Читать книгу Bush Snipers - Greg Pius - Страница 2

Arriving at the United Nations refugee camp, the largest one in Australia, Flint went looking for Ivan Shakata. He was about to introduce himself when Shakata beat him to it by exclaiming,

"Why if it isn't the great Cain Flint himself. I thought you were on the run from government trackers."

Flint winced when he recalled the many near misses he had with those self same trackers. But he replied calmly,

"Well trackers need a trail but I covered mine up too well."

Shakata laughed but Flint did not see any laughter in his eyes. Instead he heard Shakata ask,

"What can I do for you Mr. Flint?"

Flint squirmed when he heard the name that he regarded still as representing his father. So he made a request when he said,

"Please call me Cain . That other name makes me look for Dad."

Shakata was seeing a softer side to this famous killer. He was puzzled, so he enquired,

"How are your father and mother? "

Flint went pale as he replied,

"Not too good. They are both dead."

Shakata saw the pain in Flint's eye but needed to know how much steel was in his heart, so he pried deeper,

"Sorry to hear that, my condolences. What did they die of?'

The pain in Flint's eyes turned to red hot anger. His tone lowered the temperature of the air inside Shakata's tent. Flint barked out,

"Both of them died of pneumonia. It was the government's fault! That's five lives to get revenge for that are blood debts. If you add in my childhood mates killed by state police officers, then I still need to kill more government targets. I intend to exact a full revenge on government forces."

Shakata had all he needed now, so he tried to sound wise by saying.

"Revenge is a never ending road. Once you start on that road there is no rest."

Flint looked for a long drawn out moment into Shakata's eyes. He then said,

"That suits me. As long as I get to kill more government targets."

A shiver ran down Shakata's spine. He knew that he was standing in the presence of a cold hearted killer. So he quickly came to the main point.

"You have not answered my earlier question?''

Flint looked puzzled but soon worked out what Shakata was referring to, so he softened his tone as he stated,

" I am looking for a job with your team."

Now it was Shakata's turned to try to stare down Flint. Another mental stalemate had him replying carefully,

"You will need another identity! Luckily for you I can offer both these things. I need a top security officer. Want the job?'

Flint thought about this offer. He asked for some clarification,

"You mean you want a bodyguard?"

But Shakata shook his heard. He replied in a firm voice,

"I have bodyguards. No I need someone to handle all my security needs personally. Interested?'

This offer surprised Flint but he grabbed at it anyway,

"Yes.. sure...I am interested>'

Shakata needed a more definite answer, so he said,

"You don't seem to happy about the job."

Quick to retain this man's goodwill, Flint said,

"Its just that I have never done this work before. I have been a lone wolf most of my working life."

Happy that he had the man he wanted, Shakata was willing to be flexible. So he reassured Flint,

"You will pick it up as you go, its okay. I have never been a community leader before. We can do on-the-job training together."

Flint smiled and extended his hand,

"I'll be in on that, just don't expect too much."

It was whilst they were shaking hands that Flint heard the footsteps. Lots of them. Nervously he turned to face this unexpected danger. Few jobs he had done started off with such immediate action. But Flint was determined to prove himself. The many footsteps got closer as the noise of running got louder.

Doctor Roman Ruffe was also starting a new job. But he had already had an induction period. The doctor he was replacing was so grateful to have been transferred to Ruffe's city position that she had insisted on showing him the country based hospital. roman did not warn her about what she would face in a civil war ravaged city. He did not even tell her about her new posting. The loss of Freya had change Roman from a young softy into a hardened cynic. Rather uncharitably he thought,

"Let her find out for herself that life stinks. I give her two weeks before she realizes that it was better here away from all that shooting."

Roman wore a dark look permanently on his face. The woman doctor who he was replacing was struck with how it wiped away Roman's youth but enhanced his attractiveness. She now wished that her transfer was not taking her hundreds of kilometers away. Still she was going to the big smoke. There would be lots of men there for her to date. So she finished her tour with a polite tone of voice when she asked,

"Are there any final questions doctor?"

Roman stayed silent whilst managing to look even more sad. Misreading this outlook, she softly reassured him.

"Look its not too bad here. The teachers at the local school are "blow ins" like us."

Seeing Roman's quizzical look, she explained,

"Sorry that's bush speak for people who are sent here and only stay a short while. Which in this town means less than twenty years."

Laughing at her own joke, she shook Roman's hand then left the room.

Roman looked around his new office. He had a sickening flashback. In the solitude of that room he groaned out aloud,

"Freya! Freya! I will be with you soon my love. Wait for me."

The Feelgoods were arriving at the family estate. Hera, Hannah, Mossy and Abraham were welcomed like long lost neighbors. The estate manager, Mr. Frank Simmons, had the whole estate staff turn up to welcome this much loved family. Seeing his discomfort when he noticed the physical deterioration of Mr. Feelgood. Hera took charge by saying firmly,

"Mr. Simmons my father has a bad case of the flu. He wishes me to thank you and the staff for such a warm welcome. If you give us a few days we will meet with you all for a personal welcome."

Frank Simmons had not been deceived because he had got really close to the man who had hired him decades ago, but he still played along. He remembered Hera as a child. Even then it did not pay to question her motives. So he cheerily said,

"We were all looking forward to your arrival so very much. The Feelgood family is cherished in these parts. But let me also say that we were all so sad to hear about Mrs. Feelgood and Miss Hilda. And, of course, her husband. Those rebels have a lot to answer for in my book."

Seeing her father suddenly getting angry at the mention of his son-in-law, Hera quickly concluded with,

"Sorry everyone the long trip had taken its toll. Please excuse us. We will see you all tomorrow."

Taking their cue from a signal sent by Frank Simmons, most of the staff made a quick exit. But one elderly woman was not to be put off, she walked right up to Hera and Hannah. Then she said,

"What no welcome for your old nanny?"

Both girls squealed with delight and hugged this portly woman. They exclaimed,

"Nanny? We thought you had retired to your coastal cottage."

Their nanny, baptized Felicia Anne Upright but known locally as "Nanny" for obvious reasons, pretended to scold her former charges,

"Hera have you being using your inhaler like I taught you?" "Hannah what have you done to your hair? Let me comb it for you tonight>'

Both adult woman even sounded like little girls when they replied politely.

"Yes Nanny dearest."

Then all three women were lost in hugs and kisses.

Suddenly a small face appeared from behind Hera. Nanny Upright suddenly went white. She exclaimed,

"Oh you gave me such a fright. You must be Mosser. Hello dear."

Hera spoke softly to this much loved woman,

"We all call her Mossy."

Nanny Upright showed genuine censure in her look. She exclaimed,

"I never approved of your father's nicknames. You know he called me "banana"? I told him off I can tell you. No this sweet little thing is too beautiful to be called after an insect. We will have to think of a better nickname won't we?"

Again the Feelgood women heard themselves chorus,

"Yes Nanny dearest."

Nanny Upright took Mossy's little hands and kissed both palms. She spoke in her ultra soft voice, looking right into the girls's eyes when she whispered,

"That's my special gift that I give all my special girls."

Mossy gave her a smile that instantly won her heart. But as Hannah took Mossy to show her the "gee gees" as Mossy called them, Nanny Upright sadly said to Hera,

"I knew your mother as a young girl. We were playmates. Its was like I was six again when I looked into your child's eyes. As for that smile, I remember it from my youth. She is your mother reborn."

Hera felt her heart swell as she said,

"I know I see it every day. It has helped me cope this last month. Nanny I miss Mummy so much."

Comforting a crying Hera came natural to this woman, so she said exactly the right thing ,

"I know. I miss her too Hera. She was my best friend. Until today I thought that there would never be another Mary Feelgood. Now I know how merciful God really is to us all. He sent us an angel in the form of a child, just like he did all those years ago when your mother was born."

Hera had to admit something to this loved woman,

"Nanny I don't believe in God anymore. Sorry but he can't exist as far as I can see."

Nanny Upright was not going to let this go, so she replied in kind,

"Luckily he believes in you. Listen to me Hera Ermentine Feelgood he exists in every good thing in your life. That child of yours is proof of that. Don't think I missed the signs of your old weakness in her breathing. She is asthmatic just like you were at her age. When your sainted mother had to go on those horrid overseas trips with your father, I sat at your bedside every night and prayed for your life. Here you are healthy and cured. You must sit watching your daughter struggle for breath. Well I thought of you as my second daughter. Every time you stopped breathing at night, I stopped breathing."

Now Hera was sobbing but still clutched this woman's hand in a cherished grip. Finally she said,

"I loved you as a second mother, Nanny. You could always calm my fears."

Nanny Upright was also crying when she said,

"I will always be there for you my little volcano."

Both woman now sat still next to each other as memories flooded their minds.

Adam Champion was in deep trouble. His court martial was not going well, with his army appointed lawyer warning him of certain defeat. Then a surprise witness asked the court for permission to give evidence. The prosecuting major saw that it was the spymaster's former pet killer. A commando trained sniper known as Lieutenant Otrera Doras, this sniper had been seconded to the personal service of Australia's spymaster. So the army prosecutor raised no objections to her giving evidence. He was to regret this mistake.

In the witness box Lieutenant Doras said,

"I was there on duty when the spymaster was assassinated! I saw who shot the fatal bullet."

Forgetting his legal professor's warning about evidence given that has not been first checked, the cocky army prosecutor said,

"Good. Please tell the court who that killer was Lieutenant."

Lieutenant looked right at Champion as she exclaimed,

"It was Cain Flint!"