Ch 40
Rip through the fence. Run far around the airport perimeter and head west. Doing so, Kaede was finding out fairly quickly George didn't have much steam. Panting and huffing, He looked ready to collapse. Kaede lifted him up and carried him. Cameron was running all right, but her hip clicked every time she took a step.
Vehicle Lights ahead got their attention. Kaede stopped and put George down. "On the ground. You too, Cameron!" While they laid down, Kaede watched the light approach. It was a small SUV type rolling along a dirt road. Kaede ran over to the road and got behind a bush. She reached out with a mind hand onto a bush on the other side. When the Jeep looking car came close, she shook that bush.
The Jeep slowed and a spotlight was turned onto the bush. Two men in the Jeep were watching the searchlight pan. Kaede jumped up and yanked them both out. Holding them down, she relieved them of their radios. They had handcuffs, so the flipped them on their bellies and used them, locking the men's arms together. The jeep was rolling, Kaede stopped it.
"Up and let's go!" Kaede called.
One man spoke. Kaede ripped some of their pant legs off to gag them. She threw the handcuff keys away into the bushes.
Before Kaede could get in, Cameron was in the driver's seat. The Jeep was a two door, Kaede had George get in the back then got in the passenger side. "Doan wreck us," she warned. Cameron swung around and drove back the way the men came. She also shut the lights off.
"What are you doing?" George cried.
"I can see better with my infrared," Cameron stated.
"Just doan hit nothin," Kaede reminded her.
Cameron drove down what had to be a access road. Coming to at paved road, she turned the lights on and headed west. "This vehicle will be good for the night. In the morning we're going to need new one."
Kaede had to agree. She picked up her phone and dialed Smith's office.
"Mr. Smith's office."
"Ya got a mole. We was molested." Kaede stated and hung up.
"Will they send another pickup for us?" George asked.
Kaede glanced back at him. "Lad, even if they did, we dare not accept it. Those guys were set up and waitin fer us. They knew where we were and what we riding in. That means someone tiped'em off."
"Shouldn't you tell him the details?"
"I'm sure he'll be getting that pretty quick," Kaede told him. At the moment, she was wondering how to find those Kaliba agents.
"We're going to need gas," Cameron noted. "This is an airport security vehicle. We stop for gas, we'll be noticed."
Kaede thought for a moment. She wanted these bad guys to follow them. "How far we got?" she asked.
"By the normal useage and tank size for this type of vehicle, 80 miles, plus or minus twelve," Cameron reported.
"Not over the German border?"
"The German border is 230 miles away."
"Damn," Kaede grumbled. "George, you got a passport?"
George let out a snort. "Not any more. Miss Sadism took it, my wallet, everything I had."
"Then they know where ya live?"
"Ahh, yeah," he replied heavily.
"Apparently, ya seen somethin they're very nervous about," Kaede told him. "Think hard, what did ya see or hear that ya didn tell anyone about."
"I don't know."
"THINK! They are tryin very hard to kill ya. Ya must know somethin!" Kaede said firmly.
Cameron offered, "We killed Miss Sadism. It's possible they are coming after us to get the remains back. They will not want anyone to know about terminators."
"Possible," Kaede agreed.
"I didn't even know what she was!" George complained.
"Didn't need to. When we took her body I let a guard run away. That may be why they are after us. They know we have it."
"They want to retrieve it. That's why they didn't blow the plane after it took off, but before we got on," Kaede said in a musing tone.
"Yes, an airplane crash would bring investigators," Cameron agreed. "They don't want us leaving the country. All forms of transportation will be watched."
"They can't watch the whole border."
"No. Kaede, I'm already going on a secondary road, due west. We have a better chance of picking up other transportation this way, and angling north," Cameron explained. "We'll just have to hide this vehicle."
Coming up on a town Cameron slowed, then pulled off the side and into an old barn. They got out and pushed the doors shut.
"Ya got a plan?" Kaede asked.
"Yes, there's a tavern up the road, We take a drunk's car. I'll identify a good one. Pull him back to us so I can knock him out. By the time he wakes up, we should be over the border."
.
In the shadows, Cameron, Kaede and George watched the parking lot. A short while later a car drove though then left, going the same way.
"A tail?" George asked in a whisper.
"Tryin ta be."
A man staggered out with a female on his arm. A little pudgy and not a very pretty face on the women, George whispered, "He's got his beer goggles on."
Going over to his truck, the man gave the woman a big kiss, which she responded to. They started fondling, leaning against the side of the truck.
"Yup, beer goggles." George confirmed as he looked at the woman.
Kaede reached out and pulled them closer. They staggered and laughed, still working at each other's clothes. They fell down in the grass just outside the lot. Cameron snuck out and cracked the woman in the head. She passed out. The man was only concerned about loosening up her shirt. Cameron knocked him out and took his keys. They left them piled on top of each other. Cameron, George and Kaede got in the truck and left. Kaede had George get into the small back seat.
"Much of the border between Germany and Poland is the Oder river. We have to be to the north when we cross to avoid that. The bridges across the river will be watched," Cameron explained. "We have to be through Szczecin, the last city before Germany before dawn."
"We gonna make it?"
"We should baring any other misfortunes."
"That's askin a lot, lass," Kaede said dryly.
Cameron drove all night and got through the city on the highway. Leaving the city for the German border, Kaede asked, "Bicycles again?"
"There's no time," Cameron reminded her. Nothing's open. We can get bikes after we get into Germany."
Cameron went through town and took a last road, then a path that read 'Germany, 305 meters' The path went through woodland. Cameron turned the lights off. She drove on a short while, scraping the truck against brush, then stopped. "A man to the left ahead. Wait here."
Cameron was gone fifteen minutes then came back and said, "He was waiting, I disabled the trip wire he set up."
Cameron drove on across the border into Germany. Not long after she came to a gas station and filed up. Kaede paid for the gas and got some food and a drink.
On the road again, Kaede asked George, "So, where do you live?"
"Braintree. It's just west of Colchester. You don't think they will come there do you?" George asked.
Kaede nodded. "Since you got away, it's safe bet they are already there. We're going to need a ride across the channel."
"We need to steal a boat," Cameron stated.
"We do."
"Aren't we British citizens?" George asked.
"Got yer passport lad?" Kaede asked in return.
"Right," George replied in an exhale. "But, how do we get out of Germany then?"
"Same way we got in the first time. Bicycles."
.
Most of the way through Germany, they did find a bicycle shop. Cameron parked the truck down the block and around the corner. They got three touring bikes and rode off. George was not able to put on the speed Kaede and Cameron could. Kaede pulled him along some to keep up some speed. Relatively, it was a slow ride.
Finally getting to Belgium, Kaede was getting tired, as was George. They stopped at a hotel and got some food and rest. Here, there was bicycle parking and they even had bike trails for interested guests.
Riding along at a normal bicycle speed of only a few miles an hour, Kaede was not happy with their progress. For how slow they were going, she was sure Kaliba was catching up. If she was confident Cameron could get George away, she would let them go on and return to Warsaw. The thing was, Kaliba knew George and she knew they would have someone at his home to silence him.
Pondering how to get close to George's home and not be seen, Kaede felt the headache tingle of another immortal. Perking up she looked around. "Guys," she began, then saw a familiar face gazing at her from the sidewalk. The short, blonde man with a pipe smiled at her. Kaede stopped.
"Fitzcarin," she said in a huff.
"Right ya be. lass," he replied happily. "I'm sure I'd recognize such a flower as yourself, but your name escapes me."
Cameron and George stopped, eyeing Kaede.
Kaede snorted. "So, I'm just a flower now and not a Goddess? I doan need Mom and Amanda ta keep ya away from me?"
Fritzcarin frowned briefly then looked closer at her. His face opened up. "Kaede McLeod?"
"Kaede Kikumura now," she corrected.
"Ahhh yes! You're in disguise," Fitzcarin announced. "Someone must be chasing you. Why else would the light of the sun be hidden so well under a basket!" Shifting his gaze to Cameron, he beamed, "And of course you'd be accompanied by another beautiful maiden ..."
"She's married too," Kaede quickly said.
Fitzcarin frowned at her. "Now that is terrible news. Surely you two angels are not stranded by yourselves."
"George is with us," Cameron stated.
"What happened to his ear?"
"Miss Sadism tore it off," Cameron explained.
Fitzcarin cringed. "No need to remind me to stay away from her."
"Fitz, we need to get to England, we have no ID," Kaede stated.
"Mine got stolen," George added.
Pointing his pipe at George, Fitz said, "Laddie, ya better watch who you're playing with."
"Do you know where we can get a boat?" Kaede asked pointedly.
Fitzcarin made a flourishing bow to Kaede. "My dear, I would launch a thousand ships in your honor!"
"Just one will be good."
"Yes, I have just the thing!"
.
They followed Fitzcarin down to a yacht club where rows and rows of boats were lined up. The boat they looked at was wooden and not in the best of shape. It needed to have the peeling paint scrapped off and a new paint job and looked unused for quite a while.
Fitzcarin waved a hand at it. "I don't much take to the water, so this has been here for a while. Won it off another fellow who should have known better than to gamble against me. I could not turn down such a pretty thing as you, Kaede McLeod, so please, use it as you need."
"Kikumura now," Kaede reminded him.
Lookin into a porthole, Cameron said, "There's water inside."
"It looks more like a sailboat than a cabin cruiser, but there is no mast," George noted.
"There's a stub," Cameron said, pointing to a short, sawed off post in the middle of the boat.
"Did I mention that man wasn't happy that he lost?" Fitz asked. "It still floats," he offered.
Kaede cast him a brief smile. "Thanks, Fritz."
"But look," Fritz said and motioned to the long fore deck. "It's perfect for sunbathing."
"Let's see if we can find where it leaks," Kaede said with a sigh.
Cameron went on board and tried the cabin door. "This door is locked."
Kaede looked at Fitz. Fitz shrugged, "He never gave me a key."
Cameron broke the door open. Right after she went in, she came back out. "This boat needs to go into dry dock. There are several what look like bullet holes in the hull."
"We need something to patch the holes up," Kaede told her.
"Carriage bolts, washers and rubber," Cameron replied. "I'll go see what I can find."
"Is there a sump pump on board?" George asked.
Fritz frowned briefly, then said, "I'm sure there is."
"Doubt it works," Kaede grumbled. "Go ahead an look."
Roger went down into the cabin. Kaede eyed the boat, about forty feet long, it wasn't that big. She put her hands under it and lifted. As the hull came up, the dozen holes in this side poured water out.
"Not that's a handy trick," Fitz beamed.
"Fitz, how much do you want fer this boat?" Kaede asked.
Waving his hand, Fitz said, "No, lassie, you need it, take it. I almost forgot it was here. I'm not one for boat repairs anyway."
"Thank ya Fritz."
"Whatever I can do to make a beautiful Lass happy," he beamed in reply.
George came out and looked around. He held up what looked like a long bicycle tire pump. "It doesn't work."
"Water's pouring out the holes. Good enough fer now," Kaede replied.
Looking down, George asked, "How do I get off?"
"Doan. There's a screw on the back, see if ya kin find the motor."
George went back in. Kaede watched the water pour out of the holes. It was slow coming out. Probably a good thing when the water was going in.
Cameron returned with a bag of nuts and bolts and a dual diaphragm pump. She also had a small bag of rubber gaskets. Cameron fitted the gaskets on the bolts, Kaede plugged the holes. Cameron jump on and went in to put the gaskets and nuts on the inside.
George appeared to tell Kaede there were a couple gallons of gas in the tank, and the motor did turn over. It was a small motor. Fitz volunteered to take the two 5 gallon cans and go get gas for them.
While the boat was up mostly out of the water, Kaede has Cameron check the rudder to make sure it worked. Cameron fired the engine and besides a little black smoke, it ran and the screw turned. Kaede set the boat back down to see if they had any more leaks. George found his duty was pumping the boat out. A hose through a porthole, and he pumped away. Progress was slow, but he did make progress.
The inside of the boat was old, dirty and musty. At least it floated and the motor worked. With the motor running, they even had some lights. Wanting to help, of course, Fitzcarin decided to come along. He even went and got food, some wine and a bottle of Glen Morangie just for 'Angel Kaede'.
Late in the afternoon, they set sail for England. No sooner had they sailed out of the harbor and into the English Channel then the little engine began pouring out more smoke. It then began knocking ... then a bang and it quit altogether.
Cameron went down below with Roger. Kaede stared at Fitzcarin. Fitz shrugged. "I didn't know it was going to do that."
Cameron came back up to announce. "The engine blew a piston, it's ruined."
"What are we going to do?" Fitzcarin asked.
Kaede frowned at him and said, "Cameron, steer." She then went to the back and sat down. Kaede put mind hand over the back for a grip, then two more invisible hands over the sides. Making her hands as wide as possible, she dog-paddled the boat along.
Roger noticed they were moving. "What's making us move?"
From the back, Kaede said, "I am. Any comments an ya kin swim."
Fitzcarin looked over the side. "Blimey, it looks like we're moving along pretty good."
"Fourteen knots." Cameron stated. "It should take two and a half hours to get to England."
Kaede ignored the others and kept dog paddling, one arm then the other. At the helm, Cameron watched out over the ocean and kept them on course.
Not wanting to be in the way, Roger sat on the front deck, leaning against the front of the cabin by the chopped off mast. Fitzcarin came up and sat beside him and offered him a drink of the wine bottle.
"Here, laddie have some. After being woman handled by Miss Sadism, I bet you need it."
Roger chuckled and took the bottle. "Thanks, I do." He took a drink and handed it back.
"Gotta say, Kaede isn't very friendly today. I'll tell you though, never seen a prettier lass the day she got married. All sunshine and rainbows, she was," Fitzcarin said proudly.
Roger grinned. "I got a feeling she can be whatever she wants to be. Same with Cameron. Don't think because they are pretty, they're harmless. both of them are tough birds."
"Aye, I hear the stories, Lad. I know Kaede can make you have a bad day, real fast," Fitz agreed. "Seen Kaede's Mum kill a couple guys from up in a tree. Their heads snapped, then she comes drifting down out of the tree. Strangest thing I ever saw. Treat those two with kid gloves. So, how'd you meet up with them?"
"They saved me," Roger admitted. "I thought Miss Sadism was going to kill me. Cameron comes busting in, kicks the craps out of her and gets me out. She put me behind this big column, Miss Sadism comes out after me and Cameron kills her. She took down a guard too. He shot her in the chest, but I swore she didn't even feel it."
Fitz eyed him. "She didn't die?"
"No. Told me she has internal armor. Don't know how, but apparently it works. We, rather Kaede took Miss Sadism apart and stuffed her in their packs. She's got metal on the inside. Cameron does too."
"That's odd. Imagine it's cold in the wither, bein like that."
.
Kaede was getting tired. She was constantly pulling water under the boat to move them forward and she was becoming bored with paddling. "Are we there yet?" she asked.
"Not yet. We should be within ten miles of shore. You should take a break," Cameron replied.
"Ya got a destination?" Kaede asked.
"As close to Colchester as we can."
Fitzcarin stood up. "I know where you want to go! We need to go to Brightsea! Wonderful place it is. Great food, lots a lasses and comfortable beds. I can even show you where to tie up. Got your position?" he asked as he came back to the helm.
"No maps," Cameron stated.
"No maps?" Fitzcarin asked. "Now that's a bugger. No matter! I'll get you there."
Fitzcarin stood up on by the sawed off mast post and watched ahead of them. "Ah, over there off the starboard bow, see that trawler? Follow him."
Cameron looked and zoomed in. "He's fishing and heading towards us."
"OK then steer just behind him, a little to the right."
"We don't want to get caught in his nets," Cameron replied.
"We won't those nets sink down," Fitz assured her.
Cameron kept going the way she was going.
A little while later they saw land ahead. Again, Fitzcarin pointed, "I recognize that coast, the bay's to the right, that's where you want to go."
Cameron looked and decided he was right.
With hope in sight that she would be able to rest soon, Kaede stepped up the pace some. Going into the bay, Firtcarin guided Cameron where he wanted to go. Kaede let the boat slow down as they approached long dock Cameron turned and moved close to the dock. Kaede grabbed the dock, stopped them and pulled them close.
Fitzcarin called, "George, ole boy, give me a hand with the lines!"
Kaede saw one near her. She grasped the loop end and put it over on the dock around a pylon and tied the other end to the boat.
Fitz lead them into the yacht club and told the attendant there they needed rooms and the boat needed some work. Exhausted from paddling her ass across the channel, When the man asked her if she wanted the work done, she only nodded and waved. What she really wanted was a room and a bed. Fitzcarin was kind enough to take her card and charge everything. The attendant was a happy man.
Kaede went up to the finely appointed nautical themed room and fell on the bed. Sleep first, then she's call someone. It wouldn't be Smith.
.
Kaede woke up in time to see the sun setting. She got up and her wig fell off. Screw it. She also took the irritating contacts out of her eyes. Cameron was most likely with George. Leaving her room, she went down to the long desk with ropes in complex ties under the edge. The attendant noticed her. "D…Dame Kaede?" he asked.
"Aye lad. I took me disguise off. Kin ya show me ta the dinnin room?"
"Yes, of course, M'lady. The Boatwright is down at your boat, he wanted to talk with you about what to do with a few things. He said it needs to be in drydock."
"Not surprised. Ya seen Fitzcarin?" she asked.
"Not since you arrived, M'Lady."
Kaede looked out. There were a couple men by the boat. She went out to see what they wanted.
The man in with the 'Yacht club boat repair' on the back of his golf shirt turned to her as she approached. He winced. "Ma'am, your boat needs a lot of work. New mast, lines boom and sail obviously, the motor is blown, the paint is so bad you've gotten minor wood rot on the topside, the water in the hold had been there a while, some rot down there too. The fresh water system and batteries need to be replaced. The bunks are waterlogged, and some wiring needs to be replaced as well. My best guess, unless we find more, is around a hundred thousand to get this boat back in shape. You're lucky you got here with it."
"Maybe not so lucky," Kaede grumbled. "Kin ya take it out and sink it?"
The man laughed. "I know it sounds a lot. But to buy a boat like this new is close to a million pounds. You're better off fixing it and selling it if you don't want it."
With a huff, Kaede said, "Hokay, fix it up. Lemme know if it goes over a hundred thousand."
Kaede signed the paperwork to get the boat fixed and left her number, then headed back in to get something to eat. What the hell, she'd already bought a plane, why not a boat?
Kaede found the dinning room and was happy they had a fish & chips bar. That and a rootbeer served her fine.
Kaede called home. She was happy to hear Duncan's voice.
"Mc Leod."
"Dad! Am I ever glad to hear yer voice! I'm in kind of a fix here. I'm in Brightsea, I got no transport an I think I just blew too much money on fixin a boat. Kin I git enough of me investment back ta buy a cheap car?"
"Kaede … sure, I'll spot ya 20,000 pounds. It'll be in yer account in the morning. Ya need at git home quick though. Kouta had an accident."
"What? What happened?"
"He didn't set the brake on his truck. He saw it started to roll backwards and he tried ta git in an stop it. He slipped, the truck ran over his leg."
"I … oh, I got someone who may be in trouble, bad guys are after'im …"
"Kaede, soon as you can. Don't go making a dumb mistake," Duncan said firmly. "Just after yer done, git home. Kouta's in the hospital, I think ya two need ta talk."
"Aye, we will. Tell Kouta I'll be there soon as possible."
"Aye. Love ya, an be careful!"
"Aye, I will, love a too."
Kaede hung up. Kouta had gotten hurt, and where was she? Running all over Europe! Never again! She was done with these jobs!
Finding a car at a yacht club was easier that she thought. Checking her balance, she found she had more money that she thought. Her 154,000 pounds was enough to cover her current planned expenses. The attendant showed her directions to a car dealer and called her a cab to take her there.
Being able to serve Dame Kaede, the dealer got her a four seat Jaguar for 21,000. She drove the car back to the Yacht club, then went up to Cameron and George's room. Of course Cameron heard her coming and opened the door for her.
Kaede came in to see George relaxing on the bed. "I got transport, we kin go."
"Tonight?" George asked.
"Yes, git yer stuff. It's better if we approach yer place at night," Kaede stated.
Cameron sensed something wasn't right with Kaede. She kept quiet about it. "Let's go George."
George hauled himself up.
.
Cameron knew the address. The ex-farmhouse was in a side road on the edge of town. She turned the lights off and stopped within sight of the house. Scanning the two story house and barn, she said, I see five heat sources. Two downstairs, one on the front porch. Two upstairs. I do not detect anyone in the barn."
"Only me and my wife live there," George said.
"Upstairs, the window with the light on?" Kaede asked.
"Yes. That is probably were his wife is being held." Cameron said, then rolled her window down. "Out the windows, these newer cars light up when you open the door or shut the key off."
"Leave it running. George, stay here," Kaede said and rolled her window down to get out.
They walked slowly, taking cover to move towards the back side of the house. Coming along the side, Kaede lifted up to peek in the window. Mrs. Patterson was on the bed, hands tided behind her back, legs tied together. She lowered back down and whispered. "Once I'm in, take out the guy in front fast. I'll come down on the inside soon as I can."
Cameron nodded.
Kaede rose back up. Reaching in, she raised the window then herself to see in the room. The man there looked and drew his gun. Kaede forced his arm against his chest so the gun was pointed at his chin. "Go ahead an shoot," she told him, then drifted into the window.
The woman's eyes widened as Kaede settled into the floor. The man didn't move. Kaede took his gun and forced him on his stomach then disconnected his brain from his spinal cord. He didn't even twitch when he died. She put a finger to her lips to indicate quiet, then untied the woman's bonds and removed the gag.
"You're Dame Kaede!" the woman whispered.
"Shhh!" Kaede hissed. "Hide in the closet, there's two more downstairs."
Mrs. Patterson quickly did.
A gunshot sounded from outside. Kaede ran to the stairs and flew down. Two men were pointing their guns at the outside. She chopped their hands off. Cameron burst in, holding another gun. Her forehead had a red/ silver spot on it.
Soon the three men still alive were in the barn tied up as George consoled his wife. The men in the barn were tied to posts, Cameron and Kaede in front of them. Their gags were lowered.
Eyeing them, Kaede said, "Ya got one chance to tell me who sent ya." she pointed to the one on the right. "You, who sent ya?"
"Fuck you!" he growled.
Kaede pulled him away from the post to another post on the other side. Using rope, she tied his arms apart and spread. First she ripped his clothes, then gagged him and cut down the flesh of his back. He jerked and screamed. He screamed more as she peeled his back flesh to the sides, then broke his ribs and pulled them out beyond the flesh.
After a wail of pain, he gasped breaths in weak moans. His attempts to escape were only twitches.
Kaede pointed to the next man who had turned pale. "You, who sent ya?"
"Igor Parvonavich," he said, as he stared at his moaning friend.
"Where is he?" Kaede asked in a growl.
"I don't know."
Kaede pulled him away from the post and made him into a blood eagle as he cried and screamed for mercy. Soon, he was bleeding and moaning incoherently.
Kaede turned to the last one. This one was sweating.
"Igor meets us in at the pub by the London Bridge!" he said quickly. "Tall guy, gray hair, always wears a suit, top had and carries a cane that has a sword in it. Like to act like he's some kind of noble. I can take you to him!"
Cameron tipped her head slightly. "Kaede, Mrs. Patterson said they raped and abused her."
Kaede nodded, then ripped the man's pants down. "Yer friends are beyond feelin this, but ya ain't." She tore his penis off and threw it on the floor, which made him yell out in a scream
NO!, don't let me die!" the last man cried to deaf ears. Kaede closed the barn doors behind them. She still heard him crying.
George was home and fairly safe. Kaede still warned him and his wife to find another place to stay. She then called Smith's office and let him know, and added there was 'cleanup' work to be done. She then got in her car with Cameron and headed for home.