The Infinity Bridge

Part 8

14.

‘Ben—wake up!’ Sam yelled as the glare of approaching headlights illuminated the interior of the Range Rover.

The Range Rover swerved then returned to the correct side of the road as a silver car roared past. It sounded its horn angrily.

‘I’m good, I’m good. Like Michael Jackson—no that’s Bad.’ Ben’s voice slurred.

Nick was shaking, hands grasping the rear of Sam’s headrest. ‘We need to pull over and rest, Sam. We can’t drive all the way to Birmingham through the night. We’ll end up coming off the road.’

Sam nodded and glanced over at the GPS sat-nav map on the car’s dashboard. They were in the middle of the winding roads of the Peak District, about thirty miles away from Derby. The digital clock indicated it was ten at night.

‘Not so many five star hotels around here,’ Sam said. ‘I think we’ll have to rough it in the car.’

Nick shrugged. ‘There’s a nature reserve and forest about a mile ahead. We could pull in there and hide the car.’

Sam agreed, casting a glance at Ben who was now staring at the road with eyes like boiled eggs.

‘The false registration details I have placed on the police database should allow you an undisturbed night even if you were to park somewhere public. And the photos of all three of you appear only to be on police channels at the moment,’ Merlin said.

‘Which is strange in itself. Why keep a lid on this when you have witnesses to two murders and an armed psychiatric patient?’ Nick said. ‘No—we’ll hide off road to be certain.’

‘I share your confusion, Nicholas. The investigation and situation room is being run by a special operative unit—SO99. My databases indicate they specialise in investigation of paranormal and advanced technology incidents.’

‘Well we fall into that, all right,’ Nick muttered. He forced his heavy eyelids to stay open. ‘Merlin, maybe I should contact my mother. She’s been texting...’

‘That would be inadvisable. The SD card...’

‘I know,’ Nick snapped. ‘The sooner we get rid of it to your knights the better.’

Sam glanced back at Nick, his face concerned. ‘The hospital will be trying to get hold of my dad and mum also, I reckon.’

‘I have disabled your mother and step-father’s mobile phone accounts, Samuel. Perhaps they will enjoy the tranquillity of an undisturbed holiday now.’

A smile crept onto Sam’s face as he imagined his mum and Big Dave without access to their phones: they would have to actually make conversation in an evening.