The People Traders (24 page)

He wandered up to the bar and talked for some time before returning. "We're going to stay here for the night. The owner has some discreet cabins behind. I've pretended we are on our way to get married and he's very understanding as your parents don't know yet. It's cost double and we'll have to share a room but he'll keep his mouth shut."

Karen let him finish before replying. "So long as you don't think tonight's our wedding night, I don't mind."

He stared at her, not believing what he'd heard. "You think a lot of your bloody self, don't you? Believe me, Karen, if you were the last person on earth, what you're suggesting would be miles from my thoughts."

She grinned at him. "Come off it, Garry. Since I put my shorts on this morning you've hardly taken your eyes off me, so don't come the innocent."

Not wanting to be drawn, he realised how astute this girl was. Each time he tried to pull her down, she'd respond quickly, leaving him lost for words. Soon after the meal they followed the owner through the back door and into a small cabin. There was a large room, furnished with a double bed, settee, table and chairs. Through another door was a small bathroom. The man grinned at them, handing the key to Garry, before leaving and closing the door after him. Garry took a handgun and went into the bathroom, urging Karen to follow him. He taped it under the toilet cistern and looked up at her watching him "This is insurance, Karen, just in case."

Back in the main room he sat at the table and opened a document. Just then a knock came to the door. Karen opened it and the owner stood there with a tray. On it was a bottle and two glasses. She thanked him in French and he gave her a wink. Karen smiled back at him, embarrassed at what this man might be thinking. Closing the door, she came to the table and filled both glasses.

"I need to go through a few things with you, Karen, just in case we get separated, or there's an accident like Mark's. You need to know how to get back to our group."

For the next hour he gave her everything she needed. By the time they'd finished, the bottle was empty and it was close to two in the morning.

Karen stood, and then stretched. "I'll use the bathroom first if you don't mind?"

Garry nodded and began packing the bags. When she came out she sat on the side of the bed combing her hair.

"I was wondering about the sleeping arrangements," he said, hesitating at the bathroom door.

She looked across at him for a minute. "Garry, let's get a few things clear, shall we? You can sleep with me, on the settee, the floor, wherever you think best, I don't care. You see, I'm no longer embarrassed about being practically naked around men; that was knocked out of me in no uncertain terms. Not that it means I like it, I don't, but I'm realistic enough to realise we both need a good night's sleep and the bed's the obvious choice. All I ask is that you don't look on it as an opportunity for sex. Contrary to what you might think, I'm a one guy girl."

With that she removed her jumper, slipped her jeans off, and then climbed into bed. Garry turned and went into the bathroom. He liked this girl in some ways but was unable to forget it was her actions that had caused the death of his friend. To his way of thinking, she wasn't to be trusted and he intended to keep his distance. Returning to the room, he climbed into bed alongside her. The perfume she was wearing, while you couldn't help but notice it in the car, was overwhelming now.

"You stink," he said.

Karen turned over and looked at him in the dim light. "In what way?"

"That perfume you're always wearing, it's very strong."

She sighed. "Oh that, it's not really perfume, more a body oil. I'm covered in the bloody stuff. Saeed's mother rubbed it in everyday and the oiling to my body even continued at Sirec's house. Saeed told me they used it to soften my skin and give it a sheen. Whether it does or not, I don't know, what I do know is, it always made me feel sleepy. Does it really smell that bad? I'll go and have another shower to see if it will wash more off, if you want?"

Garry dismissed her offer. "No it's alright, I'll get used to it. It's just that I've never been this close to you before and didn't realise, that's all," he replied.

Their eyes met for a moment before she looked away. "Okay, if you're sure? Anyway, I'm going to sleep, goodnight." With that she turned away and lay there wide awake. She listened as his breathing changed and knew at least he'd have some sleep. How long she lay awake she wasn't sure, but the pain, probably caused by a bad period which had been nagging at her all day, was becoming worse. Eventually Karen couldn't stand it any longer and slipped out of bed, quickly making her way to the bathroom. She walked around a little then sat on the closed toilet seat. The movement was making the pain ease and she began to feel a little better. Then, just as she was going to return to the bedroom, the door into the cabin burst open. Through the gap she could see two armed men. Her first instinct was to scream, but she didn't. Coolly, she went to the toilet and pulled the gun out and pushed it into the back of her knickers, pulling the t-shirt over to hide it. She could hear them shouting at Garry to get up, so she decided to go into the room. Opening the door, they both spun round to look at her. Karen was rubbing her eyes as if she was sleepy.

"Who are you, what do you want?" she asked.

"Don't move," one shouted at her. Then he looked down again at Garry. "You, get up, you're both coming with us."

Karen cut in quickly. "Do you mind if I get my jeans on at least, I'm freezing?" she asked.

The man glanced round, saw her jeans and jumper on the floor and picked them up. After checking the pockets carefully, he threw them across at her. "Be quick about it."

Karen did as he asked and transferred the gun into her front pocket, covering the bulge with her jumper. She was confident they wouldn't search her again; after all, she'd come out of the bathroom wearing only knickers and a t-shirt.

Outside they were both hustled into the back of a Land Rover and one of the men positioned himself opposite. Across his lap he'd a machine-gun. The other man made his way to the main bar and disappeared inside.

Karen slipped her hand into Garry's and moved it onto her leg until he could feel the gun. She glanced across at the man, he was watching the bar so she moved slightly, allowing Garry to slip the gun from her pocket.

Suddenly, Garry shouted at the man, startling him. This gave him precious seconds of confusion while the man tried to grasp why he'd shouted. In these seconds, Garry raised the handgun and shot him between the eyes. He died instantly, then Garry moved fast. Grabbing the man's machine-gun, he jumped from the Land Rover and ran towards the bar, throwing himself to the ground as the other man came out, carrying two cans of beer. This was his downfall, unable to get to his gun, Garry had him in a clear line of sight. This man was dead before he hit the ground. Garry ran to the front of the Land Rover.

"Get the bags, I'll start this thing," he ordered. She did as he asked and soon the Land Rover was roaring down the road away from the carnage.

"So why were you in the bathroom?" he asked.

"I had a pain, I was going to have a hot shower but it eased and I was just coming back to bed," she replied.

"I'm glad you didn't have the shower, besides it took some guts to bring that gun out, Karen," he shouted above the noise of the engine.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "That wasn't guts, Garry, that was self-preservation."

He grinned. "All the same, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of your self-preservation stints."

She laughed and leaned back on the hard seat. With less than thirty miles to go, they were home and dry.

As they'd left the bar, the owner had watched the fight and now he was busy dialling. The person on the other side of the phone listened carefully then slammed the phone down. Moments later three Land Rovers were heading down towards the road Garry and Karen were travelling on. The occupants knew they could intercept these two killers within a few miles. This time they wouldn't get away.

Twenty minutes had elapsed and Karen was looking back behind them when she saw the approaching vehicles. "I think we've got company, Garry. It looks like this vehicle, only painted brown and green," she shouted.

He glanced in the rear view mirror. She was right and they were approaching fast. "I don't suppose you can drive with all your talents can you?" he shouted.

"No, sorry," she shouted back.

"Then you'll have to climb into the back, keep below the rear tailgate, and try to hit them with my gun," he shouted.

She did as he asked, climbing among boxes, pushing them to the front to give herself somewhere to hide. One box burst open and a number of round steel balls fell out. "What are these?" she shouted.

"Pass one over," he called back.

She leaned forward and handed him one. Garry's eyes lit up. "They're grenades. Pull the pin out from the top, count to five and throw. They explode."

Karen sighed to herself. She'd seen movies, she wasn't daft. All she wanted to know was what they were; she'd have looked very stupid throwing out something she thought was a grenade when in reality it was a large bullet for a gun or something. Now settled behind the tailgate, she peeped over. The Land Rovers were very close and she switched the safety off the machine-gun, setting it for maximum output of bullets. Lifting the gun over the back, she closed her eyes and pulled the trigger. Seconds later she stopped and peered out. One vehicle was missing but the two that were left, were closer than ever. At that moment one started to fire at them. She could hear the bullets hitting the tailgate, others were flying over the top of her. Karen had never been so frightened. She pulled out two of the grenades and was just going to remove the pin when the Land Rover veered to the left, then the right, throwing her about in the back.

"For God's sake, I nearly dropped the bloody grenades then. Can't you be more careful?" she shouted.

Garry didn't reply, so she grasped the two grenades and pulled the pins. Counting slowly she suddenly panicked, how fast is a second? Was she too slow? With no real answer she threw them over the back and waited for an explosion, but nothing happened. Not dissuaded, she grabbed two more. Again guns were firing, bullets hitting the vehicle with ever increasing regularity. This time she didn't panic; she counted slowly and carefully to five, then threw them out of the back.

The front driver of the approaching vehicle saw the two grenades fly out from behind the tailgate, so he screamed at the gunner to concentrate fire in that direction. However, although he tried to avoid them, they passed under his vehicle, one exploding directly under, the other seconds later, forcing the driver behind to swerve. Both vehicles left the road, smashing into stones at the side before being propelled across to the other side, spinning over in mid-air and skidding upside down along the road before coming to a halt. Karen peeped over, her eyes lighting up.

"Stop! Stop! We've got them all," she shouted.

Their vehicle came to a halt and Karen climbed out of the back, pulling open Garry's door. Then she stared dumfounded. He was covered in blood, only managing to turn his head towards her, the pain he was suffering all too apparent in his face. "Sorry, Karen, you did well, love, but it's not finished yet. You'll have to go and check they are all dead, if not you'll have to kill them."

Her eyes widened in horror. "I can't kill in cold blood, you'll have to do that," she demanded.

He reached his hand out and touched her arm. "I can't, Karen, it hurts pretty badly. Please go and see if anyone's alive, we could still be in great danger."

She said nothing, just grabbed the machine-gun and walked back up the road. The sight of mangled people, some partially dismembered, made her retch. Not daring to get too close, she fired the gun at each and every one of them, indifferent as to whether they were alive or dead. Then she returned to Garry.

"Don't ever ask me to do that again, it made me sick!"

He opened his eyes. "Are you sure they are all dead?" he asked.

"They're dead as far as I'm concerned. I'm not going back to check, if that's what you mean," she retorted.

Garry smiled at her words. He was asking a lot but what he was about to say now would really shake her. "You'll have to go on alone; I can't come with you, Karen."

She stared in disbelief at him. "You've got to come! I can't go on alone."

He offered his hand. "You must. The Commander's only four or five miles away. You can make it, believe me."

She stood, not wanting to move. "But if I help, we'll get there somehow. I know I can't drive but it's not too far to walk," she persisted.

Garry was beginning to panic; the longer she hung around, the more likely it was someone would come down the road. "For God's sake, Karen, just go, will you? If you're caught, do you know what they'll do to you? Me, I'll either die or they'll put me in hospital. I've a feeling if they find you here, I'm dead, but if you're missing they'll at least want to question me and I'll have a chance to survive."

She stood for a moment, then made her decision, walking to the back of the vehicle. Pulling out a belt of ammunition she put it over one shoulder and diagonally across her chest. Finding a belt with a holster for a handgun, she fastened it around her waist. Taking what was left of the grenades, she clipped them to the belt. Then she swung a machine-gun over one shoulder and a rifle over the other. Moving to the passenger side of the vehicle, she took the bag containing her clothes and money, picked up the handgun lying on the seat before slipping it quickly into the holster on her belt, then walked back round to Garry. "Due north, you said, for half a mile, then north east for four and I'm to use the radio to contact the Commander," Karen said.