ACV's 1 Operation Black Gold (35 page)

CHAPTER 36

I got up in a bad mood and it didn’t get any better.  We were still having problems getting freeze-dried blood.  Freeze dried blood is normally stored for war stocks and there wasn’t a war on, hence our problems with the powers that be.  They wouldn’t let us have a machine to reconstitute it either.  You added a litre of plasma to the blood, placed it in the machine and agitated it until it was whole again.  It was seemingly a time consuming process which made it extremely unpopular with everyone but the army, who realised they could store it for 20 - 30 years and have every conceivable blood type at hand.  Davie was hoping our own exertions would mix it for us.  He had managed to get hold of a small testing kit, but we still did not have the blood.  Our exercise with the SAS started at half twelve and it was quarter to now, time was running out. 

A paper was slapped in front of me.  ‘Who’s the fucking dude then?’  Buff asked with a wicked gleam in his eye.  There it was, Society Magazine, Samantha and myself.’  Who is the mystery man it screamed at me?’  I’ll admit now it was a cracking photo, but at the time, it just enraged me further.  ‘I think I’ll send it home to Marie for the album.’

‘Where did you get this?’

‘I fell out of her bag, through the hoose.’

I made the mistake of reading it.  Will this be the man to pluck the petals from society’s rose, will he steal the cookie jar and shit like that.  I was on the phone to the editor like shit off a shovel.  ‘How dare you print that,’ I screamed down the phone at him, ‘I want that bitch down here today with a formal apology from your magazine to Lady Bryce.  I’ll tell you something else as well, if somebody did offer me, the cookie jar I’d smash it over his or her heads and ram the contents down their fucking throats.  Ignore me and I’ll keep you in the courts for the next ten years.  I can afford it.’  I slammed the phone down. 

‘Whit the hell are you smirking at George?’

‘Well, well Murison, it looks like you’ve finally.’

‘Shut the fuck up.’  A delicate cough spun us round, Samantha was standing bug eyed in the doorway.  ‘Well did ye get it?’

‘Yes Davies’s mixing it now.’

‘About fucking time, get on parade,’ I screamed launching myself out of the office.

Buff approached her grinning.  ‘Do you want this?’

‘Keep it if you want, I can get another.’

‘Ta, Marie’s going to be well chuffed we it, bit you’d better get him one to, I’ll give you the money.’

‘Do you think he’ll want one?’

‘Oh, fuck aye, in a couple ó weeks’ time when he’s cooled down.’

‘I’ve never seen him so angry.’

‘Neither have I.’

‘Get out here ye bastard,’ came a demented scream.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Buff’s laughter burst forth-full flow.  ‘The poor bastard’s finally bit the bullet.  To get him in a state like that lass, ye must be something special between the sheets.’  He tossed the paper onto the counter to collect later, and left laughing still.

‘Right, turn, double march,’ filtered through the doorway.

Fritz and Reginald peeked above the counter like elderly chads.

‘Is he gone?’  Fritz ventured.

‘Yes.’  Samantha confirmed.

‘Thank god for that.’  Fritz grinned.

‘Goodness that was a little rough.’  Reginald almost stammered.

Fritz picked up the paper and started reading, his grin widening with each sentence.

‘He’s in a terrible mood Miss Samantha, did you hear what he said to that person down the phone?’

‘Yes Reginald, I think I heard it all.’

Fritz burst out laughing.  ‘No bloody wonder he lost it Reggie, look at this,’ He slid the paper across.  ‘If this isna the picture of a man head over heels in love, then nothing is.’

‘Oh you poor dear!’

‘Excuse me, but just whit the fuck was that supposed to mean?’  Fritz’s demeanour had completely changed.  He looked from one to the other without his usual smile.  ‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but that was her reputation he was defending in there a moment ago, wasn’t it.’

‘Well yes, but.’

‘But what Reggie, do you think he’s a little rough for your flower of society?’

‘I didn’t mean anything Fritz.’

‘Oh no, I’m sure you bloody didn’t, but let me tell you this boy; you know fuck all about the man.  He might be a little rough round the edges granted, but you’ll no find a better man anywhere, understand?’

‘Yes, I’m sure, but.’

‘But what, there’s no buts about it Reginald, bloody smart arse.  I know.  There’s not a man amongst us that doesn’t owe his life to that man.  Us and a lot more besides, so you’d better watch your bloody mouth.’

‘Yes, yes OK.’

He slammed the counter top down on his way out.  ‘What’s happening around here Reginald?’

‘I don’t know Miss Samantha, maybe their pushing themselves too hard.’

‘Yes could be, or maybe it’s because no one is willing to help them.’

‘Maybe both.’

‘Yes, do, do you think we’re fitting in here Reginald?’

‘At times I do, at others no.  They certainly don’t trust us.’

‘I know, there’s a lot we don’t understand about them Reginald.’

‘I don’t understand why they’re here in the first place, Miss Samantha.  Privates promoted to Officers and Sergeants then put in charge of a special project without any kind of supervision.  It’s unethical to say the least.’

‘Yes, I thought that and asked why, but no one knew, or was willing to answer the question.’

‘I had a quiet chat with a friend from records.  He couldn’t find out anything about them either.’

‘It’s strange, isn’t it?’

‘Very, but if they’re keeping secrets, we’ll find out sooner or later.’  As it turned out, it was going to be sooner rather than later.

CHAPTER 37

An umpire and five men were waiting for us when we reached the ranges.  We were breathing easily, our muscles nicely warmed up.  My temper hadn’t improved any either.  Their endless rendition of Jimmy’s in love, Jimmy’s in love,’ had kept it simmering nicely.

One of the men waiting was massive, even towering above Kenny.  There was no doubt in my mind who we were going to end up carrying.  Nommy and Grizz broke out the new stretcher we’d designed ourselves.  It looked insubstantial, weighed nothing, and was folded into a slim line pack for carrying.  Extended it resembled a plank of wood with a lot of holes down the side.  These were for the special covers and restraining straps.  The Styrofoam covered handles clipped into the end and fitted onto the shoulders of two men.  It was designed to be carried at chest height or above the head.

Kenny was having the piss taken out of him by his SAS mates, who’d noticed his single pip.  Davie Whitton was down on one knee with a small white box at his feet, his water bottle was out and he was inspecting it for leaks and contamination.  I watched from a small distance away.  The umpire approached him and he sent him over to me.

‘Are you in Charge?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you ready?

‘Not yet.’

‘Why not?’

‘Wait.’  He opened his mouth to protest.  ‘Just wait,’ I snapped and carried on watching Davie who’d produced a syringe.  The umpire shrugged and joined me in my vigil.  He sterilized the tube sticking out through the top of the bottle.

‘Want a hand?’  Asked Abie.

‘Please, hold it upside down.’

With Abie helping, he filled three syringes, the first from the top, the second from the middle and the third straight through the thick plastic bottom.  I took a mental note to discard the red painted water bottle afterwards.  He started filling vials with red stoppers and placing them into the small white box, writing down readings and comparing them to notes in a small handbook.

He came over with the bottle in his hands.  ‘We had an awful job getting that bag inside and filling it, do you think we could get somebody to design one that splits in the middle, with maybe a wee bit in the bottom so we can hang them up?’

‘That’s a good idea Davie I’ll get it seen to.’  My eyes wandered off.  ‘Kenny if you’re giving away any of our secrets, I’ll cut your balls off.’

‘No, no just catching up with the news,’ he replied sheepishly.

‘Come on Man,’ the small Welsh man egged.

‘No, I’m saying fuck all,’ Kenny protested.

‘You don’t think he’ll actually cut your balls off do you,’ his friends laughed.

‘You lot can laugh all you bloody like, you don’t know what your fucking with here.’

‘Well you’ll soon see how your little friends react to a few caps being popped up their arse.’  He cocked his weapon the rest-followed suit.

‘How much longer?’  The umpire was beginning to get a little impatient.

‘Ask him.’  I turned away in time to notice the grinning group cock their weapons and knew instinctively what was going to happen.  I wondered over to Buff.  Our weapons were loaded but not yet made ready.

I flicked off the safety catch and depressed the button behind it.  I felt, rather than heard the breach mechanism pick up the first round.  I put Buff in the picture and wondered back to Davie.  Buff went round putting the rest in the picture.

‘Jim.’

‘Aye Davie.’

‘That’s it, it worked, but I’m going to have to do the same when we get back in case too much running damages it.’

‘Right, thanks Davie.’  I nodded to the umpire.

‘OK gentlemen, the exercise will start in ten minutes, Kenny you stay with the pursuit team, put on this white armband.’  Kenny took the proffered band and put it on.  ‘The rules are simple, there are none, but as this is your first exercise with the SAS we’re going to be gentle on you.’

‘If we wanted you to be gentle on us we would have bloody told you,’ I snarled.  ‘We haven’t got the fucking time to be nice.  We need any problems sorted now.’

‘All right, if that’s what you want,’ his eyes hardened and he pushed a button.  ‘Hello all stations this is 09, the kids gloves are off, over.’  There were five separate clicks including one from the Welsh man.  That was four cut off groups, and one pursuit team.  I felt my spirit rise to the challenge.  ‘This is your objective.’  He showed us a point on the map.

Abie showed his head over my shoulder and recognized it immediately.  ‘Cheesy?’

‘Aye,’ so nicknamed by the wedge shaped piece of rock that sat just below its summit.  ‘We’ll take the hard route that should fuck them up a bit.’  There were grunts of agreement.

The big fellow stood astride the stretcher refusing to lie down, declaring it unstable.  He was beginning to piss us all off.  Calls of Nurse, nurse hold my hand, my dick etc. from his mates were beginning to have an effect too.  A wee nod, Davie and Grizz kicked him behind the knees.  He landed with a thump and before he could get up, I had the knife tucked up under his nose.  ‘Fancy a nose-a-dectomy?’

‘Dooo.’

‘Then lie still ye big fucker.’  They strapped him in tightly.  ‘Take post.’  Grizz and Davie stood either end while four of us covered off the handles rubbing hands, repeating an old party trick Gigs showed us.  At a nod from him we stacked hands without touching.

‘Pat a cake, pat a cake, bakers man,’ came from the watching group.

Another nod and we picked the stretcher straight up and over our heads one handed, no stress no strain.

‘Fucking hell,’ bellowed one man highly impressed.

‘One minute,’ shouted the umpire looking a little impressed himself.  We strapped the stretcher-bearers in.  ‘Ten seconds.’

‘Flankers.’

‘Four, three, two, one starts ex.’ 

Everyone exploded into movement, their rifles came up, but we were ready, gunfire rippled through the hills.  One reached cover but was still hit, his bleeper flashing blue, then red, all were.

‘Oops,’ grinned Buff.  We burst out laughing.

‘Get ready to move.’  I growled.

‘Wait,’ called the umpire.  He took a key from his pocket and walked over to the Welsh man his bleeper now turned blue.  ‘You now have one enemy casualty to take care of.  Do you have procedures for this contingency?’

‘Certainly do.’  I walked over to the Welsh man.  ‘Where are you hit soldier?’

‘Leg, arm and chest,’ he smirked.

‘Really, think you’ll live until some of your friends find you?’

‘Nope.’

‘Oh dear, what a shame, here have a few more,’ A double tap to the chest soon had the buzzer going again.  ‘Move out.’

We paused at the top of the first hill to change the stretcher over, then moved out in top gear covering the ground fast.  At our third change over, Gigs asked what was happening.  I flicked out the map.  ‘We’re here now and have only a couple of miles to go, so their cut off teams must have been lower down about here and here.  That would have given them the best chance of intercepting us if we’d took the easier routes.  Now I presume the pursuit teams back on our trail and informed the rest of them so they’ll probably make a beeline for here, the trig point afore cheesy to cut us off.’

‘Will we beat them to it?’

‘No problem.’

‘So whit do we do, sit up on cheesy and pick them off?’  Ali Asked.

‘No Ali, they’ll have a cut off group at the LZ and we’ll need time to clear it.’

‘How d’ye ken that?’

‘Well it’s their exercise, they planned it.’

He slapped himself on the head.  ‘Should a thought ó that.’

‘Dinna worry min you’re learning,’ I grinned; I was thoroughly enjoying myself now.  ‘Move out.’ 

Buff and I carried the patient to the trig point then handed him over to Davie and Grizz again.  Then I handed out orders.  ‘I want you into those boulders below the summit.  Nommy, Ali recce round the sides, no contact.  Buff, Gigs and myself will stay here and flush our back trail.  As soon as you’ve finished the recce, three clicks, then cover us in, OK.’

‘Got it.’  Nommy and Ali raced off.

‘What about me?’  Asked the umpire, looking a little winded.

‘Go with them when we leave here we’ll be going fast.’

‘OK.’

They left us to it.  It wasn’t long before the pursuit groups appeared left, right and centre.  The group from the left looked like they were going to hit us first.  When they were in dead ground we ran forward and planted light grenades on trip wires along their estimated path then waited. 

Gig’s group came in first straight into the grenades.  The survivor returned fire while Gigs kept himself hidden.  After a little while he must have come to the decision they had ran into a simple line of booby traps.  The second he broke cover Gigs bagged him.

My group scattered and came in, in rushes.  I fixed my sights on the Welshman who had run wide of the waiting grenades.  When my sights had clicked down to two hundred, I fired, Buff firing almost simultaneously over to my right. 

Gigs slithered up.  ’Got all mine.’

‘Nice one, see if y’ can help me bag another one of these fuckers.’  I fired again and missed, gigs Fired and another beeper went red.

‘Wanker,’ he accused.

‘Fuck off y’ four-eyed git.  Go and help Buff.’  Again, Gigs proved his skills taking out one of Buff’s opponents; we pulled back when our radio’s clicked three times.  I left another nasty surprise and we legged it.  Halfway up cheesy all hell let loose.  Behind us, the four men that were left had started stalking one another.  We reached the shelter of the boulders unmolested.

‘Sit rep?’  I demanded.

Abie handed me a map.  ‘Two groups of four here and here; you can approach them along this way then crawl to here without being spotted.’

‘Brilliant, any grenades left?’

Buff checked round.  ‘Two.’

‘Good, one apiece, Buff you take the group on the left.  I’ll take the one on the right.  Once you’re in position click twice, I’ll do the same.  Gig’s when you hear that bring them over the plateau.  When I’m ready I’ll click twice then throw the grenade, as soon as ye see them, drop, and then come in firing.  Grizz, stay here with the stretcher.’

‘Hey, I want some fun to.’

‘Any minute now that bunch of idiots over there are going to realise their shooting at one another and come after us.  Think you can handle them?’

‘No probs.’

A mmmm, mmmm, mmmm, attracted my attention.  ‘Hey who gagged the big guy?’  Abie breathed on his nails and polished them on his jacket.  ‘Nice one.’  The umpire looked a little green.  ‘Are you OK?’  I asked him.

‘Fine.’

There was only one thing left to do.  ‘Hello 0 this is Charlie three niner, request immediate casevac at arranged co-ordinates over.’

‘Wilco; medivac, your location figures ten, out.’

‘Let’s do it gentlemen.  Buff set it for three seconds and throw it high.’

Buff clicked in first then I did.  Gigs answered.  The seconds seemed to stretch forever.  I heard movement and the man in front of me snapped alert.  I pulled the pin from the grenade and waited until they were all looking through their gun sights.  I clicked my mike twice then threw.  Bedlam erupted the SAS fired as my lot dropped.  The grenades went off.  Buff and I came in screaming and shouting.  A few escaped the grenades but we took care of them easily enough in the confusion.

‘Re-org re-org I screamed.  Davie McAllister’s rifle whipped up at me.  I dived aside and he let loose.

‘Shit, shit, shit,’ an SAS trooper screamed as his light went from blue to red.

The chopper was coming in fast.  ‘Is anybody hit?  No one.  Good.’  A couple of shots came from Grizz’s position, Davie and Gigs dashed off.  They came back with the casualty and a grinning Grizz.  He gave me the thumbs up.  Dust and pieces of heather were whipped up into my face as the chopper came into land.  I got in last, leaving a very unhappy bunch of SAS troopers behind.

There was an unpleasant surprise waiting when we landed, in the guise of a certain lady reporter.  She arrived just as the chopper took off and drove straight over to me.  The rest of them made it to the cookhouse before she alighted from the car.

‘I believe I have to apologise to you?’

My good mood evaporated.  ‘Not to me, Lt Bryce.’  Samantha came scurrying out of the office.  ‘Chastity, beauty and fidelity are such a rare thing in the female gender these days and the few who have these qualities should be cherished and not slagged off by dirty little people like yourself.  If you ever write about a woman in my company in the same manner again, I’ll cut your tits off and feed them to the fucking crows, understand; well?’