Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 616.

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Wodgerwing Dorwian
(aka Bike)
Part 616
by Angharad
       
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I switched the light back on and bent down to get my toothbrush out of my sports/overnight bag. Inside the pocket where I thought I’d put my toothbrush and paste was a small toolkit I take with me in case I need it on the bike. I rolled the cloth open and inside were allen keys, a shifting spanner, a handful of sockets and the bar to use with them, plus a mini screw driver with half a dozen different heads.

I pulled the curtain and looked at the lock on the shutters. It was one of those circular things like they have on the bottom of shop doors. I didn’t think I’d be able to pick it if I tried all night, and it was just too small for the smallest of my sockets. I cursed. I just didn’t know whose side these guys were on. Okay so they transferred us from normal police, but somehow their behaviour wasn’t quite what I’d expect from regular coppers.

I know, they might be special service police, but I was uncertain about that, too. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but felt uneasy about the whole set up. Why wouldn’t they tell me where we were? What difference did it make? All I could think of, was if I let it slip talking to Simon or Henry, and I’d have been careful with that.

No, there was something not quite right about it all. I sat on the bed looking at the shutters. Suddenly, I noticed something else about the shutters, smiled and jumped off the bed. The shutters were screwed to the walls, or to a frame on the walls.

I grabbed the screwdriver and fitted the appropriate bit; I set to and attacked the first screw. My hands were burning as I struggled with it, then with a final last effort, it began to move. Sweat was running down my back as I quickly undid the screw and lifted it out of the hole. Eleven more to go. I took a deep breath and continued my task.

Several had me sweating and struggling, and on one I had to wrestle with using the spanner as well–but, I loosened it. I put all the screws in a cup and then switching off the lights eased the edge of the shutter back from the wall and stepped between it and the window.

The window was an old fashioned sash type which meant I’d need to lift one section up or the other down. It was screwed shut. Yeah, I know. It took me another hour to release those, then I clicked the snib and the top section started to slide down, I only just caught it and on my blistered hands it hurt.

I jammed the screw driver into the frame and it held, then I peered out of the open window at our surroundings with the image intensifier. I could hear voices from below.

“Will Cameron fall for the ransom threat? I mean it’s not as if they’re family yet, is it?”

“The boss’ll be here tomorrow, he’ll decide. If he gives the word, I’ll do the adults, you can do the kids.”

“How come I get all the dirty jobs, I hate killing kids. Why can’t we let ‘em go after we kill Cameron and his son?”

“It’s a vendetta. Cameron ordered the extinction of the boss and all his family. He’s the only one left, Cameron and all his have got to die.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You’re not paid to like it, are you? You’re paid to do things. You weren’t too squeamish about those coppers we terminated when we borrowed their cars.”

“That’s different, that was the filth, they’d have killed me given the chance.”

“I reckon the bitch would, too.”

“Nah, she looks like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.”

“Them’s the ones you gotta watch. I tell you, if she thought you were gonna hurt her kids, she’d become a regular tigress.” I nodded at this statement. I did know, but what could I do? I had a knife, a penknife and a bow against four men with high tech automatic weapons. The only weapon I really had was surprise, and that would only work once. Even if I could have leant out of the window and got a clear shot at them, I might have hit one before the other shot me. Tom would never get the girls away, I had to survive and I had to get a message to Simon or Henry. Shit! What do I do?

The men moved on, I heard their footsteps walking away. I struggled to get the window back up and closed the snib. Then I pushed the shutter back in place and pulled the curtain over the missing screws. I was going to put them back, but now I decided that I might need quicker access.

If we had a rope, some sort of escape might be possible. Even my magic bag didn’t have one of those, but it did turn up an old pair of cycle mitts, which could prove useful.

I unlocked my door and crept along the corridor, Tom’s room was locked now and from the snoring that came from within, if I woke him up, I’d also bring unwanted attention. I explored what looked like a cupboard and my heart lifted. It was the linen cupboard. I helped myself to half a dozen sheets, then crept back to my room and locked the door.

I started making cloth ropes and it took me two hours. It was now three in the morning, I was yawning and felt sick with tiredness, but as it could well be my last night alive, I was trying to prepare. I’d only get one shot at this, I had to make it work.

After I’d tied about twenty feet of sheets together, I undid the screws on the other side of the shutter. Quick access was now possible. The gloves had helped there, if only I’d found them before. My hands were really stinging and I washed them and dabbed on a bit of antiseptic from my little first aid kit.

I would need to push the beds across the doors: I had to get the kids out first, then come back for Tom. Before that, I had to even the odds a bit. I slept for twenty minutes, my little alarm waking me. Any longer and I’d have gone right off. Twenty minutes refreshes you and gives you another four or five hours of alertness, adrenaline would do the rest.

At four I decided to start my offensive. I found the room where the woman slept and in five minutes I’d shoved some surgical tape from my first aid kit across her mouth and a couple of cable ties secured her arms and legs. I then dragged her on to the floor and rolled her up in a carpet.

Looking through the letter box in the front door I could see one of the guards. I looked around and found a full bottle of wine, I opened the door and whistled making a come hither sign with my hand. In the poor light he wouldn’t have known who was calling him–hence the whistle. I brained him with the bottle which amazingly didn’t break, but something in him did. He looked at me, then dropped like a stone.

I dragged him into the kitchen and after trussing him up with his own belt and clothing, I gagged him and left him lying in the larder. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted him to live or die. I had stopped thinking emotionally, this was survival stuff, and I should have stabbed him to make sure. Too late now. One down, three to go.

I grabbed the gun and found the safety catch, it was on. I flipped it off, if necessary, I would shoot whoever I met. In another downstairs room one of the men was asleep, I smashed the butt of the gun into his head. He gave a funny groan and I hit him again, he twitched and lay still, I hit him again. Then I was sick.

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Comments

Cathy goes into combat mode

With what she heard I'm surprised she isn't making sure that none of them wake up again. What's the plan after she gets the kids out or is she just going to take over the whold place? Checking her conquests for cell phones?

Do not taunt happy fun ball.

And DO NOT, under any circumstances, threaten Cathy's kids. You will surely regret it.

Yah know

... having to go through all this just to join the Cameron family just might not be worth it !

Also, given this is most definitely a case of survival of the fittest, I think Wedgying Darwin would have been a more appropriate title!

Kim

The Mayhem's Not Over Yet

There's still 2 men to deal with and the "the Boss" and whoever he brings with him. It could be a good title for tomorrow's posting. Hopefully Cathy will win the day.

Absolutely

If the boss comes over there may very well be another siege scene where Cathy's bow may very well come into play.

Kim

3 down

2 to go. (we hope thats all) I'm glad she didn't forget the woman. She would probably be as dangerous as the men. Don't guess she needs the window and ropes except as a last resort now. She has cleared most of the floor, she just needs to re-arm, and consolidate her ground, then get everyone out the door. Check the cell phones, and get the wallets and watches, and keys and other goodies from the gang. Not just spoils of war, but she may need some money, and evidence, and etc etc

3 down

2 to go. (we hope thats all) I'm glad she didn't forget the woman. She would probably be as dangerous as the men. Don't guess she needs the window and ropes except as a last resort now. She has cleared most of the floor, she just needs to re-arm, and consolidate her ground, then get everyone out the door. Check the cell phones, and get the wallets and watches, and keys and other goodies from the gang. Not just spoils of war, but she may need some money, and evidence, and etc etc

Cath's ALREADY re-armed!

That is, unless she wants another bottle or two of the booze! She already got a gun from one of the two men she disabled; and she probably could also get one from the second one. Of course, from the last paragraph, I think HE may be disabled on a much more permanent basis!

In any case, Cathy was able to overhear the bad guys in time to take steps to neutralize them before "Mr. Big" arrives!

Jenny

Proof yet again the police are not taking this serious

That all those cops died in ambush show how sloppy they are or that they have a traitor among them. Plus why after the earlier attempt on her life and on Henry’s and also on Simon’s – all those careless vehicle drivers/bike acciidents -- was she not under protective watch? Why didn’t Henry assign a top private firm to secretly watch out for her. Sloppy work all around.

What was this about? I quote.

>>
“It’s a vendetta. Cameron ordered the extinction of the boss and all his family. He’s the only one left, Cameron and all his have got to die.”
>>

What is this all about, I repete. who is the *He's the only one left* and why must Cameron and all of his die? Is there a dark horse candidate for the title of Lord Cameron? I’m so confused.

Bravo yet again, Ang.

One of the kidnapers/fake police was right, Cathy would kill to protect the little ones. Sounds like ones down forever already. I suspect the last blow with the gun butt smashed in his skull. Poor gun butt getting all that blood and gore on it. The first police were realm, the ones in the Mercedes were the fakes pr were some or all of the first lot fakes but then Inspector Dodd would be a fake or the informer/crooked cop.

And the drugging of Stella to help induce her mental collapse or to prolong and worsen it seems more and more logical. And did Des die in a true traffic accident or not. Ack, I’m a conspiracy buff now.

How much you want to bet after all of this, assuming she gets them out all alive and gets the crooks in real police custody, Social Services wil argue that she endangered the children and is an unfit guardian?

John in Wauwatosa

John in Wauwatosa

I believe...

...this all goes back to the Russian mafiosi who had 1) been thwarted by Cathy in their white slave trade and 2) tried to force Henry to sell out his bank for their money-laundering operations. If I recall correctly, it was the same basic group involved in both operations (although I could be mistaken, as those took place so VERRRRRRRRY long ago). Apparently, the Russian cops/agents/whatever involved in eliminating the ring messed up and let ONE of the bad guys get away!

Jenny

I Guess The Russians Will Never Learn

jengrl's picture

I guess the Russians will never learn. I was hoping she might employ torture tactics on them for what they did to Stella. I would like to see her traumatize them so much that they wind up in the Psych Ward. Paybacks are Hell and Cathy is going to deal it out in spades. I hope she gets a crack at their boss too. It was good thinking on her part to pack for such things.

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Once Again, We See The Tigress

Defending her family. Will they ever learn NOT to tempt fate by attacking Cathy? Is she related to Tanya Allen's Monique?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

victims

If they're going after all of Henry's family, are Stella and Desi safe in the hospital?

A Shifting Spanner

Puddintane's picture

is what most Americans would call an Adjustable (or Crescent*) wrench.

Puddin'
----------------
* A famous brand name for a maker of shifting spanners.

-

Cheers,

Puddin'

A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style

Cathy needs to learn

She's a scientist. She should know that despite what you see on tv or in the movies, or read in books, when someone gets thumped in the head, it is not a good thing. Except for her . Bad things happen to bad people. Papa better be getting things squared away real darn quick. He threatened a long time ago to do something, and it looks like he did. Now he and his family and the extended family are paying for it. They better step up before Cathy gets done or she is gonna embarrass the pros again, and really honk off some bad people.Seems like she has accounted for more of them by herself than the badguys have. If Cameron is the only one along with immediate family, they have taken a serious toll.. but I think Cathys body count is gonna catch up soon.

Well, the tigress awakes!

Now she knows for sure they intend to kill her and her children, I'm amazed she has shown the mercy she has so far.

Why do I get the feeling her mercy is about to run out?

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Interestingly ...

When Simon told Cathy about the kingpin in part 205, he said that ...

"Not quite, the big cheese in Russia suddenly found his wife and kid missing." ... "We asked a rival organisation to help make this one see our point of view. They kidnapped the aforementioned family, which Dad was able to negotiate a safe release."

This doesn't quite jibe with what the baddies are saying.

Who isn't telling the truth?

And if they ARE Russians, why are they speaking English?

Holly

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Holly

Oh, and another thing ...

Cathy has known about the killings of the gang for some time.
And it wasn't Henry who gave the order to kill the gang ...
In Part 309 SIMON told her:

Cathy- "It's ever since the kidnapping. I wonder what those fiends did to her?"
Simon- "They're all dead now."
Cathy- "How do you know?"
Simon- "It cost me a thousand pounds a hit."
Cathy- "What? You had them killed?"
Simon- "Let's just say I speeded up the inevitable."

It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born

Holly

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Holly

bike 616

Savage, but justifiable.

Maybe Russian accents?

Okay, real life isn't like Hogan's Heroes, but still, it would be difficult for Russian hitmen to use the cover of British policemen if they had accents or secretly spoke a spatter of Slavic languages. My vote? Mercenaries are in every country, and some folks can't or won't make a living any other way.

They're outsourced contractors.

Something doesm't add up!

I can't reconcile the behaviour of the gunman with the boss's goons.

The gunman appeared ready to kill Cathy on the spot, yet the goons wanted to keep her alive (at least for a time) as part of a trap for the Camerons. The two behaviours do not seem compatible. And I doubt that any criminal would let himself be killed to make imposture of police by other criminals more plausible. So does this mean that Cathy has TWO groups of thugs after her? Thoughts, anyone?

Maybe not so inconsistent.

They are holding Cathy, Tom and the kids as ransom/hostages to get what they want. They will probably make a phone call to Henry put Cathy on and then right in front of Cathy and during the call, kill Tom or one of the kids to prove how serious they are. They then take the phone away from Cathy and discuss the terms of money/shares transfer etc. and when the transfer is complete kill them. Simon, Henry, Stella, Puddin and Monica (if she isn't involved somehow) will all be next on the list. Simon's new girlfriend perhaps is on things? Someone at the hospital for Stella and Puddin. Henry may have compromised staff attending him. And just why is Monica away from Henry all the time?

Just some thoughts. As always our authoress will probably go a different route.

Arwen

One Reliable Thing

One thing I think I've noticed is that Angharad uses these comments to make the story better, but maybe not in the way someone might want!

She'll consolidate whines to make them moot, cancel plot pathways that seem too obvious, and pick a different color rabbit to pull out of a hat than anyone has guessed.

So, hold onto your hat, cuddle up to your bunny, and hang on for what's sure to be an interesting ride!

At the risk of incurring any contrariness on the part of the author, can I just say that I'm rooting for Cathy to save her entire brood, and lay waste to the baddies herself before the calvalry arrives? Deirdre in "Maiden By Decree" shouldn't be allowed to have sole dibs on the Champion TopShelf Woman Action Hero title!

There is

There is still time to stab the other guy, I think.

Took me 10yrs to get that competent

Keep smashing until the grey stuff squirts out. Two very down two to go. get the kids and Tom behind something solid before opening up with your machine gun on the other two. Call Simon,( maybe that's why he hasn't been around.) You know, Simon had the mafia killed, not Henry. Simon's the dangerous one ! Cathy's just plain scary.

Cefin