He came out with a tool box. Then set it down by Jon, along with the torch, and walked backwards to where I was standing by the tree.
Jon worked feverishly under the Land Rover
"I need some Sellotape please" he shouted
"There is a roll of Duct Tape, in the bottom of the Tool Box" Lachie shouted back at him.
"I want my Father out of here, first thing tomorrow” I said to Lachie
"I hear you mate. We will either drive him up to Scrabster or go over on the ferry to Shetland. Or we go up to Wick and fly him to Sumburgh, Shetland. There he can catch an Island hopper to Fetlar. Then my father can meet him."
"OK mate. Lachie what are we going to do with Jon? We can’t just let him go, and that means we also, can’t take him to Hospital either"
"I know a place, Andy, where we can take him, it’s an old cottage. I don't think it’s been used for years since the old fella that lived there died. His family all live in the South now. So it should be empty. There is a dirt track road that goes down the side of Loch an Ruathair. It’s a few miles into the hills, up beside Loch Culadh. Where it sits nestled between Ben Griam Beg and Ben Griam Mor. It’s just about as remote a man can get on the mainland of Scotland."
"All right Lachie. First let’s see if Jon is going to get himself covered in red paint"
Jon got to his feet. "This one is defused" he shouted over
"Get in the Land Rover" Lachie yelled back at him
"What?"
I said, “FUCKING GET IN THE FUCKING LAND ROVER!"
I changed my position to keep my view of him, but keeping the tree between Jon and myself, as he got into the Land Rover. I took the Sig Sauer, that I had confiscated from Jon, out of my waist Band and passed it over to Lachie, He took it, then popped the magazine out, checked it, and popped it back in. He raised the pistol then he fired a single shot towards Jon. A small clod of earth at Jon's foot, jumped up into the air.
"He said. GET IN THE FUCKING LAND ROVER NOW, or I swear to God the next round goes into your miserable fucking head"
Jon opened the door and sat behind the steering wheel of the Land Rover. Lachie wandered over, to stand beside his car then passed a set of keys to Jon. All of the time, Lachie was keeping a good bead on him with the pistol.
"I am going to walk about twenty yards down in front of you, if you even move I WILL KILL YOU. You know from the shooting range that at this rage I can put five rounds into your eye. So when I am twenty yards away you are going to give you a signal and then you are then going to start the Land Rover and drive forward SLOWLY for ten feet. IF, you make ANY sudden moves, like trying to duck down, and mashing your good foot down on the accelerator pedal. I WILL SHOOT YOU. That is a promise the ONLY way that you get to live tonight, is by doing EVERYTHING you are told to do, and EXACTLY as you are told. DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?"
"Yes I understand" Jon said in a shaky voice
Lachie backed up slowly, all the time keeping the gun raised and Jon's head in his sights. Lachie waved his hand at Jon and then made a key turning motion, with his free hand.
"Start it up"
Jon started the Land Rover and slowly drove forward. Then stopped and switched off the ignition.
"Drop the Keys out of the door Jon"
Again, Jon did as he was told. Lachie jogged up to him, picked up the keys and opened the door and dragged Jon out by the scruff of his neck, and threw him on the ground. I went over to where they were.
"And the other bombs are they safe now?"
"No, not quite" Jon replied
“They have to be deactivated by having the receive switch, set to off."
"So what are you waiting for Jon? Do it and like I said previously, don't think about running as you will get about five yards, before the dogs catch up with you, and you THEY WILL CATCH YOU AND THEN THEY WILL RIP YOU APART!"
"Don't worry I know"
He seemed reconciled to the concept that he knew, there was no getting away from us. In a Town or a City, it is easy to run fifty yards and get lost in a crowd or in and out of back alley ways. It is an entirely different story though, out in the wild Scottish countryside. Especially where there are only a few roads. From our location, there was a choice of just two roads. Over the next few minutes, Jon switched off the other three devices and brought them around to the front of the house. So we now had four IED's along with Jon, as our prisoner. I called the dogs and my father over. Then along with Jon, we went back into Lachie's home. I would have to tell my father, some of what had happened over the past week or so. He did not need to know all of the details, but I would give him some of the more basic elements of it. I would drive him to Wick and then get him on a plane to the Island Fetlar. In Lachie's Kitchen, I put the small IED's on the counter next to the sink. That way my father could see them. Because I needed him to believe the danger, he would be in, if he remained here with us.
"Sit" Lachie commanded Jon.
Raven sat down as well, thinking the command was intended for him. Jon sat where he was told too.
"Watch him while I go get my tool box" Lachie passed the Sig Sauer back to me "Andy. Watch Him CLOSELY."
With that, Lachie went out the door, and returned a few moments later. I passed the pistol back to him.
"What in the name of all that is holy, is going on with you two? And when did you think it was acceptable to use language like you have been using?" my father asked
"It’s a protracted and convoluted story dad"
"Well let’s see, if you can’t make it abbreviated and uncomplicated for your old man then?"
I told him the rudiments, but left out the part that Jon, was supposed to be member of our team. Jon started to speak and Lachie slapped him hard across the face.
"You gave up the right to speak, until you are spoken too, when you blew up Andy's home and tried to do the same to mine. So shut the fuck up" Lachie smacked him again "Got it?"
Jon nodded. My father went over to Jon and backhanded Jon across his face
“That’s for destroying my home. You little bastard”
Then he slapped Jon’s other cheek
“And this is for killing my poor Gerty, you little fucker.”
I had never heard my father use such language ever.
Lachie then took the roll of duct tape and wound it around Jon's mouth and head twice, then used it to secure his hands behind his back. After which he then taped his legs together and then to the chair. Jon's leg was still bleeding, but he was not going to die from blood loss. Kyla must have missed the femoral artery.
"Dad I am going to drive you up to Wick, and get you on a plane to Fetlar. Then you will go and stop with Lachie's Dad. You will be safe there."
"How are you going to contact Mr Henderson, without anyone knowing? Andy. They whoever they might be, in all probability, have all of your telephones tapped." My father asked
This was one of the things about my Father. He was old but his thinking cap was still firmly in place. He was right and I had not thought of it. If I called Lachie's dad using a phone. I would just be placing both of our parents in unnecessary danger. We took turns in watching Jon, while my father slept. I had to keep reminding myself. That whilst I had lost my home. My father had lost every part of his life, along with every tactile memory that he had of my mother and his wife. All he had now were his memories. Given that, I thought he was holding up pretty well to the savage events of the last day. Somehow, I had to take my Father to Wick, and then get him on a plane to the relative safety of a remote Shetland Isle. I also had to go and give my statement to the police in Brora. I don’t think they would be too amused about the mini war that was being waged on their turf. The rest of the night passed without incident. In the morning Lachie shook me awake. He had taken the last shift watching over Jon. The aroma of fresh ground coffee filled the kitchen.
“Sorry Andy, I only have black coffee and nothing else”
“Coffee’s fine thanks Lachie. We can get some supplies later, when I go up to Wick.”
I sipped the hot black liquid, ordinarily I had it with sugar, but the pure caffeine, would keep me going for a bit.
“I have given some thought about how to get in touch with your Dad Lachie. Does your Father still use his ship to shore radio?”
“Yes. He uses it to listen in to his friends, when they go out to fish.”
“Can you remember which frequency he uses, and what is his call sign?”
“He uses Standard Marine VHF, Channel sixteen, and I think his call sign is Sierra Lima Foxtrot Zero One.” Lachie replied. Then he wrote it down on a scrap of paper for me.
“In that case Lachie I will endeavour and persuade a friend of mine in Keiss to allow me use his radio. I can ask your father, if my dad can stay with him for the duration of this shit storm. As long as you don't mind looking after this shithead, until I get back. This will be approximately five or six tonight. I will get us some groceries as well.”
Lachie emptied his pockets onto the kitchen table, and took out the money he had put there, at CDE Proton Down.
“There’s about four and a half thousand here, in addition to what you have. You should be able to get a good load of food in. Get some clothing as well. If you go to Lidl’s in Wick, and buy dry and canned goods. I doubt if there is a freezer where we are going, let alone, electricity.”
I woke my Father
“Dad, we have to get going in about ten minutes. I am going to try and arrange for you to stop at the Henderson’s house on the Isle of Fetlar. I am going to give you sufficient funds, to get there. I will also try to get Mr Henderson, to meet you on the beach at Fetlar. That is where they land the Island Hopper. I know this is all confusing for you, and you have been to hell and back in the last twenty-four hours. I really wish I could tell you everything, but I just can’t. You are just going to have to trust me. You will be better off not knowing. Dad I need you to keep most of this quiet. Don’t tell Mr Henderson about any of this. Please. Just tell him that I have bought our home and am going to do a lot of re-modelling to it. OK?”
“No it’s NOT BLOODY OK! You should know better than to say something like that to me or to ask me to lie for you. Stop treating me like a blithering idiot. I am not a senile old fool. But I will go along with it. What kind of danger are you in? And what have you done son?”
“I will not lie about the danger we are all in if we stay here. But I can tell you honestly. We have done nothing to deserve it.”
We finished our coffee and I refuelled the Land Rover at McLeod's Garage, I paid in cash. Then headed on up to Wick, via Helmsdale I would have to pick up some Twelve-bore cartridges. I had my Firearms License in my wallet. Lachie owned three shotguns, which were in his house and he probably had two or three boxes of cartridges. He also had his. Triple two rifle, and no doubt several boxes of bullets for the too. But the way things were transpiring I would feel safer in the knowledge, that we had an adequate supply of both firearms and ammunition for them. The hardware shop in Helmsdale, would sell shotgun cartridges to me as well as shells for Lachie's rifle. My Mannlicher was somewhere under the rubble, of the ruin of my house and being guarded by a policeman. Which made getting access to it was out of the question.
“Would you not be quicker going to Halkirk via Forsinard Son?”
“We would Dad, but I have to get some provisions from Helmsdale first.”
The silence between us was unbearable so I turned on the radio and tuned it to Moray Firth Radio. When the News came on the newscaster stated that there had been a gas explosion, at a farm house in Kinbrace. And the building, had been destroyed, but without injury to any person. We listened to the music and still my father said nothing. I pulled the Land Rover over, at Bal-An-Or. This had been the site of the Kildonnan Gold Rush of 1869. You could still Pan for gold here if you had the patience, that is. My mother when she had been alive, had managed to pan sufficient gold over the years, to have a large pendant made for her by a local Jeweller.
“I know you are angry at me Dad, and I am sorry, but I genuinely do not know most of what is going on. All I do know, is it is not safe for you to stay here. You know, after we lost mum to cancer, you have been my world. As such, I will do everything in my power, to protect you. Some things that I do know, for your own safety I cannot tell you. I am going to tell you some of it, OK?”
“Son, I would prefer you told me all of it, but at this point in time, I guess I will have to settle for what you can tell me. Tell me this. You are not out of the Military? Are you?”
“That's a difficult question Dad”
“NO IT IS NOT SON! It is an uncomplicated YES or NO. You are right. I have lost everything that is, except the one thing I have left that matters. That is YOU!”
“Dad I am no longer in the RAF, that is TRUE, and it is the same for Lachie. The trouble is, I don’t know which subdivision of the military that I am in, and I DON’T altogether know, what is going on. So there you have it. I just know Lachie and I are still serving Britain. Can you accept that please?”
“So, what can you tell me of what is going on?”
“Dad I don't really know. Just that it is happening in our neck of the woods. This is in all probability why they chose Lachie and me.”
“So what do you and Lachie, plan to do?”
“Protect the people I love, Dad.”
“OK Son. Promise me you will be careful and make it right.”
“I promise Dad”
I slipped the Land Rover into gear, and then headed on down to Helmsdale. I turned Left on to the Main Street and Pulled up at the Hardware Store.
“I will be back in a minute” I said to my Father.
The shop was empty when I entered, and the doorbell announced my arrival. A moment later, John McCormack appeared behind the counter.
“Home on leave Andy?”
“Yes John, but no doubt, you heard there was a gas explosion at my house yesterday”
There did not seem any point in concealing this fact, as I was sure everybody in the Strath and in Helmsdale. Already knew about it and in all probability, even before the media had announced it.
“Aye I heard about that. Is everybody OK?”
“Yes John we are all fine. How’s your family”
“They are for the most part, away these days. Elli is at University in Aberdeen. My wife, she has a job at the Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie. Stuart still works on the boat in Keiss. Like you my eldest boy is now in the military. He is a Private in Royal’s”
This was a referral to the Royal Scottish Regiment. It was common practice for folks around here, to tell their whole life story, before actually doing anything. It was a way of life I grew up with and enjoyed coming back to.
“Now what can I do for you today Andy”
“I am staying at Lachie's in Kinbrace and we wanted to spend some time on the hill shooting but all my shells along with my guns were destroyed in the explosion. So I am using Lachie's guns, except we don't have enough shells or bullets. So I need five Boxes of twelve-gauge number three’s and five boxes of number two’s. Also need two hundred and fifty, triple two’s, forty grain. Here are my certificates.”
I passed them over the counter. So that John could fill in his Firearms Ledger.
“Thanks John, Tell the family I am asking after them, in fact I am going up to wick and might as well take a trip over to Keiss. Do you know if they are in or out at sea, at the moment?”
“Stuart called this morning, so I guess they must be in at the moment. If you see him, tell him to get his arse into gear and come and see his father”
“I will do John.” We shook hands “See you soon Bye.”
I left and put the boxes of bullets and shells into the back of the Land Rover. I jumped in and started it up
“OK Let’s Go”
ACT 16
I drove down the Road and turned left and back up onto the A9, then headed up towards Wick. I dropped my father at the Airport. Gave him two thousand pounds of what was left of the money that Lachie and I still had. This was from what we had originally put in our wallets.
“I want you to buy a Ticket at the Logan air desk. Use the Island Hopper. It will visit all the outer Islands in the Shetlands and then take you to Fetlar. Don’t forget, you will also have to check the Tide Timetables. Remember, they land on the beach there. I am going to get Mr Henderson to meet you there. I will be back here, before you go I promise. Dad I love you and Thanks.”
We shook hands then hugged and I drove up to Keiss. When I got there I drove down the steep hill to the Harbour. I pulled up next to the Harbour Wall and got out. The boat Stuart worked on was the Wick registered WK3208 ‘Catherine May’. It was tied up in the harbour, opposite the old Harbour Masters House. The Catherine May with its light blue and white wooden hull reflected in the still waters of the harbour. Stuart was on the deck, working on some Lobster creels. He looked up and saw me.
“Well Well, look what the tide threw up on the shore”
“Hello to you as well” I laughed.
“So Andy what brings you to Keiss?”
“In reality, you do mate”
Stuart wiped his hands and clambered off the boat and onto the quay then shook my hand.
“How you doing, long time no see. How is it I can help you?”
“I am doing good mate, but my dad is going to visit Lachie’s dad. But the telephones are down on Fetlar today” I despised lying to my friends and it really worried me, that the more I lied the easier it became. I continued.
“I wanted to see, if I could use your VHF Radio, as Lachie's dad always listens in on channel 16.”
“I can’t see a problem Andy. But I will have to ask the skipper first. Come aboard.”
I followed Stuart back down onto the boat.
“Hey Skip! I have a friend here. He wants to contact a mate on Fetlar. Can he use the radio?”
A big sturdy sort of man came out of the engine room through the deck hatch. His hair was curly and unkempt. It was salt and pepper grey, his face was weather beaten and looked chapped and crazed. He wore a full beard which was yellowed around the edges of his mouth, a hand rolled cigarette dangled loosely from his lips.
“Hi I am Andy McPhee” I put my hand out, “We went to school together, that is, Stuart and I did.”
His hand was big and like the man himself weather beaten by years of hard work at sea. He had not bothered to wipe off the engine grease from his hand, but I shook it none the less. His hand shake was steadfast and honest. His eyes were grey but full of experience.
“Who you want to call?” he asked
“Mark Henderson, on Fetlar”
“I know him he sits on the ship to shore and passes on communications, when we are out of range from home. He has a boy in the Army I think?”
“Yes sir that's him. Only his boy in the RAF Regiment” I replied
“I know that I was just checking that you did too, before you fucked with me. Sure you can use the radio. Stu will show you how to use it, if you don't already know.”
“Thank you. Sir”
“Stop calling me sir I am not your daddy, at least I don't think I am, and I am not some Toff from the South. Name’s Sandy, Sandy McKay.”
I thought I knew his face from somewhere, but just could not place it. He seemed to be a nice, gentle, honest and friendly sort of person.
“OK Sandy. Thanks, I really appreciate it”
I followed Stuart, to the small cabin that was the wheelhouse on this boat. He reached up and turned it on, and picked up the microphone. Which he passed to me
“Our call sign is Whisky Kilo Three Two Zero Eight. Do you know Mr Henderson’s call sign?”
“Yes I do, thanks Stu.”
He left me in the wheelhouse alone. I took out the scrap of paper with Mr Henderson’s call sign on and unfolded it.
“This is Whisky Kilo Three Two Zero Eight, Calling Sierra Lima Foxtrot Zero One. I repeat this is Whisky Kilo Three Two Zero Eight, Calling Sierra Lima Foxtrot Zero One. Come in Please.”
There was static which was followed by
“This is Sierra Lima Foxtrot Zero One, Go ahead Whisky Kilo Three Two Zero Eight. Over”
“Hello Mr Henderson. This is Andy McPhee. Over”
“Hello Andy. How can I help you? Over”
Time for part lies again
“I am doing some work on our house, and I need a place for Dad to stay for a couple of weeks. So I was hoping you would not mind a house guest, on that little bird Island of yours. Over”
“Would that be the work that involved your home, being blown sky high? Over”
News, it would appear. Travels much faster here, then I had remembered.
“Yes that would be the one. Over”
“Andy, your dad is welcome here any day. You are all family; you know that? Over”
“Thank you Mr Henderson. Dad will be on the beach when the Island hopper from Logan Air lands there today. Over”
“OK. Thank you. I will check the tides and meet him. Is Lachie with you? Over”
“Sorry no, he is at his house in Kinbrace, Over”
“OK. Pass my love on to him. Over”
“Thank you. Whisky Kilo Three Two Zero Eight. Over and Out”
“Sierra Lima Foxtrot zero one. Over and Out”
I hung the microphone back up on its clip, and left the wheelhouse.
“Thanks Sandy. Good luck with the Lobsters and whatever else you go out for, Be safe.”
I shook Sandy’s hand and also said goodbye to Stuart and told him to check in with his dad. Then I climbed off the boat and got back in the Land Rover and drove back to Wick Airport. I met up with my father in the Airport Terminal.
“Did you get your ticket sorted Dad?”
“Yes thanks Son. I fly to Sumburgh and then I catch a smaller, Logan Air plane to Fetlar.”
“What time do you leave?”
“In about an hour”
“OK Dad. I have called Mr Henderson, on the ship to shore radio. He is expecting you. He will meet you on the beach when your plane lands. I will be in touch using the radio. I will try and get a letter to you soon as well.”
“You know I don't like any of this, Son”
“I know dad and neither do I. But it’s just the way it is. I will try and get some more money to you soon. Not that there is much to spend it on, in Fetlar. We have to stay off the grid for now dad that means all of us. So if you still have your mobile phone, don't use it, and don't answer it as I will not contact you that way. In fact, take out your sim card and destroy the phone. Do you understand what I am saying dad?”
“I’m not stupid son. I might be old, but I know what staying off the grid means. You go. I will be fine. Andy, look after Lachie and the dogs”
We hugged and I left. I got back into the Land Rover and drove the short distance to Lidl’s. I bought cases of Baked Beans, Tinned Potatoes, packets of Bacon along with various tinned meats, a Tray of eggs, Flour, dried milk, Ground Coffee, packets of Dry Soup as well as tinned soup, some herbs and spices. I made sure I had plenty of bottled water and four bottles of Jameson’s. They did not have Laphroaig, but I guessed that Lachie could take some of his own. In all I had to go around the shop three times to get all the goods I thought we might require. I bought a load of batteries and a couple of small but very bright LED torches. I think the woman thought I must have had a shop of my own, because on my last time at the checkout she asked me, if I was going to resell this elsewhere. So I told her a half truth.
“I don't get into town much, as we live right out in the sticks”
“Where do you live?” she was just being friendly but I did not want to answer
“Just a wee croft out by Grummore” I lied again almost naturally. Grummore did exist and it was remote, so she swallowed the lie. I paid in cash. And I headed back to Lachie in Kinbrace. I pulled up in his driveway and went in. Jon was still in the chair. And his face looked a bit the worse for wear, than it had done when I left.
“He been giving you trouble?”
“No Andy. I have just been softening him up a bit. We need to get gone from here Andy. The police have been around looking for you. That Sergeant from Golspie was here. He is not satisfied with our version of yesterday’s events.”
“Can we talk outside Lachie?”
“Sure, he’s not going anywhere.”
We went outside
“I got my father sorted, and he is on route to your dad’s. Your dad asked after you and told me to watch out for you. So did Stu. He still works on that fishing boat out of Keiss.”
“Thanks Andy. We need to get all the supplies, transferred to the trailer. After that we get Jon and the dogs. Then get the hell out of here, before the police come back, or worse Jon’s buddies”
“OK. I will load up you keep an eye on that shit. It will take me about half an hour.”
I went over and hooked up the trailer. Then transferred all the provisions, I had bought along with stuff that Lachie had boxed up from his home. After I was done, I tied a tarpaulin over the top and went back into the house.
“We need to take all the guns, your shotguns and the triple two, along with any ammunition you have. Did he have any extra clips for the Sig Sauer?”
“Just, what we found on him last night. He is bound to have a car, around here somewhere. Any chance that Raven could find it?”
“I can but Try” I cut off a portion of Jon’s trouser leg and went outside with Raven. After rubbing it around the dog’s nose for a bit, I said.
“Find it Raven Find It!!
Raven took off at the run. He then ran around the house, and then up to the tree line, where I had first seen Jon. Raven crossed over to the left and then back to the right. I followed and went around to the opposite side of the woods, where I found A Metallic Green Range Rover. The car was unlocked. The reason I had not noticed it before, was I had assumed that it was back down for Gordon to fix and so I had wiped it out from my mind. I opened the door and looked around inside. In the pocket of the arm rest, I found a pair of spare clips for the Sig, along with three boxes of nine millimetre hollow points. The back seat was empty but in the boot there was a Black backpack similar to the now empty one that Jon had on him when we caught him. I unzipped the top and there were two large hunting knives. But the thing of most interest was the Uzi Machine Pistol, along with a twelve-inch suppressor. And four extended Magazines and another four boxes of nine millimetre shells. There was an OS Map of Kinbrace and the surrounding area, plus a Satellite Navigation Unit. In one of the outside pockets was approximately five thousand pounds in used twenty pound notes. I zipped up the bag and put it over my shoulder and went back to Lachie. I put the bag on the table in front of Jon.
“Raven found his car. It’s a Green Range Rover and it’s parked around the other side of the woods. I also found a stash of ammo and guns, along with a couple of knives, cash and a sat-nav. In there, is also an Ordinance Survey Map of this area, with both of our homes marked on it. I could not find a phone. But the keys are in the ignition. Do you want me to go and bring the car here?”
“Thinking about what’s happened so far. I would bet that there is a locator device in it. So taking that, would only lead them, whoever they are, right to us. So we should leave it where it is. That said I think we should disable it before we go.”
“OK Lachie. I will be back in a few minutes”
I unzipped the bag and took out one of the large knifes and ran back to the Range Rover. I opened the bonnet and cut as many hoses as I could find, then ripped out as many of the wires as I could reach. Then I stabbed the radiator several times, along with all four tires. After which I ran back to Lachie.
“OK Lachie, it’s all done. That car is going nowhere in a hurry. It will take Gordon, a week to get the parts to fix it. If what you say is right, they will know he is here. So we have to get gone now.”
Lachie cut the tape binding Jon’s legs. We grabbed an arm each and bundled him into the back of the Land Rover. Then I put the dogs in the back with him and climbed in the front with L