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Authors: RR Haywood
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with Maddox.
‘Fan out and cover the back until Charlie’s up,’ Blowers says, leading Maddox down past Roy’s van and the horse trailer to stand facing down the road. Maddox stays at his side, copying Blowers and everyone else when they pull bolts back and flick safety switches off. ‘Cookey, you got a view of that side?’
‘Yep.’
‘Blinky, Mo…other side.’
‘On it,’ Blinky says.
‘Fasten the top of your holster,’ Blowers says, without looking at Maddox. ‘Thirty rounds in the magazine. Count them if you fire. We’ve got both sides of Roy’s van covered so that means we can see down the line towards the front and the rear. Once Charlie is mounted we’ll have a view over the hedgerow.’
Maddox watches them work. Charlie getting Jess out. The huge horse surging out the back of the trailer to spin round in the road, snorting and rolling angry eyes while taking oversized steps. Maddox backs away to give space. Everyone else stays put. Charlie gets on smoothly, settling the horse with soft words and a hand stroking her neck.
‘She can smell them,’ she says quietly.
‘Boss,’ Blowers says, dipping his head to speak into the radio under his shirt.
‘Go ahead, mate.’
‘Charlie said Jess can smell them.’
‘Yep, got it…everyone stay alert. Charlie up front once you’re ready.’
‘What the fuck is that?’ Cookey asks with a laugh. Maddox moves back to see Roy pulling a bright red rucksack on his back, the top filled with arrow shafts poking out.
‘Medic bag,’ Roy says.
‘It’s bright red,’ Cookey points out helpfully.
‘It’s a medic bag. It’s meant to be red.’
‘It’s got a fucking great big white cross on it,’ Cookey says.
‘It is a medic’s bag,’ Roy says again, his tone dropping a notch. Maddox watches the man sling his rifle and pull a big bow from the van, testing the ends and the tension on the string. ‘Where am I?’
‘With me for a bit if that’s okay,’ Blowers replies.
‘ Everyone, It’s Roy. Just to let you know I have the medic’s bag now…in case of injury or anything…’
‘Er yeah, cheers for that, Roy,’ Howie’s voice sounds in their ears.
‘And it’s bright fucking red…’
‘It is a medic’s bag, Cookey. It is meant to be red.’
‘Focus,’ Blowers says, bringing them to quiet. Charlie trots on, taking the horse down the side of the vehicles to the front. Maddox watches her go, wanting to move to the front. He doesn’t do the back. He’s a leader, not a follower.
Blowers glances at him. At the strong proud face staring after Charlie and Jess to the front.
‘Simon?’
‘Here, Reggie.’
‘What am I to do? Is anyone staying with the vehicles?’
‘We’re on foot from here, Reggie.’
‘Foot? On foot? We have perfectly good vehicles to use. Why are we on foot?’
‘Because we are,’ Blowers says, his tone respectful yet firm.
‘Gosh. Gosh and damnation. I shall get my books. Please wait for me. I shall be only a minute…on foot. On foot he says. Mr Howie, I am gathering my books. I understand we are on foot? Is that correct?’
‘Yep. We are.’
‘Oh dear. I shall get hot and sweaty. I really do not like sweating. I must find a sunhat. On foot? We have perfectly good vehicles and he wants to walk. Okay yes, yes I am ready. I am not carrying a weapon though. Dave said I am not to have one. He said that. I almost shot everyone and they are really very heavy and I have my bag of books…’
‘It’s fine. Mo, keep an eye on Reggie.’
‘Will do.’
‘Got a bodyguard, Reggie,’ Blowers says.
‘That is good. Yes, yes that is most good. Thank you, Mohammed. These books cannot fall into the other player’s hands. We really must protect them, and when I say we I mean you of course.’
‘ We ready at the back, Blowers?’
‘Ready and waiting, Boss. Reggie is with us. Mo’s on him.’
‘Moving out…Charlie, you go forward.’
‘Good lord it is hot already,’ Reginald says,
‘Fan out and cover the back until Charlie’s up,’ Blowers says, leading Maddox down past Roy’s van and the horse trailer to stand facing down the road. Maddox stays at his side, copying Blowers and everyone else when they pull bolts back and flick safety switches off. ‘Cookey, you got a view of that side?’
‘Yep.’
‘Blinky, Mo…other side.’
‘On it,’ Blinky says.
‘Fasten the top of your holster,’ Blowers says, without looking at Maddox. ‘Thirty rounds in the magazine. Count them if you fire. We’ve got both sides of Roy’s van covered so that means we can see down the line towards the front and the rear. Once Charlie is mounted we’ll have a view over the hedgerow.’
Maddox watches them work. Charlie getting Jess out. The huge horse surging out the back of the trailer to spin round in the road, snorting and rolling angry eyes while taking oversized steps. Maddox backs away to give space. Everyone else stays put. Charlie gets on smoothly, settling the horse with soft words and a hand stroking her neck.
‘She can smell them,’ she says quietly.
‘Boss,’ Blowers says, dipping his head to speak into the radio under his shirt.
‘Go ahead, mate.’
‘Charlie said Jess can smell them.’
‘Yep, got it…everyone stay alert. Charlie up front once you’re ready.’
‘What the fuck is that?’ Cookey asks with a laugh. Maddox moves back to see Roy pulling a bright red rucksack on his back, the top filled with arrow shafts poking out.
‘Medic bag,’ Roy says.
‘It’s bright red,’ Cookey points out helpfully.
‘It’s a medic bag. It’s meant to be red.’
‘It’s got a fucking great big white cross on it,’ Cookey says.
‘It is a medic’s bag,’ Roy says again, his tone dropping a notch. Maddox watches the man sling his rifle and pull a big bow from the van, testing the ends and the tension on the string. ‘Where am I?’
‘With me for a bit if that’s okay,’ Blowers replies.
‘ Everyone, It’s Roy. Just to let you know I have the medic’s bag now…in case of injury or anything…’
‘Er yeah, cheers for that, Roy,’ Howie’s voice sounds in their ears.
‘And it’s bright fucking red…’
‘It is a medic’s bag, Cookey. It is meant to be red.’
‘Focus,’ Blowers says, bringing them to quiet. Charlie trots on, taking the horse down the side of the vehicles to the front. Maddox watches her go, wanting to move to the front. He doesn’t do the back. He’s a leader, not a follower.
Blowers glances at him. At the strong proud face staring after Charlie and Jess to the front.
‘Simon?’
‘Here, Reggie.’
‘What am I to do? Is anyone staying with the vehicles?’
‘We’re on foot from here, Reggie.’
‘Foot? On foot? We have perfectly good vehicles to use. Why are we on foot?’
‘Because we are,’ Blowers says, his tone respectful yet firm.
‘Gosh. Gosh and damnation. I shall get my books. Please wait for me. I shall be only a minute…on foot. On foot he says. Mr Howie, I am gathering my books. I understand we are on foot? Is that correct?’
‘Yep. We are.’
‘Oh dear. I shall get hot and sweaty. I really do not like sweating. I must find a sunhat. On foot? We have perfectly good vehicles and he wants to walk. Okay yes, yes I am ready. I am not carrying a weapon though. Dave said I am not to have one. He said that. I almost shot everyone and they are really very heavy and I have my bag of books…’
‘It’s fine. Mo, keep an eye on Reggie.’
‘Will do.’
‘Got a bodyguard, Reggie,’ Blowers says.
‘That is good. Yes, yes that is most good. Thank you, Mohammed. These books cannot fall into the other player’s hands. We really must protect them, and when I say we I mean you of course.’
‘ We ready at the back, Blowers?’
‘Ready and waiting, Boss. Reggie is with us. Mo’s on him.’
‘Moving out…Charlie, you go forward.’
‘Good lord it is hot already,’ Reginald says,
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