Chapter 53
Kidnap Number?
In the middle of a church, John and his fellow soldiers stand in a circle surrounded by silence. Each one of the soldiers contemplates the friends, brothers and fellow officers who they have lost in the line of duty. A quiet beep reverberates around the room, seeming louder than it actually is. 'Time for lunch.' John breaks the silence. As one the soldier move to face the front of the room, the door behind them. In pairs, led by John, on his own, they kneel in front of an alter and murmur private prayers before walking through the door. John waits on the inside of the door but all the others walk through. The blonde teenager fishes a key from around his neck as the last pair of soldiers walk out of the church into a tunnel connecting the sacred room with the rest of the complex. He takes one last look around and steps out closing and locking the door behind him. As the tumblers fall into place, sirens blare momentarily deafening the small platoon of soldiers. John is the first to regain his senses. 'Intruder alert.' He whispers looking down the corridor. 'Intruder alert.' He repeats beginning to run. The soldiers fall in behind him easily keeping pace with the teenager.
It takes around twenty minutes for the group of soldiers to get to the area. John skids to a stop. 'Private, what's going on?' He asks a nearby soldier.
'Three men have broken in. they were heading to the personnel department.'
'But?'
'We already know who they're after.' John stares at the Private, the stare delivers the unasked question. 'A Captain Watson.'
'Which regiment?'
'The shiners.' Bill Murray asks
'Thanks.' The private runs off to deliver the same information to other soldiers. Murray and Heivan step in front of John.
'Yes I know.' John speaks before either of them can. John glances around.
'Let's get back to the church.' Heivan says
'No. Dead end.' John ponders. 'This way.' John edges around the two men in front of him and walks off in the direction of the armoury.
'John.' Heivan says. John ignores him. The man growls and grabs the shoulder of the teenager before he can get out of reach. Davey Heivan spins him to face him. 'I promised Mr Holmes that I would protect you with my life. And by extension your father.' John glares at him. 'Yes, he did inform me on what has happened recently.'
'John, we would give our lives to protect yours.'
'You know I would never ask that.'
'You don't have to.' Murray replies. A ripple of murmured agreement runs around the rest of the soldiers.
'This way.' Heivan heads off in a different direction. Murray fixes his eyes on John daring to continue on his original course. John sighs and allows them to take the lead. John follows at the back of the group. Bill Murray stays close behind the teenager. John glances behind Murray and frowns. Murray glances behind but doesn't see anything.
'Wait.' John tells Heivan. Everyone stops and listen in the silence of the tunnel. A single set of footsteps approach them. John drops his voice. 'Bill, Davey with me. The rest of you cover us.' John begins to walk down another tunnel leading off the one they are in. twenty paces in he increases his pace into a jog before breaking out in a run then into a sprint. Bill Murray and Davey Heivan easily keep pace with the teenager.
'What is going on?' Murray hisses as they run.
'We need to keep John safe.' Heivan hisses back.
'Yeah, I got that-'
'Sh.' John skids to a stop with a finger to his lips.
'Where is he?' An unknown voice floats around the corner.
'Where is who?' The voice belonging to the commanding officer of the station asks.
'John Watson.' John flinches.
'I know several John Watsons.'
'Captain John Hamish Watson MD. How many of those?' the sound of a smack reverberates around the walls. The three soldiers cringe.
'Four.' John involuntary smirks.
'Four?'
'Four. I know four people with the name Captain John Hamish Watson and happen to be military doctors.'
'Davey, I need you to play Judas.'
'No.'
'Only for five minutes.'
'No.'
'Why can't the commander?' Bill asks.
'Because he's already there.'
'I meant his second.' Bill points ahead of them. 'The one we all call the commander.' John raises his eyebrows at the newcomer, who nods once to answer the unspoken question. Davey imitates holding several weapons to indicate the armoury. The officer who is the second in command on the base nods again before steeping out.
'I know who you want. Leave Commander Ferguson alone.' He says clearly.
'What? O'Brian, stand down.' Commander Ferguson demands. O'Brian steps forward out of john's sight lines.
'Please be quiet sir.' John inches forward to peak around the corner. He watches as O'Brian steps in front of Ferguson with his hand behind his back. Ferguson glances down at O'Brian's hands and sees as the fore and middle fingers are crossed for a moment and the hands are returned to the thighs of O'Brian's legs.
'O'Brian what are you saying?' Ferguson keeps up the pretence.
'I can tell you where Captain John Hamish Watson MD is currently hiding.'
'Why?' O'Brian remains silent. 'Why?' The intruder repeats. John gets a good look at his face.
'Althelney.' John breathes.
'Because he cheated at Poker.' John can see that both O'Brian and Ferguson are struggling to keep straight faces. Bill and Davey both struggle to stop laughter escaping from their mouths.
'He cheated at poker?' Ferguson says with mock indignation? 'He cheated at poker?' Ferguson openly looks around the tunnel situation, ignoring the shadows of John, Heivan and Murray. 'Right, the little bugger cheated at poker. He doesn't deserve my protection.' John rolls his eyes at the obvious over-the-topness of the comments. 'Where is he hiding?'
'The armoury sir.' Ferguson pretends to storm off in completely the wrong direction, giving the three hiding soldiers a chance to get out of there. John seizes the opportunity and dashes across the open space closely followed by Heivan and Murray.
It takes them thirty minutes to emerge from the tunnel complex. John steps out first blinking into the light and runs across parkland into some cover. Bill Murray follows on his heels and moments later so does Davey Heivan. 'Where to now?' Heivan pants.
'You're unfit.' John says critically. 'Your workplace. We need Mycroft. Where are we?'
'Bottom Wood, near Newland Park on the wrong side on the M25.' John swears under his breath.
'It's going to take forever.'
