Dory's Avengers (69 page)

Watching Lysander walk away, Lord William found himself dwelling on the words he had just heard, especially the parting shot about Theo. When was the last time Theo had declared himself proud of his father? Had Theo
ever
declared himself proud of his father?

‘Theodore,' called His Lordship, suddenly anxious to have a word with his son. Seeing Theo and Matilda making for the exit with their friends, Lord William hurried after them.

‘Theodore! Theodore, wait!'

As Theo turned in response to his name being called, Lord William was dismayed to find his path suddenly blocked by a number of official-looking people, one of whom he recognised as Charlie Rollins.

‘Get out of my way, will you!' snapped His Lordship. ‘I'm trying to speak to my son…'

‘William St Benedict?'

‘You know who I am, and it's LORD William.'

‘William St Benedict; you are under arrest for serious violations of human rights, for kidnapping, for false imprisonment, for torture…'

The government man continued to list the charges against Lord William, advising His Lordship of his rights as other officials snapped handcuffs onto his wrists and led him to a waiting car. All this happened in front of a legion of reporters, television cameras, the crowds exiting the North Greenwich Arena and the incredulous gaze of Lord William's son. Theo stood staring at the car containing his shackled father for a few minutes, his mouth open in shock.
Eventually, his companions' words started to penetrate his numb brain.

‘Close your mouth, Theo,' said Matilda, squeezing his hand to show her support. ‘You look like you're trying to catch flies.'

‘It's all right, darling,' added Izzy, squeezing her son's other hand. ‘It's over.'

‘In quite spectacular fashion,' said Abi, pointing towards the huge crowd of reporters, Max very much in evidence, surging around the government vehicles attempting to carry Lord William away. ‘Shall we get to our transport, before that lot turn their attention to Theo, Izzy and Mari?'

‘Good idea, young lady,' said Faye, still tagging along with her daughter and the Applethwaite Unsponsored.

‘You're coming with us, are you, Faye?' asked Dex, laughing his easy laugh while holding Alan's hand a little more possessively than he would normally. ‘I guess your job's a goner now.'

‘I guess it is, Dex,' said Faye, laughing too. ‘Matilda tells me the band's doing a gig in Louis's honour tonight,' Faye continued, addressing everyone. ‘Would anyone object to me coming along?'

‘Fine with us,' replied Lysander. ‘It's the Unsponsored way to give everyone a fair chance to redeem themselves. The gig's in an Unsponsored pub though, Faye.'

‘Not a problem,' said Faye. ‘As Dex so rightly pointed out, I'm probably an Unsponsored Sponsor now! Are you sure you're all right, Theo?'

‘Er, yes,' replied Theo vaguely. ‘Did that really just happen?'

‘What, did Father really just get arrested and bundled into a car in handcuffs?' said Marina. ‘Yes, that happened Theo. Poor Father…'

‘I don't believe you just said that, Mari,' said Theo, not
vague any longer. ‘At least he's going to get a fair trial before he's locked away. Personally, I hope he rots…'

‘I thought it was the Unsponsored way to give everyone a fair chance to redeem themselves,' Faye pointed out, smiling at Theo.

‘He's the exception to the rule,' snapped Theo. ‘There aren't enough days left between now and the end of time for him to redeem himself. Come on, let's get to Philip's minibus. I don't fancy talking to the press just now.'

‘Whatever do you want?' Lysander asked incredulously, seeing Mortimer O'Reilly lurking nearby as everyone climbed into the transport; so kindly provided, once again, by the ever-supportive Philip Lorimer.

‘May I…?' began Mortimer nervously, gesturing towards the minibus.

‘You want to come with us? You have got to be joking, Morti old bean…'

‘Lysander,' Theo said, his characteristic good humour restored, ‘it's the Unsponsored way to give everyone a fair chance, remember?'

‘Oh; very well then, O'Reilly,' grumbled Lysander, leaning on the door of the minibus and shaking his head. ‘Get in, but I warn you now; if I hear the hint of a prediction I will throw you straight out again.'

‘What's a prediction, Daddy?' asked Jenny.

‘A long time ago, this silly man here said that when Louis grew up he would do something amazing that would bring an end to the Sponsorship scheme…'

‘Well,' said Jenny, grinning at Mortimer as her father's voice trailed off, ‘the silly man was right, wasn't he?'

‘The press,' said Mortimer, seeing Max Barrington approaching the minibus at a run, hand in hand with Cathie Lorimer. ‘Hadn't we better move…?'

‘Max is our drummer, Mr O'Reilly,' replied Alan with a
laugh, offering his hand to Cathie as she and Max climbed aboard. ‘He's done his journalism for the day.'

‘Mummy's bringing Louis and Gideon,' said Cathie breathlessly, as Simone drew up alongside the minibus, the roof of her Range Rover down and Gideon by her side.

‘We would have left earlier,' said Gideon, laughing as Sarah squeezed in beside him, ‘but Louis took forever to cream up.'

‘Sun block,' said Louis, waving a tube of the precious ointment from beneath his huge sunhat, ‘is my friend.' Following Sarah's lead, Abi left the minibus and leapt into the back of Simone's Range Rover beside Louis.

‘Anyone else?' Simone asked, chuckling at Louis and Abi's passionate reunion. ‘Anyone would think you two had been parted for years.'

‘Wait for us!' yelled Theo, grabbing Matilda's hand and leaping in the back. ‘Better go now, Simone; world's media approaching fast…'

Philip drove the minibus away slowly and Simone followed, the press photographers snapping away frantically as the Range Rover started to move through the crowds. Louis and Theo climbed onto the backs of their seats and turned to face the media, despite Simone's protestations that it wasn't exactly legal for them to be there.

‘Theodore! Louis!' yelled the reporters, running after the Range Rover. ‘Theodore, how do you feel about your father's arrest? What do you think is the future of the Scheme? What's next for you? What's next for you, Louis?'

‘Next for me is to get very drunk,' called Theo, laughing as Matilda sang, ‘No Future' Sex Pistols-style in response to the reporter's question about the Scheme.

‘I'm with Theo,' Louis said with a grin, adding more quietly, ‘If you'll allow me that luxury, Gideon?'

‘I'd allow you to call me Gid tonight, Louis,' replied Gideon, his face wreathed in smiles. ‘I'm that proud of you.'

‘Rest assured, I'll be milking that, GID,' said Louis. ‘I still keep on thinking I'll wake up in a minute back in your studio…'

‘With Gideon yelling at you for sleeping when you should be training,' added Theo, laughing. ‘I keep thinking I'm going to wake up in a minute still locked in His Lordshit's house.'

‘Well, you won't!' said Matilda, smiling up at Theo. ‘Ever again! Things really couldn't get any better, Dory babes. His Lordshit's regime is over, the sun's shining…'

‘That's a good thing?' asked Louis, pulling his huge sunhat over his eyes.

‘…We're off to see an amazing band…'

‘With a hot lead singer,' added Theo, winking at Matilda who agreed that the lead singer was the very hottest.

‘We're going to get drunk,' said Louis. ‘If you lot have left me any champagne, that is!'

‘And celebrate this,' added Gideon, turning round to dangle Louis's gold medal at the youngsters.

‘Do you reckon pole-dancing will ever be an Olympic sport?' asked Matilda with a grin at Louis. ‘I quite fancy winning one of those medals…'

‘And I would seriously love to see Gideon training you,' replied Louis, everyone in the car laughing helplessly at the idea.

‘So, shall we call this the best day ever?' Theo asked eventually, still chuckling.

‘Yes,' replied Matilda, ‘I think it is definitely that.'

In stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the car taking Lord William to answer some very awkward questions, the mood around the country became increasingly jubilant as the weight of Sponsorship oppression started to lift. The jubilation was compounded by news bulletins showing footage of Lord William's thugs being rounded up and
arrested, the loathsome Stephen Dyer sobbing like a baby as he was led away in handcuffs. Even the weather joined in with the celebrations; the sun continuing to shine on the joyful, liberated country and the car carrying the fair-haired boy who had grown up to plot the downfall of the Scheme.

‘Well, it wasn't just me, was it?' said Louis suddenly, remembering Mortimer O'Reilly's prediction.

‘Wasn't just you what?' asked Abi, who was used to her boyfriend coming out with random comments.

‘It wasn't just me who brought about the downfall of the Scheme. It was Dory's Avengers and all the Unsponsored…'

‘True,' said Abi. ‘But you're the only one who won an Olympic gold medal on this momentous day.'

‘Oh yeah,' said Louis, grinning. Turning to Theo, who was looking around with a huge smile as people on the streets spontaneously hugged each other, strangers putting their inhibitions aside to celebrate together, Louis grabbed hold of his friend's hand.

‘We did it, Dory,' he said. ‘The Unsponsored won!'

‘The Unsponsored won,' repeated Theo, raising their clasped hands in triumph. ‘Dory considers himself well and truly avenged.'