Chapter Nine
Gaol Break
Ray Connors and Colonel Michaels stayed for lunch at the fortress to give their friends time to complete their part in the mission. The snow was falling heavily again when they said their goodbyes to the captain, telling him that they would be leaving in the morning to travel back to the capital and back to whatever boring job would be put their way. On the drive back down to the inn, Lieutenant Bragg told the other two men of his amazing find, if all went well they would not have to scale the wall but simply walk through an open gate and along to what looked like the prison building. This coupled to the information that the other two had found out, where Peter Summers was being held in the fortress, meant that it should be an easy task to free him, getting safely back to the space port was another thing altogether.
“We will see if Jean has anything to add to the bag, and if not then I say we should leave the inn early in the morning, say four o`clock, any earlier might cast too much suspicion on us when Peter Summers is found to be missing. We should be able to get to the fortress in say twenty minutes, for we will have to walk most of the distance in case an insomniac soldier hears the engine of our staff car. Hopefully we can quickly secure the release of Peter Summers and be back at the staff car by five, we can then hightail it out of here, the only question Colonel, is which way?” Ray Connors said forgetting once again to use Colonel Michaels` nom de plume.
“I think that we should start out earlier than four o`clock Ray, we can pay for our room tonight, saying we are planning to get an early start because we heard that there may be bad weather tomorrow, but leave extra early, say two o`clock when everyone else in the inn will be asleep. Our leaving any later will not stop the state police from looking for us once they discover they are short of one prisoner. An earlier start will get us far enough away from here to escape any road blocks they may set up, and hopefully the Lyren freedom movement can provide us with a safe haven later in the day where we can rest and hide out for twenty four hours.” Colonel Michaels suggested to the other two men, but unless somebody had a better idea than the one outlined by Ray Connors, and amended slightly by him then as far as he was concerned it was the plan they would follow, and the others would just have to abide by this decision.
“Ok Colonel, an early start it is, and let`s hope Jonas doesn`t let us down, because if we are not getting any sleep tonight then I will sure need it later. May I suggest that the lieutenant here beds down right after dinner so that he is partially rested so that he can then be the first driver? One thing though, twenty four hours is too long, we are already getting very close to our departure time off of this planet and Harry won`t be able to put off leaving for too many more days.” Ray Connors said agreeing with Colonel Michaels, and adding a little more to the plan.
“Yes of course Ray, maybe we should only rest up for eight hours at the most and then be on our way, and all of us should also have an earlier meal than last night and try and catch a short nap in preparation for tomorrow.” Colonel Michaels agreed.
It was well after sundown when Jean returned down the steep hill with the other slaves; she was heading towards the quarters where she would be sleeping that night. She had been lucky to avoid the attentions of the overseer and of any of the other slaves, who were all too concerned with staying scrunched up in their clothes as they tried to keep out the cold wind that had blown up. Jean and Cassandra had finished moving the wood inside the fortress walls, where it would now be used by the garrison in the fireplaces of the fortress during these icy winter nights.
Ray Connors had driven across to a lane near to the slaves` quarters on the Lyren farm and waited for her return, slowly getting colder and colder as he sat there, he was relieved when he saw her for more than one reason. Jean saw the staff car as she walked by the lane and silently slipping away from the others of her party, she was soon sitting beside him, to her the car felt nice and warm after one of the coldest ever days that she could remember. The two of them had not been alone together since the trip in the borrowed shuttlecraft that they escaped the Lyren starship in, and both of them felt something stir within them as she turned to him.
“Ray are you ok, are the others ok?” She asked hesitantly at first.
“Yes we are fine Jean, how about you, all this cold not getting to you?” Ray said looking out at the snow filled fields rather than run the risk of letting Jean know how he felt about her.
Jean brought up the subject both of them were thinking about, but which Ray was too much of a gentleman to broach.
“Ray I know that you think the age difference between us matters, but I don`t, in fact I believe that I am falling in love with you.”
As Ray listened to her words two different thoughts went racing through his mind. Whether he should tell her that he was falling in love with her, or to give in to the doubts that had plagued him ever since he had met her, that he was too old for her, whatever answer he may have come to didn`t matter in the end.
“Ray.” Jean said and as he turned to look at her, she kissed him. “I love you Ray.” She said looking deeply into his eyes; and somewhere far away Ray heard a voice reply.
“And I love you Jean.” They kissed again oblivious to the cold, oblivious to the dangers of Lyre, all that mattered was that they were together; it was Jean who finally remembered all that she had to tell him and moved her lips just inches away from his to tell him of her day, and of his own escape. Ray was amazed that Jean could have been brave enough to confront the Lyren, and to have threatened him with her knife, and then also to have been party to his murder.
“Jean you once more amaze me, if he had been allowed to live we might all have been in sitting in that cold prison cell with your brother, but tell me how are you coping with it, it must have been terrible for you?”
“It was to start with, but now it doesn`t matter quite so much.” Jean said staring into his grey eyes. “I did think that I would break down and cry tonight Ray, but now I know that I simply cannot afford to, I will be able to cope with it until we get home to the Jeanette. It is so important that we all cope with such terrible things for now. Not only for my brother`s sake or even for the sake of all the others who have been involved in this venture, but so that we can bring help back to Lyre after our small adventure is finally over.” Jean had finally become an adult that cold day on Lyre.
“Oh Ray I did find out where the prison is, it is a large building with bars on its windows, and it is set back from the large courtyard.”
“Yes we found out that as well Jean, he is being kept in the prison`s dungeons and he is the only occupant at the moment.” Ray sad, amazed that the young shy girl he had met on New Caledonia could be this strong young woman sitting next to him. He then told Jean all of his news and of the plan to release her brother in the early hours of the morning.
“We will pick you up here a few minutes after two o`clock tomorrow morning and then park the car in a sheltered spot beneath the fortress, it will be a steep walk up to the fortress, but then you already know that don`t you Jean?”
“Yes Ray that is one thing I do know.” Jean said having made the trip up to the fortress and then down again on foot.
“Well with you and Cassandra saving the day I can now tell the Lieutenant that his freedom movement is a going concern, and that it looks as if it will continue to operate just fine if Cassandra is a sample of the members of the new movement.” Ray said and then he smiled at her with a look of regret in his eyes. “You should get back now and have an early meal and then get some rest, tomorrow will be a long and busy day.”
“We have only just confessed our love for one another and already you want to leave me.” Jean said pouting at Ray, but she couldn`t hold her look of displeasure for long and soon broke into a laugh.
“But I suppose that you may be right Ray.” Jean said glumly.
“Oh but how will you ensure that you wake in time Jean?” Ray asked her.
“Oh don`t worry Ray my other lov
er is not as keen as you to be away, he can wake me.” Jean said laughing when she saw his unhappy face.
“Very funny my darling, but tell me how will you ensure that you wake up Jean?” Ray insisted.
“Cassandra told me while we were walking down from the fortress that in her former life back on her own planet she trained herself so that she can now wake up at any time she chooses, so I am sure that she will agree to wake me Ray.”
Ray leant over and kissed Jean again, but after a brief moment they parted and Jean left him to return to her room where Iliad and Cassandra demanded to know why she looked quite so happy, for she had been quite morose earlier on because of the cold weather, and also because of the dangers that were ahead.
“Because Ray told me that he loved me, that is why, now stop being so nosey.” Jean said shyly, as she felt herself blushing.
“And did you also confess your love for him Jean?” Cassandra probed.
“Yes Cassandra and we kissed and everything was alright for a moment until the present forced its way between us and we had to part.” Jean confessed. “But even those few moments were wonderful.”
Cassandra smiled across at her Man, and then she turned back to Jean to help her to reapply her make-up so that she was once more the tired plain looking woman who had entered Lyre. The difference was such that Iliad declared that only magic could have made such changes in Jean`s appearance, then it was time for their evening meal and finally Jean departed for her bed, having got a promise from Iliad and Cassandra to wake her early enough so as not to delay her friends.
As Jean lay down upon her hard bed she thought back to the kisses that she had shared with Ray, it wasn`t fair, instead of staying in his arms while he whispered sweet nothings into her ear she had to return to her cold empty bed. This was hardly what she had imagined her night would be like after she had confessed her love for her man, and he had said that he also loved her. Just then Jean yawned and closed her eyes, moments later she was fast asleep and not even the excitement of reliving her kisses with Ray could keep her awake a second longer, not after such a long cold hard day`s work up at the fortress that held her brother a prisoner.
Dinner at the inn was a quiet affair and they retired to their room before Captain Reynard made his nightly appearance, must to his chagrin. Colonel Michaels woke first followed by Lieutenant Bragg who in turn woke Ray. The hour was fast approaching two in the morning as they departed the inn and drove over to collect a very tired Jean Summers who was still tired even after falling asleep almost the instant that she had laid her head down on her uncomfortable pillow, not even the excitement of rescuing her brother could keep her awake. Iliad had escorted Jean to the rendezvous to ensure that she got there safely, and Cassandra had given her some bread and cheese for the journey, food the slaves could ill afford, but they would not see their friends go hungry.
Colonel Michaels spoke to their new friend before leaving for the fortress. “Iliad, I promise that I will speak to my superiors about all that you have discussed with my lieutenant, and I will ensure that your people are not left to rot here, it might take some time but help will come to you.”
“Thank you my friend, we now have hope in our hearts where before we only had pain, I know now that our suffering will not go on forever.”
It took only two minutes on the empty road to get to the place where they had decided to leave the car while they journeyed up to the fortress. The path up the steep hillside was rough and twisting ,and the thick layer of snow that had recently fallen didn`t help matters, but thankfully the planet`s one moon had chosen this moment to shine a dim light down onto the white snow that enabled them to make good time. Care had to be taken however for the track narrowed deceptively in places where the carpet of snow hid many things and made the way look wider than it really was. Even so, within fifteen minutes they were approaching the track that Lieutenant Charles Bragg had followed around the fortress. Everything was going smoothly but it was also here that Jean stumbled, she was still very tired after the day`s work and the cold was drawing all of her remaining strength out of her. Her foot caught in a root of a tree, and the ground that she stepped on to stop herself from falling was just soft snow with nothing to support her, so she carried on falling towards the open hillside on her left. She knew that she was going to be hurt and probably injured by this fall and there seemed to be nothing for her to grab onto to prevent herself from falling down the hill.
“Ray!” Was all she had time to call out in fear as she fell. Her right hand brushed against Ray`s overcoat for a moment, he was walking just in front of her and she managed to grab onto it but her momentum pulled it from her grasp and she continued to fall forward toward the ground so far below.
The second that she had gained holding onto Ray`s coat gave Ray the time to spin round in answer to her call. Seeing Jean beginning to disappear over the edge he fell to the ground and put out his hand to grab her arm as she almost disappeared completely over the side of the steep hill. For a moment, she hung there looking up at Ray, pleading for him to save her, Ray then caught hold of her other arm and lifted her back onto the track, as if she weighed nothing more than a doll.
“Are you all right darling, what happened?” Ray asked in fear that Jean was ill or injured.
“I`m fine thanks to you Ray, I guess that I am more tired than I realised and I caught my foot in something and fell, thankfully you were there to save me again.” Jean said smiling. Ray had his arms about her and was looking down into her eyes and couldn`t help himself, he just had to kiss her. Lieutenant Charles Bragg chose this moment to cough, ever so softly. Ray looked around at Charles Bragg who was smiling and Ray couldn`t help smiling in turn before saying.
“Well come on Lieutenant let`s move on, Jean just tripped, she isn`t hurt.”
Ray decided to follow Jean for the rest of the way up the hill and they finally got to the top without any further mishap and then on to the open doorway in the fortress wall. After listening for any sign of life from inside the fortress, Lieutenant Charles Bragg led the way through the doorway and along a rough track with the wall on one side and the assortment of buildings on the other side. The track meandered round to finally bring them near to the door that Jean had used to take the mechanic`s body out of the castle. Here Colonel Michaels checked to see if this door had also been left unlocked, but no this one had been relocked after the firewood had been brought into the fortress. Listening again for signs of life brought only silence to their ears, so they made their way along to the prison. Here more signs of the lax discipline were in evidence as the door to the prison was open and unguarded; quietly they entered only to find the guard inside fast asleep on a chair with his head pillowed by his arms upon a table. Colonel Michaels put his finger to his lips to give the age old sign of quiet please, and then they tiptoed by the soldier to a door at the end of the passageway that would lead them down to the dungeons. Lieutenant Charles Bragg had been designated to wait here to look out for any signs of trouble, and now he also had to ensure that if the sentry awoke he could be put back to sleep quickly before he could raise the alarm. Colonel Michaels hand reached out for the door handle and prayed that the door would not squeak and awaken the sentry when he opened it, it didn`t. Before them was a wooden staircase, and descending slowly they saw that a dim light was lighting up the room below through an open side door, and after they had quietly approached it they saw that there was yet another sleeping guard. A plan sprang into Ray`s head, but first they had to find Peter Summers. They found him in the only cell with a closed door; Jean looked through the small grill set in the door and told the others that it was her brother, so Ray quietly told the others of his plan.
“First we knock the guard out, then we tie him up and gag him and put him in the bed currently occupied by Peter Summers. When the morning shift come down here they will probably believe that the night guard had simply left early, the non-existent discipline would tend to support this, but first we should free Jean`s b
rother and check with him just what the morning routine is.”
The guard just then began to snore and Jean could hardly control herself, but luckily she managed to suppress her laughter after some effort. The keys to the cell were on a hook on the far wall, so they quietly collected them and putting the key into the lock opened the door of the cell that imprisoned Peter Summers.
“You wake him Jean, but tell him to talk only in a whisper.” Ray suggested.
Jean slipped into the cell and knelt down beside the cot that her brother was sleeping on, she now gently shook him while whispering his name.
“Peter, Peter, wake up it is me Jean, I have come to take you home.”
Peter Summers stirred and thought to himself ‘I must be dreaming I could have sworn that I heard Jean`s voice.’
“Peter!” Jean said just a little louder. “Will you open your eyes?”
Peter Summers eyes slowly opened to see a rather plain woman looking down at him who seemed rather familiar.
“It is me Peter, Jean, I am in disguise and I have come with some friends to take you back to New Caledonia.” Jean said just a little angry with her brother for not being a little more awake.
“Jean, what on Earth are you doing here?” Peter Summers said in his normal voice eliciting another rather loud bout of snoring from the sleeping guard.
“Quietly you twit or you will wake everyone up, now before we carry out the rest of our plan you have to tell me what the routine is here in the morning.”
Peter Summers sat up and looked up at Ray Connors, Colonel Michaels was outside the cell ensuring that the sleeping guard didn`t wake up and give the alarm.
“It really is you Jean, how on Earth did you get to Lyre?” This time he whispered his question.
“Peter will you listen; please tell us the morning routine we need to know if it ties in with our proposed plan of action.” Jean demanded.
“They make a lot of noise and about ten o`clock they put a plate of porridge on the table there and don`t comeback until the afternoon when I get my daily exercise, it really is you Jean.” Peter Summers said rather baffled by this knowledge.
“That routine will tie in nicely with our plan, quick now we are going to knock the guard out then we will put the guard in your bed and tie him up and gag him, it should buy us a little extra time.” Ray said to the sleepy spy before him.
As they left the cell Ray nodded to Colonel Michaels who promptly knocked the guard out without the poor fellow waking up to know just what was happening to him. They then tied him up using his own belt to go around his arms and body; the sheet from the bed that the guard was sleeping on was used to bind his ankles, he was gagged with one of his socks and a torn strip from another sheet on the bed secured it. They then carried the guard into the cell that been home to Peter Summers. Here they bound the guard’s body to the bed with two of the sheets from that bed; lastly, they threw a blanket over him to keep him warm and to conceal his identity. The guard would not be able to summon help easily as the bed that he was tied to, was in turn fixed to the floor and wall to prevent it being used as a weapon of sorts by a disgruntled prisoner. All of this might provide them with the extra time necessary to make their escape plan work all the better.
The next part of their escape plan was to get as far away from Wallachia Fortress as quickly as possible, and then find a place to lie low and rest. They crept back up the staircase and by the still sleeping guard and back into the empty courtyard of the fortress, except it was not going to be empty for long as they heard the sound of vehicles approaching, and then the sound of a large number of soldiers marching their way, finally they heard the voice of an officer.