an amateur like you get into this team?’ The first man scratched his temple with the barrel of his gun. ‘If you cut off the circulation like that, she’s not going to have any hands or feet by the time we get her to base.’
A loud clatter from the kitchen froze everyone. They turned to see Galen trembling by the slatted pantry door, the wooden pieces scattered around him.
The first man turned a cocked head to his companion. ‘Seriously?’
‘I am gonna break your face kid.’ The second man sprang to his feet and stalked towards Galen. Beth screamed, then Galen screamed and it all happened at once.
The three attackers fell to their knees clutching their heads. The first yanked off his mask, his face twisted with such agony it quelled Beth’s yell. His gaping mouth a mute black hole, he turned to face Galen, but his eyes didn’t follow. They rolled into his head, which arched back at an odd angle before his face began to melt. Beth screamed again as his skin bumped and buckled. She scrunched her eyes then turned to Galen’s endless shriek. She couldn’t move but had to stop him.
‘Galen, stop it!’
Abrupt silence was broken only by Galen’s rasping breath. He still stood by the pantry, eyes fixed on the wall opposite.
I wish I could move.
She knew the men were dead. Galen’s stillness told her so.
‘Darling,’ she croaked, ‘you need to help free my hands. Can you come to me?’
Stiff legs faltering, he crossed the room like an automaton and pulled at the tough tape with small fingers. The blood rushed back into Beth’s hands, making her groan with fresh pain. She freed her ankles and clutched Galen to her chest. He didn’t move. After endless minutes of gentle rocking, his arms lifted to her neck. Beth let out a wrenching sob.
Tears washed her face as she braced herself to look at the men. I must make detailed observations. The two masked figures lay crumpled, revealing little. She turned to the single unmasked leader. Her mind shied away, then the scientist in her forced the appraisal. She didn’t look away until the melted plasticine effect of his puddled features was burned in her memory.
She then slotted it out of her mind, tried to lift Galen onto the sofa and promptly gagged as her stomach churned. Galen lifted his head and she saw his cheek bloodied by the cut on her scalp. He pulled back her hair and wiped the wound gently with the warm brush of his fingers.
‘It’s gone now, just like them,’ he whispered and laid his head back on her shoulder.
Beth sobbed for her good little boy.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered. She knew then it was over, this life amongst the fields. She had to leave. Now. Tonight. She understood for the first time, that Liam, like his son, had saved her from these men. More men would come and she had to keep Galen very far away from them. For all of their sakes.
Chapter Seven
Mumbai, India
Holy mother of God, how can it be this hot? Beth sat motionless as the tiniest movement brought a fresh wave of sweat gushing from every pore. She desperately wished she’d gone by car into the city, but cars were easy to track. Every time the train stopped, the thick air did its best to suffocate her.
She glanced down at Galen who sat opposite, soaked with sweat, but relaxed. She was amazed by his fortitude and progress over the last six weeks. She’d killed her email, mobile and bank card, bought loose diamonds in Rome with her winnings and traded them for cash as they moved east by train and road. It was easiest to carry the stones in a money pouch strapped to a slim cable round her hips.
Their run from the Masks had been mainly nocturnal and slow until Galen had marched her into a busy Athenian market one day. He’d sat on a low wall with eyes closed as Beth tried to look casual whenever a curious glance came their way. He’d practiced again and again his exposure to crowds as they made their way across Europe, until he could talk and smile at her over a treat
A loud clatter from the kitchen froze everyone. They turned to see Galen trembling by the slatted pantry door, the wooden pieces scattered around him.
The first man turned a cocked head to his companion. ‘Seriously?’
‘I am gonna break your face kid.’ The second man sprang to his feet and stalked towards Galen. Beth screamed, then Galen screamed and it all happened at once.
The three attackers fell to their knees clutching their heads. The first yanked off his mask, his face twisted with such agony it quelled Beth’s yell. His gaping mouth a mute black hole, he turned to face Galen, but his eyes didn’t follow. They rolled into his head, which arched back at an odd angle before his face began to melt. Beth screamed again as his skin bumped and buckled. She scrunched her eyes then turned to Galen’s endless shriek. She couldn’t move but had to stop him.
‘Galen, stop it!’
Abrupt silence was broken only by Galen’s rasping breath. He still stood by the pantry, eyes fixed on the wall opposite.
I wish I could move.
She knew the men were dead. Galen’s stillness told her so.
‘Darling,’ she croaked, ‘you need to help free my hands. Can you come to me?’
Stiff legs faltering, he crossed the room like an automaton and pulled at the tough tape with small fingers. The blood rushed back into Beth’s hands, making her groan with fresh pain. She freed her ankles and clutched Galen to her chest. He didn’t move. After endless minutes of gentle rocking, his arms lifted to her neck. Beth let out a wrenching sob.
Tears washed her face as she braced herself to look at the men. I must make detailed observations. The two masked figures lay crumpled, revealing little. She turned to the single unmasked leader. Her mind shied away, then the scientist in her forced the appraisal. She didn’t look away until the melted plasticine effect of his puddled features was burned in her memory.
She then slotted it out of her mind, tried to lift Galen onto the sofa and promptly gagged as her stomach churned. Galen lifted his head and she saw his cheek bloodied by the cut on her scalp. He pulled back her hair and wiped the wound gently with the warm brush of his fingers.
‘It’s gone now, just like them,’ he whispered and laid his head back on her shoulder.
Beth sobbed for her good little boy.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered. She knew then it was over, this life amongst the fields. She had to leave. Now. Tonight. She understood for the first time, that Liam, like his son, had saved her from these men. More men would come and she had to keep Galen very far away from them. For all of their sakes.
Chapter Seven
Mumbai, India
Holy mother of God, how can it be this hot? Beth sat motionless as the tiniest movement brought a fresh wave of sweat gushing from every pore. She desperately wished she’d gone by car into the city, but cars were easy to track. Every time the train stopped, the thick air did its best to suffocate her.
She glanced down at Galen who sat opposite, soaked with sweat, but relaxed. She was amazed by his fortitude and progress over the last six weeks. She’d killed her email, mobile and bank card, bought loose diamonds in Rome with her winnings and traded them for cash as they moved east by train and road. It was easiest to carry the stones in a money pouch strapped to a slim cable round her hips.
Their run from the Masks had been mainly nocturnal and slow until Galen had marched her into a busy Athenian market one day. He’d sat on a low wall with eyes closed as Beth tried to look casual whenever a curious glance came their way. He’d practiced again and again his exposure to crowds as they made their way across Europe, until he could talk and smile at her over a treat
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