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On hearing the motorbike approaching, Victoria risked a quick peek over the hedge. She couldn't be sure that this was the same bike whose lights she'd seen from the hotel, but who else would be heading this way at this time, at far too high a speed? She ducked back down, took a deep breath, and with her gloved left hand connected the wire to the battery. There were a few sparks and crackling noises, but no other visible effect. The motorcycle engine grew steadily louder and louder as it approached. As the motorbike passed under the tree branch, its engine spluttered and died. Once more, Victoria peered cautiously over the hedge. The motorcycle glided away down the road and round a slight bend, decelerating rapidly. For a few moments, Victoria waited, wondering whether she should disconnect the wire again, or leave it. Gia hadn't given her any instructions on that point. In the end, she decided to leave it connected, and set off in pursuit. Left alone at the foot of the tree, the batteries sparked and fumed. The motorbike glided to a halt in the middle of the ambush, just short of the improvised barrier. Two people were riding it, both unidentifiable in their helmets and leathers. The driver kicked at the starter a few times, but the engine refused to fire. "Sorry," he said. The unseen watchers recognised the voice of Henry from the previous night. "She won't start. Must be something wrong with the ignition." The pillion rider silently dismounted. He seemed a little unsteady on his feet, but nonetheless moved purposefully as he unstrapped a box from the carrier. "You there!" Samantha shouted, popping up from behind the hedge like a Jack-in-the-box. "We've got you surrounded. Put your hands in the air and stand still." The two motorcyclists did no such thing. The driver, presumably Henry, ran back down the road, while his passenger calmly and unhurriedly climbed over the gate into the field where Zoë, Jamie and Gia were hiding. "You stay where you are," Jamie said, advancing on the helmeted figure. He was shouldered aside without a word. His temper rising, he exchanged nods with Zoë and they each took hold of one of the figure's arms. A moment later, he was lying on his back, and Gia was bending over him. "How do you feel?" she asked him, checking his limbs for any obvious breakages. "I'm all right." He climbed to his feet. "What about Zoë?" Zoë, it turned out, was lying a few yards away. As Jamie and Gia ran to her, she managed to rise to her feet and limped in their direction. "Don't bother with me," she said, sounding dazed. "Get after that thing. Bet you a euro it isn't human." "No bet," Gia said. "Come on." She caught Jamie by the arm and the pair set off at a run. It was hard going; the field had been ploughed, and they found themselves stumbling over the ridges and furrows, the heavy soil clinging to their boots. They soon caught up with the helmeted figure, but Jamie now took the lead, pulling Gia to one side. "We've got tae get ahead of him," he explained. "Set a trap or something." Gia, reluctant to waste breath on talking, nodded and ran on. As Victoria rounded the bend, she saw a motorcyclist, anonymous in his helmet, running towards her, with Isobel and Samantha in hot pursuit. Without giving herself time to think, she rushed at him, screaming at the top of her voice, and collided with him. He quickly recovered and tried to grab her, but she threw herself down and to one side, catching hold of his left leg. Before the man could make any attempt to shake her off, Samantha and Isobel had him by the arms. Under the tree, the batteries were now hot to the touch, or would have been had anyone been around to touch them. Annoyingly, by the time she reached the stile that led to the next field, Gia couldn't do much more than lean on the fence and try to recover, while Jamie, apparently not tired in the least, climbed up and surveyed the landscape. Looking back the way they'd come, she could see the man still walking towards them at the same pace. Further behind him, Zoë was giving chase, still limping. "See anything?" Gia asked. "Aye, I think we might be in luck," Jamie said. His expression was all too scrutable: he was about to try something absurdly risky. "Pick up as many little stones as you can, and follow me." "Not more running?" "Well, do the best you can." Jamie shook his head. "Not enough exercise, that's your trouble." "I go to the gym," Gia protested. "Ah, but jumping about on the spot in front of a bare wall canna be good for you. You need tae spend more time running away from monsters. Come on." Gia found it easier to keep up with Jamie this time. Perhaps her rest and the few moments they'd spent picking up pebbles had helped, or perhaps it was because on the other side of the stile the field hadn't been ploughed and so was relatively flat. Jamie turned to the left and made for a gate which led into a third field. Like the field they were in, this field was also laid to pasture; unlike it, it had an occupant. A large and unpleasant-looking bull looked up, and ambled threateningly in their direction. "Are you telling me your plan involves... that?" Gia asked, pointing at the bull. "Of course. Here's what we do. We open the gate and get yon beastie to chase us." "You're not serious." "I am. It's quite simple. We split up. There's only one of him. If he chases after you, I throw stones at him until he changes his mind, and the same the other way round. And we try tae put him onto the fellow from the bike. Told you you needed practice running away from monsters." "You're all crazy," Gia said. "You do know that, don't you?" Jamie grinned at her. "Wouldn't be any fun otherwise." Outnumbered three to one, Henry hadn't been able to escape, though he'd certainly put up a fierce resistance. In the end, Samantha, Victoria and Isobel had dragged him back to the cart and used some of the spare rope to tie his hands and feet. Leaving Samantha to stand guard over their captive, Isobel and Victoria set off in pursuit of the other man. Jamie pushed the gate open, selected a pebble, and shied it at the beast. The bull shook its head, and set out for him at a brisk trot. "Now run!" Jamie shouted at Gia. The two set out for the stile. Gia glanced over her shoulder, to see the bull running after them, rapidly gaining. "Split!" Jamie gasped, and dashed off at an angle. Gia risked another look behind; the bull seemed momentarily baffled, then decided Jamie was the more important target, and made for him. For a subjective age Gia found herself watching helplessly as the bull bore down on Jamie. In reality, though, she was in control of herself in moments. She shied a pebble at the beast, missed, tried again, and finally, in desperation, threw her entire stock. The bull stopped again, seemingly confused, giving Jamie precious seconds to extend his lead. All Gia's logic and instincts were telling her to run for it. But she might need to distract the bull again. Frantically, she picked up stones, lumps of soil, anything that might serve as ammunition. The bull made up his mind, and came for her. Once more, she ran for the stile, not daring to look behind her. At any moment she might be gored or trampled, and if she fell she was finished. Ahead she could see the wood of the stile clearly against the morning sky. The implacable helmeted figure had just begun to climb over it. The ground felt as if it was shaking under her. She wasn't going to make it. Chapter 9: Heavy, Violent, Abusive and Aggressive
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