I'm very sorry for the delay in writing further instalments of As Bright as The Fading Ark. This is because I have been very busy working on the launch of my debut novel Clara Bow and the Seal of Solomon. I have now got this launch off the ground, with copies available from Lulu, on Kindle and from Smashwords, full details can be found at the official Clara Bow website and on the Clara Bow Facebook page. My aim will be to write a couple of catch up entries here by the 5th of June, so be sure to check back soon!
Chapter 7 - Part 2
Several strip lights flashed and flickered, making a low humming noise as they struggled to commit to their task. Despite the sudden switch from dark to light, Ebbe did her best not to blink or flinch as the room around her was revealed.
The stairs she had almost tumbled down were to the left. They were much as you would expect in an ageing farmhouse; uneven stone slabs with no hand rail, leading to a dirt floor. At the base of the steps, Grim Reaper was out cold and Shakes was sitting on the second but last stone slab, his head down. Moon Face was still strapped to the stretcher and was lying, seemingly unharmed to the side of the steps. Immediately Ebbe knew Shakes was not who he had led everyone to believe he was. He had fooled, her, no mean feat, he had even fooled Anthony.
Pushing aside these concerns for a moment, Ebbe allowed herself a quick sweep of the remaining space. The basement walls were simple brickwork, brown with age and disintegrating in various places. The dirt floor had once been covered with carpet, but this had long rotted away, leaving only tatty remnants so muddied that it was impossible to discern a pattern. The young man who had presumably been her captor was standing to the right of the room, dressed in dark combat fatigues, a standard issue Light Support Weapon slung across his shoulder. His head was shaved bald, but Ebbe could see this had been done a few days ago now, because fresh stubble was starting to emerge. His dark brown eyes were viewing her with intense curiosity. Before she could speak Shakes lifted his head and directed a question to the young man.
"Why did you do that, you moron?" He spat venomously, sounding nothing like the scared and skittish young man from earlier. "Jesus, all you had to do was knock her out. One little lady too much for you?"
The young man seemed transfixed by Ebbe and didn't acknowledge Shakes.
"Sergeant, I'm talking to you," Shakes spat, standing and, much to Ebbe's horror, striding her way, rather than the young soldier. His face was not scowling, nor angry. It was the picture of calm and serenity and that scared the living daylights out of Ebbe. That was the face of a sociopath. She pondered making a move, but instinctively knew there was nowhere to go and even if there was she would not be quick enough. After all, he had clearly subdued Grim Reaper silently, and she assumed that was no mean feat. Her only calming thought was that he clearly didn't intend to kill her, else he would have done so already. In a split second he was across the room and his rough hand was gripping the soft flesh of her throat and quickly she felt her senses fading. "You can't rely on anyone these days," she vaguely heard Shakes say before the crushing sensation became overwhelming and she sensed she was about to pass out.
Thwack!
The pressure vanished and with a gasp Ebbe stumbled backwards and fell to the floor, taking in deep breaths. Small white dots floated in her vision and she squeezed her eyelids tightly shut and shook her head, as if trying to toss the queasy sensation she was feeling aside. She was partially aware that the young soldier had somehow knocked Shakes to the floor and was now pointing his gun at him. Shakes was calmly nursing a bruised jaw.
Forcing herself up Ebbe felt a little disoriented, probably from a brief lack of oxygen. With all her effort she made her way back to the pair slowly, hoping the fuzz in her mind would clear before she got to them. She ran through the whole scenario in her mind, trying to clear up the inconsistencies. Chum had shoved them down here in expectation they would be safe. It was Anthony who had suggested they split up and Chum could have contrived some way to capture us that was easier than staging an apparent attack. It was more logical to assume the plan had been for Shakes to infiltrate whatever was down here. But what of James, for the young soldier was certainly James, his actions now proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. If James was with Shakes, why the need for Shakes to infiltrate? Clearly they already have an inside man, maybe more. What could he bring that others couldn't? Her? Anthony? Something didn't add up. Everything that had happened since the attack at her own house was starting to seem a little contrived.
Ebbe looked down at Shakes, still feeling nervous, sure that if he really wanted to he could disarm James and kill them both before either knew what had happened. James was not a soldier, not like Anthony, Grim or Shakes anyway. He was too wet behind the ears. That's right! Of course, Ebbe realised, James was assigned because he's obviously harmless. Chum would have seen right through a long term infiltration by a trained professional.Just as Anthony would have seen through Shakes given enough time. But James, he's too harmless to be a threat. He was just the guy left here to let the others in, to prop the door open when the time was needed. But that still didn't answer why all the subterfuge, did they need her at all, or was she just a cog in a greater machine? An excuse to initiate an operation?
"James," she started, not letting her eyes of Shakes for a second, "take two paces back and aim the gun at his chest." James glanced at her from the corner of his eyes before nodding and stepping back and lowering his sights a little. Now there was less chance of Shakes disarming James.
"Interesting," Shakes said, a little glimmer of excitement in his eyes, "why the chest and not the head, may I ask?"
"He's more likely to hit something. And at that range that'll be plenty to stop you in your tracks," Ebbe replied.
Shakes smiled at this reply.
"Maybe so," he smirked, "you are a wily one Ebbe."
"You shot Moon, er, Art, on purpose didn't you?" Ebbe asked, hoping Shakes was in the mood to brag.
"You already know the answer to that," came the reply. True enough, Ebbe had already deduced that Shakes had shot Art, knowing Anthony would bring him to Krank.
"So Krank was the actual target all along?" She pressed.
Shakes just shrugged at this and instead turned his attention to James.
"Blah, blah. You think you're so smart don't you Ebbe? But you are just as scared as the rest of them aren't you?" As he spoke he was staring unnervingly at James.
"I know what happened four months ago," Ebbe replied defensively.
This seemed to get his attention away from James, who was clearly buckling under the pressure. Ebbe knew she was on a knife edge; James was on her side, for now. But he was going to be torn between her and what he believes are to be his orders. One must always follow ones orders in the army. James wasn't good at a lot of things, but following orders he could do. She had to keep him calm and keep him on her side.
"Do you now?" he said with arched eyebrows.
"I do, and I know that Krank is the only one who can access whatever is hidden beneath this house. I know that you shot Art to get to Krank. The plan was to give him no choice but to access this place. And when he did, you were going to kill him." Ebbe didn't really know any of that. It was pure supposition. But she had learned that when guilty parties were presented with guesses as fact, they either unwittingly confirmed it, or gave away the actual truth. It was usually down to their ego.
"That sounds like a fascinating tale. When's the film coming out?" Shakes replied sarcastically. Sarcasm usually meant it was true.
"But it won't work," Ebbe persisted.
"What a pity," Shakes continued in his sarcastic tone.
"And I'll tell you why."
"If you must," Shakes huffed, sounding genuinely fed up with the conversation now.
"Because Anthony is no fool," Ebbe finished with a hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth.
"Oh really?" Shakes spat back, "fool enough to believe I was just a dumb rookie. Fool enough to get his best friend shot in the head. Fool enough to lead me straight to this place. Fool enough to be caught unawares by this attack. No fool you say? Ha!"
At last, his ego had got the better of him! That confirmed it. The whole damn thing had been a set up from the word go. Ebbe was never the target, maybe her disappearance would be an added bonus, but the real prize was Krank and whatever it was that he was protecting. The terrible events of four months ago had led to this point and it all pointed to Chum, to Krank, he was the key to the whole mystery.
As that very thought was forming in her mind, the sound of stone scraping against stone made Ebbe look to the stairs. She turned, only to see the limp body of Chum being tossed down the steps unceremoniously. His heavy body landed with a horrendous thud on the dirt flooring and didn't move.
