Little Red (38 page)

The van sat to his front, a beast in slumber. He stopped and killed the headlights, reaching into the bag on the passenger’s side he retrieved the claw hammer and climbed from the vehicle. The song filled the
woods, he spun three hundred and sixty degrees, scanning his surroundings. The night was quiet and the moon was close to being full. He ran to the empty van, the headlights guiding the path. He followed quickly, the track becoming darker as he ventured deeper. The branches whipped his cold face as the shadows of the sleeping trees swarmed him, he ran faster, his heart kept up with the pace, the wildest thoughts clogged his mind. The edge was nearing, the glistening snow appeared.

***

The girl lay bleeding, the attack from her side had knocked her down, the gash to her leg had opened and the blood flowed freely from it. The slaps to her stomach had ripped the flesh open, the warm life escaping the wounds. He had dragged her limp body to the place he chose, the level ground lay under the moon as it approached its fullest. He dropped to his knees, landing upon her arms and pinning her. The claw was removed and knife embraced. He readied himself, the heart was his for the taking. The girl attempted to plead with the beast, her tears glistened under the full moon. The shimmer upon the long blade caught her eye, the ground numbed her skin, the monster howled with satisfaction as the knife was poised.

The hammer struck the arm, the claw part of the tool buried into the beast skin. Its weapon fell to the ground, the beasts face peered up to see the attacker. Richard drove a knee into the side of the Wolf’s temple, the blow knocking it to the blanket of snow. The toe of his boot connected with its side, the distinct cracking of ribs filled the night. The hammer was brought up and landed on the face of the beast, several more strikes followed and Richard screamed as the anger controlled him. He stopped when the body remained still, he kicked the knife away and approached the Wolf cautiously, his fingers pressed against its neck, there was a pulse, it was still alive.

***

Nathan stood as his gate was called forward. He opened the phone book upon his mobile and searched for Jack, the call was forwarding.

‘Nathan, how are you, tell me you’re staying?’

‘No sorry Jack, I’m boarding now. Look Jack, I’ve just found something interesting. There’s an address I think you should take a look at, and I mean now…..with a team, fuck it the full force mate, I’m going to text you it….I discovered it in that file Lillian sent, just being reading through it now….seriously Jack, act fast…..please!’

‘Okay…..okay send it, Nathan…..thank you!’

‘Good bye Jack, enjoy your retirement!’

He ended the
call, his eyes welled up as he knew he couldn’t see Jack again. He had held out with vital information, Jack would know this when he got to the scene, depending on what he found at the Wolf’s location. He thought about Richard, he hoped he had found Megan and that she was alive. He boarded the plane, the mixed emotions pulsing through his ageing body.

***

Jack bolted from his chair, the recent call had sent a chill through his spine, a motivator that he begged for. The address had been text through and he gathered the task team in the briefing room. Calls were made whilst the teams gathered for the news, he struggled to reach several people and some of the ranks he required were at home. He made a command decision and decided to go ahead with the search.

‘Everyone listen in, we have a new piece of information, an address. It could be something or maybe nothing, but we can’t sit on our arses and do jack shit about it!’ the pun unintended.

‘We’re moving in figures ten, I want all task teams set in the positions they were assigned on the previous house search. We are obviously lacking the Armed Response unit, so we go with riot control gear, helmets, batons and shields. I will lead the hit, my team will conduct the search. Is everybody happy with what they are doing?’ the nods confirmed the question.

‘Good, okay gather around to view the map. The white board was spun around and on the rear was the map he used to brief the last search.
We are here, the thin mental pointer landed upon the Met office. This is our destination, roughly half an hour. The main route to the objective will be this’, the tip slid from their location to the destination, following the prominent road, ‘Our route back, depending on the outcome of the search, will be the quickest means, the same that we use to get there. Do you understand?’

‘Yes Sir’ the audience bellowed in unison.

‘Good, ladies and gents, this could be the hide of the Wolf! If, at the location, we discover the suspect, I want all necessary precautions taken, I want this bastard alive, but if he is armed, then we call for back-up, any questions?’

‘No Sir’

‘Well then, why are you still here…..let’s go, move!’ he ordered.

The room drowned with adrenalin and anxiety, the teams moved with intent, each and every person envisioned the search and its outcome. Jack had his own vision, the beast in hand cuffs, crying in the back of the van. He hoped and prayed for the result he longed for.

***

Richard removed his black coat, the freezing wind and snow fall chilled his body. He placed the jacket upon his daughter, the fabric had absorbed his body heat and began to warm her core. She whimpered as he slipped his hands under her legs and neck. He stood, cradling her frozen body and he pulled her close to his chest, offering as much heat as possible. He kissed her forehead, the tear ran from his cheek and sunk into the glistening snow. He manoeuvred her so that one arm held her body, her head resting upon his shoulder. He stood by the unconscious beast, his free hand gripped the ankle. He didn’t want to leave the monster alone, he wanted him by his side, he wanted him for himself. The body was dragged through the snow, the indentations followed it as they moved towards the woods. The growing wind attacked Richard, the snow striking his face and eyes. He pulled, his arms feeling the throb as they began to burn out. His mind pushed him on like a montage, he couldn’t stop, not for a rest, not for anything. He had little time alone with his victim, time that he wished could be extended.

The headlights of the Wolf’s van lay ahead, they guided the way as the branches and foliage poked at their legs and torso’s, the whole time he guarded his daughter from any more harm. The music had increased as they neared it, the song playing constantly on repeat. He stopped by the driver’s side and let go of the killer’s leg, it hit the ground, his body remained still. Richard stopped the music, the woods fell silent again. He moved to his vehicle, checking his back every few steps to ensure the Wolf had not moved or attempted to run.

Megan was lowered into the passenger seat, he pulled the coat further up her neck, covering her numb skin. He moved to the boot and opened it, the light clicked to life displaying the items. The blankets were thick and heavy, he grabbed two and draped them over his daughter, being sure to guard her body from the extremities. He clicked the seat belt into place, to hold the warmth against her. The door closed gently, as not to disturb her. He moved quickly to the rear and picked up the rope, running back to the beast in the snow.

The headlights were switched on, the Wolf was blinded by the beams. He attempted to move, the shade his eyes from the brightness. He couldn’t. He waited until the focus had adjusted to his new surroundings, he thought for a moment that he was back in the dream, he waited for his invisible guest to greet him. Instead, he was met by the large figure, his face stone cold, his eyes piercing. Richard had waited until the monster had awoken, it didn’t take long after the slaps to its face were issued. Whilst unconscious and unknowing to the predicament it was now in, Richard had secured Russell’s wrist to the van’s door handles of the driver and passenger side. The rope tied tight so that any slight movement would burn the skin. His arms were pulled wide open, his shoulders throbbed with the uncomfortable position, he was unable to move without causing himself more pain. The beams from Richards car now illuminated him.

‘Do you know who I am?’

‘No……do you know
what
I am?’ the beast growled, stopping in between words to shake the pain at his joints.

‘I do!’ replied Richard, nodding his head slowly.

‘No you don’t, you think you understand me, you don’t know what I’ve become!’ his vision still blurred as he attempted to stare at his new guest.

‘I know what you are about to become……and it’s not what you have in mind!’ he informed, lowering to the Wolf’s level.

‘Do you know what fear is?’ Richard quizzed.

‘I do, I have seen it……tasted it and swallowed it all, I put it in to each of my girls, they knew fear……….I gave them that!’

‘Well, you are about to see and feel a whole different kind of fear, I promise you this, it will be slow!’ he stood and moved to the rear of his vehicle, the items gathered into his arms. He placed them beside the front wheel, laying them down neatly so that he didn’t have to search for a desired tool. The blanket lay upon the snow, the weapons spaced out on top. He placed the heavy rucksack in front of the headlight, the contents clicked against each other. The Wolf’s Polaroid camera was sat upon the bonnet. He moved toward the incapacitated beast, his legs kicking towards Richard. He stamped them down and fell upon the limbs, the Wolf cried a short burst of pain as Richard pinned the legs to the floor. He reached for the heavy bag and tape from the blanket. He secured the legs just above the ankles, the bag placed in the natural bends of the Wolf’s limbs. He used an excessive amount of tape, making sure the bind wouldn’t break. He stood, admiring his work.

‘Are you ready to feel fear?’

The Wolf starred back into his eyes, a glint of anger stirred within. The metal baseball bat was lifted from the blanket, the surface glistened under the crying moon, the large ball of light witnessed the end of its offerings.

Richard stood by the secured
legs, the bag had pushed them slightly apart and held them still. He raised that bat and offered the beast a glance, he forced the anger from his core into the eyes of the killer, he showed control, he fed him fear. The weapon was swung hard, the wind brushing passed it as it cut through the air, the whooshing sound filled their ears. The tip connected with the right foot, the bone cracked and was separated from its home, the skin split under the strain and began to leak onto the snow. Russell screamed as the pain overwhelmed him, his cries turned into growls as he succumbed to the searing pain. Richard stepped over the lags and positioned himself to the Wolf’s side, he raised the bat, poised for strike number two. The bone shattered and splintered through the skin, the foot twisted under the connection and lay bent up in an unnatural position, the red liquid escaped the multiple tears. Once again the cries turned into low growls, he inhaled sharply through his nostrils, his mind fought the pain.

‘Now you can’t hunt them….can
you, now….you can’t run away!’

***

The vehicles had parked up, Jack sat in the van,
his eyes fixed on the house. It appeared dark and empty, he hoped for the result he needed. Task teams one and two had called in, stating that the cordons were in position.

‘Good, if this bastard tries to run I want him brought down……hard!’

They were ready. His pulse raised and heart beating wildly. The location was quiet, he noticed no movement…..he waited…….

‘Go…Go…Go!’ he shouted down the radio handset. The doors of the van were thrown open and the occupants dispersed to the large hedge at the front of the building. The
y lowered to one knee, the line hand railed the foliage. Jack sat at the front, observing the target. The windows were dark, the shadows stalked the exterior. He signalled to the front man to move in, the line followed one and other as they moved to the building. They rested upon the walls, the front door checked. The officer shook his head, informing Jack that it was locked. He pointed to four individuals and ushered them to the rear of the building. They moved quickly and silently in the darkness.

‘Back door has been broken down Sir, structure in the garden also open’ the words whispered through the communications system.

‘We enter through the back, no sound. Torches only, the switches maybe rigged, check your footing and move slowly. You enter the house, I’ll lead the rest into the outside building, over’

‘Roger that Sir, on your mark’

‘Go…Go…Go!’

The teams moved in, Jack at the front, heading towards the garage. The house team stalked through the depths of the house, the dead animals spotted on the units. Jack crept into the
garage, his torch illuminated the mass cages, the occupants hiding from the light. The team moved through the outer building, searching the interior, nothing found. He ushered them outside with a wave of his hand, they followed the second team into the house. He was met down stairs by the officer leading the search team.