The Perimeter (23 page)

The eight disciples left the cottage without their weapons. The morning air was dark and damp, the tramp of boots the only sound as they walked the few hundred yards to the huge house which was The North Canonry. Entering through a rear door, they crossed the hallway and made their way into what appeared to be a small chapel. The room was almost full, with rows of warrior disciples seated on polished wooden pews. Jamie and the others took their places at the front. The Voice of the Father walked in and everybody rose to their feet.

The morning was spent in prayer and then, after a simple lunch, the men were sent back to their rooms to sleep. In a couple of days’ time they would be leaving The Close, travelling by night, and so they needed to reverse their body clocks to become fully alert. For the next two days, they prayed and slept during the day and trained at night. Sword practice and hand-to-hand combat. It wasn’t anywhere near as rigorous as the arena training, and Jamie breezed through it all without breaking a sweat. His fitness and reflexes far surpassed his fellow disciples.

On the third day, waking after his final afternoon nap, Jamie felt ready. He was up before his roommates this time. Dressed before they’d even opened their eyes. He opened the window and looked up into the black sky, the cold air heightening his senses and catching at the back of his throat. He felt strong and brave. Purposeful and worthy. He smiled.

As he descended the stairs and gathered his weapons from the armoury, Jamie thought of his brothers from the training ground. They would have left the arena several nights earlier, as he was originally supposed to have done, before Matthew had summoned him. They would already have completed three nights’ march. He wished they could see him now in his black robes with the crimson trim. Pity his hood was raised so no one would get to see his face.

To Jamie’s surprise, he and his new brothers weren’t to travel on foot or on horseback. The Voice of the Father and his elite disciples were to
drive
down to the south. Rows of jeeps, AVs, trucks and 4x4s cluttered grassy area at the front of the North Canonry, as well as two massive fuel tankers.

An uncloaked man approached Jamie as he stood on the grass with his brethren.

‘Sir,’ he said, head lowered. ‘I’m to escort you to your vehicle.’

Jamie gave the man a nod and followed the man to a sleek black AV. The man opened the front passenger door and waited while Jamie removed his sword and AK47. The man took them from Jamie and slotted them into a rack fitted along the side of his seat. Once his weapons were secured, Jamie got into the vehicle. He didn’t recognise the driver, another warrior. The back doors opened and closed as more soldiers got in.

This was it. They were going to war.

Chapter Twenty Eight

It was half three in the morning before I got to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Two hours later I was still staring at the ceiling, my brain spooling back over everything that had happened and projecting forward to everything about to happen.

That evening, I’d worked flat out without stopping. Shifting supplies and checking weapons, trying to keep busy and not think about what was happening to Luc and Eddie, who were still out there somewhere. Once more, I had begged Pa to send out a search party for them, but he wouldn’t do it. Said there was nothing to be achieved by sending guards outside at night. That it was better to wait. That Eddie had years of experience. That he and Luc would be fine.

It was all very well for Pa to say these things, but he didn’t understand that I was in love with Luc. His whole world wouldn’t come crashing down if Luc disappeared. He wouldn’t spend the night feeling physically sick with worry. I wanted to yell. To defy him. But I stayed calm on the outside and told myself to wait until morning. Then, if Pa still did nothing, I would do something myself.

I lay in the darkness, wide awake. Ma was in bed and Pa was still working, although he’d managed a catnap earlier, down in the stores. It hit me that today was Christmas Eve. The day when Liss was supposed to trade me for her parents. The day FJ was planning to attack our home. What if his army breached the fence? What if this was the last night I would spend in my house?

I glanced at the clock – 5.45 am. The deadline had already passed for Liss’s trade. Did that mean FJ would be on his way here now? There was no way I was going to fall asleep. My whole body felt edgy. Antsy. Unable to stay still, let alone sleep. I closed my eyes again, but my brain was so hyper that I immediately snapped them back open. It was no good. I unclenched my fists and tried to take calming breaths, but my heart beat too fast, like war drums.

I sat up and swung my legs out of bed, deciding to go next door and see if Rita had heard anything. She was always up early. Maybe Luc and Eddie were back already and I was lying here worrying over nothing. I quickly pulled on some jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, tucked my Magnum into my waistband and padded down the stairs. I slipped my feet into some boots and grabbed my coat and keys, remembering to scrawl a note for Ma on the chalkboard. When I opened the door my heart sank.

Snow.

White whorls already settling thick on the ground.
Please let Luc be home already
, I said in my head, over and over again. If he wasn’t, this weather wasn’t going to help them at all. I pulled the door shut behind me and was consumed by the muffled hush of early morning.

My boots squeaked as I walked down the path and the cold seeped through to my skin, my toes tensing in complaint. The road outside was pristine white, the night sky lighter than it should’ve been at this hour, filled as it was with spinning flakes. As I trudged next door, I didn’t dare let myself hope they were home. But turning into the Donovans’ driveway I saw a couple of lights burning and my heart lifted. Maybe . . .

Rita answered the door, a look of heart-breaking expectancy on her face, quickly replaced by a sad smile. So they weren’t back then.  I instantly felt guilty for getting her hopes up.

‘Can’t sleep either?’ she said.

I shook my head.

‘Come on in.’

Following her into the hallway, I eyed the travel bags stacked against one wall. She saw me looking.

‘Just in case,’ she said. ‘It’s always better to be prepared. I’m going to load up the AVs. You should do the same. Plus a large rucksack with emergency provisions, in case we have to leave on foot.’

‘You really think it’ll come to that?’ I asked, an unsteady feeling creeping over me.

‘No. I don’t. But for the one percent chance that it might happen, you’ll be glad you prepared for it.’

My mind was buzzing. The thought of actually leaving the perimeter for good was about as terrifying as it could get. But . . . being made homeless by an arrogant seventeen-year-old boy?

‘I could kill Eddie for going out,’ Rita said, ushering me into the kitchen. ‘He really didn’t have to; we could’ve managed on our existing supplies. But he’s always got to be the big man and go for the prize, the grand gesture. And to take Luc with him was just plain irresponsible . . . They were supposed to be back by now.’

Her outburst surprised me. I’d always thought Eddie and Rita were equally tough, supporting each other in everything.

‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘Ignore me. I’m worried, that’s all. They’ll be fine, like they always are. And when they get home, I’ll murder the bloody pair of them.’

‘Why do you think they’re not back?’ I asked, sitting at the table and resting my chin in my hands.

‘I think maybe something’s happened to one of the vehicles and it’s taking a while to sort out. The weather isn’t going to help.’

‘You don’t think . . . FJ?’ I said.

‘No. Eddie went east and stayed off the main routes. If FJ’s coming, he’ll be coming from the north.’

‘Waiting’s painful,’ I said. ‘Can’t we send out a search party? I’ll go.’

‘Eddie won’t want that, but if they’re not back by the time it’s light, I’ll go myself. The thing is, everyone else is needed here. With FJ so close . . .’ Rita came and sat opposite me. ‘Luc told me you and he finally got it together.’

Annoyingly, I blushed; surprised Luc had mentioned us to his mother. ‘What did he say?’ I asked.

She smiled. ‘Just that I had to keep an eye on you while he was gone. He wouldn’t have said anything else, but I prised it out of him. We mothers have a way of doing that you know. I’m happy for you both.’

I didn’t know what else to say, so I just gave her an uncomfortable smile. I guess she realised I felt awkward because she stood up and changed the subject.

‘I don’t know about you,’ she said, ‘but I’m sick of this. Let’s go down to the guards’ house and see if we can’t get a birds-eye view of our men coming home. If there’s no sign of them, we’ll take a four-wheel-drive and go and get them ourselves.’

I scraped my chair back, relieved we were finally doing something. ‘What about Liss and Annabelle?’ I asked. ‘Aren’t they upstairs?’

Rita nodded. ‘We’ve put a guard up there, just in case.’

‘They wouldn’t betray me.’

‘I don’t think so either,’ she said. ‘But it doesn’t hurt to be over-cautious. Come on, let’s go.’ She pulled on a sweater and scarf before donning her thick navy parka. Pa had done a deal a few years ago for a job-lot of these cosy coats and we had enough of them to last several lifetimes.

Rita and I left the house and walked briskly down the road, our feet sinking into the thickening snow. Slipping on a hidden
kerb
, I lunged for Rita’s arm with a squeal. She steadied me and we walked arm-in-arm the rest of the way. Everything looked so surreal and pretty. We rarely got snow this far south, so it was an oddity. Pity we couldn’t enjoy messing about in it. The timing sucked.

* * *

The drive was uneventful. The night too dark to see beyond the glass of the AV’s tinted windows. Nothing but his own faceless reflection – a hooded creature. Jamie recited the warriors’ chant in his head, trying to remain calm and focused. Not thinking about what he was tasked to do; simply
trying to conserve his energy and keep his mind and body fresh and ready for whatever lay ahead. The trick would be to stay awake inside the warm thrumming cocoon of the AV.

How far would they have already marched? His brothers from the arena. Would they have reached their destination yet? Jamie realised he didn’t even know exactly where they were supposed to be heading.

South.

That’s all he’d been told. South could mean anywhere. It was a long coastline.

An hour passed. Two. The road was so rough and pitted they had to crawl along, but it was comfortable enough. Too comfortable – Jamie would have preferred to march or ride. It would’ve kept him sharp, rather than lulling him to sleep.

Another hour gone. The darkness outside was dissipating, the sky pale. But it couldn’t be morning. Not yet. Jamie suddenly realised the reason for the lightening sky. It wasn’t dawn. It was snow clouds. He hoped they’d reach their destination before it fell to earth. Driving in a snowstorm would be tricky. And it would make finding their foot soldiers almost impossible.

Just as he was having these thoughts, their driver slammed on the brakes. Jamie looked up to see the brake lights of the truck in front as it slowed to a halt. Luckily Jamie’s AV hadn’t been travelling very fast, but even so, he braced himself as they skidded out to the side, finally stopping on a grassy verge a couple of inches from a spindly tree, leafless and shivering. The lead truck had stopped up ahead. Someone was getting out of the vehicle and walking toward them. A disciple. They remained in the AV and waited. A rap on the window and the driver wound his window down a little way. The bitter scent of snow flew into the vehicle.

The disciple stood at the window. ‘We have caught up with our brothers,’ he said, pointing to his left. ‘Follow us and take the next turning.’

The driver nodded and buzzed up the glass. They waited, their engine idling, while the messenger made his way along their convoy, passing on the news. Jamie flexed his fingers and went through his katas in his head, wielding his sword high and then low. Breathing through the movements. The driver put the AV in first and moved off once more, pulling back onto the road, headlights illuminating the rear of the truck in front. The lights from behind shone in through their rearview. They were all sticking close together now. No one wanted to get separated. Not here, so far from home. On enemy soil.

Jamie wondered where exactly ‘here’ was. Were they anywhere near his old stomping ground, he wondered. The truck in front had its indicator on, flashing left. Jamie’s driver followed suit, a clicking noise signaling their imminent left turn.

The exit twisted down and around a narrow overgrown path. Branches scraped at the windows and the ground grew pitted and bumpy. Nothing more than a rough dirt-track. Not meant for vehicles. Jamie’s teeth rattled together and he reached out to steady himself against the dash. After five minutes of this, the path finally led onto a wider path. They stopped and their driver switched off the engine.

Jamie and the other disciples exited their vehicles and gathered by the lead AV. The Voice of the Father stood at the head of his men, hood draped about his shoulders, eyes glittering, illuminated by his vehicle’s headlights. He looked young and powerful. Beautiful. Their cavalry and foot soldiers stretched out back along the forest track, their dark cloaks merging into the darkness.

‘We are here at last with you, our brothers,’ Matthew cried, his voice cutting through the chill night air. ‘Four thousand of us ready to fight. To claim back Our Father, James Grey, who has been taken from us.’

Four thousand
. Jamie considered those numbers. It was an incredible amount of men. And when you thought about the level of training they’d undertaken, that made them ten times as deadly. The enemy didn’t stand a chance. They would be obliterated. And so they should be. How dare they kidnap James Grey. He’d done nothing wrong to deserve being taken. Jamie was suddenly infused with a righteous power. God would make sure justice was done and he, Jamie, would play his part in serving justice. He would destroy the people who had attacked their Holy Father. They would all pay.

‘We are only a few miles from our destination,’ Matthew continued, ‘but first I have somewhere I must be. When I return we will meet our enemy and do what needs to be done.’

Jamie wondered what errand could call Matthew away so soon before they were due to attack. It must be important. How long would it take?

‘Stay vigilant while I am gone,’ The Voice said. He turned and got into an armoured truck. Four disciples followed him and with them they had . . . yes, they had prisoners. Two of them. A man and a woman by the look of them. Middle aged, weak, bound and gagged. Who could they be? Jamie felt a moment’s pity for them, before he remembered why he was here. To avenge a wrong doing. Those two people must belong to the enemy. If that was the case, they deserved everything they got.