Jack slumped to the floor again, once more struggling for breath. Oh no.
Bryant was in the woods. He had three wolves with him. No baby. He could not have run back here before Jack and Katie arrived: it was too far, even for an Original and allowing for the time spent in the car. They would have seen him leave: Jack would have smelt him. An Original’s scent would have over-powered the reek of blood and death in the room.
Michael.
Josh had been taken by Michael.
5
Katie had the phone in her hand when he got downstairs. She looked at him vacantly then resumed staring at the phone. The shotgun was on the sofa next to her.
“I have to ring John,” she said.
Jack shook his head. “And tell him what?”
“She’s dead, Jack.”
“I know,” Jack said, “but I think we leave that to the police.”
“Jack-”
“No, for God’s sake, would you listen for once,” Jack said, far more sharply than he intended.
“Don’t shout at me.”
“Sorry, I just-” He stopped. No words were going to help. “Look, I think a man called Michael has Josh.”
“Who is he Jack?”
“He’s a psycho,” Jack said. “He’s very dangerous.”
“Is he,” she paused, “like you?”
“No. Not quite.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I can handle him.”
“I'm coming with you.”
“No,” Jack shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“Fuck you, Jack. I'm coming.”
She dropped the phone and picked up the shotgun.
“Once Josh is safe, I am ringing the police, no arguments.”
“Katie, please-”
“No arguments,” she repeated. “Now, let’s go. I’m not staying in this house alone. I want Josh.”
Jack sighed. “Ok, ok, but please do what I say. And try not to shoot anyone.”
6
Michael looked around the workshop and gave a satisfied nod. “Good work Scott.”
The other man beamed, a strange sight given he was naked and covered in blood.
“What do you think, young Josh?” Michael held the baby out, spinning slowly to survey the carnage in the garage.
Five bodies lay at various points in the workshop. All had been ripped apart and their blood covered the walls and cars. Two cars were up on ramps, their wheels at eye level, but even these were smeared with blood.
“Most impressive,” Michael said. The baby started crying, and Sally laughed at the sound.
“You're so funny Michael.”
“Now, Scott, how do you propose we cover this up?” Michael said. His voice was calm, and his smile was still in place, but something had changed.
“We could lock the garage up. We'll be long gone before anyone finds out,” Sally said.
“I wasn’t talking to you,” Michael said. He did not raise his voice and his smile did not waver. Josh cried even harder, arms and legs out straight from his body.
“We could lock the garage up,” Scott said, his voice cracking. “We'll be long gone before anybody finds out.”
Michael’s smile was now beatific. “Excellent plan, Scott. Make it happen.” Michael changed his grip on Josh, cuddling him close to his chest. “Shush little one, unkey Mike is going to look after you till Daddy gets here.” He strolled towards the entrance of the garage.
“Where are you going?” Sally asked.
“I have a few phone calls to make.”
7
“Why do we have a baby anyway?” Scott asked. He was rummaging through the pockets of the dead, looking for keys.
“Leverage,” Sally said. She was leaning on one of the cars, examining her fingernails. A small piece of gristle was stuck there, much to her chagrin.
“But he was with us,” Scott said, then: “Yes!” He stood with keys in his hands. A white-haired man lay at his feet, considerably older than the others in the workshop. The owner.
“And how long do you think he was going to stay with us once he saw his wife again?”
Scott didn't answer. In front of him was a large opening that cars were brought through. He pushed a button on the wall and the shutter started to roll down slowly. “Come on,” he muttered. A cool breeze came through the opening, reminding him that he was still naked. He stood to the side, hoping that the shadows would hide him from passers-by. It was, of course, highly unlikely that anyone would come by: Huntleigh was the dictionary definition of a sleepy Devon village. Scott was already itching to leave.
The shutter rolled into place with a click. First entrance to this place secure. At the back of the garage was a similar roller door and he closed this one too. At the rear of the garage were some lockers, and Scott looked through them. He found a very old pair of oil covered shorts and a t-shirt. It'll do. He dressed quickly and then went back out to the shop. Michael was talking on the phone, and Scott checked the keys in the door. They were the right ones and the door locked easily.
“We should go,” Scott said as Michael hung up.
“Yes, the others will be here soon,” Michael said. “We should get to the pub before Jack discovers my handiwork.”
“Others?” Scott said.
“I have a plan, Scott. We have our friends joining us.”
“Friends?” Scott looked bewildered. “I thought everyone was dead.”
Michael laughed and tickled Josh under the chin. The baby giggled. “My name is legion, for we are many.”
“What?”
“Forget it,” Michael said, waving his hand.
“Didn’t Jack say there were two pubs? How will he know which one to go to?”
“Don’t worry about that. He’ll find us.” Michael smiled again. “Come on, let’s go. They will be here within the hour.”
8
Jack stepped onto the drive and looked over at their neighbours’ house. It was dark, but that meant nothing at this time of day. Katie came out behind him, shotgun hidden under a long coat. It was warm outside, despite the cool breeze. In the distance, the church bells chimed, reminding Jack of the last time he had set foot in the churchyard. It was not a happy memory. Somebody died that day. He put his arm around Katie and for a moment she didn't resist. It didn't last long. They walked along the street, up the short hill that led to the garage and then into the village beyond. Jack glanced at the garage, a familiar scent hitting him.
“Oh no,” he said quietly. Katie followed his gaze. The garage was shut and all lights off. She looked at her watch.
“That’s early,” she said, then looked at Jack. “What is it?”
Jack watched a man get out of his car and press his face against the glass of the office.
“Something bad,” he said. “Let’s go before this gets worse.”
The colour drained from Katie’s face, and Jack got a sense that she was realising, possibly for the first time, just how bad this could be: that Karen’s would not be the only death today.
“What if they're not in the pub?”
“Then we look elsewhere,” he shrugged. “I’ll find them.”
“And you're now an expert in baby snatching and where to hide?”
He ignored her. No point in fighting amongst ourselves.
As they walked up the hill, he found himself wishing more and more that Knowles was there.
9
Bryant walked with the others through the woods. Jack’s scent was clear. He could follow it easily to wherever Jack had gone. Jenny came next, close to him but her lips were thin and she hadn't said a word since the meeting with Jack. The twins walked behind, Joe talking quietly to Henry the whole time.
They had recovered their clothes and were making their way along the path that Jack had run down a short while earlier. Bryant was marching ahead, forcing the others to keep up.
“What are we doing Bryant?” Jenny asked.
He stopped so suddenly she nearly
walked into him. “We are going to find Stadler.”
“Why?” She looked at him closely. “We don't need another fight, we're done.” She made it clear she was talking about Henry by a small inclination of her head.
“He can help me,” Bryant said.
“How? Why? Because you make his wife your prisoner?” She laughed. “You really don't know much about families do you?”
“No,” he said, “I don't. I get close to people, then I go on ops.”
“That’s not all of it is it?”
“No. I'm a killer, Jenny. Pure and simple.” He sighed. “I'm really fucking good at my job.”
“So is Stadler going to teach you how to calm down? Control the wolf?” she laughed again.
“I need to try.”
“Bryant, you raped me,” she said and he saw tears in her eyes. “You killed everyone in that hospital without a thought.”
“Trust me, I’ve thought about it,” Bryant said. “It’s not like I had a choice.”
“No, you did what you wanted. You're a psycho.”
He grabbed her by the neck, hand closing tight before either of them really knew what he was doing. Henry made a noise, and Joe put his arm around him.
“If I am really a psycho, then you might need to think about how you speak to me.” He let her go and stepped back, a look of horror on his face. Then he turned away from her. “I need to find Stadler,” he muttered and started walking at a furious pace again.
10
Jack looked at the pub and felt that pang of guilt again. There were two pubs in Huntleigh, and they were only a couple of hundred yards apart from each other. The Kings Arms was in front of them and was Jack’s bet for where Michael was. He didn't tell Katie that he was certain: he could smell it. The scent had led them through the churchyard and out into the square.
“Ready?” he asked.
Katie was very pale, but she nodded and clutched her coat closer.
“Remember, he wants me, not you. We get Josh back.”
“And then what?” Katie looked at him. “What happens to you?”
“I don't care. Josh is the only thing that matters.”
“But what about us? Will they kill you?”
“No Katie, they can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“I heal. Like really quickly.” He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. Are you sure? Really sure? “They can’t kill me.”
“I just got you back Jack. I don't want to lose you again.”
He moved to hug her, but she pushed him away. “I said I got you back, that’s not the same as I forgive you.”
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“I want you and Josh,” she said.
“Me too,” he said. “Let’s get on with it.”
Two men stood in the doorway. One of them was smoking and earned a filthy look from Katie. Jack held the door open for her and was immediately assaulted by familiar smells. The pine of the bar. The ash in the fire, even though it hadn't been lit in weeks. The stale odour of spilled beer. The spirits that ripped the back of his throat out even though he hadn't drunk them. The BO of a man slumped on the bar, a half-finished pint in front of him.
And then: the smell of Josh, so familiar, even though it had been months since he'd seen his son. He had spent one week with Josh, but the scent was deeply ingrained in him. Outside the odour had been masked by the smell of the village. In here, in close quarters, the scent of his son was nearly enough to make him weep.
“What’s wrong?”
“Josh. He’s here,” Jack said.
11
Katie walked into the familiar bar. Two large tables were on her immediate left, more to her right and the bar itself was in front of her. Several bar stools were scattered around the bar, some occupied. One man sat at the bar, head resting on his arms, apparently asleep. Another man and a woman sat close together on the left-hand side of the bar. They looked at Katie when she walked in and smiled at her. She recognised them but didn't know their names. Everybody in Huntleigh knew who she was, even if they didn't recognise Jack. Behind the bar was a barman she didn't know and she was grateful for that. One less person to explain Jack’s miraculous return to.
“Katie,” Jack said, touching her arm. He gestured to a table on the right.
Sally and Michael sat there, with Josh in the fat woman’s arms. She was smiling at him and it made Katie feel sick.
“Give my son back,” Katie snarled, stepping towards the table. Jack grabbed her arm this time, but she pushed him away.
Michael smiled at her.
“I see you got my message,” he said.
“Shut the fuck up. Give me my son.”
The couple sat at the bar were watching now, smirking at each other as they realised they were watching some gossip unfold. The sleeping man sat up, rubbed his eyes, looked around the room then put his head back on the bar with a grunt.
“Such a mouth on her, Jack. Do you like that?”
“I'd do what she says if I were you.”
“Why don't you sit?”
“I'm not sitting anywhere with you,” Katie said.
“Why Michael? Why did you kill Karen?”
“Who?” He looked confused and mouthed ‘Karen?’ to Sally, who shrugged. Then he dropped his mouth open and covered it with his hand. It was like watching a comic actor from Jack’s childhood. “Oh, the black woman? I needed to make sure I had your cooperation, Jack. I had to incentivise you.”
“You already had me.”
“No, no, no, Jack,” Michael said. “I was about to lose you to this beautiful woman.”
A shadow passed across Sally’s face for a second. Only for a second, but Katie saw it.
“You killed my friend,” she whispered. “You.”
“Me,” Michael said. He spread his arms wide, then nodded at Sally. “I had some help. She was ever such a large lady.”
Josh craned his head at his mother’s voice and started crying, arms held towards her. Sally shushed him, holding him closer to her chest.
“Give my son back Michael.”
“Or what Jack? What are you going to do in this lovely little pub?”
Jack looked around, counting the people. If Michael changed, four people would die He sniffed as subtly as he could. There were no other people in the pub. Still four people too many. The couple in the corner were whispering excitedly to each other. Despite the whispers, he heard the whole conversation anyway and his name was mentioned many times. Shit.
“What about the guys in the garage, Michael? Why kill them?”
Katie shot him a look and he winced, but didn't take his eyes off Michael.
“Collateral damage,” Michael said. “But that wasn't my fault. That was Scott.”
“Where is Scott?” Jack looked around the pub, but couldn’t see him. Something is not right here.
“That’s a great question isn't it?” Michael laughed.
Sally looked up at the window and said, “They're here.”
Who are here? What is she talking about? Jack could feel cold sweat trickling down his back. He could sense the situation slipping away from them, but he didn’t know how. Katie had the gun and it was too public for Michael to do anything stupid. The man wasn’t that crazy.
Katie followed Sally’s gaze but couldn't see anything moving in the square.
“Excellent,” Michael said. “Give the woman,” he waved his hand at Josh, “that.”
Sally stood and gave Josh to Katie, who almost sobbed with relief. Josh stopped crying immediately.
“What’s going on Michael?” Jack asked.
“Let’s get out of here, Jack,” Katie said, clutching Josh to her chest with one arm. Her other hand was inside the folds of her coat.
“Yes, why don't you go?” Michael said. He was smirking now.
Jack reached across the table with sudden, shocking speed. He grabbed Michael’s shirt and half dragged him across the table. “What’s going on?”
&nb
sp; “Hey!”
Jack looked around. The barman was coming round the bar, a baseball bat in his hands. “Get out of my bar,” he said.
Jack let Michael go. Michael sank back to his seat, smirk still in place. What is he doing? He killed Karen to get us up here. Why?
“Shall we?” Michael said, starting to rise.
“Jack we've got what we came for, let’s go,” Katie said. Jack could hear the panic in her voice. She knows something’s up too. “Leave them for the police”
Michael laughed. “No, no, my dear. The police have been trying to get me for years.”
He sauntered to the door, nodding at the people at the bar. “Have a lovely day, well, what’s left of it.” He stopped by the drunk man and prodded him. “Dude, it’s like seven o’clock. Go home.”
Jack pushed past him, pulling Katie along behind him. “Get the fuck out of the way, Michael.”
Jack opened the door to the pub and stepped into the street. More smells hit him straight away, but by then it was too late. Katie came out after him and stopped with a moan.
There were at least thirty people in a semicircle around the pub entrance. They were all staring intently at the door, and specifically at Jack.
Michael stepped into the sunlight. “You asked me for proof,” he roared. “I give you the Original!”
As one the people knelt and bowed their heads. Katie moaned again as she realised what was happening.
Jack couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. This is crazy. All the people in the square kept their heads bowed. Recovering quickly, Jack looked at Michael. The other man was grinning from ear to ear, looking at the kneeling crowd. Jack felt cold inside, a hollow feeling that threatened to consume him. I don’t want this.
As soon as he thought that, another more pressing concern came to the fore.
How the hell are we going to get out of this?
Chapter 21
1
The sun was on its downward path, giving the world a soft glow. The pilot landed the helicopter in the same field that he had been in a few weeks ago and Raymond led the six of them out from under the downforce of the blades. Seconds later, the helicopter was back in the air.
Raymond surveyed the area in front of him, mentally tallying the actual images with the tactical maps they had studied en-route. They were in a large field, which stretched for several acres behind him. To his left were trees and a path that led to Huntleigh woods. In front of him, hedges marked the borders of the private houses. He could see ten houses and knew that the Stadlers’ was the fourth one. The house to the left of the Stadlers had small hedges bordering the field. Raymond pointed at Cockbain and then at this smaller hedge. Next he moved Williams and Taylor to each flank. The three men scanned the row of houses, moving their weapons in arcs to cover the windows. Nothing moved.
The Original's Return (Book 2): The Original's Retribution Page 18
