‘You right there, mate?’
Jay swung around. Two security guards stood staring at him. Nothing threatening about their body language. Inquisitive looks across their middle-aged faces. Same uniform – khaki pants, short-sleeve button-up shirts, work boots and thick belts that held matching walkie-talkies. One guard with a moustache, the other clean-shaven. Probably the only way to distinguish them as security from the rest of the staff was the cloth tags saying SECURITY on their Akubra hats and breast pockets.
‘Hi, guys. Looks like I’m early.’
The security guards frowned in unison. Probably a reaction to the large crimson patch on Jay’s overalls.
The one with the moustache said, ‘You okay? Is that blood?’
Jay glanced at the stain. ‘Yeah. Nicked myself as I was climbing out from under my car. Got bogged over the road and I’ve been trying for a couple of hours to dig my way out. To no avail, of course.’
‘Want us to call you an ambulance?’ the clean-shaven one asked.
Jay grinned. ‘It’s not that bad. Besides, kinda embarrassing.’
The security guards looked at each other before the moustached one said, ‘I’ll tell you what. Why don’t you come inside? We’ll have one of the first-aid girls have a look at it. You can tell us what happened and we’ll organise to get your car out.’
Jay had only been to Australia Zoo once as a young boy with his father. The hospitality was great when Bob senior was in charge. It had grown to legendary status under Steve and the expansion into a world-renowned zoo. Good to know the hospitality hadn’t changed since Steve’s unfortunate death.
‘Sure, guys. That sounds great. I’m Jay.’ He moved forward and offered his hand.
The moustached one said, ‘I’m Andy and this is Rod.’ He moved to shake Jay’s hand but stopped. ‘Best not shake in case we cause more damage.’
Jay nodded. He knew it would hurt before offering his hand. Willing to put up with the pain to match the hospitality already shown.
‘Very thoughtful. Thanks, Andy. Pleasure to meet you both.’
‘Okay, Jay. Let’s get that shoulder looked at,’ Rod said.
Jay followed them around a corner and into a side entrance of the zoo. The medley of animal sounds was merely background noise from outside. That changed as soon as Jay walked through the doors. Elephant calls in the distance, birds in the foreground making a ruckus, a mix of other wildlife noises welcoming the morning attention of the zoo staff.
‘Feeding time for most of them,’ Andy said. ‘They quieten a bit by the time visitors arrive.’
What struck Jay the most was the amount of staff walking around carrying garden tools, pushing carts with bags of feed and chatting to one another. Those who noticed him smiled and didn’t pay any attention to his dishevelled state. Either an indoctrinated state of ‘smiling for the customer’, or the employees actually enjoying what they got paid for. Jay figured the latter. Clearly, any role at Australia Zoo would be highly sought. He wondered how his life would have turned out had he chosen an apprenticeship with the zoo instead of joining the military. A life of dealing with temperamental officers versus a life of dealing with temperamental animals. Maybe even pros and cons on that front. Interrogating terrorists and enemy combatants certainly seemed a fraction more exciting than coaxing cheeky monkeys down from their perches.
They arrived at a first-aid room and Jay got a sense of deja vu. Rod left the room to find the first-aid person while Andy gave Jay a run down of the zoo layout.
Rod returned with an attractive young lady decked out in the same uniform as the security guards, minus the security patches. She introduced herself as Jo and helped lower his overalls over his arms.
Jo gave a quick visual inspection of the wound before saying, ‘You have a small chunk of meat missing by the looks of it. Should get to a doctor and get it stitched up.’
‘Can you do it here?’
She smiled. ‘The vets could, but I’m sure there’s an insurance type of dilemma with that.’ She made her way to a set of drawers, took out some bandaging and antiseptic cream. She put on a set of surgical gloves and went to work cleaning the wound.
Andy asked, ‘So what were you doing out there anyway, Jay?’
He had his story ready. ‘I’m heading to Fraser Island next week. Just bought a four-wheel drive and thought I should check out its capabilities before my trip.’
The men gave a chuckle before Rod said, ‘Hope you’re planning on cancelling the trip. Sand is just as bad as mud to be stuck in.’
‘A minor setback,’ Jay said and smiled.
A teenager carrying a till from a cash register came to the door. ‘Excuse me, Andy.’
Both of the security guards turned.
‘Hi, guys. Sorry to interrupt. Just thought I should tell you that there’s some army people out the front. They’ve been knocking on the store’s door.’
‘Great,’ Andy said. ‘Must have got my message about their goddamned shooting this morning disturbing all the animals. Excuse the colourful language, ladies.’
Jay’s heart skipped a beat and it seemed that Jo noticed his hidden anxiety. She gave Jay a quick sideways glance as she applied more antiseptic cream to the wound.
Andy turned towards Jay. ‘We’ll be right back. They’re a pain in the butt, that lot. Haven’t stopped making noise since they set up camp. Never even bothered to come and introduce themselves. And considering the support Steve gave to the troops, it’s plain disrespectful.’
A quick plan came to Jay as the security guards started towards the door. ‘Andy? Rod?’
They stopped and looked back.
‘I want to thank you for all of your help. And I need to tell you both something before you head out there.’
Again, they frowned in unison.
‘There’s no four-wheel drive stuck in the mud.’
Jo had placed a bandage on and was applying the tape when she stopped.
‘The truth is, I’m a Sergeant with the SAS and am in the middle of some advanced training. Escape and evasion. I managed the escape from down the road and now I’m in the middle of the evading. Although this is an exercise, I’d really prefer to avoid going back there for a while.’
‘What happened to your shoulder then?’ Rod asked.
‘I escaped this morning while it was still dark. I was running through the pine forest and tripped. Something hit hard into my shoulder. I didn’t realise it was bleeding for a while. Look, this is a real test for my career. I’ve only just come back on squad after a year out recuperating.’
‘Recuperating from the wound in your hand?’ Jo asked.
Jay looked at the gunshot scar in his hand and then held his hand forward for the guards to see. ‘Correct. Iraq.’ He looked from Jo to the security guards. ‘I need to get back overseas. I’ve some unfinished business.’
Andy came close and looked hard at the scar on Jay’s hand. ‘You being up front with us now?’
‘I am.’
Andy rubbed his chin. ‘Why don’t you stay here, Rod? I’ll go chat with the army boys and see what they have to say.’