Chapter 4

In the kitchen, Sally began to prepare breakfast while I set up the coffee-maker. I anticipated the need for an extra carafe of the elixir or life, in view of the number of our guests. Of course, my efforts were not just altruistic. I wanted several mugs, myself. It was much earlier than I usually get out of bed.

As a result, when the first faces appeared at the kitchen door, there was a carafe of coffee, almost full, and a large pot of tea waiting for them, and another dripping through. Wonderful smells filled the air; local sausage and bacon, frying onions, coffee, of course. Most of our guests went for black coffee; I suppose that’s part of their occupation. Two, actually the ‘couple’ had tea. I was pleased it wouldn’t be wasted.

“Our target,” Jonny began, “is another former farmhouse fifteen miles from here to the south.” (He nodded to Snake and Ellen and commented again, “Jerry, always be more afraid of women than men.”) He went on, “Missus Smallbridge, were you and Jerry expecting to join us?”

One of the men interrupted, “Boss, you intendin’ to take these two civs with us?”

“Bill, I’ve seen Missus Smallbridge at work with her Mannlicher. That was part of how this got started. She’s not Lyudmila Pavlichenko*, but she’s damned lethal with that rifle. And she won’t go without Jerry, who’s pretty competent with an old Lee-Enfield.”

*Russian Great War sniper, credited with 309 kills.

He went on, “Jerry, up to you, but I’d suggest taking an MP5 apiece as well as the Mannlicher, rather than that old bolt-action...”

I looked at Sally, who gave a little nod. “We’re in, Jonny.”

“Thanks. Your role will be similar to before. You won’t be on the entry.”

I was just as happy about that.

We ate, cleared up, dressed up, and piled in to the minibus. Nine of us, with equipment, were a load for the twelve-seater bus. We drove over an hour to our objective; or, rather, to a parking spot a couple of hundred yards away. Sally and I were to watch the back from a stand of trees. Our crew all had patches on their hats which shone in the night-vision gear, so we’d have no excuse for ‘friendly fire’.

We reported in position, and heard the sound of the front door going. Then ... anticlimax.

Someone in a glowing cap emerged from the back door and waved. Jonny’s voice in our ears. “All done, Jerry, Sally. Come on down.”

“Password, Jonny?”

He laughed. “Constantinople! No problems. Come and see.”

Sally shouldered her Mannlicher, But I carried my MP5. Password or not, laugh or not, I didn’t intend to be unpleasantly surprised. I noticed that Sally had her Luger in her hand. I hadn’t realised that she’d brought it.

We found Jonny with Cobber in the lounge. Two men, semi-dressed, were cuffed on the floor. Two naked, blonde-haired, early teen girls huddled together on a sofa as far away as they could get.

“The others are making sure of the rest of the house,” Jonny explained. “These two are the ones who disappeared into the woodwork thanks to that judge.”

Sally shed her weapons and flak jacket, and crossed the room to the two girls. She went to her knees in front of them. “Hello, I’m Sally.” She turned to Jonny, “are there no clothes for them?”

“Not down here, Sally. I doubt if there’s anything really suitable for them, but we’ll look.”

“My ne govorim po-angliyski.” (We don’t speak English) One of the girls spoke, trembling, the tremble apparent in her voice, too.

“Menya zovut Salli. Teper’ vy v bezopasnosti.” (My name is Sally. You are safe now.) I had no idea Sally spoke Russian!

As Sally spoke, Al came into the room. “House is clear, sir. At least, as far as we can find.” He had a bundle of clothes in his hands. “I suppose these belong to them,” he said, wrinkling his nose. “Russian?”

Sally sighed. “Yes. And I have only a few words.”

“No problem right now. Steve and I both do.” He looked across the room to the girls. “Idi s etoy damoy i oden’sya.” (Go with this lady and get dressed).

“Ser, chto s nami budet?” (Sir, what will happen to us?)

“My otvezem vas kuda-nibud’, vy budete v bezopasnosti, i vam bol’she ne pridetsya radovat’ muzhchin.” (We will take you somewhere you will be safe, and you won’t have to please men any more) Then, looking at Sally, “Missus Smallbridge, perhaps you’d go with these two and get them dressed?”

“Certainly.”

Jonny looked at me. “Jerry, that’s a complication. I’d hate to see those girls dumped into the system.”

I grunted. “I suspect Sally will solve your problem for you. I’ll bet she comes back and wants to adopt them.”

I was right. It took rather longer than necessary for them to dress, but when they returned, Sally knelt in front of me and a little girl – dressed in fetish ‘schoolgirl’ outfits – knelt one each side of her. I say little girl – they were, in fact, fourteen, but looked much younger – and the outfits were far from appropriate for any girl over, what, eight, nine? But there they were, kneeling.

Sally looked me in the eyes. “Master.”

“Yes, slave-wife?”

She smiled, but sobered immediately. “Master, they have no-where to go. No family, no money. We ... may I ... sir, I love them already.”

I glanced at the girls, who looked up from their submissive posture, wide-eyed, solemn. I had no chance. There was only one possibility.

“Sally, ask Jonny. If he agrees, I am willing to take them in.”

From her kneeling position, Sally turned to Jonny Schraeder. “Sir, I would like to take these girls in as my daughters. My Master is willing,” as if he hadn’t heard our exchange, “and I know a little Russian. I will make sure they learn English...”

“Missus Smallbridge. Sally. I would be very happy to know that they were in a safe, loving, home. I will pull some strings and get them passports and permits...”

“Thank you, sir.” She looked at the two girls in turn. “Vy mozhete poyti so mnoy. No vy dolzhny vyuchit’ angliyskiy yazyk i userdno rabotat’.” (You may come with me. But you must learn English and work hard.)

One of the girls – I was fairly sure it was the same one each time, but they were so alike I couldn’t be certain – responded. “My budem khoroshimi devochkami.” (We will be good girls).

Sally nodded. “I’m sure you will be.” She didn’t bother to translate that. She stood, gracefully as always, and stooped to kiss my cheek. “Thank you, Master.”

To my surprise, the girls copied her, though the kisses were on opposite cheeks.

Sally knelt in front of Jonny and took his hand. “Thank you, sir.” and kissed the back of it; the girls, again, followed suit.

Jonny, shaking his head and smiling, said, “Jerry, why don’t you and Sally take these two waifs home? We need to get these other two back to base. Cobber, you and Clare, get Jerry, Sally and the two girls back to Woodside Lodge and collect up your gear, please. There should be a car around somewhere, a black saloon. If you can’t find it, use the bus, it doesn’t matter, but it’d help with the logistics.”

“Yes, Boss.” Cobber turned to me. “Give us a few minutes, Mister Smallbridge, and we’ll be off.” He left the room.

“This is it, Jerry,” Jonny told me. “Cut off the head...”

“I think this thing is like the Hydra, Jonny. I’m not Heracles.”

He snorted. “It is, and it isn’t. There’ll always be someone to profit from vulnerable kids. But these were about revenge as well. They could have disappeared into the woodwork and carried on, but instead they chose to attack you. I’ll just have to make sure they are taken out of circulation. Permanently.”

“Jonny...”

He shook his head, held up his hands. I shut up.

“Master,” Sally spoke quietly, and laid a hand on my forearm. “The law is ... constrained. It favours the guilty. There is no doubt about their guilt, is there? They would happily have eliminated you ... and me ... and our baby. How long do you think these two would have lasted as they used them?” She laid a hand on each shoulder of the girls.

“Okay.” I sighed.

Cobber reappeared, trailed by Clare. “All ready, Boss.”

“Good. Get them home and come back. Jerry, once we’re sorted here, I’ll be along with the others. Probably by dinner time, Missus Smallbridge.” He smiled.

“It’s still Sally, sir. And there will be dinner ready. If you can’t make it this evening, just...”

“We’ll let you know.”

The run back to the house was a little quicker than the outward journey, and more comfortable, despite there being six of us in a five-seater car. I sat in the front with Cobber, and one of the girls was snuggled in Sally’s lap, while the other was squeezed against her; Clare was on the other side of the back seat, of course. I had forgotten about the gate opener, and had to rummage inside my shirt for it; I’d got too used to the device secreted in Oscar’s tank-bag.

Cobber drew up in front of the house and we got out. Clare did too, in order to get in the front with Cobber. I walked round to the driver’s side, he wound the window down and we shook hands. “Thanks, Cobber. If you’re around these parts again, call in any time. You’ll be welcome.” I peered in across at Clare. “You too, Clare. Our friends are always welcome here. Get some time off, come and have a holiday. Climb the Old Man, have a cruise on the lake, whatever.”