Nature of Ash, The (17 page)

‘What happens to Mikey while all this is going on?’ I ask.

‘I’ll keep my eye on him,’ Mum says. ‘We’re friends now. He’ll be fine.’

She’s deluding herself. He’ll throw a bloody spaz. ‘Good luck with that.’ I turn back to Ray. ‘Have you ever done anything like this before — a rescue, I mean?’

Ray looks over at Mum and smiles. ‘Don’t you worry about that, sonny boy,’ he says. ‘This is the kind of thing that we do best.’

‘Yeah, but
when
exactly? And
what?
’

His smile cools. ‘Don’t push your luck, kid. You’re either in or out, that’s all you need to know.’

Jiao shrugs as I meet her eye. ‘It’s up to you and Travis,’ she says. ‘You know what
I
have to do.’

‘Trav?’

He runs his fingers through his hair, leaving a greasy strip. ‘Yeah, why the hell not? You only live once.’

‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’ I grin to cover the fear behind my words. Everything boils down to this: how am I going to feel if Jiao’s parents end up dead because I’ve bottled out? ‘Okay, I’m in.’

‘Champion!’ Ray strolls over to the Toyota and returns with a full litre of bourbon. Jeezus — how does he afford that stuff when they can’t even stump up for a functioning bog? He unscrews the cap, takes a swig and passes it straight to Trav, as though he knows this is his weakness.

‘Ray, my man,’ he says, dead on cue. ‘I like your style.’

He passes the bottle over to Mum, who takes a sip, then offers it to Jiao. She redirects it straight to me, a disapproving frown building between her eyes. Ray’s staring me down, so I don’t dare pike out. I swig back a shot, fighting a shudder as I swallow it, and pass the bottle back to Ray. This stuff’s never been my thing.

Mikey holds out his hand. ‘Me too?’

Ray goes to pass it to him. ‘No,’ I say, at exactly the same time as Jiao. ‘It’s a grown-ups’ drink, mate. It’ll make you sick.’

‘Come on, Nana,’ Ray says. ‘Give the poor kid a break.’

‘Come on, Nana,’ Mikey apes.
Little shit.

‘I doubt one sip will hurt him,’ Mum says. ‘It’s far more likely to put him off for life.’

‘Exactly.’ Ray hands the bottle to Mikey before I can intercept it.

‘Don’t.’ I send Mikey my most evil glare.

‘Nana,’ he says, and quaffs a big mouthful. Chokes. Coughs and splutters. Fans his hand in front of his panting mouth like it’s on fire.
Serves the little bastard right.
His eyes are still watering as his face splits into one of his up-you grins. ‘I’m grown up.’

‘Too right, boy. Strong as an ox.’ Ray plucks the bottle back off him and downs another shot.

‘I’m going to sleep,’ I announce. ‘Mikey, you come with me.’

‘No!’ he says, and beams at Ray. ‘Stay up.’

‘Mikey?’ Jiao stretches out her hand to him. ‘Come on. I’ll tell you the story of
The Three Genjias.
’

‘Leave him with us,’ Mum says. ‘I’ll keep an eye on him.’

As Mikey nestles in beside Mum and Ray, my face burns like I’ve roasted it. I could kill the little prick.
‘Goodnight then.’

Screw Mikey. Let Mum break his stupid bloody heart. I slink away from the firelight and climb into the back of the truck.

Jiao clambers in after me. ‘Mind if I join you?’

‘They shouldn’t encourage him.’

‘I know. But just focus on the thought that by tomorrow night we’ll be far away.’

‘You reckon?’ My voice comes out in a pathetic whine. ‘What do you
really
think about Ray’s plan?’

‘I’m so worried about Ma and Ba I can’t think straight.’ She shifts around uncomfortably. ‘I guess I’m prepared to go along with it, but only because there’s no obvious alternative. You’ve gotta trust, I guess.’

‘Here,’ I say, ‘rest your head on my arm. I promise to behave.’

‘Good to know you value keeping your balls intact!’

‘Yeah, though right now I’m much more worried about protecting our arses.’ A shiver judders through me. I can hear Ray laughing and the rise and fall of Mikey’s excited voice. ‘Shit, I’m never going to sleep.’

‘Me neither.’

I rise up on my elbow, careful not to dislodge her.

‘Have you ever smoked weed?’

‘Why?’

‘Have you?’

‘Once or twice. It sent me off to sleep.’

‘Exactly!’ I extricate my arm. ‘I have a cunning plan …’

I raid Trav’s stash again and roll a nice fat number. We slip from the truck and tiptoe off into the darkness to smoke it in peace. We study the stars, Jiao full of fascinating facts that wash right over me, then sneak
back to our so-called bed. Curl up in the blankets. Go out like a light.

I’m woken by someone shaking my leg. It’s pitch black. Somewhere near me, Mikey’s snoring like a rutting stag.

‘Wake-up time,’ Mum whispers. She turns on a torch, and nearly blinds me. ‘Get Jiao and Travis up, but leave Mikey to sleep — no point disturbing him now. I’ll be here when he wakes up after you’ve gone. Meet us in the house.’

I shake the others and pass on the message, my heart going bloody crazy as we stumble around in the dark. Mum and Ray are sitting on a bed, a kerosene lantern fighting back the gloom. They’re both so amped they jiggle on the spot, eyes wide and restless.

‘This is it, kiddos.’ Ray’s totally wired. He hefts a cardboard box up on to one of the beds. ‘Fit-out time.’ He lifts some kind of padded sleeveless jacket out of the box and hands it to me. There is another one each for Trav and Jiao.

‘What are these?’

Ray and Mum exchange the weirdest glance. He nods. She clears her throat. ‘Body armour,’ she says. ‘Just in case. You wear it under your shirt.’

I drag my T-shirt off and slip mine on, shocked by the weight of the thing. It’s bulky and a really crap fit — but it’s reassuring to know there’ll be
something
between the firing squad and my freaking heart. Jiao and Travis kit up as well, though they look bloody terrified. Body armour?
Jeezus
. Now Ray produces three hand guns and lays them on the bed. ‘Any of you ever packed a gun before?’

Do we look like bloody gangsters?
All three of us shake our heads. ‘I’ve loaded them, so all you have to do is slip off the safety catch and fire.’ He picks one up and shows us how. ‘If you need to use it, don’t be a wuss — there’s six bullets apiece, so if you miss the first time fire again. They won’t give
you
a second chance. It’s either them or you.’

He hands each of us a gun. Mine’s heavier than I expected, but I do what I’ve seen in a thousand movies and wedge it into the waistband of my jeans. The whole concept of toting a gun fair shits me, but I see Ray’s point. If it comes down to protecting Trav or Jiao, I reckon I could shoot. Maybe.

After a few more lectures from Ray, we set off at last. Ray and Mum go first in the truck, Mikey still snoring blissfully in the back. Trav follows behind with Jiao and me in the old Toyota. There’s no one else out on the roads, thank god. We’re driving with only the park lights on and it’s still dark as hell — though I have to give Trav credit, he drives okay, except for the once or twice he takes a corner way too fast and we swerve across the centre line.

After about twenty minutes, the truck pulls over on to the verge and we come to a stop behind them. There’s a glow in the sky ahead, which I figure is dawn, but Jiao says are floodlights from the farm.
Bloody hell.
It’s real. Way, way too real.

Ray climbs out of the truck and we huddle together at the side of the road. ‘Okay. Here’s the plan. Travis, we’ll push the car into the ditch, but carefully, so you can get it out again as soon as the others have gone.’ He points to a tangle of manuka and gorse. ‘Ashley and
Jiao, you hide behind that scrub over there. Travis, you have to look like you’ve been injured.’ He takes a small tube out of his pocket and holds the nozzle up to Trav’s hairline. Squeezes thick blood-like shit on to his scalp and waits for it to trickle down his face. I’m impressed: Trav looks like he needs several stitches to the head. Then Ray squirts the stuff on to Trav’s shirt as well.
Nice
. Trav really looks the part. All he needs now is an Oscar-winning performance or we’re poked.

It’s starting to grow light and Ray is keen to get away — he has to set up for the first explosion near the gates. We help manoeuvre the Toyota so it looks as if it’s crashed into the ditch, then give Ray a feeble thumbsup. We’re ready. Or nearly.

Just before they leave, Mum pulls me aside.

‘I want you to know I’m sorry, son. Sometimes life takes off in a direction we can’t foresee — or control.’ She leans toward me and kisses the tip of my nose.

I stand stiff as a board, weighted down by the bulletproof vest and the gun. Can’t bring myself to respond. I need to stay focused now, not get screwed over by a mother who blows all hot and cold. If we get out of this alive, I’ll deal with her shit then.
If we get out alive.

As Mum and Ray drive off with Mikey, we stand and watch until their truck is out of sight. We’re on our own now, good or bad.

‘Is everyone set?’ The whole thing’s so bloody surreal.

‘Group hug anyone?’ Jiao holds out her arms.

We press our faces close together and lock our arms around each other’s backs.

‘Listen, guys,’ she says. ‘If it gets too dangerous I want
you to promise to get the hell out — don’t worry about Ma and Ba, or me. Just save yourselves.’

‘No way,’ I say. ‘We’re in this together and we’ll stick to the plan. No big heroic acts. And remember, worstcase scenario, meet back at the whale.’

‘You both be careful,’ Trav says. ‘I hate that I’m not there to help.’

‘You’d bloody better be,’ I say, pulling away. ‘Just make sure you’re ready to pick us up.’

‘Roger that.’ He salutes, spins on his heel all
soldier-like,
and marches over to the car.

‘Come on,’ I say to Jiao. ‘We’d better move.’

We change our position several times, trying to figure out the best place to hide yet still be ready to dash out to the small-goods truck without getting sprung. By the time we’re happy with our spot behind a flowering manuka, dawn is breaking salmon-pink above the eastern hills. Not a good sign.
Red sky in morning,
shepherds take warning.
Damn. Rain will make things so much worse.

A few minutes later I hear the rumble of a vehicle. My heart leaps to my throat.
This is it.
My eyes meet Jiao’s. She crosses her fingers and pins on a brave smile. The rumble’s coming closer now. My muscles jerk and twist with nerves.

‘False alarm,’ Trav calls. ‘It’s just a car.’

We stay hidden as Trav scarpers as well. The last thing we need is some real do-gooder who wants to help him out. But the vehicle’s slowing as it approaches, and I catch a glimpse of red as it crawls past.
Don’t stop, you
bastard. Bugger off.
It idles beside the Toyota for two or three long seconds before it revs again and speeds away.

A minute or two later Trav calls out again. ‘Okay — we have lift-off.’

Oh fuck.
Jiao grabs my hand and squeezes it really tight. God knows how Trav is feeling — stage fright must be heaven compared to this.

Like the car before it, the truck slows as it approaches. It’s clearly seen something. We move around so we can check what’s going on, be ready to run. Trav’s on the road, reeling like he’s just staggered out of the car. He truly looks the part: bleeding, dazed and desperate as he flags down the truck.

It works!
The truck draws to a halt, idling as someone leans out the window.

‘What’s your problem, mate?’ a voice clips out.

‘I dunno what happened,’ Trav says, raising his hand to his head, then staring at the blood. Shit, he’s good. He’d suck
me
in. ‘Could you just give me a quick hand to sort the car? I’ve munted my ribs.’

I can feel Jiao shifting position beside me, the tension building as we both prepare to sprint.
Wait
, I mouth.
Not yet.
The canvas cover on the truck is held in place with elasticated ties. Should be a doddle to unhook, but we need to time our run perfectly.

Two guys climb down from the cab and follow Trav over to the car. It’s time. We have to make our break. I squeeze Jiao’s hand. ‘Now,’ I say. ‘
Go
!’

We hurtle over to the back of the truck and start to tug at the ties that hold the canvas flap in place. The first couple pop off nice and easy, but the next one I attack won’t budge.
Come on. Come on.
I can hear Trav talking over by the car. Have no idea how long we have.
Fuck
. My fingers fumble and I’m thrown off balance. I
glance down the driver’s side, trying to spot Trav.

No! This isn’t right.
There’s a third guy in the driver’s seat. His eyes meet mine in the side mirror.
Fuck. Fuck.
Fuck
. He leans on the horn and holds it down.

‘I’ve blown it,’ I hiss at Jiao. ‘Run back!’ I push her towards the scrub, hoping like hell Travis will be all right. It’s hard to think.
Need to run.
The horn’s still blaring and the truck is graunching into gear. Men’s voices rise. I hear Trav shout an insult back. Then there’s a shot.
A
fucking shot. Holy mother of God.

The truck bunny-hops down the road before it picks up speed, the canopy gaping open at the back. I run over to check on Trav, who’s crouched beside the Toyota.

‘I’m so bloody sorry, mate. I thought there were only two of them—’

But Trav’s not responding. His shirt is weeping real blood.

‘He’s hit,’ I croak, throwing myself down beside him. Jiao’s at my back. I shake him gently. ‘Trav?’ His eyes track up to mine, but he doesn’t speak. His face is white as hell.

‘We have to get his shirt off,’ Jiao says, her voice all wobbly. She reaches around behind him and rips his shirt right down his back while I peel it off him at the front. So much for the fancy-arsed bulletproof vest — the shot has smashed right through into his collar bone. God only knows what kind of mess the bullet’s made inside.

My head’s buzzing with static as Jiao rams a wad of bunched-up shirt into the wound. Trav grunts. His eyes roll back. He’s breathing all shallow and fast. We have to get him to a hospital. Really bloody fast.