ACV's 1 Operation Black Gold (40 page)

‘Really?’  Asked Gigs’ his curiosity immediately aroused.

Andrew raised an eyebrow at him, ‘really, I suppose we had better do something about this.  He took out a notebook and jotted down the serial number.  ‘Sign here.’  I put my signature below it.  ‘Yes that should just about do it.’

‘Do what?’  Asked Buff.

‘I’ll have the weapon transferred to my department and sign it out to you personally using this signature.  I’ll also have a secure locker installed today and backdate it all a few weeks.’

‘What about the SAS guys?’  I asked.

‘Oh don’t worry about them.  Because of their unorthodox actions, you were able to take out an espionage team.  If they hadn’t you would very probably be dead and we couldn’t punish them for that could we.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Oh don’t thank me; it should be the other way around.  It’s a pity you’re such a deadly shot though.’

‘I did just try and-stop the car.  I’d no time for fancy stuff with the first two.’

‘I can appreciate that; it’s just a shame the silly sod hit the lamp post.’

I agreed, ‘aye.’

‘When was the last time you had a tetanus Jim?’  Davie asked.

‘No idea.’

‘I’d better get you one.’

‘You aren’t going to stick it in my arse are you?’

‘No, no,’ he left and came back with a syringe.  He tapped it a couple of times then stuck it in my arm.  Darkness came swiftly.

‘Give us a hand Buff.’

‘What have you done Davie?’

‘Sedative, he should sleep through the morning.’  They pulled a sheet over him and removed his trousers, leg apiece.

‘So that’s how you do it.’  Buff was amazed.

‘That’s it.  Here you’d better take this.’

Buff took the pistol and strapped it on, removed the magazine and tested it.  ‘He’s slipping.’  He slapped a fresh mag home then recharged the half-spent one from the box in Jim’s locker.  Davie administered penicillin and tetanus.

The chef came in with a tray of sandwiches.  ‘How is he Doc?’

‘I’ve put him out for the night.’

‘OK will you need anything else?’

‘No thank you.’

‘Great, I’ll get back to bed then, I’ve put out an urn of tea for the monkeys, but they don’t sound very happy.’

‘I threw them out that’s why.’

‘Nice one, right I’m off, if ye need anything just knock on the window round the back.’

Eventually things started to quieten down.  The car and the bodies were removed and the police presence thinned.  The lights were dimmed and men started drifting back to bed.  Andrew was sitting round the coffee table with a bedside lamp for light sifting through the senior detective’s reports.  ‘OK, gentlemen I think that will do for tonight.  I’ll see you all later.’  Dismissed they got up and left.  Andrew stood stretching; it had been quite a night.  The doctor and sergeant were still in attendance, the big sergeant sitting quietly on the reclining chair watching.  The doctor bathed his patient’s forehead for the umpteenth time. 

‘What’s the matter with him?’  Andrew asked.

‘I don’t know,’ Davie admitted, ‘he seems to have some kind of fever.’

‘I’ve already telt ye he’s fighting the dope.’  Buff growled.

‘Why do you think that sergeant?’

‘Buff, ma name’s Buff.’

‘Sergeant Buff then.’

‘No just Buff and I don’t know.  He doesn’t even like getting drunk.  Won’t touch dope.  Who knows, it could be that or something else.’

Davie jumped back as Jim started to thrash about.  ‘What the.’

Jim shot upright in bed.  Andrew felt a supernatural thrill race up his spine as the black sightless eyes moved from man to man.  The dead eyes settled on Buff.  ‘The magazine’s almost empty.’  Andrew; fought down an irrational urge to flee, the bloodless lips seemed to barely move but the voice boomed inside his head.  Buff produced the pistol and removed the magazine.

‘I refilled it.’  He demonstrated by pushing down on the top rounds with a thumb.  ‘It’s aright Jim; I’ll stay up a’ night and keep an eye on everybody.’

Andrew caught Davies’s eye, he looked as perplexed as Andrew felt.  When they looked back, he was lying back down fast asleep.

Buff put the pistol away.  ‘He’ll sleep now.’

Davie checked.  ‘Well his pulse is normal now and his breathing, it looks like he’s fell into a deep sleep.’

‘Was that normal Doctor?’  Andrew asked.

‘I’ve never seen anything like that before in my life.’

‘I have.’  They waited but Buff never tried to explain.  ‘You’d better get your head down Davie, I’ll sit with him.’

‘Hadn’t you better get some sleep too, Eh, Buff?’

‘I’ll catch some here.  If I move he’ll sense it and winna settle.’

Andrew was bewildered, ‘oh!  OK well I’ve got a long day ahead of me, so I’d better leave.’

‘I’ll see you to your car.’  Davie felt the early morning air revive him a little.

‘It’s been quite a night for you doctor.’

‘For all of us.’

‘Yes.’

‘I think you’ll be busy for a while, will you let us know what it was all about?’

‘I’m quite sure I can keep you informed of developments, if not officially.’

‘Thank you we would be grateful.’

‘I think my job will be easier than yours, he doesn’t seem to be a model patient.’

‘You mean all that shouting.’  Davie grinned.

‘It was a little flowery.’

‘Take no heed of it.  We were just taking the piss and letting off a little steam.  With Jim it’s when he stops shouting or starts being polite, that’s when you’ve got to worry about that bastard.’

Andrew smiled, ‘do you all get along well?’

‘We do actually, even after all these years.  It’s funny that.  It was certainly strange at first; I’ll admit my first thoughts were that I’d changed far too much to have anything in Common with them.  What I’d forgotten to take into consideration was the fact that they’d changed and developed too and at pretty much the same pace that I had.  Along different lines admittedly but the feedback I get from them is tremendous and unbiased.  There’s very little they can’t digest after a little while.’

‘You know I’m quite envious of you chaps, if I had my youth again, I’d love to join you.’

‘Oh I don’t know according to Jim you’ve been with us for quite a while now, or as Abie puts it, you’re his favourite right winger.’

‘Really, I never realised I was so well thought of.’  He seemed pleased at the revelation.

‘You are by Jim and he’s a hard bastard to please.’

‘What about the rest of you?’

‘Well I think you proved yourself with that pistol incident.’

‘Oh that was nothing.’

Maybe to you, but not to us, thank you for that.’

‘No need to thank me, it was a pleasure.’

‘All the same.’

‘I’d better go now.’

Davie waited until he’d left before going back inside.

A few hours later a disgruntled Samantha was trying get an MP to back down, ‘why can’t we get in, we work here?’

‘Sorry Ma-am, orders.’

‘Lt Bryce.’  It was the one Jim called Graham.

She gave her best smile, ‘hello what’s happening?’

‘It’s OK Mitchell; I’ll take care of this.’

‘Sir.’

The MP stood aside.  ‘I’m sorry about that.  I’m afraid you’ll have to leave your vehicle outside the compound.  Put it over there beside ours.’

Samantha did as she was bid, then joined Graham at the entrance of the compound with Reginald tagging on behind.  ‘What’s happened?’  She asked again.

‘I can’t say at the moment.’  He tapped his watch.

‘OK.’

As they walked round the white tape, it quickly became apparent what the red and grey matter splattered across the area was.  She swallowed hard.  ‘Watch yourself here; don’t touch the doorframe or the back wall.’

She could see why.  The back wall had a splatter of blood on it centred by a bullet hole.  As they entered the living quarters, a shape detached itself from the reclining chair.  She almost ran into his arms but it was Buff looking very tired and drawn.  ‘Shh,’ he warned holding a finger to his lips.

‘What’s been happening she whispered fiercely?’  Shock after shock racked her as the events of the early morning were explained.

He noticed her rising panic.  ‘Don’t worry he was only scratched by a splinter from the door.’

Her panic turned instantly to anger.  He reeled back in surprise as she struck him on the chest.  ‘Don’t lie to me you big ape.’  She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the door.  ‘Are you trying to tell me that was caused by a splinter?’

‘Christ, I never noticed that.’  He looked a little sheepish at being caught out.  ‘Sorry.’  A noise grabbed his attention and he went back to his vigil.

She noticed as soon as he sat back down the figure in the bed settled.  ‘Is he hurt badly?’

‘No it just grazed his arm.’

Some of the others started to stir.  ‘You look tired, would you like a coffee?’  She offered.

‘Tea would be nice, if you’re offering.’

‘Are you hungry?’

‘I’m no really sure.’

‘I’ll be back in a minute.’

She was ten, and laden down with a tray with sausage, bacon, and eggs, black pudding, toast and a big steaming mug of tea.  He sat up straight, suddenly ravenous.  ‘Thanks Samantha.’  She smiled; it was the first time he’d called her by her given name.

I opened my eyes to find a very tired Buff looking down at me.  ‘The magazine in that pistol’s half empty.’  It was the first thing that popped into my mind.

‘I recharged it.’

‘Cheers.’

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Like you just kicked the shit out of me.  What did that fucker Whitton give me?’

He shrugged ‘Don’t know, some kind of sedative.’

‘I’m gonna croak that bastard.’  The man in question appeared at my side grinning like a Cheshire cat.  I tried to scowl at him but gave up.

‘Show me your arm.’  There was a large bruise creeping out from under the bandage.  I was shocked.  I rarely bruise.  ‘Where the hell did this come from?’

‘It’s pretty common with gunshot wounds it’s the shock wave.’

‘Oh.’

Buff grinned, ‘did you know there’s parts of you splattered all over the lobby?’

‘Awa Buff, that’s grotty.’

‘You should see it outside now that is grotty.’  Samantha appeared and leaned against Buff’s seat.

‘Oh.’  I found myself stuck for words.

Graham appeared and saved me from an awkward reply.  ‘You’re awake at last, good.’  It started again.

I took it for about half an hour.  ‘Right, that’s it, fuck off.’

‘What, you can’t tell us to fuck off,’ one of them protested.

‘Can’t I, you’ve been asking the same questions since last night; how many ways can you be told the same story before you actually get it?  Well I’m sick of it, if you’ve nothing new to ask then fuck off because I’m answering no more, push it and I’ll get a lawyer down here.  If something new comes up by all means come round, until then beat it, I want this place back to normal by end of play today.’

They didn’t like it but there wasn’t a lot they could do about it.  After they left I took a quick shower then soaked myself in a salt bath.  Buff had taken himself off to bed.  However, before he went he told me Samantha had been a wee gem.  High praise from him indeed and after that they were a lot more comfortable around each other.

We received a porta cabin with a guard in it, which meant extra men on the Glencourse guard.  To make up for it we stocked up the cabin with easy chairs, TV, video, fridge, a small cooker and the chef would put odds and ends in it at night for them.  The rumours had done their work and they remained wary of us but treated us with respect.  All except one who decided to kick the cat one day.  Abie caught him in the act and gave him a doin for his trouble, after that even Boy was treated with respect.

Davie put me on light duties for the rest of the week, which suited me, fine.  It didn’t please Reginald though as I spent most of it on his computer.  It was Friday before I saw Andrew again.  ‘Got a problem old boy.’  He threw some folders onto the table.  ‘Was wondering if you could help.’

‘I can try.’

‘I’m afraid I can’t find out anything about those three men.’  The autopsy photos weren’t pretty.  ‘I am sorry about this but we’ve exhausted every other line of inquiry and thought maybe your computing skills might turn something up.  I have it on good authority that the American intelligence agencies use Microtel software.’