The Scroll

Chapter Fifteen

Flat Top led the small group through the woods away from the hunting lodge. No one spoke for there was nothing to say and too much to ask. The horses, which Flat Top had led away earlier, were tethered nearby. He indicated that Bonnie and Father Michael should ride two of them. "It might be easier if you carried Marilene on horseback." Flat Top suggested. Templer nodded his acceptance. The wound in his back, although not bleeding, hurt terribly and he could feel his strength slowly fading. Perhaps he would end the night in the earth once more. Cue Ball reverently held Marilene while Templer climbed into the saddle. "You take the other horse Clyde. Cue Ball and me could do with a little stroll." Flat Top said.

"Where do we go now?" Father Michael asked.

Cue Ball waited for the needle of his compass to settle. "This way." He pointed, and the others followed.

"We have transport waiting." Flat Top added.

For twenty minutes they walked a seemingly erratic path through the trees. Finally, still deep in the forest, they came to a Forestry Commission car park. Like so many others it was simply a gravel clearing with picnic facilities. Close to the toilets, which resembled a log cabin a Ford Galaxy was parked. "Wait here." Flat Top walked across to it taking a key from his pocket to open the doors.

"Hold the reins while I help Templer." Cue Ball said. "Then you can all go and sit in comfort."

Flat Top arranged the seats so that they could lay Marilene in the back then went to help Cue Ball. They led the horses back into the woods then returned with their saddles and bridles.

"Are you leaving them there?" Bonnie asked softly when Flat Top sat down behind the wheel.

"They'll be better in the forest." Flat Top replied. "There's no one left at the lodge to take care of them." He looked back at Father Michael. "Where would you like to go Father?"

Father Michael hesitated. "That rather depends on how Templer feels. Whether he fells that it is time to rest or whether he would like to find something new."

Templer suddenly realised the implication of Father Michael's words. It was at an end. Marilene had died without heirs and so there was no one to pass the scroll to. He could lie in the cold earth, wait for his wound to heal and then make his own way in the world. Forever. Or he could go with father Michael and rest. Forever. He thought of the scroll. "What shall become of it?" He asked Father Michael vaguely.

"I shall take it back to where it came from." Father Michael replied simply.

"Then I think I would like to rest."

Father Michael nodded. "London please."

Flat Top pulled out of the car park onto the empty country road. He drove unhurriedly with the headlights dipped as the narrow road twisted and turned through the trees. At one point a deer ran across the road causing Flat Top to swerve but he declined Cue Ball's suggestion to use the main beam. Trees closed in at the side of the road creating an illusion of driving down a dark tunnel. Eventually lights shone sparsely ahead and they passed through a sleeping village. Soon after they turned onto an A road from where they joined a dual carriageway which led to a motorway and London.

Cue Ball took out a mobile phone from the glove box and dialled 999. He gave the operator the address of the Alliance's hunting lodge, requested an ambulance, suggested that the police may be interested in attending, politely refused to give any further information and hung up.

Father Michael cleared his throat. "It occurs to me that I should try to explain this evenings events. That is if you are interested? And I'm afraid that I don't even know your names."

Flat Top glanced at Father Michael in the rear-view mirror. He seemed to think for a moment before replying. My name is Masterman. Colonel Richard Masterman. But please call me Richard. And this," he added nodding at Cue Ball, "is Sergeant Patrick Keogh who enjoys my friendship so much that he constantly declines any further promotion."

"Promotion?" Cue Ball laughed. "And then who would baby sit you?"

"Baby sitter?" Flat Top responded. "Where else would you find such a tolerant mentor?" It was obviously a much-debated topic between the two. "But in answer to your question Father, yes, I am curious."

Father Michael took a deep breath and went on to explain, without going into details, the history of the scroll and Templer's involvement. Bonnie and Clyde looked incredulous at Father Michael's insistence that Templer had ridden in the Crusades and walked the Earth ever since. Flat Top and Cue Ball accepted the evidence of their own eyes. "And you gentlemen do not appear to me to be the sort to get mixed up in Reverend John's nonsense?"

"No Father, we're not. Sergeant Keogh and me are, as you have probably guessed, in the military. I will not bother you with which branch of the service we are in, as you will not have heard of it. Suffice to say that The Alliance had come to our attention and we were merely observing it when events suddenly accelerated."

"But what about us? What did you need us for?" Clyde spoke up from the back.

"You may have been pleased to know that we were aware of your aspirations. However we doubted that you would actually cause anybody any harm. To be sure though we recruited you for our contract with the Alliance. Which reminds me. Under my seat is a bag. Can you reach it?" Flat Top asked.

"Yes." Clyde replied.

"Good. Now I want you to open it and look inside."

Clyde did as he was asked. His eyes opened wide in astonishment. He looked at Bonnie, not noticing that they had reached the outskirts of London and that Flat Top was stopping. "It's..." He began.

"Yes." Flat Top interrupted, turning to look at the young couple. "It is money, all the money in fact that the Alliance was paying us. I think that really you're good kids so I want you to take it, buy a house and get nine to five jobs. No more Bonnie and Clyde. I want you to take Alice here out of wonderland and make a life in the real world. Do we have a deal Peter, Alice?"

Peter and Alice nodded their acceptance. They would forget about being Bonnie and Clyde.

"Good. Now there's a Travel lodge over there. Go book in for a couple of nights. And don't worry; we'll know where to find you. Go on, off you go now."

Bewildered Bonnie and Clyde climbed out of the Galaxy. Flat Top nodded to them as he put the Galaxy in gear and Cue Ball simply put his hand out of the window as they drove off. Bonnie and Clyde watched them go until they could see their lights no more. Clyde, clutching the sport bag tightly, turned to Bonnie. "Shall we go Alice?"

"Yes Peter. I think we should." She replied, atear in her eye.