The Word of God (22 page)

“What about us?” Capt Conkey asked.

Inspector Goldstein looked puzzled for a moment. “I thought the cadets were on a hundred kilometre hike or something?”

“Yes they are, but, under the circumstances, shouldn't they also be taken home?” Capt Conkey asked.

Inspector Goldstein made a face and shook his head. “That's up to you. They can go home if they like but I don't see why they shouldn't continue with their expedition if they wish.”

Capt Conkey frowned. “Do you think they will be safe?” he asked.

“Yes I do. I don't think the Devil Worshippers even know they are here; and, from what they have said, I don't believe that the Devil Worshippers connect them with the two knights at all. Besides, as I said, they are probably safer out here than scattered at home. Of course I could take them into protection but that is a very expensive option which I might have trouble justifying. And if I did how long would it be for? Two days? Two weeks? Two months? Or two years?”

Obviously concerned Capt Conkey turned to the cadets. “What do you people want to do?”

“Go on, sir,” Graham replied at once. “We are safe enough.”

Peter agreed. He had no wish to go home. Gwen supported him, as did Stephen. Joy and Megan both looked worried but went along with the majority decision. Capt Conkey noted this and said: “Are you girls sure? I can drive you home if you want that.”

Joy shook her head. “No sir. We will stay,” she replied, giving Peter a wide eyed look as she did.

Inspector Goldstein stood up and spoke to the Detective Sergeant sitting beside him: “Go and get Jacobs and lump this fellow into our car. You can drive his four-wheel drive.”

The two knights and Mr Jones once again thanked the cadets and moved to help lift the still unconscious Devil Worshipper into the police car. The knights and Mr Jones then climbed in as well and the car was backed out and driven up the slope. The four-wheel drive followed.

Capt Conkey then turned to the cadets. “Are you sure you don't want to change your mind?”

“No sir. It will be fine,” Graham replied. “Where do we head for next?”

“Go south to Kearneys Flats in the Mulgrave Valley. When you get there you will find a note taped to the back of a tree. It will give you further instructions.”

Stephen gave Peter an ‘I told you so' look. Peter nodded.

We must be going south to Babinda, unless we are going to follow one of the old pack tracks which lead up through the ranges to the Tablelands.
He remembered exploring some of them two years earlier and shuddered at the thought of jungle, leeches and wait-a-while.

Capt Conkey took his leave and drove off. As his car went over the slope out of sight a feeling of isolation seemed to close in on them. Peter glanced involuntarily at the surrounding darkness. “We'd better mount guard again,” he said.

Stephen nodded. “Yes. I'll do that for an hour while you others have a feed,” he said.

“But you've already done a couple of hours,” Graham protested. “We will do it. You can eat, then take over.”

“I've eaten,” Stephen said. “Sir Richard took over from me for an hour while you were away.”

“We've eaten too,” Joy said. “We can do it. You boys sit here and eat. Come on Gwen.”

As she said this there was a muffled crackling noise. Joy spun round. “Oh! The Devil Worshipper's radio! I forgot to give it to the police. Quick, notebook and pencil!”

She ran into the darkness where they had hidden earlier and returned with the radio and her notebook. Stephen at once took the radio and listened.

“Not for us. This is six six calling six one,” he said.

“Six one. I wonder who he is?” Peter said. “Where is that fellow's notebook? We should have given that to the police as well.”

Gwen handed the notebook to Peter. “We can do that tomorrow,” she said.

By this time Joy had copied down the trigrams that Stephen called out. She then passed the notebook to Peter. “Here, you decode it. We will go on guard.”

The two girls walked off into the darkness. Peter found his pack and webbing in the darkness and carried them to the fire. He sat on his pack and used his torch to work by. As he did Megan said: “Give me your mess gear and stove Peter and I will heat you some food. Do you want tea or coffee?”

Definitely interested in me,
Peter decided. “Coffee please,” he replied.

Megan set to work beside him cooking, as did Graham. Within a few minutes Peter had the message decoded. “It says: From six five six to six one four: Move to RV PENTANGLE by twenty two hundred tonight. Act on orders of BM. Authority 24/7. Beware of police road blocks. Use disguise.”

“I wonder where RV PENTANGLE is?” Graham said as he stirred a stew in his mess tins.

Peter shrugged. “No idea,” he replied. He flicked through the notebook they had captured. There were other messages written in it, decoded by the man they had captured. He read these through, becoming more and more worried and thoughtful as he did.

“I don't like this. Listen to these other messages. There is one timed at 1345. It says: Group of seven army cadets moving west along railway. Currently at Grid Reference 671043. Find that on the map for me please Graham.”

“What Grid Reference?” Graham asked, unfolding his map and bending to the firelight. Peter told him again and after a moment Graham put his finger on the map and said: “That is Petes Bridge.”

“So they were watching us and are interested in our movements,” Stephen commented.

Peter nodded. “Yes. Listen to the next one. It is timed 1415 and is from 656 to 655 and says: Observe and follow. Do not be seen. HQ moving to LUCIFER. Six five five then called back and asked: ‘How long do I do this for?' The answer is: ‘Continue until further orders. Situation serious'.”

Megan gasped. “So they are watching us,” she cried, her face creased with worry.

Peter nodded, his stomach churning with anxiety as he did. “Looks like it.” he replied. “Listen to the next couple. One is from six five four to six five six and says: ‘Enemy have crossed rail bridge at Grid Reference 655044. Contact lost.' That must be when we left the railway and followed the track along the bank of the creek.”

“Sounds like it,” Graham agreed. “I wonder who these people are; six five five and six five four.”

“Devil Worshippers obviously,” Peter replied.

Megan was horrified. “How many of these people are there?”

Peter shrugged. “At least a couple of groups of six is my guess. I will work on that in a minute. The last message is from six five six to six five four and says: ‘Send agents to search both banks of the river.' That must have been what sent this bloke here.”

“What was his number?” Stephen asked.

“Six five four,” Peter replied.

“And they still think he is here,” Graham added.

Megan looked very scared. “Oh! We must get away from here before more arrive,” she cried.

Peter shook his head. “No. I think we are safer here. We don't know where the others are and they think this place is being watched.”

“I agree,” Graham said. “But it means we need to be on guard and ready to move at any moment.”

“Can't we go the hotel and phone the police to come and get us?” Megan asked, her voice quavering with fear and emotion.

Graham made a face. “I don't fancy walking that road again in the dark knowing that the Black Monk and the Sniper are both lurking somewhere near the hotel,” he replied.

That thought sent a sharp chill through Peter. “No. We stay here till daylight, then go to a farm and phone for help. Now let me eat, I'm famished.”

With a thanks to Megan he took over cooking a mess tin of pork and beans which he then spooned thankfully down. Megan made him a cup of coffee. It wasn't to his taste but he was grateful for the hot drink and nourishment and too polite to mention it. When they had finished eating he said: “I think we should put this fire out, call the girls down and move ourselves further along the bank into a hide.”

Graham nodded. “Great minds think alike,” he agreed. “Steve, will you go and get them while I do a quick recce?”

Stephen did as he was asked. This left Peter alone with Megan.

She whispered: “Peter, do you really think we will be safe?”

Peter was actually very worried, even scared, but he replied. “Better than being at home alone wondering when the mongrels might strike. Graham and Stephen are a pretty formidable team in situations like this. They thrive on danger.”

“I'm scared,” Megan admitted, moving closer to him.

“So am I,” Peter said. She looked so worried that he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to him. She snuggled in, her head on his shoulder. The touch and smell came as a pleasant surprise to Peter. For a minute he savoured the feelings, aware that he was becoming aroused.

The crunch of footsteps on the road reminded him that Stephen was bringing the other girls. The thought that he didn't want Joy to see him cuddling Megan flashed across his mind and he took his arm away. Even as he did Joy and Gwen appeared in the firelight.

I wonder if she saw?
Peter thought.

He found it hard to tell as Joy was looking worried and strained anyway. Only when Gwen darted him a few sharp glances did he suspect they had seen.

Graham returned. “I've found a good spot. Put the fire out and follow me. No torches and be as quiet as possible,” he ordered. The fire was doused with water from the river and packs and webbing pulled on. Graham then led them in a shuffling single file for a hundred paces along the river bank under the trees to near where they had waded across. Here he led them off the track to the right and up the bank through the forest until they reached the top on the change of vegetation. Moving up the slope in the darkness was a noisy business because of all the dry leaves and twigs. It was so dark they could barely see each other or the trees and there was a lot of bumping and mumbling.

Peter thoroughly approved of the choice of hide. In the dark no-one would have any chance of finding their tracks up the slope and a searcher would make so much noise they would be heard over the murmur of the rapids. On the other side was the wall of tall grass.

Anyone trying to find us in that will make a noise like a herd of elephants,
he thought.

“Lie in a line side by side.” Graham ordered. “That way all you have to do to change sentries is wake the next person in the line. It saves a lot of moving and noise.”

They moved to prepare sleeping places. Peter dropped his pack and knelt down to unroll his bedding. As he did this he realized that the person on his left was Joy and the one on his right was Megan. Gwen lay next to Joy and Graham was on the end of the line closest to the road in. Stephen moved to the other end next to Megan.

“An hour each,” Graham instructed. “If you need to go to the dunny go the other way, and make sure the sentry knows.”

“What about the gun?” Gwen asked.

“Stephen keeps it. If the person on guard hears anything they are to wake us all.”

After a bit more discussion they settled down to sleep, Graham going sentry first. It was only 9:30pm by then but Peter realized he was very tired. Even so he did not drop off to sleep. Instead he lay and thought about the events of the last two days. It was all so horrible as to be unreal. For a while he puzzled over the organization of the Devil Worshippers. He wished he could use his torch and notebook but knew it wasn't worth risking showing a light.

Then Joy moved beside him and he felt her sleeping bag press lightly against his. That caused him to move away, only to bump into Megan. She stirred and rolled over towards him to press close against him. Unsure of what to do Peter lay stock still, hoping the girls were just moving in their sleep.

That Joy was not was made clear a few minutes later when she moved again to snuggle close to him. Her hair brushed his cheek and he could smell her. It was very nice, and very unsettling. The situation became even more complicated when Megan did the same from the other side.

I don't believe this!
Peter thought.
Two girls cuddling up to me at once!

He was quite unsure of what he should do. All he finally did was lie still, glad that it was dark and that neither girl was aware of the actions of the other. A jumble of emotions surged in Peter. He became quite aroused and began to speculate on what might develop. Even though he was 17 Peter was quite inexperienced with girls; unlike Graham and Stephen, both of whom he knew were very experienced.

Thinking pleasant thoughts of what it might be like Peter drifted into a deep sleep.

The nightmare was horrible. Dozens of black-robed Devil Worshippers were lurking in the mist and he could not run. Worse, he could not seem to even move his arms. As the black clad figures moved remorselessly closer Peter struggled to get free. The faces below the black cowls became white skulls which all opened their mouths to show evil grins. He tried to call for help but all that would come out was strangled gasp. They were…

“Shh! Shh! It's alright Peter,” Joy whispered, stroking his face. He opened his eyes to see stars and a black shape leaning over him. Joy again shussed him and touched his cheek tenderly.

“It's alright. It's only a dream,” Joy said.

For a moment Peter could only lie and absorb the fact that he was alright. Shudders of fear ran through him and he realized he was soaked with sweat. He
swallowed and managed to speak, his voice coming out in a croak. “Nightmare. I.. I was..”

“Forget it,” Joy said. “Don't talk about it.”

Peter struggled to get up and realized his arms were pinned by his sleeping bag. Megan was pressed hard against his other side. After freeing himself he sat up.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Nearly one O'clock,” Joy replied.