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One by one, all the people came to the mess room canteen hatchway. Dug, dutifully serving them their cottage pie, tinned carrots, and peas. Making sure each had a more than adequate portion.
“This looks wonderful Dug. Please, do join us. The least we all can do is be civil with each other over this fine meal you have prepared.” The Major smiled, eager to try this homecooked food.
Dug was not so keen but needed to make the Major think nothing was wrong, so after Amy took her share, he dished himself a plate full and went and joined the others.
The only refreshment on offer was the beaker of water in the centre of the table. No alcohol was allowed on site, much to everyone’s disappointment. Amy and Dug were sat opposite the Major and his guards, like they were on trial.
“Please dig in. Let’s not stand on ceremony.” Major Birmingham said, as he stared questioningly at Dug, but Dug knowing he was waiting for him to take the first mouthful of cottage pie.
Dug obliged. He knew a few mouths full would be okay, but he did avoid the crispy topping and tried to just eat the filling. Dug smiled, it was like a hidden language of trust was being conducted and as the Major averted his gaze, began eating. Dug had won the trust game that was being played out at the table. Amy was oblivious to what had just been played out and was already half-way through her meal. There had always been good food made by Dug, and nobody complained at his cooking, but the Major was aware he could, if he wanted to, poison them all. Trust was a hard thing to come by out here.
“So, Amy, are we close to finishing the uploads?”
“I don’t know, you have confined us to our rooms.”
“Oh, yes, I do apologise. There was a clean-up issue and now you are clear to complete your tasks.”
“What was the clean-up.” Amy asked, then regretted it.
“Nothing for you and Dug to worry about. Will twenty-four hours be enough time to complete the uploads?”
Amy looked at Dug, who shrugged, no knowing the answer to how long it would take. She then looked back at the Major.
“I guess that will be plenty of time, why?”
“I have had conformation of the delivery to drop the supplies and I have been assured they will be here in less than two days, weather pending of course.”
“Are we able to leave?” Amy asked, knowing she was asking a lot of questions, but the time had passed for her to be tentative as she was well-aware of what might be coming next.
“I do like your tenacity Amy, but yes, as per agreement. You have completed your agreement with me and will be leaving.”
Amy smiled at Dug, but he never reciprocated, which puzzled her as Dug seemed shiftier than normal.
“I’m going to clear up.” Dug said, having only eaten a few mouthfuls of the filling.
“Are you not hungry Dug? You have hardly eaten anything!” The Major inquired.
“Well, when you cook all this food all the time you tend to lose your appetite.”
“I hope that is all it is Dug!”
Dug never replied. He had to make believe nothing was out of place. The Major however seemed suspicious, had he been figured it out? Dug walked round to the kitchen and peered through the hatch as he went by. Judging by the silence in the mess room and all of them tucking into the cottage pie, his suspicions were allayed he had been found out. Now it was just a case of waiting.
––––––––
Lesley was pacing the room, but Alex seemed calm, which was annoying her even more.
“Did you see a back way out of here?” Lesley snapped.
“I think there is one. I am sure I saw a metal ladder at the side entrance on the way in.”
“Let’s go. We won’t have long before he finds us and as he is armed. I do not fancy meeting him along the hallway.”
“How are we going to get away once we are out the building. There didn’t look like there was any cars to escape in!”
“Can you hot-wire that Land rover?”
“No, but in five seconds I will be able to.” Lesley looked at him strangely.
Then a few seconds later, after Alex had flicked through the internet on her mobile, he was still holding was ready to steal the vehicle.
“Have you just learned that?”
“Yep.”
“Damn, you will have to teach me that. Right, let’s gets moving before he comes in the building.”
Alex and Lesley left the room, both edging their way along the darkened hallway and towards the emergency escape ladder which was only accessible by climbing out of the window a little way down from the room they had booked into.
––––––––
Liev had walked inside the hotel and was stood at a small hatchway, waiting for the elderly lady to get out the chair she was in while watching television. He looked round and could see the place had a look of neglect about it. Even the old woman sat in the motheaten chair looked like she had seen better days. The whole place just had a grubby, seedy feel and it was not surprising it was virtually empty. Liev dinged the bell again. This time he saw her rock back and forth a few times, then when she had enough momentum, she thrush herself into a standing position. She stared at Liev, then walked round the armchair and appeared at the hatch.
“Can I help your young man? Are you after a single or double? It is a little extra for a double.”
“No, I don’t want a room. Did a young couple book a room here an hour or two ago?”
“Are you the Police?”
“No, did you book a room out?”
“I cannot tell you that. Some people come here for privacy if you know what I mean! Can’t say I approve, but business is slow these days.”
“Hey, you old goat, I will ask you once more. Did a couple book a room?”
The elderly lady was staring at the gun Liev now had pointed at her, and she began to hyperventilate. Unable to speak as her chest tightened, she just pointed at the room number where she hung the keys. Liev watched as she grabbed an oxygen mask and put it to her face.
“Just stay calm. I am just going to say hello to my friends okay. I am not here to hurt them, a little joke that’s all.”
The lady nodded as she was trying to suck in the pure oxygen. Liev felt a little guilty at startling the woman. He liked his job when he had been given a target or it was fair game, but killing a sick old lady, that was not his style. Room twelve was the only tab missing a key. Liev did not need the key, not for what he had planned.
“I am going now. Just keep sucking and you will be fine miss.”
The old lady smiled with the mask firmly held to her face and watched as Liev walked off down the hallway towards the stairs.
––––––––
Lesley had taken the lead and was now out the window and was a few runs down the metal ladder that was attached to the wall. Alex was leaning out the window and watching for her to be far enough down before he started making his way down. Lesley took it steadily. The ladder felt like it was only just about attached to the wall and was hoping it would stand both their weight. It was a two story climb down and although not a massive height, she did not fancy falling onto the rubbish bins in the alley below.
Alex climbed out the window and held onto the windowsill while he got a firm foothold on the ladder. As he edged out the window, he looked back down the hallway just in time to see Liev approach the room door he and Lesley had been staying in. As quietly as he could, he edged down the ladder.
––––––––
Liev was outside room twelve. He could see the door was ajar. He looked at his gun and checked it for how many bullets it had left and was sure they were not armed but was taking no chances. They could have acquired one by now, and the last thing he wanted was to be fired back at with only four bullets left to counter an attack, so he slid the clip back inside the guns handle and checked he still had the spare gun in his side holster. Confident he was ready, Liev kicked the door open. It was obvious no one was inside the open plan room but just to be sure, Liev checked the toilet. “Damn.” Is all he could say. Liev looked round the room. He could see they had eaten, and there on the bed were pieces of scrap paper. He sat on the bed and began to leaf through them. Reading out each word as he went. Meat, Human, Factory, Processing, Island, Escape, Uncover, Control, Future, Alex. Liev shuffled the word around. Human, Meat, Processing, Factory, Island, Escape, Control, Future, Alex. It made some sense to Liev, but why was Alex involved? Had he learned something? Was he the future and that is why they wanted him killed! What was so special about one person? Liev was breaking one of his rules to not ask too many questions that now muddied the kill and put doubt is in his mind. A fatal mistake when he needed clarity of mind to do his job.
––––––––
Lesley and Alex had got to the bottom of the ladder, both trying to not make any noise.
“He is in our room.” Alex whispered.
“Are you sure you can jumpstart that old motor?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“We won’t have long, and you do know he might hear us.”
“I can do it. Trust me.”
“Okay, but if you have any doubts, say them now, because once we are out in the open, we are easy targets.”
Alex smiled. Trying to give Lesley some reassurance he could do it, but he still was not sure. They walked out of the alleyway and headed over to the Land rover, both looking round for any signs of their hunter. The coast looked clear as they calmly walked to their ride out of there. Fortunately, it was open, and Alex got in the driver’s side. He leant down and reached under the steering wheel column and began to feel for the wires to the ignition. It was a tangled mess under there, as he felt his way round and fingered for the wires that led to the ignition. Finding them in the dark, he yanked them free.
“Are you going to take much longer?” Lesley asked, as she stood next to him by the opened driver's door.
“Nearly there, just got to test for the live wire, as I can’t tell in the dark what colours they are.”
“Okay but be quick.”
Alex began touching the exposed ends of each wire to each other, testing for the spark. After a few tries, he found the wires that started the ignition and began flicking the ends together to get a connection. After a few tries, the Land rover spluttered into life and Alex twisted the wires together, sealing the connection.
“Get in.” He shouted to Lesley.
“Can you drive?”
“Shit no, but...”
“There is no time for you to look that up, move over, I'll drive.”
––––––––
Liev heard the engine fire up on the Land rover outside and got up off the bed and looked out the window. He chuckled to himself at the audacity of this pair. They had out-thought him again. He was just about to run after them, when he heard the distant sound of a helicopter approaching. Was it coming this way? Liev ran out the room as fast as he could. Something was beginning to stink about this assignment, and he was sure there was more going on that he should know about before making this kill.
As Liev ran out onto the car park, he watched the Land rover driving up the road and it was too far away to take a shot. The sound of the helicopter was getting louder and could now be seen approaching just over the treeline. It was coming this way alright and as it neared, Liev recognised it as a military chopper, a Wildcat, that now replaced the more familiar Lynx that he had been used to back in his day. A distinct sound Liev knew too well.
––––––––
Alex and Lesley sped along the main road. Both glad to have escaped, but Lesley having no idea where they were going. Alex, however, knew exactly where they were heading.