Part Six
The car splashed to a halt and gurgled slowly into a three-quarters submerged position, the front sinking lower and inching slowly down to the mud bottom. James kicked open the car door with his free leg and he and Sally struggled awkwardly into the chilling water that reached up to their chests.
“Stay calm and move slowly,” James gasped, as he almost lost his footing in the thick mud of the loch bed.
“Freddie, vanish. Get yourself clear,” he called into the night. There was no answer. “Freddie?”
Silence.
“Did he get clear? Did you see him leave the car?” Sally asked urgently. “No. But we can't go back," James answered.
“We must: We can't just leave him in there,” Sally protested.
“And what use would we be if we did go back? One slip and we both drown. Now move slowly, carefully."
They inched and slithered their way towards safety through the numbing water until they stood knee deep and within reaching distance of the grassy bank, where they stopped to rest.
Sally looked back and could dimly make out the shape of the car roof just visible above the water. She felt a sickness of sadness and frustration to think that Freddie might still be trapped and there was nothing she could do to help. Hot tears of anger hurt her eyes and she brushed away James' arm as he tried to comfort her.
“I know how you feel. But there was nothing we could have done, not shackled like this.” James said softly.
“We could have tried,” she said savagely. “We didn't even attempt to help him.”
James pushed her head down suddenly and they both tumbled awkwardly to their knees as a car raced furiously past, closely followed by two more, the headlights cutting brightly through the darkness.
They clutched at the grasses on the loch bank and pulled themselves up onto dry land. “They will be back," James said shivering violently. “We had better put as much distance as possible between ourselves and this place.”
Sally was reluctant to leave. She knew it was useless staying, she was powerless to help Freddie, but it seemed less of a desertion just to stay and be near. James yanked the handcuffs angrily. “Move," he snapped, we're no use to anyone, including ourselves, if we hang around here.” Sadly she turned and hobbled away from the sunken car.
Jenkins was in the leading car of the three. He grew increasingly uneasy as the miles dropped behind the speeding car and still there was no sign of his quarry. Finally he ordered his driver to stop. The other two cars pulled up behind moments later.
“They must have turned off the road.” Jenkins shouted. “There are no other routes they could have taken, so they must be holed up somewhere. We will find them on foot. Out of the cars.”
Twelve guards scrambled from the cars and the beams from their flashlights cut and probed through the night. It was thirty-five minutes later when there was a shout of discovery from the lochside and a man held the almost submerged red roof in the beam of his torch.
“Search it,” Jenkins ordered. A man splashed forward to the car. He returned several minutes later and shook his head.
“It's empty. They‘ve gone.” he reported.
“Pity,” Jenkins murmured thoughtfully. “Still, it can be of use later. And they can't have gone far, not if they still have the 'cuffs on. I want them found before daylight. Before this car is discovered.” And the beams of the lights resumed the searching and probing through the countryside.
They were lying in a small dip in the heatherland, resting. They had stumbled across the rough terrain for two hours, falling frequently over obstacles unseen in the darkness. They were cut and bruised, their clothing torn, and their energy spent.
Another violent bout of coughing wracked through James' Body. He struggled to a sitting position. He was hot and burning, yet he shivered uncontrollably. He shook his head to clear his confused thoughts.
“We must go on. Go on,” he muttered hoarsely. Sally raised herself wearily and pushed herself to her feet. She stood waiting for James to rise. He tried; but he couldn’t, falling back and pulling her down again. She touched his forehead and it was burning.
“I'm sorry,“”he muttered thickly. “I'm so sorry.” She gathered his shivering frame in her arms and tried give him warmth as she murmured consolingly to comfort him. She had no warmth to give and her strength was gone, but he was comforted
And he slept. And she slept also. The sound of coughing came faintly through the night. Jenkins stopped to listen intently. The coughing sounded again and Jenkins noted the direction from which it came.
“Well, well. Someone has caught a nasty cold tonight.” H shook his head sorrowfully. “These people will go swimming, despite the weather.” The men nearest him grinned wolfishly and followed him as he made his way toward the sound. They found their quarry huddled together, sleeping.
“How touching: And I thought 'Babes in the wood' was only a fairy tale. But no, here they are. Slightly older, perhaps, but just as helpless," Jenkins sneered. He prodded James with his foot.
“Come on, Harland, rise and shine.”
Sally stirred and blinked up into the torchlight.
“Hello again, Miss Ormonde. I was just rousing your companion,” Jenkins said pleasantly, and his foot crashed into Jones' ribs, causing him to groan in pain as he tried to rise.
“Stop it!” Sally screamed at him. “Can't you see that he is ill?” She was on her feet and she tried to strike Jenkins. He caught her arm and held her easily.
“Ill? Oh dear me.” Jenkins feigned concern. “Then he is very fortunate that I happened along. I have a cure for his illness, for all his ills. Yes, I can say with confidence that after tonight he will never suffer from another illness. And neither will you, my dear. Aren't you the lucky people?”
He pushed her and she fell heavily to the ground.
“Come on,