Homecoming Blues

  Night was falling as we drove into Winchelsea. A picture-postcard village seven miles Northeast of Hastings. I wish we were there for more pleasant reasons as the village looked very peaceful and probably would have been cathartic for my fractured mind.

  I pictured the great and the good, in their smart bungalows surrounded by Rose Bushes and Rhododendrons. Oblivious to the fact monsters roamed in their midst.

  During the journey, Jamie had filled me in on the Mansion house and its surroundings. A huge building, surrounded by acres of land. It looked like a cross between a castle and a Mansion house; like something from a Hammer House of Horror film. The former home of a sixties pop star that fell afoul of the Taxman and needed a quick sale, as well as help leaving the country.

  Duggan was very willing to oblige.

  Jamie was driving to give Paulie a break; he was flat out on the back seat snoring like a hog in heat. She turned off the A259 into a road called Mill Lane. Coming to a T-junction, we turned left onto Martineau Lane and after two minutes, she slowed to a stop, where a road led off into a wooded area.

  "This is the main way into the grounds," she told me.

  I leaned over and shook Paulie.

  "WA. . . Gerr orf me you tart, I can't go again,"

  He sat bolt upright and looked about rubbing his eyes.

  "We are here," I told him.

  He looked out the window at the darkened lane and gulped.

  "It looks a bit spooky, dun it?"

  "Ah, don't tell me, likkle Paulie's scared of the dark," Jamie teased him.

  "I'm a city boy, you don't know what's in them woods, and there could be snakes or wolves or something."

  "Paulie don't be a dimlo and wimp out on me now, we have a job to do," I said as I looked down the Lane.

  I could see a light through the trees coming from some sort of building.

  "Where's that coming from," I pointed it out to Jamie.

  "That's the Gatehouse, the gate's electronically activated from inside there, and the CCTV monitors the road in," she said. "Cameras cover the grounds too, some with night vision."

  Great, this would not be as easy as I thought it would be. We could have done with some night vision goggles.

  I climbed out of the car and opened the boot.

  Taking a couple of Claymores and some fishing wire, I rigged them far enough down the lane so any random car would not set them off. Anyone leaving the grounds though would get a nasty surprise.

  When I had finished I returned to the car.

  "Drive a bit further, I don't want to go in this way."

  "I know just the place, it will be a bit of a slog through the woods to get to the main house though," Jamie said.

  She threw the car into gear and moved off.

  We drove to the end of Martineau Lane and turned left onto Fairlight Road. A small two lane with no lights to illuminate the hedgerows.

  Wheat fields off to our right marched down to the cliffs and the English Channel, a short hop away from France.

  My guess was Duggan would have a boat pick him up from one of the nearby coves and transport him to France and a new life. If I had anything to do with that, it would not be happening.

  Jamie pulled off the road into the grounds of a Church.

  St Andrews Fairlight, the sign we passed informed us. She pulled the car away from the road and into the shadow of the Church.

  "So, what is the plan, have you even got one?"

  "Of course I have," I said and looked at Paulie, “Paulie, you stay here with the car."

  He started to complain, but I put a hand up to stop him.

  "No, offence mate, but if you lose it in there you could get us all killed. I need you here with the car ready to blow us out of here."

  "Okay, you're the boss. Look in the glove compartment. I got us some mobiles, on your card of course," he told us, "If you get in trouble buzz me, same when you on the way back, and I will have the engine running."

  I turned back to Jamie.

  "Against my better judgment, you can come with me," she smiled at that, "But you do as I tell you, no arguments and if I say get back to the car, you are here before I finish the sentence: clear."

  She saluted and said 'Yes sir'.

  We climbed out and gathered by the boot.

  A light wind had kicked up.

  Dark clouds scudded across the sky and the heavy feel of an approaching storm filled the air.

  All the better for the infiltration of the Mansion house.

  I was still worried about taking Jamie along, but she was headstrong and I feared that if I did tell her to stay here, she would follow anyway. At the back of my mind, I could still feel the turmoil of madness fighting to break out. For now, I was managing to hold it back, just a couple of hours, I repeated inside like a mantra.

  Having Jamie along may prove to be a good thing, the fact I have someone else to look after will make me less likely to take stupid chances.

  I changed once again into the black combat gear and secured some flash bangs, grenades and spare clips about my person. I handed Chevo's gun, after checking it was fully loaded and the action was good, to Jamie and seeing how it took the same bullets as mine handed her a spare clip. I shouldered the MP5 and put the pistol in the same pocket as the clips. I placed several Claymores and the fishing wire into a rucksack that was in the boot and slung it over my back.

  "Okay, time to go, Jamie you sure you want to do this?" I asked her one final time.

  She took a deep breath before answering.

  "I'm ready, try and stop me, I've got a gun now and it's the time of the month," she laughed.

  "Ugh, too much info girl," Paulie said, "Don't I get a gun?"

  "You will be okay here, you don't need one."

  "Yeah fat boy, you'll probably blow your dick off or something," Jamie laughed.

  "Go, get out of here. Take blobby rag girl with you Dalton . . . and be safe yeah."

  Together, after waiting for two cars to pass, we silently crossed Fairlight road.

  Through a gap in the hedge, we passed into an area spotted with thickets of trees and open grassland. Picnic benches were haphazardly placed here and there. Crossing an area of grass and shrubs we came to the edge of a large wood, separated from the grassy area by a barbwire topped fence.

  I crouched down and Jamie copied me.

  I ran through a series of hand signals with her. Explaining that we would not be able to talk once close up to the target area, also sound carries further in the night so speech had to be a minimum from here on in.

  Once I was sure she understood, we negotiated the fence and dropped down into the darker area of the wood. I waited a couple of beats for my eyes to adjust to the deep dark of the wood and allowing the atmosphere and natural sounds of the wood to become part of me.

  If there were a change, I would feel it.

  My mind was relishing this call to action and seemed clearer than it had been in a long time. The going was slow as we made our way through bushes hung with thorns, and over dead falls. The wood Sloped down towards the Mansion house. It was darker than a coal cellar with black painted walls.

  As we neared the edge of the wood, some thirty minutes later, the trees began to thin out and the going seemed easier.

  Finally, we reached the edge of the grounds. I felt Jamie's hand on my shoulder; stopping me.

  She pointed to her eyes then off to the right. I followed her finger and saw what looked like a small sized flagpole. A top of this was no flag but one of the CCTV cameras. It slowly turned. Scanning the area in front of the wood.

  The open area in front of us looked like it may have once been a car park. The surface now cracked and weeds and grass pushed up through those cracks. Overgrown bushes bordered the whole car-park, except for a gap at the far side, about the width of two cars.

  Two men stood in this gap. Cradling Shotguns in their hands.

  I pointed off to the right.

>   We stayed inside the wood as we crept along the edge of the car park. Passing the hedge, we found another open area beyond the hedge. The area was separated from the wood by a ditch or Ha-Ha to give it its proper name. The wood side of the ditch was a straight drop down and faced with stone. The other, sloped up to a neatly manicured lawn area, about the size of a football field.

  We could now see the Manor House and it was a magnificent sight.

  The building had a castellated rooftop, featuring four towers at either corner of the central part of the house. Huge wings coming off both sides of the central area, others tagged onto these. It would be a nightmare to sweep and clear.

  I helped Jamie down then followed her into the ditch.

  The ditch was deep enough that we were hidden from view of anyone looking this way. The ditch ran from left to right.

  We walked off to the right. When we had walked as far along the ditch as we could, I crawled up the slope to the lip of the ditch.

  A line of tall Oak trees marched up to a low wall, which separated the lawn from the rear of the house.

  Strong gusts of wind kicked up leaves and I felt drops of rain on my cheek.

  In the distance thunder rolled through the night.

  I put my lips up to Jamie's ear and whispered, “A storm is coming; we'll wait here till it kicks in properly."

  I saw her head nod in the darkness.

  She seemed to be holding up well. I sensed no panic from her, I squeezed her arm and turned back to look at the house. All the downstairs windows were ablaze as if they were trying to create an ocean of light to stave off the darkness. I looked to see any more cameras but could not spot any.

  The rain arrived in force, great big drops bounced off the ground.

  Bolts of lightning streaked the sky. They created a strobe effect all around each time. This was a perfect night for fighting monsters in a house of horror.

  If any cameras did have night-vision, their view would be destroyed with each flash. Using hand signals, I told Jamie what we were going to do. She nodded.

  Lightning flashed. I was up and running,

  Jamie followed. We stopped four trees along. The thunder rolled.

  The sound of rain was loud through the branches. The storm was worsening. The downside would be any guards patrolling the grounds might take shelter in the Manor house that would be a problem.

  The lightning flashed and I was about to run again, when I saw a figure descend the flight of steps leading down to the lawn. He was wearing a yellow rain slicker. The kind you see on a killer in a bad American flick.

  I tried not to smile at the irony of it.

  Telling Jamie to wait by the tree, I made a beeline for him. The rain and thunder hid any sounds I made. He did not see me coming.

  I grabbed him by the neck. Placed the 9mm against him and fired three times. I dragged his dead body back to the tree line.

  One down.

  Using the lightning flashes, we soon arrived at the House.

  We were hidden from view in the deep shadow created by the central part of the House, away from the light created by the windows. A drainpipe ran up the ivy-covered walls. I tested the pipe and it seemed secure.

  Looking at Jamie, I signaled upwards. She nodded.

  Grabbing the pipe, I started up the wall. Hand over hand until I reached the second floor. I peered over my shoulder to check she was following.

  A bright light hit me in the eyes.

  "Go, Jimmy," I heard her scream from behind the light.

  Oh shit, somehow we had been spotted.

  "Dalton, get your ass down here, now!" It was Danny Trent's voice.

  I ran through my options.

  I would be no good to her if I let them take me. I knew as soon as I came back down I would be dead. With a reckless burst, I scrambled up the pipe.

  Bullets slammed into the wall either side of me. Thank god, they were crap shots.

  Shouts from below and more gunfire.

  I soon reached the Merlons of the castellated roof, pulling myself over and away from danger. I was breathing heavily from the effort and the adrenaline running through my body.

  I found myself on one of the four towers. The roof was flat and over on the far side a flight of stone steps descended.

  Pushing myself up, I headed for them.

  The only thing I had to do now was stay alive and save Jamie for the second time. Any kind of surprise we had was gone and I was definitely working off the back foot. Putting the thought of Jamie out of my mind, surely her father would not hurt her? After what she had told me I was not so sure. It may seem heartless but if I thought of the danger she was in I would make mistakes, it was not an option.

  I descended the steps to a wooden door.

  Turning the large iron ringed doorknob I found the door unlocked. It was stiff with age and took some shoving to open.

  Stepping into a darkened room, I crouched with my gun raised, eyes all about. The only light came from the occasional flash of lightning through the single window. Boxes had been piled high and the room smelt of mildew.

  I made my way over to the door, and cracked it open an inch.

  Beyond the door, running left to right was a dark corridor. Every few feet a chandelier hung from the ceiling and paintings lined the walls. My gun held shoulder high I stepped out. Shouts came from somewhere below me.

  Off to my left, a staircase descended down into the house, and the corridor ran on passed.

  I soft stepped to the ornate balcony and looked over.

  The staircase wound round the walls all the way down to the ground floor. I could see a group of men standing in the light, in what must be the main hallway.

  They started up the stairs. No doubt searching for me.

  I had to take them all out. Taking off the rucksack, I removed a Claymore, and attached some fishing wire to the pin. I rigged it halfway down the flight leading up to my location. Looking over I saw the group of men had reached the second floor.

  Torches flashed.

  I wondered why not all the floors were illuminated like the ground floor.

  "Looking for me ya fuck mugs," I shouted.

  They all looked up as one and started to run. I headed off down the corridor.

  Turned and dropped to a crouch.

  Raising my gun, I waited. Torch beams played out on my floor. The sound of the explosion came to me.

  It was deafening in such a closed area.

  Fire, smoke and debris flew over the banister and flashed out into the corridor. The screams of the dead and dying followed. I crept forward and looked over the banister.

  The scene was utter devastation.

  Body parts lay around the landing below, and the section of steps leading to my floor was gone.

  I put my pistol away and unslung the MP5. Climbing to the balcony, I jumped down to the landing below. Immediately the wall above me was peppered with gunshots. I raised my weapon and fired without aiming.

  The two men below me slammed back into the wall, as my shots found their target.

  Crouching, I moved to the next floor.

  I paused at the bottom of the stairs.

  Using the wall for cover, I quickly popped my head out and back. The corridor, an almost twin of the one above, appeared to be clear. I stepped out. My heart was beating fast as I listened for sounds from below. It was eerily quiet.

  I started down the next flight of steps to the second floor when an ear-shattering scream echoed up from the ground floor. I lost all sense of caution and bounded the rest of the way to the ground floor, my flight halted in the opulent hallway. Two sets of closed double doors led off the hallway. I chose the one on the right, standing to one side of the door.

  I turned the doorknob and pushed it open.

  “C’mon in, and join the party,” Duggan’s voice called out from within. “Oh, throw in all your weapons because Tony has a knife placed against dear Jamie’s ju
gular. His hand is shaking, he does love his Charlie.”

  Damn!

  The situation was in a stalemate, but the fat-lady was not singing yet.

  I took out the mobile phone. Paulie’s number was on speed dial. Calling his number, I waited until he answered.

  “Don’t do anything stupid, Duggan,” I called out, loud enough for Paulie to hear. “I’m throwing my guns in now.”

  “Good lad, Jimmy. Throw them all in then walk in with your hands out to your side.”

  I took out my pistol and threw it into the room, followed by the MP5 and the rucksack.

  With my hands out to the side, I stepped inside.

  The room was long, with pillars running down either side.

  Jamie was at the far end, tied to a chair. Malpas was behind her, one side of his face livid with the striping my dad had given him. A knife held at her throat. Behind them, a large pair of French doors led outside. Duggan was standing to one side. He held a Browning 9mm, pointed at the floor.

  A hand grabbed me and pulled me further into the room.

  Trent had a big stupid grin on his face, as he placed the barrel of a sawn off Shotgun against my head.

  “Well, this is nice, ain't it?” Duggan said.

  “Why you doing this, Duggan? She’s your daughter.”

  I could see all of them had been partying on Columbian marching powder.

  “Females, a particularly traitorous species, don’t you think, Jimmy?” he scratched his head with the barrel of the Browning. “She couldn’t wait to jump into bed with you, eh Jimmy.”

  “Good shag ain't she,” Malpas laughed. I felt anger well up from deep inside me. It took all of my self-control to push it back down as I watched him squeeze her breasts then lick her face.

  Trent pushed me towards the center of the room.

  “I’m sorry about your dad, truly I am. But let's have it right, son, I knew you was gonna come after me and what with the Russkys on my back I am left with no choice,” he said, “My brothers can deal with the crap now. With you and my beloved daughter out of the way, there are no loose ends which could bite me on the bum further down the line.”

  I could see the madness that was only just held in check behind his eyes, my own burgeoning madness was starting to peck at the box I had sealed it in. We were in a lot of trouble and I hoped I could find a way out for all of us.

  “You don’t have to do this, let us go, there will not be any comebacks.”

  “Sorry, jimmy it’s gone too far. I want to enjoy my retirement without having to look over my shoulder; you’re like a rabid dog, Jimmy. You would hunt us down, cannot have that my son.”

  A bald headed man, whom I had not seen, stepped out from behind the far pillar.

  He was wearing a tracksuit and I could see huge muscles bulging beneath.

  “Meet Paddy Gage.”

  Duggan nodded to the bald headed man.

  “He’s an ex gypsy bare knuckle fighter, now fights in the underground cage fighting circuit, they call ‘im the Cage Rage.”

  Gage stepped into the center of the room and removed his tracksuit top.

  “It’ll be good to be meeting you, Dalton,” he said in that peculiar way Irish travelers speak.

  He put on an impressive display of kicks and punches.

  This was designed to intimidate, the war dance before the war.

  “We have a little time before our boat arrives, to take us to sunnier climbs. I decided some entertainment for the lads was in order.” Duggan looked round at the others as he spoke.

  Trent moved away from me still pointing the gun.

  “I got 30-1 on the Pikey,” Trent called out.

  Gage gave him a dark look, Trent laughed.

  “You, Jimmy, are going to fight Gage. To make it interesting and give you something to fight for, every time you go down. . .” He turned and looked at Malpas. “Tony here is going to stab or cut Jamie Lee. If by some chance you manage to knock Mr. Gage on his arse, I will put a bullet in her leg or an arm.”

  “You are one evil, sick, twisted son of a syphilitic bitch,” I growled.

  “Thank you. All compliments are welcome.”

  I heard a commotion behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Paulie come flying into the room. Blood covered one side of his face from a wound on his head. Two Neanderthal looking men appeared behind him, both armed with baseball bats.

  In my mind, I watched the seventh cavalry turn round and leave the canyon of no hope.

  “Found this mug trying to sneak into the grounds, boss.”

  “Paulie my traitorous little friend,” Duggan hissed. “Bring him to me.”

  The two men grabbed an arm each and dragged Paulie’s semi-conscious body over to Duggan.

  “Enough of this shit! Let the games begin.”

  Gage came for me. His fists raised like a boxers, scars on his knuckles bore testimony to the many fights he had been in.

  He threw two solid punches to my head. I managed to slip the first but the second hit the side of my head. I back pedaled out of his reach and put up my hands.

  He was fast; Gage came at me with a flurry of punches and kicks. I dodged and weaved out of the way. Shouts and cries of ‘kill the fucker’ came from Duggan and his cronies. I dodged and weaved, looking for an opening.

  Each time I thought I had one; he closed up and blitzed me with his blows.

  He came at me and I threw a faint with my left. Gage blocked the blow but left himself open. I shot out a palm. Smacked him square in the chest.

  As he moved back, I kicked his thigh and threw a roundhouse punch to his head.

  Gage backed off. We circled each other and I went in again. He was ready this time. I stepped towards him; he swept my feet, and caught me with a crushing blow to my jaw as I went down. I smacked into the floor and bounced, all the wind was knocked out of me.

  Gage kicked me twice in the ribs, compounding the damage.

  “Stop!” Duggan shouted.

  I knew what was coming, and felt helpless to do anything about it.

  I sat up; my whole body felt bruised from all the blows Gage had caught me with.

  Duggan did not say a word; he looked at Malpas and smiled. Malpas, walked to the side of Jamie, whose eyes were wide with fear.

  He twirled the knife in the air.

  With a look of maniacal pleasure on his face, Malpas looked at the knife, and then tossed it from hand to hand.

  The knife became a blur between his hands. He stopped and giving out a scream, Malpas slammed the knife down into Jamie’s foot. She bucked in the chair and her eyes opened wider as she screamed behind her taped up mouth.

  Tears streamed down her face. I screamed out at them. They all started laughing, it was a lunatic’s circus and I was the clown. In all their excitement, Paulie had been forgotten. He still lay on the floor and he had regained consciousness.

  He winked at me, and I saw he was hiding a Flash-bang underneath his body. I reached down to my ankle. Malpas was not the only one with a knife.

  “Okay, boys, get on with it,” Duggan said. I jumped up, positioning my body so no one could see the blade. Needing to be close to Duggan and the others, I allowed Gage to attack me, I blocked his attacks and he forced me towards our audience.

  I mentally made a note of where everyone was standing. When the shit hit the fan, I would need to be in the right position. Trent, who had the Shotgun, was standing to Duggan’s left. I backpedaled towards him.

  Gage came forward, trying to hit me. His face, a picture of gypsy fury and concentration.

  I was four feet away from Trent when I went into action. Drawing Gage in, I allowed him to hit me in the face, a bone crushing blow which made my head ring.

  Appearing to be more hurt than I was, I put my hand up as if I had had enough. He grabbed the front of my jacket, and drew back his ham like
fist.

  I made my move, drove my knife hand round in an arc. The razor edge of the blade sliced through the skin and muscle at the left side of his neck, to reach his jugular vein. A crimson arc pulsed into the air.

  He put a hand to his neck, and with a look of total surprise Gage fell to his knees.

  Continuing the trajectory of the blade, I reversed my hold and drove it straight into Trent's throat. He fell back, a choking sound coming from his mouth.

  I grabbed the Shotgun out of his hands and whirled round.

  Paulie jumped up, pulling the pin on the Flash.

  “Let’s ‘ave it ya fuckers!”

  He threw it underhand in front of Duggan who was standing frozen to the spot.

  The grenade rolled in front of him. I threw myself down and Malpas lunged at Paulie; his knife raised. The two meatheads with the baseball bats started towards me.

  The grenade exploded.

  Even with my hands over my ears, I felt the change in air pressure, and the white light through my closed eyes. I jumped up and raised the shotgun as I turned back to them.

  The batboys were down on their knees, moaning. Duggan had been blown off his feet and his face was bleeding from shrapnel. He was moaning like a baby.

  Malpas though, had succeeded in his lunge.

  The knife protruded from Paulie’s stomach. He lay on the floor, white as snow.

  Jamie had knocked her chair to the floor and was struggling with her bindings. I told her to keep still and picked up the Browning Duggan had dropped. Turning, I raised the Browning, and shot the two bat boys in the head.

  Malpas had climbed to his feet, shaking his head. He looked at me and I could see him weighing up his options. I felt no pity or sympathy for any of them, hate filled me up, and it burned at my core, a simmering Caldera about to erupt.

  “Go on, go for the knife, and see how far you get. You bastard!”

  I walked towards him, relishing the fear in his eyes.

  “Jimmy, come on. . .” He did not get to finish his sniveling sentence. It is hard to concentrate when you had just been shot in the balls.

  I walked over to Duggan who jumped to his feet.

  Screaming, Duggan made a run for the doors behind him.

  I shot him in the back of his right knee, dropping him to the floor. He rolled over holding his hands in front of him like a shield.

  “C’mon Jimmy, son, can’t we work something out?” His face was a panorama of pain. I looked into his eyes, I wanted my face to be the last thing he saw when I sent him to hell.

  “Of course we can, Phil.” I shot him in the face. “I ain’t your fucking son.”

  Malpas was still crying and moaning. I ignored him, went to Jamie, and untied her. She grabbed me round the neck and squeezed till I thought my head was going to pop.

  “Oh my god, Jimmy,” she sobbed, “I thought we were all dead.”

  I prized her hands from round my neck.

  “I gotta see to Paulie, Malpas shanked him.”

  We both knelt next to Paulie. Jamie held his head in her lap and stroked his hair. Looking at the position of the knife, I could tell it was a serious wound. He looked up at me with a slight smile on his face.

  “Did I save the day, Jimmy?”

  He coughed and his face tightened in pain.

  “Yeah mate, we would be dead if it wasn’t for you,” I whispered softly. “Rest easy, we will get you to a Hospital.”

  He grabbed my hand and his body was racked with a coughing fit.

  Looking into the face of my best mate, as his lifeblood pooled round my knees brought a tear from my eyes.

  “Don’t you dare fucking cry, ya mug,” he coughed. “Who turned the sodding heating off, I feel so cold.”

  A shiver ran through his body.

  He took a rattling breath and the last act he performed on this Earth was a single tear running down his cheek.

  I screamed to the heavens, more people dead because of me. Standing up I crossed over to Malpas. A massive pool of blood had formed between his legs. He was close to death but still alive.

  All the pain and anguish which had built up inside of me, boiled out in an explosive energy. I picked up one of the Baseball bats, when I had finished, his head looked like a shattered alien fruit from the blows of the bat.

  I dropped to my knees; my energy spent. I had done what we came here to do. Jamie came over and held me, and we both wept for the people we had lost.

  Epilogue.