‘It’s ok Brett you don’t have to worry,’ David told him calmly. He could plainly see that Brett was becoming more out of control every day. ‘Sit back down-please. You don’t have to worry about it. I will sort it all out for you and I will arrange all of the details for your upcoming fight.’ David sighed and leant back in his chair as Brett sat back down. ‘If you like we can arrange it like a proper fight. We could use one of the conference rooms, make a ring and get seating arranged. Make a proper show of it.’
Brett smiled and nodded. He really liked the sound of that.
‘Ok then Brett you just leave all the details to me. You go and rest. Prepare yourself for the fight. I will make sure that nobody could say that it was not a fair fight.’
Brett stood up and held out his meaty hand. David just looked at it for a split second before he realised that Brett wanted to shake his hand. He held his hand out reluctantly and endured Brett crushing it for a little while.
‘Thanks Dave. This is gonna be brilliant.’ He turned towards the door. ‘And there was me thinking that you would try to stop me,’ Brett said over his shoulder. ‘I got you all wrong Dave.’
David watched as Brett went out and the door swung closed then he sighed deeply and dropped his head into his hands. After a few seconds he stood up and brushed himself down. He now needed to get to the radio room and send out some instructions.
It took some time to get everyone ready. Beth made sure that all the kids were wearing suitable clothes and shoes. Bill had no choice but to keep the same dirty and blood stained clothes that he had been wearing.
He smiled wryly at Beth. ‘It’s gonna take more than a few days without food before I can shop in these kind of places.’
‘Don’t worry love,’ she said. ‘It’s the man that makes the clothes. Not the clothes that make the man.’
‘That’s nice,’ Bill said, smiling. ‘Is that from some famous poem?’
‘No,’ she said smiling back. ‘Well I don’t know. It might be, but it’s something my dad used to say to my mum when she complained about how scruffy he looked.’
‘Haha I like it.’
‘What are we going to do Bill?’ Beth asked, suddenly serious.
Dan was listening and he spoke up. ‘We need to find Nick!’ he said loudly.
‘Yes Dan we know that and we will but we need to find water.. and food,’ she added looking at Kay before she could say it again.
‘I think we should all try and stay together from now on,’ Bill stated. ‘We don’t want anyone else getting lost.’
‘You’re right Bill,’ Beth agreed. ‘I wouldn’t have thought it possible that I’d miss mobile phones, but it would be nice if we could just call Nick to see where he is.’
At that moment Nick was sitting in a plush hotel room eating a plate of scrambled eggs. He had been released from the basement about an hour ago. The five men who had released him had been very wary. They had crowded into his cell nervously. One of them even had a shotgun aimed at him the whole time. Nick had noticed that they were amateurs immediately because the others had kept placing themselves between him and the gun during the process of untying him and leading him out. Nick knew that he could have escaped at that point, but he had been thinking about what the man in the suit had asked him. Can you beat Brett in a fair fight? There was some kind of power struggle going on here between big old Brett and the suit man. That was obvious and the suit man needed him to beat Brett in a fair fight. Nicks imagination could work out the rest. Suit man had something good going on here and Brett was ruining it. He couldn’t get rid of Brett himself so he had to find another way.
The suit man had been as good as his word though and Nick had been released then given water before being lead up to this room. There had also been water laid out for him to wash with and then more water and some food had been brought to him. The door was locked now though and there was a guard on the other side of it. Probably more than one he guessed. Nick had also looked out of the window and noticed that he was on the top floor. He was still being held prisoner but at least this cell was a bit cosier than the other one.
He finished the eggs. Apparently they kept chickens here and they also had an electrical generator. He had noticed as he was being brought up to this room that there seemed to be a thriving community here, and the people he saw had looked happy. The whole operation here was a lot larger than Nick had thought it would be. It looked like they were trying to bring back some kind of order to their little part of the world. Nick wasn’t sure if it would work out for them but he didn’t have to worry about that.
He lay back onto the bed closed his eyes and smiled. All he had to do was beat Brett in a fair fight. He was looking forward to it.
Chapter twenty four
Bill was happy to let Beth take the lead as they made their way out of the shop and onto the street outside. He was suffering from the two beatings he had taken but he was trying very hard not to let it show. Beth and the kids needed to see him strong at the moment. Losing Nick had hit them hard and had caused a major blow to their morale. He was feeling it too. There was something about Nick that had made him seem indestructible, and that seemed to infect everyone around him with confidence.
He followed behind the others, looking all around for any sign of danger. He couldn’t believe that they had just stupidly driven into this place and then gone to the beach the next morning. It seemed like a totally different world today.
Beth was busy pretending that she knew what she was doing. She couldn’t believe how much she missed having Nick around. They had only known him a few days. She tried to concentrate but her mind kept slipping back to remember how easy he had made everything seem. Being so thirsty didn’t help matters. They needed to find water soon. They had searched all of the shops that they passed but it was obvious that anything useful had already been taken. They had checked everywhere. Looking in all the cupboards and fridges but there was nothing. The bottled water that they found last night in the clothes shop kitchen had just been a very lucky find.
Finally she had stopped the frantic searching and they were all now sitting around a table in the restaurant of a big department store.
‘I can’t believe how thoroughly this town has been stripped,’ she said.
‘It’s been an organised effort,’ Bill said. ‘It’s not random looting. There must be a sizeable gang holding out here and they have obviously searched everywhere already.’
‘They can’t have searched everywhere. That would be impossible,’ Kay suddenly put in.
‘Oh here we go again,’ Sammy sighed, but she didn’t have the energy to argue with her sister today. She just gave her yet another withering look.
‘They’ve been over these places more than once darling,’ Beth told her. ‘And they’ve taken everything they can carry.’
‘Yeah,’ Kay said. She was holding her finger on her chin, thinking. Beth smiled. It was her thinking pose. ‘But what about stuff they can’t carry? Like the sinks.’
‘Any water left in the sinks will be rotten by now Kay,’ Beth told her, then Bill suddenly stood up.
‘But not the taps! Good girl,’ he said.
‘But none of the taps work anymore,’ Beth said.
‘There’s a chance that some might still work somewhere, but I’m thinking of the pipes. There must still be water in the pipes.’
‘Yey I got it right,’ Kay shouted.
‘Shush!’ Sammy warned her.
‘Sorry I forgot.’
‘Ok so how do we get it out?’ Beth asked.
‘We break the pipe, as low down as possible. This place must have a service basement.’ Bill climbed to his feet and started off towards the door. ‘Let’s go and see if we can find it.’
Beth stood up and looked over at Dan. He hadn’t said a word since they had left the clothes shop.
‘Come on darling,’ she said to him. ‘We will find Nick, or most likely he will find us.’
‘He might be dead!�
� Dan said miserably, but he got up anyway.
‘Oh I doubt that very much,’ Beth told him, smiling. ‘Don’t forget that he has looked after himself well enough for a long time now. I think he is just caught up somewhere.
‘Do you really think?’ Dan’s face lit up a little.
‘Yes I really think,’ Beth said. ‘Now come on let’s go and find some water.’
It took them quite a while to find the door that lead down to a basement because it was hidden behind a shop display and it was locked.
‘It’s locked,’ Kay said frowning.
‘Not for long,’ Bill said as he took a step back and kicked out at the door. It flew open and smashed into the wall.
‘Nice kick,’ Beth complimented him.
Bill grunted a thanks and then started down the dark stairs, taking them slowly until his eyes become used to the dark. At the bottom of the stairs he found a wonderful surprise.
‘Well we won’t be needing to break any pipes just yet,’ Bill said, looking around in amazement at the stacks of bottled water, tins of food and other items. ‘It looks like they didn’t find everything after all.’
David walked into the radio room. The operator turned to look at him then stood up quickly when he noticed who it was.
‘Sir?’
‘Sit back down again lad,’ David told him. ‘What is your name?’
‘Dave sir,’ the man replied sitting back down.
‘Well that’s an easy one for me to remember.’ He smiled at the man. ‘Now Dave, has anyone reported seeing the strangers yet?
‘No sir but we got the main one though didn’t we? Last night. That maniac called Nick.’
‘Word does get around fast here doesn’t it?’ David said. ‘By the way, just for the record he isn't a maniac. It was all a bit of a misunderstanding.’
‘If you say so sir.’ Dave did not sound convinced though.
‘Ok Dave, I want you to get on the radio right now and tell all the patrols that the strangers are not to be harmed. If they are found they are to be treated courteously. Oh and another thing. Tell the teams to get out of their cars and start searching on foot. They will be hiding by now. Maybe in the shops in the town, or the flats and houses. They will be hiding somewhere.’
‘Yes sir but..’
‘All will be explained later Dave. Just make very sure that everyone knows that they are not to be harmed at all please.’
‘Yes sir.’
Nick was dozing on the double bed when the door opened and David walked in. David was pleased to see that he was looking much better than he had done earlier this morning. Nick opened his eyes.
‘Hello suit man,’ he greeted him, yawning and sitting up.
‘My name is David.’ He walked over to a chair and sat down.
‘You look even more tired than me David,’ Nick said smiling.
‘That’s probably because I am more tired than you.’ David rubbed his eyes.
‘Bad night?’
‘Bad month,’ David replied. ‘You look very calm considering.’
‘Considering what?’
‘Considering that you are going to have to fight Brett.’ David said as he stood up again. ‘You are going to stick to your end of this deal I hope.’
‘We had no deal David. You just asked me if I could beat him in a fair fight and I said yes. I didn’t say that I would do it.’
‘That’s just sophistry. You knew what I meant and I don’t believe you are the type of person to back out of an agreement.’
‘First off David,’ Nick said calmly, holding up one finger. ‘You have no idea what kind of person I am. ‘And secondly.’ He added another finger. ‘I was shot at and clubbed on the head then dragged to this place and tied up in a cold dark basement. Why should I do you any favours?’
‘Well.’ David sighed. ‘I did get you out of that cell.’ He paused then sighed again before saying, ‘and it wasn’t actually me that clubbed you on the head and brought you here. It was Brett.’
‘He’s a right pain in your arse, isn’t he? You’ve created a monster and now you want me to get rid of it for you.’
‘Straight to the point I see. Yes! You are right. Brett has turned out to be a big problem that I don’t need, but I didn’t create him. I just made the mistake of using him. He is an extremely dangerous lunatic and he will without doubt cause the ruin of our community if he is not dealt with in the correct manner.’ David slumped back down into the chair again.
‘You should never give men like Brett any power at all. Power is like a drug to them. They just want more and more of it, but don’t worry I’ll kill him for you. I have my own reasons for that.’
David looked back at him.
‘You don’t have to kill him.’
‘How would you like to deal with him then?’
‘I just need to remove his influence here.’
‘You don’t know much about men like Brett really do you?’ Nick shook his head slowly.
‘No, not really I suppose, but if you beat him in a fair fight in front of his friends here, you will take away his power. I could then deal with him.’
‘You can’t deal with men like Brett,’ Nick told him.
‘Yes,’ David said. ‘I can see that you understand the situation quite clearly then Nick. I hadn’t thought that far ahead.’
‘You bloody well did think that far ahead David but you just wanted me to say it.’ Nick lay back down on the bed, resting his head on the pillow. ‘Ok I’ll do it David. I will do it because it needs to be done, and I will do it for my friends.’ Nick told him. ‘But you must call off your men searching the town. You must also agree to let me and my friends leave when I’ve finished your dirty work. Do that and I will deal with Brett for you.’
‘We do have a deal then,’ David said standing up once more. ‘I have already given the order that your friends are not to be harmed. It has never been our intention to harm anyone anyway.’
‘Yeah, I’m sure!’ Nick sat up quickly. ‘It won’t end with Brett you know,’ he said looking at David intently. ‘They’ll be someone else in line after him who will stir up trouble for you. Brett’s just at the top of the pile of shit at the moment.’
‘I will put measures in place.’
‘Ok. Well that's your problem.’ Nick stood up, facing David. ‘But you just remember one thing.’
‘Yes?’
Nick looked him straight in the eyes. ‘If any of my friends are harmed it won’t only be Brett I’ll be killing.’
The look on Nick’s face caused David to take a step back. ‘I assure you they will not be harmed Nick. Brett is the main danger of that but he isn't going out today, and you seemed to have removed the rest of his team from action. We can’t even find one of them. Alex a young lad who was with them has disappeared. I don't suppose you know anything about that?’
‘No.’ Nick told him.
‘Most of the people here are good people Nick.’
‘Well that’s all good then.’ Nick smiled and sat back down on the bed. ‘Oh and another thing David.’
‘Yes?’
‘I want my rucksack brought up here. It was in a smashed up blue Range Rover last night.’
‘Is there anything else?’ David asked a little sarcastically.
‘Some more of those eggs would be nice, and a cup of tea,’ Nick said, lying back down and closing his eyes. He then suddenly opened them again. ‘Oh and another small thing.’
‘Yes.’
‘Where do you go to the toilet round here? You don’t have running water.’
‘One day we will Nick but no we don’t at the moment. I’ll have a pot sent up,’ David said, shaking his head as he walked to the door.
Chapter twenty five
They had carried some bottles of water and tins of food back up the stairs and into the main shop area. Now they were all sitting around on the carpeted floor guzzling water and eating the food cold straight out of the cans. There was not much talking going on
as they filled their empty stomachs. Finally Dan stood up and wiped his mouth on his new shirt sleeve.
‘Can we go and find Nick now?’ he asked.
Beth gave a slight frown at the orange stain on his sleeve then said, ‘We need to make a plan.’ She put her own empty tin down onto the floor and climbed to her feet. ‘What do you think we should do Bill?’
Bill gave her a serious look. ‘I think we need should stay hidden for a few days, rest up then try to get out of this town. We’ve got plenty of food and water so we should stay right here for now.’
‘But what about Nick?’ Dan asked worriedly, looking from Beth to Bill. Beth frowned and studied Bill. She noticed that the two girls had stopped eating but they were being very quiet. She could tell that they didn’t want to go anywhere.
‘I said that’s what we should do matey,’ Bill said, giving him a smile. ‘But we need to find out what’s happened to Nick.’
‘So we are going to find him then?’ Dan was confused.
‘What Bill is saying Dan, is that going to look for Nick will be dangerous,’ Beth told him. ‘And that we will be safer if we stay here.’
‘But I want to find Nick! He’s my friend! He helped you all and you’re just gonna leave him.’
‘Dan calm down please,’ Beth told him. ‘We want to find Nick as well.’
‘Bill sighed heavily. ‘There’s only one real option,’ he said? I’ll go on my own. You lot stay here and I’ll see if I can find him.’
‘But we agreed we should stay together Bill, and you can hardly walk,’ Beth told him. ‘God, this is a mess! I’m so sorry I brought you all here.’
‘This could’ve happened anywhere Beth,’ Bill said. ‘And you don’t have to worry about me. I can walk ok. You need to think about your girls Beth. If we get caught again like we did yesterday what do you think is going to happen to them this time?’
New World: Nick Smith Book one (Nick Smith Series 1) Page 16
