The Toymaster's Castle

Chapter Thirty-Nine - A Show of Force

About a week later, we all went into town.

And, when I say all, I mean pretty much everybody.

Jane and a couple of the other mothers with little kiddies stayed behind but otherwise we all went.

And the Marines were in full combat rig... loaded rifles and everything. It was meant to be a show of force.

We all managed to cram into their RIB... it had two rows of funny, kneeling down type seats at the front... and so the trip across to the mainland was a bit of a squash but took next to no time. From here, we went straight up to Highfield Dairy Farm. The first Lighthouse plaque was already mounted on the post that held the farm sign.

We walked up the driveway together and, by the time we arrived at the house, the door was open and the family was outside. "It looks like an invasion!" Dave said with a smile.

"Believe me, Sir," Sarge replied. "If it was an invasion, it would be a heck of a lot louder than this!"

"We've come to collect the second lighthouse plaque," Daniel explained.

Megan had already guessed what we wanted and produced it with an embarrassed sort of pride and we all stood around and said suitably polite things about it.

"What are you going to do with it?" Dave asked.

"I intend to take it into town and mount it at the entrance to the supermarket."

"Letting people know that you're taking over?"

"As a demonstration that, like this place, the supermarket is now under our protection. I've done a deal with Tony there."

"May I have your permission to speak briefly to your daughter, please, Sir?" Sarge asked Dave in a distinctly formal tone as the rest of us prepared to leave.

Dave exchanged a brief smile with his wife and then said, "I'm sure she'll be happy to talk to you, Son."

But, as he stepped across to her, Daniel said, "We're on our way now, Sarge. You'd better catch up with us by the time we reach town. George, stay with him to show him the way... and to make sure he doesn't lose track of time!"

True to form, Sarge appeared with George shortly before we reached town at a casual run. "Would you be so kind as to form the men up," Daniel asked him.

With a couple of barked orders, the Marines formed up and set off at a dignified march with the rest of us trailing along in their wake.

They marched up the hill, past the war memorial... they turned and gave it a smart salute without interrupting their flow... then they marched on, along to the supermarket.

By the time we arrived, a crowd of curious onlookers had gathered and Tony had stepped out of the shop to greet us.

"Good morning," Daniel said, showing him the little plaque. "We've come to put this up for you."

"Oh! Right!"

With a fair amount of ceremony, Daniel screwed the thing to the shop's door frame. By the time he had finished, a small crowd had gathered.

"This," he announced to them, "denotes that the shop is now under our protection. That means we will act if anybody attempts to rob the place using force. It does not mean that I will be supervising Tony's day-to-day activity... nor does it mean that we will interfere with anyone trying to set up their own trading operation. It is my considered opinion that bringing back free, unfettered commerce to the region is a fundamental step in re-establishing a meaningful economy and so I encourage you all to get producing stuff... particularly food or, if my boys have any say in the matter, beer!"