The Trojan Boy (9 page)
Authors: Ken McClure
Tags: #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Medical, #Suspense, #Thrillers
As Avedissian lay in his dug-out trench with its bracken roof
canopy he was enjoying the fact that it had actually stopped
raining. The ground still smelled wet but the sky was clear and
he could see the stars in an unclouded heaven. His cheek
noted that the wind had dropped to a gentle breeze. He took
off his boots and rubbed his feet. Sheer luxury . . . and
tonight it wasn't even that cold.
canopy he was enjoying the fact that it had actually stopped
raining. The ground still smelled wet but the sky was clear and
he could see the stars in an unclouded heaven. His cheek
noted that the wind had dropped to a gentle breeze. He took
off his boots and rubbed his feet. Sheer luxury . . . and
tonight it wasn't even that cold.
It was a night for contemplation, a night for astronomers to
work and philosophers to consider. Avedissian was neither
but he did consider the course of his life and where it had led
him, for one thing the time at Llangern had done was to relax
him mentally. He felt able to see things more clearly.
work and philosophers to consider. Avedissian was neither
but he did consider the course of his life and where it had led
him, for one thing the time at Llangern had done was to relax
him mentally. He felt able to see things more clearly.
In society's eyes he had failed at two professions and it seemed unlikely that he would be given a chance at a third.
His army career had ended in an Irish farmyard when some
snot-nosed kid had made himself more important to him than
the ambush that he and his platoon had been planning for weeks. Avedissian knew that he should have died that day, but the Irishman had let him live and in the space of a few
short seconds had changed his whole way of thinking. He had subsequently resigned his commission and gone to medical
school.
His army career had ended in an Irish farmyard when some
snot-nosed kid had made himself more important to him than
the ambush that he and his platoon had been planning for weeks. Avedissian knew that he should have died that day, but the Irishman had let him live and in the space of a few
short seconds had changed his whole way of thinking. He had subsequently resigned his commission and gone to medical
school.
Avedissian had enjoyed medical school. The fact that he had
been three years older than most of his fellow students had
been a help rather than a hindrance in that, with more ex
perience of life, he had been better able to avoid the traditional
distractions that face students on their first time away from
home. He had worked hard and done well.
been three years older than most of his fellow students had
been a help rather than a hindrance in that, with more ex
perience of life, he had been better able to avoid the traditional
distractions that face students on their first time away from
home. He had worked hard and done well.
His hard work and dedication to the profession he loved had
rewarded him with a consultancy at an early age, and with his
marriage to Linda contentment had appeared to have been
within his grasp. But then came the day when Michael
Fielding had been admitted to St Jude's.
It had not been a difficult case to diagnose for the brain
tumour had been very clear and the fact that it had been
sited in an inoperable position had also been beyond doubt.
A sad but straightforward case. Avedissian remembered
how he had taken the parents into a ward side-room to tell them.
rewarded him with a consultancy at an early age, and with his
marriage to Linda contentment had appeared to have been
within his grasp. But then came the day when Michael
Fielding had been admitted to St Jude's.
It had not been a difficult case to diagnose for the brain
tumour had been very clear and the fact that it had been
sited in an inoperable position had also been beyond doubt.
A sad but straightforward case. Avedissian remembered
how he had taken the parents into a ward side-room to tell them.
Michael had been their only son and their obvious distress
had made it all the more difficult. Somewhere outside a
contractor's steam hammer had been busy on the found
ations of a new wing for the hospital and on that morning it
had seemed like an obscenity. The callous indifference of its
thump had punctuated what Avedissian had had to say in
all the wrong places.
had made it all the more difficult. Somewhere outside a
contractor's steam hammer had been busy on the found
ations of a new wing for the hospital and on that morning it
had seemed like an obscenity. The callous indifference of its
thump had punctuated what Avedissian had had to say in
all the wrong places.
'He is going to die isn't he?' the woman had asked with
brim-full eyes.
brim-full eyes.
'Yes, I'm afraid so.'
'How long?' Her voice had dropped to a whisper as if she
were afraid of the words.
were afraid of the words.
‘
Two months at most.'
Two months at most.'
'Will he suffer much pain?'
Avedissian had been unprepared for the question and he
had dithered long enough for the woman to see the true answer to her question. He had tried to assure the parents that pain-killing medication would be given.
had dithered long enough for the woman to see the true answer to her question. He had tried to assure the parents that pain-killing medication would be given.
'But will it work?' the woman had asked.
In his heart Avedissian had known that, from the type
and position of the tumour, standard pain medication
would not have been much use but he had been reluctant to
say so to the couple. Once again the woman had read the
truth in his eyes and had said, 'I really don't want my son to
suffer.'
and position of the tumour, standard pain medication
would not have been much use but he had been reluctant to
say so to the couple. Once again the woman had read the
truth in his eyes and had said, 'I really don't want my son to
suffer.'
Avedissian had remained silent.
The woman had taken her husband's hand in her lap and
said with plain meaning, 'Anything you can do
...
would be appreciated.'
said with plain meaning, 'Anything you can do
...
would be appreciated.'
Michael Fielding had died peacefully in his sleep two days
later. His parents were at his bedside at the end and
Avedissian had been on hand to comfort them. It seemed to
all present that God's will had been done, but Sister
Veronica Ashwood had disagreed. In her book, and her
book was the Bible, God's will had certainly not been done.
Murder had been done and she had noticed the dose that
Avedissian had administered.
later. His parents were at his bedside at the end and
Avedissian had been on hand to comfort them. It seemed to
all present that God's will had been done, but Sister
Veronica Ashwood had disagreed. In her book, and her
book was the Bible, God's will had certainly not been done.
Murder had been done and she had noticed the dose that
Avedissian had administered.
The trial had been a strange affair of medical fact and religious cant. Never had Avedissian been more convinced
of Marshall McLuhan's assertion that moral indignation was
a strategy for endowing the idiot with dignity. Any
questioning of the rightness of letting a child suffer prolonged agony before certain death had been countered by a
barrage of mysteries and miracles and the ways of the Lord
being strange. The outcome had been inevitable but
Avedissian had known that all along. The Lilliputians won
the day and, having smitten Avedissian the Arrogant, they
had gone on to set about the child's parents.
of Marshall McLuhan's assertion that moral indignation was
a strategy for endowing the idiot with dignity. Any
questioning of the rightness of letting a child suffer prolonged agony before certain death had been countered by a
barrage of mysteries and miracles and the ways of the Lord
being strange. The outcome had been inevitable but
Avedissian had known that all along. The Lilliputians won
the day and, having smitten Avedissian the Arrogant, they
had gone on to set about the child's parents.
Two people who had loved their child so much that they had been unable to see him suffer unnecessary agony had been pilloried in the newspapers. Teams of ferrets on exp
ense accounts had been let loose to dig up tales of
miraculous recoveries after medical opinion had pro
nounced matters hopeless. They had been mainly instances
of remission from carcinoma, a well-known feature of
certain cancers, but this had not been mentioned. Did these callous parents now regret their action? was what the
Daily Rag
had wanted to know. Perhaps they had been led astray
by an evil doctor?
ense accounts had been let loose to dig up tales of
miraculous recoveries after medical opinion had pro
nounced matters hopeless. They had been mainly instances
of remission from carcinoma, a well-known feature of
certain cancers, but this had not been mentioned. Did these callous parents now regret their action? was what the
Daily Rag
had wanted to know. Perhaps they had been led astray
by an evil doctor?
To their eternal credit the couple had not gone for the
easy way out. They had refused to blame Avedissian and had maintained a dignified silence throughout. They had
been put through hell, but what had that mattered when
compared to the
Daily Rag's
circulation figures and the right
of the
Rag's
reader to feel superior over sandwiches in
his tea-break?
easy way out. They had refused to blame Avedissian and had maintained a dignified silence throughout. They had
been put through hell, but what had that mattered when
compared to the
Daily Rag's
circulation figures and the right
of the
Rag's
reader to feel superior over sandwiches in
his tea-break?
A calm night gave way to a misty summer morning, with the air so still that Avedissian was conscious of the sound of his own breathing as he prepared to move off with the group. The
sun rose to burn off the mist by eleven o'clock and baked the
barren Welsh landscape as they made their way up the un
shaded side of a valley to pause for breath at the top.
sun rose to burn off the mist by eleven o'clock and baked the
barren Welsh landscape as they made their way up the un
shaded side of a valley to pause for breath at the top.
As they lay in the rough bracken Avedissian became aware of a distant beating sound. He recognised it as the sound of a
helicopter's rotor-blade and searched the sky with his hand to his forehead against the glare. He spotted the yellow rescue
craft down at the other end of the valley and watched it
traverse from side to side in a search pattern.
helicopter's rotor-blade and searched the sky with his hand to his forehead against the glare. He spotted the yellow rescue
craft down at the other end of the valley and watched it
traverse from side to side in a search pattern.
'Lost climbers?' suggested someone.
‘
They would have to be really lost to end up in this valley,’
observed Jarvis.
They would have to be really lost to end up in this valley,’
observed Jarvis.
Avedissian took his point for there was no reason for
climbers to be anywhere near this spot. There was nothing
worth climbing in the area. It was just an endless, rolling
wasteland.
climbers to be anywhere near this spot. There was nothing
worth climbing in the area. It was just an endless, rolling
wasteland.
As they all watched it the helicopter released three flares,
two green and a red. The captain got to his feet and said,
They're looking for us.' He said something to the sergeant
who responded by rummaging in his pack and bringing out a
Verey pistol. A single red flare was loosed into the sky and the
helicopter stopped its meandering, leaned heavily over to
starboard and came towards them.
two green and a red. The captain got to his feet and said,
They're looking for us.' He said something to the sergeant
who responded by rummaging in his pack and bringing out a
Verey pistol. A single red flare was loosed into the sky and the
helicopter stopped its meandering, leaned heavily over to
starboard and came towards them.
It descended to twenty feet above them but did not land for fear of ditches and boulders. Instead a crewman was lowered
on a line and the captain approached him in a crouching run.
A brief conversation was conducted through cupped hands
and ended with the captain coming towards Avedissian. They
want you back at Llangern,' he said.
on a line and the captain approached him in a crouching run.
A brief conversation was conducted through cupped hands
and ended with the captain coming towards Avedissian. They
want you back at Llangern,' he said.
Avedissian pointed to Jarvis and asked above the noise,
'Him too?'
'Him too?'
'Just you,’ replied the captain.
There was very little time for goodbyes. Avedissian shook
hands with Paul Jarvis and Jarvis said that he was sure that
they would be meeting again soon. The whirring blades in
sisted that Avedissian run towards the crewman and accept
the sling that was offered to him. The crewman checked that
it was properly positioned then signalled to the winchman
above them.
hands with Paul Jarvis and Jarvis said that he was sure that
they would be meeting again soon. The whirring blades in
sisted that Avedissian run towards the crewman and accept
the sling that was offered to him. The crewman checked that
it was properly positioned then signalled to the winchman
above them.
Avedissian and the crewman revolved slowly like a
dance-hall globe as they left the ground. Avedissian tried to
look down but his clothing had bunched up, obscuring his
view, and it was not until he was inside the winch bay that he
could turn round and look back to the ground. He raised his
arm in farewell and saw the gesture returned from the ground
as they gained height and altered course.
dance-hall globe as they left the ground. Avedissian tried to
look down but his clothing had bunched up, obscuring his
view, and it was not until he was inside the winch bay that he
could turn round and look back to the ground. He raised his
arm in farewell and saw the gesture returned from the ground
as they gained height and altered course.
As the helicopter skimmed over the hills and valleys
Avedissian warmed to the idea that his time in the wilderness was apparently over. Thoughts of a hot bath and a good meal
took precedence over why he was wanted back at Llangern.
He relaxed and watched the countryside roll past the open
bay then, as he put his hand to his face, he felt the rough
beard that he had acquired and smiled as a distant voice from
his past said, ‘Disgusting.’
Avedissian warmed to the idea that his time in the wilderness was apparently over. Thoughts of a hot bath and a good meal
took precedence over why he was wanted back at Llangern.
He relaxed and watched the countryside roll past the open
bay then, as he put his hand to his face, he felt the rough
beard that he had acquired and smiled as a distant voice from
his past said, ‘Disgusting.’
The tarmac at the front of Llangern House felt ridiculously
civilised to Avedissian as he walked towards the house. It was
so incredibly easy to walk on after the stamina-sapping rough
ground of the past week. He was met by the major who was waiting at the door. 'You are leaving us, Avedissian,’ he said.
Avedissian's questions were met with a raise of the hand
and the reply, 'No idea, old chap. All I know is that you're to
be picked up at seven this evening. Time for a bit of a wash
and some food, eh?'
civilised to Avedissian as he walked towards the house. It was
so incredibly easy to walk on after the stamina-sapping rough
ground of the past week. He was met by the major who was waiting at the door. 'You are leaving us, Avedissian,’ he said.
Avedissian's questions were met with a raise of the hand
and the reply, 'No idea, old chap. All I know is that you're to
be picked up at seven this evening. Time for a bit of a wash
and some food, eh?'
Avedissian resigned himself to another wait and had
started to climb the stairs to his room when the major called
after him. 'Oh, and by the way, old chap. Keep the
moustache. Lose the beard.'
started to climb the stairs to his room when the major called
after him. 'Oh, and by the way, old chap. Keep the
moustache. Lose the beard.'
That the day was warm did not detract from the pleasure
Avedissian took in having a hot bath. He soaped himself
repeatedly then made waves in the tub with his knees to
clear the suds from his chest. He removed his beard with a
fresh razor and brushed his hair into order.
Avedissian took in having a hot bath. He soaped himself
repeatedly then made waves in the tub with his knees to
clear the suds from his chest. He removed his beard with a
fresh razor and brushed his hair into order.
As he looked at himself in the mirror and smoothed down
his unaccustomed moustache between thumb and fore
finger Avedissian had to admit that he looked an awful lot better for his time at Llangern. The flab had gone from his
middle and the muscles on his shoulders and chest looked
firm and hard. His hair was a bit on the long side but it only
served to make him look younger. He felt better inside too.
Total abstinence from alcohol and freedom from the cares of
civilisation had cleared his head. He felt alert and capable
and ready to serve Queen and Country in whatever role
they required. He just wished that they would tell him soon.
his unaccustomed moustache between thumb and fore
finger Avedissian had to admit that he looked an awful lot better for his time at Llangern. The flab had gone from his
middle and the muscles on his shoulders and chest looked
firm and hard. His hair was a bit on the long side but it only
served to make him look younger. He felt better inside too.
Total abstinence from alcohol and freedom from the cares of
civilisation had cleared his head. He felt alert and capable
and ready to serve Queen and Country in whatever role
they required. He just wished that they would tell him soon.
After a meal that was over-indulgent in terms of quantity
if not quality Avedissian was handed a pile of newspapers to
read as he relaxed. It was his first contact with the outside
world since he had come to Llangern.
if not quality Avedissian was handed a pile of newspapers to
read as he relaxed. It was his first contact with the outside
world since he had come to Llangern.
The lead story in many concerned the success of the
British Forces in Northern Ireland in an action which had
resulted in the death of Kevin O'Donnell, a leading
IRA
figure. Another high-ranking terrorist was believed to have
been seriously wounded in the same action. There was
speculation as to whether or not the death of O'Donnell
might lead to a new wave of violence as O'Donnell was
widely believed to have been the moderating influence on the
IRA’s
war council.
British Forces in Northern Ireland in an action which had
resulted in the death of Kevin O'Donnell, a leading
IRA
figure. Another high-ranking terrorist was believed to have
been seriously wounded in the same action. There was
speculation as to whether or not the death of O'Donnell
might lead to a new wave of violence as O'Donnell was
widely believed to have been the moderating influence on the
IRA’s
war council.
There was speculation that interest rates might have to
rise after a new run on the pound, which had sunk to an
all-time low against a basket of European currencies. Entry to
the European Monetary System was advocated as a possible
measure for the future.
rise after a new run on the pound, which had sunk to an
all-time low against a basket of European currencies. Entry to
the European Monetary System was advocated as a possible
measure for the future.
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