Hunters: A Trilogy

by Paul A. Rice

  When he was about six feet away, he said, ‘Are you lost, love?’ He spoke loudly, expecting to see the woman jump out of her skin. He wanted her to be on the back foot, hoping that his sudden appearance would give him an advantage.

  Without the slightest trace of surprise upon her handsome features, the woman turned and smiled at him. Her brown eyes, with just a trace of liner on the lower lid, sat above a perfectly-formed nose. Bright red, bow-shaped lips smiled at him to reveal a row of pearly-white teeth. Still smiling, she said, ‘I most certainly am! Are you from around here? Maybe you could put a damsel-in-distress back on the right course…’ Her honey-filled voice had some Northern trace to it.

  Stevo stepped closer, he couldn’t believe his luck. ‘Even better, she’s a northerner – that lot up there love it!’ At least, that’s what he’d been told about northern birds… ‘She’s gagging for it!’ The thought of it aroused him. Today was indeed a good day, and if things went his way it was going to get even better…

  Saying something about the map, the woman moved slightly to one side and gave him room to look. As he brushed past her, the smell of the woman’s perfume filled his head. Stevo took a quick glance into the old underpass; it was empty save for an old crisp packet that tumbled across the entranceway. He turned his gaze back to the van with his mind racing.

  Grasping the little pistol hidden in his pocket, he thought: ‘One look at this and she’s gonna do exactly what I want!’ Dumping his holdall next to her, he bent forward and tried to make a plan. The woman motioned at the map with the small can she was holding in her right hand. Stevo glanced down and saw that she was now pointing the aerosol at him.

  He heard her speak. ‘Thanks for helping me, Steven.’

  Just as he was about to ask how the fuck she knew his name, the woman squirted him in the face with her perfume. His well-honed survival instincts tried to leap into action, but they, like his thoughts, were a little too late. He gasped and tried to step back, taking in a mouthful of the spray as he did so. His reflexes were too slow and he only half managed to pull the little pistol from its hiding place.

  Then, for the first time in his life, Steven O’Hara knew what real pain felt like. If he had placed his tongue into a live plug-socket, the shock would have been less. A wicked jolt of agony ripped through his mouth, Stevo felt as though his head had exploded. The heat ran through his body like molten lead through butter, it was as though his feet had been dipped in fire, his whole body heated up and he leapt into the air with a thin scream.

  It was to be the last conscious action he would take for a while.

  His final sensation was one of being propelled by the weight of the woman into the back of the van. He heard her cry out and then the blackness surrounded him, he felt the fire coursing through his veins, felt his limbs jerking of their own accord, but he couldn’t seem to move or see.

  The last coherent thought he had was one of shame.

  ‘I’ve pissed myself…’

  8

  Gifts and Changes

  Ken sat and watched as Mike returned to the subject at hand. He seemed pleased at the way they had reacted to the information the silver screen had shared with them so far. Ken looked at his friend’s smile and realised that the story was probably going to get somewhat more complicated.

  He was right.

  Mike changed direction. ‘I’ll tell you what,’ he said. ‘Why don’t I take you guys out for a meal, you must have a favourite watering-hole somewhere?’ Smiling at them, he took out his wallet and waved it in the air, saying: ‘I have money, people…lots of money!’

  It was an offer they couldn’t refuse and between them the trio decided upon the steak house which lay about five miles away from the lodge. ‘It’s pretty quiet at this time of year and we should be able to get a table by the fire, Charlie will be glad to see us, too. We haven’t been up there for ages.’ Jane said, as she rose to her feet. ‘I’ll drive, you guys have a beer – I just need to go and get changed. It’ll only take me a couple of minutes.’

  There was to be no argument about that idea whatsoever.

  Ken grabbed a couple of beers and two glasses from the kitchen and sat them on the coffee table. Picking up their drinks, the two men had a quick toast. ‘To the future, and to some more adventures eh, Kenny?’ Mike said as he raised his glass and took a long swallow. ‘Ah yes, that’s the very one!’ He belched softly and took another swig.

  After finishing most of their first drink, they sat in silence for a while, before Mike continued. ‘Your Missus is some woman, my friend,’ he said. ‘I just can’t believe that she seems to have picked this up straight away, I was worried that she might have started running around the garden, you know, screaming and waving her arms in the air, or something?’ He shook his head and winked at Ken.

  Ken thought for a moment, before saying: ‘Yeah, she certainly is, I do know what you mean, though. I was a bit concerned that once she’d seen the truth in black and white, that maybe she might have gone slightly nuts!’

  Mike nodded in agreement.

  Ken grinned and said, ‘But she seems to have grasped it with no dramas, that’s remarkable, isn’t it?’ Jane’s abilities made him proud and he was always astonished by her adaptability and resilience.

  She was an amazing woman who had been through quite a lot in her own life, including a previous relationship where her partner had turned out to be an obsessed lunatic. Jane had endured several severe beatings at his hands before finally leaving. It always saddened Ken as he would never have guessed that a woman like her was capable of tolerating such a thing.

  ‘It’s just the way it was,’ she had told him once. ‘It’s not what you plan for your life – it just turns out that way. It became a battle, and the only way for him to satisfy his desire for control was to beat the hell out of me…’

  Ken remembered the steel in her eyes as she spoke.

  Jane had whispered: ‘Then one day I woke up and realised that I was crazy, I didn’t love him and he hated me – he was obsessed by me and he hit me, I was the one allowing it, and I would be the one who stopped it!’

  Whenever she talked about it, Jane always had an expression of sheer incredulity on her face. The truth was that in reality she had no idea how she’d allowed it to happen in the first place. When she looked back it was though it had happened to someone else. Ken had stood there, listening in horror to her tale.

  She had breathed deeply and said, ‘He took my chance of having kids away from me, and for that alone I will never forgive him. Why did he do that to me?’

  Her eyes filled with tears as she had remembered that particular kick, one that had been delivered as she laid half-conscious on the kitchen floor with blood filling her mouth. His latest assault had been the worst yet, but Jane had simply looked up at her tormentor and then laughed. Her unbreakable spirit only served to enrage him further and his leg had swung back in anger. The impact of the steel toe-capped boot had put paid to her laughter for a while, its well-aimed trajectory viciously crushing her lower abdomen.

  With one spiteful act, Jane had become barren.

  When she had told Ken the story, it had sent him half-crazy with anger. He would have been quite happy to go round and drag the bastard into the street.

  She had wiped her eyes and smiled weakly at him. ‘Then you came along and my life began,’ she said. ‘I waited nearly forty years for you, Ken.’

  That one was her by-line and Ken knew she meant it.

  He also knew that it was very probable he owed her his life. He’d made a right cock-up of his previous marriage, too much running around the planet, too much drink and too much stress. He had been a mess and might easily have ended up like so many of his friends – divorced, penniless, and drunk. Jane had put him back on the track, taught him how to slow down a bit and shown him the value of memory-building. Through her he had learned how to appreciate the colours of his life.

  ‘Yeah, she’s the one, that’s for sure!’ He smile
d at the thought.

  ‘What the hell are you grinning at?’

  The humour in Mike’s question focused Ken’s thoughts back into the present.

  ‘Ah, I was just thinking that I’m a lucky guy, is all…’ he said, with a smile.

  ‘Yeah, you have a good ‘un on your hands with Jane, that’s for sure!’ Mike raised his glass again and they both laughed at each other.

  Right on cue, Jane came down the stairs – she had changed into blue jeans and a black, roll-necked jumper. With her hair tied back and just a trace of makeup on, she looked absolutely ravishing. ‘I hope that you boys aren’t talking behind my back…’ she said, with a twinkle in her eye.

  Their sheepish grins gave the game away.

  ‘Come on then,’ she said, smiling at their embarrassment. ‘I’m starving!’

  The men polished off their drinks and then all three picked up their coats and headed for the door. Ken clambered into the front passenger seat next to his wife. ‘Let’s go, babe, you’re right, I’m bloody famished!’ he said, slamming the door shut. The well-worn engine rattled as she drove up the driveway and turned left onto the stone track.

  They soon left the track and pushed onto the smooth tarmac road that circled the Loch, only passing a few cars along the way, their headlights illuminating the almost dazzling blackness of the Loch’s surface as it rushed past in the eerie moonlight. Ken stared at the cotton wool clouds as they streamed by overhead, smiling in satisfaction as he watched their shadows casting onto the liquid façade of the black Loch below. The way in which they changed the appearance of the water as they played hide-and-seek with the brilliant moon above had always fascinated him. He turned away from the mesmerising sight to watch the cat’s eyes running into the darkness ahead of the car.

  It wasn’t long before the trio reached the turning for the large pub-cum-steak house, as they trundled into the car park the trio were relieved to see that there were only four other vehicles there. ‘Baggsy I sit nearest the fire!’ Jane said, laughing as she spun the Range Rover to reverse into a parking space.

  With the last door clunking shut behind them, the trio headed for the cosy lights of the pub. After a couple of drinks at the bar and a friendly chat with Charlie the landlord, who was genuinely pleased to see them, they ordered something to eat and made for one of the old oak tables that sat either side of an enormous granite fireplace, logs glowing in its cast iron grate. Bon Jovi crooned from the juke box, whilst soft voices and the odd clinking of glasses created a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

  Once they had finished their meal, the trio found themselves sitting and gazing into the flames. The feeling of closeness covered them; they all felt warmth in the moment and embraced it.

  Mike broke the spell. ‘Well, I don’t know about you guys,’ he said, ‘but I could stay here forever. Jeez, this place is cosy!’ He stretched and then opened his palms towards the flames, adding, ‘I’m nearly falling asleep here…’

  Jane agreed. ‘Yeah, me too – I’m going to have a coffee, would you two like another beer?’ She gave Charlie a wave, and moments later they were re-supplied with drinks.

  After checking they were not within anyone’s earshot, Mike continued. ‘So, here we are…in that particular dimension, Red will be gone and things will basically be back to normal.’

  Ken quizzed: ‘So what now then, why did George see me in a dream the other night, what is it he wants with us? I mean, if this is all squared away, then surely we’re quits, aren’t we?’ He took a long swallow of his cold lager and looked evenly at Mike.

  The Australian nodded in understanding, saying: ‘He gave you the dream as a test, not for you but for them; they wanted to see if you still had those inner feelings about the market, about the people who caused such misery.’

  Ken was totally shocked – he had never even so much as mentioned the market to Mike. ‘Jesus!’ he said, shaking his head in disbelief. It was all he was able to come up with, besides, he also had a feeling that Mike had been waiting, checking them out, before he told them the whole story.

  His friend spoke. ‘Right then, this is where it gets interesting!’ Mike looked over his shoulder once more. Then, and with a small grin upon his face, plunged them into the unknown. ‘George and his gang, the ‘Big Boys’ from the other worlds, never realised this would happen,’ he said. ‘They had no idea about some of the evil things that happen on a daily basis down here on our little planet. Their dealings with Red have made them assess us in greater detail. A lot of what they have observed has made them realise they can do some good here, a lot of good!’ His blue eyes shone with excitement. ‘They’ve realised that with some ‘slight manipulation’, as George calls it, they can greatly affect our progression as a race.’ He leant back and scratched his neck, before having a quick sip of his drink.

  Ken blinked. ‘I thought George said it was forbidden for them to interfere, he was all righteous about it when he told us that, wasn’t he?’ he asked, in disbelief.

  Mike replied, saying: ‘Yeah, you’re right, but they have come to the conclusion that a lot of what happens to us as a species is dictated by the actions of the few. With a bit of tweaking here and there, certain people will be able to reach their full potential.’ He paused, and then said, ‘Oh and I don’t mean just the big fish either, no…there are plenty of little people, ones who, given the chance, will become very important in their own right. Did you know that world-wide there are thousands of extremely important people – people, who for some reason or another, have been prevented from reaching their future-changing potential in life?’ He looked at both of his friends in turn, and they saw the intensity within him.

  Ken reached across, picked up a log and placed it onto the pile of dying embers in the grate. ‘Stick a couple on, will you, Kenny?’ Charlie asked, from behind his bar. Ken did as he was asked and the fresh flames soon licked up amongst the curling grey smoke. He wasn’t really thinking about the fire – Mike’s words were in the process of having a quick run around the inside of his head. He had a feeling he that knew, in a way, what was coming next.

  He sat back down with his arm resting against Jane’s thigh. ‘So,’ he said. ‘Where do we fit in with all this?’ Ken paused in order to phrase his next words. ‘I mean, you might say that everyone has a potential that they might not reach, but that’s just the way it goes, that’s life, isn’t it?’ As he spoke he began to sense the familiar squeamishness enter his head. It had been a while, but Ken still recognised his old friend from the dreams. ‘Here we go again…’ he thought and he grasped Jane’s hand, feeling her tense as the weird sensation hit home.

  It was as though they became entranced somehow – they seemed to move to some other dimension, still within the walls of the pub, but ahead of themselves, just a tiny bit ahead of reality. It was most odd as they were able to hear their surroundings, still feel the fire’s warmth. Ken heard a woman ordering a gin and tonic at the bar; he even heard Charlie’s till ring as it opened.

  Mike spoke. ‘Everything is okay,’ he murmured, ‘it’s just their way of ensuring absolute secrecy, we appear quite normal to everyone else, but actually we are talking ahead of their time, just a few micro-seconds is all, it’s no big deal.’ The calm way he spoke rested their beating hearts. ‘We have to use the pub to do this because your place hasn’t been checked out yet, it’s doubtful there are any devices in the lodge, but with Ken’s military history we can’t take any chances, so we need to do a quick check,’ he said, softly. ‘What we discussed before may easily be construed by anyone listening, as talk about the script for a film or something, but this next bit is for our ears only. Are you guys okay with that?’

  ‘All good here, Mikey,’ Ken said, feeling Jane’s nod through his shoulder.

  Mike continued from where they had left off before the dizziness had arrived. His words were almost transfixing. ‘You are right about people’s potential, Ken,’ he said. ‘But there are certain people who must be allowed to fulfil their
destiny. They must be allowed to reach their true potential otherwise we will never advance past the status quo, in which the human race is presently stuck.’ His voice took on a different tone, becoming deadly serious. ‘George has shown me countless people, people who through no fault of their own, have not been allowed to attain their goals. That’s the reason why we will have the future problem, the ever growing usage of oil, the one that we are all now so fully aware of.’ He looked at them in such a way that they felt as though they were totally alone. The noises of the pub had faded; it was just the three of them and the iciness of Mike’s tale.

  He said, ‘Now, are there darker forces at work, you know, preventing them from achieving their goals or something? Of that no-one is quite sure, well…they haven’t said much about that to me, either way, George and his side have made a decision to intervene, they have the power to see these people, and they have the power to make sure they get the chance to develop, to make a difference.’ His voice had become hoarse with passion and his throat convulsed as he swallowed hard.

  ‘Are you okay, Mikey?’ Jane asked, reaching across the table.

  Clasping her outstretched hand, Mike replied in a calm voice. ‘Yes, I am,’ he said. ‘It’s just that this is a big deal for me, I’m going to ask you to help me and I’m not sure if it’s fair, I really want your help but that’s just me being selfish. You can say no at any time you want, but it’s still a big ask either way.’ He pulled his hand away and ran the palm across his unshaven chin, dark stubble rasping softly in the quietness of their surroundings.

  Mike paused briefly before continuing. ‘What happened to us in the past, back in the desert, the way we behaved when we dealt with Red and the Stone… well, that has made them consider us in a different light. Not just Ken, but also the human race as a complete species.’ He took a breath, before saying: ‘They have passed new laws, ones that allow them to have a limited input into the parallels where they can see that goodness and progression is being prevented by the evil actions of a few…’ Mike waited as Ken questioned him again.