by Ryan Gawley
As he glared at the screen and toyed with the idea of ordering the entire research team to be sent to the prison farms his thoughts were interrupted by Kathy as she knocked on his study door. Henderson peered over the thin display screen with a scowl that could have burned holes in concrete.
Kathy entered the room without waiting to be called and carried a heavy bottomed rocks glass filled with whiskey and ice.
‘Sorry to interrupt, dinner will be ready soon but I thought you might like another drink,’ she said setting the glass at the edge of Henderson’s desk. She glanced at the screen which Henderson immediately angled from her view but she was most interested in the unlocked desk drawer which she could see was open just a crack.
‘Here, take this with you,’ said Henderson as he lifted his first glass to his mouth and threw it back.
Kathy took the empty glass and turned to go back to the kitchen. ‘I’ll call you when the food is ready,’
Leaving Henderson to his work she prepared a simple meal of steak, creamed potatoes and asparagus then poured a generous glass of pinot noir to allow it to breathe and brought the meal on a large tray upstairs to the study. She laid the plate and cutlery in front of her stepfather and set the wine glass to the side as again Henderson downed the last of the whiskey she had brought to him earlier.
‘Thank you, Kathy. You see how much better things can be when you do as you’re told,’ remarked Henderson feeling the warming effect of the spirits mellow his mood and placing his cigar in a marble ashtray to slowly extinguish and be finished later.
When she had cleaned up the kitchen and given enough time for Henderson to have finished his meal Kathy went to the bathroom in the penthouse master-bedroom and turned on the taps to begin filling the bath. She ran downstairs and filled another glass of wine before returning to the study where Henderson was reclining in his chair happily puffing of the remainder of his cigar.
‘Some more wine? I’ll take these dishes out of your way,’ she said giving him the full glass of red and loading the tray with used crockery and utensils. ‘I’ve run a bath for you, why don’t you take a soak and relax, you seem so tense,’ said Kathy hoping to encourage Henderson out of his study and trying to disguise the nervousness in her voice.
‘I think I’ll do that, what a good daughter you can be, I wonder if you’ve finally come to your senses, eh?’ said Henderson sipping from the fresh glass and mildly curious at Kathy’s compliance. He laughed cruelly in her face as he rose from his seat and stepped toward the door carrying his wine and smouldering cigar stub.
Kathy just smiled meekly and walked behind the desk to wipe crumbs of food from the surface. Henderson stopped in his tracks and raced quickly back to the desk pushing her out of the way with his elbow and with the cigar still between his fingers tapped an onscreen button on the display to lock access.
‘Getting a bit careless so I am, can’t have you poking around in there can we?’ he said manoeuvring his bulk toward the door again and taking a large gulp from the glass. ‘I’m going to enjoy a good soak, this is excellent wine, bring the rest of the bottle up to me would you?’
Kathy stalled for time rattling dishes on the tray for a few seconds until she was sure Henderson had walked off for his bath thankful that the alcohol had numbed his senses and he’d overlooked the unlocked drawer in his desk.
She slid the drawer open and taking a second to remember the layout of its contents she took out a thin box of cigars, some digital video data disks each with a name printed in capital letters and most likely containing some dirt Henderson had on the named men. Other items included an ornately framed picture of her mother which Kathy found upsetting to find locked away and a large stack of high denomination bills. Under the wad of cash she found what she was looking for, it was a small rectangular leather case fastened around the centre by a brass zip. It was an item she knew well and one she hated for on many occasions when she had refused to co-operate she had watched Henderson go to his study and retrieve the black case.
She unzipped it and folded it open revealing a collection of hypodermic needles, syringes and small vials of clear liquid all neatly slotted into several compartments. Listening carefully for fear Henderson would return unexpectedly all she could hear was the sound of her own heart thumping. Quickly she removed a syringe, needle and a vial of powerful sedative then zipped the case closed before replacing all the items in the drawer, careful to place them in exactly the same position as before then slid the drawer fully closed.
As she carried the tray from the room she looked back to be sure she had left no trace of her activity. Walking down the stairs back to the kitchen she could hear the muffled sounds of Henderson singing in the tub, murdering some classical piece but blissfully unaware that Kathy now had all she needed to ensure her next escape attempt should be successful.
CHAPTER 13
The main road stretching west from the city led past the edge of a small forest and Sam had trekked along a shallow valley leading from the river which followed the left hand side the road until he could see the tops of the trees on the far side. He had sprinted up the sloping bank and across the crumbling tarmac surface then ran roughly fifty metres into the woodland pausing to let his breathing return to normal and for his senses to adjust to the gloomy light and soft sounds. Satisfied he was alone he relaxed and set up a temporary camp where he could observe through the trees and watch traffic pass but he was also far enough under cover to remain hidden from view. In the distance he could see the outline of the tall city towers but from here both Elite and Dreg buildings were indistinguishable from one another. Both classes of citizen were prisoners of their situation and Sam felt relieved to know he would never return.
Sam squatted in front of a small meths-burning camping stove he had made from an old beer can and watched a pan of water gently come to a boil. Using a small folding shovel from his pack he had dug a shallow pit in the soft forest floor and set the stove into the depression so the faint light cast by the blue flames would not be seen from even a short distance. Molly stayed close by as she sniffed around and both man and dog enjoyed the scents of the fresh damp air, the silence and stillness of the forest broken only by occasional bird calls or the rustling of some small creature foraging nearby.
Sam always found the calming effect of the natural environment to be magical and on the few past occasions when he ventured into the wild he always promised himself he would come back more often. As the water in the pan rolled to a boil he dropped a tea bag into an old enamelled tin cup then poured on the water to prepare his beverage and left it to brew wishing he had a drop of milk but the hot black tea was a luxury in itself. He laid out a bowl of water and a dish of dried food for Molly and then sat on a spongy cushion of dry pine needles and moss and leaned his back against the base of a large pine tree. After his trials to date he found the tea delicious and to celebrate getting this far he allowed himself a chunk of his chocolate ration.
Enjoying his drink Sam sat back and casually looked about his temporary camp. He didn’t know how long he would have to wait but he was still too close to the city to get comfortable so had most of his gear still loaded into his pack in case he needed to make a quick retreat further into the forest and beyond. The thick canopy high above provided reasonable cover even from heavy rain but all the same Sam had strung a line of strong cord between two trees and about a metre from the ground then hung his army poncho over the line holding the sides and corners taut with hooks he had cut from thin branches to use as makeshift tent pegs. Another line hung higher up between neighbouring trees served as a washing line and he had hung his wet clothes from the earlier river crossing to drip dry in the still air. With his ground mat and sleeping bag in place under the shelter and a hot drink in his hand it was enough to make Sam feel at home.
His shoulders and legs ached from carrying the rucksack and he was concerned about the wound on his face but had applied some antiseptic cream from his med-kit when he had stopped to
set up camp. The chance to catch his breath and rest a while now was just what he needed but as he sat he thought of Lucy and wondered how she had taken the news and hoped she could make her way to meet him as they planned. He wanted to keep going, to push on but he had promised to meet Arthur and Alice here and he knew wouldn’t be able to make it across the country on foot in time to rendezvous with Lucy so he needed to wait for the ride. It would work out, it had to. His arrangement with Arthur would benefit them both and now he had time to relax a little, to conserve his energy and rest.
Sam woke to the sound of Molly barking. Judging by the low orange sun and the near blackness in the forest undergrowth it was early evening. Molly was alert, ears up and nose pointed to the tree line and Sam scrambled from his spot by the base of the tree throwing the essentials back into his pack but leaving the shelter and sleeping bag knowing if he had to run they would have to be left behind. He grabbed Molly by her collar and smoothed her coat, calming her down.
‘Quiet Molly, shhh, good girl, good girl, be quiet Molly. Who’s there eh? Who is it girl?’ Sam could hear the high revving of a powerful engine and from his vantage point in the dark interior he could see the boxy outline of a heavy vehicle following the eastern tree line where it had turned right off the road and was making slow but steady progress over the rough terrain lunging and bobbing from side to side as the driver traversed the natural obstacles in his path. As Sam watched the vehicle progress further he hoisted his pack and secured it to his back and held Molly’s lead so he was ready to run. The profile of the truck was unmistakable as that of a Land Rover, the Enforcers standard patrol vehicle.
About one hundred metres further from the road the truck turned left into a natural clearing where the trees were less populated and allowed the driver to negotiate gaps between the trees until he was a safe distance into the woods. The stationary vehicle sat with lights off and engine idling for a moment before the big motor shut down with a knock and deep rattle and it seemed like absolute silence had returned to the forest.
For a few moments nothing happened. Sam stood his ground watching the truck through the trees. He couldn’t make out much detail in the diminishing light but he could hear the pinking sound of contracting metal as the engine and exhaust cooled. Molly whined and pulled at her lead inquisitive as always and eager to investigate the new smells but Sam held her lead tight, waiting. The silence was broken by a loud creak then a door slamming shut as the driver or passenger dismounted from the truck.
‘Quiet Molly,’ Sam whispered to his companion and petted her head to reassure her. He crept slowly toward the truck being careful where he stepped ensuring to avoid dry sticks or twigs that might give away his presence if he snapped them underfoot. He knew it had to be Arthur, who else would be here at this time but all the same he had to be careful. He could see the truck was a Land Rover alright but it had sounded like a diesel engine not a petrol V8 and as he edged closer he saw the rear of the truck was pickup type body covered with a canvas frame, not a solid armoured truck like an Enforcer patrol transport. Sam could hear the cracking of dry twigs as the driver walked around near the truck but he must have been exploring on the opposite side as Sam couldn’t see any movement.
Closer now Sam could make out a passenger sitting in the truck but the window was rolled up fully and in the low light he couldn’t be sure if it was Alice and he wasn’t about to give himself away until he could be sure who he was dealing with. Just then he heard a click and a creak as the truck door was opened again, the driver had come back.
‘Ah that’s a relief; I thought I was going to piss myself.’
Sam immediately recognised Arthur’s gruff voice and laughed aloud breaking cover announcing himself. ‘Arthur, it’s Sam,’ he said as he approached with Molly excitedly leading the way.
Arthur stepped around the front of the truck as Alice unlocked her side door and stepped out into the cool air. Sam let Molly go and she bounded up to Alice, her body waving from the middle and her tail wagging in delight as Alice greeted and fussed over her while Arthur stuck out his hand and Sam took it returning a firm handshake while looking Arthur in the eye.
‘I’m glad to see you made it old man, you’re here a day early but it’s good to see you.’
‘Same to you Sam, same to you. I see that cut on your face is healing okay, still a bit angry looking but it doesn’t seem infected. You know for a while there I thought we weren’t going to make it out, something going on in the city and then trouble at the gate.’
‘Tell me about it,’ said Sam. ‘Some new prick on duty, all by the book, I had to turn back, thought I was stuck until I sneaked out through an old drainage vent.’
‘Oh we met the same little bollocks, nearly had us arrested until he was picked up by a patrol wagon for some emergency duty in the city. I tell you Sam something bad is going on, I reckon we just got away in time. Luckily I was able to smooth things over with the other guard and we got through.’
‘Hey, now maybe you’d like to tell Sam what really happened? Hello Sam, it’s nice to see you again,’ said Alice coming over and hugging Sam as Molly sniffed around Arthur’s legs and nudged her head gently against him to say hello and seeking attention.
‘This old fool thought he could sweet talk the guard and of course just made things worse so a woman’s touch was called for, thankfully we got through okay,’ continued Alice as Arthur looked at Sam with an embarrassed expression but then laughed and slapped Sam on the back.
‘Were all together now, sure that’s what counts eh?’ said Arthur with a smile and they all laughed together letting the tension of the past few days melt away and fully embracing the joy of the moment.
‘So what do we do now?’ asked Alice directing her question to Sam who felt uncomfortable that she had deferred to him and not her husband.
‘Well, to be honest, I had just planned to get out, get to Raven City to pick up Lucy before making a run for the north. It’s all a big sketchy, I’m really more of a make it up as I go kinda guy.’
‘Oh yes, Arthur has filled me in on the plan, of course we have to find your Lucy but I mean what do we do right now? It’s going to be dark soon, should we maybe get moving?’
‘Well Arthur, what do you think?’ asked Sam. ‘I have a shelter and sleeping bag set up as I wasn’t expecting you until morning but if you give me a few minutes I’ll have it packed up and ready to go. You’re the driver so it’s up to you.’
‘We might be better to travel at night, less traffic I suppose and if we took the driving in shifts we’d have covered some distance by morning. The only thing I’d worry about are raiders, they’re worse than the city gangs from what I’ve heard and we’d be more easily spotted at night with the headlights on the truck.’
‘I’d have to agree with you, I’d like to hit the road and put as much distance between us and the city as possible but if we ran into trouble or had to leave the road at any time we’d be better off in the day time. What do you say we camp here tonight and move out at first light?’
‘Alice, what do you think?’ said Arthur turning to his wife.
‘It makes sense to me, we’ve had a hard day and I think we could all do with some rest. A little sleep would be good but I would love some tea even more.’
‘Right, it’s settled then,’ said Sam making the final decision. ‘If you two want to sort out where you’re sleeping my shelter is about thirty metres this way,’ he pointed through trees. ‘I’ll boil some water for tea and then you folks get some sleep and I’ll take first watch, Arthur you can take over after a few hours and we’ll swap through the night as needed.’
‘That sounds good to me Sam, except for one thing.’
‘Oh, what’s that?’
‘Well, I just thought you might like something a bit stronger than tea,’ Arthur said with a smile as he reached under the canvas cover at the back of the truck and pulled out a gallon jug of his own liquor.
‘Ha ha! Great stuff,’ laughed Sam. �
��Something to keep the cold at bay eh?’
After Alice had her tea and the men drank whiskey from tin mugs Arthur poured another shot for Sam to keep him company during the first watch before they retired to bed in the cleared out back of the truck. It wasn’t comfortable but it was off the ground and sleeping in their clothes with a few wool blankets underneath and over them it was enough for husband and wife to drift off. Sam sat with his back to a tree by his own camp just a short distance away and pulled his sleeping bag around him for warmth. Molly lay across his legs and dozed while Sam sipped from his mug and watched the road as the light from occasional supply truck headlights streamed past and filtered through the woodland in long moving streaks.
It was a dry night with little wind, the quiet air in the forest so strange to Sam after the constant noise of nights in the city. The thin walls in his apartment block meant he often fell asleep listening to couples rutting or shouting, music or TV turned up too loud, gangs fighting and sirens screaming on the streets below, even using earplugs he could still hear it all. Here though, still within sight of the glow from the city lights he felt a sense of calm. He could have slept soundly until the next afternoon propped up against this tree and awoke more rested than he had felt in years but he maintained his vigil and only allowed himself to sleep when Arthur relieved him a few hours later.
Sam woke with a shock the following morning as his shoulder was gently shaken and a delicate hand offered him a hot cup of tea. He looked up to see Alice wrapped in a wool blanket smiling down at him.
‘Wake up sleepy head, the sun is almost up and we’ve a big day in front of us.’
‘Where’s Molly?’ asked Sam rubbing his face to clear his senses then took the steaming mug and wrapped his hands around it to help warm the chill from his fingers.
