The Toymaster's Castle

Chapter Forty-Nine - The Waiting Game

"So... what do we do now?" Daniel asked as soon as breakfast was over.

"We get you out to the island as soon as possible," Major Pilton replied. "Together with any equipment that is not immediately needed here on the mainland."

"I'm not awfully keen on the idea of running away," Daniel said quite firmly.

"You're not running away," Sarge reassured him. "Wherever you go, Angus is going to be coming for you. We just have to make sure that, when he does come, we can use the opportunity to wipe him off the face of the Earth."

"And to do that," the major concluded, "we need to make sure that the obvious target is in as safe a location as possible."

"Perhaps this is even the moment to make the official 'King in the West' announcement," I suggested, half joking, I suppose.

They all looked to Daniel for a decision.

"Let's just put up some signs saying, 'Welcome to the Kingdom in the West,' he suggested. "It's not quite so arrogant!"

I tried to do one of his eyebrow twitches. He'd never been desperately modest in the past.

And he replied with one of his own, telling me my bottom bits were in trouble!

"So what are our military plans?" Daniel asked.

We all looked to the major guy who said, "This is my suggestion..." Then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"We set up guard posts on the two roads but they will only be manned by a couple of our auxiliaries who will have already dug exit trenches and have orders to exfiltrate at the first sign of trouble. They will be supported by a string of three or four more serious observation and support posts which will be able to spot any serious attacks coming - whether they're on the road or travelling cross country - and provide our token guard posts on the roads with enough support to let the guys get out. When we see their attack coming, we'll have to use a series of runners to coordinate our response..."

"We've still got some working tactical radios, Sir," Sarge told him.

"Excellent!" he said. "That will make coordination much quicker and more effective. I am assuming that their attack this time will take the form of a large frontal assault consisting of most of their remaining genuine military guys who will be protected by what amounts to a human wall of auxiliaries."

That drew a series of nods from around the table. I mean... it was pretty shocking but even I could work out that that was the way the guys over there thought. Particularly now we knew that Angus was running the show.

"They might try something clever such as a two-pronged attack or a diversion but I wouldn't really expect that," the major went on.

"Subtlety is not exactly Angus's style," Daniel agreed.

"Our response should be a series of sniping type ambushes... and, ideally, we'd get some of our lads in behind them so we can attack them from the rear. And remember, we're only really interested in taking out the military guys. As soon as things get interesting, their auxiliaries will turn tail and run."

"How many of the serious military guys have they got left?" Daniel asked.

"About forty... but they're now down to under twenty battle rifles... so anyone holding a rifle is the priority target, of course. How much ammunition have we got?"

Sarge told him a number. It sounded like quite a lot and I did vaguely wonder where it had all come from but the major didn't look all that impressed. "We need to get some of the auxiliaries trained up," he said. "Particularly anybody who has shot before."