by Benson, Tom
One-to-one instruction when the student was keen made the session so much easier, and it wasn’t long before Bill was looking around at distant targets for Amber to engage.
“If it will help, this field is two hundred metres across,” Amber said.
“Okay,” Bill said. “Give me two minutes to set up a small target in the middle for you, and then we can deal with one hundred and two hundred.” He set off with a large boulder and walked halfway across the grassy pasture.
Amber waited until Bill was beside her again. “Should I try the shorter range while standing?”
“Yes, go ahead. My preference would always be to kneel for one hundred metre shots, but sometimes we don’t have the luxury of time.”
Amber raised the weapon into her shoulder, selected the appropriate power levels and aimed. The first shot kicked up a lump of turf only a few inches from the boulder target. The next attempt was closer, and the third one split the boulder in half. The fourth shot broke one of the two halves.
“Wow,” Bill said. “I’d have you on my shooting team.”
“I like this, it’s lightweight and knowing there’s no recoil makes it feel comfortable in the aim.”
“Okay, I’ll let you choose your next target but at two hundred metres.”
“There’s a five-bar wooden gate with a broken post leaning on it—the broken post is the target, and I’ll kneel for this one.” She got down and took careful aim. Five seconds later the broken post was splintered up the centre. Ten seconds later, it was firewood.
“Amber, I’m impressed.”
“Thank you.” She grinned up at him. “Can we take out some more innocent targets just for the practice?”
“Of course, not that you need any practice.” He smiled as he watched Amber call out and engage more targets at two hundred metres. “It’s a pity we don’t have a military barracks nearby.”
“Why would that be any good for us?”
“We’d be able to locate the armoury and maybe get a couple of laser rifles for you guys.”
“I don’t know about military places around here, but there is a police station—any good?”
“Amber, I think we need to be on a shopping trip tomorrow during daylight. Aviemore is quite a remote town, and I’m pretty sure they’d have had an armed response unit.”
Emma gave Victoria a lesson on making bread, and at the same time, they were both happy to keep an eye on the three toddlers. While the others were all away, it provided an ideal opportunity to enquire about a topic which had been skilfully ignored or forgotten.
Victoria waited until the children were playing in the garden, and idle chat had faded. “Emma, when we were all introducing ourselves yesterday, I’m sure Helen said there were eight of you with her.”
“I’m glad you’ve brought that up.” Emma paused as she mixed the bread dough. “There were eight of us. We lost Ronnie and Erika after the first three years, but we don’t know if they’re dead or if they reached somewhere else.”
“Would you mind telling me what happened?”
“The rest of us can talk about them, but we don’t do it in front of Helen—she still blames herself.” Emma continued working the dough. “Unlike the rest of us, Ronnie and Erika were already in a relationship with each other when we came here. They were both feisty teens. You’ve probably seen how quick Glen is to make a point—but he had nothing on Ronnie and Erika.”
“Is that dough ready to be split now?”
“Yes,” Emma cut the large ball of the mixture into two equal portions and indicated to spread some flour on the board. “There you go—do your worst.” She continued to knead the dough to demonstrate for Victoria. “At first, as a group, once we were out of the basement, we were all okay. As time passed, Erika went a bit stir-crazy. She would disappear to her room, and we’d only see her at mealtimes. Nobody could approach her.”
“What about Ronnie—her boyfriend?”
“When Erika threw a temper, it was aimed at everybody and in the end we let her do her own thing. She went through stages of being okay and then for days at a time she’d become a loner. We hoped that things would improve when we could eventually go outside, but that’s when it all went wrong.”
“Erika didn’t calm down when she could go outdoors?”
“No, and by that time we were all getting a bit sick of her tantrums. Even Ronnie jokingly suggested one day that Erika put on her coat and go for a long walk to cool off.” Emma paused and turned to face Victoria. “That was the final straw—she did exactly what he said and left the house.”
“Did Ronnie go after her?”
“He did when he realised that she’d gone out oblivious to any danger. It must have been about three hours later when they got back, and by then, we were relieved to see them both.”
“Did things calm down after they’d both been out for that short break?”
“Yes. Ronnie told me that they’d found a rowing boat at the jetty, and they were considering using it to leave Aviemore.”
“That would have been a bit foolish, leaving an established safe environment and heading into the unknown.”
“As I said, Victoria, they were both feisty, and neither of them liked being told what to do.”
“What happened next?”
“I got chatting to Ronnie and to humour him, I asked about the boat. He said it had Adventurer painted on the prow, which Erika said was a sign that they should go exploring. Apparently, the boat was in good condition and big enough for four adults. To Erika’s way of thinking that was a sign too—it would handle their belongings.”
“I don’t know about feisty, I think maybe Erika had been affected by those early years being kept indoors. Are you sure they took the boat when they left?”
“Yes, we’re pretty sure. A few days after we heard about the boat, four of us walked into town to see what we could salvage. We’d only been in Aviemore a few times apart from when we raided the supermarket at the start of our lock-in period. Well, anyway, Ronnie grabbed some camping gear and a small stove which we thought was a bit strange.”
“Did anybody question it at the time?”
“Yes, it was Helen who broached the subject, and while she was talking casually to Ronnie, Erika butted in and lost her temper with Helen. Of course, we were all feeling the pressure, but Helen kept her cool and tried to calm things down with both of them.”
“Did they pack up and leave after the argument?”
“No, it was a couple of days later, we woke up one morning—no Ronnie and no Erika.”
“And no camping gear?”
“And no camping gear.” Emma nodded. “If you keep an eye on the children, Victoria, I’ll go and put our dough in the oven. It’ll be hot enough now.”
Five minutes later, Emma was back in the house.
“You were telling me about the couple who disappeared,” Victoria said. “Am I right in thinking that Ronnie and Erika left one morning and you’ve never seen them since?”
“Helen asked a couple of the guys to go check places where any boats might be tied up.” She paused. Emma gazed at the children playing. “Quincy, Glen and Amber ran along the main road to town. They arrived at the railway station where they could climb the embankment to cross the line and then went over the next embankment to reach the river. There were several boats—but no rowing boat called Adventurer.”
“That is so sad.”
“As I said, we don’t discuss them in front of Helen, but we all believed it was only a matter of time before those two would head off. We can only hope that they made it to some decent location and survived somehow.”
“I’ll have a quiet word with the others in my team and make sure they don’t ask about the two missing people.”
“Thanks, Victoria. Helen has smiled and laughed since you guys have been here and we’d all like to see that continue—she deserves a break.”
“Well, Emma, I think we deserve a cup of tea.”
The whole group assembled in the cove
red garden once again for the evening meal, and as they relaxed, they exchanged stories of their latest activities. A shopping trip was discussed with a view to an early start the next day. Six names were listed, some with a particular interest and others merely eager to enjoy the chance to go out in a larger group.
When Amber mentioned the police station and maybe getting a hold of modern weapons, the idea appealed to her peers who had never considered the police building as useful for anything.
Victoria felt this was an excellent opportunity to give one person a nudge. “Helen, I’ve been hearing about how active you are around here … out every morning and most afternoons working on the crops or with the animals.”
“Farming is in my nature,” Helen said. “Once we’d done our time in lock-down indoors, I was keyed up and ready to get out to work again. As this lot will tell you, I’m more comfortable outdoors than in a classroom.”
“I know you said you’d love to see our mountain home so why don’t you pack some things and come back with us for a few days?”
“I couldn’t do that,” Helen said and looked around those at her table. “What—”
Emma said, “Don’t you dare make excuses, especially regarding us or this place.”
“That’s settled then,” Jay-Dee said, “you’re going back with us.”
“Even if I did,” Helen murmured, “how long would I—”
Victoria said, “You’d be welcomed for as long as you wanted, and when we tell our community about this farm and the town, there will be a shopping group coming here within a week.”
“Victoria’s right,” Bill said. “You’d be welcome, and from what we’ve seen here, these guys have got the farm under control, and our people would love to see it.”
“Actually,” Helen said, “I meant to ask how your clothing has lasted inside the mountain.”
Bill said, “You’ll remember that we said we were on a three-day hiking and sightseeing tour. That meant we all had backpacks with changes of clothes, spare footwear and, of course, toiletries.”
Cherry pulled at her multi-patched jacket, which had been re-stitched countless times. “Obviously, we’ve had to make running repairs on most of what we have, plus, we’ve unstitched and tailored items to clothe the children.”
“Incredible,” Helen said. “I don’t even have a backpack, I have a regular overnight bag.”
Imogen said, “Tomorrow, Helen, I’ll help you find a good backpack and decent hiking boots.”
“I feel quite emotional,” Helen said, “and I know you all mean well, but—”
“No, buts,” Josh said. “We’d like you to get away for a few days—take a break, explore and show us a bit of trust.”
The others laughed at the usually reticent Josh.
Victoria said, “You’d be able to see our indoor orchard and our greenhouses—maybe even give us some tips for our vineyard.”
“Vineyard?” Helen said.
“Well, we haven’t set it up yet, but it’s one of our next projects.”
The conversation was lighter as the evening rolled on, and there were several discreet winks between the young farmhands and the mountain group.
Most people had gone to bed for the night, and it left only Bill and Victoria sitting in the garden.
“What’s on your mind, Victoria?” Bill smiled.
“Is it that obvious?”
“No, but you’ve occasionally had a strange expression this evening, apart from when you convinced Helen to go back with us.”
“I got talking to Emma today about the other two students—the pair nobody mentions.”
“I was biding my time and hoping somebody would bring up the subject. I do recall on our first night there was talk of Helen and eight students when they arrived.”
Victoria briefed Bill rapidly on the conversation she’d had with Emma and finished by telling him about the final detail. “I wanted to tell you about the boat when nobody else was around.”
“Which boat?” Bill’s thoughts raced.
“Apparently, Ronnie and Erika had seen a rowing boat which they’d boasted would get them away from here if they decided to go.”
“Why would I be particularly interested in a boat?”
“When Emma told me about it, I recalled how preoccupied you were when we arrived up here. You were studying the map and the waterways.”
Bill nodded but remained silent, not wishing to give away any clues.
“When you gave me the binoculars that day near the local sub-station, and I spotted the smoke, I was excited. You seemed to have lost interest in the smoke. You were tracing rivers and lochs on the map to see if there was a continuous waterway.” She paused, her face expressionless. “If I’ve learned nothing else about you, Bill, I have learned, just like everyone else, to trust you. I know that you keep things to yourself occasionally, so I’m not going to pry.”
“Thank you, Victoria, and I apologise for the need to—”
She reached out and placed her hand on his. “Whatever the reason, it’s okay.” Victoria glanced over her shoulder. “If you do happen to go near the river while we’re here, the boat they believe that Ronnie and Erika took had Adventurer roughly painted on the prow.”
Bill nodded and forced a smile. Even as he did, he recalled the last time he’d seen that name on the prow of a rowing boat—it had a woman and a child on board, and it was leaving Loch Awe.
5. Discoveries
Monday 8th August
Aviemore
The children sat enthralled, watching as Emma brushed Victoria’s long brunette hair until it was draped down her back and over her shoulders. The first hairdressing session was being conducted in relative peace. The other adults had broken off into their working and shopping groups.
Emma said, “Your hair is gorgeous, and you suit it like this—are you sure you want me to—”
“Emma, the last time my hair was this long I was about fourteen years old.”
“Okay, would you like to go down in stages or do you have a preferred length?”
“Could you trim it to midway between my ears and my shoulders?”
“As you wish, madam.”
The children giggled, probably having heard the phrase often when Emma performed hairstyling duties.
Josh, Glen and Cherry returned to the barn to resume their efforts to recycle the two tractors. They would also utilise the large towing accessories and some spare parts.
Quincy, Helen, Jay-Dee, Imogen, Amber and Bill set off with the small trailer for another trip to Aviemore. On this occasion, it was partly a shopping trip, partly reconnaissance mission. Although in good humour the six people remained alert to the possibility of feral or wild animals making an appearance.
When the group arrived at the outdoor shop, Imogen, Helen and Jay-Dee went indoors. A large display stand was sufficient to block the doors from being pushed open by all but the largest of creatures. For good measure, Quincy left the trolley parked across the outside of the doors before he continued along the main road with Bill and Amber. On the off chance that brute force would be required, Quincy had brought along a large sledgehammer and a crowbar.
The police station was a relatively small building but was nevertheless effectively closed down with front door and windows locked.
Bill said, “If you guys wait a minute I’ll go and see if there’s a possible entry from one of the sides or the rear. He set off along the driveway which would have been used by any patrol vehicles. The side of the building featured windows but no doors. Two minutes later, Bill walked along the back of the station, assessing the two doors and the windows at the rear. He checked the far side but found it only had windows, so he returned to the back.
One of the two doors was metal and flush-fitted so was most likely an emergency escape route. However, any signage had long ago faded. The other door was wooden, like the front doors, but didn’t appear to be as substantial.
“Hey, guys,” Bill called, “we’ve got a possi
ble entry point back here.” He continued to inspect the hinges and the lock area as he waited for his companions.
“How is it looking?” Quincy said, gripping and balancing the sledgehammer over his right shoulder while he held the crowbar in his left hand. He nodded. “It’s wood so do you want to try for minimal damage before I wreck it?”
“I’ll try to shatter the lock,” Bill said. “If it doesn’t give, we’ll do it your way.” He glanced over his shoulder. “For safety, it would be best if you were both behind me for a moment.” When content that all was clear, Bill set his laser rifle to heavy stun and a long range, gaining maximum impact at the minimum distance from the target. From five metres, he blasted the lock area, and the door shuddered before creaking.
“Is that it?” Amber said.
“Try it,” Bill said and grinned, confident that the job was done.
Amber gripped the handle and pushed. The door hinges squeaked, but the door opened. “We’re in, guys.”
“I’m impressed,” Quincy said as he followed Amber indoors and then Bill closed the door behind them. The windows may have been uncovered but inside the building was dark and foreboding.
“Give me a few minutes,” Bill said, “and I’ll see if I can locate the power supply.” He flicked on his flashlight and set off to search the most likely places for a fusebox or utility room on the ground floor. Ten minutes later, he arrived back. “Nothing obvious around here so it might be a room in the basement.” He was surveying the nameplates on the door when a slender hand landed on his shoulder.
“What about that?” Amber tapped a large square wooden panel on the wall near the door. There was a small hole for a key. “It looks like the sort of thing, doesn’t it?”
“It does,” Bill said and turned to the big man with the tools. “Quincy, would you oblige, please?”
Quincy lowered the sledgehammer and wedged the flat tip of the crowbar into the edge of the panel. One hard push and the panel eased open to uncover a set of micro trip switches and one large red switch at the end.
