would disturb Mercedes. Harold went out to make sure Orchard Close was ready, or, as it turned out, inspect and compliment what his lieutenants, friends or elite had done.
Thirty Pieces of Silver
The next few days were the tense calm before an expected storm. Harold told Caddi’s watchers the ruins weren’t safe, and they left. He told the visitors that Orchard Close would be closed until further notice. The solitary Geek in The Pub promised to pass the message.There weren’t any Hot Rod visitors, but nobody had thought anything of it until now. The Barbies and GOFS knew or guessed that Mercedes had moved in, so maybe a resident had said something. The Barbies reckoned that if Caddi attacked Orchard Close, he’d be wide open for the Barbies to solve their Hot Rod problem once and for all. Harold wasn’t sure of the official Barbie opinion,because none of the suggestions came from one wearing a blonde wig.
The following day Roy and his men arrived. “Vulcan said we were needed here. He said something about an iron ball and a hard place?”
“The Hot Rods might be coming.” Harold explained, without gory details. “If Caddi decides to let it go, I’ll go hunting for the bastard anyway. I should have done it a couple of years ago.”
Roy lifted the rifle, which Vulcan must have let him keep. “You’ll want someone watching your back.” He glanced around. “Is there any place we can cram in together? If there’s an attack we don’t want to be scattered about sleeping on sofas.” His glance towards Cherry Tree House, where Celine lived, was probably involuntary butHarold could take a hint that big. There were a few comments when the four men ended up in Celine’s flat, but humour, not scandal. Celine offered, moving in with June and Janine next door.
Any humour came as a relief, because the whole place was on edge. Anyone properly trained carried their weapons,while others made sure they knew where to find serious armament in a hurry. Children were kept near to home andall work on the Farm stopped, as did scavenging.The newest refugees worked in the gardens around their tents, or carried in bricks that had already been stacked nearby for Casper to strengthen the walls. Despite Harold giving them all the option, only three families left to ask for refuge with the GOFS.
The muskets were still hidden, but were assembled and loaded, and the Riot Squad wore their full kit including the new helmets and spears. Doll wouldn’t have so many secrets to keep after this.The covers over all the firing steps were put up, so the Army couldn’t see any rifles and to deflect pipe bombs. The deep, narrow trenches behind them were uncovered, dug to catch any pipe bombsrolling down the sloping covers and contain the blast. Another bright idea from someone that just might make a difference. Orchard Close waited, as ready as they could be.
Mercedes slept, ate, and had more baths with the same criteria, only ‘Arold’s hands. The young woman’s routine became sleep, eat, and then another bath. Mercedes could walk a few steps, but insisted that her feet hurt too much to get upstairs. That had to be partly true at first, because she’d walked barefoot across several miles of rubble to get to Orchard Close.Mercedes still claimed to be incapable of washing, drying or dressing herself,insisting on being carried up and down stairs, or lifted in and out of her bath.
Harold ignored the amused looks from Tessa and Sharyn, spending any spare time sat by her bed. They talked about what if, when she recovered, and Harold told her about the escape route if the General came with too many men. Caddi might wait to combine with him, and then Harold wanted Mercedes to leave with the women. She agreed but only if he came as well,then they could run away together to live in the wild. Harold could wear Army gear, but with all her bruises she wouldn’t need camouflage.
The third day he carried her out to sit on the settee for a couple of hours, not an armchair because Mercedes needed ‘Arold sitting next to her in case she fainted. Mercedes had realmischief in her voice now, and the warmth and even welcomein her eyes grew with every bath. Most of the time Mercedes’eyes showed neither hatenor the dead, flat stare. Unless someone mentioned Caddi or Hot Rods, when the Killer Queen appeared, primed and ready. Those names got the same reaction from Soldier Boy, Harold had never hated anyone so completely as he did Caddi.
They still hadn’t kissed, apart from a gentle brushing of lips now and then. Harold didn’t push at all, making sure to use the sponge, not his hands when bathing Mercedes. When she insisted, he began to wash her arms and shoulders by hand.She didn’t make it a blatant sexual game, or tease. Mercedes just kept telling Harold that she wanted to remember his hands on her, because ‘Arold was gentle. It was hard to say no to that. Harold didn’t want to say no, because he’dbeen completely captivated.
The bright, sexy, dangerous Mercedes had been alluring enough, and her eyes and voice promised that version of Me
rcedes still lurked in wait. Harold still only expected a night, a week, maybe a month of wild sex and bitten shoulders and bedding. A wonderful memory he could hold onto,as Mercedes went off on whatever new path life had for the Killer Queen. Haroldthought he’d have a few interesting scars from teeth or nails to go with the memories.
But Harold no longer wanted that. This quiet, gentle, abused but definitely not submissive Mercedes spoke to another part of Harold. The ‘soft lad’ part, as Sharyn and Tessa called it. The part that meant a younger Harold brought home stray cats and once a three legged dog. That part wanted to keep this latest stray, even ifshe bit him to the bone and every gangster in the city came for her.After five days Harold had progressed to washing her back, and her legs below her knees, by hand, and she’d started teasing about delectables. Mercedes warned him that since he’d got past the buttons so easily, his hopping had better be spectacular.
The soft lad wanted to kill someone first, but he couldn’t go hunting because the rest of Orchard Close needed Soldier Boy here and visible. By now, Caddi had to know Mercedes had disappeared, and had probably found the bodies of his men. With the shutdown and sending the watchers home, he had to assume Mercedes came to Orchard Close. No messengers came, and no word on the radios except chatter about fighting the Murphies. The Hot Rods had won their war, concentrating on mopping up and consolidating their grip on the captured estates. More refugees arrived, replacing the ones that had left, and were put in tents with the rest after being carefully searched for weapons or radios. After six days, everyone began to wonder if Caddi had his hands full consolidating all his new territory, and had written Mercedes off.
*
Trev repaired more of Caddi’s radios soHarold sent them to the Annex. Trev also finished a project. Just before Mercedes arrived the radio man had come up with something new. He’d managed an extra channel on the little handhelds,one that nobody else would be able to listen to. Now Trev called round Harold’s house to say he needed a proper test.It was after ten, full dark outside especially with the low cloud covering the moon, but Trev never thought of time when he’d got some bee in his bonnet. Harold took the little radio down to the Annex as suggested, to try the new channel at a distance. He had a look round the wallswhen Ru insisted, but as far as Harold could see, the Demons had it covered.
The new radio channel sort of worked. It sounded very scratchy and cut out a bit but Trev said he knew what that was, bring it back. Harold picked his way back through the garden refugee camp, quietly because many had settled down for the night. He had to be careful because there weren’t any outside lights, a garden didn’t need them. Harold smiled to see light peeking from behind the caravan curtains; some couple were getting a bit of private time.
He spoke quietly to the pair of guards keeping a watch on the garden, thenwent through the gate. Trev met Harold before he reached the workshop. He’dtaken two adjusted versions to Harold’s house, to save him the trip. Trev kept twitching but he always got excited over anything out of the ordinary, and the alert had to be winding him right up. He followed Harold through the door, chattering nervously about how useful the extra channel would be.
*
Half-blinded after coming in from the pitch dark, Harold started taking a step into the living room before the strained expression on Sharyn’s face registered. He stopped, way too late as the washroom door in the hall behind him opened. Now he’d opened the door properly Harold could also see how many others were in the room, and one of them in particular. “Why hello Harry, nice of you to drop in.”
Caddi! Something prodded Harold in the back. Aman stepped out of the kitchen doorway behind Sharyn, Cooper with a big smile. He rested a Rambo on her shoulder, with the edge towards her throat. “Trev did it.” Harold glanced down at Tessa, on the floor to the side of the door with some bloke wearing Army gear and carrying an SA80 Army rifle. Recognition hit him. Corporal ‘Suggs’ Young! From back in London and then Calais!
“Shut it. You need to learn manners, girly. I thought you’d been a soldier’s bird? Twice?” Suggs half raised a hand from his rifle then put it back across the trigger, ready, when he saw Harold’s look.
“Come in, Harry. I believe you have something of mine?” The warlord had a wide smile on his face but his glarelooked bloody furious. “Didn’t we talk about that?” Caddi gestured towards the study door. “One night, Harry, not a week.”
Harold took three more steps, looking around as a hand came round him to remove his belt, pistol and knife. There were eleven Hot Rods in all, and the one behind him, and they’d somehow caught Patty, Casper and Elise as well as Sharyn and Tessa. Harold looked up the stairs as Pete came down with a smile on his face.
“Fantasia is looking after the kids and the dog.” His smile disappeared as Harold got a snarl. “I’ve sold your ass this time, and now Fantasia is mine. Mr. Cadillac said so.”
“Oh yes, we must reward the workers. He’s paid all his debts off as well. You have been telling fibs, Soldier Boy.” As Caddi sniggered, Harold tried to work out what the hell the little shit had done, how Pete had gotCaddi inside. Meanwhile Trev scuttled past to sit on a chair in the corner. One of the Hot Rods pushed Elise over and Trev pulled her onto his knee, then tried to kiss her. Elise looked horrified and tried to get away, but Trev had a firm grip.
“You need to learn how to reward the workers, Harry. Find out what they really want.” Caddi tapped on the floor with Harold’s stick. “Now, firstly, about your girlfriend.” Harold’s eyes went to Tessa. “Not that one. Ooh, this will be fun. My own Soldier Boy, my own gunsmith! Which woman will you build guns for, if you can only save one? After all, there’s your sister as well. You are going to be a good little boy, Harry.” Caddi beamed at everyone, savouring the moment. “Only one, because I’ve promised my new soldier an Army wife. But you can save the other.”
Harold’s head went around and around looking for an out, because he knew the little shit was lying. Caddi might make a deal to start with but he’d get bored. He’d take both women when it occurred to the arse that there were the kids. Caddi would use them to keep Harold and both the women obedient. “Now back to telling little porkies. What exactly did you do in the Army, big bad Soldier Boy?”
“You know and I never lied about it.” Because Pete looked triumphant and Suggs started sneering. From Tessa’sface she’d remembered what Harold had said would happen next,if the gangs found out about him being a clerk. He’d expected every nearby gang to combine and burn the whole enclave, then piss on the ashes.If Caddi had captured Orchard Close, he wouldn’t burn it, but there’dstill beplenty of nasty bastards wanting to get a piece of Soldier Boy.
“Pay clerk. Office weenie. Dipstick typist!” Caddi almost foamed at the mouth as he spat it out.
“Never said I wasn’t, and I’m a crap typist.” Two shotguns, two crossbows, and Cooper would have a hand gun as did at least two of the others. So would Caddi, so it would be a massacre. They all had machetes and knives,except Pete who only had a baseball bat and Trev with just a sheath knife. Casper had his hands tied together in front and a gag, and the Hot Rod behind him had a knife to the big man’s throat. The man behind Patty had an arm round her waist, and his knife at her throat.Harold shrugged, playing for time. “You’ll never make itback over the wall.”
“I don’t need to. Your guards around the gate are snoozing gently, because Trev took them all a lovely warm drink. Easy to do while you were off testing some imaginary piece of magic.” Caddi preened, smirking at Harold’s sudden comprehension. “By now they’re already trussed up, ready for a bit of fun. Not yet, not until everyone else is under control.” The warlord smiled broadly, a stark contrast to his rage only moments before. “I’ve already got anotherninetymen inside or coming over the wall by the gate, and there’s more waiting to come at that Annex if they don’t see sense.”
Caddi pointed towards the gates. “We’ve got one armoury with those lovely new weapons, and your gun room once you give me the
key. Meanwhile my men are stood on the walls near the gatetonight, wearing helmets and those armoured vests and skirts so everyone thinks it’s all sweet. In a bit, when he’s played with his new toy, Trev will take drinks round to more of the guards. We’ll take the rest of the guardhouses and the people most likely to give trouble. When everyone wakes up in the morning, they’ll be under new management.” He eyed up Patty, smirking at her glare. “The most valuable experts, like brewers and bomb-makers, even the knitters, are all getting special visits. Soldier Boy’s compound without a shot fired, and they all said it couldn’t be done!”
“Yeah, well, thirty pieces of silver always was a problem.” Pete winced but Trev didn’t care,the radio man kept ferreting away under the blouse. Elise whimpered again, trying to pull away as Trev pushed her bra up to hang out of the front.
“Just sit yourself down a minute, Harry, where I can keep an eye on you.” Harold looked where the casual wave indicated, picking a spot between a man with a single barrelled shotgun and one with a revolver in his hand. Harold knelt because hope never dies. Caddi and Cooper, ten Hot Rods, Pete and Trev, too many butif enough let their guard down he would go apeshit and see what happened. A fit, agile man could get to his feet faster from his knees than from sitting, especially if he didn’t sink back on his haunches.
At least going apeshit would rouse Orchard Close. Gangs didn’t arm serfs, so with luck,Caddi hadn’t realised how many people had weapons in their homes. Trev had never been involved in the defence, becausethe radio man had always made it clear he wasn’t a fighter. Caddi smiled happily. “On your knees? Getting the message?”
Cooper came in from the kitchen, pushing Sharyn towards an armchair. He sat down with Sharyn perched on the arm. The senior Hot Rod lieutenant held her wrist with one hand, layingthe Rambo along his other leg, ready.”Just so you don’t get ambitious, Harry.” Cooper looked up, inspectingSharyn. “Nice looking lass, so you wouldn’t want her all scarred up. After all, that wouldn’t stop the lads passing her round if you misbehave.”