RIGBY
We've been crawling through the Icelandic scrub for what feels like forever, but now we're here. All twelve of us, pressed against the white walls of this house. Kayo is inside protecting John Tracy, so at least I know that we won't have to worry about our actions harming John.
Lady Penelope's man Parker is inside, but I also know that he is a man who knows how to take care of himself. What is more, he knows we're coming, and he will have been able to make a rough guestimate of the likely time of our arrival. It will help to have a friend already in the enemy camp.
I'm hoping we can catch all of them in one go. Colonel Casey is waiting with the Goliath, and as soon as she hears from me, she'll bring it here. For John, and for the prisoners I am determined we're going to take.
I sent her a silent coded message as soon as we reached the house. It means we have thirty minutes to secure the house and all its occupants. What will she do then? Raze the place to the ground? There are several more of our fliers within range that can be called in if the colonel thinks it is necessary, but we need to get John out first. He is our first priority. I gesture to my men and hold up my hands. Six of us arrange ourselves around the front door, ready to burst in, two scoot silently around to the wall at the rear, ready to scale it as a backup for Kayo if needed. The four remaining flatten themselves silently against the wall either side of the door, largely as backup.
We have no live ammunition with us. Kayo was very adamant about that. We do, however, have stun guns. Between us we can stun more than fifty men. Should be plenty.
I nod to Carter, who silently tries the front door to see if it will open. To our amazement, it is unlocked, and opens easily. Surely these people cannot be quite so confident about their security? I give a gesture to enter the building. We have already arranged that we will search in two groups of three, with two going ahead, and the third acting as rearguard. Once we are inside, the four outside watch our backs to make sure no one sneaks up behind us, or comes down from upstairs, or up from a basement. I nod, and gesture again, and we're in.
The initial stage is over quicker than I expected. They had three men on lookout duty upstairs including Parker, and the other two apparently saw or heard nothing.
Parker saw us of course; mind you, he knew we would be coming, and knew what to look out for. He and Kayo have worked together many times before along with her ladyship.
We open every door on the ground floor and stun everyone we find. It helps that the stun guns are almost silent, so there are no loud bangs to alert the whole household.
One man sees us before we see him, and he starts shouting at the top of his voice. Suddenly we are besieged with fists on all sides; but strangely, no weaponry. A massive fight ensues. Three of my men lose possession of their stun guns, and end up being knocked out by them themselves. My head was ringing after receiving a particularly fierce punch to the right temple, but then suddenly it is all over.
There are the two lookouts upstairs who have been stunned, one old lady in the basement who had been stunned before my idiot lieutenant realised it was a woman; and five men had been in various rooms on the ground floor.
I send Parker a look. He nods and starts to search the building looking for more men (or women). He returns after a minute and shakes his head, looking concerned.
"No one else is 'ere, guv." he said. "But there are blokes missin'! When we first come 'ere, there were twelve blokes aside from me, and then the boss. The bloke wot told me 'e woz the leader…'E called 'isself Bob. 'E ain't 'ere either."
That knowledge worries me.
"How many are unaccounted for? And Where is John? And Kayo?"